Sunday Summary – July 4

Wishing a lovely Sunday to all and

to Americans – a safe and happy Independence Day

~

Books read/reviewed:

Where the River Runs by Patti Callahan Henry

Scent of the Missing: Love & Partnership with a Search-and-Rescue Dog by Susannah Charleson

Barely a Lady by Eileen Dreyer

~

Waiting on Wednesday pick:

The Book of Peach by Penelope J. Stokes

~

Sunday Summary

 

Books read/reviewed last week:

Secret Keepers by Mindy Friddle

*

Waiting On Wednesday pick:

The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise by Julia Stuart

*

Friday Finds:

The Exile by Diana Gabaldon

* * * * *

Winner of Secret Keepers:

Myra C.

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway!

Sunday Summary

I was reading outside yesterday and looked up to see this beautiful

tiger swallowtail butterfly land on the privet hedge.

~ Click on photo ~

* * *

Books read/reviewed last week:

Every House Needs A Balcony by Rina Frank

One Dance With A Duke by Tessa Dare

Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley

Waiting On Wednesday pick:

Sand In My Eyes by Christine Lemmon

Friday Find:

The News Where You Are by Catherine O’Flynn

Sunday Summary – June 13

 

The big news of the week is that Bookfan has a new address.  Since you’re reading this, you already know that.  Thanks for following me!

Books read/reviewed last week:

First Comes Marriage by Mary Balogh

101 Things I Learned in Culinary School

by Louis Eguaras with Matthew Frederick

Waiting On Wednesday pick:

29: a novel by Adena Halpern

* * * * *

And at my house we’re cheering on the US in the World Cup.  Very proud of the US team’s 1-1 result vs. England yesterday!

Sunday Summary – June 6

 

Books read/reviewed last week:

Hannah’s List by Debbie Macomber

There’s a giveaway for Hannah’s List here.
Ends Wednesday, June 8

My pick for Waiting on Wednesday was

Based Upon Availability by Alix Strauss

I decided to create my own Summer 2010 Challenge to  clear

some books off my tbr shelves

Books I’m in the middle of:

First Comes Marriage by Mary Balogh(review book for Goodreads First Reads)

Supreme Courtshipby Christopher Buckley (Summer 2010 Challenge)

That’s about it for last week.  I didn’t have time to read much because of family events (all good).  I hope you had a good week.  It feels like summer in my area!

Sunday Summary – May 30

 

It was fun to follow the book bloggers who were at BEA/BBC.  I loved hearing about all the authors and books.  For those bloggers who couldn’t get to NYC there was Armchair BEA.  Many thanks to Danielle, Emily, Florinda, Michelle and Tif for organizing a wonderful week of activities for us.  I visited many new blogs and enjoyed all the topics discussed.

I was pleased to have author Jodi Thomas guest blog on Thursday.  Her new book Welcome to Harmony will be in stores on June 1st.  It’s the first in a new series and I can’t wait to read the second book.  Check out the giveaway  – it ends June 2.

Books read this week:

    

 

Books reviewed on the blog this week:

  

Sunday Summary – May 9

 

 

 

It was a quiet week. I really liked the one book that I read/reviewed. The cover links to my review on Goodreads. I think my WoW pick sounds good and I love that cover (I’m so easy, lol). That’s it for my reading. The weather seems to have forgotten that spring is here. Woke up to temps in the 30s today! Really glad I haven’t planted any annuals yet. Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there!

Books read/reviewed:

 

 

My Waiting on Wednesday pick:

 

Sunday Summary – May 2

Debbie Macomber (near the window on the right) book signing at Borders

I wish I had a close-up. This photo is from my phone

I went to a book signing by Debbie Macomber on Wednesday evening. She spoke “off the cuff” for about 20 minutes, answered some audience questions and then began to sign her books. I didn’t stay as there were at least 200 people in line. I really just wanted to hear what she had to say. She’s very funny. She shared things about her family and a few things about her books. Did you know that she didn’t go to college? She also told the crowd that she is dyslexic.

