WEEKLY UPDATES: A WEEK OF ENJOYING EACH DAY…

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 am ahead of the game this weekend!  Here I am at 5:48 a.m., ready to talk about my week…and I have read and reviewed three books!  I enjoyed them, too.  I went crazy on the blogs, writing seven posts.  I also viewed The Stranger and Reckoning on Netflix.

In the rest of the week, I have savored the packages arriving regularly from Amazon, mostly household and personal care items, but fun, nevertheless.  And groceries came yesterday via my Instacart app.  I am ready to settle into my cozy space, although today is the day to eat in the dining room.  In some ways, I don’t like having to go there, but then I gather my things from my closet and feel excited about dressing up for an outing.  Not a regular thing around here.

So…first of all, let’s all grab some coffee and take a closer look.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Friends and Strangers”

Tuesday Potpourri:  Finding Joy…

My WWW Post…

Another Peek into the Backlog…

Bookish Friday:  “Home Before Dark”

Coffee Chat:  A Day at a Time…

Friday Sparks:  Favorite Things…

Review:  The Half Sister, by Sandie JonesReview:  What You Wish For, by Katherine Center – NG-7/14/20Review:  The Swap, by Robyn Harding

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Two books came in my physical mailbox…and I downloaded three e-books.

I Remember Nothing, by Nora Ephron (a replacement copy for reread)

I Was Told It Would Get Easier, by Abbi Waxman

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Downloads:

28 Summers, by Elin Hilderbrand

Home Before Dark, by Riley Sager

Nomadland, by Jessica Bruder

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CURRENTLY READING:

Stranger in the Lake, by Kimberly Belle

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?  I wish I had some good food to share…but I did get a new top from Amazon this week, and I’m wearing it today.  That’s not me modeling the top, though.  LOL.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: NOSTALGIA…& DECEMBER EVENTS!

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.

My week sped by, and while I ended up finishing only one book, it was a totally absorbing one, which led me to movies, etc.  Have you ever read a book that takes you down other interesting pathways?  One of those pathways involved ordering more books from Amazon.

Then Netflix and Amazon Prime captured my attention, some of which involved movies and then Season III of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Netflix).

Then…an email from Sheila, at Book Journey, caught me up in the thrill of our First Book of the Year Event.  Check it out!

Let’s take a closer look at the week:

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Monthly Wrap-Up

Review:  Carrie Fisher:  A Life on the Edge, by Sheila Weller

After reading the completely absorbing book about Carrie Fisher, I watched some of her documentaries…again.  And ordered two more of her books (one of which I had previously owned, but “lost” in the move).

Which brings us to INCOMING BOOKS:

Two books arrived in my mailbox!

Delusions of Grandma, by Carrie Fisher

The actress-author of Postcards from the Edge explores maternity in her latest novel, featuring a very pregnant woman’s lively odyssey to rescue her Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather from a nursing home.

Postcards from the Edge, by Carrie Fisher (replacing the one I “lost”)

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So my week was all about nostalgia, it seems.  Now I’m reading another book in the Mason Series, Book III:

The Confession Club, by Elizabeth Berg

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?  Here is another view of the dolls that came back to me this past week.  This next week, I will have some of my old Christmas decorations to share.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: GOOD BOOKS, GOOD BUYS, & HAPPY HOUR!

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 time for another Weekly Update!  How did this week fly by so fast?  Yes, I say that every week.  I did finish reading and reviewing three books, though, and I’m halfway through a fourth one.  Five blog posts seemingly flew out of my fingertips and onto my blogs.  I also created a new blog header for Snow Sparks…and here it is.  I featured a close-up of my two little Madeline Hatter dolls.  Check out two versions:  one of my laptop view, and the other of the “header.”

Creating blog headers is fun for me, but it is also a time-consuming task.  I must have worked on it for a couple of hours, trying out different photos, etc.

So…now, back to other activities.  I’ve started going to Happy Hour on Friday nights in the dining hall…something I avoided for a while.  I’m not sure why.  Oh, yeah, some of the music was not to my taste, but lately, it has improved!  Also, our little treats now include some cocktails.  Last night brought Mudslides.  LOL

My other activities this week included boot shopping, which I featured on my Coffee Chat post.  Check it out.

