Friday, July 05, 2019

Weekly Mews: The One Where I Cram It All Into One Post (Vote in My July TBR List Poll!)

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer, 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 The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz where participants discuss what they are reading and other bookish topics. In addition, I am linking 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. I am linking up to Kathryn of The Book Date It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where readers share what they have been reading throughout the week.

 View from our hike in the San Jacinto Mountains

California is doing a bit of rockin' and rollin' all of its own as of late. I hope all my fellow Californians who felt it are safe. It's a good reminder for those of us living in earthquake prone areas to be prepared.

My family and I spent last week in the mountains, getting some much needed relaxation and quiet time in. I love being surrounded by trees and nature. Our time there went by too fast and it was back to the real world this week.

We attended a local minor league baseball game who was hosting a Girl Scout night the last Friday in June. Mouse and some of her troop members were able to parade on the field. Mouse took part in a pudding eating contest during one of the inning breaks. The girls had to lay on the grass field, head to head, with one of them feeding spoonfuls of pudding to the girl behind her. Mouse and her partner won, making Mouse very proud!

Mouse attended Girl Scout camp earlier this week. Most of her troop are attending a horse camp the end of this month, but because of the summer show schedule, she is not able to go. She was nervous about going to camp without knowing a soul, but Mouse tends to make friends easily, and she enjoyed herself quite a bit.

With the show dates bumped up a weekend due to venue availability, it has put everything into more than the usual rush mode. With extra rehearsals for both my husband and daughter, including dress rehearsals (which means I will be busy helping with costume changes and such), there will be little rest for us this month. Family will be coming in from out of town as well, which brings with it its own extra level of stress.

June was busy as expected. There was dance camp and Anjin's birthday, along with Father's Day, which we spent mini-golfing and visiting the local amusement park. Anjin started his rehearsals as Don Quixote. Work has also been keeping us busy. You know. The usual.

I did manage to get in a lot of reading for myself this past month, I am happy to say; although my blogging completely fell by the wayside.


Tell me what you have been up to! How was your June? Do you have anything planned for this month?  

Be sure and vote in my TBR List Poll this week, and help me decide what to read next! You can find the poll at the bottom of this post. Thank you!


What I Am Watching: I recently watched Netflix's Dead to Me starring Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini, which I enjoyed quite a bit. Those two actresses were amazing in their roles, and I liked the depth and complexities of each of their characters. The short episodes make it perfect for binge-watching, not to mention the way each episode builds on the other. For those who do not know, the show is a domestic thriller about a newly widowed woman and mother who is befriended by another grieving woman during a support group.

I also caught a couple episodes of Legacies, which somehow I completely missed hearing about until I found it on Netflix. I never did see the last couple seasons of The Vampire Diaries or ever really get into The Originals, of which Legacies is a spin off.  That doesn't seem to matter though.

Movie wise, my family and I saw the live action Aladdin this past month. I think my daughter has a new appreciation for Jasmine. I liked it more than I expected. And yes, I even liked even Will Smith as the genie. The new song, "Speechless" had a bit too much of a pop sound to it as compared to the songs from the original, but I appreciated the added women empowerment message.


What I Am Listening To: My personal listening time is very limited, and so I am only two thirds of the way through Marie Lu's Warcross. But when I am able to listen, I am loving it! It reminds me a bit of Ready Player One, but likely only because of how much of it takes place in the virtual world.

Meanwhile, on our drive up and back to the mountains, my husband, daughter and I listened to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I enjoyed Jim Dale's narration. And my daughter is loving it too. She's seen the movie, but this is her first experience with the book. My husband and I were reminded of things about the book we'd forgotten since we first read it, remembering why we loved the books in the first place.


What I Am Reading: I was on a romantic thriller kick last week, reading Katie Ruggle's Fan the Flames and Monica McCarty's Off the Grid. Both were on the fun side. I also finished Ruth Ware's upcoming thriller Turn of the Key, which I will be discussing closer to the release date. Let's just say I have no interest in living in a smart house any time soon!

