Saturday, September 04, 2021

Weekly Mews: Binging on Witch Reads and Looking Back on August (Vote in September's TBR List Poll!)

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. 



In reading . . . 
Then

As I slowly continue to make my way through Kim Harrison's Hollows series, I most recently finished reading For A Few Demons More (#5). It is an addicting urban fantasy series with a great cast of characters. 

My daughter was shocked when I told her I had never tried Manga before and insisted I read the first three volumes of Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama. She loves the series which features a young apprentice witch--and, of course, I am smitten with it too. 


Now

I seem to be in a witchy sort of mood because I am now reading Witches Get Stitches (Stay a Spell #3) by Juliette Cross. I am excited to finally be reading Violet and Nico's story. 

Mouse and I took a detour for a short while but are back to reading Tilly and the Bookwanderers (Pages & Co #1) by Anna James together. We are enjoying it.

 
Next

Will the witch mood continue, I wonder? Witch Please (Fix-It Witch #1) by Ann Aguirre is sounding good. There is also the next book in the Kim Harrison Hollows series, The Outlaw Demon Wails (#6) that I am looking forward to diving into.  My eye keeps coming back to The Real Valkyerie: The Hidden History of Viking Warrior Women by Nancy Marie Brown though so that might be the way to go. It would be perfect if I want to reach my nonfiction challenge goal by the end of the year.



What I Have Been Watching

We continue to enjoy Ted Lasso. My favorite episode so far is one called "Rainbow" which was like an ode to all things rom-com. It was such a fun episode. 

This past month my daughter and I got into AJ and the Queen, starring RuPaul Charles and Izzy G, which we both are enjoying. We only have a couple episodes left. The show, about a drag queen and a young stowaway who are traveling cross country on tour, takes on some serious issues while at the same time being sweet and funny. I was sad to hear there will not be a second season. 

We also have been watching Charmed, the reboot version, about three sister witches. I really liked the original version, and, while there are some definite similarities (I can't help but make comparisions), and so was leery going into this new show, but I do like it so far.

As a musical loving family, we could not resist watching Schmigadoon, in which a couple having relationship trouble cross a bridge and find themselves in a musical. It was silly and over the top, sure, but that was expected. 

I am slowly making my way through the first season of the television series Grim, which is giving me my supernatural fix (along with Charmed, of course!). 

 
New to the Shelves


I was at my local independent bookstore picking up an order for my daughter and came across this one which had been recommended by a friend as well as the bookseller who had read and loved it. It is a historical fiction novel set during the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake: Vera by Carol Edgarian.


Although we were at the bookstore to pick up Witch Hat Atelier Volume 4 and 5 by Kamome Shirahama, I caved and also got Mouse What the Hex?! (Witches of Brooklyn #2) by Sophie Escabasse, Lola: A Ghost Story by J. Torres and illustrated by Elbert Or, and Back to the Drawing Board (Making Friends #2) by Kristen Gudsnuk.


Off the Blog

There is so much turmoil out there right now. It is hard not to be affected by it, even if not directly. My heart aches for those impacted by the fires in my own state and the hurricane and storms in the South and on the East Coast. The photos and news footage of the damage . . . so devastating. Add in what is happening in places like Afghanistan, not to mention other parts of the world and within my own country. Of course we can't forget COVID either, can we? The pandemic rages on.

In my own personal life: with August came the start of school for Mouse and a new work schedule for me. Mouse is happy to be back in the classroom again. Her dad and I have been keeping close watch on the virus numbers at her school, which fortunately remain low. I am still working a hybrid schedule (part working from home and part in the office) but there was a shift in my hours which is taking some getting used to. I kind of like it and hope it sticks. Early in August my car died and the cost was steep to get fixed. It could have been a lot worse though, so for that I am grateful. My mother-in-law was rushed to the hospital after a fall and it was discovered she had had a heart attack. She seems to be doing okay now and is taking it easy. Towards the end of the month, a long-time colleague of mine lost his battle with brain cancer.

