Sunday Post: August 1, 2021

August 1, 2021 Sunday Post 21

The Sunday Post is hosted by the wonderful Kimberly, the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week, take a look ahead, and showcase our new treasures—I mean books!

My Week

The exciting news of the week is that Robin is getting a place of their own, probably by the end of this month! We are starting to pack up the stuff Robin has here (mostly books, a few pieces of furniture, and a few odds and ends.) Sometime in the next few months, we hope to rent a U-Haul and drive it all out to them. But we’re keeping a close eye on the Covid situation, especially after new studies show that vaccinated people can both get and transmit the delta variant. We would have to drive through and stay overnight in several states with sky-high case rates. Although we are very eager to see Robin (it’s been over 18 months!), we will do whatever makes the most sense when the time comes. We really don’t want to give the virus to any of our family out there.

Recent Posts

Looking Ahead

  • The Anatomist’s Wife, by Anna Lee Huber – audiobook review
  • Top Ten Tuesday – tentative
  • WIP Wednesday – tentative
  • Mary Russell’s War, And Other Stories of Suspense, by Laurie R. King – review
  • News & Notes – 8/07/2021 – tentative
  • Sunday Post – 8/08/2021 – tentative

What I’m Reading/Watching

Reading: I started Sorcerer to the Crown (Zen Cho.) But I couldn’t settle to anything because I was still on a book hangover after Devil in Disguise. So I went back and binge-read the rest of the Ravenels series: Cold-Hearted Rake, Marrying Winterborne, Devil in Spring, Hello Stranger, Devil’s Daughter, Chasing Cassandra (all by Lisa Kleypas; links go to my reviews.) It certainly helped my Goodreads Challenge—now I am only 7 books behind!

Listening to: Thanks to audiobook downloads from the library, I alternated between reading and listening to Devil’s Daughter and Chasing Cassandra.

Watching: We haven’t watched much TV this week. We’ve been on the phone with Robin every night, talking through what they need and want of their childhood things, and how the purchase process is going.

Added to the Hoard

For Review or Consideration

Many thanks to Avon for The Ex Hex and After Dark with the Duke, and to Kensington for A Yuletide Kiss!

Purchased (Kindle, print, or audio)

Kindle: Reckless; Deception; Devil in Disguise; For the Love of Mike; Murder at Crossways; Season of Snows and Sins; The Curious Affair of the Third Dog; Black Widower; The Coconut Killings; Who Is Simon Warwick?; Angel Death; The Betsy-Tacy Treasury. (Click title for Goodreads page.)

I have already reviewed Devil in Disguise, because I had an e-ARC, but Kleypas is an autobuy author for me, so I had preordered a copy months ago.

Stay safe, stay healthy, stay kind… and may you find books a haven in the coming weeks.

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21 Responses to “Sunday Post: August 1, 2021”

  1. Greg

    It is hard right now with the variant and all the chaos it is bringing. Best of luck that you can soon!

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you. I hope we can go, but only if we can do it with reasonable safety for ourselves and our loved ones. It’s a 3-day drive (at least), so it’s a fairly major undertaking.

  2. Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms

    Yeah, we definitely still need to be careful when it comes to Covid. I’m very happy to be vaccinated, but I wear my mask inside everywhere (apart from at home) and outside if there’s a lot of people.
    Your new books look fantastic! Especially the Yuletide Kiss.
    Have a wonderful week ahead and happy reading.
    Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms recently posted…Weekend Wrap-up #344 – Middle of SummerMy Profile

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      I agree. Fully vaccinated as I am, I’m still wearing a mask if I have to go into any building other than my own house, and outdoors if I am likely to encounter people up close.

      Have a great week!

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Yes, we never stopped wearing masks, either, and we don’t go out and about much. Doctor’s appointments and occasionally Mr. Bookwyrm’s job, mostly. We’re still doing curbside pickup for groceries most of the time, though Mr. Bookwyrm has popped into the local store once in a while, for something we couldn’t get at Walmart. (I’m not a fan of Walmart overall, but the local Food Lion has been terrible when it comes to curbside orders, so we gave up.)

