Sundays with Sam is a combination of Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews.
My Week in Review
I have no idea what happened this past week, since the commuter gods were obviously angry with me, and I had to pay the price. One day, they delayed and then canceled my train. And, of course, the train after mine was late, so I was doubly late. Then, I stood outside for over 40 minutes, because my bus didn't come, had to run up to a different bus stop, and THEN, I saw my bus - passing us, 30 minutes late. I guess I should be grateful, that it was a balmy 29 degrees on Friday, because it was really cold Thursday. They are also doing track work at my station, and instead of doing the decent thing and putting up the temporary platform, they are using low-high platforms. If you don't know what these are, see the picture below. It causes some chaos, because you never know which door on the train will open. They tell you to look for a conductor, but then they have conductors stationed outside the train, meeting us to unlock the platforms and the doors. No bus, late train, and disembark chaos - nobody needs that much aggravation before 8 am.
Tired and cranky and behind in everything, but my daughter is here. We went to Benihana for her birthday, and are going to the theatre today. I am trying to focus on that, and trying not to think ahead to next week.
It was lovely to be close to my daughter around her birthday for the first time in so many years. She has been my sunshine for all these years, and I will always celebrate her.
I did stumble upon some nice surprises though. I went to NetGalley to see what was up, and found both Chasing Lucky and My Summer of Love and Misfortune as "read now". Obviously, I had to quickly click. Everyone knows my love for Jenn Bennett, and Wong's book looks like a solid Sam-book. That eased my pain a little, too.
Fashion in motion by Fredrik Tjaerandsen 2020 pic.twitter.com/UGICjo2vuY— fashion (@factoryyouth_) January 29, 2020
my mom sent me this video of a dog with the monks at a temple in Laos— Humor And Animals (@humorandanimals) January 27, 2020
(Jools Calangi FB) pic.twitter.com/Jy33TNWiUx
The all-goat remake of Footloose looks awesome🔊— Clare Logan (@withchillies) January 25, 2020
(📹:Imgur user Bhejabaaz) pic.twitter.com/IUNs0FQyS4
Let's Discuss!
- Krysta shares why she wouldn't change the ending of Little Women
- In this very relatable post, Kristen talks about mispronouncing character names
- Laura reflects on how her reading has changed in the last decade
On the Blog:
- Monday: Nutshells - This Train is Being Held, If You Only Knew
- Tuesday: TTT - Getting Personal
- Wednesday: CWW - The Love Hypothesis, Twenty Boy Summer
- Thursday: #AmReading - Scammed, What Kind of Girl
- Friday: Discussion - How I Feel About Self Indulgence
STACKING THE SHELVES
Bought
- Heartland by Sarina Bowen
Edelweiss/NetGalley
- Chasing Lucky by Jenn Bennett
- Cracked Up to Be By Courtney Summers
- A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
- My Summer of Love and Misfortune by Lindsay Wong
- Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson
What I Read Last Week
Remember how happy I was about finally having a 5-star read? Well, I had another, though, I am not surprised I loved the final finale for the Legend series. I am a fan, but I always needed a bit more closure after that last book. Lu gave it to me with Rebel, and for that, I am grateful.
Books
- The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg - ★★★★
- Every Reason We Shouldn't by Sara Fujimara - ★★★
- Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams - ★★★★ 1/2
- Yours in Scandal by Lauren Layne - ★★★★
- Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler - ★★★★ review
- Who Do You Love by Jennifer Weiner - ★★★★ review
- Rebel by Marie Lu - ★★★★★ review
- Unpregnant by Jenni Hendriks, Ted Caplan - ★★★★ review
What I Am Currently Reading
Delacorte must have me as the Z-list, because I always get approvals from them about a week before the book release. Obviously, my review won't be up on Tuesday, but I will say, I am really loving Good Girl's Guide. The format and voice are working so well for me, and I am glad they granted me access to the book.
- A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
- Bending the Rules by Christina C. Jones (audiobook)
What I Plan to Read
- Cracked Up to Be By Courtney Summers
- Anna K by Jenny Lee
- Salty Bitter Sweet by Mayra Cuevas
- Little Monsters by Kara Thomas
How was your week?
Let us know in the comments!
Let us know in the comments!
Happy Sunday! That's nice you're getting to spend time with your daughter! And the train/ commuter stuff sounds awful. You're right, that is WAY too much aggravation pre- 8am. Yikes.
ReplyDeleteI love that dog grooving with the monks! :)
I would love to know what made the dog do that, because it's hilariously inappropriate
DeleteI used to have to go to and from work by train. I can well remember cold winter days when trains were late and broke down, and the stress and frustration trying to get home when things went on the fritz! All the transport disasters seemed to happen to me on my way home!
ReplyDeleteI seem to have more problems in the morning, but I have had stranded trains, trains on fire, track fatalities, and even an engineer having a medical emergency, which delayed my trip home.
