Sunday, August 3, 2014

This Week in Reading - August 3rd


It's Sunday!  Time to talk about what we got and what's going on.  This is a linkup with the awesome Kimba at the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

What I Got:

NetGalley:

I got these 2 from NetGalley this week.  I'm trying to slow down on my accumulation of eARCs but I couldn't pass these 2 up!


The Bellingham Bloodbath by Gregory Harris
This is the 2nd in the Colin Pendragon series.  Pendragon is a brilliant detective in Victorian London.  This involves a murder in Her Majesty's Guard and a race to find the real murderer.  Looking forward to trying out this historical mystery series!

Sandpiper Island by Donna Kauffman
I've been loving small town contemporary romance lately so I'm excited to try this one by Kauffman.  I have the 2nd one in the series that I hope to read this week.







Other:

From Paperbackswap.com I got

Shadow Spells by Nora Roberts
While I didn't absolutely love the first one in this series I did love the setting.  This has my favorite romance type - friends turned more - and I loved the characters in the first book.  Really excited to give this one a try.

How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days by Laura Lee Guhrke
Guhrke is one of my favorite historical writers.  The premise of this one sounds unique so I'm definitely looking forward to reading it!

From the library:
The Wife, The Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon
I'm so excited to read this one!  I was about to break down and buy it when I discovered my library had it!

Off the Blog:

I'm on my 3rd weekend of the cold that will not die.  I'm down to just the hacking cough but it's driving me crazy.  I will never not appreciate being healthy again!  Or at least I will appreciate it for about a day until it goes back to being the norm.

The Tornado and I went to this trampoline playground place that just opened a couple of times this week.  We met up with some friends both times and had such a good time.  The first day I let him and his friends do all the jumping but the 2nd some of the adults decided to join the fun.  What a workout!  They do cardio classes that they say burn about 1000 calories an hour and after just jumping around for a few minutes I can believe it!
\
School starts for Emma and Paul this week.  They are not excited.  I am excited that my driving them to school days are done.  We have the open house for the Tornado's school on Friday so he's excited.  

I've been completely in genealogy heaven with TLC's show Who Do You Think You Are?  This week was Jesse Tyler Ferguson (aka Mitch from Modern Family).  It was fascinating.  If I ever have extra disposable income I want to do my own genealogy geek experience!  

The garden has gone insane.  I'm drowning in tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers and snacking sweet peppers.  The snacking peppers are adorable.  They taste like bell peppers but there little which is really nice if you just need a little bit of pepper in a recipe.  Plus my plant is very exuberant so I have a ton of them.  I have a cowpepper plant which is supposed to be a mild cayenne that is loaded as well.  Zucchini keep just appearing in almost baseball bat size.  I check the plant almost every day.  Where are these coming from?

On the Blog:

This Week:

A little trip to England with Jenny Colgan's Sweetshop of Dreams
The Top Ten Authors I own the most books by or something like that
A little Christmas in July with Sarah Morgan's Sleigh Bells in the Snow
Jayne Ann Krentz' River Road
What I got from Ipsy in July
Friday linkups  featuring The Wife, The Maid, and the Mistress
July's Cookbook from the Cook It Up! Challenge

Coming Up:

Monday: Secrets of the Lighthouse by Santa Montefiore revie
Tuesday: Top Ten Books I'd Give to Readers Who've Never Read X (aka Agatha Christie 101)
Thursday: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart Review
Friday: Book Blogger Hop, Friday 56, Book Beginnings on Friday for my current book
At least 2 more book reviews and hopefully MyIreland box review

Happy Reading!  

78 comments:

  1. My tomatoes were doing really well earlier in the summer, but now nothing. I have some green tomatoes on the vine but they just aren't ripening.

    I need to catch up with Nora Roberts. Her trilogies are my favorites, but I haven't been reading them lately. I'm behind with my JD Robb books too.

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    1. Tomatoes can be fickle creatures. Temperature is very important to them and if they're not happy things take FOREVER. Drives me nuts! Hope they start ripening soon. If not I've seen some great recipes with green tomatoes :)

      I do love her trilogies but so far this hasn't been my favorite. I'm hoping #2 will be better though.

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  2. Your Top Ten and review of We Were Lairs both look good, I'm curious to see what people think of that as it was recommended to me but I'm not sure about it. Hope you feel better!

    The Colin Pendragon mystery looks kinda good.

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    1. I'm still not sure what I think of We Were Liars and I read it days ago. It's a quick read so it's definitely worth the read even if you don't love it.

