WEEKLY UPDATES: SOME PAMPERING & SOME READING/BLOGGING…

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.

 

Another good reading and blogging week…three books read and reviewed, and five blog posts written.  Today I woke up to a day of pampering, beginning with a mani and a hairstyling at my daughter’s salon.  A mimosa kept me hydrated while I awaited my turn for the styling wands.

 

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT MY WEEK:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Killman Creek”

Tuesday Potpourri:  Happy Reading…

Renovating My Blogs…and My Shelves…

Coffee Chat:  More Settling In…

Bookish Friday:  “The Last Widow”

Review:  Object of My Affection, by Stephen McCauleyReview:  Good Luck with That, by Kristan HigginsReview:  Best Beach Ever, by Wendy Wax

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INCOMING BOOKS:

One book came in my mailbox…and another came via NetGalley:

Old Baggage, by Lissa Evans

The Look-Alike, by Erica Spindler – (NG-1/28/20)

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Purchased Downloads:

The Last Widow, by Karin Slaughter

My Ex-Best Friend’s Wedding, by Wendy Wax

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CURRENTLY READING:

The Long Call, by Ann Cleeves (NG – 9/3)

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?  No sweet desserts this week, but I found this lovely Red Velvet Cake from the past…

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WEEKLY UPDATES: ANOTHER ENGAGING WEEK…

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.

Here we are, halfway through August, and my reading and blogging are almost up to normal.  I read and reviewed three books, and I’m halfway through a fourth one. I wrote four posts.  I had no doctor appointments, but did need to go downtown for a business matter.  On Friday, my #2 son came for dinner on his way to Sacramento…and will come back through on Sunday.  I’m eating some yogurt as I type this, since my granddaughter just took me to the grocery store.  I didn’t feel like going to the dining room, so for those times, I needed to stock up on the items that I can enjoy here.

It’s too late in the day for coffee, but in anticipation of my first cup tomorrow morning, let’s take a peek at some…and at my blog details.  The photo below is a nice reminder of my previous residence…I do miss it.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “The Long Call”

Tuesday Potpourri:  New & Eagerly Anticipated Books

Coffee Chat:  Reorganizing My Topsy-Turvy Life…

Bookish Friday:  “Good Luck with That”

Review:  The Comforts of Home, by Susan HillReview:  My Ex-Life, by Stephen McCauleyReview:  Telephone Line, by Julie Mulhern (Country Club Murders #9)

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INCOMING BOOKS:

One book came in my mailbox…and I received one NetGalley ARC.  I also downloaded three e-books.

At Home in the World, by Joyce Maynard, a book that somehow slipped away from me during the move…so I had to replace it.  It is definitely a  reread kind of memoir.

Synopsis:  In the spring of 1972, Joyce Maynard, a freshman at Yale, published a cover story in The New York Times Magazine about life in the sixties. Among the many letters of praise, offers for writing assignments, and request for interviews was a one-page letter from the famously reclusive author, J.D. Salinger.

Don’t Go Away Sad is the story of a girl who loved and lived with J.D. Salinger, and the woman she became. A crucial turning point in Joyce Maynard’s life occurred when her own daughter turned eighteen–the age Maynard was when Salinger first approached her. Breaking a twenty-five year silence, Joyce Maynard addresses her relationship with Salinger for the first time, as well as the complicated , troubled and yet creative nature of her youth and family. She vividly describes the details of the times and her life with the finesse of a natural storyteller.

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Big Lies in a Small Town, by Diane Chamberlain – NG – 1/14/20

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Downloads:

The Perfect Son, by Lauren North

Telephone Line, by Julie Mulhern (#9 – Country Club Murders)

The Object of My Affection, by Stephen McCauley

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I’m halfway through The Object of My Affection...and then will tackle some September NetGalley ARCs.

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?  Last night, I enjoyed a delicious meal of salmon with family.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: MOVING ALONG…

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.

It is finally happening!  A week with NO doctor appointments and some extra reading and blogging time.  I read and reviewed THREE BOOKS, and actually enjoyed some time on the computer.  My hand seems almost back to normal…I don’t want to speak too soon, though.  Also, I’m still waiting for my surgery, which might not be scheduled for a couple of months.

