Hello book friends! Yes, I'm still around and reading your thoughts and occasionally commenting. It's good to check in and hear what you've been up to and also relate what I've been doing. First the doing - well, pretty much the same with almost no changes. Ha!
I have started working out using our rowing machine on a regular basis. Yes, we have a rowing machine. I'm up to 15 minutes a day and though I haven't used it much in the last couple of years, I'm using it now. Good for building upper body strength. My walking and yoga continue, but I am certainly looking forward to the cedar pollen waning in our area and then I'll be able to get back outside for my walks. Only another few weeks to go.
My reading has been going well. I decided to try to clear some books (i.e. read some books) that were on my actual shelves and also on my Kindle and if I liked them and they kept my interest, I would finish them. If not, out they go. Some are re-reads and some are new to me. I've also been pairing several with the audio version that I can check out at my library and so the story continues whether I am walking or folding clothes or driving. I've also been catching up on a few podcasts. My list of books read is below:
And The Shofar Blew by Francine Rivers - a re-read from a long time ago - enjoyed it again - Christian fiction.
The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers - also a re-read with an Oregon Trail storyline - also Christian fiction.
The Best Of Times by Penny Vincenzi - thought I had read this one before but I don't think so - long book - over 600 pages with lots of characters and much drama.
The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths - I really enjoyed this one, which is good because our mystery group is discussing it this upcoming week. Standalone by Griffiths or standalone at least for now. A 2nd book with the same investigator will be out in March - The Postscript Murders.
The Lies You Told by Harriet Tyce - domestic thriller - a mother who is a barrister and a daughter at a school with lots of drama - held my interest but not many likeable characters.
Reputation by Sara Shepard - author of Pretty Little Liars and about a hacking scandal at a college - multiple points of view - lots of drama again - a fast read for me.
The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous - lots of secrets in this one - definitely can see the influence of the game of Clue - again, it read very fast for me.
Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Molloy - husband in this one is a therapist and someone is listening to his sessions with clients through a vent in the ceiling - lots and lots of twists and upside down moments - took inspiration from a Stephen King book (won't say which, but it wasn't one I cared for) - liked it well enough, but glad to move on to the next book.
And that's it for my reading in January. As I said, our mystery group will be discussing The Stranger Diaries next week and I'm looking forward to hearing what others think.
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Otherwise in life, our daughter got her second vaccine dose yesterday. We suspect it will be quite some time before we're able to get ours, but our county has been doing well with the supply they have been given. Patience is hard in this regard I think, but we know that even after we get it our lives won't be that different. Ah well. I'll just think about spring flowers that will be coming in a few weeks and I'll enjoy sharing some pictures of those when they appear.
Hope you all have a good week and I'll be back in a couple of weeks to share another update. Take care!
That's a lot of good books read in January! Good for you for 'clearing the decks' so to speak. Glad you're doing well. Enjoy your weekend. :)
ReplyDeleteLark, yes, a bunch of good books that I read in January. Different themes and types of books, but enjoyable. And 'clearing the decks' is going to be one of my aims for this year. Feels good to sort through a few things off my shelves and either read them or pass them along so someone else can try them. And thanks for the kind words!
DeleteThat is awesome how well you are doing with your exercise routine! I'm ready for cedar counts to decrease too. And, look at all that reading you've been doing. Wasn't The Stranger Diaries fun? Looking forward to the next one. So glad your daughter got her vaccine. The vaccine roll out seems so disorganized but hopefully we'll start seeing better news in the next month!
ReplyDeleteIliana, I've decided that I really have no excuse for not continuing my exercise routine. Not much else going on and it does pass the time and is also good for me. Ha! Yes, The Stranger Diaries was fun. I'm looking forward to trying the new book after it's published in March. As to the vaccine rollout, yes, a bit disorganized. From what I'm hearing about Williamson County's hubs though, if they had more doses, they could move faster and get more people vaccinated. Patience is something I'm having to remind myself of daily - not for me or my husband so much, but for friends and family who are over 65 and in need of the 'jabs'. One day at a time...
DeleteI was just thinking about this blog of yours and missing you! Glad you popped in. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you are still enjoying your rowing machine. I'm toying with the idea of getting one to supplement our Peloton bike. I think my husband would enjoy rowing more than cycling, so it's a consideration.
Thanks for the reminder about Stranger Diaries. I need to add that to my audio queue. Now that I'm caught up on the Louise Penny series, I've started in on Deborah Crombie's books. The first two are rereads for me, but I'm halfway through A Share in Death and don't remember a thing about it, so it feels new and fresh. I plan to read one or two each month, which I think will be fun!
Take care, my friend.
I am enjoying my rowing machine and I bet Rod would like it. I find it somewhat soothing and I can kind of 'float' away with the rhythm and listening to whatever I've got going - music or book. The Stranger Diaries was fun and I'm hoping others in the group will think so. Enjoy the Crombie books!
