I'm so glad your "small, controlled explosion" (this image makes me laugh) is going well. That's got to feel amazing.
I've been hearing so much hype about "All the Colors of the Dark" too. I'm number 410 on the Libby waiting list, so I think the hype is spreading ;). I just finished "The Midnight Feast" by Lucy Foley (super fun) and "Good in Bed" by Jennifer Weiner (I've read a lot of her recent stuff, but not the older books). While some aspects of "Good in Bed" haven't aged well at all, I always appreciate her characters' perspectives on living in a larger body. Being perimenopausal and always apple-shaped to boot, I'm having to find my way in a new body during the last few years, and I love reminders that you can be strong and healthy and loved even if your body doesn't measure up to worldly standards.
Woo hoo for the writing going so well. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! I plant flowers in pots and they're not doing well this summer. We are already in triple digit heat and we desperately need rain. I planted sunflowers and hardly any of them sprouted. And the ones that did? Oof, thy look sad. Petunias are still flowering but the plants themselves are a little scraggly. Vinca is doing surprisingly well. This is the 3rd summer for trees and bushes and they are all doing quite well.
My literary garden floweth over! My TBR continues to grow but I'm not reading as much this month. I've been busier but there are days I have to force myself to read. It'll turn around I'm sure!
They're the same I've been planting. I talked to someone else who said a lot of their sunflower seeds didn't sprout either. I planted mine later this year than last year so that might be why.
Cheers to controlled explosions! I’m not good with plants at all. Animals I can keep alive, a flower/plant not so much.. I killed an aloe in less than 2 months. 😂 I am officially on summer break!!!! I may be spending my first day off as a couch potato… I finished the amazing What You Leave Behind by Wanda Morris this week. And I’m about to start The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean.
My sunflowers and basil are fantastic… but everything else is a bit abysmal right now. Plenty of cucumber blooms but no fruit, yet. I think my green bean seeds were duds. And strawberries are done until maybe late august or early September when things cool down. It’s my tomatoes and peppers, though, making me the saddest… so few there are growing!
I cackled about the Bridgerton into Pacific Rim scenario. I can’t tell you how many times this has happened to me with various soundtracks, and I’m always amused by how long it takes me to realize it when I’m in flow.
I’ve got so many books on my Kindle from Libby right now (and lots of holds about to open up, so I’ve got my work cut out for me.) I’m reading my boys THE VANDERBEEKERS ON 141st STREET, finishing up (on my own) Cara Bastone’s READY OR NOT, and I think I may start Caroline O’Donoghue’s THE RACHEL INCIDENT next!
Sounds like you're doing better than me. This weather is not conducive to great gardening, I don't think. Great books to be reading with your boys!!! My Libby is overwhelmed and I've given up for now.
I picked up Alex Finlay's book, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME, but I'm only about 15% into it. Only because I don't have the time right now, not because it isn't compelling. We thought about building a few planter boxes, but my two thumbs are not green, and they're called death and destruction. Just ask all the houseplants I've killed over the years. Plus, I'm not sure what is conducive to grow in the Texas heat.
As for the intensity of your writing, I'm all for it. I love fast paced thrillers.
I made your Harry Salad this week while the hubs, who's allergic to shellfish, was travelling for work. Kids mostly loved it, but I have questions.
1. what are spring beans? I blanched green beans instead. (According to youngest, I should've blanched them longer. The boy loved them the way they were.)
2. Is it a warm salad or cold one? (Youngest thought it should be warm)
3. Are the shrimp already cooked like in a cocktail way or are they grilled? (The boy thought them being grilled was the best way to do it.)
I, too, am not a fan of tomatoes but I love to drink spicy tomato juice when I fly. Go figure. And we all adored the salad dressing.
Ooooh, OK. Might need to go update the recipe, yeah?
It's a cold salad. I use French green beans, the thin ones. I boil them for 3-4 minutes until they're bright green, then dunk into cold ice water, just like cooking asparagus. The shrimp are already cooked and chopped. Grilling or pan-frying is fine, but ice them down like you do for a shrimp cocktail.
Alex is a great writer. He's got a knack for the thriller, for sure.