Coffee is back on the menu for me, but morning only.  So let’s grab another cup and take a peek at my week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Careful What You Wish For”

Tuesday Potpourri: How Things Have Changed

Coffee Chat:  Ongoing Journey

Bookish Friday:  “My Ex-Life”

Review:  Dear Wife, by Kimberly BelleReview:  Someone We Know, by Shari LapenaReview:  Careful What You Wish For, by Hallie Ephron

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INCOMING BOOKS:

One book came in my mailbox!   I also downloaded an e-book.

The Kennedy Heirs, by J. Randy Taraborrelli

 

A unique burden was inherited by the children of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and his celebrated siblings, Senators Robert and Ted Kennedy. Raised in a world of enormous privilege against the backdrop of American history, this third generation of Kennedys often veered between towering accomplishment and devastating defeat. In his revelatory new book, acclaimed Kennedy historian J. Randy Taraborrelli draws back the curtain on the next generation of America’s most famous family.

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Careful What You Wish For, by Hallie Ephron

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Currently Reading:  The Comforts of Home, by Susan Hill

A book that has been languishing on my shelves since November 2018:

Susan Hill—the Man Booker Prize nominee and winner of the Whitbread, Somerset Maugham, and John Llewellyn Rhys awards—returns with a hair-raising new novel, the ninth book in one of the most acclaimed mystery series of our time. Featuring the enigmatic and brooding chief police inspector Simon Serrailler, this intricate and pulse-pounding series follows a collection of grisly crimes plaguing the city of Lafferton—and The Comforts of Home is the most chilling and unputdownable installment yet.In this gripping new thriller, Simon, eager to be back at work after recovering from a near-fatal injury, takes on a cold-case review for the Lafferton police about a girl who disappeared some years before. Meanwhile, his family adjusts to changes of its own; namely his sister’s marriage to Chief Constable Kieron Bright. But when events take an unfavorable turn for the Chief Constable and an arsonist goes on a deadly rampage in Lafferton, Simon’s personal and professional lives intertwine in more complex and devastating ways than ever before.In the tradition of the fabulous mysteries of Ruth Rendell and P.D. James, The Comforts of Home is Susan Hill’s best work yet—a heart-pounding new addition to a highly-applauded and “elegant†? (The New York Times) series.

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?  I am sharing a favorite cocktail and soup from days gone by:  A margarita with Tortilla Soup:

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WEEKLY UPDATES: STILL SLOGGING ALONG…

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.

Here I am, late again with my post.  I spent most of the weekend binge-watching Season 7 of Orange Is the New Black (the final season!)  And then I watched half of Season 7 of Wentworth.  Another happy fact:  the newest season of Aurora Teagarden started last night, too.

This week was another series of days reading, not much blogging, and trying to find just the right foods to eat.  Then the arthritis in my left hand flared up and one of the nurses came by to help wrap and ice it.  Sigh.

I did enjoy two books this week, and wrote one blog post.  Let’s take a peek:

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Monthly Wrap-Up

Review:  The Missing Years, by Lexie ElliottReview:  Our Little Lies, by Sue Watson

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox, but I downloaded one e-book.

Someone We Know, by Shari Lapena

“No-one does suburban paranoia like Shari Lapena–this slowly unfurling nightmare will have you biting your nails until the end.”
–Ruth Ware, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in Cabin 10

 

***

Currently I’m reading Dear Wife, by Kimberly Belle.

 

A riveting new novel of suspense about a woman who, in a fight for survival, must decide just how far she’ll go to escape the person she once loved

Beth Murphy is on the run…

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?

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WEEKLY UPDATES: DISAPPOINTMENTS, ETC.

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.

 

What a week!  First of all, I’m late to the party.  But the week was supposed to begin with a gall bladder surgery, only that didn’t happen.  A laparoscope inserted along with a camera revealed inflammation (still!), even though all indications were that the antibiotics had done their tricks earlier.  So…I continue to have the gall bladder, but also had anesthesia, a breathing tube, and now have four incisions that still hurt!  I’m now very much afraid of what the actual surgery will feel like.  If they ever do it!

As you might guess, I didn’t get a lot of reading or blogging done…and as I type this, I realize that I’m long overdue for a manicure, as my nails are hitting all the wrong keys!  LOL.