DeleteIt was a while since you had a bad commute, so of course disaster was just around the corner...yep, as you said, no one needs that much aggravation before 8 am.
ReplyDeleteAt least your kid was a ray of sunshine! I hope she had a great birthday - I'm sure you made it extra special.
That dress video is awesome, and I don't know what that dog is doing, but it made me chuckle.
Yay for two Read Now books you know you will enjoy!
It actually hasn't been that long, I was just trying not to dwell on those bad days, but this was an especially awful week, and those platforms are being added to the most annoying things in the world list I am keeping.
DeleteIt's always nice to have the kid home. We had a nice hibachi meal, and I am excited about the show. I never do as much stuff as when she comes to visit.
That dress was wild, and I would love to know why the do is doing that
That dog has rhythme that's for sure Sam! Now you commuter week sucked big time!!! It happens to me from time to time and you don't know when it will end! Fingers crossed for next week! Have fun today with your daughter.
ReplyDeleteI think NJ Transit owes me a smooth week. And, that dog! I would love to know what was really going on there. If nothing else, it made me giggle.
DeleteA Good Girl's Guide to Murder's cover looks so good, glad you're enjoying it. That's definitely one I want to check out soon.
ReplyDeleteAnika | chaptersofmay.com
I am sucker for a mixed format book, and it's been great following the trail
DeleteI'm so sorry to hear about the commuting troubles! No one needs that at any time of day but especially not that early in the morning. :(
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got to spend your daughter's birthday with her.
The Jenn Bennett cover is beautiful and I really like the sound of it! Falling for the town "bad boy" who used to be your best friend?! Sign me up!
Jenn Bennett is one of my contemporary go-tos, so I am over the moon to have this book. She writes great characters, and her stories are always fantastic.
DeleteI don’t know if I could deal with all the train and bus chaos. I’m glad the trains were rarely late when I was in college. I took the trains EVERYWHERE because students could ride for free. I do have vivid memories of freezing my butt off in winter, though. I hope you have a great week with no transport problems!
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
The drive to work isn't so bad, because it's early, but the afternoon is complete chaos. They started letting people drive on the shoulders during rush hour, because the roads are so congested. The train is actually the lesser of two evils for me.
DeleteI'm so sorry to hear about all the commuting issues you had. I hope this week things are better. Happy to hear you spend your daughter's birthday with her. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy readings! ;)
Tânia @MyLovelySecret
It's not her birthday yet, but the closest I have come in years, so definitely a treat
DeleteUgh. I'm so sorry about the communting issues. But yay for having your daughter in town! That's so fun. I hope you get a lot of quality time together.
ReplyDeleteThe only Marie Lu books I've read are Legend and Prodigy. I couldn't get into the writing style of Legend, but gave Lu a pass since it was her debut. Then in Prodigy I realized I just didn't care for the story. What is it about the story which appeals to you? Perhaps I just wasn't in the right mood for it.
I know there are some people put off by Lu's style, but I have read 9 books by her, and all have high ratings from me. I always find myself swept into her worlds and fully absorbed by the stories. My mood has prompted many DNFs, so it's a possibility, or maybe she just doesn't work for you.
DeleteOh geez that sounds so incredibly stressful. I just learned that my exit that I take everyday in and out of the city is closing for either an unknown amount of time or forever! So this week I thought it best to practice a new route so I sort of knew what I was doing and found that the commute is much longer now and filled with way more stoplights that are just plain old timed and do not go by cars piling up on one side. So yeah, I have an idea of commuter pain with you, but yours does sound wayyy more stressful than mine!
ReplyDeleteBut at least we had books! Glad you were able to get some favorite authors early! I hope you enjoy all the new reads!
Here's my StS
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
Detours are the worst! Eek! That means more people funneling through so other exit. It almost, almost makes me wish I worked some sort of alternate schedule. One of the newer members of our team used to work from noon to 10 pm, and now he's miserable getting used to the regular morning traffic.
DeleteHappy birthday to your daughter! That's awesome that you got to spend it with her.
ReplyDeleteI have a copy of Anna K that I'm looking forward to, can't wait to see what you think of it, as well!
I feel optimistic about Anna K. It has a lot of appealing elements, and I probably will like it more, than someone who has read the original
DeleteUgh, I do not envy you all the commuting issues. What a lousy way to start your day. But hooray for your daughter being home for her birthday! Benihana is always fun. And I hope you enjoy the show today. I can't wait to read your review of Who Do You Love (I'm behind, as always). That one made such an impact on me.
ReplyDeleteEvery once in a while, ok, but who knows how long the track work will go on for. I seem to always get seated at hibachi with people who want extra garlic butter, and I had to say something, because I got sick the last two times I ate at Benihana (I think it's too much butter making that happen). I reviewed Who Do You Love only on GR. I don't usually review my audiobooks on the blog, because I feel like I miss details. I will say, it was heartbreaking, and I wanted to see a bit past that ending, but the concept was very cool.