A few other highlights:


My work buddy often comes and sits with me while I am working at home. She especially likes the heat coming off my monitor and laptop. 


Sometimes she sneaks onto my keyboard when I'm on the phone. 


 The Annie Musical turned out really well with only a few tech issues. The kids did an amazing job. Mouse also performed in two Showcase dances, showing off what she's learned in a couple of her dance classes. 


My mom drove into town for a visit and to see Mouse perform. We had an early birthday celebration for her before she had to head back home. 


My grandmother also had a birthday celebration in August, turning 104 years old. I was unable to attend, but I was with her in spirit. 


Mouse earned her much coveted pointe letter recently, having worked very hard over the past few years in her ballet classes. While ballet is not her first or even her second love, dancing en pointe has been a dream of hers. We are so proud of her! The studio owners/directors have a tradition of taking the new pointe students for their first pointe shoe fitting making it an even more special event for the girls.

And that just about sums up my August. 

Tell me what you have been up to! What are you reading, listening to and watching? What new books have you added to your bookshelves? How did your August shape up? What did I miss while I was on my break? 


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

My TBR List is 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. My review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise). 

There is a saturation of World War novels in the market (not that I am complaining) and these three have garnered a lot of buzz since they came out. Featuring clever and resourceful women, each of these books made their way onto my Mount TBR, and I could use your help deciding which one to read first. 


The Alice Network 
by Kate Quinn
In an enthralling new historical novel from national bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption.

1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She's also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie's parents banish her to Europe to have her "little problem" taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister.

1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she's recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she's trained by the mesmerizing Lili, code name Alice, the "queen of spies", who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy's nose.

Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn't heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth...no matter where it leads. [Goodreads Summary]

The Huntress by Kate Quinn
From the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling novel, The Alice Network, comes another fascinating historical novel about a battle-haunted English journalist and a Russian female bomber pilot who join forces to track the Huntress, a Nazi war criminal gone to ground in America.

In the aftermath of war, the hunter becomes the hunted…

Bold, reckless Nina Markova grows up on the icy edge of Soviet Russia, dreaming of flight and fearing nothing. When the tide of war sweeps over her homeland, she gambles everything to join the infamous Night Witches, an all-female night bomber regiment wreaking havoc on Hitler’s eastern front. But when she is downed behind enemy lines and thrown across the path of a lethal Nazi murderess known as the Huntress, Nina must use all her wits to survive.

British war correspondent Ian Graham has witnessed the horrors of war from Omaha Beach to the Nuremberg Trials. He abandons journalism after the war to become a Nazi hunter, yet one target eludes him: the Huntress. Fierce, disciplined Ian must join forces with brazen, cocksure Nina, the only witness to escape the Huntress alive. But a shared secret could derail their mission, unless Ian and Nina force themselves to confront it.

Seventeen-year-old Jordan McBride grows up in post WWII Boston, determined despite family opposition to become a photographer. At first delighted when her long-widowed father brings home a fiancée, Jordan grows increasingly disquieted by the soft-spoken German widow who seems to be hiding something. Armed only with her camera and her wits, Jordan delves into her new stepmother’s past and slowly realizes there are mysteries buried deep in her family. But Jordan’s search for the truth may threaten all she holds dear. [Goodreads Summary]

The Rose Code
 by Kate Quinn
The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Huntress and The Alice Network returns with another heart-stopping World War II story of three female code breakers at Bletchley Park and the spy they must root out after the war is over.

1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of east-end London poverty, works the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.

1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter--the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger--and their true enemy--closer...
 [Goodreads Summary]



Thank you for voting! I hope you all have a wonderful week! Happy Reading!

© 2021, 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.

71 comments:

  1. I've never read manga either which surprises me since I read so many graphic novels. And it is the time of year for witchy reads, for sure! :)

    There is so much turmoil now. I have to make myself just take a day at a time lol because the deluge of bad news can seem overwhelming at times! I'm glad your Covid numbers are low, hopefully they stay that way and things get better...

