It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Sep 29

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit, comment, and add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome, everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and was then taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Welcome to the last Monday in September. That sure went by quickly. Hope you had a great weekend. I took a partial day off on Saturday and spent some time in the kitchen before heading out to The Big E with the family. Earlier in the week, HB Real Estate celebrated its fourth annual Mums and Martinis. We visited a local nursery to grab fall plants and decor before heading out to lunch at one of our local restaurants. Such a fun time. Here are some photos:

Part of my Mums and Martinis haul

Pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips and blueberry muffins in a brownie pan

Hubby and I standing in front of the Midway

Travis, Dwight, and Theo are adorned with The Big E Parade bling

Want to know what I read this week? Nothing. Zip. Nada. Zero. Just didn't have the time or the energy. I feel productive coming into this week, however, because my meal plans for the entire month of October are done. 

If you missed it, I posted my First Chapter Review of Ride a Dark Trail by Winter Austin on Tuesday. You can read it here.

I started this poetry collection two weeks ago for a November review, Singing the Forge by G. H. Mosson. 

Want to continue Eleanor Roosevelt's Nightly Prayer by Donn Mitchell, which is a NetGalley download.

The Man Next Door, another romantic comedy by Sheila Roberts, is next.

I want to read Old Flames, New Beginnings by Lea Schizas during the holiday season. 

Ms. Pennypickle's Puzzle Quest by Chris Grabenstein and The Curiosities by W.H. Eatons are middle-grade NetGalley downloads I need to read. 

I am awaiting the arrival of The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall by Jaime Jo Wright for an October review. 

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach. 

I grabbed these books on Booktrovert.

Upcoming Events

• The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall by Jaime Jo Wright - Oct 29 (Review)
• One Foot in the Ether: Whispers of the Pendle Witches by Kayleigh Kavanagh - Oct 30 (Spotlight)
• The Man Next Door by Sheila Roberts - Oct 31 (Review)
• Singing the Forge by G. H. Mosson - Nov 25 (Review)

The latest Christmas... in the news post is up at Christmas Year Round. This week, we are talking about the expansion into the Midwest of Spirit Christmas, new Christmas ornaments at Magic Kingdom, and the "Great American Christmas" holiday movie lineup. You can read my post here.

Nothing new at The Children's and Teens' Book Connection. My quarterly goals update should be coming soon. 

Wrote a post at Laura's Little Houses about my Top Five Favorite Episodes from Little House on the Prairie - Season 2. You can find it here.

Waiting to hear back on writing-related news, so nothing fun to share yet. Hope you enjoy your week. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Aug 4

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit, comment, and add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome, everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and was then taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Welcome to the first Monday of August! This month has brought cooler weather to Massachusetts, even some rain. I'm ready to decorate for fall, but it's too early. 

Last week was full of nice things: a closing, an order from Modern Prairie, and a surprise visit to Boston to watch the Red Sox play the Astros. We were at that game where the benches and the dugouts cleared out. Afterward, we enjoyed some great food at Joe's on Newbury. 

This Christmas in July Mystery item is from April Cornell. Love that it is different colors on opposite sides. 

Baked haddock at Pafumi's on Main.

Saturday was a beautiful day in Boston.

Chicken Pot Pie from Joe's on Newbury.

As far as reading, I reviewed M is for Mason Jar at my children's book blog. You can read the review here. 

I also reviewed The Day I Met Bigfoot: And Made a New Friend by D. L. Miller. My review is here. 

I didn't read Behind the Scenes by Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley on my Kindle this week. 

I finished The Bible Simplified by Zach Windahl on NetGalley. My review should be posted this week. 

I didn't touch The Sea Captain's Wife by Tilar J. Mazzeo this week, but I need to finish it soon. 

Read a few chapters of Like Driftwood on the Salish Sea by Richard Levine. Since the review is in September, I have some time.

Need to review Generating Business Referrals Without Asking by Stacey Brown Randall soon. 

These First Chapter Reviews are coming in August and September. 

Gone to the Ground by Morgan Hatch

Father of One by Jani Anttola 

What Lies We Keep by Janet Roberts

Whatever It Takes by Alan Benham 

Need to read Old Flames, New Beginnings by Lea Schizas soon. 

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach. 

Thanks to Sarah Hamaker's Christmas in July Reader Extravaganza, I received some free books from authors whose newsletters I subscribed to. Here is what is now on my Kindle.

A Narrow Escape by Virginia Vaughan

An Unexpected Arrival by Penny Zeller

Counterfeit Truth by Crystal Caudill

These two books arrived from Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

The Birds of Christmas by Olivia Armstrong

Late Today by Jungyoon Huh 

Upcoming Events

• Gone to the Ground by Morgan Hatch - Aug 7 (First Chapter Review)
• Like Driftwood on the Salish Sea by Richard Levine - Aug 12 (Author Interview)
• Father of One by Jani Anttola - Aug 18 (First Chapter Review)
• What Lies We Keep by Janet Roberts - Aug 20 (First Chapter Review)
• Whatever it Takes by Alan Brenham - Sep 2 (First Chapter Review)
• Like Driftwood on the Salish Sea by Richard Levine - Sep 15 (Review)

The latest Christmas... in the news post is up at Christmas Year Round. You can read all the seasonal good stuff here. "Three Things to Do in August to Prepare for Christmas" should be posted today. 

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection has the reviews I mentioned above. 

I had this great post idea for Laura's Little Houses, but I couldn't write it down when I was driving. It's lost now, but I will remember it again. 

Hoping for a slower work week, but I am working on offers, so not sure how that will go. Enjoy your week!