There will be a new Mrs. Miracle movie in time for Christmas 2010. Apparently the first Mrs. M movie was the most watched cable movie of 2009. That’s pretty amazing, I think. I recommend going to a signing if she comes to your area. My daughter went along with me and had a few comments about the audience demographic, etc. She made me laugh because I hadn’t noticed. The audience was made up of mostly women over 40. Also at the signing was a local yarn shop display of Debbie Macomber’s knitting items – yarns, patterns, etc.

Books read/reviewed last week:

Waiting On Wednesday pick:

Friday Finds pick:

Sunday Summary – April 25

 

I had one of those weeks when I enjoyed everything I read. Sheila Roberts’ new book Small Change is timely and entertaining – typical Sheila Roberts. I really liked it! The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom is so good. It’s a dramatic look at plantation life in the 1790s and early 1800s. Marriage and Other Acts of Charity is a wonderful memoir by Kate Braestrup. I listened to the audiobook and that only enhanced the experience of the book. It’s going on my keeper shelf.

 

 

Books read/reviewed:

 

 

 

My Waiting on Wednesday pick:

 

 

 

* * * * * * *

* **

II

I’m giving away my ARC of Small Change by Sheila Roberts

My review is here

It’s a quiet giveaway (only mentioned here)

 

open to US residents

leave your email in the comment box (a must!)

Enter by 11pm eastern Monday April 26 (that’s tomorrow)

 

I’ll announce the winner on Tuesday April 27

I’bookfan-mary.blogspot.com/2010/04/small-change-by-sheila-roberts.html

I’m

Sunday Summary – April 18

Our Magnolia tree

Books read/reviewed:

21 Simple Things You Can Do To Help Someone With Diabetes by Cherie Burbach

Pieces of Sky by Kaki Warner

Friday Find:

The Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganek

Sunday Summary – April 11

Snow was falling on Thursday morning. Happily, it didn’t last!

The forsythia is starting to bloom

Books Read/Reviewed last week:

Get Lucky

Kill Me Twice

Friday Find:

Mistress of Rome

Sunday Summary – April 4

 

Happy Easter to all who celebrate

 

 

 

Books read/reviewed last week:

The Season of Second Chances

On Chesil Beach

 

Waiting on Wednesday pick:

Lois Lane Tells All

 

 

Kaye won my copy of The Season of Second Chances (arc)

 

 

Sunday Summary – March 28

 

 

Not a lot of reading last week but what I managed was enjoyable. I read my first Jodi Thomas book – Rewriting Monday – and really liked it. I also listened to the new Joshua Ferris novel and loved it. I think the reason for the book love is because I listened to him read it. I would start each morning with a walk and listening to The Unnamed on my ipod. That’s only interesting because its a book about a guy who walks. Anyway, I think the author did a great job reading his own book – I would continue listening for at least another hour after I finished my walk, and finally gave in and sat on the couch with eyes closed, listening to the last couple of hours.

* * * * * * *

I received this virtual basket from Kristi. I’m passing it on to anyone who’d like to participate. You can click on her name to get all the specifics about Hershey’s donations to Children’s Miracle Network.

 

How was your week with books?

Books I read/reviewed last week:

Rewriting Monday by Jodi Thomas

The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris

 

Waiting on Wednesday pick:

Husband and Wife by Leah Stewart

 

 

Sunday Summary – March 21

Murphy and Bailey on neighborhood watch

Spring arrived with a little snow and most of it is already gone, thank goodness. Murphy, our daughter’s dog, visited last week so I had to get a photo of him and our dog Bailey. Murphy is 13 and Bailey is 11 – they get along surprisingly well.

It was a good week of books. In addition to the titles listed below, I listened to the Blog Talk Radio interview of Rachael Herron, author of How To Knit A Love Song. I really enjoy the BTR shows.

