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NatalieR

NatalieR

Joined April 2016

I love to read and hang out with my dog. I blog about it at A Book and A Dog. https://abookandadog.com
review
NatalieR
Empty Your Cup | C Martins
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*Not the tagged book.* Hourglass is a collection of thought-provoking poems by C. Martins. I thoroughly enjoyed each poem. Her poetry is so relatable, and I could see myself in each one. It made me think about my own life and how it relates to the ideas she was exploring. C. Martins‘s exceptional talent shines through in this collection, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/hourglass

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NatalieR
Empty Your Cup | C Martins
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Empty Your Cup is a unique poetry collection by C. Martins. I often find poetry difficult to comprehend, but this collection is so relevant to my experiences that I was immediately impressed by the poet‘s insight. Each poem made me think about a personal experience, which speaks to the poet‘s talent.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/empty-your-cup

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NatalieR
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Laura Harris, a former celebrity chef, recently moved to Texas to help her friend improve her pastry business. This move allows her to be closer to her father and reconnect with her elderly friend and mentor, Hattie Stenburg. But tragedy strikes when Hattie is murdered shortly after her visit, and Laura becomes the prime suspect.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/a-hush-at-midnight

60 likes1 stack add
review
NatalieR
Doctor Sleep: A Novel | Stephen King
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I re-read Doctor Sleep by Stephen King, which is the January selection for our Constant Reader book club. I first read it in 2013, so it was like reading it for the first time. I had forgotten so much, and I had no idea how the story was going to end. I seldom re-read books, but being part of this book club has required me to change that behavior. I‘m discovering that I enjoy re-reading books.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/doctor-sleep

DimeryRene Yes! I love a reread! It‘s always like reading it anew for me. Things just fall out of my brain, so I hardly remember too much. 3d
Reggie I thought it was so cool that he references Charlie Manx from his son‘s book Nos4ATU in here. Their universes overlap. Very cute. 2d
NatalieR @DimeryRene Same here! I think I forget more than I remember. 😆 2d
See All 6 Comments
NatalieR @Reggie That was pretty awesome! 😎 2d
TieDyeDude Nice! We are reading The Shining for #losersclub; it's my first time reading it. I'm interested in reading Doctor Sleep this year as well, and checking out the movie, which I've been avoiding since I know there are significant differences between The Shining movie and book, and Dr Sleep is more in line with the book. 15h
NatalieR @TieDyeDude It‘s probably good you haven‘t seen The Shining movie yet. 😅 There are few similarities to the book. I‘ll be curious about your thoughts. I hope you enjoy both books. 📕 12h
83 likes6 comments
blurb
NatalieR
The Note: A Novel | Alafair Burke
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Kicked off the new year with a fresh Back Room event! Hosted by authors Hank Phillippi Ryan and Karen Dionne, this event featured authors Alafair Burke, Joseph Finder, Rachel Howzell Hall, and Lisa Williamson Rosenberg. It was an absolute blast listening to these writers chat about books, puzzles, and even their other jobs. I wrote about my experience on my blog.

abookandadog.com/author-events/the-back-room-january-2025

AnnCrystal 👏🥳👍📚💝. (edited) 5d
CatMS Had it on my calendar to join but ended up going to dinner with friends. 4d
NatalieR @CatMS It was a good time. I hope you had fun with your friends! 4d
51 likes3 comments
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NatalieR
Such Kindness: A Novel | Andre Dubus III
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This novel took me on an unexpected journey through the life of Tom Lowe. Dubus‘ narrative style of gradually revealing Tom‘s character— the man he was, the man he has become, and the man he wants to be— kept me engaged in the story.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/such-kindness

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NatalieR
Catch You Later | JESSICA. STRAWSER
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My December Reading Recap blog post includes my book reviews for the month, books I added to my massive TBR, and all the bookish events I went to. You can read the full recap at abookandadog.com/recapblog/december-2024-recap

