Good morning! Today’s post will link up to The Sunday Salon, The Sunday Post and Stacking the Shelves, for weekly updates.
**Mailbox Monday is hosted at the home site: Mailbox Monday.
And let’s join Kathryn, our leader in It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?, at Book Date.
As I create this post today, a Hallmark Christmas movie plays in the background, and my coffee cup is brimming. So good!
Christmas music, decorations, and shopping frenzy almost obliterate the crazy news that surrounds us in our world…but between those distractions and the books I’m reading, I am almost in a good place. I read and reviewed three books this week and I wrote eight blog posts in addition to the reviews. I was still reading the third book yesterday afternoon, but got my monthly wrap-up finished before the day was over.
I’ve been watching shows on Amazon Prime, including Vera, an Acorn TV offering.
I had lunch with my daughter on Thursday…and, again, I forgot to take a photo! When I’m with someone, I am caught up in the conversation, etc. But she and I shared a lovely BLT from Mad Duck. It looked like this (I grabbed this photo from the website):
So…what else? It has been raining here! The downside, of course, is how slick the roads are. There have been lots of accidents.
Now let’s grab more coffee and take a closer look at the week:
LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:
Sunday Potpourri: Books, Photos, Etc.
Serendipitous Moments: First Books of the Year…
Rainy Day Excerpts: “The Liar’s Wife”
Tuesday Potpourri: Adding Books To My Shelves…
Coffee Chat: Post-Thanksgiving Activities…
Bookish Friday: “After Nightfall”
Gone November! Welcome to December…
Review: Under My Skin (e-book), by Lisa UngerReview: The Liar’s Wife (e-book), by Samantha HayesReview: We Were Mothers (e-book), by Katie Sise
***
INCOMING BOOKS- (Title/Covers Linked to Amazon)
Empty physical mailbox, but I did receive a library book in my inbox today! And…I purchased four e-books.
I’ve Got My Eyes on You (e-book), by Mary Higgins Clark (Library Book)
Purchases:
Tear Me Apart (e-book), by J. T. Ellison
Sadie (e-book), by Courtney Summers
The Adults (e-book), by Caroline Hulse
Tell Me Lies (e-book), by Carola Lovering
***
WHAT’S NEXT?
After Nightfall (e-book), by A.J. Banner
And then, I have lists of books to pick from next…I will follow my moods.
***
That was my week. What did yours look like? I had this delicious cake and ice cream dessert a couple of weeks ago at Dai Bai Dang, my pre-movie special place.
***
You are really in the swing of things! I think this is your special season! It’s a great time to read and watch TV…I always need something on in the background. Vera is a favorite with us. But I love Acorn TV!
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Thanks, Patty, I ended up subscribing to Acorn TV. So far, I’ve watched Doc Martin and Vera.
Enjoy your weekend.
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I have been watching the Agatha Christy’s too…they have been wonderful!
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I need to try them!
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It’s an easy subscription because you can stop any time. Have you watched Agatha Raisin yet?
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I haven’t yet tried Agatha Raisin, although I scrolled past it last night. Instead, I watched an interesting movie with Brenda Blethyn called Belonging. I was hooked on it. Today I’ll try a few other things. Thanks, Patty.
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Mmm, the BLT 😉 Sadie is the one grabbing my attention. I like to read per my mood too.
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Thanks, vvb32; I am feeling a great reading mood descending! Enjoy your week!
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Mmm I love a good BLT haha! Haven’t had one in ages either… *note to self* And yes a Christmas movie in the background sounds downright cozy and relaxing!
Christmas music too!
You look like you have some good thrillers lined up. After Nightfall, Tear Me Apart and I’ve Got My Eyes On You- those all look like fun, tense reads!
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With all these delicious books tucked away inside Paige (my Kindle), I promptly took a long nap! But now I’m ready to resume After Nightfall, and the pages are flying by.
I think it will be a great week! Thanks for stopping by, Greg.
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We got quite a bit of rain here the other day and it was a nice change. I hope you enjoy After Nightfall – I really liked it when I read it.
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I’m loving it, Aymee; enjoy your reading and your week.
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That dessert looks delicious. Glad you enjoyed your time out with your daughter and were enjoying it far too much for a photo! Yes time to start on some Christmas movies I think. Must look up on netflix – have a couple marked.
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Thanks, Kathryn, I do love our get-togethers, but my daughter is so busy that we seldom have a nice, leisurely lunch. She does my hair and sometimes we grab a quick bite afterwards.
I have recorded a few of the Christmas movies…now to sit down and watch them. Enjoy your week!
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Enjoy Sadie. It was a good one. It looks like you and your daughter have enjoyed some good meals. I’ve been watching Christmas movies too. Have a great week.
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Thanks, Kimberly, I’ve had my eye on Sadie for a while….and I kept hearing good things. I’m looking forward to it.
