Monday, April 17, 2017

Monday Musings

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My week: Just another blur of a week here! Saturday we took Alohi to her weekly puppy playtime and signed her up for some training classes that begin next week. And she had her first trip inside Lowe's!

Did you do anything for Easter? Usually we at least make a ham and some yummy sides (and up until last year I made Jarrod color eggs with me) but Easter totally snuck up on me this year and we didn't do anything Easter-y at all. We did take a couple fun pictures of Alohi in an Easter hat during her first trip to Petco when she was just eight weeks old and teeny-tiny (she had her four-month birthday yesterday; where does the time go?!), which I had planned all along to save and share for Easter. Meet Alohi-Bunny!

alohi bunny

Reading: I finished and enjoyed the Australian mystery novel "The Dry" (review) and I was excited to see that it's going to be a series! The main character was a dynamic detective I could get behind and I'm looking forward to having a new series to keep up with! (I'm good at reading newer series as the books come out, but I have a terrible time reading all the books in older series.)

After that I read "Swimming Lessons" by Claire Fuller. I really liked Fuller's first book, "Our Endless Numbered Days," and while the plot of her new novel is very different it's just about as dark. Don't be fooled by the cheerful cover -- it's mostly about the inner workings of a failing marriage, which doesn't sound like something I'd normally pick up but Fuller is a talented writer and it definitely held my interest.

Then I plowed through the psychological thriller "Gone Without A Trace," which releases tomorrow. I saw going in that it had mixed reviews and, since thrillers have not been my thing lately, I would've skipped it if I hadn't committed months ago to reading an ARC. Sadly, this book continued my downhill streak with thrillers and -- unless you really, really enjoy the genre -- I wouldn't recommend it. (Uninspired writing, formulaic plot, predictable, weird...)

Yesterday I started the first book in the graphic novel series "March," about the civil rights movement, by Congressman John Lewis. It's a super-short book and I should be done quickly; then it's on to "Exit West" by Mohsin Hamid, a new book I've been looking forward to for a while!



Crafting: I didn't do any knitting this week, but I did start on a project for work, a wreath made out of paper leaves.

Watching: We finally watched "Moana" and it was so cute! Definitely fun to see while living in Hawaii. We also watched this week's "Designated Survivor" and an "Elementary" from a couple weeks ago. And while Jarrod was at his Saturday-night poker game, Alohi got her first introduction to Harry Potter! I've been craving a Potter movie and I chose "Half-Blood Prince" because I've seen most of the others more recently. If Alohi were under the Sorting Hat, I'm 100% positive she'd be put in Gryffindor!

I'm excited to start watching "The White Princess" on Starz, based on Philippa Gregory's book. I haven't read the novel (I haven't picked up anything by her in a few years) but I loooooved "The White Queen" miniseries and I'm excited to watch the sequel.

Listening to: "In Cold Blood" by alt-J.



Looking forward to: Beginning an embroidery project! The three kits I mentioned on my MM post last week arrived and I'm excited to choose one and get started.

*I'm linking up with Kathryn of Book Date for It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

17 comments:

  1. Happy Easter! Now that is an Easter puppy!

    http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-book-fair-is-over-and-library.html

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  2. I intend to read the March series but don't know if it will actually happen before I retire. My days are really filling up now that the end of the school year is in sight. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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    1. The trilogy is definitely something you could squeeze in! The books only take an hour or two to read a piece.

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  3. I love Alohi Bunny! Glad she is getting a proper intro to Harry Potter. Glad I skipped Without a Trace. I just saw the author of "The Couple Next Door" has a new book out and I kind of credit her first book with my thriller slump and know you didn't care for it either so I skipped requesting it as well. I'm reading an ARC of "About a Dog" right now. I usually don't do strictly romance but it has a little pit/boxer mix named Tulip so I couldn't resist. Plus it's by one of my favorite cozy mystery authors.

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    1. A boxer mix! I'll definitely have to look that one up.

      Yeah, I think -- other than Paula Hawkins' new book -- I'm giving up on thrillers for a while. I'll stick to plain ol' mysteries when I need some crime in my life!

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  4. Glad you liked Swimming Lessons. I thought it was almost (but not quite) as good as Our Endless Numbered Days. Have a wonderful week. (Your dog is so darling!)

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    1. Agreed... "Our Endless Numbered Days" had that little shocker at the end! I'm happy to say Claire Fuller has now reached auto-read status for me.

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  5. Alohi is SO CUTE and is definitely growing!!!

    I NEED to watch Moana soon!

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    1. I know how much you like Hawaii, so I'm pretty sure "Moana" is right up your alley!

      I can't believe how fast Alohi is growing... I wish she'd just slow down a bit! She's already about four times bigger than when we brought her home, and she's now in the teething/terrible twos phase.

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  6. I've been living for your puppy photos on Instagram, she's such a sweetie! <3

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    1. Thanks, Jane! Isn't she just darling? (Except for that 49% of the time she's being a holy terror! At least she looks cute while she's being naughty.)

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  7. I have the entire March trilogy sitting on my TBR table. I can't' wait to start it!

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    1. I started the second volume today and it's even better! I like how it's a fresh way to present a well-known topic.

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  8. I've read March: Book One and I have the remainder of the trilogy at home to read.

    I'm back from my trip. It didn't turn out as planned but we had fun. Come see what we did and what I read.

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    1. I'm enjoying March! I started book 2 today (I forgot my other book at home and needed something for my lunch break) and it's even better than the first!

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  9. Your puppy is grown so fast. So glad you enjoyed The Dry. It is sitting on my stacks.

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