Happy New Year! 🎉🍾📚

mrp27 🐶❤️🐶❤️ 2w
Ruthiella Happy New Year! 🍾🥂🥳 ❤️🐶 2w
AnnCrystal 😍🐕🎄🐾💝. 2w
See All 8 Comments
bookandbedandtea Beautiful room! Happy New Year 🎉 2w
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 2w
sarahbarnes Happy New Year! 🎉 2w
CarolynM Happy New Year 🎉 2w
NatalieR @bookandbedandtea Thank you!😊 1w
54 likes8 comments
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NatalieR
Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune | Katherine Howe, Anderson Cooper
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As we near the end of 2024, I‘m filled with gratitude for all the incredible books I read this year. I devoured the works of my favorite authors and discovered some amazing new ones. Reading them with my furry sidekick made it even more special. Linked below are my top 10 picks for the best books I read in 2024. ❤️📚🎉🍾🐾

https://abookandadog.com/best-books-2024

AnnCrystal 📚😍💕🐕💝. 2w
Librariana What a sweet baby angel! 🥰🥰 Must make for a phenomenal reading companion. 2w
JenReadsAlot That's adorable! 2w
See All 12 Comments
rachelsbrittain What a cutie pie! 2w
DogMomIrene Your pup is gorgeous! Such a shiny coat🐶❤️ 2w
mrp27 So cute and what a great picture! 2w
ShelleyBooksie So cute! Love the scarf 2w
ShelleyBooksie I loved These Silent Woods 2w
NatalieR @Librariana Yes, she‘s perfect! 🤎 2w
NatalieR @ShelleyBooksie I want to read all of her books! 2w
NatalieR Thanks for the kind comments about my fur baby. ❤️🐾 @AnnCrystal @JenReadsAlot @rachelsbrittain @DogMomIrene @mrp27 @ShelleyBooksie 2w
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 2w
84 likes12 comments
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NatalieR
Smoke Signal | Kate Quinn, Marie Benedict
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Smoke Signal is a fun historical fiction novella set during WWII with famed mystery writer Agatha Christie at the center of the story. It‘s a unique blend of storytelling by Marie Benedict, who‘s written about Agatha Christie, and Kate Quinn, who brings her expertise in female code breakers to the table.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/smoke-signal

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NatalieR
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I‘m still hooked on Freida McFadden‘s books. I chose to give the Housemaid series a pause and read The Perfect Son. It was another great one! Freida delivers that unexpected twist I‘ve come to rely on. The twist in this book literally stopped me in my tracks.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/the-perfect-son

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NatalieR
Catch You Later | JESSICA. STRAWSER
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I‘m a huge fan of Jessica Strawser! This book was so hard to put down whenever I started reading, so I mostly read it when I had chunks of uninterrupted time. really liked Lark and Mikki; they are extremely likable, admirable, and humble characters. There is such a strong relationship between these two lifelong best friends. The story is a beautiful mix of pain, hope, and suspense. 🌴

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/catch-you-later

72 likes2 stack adds
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NatalieR
Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill Guitar Tab | Alanis Morissette, Glen Ballard
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Not the tagged book. I was immediately impressed that Alanis Morissette opened this Words + Music session by normalizing human emotions, especially anger. The use of music has been instrumental for her to process her own emotions. Throughout this audiobook, Alanis shares her insights into specific songs from her earlier albums and performs them acoustically.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/alanis-morissette-words-music

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NatalieR
From Here to the Great Unknown: A Memoir | Lisa Marie Presley, Riley Keough
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I absolutely adored this book! Lisa shared stories about growing up in Graceland, and even her returns to Graceland as an adult. Her relationship with her dad was amazing. This memoir covers everything from her adolescent struggles, the relationship with her mom, marriages, children, addiction, and her son‘s tragic suicide. Lisa‘s own death is also detailed in the book.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/from-here-to-the-great-unknown

AnnCrystal 🥲💝💝💝. 3w
77 likes1 comment
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NatalieR
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Mehso-so