I like what you said about Hallmark movies on your blog. So true…but also enjoyable, too. Have a great week!
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It sounds like you had a great week blogging and reading! And I’ve been enjoying Christmas vibes too. Getting all the decorations out today and we’ll be getting our tree Tuesday, finally. I just watched ‘Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding’ on Netgalley yesterday. It was just so bad I loved it. LOL!
Have a great week and happy reading!
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Thanks for stopping by, Maureen, and enjoy the decorating. Yes, some of the Christmas movies are definitely so bad they’re good. Have a great week.
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Great food photography, it’s making my mouth water.
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Ha- thanks for stopping by, Charlie, and I do love capturing the moments. I developed the habit of photographing the food when my son and DIL were visiting from Europe, where they live. My DIL loved our restaurants so much and had to grab some shots to remember them. Now I’m also in the habit of remembering the moments.
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I have heard and/or read many of the books you mentioned this week, and I’m adding more from your shelves as I’m writing this:)
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Thanks, Trin, I find most of the books I read from blogs. What fun, right? Enjoy them all.
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Well Laurel how you describe your writing moment is pure bliss indeed! And confession: I never take picture of what I am eating. I find it so weird! Except maybe if I had something truly astonishing or utterly beautiful LOL I see Sadie on your purchases and I hope you’ll love it as much as I did! Happy Sunday!
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Thanks for stopping by, Sophie, and I am glad you enjoyed the “writing moment.” My food shots are a quirk that I picked up after my DIL grabbed shots of whatever she ate in the restaurants we visited. She and my son came to visit three years ago, and it was her first trip to the US.. They live in Prague.
I hope to enjoy Sadie. Have a great week.
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I’m glad you love Christmas so much – I’ve never enjoyed it much since I was teenager. But I’m trying to get more into the swing of the thing, these days! Thank you for popping by:)
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For years, I didn’t enjoy it much, Sarah; in fact, I resisted the Christmas decorating we used to do at the office in my years at a private children’s agency. But seeing the reactions of the kids changed things for me.
However, I don’t do a lot of decorating at home. It is exhausting to bring everything out! LOL
Enjoy your week.
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Thank you, Laurel! We will be decorating the house when the grandchildren come:))
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Hallmark movies are always a good choice. I will be watching last night’s movie shortly, and I know I will enjoy it. And NOW, I want cake and ice cream. I am always jealous of your food adventures.
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Thanks, Sam, and I do realize that I have been eating way too many sweet things lately, but I am also enjoying it. So that is what guides me. LOL
I like to eat something sweet while reading or watching movies. Enjoy your week.
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I read a couple of Christmassy books this week and we walked into town after dark to see the festive lights, but my OH won’t let me start playing the Christmas music playlist yet!
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Thanks for stopping by, Stephanie; enjoy the books and the music.
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Good to hear you’ve had such a productive week – it’s been very rainy here this weekend which isn’t helpful in the run up to Christmas!
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Thanks for visiting, Cleo; I have mixed feelings about rain. I don’t enjoy the storms, but I also wish we could overcome the drought. Sigh.
Enjoy your week!
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I also have The Adults. I got it for review last month. Still haven’t read it though!
This sandwich looks amazing! I am glad to hear you spent a nice time with your daughter and that you had a productive week.
Have a lovely time in the week ahead! 🙂
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Thanks, Irena, I am eager to read The Adults, and right now I’m loving After Nightfall.
My lunch with my daughter was so relaxing, not to mention delicious.
Enjoy your new week.
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I have a Hallmark Christmas movie in the background right now too. They are so cute. Sounds like you had a great week and that dessert has me drooling. Your books all look intriguing. Have a great week!
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Thanks for visiting, Yvonne, there’s nothing more enjoyable than the background sounds of Christmas.
I do love the Hallmark Mysteries, though, and I’m looking forward to their return.
Have a great week.
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Rain eh? That’s good. The Adults novel looks good. Christmas-y too. Enjoy your week! I like the food photos, so good.
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Thanks for stopping by, Susan, I hope the rain will help with the drought, but sadly we get just enough to make everything grow…and then the heat of summer turns it all into a fire hazard. Sigh.
I am eager to read The Adults. Have a great week.
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I’m starting to get into the Christmas festive mood. I helped my mom put out a few decorations at her house over the weekend. My daughter and son-in-law set up our tree today. Now I need to get the ornaments on the tree. Maybe tomorrow. Your new books look like fabulous reads!
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Wow, Mary, you have accomplished a lot! Enjoy the ambience of your festive surroundings.
Have a great week!
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It’s been raining here too. Before we get too into Christmas, we’re focusing on Hanukkah first. My weekly update
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Thanks, Sarah, sounds like a great plan. Enjoy!
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I adored Sadie, I loved the podcast and West and just how it was so well written. It totally pulls your heartstrings. Enjoy your wonderful week. Glad you had lunch with your daughter and who doesn’t love a good old fashioned BLT every now and again?