Mouse and I are reading the Pippi Longstocking Goes on Board by Astrid Lindgren, and are enjoying it quite a bit. I never read the books as a child, but remember seeing the television show and movies based on the character. Mouse has really taken to Pippi, just like I did. We plan to continue with the series.

I currently am reading a couple of books, one on my phone and the other on my Kindle: Out of Time  (Lost Platoon, #3) by Monica McCarty and The Gossamer Mage by Julie E. Czerneda. I am having a little trouble getting into the latter book, and hope it will pick up for me soon.

Books Read in June:
Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa
The Lady and the Thief by Megan Derr
Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
Smitten by the Brit by Melonie Johnson
Death in Kew Gardens by Jennifer Ashley
False Step by Victoria Helen Stone
Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
Fan of the Flames by Katie Ruggle
Off the Grid by Monica McCarty

What are you reading, listening to and watching? 



Along with my mini reviews, I am linking to both Book Beginnings, a meme in which readers share the first sentence of a book they are reading, hosted by Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader and Friday 56 hosted by Freda of Freda's Voice, in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading.


Tales of the Fae by L.J. Hamlin
Less Than Three Press, 2018
Fantasy/Romance (Short Stories); 35 pgs
Walking into the gallery, brightly lit with amazing art on the walls, Alice is almost glad she came. [Opening of "Hearts in Motion" from Tales of the Fae]
"Do not worry, little one. Nothing you say in my forest will ever leave it. You're safe here with me, for as long as you want to stay." [excerpt from "Ode the the Forest Fae", 56% of Tales of the Fae]
I have not read much in the way of LGBTQIA romance, and thought L.J. Hamlin’s Tales of the Fae would be a good one to dip my toe into. I do enjoy a good story about the fae, after all. I wanted to like this collection more, but was underwhelmed by all three of the short stories. I never felt like I really got to know any of the characters well—always a risk with short stories, I suppose. The first one, “Hearts in Motion,” was perhaps the strongest, and the one I enjoyed the most. It is about a yeti shifter who steps out of her comfort zone when she meets a beautiful faerie artist who asks to paint her. I connected with the yeti shifter and would not have minded a longer story involving her character. And the fae artist too, of course. I was the least moved by “Ode to the Forest Fae,” sadly. It is about an ancient forest faerie who is awakened by a young human girl’s singing. While I liked the idea of the story, it never really got off the ground for me. I would have liked more in the way of character development so I could better understand—and feel--what drew these two women together. The third story, “The Fae by the Lake,” held promise, but ultimately failed me in much the same way as the second, although worked a bit more for me. In that one, a photographer stumbles into a lake and is saved by a faerie. I think the stories had promise, but ultimately, were not what I was hoping for. 


The Lady and the Thief  (Deceived, #5) by Megan Derr
Less Than Three Press, 2018
Romance/Historical/Mystery; 78 pgs
"Lisette!" Adeline hissed, and when Lisette turned, wisps of her beautiful hair fluttering about her face, Adeline beckoned to her. [Opening of The Lady and the Thief]
"I don't want to spend the rest of my life hearing that I should be gateful someone was willing to marry me. Like I'm a punishment people endure so they can tell everyone how good and wonderful they are." [excerpt from 56%]
The Lady and the Thief is my first experience with Megan Derr’s writing. I was immediately struck by the synopsis which offers us a taste of what the reader can expect: the story of a teenage orphan, Adeline, who, while in the care of her aunt and uncle, falls in love with her maid. Then the maid turns around and steals from them, including taking the only piece of jewelry Adeline has left of her mother. Now, older and wiser, Adeline is at a ball when she sees who other than her former maid, the love of her life. Only, her maid is no longer Lisette, as Adeline once knew her, but Lady Wisteria.

