My Week in Review
To everyone out there, who is celebrating:
My own daughter has been busy working on my Mother's Day gift, and it's something I am really excited about! I can't keep a secret, so I will tell you - it's a blog redesign. She has drawn all the graphics, and I think we will call it SLOTH-TASTIC! As a little preview, I want to share our awesome new button with you.
File this under "Things I Want!"
— Lacey London (@thelaceylondon) May 10, 2018
May is an awesome month for YA!— Eric Smith (@ericsmithrocks) May 11, 2018
Over on @PasteMagazine, we've rounded up a few to look out for. @ashleyhblake @Nishawrites @SGarberGirl and more! https://t.co/JQy9nknW8W
Asian/Pacific Heritage Month Book Recommendations https://t.co/MkHcm3g2dF pic.twitter.com/sN98o39W5f— Melanie Parker (@meltotheany) May 11, 2018
On the Blog:
- Monday: Blog Tour - Spies, Lies, and Allies by Lisa Brown Roberts (giveaway!)
- Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday - Somewhere Over the Rainbow
- Wednesday: Can't-Wait Wednesday - Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- Thursday: Hidden Gems - Phantom Limbs by Paula Garner
- Friday: Blog Tour - Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch (giveaway!)
I was pretty excited to win two giveaways this week, and also to get approved for one of my most anticipated releases, The Impossibility of Us. Yes, it was a good book week.
- Life After Juliet by Shannon Lee Alexander
- Just One of the Royals by Leah and Kate Rooper
- Giant Days by Non Pratt
- #FashionVictim by Amina Akhtar
- The Impossibility of Us by Katy Upperman
- Mammoth by Jill Baguchinsky
- Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino from Samantha @ The Book Disciple
- A Prom to Remember by Sandi Hall from the publisher
What I Read Last Week
I was proud of myself for actually reading all the books on my weekly TBR, but it was a week of highs and mehs for me. Though all books were good, a few were not what I was expecting, and I had a case of it's me, not you there. I had TWO 5-star reads though, which totally makes up for it.
- Puddin' by Julie Murphy: It was tons of fun to be back in Dumplin's world, and I loved getting to know Millie better, because she was so fabulous. A great girl-power book, filled with friendship, romance, and humor, which left me swimming in happy feels. ★★★★
- Cinderella and the Geek by Christina Philips: A cute romance between two awkward people, which was fun, sweet, which had a fabulous epilogue. ★★★ 1/2
- The Weekend Bucket List by Mia Kerick: This was a nice story of friendship, that had some fun hijinks in the first part of the book, but became complicated in the later part. Although I enjoyed this book, I was expecting some romance, and well, this is not a romance. ★★★
- The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen (audiobook): Van Draanen sure knows how to write a super heartwarming tale, that leaves me with the happiest of happy tears in my eyes. It was such a pleasure and a privilege to be part of Jessica's journey. ★★★★★
- Ship It by Britta Lundin: This was another book, where there was really nothing wrong with the story, but it was not what I was expecting. With that said, it was an interesting and enlightening approach to a fandom story, and I really did love the ending. ★★★
- Listen to Your Heart by Kasie West: This was exactly what I needed! This book was so sweet, cute, adorable, heartwarming, fun -- it was every complimentary adjective, and I LOVED IT!!! ★★★★★
What I Am Currently Reading
I am almost finished with Things We Know by Heart, and I just keep smiling and crying. It's a beautifully emotional story, and you all know I am a total sap. I am just starting Beginner's Luck, but I am in the mood for a contemporary romance, and I have heard good things about this series.
- Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby (audiobook)
- Beginner's Luck by Kate Clayborn
What I Plan to Read
- Luck of the Draw by Kate Clayborn
- Tiffany Sly Lives Here by Dana L. Davis
- Suitors & Sabotage by Cindy Anstey
- Moonrise by Sarah Crossan
How was your week?
Let us know in the comments!
I’m impressed with how much you read in just a week! I want to read The Running Dream.
ReplyDeleteThe Running Dream was so wonderful and uplifting. I hope you get to read it.
DeleteAww a blog redesign, that's fantastic - I am so in love with that little logo, it looks adorable <3
ReplyDeleteThat bookshelf in the staircase is such a brilliant and aesthetic idea, I love it so much.
I'm so glad you got The Impossibility of Us - I'm also really impatient to read that one, it sounds SO good! :D
I hope you'll have a wonderful week <3
I swear my Can't-Wait Wednesday theory is holding up. I put my wish into the universe, and I usually get approved for the book. It's amazing, and I am going to keep believing that is why I get all these books.
