WEEKLY UPDATES: CLOSING A DOOR…

On By Laurel-Rain SnowIn weekly updates

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.

Soon we will finally close the door on 2020, but the after effects will last much longer. Hopefully a vaccine for the virus will soon be available to many…and while our lives won’t return to the “old normal” any time soon, we might carve out a new one.

This week I actually read and reviewed three books, an improvement for me lately. I wrote six blog posts.

After discovering that HBO Max is now available as a part of my Amazon Prime HBO subscription, I had fun exploring shows and movies. I started watching The Flight Attendant, based on Chris Bohjalian’s book that I read a few years ago; and I enjoyed a movie starring Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen, and Diane Wiest, called Let Them All Talk.

Today I am enjoying some coffee and a small breakfast while I write this. Join me in virtual coffee while we take a closer look.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Goodnight Beautiful”

Tuesday Potpourri:  Bookish Treasures…

Bookish Wednesday…

Rescuing a Backlog Book!

Coffee Chat:  Goodbye, Doldrums…

Bookish Friday:  “The Cousins”

Review:  Christmas Shopaholic, by Sophie KinsellaReview:  The Girl in the Mirror, by Rose CarlyleReview:  Goodnight Beautiful, by Aimee Molloy

***

INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox!  I did download five e-books.

Layla, by Colleen Hoover

The Push, by Claire McGowan

The Cousins, by Karen M. McManus

The Arrangement, by Robyn Harding

***

CURRENTLY READING:

Clear My Name, by Paula Daly

***

That was my week.  What did yours look like?  This Time Magazine Person of the Year award made me happy!

***

73 thoughts on “WEEKLY UPDATES: CLOSING A DOOR…”

  4. I need to download Layla, too, I just need to finish the KU book I’m reading right now first 🙂 As I have several KU books I haven’t read yet, but that aren’t in KU anymore…
    I’m rather happy 2020 is almost over, even if 2021 won’t be what we see as ‘normal’ hopefully, some things will get closer to that than what we’ve had this year.
    Have a wonderful weekend, Laurel-Rain 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Linda, I do like that there might be hope for all of us down the road, with the vaccine coming. Now we just need to keep safe until the light at the end of the tunnel shines.

      Enjoy your books, and I hope to enjoy Layla.

      Like

      Reply

  5. Yes, I will be so happy to have 2020 in the rear view mirror lol! Let’s hope 2021 is better!

    Claire McGowan sounds familiar, seems like I’ve read something of hers before…

    I hope you enjoy the Cousins. I really liked it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. Yes that Time cover gives us our hopes for the future. I can’t believe just how dumb Trump is still being. One month to go. The vaccine is great that it will be started to roll out all though I think it will take many months for it to take significant effect for countries. Good to see you getting through some satisfying reading and finding new shows to view.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Kathryn, I am also feeling hopeful for the future. I still wonder how so many people can support Trump still!

      Enjoy your week and your books, and yes, the vaccine will take a while. But while we wait for its effects, we can breathe easier, perhaps.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  11. Trin Carl

    That ‘Flight Attendant’ book sounds great. I remember giving a ride share to someone who may or may not have worked at the airport, because they were on their way and hadn’t packed any luggage and he was so young. but i don’t know why he wouldn’t want to admit working there. I’m enjoying the Queen Gambit, it reminds me of the Bobby Fisher story.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  12. Susan

    Yeah Biden/Harris deserve Time’s people of the year after all the bull they’ve gone thru and are still going through! I’m worried what #45 will try next. That’s good to know about HBO Max being on Prime … I think we get it. Right now we’re on Season 3 of Good Fight, Season 2 of The Terror: Infamy, and Season 1 of The Undoing. We’re finished & enjoyed The Crown Season 4 … I think the actor who plays Lady Di did very well. Charles is pretty despicable in it …. Enjoy your week.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Susan, I am sick of #45 and his antics, but hopefully he has run out of steam. I read that he and the wife are packing to leave the WH! Yay!

      I love The Good Fight and The Crown…and enjoyed The Undoing.

      I hope you have a great reading and viewing week.

