Musing Mondays - August 15

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme now hosted at Jenn's blog Books And A Beat that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION:  What sequel do you have yet to read?

Monday has arrived again. Technically, as I am typing this it is still only Sunday, but by the time you read this it will be Monday.

This past week was the one where I decided I had enough; enough mess, enough chaos--pretty much enough of a lot of things. I miss blogging. I miss reading every night before bed. I miss having my books organized and my TBR pile all mapped out on spreadsheets.

As part of deciding enough was enough, I am moving my office to the first floor of our home by converting our very unused formal living room into an office space. The printer/fax/scanner is on the first floor at the other end of the house in the hubby's office. It is so inconvenient when I need to do anything. I'm also thinking that if my office is on the first floor I'll keep it cleaner. And finally, I want to be able to have real estate clients come to my home if needed, so I want a place that is easily accessible.

I've made a lot of progress in going through books; cataloging them and boxing them up. I've donated some books and other belongings from my office. I've also recycled a bunch of old magazines and other fun stuff.

All this effort has made me feel a lot better. The hallway is a mess, but as things are delivered to where they need to go, that will change too.

The best part? The clean up fever has infected the girls too and they have been going through their rooms doing the same thing. I love it!

I'm open to any tips you are willing to share on major clean ups.

Musing Mondays - July 25

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme now hosted at Jenn's blog Books And A Beat that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: What’s your most favorite “chunky” book? (over 500 pages)

We had another wonderful vacation on the Outer Banks. As I mentioned before we left, I had plans to read... a lot. Well, that was prior to real estate. I worked a fair amount from the beach, so I read less than half what I usually do. That said, working from the beach is heck of a lot better than working from home.

Here is what I got a chance to cross off my TBR List:

Treasure Your Marriage by Cherishing Your Spouse by Suzzanne Uzzell
A Loaded Gun by Jerome Charyn
I Have Faith by Davin Whitehurst
Anna's Healing by Vannetta Chapman

What I am still reading is Portrait of a Conspiracy by Donna Russo Morin. I like it. The story is engaging and the characters interesting. I'm just a bit confused by the whole thing. I feel like I don't know what is going on and I'm twenty chapters in.

I'm also reading A Simple Vow by Charlotte Hubbard. I'll be reviewing this one on July 29th, so be on the lookout for that.

As for my favorite "chunky" book, I would have to go with The Stand by Stephen King. It took me a while to get into, but once I did I was hooked.

What has your reading week been like?

Musing Mondays - May 2

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme now hosted at Jenn's new blog Books And A Beat that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION:  Name any 5 books from your “to be read” pile (even if it’s a “virtual” pile).

Happy Monday, everyone! Trying so hard to get back into the swing of things. Way too much real estate work these days.

Here are some of the oldest books (meaning the ones I've had the longest) in my TBR pile.

When the concierge of The Alexander, a historic Atlanta apartment building, invites his fellow residents to join him for weekly screenings of Downton Abbey, four very different people find themselves connecting with the addictive drama, and—even more unexpectedly—with each other…

Filled with smart history, treacherous rivalries, lavish clothes, and sparkling jewels, Becoming Marie Antoinette will utterly captivate fiction and history lovers alike.

An epic fairy tale with surprising twists, embracing the enduring power of love and faith.

There's always something to gossip about in Savannah, Georgia, and Reagan Summerside always seems to be in the middle of it. She's busy enough running her consignment shop, the Prissy Fox, with her vivacious auntie, KiKi, but now the gossip--and the sales--are about to pick up, after a gruesome discovery...

Eighteen years after the infants Kai and Mahri DuBois were separated and taken from La Foret de Chenes for their own protection, they are called to return. Appointed as Paladins, they receive their first charges from the Elders. The twins must overcome the devastating act of treachery that tore their family apart, restore the integrity of the treasure they guard, and beat back the encroaching evil of La Famille DeMauvaise.

What are some of the books in your TBR pile?

Musing Mondays - February 29

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme now hosted at Jenn's new blog Books And A Beat that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: What was the last book you didn’t finish? Why?

Happy Leap Day! I hope February has been kind to you. I'm excited to participate in the first Musing Mondays held at Jenn's new blog, Books And A Beat. I hope you'll pay her a visit.

I can't answer this week's question because it has been so long since I haven't finished a book I can't tell you what it is.

What I can tell you is that I just finished reading Vannetta Chapman's delightful story, "Love in Store" that is featured in An Amish Market. Two unlikely people are drawn together when mysterious happenings threaten the Old Amish Mill.

David Stoltzfus is a happy, peaceful man who always seems to have a smile on his face. This aggravates his co-worker, Stella Schrock, who has become lonely and bitter over how her life has turned out. When strange occurrences at the Old Amish Mill cause a stir that might lead to its closing, Stella and David team up to get to the bottom of the mystery. The more time they spend together, Stella begins to imagine a life for herself she was certain she left behind long ago. Perhaps God has more in store for the both of them.

This is a wonderful story from beginning to end. It combines two of my favorite things: engaging characters and a mystery to solve. This is just another fine example of why Chapman is such a popular author. She knows her genre well and continues to deliver superb stories for her fans. I look forward to reading the rest of the novellas in this collection to see if I find other authors in this genre to enjoy.

What are you musing about this week?