DeleteHappy Mothers Day! And ooh the new redesign looks like it will be great! Cute sloth. :)
ReplyDeleteI totally want those bookshelf steps as well.
Listen To Your Geart looks fun! And I need to look at that Jessi Kirvy book.
I cannot wait to see the finished site. I love the cartoon feel and I think it's cute and quirky. Listen to Your Heart was wonderful and so was the Jessi Kirby book.
DeleteWow, those stairs are so amazing :) and congrats on the new theme plans! Looks like a cool idea, I am curious to see the final version :) and OMG Puddin'! I kind of really want to read that.
ReplyDeletePuddin' was fun, because Millie was such wonderful character. I like the idea of forgiveness and believing that someone has the capacity to change too. I think we forget that sometimes.
DeleteThose stairs are definitely needed in my reader dream house! Lol! Perfect for holding my TBR books that can't fit in my TBR trunk! Lol!!
ReplyDeleteNice new reads!! All new to me ones but I hope you enjoy them all!
Here's my STS
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
Yeah, those stairs are definitely #HomeGoals.
DeleteHappy Mother’s Day to you!!! Hope it is a fabulous one.
ReplyDeleteThat staircase is something I would so doo if I could build my own house! IT’s goegous! Enjoy all those amazing new book you acquired this week. Happy reading.
I love when form marries function, so those stairs really appeal to me.
DeleteLove the staircase/stairs. Happy Mother's Day. Hope my toddler gives me something special:)https://theglobaldig.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI still have so many wonderful things from when my daughter was a toddler. Most have handprints incorporated, but I love seeing her hand get bigger each mother's day.
DeleteHappy Mother's Day! Those stairs!!! Thanks for sharing the pic. I love looking at bookshelves, especially unique ones. I think that's why I love to look at photos and even find those creative Little Free Libraries. I've seen amazing artwork for those important literacy boxes.
ReplyDeleteI have seen a ton of those little free libraries too. Some are ah-mazing!
DeleteHappy Mother's Day!
ReplyDeleteOMG so jealous over the new Kasie West! So happy to see you enjoyed it. And Tihngs We Know By Heart... sigh. That book is amazing. :)
I am always grateful to get a KWest book early. I wasn't crazy about the format, because I had to wear my glasses to read it, but it was so worth it. Yes! Things We Know By Heart was wonderful! I am getting some happy tears in my eyes right now.
DeleteHappy Mother’s Day! I lOVE sloths! They’re one of my favorite animals. I have Moonrise on my TBR list, so I hope we both like it. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
Sloths are my daughter's favorite, and she has this stuffed one, who goes places and takes many pictures. He is sort of the WLABB mascot, so I love that she themed the blog after him. Crossan is an author I have been wanting to read, and Moonrise sounds wonderful.
DeleteI'd like that staircase for books even though I don't have an upstairs. LOL Happy Mother's and enjoy those fabulous books!
ReplyDeleteMy Sunday Post
I am in an apartment, so I couldn't get that staircase either, but I am adding it to my home goals.
DeleteHappy Mother's Day, Sam!!! ♥ It's SOOO awesome that your daughter's doing a blog redesign for you; I can't wait to see how it turns out! And I'm THRILLED that you're loving Things We Know By Heart! It was one of my favorite books the year it came out. ♥
ReplyDelete- Aimee @ Aimee, Always
Things We Know By Heart was so beautiful. Well worth all the tears I shed.
DeleteIf we didn't have a closet under the stairs (with the access to the crawl space), I would totally put shelves there. Happy Mother's Day!
ReplyDeleteI am such a fan of multipurpose spaces, and I just think the design is so ingenious.
DeleteHappy Mother's day! I love that sloth design. You have a very talented daughter!
ReplyDeleteHey, at least she is doing something with that BFA. XD
DeleteLove the button! I'm so glad you enjoyed Listen to Your Heart so much. I hope you have a wonderful week.
ReplyDeleteKWest is back in fine form with her newest book. It's super cute.
DeleteIt's so cool your daughter is doing a blog redesign for you, what a thoughtful gift! You got through so many books this week! Weirdly I was just looking at Things we Know By Heart and I'm so glad you're enjoying it, I really want to read that. It sucks you didn't enjoy Ship It more, I really want to read it mostly because I've seen pictures of the cover and I kind of want that in my life. Maybe I'll avoid being sucked in by a pretty cover and actually read a few reviews first.
