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
Happy Sunday! I hope everyone is doing well and keeping cool. The weather has been miserable. I keep getting excited about rain in the forecast, but then it only rains for like five minutes and the humidity seems worse than before the rain. At least I didn't have to commute into work Wednesday - Friday due to the holiday. It was low-key, just as I was hoping. Though, I was up really early (per usual) on Friday, and I was out on the patio reading when this car drives down the street and through the parking lots of the VFW and church near me. They were throwing lit firecrackers out the window. I have no idea what their motivation was, but it was noisy for 2 -3 am and it seems inappropriate to throw firecrackers out the window...I'm just saying.
Not too much to report it. It's hot and I have no motivation to go anywhere if I don't have to. I am going to try to make my own ketchup. I don't use it a lot, but I saw this recipe and I want to try and make it. Looks easy, and this allows me to control the sugar. I am going to try it with no sweetener, but if it's terrible, I may add the honey/maple syrup suggested in the recipe.
On the Blog
- Monday: Reviews - Jenny James is Not a Disaster, What's In a Kiss?
- Tuesday: TTT - Cover Color Love
- Wednesday: CWW - Adam & Evie's Matchmaking Tour, Things Left Unsaid
- Thursday: Reviews - I Hope This Finds You Well, This Disaster Loves You
- Friday: Five Star Friday - June 2024
- Saturday: Five on My TBR - Contemporary
Let's Discuss
- Aimee rates "romantic" things in books
- Jaclyn Westlake shares six reasons why romance & women's fiction are BFFs
- Krysta talks authors, marketers, and negative reviews
Stacking the Shelves
Netgalley/Edelweiss
- Spring Fling by Annie England Noblin
- Storybook Ending by Poppy Alexander
- For One Night Only by Jessica James
Invites
- The Christmas Countdown by Holly Cassidy
- Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe
Purchased
- Nobody Puts Romcoms in the Corner by Kathryn Freeman
- The Second Chance by Charlotte Butterfield
- The Secret Ingredient by Sue Heath
Read Last Week
I was glad I used that widget for Morbidly Yours because I really enjoyed this book. There was the whole grief and loss thing going on, set in Ireland, and featuring an opposites attract romance, but the heroine had a really cool job. She was in animation, and I liked the peek into that world. I also loved the hero. He was a mush.
Another standout was The Scent Keeper. I was a little worried about this book because its Goodreads rating is at my lower limit, but I thought it was great. The writing was really lovely and lyrical while all the narrative associated with scent was extremely interesting to me.
I also thought Bennett's new series is off to a great start with The Feud. I loved the way the hero grew into his role as a father, and there was a twist I never saw coming. I am looking forward to reading more of this series.
Find all my reviews on Goodreads
Books
- Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe - ★★★★
- The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister - ★★★★ 1/2
- Things Left Unsaid by Courtney Walsh - ★★★★
- The Lost Story by Meg Schaffer - ★★★★
- Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks - ★★★★ 1/2
Audiobooks
- The Feud by Sawyer Bennett - ★★★★ 1/2
Currently Reading
- Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coreyell
- The Broken Hearts Club by Susan Bishop Crispell (audiobook)
To Be Read
- If Cats Disappeared From the World by Genki Kawamura
- The Summer Club by Hannah McKinnon
- Elizabeth of East Hampton by Audrey Belleza, Emily Harding
- Errands & Espionage by Sam Tschida
Let us know in the comments!
Jamie (jannghi.blogspot.com)
ReplyDeleteIt's been hot where I live as well. I hear you on not going anywhere if it's not necessary. I was like that all day yesterday.
I find it hard to be motivated when it's hot. It's even hot when I leave for work (4:30 am). I hope this passes soon.
DeleteWhy would anyone be throwing fireworks out of a car window?! People are crazy! You will have to let us know how the homemade ketchup works out. You have me very curious.
ReplyDeleteI always wonder why people do things, Carole, but I have no answers because I would never do such things.
DeleteWe've been getting some rain here and there but it's the same here, it just makes it unbearably humid. Yesterday is was 94 and the humidity made it feel 105. That does not motivate me to leave the house. I'm so glad to see you enjoyed The Feud! My Libby hold just came in so it will be my next read.
ReplyDeleteMy library never gets Bennett's books. I always have to borrow via Hoopla and I hate that app. It loses my place when it connects to my bluetooth in my car. It will go back to something I already listened to and I have to find where I was. I try to remember to bookmark, but I forget. I hate reading on that app, too.
DeleteIt's been hot here too, but thankfully we're cooling down this week. We also cool down at night and our humidity is on 20-30% during the day, so things could be worse I guess. The Feud looks good! I wish they had an audio version though.
ReplyDeleteIt's so humid here that we have condensation on our windows.It was 80 this morning when I woke up and it never got any cooler. In the words of Bananarama, it's been a cruel summer. My library never gets Bennett's books, but they do have them available via Hoopla, so I listened to the audio. It was good.
DeleteThis weather!! It is out of control and it looks like no relief in sight. I get that people want to celebrate the 4th with fireworks, but let's try to be respectful of others, too!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how I forget this misery every year, but this is not unusual for us. I personally feel people should stick to the organized fireworks shows. I just read about the guy who died setting off fireworks in Chicago and the house that burned down in NJ.
DeleteI am not happy about the damage the hurricane is bringing down here, but I am happy that we're getting a temporary relief from the heat. Hope you get a good rain soon. I hope the ketchup recipe works out for you.
ReplyDeleteI saw that Texas is not in good shape right now. I hope you all are doing OK.
DeleteOur week long heatwave just ended and good riddance.
ReplyDeleteHope the ketchup was good! Kevin just found out he is pre=diabetic so I've been experimenting with my cooking and favorite foods.
I am jealous! I saw over 90s again next week. Good luck to Kevin. It's a challenge with the sugar. It's added everywhere. That's why I am using less ingredients, adding more fiber, etc.
DeleteIt's hot here today, but we're the opposite - we've had a TON of rain lately. Which is great for the plants, but I feel like we never get to sit outside and enjoy them!!
ReplyDeleteI have Chicago as one of my locations on the weather app (since I visit sometimes), I thought you were in the Chicagoland area, no? It's been better out in IL than in NJ. I saw 99, 97, etc for next week. I may not make it to the end of summer.
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