Sunday, February 19, 2017

Sunday Post (79) / It's Monday, What Are You Reading



The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme now hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

Greetings from southern Ohio! I am currently visiting my parents for the long weekend and enjoying this beautiful weather. It's February and it's in the 60s :) I am also blogging from my new laptop. 

My old Dell finally gave up on me last weekend and since there are usually good sales during Presidents' Day weekend, I went to Best Buy today where I bought my first ever Mac. It is really different even though I am used to using an iPhone. I've had to Google how to do things like saving an image or even getting the scrollbars back (surprised that isn't a default). I love how light it is compared to my old one and they are supposed to be much more reliable. I hope that is the case after the issues I had with both my Dell laptop and my Dell desktop. I almost bought an HP but my dad has one he just got in 2016 and already has had to take it back several times to get stuff fixed. His previous desktop was an HP too. Maybe we both just bought lemons!

I got some good news relating to my car. I only need to get two tires for it instead of four which is great since my sister invited me to go to Mexico with her in April. I was waiting to figure out how much my tires would cost as well as how much I'd be getting back in taxes. The laptop sets me back quite a bit but I should still be able to go depending on the deals that are available. I've never been to Mexico but I'm looking forward to it. While I know the responsible thing is to save the money for the inevitable car repairs (or dental work-just got my broken tooth fixed but will eventually need a crown), I don't get the opportunity to travel very often with my sister. We went on one other trip together in 2005 and everything else has been work related (she tagged along to my library conferences) or quick day trips to Indy so this should be fun.

Work is going well. I have a couple of programs coming up and the winter reading program is almost finished. This week I need to read one of my book club books and I hope we'll get more copies of our evening book in because we ran out and I don't have one. I guess that's an excuse to not read it! 

I managed to read a few books in the past two weeks but after reading The Chilbury Ladies' Choir I was kind of stuck looking for my next book and nothing held my attention till I downloaded an ARC of Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley. I had planned to read The Hating Game but it was just disappointing me. The main characters were behaving so immaturely. I had such high hopes for it too :(

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you have a great week and sunny weather wherever you are :)



Last two weeks on my blog:


March: Books 1-3 by John Lewis (review)




Books read:




March: Book Three by John Lewis



My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

I liked this one more than the recent Becky Bloomwood books. I also liked the focus on the main character's career and family and how she was less of a mess than some of the author's other protagonists.


Uprooted by Naomi Novik

I mostly enjoyed this creative fantasy. The main character Agnieszka lives in a world where there is an evil forest with malevolent trees and a wizard known as the Dragon keeps the kingdom safe from it. Every ten years a young woman from the village is chosen to move to the Dragon's tower as his servant and everyone is sure it will be Agnieszka's best friend Kasia but they are wrong--it is Agnieszka herself. Also there is magic and a little romance.


The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan

This is a novel told through letters and journal entries set during WWII. I liked it though some of the characters weren't very likable especially in the beginning. It reminded me of the TV series Home Fires as well as books like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and The Summer Before the War.



Books listened to:



Starflight by Melissa Landers (reread)


DNF:




Currently reading:



Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley

The premise of this book reminds me a little of Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon (but for adults). It also brought to mind a similar true story about a young woman who is allergic to her husband and parents.


Currently listening to:




The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore (reread)


On my TBR pile:



Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons

This is the book we are reading in my afternoon book group. It sounds like it will be fun. There is also a movie with Kate Beckinsale and Rufus Sewell. 


The Burning Page by Genevieve Cogman



The Lady of the Lakes by Josi S. Kilpack




New books received:





Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones (for review) 


Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley (for review)

Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons (library book)


21 comments:

  1. I loved Uprooted. :) That's the second reference I've seen today to The Chilbury Ladies' Choir. I'm taking it as a sign and adding it to my TBR - lol. Have a great week. :)

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  2. I remember when I first got my Mac - an iMac (in 2009/10 or so) and I hated it cos EVERYTHING was different. It was before iPhones were even out I think (I can't remember) but it took ages to get used to.

    I bought a Macbook Air the next year, so both now are VERY old and are no longer supporting updates etc... I'd started to budget for a new one but am now blowing that money on an unexpected trip away next weekend!

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  3. Yay for 60's! Congrats on the new MAC and your trip to Mexico! Sounds fun. Sorry to hear the Hating Game isn't quite working for you. I need to get to The Burning Page. And I liked Starflight I can see an audio re- read of that being good!