Our basil is EXPLODING. Last year, it grew really tall. This year, it's grown vertically from when we potted it, but it's also expanded outward to basically dominate the pot it's currently in. I foresee a lot of pasta sauce and Caprese sandwiches in the weeks ahead (not that I'm complaining...).
I got a different kind of pepper this year, and it's flavorful but not spicy at all. Swing and a miss. I wanted some heat.
On the literary front, my book garden is bursting at the seams, but this is nothing new. Currently reading IT'S ONE OF US. :)
My rosemary has been the star this year. The basic is happy, and I've definitely harvested some and will do more this weekend. The rosemary - HOLY COW. I have no idea how to harvest it all.
I have All The Colors of the Dark as well but have not read it yet. My boss "just finished The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz. It's the... sequel to The Plot and it was so good!! Super twisty and suspenseful." Another coworker says "Currently loving Sandwich by Catherine Newman- it's funny, full of menopausal rage and humor, has absolutely perfect observations of family dynamics, a breezy Cape Cod vacation setting, and it's also very moving." We have a channel in Teams for what we're reading and what we're watching.
This is my list for the week:
Head Cases by John McMahon
The Mad Women's Ball by Victoria Mas
The Memorist by M.J. Rose
Middle of the Night by Riley Sager
There Is No Ethan: How Three Women Caught America's Biggest Catfish by Anna Akbari
Oh I WANT that book!!! The Plot took me forever to get into but once I did I couldn't put it down. Sandwich is supposed to be great... gotta add that one in. And Riley's newest!!! Is it terribly scary?
I think your vivid imagination might not want to read Riley’s book. It’s thriller-esque but has a Stephen King or Dean Koontz feel. I love it so far. Very creepy.
Just finished Funny Story and loved it. I just ordered All The Colors of the Dark. I’m off this week so I’m looking forward to having time carved out to read it.
Our literally garden is small this year but we've managed to get some tomatoes, peppers, and herbs out of it! We finished Dark Matter this week. I didn't love it but I'm glad I watched instead of reading the book.
Hey, good job! I am always impressed by anyone who can do useable gardening. The book was pretty good, though a bit mind-bending. Blake's done a good job with the adaption.
We live in the country and my hubby has a huge area for a garden...but he quickly found out it's a LOT of work. Now he just plants lettuce and tomatoes and then goes to his brothers house down the road for everything else..lol
Emily Henry is so good and I can't wait to see her books hit the big screen and Netflix!
I stumbled upon CRASHING THE A LIST by Summer Heacock. It was a very entertaining rom-com with an interesting story line. I then saw the author had another book THE AKWARD PATH TO GETTING LUCKY. This book was a little out there in terms of subject matter, but it was super funny with a romance.
I just started A NOVEL LOVE STORY by Ashley Poston. Her books are so unique. A huge book lover takes a wrong turn during a storm and ends up in a fictional town based on her favorite book...love the premise!
We're in full prep mode for our 2 grandkids from MO coming to visit starting 7/4....and they'll be here for just over a week?!? Their parents are taking a solo trip for their anniversary. They're 4 and 7 and I'm sure they'll keep us busy!
Here in Southeast Nebraska it's all about flooding due to heavy rains to the north. It sounds like it won't be quite as bad as they thought in our area but Sioux City got hit hard!
I'm glad you won't be hit as hard, but I sure feel for Sioux City. I'd seen Summer's books a few years back but had never gotten around to reading them. I'll have pick up Crashing the A list when I get back to more reading. Have a fun time with your grandkids.
I'm so glad your "small, controlled explosion" (this image makes me laugh) is going well. That's got to feel amazing.
I've been hearing so much hype about "All the Colors of the Dark" too. I'm number 410 on the Libby waiting list, so I think the hype is spreading ;). I just finished "The Midnight Feast" by Lucy Foley (super fun) and "Good in Bed" by Jennifer Weiner (I've read a lot of her recent stuff, but not the older books). While some aspects of "Good in Bed" haven't aged well at all, I always appreciate her characters' perspectives on living in a larger body. Being perimenopausal and always apple-shaped to boot, I'm having to find my way in a new body during the last few years, and I love reminders that you can be strong and healthy and loved even if your body doesn't measure up to worldly standards.
