The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog…
Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists….
“Strength shows not only in the ability to persist, but the ability to start over.”
-F. Scott Fitzgerald
Hello everyone, the last Sunday of 2018 is here, can you believe it? I hope you are enjoying the holidays. I want to wish you all a Happy, Healthy New Year and all good things for 2019. Thank you for your blogging friendships. I always enjoy reading the comments and visiting your blogs, the book recommendations, the updates and discussion posts…the book blogging community is wonderful.
Recently on the blog:
I posted my thoughts on Delicate Crochet: 23 Light and Pretty Designs for Shawls, Tops and More and Starry Night by Debbie Macomber.
Watching:
I’ve been watching all the things on Netflix these few weeks and my favorites have been Bird Box and The Haunting of Hill House. Both fantastic.
In my Mailbox:
My daughter gave me a copy of The Sun and Her Flowers for Christmas and we’ve been reading it together. We read Milk and Honey last year and we are enjoying this one also.
Other :
I’ve also been baking and finally got around to making my sugar cookies for Christmas. Hmmm sugar cookies.
My last Christmas crochet for the year was a little stuffed tree.
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Onto my bookish 2018 wrapup….
2018 book stats:
I read 27 books in 2018 which is a new record for me. (9 romance, 1 memoir, 3 horror, 10 mystery/thrillers, 1 poetry book, 3 general fiction)
Reading Goals for 2019:
My goal is to hit 35 books next year, I think it is do-able.
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My Favorite Books of 2018
Favorite Romances:
The Duchess Deal: Girl Meets Duke 1 , Lord of Scoundrels and A Precious Jewel were all amazing. I will never get over Lord of Scoundrels and I see myself re-reading that one in the future for sure. These three authors have easily become my top favorites for historical romance.
Nights in Rodanthe was a favorite re-read and I ugly cried (again) the second time around. Nicholas Sparks just loves to break your heart. <-that should be the blurb for all his novels.
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Favorite Horror:
Pet Sematary by Stephen King was a re-read and it was fantastic and terrifying and sad. This remains my favorite King novel.
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Favorite Cozy Mystery:
I read just one cozy mystery in 2018 and it was fantastic so I had to include it here . The Vampire Knitting Club by Nancy Warren
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Favorite Mystery/Thrillers:
I discovered Gillian Flynn in 2018 and she became an favorite. Sharp Objects and Dark Places blew me away.
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I discovered the Alex Cross series in 2018 and James Patterson became an instant favorite also. Also, I almost fainted when the author re-tweeted and re-Instagrammed my book pics.
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Most shocking read:
Oh how I loved reading The Pisces by Melissa Broder. This book, my goodness. I wish I could read it for the first time again. It was wonderfully shocking and crazy good.
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Most mesmerizing read:
Thank you Neil Gaiman for The Ocean at the End of the Lane. So beautiful and magical and dreamlike.
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Favorite book quotes of 2018:
“Here was a bit of magic that could happen in my life. After all the nothingness, maybe this fantasy was worth living for.” –The Pisces by Melissa Broder (twitter)
“Most of the time, a girl needed to rescue herself.”
The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare
“His eyes betrayed such longing that she thought her heart might stop beating all together.”- In Places Hidden by Tracie Peterson
“I couldn’t force him to respect me, but I did make a choice not to be disrespected.” –
Louisiana Catch by Sweta Srivastava Vikram
“The greater the love, the greater the tragedy when it’s over. Those two elements always go together.”– Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks
“He wanted it that way, because it was love that mastered him, happiness that shackled him. She was passionate chatelaine of his body, loving mistress of his heart.” – Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
“I have a meanness inside me, real as an organ.”- Dark Places
by Gillian Flynn
“It’s all right to put the weight of the world on your shoulders sometimes, if you know how to take it off.” – Along Came A Spider by James Patterson(Twitter)
That covers my end of year wrap up. Again, wishing you a Happy Healthy 2019! Thank you for stopping in. What are some of your favorite books of 2018?
I will be blog hopping the next couple of days to see what everyone has been up to. Enjoy your weekend xo.
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disclaimer:
Some of the links in the post are affiliate links. If you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small affiliate commission. The photos in this post are my own and not to be removed from here.
I love that F. Scott Fitzgerald quote…and your book quotes, too.
I really enjoyed Bird Box…and I want some of those sugar cookies!
Thanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog.
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I love that quote too. Enjoy your week!
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Those suger cookies look very good. I am also enjoying the holidays.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane sounds so good. I want to get into Neil Gaiman in 2019.
Have a very Happy New Year’s!
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Happy New Year Brian. I enjoy Neil Gaiman’s work whenever I read him. Enjoy your week and happy new year!