DeleteUgh, your commuter woes make me all the more grateful for my 15 minute drive to work. I hope things are better this week on that front. Happy Birthday to your daughter! I hope you both have a great time at the theater.
ReplyDeleteYay, I'm so glad to see you snagged the Jenn Bennett and Lindsey Wong books. Even though I'm trying to request less ARCs, I couldn't resist those.
I worked 6 minutes away for 10 years, but that job corroded by soul. Now I have a rather annoying commute, but the job is ok. I guess you can't have it all. I still can't believe those books were Read Now. Maybe they are doing one of those first 100 people things? Don't care, because I am glad to have them
DeleteWhat a terrible week in commuting! I feel for you, Sam! My commute isn't great as it takes me an hour (that's if there's no horrible accident) each way to travel 33 miles, but I drive and so I'm not at the mercy of mass transit. Boo! They need to get their act together! I'm happy you had your daughter's visit to cheer you. And the Bennett ARC!!!! Yay! I grabbed a copy too, and I hope we both love it.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with this weeks commute! :)
Isn't it hard to drive anywhere in California? The one time I visited, I felt like it took forever every time we got on the road. Fingers crossed that this is another amazing book by Bennett (I'm sure it is)
DeletePretty much, not so much around our town, but still. Our public transport is a joke, so it'd be even worse if I used it. I use the time to listen to my audio books, so at least there's that. :/
DeleteAnd I read
DeleteOh gosh, that is way too much hassle to go to WORK! I hope things get better for you soon. That's great you were able to spend your daughter's birthday with her. I just love Benihana. Yum. I have The Music of What Happens, and I hope to read it soon.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
It is. I hope this is the year I find a job closer to home
DeleteI don't know how you deal with all that crazy commute drama. How horrible! But, at least you have your daughter to spend time with to help you forget about it all. And, if your weather is anything like Ohio, its about to get warmer for you (it was 65 degrees here today).
ReplyDeleteHope next week has no commute woes!
The train is still better than the drive. It has been getting a bit warmer. It's not bad in the afternoon, but still pretty cold in the morning
DeleteWow! That commuter business definitely sounds like a headache. Glad you got some good daughter time in.
ReplyDeleteI was so busy this weekend because my daughter was here. I need another day to recover from so much activity
DeleteI just got approved for Real Men knit and that sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy you got to spend time with your daughter for her birthday. She's beautiful!
Have a better week ahead Sam!
Karen @ For What It's worth
I love everything about the concept for Real Men Knit. I can't wait to read it
DeleteNice, getting Chasing Lucky like that! That sucks about your commuter woes last week. Hopefully they'll take care of that soon!
ReplyDeleteI guess I could have suffered being stuck in a tunnel for 4 hours like my daughter was last night.
DeleteYay for getting Chasing Lucky! AHH THAT TRANSPORT SITUATION SOUNDS LIKE A NIGHTMARE. Public transport makes me crazy anxious - I know, shocking as I travel so much and use it so often - but it does and so that situation would drive me crazy. Yay for your daughter being there and I hope you have the best time celebrating her birthday ^.^
ReplyDeleteDriving is even more aggravating because there are a million people on the road I have to take. At least I just sit back and read on the train.
DeleteJust reading about your commuting problems is exhausting! I don't know how you deal with it every day. I am so glad you were able to see your daughter on her birthday. The photos of her through the years are great. Thanks for sharing them :) I hope you have a great week and enjoy all of your new reads.
ReplyDeleteIt's not that terrible every day, but I wish it was never like that. I am getting too old for this. Today is actually my daughter's birthday, but I was happy to get to celebrate with her this past weekend. It's been years since I have had the opportunity. I love at old pictures. It's unreal watching your babies grow up
DeleteOh god I'm so sorry to hear about all the commuting problems you've been having. It's so damn exhausting, I get that feeling so much. I commute to work every day too, and when there are issues, it's just the damn WORST. I hope that this week has been a bit better so far <3
ReplyDeleteAnd YAY for getting Jenn Bennett's newest read! I found out about it being on Read Now just as well and ran to NetGalley. I adore her books! <3
Have a lovely week, Sam! <3
Still shocked Chasing Lucky was Read Now, but happy so many if her fans were able to grab it.
DeleteWhat a commuter nightmare! Poor Sam! I hope things improve soon, and having to be in that chilly weather as well has to be so uncomfortable. I'm glad you got to spend quality time with your daughter on her birthday. I love Benihana's! Happy Reading!
ReplyDeleteLindy@ A Bookish Escape
This week has been better to me. It seems I passed my bad NJT mojo to my kid, as she was trapped on the train for about 4 hours on Monday due to a downed Amtrak wire. I felt terrible for her.
DeleteYay for "read now" books and daughter time! :)
ReplyDeleteThose read-now books made my day
Delete