The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week, and showcase books and things we have received.
Don’t forget to look at my giveaways on the right sidebar.
Sunday started with lots of activity. I got an Instacart from Sam’s club. I started laundry and menu prepping. The guy came to trim my 2 really tall bushes I can’t do myself. It’s hot, 88F / 31C so walking will be later. Reviews weren’t posting from the blog to Goodreads so I did a reconnect and now it seems to be working. I had all the usual visiting. My daughter and I took a walk together and then we watched 2 episodes of Hell’s Kitchen instead of the 1 we usually watch while getting dinner. I stayed up late finishing a book.
Monday, I had lots of different things we wanted to do. I started a little early but couldn’t seem to get to things. I was doing the computer things but I needed to write several reviews. I did some watering. I opened the screens for the crawl space now that it’s warmer. I emailed the winners of some giveaways. Audible and Libro.fm seemed to be having sales and I looked at some of their sale items plus Chirp. Finally Lulu and I walked a medium route. I made a list for tomorrow so hopefully I can focus on getting key things finished.
Tuesday, I got going quickly so Lulu and I could walk before the rain in the afternoon. We did the longer route past the swans. I got a couple reviews written. I ran errands to the post office and then to pick up Rxs and a few groceries from Harris Teeter.
Wednesday, it’s about 15 degrees cooler and a bit windy today. I am getting a Wegmans Instacart. I went down the rabbit hole of cleaning up my spammiest email account. I finally went thru and determined which of the audiobooks on sale I could get at the library or thru KU or that I already own on Chirp. Then I bought quite a few at the Audible sale and also a few at Chirp on sale. I got book mail to give away, The Emma Project by Sonali Dev. Finally when my daughter got up, she and I walked Lulu. Then I mowed the lawn. So we ended up with a very late dinner.
Thursday, I did a wee bit of watering and weeding when I let Lulu out in the morning. I’ve been feeling a bit of frustration trying to keep changing my focus as I work through small tasks rather than a big project. The many small tasks do provide a feeling of accomplishment as they get finished. But one also has to keep an ongoing list of the tasks to do. With a big project, the focus remains the same and I can just work on different pieces and further the project to the completion. I finally got my reviews written up to date. I am now very behind on my ARC reading and moody so I didn’t want to read one I started and changed to a different one.
Friday, the weather is actually nice but I felt cold. I got a Sprouts Instacart since I cancelled it at the end of April but they didn’t have the item we wanted the most. We did get a bunch of other things we don’t have very often so it was ok. I spent most of the day reading to finish a book to review. I didn’t do much else. Although, I am having some trouble with Facebook. I have to reload my browser for each page to see the posts. It’s my computer, as it doesn’t happen on my other computer.
Saturday, I stayed up late to finish things up but slept well. I watered and weeded a bit with taking Lulu out. I worked on all the month end totals and visiting. I took Lulu on a longer route early before it was supposed to rain. Afterward, I went to work on updating month end challenge links and setting up some posts. My daughter is working on her finals now and over the upcoming week.
April Reading: I had another good reading month. I managed to read 25 books. Audiobooks continue to help me read more. Some count for more than one challenge. I listened to 15 audiobooks, read 10 library books, 24 COYER reads, and 2 books which I already own.
All Library books (including ones not reviewed on the blog) 2022 Library Love Challenge
I did manage to read 2 books I own (goal is 3 per month):
- First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost
- 🎧 See Them Run by Marion Todd
Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Reading Reality. These are the exciting ARCs I received this week (If you click on the cover, it will take you to the Goodreads entry):
Thank you so much to Berkley.
(If you click on the cover, it will take you to the Goodreads entry)
Well, this got out of hand with both deals at Chirp and a big series sale at Audible. I was finishing up titles in series I am collecting or want to try. These are all audiobooks.