I expected a romance when picking up The Lady and the Thief, with a bit of mystery—and was pleasantly surprised that the mystery is quite strong in this one (you can’t take the mystery lover out of me, I’m afraid). This was a fun read. I really liked Adeline in her innocence and straightforwardness. She was not going to back down until she found out what Lisette/Lady Wisteria was up to. I can definitely see, too, why Adeline was drawn to Lisette. She’s charming and earnest in her concern for Adeline. Even I wanted to trust her even despite her past actions, wanting to at least hear her out. The chemistry between the two was palpable. The novella has a Victorian feel to it, time period wise, but I really appreciated, even with that, the fact that same sex marriages were not only acceptable, but encouraged in the world Derr has set her story in. If I had any complaints, it would be that it was too short, and so the characters weren’t as fleshed out as I might have liked (forever my complaint about short stories and novellas). I hadn’t realized this was part of a series, but I would like to go back and read the earlier books in the series.

Source: I received eARC copies of both of these books via NetGalley in exchange for honest reviews. This does not affect my opinion of the books or the content of my reviews.


New to My Shelves (all books purchased by me)


Love_Is_Love: An Anthology for LGBTQIA+ Teens edited by Emma Eden Ramos


One of my blogging friends and poet, Serena Agusto-Cox (of Savvy Verse & Wit), has a couple poems in the collection and graciously signed my copy for me. I could not miss the opportunity to support a good cause, The Trevor Project, not to mention feed my love for poetry.


Soul of the Sword (Shadow of the Fox, #2) by Julie Kagawa


Crime and Punctuation (Deadly Edits, #1) by Kaitlyn Dunnett


Have you added any new books to your shelves recently?


Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

Do you review all of the books you read? (submitted by Elizabeth @Silver's Reviews)

There was a time I would have answered yes to this question, but over the past eight years, I have not reviewed every book I have read. The books that tend to get overlooked are the children's books I read with my daughter. I have reviewed some, but not most. There may be the occasional health related book I feel is too personal to mention or review. And I do not count DNF (Did Not Finish) books as having been read, and so rarely talk about them. If I remember though, I might at least explain why I could not finish a book. I do not think it is fair to call my thoughts on why I did not finish a book a review, however.

What about you? If you are a blogger, do you review or share your thoughts about all the books you read?


Thank you for helping me decide what book from my TBR collection I should read next:

My TBR List is a meme hosted by the awesome Michelle at Because Reading. It’s a fun way to choose a book from your TBR pile to read. The 1st Saturday of every month, I will list 3 books I am considering reading and take a poll as to which you think I should read. I will read the winner that month, and my review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise). 




I am excited about all three of this week's TBR List options and look forward to seeing which one wins!

Vox by Christina Dalcher 
Set in an America where half the population has been silenced, VOX is the harrowing, unforgettable story of what one woman will do to protect herself and her daughter.

On the day the government decrees that women are no longer allowed more than 100 words daily, Dr. Jean McClellan is in denial--this can't happen here. Not in America. Not to her.

This is just the beginning.

Soon women can no longer hold jobs. Girls are no longer taught to read or write. Females no longer have a voice. Before, the average person spoke sixteen thousand words a day, but now women only have one hundred to make themselves heard.

But this is not the end.

For herself, her daughter, and every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice. 
[Goodreads Summary]

Dear Martin by Nic Stone 
Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut.

Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack. 
[Goodreads Summary]

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
New York Times bestselling author David Levithan tells the based-on-true-events story of Harry and Craig, two 17-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record—all of which is narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS.

While the two increasingly dehydrated and sleep-deprived boys are locking lips, they become a focal point in the lives of other teen boys dealing with languishing long-term relationships, coming out, navigating gender identity, and falling deeper into the digital rabbit hole of gay hookup sites—all while the kissing former couple tries to figure out their own feelings for each other. [Goodreads Summary]





Thank you for voting! 

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Happy Reading!


© 2019, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

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67 comments:

  1. The baseball game sounds like a lot of fun! Congratulations to Mouse and her partner! I'm glad her camp went so well.

    I still "review" every book I read.

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    1. Kathy - It was fun. Mouse wasn't particularly interested, and I ended up taking six of the kids to the play area for about 45 minutes of play, but they had fun and that's what matters. :-) Thank you for visiting!

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  2. The Lady and the Thief looks to be my speed. Happy weekend!

