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 another week comes to an end, with the New Year ready to greet us, I am enjoying each day as much as I can. In these challenging times, there is that elusive feeling of “a light at the end of the tunnel.” I am also planning ahead for new reading and blogging, even as I finish up my books for this year. The First Book of the New Year is waiting on my nightstand.
I have read and reviewed three books this week, one of which finalized my work on the Nonfiction Reading Challenge.
My blog headers are undergoing some changes, including the one here. I use PicMonkey to create them, and because there is a “New PicMonkey” to deal with, I had to figure out how to work through that process. I have been practicing all week. Below, note how 2021 is CRUSHING 2020.
My viewing has included some shows on HBO Max, including The Flight Attendant and Let Them All Talk.
Let’s grab something caffeinated and take a closer look:
LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:
Tuesday Potpourri: Curling up with My Books…
Cozying up with a Rediscovered Mystery…
Review: Clear My Name, by Paula DalyReview: Rodham, by Curtis SittenfeldReview: Dirt, by Mary Marantz
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INCOMING BOOKS:
Empty mailbox! I did download two e-books.
Behind the Red Door, by Megan Collins
The Last Wife, by Karen Hamilton
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CURRENTLY READING: I have picked up a book from my backlog, one that is part of a series I enjoy:
Cruel Winter, by Sheila Connolly
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That was my week. What did yours look like? Here is a piece of Cherry Pie that I enjoyed this week:
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I always enjoy seeing the changes you make to your headers.
Oooooo….LOVED THE LAST WIFE. Karen writes good books.
ENJOY the week…have fun with your blog changes. I never touch mine. LOL!!
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Thanks, Elizabeth, I love playing with my blogs.
Looking forward to The Last Wife.
Have a great week.
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How did I not know about the County Cork series??? Should I read from the very start? Have a great week, Laurel!
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Thanks for stopping by, Mary, and I have read it from the beginning and loved finding out about the familiar characters that show up in several of the books. The main character inherits a pub, and the stories are built around that setting.
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I love your header! It looks great.
I just started watching The Flight Attendant and really like it. I heard it was just renewed for a second season already.
I have The Last Wife on my Kindle TBR. I just need to make time to read it. Looks good.
My post is here.
Hope you have a great week!
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Thanks for visiting, Yvonne, and I loved the book The Flight Attendant, so I was happy to discover the show. A second season would be great!
I love creating my headers! I am also eager to read The Last Wife.
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I just noticed the ‘CRUSHING” of 2020 by 2021. 😊
Good job on that graphic!!
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Yes, I like that crushing thing, too, although it didn’t show up in my header…so I changed the header arrangement.
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I made a cherry pie today before I read your post. Cheated a bit–used canned cherries.
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Thanks, Rae, and I actually like cherry pie made with canned cherries! Hope you enjoy it.
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It’s all gone. We had unexpected company at supper!
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I am looking forward (cautiously) to 2021 as well! Hopefully it will be an improvement. At least the orange man will leave. Or at least leave as much as he ever does- so annoying. anyway, hope you have a fantastic weekand and a happy holiday!
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Thanks, Greg, the departure of the orange man from the WH should be an improvement, although he makes enough noise to linger and leave a stench for a while, lol.
Have a great holiday, and stay safe and well, enjoying your great books and movies.
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Made me smile at 2021 crushing 2020. It’s good now to start looking at 2021 and making goals and naming hopes. Three books is great reading week. A back log series book sounds like just the ticket.
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Thanks, Kathryn, I am so glad I rediscovered the Cork County mystery, and I’m already turning the pages rapidly. Have a great week and holiday, and I am very excited about several immediate aspects of January…you-know-who should leave, kicking and screaming, perhaps. LOL.
Stay safe and well, and enjoy your reading…and quilting.
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I know – roll on the 21st. I’ll be glued to my TV screen!!
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The Irish novel set in a pub looks good ! And yes, I don’t think anybody will regret 2020 anytime soon. Merry Christmas, Laurel-Rain 🙂
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Thanks, Izabel, and happy holidays to you, too! I love the Irish pub setting; it makes me feel happy, missing bars and all. LOL
Enjoy your week!
