It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday - Jul 20

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. 

Happy Monday! Hope you all had a great week. I'm still playing catch-up because I was living in real estate hell last week. However, I did have two closings last week that went smoothly. I also managed to get to the lab on Friday for my bloodwork to see if they can figure out what is going on with me. 

Today, I will start the day by taking Theo to his least favorite place on Earth--the vet. He gets a monthly allergy shot. Then I have a meeting, and in the afternoon, I follow up with my doctor. I'm still working on an issue for work as well. 

Saw this old restaurant booth in a house last week. It is always cool to stumble upon these treasures. 

In my reading world, I wrote a review of Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. I ordered a printed copy of this and Burkeman's first book, Four Thousand Weeks. You can find my review here.

Did not touch The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller, and I wonder if I will get to it. 

I am done with The Ledger by Steven Manchester, a companion to his novel The Menu. Look for my review soon. 

I didn't pick up The Eyes of River last week. 

I read some of Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts. 

I wrote a First Chapter Review of Staged by Caitlin Rother, which is the sequel to Hooked. You can read that review here.

Massawa by Pam Weber is a book I have not yet started.

I reviewed Max and Her Stacks by Joyce McCullough at The Children's and Teens' Book Connection. Look for my review link below. 

Photo credit: Freepik

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 was approved for these two books by publishers on NetGalley:

A Christmas Carol Devotional: 

25 Advent Reflections from Charles Dickens's Beloved Classic

by Rachel Dodge

The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson

Hank also sent me his newest beginner's guide for writers to review:

Beginner's Guide to Using an AI Writing Assistant 

by Hank Quense

Upcoming Events

The Ledger by Steven Manchester - TBD (Review)

Staged by Caitlin Rother - TBD (Review)

Massawa by Pam Weber - TBD (Review)

Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts - TBD (Review)

Christmas Year Round

This week's Journey through Christmases Past post isn't up yet. Hopefully, tomorrow. 

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

At The Children's and Teens' Book Connection, we celebrated 17 years of blogging. I also posted a review of Max and Her Stacks by Joyce McCullough. You can read that review here.

Laura's Little Houses

Still nothing new here. Maybe Wednesday. Depends on how this week turns out.

It's nice to see some books come off my list. I'm tired of sharing the same ones week after week. Looking forward to reading your posts. 

Audible Book Review: Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

 

I openly admit from the start that my review of this Audible book will not do the book justice. In Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts by Oliver Burkeman, the author outlines a different approach to making the most of the time we have and how to take action on what matters most to you. 

This is the second book by Burkeman I have listened to, and I realize now that I need printed copies to mark up and bookmark. Just like with the first book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, I found tons of helpful and insightful information in Meditations for Mortals, but I can't remember all of it because I was listening to it while driving. 

Here are the two tidbits from Meditations for Mortals that I found the most valuable: 

• Seeing our TBR piles as a river, a flowing stream of possibilities you can dip into and choose what you feel like reading, letting the rest float on by. Doesn't that take the pressure off?
• Creating a Done list instead of a To-Do list. Also, reduces the pressure because you are focusing on what you have done, not the mountain of things left undone. 

The author narrates the book, and he has a great voice to do so. Meditations for Mortals is formatted to be read one day at a time over four weeks, but I listened to multiple days at once. This did not impede the absorption of the material, but I truly wished I could have written down notes. 

Burkeman's books are powerful resources for those looking to make changes in their lives. Blending different influences into a philosophy the author calls "imperfectionism," readers can use Meditations for Mortals to create a more meaningful life. 

Product details

Listening Length	4 hours and 4 minutes
Author	Oliver Burkeman
Narrator	Oliver Burkeman
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	October 08, 2024
Publisher	Macmillan Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B0CW47NDT6

I downloaded this book from Audible with a credit. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

First Chapter Review: Staged by Caitlin Rother

 

Caitlin Rother sent me a digital copy of Staged, the second book in her Katrina & Goode series, for review. Since reading time has been little to none this summer, here is my review of the first chapter.

BLURB: In this thrilling sequel to Hooked, the secret leaders of a deadly cabal prove to be a veritable match for the determined reporter and the insightful surfing detective who double down to expose them.

Investigative reporter Katrina Chopin is back home in San Diego on a mission (or two). The first is personal: reheating the cold case of her parents’ murder and investigating her brother’s reported suicide. The second involves a new spate of deaths with alleged causes that just don’t smell right. She and Detective Ken Goode need each other’s help for both. But she has to keep the sexy surfer at arm’s length, because dating him is off limits. For now.

Teaming up, they make coordinated progress down each path. Digging deeper into La Jolla’s corrupt network of elites, they uncover a pattern of lies, depravity, and greed. And with every new discovery, Katrina is pulled closer to danger…and to Goode.

Sharing sexy phone calls and sunset drinks isn’t exactly following the rules, but fully crossing that line could jeopardize the case. As they start to connect the dots, they realize they must risk everything to bring down the shadowy cabal that kills to keep its secrets.

COVER: The cover for Staged is similar in style and format to the first book in the series, making it easily identifiable. I love the colors of this one. 

FIRST CHAPTER: The book opens with a healthy-sized prologue whose events take place five and a half years before the first chapter. In the present day, Goode is reviewing investigative reports regarding a murder case and feeling pretty down. His relationship with Katrina is on hold while the investigation is underway. Rusty Stone, his good friend and boss, receives a troubling phone call, which ensures Goode isn't getting to the beach to unwind anytime soon.