DeleteThat's great that you've been finding different ways to exercise! It has been too frigid this week for us to walk outside, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteAngela, I'm finding that I get a bit bored with exercise beyond walking unless I change it up from time to time. So...trying to do that. Sounds like a bunch of us are ready to walk outside.
DeleteIt's good to see you, Kay! Sounds like you're keeping busy and fit(!) with books and audios. I'm doing mostly read/listen combos these days, too, and enjoying the experience. It's also nice getting through the books a little quicker.
ReplyDeleteI borrowed The Stranger Diaries from the library last year, but wasn't able to get to it before it disappeared from my kindle. My sister liked it a lot, too, so maybe I'll have to try again.
Glad you daughter got her second vaccine. My 93 yr old FIL got his first dose last week. My husband is 65 and I'm hoping he can get an appointment soon. I've got a few years to go, so am not sure when my turn will come. As you say, it's not like it will change our lives all that much even with the vaccine. Take care and have a good week.
JoAnn, I think you have been my inspiration to do the read/listen method. I am really liking it for now. Bet you'd like The Stranger Diaries if you're in the mood for a bit of Gothic and a mystery. Glad your FIL got his first dose. My in-laws are still waiting for theirs, but it will hopefully not be much longer.
DeleteYou had a good reading month Kay. Glad you are working out as well.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is getting the Moderna vaccine on Wednesday and then 4 weeks later. I have to wait a bit though, till March I think.
Hope February is a good month for you.
I'm glad to hear of many who are getting the vaccine or who have relatives who are getting it. Our daughter had a bit more discomfort from the second shot, but she was also given the injection at the end of her 12-hour shift and it had been a very, very busy one. She was tired and said she thought that might have contributed. She says she felt much better after 24 hours. And is glad she's done with that.
DeleteYou got through quite a bunch of books! I had a good month of reading myself but going through the books I own and reading them is a long project. I started cleaning out earlier this month, but now we are doing some home improvement projects and have had to move stuff into the room where a lot of books are stored. So right now I can't even get to some of them.
ReplyDeleteI'm envious of your weather...we had four more inches of snow last night. Ugh!
Tina, I often laugh at the idea of reading all the books I own. I suspect I'll never accomplish that goal because it would involve stopping additions to the pile. I'm having fun though. Hope your weather warms soon. And hope your home improvement goes well and you can access your 'hidden' books. Ha!
DeleteYou had a great month! I've read The Stranger Diaries, The Perfect Guests, and Goodnight Beautiful — enjoyed them all. Good for you & your workouts! I try to do inside exercise most days, but I'm looking forward to spring and long walks outside.
ReplyDeleteYes, I can do OK with inside workouts, but I'm really going to be happy to get back outside and do my walks.
DeleteGood for you on the rowing. I like the motion of rowing. It's a good overall workout too. I am still walking. I ended up taking two walks today because the first one with the pup didn't count because I saw too many people and chatted from afar. We are all desperate for conversation I guess.
ReplyDeleteI regret giving away our exercise bike a few years ago. We hardly ever used it back then, but now it would come in handy. The weather has kept us from our walks recently, but hopefully we can resume them again soon.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you got a good amount of reading done in January. I am happy with my reading. I nearly made my Goodreads goal for the year. I am one book shy. ;-)
Have a great February, Kay!
I need to get back to walking. Our weather is pretty much perfect right now. We had lots of rain and even some snow flurries last week, but this week it's been in the upper 60's. Very nice.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed THE STRANGER DIARIES, too. I'm on the waiting list at the library for THE PERFECT GUESTS. THE SCARLET THREAD is one I haven't heard of, but I enjoy pioneer stories so I'll have to check it out.
Looks like you'd a great reading month, Kay! As you already knew, I loved The Stranger Diaries and The Postscript Murders and I'll be curious of your thoughts on the latter.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed that you use the rowing machine daily! We used to have 20 minute sessions at our gym twice a week (pre-Covid) and it was by far my worst exercise, lol! And I wouldn't even get high stats. But I do miss doing it now, if only for the high I get at the end and the feeling of it's getting somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI need to also do what you did - pick a shelf or two and start reading. So many books here that I haven't read yet.
The Stranger Diaries had such interesting characters. I want Griffiths to hurry up and provide me more entertainment from this motley crew!
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. Loved it!
DeleteI agree—loved it!
DeleteI'm so glad your daughter got her 2nd vaccine dose! We probably won't be getting ours for awhile but thankfully we don't really have to go out as my husband can work from home. Honestly even if there wasn't Covid we probably wouldn't be going out all that much with Will's health so it's a little easier to be patient. I have The Stranger Diaries on my TBR. I've listened to a couple of her Max Mephisto books and really liked them. Happy February!
ReplyDeleteI do love reading your notes about books. It's just good to be in touch, period. Good for you for the rowing. Does it hurt your lower back?
ReplyDeleteI have never tried a rowing maching. Looks hard! I haven't had much time for blogging or checking in with work and an ailing older cat. But I added the 2nd Atlee Pine and a Tana French to my Audible list for this month. Big cool down this week. Stay warm!
ReplyDelete