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
Another uneventful week, but at least it was a short week. I have another short week this week, with a day off to see my ophthalmologist, so he can remind me that there is no hope when it comes to my eyes. I am getting a haircut too, which is usually really emotional. I never like it right away, but after two weeks, all will be well.
School started around these parts, so I need to adjust to the shifts in traffic. We were also melting here in NJ last week, but this rain is supposed to bring in a little bit of cooler weather. I know I am keeping my fingers crossed for that.
My review books are winding down, so I am planning a bunch of backlist things, which I will be insisting on your help with. Don't worry, it will more or less be telling me which books to read, because, input is important.
On the Blog:
- Monday: Nutshell Reviews - The Benefits of Being an Octopus, No Fixed Address, Someone Else's Shoes
- Tuesday: TTT - Shows I Wish Had Not Gotten Canceled
- Wednesday: CWW - Broken Things by Lauren Oliver
- Thursday: Review - Pride by Ibi Zoboi
- Friday: Discussion - Identity Crisis!
I bought two older backlist books, though I had no business doing it. But seriously, they were $0.99, how does one say no to a book for under a dollar?
Bought/Free
- Trouble by Non Pratt
- Beach Lane by Melissa de la Cruz
- Being Brooke by Emma Hart (free)
- Sweet Little Thing by Abbi Glines (free)
Edelweiss/NetGalley
- All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson
From the Author
- Love for Two Lifetimes by Martina Boone
Romance readers asking all the right questions 😂
Which of your players would be the best romance novel cover model? https://t.co/ObjhEkCBUe— The Ripped Bodice (@TheRippedBodice) September 7, 2018
Have you ever been like, "Wow, I wish there were a Royal Romance about an American girl who goes to a Scottish boarding school where her roomie's a literal princess, and at first they don't like each other, but then they really, really do?" YOU'RE IN LUCK. https://t.co/7dZ3B7a99b— Rachel Hawkins (@LadyHawkins) September 7, 2018
If I cooked, I could totally see myself making this 😋
Fall may be around the corner but you can still indulge with a tasty S'mores French Toast recipe featured in #LikeCatsandDogs. pic.twitter.com/kFG7Zkxt0k— Hallmark Publishing (@HallmarkPublish) September 7, 2018
What I Read Last Week
I had a really good reading week. As you can see, I am working my way though the Aces hockey series via audiobooks. I have actually read several of the later books, enjoyed them, and decided to circle back. I will say, this series gets better with each book, and I hope some of the people who didn't care of the first book, gave it a second chance.
My most favorite book of the week was Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating. I am on the wagon train with that book, because I loved it! Hazel was a throwback to old school rom-com heroines, and I found her amusing. She wore her quirks with pride, but she also had this vulnerability that kept her from being a cartoon. Josh *slams hand on table* was stupendous. He definitely wins a place in the book boyfriend hall of fame. And the two of them together kept a cheesy smile on my face.
Another standout for me was The Deepest Roots. It was a really wonderful story about the power of female friendships with a little touch of mystery and magic.
Books
- Ten After Closing by Jessica Bayliss - ★★★★
- Oh My Goth by Gena Showalter - ★★★★
- Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren - ★★★★ 1/2
- Love for Two Lifetimes by Martina Boone - ★★★ 1/2 review
- The Deepest Roots by Miranda Asebedo - ★★★★ 1/2
Audiobooks
- Major Misconduct by Kelly Jamieson - ★★★ 1/2 review
- Off Limits by Kelly Jamieson - ★★★★ review
- Icing by Kelly Jamieson - ★★★★ review
What I Am Currently Reading
- Analee in Real Life by Janell Milanes
- Kissing in Cars by Sara Ney
What I Plan to Read
I am going on an adult romance binge, and I am pretty excited about it. I am also finishing off my September review books. So, whoo hoo!
- Intercepted by Alexa Martin
- Swagger by Liz Lincoln
- Wild on My Mind by Laurel Kerr
- Unstoppable Moses by Tyler James Smith
How was your week?
Let us know in the comments!
Kissing in Cars looks cute. :) Hope all your reads are good this week. And yes back to school definitely affects traffic- ugh. It was hot here for a few days, then cooled off and got rainy. I guess it's going to warm up again next week.
ReplyDeleteAll The Walls of Belfast looks interesting too. Have a great week Sam!
So far Kissing is what I was looking for, fun and cute. It's not even 60 out right now, since the rain moved it, but I know it's only temporary. Belfast sounds really emotional, and I liked the whole Irish Romeo and Juliet angle.