Now let’s grab some coffee and take a closer look at the week.

 

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Good Girl, Bad Girl”

Coffee Chat:  Books, Dolls, Etc.

Bookish Friday:  “The Heart Goes Last”

Friday Sparks:  Blog Stuff, Books, Etc.

Saturday Sparks:  Spotlighting My Spaces…

Review:  Lifelines, by Heidi Diehl – Amazon Vine ReviewReview:  The Lying Room, by Nicci FrenchReview:  Inside Out, by Demi Moore

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox!  But I did download one e-book.

One Little Secret, by Cate Holahan

Everyone has a secret. For some, it’s worth dying to protect. For others, it’s worth killing.

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CURRENTLY READING:

Good Girl, Bad Girl, by Michael Robotham

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That was my week. What did yours look like?  Oh, and here comes one of my favorite desserts from this week.  The pound cake was covered with berries!

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COFFEE CHAT: MOVING ON FROM THE CHAOS…

Welcome to another Coffee Chat, in which we share bookish and not so bookish thoughts.  Head on over to Bookishly Boisterous to add your link.

 

The past week has been a better one, with the chaos slowly dissipating, even as my bookish moments feel frustrating.  I have picked up a few books, only to set them down.  As DNF books, or perhaps as “maybe later” reads.  I finally settled on a March NetGalley ARC to be released next Tuesday, but I’ve been reading it slowly, as the instructions from the publisher requested not to post reviews until the week before release.  Finally…I posted it today:  Me For You, by Lolly Winston (click for my review).

• I’m also enjoying Becoming, in bits and pieces.
• Movies…yes, I’m finding some Amazon Prime flicks that have been engaging, like Ben Is Back, starring Julia Roberts; and The Hate U Give.
• I’m still loving This Is Us on TV…and I’m happy to learn that at least three more seasons are certain.
• Last week, I enjoyed a hair styling with my daughter, and on the day I was there, the salon was celebrating five years in business…with snacks and mimosas.

• I am loving my weekly styling appointments…my daily routines are so much easier when my hair feels regularly refreshed.
• I also enjoyed a mani on Friday.

• My granddaughter, Fiona, is meeting me for breakfast on Saturday.  I always love our little get-togethers.  Below, she celebrated her birthday with her dog.

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How did your week unfold?  I am definitely relieved to have some of the bad stuff behind me, including the tax appointment. 

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WEEKLY UPDATES: RAINY DAYS, 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.

 

Another week of ongoing issues, some related to the hack, but others from an entirely unexpected source.  Finally, by Wednesday, most of the banking problems were sorted.  I was able to sink into some good books, and read and reviewed THREE!  One of this week’s books earned favorite of February…and now I’m eager to see what March brings.  Today is another rainy day, but I have a good umbrella, so I’m not going to let a little precipitation keep me inside all day.

I enjoyed some Prime movies, as well as a new series on Hallmark:  The Chronicle Mysteries. My favorite Prime movie was called Four of a Kind, with shifting perspectives in a murder mystery.

Let’s grab some coffee and take a closer look at the week:

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts: “Never Tell”

Rainy Day Reading…

Coffee Chat:  Chaos in My Interior…

Monthly Wrap-Up:  Welcome to March!

Bookish Friday:  “The Next to Die”

Review:  Don’t Wake Up, by Liz LawlerReview:  On Turpentine Lane, by Elinor LipmanReview:  The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides

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INCOMING BOOKS: (Titles/Covers Linked to Amazon)

Empty physical mailbox!  I did receive one NetGalley review book, though.

The First Mistake, by Sandie Jones – (NG -6/11/19)

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WHAT’S NEXT?

The Woman Inside (e-book), by E.G. Scott

And then, my next March NG book:

Me For You (e-book), by Lolly Winston (NG-3/12)

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That was my week. What did yours look like?  Today I’m sharing a delicious apple tart which I savored last night at Mimi’s.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: MORE HEAT, TECHNOLOGICAL GLITCHES, 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 hot week!  Luckily I stayed indoors a lot, except for an early morning hose down of the patio last weekend.  I think I need to do it again today, as the gardeners were here yesterday.  Sigh.  