KEEP READING: I enjoyed these characters in Hooked, so I will definitely keep reading. While the prologue is longer than usual, I'm glad I chose not to ignore it, because you will get a hint of how the past and present collide in this novel. Stone is a fun character, and I think he will remain a favorite of mine. The first chapter is a bit heavy on backstory, which slows the pace of the current-day happenings down. I still think it works nicely,  and the chapter wraps up well. 

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FN4KLN9M
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas & Mercer
• Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 16, 2026
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 7.6 MB
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled 
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled 
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 407 pages 
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1662532375

I received a digital copy of this book from the author. This First Chapter Review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Would You Go Skydiving? Why or Why Not?

 

The Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is hosted by Long and Short Reviews. They offer this blog hop as a weekly prompt to help you gain new friends and visitors. You don't have to participate every week, but if you decide to post and join the blog hop for a week, Long and Short Reviews requests that you share your link in their weekly post on their website (which will be the top post on the home page each Wednesday morning). The link list remains open for new links for 48 hours. Visit the other bloggers participating to see what they discuss that week. Comments are appreciated. 

We are saying hello to Wednesday again, and that means it is time for the Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge. This is such a fun meme because it is short, sweet, and manageable most weeks. Gosh, real estate is kicking my butt. 

This week's prompt asks, Would You Go Skydiving? Why or Why Not?

The answer to that is an emphatic no. You all know that I have this goal to live to 110, right? Well, if not, you know now. While I am not risk-averse, I don't believe in going out of my way to do things that could interfere with that goal, injure me in any major way, or lead to my untimely death. It's bad enough I drive most days for my job. I am convinced drivers in Massachusetts and Connecticut are either insane, distracted, high, or entitled. None of which is good. So, I will avoid things like skydiving that will just increase the odds that I die too young, while totally admiring people who are willing to attempt it. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Want to Read by New to Me Authors

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

It is Tuesday again, which means it is time for Top Ten Tuesday. This week's prompt is to share books I want to read by new-to-me authors. Since I read a lot of books by authors who I do know--limited reading time and not wanting to waste it kind of thing--I am reaching outside of my regular lists and TBR pile. 

Top Ten Books I Want to Read by New-to-Me Authors

1. The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson
2. Food is Medicine by Dariush Mozaffarian
3. Andy Griffith's Manteo by John Railey
4. Receipts from the Bookshop by Katie Clapham
5. Daphne & Me by Jane Leeves
6. The Boy Behind the Wardrobe: How C.S. Lewis Grew Up to Create Narnia by Suzanne Poulter Harris
7. Counting Winter by Nancy White Carlstrom
8. A Christmas Carol Devotional by Rachel Dodge
9. A Betrothed's Betrayal by Deb Marlowe
10. When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer

Photo credit to articular on Magnific (formerly FreePik)

Tell Me Something Tuesday (TMST) is hosted by Jen Twimom at That's What I'm Talking About. TMST is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Participation is optional, and you can leave your comments in the weekly post when you participate. Check it out if you're interested in joining.

Tell Me Something Tuesday is on hiatus until September. Check back for more prompts then.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday - July 13

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. 

We are back! Our family arrived home early from vacation, which allowed us to see the Lil' Princess, who drove down from Maine. Over the weekend, I celebrated my 58th birthday with all the kids here. Now, I am back to work. Today will be filled with appointments. 

Happy birthday to me!

Hanging at the OBX house

Dinner at Miller's Waterfront 

Fireworks in Manteo

Girls at The Elizabethan Gardens

Mural at The Dunes 

Replica glider at The Wright Brothers National Memorial

I didn't read half as much as expected on vacation. Partially because we were dealing with some nonsense in getting the Lil' Princess' car picked up and dropped off in Maine, and also because I had an unexpected medical issue while there. Nothing too serious (I hope), but I will head to my primary care next week after some tests are done this week. 

I have less than an hour left with Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. Loving so much about it.

I  have not picked up The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller while here, because other books need to be read first. 

I am done with The Ledger by Steven Manchester, a companion to his novel The Menu. Look for my review soon. 

I didn't pick up The Eyes of River last week. 

I read some of Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts. 

Staged by Caitlin Rother, which is the sequel to Hooked. I need to get back to this one. 

My review of the second book of The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club, The Widow Murderess, appears here. 

Book three is The Sparrow and the Crow. I posted a First Chapter Review of this one on July 10. You can read it here.

Massawa by Pam Weber is a book I have not yet started.

Joyce McCullough sent me a copy of Max and Her Stacks to review. 

Photo credit: Freepik

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. 

Got this great book that I saw in Downtown Books in Manteo for my birthday. I have already opened Andy Griffith's Manteo: His Real Mayberry by John Railey. 

Upcoming Events

The Ledger by Steven Manchester - TBD (Review)

Staged by Caitlin Rother - TBD (Review)

Massawa by Pam Weber - July (Review)

Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts - TBD (Review)

Christmas Year Round

Journey through Christmases Past talks about the origins of Christmas in July. You can find that post here.

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

Nothing new. This blog celebrates its 17th anniversary on July 14. 

Laura's Little Houses

Nothing new, but I did watch the first episode in the Netflix adaptation of Little House on the Prairie. My thoughts will be coming soon.