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  3. A trampoline playground sounds awesome! There's an indoor playground here in my city with trampolines and climbing walls etc, but it's so expensive that I can't just randomly go there...
    Have a good week!

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    1. It's so much fun! They do a little kids jump at this one in the morning on weekdays so the adults can jump for free. Otherwise yeah it's a bit on the pricey side!

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  4. Whenever I see Shadow Spell, I am reminded that I still have Dark Witch on Sparky..unread. I do this every year! Go crazy acquiring books...and then struggling to catch up with the reading, because I usually have a backlog from the previous year...LOL

    Enjoy your reading...and your garden has a lot of my favorite things.

    Here's MY WEEKLY SUNDAY/MONDAY UPDATES POST


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    1. I go through acquiring phases too! Glad to know I'm not the only one!

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  5. My own tornado wants to go to a trampoline gym but the closest one is about an hour away on the other side of Detroit - phoooey!!! It sounds so great that I may have to make the drive one of these days!!! He would love it!!!

    You don't think you have allergies, do you???? 3 weeks is a LOOONG time for a summer cold... hang in there girlie!! Keep resting and reading your awesome new books!!!

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    1. That's an awfully long way but it is a lot of fun. Maybe if there's other things you could do in the same area? Make a day of it?

      Oh I have allergies too! This is just extra fun!

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  6. Oh....I loved The Wife, The Maid, and The Mistress. Going to check out what you had to say.

    The Bellingham Bloodbath looks very interesting. I love the cover too.

    THANKS for sharing this wonderful post.

    Have a great Sunday, and thanks for stopping by my blog on Friday. Happy school for your kids even though they aren't excited. :)

    Elizabeth

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    1. I'm excited about The Bellinham Bloodbath. It looks different and the cover is just beautiful. To bad it's an e-book! I'm really looking forward to The Wife, The Maid and The Mistress!

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  7. My pumpkins are the only thing really going crazy in my garden. But the flowers keep falling off and I am not sure if those are what the pumpkins are supposed to grow out of??? So i can't tell if that is correct or not. Being sick in the summer is the worst. I really can't stand coughing either. It's my least favorite part of a cold.

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    1. No that's normal for the pumpkins. The flowers have to genders and the females fall off after blooming. The pumpkin will actually grow from the base of the male.
      The coughing is driving me nuts! However it sounds scary enough that I get plenty of space in public!

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  8. Can't believe that cold is still hang in on! Sure hope this is the week you get rid of it. I wish I'd planted a garden this year - just a tomato plant and small herb garden is all I got around to.Enjoy all that produce.

    Will be curious to hear what you think of The Wife,the Maid,and the Mistress. It was even more fascinating to me knowing it's based on an actual crime.

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    1. It's driving me insane! I at least feel okay now it's just the cough that won't go away. I'm enjoying the garden but I'm heading towards out of ideas with zucchini!

      I'm hoping to have the review for The Wife, The Maid and the Mistress next week. Haven't really gotten started with it yet. Looking forward to it! The original crime is so fascinating I can't wait to see how she deals with it.

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  9. Do you have bronchitis? Hubs and I have had a cough for weeks. I so need to read the Colin Pendragon series. I am going to look it up on audible right now!

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    1. Oh I hope not! I'm close to going to the doctor to find out though.

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    1. That's too bad! I'm hoping it lives up to it's potential!

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  11. Oh, alas! Really hope you get well soon!
    Anyway great post. I especially love the cover for The Bellingham Bloodbath :)

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    1. I'm hoping I will! I don't get sick very often so this is driving me crazy!

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  12. Okay, Blogger is being a pain and not letting me post. I'll try one more time ...
    Hope you feel better.

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  13. There's a trampoline place about 45 minutes from us. We keep saying we need to check it out. We will...one day. lol And I had to LOL at your zucchini. Sorry, but that's funny. I wish my tomatoes would ripen already! They've been green *forever*! Hope that cough moves on and soon.

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    1. Don't worry it makes me laugh too though I do end up having to figure out what to do WITH the giant zucchini so it does put a damper on things. Hope your tomatoes ripen soon. They can be finicky little things.

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  14. I'm really trying to behave myself with NetGalley and Edelweiss, but it's far easier said than done! I hope you feel better soon. Summer colds are the worst! I do look forward to seeing what you thought about We Were Liars. I loved it, personally!

    Have a great week!

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    1. I'm still not a 100% sure how I feel about We Were Liars. It was definitely an experience. I think I'm still a little stunned!