ReplyDeleteWell, technically, it's her blog, but it is a gift for me, because I have really been wanting a redesign and she does these cute pictures. I am steady with reading 5 books a week, but I slaked on the audiobooks this week, because I am trying to spend as much time as I can with my daughter before she moves. I wouldn't say I didn't enjoy Ship It, I just expected it to be lighter and cuter, but it's not bad.
DeleteHappy mother's day! I love your blog button. You redesign sounds awesome. :)
ReplyDeleteThe co-bloggers are really keeping the new design a secret. I am eager to see the whole thing.
DeleteI've recently won a few giveaways, too! It's so exiting to get unexpected book mail saying, "Congratulations! You've won..." Haha.
ReplyDeleteI read Cinderella and the Geek a few weeks ago. I enjoyed how it started, but I hated how much the main character seem to dislike herself. I felt like she was constantly putting herself down and making herself feel inadequate.
It looks like you've been doing a lot of reading! The Impossibility of Us is one I've been really looking forward to, so I cannot wait to see your thoughts. <3
L @ Do You Dog-ear?
I think the mother did some damage on the heroine in Cinderella and the Geek, but I liked that they eventually talked through some of that garbage, and the ending was really sweet.
DeleteLove the sloth graphic :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I am looking forward to seeing all the new graphics.
DeleteHappy Mother's Day! Wow, a blog redesign is one awesome gift!
ReplyDeleteI loved Before We Were Strangers *so much.* It was the book that introduced me to Renee Carlino and is still one of my favorites.
Hope you enjoy all the new books. And I hope you've had an amazing day with your daughter!
Good to hear I chose my book wisely. I have read other books by Carlino and enjoyed them, so it was not that big a risk for me.
DeleteHappy Mother's Day! I have 19 bookcases overflowing and have moved to trying to do mostly digital since it is easier to move, travel and have it with me. Also it's great for highlighting quotes and taking notes. I got a Kindle about 6 years ago when I started traveling a lot on the Harley; it was just too hard to take boxes of books! I'm new to the Sunday post and it is so interesting to see what everyone else is doing and reading. Anne - Books of My Heart
ReplyDeleteThe only real physical books we have are the ones we get from cons. I rarely purchase a physical book, because of my eyes, wrists, and thumb issues. I have 3 kindles. I love them all!
DeleteI'm hoping to read Moonrise this week too. Happy Mother's Day -and what a fun gift your daughter is giving you. Love the sloth design. :)
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
It really is a good gift, and I love homemade gifts.
DeleteCongrats on winning two giveaways!! Thats amazing.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy all your new books :)
Have a lovely week.
Aneta @ Angelic Book Reviews
Winning is always fun.
DeleteThe button your daughter made is adorable! I can't wait to see the full redesign! You added lots of great looking books this week and hey two 5 star reads in the week is a good thing. Happy Mother's Day!
ReplyDeleteYou and me both. She is really teasing me a lot too. Telling me how much Noor and Amrutha like it, but not showing me.
DeleteHappy Mother's Day! Love that photo of the book stairs!
ReplyDeleteHere’s my Sunday Post!
Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog and join in this week’s Book Photo Sundays and Cover Spotlight!
I know, those stairs are amazing.
DeleteHappy belated Mother's Day! Omg I love your new logo. And those stairs! Definitely something I'd want for my future house. I hope you enjoy all of your new books, Sam!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week. =)
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
I am pretty excited to see all the other sloth graphics
DeleteI *really* want that staircase bookshelf!!
ReplyDeleteKaren @ For What It's Worth
That staircase is epic
DeleteAwesome week!!! That staircase is so cool. Sign me up lol
ReplyDeleteHad to share the staircase because it was so awesome.
DeleteI'll also file that staircase under things I want. My unreasonable bookish house list is already overflowing with those types of projects ;)
ReplyDeleteI just like when storage and design fuse like that
DeleteI can't wait to see your blog redesign!! Sloths are awesome! I hope you enjoy all your new books! I also need to read The Impossibility of Us!
ReplyDeleteI know. I am so excited about the blog revamp.
DeleteOh wow, a blog redesign has got to be the coolest Mother's Day gift ever and I LOVE the sloth graphic. I can't wait to see the new look :)
ReplyDeleteWhen you don't have money, make a gift! But this is one I have really been wanting.
DeleteThe new Kasie West was too cute and fun and sweet, and I loved all the family antics in the book too.
ReplyDeleteThose stairs are amazing! I swear if I ever get the joy of designing my own home this type of thing is going straight in there.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your daughter's move!
If we just had endless money, we could design the perfect reader home. =)
Delete