At Chirp:
- $5 A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie
- $5 They Do It with Mirrors by Agatha Christie
- $4 Desert Rescue / Training a Killer / Mountain Survival by collected authors (a 3 book set)
- $2 The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen
At Audible:
- $4 Sweep in Peace by Ilona Andrews
- $4 One Fell Sweep by Ilona Andrews
- $4 Sweep of the Blade by Ilona Andrews
- $5 Age of War by Michael J. Sullivan
- $4 Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
- $6 Steadfast by Jack Campbell
- $6 Andrea Vernon and the Big Axe Acquisition by Alexander C. Kane
- $4 What Angels Fear by CS Harris
- $4 Shadow Spell by Nora Roberts
- $4 Blood Magick by Nora Roberts
- $4 The Rules of Supervillainy by CT Phipps
- $5 The Games of Supervillainy by CT Phipps
- $4 And After by Sarah Lyons Fleming
- $5 All the Stars in the Sky by Sara Lyons Fleming
- $5 The Lost Child by Patricia Gibney
- $5 No Safe Place by Patricia Gibney
- $4 The Old Fox Deceiv’d by Martha Grimes
- $4 The Anodyne Necklace by Martha Grimes
Now the really scary one. This is all the Kindle and Audible freebies I grabbed this past week. You can see why I need to do Thrifty Thursday to be sure I read a few at least one each month.
I really meant to cut back on freebies BUT they are free so I guess that won’t be happening.
I’m not including things like reviews posted or upcoming as they are always in the right sidebar. And, my challenge status is also there.
Anne
- Thrifty Thursday:Texas Edition @JeanBrashear @KathyCarmichael @kathyivan #AnnDeFee#ThriftyThursday #Challenge #Giveaway - April 18, 2024
- 🎧 Pay Dirt by Sara Paretsky @SaraParetsky #SusanEriksen @WmMorrowBooks @HarperAudio #LoveAudiobooks - April 16, 2024
- Sunday Post – 14 April 2024 @kimbacaffeinate @readingreality - April 14, 2024
I’ve seen many a topic on Goodreads keeps logging out, maybe that’s happening for you too?
25 books is really good! Hopefully May will be great for you 🙂
Thanks Esther. I am occasionally getting the Goodreads problem as well. That doesn’t seem as annoying though it takes a moment to log in. I am loving my reading right now.
25 books? Honestly I don’t know how you manage that Anne! Also that picture of Lulu and your daughter is adorable! Have a great week!
Thank you Sophie! I think they are adorable. Generally it takes me 2 days for a book and 2 days for an audio which works out to 1 book a day. But sometimes a book is longer or shorter so it varies. And there are some days where my tasks don’t work with listening or I’m so tired I fall asleep without reading.
For me it’s a feeling of panic, not being able to read everything, so I put down one book and puck up another and try to read both at once. That rarely turns out well, lol. Have a good week, Anne!
I can read 2 books all the time with one audio and one ebook. I listen to audio in the day and read the ebook at bedtime. It gets more difficult some days when I am buddy reading if I’m done for the day for the buddy read but have more reading time. This month I did have some days with 2 audios and nights with 2 ebooks, and it didn’t bother me at all which was surprising. Thank you Tammy.
Sounds like another busy week. What a book haul!! I always love to see a photo of Lulu! I have the ARC for The Emma Project and am really looking forward to it.
Thank you Wendy. I did really get a haul but some sales don’t have anything I want. *shrugs* I’ve been loving this Rajes series. Sonali Dev is just fantastic as a person too, funny and kind.
I took advantage of the sales at Audible and Chirp, too, but not nearly as many as you bought! But then, I don’t go through audiobooks nearly as fast as you do— I’m always in awe of how many you listen to.
I hear you on the small tasks vs. large projects. Though I often become overwhelmed and discouraged by the large projects, at least the personal/home ones. I keep to-do lists in my daily planner; it absolutely helps to check things off—gives a nice sense of satisfaction.
Your April wrap-up is impressive! I read a fair number of books in April, but most of them were rereads. Hopefully I can read more “new-to-me” books in May.
Have a great week and a lovely May Day!
