Sunday, January 21, 2024

January 21st's Sunday/Monday Post

That time of the week again.  As usual, for my Sunday/Monday post, I'll be linking up to

Sunday Post
Sunday Salon
Stacking the Shelves
Mailbox Monday
It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

If you'll remember, I talked about having jury duty this week.  I made it through the week without ever having to report.  It was so great hearing the voice say "This completes your service" when I called in Thursday night.

Saturday, I had lunch with a couple of friends from college.  It was great catching up with them.  We talked for about 3 hours.

Which means I got a very late start on my other major task for Saturday - taking down Christmas decorations.  I know I was being overly aggressive with my agenda for the day, including my goal of having everything down if not furniture rearranged by the end of the day.  I didn't really start until 7:30, but I have almost all the ornaments off the trees at this point.  I should be able to finish up on Sunday.  I hope.

They've been predicting rain for us, which we need.  It was supposed to start Saturday.  While the roads were wet when I got up, I have yet to actually see any rain fall.  I hope we get some.

This Past Week on the Blog:


This Coming Week on the Blog:


Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post
Monday - TV Show Review: Will Trent - Season 1
Tuesday - Book Review: Easter Basket Murder by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Barbara Ross
Wednesday - Ornament Review: Winter Fun with Snoopy #26
Thursday - Book Review: The Case of the Canterfell Codicil by P.J. Fitzsimmons
Friday - Friday Post
Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

It was a five book week around here.  And all of them physical books.

Two of them were ARCs for books coming out in April.  The first of those is Molten Death by Leslie Karst, which releases at the beginning of the month.  This is the first in her new series set on the Big Island of Hawaii.  I have enjoyed her Sally Solari Mysteries, and I'm looking forward to seeing what she does with this new series, especially since I was just on the Big Island a couple of years ago.

The other ARC I got this week is Under the Paper Moon by Shaina Steinberg.  It's about two former spies in Hollywood after World War II.  Honestly, I don't know much more than that, and I don't need to know much more than that.  It sounds like something I will enjoy.  This one comes out at the end of April.

The other three books I got were books I bought.

Up first is Dream Town, the new Eve Ronin Mystery from Lee Goldberg.  I'm actually one book behind in his releases, so I need to read that book before I dive into this one.  But I'm looking forward to it since I've enjoyed the others in this series, and his books in general.

I also bought Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust and Public Anchovy #1, both by Mindy Quigley.  These are books 2 and 3 in her Deep Dish Mysteries.  I enjoyed the first one when I read it in December.  I saw that book four, coming later this year, is a Christmas themed entry.  So I decided to try to get these two read that I can enjoy that book in December.  We'll see if my reading schedule allows that or not.

What I'm Currently Reading:


Before I went to lunch Saturday, I finished the book I was reading.  That book was Of Hoaxes and Homicide by Anastasia Hastings.  This is the second Dear Miss Hermione Mystery set in England in 1885.  We get a cult and a murder in this one.  It was fun.  I'll have a fun review on release day, which is the 30th.

I'm sticking with historical fiction and even that century, but moving to America with Murder at the Breakers by Alyssa Maxwell.  Her books have been on my radar for a while, and I bought this book back in August of 2021.  It is set in 1895 Newport, Rhode Island.  Hallmark is actually turning this book into their next mystery movie, and that's what convinced me to dust it off and read it.  As of my writing this, I haven't started reading it yet, but I'm looking forward to getting into it.

Have a good week.

28 comments:

  1. 5 books in a week is good! I average around 2. I only ever read on the Kindle now. I tried an audio book this week but it's a slower way of reading a book so I wasn't too keen.

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  2. That's nice about the jury duty. And Murder at the Breakers- I remember that one. I wanted to try that.

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  3. I need to get back to the Deep Dish Mysteries--I enjoyed the first one! Murder at the Breakers looks right up my alley!

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  4. What a great way to complete your service of jury duty without having to show up. I'm working on Christmas decorations this weekend, too. I'll probably finish today, although I will be sad to see the last of the lights come down since they've been cheerful.

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  5. I'm glad you successfully escaped from jury duty! I hope you have a great week.

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  6. My eldest daughter has repeatedly been called up for jury duty during the last two years but never actually served.
    Good luck with dismantling the last of your Christmas decorations.

    Wishing you a happy reading week

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  7. I always sigh with relief when I am dismissed from jury duty. And good luck in getting all your Christmas decorations down.

    A five book reading week is fantastic!

