It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday - Aug 3

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and are 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 August! Is it feeling like the year is passing too quickly? It sure is for me. Four closings expected this month, and two more anticipated for September if all goes well. Expecting three new listings between now and September as well. 

Other than work, I managed to squeeze in some reading time, planned all our meals for August, and moved my office down to the first floor — with the help of my other half, of course. It's not done yet, but I'm down here more than upstairs now. 

The Lil' Diva will celebrate a birthday soon, and the Lil' Princess is coming down here that week to spend some time with us. Life is good.

Here is a reading rundown:

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

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

Almost finished Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts. 

Need to get moving on Staged by Caitlin Rother, which is the sequel to Hooked.

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

Also need to read:

• A Christmas Carol Devotional: 25 Advent Reflections from Charles Dickens's Beloved Classic by Rachel Dodge
• The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson
• Food is Medicine by Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DRPH
• Beginner's Guide to Using an AI Assistant by Hank Quense

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. 

Nothing new in the mailbox this week, thank goodness. I am so far behind on my reading. 

Upcoming Events

Staged by Caitlin Rother - TBD (Review)

Massawa by Pam Weber - TBD (Review)

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

Christmas Year Round

Thought it would be fun to talk about some toy crazes for this week's Journey through Christmases Past. You can find that here.

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

At The Children's and Teens' Book Connection, I'm discussing the growing trend to return to print-based learning and handwriting. You can read that here.

Laura's Little Houses

I am working on an article about traumatic episodes of Little House on the Prairie. Doesn't that sound cheery?

That is it from my place on the planet. Catch up with you soon!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday - July 6 (Happy 19th Blogoversary to TBC!)

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 from the Outer Banks! We have started our second week of vacation. Sadly, we said goodbye to the Lil' Princess early Sunday so that she could start her new job today. It is different without her here, but we are so thrilled for this new adventure she has embarked on. I will share photos from our trip once we are back.

Happy Independence Day to all who celebrated this weekend. July 4 also marked the 19th anniversary for me here at The Book Connection! I thank each and every one of you for your loyal readership, your comments, and your online friendship. 

As I had planned, I am doing my best to catch up with my reading. I also might have bought a couple of new books. Shocking, I know! 

I reviewed Digital Detox for Remote Workers: Reclaim Your Focus, Productivity, and Work-Life Balance in the Digital Age by Dr. Guenter H. Schamel. You can find that review here.

I reviewed Hi Honey, I'm Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture by Matt Baume. You can read that review here. 

I have about 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 almost done with The Ledger by Steven Manchester, a companion to his novel The Menu. 

I didn't pick up The Eyes of River yet either. 

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

Staged by Caitlin Rother, which is the sequel to Hooked. I haven't cracked it open so far, but it is on my list. 

The Ghost and the Key is the first book in Bill Cusano's The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club series. I reviewed this book on July 1. You can read the review and enter the giveaway here.

I finished the second book of The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club, The Widow Murderess. My review will appear on July 8. 

Book three is The Sparrow and the Crow. I will post a First Chapter Review of this one on July 10, the last day of the tour and giveaway. Then I will post a full review later. 

Massawa by Pam Weber is a book I have not yet started, but it is with me if I get to it. 

Joyce McCullough sent me a copy of Max and Her Stacks and Look for the Pink Ribbons 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. 

I always buy books on vacation. These were two used ones I grabbed from Downtown Books in Manteo. 

Upcoming Events

The Ledger by Steven Manchester - TBD (Review)

Staged by Caitlin Rother - TBD (Review)

The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club: The Widow Murderess by Bill Cusano - July 8 (Review)

The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club: The Sparrow and the Crow by Bill Cusano - July 10 (First Chapter Review)

Massawa by Pam Weber - July (Review)

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

Christmas Year Round

Sunday's Journey through Christmases Past spent Christmas with the Ingalls family, discussing some of my favorite Christmas chapters from the Little House books. You can find that post here. 

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

I reviewed Look for the Pink Ribbons by Joyce McCullough at The Children's and Teens' Book Connection. You will find that review here.

Laura's Little Houses

Here are the latest posts at Laura's Little Houses:

• Little House on the Prairie Netflix Premiere Coming July 9 with a link to the trailer. See here.
• Favorite Little House on the Prairie Movie, which I talk about here.
• This weekend's post is about the role of adoption on the show. You can read about Adoption on Little House on the Prairie here. I learned something new about adoption law while performing research for this post. Hope you find it interesting. 

Not sure what is planned for today, so I will check in with you as I am able. Looking forward to connecting with you now that I am caught up on old posts. 

I Cry Uncle

Welcome to Monday. You won't see my regular Monday post because...

1. Work is kicking my behind.
2. There is barely any reading going on.
3. I am too exhausted to think.

And my baby is coming home on Tuesday, so that we can move her stuff to her new apartment, so my focus is elsewhere. 

Before I get into my photos, what you should expect here this week is:

• A guest post from Mary Lawlor, author of Fighter Pilot's Daughter.
• An interview with Caitlin Rother about her latest book, Staged.
• A guest post from Anne Shaw Heinrich about pushing characters to their limits as she promotes her new book, House of Teeth. 

