Sunday, April 3, 2016

Sunday Post (46) / It's Monday, What Are You Reading



The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme now hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

Happy first week of April! Here we have snow on the ground though it hopefully won't last long. It was a crazy day yesterday. It started off with sunshine then in the afternoon it rained and then in the early evening the rain mixed with snow and then by the night time there was snow on the ground. I didn't expect that! I spent the day running errands and going to another library's DIY festival. They had a 3-D printer there from the local university. It was really cool to see how 3-D printing worked. I'm hoping to have the presenter come to our library later this year or next year. I know some libraries own 3-D printers for the public to use but that is still outside our price range (though the 3-D pen might not be).

Last week I visited my parents for Easter and we received some good news about my mom. She does not have cancer and her latest lab results were really good so it looks like her bone marrow is producing blood cells again like it should. She has to get blood tests every two weeks to monitor it but that is really fantastic news!

This week I have my evening book group and I work on Saturday but other than that it will be pretty quiet. Next week is our edible book festival and so far the response has not been promising. Aside from library staff only two people have turned in entry forms. Next year I have decided to scrap the edible book festival (way too stressful) and try a Peeps diorama contest instead. I am using Peeps to make my entry for the edible book festival. Today I will be practicing turning a Twinkie into a car to go with Go, Dog. Go! by P.D. Eastman (my entry will be called Go, Peeps. Go!). 





#FitReaders Weekly Check In

#FitReaders is hosted by Felicia at The Geeky Blogger and Jen at That's What I'm Talking About

I have decided to allow myself one day off a week from exercising and meeting my step goal (likely Sundays) but this past week I accidentally overslept on Wednesday so I didn't have time to work out. I also wasn't feeling that great so I sat a lot at work. I hope to do better this week! 

Sunday--5,015 steps
Monday--11,464 steps
Tuesday--10,753 steps
Wednesday--4,748 steps
Thursday--11,362 steps
Friday--11,334 steps
Saturday--11,215 steps



Last week on my blog:


The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine (review)



Books read:



A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan

I liked this book more than I thought I would. The main character is a 30-something woman who loves her part time job at a magazine (it allows her to spend more time with the kids) but when her husband unexpectedly leaves his job to start his own law firm, she takes a full time job at Scroll, a trendy Amazon like company. The book looks at careers, the family/work balance, friendships and marriage relationships among other things.



The Breathtaker by Alice Blanchard

This is our evening book discussion book and I thought I'd like it but I really didn't. It features a killer who plots his gruesome murders around when tornadoes will strike. It was gritty and very detailed both in describing crime scenes and tornado chasing. I figured out who the killer was the moment he was introduced and I didn't really care for the characters. I am curious to see how the other group members felt about it.



Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

I have mixed feelings about this book. I did think it was kind of fun to read a modern day version of Pride and Prejudice and I liked some of the new twists the author used. My issue was with the main Liz and Darcy romance which didn't quite work for me. I also thought some of the characters were less likable in this version and the story lacked the charm of the original. 



Books listened to:



Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (reread)



Currently reading:



The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien (reread)

Frodo and Sam are now following Gollum on safe paths through the marshes...



Currently listening to:



Emma by Jane Austen (reread)

I am listening to the version read by Juliet Stevenson (does not go with this paperback cover). Juliet Stevenson played the annoying Mrs. Elton in the Gwyneth Paltrow version of Emma from the 90s and I am enjoying her narration so far.



On my TBR pile:



Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

I am planning to start this book today. My sister read an advance copy of it too and she loved it. The story is set in The Netherlands during WWII. The main character is a teen who helps her family by selling items on the black market. She is asked by one of her customers to look for a Jewish girl the customer had been hiding and through this she becomes involved with the resistance. Sounds good doesn't it?


Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey

This is a YA Regency historical romance with spies. It sounds like fun!


New books received:




The Winemakers by Jan Moran (for review)


Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly (for review)

Glory Over Everything by Kathleen Grissom (for review)

Before We Visit the Goddess by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (for review)

Forever and Forever by Josi S. Kilpack (for review)

A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner (library book)



29 comments:

  1. That's such good news about your mom...YAY!!! I'm sorry about your library program - that's a bummer. I hate when you spend a lot of time planning things and it doesn't work out.

    You still had a good week, step-wise. I tend to relax on the weekends from making my step-goal. I try to get at least half of my goal and I'm happy with that. Sometimes I end up getting more, sometimes less, but I don't stress over it.

    I hope you enjoy your books - I see a few I want to read, so I'll be anxious to read your reviews of them.

    Have a great week!

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  2. Glad to hear your mother is doing better-- great news!
    I'd like to read A Window Opens (hadn't heard of it before) and Forever and Ever.

    I read A Fall of Marigolds and The Kitchen House (book 1) and did enjoy both. Both are historical fiction and well-written, in my opinion.

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  3. The Breathtaker looks creepy. I am so happy the news was good for your Mom, you must have been so relived. Bummer about the reading program. Snow is a dirty word..I hope it melts soon! Have an awesome week!

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  4. SO happy for you and your family! Yea for your mom!!! Don't stress about sleeping in - your body probably needed it and you'll make up the steps another time. Keep up the great work!