    Love the cat pic :)

    I voted for The Huntress although The Alice Network sounds fabulous too.

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    1. Greg - Same here--I've read graphic novels so it's surprising I got so far in life without trying manga.

      I have to limit my news intake because it really can be overwhelming. And I feel so helpless, not being able to do more.

      Thank you for voting and visiting!

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  2. Manga have a great reputation for wide variety and imaginative use of imagery, so it sounds like you are making a good choice. The French (and other European and South American reading cultures) also have traditions of wonderful graphic novels. It's only us -- the English speaking world -- who have been left behind!

    best...mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. Mae - My husband has a nice sized collection of manga that he's collected over the years so if I want to explore more, I have plenty to choose from. :-) I have read graphic novels over the year, just not manga. There really is a wide variety out there for many different tastes. Thank you for stopping by!

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  3. August sounds like it was a bit of rollercoaster for you with lots of lovely things for to enjoy and celebrate personally, but also the weather and other tragedies going on near you and around the world! Mine was a busy, fun and relaxing month, as I enjoyed my time off work to the max! Take care and happy reading in September! 😃

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    1. Jessica - Yes, the month had its ups and downs. I am glad you were able to enjoy August and the time off. That's the way it should be. :-) Thank you for visiting!

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  4. Wow congrats to Mouse - I know what a huge accomplishment making en pointe is as a childhood dancer who never did get there (like Mouse, it was not my first or even third love lol). I wonder if she will enjoy it - it's fairly intense!

    I read the Hollows years ago and have been thinking about trying to return to it with the most recently released books. It's a great series. I'm glad you're enjoying it.

    I struggle reading the news these days - so many bad things and I feel like it just keeps getting worse :( But I also refuse to be uninformed, because I do want to do my part to fix what I can. I'm glad the numbers at Mouse's school aren't too bad; I know the kids are happy to be back in person. Dante loves school (daycare) and as hard as it is to take him, I know it's good for him. I'm also working a hybrid schedule these days.

    And OMG you chose three really fantastic sounding books! I just read The Nightingale so I'm kind of coming off the WWII Nazi Occupied France female empowered high. So yeah, hard choice. I decided The Alice Network, since it has WWI in it and chronologically makes more sense.

    Have a great week!

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    1. Berls - Thank you for the kind words for Mouse! She is learning now that it is not as easy as it looks. She is still as determined as ever.

      I hope you will get back into the Hollows series. A friend of mine got me back into it after spoiling the series for me. LOL

      I really have to limit my news intake. Like you, I want to be informed, but I can only take so much. I'm right there with you when it comes to it being hard to let the kids go to school in this pandemic--but they really do seem happier being able to go.

      Thank you for voting and stopping by!

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  5. I'm glad school and dancing have gone well for Mouse so far! I've never read manga either. I have a few on my TBR list, but the library doesn't have them, and I'm not sure if I want to spend money on them yet. Maybe someday. Have a great week!

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    1. AJ - My husband donated some of his old manga to our local library and they ended up putting it on the shelves for patrons to check out. He never expected that and so it was a happy surprise. Thank you for visiting!

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  6. I enjoy Jenks but Ivy, not so much. Welcome back! You've been busy. Fall seems like the new year to me with school starting. I hope the new schedule ends up better for all.

    Anne - Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post

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    1. Anne - Ivy's such a complicated character. I am curious to see where the series takes her character. I adore Jenks. He and his family are great. Thank you for stopping by!

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  7. I don´t read mangas. All I know is that you have to read them from the last page to the first one, right to left. One of my friends is a huge manga fan. But it sounds wonderful that you like them so much now. Thank you for your beautiful pictures. The cake looks yummy! And belated happy birthday wishes to your grandmother. 104 years is just wow. She looks gorgeous. Happy reading and have a great new week.