I’m also off coffee for a couple of weeks, so I won’t tempt us with a cup of Joe as we discuss the week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Potpourri:  Changes…

Coffee Chat:  Back to the Drawing Board…

Review:  The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, by Abbi WaxmanReview:  Things You Save in a Fire, by Katherine Center – (NG-8/13)

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox! 

I did download one e-book.

The Lady in the Lake, by Laura Lippman

The revered New York Times bestselling author returns with a novel set in 1960s Baltimore that combines modern psychological insights with elements of classic noir, about a middle-aged housewife turned aspiring reporter who pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman.

***

Currently, I’m reading The Missing Years, by Lexie Elliott

The French Girl captivated readers with a twisting tale of psychological suspense. Now author Lexie Elliott heads to the foothills of the Scottish Highlands, where a woman’s tangled family history comes back to haunt her…

An eerie, old Scottish manor in the middle of nowhere that’s now hers.

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That was my week…what did yours look like?  No interesting foods for me, since a bland diet is the new normal.  But I still dream of the goodies of the past, like this margarita:

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WEEKLY UPDATES: A LITTLE READING & A LOT OF ERRANDS…

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.

 

The week went so fast that I didn’t accomplish as much reading and blogging as I wanted.   I read two books and wrote three blog posts. I did run around with my daughter and my granddaughter, getting ready for the Big Surgery Day on Monday.  Yesterday was a fun day of lunch with my daughter and grandson and dinner with my granddaughter.  My daughter brought this cute little microwave for my tiny kitchen…and some goodies for the fridge.

Here they are at the Mad Duck restaurant.  They wouldn’t let me snap a shot of them with their food.  LOL.

Let’s grab some coffee and take a peek at my week:

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “The Bookish Life of Nina Hill”

Hump Day Reading…

Bookish Friday:  “Things You Save in a Fire”

Review:  Because You’re Mine, by Rea Frey – (NG-8/6)Review:  We Are All Good People Here, by Susan Rebecca White-(NG-8/6)

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox!

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WHAT’S UP NEXT?

Currently Reading:  The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, by Abbi Waxman.  I’m loving it!

“Meet our bookish millennial heroine—a modern-day Elizabeth Bennet, if you will… Waxman’s wit and wry humor stand out. She is funny and imaginative, and “Bookish” lands a step above run-of-the-mill romantic comedy fare.”—The Washington Post

I will also begin reading my final August ARC:  Things You Save in a Fire, by Katherine Center (NG 8/13).

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How was your week?  What are you eagerly anticipating in the upcoming weeks?  Here are some goodies in my tiny fridge, compliments of my daughter’s shopping trip to Trader Joe’s.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: MY ONGOING JOURNEY…

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.

 

Another busy week has flown by, with numerous appointments…and great books.  I read and reviewed three books, all of them NetGalley ARCs being released on August 6, and loved them all.  Four blog posts almost brought me to my previous level of connecting with other bloggers.  Now I am in a countdown to my surgery, tentatively scheduled for July 22…but first I have to pass a couple of additional tests.

Meanwhile, my granddaughter has been helping with my interiors…and enjoying lunches, too.  Here is one of my favorite photos of her at lunch at one of our special places, California Pizza Kitchen:

Back at my little apartment, she hung the rest of my photos.  Here’s a favorite version of my entry way.  Note the Elvis handbag on the hall tree.  We emptied documents out of it in our shredding exercise, and the photos above the table were snapped by my eldest son when he was living in Ireland:

Now…let’s take a peek at my blogging while sipping an additional cup of coffee:

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Dear Wife”

Coffee Chat:  Finishing Touches and Engaging Books…

Bookish Friday:  “The Escape Room”

Review:  The Perfect Wife, by J P DelaneyReview:  Keeping Lucy, by T. GreenwoodReview:  The Escape Room, by Megan Goldin

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox…but I downloaded one e-book.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, by Abbi Waxman

The author of Other People’s Houses and The Garden of Small Beginnings delivers a quirky and charming novel chronicling the life of confirmed introvert Nina Hill as she does her best to fly under everyone’s radar.
 
Meet Nina Hill: A young woman supremely confident in her own…shell.

I love Waxman’s books…and can’t wait to meet this wonderful character.