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  15. I hope you start feeling better soon. I have all these great intentions to stay away from NetGalley and Edelweiss, but I can't seem to hold out. Oh well, it looks like you got a few good ones...the Donna Kauffman book is very tempting.

    Have a great week!

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    1. My intentions are always great but my follow through kind of stinks. This is the 2nd Kauffman I've gotten but have yet to read either. I think I need to at least start 1!

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  16. Shadow Spell looks good, I hope that you enjoy reading it. Have a wonderful week!

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    1. I have high hopes for it! I loved the characters in the first book even though I didn't love the first book itself.

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  17. Those books are new to me. Can you believe I've never read a Nora Roberts book before? Weird, right? lol Hope you enjoy your new goodies!! :)

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    1. She's definitely prolific so she can be hard to avoid! Thanks! I'm looking forward to reading these!

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  18. I loved delving into my genealogy! It was so much fun. I was lucky enough to be in a line of people that had already done a TON of research so I was able to get nearly to the year ZERO! It was an amazing experience and something I might go back into soon.

    I'm so jealous of your garden but very excited for you! Our soil here is horrendous but I'm thinking of gardening in pots or on vertical walls. For a new gardener the ideas of endless but also very overwhelming! Hoping to start soon though :D

    Have a great week!

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    1. How fun! I've stumbled on a few well researched lines and it's always amazing. I've had a lot of fun with fleshing out the lives of the last 100 or so years.
      I've heard great things about vertical wall gardening but never tried it. I do a lot in pots - all my herbs and a couple of different types of peppers. It works great and I know they have tomatoes and corn that are designed to be grown in pots. Good luck!

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  19. I'm a gymnast, so whenever I hear about someone using trampolines, I always get excited. ;) Glad to hear you and your family had a fun time!

    Thanks for sharing, and happy reading! Hope your cold goes away soon - that's no fun!

    ~ Zoe @ The Infinite To-Read Shelf

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    1. We had such a great time. I used to be fairly athletic but as I've gotten older old injuries have slowed me down a bit. The trampoline was fun because I could run around without having ankle or knee issues!

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  20. wow that's a long time to have a cold, I hope you'll get better soon! I hope to be able to grow some vegetables once I have my own garden, in a future home hopefully. Our current house only has a balcony, although we did buy a grape plant this year for on your balcony. I hope you enjoy your new books and have a nice week!

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    1. I'm very curious about your grape plant. Sounds like a lot of fun. I hope you are able to all the gardening you want!

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  21. Hope you feel better soon. It's hard to read when you're coughing. I might like the Pendragon one, sounds so different. I have the first in this Nora Roberts series because it is set in Ireland--hope I enjoy it. Have a good week!

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    1. I'm interested in the Pendragon book because it's so unique. I like the historical mystery and the male protagonist. I didn't love the first in the Roberts series but I think it's also because I've read a lot of Roberts so it felt similar to books I've already read of hers.

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  22. I hate it when I can't shake a cold. Let's hope this is the week for it.

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  23. Boo for the evil cold, I hope it clears up soon.

    I love paperbackswap.com, such a great site for getting books and purging books. I haven't read the Roberts series yet but I will. Some day. :D

    School already, eeep. I hope they have a good year. Go rest up and read!

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    1. It's driving me nuts. I assume at some point I'll have to feel better but I no longer believe it's going to happen. The Roberts series is good but I didn't find the first one her best but then I've read a lot of Roberts!
      They're not super excited about going back to school but they both have classes they're interested in so I think it will be a good year!

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  24. Have you been to the doctor, to make sure it's not something else, or in addition? LOVE the cover of the Bellingham book. It's so foreboding. I hear you on the tomatoes. I love pasta and pizza, but I seriously don't want to see or smell a tomato for quite a while! Thank goodness for books!

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    1. That's kind of where I am on the tomato issue. I've had my fill of BLTs and salsa and bruschetta toppings! I'm not sure what this cold is. If it doesn't go away this week I guess I'll go to the doctor. I have high hopes for the Bellingham book!

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  25. Oh man :( I hope you feel better soon. I had a cough that wouldn't go away for a good year one time - chronic bronchitis they called it - you'll treasure everyday without coughing fits after this!

    Sounds like an exciting week! Will this be Tornado's first year at school? I forget how old he is. My stepson still has a few weeks before school starts, but he's already dreading it. Just another year and he'll be driving, but I'm dreading that LOL.