Happy Spring!

Books read/reviewed:

It’s All Greek To Me by Charlotte Higgins

The Girl Who Chased The Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

Can’t Stand The Heat by Louisa Edwards

Waiting On Wednesday pick: Leaving Harmony by Jodi Thomas

Sunday Summary – March 14

The ice is finally melting

Waiting On Wednesday pick: Leaving Unknown by Kerry Reichs

This week’s Show Me 5: Moonlight Road by Robyn Carr

Books read/reviewed:

How To Knit A Love Song by Rachael Herron

Moonlight Road by Robyn Carr

I really enjoyed How To Knit A Love Song. Moonlight Road was good but not my favorite in the series. I’m looking forward to reading Leaving Unknown at some point. I think the synopsis sounds great. I started reading The Yellow House but just couldn’t get into it so I’m putting it aside to read another time.

You can see in the photo at the top of the post that the ice is melting in our warmer temps (yes, 40s is considered warm in my area at this time of year). I took the picture on Friday while on a walk in the neighborhood. Most of our snow is gone and I can actually see some daffodils starting to poke through the soil near the house. Gives me hope!

Sunday Summary – March 7

 

 

 

 

Waiting on Wednesday pick: The Island by Elin Hilderbrand

 

This week’s Show Me 5: McCarthy’s Bar

 

Books read/reviewed:

 

Alice In Wonderland and Philosophy: Curiouser and Curiouser

The Girl Who Chased The Moon (review will post March 19)

 

 

 

Last week was a bit busy so I only managed to read the books I agreed to review. I’ve been enjoying the different review books – the philosophical aspects of Alice in Wonderland and a new novel from Sarah Addison Allen (love her books!).

 

This week I’m reading How To Knit A Love Song by Rachael Herron and Robyn Carr’s newest addition to the Virgin River series, Moonlight Road. I’m also paging through It’s All Greek To Me by Charlotte Higgins – reading it in chapters.

 

The weather in my area is improving little by little. Temps reached the 40s (F) yesterday. I see that Daylight Saving Time begins next weekend so spring must be arriving soon, right? How was your week?

 

Sunday Summary – Feb. 28

 

 

Reviewed books:

Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax

Marked By Passion by Kate Perry

Also read:

The Season of Second Chances by Diane Meier (review to be posted)

Waiting On Wednesday pick: Coming Home by Mariah Stewart

 

Sunday Summary – Feb. 21

The river in winter

I snapped a picture while on a walk this week.

This spot is about a block from my house

Karen Robards’ Shattered was the Waiting On Wednesday pick.

The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey was the Friday Find. I bought it!

Read/Reviewed Books:

A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh

Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax – review will be posted this Thursday

Sunday Summary – Feb. 14

 

Another week, another foot of snow. Since most of the country experienced snow over the past seven days I won’t show a photo of my area. It does look especially beautiful in places that don’t usually get snow: here, here, and here.

Hubby and I saw the movie Valentine’s Dayyesterday. The cast is a Who’s Who list of Hollywood stars with a few generations represented. We thought it was mildly funny. I’d give it a B-.

 

 

Waiting On Wednesday pick: Mrs. Somebody Somebody by Tracy Winn

 

Book reviews (click the cover):

 

 

* * * * *

Congratulations to the

Winner of Countess of Scandal

 

~*~*~

Melissa

~*~*~

W

 

Sunday Summary – Feb. 7

Murphy and Bailey

My daughters visited this weekend and brought their dog Murphy. He and Bailey (our dog) get along well but rarely sit still for a photo. This is a bit unfocused but it was taken on a phone. Murphy is 13 and Bailey is 11.

Books Reviewed:

Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch

All That You Are by Stef Ann Holm

Waiting on Wednesday:

Romancing Miss Bronte by Juliet Gael

Friday Find:

Love In Mid Air by Kim Wright