For some reason, my reading was slow, once I had finished my first book (I was riveted to the pages on that one!).  I finally closed the covers on a second book…and last night, hurried to the finish line by reading and reviewing the third one.  Each book was different, so my overall reading week was a good one.

On Tuesday, the AT&T technician came to fix the lines; my signal was going out way too often.  So far, I am now enjoying my viewing without losing the signal.  Knock wood.  We’re having a free Cinemax weekend, so I set the DVR to record a few things, but I realize that I actually prefer my HBO and Showtime.  Which reminds me:  Sharp Objects starts tomorrow!  I loved the book, and I’m guessing that, with Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson starring, it should be worth staying glued to the screen.  I am DVR-ing it, however; I did the same with Big Little Lies and still enjoy watching that one again and again.

Handmaid’s Tale is dark…and I’m so hoping that poor Offred will escape.  Sigh.  I guess that might happen if we have another season.

My FB app on my iPhone 7 keeps shutting down when I scroll through the feed.  I tried a number of “fixes,” (shutting off the phone, changing the settings, etc.) with nothing working for more than a minute or two.  I even deleted the app and downloaded a new one…twice!  Nada.  I guess I’m off to the phone store…unless someone out there knows of a sure-fire fix.

So…that’s my week so far.  Let’s grab more coffee and take a closer look.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Sunday Potpourri:  Weekend Tasks & Some Fun…

Rainy Day Excerpts:  “My (Not So) Perfect Life”

Hump Day Treasures:  Current, Past, & Future Reading…

Coffee Chat:  My Thoughts from the Sidelines…

Bookish Friday:  “All We Ever Wanted”

Friday Potpourri:  Random Tidbits & Family Moments…

Review:  My Girls:  A Lifetime with Carrie & Debbie, by Todd FisherReview:  Night Moves (e-book), by Jonathan KellermanReview:  My (Not So) Perfect Life (e-book), by Sophie Kinsella

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INCOMING BOOKS: (Titles/Covers Linked to Amazon)

Empty mailbox!  I did download a Kindle Prime Freebie…and two purchased e-books.

Beautiful Exiles (e-book), by Meg Waite Clayton (Freebie)

A riveting novel based on one of the most volatile and intoxicating real-life love affairs of the twentieth century (Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn).

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Purchases:

Three Days Missing (e-book), by Kimberly Belle

Left:  A Love Story (e-book), by Mary Hogan

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WHAT’S NEXT?

Current Read:  Finally I’m reading my NetGalley ARC that will be released on 7/24:  Believe Me, by J.P. Delaney.   I love this cover!

In this twisty psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Before, an actress plays both sides of a murder investigation.

“A compelling read . . . redefines the concept of an unreliable narrator . . . [a] rich, nuanced, highly literary take on the Gone Girl theme.”—Booklist (starred review)

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And then what?  I have a stack of TBR books to read….and some more review books that I need to tackle this month!

That was my week…what did yours look like?  Last Saturday, I savored this piece of Strawberry Shortcake…sigh.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: A LITTLE READING, A LITTLE 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.

 

After spending most of the week on one book, I quickly finished my second one.  So…only two books for the week.  They were both fabulous, though; and I also loved spending time doing things other than reading.  Nothing spectacular…just some movie watching (Three Billboards, etc.), Netflix bingeing (still Parenthood!), and a mani on Friday.  Oh, and I finalized my tax documents with the accountant.  So that’s behind me now!  I didn’t get around to much housecleaning, but I’m not sad about that…LOL.  I wouldn’t want to mess up the nails…

Bloggiesta is coming again…March 19-25, and predictably I’ve already started with a few cosmetic changes to my Serendipity blog.

Now I’ll grab some coffee…join me, please!  And let’s take a closer peek at my (not so stellar) week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Sunday Potpourri:  Streaming, Reading, Etc.

Rainy Day Excerpts:  “The Bad Daughter”

Hump Day Reading…

Coffee Chat:  What Happened to My Week?

Bookish Friday:  “The French Girl”

Review:  An American Marriage (e-book), by Tayari JonesReview:  Sunburn (e-book), by Laura Lippman

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INCOMING BOOKS: (Titles/Covers Linked to Amazon)

I received ONE book (purchased) in my physical mailbox; and ONE NetGalley review book.  Then I downloaded two (purchased) e-books.

