Here's a quick update on what I've been reading and watching lately.
I'm currently reading . . .
No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister - Touching and thought-provoking novel that explores an aspiring author and her debut novel, and all the different ways it affects her and several very different personalities that read it.
A Certain Darkness by Anna Lee Huber - finally starting on the next Verity Kent mystery. Verity and her husband Sidney are both called upon to investigate murders, one in France and the other in Belgium, and they begin to see that the cases may be connected after all. This one's been sidelined while I finished a review novel and while I've been more focused on No Two Persons, since it's a library book.
A Holiday By Gaslight by Mimi Matthews - A Christmas novella from an author I really like, so obviously this is what's happening on my Kindle right now. Sophie decides to turn away her suitor because she can't connect with any emotion in him, but little does she know that Ned is only trying to live up to the expectations that a gentleman should be reserved and formal. I have a feeling they'll get together after all, don't you?
Up Next . . . On the TBR stack . . .
Last month I said I didn't know what would be next, and this month my story is the same. Here we are nearing the end of the year, and I'm nowhere close to finishing the reading challenges, so it's not like if I just read a couple specific titles I'll get it done. There's plenty on my TBR list, and more than a few books on the TBR stack on my bedside table, so I'll see how it goes and not pin myself down.
I finished reading . . .
Monet For Nothing by PJ Fitzsimmons - The unflappable flapper Teddy Quillfeather starts off agreeing to smuggle a piece of art from France to England for her friends, but as usually happens in her world, things escalate quickly. She winds up sorting out forgeries and fraud, missing paintings and copies, and a very unlikely heist. Very entertaining cozy! (Read my review HERE)
I've been watching . . .
We've been watching hockey and some Christmas-themed movies. I haven't watched that many yet, but we've check The Polar Express off the list. We watched one from the mid-80s called Santa Claus: The Movie which wasn't too bad. We've had some of the Hallmark variety playing though I don't pay much attention to them, since the storylines do tend to fall into a couple of very predictable categories! I'm sorry to say I don't remember the ending (though I could guess) because I did doze off partway through it. I was super excited to find a version of A Christmas Carol I remember from the early 80s (I checked - it came out in 1979) that I haven't seen in ages - An American Christmas Carol, starring Henry Winkler in the "Scrooge" character role. It was one I fell in love with when I first saw it, and back when I wanted it on DVD I couldn't find it, so when I spotted it on the Amazon Prime playlist I was thrilled! But also a little worried that it wouldn't live up to my possibly idealized memory. Well, no worries. It did. I loved it again and highly recommend.
I've been listening to . . .
Holiday music! Haven't quit on the podcasts, but the balance has been tipped in favor of tunes both festive and nostalgic. I love a mix of true classics (like Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra), more recent "classics" (Michael W Smith, Amy Grant, etc), and modern takes on the classics by rock and pop artists. There's not many holiday songs I truly dislike, and I'm not going to say what they are since it's sure to hurt someone's feelings.
On my blogs recently . . .
Besides the reviews, here on Just A Second you'll find:
Besides the reviews, here on Just A Second you'll find:
On my main coffee break project, A Fresh Cup of Coffee:
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What are you reading?
This post may be linked at What's On Your Bookshelf? #whatsonyourbookshelfchallenge hosted by Deb's World, and/or at the weekly reading list meme hosted at Book Date.
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Hi Kym, thanks for joining us with your list of books. I've not heard of any of them so you've given me something to think about with the titles!
ReplyDeleteI adore the title Manet For Nothing... very clever indeed. Thanks for linking up with us.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad The American Christmas Carol stood the test of time for you! I read (and listened to) Henry Winkler's memoir a month ago and it was so fun to hear him recounting stories of all the work he's done through the years.
ReplyDeleteAlso, No Two Persons sounds so intriguing. I'm going to look that one up. Thanks for sharing your list!
ReplyDeleteThese sound great. I'll have to check out the American Christmas Carol. One of our favorite movies with him is called The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...it's a little cheesy but it's cute!
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