I‘ve read a few books by Kate Morton, and The Distant Hours wasn‘t my favorite. I loved the historical fiction, dual timeline story, and setting of an old, European castle. But there were so many little things going on that made the story confusing at times.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/the-distant-hours

DogMomIrene I remember thinking the same thing about this one. I need to pick her up again, though, because I think she wrote something that people said was closer to the goodness of 1mo
NatalieR @DogMomIrene I‘m not deterred from her work at all. I‘ll definitely keep reading her. 🙂 4w
73 likes2 comments
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NatalieR
The Shining | Stephen King
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I‘ve read The Shining by Stephen King twice now, and it‘s one of my all-time favorites. I first read it 12 years ago and loved it just as much the second time around. Sure, I knew how the story ended, but I totally forgot a lot of the details.

In my full review, you can see the trailer for the TV mini-series and info about The Stanley Hotel that served as King‘s inspiration for the Overlook.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/the-shining

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NatalieR
Aurora: A Novel | David Koepp
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Not the tagged book. Buried in my Audible library was this short story, Yard Work by David Koepp. Kevin Bacon narrates the tale of 88-year-old Judge Calvert, who‘s recently widowed. His wife dying first was completey unexpected and not what the two had planned. To escape the memories of his wife, Judge moves into his cabin on the lake.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/yard-work

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NatalieR
The Christmas Guest | Peter Swanson
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Tis‘ the season for holiday-themed reading! Peter Swanson‘s novella, The Christmas Guest, has all of the necessary elements for a holiday story — an old manor house in the Cotswolds, a large family gathering for Christmas, and a murder mystery. 😆🎄

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/the-christmas-guest

bookandbedandtea Beautiful tree! If I can wrangle my family, I plan to get mine up today. 🤞🏻 1mo
NatalieR @bookandbedandtea Thank you! 😊 I hope you were able to get yours up today.🎄 1mo
64 likes2 comments
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NatalieR
The Great Believers | Rebecca Makkai
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My Audible library is overflowing, so sometimes I just pick the book that has been waiting patiently the longest to read next. This book had been sitting in my library for so long, I couldn‘t remember what had piqued my interest. Based on the description, I suspected this was going to be one of those really long books that dove deeply into the characters‘ lives, and I was going to love it.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/the-great-believers

CatMS I loved this book. It is a book that I will re-read. I think this is the authors best book. 1mo
NatalieR @CatMS It is a good book to read-read. This is my first book by this author. I was wondering how her other books are. 🧐 1mo
74 likes1 stack add2 comments
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NatalieR
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This book is relatively short for an autobiography of a man who has truly lived a fascinating life and made amazing inventions that were ahead of his time. He shared about his parents and significant events in his childhood. As he humbly wrote about his inventions, he dropped interesting personal nuggets of information. His work ethic was incredible!

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/my-inventions-nikola-tesla

AnnCrystal Is it true that he attempted to build a time machine??? 2mo
NatalieR @AnnCrystal No, he didn‘t. 🙂 2mo
AnnCrystal Thanks @NatalieR bummer, but good to know💫☺️👍💝. 2mo
NatalieR @AnnCrystal You‘re welcome! 😉 2mo
77 likes4 comments
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NatalieR
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Freida McFadden totally won me over this year! I‘m currently hooked on the Housemaid series, and the second book, The Housemaid‘s Secret, is just as wild and unexpected as the first. I can‘t believe how she weaves these crazy twists and surprises into the story. She‘s a total writing wizard!

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/the-housemaids-secret

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NatalieR
Night Shift | Stephen King
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Last month, I joined The Constant Reader book club for the first time. It‘s a monthly meetup at a local library where they only read Stephen King‘s books. November‘s meet-up is to discuss Night Shift. As a testament to King‘s skillful storytelling, many of the stories left me wanting more - in a good way! The story ends, and there could be more told, but King intentionally leaves the reader hanging.