You will also find a new post at the Christmas Year Round blog for "Journey through Christmases Past." We take a peek at Christmas 2020. Wasn't that a fun one? Check it out here.

On Wednesday, I went to the doctor for what I thought was a routine allergy test. I've never been tested before. I've lived with allergies forever. Why bother? But I went to the ear, nose, and throat doctor a while back, and he noticed I was congested. So, he suggested two things: surgery on my nose and allergy testing. 

This random set of dots is from the allergy test. I was allergic to the serum they use. After sitting for 15 minutes with my arms growing red and itchy, the technician brought me back into the office and said that it looked like a failed test. She washed my arm, applied Benadryl cream, and then asked, "Do you have sensitive skin?" Because, as she told me, the test often fails in people with sensitive skin. So... I drive home wondering why asking a person if they have sensitive skin isn't done before ordering the test. It is Sunday night, and I still break out in hives occasionally. 

This is me on National Donut Day. I had to order from Dunkin' that day because Dunkin' was founded in Massachusetts. At least I got something to eat in between appointments. 

This was me Friday night, as I packed my car to drive to Weymouth to co-teach my first real estate class. I am working toward my instructor's license. 

And this is me moments ago. I have not stopped for weeks. Haven't had a day off in weeks. Today, I awoke exhausted. I will go to bed exhausted. Then I will have a full day of appointments starting at 8 am. Stick a fork in me. I am done. :) 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Promises for 2026 & Tell Me Something Tuesday: What Are Your Favorite Snow/Winter-themed Books?

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. 

Tuesday is back, and with it is our Top Ten Tuesday meme. This week, we're discussing our goals, or as I prefer to call them, promises. Before I get there, though, I want to share my Word of the Year, which will complement my promises.

Last year, I was as close to burnout as I've ever been. You probably felt it in my weekly posts, and I certainly felt it throughout my daily life. As 2026 arrived, I promised myself that change would come. Balance in life is my focus for the entire year. To create more balance, here are my...

Top Ten Promises for 2026

1. Create a calendar that works for me: I am not a time blocker, a lover of planners, or anything else that could keep me organized. All my appointments and blog events are kept in my digital calendar on my iPhone, but the rest of my life is up in the air. I'm open to your ideas, but for now, I maintain a monthly calendar board in my office. I'm writing in appointments, the times to sit down and make calls, and my days off. My plan is for one day off a week, working up to two days off each week. 
2. Set firmer boundaries: I didn't grow up in a family that set firm boundaries. I am not good at setting them now. That's why my days off go out the window when I get busy. That's why my vacations are working ones. In 2026, I'm committed to protecting my day off. More days off will allow for more writing, reading, and blogging, which bring me joy.
3. Increase self-care: Self-care also falls through the cracks. In January, I dedicated myself to starting and ending the day in Scripture. Then each morning, I do 20 squats, 10 arm circles, 10 standing oblique twists, and 10 arm stretches. I've also set a more regular bedtime, which helps me get up with enough time to perform these exercises.
4. Listen more: I do a lot of talking, but God gave me one mouth and two ears, so I should use them accordingly. I've begun asking more questions this year, which puts me in a position to listen more. I'm slipping my phone into my bag at meetings. I'm trying to keep my laptop off the table to decrease the temptation to multitask when meeting topics don't apply to me. I'm taking more notes.
5. Maintain my goal weight: I hit my goal weight in December. It's taken years, but in the immortal words of London Tipton, "Yay me!" Drinking more water and less soda, meal planning, and healthier snacks did the trick for me. I'm still a junk food junkie at heart, and when I get busy, fast food on the road calls my name. Luckily, the fast food often makes me sick now, so I don't crave it as much.
6. Complete my Goodreads Challenge: The only challenge I participate in is set for 60 books this year. I missed the mark last year for the first time in forever. I plan to complete the challenge this year, and already have great books from my TBR pile and the six (2 full-length, 1 middle grade, 2 picture books) I requested to review to give me a good start.
7. Read more books from my TBR pile: Always on my list, but it is happening this year because I will reduce virtual book tour reviews, not use my next Audible credits until I've read the first six books I downloaded, and will only pre-order books from authors I know really well. Honestly, I don't feel the need to own many physical copies these days. 
8. Finish Sheltered Hearts: Through the first week of February, I am plotting the rest of the chapters. After that is done, I will dedicate part of my day off to writing... unless I am spending time with loved ones. 
9. Work with NEPM for branding ideas: This applies to two areas of my life--real estate and writing. Up until 2023, my tagline was "Faith-filled journeys for kids." That doesn't encompass all that I write now. The new website was a start. I need to flesh this out more fully for both of my careers. 
10. Connect with more authors: Attending two writing conferences in 2025 made me realize how much I miss spending regular time in the writing world. The author event that I participated in last year left me yearning for author-to-author connections. I've signed up for newsletters and plan to keep an eye out in our local news for author events and new releases.

Thanks to Freepik for the image

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 asking us to share our favorite snow/winter-themed books. Take a peek at my choices:

Little Snowman Stan by Guido van Genechten

The Rabbit and the Snowman by Sally O Lee

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Beautiful Snow: 

The Ingalls Family, the Railroads, and the Hard Winter of 1880-81

 by Cindy Wilson

Have you read any of these?