Thank you! I’m not sure I said it right but with small tasks you have to keep remembering more of them to put on the list if you are productive. As for the books, some sales don’t have anything I want, but I do like to collect some series I know I will reread. I’ve already read some of those I purchased. I often don’t purchase books unless I’ve read them and really liked them.
We had the up and down weather too this week. We didn’t get to 88 though yet thank goodness. I never thought of doing the screen thing for my crawl space. Wonder if that helps? I need to read more Sonali Dev. They just were added to Book Bonanza too, so hope to meet her this summer. Have a good week!
Thanks Lisa. The screens are little vent things that look like the ones over air returns inside the house but maybe sturdier. They are built into the house, a few along each side of the house. They have a little stick about the size of your finger to hold the outer flap open in the summer for airflow; then you just collapse it to cover the screen completely in the winter to keep in the heat. They are maybe 6″ x 10′ each. Oh Sonali Dev is awesome! I just love her as a person, so kind and funny.
That is a lot of new audiobooks!! Enjoy!
Thank you. Pieces of series I’m collecting.
That’s an amazing reading month for you.
I love the photo of your garden. It looks so pretty.
Have a great week and happy reading.
Thank you Maureen. The garden is doing well except the basil. It was too early for it and it died. I’ll have to get another plant when I get the tomatoes.
Goodreads has been playing up for me lately, but then when ISN’T Goodreads being a pain? You had an amazing reading total for April and I hope you enjoy Devouring Darkness.
Thank you Louise. Part of my large number of books was mysteries which are the easiest to read for me.
Wow, 88 already! Glad it cooled after that. Wishing your daughter well on her finals. I worked outside on Friday, but most of the week was cold and rainy so not much was growing anyway. I did get in some good walks since the rain wasn’t constant and the cool weather made baking some dishes actually good for warming the house. I caught a few of those books on Chirp, too. This was my catch up week for some reviews that I’ve been sitting on since I was really into the Mystery RAT. Great job of reading 25 this month.
Have a good week, Anne!
Thank you Sophia! The Mystery RAT gave me so many great reads. We seem to be alternating between 3-4 days of upper 80s and 2-3 days of 68-75. I like the cooler temps. I’m trying to get back on track this week.
WOW you picked up a lot of stuff on sale. Wishing your daughter well on her finals. Have a great week!
Thank you Angela! It was a really good sale. Lots of times I don’t find anything.
88! Wooh that’s hot. Love the roses too. 🙂
I need to read some Christie. And I love the STS cover. Those books the Chicagoland Vamp series always have such evocative covers.
Thanks Greg. It’s kind of odd since one of the very first series I read on audio was Chicagoland Vampires. This spin-off series with her daughter though is all ebook. No idea why that happened. Agatha Christie may be dated in some ways but I love how clever the mysteries are.
I really do want to read some Christie. I started her Halloween one once but got sidetracked. With the new movies coming out I think I want to read that and then see the adaptation.
I love the picture of your daughter and Lulu. It reminds me of how I feel after participating in the 24-hour readathon yesterday. Pooped. I hope you and your daughter have a good week. Good luck to your daughter and her finals. Thanks for stopping by my blog!
You’re welcome. Sunday is all about visiting everyone and learning what’s happening.
It’s been about that hot here too so I haven’t been taking Falcor for walks until the sun goes down. But we have plenty or bushes and places for him to sniff in the courtyard where there is some shade during the day. I try to get up before the sun comes up to take him for a walk in the morning.
Our week seems to be half and half. Half upper 80s and half around 70. I like the cooler days. But it will be all 80s all the time, even low 90s in July and August so I have to figure out the new schedule for us soon.
That’s a cute picture of your daughter and Lulu and those flowers sure are pretty!
Thank you Jinjer. It rained hard yesterday in the late afternoon and there are petals everywhere.
Sounds like Southern California temps. Look at your gorgeous roses! I’m behind on review books too. It’s a stress right now. Things have just been crazy in my life right now and I hope to catch up in the coming weeks. We’ll see. I have to go back and forth between So Cal and No Cal for 5 more weeks until my job transfer goes through.