      Have a great week!

  4. Katherine

    Congrats to Robin and how wonderful to be able to reconnect! This has been such a hard couple of years in so many ways. Good luck with your travels! Enjoy your reading. I’ve been heavy on my audio books lately though I am getting some reading done. Lisa Kleypas is an author I really want to revisit. I may have to at least reread Devil in Winter since I have it on my shelf and it’s always a winner. I hope you have a wonderful week.

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thankfully, we’ve been able to stay connected really through lots of phone calls and texts and the occasional FaceTime call. Robin and I have always been close, and still are. But it’s been so hard not be able to hug them!

      Enjoy your audiobooks! They are a good way to immerse yourself in books even when you can’t read for one reason or another. As for Kleypas, I think I’ll probably reread Devil in Winter this week… if I finish Justice Hall. Between work and sorting and packing up Robin’s stuff, I’m going to have a lot less free time.

  5. Juli @ A Universe in Words

    The COVID variants are making planning anything harder, but it’s also for the best to make sure you’re keeping yourself and your loved ones safe! Love all the dresses on Lisa Keypas’ books, they really picked stunners! And ‘The Ex Hex’ looks like fun as well! I hope you have a lovely week 🙂
    Juli @ A Universe in Words

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      I’m taking a little encouragement from the fact that the delta-variant surge seems to be waning in the UK… but they’re better about imposing restrictions than we are. (Well, marginally better, anyway.)

      The Kleypas covers are gorgeous… although I’m still irked that the dresses on most covers these days aren’t even remotely historically accurate. And I agree that The Ex Hex sounds like fun!

      Have a good week!

  8. Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits

    Congrats to Robin! I hope you’re able to make the trip to visit safely. The COVID stuff is still scary. Even in our highly-vaccinated area, there’s lots of “please wear a mask for safety even if you’re vaccinated” signs going back up. I really hope we can get this thing under control before winter chases everyone back inside full-time…
    Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits recently posted…Reading Wrap-Up: July 2021My Profile

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you! Robin is very excited, as are we, and our whole family out there. My sister is taking Robin to yard sales and thrift stores; my stepdad went to the home inspection… Robin has a great support network.

      Yes, COVID is still scary. I have to admit, I thought at the time that the CDC was premature in saying “go ahead and unmask if you’re vaccinated,” and it looks like I was right. My husband’s employer just made masks mandatory again, regardless of vaccination status — much to my relief, since my husband will soon have to start going into work a couple of days a week. But while our governor is “encouraging” mask use, he is not imposing mandates or, as far as I can tell, any limits on the size of gatherings. [SMH]

      • Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits

        Hooray for good support networks!

        I’m in the SF Bay Area, so we at least have good governmental support. The Bay Area just issued a new Health Order requiring mask use indoors again for everyone starting tomorrow. I’m glad your husband’s employer has also made that change, and hopefully more people will listen as well.
        Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits recently posted…Reading Wrap-Up: July 2021My Profile

        • Lark_Bookwyrm

          Just since last week, case numbers have jumped so much across the country that now we are seriously considering cancelling the trip for now. (My husband has had some stuff come up at work, as well, so he needs to stay here through August, at least.) I fear that not enough places will re-impose mask mandates, and we’ll be looking at numbers worse than last winter. It’s particularly worrisome that vaccinated people can get and transmit the delta variant. Our school system just came up with a “compromise” that satisfies no one, and leaves the county open to further outbreaks. SMH.

  9. Sophia Rose

    That’s neat that they got a place. Know what you mean about hesitating to travel. We’re supposed to go and visit my folks this fall, but I haven’t actually got the tickets yet and taking a wait and see.

    Fun when you can binge read a favorite series to de-stress while doing a complicated project. I still need to read Kleypas’ series for the first time.

    Have a great week!
    Sophia Rose recently posted…🎧 Shadows in Time by Julie McElwainMy Profile

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      I hope you get to see your folks this fall. I know it’s hard being separated. It’s been 19 months since I saw Robin or any of my parents, and I miss them all so much. (I have two sets.)