Full review abookandadog.com/blog/night-shift

BarkingMadRead That‘s so cool! 2mo
NatalieR @BarkingMadRead Thanks! 😊 2mo
83 likes2 comments
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NatalieR
Craven Manor | Darcy Coates
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I‘ve read a few books by Darcy Coates, and I absolutely love her spooky mansion and ghost stories. Craven Manor was different from her other books I‘ve read. It had a strong emotional theme that made me care about the characters and what happened to them. 👻

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/craven-manor

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NatalieR
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Lock Every Door was good - the eerie setting of the Bartholomew kept me engaged. The characters were likable - even the villains had moments they showed their pleasant side. I figured out the main villain in the story pretty easily, but the ‘why‘ behind it was a surprise. The twist of the story was a fresh take on the suspenseful thriller genre, but it wasn‘t my absolute favorite twist.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/lock-every-door

Bette 🐶❤️📚👍 2mo
dabbe #niftynicolette 🖤🐾🖤 2mo
91 likes2 comments
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NatalieR
The Last Bookshop in London | Madeline Martin
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I have been intrigued by Madeline‘s historical fiction books that have a bookshop or library theme. I finally decided to give her books a try. I can‘t imagine living like that during WWII. So much fear and destruction. I loved the heartwarming part of the story that shows the power of books. There are lots of references to classic books that were popular at the time, which was fun.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/the-last-bookshop-in-london

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NatalieR
Very Bad Thing | J T Ellison
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I participated in another Back Room author event graciously hosted by Hank Phillippi Ryan and Karen Dionne. There were engaging conversations with authors Tracy Clark, J.T. Ellison, Jessica Strawser, and Stephanie Wrobel. I wrote about my experience on my blog.

abookandadog.com/author-events/the-back-room-twisty-suspense

CatMS Thanks for the link to Backroom I have registered for the January 5th event. 2mo
NatalieR @CatMS You‘re welcome! I registered for that one too!! 2mo
52 likes2 comments
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NatalieR
Catch You Later | JESSICA. STRAWSER
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I attended the Kentucky Book Festival this weekend. It seemed to be a huge hit! Despite the many authors and programs, I only had an interest in meeting two: Jessica Strawser and Ann Gabhart. I‘ve been a fan of Jessica‘s books for years and even met her at a book festival before. Ann is a local author who writes stories set in the beautiful landscapes of Kentucky. I shared it on my blog.

abookandadog.com/author-events/kentucky-book-festival-2024

AnnCrystal 💝💝💝. 2mo
Scochrane26 I was there, too! I like Ann Gabhart‘s Along a Storied Trail—I got it a few yrs ago & I think my sister borrowed it. My sister likes her books. 2mo
NatalieR @Scochrane26 Cool! I just looked at your posts. Seems like you had a great time! 😀 I have Along a Storied Trail, just haven‘t read it yet. I like Ann‘s cozy mystery books too. 2mo
75 likes3 comments
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NatalieR
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This book has been collecting dust on my bookshelf for ages. I bought my copy when I went to an author event with Delia Owens at my local indie back in 2019. I absolutely adored this book! It has everything I love in a novel. It‘s a historical fiction, a coming-of-age story, a murder mystery, and a love story all set against the breathtaking backdrop of coastal North Carolina.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/where-the-crawdads-sing

78 likes1 stack add
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NatalieR
Night Shift | Stephen King
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Happy Halloween! 🎃 Nikolette and I hope you have a spooktacular day filled with yummy treats. We‘re about to dive back into Stephen King‘s Night Shift for a re-read.