    Enjoy your visit and have a great week!

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  4. I hope your enjoy your trip in April. I love the cover of wintersong hope you have a great week.

    Megan @reading away the days

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  5. A Mac.. Wow!! That’s very cool. I’m definitely hoping to get a Mac someday! They are just so pretty, and light.
    A trip to Mexico. Very cool. We’ve been to Cancun three years back and it was our favorite holiday. I can’t wait to visit Mexico again someday. I hope you’ll be able to go and have a great time.
    Have a great week and happy reading!

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  6. I am so glad you got a new computer. I have a Mac as well and I find them very reliable. I hope you enjoy yours. That is awesome about Mexico. I hope you get to go. I have never been there, but all my friends and many family members have and love it. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy The Hating Game. Their behavior irked me as well (definitely immature), but I was totally sucked in once I got past that. It's a light/fluffy beach read for sure. I definitely didn't take the characters seriously. I look forward to your thoughts on Ladies' Choir! Have a great Sunday and enjoy the nice weather!

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  7. Love the cover of cold comfort farm. I read this last year and saw the play. A funny book.

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  8. Gosh, what is with everyone's computers dying on them lately? Last week my main desktop went down Ugh. Oh you got some good ones! I need to read Wintersong and I'm very excited for it. Starfall is one I've been thinking about listening to, also. And I've heard some amazing things about Uprooted!

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  9. I have been eying the Mac Pro which will allow me to still use google chrome. Glad you are learning to navigate it. Enjoy your new books, and visit with your folks.

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  10. Sorry to hear the Hating Game didn't meet your expectations. I had this one on my TBR list.
    I put in a request to review have Close Enough to Touch. I enjoyed Colleen Oakley's previous novel Before I Go.
    Happy reading and I hope you have a great week,
    Amanda @ Mrs B's Book Reviews

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  11. My nephew and niece in law just arrived back after travelling through Europe, living in England and touring USA. Ingrid loved Mexico, so I hope you get there and enjoy it too.

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  12. I have wanted to read Uprooted for the longest time. I will get to it eventually. Ha ha. I have the Invisible Library and: everyone assures me I will love it. Have a wonderful week. :)

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  13. Uprooted and Watersong look great. I hope you enjoy reading this week!


    My It's Monday! What Are You Reading? post.

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  14. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed My (Not So) Perfect Life, as I was tired of Becky...and her craziness. LOL.

    I've never had a Mac, but since I do have an iPhone, it might not be too hard to figure out...but so far, my HP is working for me. I had a desktop for several years, and now a laptop for almost four years. I hope it lasts for a while longer, as I hate having to put out money for things that I "need" for my life as a blogger.

    I hope you get to go on your trip...it sounds like fun.

    Enjoy your week, and here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES

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  15. It's always an adjustment when you switch over to a new piece of technology - I hate switching. Sounds like you're adjusting well to the Mac.

    I've heard positive things about The Hating Game, so surprised to see I as a DNF. Of course, books are different for everyone.

    Happy reading!

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  16. You have so many good ones on your list that I need to add to my TBR list! I've always meant to read Cold Comfort Farm, maybe it would be a good one for my book group's next book/movie discussion. I hope you love your Mac! We are longtime Apple faithful in my family, and I have been very happy with my MacBook Air. (The first laptop that wasn't a hand-me-down for me!)

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  17. I enjoy books set in World War II. The Chilbury Ladies' Choir is one I would like to read.

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  18. Aw, I'm bummed that you couldn't get into The Hating Game. It took me about 100 pgs or so until I got sucked in, but I can understand your frustration with it.

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  19. I hope you’re having fun with your parents. Enjoy your new computer and books!

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  20. Close Enough To Touch is on my TBR list. Enjoy the new laptop. It is time for a new laptop for me as well.

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  21. I hope you are having a wonderful visit, Christina! I'm a little envious of your new Mac! So cool. :-) Hopefully it will serve you well. I am glad you only need to replace two of the tires on your car instead of all four.

    The Chilbury Ladies' Choir sounds really good. I would like to read that one I think. I enjoyed The Burning Page. I hope you do too.The Lady of the Lakes cover caught my attention right away. I'll have to look for that one.

    I hope you have a great week, Christina! Enjoy the rest of your visit!

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