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! Hope you all are doing well. This week was fairly uneventful. I worked all week. On Saturday, I finally got my haircut -- feels good, and I went to my niece's bridal shower. It's strange how they don't open gifts at these things. I was glad my sister planned it nearby, though it was in a "city" area, so I had to do metered parking. I am such a suburban girl. It pains me to pay to park or have to walk blocks away to eat or shop.
Other than that, I didn't do much. Still trying to catch up from being on vacation and then being sick. One more month, and I will be work from home for SIX WEEKS. All that extra time will be amazing. I actually saw the astronomical event last week. It was no Northern Lights, but the super moon was pretty cool. Did anyone else see it?
On the Blog
Let's Discuss
- 18 Things to Do While You Listen to an Audiobook from LibroFM
- The Orangutan Librarian talks bad adaptations
- Kit discusses unhappy endings
Stacking the Shelves
I had just requested the new Linda Holmes when I got an invite, so perfect timing. I really enjoyed her previous books, and I think this will be another winner. I downloaded The Maui Effect which has really good early reviews and got an approval for Any Trope But You. The author is new to me, but the book sounds so fun. I got an email about the Amazon First Reads and thought Grave Talk sounded like a me-book. This author is also new-to-me, but I feel like the subject matter will win me over.
Netgalley/Edelweiss
- Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine
- The Maui Effect by Sara Ackerman
Invites
- I Think They Love You by Julian Winters
- Back After This by Linda Holmes
Purchased/Free
- Grave Talk by Nick Spalding
- Wild About You by Rebecca Jenshak
Read Last Week
This was a great week! I had TWO five-star books, both being from authors I love. Kinsella's new release was painfully beautiful. I cried so much. It's very different for her, but still had her signature warmth. There was quite a bit of humor in there as well and was punctuated with some hope.
I also loved Kerry Rea's new one. This is my third from her, and it's impressive how different the books are from each other. This time, she tackled action/adventure and suspense, and she did it well.
Find all my reviews on Goodreads
Books
- One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery - ★★★★
- What Does It Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella - ★★★★★
- Restraint by Adriana Locke - ★★★★
- The Jewel of the Isle by Kerry Rea - ★★★★★
- Puck and Prejudice by Lia Riley - ★★★★★
Audiobooks
- The Witch Is Back by Sophie H. Morgan - ★★★★
Currently Reading
I have not really started The Restaurant of Lost Recipes, but I have high hopes as I adored the first book.
Such Charming Liars is signature McManus. I am only about four hours in, and it seems the mystery is beginning to unfold.
- The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai
- Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus
To Be Read
I have very few review books for November, so my TBR is library heavy with just one ARC.
- The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki
- One on One by Jamie Harrow
- The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose
- The Maui Effect by Sara Ackerman
Let us know in the comments!
They didn't open the gifts at the bridal shower? That is strange.
ReplyDeleteI started seeing that years ago, and apparently, my niece was subscribing to that
DeleteIt's good to know about the Sophie Kinsella book. And six weeks homeworking? WOW!
ReplyDeleteThey are renovating our workspace. Groups have been going home for the past two years to work as they do construction. I am happy. It's the height of the holiday season in the US, and I get to be home!
DeleteI've been going back and forth about the new Kerry Rea book, but now I am totally going to grab it! Work from home for 6 weeks sounds AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteI think if you enjoyed her previous books, you would enjoy this for sure. The adventure element was that extra on top of what I already adore about her books.
DeleteThe cover for The Maui Effect is sooo pretty! Ohhh six weeks working from home sounds heavenly! Enjoy it! Also I am okay with not opening gifts- who cares what they got anyway bwhahah.
ReplyDeleteI like to see the reaction to what I spent time and money getting for them, and I enjoy seeing all the gifts. I guess I am old fashioned.
DeleteWhy don't they open the presents? That's part of the fun. Yay for being able to work from home for 6 weeks! Will that encompass winter? That would be nice if you don't have to commute in rotten weather. Hope you love the Molly the Maid novella. I love the series!
ReplyDeleteIt's a thing I started seeing more and more over the years. I guess they don't have to fake liking it if they don't. LOL. Yes, I will be home November 18 - Jan 2. Not the whole winter, but some of it.
DeleteYay for six weeks of working from home! Enjoy your free time!!
ReplyDeleteI am counting down to WFH.
DeleteLOL, my mom hates when people don't open gifts at bridal/baby showers! She thinks that's the main reason for going. Oh, well! 6 weeks work from home is amazing! So glad to see a new book from Kerry Rea!
ReplyDeleteI mean, if they don't want to open them, we should stop giving them. Rea's new book was great. I loved it. Others didn't like it as much as me, but I loved it.
DeleteNgl, I'm more than a little jealous about your six weeks of WFH. With how I'm feeling about work and my place of work right now, that type of work situation sounds so ideal. 😂 Also, two 5-star reads in a week is amazing! I've just gone off to get my hands on Kinsella's books. I don't think I've read anything by her since I was in uni maybe? But your words have sold me on it. Since it's a novella, I think I'll definitely pick it up sooner than later! I hope you continue to enjoy your reads and have a great week ahead, Sam :)
ReplyDeleteI feel like I finally have my reading mojo back. September was so meh. I adore Kinsella. Her books make me happy. This was a different book for her, it was her processing her incurable cancer, but it ended on a hopeful note. Good for her!
DeleteThe cover on Any Trope But You is definitely calling to me!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a lot of fun. The author is new to me, but I could not resist the description.
DeleteI'm with you about city life. We used to have an apartment in the city, but since living in the suburbs, I don't think I could go back. It just annoys me now!
ReplyDeleteI didn't drive when I lived in the city, so it was a non event for me, but once you drive everywhere, it's hard to deal with city issues.
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