Saturday, January 15, 2022

Weekly Mews: A Bookstore Run, Leg Cuddles & Good Books

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon (TSS) hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz  where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking It's Monday! What Are you Reading? hosted by Kathryn of Book Date where readers talk about what they have been, are and will be reading.

I am linking up to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews and Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently. 



It was an ordinary week in my life over all. The highlight was a trip to to the local dance store in town to get Mouse fitted for new pointe shoes. We stopped by Barnes and Noble on the way home since it's in the neighborhood. Mouse and I both found a couple books we were interested in reading. To be honest we found a lot more than that, but settled on just two for each of us, taking advantage of their sale. We evidently missed the rain while we were in the store, too busy browsing the shelves and tables of books. We ordered hot chocolate at the store's café before heading home. 

More people called out of work this week due to illness. We were able to get permission to have most staff work from home exclusively for the time being to further limit the amount of people in the office at one time. As a supervisor, I am still required to go in for my designated week, but at least there will be very few others in at the same time.

We had opted out of the Girl Scout cookie rally which is being held this weekend at the Los Angeles Zoo. From the sound of it, the rest of our troop did too. The new cookie season starts in another week for our area. I am not sure yet how that will look for the girls--whether they will be doing booths at the local stores or not.  If they do, it will mean jam packed weekends with dance and rehearsals thrown in. 

Most of the holiday decorations have been put away but the tree is still up. I hope to get it down this weekend. There have been years we have left it up for months, decorating it for other holidays and the seasons. I do not think it came down at all in 2020. 


Nina has not laid on anyone since she was a kitten, and so everyone got quiet, watching her (but pretending not to) as she made her way onto Anjin's leg and slowly settled in for a brief nap.


New to the Shelves 


The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys 
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo 
Heartless by Marissa Meyer (Mouse's pick)
The School of Good and Evil (#1) by Soman Chainani, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno (Mouse's pick)


Have you read any of these books? What books did you add to your TBR this week? 


Reading Then

This past week I finished reading book seven, White Witch, Black Curse, in the Hollows series by Kim Harrison. I think it's my favorite in the series so far. 



Reading Now

I am loving Circe by Madeline Miller and will likely finish early this next week. I have officially set my bookmark a few pages into The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, which I plan to read over the course of the year. I made a tiny bit more progress in Dressed For Freedom: The Fashionable Politics of American Feminism by Einav Rabinovitch-Fox and hopefully by next week I will be able to say I am half way through. Although I am finding it slow going, it is  interesting. I especially like how the author discusses how economics and race intersect with fashion throughout the twentieth century. 



Up Next in Reading

I worry that anything I pick up next will not live up to the high I will be in when I finish Circe. Perhaps The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré, which will be so different and has received equally high praise. Or perhaps I will go with a mystery like The Maid by Nita Prose. We will see which way my mood takes me.



What I Have Been Watching

After hearing so many people mentioning the coming of the third and final season of The Discovery of Witches, I decided to give season one a try. I am about three episodes in so far. My husband has even watched a bit with me. I read the books so long ago, I am afraid the details escape me. It is probably for the best though as I can enjoy the show without making constant comparisons. We also have been catching up with The Wonder Years, which we just love. 



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60 comments:

  1. I loved The Girl With the Louding voice! Adunni, the main character, has such a compelling voice; I was instantly drawn to her. :) Enjoy your weekend!

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    1. Lark - I am looking forward to reading it. I hope you enjoy your weekend too!

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  2. I have not read any of these but have seen several of them around. Have a great weekend! https://cindysbookcorner.blogspot.com/2022/01/stacking-shelves-6sunday-post-3.html

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  3. I am excited to read the Maid and have it on the reserve at the library.

    Anne - Books of My Heart

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    1. Anne - I hope we both enjoy it when we read it! Thank you for visiting!

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  4. The Girl With the Louding Voice was a fantastic read. I've also heard great things about The Maid and it's only been out a short time, I think.

    We've been laying low here, trying to avoid Covid contact. Almost every day someone I know gets sick with it. Most people are vaccinated, so their cases are light. But one person was in the hospital.

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    1. Deb - Both sound good. I will have to decide soon which I will pick up next. I hope your friend in the hospital makes a full recovery. The numbers at my daughter's school have been steadily climbing. The schools in the district are now sending tests home with children who are exposed. Thank you for stopping by!

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  5. Oi, pointe shoes. I don't even want to think about those yet! Although, Eleanor keeps asking when she can train and I said she has to get her ankles strong first. Not that they aren't, but she does not quite yet understand just how much more she has to train before she is en pointe. How long as your daughter been dancing?

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    1. Sarah - My daughter has been dancing for about five years now. She's only been en pointe for five months, so is still in the beginning stages. She was in pre-pointe classes for about two years. I was hoping her first pair of pointe shoes would hold out a little longer, but no such luck. I wish Eleanor the best with her training!