Gissy Happy Halloween 🎃 🧙🏼‍♀️ 👻💀🖤🖤🖤🖤Happy Halloween to Nikolette too 🐕 🤎 🤎🤎 2mo
TheSpineView Happy Halloween! 🖤🎃🧡 2mo
AnnCrystal 💕🐕🐾💝...Happy Halloween...🥳🎃💃💝 2mo
See All 7 Comments
mrp27 So cute! 🎃🐶 2mo
IuliaC Happy Halloween! 🎃👻🧙 2mo
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 2mo
DogMomIrene What a beauty!🐶🧡🐾 2mo
60 likes7 comments
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NatalieR
The Housemaid | Freida McFadden
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I am addicted to Freida McFadden‘s amazing psychological thrillers. A former coworker/friend and I have been discussing our love for her books for the past few months. My friend is always raving about the Housemaid series, along with the rest of the reading world, so I finally made it a priority to start reading The Housemaid. It‘s so creepy and diabolical! I loved it!!

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/the-housemaid

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NatalieR
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It has been too long since I read a book by Peter Swanson. I have been a fan of his work since he started publishing. He is an author I can count on for an outstanding psychologically suspenseful novel. I‘m so glad I decided to read this one! I was completely engaged in the story from beginning to end. 🍁

Full review at https://abookandadog.com/blog/before-she-knew-him

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NatalieR
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My only knowledge of Griffin Dunne, prior to reading this family memoir, was his role in the 1987 movie Who‘s That Girl, starring Madonna. I enjoyed reading The Friday Afternoon Club. Other people‘s lives have always fascinated me, so I appreciate it when people are willing to share some of the most private moments of their lives.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/the-friday-afternoon-club

Bec_lectic Beautiful dahlias! 3mo
NatalieR @Bec_lectic Thank you! 😊 🌸 3mo
78 likes2 comments
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NatalieR
The Manor House: A Novel | Gilly Macmillan
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I love the cover of this book. It provides the perfect visual intrigue for what may be occurring behind that closed gate, as though only certain people are privileged enough to be included. I‘m always game for a story about an elegant mansion, its arrogant residents, and a murder to be solved. This seriously exceeded my expectations. 🎃

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/the-manor-house

AnnCrystal 💕🏚️🤩🏚️💝. 3mo
NatalieR @AnnCrystal Thank you! 😊 3mo
Gissy Beautiful picture😍👌🖤🖤🖤 3mo
NatalieR @Gissy Thanks! 😊 3mo
60 likes4 comments
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NatalieR
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It‘s always a pleasure to receive signed copies of John Grisham‘s new books from Square Books. Grisham just released his latest nonfiction book that he coauthored with Jim McCloskey, Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions. I preordered my copy, signed by both authors, from Square Books, an independent bookseller in Oxford, Mississippi. I expect this will be a good read!

abookandadog.com/blog/framed-signed

60 likes3 stack adds
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NatalieR
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I participated in my second author event at The Back Room hosted by Hank Phillipi Ryan and Karen Dionne. There were fascinating and stimulating conversations among authors Lauren Ling Brown, Julia Dahl, Mindy Mejia, and Beatriz Williams. I wrote about my experience on my blog.
abookandadog.com/author-events/the-back-room-chilling-suspense

kspenmoll Sounds wonderful! 3mo
NatalieR @kspenmoll It‘s a great event! 3mo
49 likes2 comments
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NatalieR
Unknown Book 7535597 | Unknown Unknown
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Author Joe Hill is easily one of my favorite horror writers. And why wouldn‘t he be — he‘s the son of Stephen King! I‘ve read all of his novels and short story collections, so I was excited when I learned from Joe‘s newsletter that his latest short story, Ushers, was available on Amazon‘s First Reads for the month of October. ?? (Not in Litsy database yet.)

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/ushers

KathyWheeler Thank you! I love Joe Hill but hadn‘t yet looked at the First Reads yet. 3mo
NatalieR @KathyWheeler You‘re welcome! I hope you enjoy it! 👻 3mo
69 likes2 comments
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NatalieR
Hidden Pictures: A Novel | Jason Rekulak
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I ended up enjoying this book more than I expected from the beginning. It seemed the sequence of events escalated a tiny bit slowly. My personal barrier to this story was the MC‘s age. As I get older, I find it hard to relate to a main character who is barely 21. The ending of the book was a complete shock! If you like ghosts, Ouija boards, and solving puzzles, this book is for you! 

