MONDAY POTPOURRI: MUSING ABOUT A BOOK I HAD TO BUY! — APRIL 1

Good morning and welcome to another Monday Potpourri, in which we must about bookish things.  Click on over to Should Be Reading to find the other participants.

Here’s our list of topics:

Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it! 
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

***

Today I’m going to chat about a book I recently purchased.  I’ve been drawn to it for awhile, and even requested it from the library, but even after several other books came in for me, this one still eluded me!  So when I saw it on Kindle on Saturday, I downloaded it onto Sparky.

The Good House, by Ann Leary, has a tantalizing blurb.  And I have read and enjoyed this author in the past.

Now a New York Times Bestseller!

How can you prove you’re not an alcoholic?

You can’t.

It’s like trying to prove you’re not a witch.

Hildy Good is a townie. A lifelong resident of an historic community on the rocky coast of Boston’s North Shore, she knows pretty much everything about everyone. Hildy is a descendant of one of the witches hung in nearby Salem, and is believed, by some, to have inherited psychic gifts. Not true, of course; she’s just good at reading people. Hildy is good at lots of things.  A successful real-estate broker, mother and grandmother, her days are full. But her nights have become lonely ever since her daughters, convinced their mother was drinking too much, staged an intervention and sent her off to rehab.  Now she’s in recovery—more or less.

Alone and feeling unjustly persecuted, Hildy needs a friend. She finds one in Rebecca McCallister, a beautiful young mother and one of the town’s wealthy newcomers. Rebecca feels out-of-step in her new surroundings and is grateful for the friendship. And Hildy feels like a person of the world again, as she and Rebecca escape their worries with some harmless gossip, and a bottle of wine by the fire—just one of their secrets.

But not everyone takes to Rebecca, who is herself the subject of town gossip. When Frank Getchell, an eccentric local who shares a complicated history with Hildy, tries to warn her away from Rebecca, Hildy attempts to protect her friend from a potential scandal. Soon, however, Hildy is busy trying to cover her own tracks and protect her reputation.  When a cluster of secrets become dangerously entwined, the reckless behavior of one threatens to expose the other, and this darkly comic novel takes a chilling turn.

THE GOOD HOUSE, by Ann Leary is funny, poignant, and terrifying. A classic New England tale that lays bare the secrets of one little town, this spirited novel will stay with you long after the story has ended.

***

How could I resist it?  Come on by and share your thoughts….

MONDAY POTPOURRI: MUSING ABOUT NEW PURCHASES — MARCH 18

Welcome to another Monday Potpourri:  a place to chat about tidbits and quirky things.  Like today’s Musing Mondays, hosted by Should Be Reading.

Here’s our prompt:

Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

***

Today I’m going to share about a couple of recent purchases:  actually, they’re preorders, so they’ll be downloading themselves onto Sparky beginning tomorrow.

First, I’m anticipating Heart Like Mine, by Amy Hatvany.

Thirty-six-year-old Grace McAllister never longed for children. But when she meets Victor Hansen, a handsome, charismatic divorced restaurateur who is father to Max and Ava, Grace decides that, for the right man, she could learn to be an excellent part-time stepmom. After all, the kids live with their mother, Kelli. How hard could it be?

At thirteen, Ava Hansen is mature beyond her years. Since her parents’ divorce, she has been taking care of her emotionally unstable mother and her little brother—she pays the bills, does the laundry, and never complains because she loves her mama more than anyone. And while her father’s new girlfriend is nice enough, Ava still holds out hope that her parents will get back together and that they’ll be a family again. But only days after Victor and Grace get engaged, Kelli dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances—and soon, Grace and Ava discover that there was much more to Kelli’s life than either ever knew.

Narrated by Grace and Ava in the present with flashbacks into Kelli’s troubled past, Heart Like Mine is a poignant, hopeful portrait of womanhood, love, and the challenges and joys of family life.

***

I have read some books by this author, and she is now on my list of favorites.

Next I’m waiting for Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson.  I have loved every one of her books following Jackson Brodie, the detective.  This new book is different, but sounds very intriguing to me.

 

What if you could live again and again, until you got it right?

On a cold and snowy night in 1910, Ursula Todd is born to an English banker and his wife. She dies before she can draw her first breath. On that same cold and snowy night, Ursula Todd is born, lets out a lusty wail, and embarks upon a life that will be, to say the least, unusual. For as she grows, she also dies, repeatedly, in a variety of ways, while the young century marches on towards its second cataclysmic world war.

Does Ursula’s apparently infinite number of lives give her the power to save the world from its inevitable destiny? And if she can — will she?

Darkly comic, startlingly poignant, and utterly original — this is Kate Atkinson at her absolute best.

***

What are you musing about today?  Come on by and chat with me.

 

MONDAY POTPOURRI: MUSINGS ABOUT READING HABITS — FEB. 11

Welcome to Monday Potpourri, a place for pondering.  Today we’re celebrating Musing Mondays, hosted by Should Be Reading.

