I have an affiliate relationship with Bookshop.org and Malaprop's Bookstore in beautiful Asheville, NC. I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you purchase merchandise through links on my site. Read more on my affiliate page.
Welcome to my weekly update for March 28, 2021!
My husband and I met his parents at a park for a picnic last Monday. Everyone except me is fully vaccinated and the park was largely empty so it felt pretty safe. It was nice to see them and catch up! We haven’t seen them since Christmas 2019.
I liked the clouds and the color reflected from the sunrise in this picture, taken on my morning walk on Siesta Key.
Posted:
A Blade So Black by L. L. McKinney, read by Jeanette Illidge–3.5 Stars
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory–3 Stars
Read:
Dancing Lessons for the Advanced in Age by Bohumil Hrabal, translated by Michael Henry Heim
Slouch Witch by Helen Harper, read by Tanya Eby
Currently Reading:
Rebel Queen by Michelle Moran
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, read by Kirsten Potter
Spirals in Time: The Secret Life and Curious Afterlife of Seashells by Helen Scales
Reading Challenge Update:
I’m including this in an effort to hold myself accountable. I’ll try to remember to update at the end of each month. Challenge title links go to my personal progress page and host links go to the relevant sign-up page.
- Books in Translation Reading Challenge (hosted here at Introverted Reader) Progress: 1/4
- Southern Literature Reading Challenge (hosted here at Introverted Reader) Progress: 4/7
- New (To You) Narrator Reading Challenge (hosted here at Introverted Reader) Progress: 4/6
- Uncorked Reading Challenge (hosted at The Uncorked Librarian) Progress: 2/12
- Nonfiction Reader Challenge (hosted at Book’d Out) Progress: 5/12
- Diversity Reading Challenge (hosted at Celebrity Readers) General Progress: 10/25; Monthly Progress: 3/12
- Audiobook Reading Challenge (hosted at Caffeinated Reviewer and That’s What I’m Talking About) Progress: 8/20
- Book Voyage: Read Around the World Challenge (hosted at The Book Girls’ Guide) Progress: 3/12
Up Next:
It’s time to start thinking about the books I want to read for my April challenges. Any suggestions for books set on trains other than Murder on the Orient Express? Nothing against Agatha Christie, but I read that book years and years ago.
What did your week look like?
Hosts
Deb Nance at Readerbuzz hosts The Sunday Salon and Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer hosts Sunday Post. Kathryn at Book Date hosts It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
22 Comments
I haven’t read it but I’m assuming The Girl on the Train is set at least partly on a train. I’m not sure if that’s your cup of tea, though, I’m not really sure it’s a genre I would enjoy.
Sounds like a nice visit! We’ve had masked & distanced visits with my parents (they have now been fully vaccinated, but we haven’t even started the process yet) but I really miss longer visits with the entire family. I can’t wait.
How nice to finally see people you haven’t seen for a year! Nice assortment of books too. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
I see Susan suggested Strangers on a Train already. I won a copy of The 6:41 to Paris by Jean-Philippe Blondel several years ago, and all I remember about it was that it was set on a train. I love the title of the book Dancing Lessons for the Advanced in Age!
How lovely that you got to see your in-laws after so long! We’re planning to go to Utah for a big birthday celebration for my father-in-law. It got postponed because of COVID – hopefully, it will be safe to gather in July when we will all have been vaccinated. I get my first dose on Friday.
The only book that’s coming to mind that’s set on a train is STRANGERS ON A TRAIN by Patricia Highsmith. It’s a classic mystery that I’ve been wanting to read but haven’t gotten to yet.
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Your gathering sounds so good! I haven’t seen most of my family since Thanksgiving of 2019.
I am curious about your books on trains, and will want to see what you’ve selected.
Enjoy your week, and here are my WEEKLY UPDATES
So great to hear that you were able to get out and see them! Also love the look of your current reads! Good luck with all of your challenges 🙂
So happy you got to spend time together. Now that she is vaccinated, we see my mother-in-law more. Slouch Witch and Spirals in Time sound good. Hope you enjoy all your books.http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2021/03/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-and_29.html
I got my second shot Friday; felt lousy Saturday evening and fine today. I’m ready to have a social life again. Need to get my son and 16 year old vaccinated; she’s newly eligible Monday.
The visit in the park sounds great and after such a long time of being unable to do so. I’ve heard a lot about Station Eleven but not sure if I’d want to read it.
I’m glad to hear that you were able to gather with family. It will be such a relief when everyone is vaccinated and we can all gather again!
Beautiful picture! Looks so nice there. And glad you guys were able to get together. With vaccinations coming along it finally feels like there might be light at the end of the tunnel…
I wish I had some good trains suggestions. I’m wracking my brain but coming up blank…
Have you already read Confessions on the 7:45? That has a scene on a train… I read Station 11 earlier this year and enjoyed it. That is a great picture at Siesta Key. Makes me feel peaceful 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
How wonderful to spend some time with your in-laws! My brother and his wife are planning to visit in May for my mom’s 88th birthday (we will have had both shots by then) and we can’t wait! We haven’t seen them since Sept. 2019 and I know they’ve been anxious to visit.
I’ll be interested to hear how you like Station Eleven. I listened to the audio when it first came out and didn’t really care for it. Might be one of those books I should have read in print.
Have a good week!
I hope you enjoy Station Eleven.
I’m glad you were able to finally spend time with family after so long!
Congratulations on your challenge progress, Spirals in Time sounds like a great pick for the Oceanography category for the Nonfiction Reader Challenge.
Wishing you a great reading week
I wish I wasn’t so terrified of bugs. Picnics always sound so lovely. But I know I’d end up eating alone, safe inside the car, LOL
That picture is beautiful!
Hi Jen! Glad you could have a catchup with your in-laws. Your beach photo is beautiful! Thanks for sharing that with us!
I see you are busy with Station 11. I loved it! But not everyone did. Let me know if you enjoyed it!
Have a good week and take care of yourself.
Elza Reads
It’s so great that you could visit with your family again! Now that it’s warmer I’ve done a couple of outside, socially distanced visits with friends I haven’t seen in a very long time. So nice! Enjoy your week!
Glad you were able to get out and breathe a bit. I feel grateful that I live practially next to a national park and I can always get out to walk there in peace and quiet! Interested to hear what you think of Station Eleven. I did not think I’d enjoy it but I did.
I’m happy for you that you were finally able to meet family, I haven’t seen my sister for more than a year now. And what a beautiful morning walk you must have to catch such a beautiful and peaceful picture 🙂 Enjoy Station eleven (I read Last night in Montreal last year) and Spirals in time, I’ll be interested to read your reviews 🙂
I am really looking forward to being able to see friends in public and in person. Only a couple more weeks until I am fully vaccinated! I do feel a little nervous about it, to be honest, which I guess is understandable after being hyper careful for over a year.
It is such a satisfying feeling to see people we have not seen in a long while. I’m glad you were able to see your husband’s parents.
I gravitate to books with older characters now, like those in Dancing Lessons for the Advanced in Age. I am eager to read Spirals in Time.
Thanks for the reminder about posting about challenges. I want to stay accountable, too.
I recommend Paul Theroux for several nonfiction books set on trains.
I hope you have a good week, Jen.