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My next ARC is Because You’re Mine, by Rea Frey (Release Date – 8/6)

An “insidious, suspenseful tale” (J.T. Ellison) with a “shocker of an ending you won’t see coming” (Michele Campbell), Because You’re Mine by Rea Frey, the author who “brings to mind Jodi Picoult” (Booklist) and “will appeal to readers of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen” (Sally Hepworth) is a novel about how the truth will set you free.

But it’s the lies that keep you safe.

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?  Last night I enjoyed Tiramisu.  Delicious!

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WEEKLY UPDATES: MORE READING & BLOGGING…& SOME TREMORS…

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.

 

I’m back!  I think.  I have written four blog posts this week, and read and reviewed three books.  While I still have a ways to go, I can feel the forward movement.  The earthquake and aftershocks we experienced in the last two days could be a metaphor for how my life has changed in the past two months.  Or just an interesting coincidence. Even though we could feel the tremors in the Central Valley, the 6.4 and 7.1 magnitudes were some distance away.

July is the month my surgery will happen…and while I’m not looking forward to it, I will be glad to put it behind me and start recovering.

Let’s have some coffee and take a peek at my week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Goodbye to June…

Current, Past, & Upcoming Reads

Coffee Chat:  Celebrating…

Bookish Friday:  “The Perfect Wife”

Review:  A Good Enough Mother, by Bev ThomasReview:  The Better Sister, by Alafair BurkeReview:  The Friends We Keep, by Jane Green

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox!

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WHAT’S NEXT?

I am ready to tackle my August ARCs, beginning with The Perfect Wife, by J. P. Delaney, which will be released on August 6.

The perfect life. The perfect love. The perfect lie. From the bestselling author of The Girl Before comes a gripping new psychological thriller. . . .

“Dynamic, razor-sharp, and thought-provoking . . . a cutting-edge suspense novel unlike any you’ve read before.”—Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl

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That was my week.  What did your week look like?  I haven’t photographed any food this week, but here’s a dish I’m longing to try again.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: MORE ENGAGING READS…

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.

 

Another week has passed, and while I’m getting more settled and feeling cozy, my reading did slack a bit. Two very engaging books read and reviewed, however. I added a small table near my wicker love seat and my computer station…it is light enough to pull over by my desk, and it serves as a writing space.

I’m loving Big Little Lies and The Handmaid’s Tale…and I’ve enjoyed spending time with my granddaughter while running errands.  No “running” (on my part) was involved, but my ambulatory skills have improved with the help of my cane.

Join me in another cup of coffee while we look at my week.

 

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Summer of ’69”

Bookish Friday: “A Good Enough Mother”

Review:  Before She Was Found, by Heather GudenkaufReview:  Summer of ’69, by Elin Hilderbrand

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox!  I downloaded one e-book.

Dear Wife, by Kimberly Belle

From the bestselling author of The Marriage Lie and Three Days Missing comes a riveting new novel of suspense about a woman who, in a fight for survival, must decide just how far she’ll go to escape the person she once loved

Beth Murphy is on the run…

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CURRENTLY READING: 

A Good Enough Mother, by Bev Thomas…an engaging read so far!

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That was my week.  I hope to enjoy more good books…and finally feel completely at home here.  No food photos this week…but I’ll share one of my delights from previous weeks.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: ANOTHER WEEK, MORE READING…

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.

 

I think my reading is finally on track!  I read and reviewed three books this week.  I feel almost back to normal…or as much as I can be in a completely new space with new routines.  I am walking well, with the assistance of my cane…and actually dispense with it almost entirely within my apartment.

My favorite activities include movies and shows on Prime (Big Little Lies), Hulu (The Handmaid’s Tale), and Netflix (Dead to Me), which I really liked.  Sadly, I now I have to wait for Season II with the eagerness I always feel in these situations.

Let’s grab some coffee and look at the details of my week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Coffee Chat:  Editing My Surroundings…

Bookish Friday:  “Stone Mothers”

Review:  Little Darlings, by Melanie GoldingReview:  I’ll Never Tell, by Catherine McKenzieReview:  Stone Mothers, by Erin Kelly

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox!  I did download one e-book.

Summer of ’69, by Elin Hilderbrand

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WHAT’S NEXT?

I’m still tackling my TBR, waiting until mid-July to resume reading my August ARCs.

Starting with:  Before She Was Found, by Heather Gudenkauf

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?  This week, I enjoyed a favorite dessert.

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