WEEKLY UPDATES: BLOGGIESTA, READING, & SKYPE CHATTING…

On By Laurel-Rain SnowIn Weekly Updates

Good morning! Today’s post will link up to The Sunday Salon, The Sunday Post and Stacking the Shelves, for weekly updates.

**Mailbox Monday is hosted at the home site: Mailbox Monday.

And let’s join Kathryn, our leader in It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?, at Book Date.

 

What a week!  Two out of three of the books I read and reviewed were great fiction.  The third book was nonfiction, and had to be swallowed in small bites only.

I managed to start off the weekend with a wonderful 2-1/2 hour Skype chat with my eldest son, who lives in Prague.  It was an uplifting experience, as we needed a major catch up on life and events.  Here is a recent photo of him with Gabi, his wife (right) and Aubrey, my granddaughter (left), who just finished her Prague semester there.

 

The week was devoted mainly to reading and blogging…Bloggiesta begins next weekend, February 3-4,  but I’ve already made progress with my blog tasks.  I’ve chosen An Interior Journey as the primary blog to “fix,” but I’ve given facelifts to some of my other blogs, too.

So…let’s grab more coffee and take a closer look at last week…

 

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Sunday Potpourri:  Books, Netflix, & a Family Tree…

Mini-Bloggiesta:  Sign-Up Post

Rainy Day Excerpts:  “Lie With Me”

Tuesday Potpourri:  New Book Release Tuesday!

A Week of Lovely Books…

Coffee Chat:  Books, Bloggiesta, & Netflix

Thursday Potpourri:  Blogging & Reading Experiences…

Bookish Friday:  “The Sixth Window”

Review:  Seeing Red (e-book), by Sandra BrownReview:  The Great Alone (e-book), by Kristin Hannah (NetGalley – 2/6)Review:  Fire & Fury (e-book), by Michael Wolff

 INCOMING BOOKS: (Titles/Covers Linked to Amazon)
No books came in my physical mailbox!  However, I received a NetGalley e-ARC…and then I downloaded two purchased e-books.

After Anna (e-book), by Lisa Scottoline – NetGalley – 4/10/18

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Purchased Downloads:

Fates & Furies (e-book), by Lauren Groff

The Wife (e-book), by Alafair Burke

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WHAT’S NEXT?

The Almost Sisters (e-book), by Joshilyn Jackson

Promise Not to Tell (e-book), by Jayne Ann Krentz

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That was my week…what did yours look like?  Take a peek at a delicious dessert I enjoyed last weekend…Key Lime Pie…
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78 thoughts on “WEEKLY UPDATES: BLOGGIESTA, READING, & SKYPE CHATTING…”

  1. The Cue Card

    I’m one of the first comments, wahoo! You had a great reading week last week, wow. I thought you had already gotten to Lauren Groff’s book which is a doozy for sure. Not too likable that husband & wife & marriage, but quite an experience, ha yikes. I look forward to hearing if you like The Wife too. Enjoy your week.

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    1. Thanks, Susan, I had my eye on Fates & Furies when it first came out, but got sidetracked…and then I was watching Grace and Frankie on Netflix and saw Jane Fonda’s character reading it! LOL. I had to download it immediately.

      I enjoyed The Ex, by Burke, so I’d been waiting for The Wife. Enjoy your week!

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  2. Greg Hill

    Ooh nice that you got to catch up with your son and family in Prague! That must have been really nice. And good luck with Bloggiesta!!

    After Anna and Fates and Furies both look promising.

    Key lime pie! Looks delish…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Greg, because of the time difference between here and Prague, our little Skype visits don’t always work out this well. Schedules, etc., so I was very happy to catch the window of time today.

      After Anna was a lovely NetGalley surprise…every once in a while I’ll get an approval letter for a book I want.

      I always enjoy Key Lime pie. Thanks for visiting, and enjoy your week!

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  3. Literary Feline

    I am so glad you had a nice visit with your son via Skype. What a beautiful family! I wish I could participate in Bloggeista. I could use a big chunk of time to focus just on my blog. Maybe in mid-February. Your new books look good! I do enjoy Lisa Scottoline, Alafair Burke, and Joshilyn Jackson. I hope you have a great week, Laurel-Rain!

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    1. Thanks, Wendy, I do miss seeing my son and his wife, and it has already been two years since they last visited. He promises to come more often from here on out.

      I am very excited about the newest Scottoline, as I didn’t even know she had one coming out. That fact reminded me that I needed to bring out another of her books that I haven’t yet read.

      I know that your life is a lot busier than mine, so blog improvements probably work best whenever you can manage them.

      Enjoy your week!

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  5. How nice that you were able to catch up with your son! I did the same with my mom on Friday – we had a long, nice videochat, and it was almost as if we had our morning coffee together 🙂
    That keylime cake looks fantastic! I love lime / lemon in cakes, it just makes them so much more interesting as those aren’t only sweet.
    Have a wonderful week ahead and happy reading, Laurel-Rain!