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    1. Freda - I enjoyed it quite a bit. If you read it, I hope you enjoy it! I hope you have a good weekend too! Thank you for stopping by. :-)

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  3. Dear Martian looks good! :)
    I have the first one for Soul of the Swords! It looks so good! :)

    Have a great week, Wendy!

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    1. Michelle - I've heard great things about Dear Martin. I hope you love Shadow of the Fox when you get to it. I really enjoyed it! I hope you have a great week too, Michelle. Thank you for visiting (and voting)!

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  4. Love the cover for The Lady and the Thief!

    I try to review every book I read, but there's the occasional short story or comic that I just can't come up with anything to say.

    Hope you have a great weekend! :)

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    1. Ashley - I like that cover too. :-) Short stories and comics can be hard to review, so I can understand that. I tend to do better reviewing collections when I can highlight a story here and there. I hope you have a great weekend too! Thank you for stopping by!

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  5. I heard about the earthquakes! Hope everything calms down out there and you don't have too much trouble in your area.

    I heard Aladdin was good. :)

    I voted for Vox, but they all sound good! Hope you had a great 4th! Have a good week.

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    1. Greg - I sure hope so too. We've had so many smaller shakes as of late, it really isn't that big of a surprise, I suppose. But we always hope they won't be big ones.

      Thank you for voting! I am anxious to read Vox. All of these really. :-) I hope you have a great week too! Thank you for visiting.

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  6. They all sound good, but I voted for Vox. I've been meaning to read it myself and would love to know what you think.

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    1. Whitney - Thank you for voting! I meant to get to Vox sooner, but just haven't managed it. Maybe this is the month. :-) Thank you for stopping by and voting!

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  7. My June was nowhere as busy as yours. Glad you're having such a fun summer. (I voted for Vox, too.) Have a great July! :)

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    1. Lark - The summer seems to be moving way too fast. Thank you for voting and visiting! I hope you have a great July as well. :-)

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  8. I live in the LA area and the earthquakes have been stressful. My family lives in Ridgecrest, near the epicenter (my hometown) and it's just crazy there!

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    1. Tammy - It has been stressful. I am in Riverside County and it's all too close for comfort, isn't it? I am sorry for your family in Ridgecrest. I've seen some of the photos coming out of there of the damage. I hope things calm down soon. Thank you for stopping by!

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  9. I loved Legacies a lot! I actually finished TVD and really liked the ending a lot! It's been my only fave ending of a series so far. I'm still catching up on The Originals.
    Genesis @ Whispering Chapters

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    1. Genesis - I need to go back and watch the last couple seasons of Vampire Diaries, and check out more of The Originals. I did see the cross-over episode that kicked off the series, at least. I am enjoy Legacies. Thank you for visiting!

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  10. Sounds like you've been very busy! Ow and the mountains.. Sigh.. How I miss the mountains! I'm glad you had a good time.
    Good luck with the rehearsal and costume changes. I immediately thought of Gilmore Girls somehow when I read that! LOL!
    Have a great week and happy reading!

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    1. Maureen - I love being in the mountains. The only think missing was a lake . . . Thank you for the good luck wishes! I'll need it. LOL I hope you have a great week too. Thank you for stopping by!

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  11. You are having a busy summer. It sounds like you and your family all enjoyed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I'm curious if you think your daughter's experience was different than your own; I hope, of course, that new generations continue to love this series. All three of those books sound like they would be great reads, but I finally settled on Vox. Enjoy your week!

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    1. Deb - I feel like we're always on the go or into something. These shows are so time consuming. It means not being able to do a lot of stuff we might have otherwise during the summers or on the weekends. Oh well. It makes my daughter happy.

      I imagine my daughter's and my experiences with Harry Potter are different to some extent. I was an adult when I first read the books, and she started with the movies. She's only listened to the one book so far. She's a bit too young (or should I say not skilled enough yet as a reader) yet to tackle the books on her own. She does say she wants to read them though. She loves the characters and world, and I hope she will love the books as she makes her way through them just like her dad and I did and continue to.

      Thank you for voting and visiting! I hope you have a great week too.