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I also spend hours upon hours on the blog and making new graphics. I’m a bit useless with graphics and don’t get me started on the apps. I can do the bare minimum on Canva and I use Collage Maker on my phone. I’m good with that one and I make most graphics on my phone and then just import it to my laptop…!
You had some great reads lately!
Hope you will have a wonderful and blessed Christmas. May your day be filled with love and joy!
Lots of Love,
Elza Reads
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Thanks, Mareli, I am glad that I enjoy making the graphics and changing up the blogs, as it is an easy and free thing to do!
I hope you have a wonderful and blessed Christmas, too, eating and enjoying your books and movies.
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I love the header. I probably asked this before but where do you get the cartoon pictures of ‘yourself.’ I’ll check back on your comments. I’ve been holding off on thrillers lately, having had a lot of drama in my own life. My birth mother had recently passed away. She was a little person as well at 3’6′. Its been difficult.
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Thanks, Trin, and I have a little app on my iPhone called Bitmoji, where I create my mini-me, lol.
I am sorry about the loss of your birth mother. Mighty memories will stay with you, I’m sure.
Have a wonderful week!
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Can’t wait to read more about the books of your Nonfiction Reading Challenge and I will be participating in it as well. Have merry Christmas!
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Thanks, Gayathri, this year, I found myself with many nonfiction books on my stacks, and since some of them are hefty, I needed a challenge to help me get started and to keep going.
Good luck, and enjoy! Happy holidays to you, too.
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I like that pic of 2021 crushing 2020. I’m also prepping for new reading and blogging in the new year. It gives us something to look forward to. And I love setting new goals. Keeps me focused!
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Thanks, Laura, keeping focused is an important goal! When there is much we cannot control, focus helps us walk through the impossible tasks.
Enjoy your week and the holidays!
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Ooww.. Cherry Pie!! Yummy!!
I’m glad to read you’re staying positive. I have trouble imagining life getting back to normal.
Have a great week and Merry Christmas.
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Thanks, Maureen, the cherry pie was delicious. Sometimes eating and having a little wine help keep the mood positive.
Enjoy your holidays and stay safe.
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You read some great books last week! And you had pie! Wishing you a happy holiday week and a joyous holiday season!
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
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Thanks, Anne, I am really happy about the books I read this week…and the pie.
Enjoy your holidays!
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Love your 2021 pic! Hope to get back to The Flight Attendant soon. Hubby wants to binge on an old show, Boston Legal. However you are able to celebrate, may your Christmas be filled with many blessings!
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Thanks, Nise, I loved Boston Legal! Now I am reminded of how I enjoyed continuing with this show.
The Flight Attendant was great, both the book and the miniseries.
Have a great holiday season!
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I finished Behind the Red Door today – what a wild ride! I hope you enjoy it.
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Thanks, Diane, now I am eager to start reading it. Enjoy your week and the holidays.
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I haven’t thought about my first book of 2021 yet. I should read something that’s been sitting around for a while, but I’ll probably read a book I get for Christmas. Have a great week!
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Thanks, AJ, for the past few years, I have picked a book in a series from an author I enjoy.
Have fun selecting your book…and have a great holiday.
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Happy Holidays to you! We finally got HBOMax today and The Flight Attendant is a show I’m looking forward to watching!
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Thanks, Melinda, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I also liked Let Them All Talk, with Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen, et al.
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It is so neat when you change headers. I am all for 2021 crushing the tar out of 2020. I am so done with it.
Hope you enjoy your new books. Cruel Winter looks great.
Wishing you a blessed Christmas.
https://imperfectchristianmom.blogspot.com/2020/12/mailbox-monday-dec-21.html
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Thanks, Cheryl, I love changing my headers…and I am also so done with 2020!
I am loving Cruel Winter and have enjoyed all the books in the series.
Have a great week.
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Hi Lorraine,
I have to start off by feeding my sweet tooth! – I love cherries and that pie looks amazing! – Do I see cream and ice cream on the side, that’s very decadent of you 🙂
Your new downloads are by new to me authors, however they both sound really good and worth adding to my wish list!
Only this last week, I have seen another new book cover which uses the split face image, similar to that of ‘The Last Wife’, I just can’t remember what is was called, or where I saw it! It’s funny how cover images have their trends, both in appearance and colourway.