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  5. Great news about your mom! Glad to hear that. And how about that snow? ;) It snowed here yesterday too, I mentioned on my Sunday Post how the weather had been decent and then that happened! And the funny thing is the sun came out later and melted some of it (but not all, alas).

    Enjoy your week and good luck with the Peeps thing. :)

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  6. Lilac Girls sounds good-- happy reading and have a great week.

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  7. I enjoyed listening to the first HP book on audio, but haven't yet gotten to the others. It's been so long since I read the books that it has been very entertaining. I love EMMA! :) I recently got the collection of Austen that is narrated by a few different narrators two being David Tennant and Benedict Cumberbach and can't wait to try them. :)

    Enjoy your books!
    Stormi

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  8. Glad about your Mum.

    Enjoy all your reads. I've read quite a few of them and Eligible was very good.

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  9. A Window Opens sounds like an interesting book--I'm going to add that one to my wish list. And your step counts for this week were fabulous!

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  10. Delighted about the news about your mother. What a relief. Great work with the stepping, once the snow goes that will help! I enjoyed A Window Opens too - kind of quirky in a way.

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  11. We will be traveling to Europe this June/July - so Girl in the Blue Coat caught my eye - would try to find that one, and hopefully read it before we visit Amsterdam. Looking forward to re-reading the Harry Potter novels with Jim Kay's illustrations.

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    1. I hope you have a fantastic trip! I have been longing to go to Europe since I was a kid. The author does a good job of describing Amsterdam as it was back then but she also includes Dutch foods like stroopwafels (thin cookies with a caramel filling). You are supposed to set it over your cup of coffee or tea and the steam will cause the caramel to get all melty. I found some at Wal-Mart and now I have to try them!

      I like that they are reissuing the Harry Potter novels as illustrated editions.

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  12. I'm so glad to hear your mom is on the mend. That is awesome news. I hear you about Eligible. At first, I didn't love it, but then I sort of let my expectations slide and tried to imagine the Bennet sisters living in modern day. I found some scenes to be pretty funny....I agree though...most of the characters weren't that likable. I think Eligible is good for a fluffy poolside/vacation read. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Love, Lies, & Spies!

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    1. Me too Christina. It was such a relief.

      I do agree that Eligible would be a good beach book. I want to try some of the other modern retellings of Jane Austen's novels too. I've enjoyed some of the historical retellings like Pemberley Ranch. I am eager to start Love, Lies & Spies as soon as I finish my current book.

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  13. Yay that is excellent news about your mother!!

    Love, Lies and Spies sounds really fun! I am intrigued. Also, I am interested in Glory Over Everything - I really enjoyed The Kitchen House.

    I am curious as to some of the entries in your edible book contest!

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    1. Thank you Erin. I am glad you liked The Kitchen House. I want to read that soon. I love historical fiction.

      I hope to share some of the edible book entries on my blog. I can't wait to see what people come up with.

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  14. Wonderful news about your mom. Since I liked The Kitchen House I plan to read Glory Over Everything. Juliet Stevenson does a great job narration. Have a great week.

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    1. Thank you. I just got The Kitchen House in from another library and hope to read it soon.

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  15. Good luck with your Peeps project! I enjoyed Love, Lies and Spies and hope you do too. Here is what I read last week. Happy reading!

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    1. Thank you! I can't wait to read Love, Lies and Spies. My current book is pretty sad and serious so it will be a good change.

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  16. I am so amazed how you can read five books at once, but I guess that's like me having several knitting WIP's? I added The Winemakers and the Marigolds books to my TBR. They sound really good. I have The Lilac Girls already on there.

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    1. I can't read five books at once :) Just two (one I've read before) and an audiobook I listen to in the car. Five is too many for me now though I probably did that in college because I had to!

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  17. I read Glory Over Everything and enjoyed it.

    Lilac Girls looks good.

    I just finished STARS OVER SUNSET BOULEVARD. It was good. I am sure A Fall of Marigolds is good too.

    ENJOY your reading week...it looks very good.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

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    1. I am really looking forward to reading Glory Over Everything. I just got The Kitchen House from the library. Can't believe I hadn't read it yet! I want to read Stars Over Sunset Boulevard too. It sounds fascinating.

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  18. We have many of the same books...I loved Lilac Girls and Girl In The Blue Coat...they were both beautiful books.

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    1. I am nearly done with Girl in the Blue Coat. It is so good. I hope to read Lilac Girls soon.

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  19. I really want to read Emma! That cover is gorgeous by the way. I could never read so many books at once though, I stick to 1-3 at most, haha

    My post is over at http://creativityandcrazy.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/currently-reading-1-its-monday-what-are.html of you want to see some of my currently readings. You might get some recommendations! It was my first time doing an "It's Monday! What are You Reading?" Post.

    All the best,
    Rachel
    creativityandcrazy.blogspot.com

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    1. I only read two books at a time (one is The Lord of the Rings which I am slowly rereading) and then listen to another one in the car during my work commute. I couldn't handle more than that!

      Glad you've joined. I always find lots of good book recommendations and you get to interact with other book bloggers from around the world.

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