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/hidden-pictures

5feet.of.fury Are you making lil Christmastown houses into fall houses? 3mo
AnnCrystal 🤩🏚️💝. 3mo
ShelleyBooksie Adorable houses!! 3mo
See All 6 Comments
NatalieR @5feet.of.fury 😅 No, these are Department 56 Halloween houses. 🎃 3mo
NatalieR @AnnCrystal Thanks! 😊 3mo
NatalieR @ShelleyBooksie Thank you, Shelley! 🎃 3mo
77 likes1 stack add6 comments
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NatalieR
These Silent Woods: A Novel | Kimi Cunningham Grant
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While searching for my next audiobook, I came across this on my wishlist. The setting of a father and daughter living in the woods with no electricity and no connection to the outside world because a secret is being held sounded quite intriguing.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/these-silent-woods

Original painting pictured by artist, Patrick Riley, is available at https://www.poesoulstudio.com/original-artwork-pss/a-place-to-rest-my-mind

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NatalieR
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It‘s spooky reading season, and I want to devour as many scary stories as possible. I needed to find the perfect book to listen to while decorating my house for Halloween. I couldn‘t have been happier with my selection. A group of friends on their way to a hotel for a week relaxing in nature get lost, and they start disappearing — one by one? Yep, I was sold!

Full review at https://abookandadog.com/blog/one-by-one-mcfadden

AnnCrystal 🤩👻🏚️💝. 3mo
NatalieR @AnnCrystal Thank you! 😀 3mo
76 likes2 comments
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NatalieR
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With the spooky reading season approaching, I was in the mood for a book involving a haunted house. Scrolling through books I saved on the Hoopla app, I came across this one. Fantasy is always a bit out of my wheelhouse; however, I couldn‘t resist a story set just after WWI in an old, gothic English manor with a library. The book description sounded spooky and dreamy!

Full review at https://abookandadog.com/blog/the-last-heir-to-blackwood-library

WildAlaskaBibliophile Is that your home? It\'s lovely! 😍 (edited) 3mo
NatalieR @WildAlaskaBibliophile Yes, it is. A life long dream. Thank you! 😊 3mo
WildAlaskaBibliophile @NatalieR 😍😍😍😍😍 3mo
66 likes1 stack add3 comments
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NatalieR
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I participated in The Back Room author event hosted by Hank Phillipe Ryan and Karen Dionne for the first time. It was a lot of fun seeing authors Madeline Martin, Rose Carlyle, Mansi Shah, and and Marybeth Mayhew Whalen discuss their latest books and interact with participants. I wrote about my experience on my blog. 💕

https://abookandadog.com/author-events/the-back-room-riveting-stories

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NatalieR
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It‘s always a good day when there is a book in my mailbox. I‘m grateful for The Poisoned Pen, an independent bookseller, in Scottsdale, Arizona, who sent me a signed copy of The Forest of Lost Souls by Dean Koontz. The gorgeous end papers are perfect for fall! The dust jacket protects a beautiful hardcover. I look forward to reading this!

More pictures on my blog at https://abookandadog.com/blog/the-forest-of-lost-souls-signed

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NatalieR
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TNH explains the power of silence by slowing down the mind so that we can recognize the surrounding beauty. Many people search for happiness; however, they spend their days frantically running from one place to another. Silence is about cultivating quiet in our minds amid chaos. TNH offers techniques to remind us to be present in the moment with equanimity in a noisy environment or mind. 