    Have a great week :)

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    1. I think I will go insane if I have this cough for a year!
      This is his first year going 5 days a week. Last year he did the first part in a 2 day a week and then a 3 day a week class because he enjoyed it so much. This is a more curriculum based PreK program which I think he'll like because he doesn't do well being idle! Driving is fabulous! No more having to be 9 places at once. When it's soccer practice time they go to soccer practice, work time they go to work. It's really great!

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  26. It sucks to have a cold that won't go away. Hope it does this week! Enjoy your new reads!

    Thanx for visiting My Weekly Wrap-Up!
    Naomi @ Nomi’s Paranormal Palace

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  27. That is one Nora Roberts series that I'm hoping to read at some point. I hope you enjoy your books and your week! Thanks for stopping by!

    Tressa @ Wishful Endings

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    1. The first one wasn't my favorite but I think part of it is I've simply read to much Roberts'! Anytime she reuses something I notice. I loved the characters in the first book though.

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  28. I want to go to that trampoline playground!

    I'd like to try the Nora Roberts series as the setting sounds good to me. Enjoy your books band have a good week :)

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    1. It was so much fun! I forgot how much fun trampolines were!

      I'm looking forward to my new books but first I have to get some old ones finished!

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  29. Oh dear, I hope your cold goes away soon, it's the worst thing. I haven't tried any of these books yet but I hope you enjoy them :) The garden sounds awesome!

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    1. Thanks! I'm hoping I'm at the end of this cold. It's driving me nuts!

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  30. I need to look into your first one, I keep bumping into this author

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    1. I'm definitely curious about that series. It's a little different from my normal reading.

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  31. Thanks for stopping by my Sunday Post. The trampoline playground sounds like something both my kids would enjoy. Happy reading.

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    1. Trampoline playgrounds are definitely fun. I met up with some friends who have kids around the same age as the Tornado and I think we had as much fun as the kids. Paul (age 16) went with some friends last week and they had a great time too. I'm just glad this place has time set aside just for little ones otherwise it'd be crazy!

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  32. Oh you are busy too. :) They might be happy to see more friends again with school. Hope you get over the cold soon. :)

    Have a great week and thank you for visiting my blog. :)

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    1. I think they're okay with going back. They have classes they're interested in and it's always good to see friends. I think their main complaint is having to get up early again!

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  33. That Pendragon series sounds great and I so need to pick up Shadow Spell. I agree that the first wasn't amazing but its a great formula.

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    1. I'm hoping I like Shadow Spell better. I do like the formula and this couple appealed to me more than the couple in the first book.

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  34. The Bellingham Bloodbath by Gregory Harris sounds like it will be good!

    The cough really does go away. Eventually.

    I've heard of trampoline playground places and they sure sound fun! We have a little trampoline in our backyard, but my daughter rarely uses it. I am sure it'd be more fun with a friend, but we don't often get to have her friends over.

    A few years ago, I was on a big genealogy kick. I would have kept at it had it not started to get expensive. I've gone about as far as I can without spending more money or traveling. I find ancestral history so fascinating!

    I hope you have a great week, Katherine!

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    1. The trampoline places are tons of fun though I would make sure they have either a little kid time or a big space just for kids as it could get a bit wild. I can see where trampolines on your own could get a bit a boring.
      I love genealogy and I've kind of hit the same point as you though once a year I renew my membership to ancestry for a month or so to see what new stuff they've uploaded. When the kids are out of the house I'm planning on doing a cross country genealogy road trip! My husband is less than excited but I think we'll have fun.

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  35. I haven't heard of the Colin Pendragon series before, but it sounds like something I'd really like! I'll have to look for the first book :)

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    1. I hadn't either until I came across this on NetGalley. I'm really hoping it lives up to the potential.

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  36. Those look like some interesting books! I need to check them out. Thanks for stopping by my blog.

    Have a great week!

    My Sunday Post
    Whitney@Shooting Stars Reviews

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  37. I was like that for awhile but once I really got interested in it I made it work!

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  38. Oh I love Donna Kauffman, she writes such fun contemporaries!
    I hope your cold is gone soon! The cold that never dies is the worst! Hope you have a lovely week!

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    1. I haven't tried her yet but am looking forward to reading her. They definitely looks like my kind of book!

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  39. I'm sorry for the cold, mine used to last more than a month before I discovered the Tea tree essential oil - now I stop them right from the start :) The Victorian novel looks good. Hope you'll feel better soon !

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    1. I'm going to have to look into tea tree oil. I'm very rarely sick but this sucks! Definitely don't want it to happen again.

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  40. This one does an under 6 jump first thing in the morning otherwise I don't think I'd be brave enough to go!

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