Enjoy your reading this week and have a peaceful time 🙂
Yvonne
Xx
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The pie had whipped cream and ice cream on the side…BTW, the ice cream is sugar free, which helps assuage the guilt. LOL
I do notice trends with cover images.
Thanks for visiting, Yvonne, and have a great week and holiday.
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Your changes to your headers are wonderful. You are always shaking things up a bit and that’s great, I think.
I’m glad to see how much you enjoyed Rodham. That book has a fascinating premise.
The Cruel Winter has a 2020 appropriate title. Hopefully, it will not be appropriate as we move into 2021. Yes, let’s see 2021 crush 2020.
Happy holidays!
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Thanks, Deb, I change my headers a lot, I think. But I love the process of creating new ones.
Loving The Cruel Winter…and I have enjoyed all the books in this series so far.
Rodham intrigued me and kept me glued to the pages.
Enjoy your week and your holidays, and stay safe and well.
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I do like the sound of Cruel Winter, I hope you’re enjoying it. Cherry is my favourite pie filling – your photo has me drooling and craving a slice of my own. Have a safe and peaceful end to the year .
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Thanks, Louise, and I appreciate cherry pie so much because it does not show up on the menu that often. A special treat!
I hope the end of the year is good for you; stay safe and well.
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Congratulations on finishing up the Nonfiction Reader Challenge , make sure you add to the Completed Linky!
Love the graphic, I’m really hoping 2021 will be all we hope!
Wishing you a great reading week and a joyful Christmas 🎄
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Thanks, Shelleyrae, I loved having the challenge to help me power through the stack of nonfiction I acquired this year and last. I hope to finish all the rest, challenge or not. Perhaps I will join the new challenge.
Enjoy your week and the holidays.
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I haven’t changed the look of my blog for so long that I have forgotten how to do it. You are always so creative. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
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Thanks, Kathy, I love changing things up, in my blogs and in my home. So it comes naturally to me, lol.
Enjoy your week and your reading.
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The Last Wife is very good and I love your new blog headers. Merry Christmas to you and yours! 🎄
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Thanks, Tessa, I am looking forward to The Last Wife…and the holidays. Enjoy yours!
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I’m also watching the Flight Attendant! It’s a fun mystery. I’m looking forward to watching the rest over winter break.
I hope you have a lovely holiday! And stay safe and warm.
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Thanks, Gofita, I hope you do find everything you want to watch and read over the holidays.
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Great 2021 image. It is fun to see your blog changes. Maybe someday I’ll have time to do that. 🙂
I was glad to pick up Cruel Winter through Audible Plus.
I am starting to set up 2021 goals and have my First Read ready too. Have to get the picture.
I hope you enjoy a lovely week and good reading.
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Thanks, Martha, I see blog changing as fun and creative, so I seem to make time. Or while away the hours with it, lol.
Enjoy your week and your holidays.
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The changes to picmonkey drove me bonkers at first! I started forcing myself to use it (rather reverting to the old/original one) back in September but I’m pleased to say I’m finally comfortable with it. 🙂 Your graphics are looking good.
I hope you have a good Christmas/holiday time!
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Thanks, Nicci, I was very frustrated with the Picmonkey changes, too, but after consulting with the support team, I found the layout I was comfortable with in the Twitter section, of all things!
Enjoy your holidays and your graphic making.
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I’m very intrigued what your first book of the Year will be! I’m sure it will be special. I love the First Book of the Year posts … it’s always wonderful and it gives the sense that we are turning to a clean slate for 2021! Which hopefully we are. I have about 10 days left to pick my First Book of 2021 so I better get cracking. Have a wonderful week & holiday Laurel !
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Thanks, Susan, I have followed one particular book series for a few years, and that’s my spoiler for the First Book of the Year. LOL
I hope you find one you will love.
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I always enjoy how you change the look of your blog! Behind the Red Door sounds good to me. I hope you enjoy it, and have a great week. Happy holidays!
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Thanks, Kay, I do enjoy playing with the blogs, lol, and I’m loving Behind the Red Door. Enjoy your week, and happy holidays.
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Cherry pie looks and sounds really good! I cannot believe that 2021 is just days away. I like the graphic you came up with. I hope that you are having a great week!
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Thanks, Carole, I loved the cherry pie, too, and discovering great graphics makes me smile.
Happy holidays!
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