Saturday, September 14, 2019

Reading The Testaments, Get Ready to Nominate the Cybils, and A Utah Hiking Preview



Would you like to try a book that might be a bit fresh in characters and plot? I suggest The Never-Open Desert Diner by James Anderson for lovely change. My full review is here.







I'm reading some powerful stories: Margaret Atwood's The Testaments and Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch.





There's a lot going on with the Cybils right now. The 2019 Cybils judges will be announced on September 18. Nominations for the 2019 Cybils will open on October 1. I like to think carefully about my list of nominations, always trying to see if I can nominate at least one book for each category. Maybe you would like to start working on your list of nominations, too. Here are the categories for the Cybils:

  • Early Chapter Books
  • Easy Readers
  • Fiction Picture Books & Board Books
  • Graphic Novels
    • Elementary/Middle-Grade
    • Young Adult
  • Middle-Grade Fiction
  • Nonfiction
    • Elementary/Middle Grade
    • Junior High/Senior High
  • Poetry
  • Speculative Fiction
    • Elementary/Middle-Grade
    • Young Adult
  • Young Adult Fiction






My sister and her husband and my husband and I have all returned, safe and sound, from our adventures in Utah. We took six hikes over six days for a grand total of 29.05 miles. That's 18 hours and 55 minutes of hiking. I'll be posting hike updates each Wednesday for six weeks, including the hike I posted last Wednesday. Here's a little video of some of our highlights.




What was your week like?

Did you read some good books? We'd like to hear about them.

What other bookish things did you do? What else is going on in your life?

We'd love to have you to link up here and/or at the Sunday Salon page on Facebook each weekend (Saturday-Sunday-Monday) and let us know what you have been doing. I hope you will visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. 

If you have other blogging friends, it would be wonderful if you'd tell others about our salon and encourage them to join us.

Other places where you may like to link up are below. Click on the picture to visit the site.


My linkup for Sunday Salon is below. 

33 comments:

  1. Ahhhhh the hiking sounds wonderful!!! I love hiking.

    Would you like to try a book that might be a bit fresh in characters and plot? -- Why yes, indeedy I would! Thank you! Added it to my Goodreads TBR.

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    1. Hope you will report back when you get around to reading it.

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  2. I love those photos from your Utah hike! It looks like it was so much fun! I'm such a wimp and hate that much walking but with all those gorgeous scenes I think I'd love it. I'm heading over to read your book review. I'm definitely interested. I linked up what I've been up to as well. Have a good week and enjoy your hikes!

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    1. My husband and I moved out of our hiking comfort zone on this trip. I came home feeling stronger and braver.

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  3. I am trying to decide if I need to reread The Handmaid's Tale before reading The Testaments since I read it years ago. I've also heard really good things about The Goldfinch so you've got some good reading going on!

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    1. I think it might be a good idea. I looked up information about Handmaid's Tale and that helped a bit.

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  4. Sounds like you had a great time hiking. I look forward to reading your updates. Have a great week!

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  5. I also got a copy of The Testaments. I can't wait to read it. Enjoy your week.

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  6. Wow. You are reading a couple of big ones right now. I will be curious to read your thoughts on both The Testaments and Goldfinch. I have not read either. I have at least read Atwood before though and know I like her work. Your video of Utah captured some beautiful photos! I hope you have a great week, Deb.

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  7. I want to read Testaments, but have decided to re-read Handmaid's Tale after watching the last season. However, it will be a long wait from the library to get a copy. Read Goldfish, and enjoyed.

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  8. Your hiking vacation must have been a great adventure and vacation!

    Your reading is pretty intense this week! I love both of those authors. :)

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  9. The hiking sounds wonderful! Such great views. I’ve been wanting to read Margaret Atwood. Enjoy your books and your week ahead .

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    1. You should look for Margaret Atwood. She is required reading during these strange political times.

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  10. It sounds like you had a wonderful time in Utah.

    Have a great week!

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    1. We did. It's fun to post pictures from the trip, too. It helps keep the magic.

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  11. First, I'm enjoying seeing your photos (and videos) from your Utah trip. Keep them coming.

    Second, I must not be paying attention beause I just noticed the social media buttons on the side of your blog for the first time and they are pretty cool. Keep up the good work. :)

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    1. Yes, I've probably had the social media buttons there for several years. Funny!

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  12. LOVED the video. You have just given me one more thing to learn to do. LOL I know I'm a copycat, but remember, "Imitation is the sincerest form of admiration." (paraphrased to suit my admiration of you.)

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    1. It's quite easy. We used this free online tool a lot at school.

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  13. What extraordinary scenery, thanks for sharing those lovely photographs!

    The Goldfinch is still on my TBR list I must admit, and I probably won’t read The Testaments for a while, at least not until all the hoopla has died down.

    Have a great reading week

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  14. Utah looks so beautiful. Love the video! And I saw Margaret Atwood on NPR, I think it was, this past week and it made me really curious about The Testamets.

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  15. Those photos are gorgeous! That's a lot of hiking.
    Enjoy your reading.

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  16. It's hard to believe it's Cybils time agai!

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  17. I love the idea of hiking but in reality once around the Mall is enough to tire me out. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  18. I'm readying my Cybils list as well. The hiking sounds wonderful! And the reading looked powerful.

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