#sundaypost

#ParisinJuly2026 and Sunday Post #163: France is hot #book reviews #Frenchliterature #KarineSulpice #BernardMinier #PaulRichardot #thriller https://wordsandpeace.com/2026/07/12/parisinjuly2026-and-sunday-post-163-france-is-hot/

The Sunday Salon is a Facebook group that has become an informal week-in-review gathering place for bloggers. It is also a place to share our thoughts about things of a bookish nature. You can also link up weekly on Readerbuzz. The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE! We had a wonderful 4th of July. We attended the parade, lunched, and visited with family at my mother-in-law's home until it was time for the fireworks. The kids found a great spot inside the park. I can't remember the last time we actually went into the park for the fireworks. We have sat in many places adjacent to the park over the years, but this one was near parking, on a paved path, and didn't even take long getting back on the road for home. Last week, I decided to take a few days off as Mr. Dollycas and Daughter #1 were on vacation. Tuesday, we took a family trip to the Milwaukee Zoo. Sadly, Kaden, his dad, and Natalie's mom's fiancé had to work. It was a beautiful day, but many of the animals were hiding, which was disappointing. The goats in the farm petting area were happy to see us, as were the giraffes and the bears. Peacocks were all over the place, too. Korbyn and Rylynn had their first ride on the Safari Train. I love it when we can get together for these family fun days! We had to recreate a picture we had taken of the kids back in 1997. Then we made a memory for the Grands.   After leaving the zoo, we had a few more stops to make before we left Milwaukee. Being huge Milwaukee Brewers fans, we headed downtown to find a newly completed mural of Bob Uecker. He started his time in Milwaukee in 1956, playing later for other teams. He won a World Series with the Cardinals in 1964. After retiring, Uecker started a broadcasting career and served as the primary broadcaster for Milwaukee Brewers radio broadcasts from 1971. Uecker became known for his self-deprecating wit and became a regular fixture on late night talk shows in the 1970s and 1980s, facetiously dubbed "Mr. Baseball" by talk show host Johnny Carson. He hosted several sports blooper shows and had an acting career that included his role as George Owens on the television program Mr. Belvedere and as play-by-play announcer Harry Doyle in the film Major League and its two sequels. He passed away on January 16, 2025. The mural is amazing! That's Mr. Dollycas standing in front. Then just a couple of blocks away is a mural painted by the same artist of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the "Greek Freak". He had played for the Bucks since 2013 and made a great impact in Milwaukee. The mural was painted to honor his achievements both on and off the court, but a few weeks ago, he was traded to the Miami Heat. He has stated he will be back, but there has been talk about removing the mural, and Remi has been a big fan. So we had to get a picture of that mural, too. That is Remi holding Korbyn, at the bottom. I was unfamiliar with the Thomas Dambo trolls that are found across the United States and around the world until one was erected in Firefly Grove Park in Wauwatosa, just outside of Milwaukee, and on our way home. It is the first of his Trolls in Wisconsin. It is a beautiful park, and "Mama Rosa" is near the entrance. Text of the Poem on the Plaque Something’s funny with these flowers. Some have special needs and powers There’s no roots beneath these flowers Rain won’t rain upon these flowers Something’s funny with these flowers They come from nothing in an hour There’s no honeybees These flowers have no honey in these flowers Something’s funny with these flowers Staying all summer, won’t go sour When the sun’s asleep these flowers glow I wonder how these flowers grow This poem captures the magical and whimsical character of Mama Rosa and her glowing flowers, which are made from repurposed light fixtures and recycled materials found throughout Wauwatosa. The plaque is affixed to a decorative rock positioned near the troll sculpture, inviting visitors to read, reflect, and immerse themselves in the playful, eco-conscious spirit of Thomas Dambo’s art installation. The sculpture and plaque together highlight creativity, sustainability, and wonder for all visitors to explore. Wednesday, I met with the surgeon about my elbow. I will be having an MRI later this month to make sure there is no bone involvement, and then he will form a plan to try to get the wound closed and keep it that way. I haven't been able to tolerate previous MRIs, so I plan to be sedated. Because there is no infection, I hope it won't require a hospital stay. Fingers and toes crossed. For the rest of the week, I worked a little and puttered around the house. The pressure of not posting any reviews and reading purely for pleasure was nice but strange. I may make it a summer tradition. Weekly Rewind - July 6 - 11,2026 Monday - My Reading Itinerary Monday! – Week #28 – 2026 Plus - Holmes Away From Home (An Althea Adler Mystery) by Samantha Larsen #BookBlast Tuesday - A Murder in the Making (Magical Trinket Mysteries) by Victoria Laurie #Giveaway @KensingtonBooks Wednesday - Murder by Moonrise (A Dr. Julia Lewis Mystery) by Patrice McDonough #Giveaway @KensingtonBooks Thursday - The Case of the Christie Wedding Affair (The Detection Club) by Kelly Oliver #Spotlight #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @kellyoliverauthor Friday - Murder at the Scottish Games (A Scottish Shire Mystery) by Traci Hall @KensingtonBooks Saturday -  Edited Out (Seffi Wardwell Mysteries) by Rebecca Douglass #Spotlight #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @rebeccamdouglass How was your week? Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas. Read the full article