Isn’t it great that we are *finally* talking openly and with love about our bodies???? And about menopause? So helpful.
Yessss!!!! So long overdue.
Woo hoo for the writing going so well. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! I plant flowers in pots and they're not doing well this summer. We are already in triple digit heat and we desperately need rain. I planted sunflowers and hardly any of them sprouted. And the ones that did? Oof, thy look sad. Petunias are still flowering but the plants themselves are a little scraggly. Vinca is doing surprisingly well. This is the 3rd summer for trees and bushes and they are all doing quite well.
My literary garden floweth over! My TBR continues to grow but I'm not reading as much this month. I've been busier but there are days I have to force myself to read. It'll turn around I'm sure!
Busy is good though. Especially the fresh air. Even if it is a million degrees.
I’m wondering if the seeds weren’t as robust this year????
They're the same I've been planting. I talked to someone else who said a lot of their sunflower seeds didn't sprout either. I planted mine later this year than last year so that might be why.
Mine went mad as seedlings and then petered out.
The ones that sprouted look very, very sad right now. LOL
Cheers to controlled explosions! I’m not good with plants at all. Animals I can keep alive, a flower/plant not so much.. I killed an aloe in less than 2 months. 😂 I am officially on summer break!!!! I may be spending my first day off as a couch potato… I finished the amazing What You Leave Behind by Wanda Morris this week. And I’m about to start The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean.
I have that book on my ladder. Let me know. It looks great!
I’m okay at the animals too l. 😂
My sunflowers and basil are fantastic… but everything else is a bit abysmal right now. Plenty of cucumber blooms but no fruit, yet. I think my green bean seeds were duds. And strawberries are done until maybe late august or early September when things cool down. It’s my tomatoes and peppers, though, making me the saddest… so few there are growing!
I cackled about the Bridgerton into Pacific Rim scenario. I can’t tell you how many times this has happened to me with various soundtracks, and I’m always amused by how long it takes me to realize it when I’m in flow.
I’ve got so many books on my Kindle from Libby right now (and lots of holds about to open up, so I’ve got my work cut out for me.) I’m reading my boys THE VANDERBEEKERS ON 141st STREET, finishing up (on my own) Cara Bastone’s READY OR NOT, and I think I may start Caroline O’Donoghue’s THE RACHEL INCIDENT next!
Sounds like you're doing better than me. This weather is not conducive to great gardening, I don't think. Great books to be reading with your boys!!! My Libby is overwhelmed and I've given up for now.
I picked up Alex Finlay's book, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME, but I'm only about 15% into it. Only because I don't have the time right now, not because it isn't compelling. We thought about building a few planter boxes, but my two thumbs are not green, and they're called death and destruction. Just ask all the houseplants I've killed over the years. Plus, I'm not sure what is conducive to grow in the Texas heat.
As for the intensity of your writing, I'm all for it. I love fast paced thrillers.
I made your Harry Salad this week while the hubs, who's allergic to shellfish, was travelling for work. Kids mostly loved it, but I have questions.
1. what are spring beans? I blanched green beans instead. (According to youngest, I should've blanched them longer. The boy loved them the way they were.)
2. Is it a warm salad or cold one? (Youngest thought it should be warm)
3. Are the shrimp already cooked like in a cocktail way or are they grilled? (The boy thought them being grilled was the best way to do it.)
I, too, am not a fan of tomatoes but I love to drink spicy tomato juice when I fly. Go figure. And we all adored the salad dressing.
Ooooh, OK. Might need to go update the recipe, yeah?
It's a cold salad. I use French green beans, the thin ones. I boil them for 3-4 minutes until they're bright green, then dunk into cold ice water, just like cooking asparagus. The shrimp are already cooked and chopped. Grilling or pan-frying is fine, but ice them down like you do for a shrimp cocktail.
Alex is a great writer. He's got a knack for the thriller, for sure.
As for updating the recipe, you might not need to as I'm not the most knowledgeable cook. It might just be a me issue. Thanks for the clarification.
No, I think those are very legit questions. And I wonder what it might taste like warm? A great variation!