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    1. Thanks, Lexxie, technology can be wonderful! When my mom was still alive, we only had the telephone, but that was better than not connecting at all.

      I like the lime flavor, too, and may have to have some today again! Thanks for visiting.

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    1. Thanks, Deb, and technology does have some wonderful uses. Even FB is a great way to connect with family and friends who live far away when we can’t video chat.

      I do love my books, too, and keep my fingers crossed that my Pippa (Kindle) continues to serve!

      Enjoy your week!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Nai…I was very happy to connect with my son…usually we just see each other on FB, which isn’t the same.

      I am already enjoying Bloggiesta, even though it doesn’t officially start until next weekend. I tend to begin early…lol

      Enjoy your week!

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  8. karireadsandwrites

    Glad you got to skype with your family, and Prague seems like a fantastic place to explore!

    I also have After Anna, as a huge fan of Lisa Scottoline, and read The Almost Sisters, excellent story. Now I want to read The Wife. I don’t think I could handle reading the Fire and Fury, just because…ugh. Enjoy your books– you have some nice ones ahead!

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Kari, and I am excited about my books and my Skype chat with my son.

      As for Fire & Fury, I’m just glad that the book was on my Kindle and I didn’t have to look at his face on that cover…lol.

      Enjoy your week, and I’m really looking forward to The Almost Sisters, which is up next. Have a great week!

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    1. Oh, I know, Evelina…I wish he could be here, but he loves Europe and working there. It all began in the nineties when he did one of his university semesters in London…and from there he went to Ireland, and met people going to Prague…so the expat journey began.

      He has come back occasionally, one time for almost three years, but the kind of life he enjoys can only happen there. He is a writer/photographer and has many connections there.

      And now he has his wife, whom he met in Prague several years ago.

      I might have to have more Key Lime pie today! LOL Have a great week.

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    1. Thanks, Katherine, my granddaughter is the child of my #2son who lives in LA, and we were wondering if she, too, would become an expat like her uncle…LOL. But I also felt sure that she loves California too much to stay in Europe.

      I am really excited about my upcoming reads. Enjoy yours and your week.

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  11. I love the look of that pie – and the wonderful cover on Fates and Furies. It’s wonderful how modern technology allows us to keep in touch with family a long way away – my son is currently in the States, so I’m also appreciative of the likes of Whatsapp and Skype:). Have a great week, Laurel.

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    1. Thanks, Sarah, the pie was delicious…and I loved the Skype chat. If my son didn’t live so far away, I would probably not have even learned how to Skype…LOL. Or do as many technological things as I do.

      Enjoy connecting with your son…and reading your books.

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  13. Yvonne

    I’m so happy for you that you were able to Skype with your son. What a great picture, too.

    Your books look so good. I want to add The Wife to my list.

    Hope you have a great week!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Yvonne, I love seeing the photos of my son and his wife, and their niece Aubrey (my granddaughter!) who was in Prague for a semester.

      I loved The Ex, from Alafair Burke, so I’ve been eagerly awaiting The Wife. Enjoy your week!

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  14. Kathy_A

    I love how current technology can now keep us in touch with our loved ones (faster, easier and cheaper lol). I visited Prague when I was in high school and would love to visit again. The pie looks delicious and I hope you have a great week!

    Liked by 1 person

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  15. fuonlyknew

    How wonderful to catch up with your son. Lovely picture too:) And some great looking new reads. Now, about that pie! LOL I can almost taste it. I love pie of all kinds. Once dreamed of opening a pie shop.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I do love pie, too, Laura…and there is something special about Key Lime pie, IMO. Enjoy your books and your week, and I was so happy to connect via Skype with my son. My eldest, the one who seems most like me in his interests and attitudes.

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  18. Oooh, nothing like a good piece of Key Lime Pie! It’s everywhere down here, but I’ve only had one slice all month… such restraint 😉 Glad you had such a nice long chat with your son. I loved skyping with my daughter when she was in London… my parents still marvel at that technology. Enjoyed your review of Fire & Fury and want to read it, but I have a feeling it would further upset and infuriate me. Not sure I should subject my poor husband to that!

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thanks for visiting, hosting, and for stopping by. I do love Lisa Scottoline…and even found another of her fairly recent books tucked away, which I’ve now brought forward to read soon. Enjoy your week, Kathryn.

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  22. It’s so wonderful we live in a time when we can keep up with loved ones via Skype, isn’t it? I can’t wait to read your thoughts on The Wife – I’m thinking of downloading it when I can. Have a lovely week, Laurel!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Elizabeth, and I am enjoying The Almost Sisters. I don’t like Rachel that much…maybe she will redeem herself at some point. LOL.

      The little old ladies are fun.

      I have three more NetGalley ARCs to read before After Anna is released, so it could be a while. But I’m looking forward to it.

      Have a great week.

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  35. I think Skype is the most wonderful thing, that and FaceTime. We use it to keep in touch with family and friends in the States. I remember when I lived abroad and it was letters and phone calls, not even email!

    Liked by 1 person

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