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    1. Vi - My husband reads a lot of manga and got my daughter into it years ago. It took a little getting used to, reading what seems like backwards to me, but I caught on pretty quickly. I enjoy graphic novels and they aren't that different.

      Thank you for the birthday wishes for my grandmother. :-)

      Thank you also for visiting!

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  8. You've been busy Wendy. So glad your mom got to visit and see Mouse perform and, how lucky for you to still have your grandma - good genes:) This virus is still so concerning even though our state is nearly 3/4 vaccinated. It doesn't take much with tourists and college reopenings and football games beginning. I picked Rose Code for your next read as I have that on my list list as well but, too many RIP books calling me now. Have a good week.

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    1. Diane - Yes, we are being careful here too with the pandemic. I am glad the rates have stayed low at my daughter's school. They have skyrocketed at the high schools though, which is concerning. Thank you for voting and stopping by!

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  9. Congratulations to your daughter on earning her pointe shoes! I still have mine, although I didn't wear them much.

    That birthday cake is amazing!

    With so much going on in the world (and life) I love that you followed your witchy whims. Somehow, following our interests can really help when stress is high.

    I don't think you can lose with any of the Kate Quinn novels, but Rose Code has been recommended to me as one of her best.

    Have a good and safe week!

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    1. Gretchen - Thank you from my daughter. :-) I do not know how much she will wear hers. She's just beginning to learn the work that will go into learning to dance in them.

      Oh, yes! Following my reading whims does help with the stress.

      Thank you for visiting!

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  10. I remember the thrill of being fitted for my first pair of toe shoes! Congrats to Mouse on her dance and drama accomplishments. :)

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    1. Jenclair - Thank you from Mouse. :-) Thank you also for stopping by!

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  11. wow, so much news. happy birthday to your grandma. i have no grandparents left. i do have my mother who is 90 and my mother in law who is 80 something. have a good week
    sherry @ fundinmental

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    1. Sherry - Thank you for the birthday wishes for my grandmother. We are very lucky she has lived a long life. I hope you have a good week too. Thank you for visiting!

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  12. Glad you're hanging in there with so much going on! And it is a good time of year to be reading witchy books. Have a great week! :D

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    1. Lark - It does seem like the perfect time for witchy books. :-) Thank you for stopping by!

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  13. I haven't read a Manga before. I've been wanting to try it out though.

    I love that your reading with your girl as much. I read with our little girl, and our baby boy every night too. It's my favorite time of the day.

    Happy birthday to your grandma! And I'm so happy to read that mouse is doing so well in ballet.

    Have a great week and happy reading.

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    1. Maureen - I have been enjoying the Witch Hat Atelier books. Anything witch related is likely to pull me in. :-) I hope Mouse will want to read with me for a long while yet, but I know it will likely change soon enough, sadly. Thank you for the birthday wishes for my grandmother. :-)

      Thank you for visiting!

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  14. There's so much going on! I enjoyed both The Rose Code and The Alice Network so either choice is good.

    Congratulations to Mouse on her pointe letter and I'm glad her performance went well (and that it could even take place!).

    And how great that your mom was able to visit!

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    1. Helen - Thank you. We were glad the show was able to go on--even despite my reservations. Thank you for stopping by and visiting!

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  15. I am curious about The Rose Code and The Alice Network.

    I love the kitty photos...and the ballet shoes.

    Enjoy your books and your week. I am curious about Vera.

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    1. Laurel-Rain - Thank you! I hope you have a good week too!

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  16. Life right now is so overwhelming, I agree. Sometimes I just want to bury my head in my own little world and keep everything else out, but it's not always possible. Congrats to Mouse on getting her pointe shoes! Hope you have a lovely week😁

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    1. Tammy - Thank goodness for the books we can at least bury our heads in for a little while before returning to face the real world. Thank you for stopping by!

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  17. I've never read Manga, but someday I will! So many great photos! I'm curious about Ted Lasso. I have to give that a try. Hope you have a great week!

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    1. Yvonne - I hope someday you will get a chance to watch Ted Lasso. I hope you have a great week too. Thank you for visiting!