DeleteYeah, adjusting for traffic kind of sucks, but such is life...
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved Josh and Hazel, too. They were so awesome, and the romance was fantastic :)
Your new books look rally good, too. I need to check out the Melissa de la Cruz book.
Have a wonderful week ahead and happy reading.
Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
I use mass transit, but it is affecting the number of riders. I like it better in the summer. That is a really old de la Cruz book, but it's a series that has been on my TBR forEVER.
DeleteI can relate to the haircut thing :) I also haven't been requesting almost any new ARCs. Glad you had a good reading week! I was working a lot during this week so I didn't read all that much, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteI am requesting, but not getting any. So, I guess I will be trying to get some newer books from the library, or I could do something crazy and read my own books. >_<
DeleteYou can never say "no" to books under a dollar. ;)
ReplyDeleteHappy to year you had a good reading week - uneventful weeks can be good reading weeks. The Deepest Roots sound interesting. I've searching for books that fit the magical realism category, so I'm adding it to my wishlist.
Happy readings Sam! ;)
Tânia @MyLovelySecret
It's amazing how that 1 cent works its way into our logic. Yes, it is so much less than a dollar. XD I was hemming and hawing about the classification of The Deepest Roots. It's all real world, except that the females in the town all have a talent. A magical touch, so I stuck with the opinion that it's magical realism. If you don't have these on your list already, I would add anything by A.S. King and Emily Henry. I love the magical touches they put in their books, and I just think King is brilliant.
DeleteGreat that you have a quiet week! I hope your haircut comes out well! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteHere’s my Sunday Post!
Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog and join in this week’s Book Photo Sundays and Cover Spotlight!
Thanks, me too!
DeleteOoh, finished your review books? That's exciting! I bought 6 99p books this week so don't worry about buying 2! :)
ReplyDeleteI wish you luck in the hair cut. I hate getting it done too. In fact, I hate it so much that I get it cut short (for me that's about my chin/collarbones) and then let it grow right out (pretty much lower back) before I snap and have to go back. :/
It's hard to pass up a $0.99 book. Especially ones from my wish list. My hair is cut right below my ear, when I get it done. It's such a struggle for me to arrange an appointment, that I only go like every 3 months. So, now it's annoying. I trust my stylist, but I just don't do well with change.
DeleteOh lol, the cover of Kissing in cars is so much similar to Surviving Adam Meade. Initially I though it's the same book :P I want to read Analee too. I hope you enjoy your new books. Happy weekend.
ReplyDeleteMy wrap-up: https://flippingthruthepages.com/2018/09/weekly-wrap-up-1/
Not similar, identical. I don't know when they updated the cover, because this is not the one on GR, but it's the one on Hoopla, where I borrowed the book. I just saw a Twitter thread about the stock photo covers too. Analee had a lot of great things going for it. I was a little disappointed in this one thing choice Milanes made in the book towards the end, but I guess it helped her meet the goal for the story.
DeleteNice new reads! All totally new to me ones! I hope you end up enjoying them all!
ReplyDeleteHere's my STS
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
Thanks!
DeleteI hope the weather cools down. It’s been cold here lately, except when I’m running. It’s always a billion degrees while I’m running. S’mores French toast! Yes! I want that. Too bad I’m a terrible cook and would probably mess it up. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
I am going to plant the seed, so when my kid comes home for Thanksgiving, she made this french toast for me.
DeleteWow Sam yes you had a great reading week and I would totally see li'le me cooking your recipe! Just let me get the cream, the .... LOL
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday! Sophie @bewareofthereader
If you make me, tell me how it is, because I am going to try and get my daughter to make it for me when she comes home in November.
DeleteA hair cut! I always feel the same way about them too so I just end up having them trim my hair only. You've got some great cute-looking books in your haul. I hope you enjoy them all.
ReplyDeleteHave a good week!
Rationally, I know it's just hair and will grow back, but I still am always a little emotional, even if only for a 10 mins.
DeleteI definitely noticed an uptick in the traffic at the end of the week! I'm so glad the temperature is coming down, last week was brutal. Today would be nice if it wasn't raining!
ReplyDeleteAnd for $1, you can't go wrong buying a book!
Last week was summer giving us the finger. Like, really? It's cloudy, but it's 60!!! It was even a little too chilly to sit with the window open.
DeleteI'm running out of review books too! Haha! That s'mores french toast looks awesome - I'll have to talk my husband into making it! XD I hope you enjoy all your upcoming reads!
ReplyDeleteI don't want to read the 2019 books until December. I don't like to be too early with my reviews. If you can convince the mister to make that french toast, please report back with lots of details.