The Sunday Salon is a Facebook group that has become an informal week-in-review gathering place for bloggers. It is also a place to share our thoughts about things of a bookish nature. You can also link up weekly on Readerbuzz. The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE! Like most people across the country, we battled a heat wave this week. Charlie had a game on Monday, but us old people stayed home in the air conditioning. Thomas's games were cancelled due to the heat. On Wednesday, Daughter #1 and Remi came up to take me to my annual Medicare doctor's appointment. The appointment went okay, but I have a few referrals to take care of. The main one is to see the surgeon who rebuilt my elbow last year. I fell a couple of weeks ago, and landed, then slid just enough to open a sore the size of a quarter. Thankfully, my Infectious Disease doctor has kept me on antibiotics in case this happened, so there is no fear of osteomyelitis. I hope it just needs a few stitches, not a full-blown surgery to fix. I am typing this on Friday. We will be celebrating the 4th at my mother-in-law's, like we do every year. Sadly, Son #2 has to work again, and there is rain in the forecast. I am just happy to get together with family. Weekly Rewind - June 29 - July 4, 2026 Monday - My Reading Itinerary Monday! – Week #27 – 2026 Tuesday - A Jewel of a Crime: A Venus Bixby Mystery by Valerie Taylor #Review #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @ValerieETaylor Wednesday - Cozy Wednesday featuring A Cyclist’s Guide to Poppies & Predicaments (A Cyclist’s Guide Mystery) by Ann Claire #Review #Giveaway @KensingtonBooks @AnnClaireMysteries Friday - #FlashbackFriday – No Comfort for the Dead: An Irish Library Mystery by R.P. O’Donnell #Review #HardcoverGiveaway @crookedlanebooks Saturday - Happy Independence Day! How was your week? Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas. Read the full article

The Sunday Salon is a Facebook group that has become an informal week-in-review gathering place for bloggers. It is also a place to share our thoughts about things of a bookish nature. You can also link up weekly on Readerbuzz. The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE! It was a full week! Last Saturday, we went north to cheer on Natalie and her team. They played 4 games, and we made it to the middle two. We headed home with Mr. Dollycas feeling like a jinx because they lost the games we attended and won the ones we missed. The rest of us have witnessed wins, so he took the blame. On Sunday, they played one more game; we weren't there, but sadly, they lost that one as well. These girls play so hard. In the first game, their bats were on fire, and in the 3rd game, they couldn't buy a hit. They all have great attitudes, striving to get better with every game and, most importantly, to have fun.   We all enjoyed the games, but even with sunscreen, we got wicked sunburns. Korbyn fared better in his wagon with his hat, but you can see even his arms are a little red. We will be writing a no-star review of ThinkBaby! On our way home, we took Korbyn on his first Merrimac Ferry ride. It crosses the Wisconsin River between Sauk and Columbia counties and takes less than 10 minutes. And it's free! A trip isn't complete unless you stop for hand-dipped Super-Premium Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream (32 flavors). He wasn't too sure about the noise and the water. We try to get there at least once a year. The team had another tournament on Thursday and Friday of this week, but due to work, we were unable to go. I was delighted to find the app that the teams use for scheduling and information. It also live-streams the games. So we were able to watch/listen from home. It's not the same as being there to cheer her and her team on, but it's a great option when we can't travel. Charlotte had her weekly softball game on Monday. She has so much fun. After the game, I asked her if she liked playing softball. Her response: "No, Nana, I love it! Thomas played 3 games on Thursday. Mr. Dollycas was feeling under the weather, so we only have 1 picture. Friday night was the first night of our town's summer celebration. We took Charlotte, Athena, and Korbyn, along with Daughter #2, to see the firemen's water battles. Needless to say we all got a little wet, but had a great time. What a week! Weekly Rewind June 22 - 27, 2026 Monday - My Reading Itinerary Monday! – Week #26 – 2026 Tuesday - Murder at the Campfire Cookout (A Beacon Bakeshop Mystery) by Darci Hannah #Review #Giveaway @authordarcihannah @KensingtonBooks Wednesday - Cozy Wednesday featuring A Poisonous Pour (A Cece Barton Mystery) by Maddie Day #Review #ARCGiveaway @maddiedayauthor @KensingtonBooks Thursday - Voted Most Likely to Murder: A Novel by Lacey Moone #Review #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @laceymooneauthor @crookedlanebooks Friday - Dreidels and Dead Ends (Bad Hair Day Mysteries) by Nancy J. Cohen – Book Blast #Spotlight #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @nancyjcohen Saturday - Ghost Cat and the Haunted House (A Tenth Life Cozy Mystery) by Mollie Hunt #Spotlight #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @molliehuntcatwriter Plus - Amanda Cadabra and The Twilight Toxin (The Amanda Cadabra British Urban Fantasy Mysteries) by Holly Bell #Spotlight #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @hollybellac   How was your week? Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas.   Read the full article