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  6. Oh I love losing track of time in the bookstore. Or weather lol.

    I do want to get Circe.

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    1. Greg - It'd been awhile since we were last in a bookstore, so it was nice being able to take our time. :-) Thank you for visiting!

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  7. Amazing how many people have returned to an isolated, not-going-out life. You appear to be living entirely normally! I'm startled to hear about any type of rally.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. Mae - I think it's a stretch to say we are living entirely normally, but I suppose it's all relative at this point.

      We weren't at the cookie event, but I do know vaccinations and negative tests were required as were masks and social distancing. Everything was outside and the rules, from what I heard, were strictly enforced.

      Thank you for stopping by!

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  8. Girl Scout Cookie time has been something we looked forward to but since COVID - none to be found at the few places we go to these days. That Nina picture is precious - was it a cool day? our cats are more clingy when it's cold although one is a love bug and the other a tad more distant. Hope you love The Maid - I thought it was fun.

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    1. Diane - I imagine if you rely on booths for your Girl Scout cookies, they would be scarce. Most of Mouse's sales last year were all done online and I imagine it will be similar this year. Porch deliveries are in style. :-)

      I don't think it was a particularly cool day compared to others. I think Nina is starting to soften as she gets older. She's never been a particularly affectionate cat but she's beginning to take baby steps towards it, particularly where my husband is concerned.

      I am glad to hear you enjoyed The Maid. I look forward to reading it!

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  9. Oh! How I love Girl Scout cookies! I've read when cats take naps on us, that is a high compliment as it shows how much they love and trust us! I'm truly limiting the books I add to my TBR as it is out of control! :) That said, I just added The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride, Death in the Time of Pancho Villa (The setting is in my home town.), and The Vineyard by Maria Duenas. I am currently about 3/4 finished with The Girl with the Louding Voice. Initially the grammar threw me off, until I realized that it is being told in the protagonist's voice. It is a buddy read and my friend and I have had some great discussions about this book. Happy reading!

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    1. Mia - Nina's never been an affectionate cat, so I am glad she is taking steps in that direction--at least with my husband. My Gracie is forever on me, wanting cuddles. :-) I hope you enjoy your new books and am glad you are enjoying The Girl With the Louding Voice! Thank you for visiting!

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  10. So glad you had a good week! I hope you enjoy The Maid, I've heard so many good things about it.

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  11. I have warm memories of reading "The Count of Monte Cristo" from my school days, Hope you enjoy it. And Circe has been on my list forever now. I should get to it soon.

    Stay safe. Have a great week ahead!

    Gayathri @ Elgee Writes

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    1. Gayathri - In the introduction of The Count of Monte Cristo it was mentioned the book is a popular young adult novel for school assignments. I hadn't known that, but I can see why based on the description. I hope you have a great weekend too!

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  12. Aww, cute cat. You reminded me that I need to track down some Girl Scout cookies. I love those things.

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    1. AJ - I hope you are able to get a hold of some. I want to try the new one that just came out.

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  13. Ooh, book shopping is always a nice way to spend time! :)

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    1. Jennifer - And not one we are able to do as often these days. It was a nice to treat ourselves. :-)

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  14. We watched A Discovery of Witches season 1 this week too! I was bummed that season 2 wasn't available on Prime, but requested the dvds from the library.
    Mouse's reading choices are fantastic! I'm still working hard for Gage to like reading. I'm not sure it's ever going to happen :(

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    1. Stacy - I just finished the first season this morning. I will have to see if I can get my hands on season 2. I wasn't sure Mouse would ever take to reading but last year something changed for her. I hope that will happen for Gage. Thank you for visiting!

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  15. Having an ordinary week sounds nice and I hope it was restful in its way? I'm glad you're enjoying Dressed for Freedom, it sounds fascinating!

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    1. Eustacia - Not so much work, but otherwise, yes. :-) Thank you for stopping by!

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  16. Aaah rainy days and bookshops and not to mention pointe shoes....Aaah can life get better! Yea for you!

    Have a good week and enjoy your new reads.

    Elza Reads

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    1. Mareli - I'm just sad I missed the rain! LOL I hope you have a great week too!

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  17. I enjoyed Fountains of Silence (really, any Sepetys novel is a win for me) and highly recommend you do The Girl With the Louding Voice as an audio!

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    1. Helen - I am so glad you enjoyed Fountains of Silence! I look forward to reading it. I have heard great things about the audio version of The Girl with the Louding Voice. Alas, I will be reading the print version. I haven't listened to an audiobook since the beginning of 2020, can you believe it? Thank you for visiting!