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  12. The view from your hike is amazing! Glad to hear that your summer seems to be off to a good start - I hope Mouse continues to enjoy herself.

    Voted for Vox because it sounds scarily possible.

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    1. Eustacia - It's so beautiful up there! I wish we could have spent more time there. Mouse wishes she had more free time with us, I think, but she's enjoying not having to go to school. :-) Thank you for stopping by and voting!

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  13. Hope you are staying safe over there, that is scary about the earthquakes.
    The mountain view is beautiful, a week there sounds lovely. How nice that you all listened to an audio book on the drive.
    I need to check out Dead to Me, it sounds good.
    It sounds like you are having a busy and fun summer! Enjoy it and happy reading!

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    1. Naida - Thank you! It has been scary with all the earthquakes as of late. We've been having tiny ones for months now, and so I suppose bigger ones were inevitable.

      I love the mountains and am glad we could get away, even if just for a week. Both of the routes we would usually take to get there are closed due to storm damage this past winter, and so we had to take the long way around. having the audiobook made the time go by much faster.

      I hope you like Dead to Me if you watch it!

      Thank you for visiting!

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  14. As always, you sound busy. You remind me of another blogger I read, Ti (from southern California), whose daughter also is in theater. But I'm glad to hear you were able to get away to the mountains for a welcome respite...My wife watched Dead to Me and said it was good. I haven't gotten to it yet. We're now watching Stranger Things, Season 3 - finished with five of eight episodes. So far, so good.

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    1. Bryan - Busy seems to be our norm more often than not. Oh, yes, both of Ti's children have been involved in theater for years. She's my unofficial mentor--although I'm not sure she realizes it.

      It was so nice to get away for the week. I wish we could have stayed away longer.

      I am hoping my husband will watch Dead to Me. Hopefully you both will like it if you watch it. I am glad your wife enjoyed it! Stranger Things 3 is on my list to watch. I am glad you are enjoying it. It is such a good show.

      Thank you for stopping by, Bryan!

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  15. On the Book Blog Hop Question - I used to think that a DNF'd book was not eligible for review. But, technically, the review would be based on what one has read. Too be honest, I have not done this simply because I would not have anything positive to say.

    I totally understand your comment about health-related books. I have read so many books on keto diets and speed reading, but I have not reviewed them. Perhaps, we should share out thoughts. (I have not totally convinced myself on this one, though.)

    I invite you to take a look at my answer to the question for the week.

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    1. Literary Apothecary - Yeah, there's usually a reason I DNF a book and it's never good.

      I go back and forth about whether to review health-related books on my blog. I am sure someone out there would appreciate it. Somethings though I find too personal and am not comfortable putting it out there.

      I loved your response to this week prompt.

      Thank you for visiting!

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  16. Hope you stay safe! California always seems to have some sort of natural disaster going on! I absolutely love the audio versions of HP. I've read the series two or three times with the audiobooks. I have Turn of the Key and am excited to read it. Happy reading!
    Natflix&Books

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    1. Natalie - Thank you! If it's not fires or flooding, it's earthquakes. At least that is how it feels sometimes. I have had the audio version of the Harry Potter books for years, but never listened to them until now. We really enjoyed the first book. I've read all the print books, of course. I love the series. I hope you do get a chance to read Turn of the Key. Thank you for stopping by!

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  17. I live in California, too, about 40 miles north of Los Angeles, and wow we felt the shaking. Felt like a 4-5 the first one and the second big one felt like a 5. Went on for a while, right? Your view from your hike in the San Jacinto Mountains was beautiful. I love getting away to the mountains! Your summer is quite busy with your daughter's activities. It's good to keep young ones busy, though.

    I loved Monica McCarty's Lost Platoon series. Hope you enjoy the rest of the books. Katie Ruggle is also a favorite of mine. I read one Ruth Ware, Cabin 10 which was good, but not great but Mrs. Westaway is supposedly better so I'm going to give that a shot soon. Hope her newest is really good too. :)

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    1. Rachel - There are a lot of us in Southern California! I do hope the earthquakes subside soon and the earth settles some. It's so beautiful up there. I think I could be happy living in the mountains. Although I am not a huge fan of snow, so maybe just in the summer.

