titsay
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Monterey Bay Aquarium
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Cosmic Funnies
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
almost home
Kiana Khansmith
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taylor price
★
Noah Kahan
if i look back, i am lost
PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH
I'd rather be in outer space 🛸
$LAYYYTER
@theartofmadeline
The Stonewall Inn
Game Changer & Make Some Noise
macklin celebrini has autism
seen from Spain
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@bookcottageblog-blog
The Rural Diaries
The Rural Diaries Love, Livestock, and Big Life Lessons Down on Mischief Farm by Hilarie Burton Morgan
I’ve seen Hilarie Burton in a bunch of TV shows and Hallmark Christmas movies; and of course I’m familiar with her husband, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, from shows like “Supernatural” and “The Walking Dead”, so I was intrigued when I saw the title of her book and thought it would be interesting to…
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Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This was entertaining, in a “VH1 Behind the Music” kind of way (does that still exist?).
The book is set up as interviews with members of the band – The Six, Daisy Jones, record execs, and various friends and family. It kept me entertained, but nothing too surprising as the interviews describe what most people would think of a typical rock bank – drugs and sex and more drugs. But there is…
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The Song of the Jade Lily by Kirsty Manning
The Song of the Jade Lily by Kirsty Manning
The Song of the Jade Lily by Kirsty Manning
This is definitely a “go run right out and get this book now”! This book made my heart break. The story is gorgeous, and painful, and it felt so real. It’s about friendship and love, and fighting for all that you love – and living through things that can either make you or break you. I could not put it down, and it definitely got me out of my…
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Just a quick post today to talk about a new book, that’s really an old friend.
Throughout the years I’ve gone back and forth trying to pinpoint how, and why, I became a “reader”. What was it that made me love books so much?
As a small child I remember my mother reading to my sister and me; in fact, I still have a photo of the three of us sitting on the living room sofa, a book in my mother’s lap. As I learned to read myself, I read everything in sight. I would pore over the backs of cereal boxes as I crunched my Cheerios, and every new school year I would read my English books and Social Studies & History books – cover to cover – within the first week. I was also very lucky to have a full set of encyclopedias to pick up and read at random, and learn about anything that caught my eye that day – I think that was probably the beginning of my love of research.
But what was it that turned me from reading things in snippets and bits & pieces, to someone who loved holding a book, and disappearing into a full-fledged story? Well, I think I have finally figured it out – I know where it all began, and like all great stories, it begins with…
Once upon a time – I was introduced to my school library. Now I can’t remember how old I was, only that it was a long, long time ago, but the first book that I checked out of that small school library was “Black Beauty” by Anna Sewell. I’m not even sure how I found it, but I can bet it was because it had a picture of a horse on the cover. What I do remember, however, was that I fell in love with the story; and I read it over and over throughout my childhood.
Narrated by Black Beauty himself, the book chronicles all of the good times, the adventures, and even the bad times of his life. I can vividly remember how this book – for the first time – made me feel emotions about a fictional character (and a horse, no less) that was brought to life in the pages of a book. I think that’s when it clicked! Books could bring me to places that I would never visit; introduce me to characters that feel like friends; and put me in the middle of a mystery that I can solve along with the amateur sleuth. Books truly opened up my world. And it all began with a book about a horse.
So, what prompted me to think back to my fond memories of Black Beauty? It was a simple Facebook post from The Folio Society. They just issued their beautiful new version of Black Beauty, and I knew I had to add it to my collection – because as weird as this seems – I never actually owned the book. It was always a book that I borrowed from the library. But, that has been remedied, and I’d like you to take a look at this gorgeous version of my beloved “Black Beauty”
So what was your moment? What was that first book that clicked – that made you realize that the love of reading was with you forever? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Happy Reading!
For the Love of Reading! Just a quick post today to talk about a new book, that's really an old friend. …
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - For Hallmark Christmas Movies
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – For Hallmark Christmas Movies
Autumn has finally taken hold; the leaves are falling and the air is cool and crisp – time for Halloween, right? Well, yes, but it’s also my favorite time of the year for those wonderfully sappy Hallmark Christmas movies.
I know for some its quite a bit early, but I just can’t help myself – I love them! And apparently a lot of other people do to – let’s look at the press release from Hallmark…
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Tangerine by Christine Mangan
Tangerine by Christine Mangan
Tangerine By Christine Mangan Published by Ecco
I found this book pretty enjoyable, even if I didn’t like any of the characters – not one. It was just twisty enough that I had to keep reading to find out what happened in the past, as told from two different points of view, and what was about to happen. It was like one of those really annoying MTV reality TV shows that you just can’t stop…
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The Balcony by Jane Delury
The Balcony by Jane Delury
The Balcony by Jane Delury Published by Little, Brown and Company
When I browse through the book store and I pick up a book that I had never heard of, it’s always a leap of faith whether or not it’s the book for me. The only thing that I have to go by is the blurb on the cover. This one was a bit deceiving. These were loosely related stories – many of which had nothing to do with “The…
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Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano
Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano
Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions (An Auntie Poldi Adventure – Book 1) By Mario Giordano Translator: John Brownjohn Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
I’m always so reluctant to post an unfavorable review, and to date I don’t think that I’ve had to. This one may be my first.
There were a few things that I liked when I was deciding whether or not to buy it. First, the protagonist was…
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Giveaway! Found myself with an extra copy of The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin, so I'm having a giveaway. Any follower of this blog is automatically entered to win. I'll choose one person at random on Saturday, Sept 8th.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman Published by: Pamela Dorman Books
Eleanor Oliphant is a bit of an odd duck – to say the least!
