Monday, January 06, 2014

1st Monday of 2014! What Are You Reading?


A weekly event hosted by Sheila from Book Journey to discuss your reading week ~ the books you've read and those you plan on reading in the coming week. I love this meme, it helps me stay on track ... well, most of the time. Thanks Sheila!

What a fabulous week, I had a lovely time with my Dad in Tin Can Bay, celebrating his birthday and New Year and a bonus surprise catch-up with friends holidaying in Tin Can Bay, friends and neighbours I hadn't seen in 13 years ... that's the beauty of some special friends ... we picked up where we left off, like no time at all had passed. And now with facebook, we have no excuse for not staying in touch ... I know you're reading this Janine lol

Happy Birthday Dad 


Tin Can Bay Harbour ~ New Years Eve

beautiful Rainbow Beach

Inskip Point 

and now we are sweltering in 40+ degree heat, (that's approx 106) add to that hideous humidity and I feel much like my candles



My word for 2014 is EMBRACE ... embrace blessings, change, challenges, new experiences, happiness, friends, every moment, life, embrace it all, but more on that later. Head on over to Ali Edwards & OLW if you want to participate. I did this a couple of years ago and decided it was time again. 

And lastly, this week I need to get my act together and post the few reading challenges I'm committing to in 2014 ... part of that commitment will  actually be keeping my reviews updated on the relevant challenge website, something I completely sucked at in 2013 :)

Now off to check out what my bloggy pals have been up to ...

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Reviews & Posts: (click on title)

2013 BEST OF THE BEST IN BOOKS ~ go on you know you want to add to your toppling TBR pile ;)


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Finished last week:

ME BEFORE YOU by JoJo Moyes ~ (1st book of 2014) ... great start to the year

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This Week's Reading List: 


TASTE OF DARKNESS by Maria V Snyder ~ almost finished

ELEANOR & PARK by Rainbow Rowell 

HEARTBEAT by Elizabeth Scott

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Reviews Coming:

THE HAPPIEST REFUGEE: A Memoir by Ahn Do ~ review Thurs

CHAMPION by Marie Lu (Legend #3) ~ review Tue


18 comments:

  1. Photos are gorgeous, there is nothing like an Australian beach - love them. I have a niece on the Gold coast who was complaining of the over 40 heat, and another Aussie who married another niece and they are house sitting in Wellington here in NZ, and he reckoned the rain was going upwards in the wind. The candles are a hoot. I hope this year to try Me Before You. Have a great week.

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  2. Oh it is hot enough here - I feel for you suffering through the heatwave in QLD. Stay cool!

    Have a fab week,
    Shelleyrae @ Book'd out

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  3. Ah, what lovely picture - thanks for sharing. I particularly like the one of you and your Dad as well as Rainbow Beach. And that candle picture! Haha!
    I feel like I'm the last person to read Eleanor and Park... But I feel like if I read it now then I won't enjoy it as much as if I had read it before all the hype surrounding it. I do hope to read Rainbow Rowell this year but think I may opt for a different novel.
    Happy Reading!
    :-)
    Bits & Bobs

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  4. I like the look of the beach, though definitely not a beach fan! more of a green hills and trees girl.

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  5. Love the photos and I'm glad you had a great visit with your dad and old friends. It is always nice to catch up with people.

    I'll take the heat this week! Here it is extremely cold and we have to worry about frostbite and pipes freezing. Yuck. I am sick of winter already :)

    I was really bad with the reading challenges in 2013. I kind of quit participating and never kept the posts updated. I think I only finished one of the challenges I signed up for. Usually that is something I really get into. This year I haven't signed up for anything aside from the Goodreads challenge.

    I read Me Before You as my first book of the year too and I loved it. I am glad you are going to be reading Eleanor & Park, one of my favorites from last year. I hope you enjoy it! I've also heard excellent things about Heartbeat and look forward to your review.

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  6. Ooh, I love the look of where you spent New Year's...and I also enjoy getting together with old friends and picking right up where we left off.

    Me Before You is a great read for First Book of the Year. I must read Eleanor and Park this year.

    Enjoy! And here's MY WEEKLY SUNDAY/MONDAY UPDATES

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  7. Very nice pics, and that beach photo in particular looks very inviting! Wish it was summer here... :)

    I've heard the Legend books are quite good.

    Have a great week.

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  8. Beautiful pictures! I hope you enjoy Eleanor and Park - it was one of my favourite reads of 2013.

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  9. Happy New Year! I would love to be on that beach right now!! I have been all over your blog today catching up. The one little word thing has got me thinking. I am not a scrapbooker but may choose a word for a personal journal.

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  10. So with the pictures of your candles - I gotta tell you. I just got my car stuck in snow and the temp was -4 without the windchill. I'm freezin'...oye! Stay cool and I'll try to warm up :)

    Happy Reading This Week!! The Brunette Librarian's Blog

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  11. What a lovely photo of you and your dad. So glad you had a nice time.

    I still haven't gotten to Me Before You. ENJOY all your books and your week.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My It's Monday, What Are You Reading

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  12. Oh my gosh, I want to go to Rainbow Beach and Inskip Point! Happy Birthday to your dad. You'll love Eleanor and Park. -27 or melting candles, hmmm, think I'll take the warmth ;o)

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  13. Hi! I didn''t go well keeping up with my challenges and posting of the hosts pages either. I was bad about keeping up with my book bloging friends too. Hoping to do much better this year. Love the pictures, they are beautiful.

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  14. I can't believe how hot it is there-we have been freezing in the US! Good luck getting all your posts up!

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  15. 106?! I think it was 0 here the day you posted this! I'm not sure which I prefer. Your dad looks so young. Great pics. Jason has friends heading to your part of the world for the Australian Open. One day Jason and I will get there!

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  16. Great pictures! So nice you had time with your father and friends. I enjoy Maria Snyder. Hope you have had a good week of reading.

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