I like the options available recently:

Describe one of your reading habits. • Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s). • Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

***

As I ponder the choices, I am tempted to talk about all of these topics…but, no, let’s settle for reading habits.

I think I’ve talked about how I arrange my books in stacks on my various surfaces, and how I make lists for each week’s selections.  And how those lists end up on my Monday Reading post.

But beyond how I choose my books, how do I actually read them?  Well, one at a time, with an occasional concurrent read if it’s very hefty.

My favorite reading spots:

My Office Sofa

And then there’s my bed:

Now that I’ve established my reading lists and how I arrive at them; and shared a peek of my reading spots, let’s consider what happens after.

Yes, the review.

I don’t usually take notes, so I review the book right afterwards, before starting anything else.  Just so I won’t forget anything important.  And when I post my review, it goes on Amazon, on Goodreads, and on one of my eleven blogs.

Then I link to it on various pages on Curl up and Read:  books read, books purchased or review books, etc.

A little obsessive-compulsive?  Yes, that’s me….sigh

What are your secrets?  Anything you have never shared before?  Come on down….

MONDAY POTPOURRI: MUSINGS — JAN. 28

Welcome to my Monday Potpourri post, in which we muse about the following:

Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

***

Today I’m going to shout out about recent purchases, since I ignored my book buying ban (not exactly a ban, but a plan to curb the impulses) and bought two downloads for Sparky and two books from the bargain table at Barnes & Noble.

First:  I downloaded Harbinger of Evil, by Meb Bryant, because I had just interviewed the author on Dames of Dialogue, my group site, and thought it sounded good. (Check out the interview via the link!).

Then I bought Thread on Arrival, by Amanda Lee, because it satisfies TWO of my 2013 Challenges:  the Cruisin’ Through the Cozies and the Sequel Challenge.

 

My next two purchases were from the bargain table…and I happen to enjoy both authors.

The Sixes, by Kate White:  a suspense novel that will keep me turning pages.

 

and Promises to Keep, by Jane Green, a promising tale with colorful characters that appeal to me, along with secrets that will change all of their lives.

 

So what are you musing about today?  Come on by and let’s chat.

 

 

MONDAY POTPOURRI: WEAVING A TAPESTRY OF BEAUTIFUL BOOKS — JAN. 21

On a Monday morning, there is nothing that sings cozy more than a visit to an Amazon page and finding a new book by a favorite author!

I talked about another favorite author’s new book a few days ago, at my Friday Potpourri; today I stumbled upon Elizabeth Berg’s newest book via an e-mail.

Tapestry of Fortunes is coming in April…and, of course, I preordered it.  Despite my vows to curb those impulses and read primarily from my stacks…or even Sparky, my Kindle.

But this one is coming in print format…for my shelves.

Don’t you love that cover?  Here’s the blurb:

In this superb new novel by the beloved New York Times bestselling author of Open House, Home Safe, and The Last Time I Saw You, four women venture into their pasts in order to shape their futures, fates, and fortunes.

Cecilia Ross is a motivational speaker who encourages others to change their lives for the better. Why can’t she take her own advice? Still reeling from the death of her best friend, and freshly aware of the need to live more fully now, Cece realizes that she has to make a move—all the portentous signs seem to point in that direction.

She downsizes her life, sells her suburban Minnesota home and lets go of many of her possessions. She moves into a beautiful old house in Saint Paul, complete with a garden, chef’s kitchen, and three housemates: Lise, the home’s owner and a divorced mother at odds with her twenty-year-old daughter; Joni, a top-notch sous chef at a first-rate restaurant with a grade A jerk of a boss; and Renie, the youngest and most mercurial of the group, who is trying to rectify a teenage mistake. These women embark on a journey together in an attempt to connect with parts of themselves long denied. For Cece, that means finding Dennis Halsinger. Despite being “the one who got away,” Dennis has never been far from Cece’s thoughts.

In this beautifully written novel, leaving home brings revelations, reunions, and unexpected turns that affirm the inner truths of women’s lives. “Maybe Freud didn’t know the answer to what women want, but Elizabeth Berg certainly does,” said USA Today. Elizabeth Berg has crafted a novel rich in understanding of women’s longings, loves, and abiding friendships, which weave together into a tapestry of fortunes that connects us all.

***

April can’t come fast enough for me!  And then right afterwards comes May and the beautiful Beth Hoffman book I celebrated on my Friday Potpourri post

Do you have favorite authors whose books you can’t wait to read?

MONDAY POTPOURRI: THE NEW YEAR’S EVE EDITION — DEC. 31

Happy New Year!

For those of you who enjoy books, reading, blogging, and/or writing, let’s plan on having a fabulous and productive year.