The Sunday Salon is a Facebook group that has become an informal week-in-review gathering place for bloggers. It is also a place to share our thoughts about things of a bookish nature. You can also link up weekly on Readerbuzz. The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE! Happy Father's Day to the Dads out there! Another busy week of reading, blogging, and book tours. We were only able to attend Charlie's softball game this week. Thomas's Tuesday night game started too early, and his Thursday night game was a surprise as he was needed to play with a major team because they were short on players. His teams won both games. Charlie wore sunglasses for her game, and they threw her off when batting. It was the first time she had to use the tee. Mr Dollycas got cute pictures of the kids at Charlie's game. Korbyn was the real mover and shaker during the week. The child is just 8 and a half months old. He just mastered crawling a few days ago. He immediately started pulling himself up on any stationary object. Then on Wednesday, he came home from daycare, his mom sat him on the floor, expecting him to start crawling around. She stood next to him, talking to me, and he pulled himself up on her, took her hands, and did this! He just walked away into the kitchen. He also has 2 upper teeth poking through. I know this time passes quickly, but this little guy is going at warp speed to catch up with his cousins. Natalie's team lost their final game last Sunday. They played the strong home team that they had played at 8 a.m. the day before. The wind was fierce and made the pitching super hard; our girls' batting was hindered, too. It was a beautiful day for softball on Saturday. Sunday, it was cold and windy. Heavy sweatshirts and blankets covered the spectators. I do love it when the girls wear their pink uniforms. We are on the road again this weekend, happily chasing Natalie to another tournament. Weekly Rewind - June 15 - 20, 2026 Monday - My Reading Itinerary Monday! – Week #25 – 2026 Tuesday - Special Guest – Joanna Campbell Slan – Author of Purple, Blame, Game: A Kiki Lowenstein Cozy Mystery #GuestPost #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @jcslan Wednesday - Cozy Wednesday featuring A Cultivated Corpse (A Food Blogger Mystery) by Debra Sennefelder #Review #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @debrasennefelder Thursday - Special Guest – Marla A. White – Author of Recipe for Murder (A Pine Cove Mystery) #GuestPost #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @marlawriteswords Friday - #FlashbackFriday featuring The Case of the Missing Maid (Harriet Morrow Investigates) by Rob Osler #Review #Giveaway @roboslerwriter @KensingtonBooks Saturday - News from Kris Bock No New Books This Week! How was your week? Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas. Read the full article

The Sunday Salon is a Facebook group that has become an informal week-in-review gathering place for bloggers. It is also a place to share our thoughts about things of a bookish nature. You can also link up weekly on Readerbuzz. The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE! The week was full of softball. Ms. Charlie played again on Monday, and I was so impressed again with her hitting that ball. Fielding is getting better, too, as more girls are starting to hit the ball past the pitcher's mound. On Wednesday and Thursday, bad weather moved in, and trees down caused power outages. Some neighboring towns had a lot of damage, likely from a tornado, but it may just be classified as high winds. Thomas game on Thursday was cancelled due to the storms. Natalie had a tournament here this weekend. Her first game was on Friday afternoon. She played left field and hit the heck out of that ball. They had a true rally inning, winning 12 -9. Mr. Dollycas, aka the cameraman, had to work and was unable to attend.  Saturday, we started bright and early at 8 a.m. against a home team that was tough; Natalie played 3rd base and had 2 exciting outs there. Our girls lost 6-1. Game 3 was at 11, and Natalie pitched. She did really well, but the bats were stronger on the other side; one girl ended up with an in-the-park home run, due to some outfield errors, with runners on base. Final score was 9-4. She plays again this afternoon. I can't wait to see what this week brings! Weekly Rewind - June 8 -13, 2026 Monday - My Reading Itinerary Monday! – Week #24 – 2026 Tuesday - The Chowder House Murder (A Downeast Maine Mystery) by Lee Hollis #Review #Giveaway @KensingtonBooks @leehollisauthor Wednesday - Cozy Wednesday featuring Whose Body in the Library: A Lighthouse Library Mystery by Eva Gates #Review / #Giveaway @crookedlanebks @evagatesauthor Thursday - Safari Murder Party by Rachel Moore #Review @BerkleyMystery @byrachelmoore Friday - #FlashbackFriday – Murder on Bamboo Lane & Grave on Grand Avenue (Officer Ellie Rush Mysteries) by Naomi Hirahara #Spotlight #Giveaway Saturday - Death of a Proper Bostonian (Old Los Angeles) by Anne Louise Bannon #Spotlight #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @annelouisebannon4 Plus - The Black Cat Detectives: A Mystery by Kit Gray #Spotlight #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @AuthorEliseScott Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin was on sale for $1.99 when I purchased the book and still was when I created this post.  The Ascent was also on sale for $1.99 when I created this post.  How was your week? Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas. Read the full article