Thank you Rachel! At least I hope you can listen to audiobooks on the commutes. I hope you love your new home and area.
Looks like everything is in bloom there! And you got a lot done this week. Love that photo of your daughter and Lulu. 🙂
Thank you Stephanie. I don’t know if I got much beyond ordinary chores, besides reading and buying books. But that’s important work!
you sure are busy. as i have gotten older, i have to break down my ‘chores’ into smaller pieces. i still feel a sense of accomplishment when one small piece of the yard gets done. looks like you had a great month of reading. hope you enjoyed them all and have some good ones coming up. right now i am reading two at the same time, because i keep getting bored with the review book i am reading
Thank you Sherry. I like to keep busy and take care of things. I’ve been reading some amazing books but I’ve been a bit moody about it.
25 books for the month is wonderful!!! So awesome. Glad you were able to read two of yours as well. I love the prices of the audiobook sales you found! I hope May is just as productive a reading month for you!! Have a great week!
Thanks Cindy. I wouldn’t have bought so many without the great prices I think.
Our weather has been up and down the past week or so here too. It made it up to the low 80s today and I’m hoping it stays there for a while because it was the perfect weather for sitting outside and reading. Wow, what a fabulous book haul! I didn’t realize Audible was having a sale or else I would have picked up a few titles myself.
I’m not loving the 3-4 days of upper 80s each week, which we are in now. The 3-4 days of around 70 are great. The cooler temps are more typical of this time of year, although we will get into the low 80s soon enough. I’m more worried about how little rain we are getting. I don’t always find anything in the sales but this was an excellent one.
The weather here has been so nice as of late–mid-70’s to mid-80’s. I love it. Although I wouldn’t mind a rainy day or two or three . . . The drought continues here with water restrictions tightening. I imagine it will get worse as summer gets closer. The Emma Project looks good–I hope you enjoy it! I need to get caught up with the series. Devouring Darkness looks good too! I really enjoy that series. I hope you have a great week, Anne!
Thank you Wendy! the mid 70s to mid 80s is more like late May June. We should still be in the 70s or at least low 80s in my mind. These upper 80s without enough rain is bad. I have many great things to read and I’m grateful.
Sounds like the weather was up and down last week. It was 80 or above here every day last week, I think. And even warmed when we were in Tampa last weekend. By Thursday/Friday it will be in the 90’s here. I am not ready for that. I’ve yet to read anything by J.H. Croix but I picked up that freebie last week, too. I have several by her now and I think she’ll be one that I enjoy.
I’m not excited about upper 80s and definitely not 90s. We should be having rainy 70s or low 80s. I have only read a whole bunch of freebies by JH Croix but I liked them very well. I hope you enjoy them.
I keep having to log into Goodreads. It is so annoying! It sounds like you had a productive week. We have a couple of bigger projects that we need to work on but it is hard to find enough time. I hope that your daughter’s finals are going well. I bought way too many books at the sale last week too. Have a great week!
Thank you Carole! Both Goodreads and Facebook were being weird but they seem better this week. Her finals seem to be going well and she is trying to help me a bit because I haven’t felt well for a couple days.
Awww…that’s an adorable pic of your daughter and Lulu💜
Congrats on all those book deals! You made the most of that Audible $5 sale.
Have a great week!
Thank you Jonetta. I was very happy with the purchases, it took me a few days to figure out the best options.
Love hyour garden and hyour dog too.
Thank you for visiting.
Gah! Where has this week gone? It’s already Thursday afternoon and I’m just getting to the Sunday post. I can’t even remember what I did this week, let alone last week. I do remember it was school vacation for my kids. I was still working from home, but took some time off. My son had two good LAX games, but it was cold in rainy. No fun watching in the rain. Hope your week so far is a good one.
IKR? I’ve been limited as I didn’t feel well starting Sunday so I’ve been trying to rest and drink fluids. Mostly fever / chills and feeling achy. With ibuprofen, it’s been ok since Monday. But I haven’t been pushing it. Now that the weather is coming out of the upper 80s I’ll try to do more.