Monday, September 4, 2023

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

Welcome to It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday.  

 


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 and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.       

Welcome to the unofficial end of summer, or as we call it in the States, Labor Day. By now, most of our schools have opened for the 2023 - 2024 year. While this holiday is steeped in historical significance, like many of our federal holidays, Labor Day is mostly celebrated as a long weekend to enjoy with family and friends. 

I am drafting this post early, so I'm not sure what my weekend will look like. I have photos for a new listing Saturday morning, and then I hope to take at least one day off. My house is in desperate need of cleaning. I'm also in the middle of starting a new blog. Not that I really have time for a new blog, but it's one I have wanted to start for years. It's all about Christmas. Once it has more content, I'll share a link. If you have any ideas of what you would like to see on such a blog, please leave a comment below. 

In my reading world, I finished this book. My review appeared here.


My review of this one appeared here.



My review of this great picture book appears here.




I also read this one and scheduled a review for September 26 at TC&TBC during the author's virtual book tour. 

I listened to this book as I drove around this week. This will probably end up as a DNF for me. While I find the Zen-based approach to writing interesting, and the author provides sound advice about the importance of writing practice, there is no way I can listen to nearly nine hours of it.  


Book related but not books are these two podcasts I listen to. 


Wilder on the Prairie finds author Annie Kontor discussing the world of Laura Ingalls Wilder one Little House book at a time. Each episode covers a chapter from the series in order. I am up to date on this wonderful podcast. The length of each episode varies by how long the chapter is and what Kontor's research turns up.


Wilder, from iHeart Productions, uses an historical documentary approach to explore Laura's legacy, which host Glynnis MacNicol calls "as powerful, mesmerizing, controversial, and violent as the America she represents." I came away from this one for a while because I didn't find it overly engaging in the first episode. All the episodes are at least 48 minutes long, which is another drawback when you listen in tiny snippets. 

These books are up next. 









Upcoming virtual book tours:
  • Grace and the Golden Rule by Negrita Smart - September 26 (review at (TC&TBC)
  • Murder at Midnight by Katharine Schellman - October 4 (review)
  • Death and the Sisters by Heather Redmond - October 17 (review)
  • Resparking Creativity by Fatemah Mirza & Sumayyah Rafiq - November 20 (review)



Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Empty physical mailbox this week, but NetGalley approved my request for this one. 


Turn back the clock with History Comics! In this volume, learn how millions of Americans joined the fight by working assembly lines, growing vegetables, and collecting scrap metal during World War II!

When we think of war, we often focus on the battlefields. But during the war years of 1941 to 1945, Americans at home did whatever they could to support the troops and defeat the Nazis. While millions of soldiers ship out to fight on battlefronts in Europe and the Pacific, millions of men, women, and children step into new and exciting roles in cities and towns all across the United States. Four curious kids take us into factories, farms, and even kitchens to show what the fight on the home front looks like up close!

That's it for me. Looking forward to visiting your blogs today. 

12 comments:

Kathryn T said...

Hope you got to take that one day off you mention. Its important. Christmas blog sounds interesting, all the best and have fun doing it.

Harvee said...

It must be fun to review picture books. I must try it sometime. Have a great week.

Harvee at https://bookdilettante.blogspot.com/2023/09/sunday-salon-suspense-novels-and-fall.html

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I'll have to mention the Wilder podcast to my daughter. She's been reading the Little House books to her kids the past few years. I hope you can enjoy a little time off this weekend!

Yvonne said...

Good luck with your new blog. It sounds good.

Hope you have a great week!

Kathy Martin said...

Those Wilder podcasts sound interesting. I've read all the books but am not sure I want to dive deeply into the background. Your other books look good too. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

Cheryl Malandrinos said...

Thanks, Kathryn. Not a full day off, but slower than usual.

Harvee, I read them as much for market research as for entertainment because that's what I write.

Great to see you here, Mary. Hope your daughter enjoys the podcasts.

Thanks, Yvonne.

Kathy, I have never been a huge podcast fan, but I am changing my mind after these two and one of writing kidlit.

Thanks for visiting today, everyone. Hope you have a great week.

Martha Eskuchen said...

I hope you enjoyed your weekend. I did some cleaning and packing too.
Looks like you've been reading many nice looking children's' books.
That podcast sounds good and the idea of a historic Comic book gets my interest.
Have a good week and Happy Reading!

Cheryl Malandrinos said...

Thanks, Martha. It was a good one. Hope you have a fun week.

Greg said...

Hope you had a nice Labor Day! Murder at Midnight looks great.

Savvy Verse & Wit said...

Writing Down the Bones is a good writer book, but to listen to it would be boring. I read it in print over a longer period, dipping in and out of it. I think Stephen King's book On Writing is more relatable and easier to listen to as an audiobook.

Cheryl Malandrinos said...

Wholeheartedly agree with you, Serena. I loved On Writing.

Emma at Words And Peace / France Book Tours said...

I love nonfiction graphic "novel", and this history comics sounds great!