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  8. I like the Deep Dish mysteries too. Public Anchovy #1 is on my Kindle and I will start it soon. BTW the best way to get out of jury service is to say you think you know the defendant, you've seen him somewhere.

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  9. Yay for no jury duty! A cozy set in Hawaii, I'm very interested! By me a surprising number of people still have all their Christmas decorations up and lit outside. Which I don't mind. Winter is long and dark.

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  10. Enjoy your books, and good luck with taking down Christmas ornaments, etc.

    I am always glad to hear that jury duty service is over!

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  11. I was so excited when I was called for jury duty a couple years ago, I have only ever been summoned once. I was dismissed by the defense pretty early on though, because the case involved a man who was accused of raping a child under fourteen, and seeing as how I have a ten year old daughter and am en elementary educator, they didn't want me. I have some friends who have been called 5 or 6 times, and I have only ever been called once. Such a bummer. I am glad I was dismissed from that case though, I would not have been able to handle that one.

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  12. Be a rebel and keep your Christmas decorations up all year long! I'm not a North American native so I don't really understand why people don't like it when your Christmas decorations are up too long, but back in Malaysia when we did Chinese New Year decorations, I don't think anyone cared if we kept them up all year long until the next CNY. Does anyone actually complain if you don't take them down? (Other than yourself, I mean, if you don't like them up too long past Christmas?)

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  13. My story is similar to Sarah's for jury duty, and also only been called once. I hope you all get the rain. We are covered in snow and it is supposed to snow here from Tuesday to Friday. Have a great week, enjoy your books!

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  14. The last time I had jury duty years ago, I had to go in I think on the third or fourth day of the week. I ended up sitting there all morning, only to finally be sent home. I was a teacher at the time, so I pretty much had to double plan ahead of time - a set of weekly plans for the substitute in case I had to go in and a set of weekly plans for myself in case I didn't have to go in. I'm glad those days are behind me. :)

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  15. How nice that your jury duty is completed. So many of your books are on my TBR. They all look so good, especially the cozies. I hope you have a great week!

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  16. Up in Santa Barbara we definitely had rain Friday and Saturday but today has been fairly clear so far. Not having to report to jury duty is such a relief! Well done.

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  17. I always loved going Downtown for jury duty!!! Was always disappointed that I never got selected to be on a jury though.

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  18. I enjoyed Dream Town. I hope you do too! And so glad you never had to report to jury duty. I know that's such a relief. Have a great week!

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  19. The title Public Anchovy #1 definitely has me wondering, ha. Hope you enjoy the new books!

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  20. I have grown to enjoy Alyssa Maxwell's books. At first they weren't on my favorite list but I gave them another try and she really does a great job of evoking The Gilded Age era. I think you'll enjoy Murder at the Breakers! Will be looking forward to reading your review.

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  21. Seeing friends was probably more fun than taking down decorations. Ours are finally down, but it took over two days to get us there.

    I have Meier's Mother's Day Murder here. Still need to read it. Looks like you have some great reading ahead of you. Hope you have a great week.

    https://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2024/01/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-and_22.html

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  22. Sounds like you had a nice week. I grew up with it ingrained in me to take down all Christmas stuff before New Year's Day. My grandmother had some superstitious belief that you couldn't enter the new year living in the past. I don't buy into that but for some reason, I still always try to get my stuff down New Year's Eve day. I do miss our tree dearly though.

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  23. Yay for escaping jury duty! I enjoyed the Anastasia Hastings book too and also enjoyed Murder at the Breakers. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  24. The trouble with christmas decorations is taking them down, putting them up seems to go easier. A five book haul is very nice and all print.

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  25. Great news about jury duty. I hope you get your rain!

    Jill
    http://www.allthebooksihaventread.com/

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  26. I am glad you didn't have to go in for jury duty. We were late taking down the last of our Christmas decorations too. They are all finally put away. I hope you got the rain you were hoping for. We got quite a bit of rain over the weekend and on Monday.

    Your new books all look good! Under the Paper Moon is on my wish list.


    I've been wanting to read Alyssa Maxwell's books for awhile now. I hope you enjoy Murder at the Breakers. Of Hoaxes and Homicide sounds like a fun read! I bet I would like that one too.

    Have a great week, Mark! Happy reading!

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  27. I smile about the jury duty. I have always wanted to serve and I still get called to appear regularly, but of course, as an attorney, I will never get to sit.
    We haven't taken the tree down in my office yet but I need to get it done this week.
    Lots of good looking mysteries for you, as always. Happy Reading!

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