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  18. Witchy books are the best!! I always feel like I would enjoy Mangas but I have never really gotten into them, maybe something to try out this year. I have heard so many amazing things about Ted Lasso, I just need to find a way to watch it. It sounds like you've had quite an eventful week and I completely understand what you mean with so much going on all over the world. Every day brings new heart-breaking news. Despite it all, though, I hope you have a lovely week :)
    Juli @ A Universe in Words

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    1. Juli - I love witchy books. :-) I enjoy reading graphic novels from time to time and so it isn't a big stretch to try manga. It helps that the series is about witches so was sure to interest me for that reason.

      So many things are going on right now in our world--and much of it seems so terrible. I can only hope there will be some relief from it at some point. We find joy where we can.

      Thank you for stopping by!

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  19. I do like the pictures and the way you have configured your post. It is really very striking. I have had an issue of even posting one cover of abook on my page for months now and do not seem to be able to get through the problem.
    You have had an eventful August ups and downs as well. We are still in lockdown in September so far till the 13th. It is doubtful whether the lockdown can be lifted. It is quite depressing and feels very isolating as well. Hope you all stay safe and well.

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    1. Mystica - Thank you. I think it turned out well too. I wish I knew why you are still having issues with posting pictures. I run into problems sometimes but am usually able to figure out a workaround. The last few Blogger updates only make the program less user friendly. It is frustrating.

      I hope that your lockdown will ease up. I think too many people would rebel if there was another lockdown here--even if it were in all our best interests.

      Thank you for visiting. Stay safe and well too!

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  20. Hi Wendy, enjoy the witchy books and the Manga!
    I'm sorry about your co-worker, how sad. We lost a co-worker a few weeks back unexpectedly in a house fire and it was beyond belief and heart wrenching. I hope your MIL is doing better also.

    I know, the world is a crazy place, it's hard not to feel unsettled by it. I count my blessings daily, even moreso now that Covid came along and so much changed.

    Fantastic photos! Happy birthday to your grandma :) Congrats to Mouse and her pointe achievement!

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    1. Naida - Thank you for your kind words. My mother-in-law continues to improve, thankfully. I am so sorry about your coworker. What a terrible loss--and so sudden.

      It can be overwhelming sometimes with everything going on. Like you, I am so grateful for so much in my life right now.

      Thank you for visiting!

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  21. The Real Valkyries sound very interesting, I hope you get to read that soon!

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    1. Eustacia - I am sure it will be an interesting book to read. Thank you for stopping by!

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  22. 104?! She looks great.
    Love Kate Quinn and I see you have all three. I loved the Alice Network and enjoyed reading the true events which inspired the novel. The Rose Code is my favorite!

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    1. Tina - Thank you for the birthday wishes for my grandmother. I seem to collect Kate Quinn books. LOL It's time I read at least one. Thank you for voting and visiting!

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  23. Congrats to Mouse and happy birthday to your grandmother. School begins here tomorrow. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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    1. Kathy - Thank you! I hope the school year goes well in your area. Thank you for stopping by!

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  24. Wendy, so good to hear what's been going on in your world. Loved all the updates. Sweet picture of your grandmother. Hope your mother-in-law improves and hug your sweet daughter for me. Take care and by the way, I think any of your 3 Kate Quinn books would be great (I voted for The Alice Network though - ha!)

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    1. Kay - Thank you for the well wishes and kind words. And thank you for voting!

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  25. Pages and Co. looks like such a great series. Glad you are enjoying it. Vera also looks like a promising book.

    Boy, turmoil is an understatement. Will everything ever settle down here in America or will we go on for the rest of our lives with things so out-of-kilter?

    Congrats to your grandma on her birthday and to your daughter on her accomplishment in ballet!

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    1. Deb - We are enjoying the Pages and Co. book. I have the second one already on our shelf to read as well.

      I find myself wondering whether the situation in America will ever find stability again. It's all so overwhelming sometimes.