Mailbox:

Bad Stories:  What the Hell Just Happened to Our Country?, by Steve Almond

NetGalley:

Our House (e-book), by Louise Candlish (8/7/18 Release)

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Purchased Downloads:

As You Wish (e-book), by Jude Deveraux

The Perfect Nanny (e-book), by Leila Slimani

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WHAT’S NEXT? (Titles/Covers Linked to Amazon)

Currently Reading:  Alternate Side (e-book), by Anna Quindlen (NG-3/20)

And then…

My Absolute Darling (e-book), by Gabriel Tallent

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That was my week…what did yours look like?  Last night, I read along with this delicious repast at Marie Callender’s…comfort food!

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MY INTERIOR WORLD: UPCOMING BOOK RELEASES!

Welcome to my Interior World, where my journey is all about books, thoughts, and even some interior designs.

I changed the header here last night.  Only a slight change, but nowadays I am saving the headers on a separate page so I can see where I’ve been with my “look.”

Upcoming books are tantalizing me, and one is actually headed my way:

I See You, by Clare Mackintosh, is arriving soon from Amazon Vine.  I’ve seen two book covers.  Which do you like best?

 

 

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Synopsis:  The author of the New York Times bestseller I Let You Go propels readers into a dark and claustrophobic thriller, in which a normal, everyday woman becomes trapped in the confines of her normal, everyday world…
 
Every morning and evening, Zoe Walker takes the same route to the train station, waits at a certain place on the platform, finds her favorite spot in the car, never suspecting that someone is watching her…

It all starts with a classified ad. During her commute home one night, while glancing through her local paper, Zoe sees her own face staring back at her; a grainy photo along with a phone number and a listing for a website called FindTheOne.com.

Other women begin appearing in the same ad, a different one every day, and Zoe realizes they’ve become the victims of increasingly violent crimes—including murder. With the help of a determined cop, she uncovers the ad’s twisted purpose…A discovery that turns her paranoia into full-blown panic. Zoe is sure that someone close to her has set her up as the next target.

And now that man on the train—the one smiling at Zoe from across the car—could be more than just a friendly stranger. He could be someone who has deliberately chosen her and is ready to make his next move…

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I loved I Let You Go (click for my review), and this one sounds even better!

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The Marriage Lie, by Kimberly Belle, has had some great reviews…so even though I haven’t yet read this author, I’ve bookmarked it on Amazon.  It’s coming December 27!

 

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Everyone has secrets… 

Iris and Will have been married for seven years, and life is as close to perfect as it can be. But on the morning Will flies out for a business trip to Florida, Iris’s happy world comes to an abrupt halt: another plane headed for Seattle has crashed into a field, killing everyone on board and, according to the airline, Will was one of the passengers.

Grief stricken and confused, Iris is convinced it all must be a huge misunderstanding. Why did Will lie about where he was going? And what else has he lied about? As Iris sets off on a desperate quest to uncover what her husband was keeping from her, the answers she finds shock her to her very core.

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Finally…a new Lisa Gardner, Right Behind You, coming on January 31.  (This past week, I read a short story, The 4th Man, with an excerpt from this novel after it.  So…of course I was tempted even more!).

 

 

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Lisa Gardner’s next thriller following her runaway New York Times bestseller Find Her takes her wildly popular brand of suspense to new heights.

Is he a hero?

Eight years ago, Sharlah May Nash’s older brother beat their drunken father to death with a baseball bat in order to save both of their lives. Now thirteen years old, Sharlah has finally moved on. About to be adopted by retired FBI profiler Pierce Quincy and his partner, Rainie Conner, Sharlah loves one thing best about her new family: They are all experts on monsters.

Is he a killer?

Then the call comes in. A double murder at a local gas station, followed by reports of an armed suspect shooting his way through the wilds of Oregon. As Quincy and Rainie race to assist, they are forced to confront mounting evidence: The shooter may very well be Sharlah’s older brother, Telly Ray Nash, and it appears his killing spree has only just begun.

All she knows for sure: He’s back.…

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Temptation, thy name is Amazon, Goodreads, and other bloggers….but I love the tease!  Do you have upcoming releases on your list?  Are you eagerly awaiting anything in particular?

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