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  18. Looks like you got some good books this week! I'm excited for Girl Scout cookies, but don't really know anyone at my new school. I wish there was a way that when you order online you can make your order support a specific girl? I'd order from people at my old school in that case. We've had a lot of people out at my school, and not enough subs. It's crazy! Hope you have a good week, and oh yeah, how sweet that the cat was laying on a lap for a change!
    Lisa Loves Literature

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    1. Lisa - I hope they will be! I hope you are able to get some Girl Scout cookies this season. There's a new one I really want to try. If you have a way to find out the link to the girl's site you want to buy from from your old school, you probably could order from her directly that way. I've heard that is a problem for a lot of schools--teachers out with not enough subs. The numbers of those being reported at my daughter's school is getting higher every day. :-( I hope you have a good week too!

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  19. Sounds like you had a lovely trip to the dance shop and bookshop with your daughter. 😊 This week I haven't managed to read that much, however I did finish re-watching series one and started series two of A Discovery of Witches, so I hope you have been enjoying it too. I also downloaded the next three books in a nostalgic, swinging sixties murder mystery series by Peter Bartram. 😁 Take care and happy reading!

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    1. Jessica - It made for a nice outing. :-) I really enjoyed the first season of A Discovery of Witches. I finished it this morning while everyone else was still sleeping. I hope you have a good week!

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  20. I've never bought Girl Scout Cookies. I've tried a couple of them because my sister in law bought them but only like two different kinds. I think they sell them over the counter now don't they?

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    1. Mary - Mouse will only eat the Thin Mints and sometimes the Shortbread cookies. I'm afraid you cannot get them over the counter. There was a brief time this past year when that happened because of the pandemic and surplus of cookies, but generally they are only made once a year and can only be bought through Girl Scouts.

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  21. It really sounds like a lot of people are sick with Covid right now. I hope that you are able to stay healthy going into work. Yay for new books! You cat looks so cute all comfy on Anjin's leg. I hope that you have wonderful week!

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    1. Carole - Thank you. I am more concerned about my daughter at school these days, to be honest. I hope you have a great week too!

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  22. Nina is the sweetest!🥰 I have been hearing good things about The Maid. I hope you have a lovely week!

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    1. Tammy - She is! She's never been very affectionate and so any little sign of it we get excited about. :-) I hope you have a great week too!

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  23. Girl Scout cookie season is my favorite! Can't wait to eat them!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. Nicole - I really want to try the new cookie. :-) Thank you for visiting!

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  24. The Count of Monte Cristo is so good, enjoy!
    https://wordsandpeace.com/2022/01/09/sunday-post-48-1-8-2022/

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  25. Sounds like you had a good week. Covid is still keeping me indoors most of the time. I miss browsing in bookstores. I thought I had Circe on my TBR pile but most only have heard of it, since it's not there. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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    1. Kathy - This was our first visit to Barnes and Noble in awhile. It wasn't too crowded, fortunately, and everyone there was wearing masks and social distancing. Can't say the same about the grocery store, sadly. Thank you for stopping by!

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  26. I have been eyeing The Maid, so I hope you love it.

    Enjoy your books and your week, and here are my WEEKLY UPDATES

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    1. Laurel-Rain - I hope I will too! Thank you for visiting!

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  27. Hey, I'm reading THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO too! However, I'm doing a buddy ready with a very slow schedule--we'll finish the week of 12/25/2022!

    I think your employer is smart to limit the number of people in the office. The kids' schools are still open, but a few of the schools in the district had to go virtual because too many staff were out sick. I'm so over this pandemic right now....sigh! - Melinda @ A Web of Stories

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    1. Melinda - One of my reading projects this year is to read the Monte Cristo over the course of the year. I am taking it slow. My husband is reading it too. So, I guess you could say we are doing a buddy read too. LOL

      I don't see the schools here closing at all. I know some schools are having to pull aids and such to stand in as teachers because the sub numbers are so low and with all the absences.

      Thank you for stopping by!

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  28. That's good that your employer is trying to limit the number of people in the office at a time. I'm thankful to still be working remotely with this Omicron surge. Oh, I just read The Maid a couple of weeks ago and really loved it.

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    1. Suzanne - I am glad to hear you loved The Maid! It does sound good. Thank you for visiting!

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  29. My reading and reviewing are going on well. I've read some very good books and some not so good ones too. Its life however that seems to be drifting with nothing actually being done or happening at all. We are not in official lockdown but everyone is keeping in as much as possible.

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    1. Mystica - I am glad to hear you are well. Hopefully the good books outweigh the not so good ones. Thank you for stopping by!

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  30. The Maid is on my TBR. It looks like a good one! I'm glad you are able to work from home most of the time and that your company is limiting contact. It's crazy how many people are getting sick right now. I hope you have a wonderful week!

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  31. Katherine - I am grateful I am able to work from home most of the time too right now. I hope you have a great week too!

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