Our basil is EXPLODING. Last year, it grew really tall. This year, it's grown vertically from when we potted it, but it's also expanded outward to basically dominate the pot it's currently in. I foresee a lot of pasta sauce and Caprese sandwiches in the weeks ahead (not that I'm complaining...).
I got a different kind of pepper this year, and it's flavorful but not spicy at all. Swing and a miss. I wanted some heat.
On the literary front, my book garden is bursting at the seams, but this is nothing new. Currently reading IT'S ONE OF US. :)
My rosemary has been the star this year. The basic is happy, and I've definitely harvested some and will do more this weekend. The rosemary - HOLY COW. I have no idea how to harvest it all.
Hope you're enjoying the book!
I have All The Colors of the Dark as well but have not read it yet. My boss "just finished The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz. It's the... sequel to The Plot and it was so good!! Super twisty and suspenseful." Another coworker says "Currently loving Sandwich by Catherine Newman- it's funny, full of menopausal rage and humor, has absolutely perfect observations of family dynamics, a breezy Cape Cod vacation setting, and it's also very moving." We have a channel in Teams for what we're reading and what we're watching.
This is my list for the week:
Head Cases by John McMahon
The Mad Women's Ball by Victoria Mas
The Memorist by M.J. Rose
Middle of the Night by Riley Sager
There Is No Ethan: How Three Women Caught America's Biggest Catfish by Anna Akbari
Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
Oh I WANT that book!!! The Plot took me forever to get into but once I did I couldn't put it down. Sandwich is supposed to be great... gotta add that one in. And Riley's newest!!! Is it terribly scary?
I have only read a few chapters of Riley's. I will report back if I think it's too much for you.
Thank you my dear!
I think your vivid imagination might not want to read Riley’s book. It’s thriller-esque but has a Stephen King or Dean Koontz feel. I love it so far. Very creepy.
Thank you for the heads up!!! 🥰
I loved Dark Matter especially because it takes place in Chicago, where I live. I’ll have to check out the show!
They're doing a good job - Blake adapted, so it's true to his vision.
Just finished Funny Story and loved it. I just ordered All The Colors of the Dark. I’m off this week so I’m looking forward to having time carved out to read it.
Send me some of your down time please and thank you! I can't wait to have a few days off to just read. Getting close!
Our literally garden is small this year but we've managed to get some tomatoes, peppers, and herbs out of it! We finished Dark Matter this week. I didn't love it but I'm glad I watched instead of reading the book.
Hey, good job! I am always impressed by anyone who can do useable gardening. The book was pretty good, though a bit mind-bending. Blake's done a good job with the adaption.
We live in the country and my hubby has a huge area for a garden...but he quickly found out it's a LOT of work. Now he just plants lettuce and tomatoes and then goes to his brothers house down the road for everything else..lol
Emily Henry is so good and I can't wait to see her books hit the big screen and Netflix!
I stumbled upon CRASHING THE A LIST by Summer Heacock. It was a very entertaining rom-com with an interesting story line. I then saw the author had another book THE AKWARD PATH TO GETTING LUCKY. This book was a little out there in terms of subject matter, but it was super funny with a romance.
I just started A NOVEL LOVE STORY by Ashley Poston. Her books are so unique. A huge book lover takes a wrong turn during a storm and ends up in a fictional town based on her favorite book...love the premise!
We're in full prep mode for our 2 grandkids from MO coming to visit starting 7/4....and they'll be here for just over a week?!? Their parents are taking a solo trip for their anniversary. They're 4 and 7 and I'm sure they'll keep us busy!
Here in Southeast Nebraska it's all about flooding due to heavy rains to the north. It sounds like it won't be quite as bad as they thought in our area but Sioux City got hit hard!
So glad you're okay. Flooding is no joke. The videos have been scary as heck. I love the premise of Novel Love Story. Sounds adorable and fun!!
Have the best time with the babies! And stay dry, okay???
I'm glad you won't be hit as hard, but I sure feel for Sioux City. I'd seen Summer's books a few years back but had never gotten around to reading them. I'll have pick up Crashing the A list when I get back to more reading. Have a fun time with your grandkids.