      Thank you for the kind words and for stopping by!

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  26. Rita - I am glad to see my daughter enjoying reading. It hasn't always been the case as reading is something she has struggled with.

    Thank you for your kind words and well wishes. I hope you have a good week too and stay safe. Thank you for stopping by!

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  27. Lots going on!! I am thankful for the reading that provides an outlet where we don't have to think about all those real world problems for a while. Happy reading!

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    1. Cindy - Same! Thank goodness for the distraction of books, especially these days. Thank you for visiting!

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  28. I'm glad your mother in law is feeling better.
    I love that birthday cake. So pretty.
    I loved Charmed and grimm. Such great shows.

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    1. Mary - Thank you. It was quite a scare.

      I am really enjoying Charmed and Grimm. :-) Thank you for visiting!

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  29. Lots of fun titles here, and congrats to your grand-mother, she looks awesome!
    My husband's father passed away at 103, he was still joking a couple of hours before!
    My Sunday Post is here: https://wordsandpeace.com/2021/09/05/sunday-post-45-9-5-2021/

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    1. Emma - Thank you! Over a hundred years - that's quite a life!

      Thank you for stopping by!

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  30. I really loved The Alice Network. I hope you check that one out. I hope the new work hours work well for you and that Mouse enjoys her time back at school. We had 1 week and now there are 1,000 kids quarantined here and virtual for their 2nd week of school.

    Loved seeing that birthday cake...so detailed.
    Happy reading.

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    1. Serena - I do want to read The Alice Network. It's been on my bookshelf for awhile now. I am glad you loved it.

      That's crazy--all those kids quarantined already. I check the stats at my daughter's school every day just about. Luckily it hasn't been a big issue at her school. I just hope it stays that way.

      Thank you for visiting!

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  31. What an amazing birthday cake! So glad to hear Annie and the dance show went so well.

    I'm quite enjoying witchy books too so I shall check out your recommendations.

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    1. Louise - It was tasty too--thank you! I am glad the show went well too--and relieved, really. I wasn't sure it would happen given everything.

      Yay for witchy books! Thank you for stopping by!

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  32. Congratulations to Mouse! That's so huge! And how wonderful the studio makes it so special. The birthday cake is beautiful! And happy birthday to your Grandmother. I hope you are having a wonderful week.

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    1. Katherine - Thank you from Mouse. She's excited. :-) I hope you are having a great week too. Thank you for for visiting!

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  33. That birthday cake looks YUM! Happy birthday to your mom and your grandmother! Also congratulations to Mouse - I know how hard she worked last year remotely so this is awesome to be able to see.

    Looks like your reading and watching are going great! I love it that your daughter is joining you in all those. (Or maybe you are joining your daughter? Doesn't matter :-) )

    Have a great week! Hope your new work schedule sticks as well if that works well for you.

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    1. Athira - Thank you for the birthday wishes for my mom and grandmother and kind thoughts for Mouse. She put in a lot of hard work and dance hours to get to where she is and I am glad it paid off. :-)

      I hope you have a great week too! Thank you for stopping by.

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  34. I've been so behind with blog hopping and commenting so I've missed this post, Wendy. I'm glad to hear that your mother-in-law is doing okay and is taking it easy.

    Hope all goes well and smooth at work. Hope you've a great week, Wendy!

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    1. Melody - I'm so behind too, Melody. I can't keep up these days. Thank you for your kind words for my mother-in-law. She's still on the mend and hanging in there. Thank you for visiting!

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  35. I have read all witch books in September for the past three or four years. I think it's a nice transition into October spooky season. 🌕

    The photo of Mouse's first ballet slippers and her new Pointe shoes is priceless. And, yay for Annie. 😊

    Happy birthday to your grandmother! 104! Wonderful. 🤗

    I hope you are having a great week. 🌞

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    1. La La - I think reading witch books in September is a great tradition. :-) Thank you for the birthday wishes for my grandmother and for stopping by!

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