      Like

      Reply

  13. I am looking forward to 2021 as I’m sure everyone is. Let’s hope that it is for sure a much better year for everyone! . I just started a new book blog so I am just getting started again. I had a book blog before for many years. If you are interested I have a post on my blog. I hope you have a great week reading!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  15. I received an ARC called The Push this week, but it’s by a different author, (Ashley Audrain), I wonder if the plots are similar? I’m picking up The Cousins for my daughter for Christmas
    I bet Trump is p’d off that Time has snubbed him again!

    Wishing you a great reading week

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  16. It sounds like you had a lovely week. Your reading picked up a bit this week. I’m on a holiday reading spree myself, finishing The Twelve Dates of Christmas yesterday and working on In a Holidaze today. Maybe Christmas Shopaholic next?

    I’m so happy to see the persons of the year, too. Maybe things will settle down now that the Supreme Court has spoken.

    So looking forward to 2021!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  22. I do hope that we find a new normal very soon. I think that there are many things that will be forever changed but I know that this has been hard on so many people. I hope that you enjoy Layla and The Cousins sounds really good. Have a great week!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  26. Veronica @ The Burgeoning Bookshelf

    I’m keen to read the Colleen Hoover and Robyn Harding books. I’m glad you enjoyed The Girl in the Mirror. I loved it too! So glad we are almost through 2020 and I’m hoping that 2021 brings much more calm and cheer to the world.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  28. The vaccine is such big news – I cried watching the news the other day. (and while my state has been crazy this year, I was proud of its role in the vaccine) My friend is a respiratory therapist in a hospital that has been hammered since March, and she is getting so weary. Her gear she has to wear, she looks like she is going to the moon. But I feel some sort of hope knowing these vaccines will be rolled out soon – will you be in the first wave?

    Stay safe Laurel-Rain.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Erin, and yes, we have received word that we’ll be in the first group as senior citizens living in residential care! I fought so hard against coming to this place and leaving my independent life behind, but it has turned out to be a blessing.

      Once we are beyond the Pandemic (hope, hope!), I will be able to come and go from this residence as I did before and reclaim some independence.

      Our nursing staff looks like they are going to the moon, too. LOL.

      Like

      Reply
  29. Kathy Martin

    I think Time Magazine got it right this year too. I’m eager for wide distribution of the new vaccine. I’m in a second tier because of age and chronic conditions but I’m not in a big rush since I am staying at home and am not very likely to be exposed. I see my doctor for annual physicals in February. Hopefully, I’ll be able to be vaccinated then. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  32. Literary Feline

    It has been such a long, hard year. I would like to think this coming year will be better but I’m afraid to expect too much out of it. I think it will be more the same for awhile for us. At least we’ll have a new President.

    I may be subscribing to HBO/Max for a short while to see the new Wonder Woman movie coming out Christmas Day. I think my whole family (all three of us–anyway) are interested in watching it then. I am glad you are enjoying your subscription!

    I hope you enjoy your reading and have a great week!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  34. I’m late with my Monday visits (it being Tuesday) and was late putting up my own It’s Monday post. (I’m usually late to the linky party, but am not usually dead last.)
    I’m listening to the new Louise Penny book, which is darker than I really wanted this week, but when the library loan came through, I didn’t want to pass on it. I’m trying to lighten up my reading a bit for the rest of 2020, so no more psychological suspense, etc. for a while.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  36. Yes! 2021 isn’t going to be a whole lot better to start but I think mid to late 2021 will be so much better! Let Them All Talk is in my watch list. If you are into suspense at all I suggest The Undoing and a few true crime docs: The Vow and I’ll Be Gone in the Dark were both excellently done! I also just finished the third season of True Detective and that was great!

    Love your ebook haul! I hope you enjoy reading them!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I loved The Undoing, but now I want to watch The Vow and I’ll Be Gone in the Dark. Thanks for the recommendations…and let’s eagerly await the part of 2021 that is so much better. Thanks for visiting, Stephanie.

      Like

      Reply

Please leave your thoughts. Comments, not awards, feed my soul. Thanks!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.