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Monday, July 14, 2014

Weekly Update: July 14

Monday, already? The past week has been marked by unusually violent storms, for this part of the country anyway. We don't often see tornadoes, but at least a couple touched down during Tuesday's storm leaving four dead in their wake. Now there is talk of an impending polar vortex - a term I was unfamiliar with prior to last winter. Crazy stuff...

In #100HappyDays, my garden seems to be thriving with all the rain.


Reading//  I wasn't able to read much during the week, but managed to polish off the second half of The Ship of Brides yesterday afternoon. This is yet another winner from Jojo Moyes. Written in 2004, it's available in digital format now and will be released in paperback in the US this fall.


Listening// The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd is one amazing audio production! I have just over 30 minutes to go (will finish in the car later this morning) and am going to be sad to leave these characters behind.


On the blog// 
My Ten Favorite Classics
My review of The Vacationers by Emma Straub
Thoughts on The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (my classics spin book)
Weekend Cooking: Seared Halibut and a Cookbook Challenge

Up next//  Review copies stress me out. Now that I've finished The Ship of Brides, the only other book I really feel obligated to read this summer is We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas. Fortunately, I'm really excited about this title and will get started later today.



The audio decision is a little tougher. Three titles I'm considering starting next are Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (which everybody loves), Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (tons of rave reviews on this one, too), and Pain, Parties, Work: Sylvia Plath in New York, Summer 1953 by Elizabeth Winder (a good follow-up for The Bell Jar). Look for a choice later today.

Looking ahead//  Strange as it sounds, I'm heading to Florida later this week. Our remodeling project is complete, so my sisters and I are going down to put the place back together... and have a little fun.

How was your week?


This post is linked to It's Monday, What Are You Reading? hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

36 comments:

  1. Oh, you need to listen to Eleanor and Park!!

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    1. Kathy - I just downloaded it from audible!

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  2. I was doing goo on #100 days of summer than I got distracted. I need to restart since I was really enjoying it! All your choices for audio sound good. I'd vote for Pain, Parties, Work but that's just because that's the one I want to read!

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    1. Katherine - I ended up downloading Eleanor & Park today, but still want to listen to Pain, Parties, Work...

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  3. I hope to listed to the audio AND read the Invention of Wings this summer. Super set of books!
    Harvee
    Book Dilettante

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    1. Harvee - I finished The Invention of Wings today - so, so good!

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  4. A friend told me yesterday how much she liked Invention of Wings. I'm very curious about it now.

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    1. Deb - The Invention of Wings is excellent... very highly recommended!

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  5. Sue Monk Kidd and Jojo Moyes are both authors I need to read but haven't yet. I also need to read Code Name Verity and Eleanor and Park. There are too many good books available! I need more reading time! Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  6. You have some great ones coming up. Enjoy vacation

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  7. Terrible weather lately! I loved The Invention of Wings too.

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    1. Pat - I finished The Invention of Wings this afternoon - loved it! We just had another torrential downpour :(

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  8. I have The Ship of Brides on my list...and I'm curious about We Are Not Ourselves...enjoy!

    Thanks for visiting my blog.

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    1. Laurel-Rain Snow - We Are Not Ourselves sounds like a very promising debut, but I just realized it's 640 pages!! That'll keep me busy for a while.

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  9. I was wondering if those storms were a little too close for comfort. :) Have fun in Florida!

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    1. Audrey - Definitely too close for comfort. We had very little storm damage and didn't even lose power, but the tornado fatalities were just 12 miles away... so sad.

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  10. JoAnn,
    We, too, had a tornado touch down 12 miles from us, in the hamlet of North Creek, not far from Gore Mountain. We've had way too many tornados for this part of the world. We were left unscathed with only wind gusts--not even any rain.
    I'm really writing to encourage you to read Koch's Summer House. It would be wonderful to have a comrade try to figure it out!
    Best to you and better weather coming later this week!
    Judith

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    1. Judith - I'm leaving for FL in a couple of days and don't want to take a library hardcover on the plane, but will try to read it before it has to be returned. Although I am having second thoughts, your post has made me curious. And I did like The Dinner...

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  11. Your flowers are thriving for sure -- very pretty. We've had quite a bit of rain yesterday and this evening...great for the gardens.

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    1. Diane - AT least the garden is happy with our recent weather ;-)

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    1. Patty - The opening is very promising, but I was surprised to note that it's over 600 pages! Those details escape me when reading on my kindle ;-)

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  13. I'm definitely going to read The Invention of Wings before the end of the summer!

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    1. Bibliophiliac - I hope you like it as much as I did. It's interesting to note that the main characters are actual historical figures!

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  14. I have an ARC of We Are Not Ourselves. Heard the author speak at a librarians' publisher preview and was very impressed by him. Thanks for visiting my blog.

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    1. Catherine - That's good to know! If you have a physical ARC, then you know how long it is... I was surprised on the kindle ;-)

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  15. The Invention of Wings was one of my favourite reads this year (brilliant on audio). I'm listening to Code Name Verity right now, and I'm enjoying it and I loved Eleanor & Park, if that helps lol. Jojo Moyes is a fave author, haven't read that one though, putting it on my list. Have a great week and happy reading :)

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    1. Teddyree - LOL, I think I'm just going to need to listen to all of them!! The Invention of Wings will probably be one of my favorites this year, too.

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  16. Hmm, I don't like the sound of "polar vortex!" I've heard such wonderful things about Jojo Moyes. I found a couple of hers at a library book sale recently. =)

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    1. Diana - "Polar vortex" sounds so harsh...it was really just pleasingly cool temperatures.

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  17. You're on an roll with great books ... or at least books that look great to me!

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    1. Lisa - It's been a good summer of books so far!

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  18. Enjoy vacation - I hope everything went well with the remodel. I have only read one book by Jo Jo Moyes but really enjoyed it - glad to hear there are more to move on to!

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    1. Colleen - I guess Florida contractors are used to projects where owners aren't on sight every day... I was very pleased with the outcome.

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