DeleteAh yes the back to school traffic is sucky. Thankfully I work from home, but get to hear my husband's annoyance with it. Yay for being caught up on review books and diving into your TBR.
ReplyDeleteWorking from home is my life goals. My daughter was allowed to work from home one day a week, and she preferred going into the office. <-- this would never be me.
DeleteI am curious about All the Walls in Belfast.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy all your books...and I loved that photo of something sweet and gooey.
Here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES
It's supposed to be an Irish Romeo & Juliet type story with the Catholics vs. the Protestants. I'm interested.
DeleteOh no, I hope your eyes are ok?? I've had haircuts I hated too, it's why I started cutting my own hair, so I can understand your emotion lol. Psh $0.99 books don't even count ;-) Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteMy eyes are trash. I think they are better than before the procedure, but I still am so uncomfortable. I had to stop running because of my knee. I had to stop crocheting and gaming because of my wrist. Now reading is hard because of my MGD. Sometimes it makes me sad. You are so right. If it's under a dollar, it's as if it was free. =)
DeleteI hope this time you like your haircut right away. They can be the worst. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteI think part of the problem with my haircut, is that I am a real product of the 80s. I like my hair to have some volume, and my stylist always blows it out super straight and flat. I apparently was a pageant queen in my past life, because I like to get some height on my hair.
DeleteI really want to read Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating. I think that I have decided to stop taking so many review books so focus on the ones that I have and get to my own backlog of books. Hope your Dr. appointment and your haircut go well this week!
ReplyDeleteI really loved Josh & Hazel. I thought it was fun rom-com. I haven't been getting many new approvals, and they all are for 2019 books. It's slowing down for me a lot, in terms of review books. Gonna have to read my own books. >_<
DeleteYay for adult romance binge!! It was 95 degrees all week here until Friday when it started raining. It hasn't stopped but it was only 70 degrees today so YAY!
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked Josh and Hazel! I thought it was super cute!
Crazy! 95 Friday, 55 today. I am stressing over my outerwear situation right now. Still raining here too, but at least it's not a hurricane.
DeleteI think I only have one September ARC to still get through, and then the rest are October, but I hope to get started on those early so I'm not too behind. It was nice to have a four day week last week, but I just hope it doesn't mean this week will go by really slow. haha
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I have 5 Sept releases left, and I am am halfway through one right now. So, I am in good shape (for once). I like my 4-day week this week more than last week. I relish having a day off in the middle of the week versus a long weekend I don't tend to do anything with.
DeleteYou did have a good reading week and looks like more fun to come. It's sweltering here too. I'm enjoying it while it lasts as I'm not crazy about cold. LOL
ReplyDeleteMy Sunday Post
I need FL to cool down before I come to visit next month. Could you make that happen? =P
DeleteI'm winding down on my review books as well. I requested quite a few more but they all seem to be in limbo. If I don't get any of them, I'll be hitting my backlist as well. Hope that back-to-school traffic levels off for you soon. That's never any fun to deal with.
ReplyDeleteI am hanging in limbo with you, and pretty much accepting the fact that I will not be getting those books. *crying* The library has a ton I want to read and I have a million backlist, so at least I will still be reading.
DeleteGlad you are getting some cooler weather and rain this week, we are too. It has been a long hot summer, we need some rain. I am happy to hear you liked Josh and Hazel, I have read a couple of not so glowing reviews, I have it coming up soon on my reading list. Have a great week, Sam. Thanks for your sweet words about Rex.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like people either loved or hated Hazel. I liked her. She had that 1950s rom-com kooky heroine thing going for her, and I just loved the friendships in this book
DeleteJosh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating sounds like fun, so I'm glad you're enjoying it so far and having a good reading streak. Let's hope it remains that way! 😅
ReplyDeleteI haven't noticed the traffic in my area yet despite schools starting up. I do notice the huge amounts of buses coming through though... 🤔
Josh & Hazel was the type of fun rom-com I love. I am really becoming a big Christina Lauren fan.
DeleteA nice week of trailing around charity shops looking for books, cds and dvds with my dad and now a panic over where to put it all! Got some good tv watching fitted in too but no reading at all!
ReplyDeleteI admire people, who have the patience to search for treasures. I never did, but I am always amazed by what they find.
DeleteI have seen a lot of great things about Josh & Hazel. I've only read one book by that author pair and didn't like it so I never read anything else... But you're not the only blogger pal whom I've seen enjoy the book. 🤔 I hope your eye situation gets better!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day, Sam. =)
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!