Mary
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Thanks for visiting, Mary, and I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed Sadie. I’ve been eyeing it for a while.
The BLT was definitely delicious! Enjoy your week.
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Raining here in Michigan today too. Your atmosphere sounds cozy! My son is in school right now, and I am drinking coffee, taking advantage of the quiet….lol. Enjoy your cozy hygge-ness! 🙂
That cake looks amazing!
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Thanks, Erin, I do love my “hygge-ness.” LOL
Have a nice quiet day…and then read everything you wish to savor today.
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Christmas activities do help us make our way through all the nonsense going on in the country and the world right about now. I really need to watch Hallmark movies– I think that will lift my mood even more!
I read the JT Ellison one and have Under My Skin still unread. The title After Nightfall looks really good- enjoy it! Have a great week ahead.
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Thanks for visiting, Rita, and I enjoy J. T. Ellison’s books…hope to read this one soon. I finished After Nightfall yesterday…I literally couldn’t put it down!
Have a great week.
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That BLT looks lovely, as does the dessert but that’s probably a given. We’ve had quite a bit of rain as well. I’ve been meaning to grab Sadie from the library – thanks for the reminder.
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Thanks for visiting, Barb, I’ve been eyeing Sadie for a while, so now I’m excited to read it. Enjoy your week.
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I have thus far managed to avoid thinking about or doing anything about Christmas. I hope you enjoy Sadie. I found it very moving. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
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Thanks, Kathy, I’m still avoiding my Christmas decorations! Have a great week.
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Our decorations are up and I’ve done a little shopping but haven’t watched the first Christmas movie. I need to since I don’t have much Christmas spirit this year.
All the books you bought look terrific!
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Thanks, Kathy, it is hard to have Christmas spirit when the world is so crazy…but those movies do help. Enjoy your week.
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Mary Higgins Clark is an author I’d like to read more of.
The amount of The Clockmaker’s Daughter I had read before returning it since there was a hold on it was good. I usually get a bit antsy when reading a historical fiction book and where there’s some kind of murder mystery of the past.
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Thanks for visiting, Stefanie, it is hard to read a lengthy library book and have to send it back before finishing it. Historical fiction that has a mystery is usually pretty good, too.
Enjoy your week.
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You always have the best looking food. I finally made the turkey wild rice soup. It turned out well. I try to make something at night and then we have leftovers for lunches or nights we don’t feel like cooking. I marinated and grill chicken drumsticks last night with steamed green beans. It’s 70 again today so I’m going to grill again – marinated salmon this time. It’s going to drop to 20 at night in a couple days so I’ve been raking leavings and grilling food while it’s so nice. I can at least listen to an audiobook while I do. Enjoy your books and find more good food for me this week! Anne – Books of My Heart
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Thanks for visiting, Anne, I feel guilty about how seldom I cook anymore, but cooking for one is not much fun. LOL.
I do like the idea of cooking and having leftovers, though.
Enjoy your books!
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I saw the ice cream and shivered! It’s too cold here for ice cream (though my husband would disagree). Sadie looks really good.
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Thanks, Candace, I don’t think it’s too cold for ice cream, but then again, our temperatures are still not that low.
Enjoy your week, and I’m eager to read Sadie.
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I’ve read several reviews of Sadie. I’ll be curious on your take of it. It’s been raining here too, on and off with snow. Enjoy the rest of your week!
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I hope to enjoy Sadie, Laura; I’ve seen it around and have heard good things.
Enjoy your week.
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I’m loving all the Christmas shows and music, too. I was rocking out to Christmas songs while working today. Have a great week!
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Thanks for stopping by, AJ; I also enjoy the Christmas movies and music, although I’m starting to notice some that I saw last year. I’m skipping those.
Enjoy your week.
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Sounds like you’ve got a lot accomplished. It’s been wet here too. Bah! I am not ready for it. They were finally able to pick up the leaves today, so at least that’s done.
Tear Apart and The Adults seem like they should make it on my very long wish list.
Hope you have a great week.
https://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2018/12/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-dec-3.html
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Thanks, Cheryl, those wish lists keep growing, don’t they? Enjoy your reading, and even the wet days…and thanks for visiting my blog.
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You always eat at the best places. You would love Portland dining. I hope the rain goes away soon for you. The sun is out here in Oregon today but it is really cold. I like the cold, brisk sunny weather. Have a lovely week. Can’t wait to read your thoughts on Sadie.
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Thanks, Heidi, I would love to live in Portland. The rain might be an issue, but one I could handle.
Enjoy your week.
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You always seem to have so much going on. Missed you at MM this week so I sought you out.
I hope the rain is done here for the week. Enjoy your new books!
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Thanks, Martha, I must have overlooked the email, so I’m glad you sought me out.
Enjoy your week.
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