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Review: The Housemaid is Watching by Frieda McFadden

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June 16, 2026

The Housemaid Is Watching (The Housemaid, #3)The Housemaid Is Watching by Freida McFadden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lauryn Allman and Ina Marie Smith bring Freida McFadden’s third book in her Housemaid series to life. This book was even more interesting in that it involved the family. The housemaid is married and has two children. She learns that what was easy as a single person is now four times as much.

The layers of personalities are complicated and yet full of love and suspicions. My favorite part was when we could see the issues from the child’s perspective. We often forget that our attempts to protect them can cause more harm than talking it out, painful as that might be.

Now I feel I can go watch the show

I was lucky to find this audiobook on Libby. I highly recommend this fun read if you like a thriller.

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Make It Monday

Filed under: Blogging, Crochet, Diamond Painting, Knitting — Leave a comment
June 15, 2026

Here are some of the newest crafts I’ve been working on. A pair of socks for my son, another hat, and a shawl for me.

The socks and hat are on Chiaogoo cable needles. The shawl is crocheted. I’ve frogged and restarted the hat and the shawl. It’s fun to try something new. I have other socks but haven’t worked on them for a while.

My second dragon is about half done. This one isn’t coming out as straight so I’ll have to go straighten them myself.

Energy has been low lately but I’m gradually getting better.

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Review: The Housemaid’s Wedding by Freida McFadden

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June 14, 2026

The Housemaid's Wedding (The Housemaid, #2.5)The Housemaid’s Wedding by Freida McFadden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a quick read. Lauryn Allman and Edoardo Ballerini narrate this short story to heighten the intensity of paranoia it instills. I finished in less than an hour and a half. But once started, I knew I couldn’t quit until the characters were safe. Even then, I had trouble falling asleep. Please take that as a warning.

Frieda McFadden writes compelling novels. Now that I am nearly finished with the series, I can’t wait to see how they told the story on the show.

Though I had to wait on hold for a bit, it was worth the wait. Libby has all of these, but they are popular books.

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Stream of Consequences Saturday, Guest

Filed under: Blogging, Movies/TV — Leave a comment
June 13, 2026

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “guest.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

Anybody watch the series “From” ? When I saw the prompt I thought about how guests are brought in and don’t escape.

At this point, the streams fork out and I can’t keep track with these ole fingers and eyes. So that’s it.

By the way, if you don’t like horror, and I think this is far scarier than The Walking Dead, maybe pass it by. I’m still undecided. I watched while knitting or playing games on my tablet so I don’t get hooked in.

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Review: Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal

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June 12, 2026

Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you, Laura, I love this!

I mentioned to my daughter that I was learning to button-train my dog. She suggested I might be interested in this book. She was right.

From the time my children were born, I saw they wanted to learn about the world. I saw that they were deep in thought long before they could speak words. Just as I have noticed with my dog and cats, they saw a lot but had no way to speak in completely understandable ways. Sure, they somehow teach us when to give snacks, clean the litter, or go outside. They seem to understand our words; we understand their actions. But I will still try to find buttons to teach them to talk to us. There is a whole science about this now.

Frans de Waal addresses animal intelligence and how they communicate in their own groups. I cannot find the narrator’s information. After you get used to his way of speaking the text flows and keeps the reader’s interest. This was an Audible version so I can read it again later.

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Review: Three Sisters by Heather Morris

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June 11, 2026

Three Sisters (The Tattooist of Auschwitz, #3)Three Sisters by Heather Morris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

These three books were so good that I had to buy the Audible version so I can read/listen to them again and again. Heather Morris’s research and writing were fascinatingly well done! And Finty Williams’s narration just brought the characters to life. She made her voice sound different for every character. I never felt lost as to whose point of view was being expressed.

This book is about the worst and best of people, at the worst time in history. Three sisters are caught up in the worst conditions and separated after promising to stay together and protect each other. I love books about people who care for others, even for those who were seemingly on the wrong side. Even as it seems hopeless, these characters find ways to make it just one more day.

I hope everyone gets a chance to read these books. I was able to read/listen to them first from Libby, but as I said, I look forward to reading them many more times. I may yet buy the paper version, as there are a lot of facts in the afterward that I think I need to look at and absorb.

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One-Liner Wednesday?

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June 10, 2026

A Part of Linda’s One-Liner Wednesday

When you know all day that it is Wednesday and you only have one line the burden can overtake you at 4 AM Thursday and again remembered at 10 AM, the panic is real! (I’m posting this on Thursday hoping that it fills in a missing day for WP.)

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Ta-Da Tuesday

Filed under: Audible, Blogging, Books, Diamond Painting, Kindle, Knitting — 2 Comments
June 9, 2026

Since I don’t have a book review ready, I’m still reading the books, I thought it a good time to share what I’m working on.

Dragon number 2 is coming along.
Hat ribbing almost halfway done. This after frogging nearly this much due mistakes.

Though I’m working on the socks when my hands let me but the progress doesn’t show so much.

Mostly I’ve been trying to catch up with reading. Have you seen my TBR/Currently Reading shelf?

Except, mine are Kindle or Audible.

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Review: Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris

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June 8, 2026

Cilka's Journey (The Tattooist of Auschwitz, #2)Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Louise Brealey’s amazing voice narrated Heather Morris’s fascinating novel.

This series is so important to read. We need to feel what people felt as this actual crime happened in history. It may be the only way new generations will believe it. Even those who lived through it didn’t believe it until they were nearly dead from the cruelty.

This series is based on facts told to the author by the Tattooist himself. As many in that generation do, holding the unbelievable truths for the protection of body and soul, he finally wanted to talk. He needed someone to listen to his story.

The fiction in this story gives the listener/reader a basis for understanding the human issues involved. I couldn’t stop reading. The sun was up when I finished. The excitement and the truth the author conveyed at the end of the book kept me awake until morning. I wanted to start the next book in the series, but I attempted to sleep.

I was lucky to find this series on Libby, but I know I will have to read them again and again, so I will buy the Audible versions and maybe even the paperback for the record, when I get paid.

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Review: The Fallen by Louise Brangan

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June 7, 2026

The Fallen: The Lost Girls of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries and a Legacy of SilenceThe Fallen: The Lost Girls of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries and a Legacy of Silence by Louise Brangan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Louise Brangan narrated her book about the girls who ended up in the doomed life of doing the laundry for the Catholic nuns (a very loose description). Her Irish accent makes the dreary tale delightful. I could listen to her read the phonebook. Does anyone remember those?

My review sounds lighthearted, but this book is a serious study of a part of Ireland’s history. A part of women’s history. My husband recommended the book to me. He told me it is a subject that he finds interesting.

The author follows a few of the young women’s stories personally, from bad family starts or misguided starts, and the way they were misjudged and punished for implied sins.

Libby didn’t have it when I was looking for it, so I bought the Audible version. I highly recommend it to all of you.

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