I usually enjoy participating in reading challenges, and have signed up for four this year.  Check them out at Curl up and Read, where I have a page for each of them.  I have decided that less is more.

What?  Yes, I know my blogging life suggests otherwise, but sometimes we do have to draw the line.

Speaking of plans, my New Year’s Resolutions this year are simple, too.

What do I want this year?  More balance in my life, along with peace and harmony.

Making healthy choices tops the list, too.  But I haven’t even created an official list, so these scattered thoughts will have to do.

Learning to say “no” to review books that don’t appeal to me.  I’ve been working on this one for awhile.  I hope to get better at it this year!

I want to read more books from my own stacks and pick books that I initially bought or accepted because I think I’ll enjoy them.  Is that a difficult one?  It shouldn’t be.

Here are some books I really want to read this year:

The good news:  I’ve preordered each of them.  So soon they will be on my shelves.

Since one of the challenges I signed up for is Mt. TBR, I will also be clearing off some of my own shelves.

What are your plans for the New Year?

MONDAY POTPOURRI: FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR — DEC. 24 — MERRY CHRISTMAS!

As the year draws to a close, I like to ponder the lovely books I’ve read throughout the year.  And, as always, I find it hard to choose just ten favorites.

To make my task easier, however, I do choose a favorite each month as I’m doing my wrap-ups.

So here goes:  Some favorites, listed in no particular order. (Click titles for reviews)

1.  Mudbound, by Hillary Jordan

2.  The Bungalow, by Sarah Jio

3. Blue Monday, by Nicci French

4.  11/22/63, by Stephen King

5.  Ninepins, by Rosy Thornton

6.  Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn

7.   Blackberry Winter, by Sarah Jio

8.   You Are the Love of My Life, by Susan Richards Shreve

9.   Forgotten, by Catherine McKenzie

10.  Windfall, by Penny Vincenzi

***

What were your favorite reads this year?  What is on your list for the New Year?

Let’s curl up and read!

Enjoy your holiday season, and fill up your days with fabulous books!

MONDAY POTPOURRI: TABLE SWITCHEROO — DEC. 17

Good morning!  And I would love to have this kitchen!  Sadly, I don’t.

But what I do have in my little downsized space is a lot of fun switching up my stuff and making them seem new again.

In my Hump Day Potpourri last week, I shared how I make cleaning fun.  Seriously!  lol

As an epilogue to this piece, I found a home for the table that had been in the bedroom, but which temporarily took up residence in the garage.

It just took a little while and a new look at my space.

Here it is (above) standing in for a drop leaf table that now is at home in the bedroom.

The book sitting atop the table has a cover my eldest son created.  Here’s a picture of him from 1994, holding it.

That was our first Christmas in the foothill house.  Shortly afterwards, Craig returned to Europe for a spell.  First Ireland, then home again to Sacramento; next, in 1997, he went to Prague where he lived for more than a decade.  Now he is Berlin.

All of us here think it’s time he came back for at least a little while.

Memories and photos (and endless furniture switcheroos) carry me along and fill in the empty spaces.  What do you enjoy when you’re missing people and places?

MONDAY POTPOURRI: MUSINGS — SNEAKING A PEEK — NOV. 19

 

Welcome to another Monday Potpourri.  It’s time to explore our bookish world in Musing Mondays, hosted by Should Be Reading.

Our prompt today:

Do you read the ending before you start a book? Do you ever skip ahead to read the ending?

***

I am so afraid of accidentally discovering what happens at the end of the book that I do everything in my power to avoid those last pages…or even just a few pages ahead.  It’s much easier to do on Sparky, my Kindle.

 

 

When doing a Friday 56, I’m almost afraid to slip ahead that much, but I do it with my inner eyes closed.  You know….where you try to avoid feeling anything about the excerpt you’re spotlighting.

No…I don’t even read reviews ahead of time.  Those without spoilers would probably be okay, but I don’t want to lose the joy of anticipation.

What about you?  How do you feel about sneaking a peek at the ending?

 

MONDAY POTPOURRI: MORE FEATHERING THE NEST — NOV. 12

Of all the rooms in my condo, one of my favorites (after my dining area) is the guest bathroom.  Here I have reveled in the girly stuff—much to the chagrin of my grandsons!—like the frilly doll you see in the photo above.

I used to have several dolls in here, but have now reduced the number to this one.  Which you can see reflected in the mirror above.

There are things I hadn’t yet done to the room, so yesterday I added something I’d been thinking about.  The rather cold appearance of that shower door needed some texture.

And here’s another view that remains unchanged.

And I always need some reading material….

I found the bookshelf (it’s really a towel rack!) in a neighborhood home goods store.  The books are always in flux.  I routinely take some of them and add them to my Reading Room.  Check it out…there’s a giveaway going until Wednesday.

Do you find yourself “feathering your nest” when you haven’t really planned it?  My impulse took me to Target yesterday to buy the rod….I already had the curtain.