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: 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: MUSINGS — LAST BOOK PURCHASE — NOV. 5

Welcome to another Monday Potpourri…Musings.

What is the most recent book you purchased, or brought home from the local library? What made you pick it? Have you started reading it, right away, or will you wait for a bit?

***

Just this past week, I bought a book I found on the bargain table at Barnes & Noble.  The bargain price wasn’t the primary reason, though; I’ve had my eye on this one for awhile.

I thoroughly enjoy the suspense novels from Nora Roberts, and  The Search appealed to me.  I had wanted to purchase it before, but other priorities seemed to get in the way.

I also like the blurb:  To most people, Fiona Bristow seems to have an idyllic life—a quaint house on an island off Seattle’s coast, a thriving dog-training school and a challenging volunteer job performing Canine Search and Rescue. Not to mention her three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a nightmare.

Several years ago, Fiona was the only survivor of the Red Scarf Killer, who shot and killed Fiona’s cop fiancé and his K-9 partner.

On Orcas Island, Fiona has found the peace and solitude necessary to rebuild her life. But all that changes on the day Simon Doyle barrels up her drive, desperate for her help. He’s an intensely private wood artist and the reluctant owner of an out-of-control puppy named Jaws.

As Fiona embarks on training Jaws, and Simon begins to appreciate both dog and trainer, the past tears back into Fiona’s life. A copycat killer has emerged out of the shadows, a man whose bloodlust has been channeled by a master with one motive: to reclaim the woman who slipped out of his hands . . .

***

What was your latest purchase…and why?

MONDAY POTPOURRI: MUSINGS — ONLINE BOOKISH FRIENDS — OCT. 29

Welcome to another Monday Potpourri, which today celebrates Musing Mondays, hosted by Should Be Reading.

Do you have people online that you often discuss the books you read with? Not just book groups, but individual readers who share the same taste in books? If so, what do you like best about this? If not, do you wish you did?

***

It is difficult to point to one online friend who enjoys the same books, but I do visit several blogs and converse online and in e-mails with a few “friends” with whom I’ve connected over my years in blogging.

While we may not always enjoy the same books, Patty, at Books, Thoughts, and a Few Adventures is someone who gets very excited about books…and sharing our thoughts feels like sitting down and having coffee or tea together.

Then there is Staci, at Life in the Thumb, or Diane, at Bibliophile by the Sea.  Each of them participates in some of the same bookish events as I do, and I often find books I love at their sites.

Book Fan Mary and Bermudaonion are other sites where I can feel the special warmth of sharing thoughts and the love of books.

When I first started blogging, and posting reviews on Amazon, I “met” online friends Betty Dravis and Linda Bulgur.  We actually met in person in 2009…and had a great time!  Here’s the story about A Unique Journey.

I could go on and on.  Even when we don’t love the same books, there is a great feeling of shared love of reading.  That feels like a cozy shawl on a cold day.

What do the rest of you enjoy about the online world?

MONDAY POTPOURRI: MUSINGS — REVIEW BOOKS — OCT. 15

Welcome to another Monday Potpourri, spotlighting Musing Mondays, hosted by Should Be Reading.

Today’s Prompt:

This week’s musing — courtesy of http://cmashlovestoread.com — asks… Do you have a system as to which books to read from your “requested review pile?  What is it?  What about when there are too many to read in a certain time frame? {apologies to those who don’t review}

***

When I receive a review book, I immediately log it into my Book Review Page at Curl up and Read.

While I know that many folks have spreadsheets and other very organized ways of keeping track of their review books, I must admit that those systems haven’t worked for me.  After logging in my books, I list them in order, with dates due and put the list on my spindle.  Yes, old fashioned.

Then, as another reminder, I stack them on my office coffee table in order of dates due.  Each week, I add some of these books to my reading week, which I post about in It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading?

So far, this system works for me.  Another thing that I do:  I turn away books when my numbers start feeling out of control.  I don’t want to feel as though reading is a chore!

Here’s a visual of my stack a couple of weeks ago.

My Reading/Review Stack

What do you do?  What system keeps you on track?

MONDAY POTPOURRI: MUSING ABOUT BOOKS IN A SERIES — OCT. 7

Welcome to another Monday Potpourri.  Today’s event is Musing Mondays, hosted by Should Be Reading.

This week’s musing — courtesy of http://ladywithbooks.wordpress.com– asks…

Do you have a favorite series? Do you have a favorite book out of that series?

***

I have enjoyed some books in a series, as well as the series themselves.  I think my all time favorites are Sue Grafton’s Alphabet Mysteries.  I always eagerly await the next one on the list.

Her latest was V is for Vengeance.  (Click title for review)

The main character is Kinsey Milhone, who tells the story as if she’s talking to friends.  I’ve been a big fan of all Grafton’s books, and especially enjoy Kinsey, with her quirks, like peanut butter and pickle sandwiches and her fondness for a neighborhood bar that offers very strange cuisine.

Another series that I’ve loved is Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cover stories.  The last one I read was 1022 Evergreen Place.

I’ve also enjoyed books by Trigiani and Evanovich, but haven’t read enough books in their series offerings to reach a conclusion.

What keeps me reading favorites in a series is the chance to revisit beloved characters; it’s sort of like coming home again.

What about the rest of you?  Do you have favorites?

MONDAY POTPOURRI: MUSINGS – DISTRACTIONS – OCT. 1

Welcome to another Monday Potpourri.  Today’s feature is Musing Mondays, hosted by Should Be Reading.

Today’s prompt:

What distracts you when you really “should be reading”?

Oh, my, the distractions line up and shout at me!  There’s the old favorite, TV; and even though one of my TVs died a couple of weeks ago, I have two others.

But social networking sites seemingly call out to me:  Facebook and Pinterest.

And then there is blogging.  I have eleven sites (down this past week from twelve), and I obsessively post, tweak, and recreate them.  Just this past week, I merged my two writing sites (Snow Chronicles and My Forest Journey) into one:  Snow Chronicles.

I love changing them up:  themes, blog headers, backgrounds.  You’d think I’d finally be satisfied, but no, they call out to me, asking me to play with them.

At my website, there’s a page for them all.

Then there are the distractions of life.  Like trying to find a new TV (while my son tries to fix the old one).  The reason:  it wasn’t that old.  Four years!  So he is definitely determined to fix it.

Meanwhile, I’ve been shopping around; just in case.

What distracts you?  I hope you’ll come on by and chat.