Full review at https://abookandadog.com/blog/silence

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NatalieR
The Rooster Bar | John Grisham
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Mehso-so

I‘ve been a fan of Grisham forever, so I was disappointed to not have liked this one as much as I hoped. Especially since I attended Grisham‘s author event in 2017 for the release of this book and purchased a signed copy. While I have a few issues with this book, it was still an okay read. The story kept my interest enough that I finished it and didn‘t feel compelled to bail.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com/blog/the-rooster-bar

Ruthiella I had a similar experience with the last John Irving book. You can‘t win them all, I guess. But it is still disappointing when a favorite author fails to deliver. 4mo
IuliaC Beautiful photo! 4mo
AnnCrystal 😍💝. 4mo
NatalieR @Ruthiella Yeah, not every book is going to be a win for all fans. Oh well, I‘ll still keep reading. 🤓 4mo
NatalieR @IuliaC Thank you! 😊 4mo
72 likes5 comments
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NatalieR
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Alright #hygge hour Littens, I see you! I had a vague understanding of Hygge from my use of the Calm app and mindfulness practice. I wanted to learn more about it, so I added this book to my Libby wishlist. Thanks to your recent posts, I finally read and very much enjoyed this little book. Now I understand what you all are doing! Great idea!! 😅

Full review at https://abookandadog.com/blog/the-little-book-of-hygge

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NatalieR
Close to Death: A Novel | Anthony Horowitz
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I like how I never know what to expect from a Hawthorne and Horowitz mystery novel. Each installment in the series is unique. The only constant is that poor Horowitz has to figure out how to navigate the walls put up by Hawthorne. Trying to learn more about Hawthorne is like trying to enter an impenetrable fortress. Each murder mystery is complex and impossible for me to figure out.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com/blog/close-to-death

Aims42 Perfectly said! I feel this way too 😍 4mo
AnnCrystal 😍💝. 4mo
NatalieR @Aims42 Thank you! 😊 4mo
74 likes3 comments
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NatalieR
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Pickpick

I‘m getting close to finishing the Alphabet series. I‘ve enjoyed all books in the series, otherwise I wouldn‘t keep reading them; furthermore, U is for Undertow, stands out as one of my favorites.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com/blog/u-is-for-undertow

Bookwormjillk I thought they really came together towards the end. Shame we‘ll never know how they ended. 4mo
NatalieR @Bookwormjillk I like the direction the series is taking. I‘m sure it will be sad when I get to the end. 4mo
62 likes2 comments
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NatalieR
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Pickpick

Evan Smoak answers a person‘s frantic call for help. Soon after saving that person, Evan is captured, drugged, and whisked away. He awakens, realizing he is someone‘s prisoner, but he has no idea who has kidnapped him, what they want from him, or where he is. Evan expends all of his energy and skill in an effort to escape his confinement. Meanwhile, he receives another call for help. 

Full review at https://abookandadog.com/blog/the-nowhere-man

AnnCrystal 💕🌻💝. 4mo
70 likes1 comment
review
NatalieR
Lost Girl of the Lake | Joe Mckinney, Michael McCarty
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Mehso-so

I‘m easily drawn to stories about abandoned houses or villages. I think that is what kept me reading this novella — there were many times I came close to bailing. The story seemed to often deviate from the main story, which was the mysterious girl in the lake and the abandoned village, by the MC‘s lengthy interactions with his parents and another boy at the resort.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com/blog/lost-girl-of-the-lake

review
NatalieR
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Pickpick

The thing I love about horror stories is how they can creep me out and get my mind racing in a million different directions trying to figure out what‘s happening. When I close the book, I can return to my relatively calm, peaceful life. But I can‘t with this new novella, because this horror story won‘t leave my head! 

Full review at https://abookandadog.com/blog/when-you-leave-i-disappear

AnnCrystal 🥺👍😍💕🌻💝. 4mo
63 likes1 comment
review
NatalieR
Hello Beautiful | Ann Napolitano
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Pickpick

I admit, I judge books by their covers. I assumed this book was about external beauty based on the title and the image of a beautiful woman. I was finally drawn to reading this book because it was constantly popping up in my book feeds. Many readers seem to love this book, so I read the description and decided it sounded like something I would find interesting.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com/blog/hello-beautiful