      I am enjoying the third book in the Lost Platoon series. It's a fun series. Fan the Flames was my first Katie Ruggle book and I look forward to reading more by her. I wish I had known though her books were so interconnected. I need to go back and read the first book in that particular series. I read Ware's Dark Dark Wood and really liked it. I have Cabin 10 on my TBR pile. I've heard that wasn't as good. I hope you like Mrs. Westaway. I want to read that one as well. Turn the Key was good, but it was the ending that really made the novel for me.

      Thank you for visiting!

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  18. I really enjoyed both Dear Martin and Vox when I read them so it was hard to vote in your poll. I ended up going with Vox though. It has a very Handmaid's Tale vibe to it and and I'm curious to hear your thoughts on it.

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    1. Suzanne - I am glad to hear you liked both Dear Martin and Vox. I've heard wonderful things about all three books. I meant to read Vox earlier, but just didn't get to it. Maybe it's time has come. :-) Thank you for voting and stopping by!

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  19. I have both Dear Martin and Two boys kissing on my TBR. And I hope to read them soon, dunno when though. I wish I could getaway to the mountains, and run from the desert heat. I hope you have a great week ahead.

    Gayathri @ Elgee Writes

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    1. Gayathri - I know that feeling. So many books waiting to be read. :-) I hope you have a nice time in India! Thank you for visiting!

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  20. It sounds like you had a wonderful month.
    I’m intrigued by Turn of the Key, I’ll be adding it to my Wishlist and .i love the covers of the Deadly Edit cozy mystery series. Unfortunately I’m not familiar with any of the books on your TBR list this week, they all sound good.

    Have a great reading week

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    1. Shellyrae - It was a good month overall. :-) I hope you enjoy Turn of the Key when you read it. I enjoyed it. Cozy covers are often the best, aren't they? The Deadly Edit ones are good. I hope you have a great week too! Thank you for stopping by!

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  21. I live in souther California, and that first earthquake woke me up out of my sleep and scared me so much! I am not prepared for an earthquake at all. The second earthquake my whole family felt, but I didn't. Spending peaceful time in the mountains sounds wonderful! I've seen all of Legacies, but need to check out Dead to Me. Congrats on all you accomplished last month! I voted for Two Boys Kissing on your poll. I've heard its an excellent story!

    Lindy@ A Bookish Escape

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    1. Lindy - I am not really prepared for a big earthquake either. I keep thinking about it since I live in Southern California too, but continually put off putting together a kit. Maybe now we should. I hope you like Dead to Me if you watch it. I am enjoying Legacies. Thank you for voting and visiting!

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  22. Dead to Me is FANTASTIC. Also, Dear Martin was such an emotional and thought-provoking read, I hope you like it. I really need to snag a copy of Vox, eventually. And, lastly, YES, the Harry Potter audiobooks are so magical--I love Jim Dale's narration!

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    1. Jessica - I loved Dead to Me. I look forward to the next season. I loved Jim Dale's narration of the first book. He really does a great job! I am so glad to hear you enjoyed Dear Martin. I keep hearing good things about it. Thank you for stopping by!

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  23. You hit some of my TBR in June. Happy reading in July!

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  24. I hope everyone in California is doing alright too. Hope you have a great week!

    Here’s my Sunday Post!

    Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog and join in this week’s Book Photo Sundays

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    1. Ronyell - Hopefully the worst is behind us! I hope you have a great week too.

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  25. I hope that the earthquakes are over. Stay safe! You have had a very busy summer so far and it sounds like your daughter is making some wonderful memories. I picked Dear Martin because I have heard great things about it. Have a great week!

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    1. Carole - I sure hope so too! Thank you. Yes, she's done some fun things this summer. I think she's ready to have this show behind her though. She's tired of all the rehearsals. I don't blame her. So am I! Haha. Thank you for voting and visiting! I hope you have a great week too.

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  26. I am glad you are safe after the earthquakes. We do sometimes forget how they can come out of the blue.