Eleanor Oliphant struggles with what most people would think of as typical social skills, and has no problem saying exactly what she thinks. Ouch!
She has little to no interactions with other people, and as far as Eleanor is concerned – that’s just…
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The Versatile Blogger Award
The Versatile Blogger Award
I’m doing something really different here. As a new blogger it’s pretty difficult to find new followers, so when one of my favorite bloggers posted her own nomination for the “Versatile Blogger Award”, and kindly nominated all of her fellow bloggers, well I had to join in – even though it’ almost a week old.
So a great big THANK YOU to Darque Dream Reads for allowing me to have some fun too! So,…
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The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir by Jennifer Ryan
I just posted my review for “The Chilbury Ladies Choir”. I really enjoyed this charming book.
The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir by Jennifer Ryan Published by Crown Publishing Group
I love when a book of fiction takes something from fact and teaches me something that I didn’t know. Of course, throughout history people have kept journals and correspondence – that’s how we know of things that happened in our past, without the benefit of TV and social media. What I didn’t know was that the British…
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The Girl Who Takes An Eye for An Eye by David Lagercrantz
The Girl Who Takes An Eye for An Eye by David Lagercrantz
The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye by David Lagercrantz Published by Knopf
I just love this series!
It’s been almost 10 years since I read the first book, and learned that Stieg Larsson died before the publication of his Millennium series trilogy. I figured that was it. I would enjoy the three books, and move on. But luckily for me, and many others, that wasn’t the end. This book continues…
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The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines with Mark Dagostino Published by Thomas Nelson
I have a confession – I never heard of Chip and Joanna Gaines, or their HGTV show Fixer Upper, until they were well into their 4th season.
In the early days of HGTV I was an avid viewer, it was a fun network that was all about what their network call letters stood for – Home and Garden. But then it got into the reality TV mode, and shows started to become more about flipping homes, and other formats that focused on home owners, and not the home. The decorating shows that I loved were gone – so I stopped watching. Second confession – I really, really don’t like reality TV!
But then I kept hearing about this married couple who had a show called Fixer Upper; and apparently they had quite a following. My curiosity was piqued, so when HGTV ran a marathon one Saturday afternoon, I decided to give it a shot. Confession number three – I fell in love! The show is just that good! Chip and Joanna Gaines are smart, talented, and obviously have a wonderful relationship.
Watching the show, you get a pretty good sense of who they are – but how did they get there? This book tells the story of how Chip and Joanna fell in love, married, started flipping houses, started a family, and built their business and their brand. Their story is an inspiration – not on how they became savvy business owners, they’ve had their ups and downs on that front; and not on how they became TV stars, because that almost didn’t happen.
What’s so inspirational about this couple is how they believe in each other, how they prop each other up when the chips are down (no pun intended), and how they work through their problems knowing that whatever happens, they are stronger together. At first they appear to be complete polar opposites, but as you read their story, you realize that they aren’t that different. They have the same drive and work ethic to get things done and to succeed. They just seem to go about a little bit differently. Chip is comical and outgoing; Joanna is quiet and an introvert – for them, it was a match made in heaven. I loved reading about their early days, and how Joanna explains that she herself couldn’t even explain the attraction that she had for someone so boisterous.
I really enjoyed this little peek into their lives; their lows – how Chip’s dogs caused him to be arrested; Joanna telling the story of coming home after their idyllic honeymoon, only to find herself sleeping on the floor with a carpet stinking of dog urine; and how they almost lost everything. And their highs – how they rebounded back from the brink of bankruptcy; and how a houseboat gave them the opportunity to have their own TV show.
This book is a pretty quick read, narrated by Joanna (with Chip jumping in), as they each tell their story in the same funny and heartwarming way that they display on Fixer Upper. If you’re a fan of the show, this book is a must!
Next up on my Chip and Joanna Gaines reading list – Chip’s new book “Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff”, and Joanna’s new design book, which isn’t out yet, but I certainly plan on getting a copy.
If you’re interested in learning more about Chip and Joanna Gaines, check out their website: https://magnoliamarket.com/ and their TV show on HGTV, which is about to go into its 5th season, http://www.hgtv.com/shows/fixer-upper.
The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines with Mark Dagostino The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines with Mark Dagostino Published by Thomas Nelson I have a confession – I never heard of Chip and Joanna Gaines, or their HGTV show Fixer Upper, until they were well into their 4th season.
84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff Published by Penguin Books
For such a tiny little book, at only 97 pages, this book packs a nice little punch. It’s such a sweet collection of letters, chronicling the friendship between Hanff and Frank Doel, a bookseller for Marks & Co., at 84 Charing Cross Road.
Hanff, best known for this book, and as a writer for some early television, writes her first…
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Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin
Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin
Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin Published by Little, Brown and Company
What if Germany and Japan had been victorious in World War II?
What if you were able to change your appearance at will? Not just hair color or with make-up; what if you could completely change – hair, eyes, height, voice, everything.
What if you had the opportunity to kill Adolf Hitler?
It’s 1944, and Yael is crowded with her…
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Bucky F*cking Dent by David Duchovny
Bucky F*cking Dent by David Duchovny
Bucky F*cking Dent by David Duchovny Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Sometimes when I sit down to write a blog post about a book, I find the most difficult part is the opening. This one is no different, but it will also likely be one of the most difficult to put into words. Don’t get me wrong, I really liked the book – but trying to describe why I liked it is not so easy.
First of all,…
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