The Sunday Salon is a Facebook group that has become an informal week-in-review gathering place for bloggers. It is also a place to share our thoughts about things of a bookish nature. You can also link up weekly on Readerbuzz. The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE! Last Sunday was a huge day for our family. Kaden graduated from high school. Tears were flowing as I watched him walk across the same stage I did 47 years ago and 51 years after Mr. Dollycas did. I had the perfect seat to see him walk in; that's when the tears started. There wasn't a bad seat in the entire gym. This class of 2026 had 86 members. I love how the processional in is measured and slow, and the recessional out is pretty darn quick. The class song was the ideal graduation anthem- Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield. Feel the rain on your skin No one else can feel it for you Only you can let it in No one else, no one else Can speak the words on your lips Drench yourself in words unspoken Live your life with arms wide open Today is where your book begins The rest is still unwritten We are all so proud of Kaden and excited for what the future will bring. In other news, Charlotte had her first-ever softball game last Monday night. At this age, it's coach pitch/tee ball. Charlotte hit the ball the coach pitched both times she was up. Also, at this age, fielding is a new concept being learned and can be boring between pitches or when the ball doesn't come their way. They also have to be reminded to run after they hit the ball. This age is so precious and fun. Thomas played on Thursday night. He's an old pro at this now. He played 2nd and 3rd base. This week will again be full of sports; I love that!!! Weekly Rewind - June 1 - 6, 2026 Monday - My Reading Itinerary Monday! – Week #23 – 2026 Tuesday - Death by Chocolate Ladyfingers (A Death by Chocolate Mystery) by Sarah Graves #Review #ARCGiveaway – @KensingtonBooks @SarahGraves2011 Wednesday - Cozy Wednesday featuring Sconed to Death (A Crochet and Crumpets Mystery) by Betty Hechtman #Review #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @bettyhechtmanauthor Thursday - Dolly All the Time: A GMA Book Club Pick by Annabel Monaghan #Review @annabelmonaghan @penguinusa Friday - A Necessary Death by Terri Karsten #Spotlight #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @terrikarsten Plus - Second Act (Later in Life Love Stories) by Diana Xarissa #Review #Giveaway Saturday - Death of an Antiquarian: A Mia Reid, Archaeologist, Mystery by Rose Kerr #Spotlight #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @RoseKerrAuthor How was your week? Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas. Read the full article

The Sunday Salon is a Facebook group that has become an informal week-in-review gathering place for bloggers. It is also a place to share our thoughts about things of a bookish nature. You can also link up weekly on Readerbuzz. The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE! It was a wonderful week here with warm temps, no crazy winds, but to the farmer's dismay, no rain. It was great to open up the windows and fill the house with fresh air. On Wednesday, Charlotte's school field trip took her to a different zoo than the one Thomas's class went to. Like last week, her parents chaperoned, which meant all the kids were able to go along. We are planning a family fun day there this summer, where we can all go. Friday was the last day of school for Remington, Thomas, and Charlie. Let the summer fun begin! Weekly Rewind - May 25 - May 30, 2026 Monday - My Reading Itinerary Monday! – Week #22 – 2026 Tuesday - Sinner’s Prayer (A Dan Randolph/Greg Zhu Mystery) by Dwain Lee #Review #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour Wednesday - Cozy Wednesday featuring The Diva Hosts a Murderer (A Domestic Diva Mystery) by Krista Davis #Review #Giveaway #Recipe #GreatEscapesBookTour @KensingtonBooks @KristaDavis Thursday - The Cold Case and the Corpse (A Food Blogger Mystery) by Debra Sennefelder #Review @debrasennefelder Friday - The Corpse by the Creek: A Succulent Sleuth Cozy Mystery by Iris March #Spotlight #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @irismarchbooks Saturday - Dye by Design (The Fairhope Murder Mystery Series) by Ashley Brandt #Spotlight #Giveaway How was your week? Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas. Read the full article