    Enjoy your books and your week. I also loved Dead to Me and can't wait for the next season.

    I'm also loving Big Little Lies.

    Thanks for visiting my blog.

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    1. Laurel-Rain - I am glad you are safe too! I am really looking forward to seeing how the second season of Dead to Me plays out. Such a good show! I haven't yet seen Big Little Lies. One of these days. :-) Thank you for stopping by!

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  27. Your weekend in the mountains sounds wonderful! Getaways like that are always too short. Glad you had a good time at the Girl Scout event... I was a leader for 7 years when my girls were younger. Lots of work, but many happy memories. Good luck with the upcoming productions.

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    1. JoAnn - Yes, they always go by way too fast. Mouse loves her troop. I was a co-leader for her first two years, but the troop disbanded, and I had to find her another troop. This was her first year in the new troop. It's a great group. I admit I am a bit relieved to not be in charge. Haha. Thank you for the well wishes for the up coming shows and for stopping by!

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  28. The competition sounds fun and a bit crazy! Congrats to Mouse and her partner! We lost our minor league team a few years ago but are supposedly getting a new one soon and I'm excited. Dead to Me is on my To Watch list it looks really good!

    I hope you and Mouse get to see Secret Lives of Pets 2. It was cute and didn't have the sad parts that so many kids movies tend to have though I will admit the end got me tearing up but that's more a parent thing than a kid thing. Have a great week!

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    1. Katherine - It was! I thought Mouse was kidding when she first told me she had volunteered to take part in the contest. I hope you get a minor league team again soon. This one is in a couple towns over. We don't get to go very often, but usually at least once a season.

      Maybe this coming Friday I can convince her to go see Secret Lives of Pets 2 with me. :-)

      I hope you have a great week too! Thank you for visiting!

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  29. Glad you're staying safe and that you enjoyed your time with nature! And I hope the play goes off without a hitch. :-)

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. Nicole - Thank you! I hope the play does too. We've had our share of mess with it--the director quitting half way through and then the main character, having to redo all the choreography because no one knew the original plans. I'm sure it will come together in the end, but it's going to take some work between now and then! Thank you for stopping by!

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  30. Congrats to Mouse and her partner. We recently got a minor league team and my son is actually at the All Star game right now, he's excited to get autographs from the players. I have seen previews of Dead To Me but I haven't checked it out yet. I listened to Warcross and Wildcard and loved the narrator. I do hope the play goes off without a hitch.

    I voted for Dear Martin just because that one is on my TBR and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. =]

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    1. Tina - Thank you! I hope your son is enjoying the All Star game! I hope he gets lots of autographs. :-) It makes those players nights when they get all that attention from the kids. I am loving the narrator of Warcross quite a bit. I am glad you like her too! Thank you for voting and visiting!

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  31. I've heard about the earthquake on the news and I hope you all are staying safe!

    June sounds like a busy month but a good one for you. I'm glad Mouse had a wonderful time at the pudding eating contest and congrats for winning!

    Like a few others, I voted for Vox. Happy reading!

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    1. Melody - We really need to put a kit together in case of an emergency. But so far we haven't had any problems where I live. Thank you for voting and stopping by! Happy reading to you too. :-)

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  32. Glad you are safe, we watched season one of dead to me, it was good but something else. My June (for the most part) was good my July has been horrific. I love the Harry Potter books/movies but never listened to an audio book, mak=y re visit the movies again soon xxx

    Lainy http://www.alwaysreading.net

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    1. Lainy - Thank you! Yes, Dead to Me was definitely something else. I didn't know what to expect going in, and was glad it was so good. I am so sorry July isn't going well for you. I hope it gets better! Thank you for visiting!

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  33. I've seen a lot about the earthquakes on the news... Scary! Glad you're all ok.
    Fingers crossed the play goes off without any hitches and all enjoy!

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    1. Nicci - It is scary. We're used to little ones now and then, but the bigger ones remind us of just how damaging they can be. Thank you for stopping by!

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  34. What a gorgeous view. I don't go out in nature too often but I do love the views.

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