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I’ve just taken note of the three romance novels you recommended. When I’ve read too many thrillers I need something totally different! Looks like you had a great reading year and I’m sure you’re going to meet your goal next year. Looking forward to following along with you! Wishing you a very happy new year!
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Hi Iliana, I know what you mean, sometimes you need a change. Happy New Year and happy reading!
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Wow! This is one packed post, I didn’t know where to start first!
Whilst I don’t tend to read too much James Patterson these days, I do like the quote you shared from ‘Along Came A Spider’ and I loved the film with Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross.
I managed to read 21 books this year and just about managed my Goodreads target of 20. I’m not sure that I am going to set myself any goals for 2019, I just want to enjoy my reading. Good Luck with your new target for next year!
You read some excellent books this year, but as ever, my focus is on the mystery / thriller section. I am determined to read some Gillian Flynn books, as you recommend them so highly.
Finally, I also liked your opening quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The starting over part is quite apt right now. I had decided to close down Fiction Books, but came home from work one day last week to find that hubbie had built me a new look site with a brand new theme, as he thought that I didn’t really want to see the blog go! I guess that changed my mind by default after he had been so thoughtful and worked so hard on it. Whilst there might be one or two posts which didn’t transfer to the new system as cleanly as I might have liked, everything seems to be up and running again, so I can go in and do a few tweaks as I go along. That has to be the shortest break in history – all of 2 weeks!
I hope that you enjoyed a lovely Christmas with your family and I wish you all a very Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Luv
Yvonne
xx
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Hi Yvonne, lol I tried to condense this post but it’s still definitely packed with updates especially with the year end wrapup.
I am so happy your husband surprised you with a new blog look and theme! How thoughtful!! I can’t wait to go visit. Glad you will continue to book blog!
I do recommend Gillian Flynn, she’s fantastic.Enjoy your reading for 2019, I hope you discover alot of new favorites.
Happy New Year!
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Mmm cookies. And Bird Box was great!
Happy New Year!!
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Happy New Year !!
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I don’t have great luck with sugar cookies but yours look wonderful.
I can’t decide if I want to watch Bird Box or not.
Happy New Year!
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I have a recipe I found online years ago that I use every year and everyone loves these.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10402/the-best-rolled-sugar-cookies/
Happy New Year! I thought Bird Box was great.
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Haha the Pisces one! I do want to try it
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!! I wish you many great books and awesome crochets
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Oh my gosh, I loved that book. Happy New Year to you and the little one, too cute!
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Fun, eclectic post, Naida!
The cookies look great, and i love the crocheted tree.
(I’d love to order a new sweater for Daisy, one of these days, perhaps a multicolored one.)
I’m still catching up in my blogging, due to our trip and the holidays.
Have a safe and joyful New Year’s! 🙂
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Thanks Susan. Happy New Year! 🙂 Yes, let me know and I can make her one.
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ENJOY your books, and Happy New Year!!
Happy 2019 Reading!!
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Thank you Happy New Year and happy reading 🙂
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Your cookies look delicious and your stuffed tree looks lovely. The Sun and Her Flowers looks like a charming read.
Looks like you had a good year in 2018. I hope 2019 is even better for you.
Happy New Year and Happy Reading!
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Thank you, Happy New Year and happy reading to you too! 🙂
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I love that quote! My son watched Bird Box and loved it. I’m tempted to read Neil Gaiman’s book. I’ve read so many good things about it. Enjoy another new year of great blogging!
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thank you and Bird Box was so suspenseful, I enjoyed it. I recommend Neil Gaiman’s books as well, he’s great. Happy New Year!
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Mmm, your sugar cookies look so good!
I haven’t watched Bird Box yet but I keep hearing such good things about it.
Happy New Year!
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I recommend Bird Box! And Happy Healthy New Year 🙂
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Happy New Year, Naida!
I enjoyed reading your favourite list and I need to read Sharp Objects and Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. I can’t believe I haven’t read them considering how much I loved Gone Girl.
Let’s hope this year will be a better year for us in every aspect!
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Happy New Year to you too! And happy reading 🙂
lol I have to finish up reading Gone Girl.
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I want to try that Vampire Knitting Club as I am a knitter. It does look cute. Best wishes for great reads and and even better 2019! Anne – Books of My Heart
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Vampire Knitting Club was fun. Thank you, Happy Healthy New Year!
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I love sugar cookies. They look awesome. I need to get back into reading Stephen King. I’ve read 30-something of his books, and I’ve liked most of them.
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I love sugar cookies also, this recipe is easy and they come out soft. I love reading King too.
Enjoy your week!
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