My participation in this meme was directly inspired by my new bookish friends: Avalinah + Savanah via this post!
[Official Blurb] The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog. This is your news post, so personalize it! Include as much as you want or as little. Be creative, it can be a vlog or just a showcase of your goodies. Link up once a week or once a month, you decide. Book haul can include library books, yard sale finds, arcs and bought books..share them!
- Enter your link on the post- Sundays beginning at 12:01 am (CST) (link will be open all week)
- Link back to this post or this blog
- Visit others who have linked up
A note about the format I am using to journal #TheSundayPost: I am finding I like being able to give my readers who cannot visit my blog each time a new post, review or guest feature goes live a digest journal of what is happening on #JLASblog each week! If you are familiar with the style in which I journal my readerly adventures via #WWWednesdays (see also Archive) you’ll know why I like this journalled style for #TheSundayPost!
It’s a way of talking about what is bookishly on my mind whilst sharing where my travels in Fiction & Non-Fiction took me through the last seven days! Quite stellar – so very thankful I was encouraged to participate as I love being able to think about which stories settled into my heart and which of the stories I am most eager to see arrive by postal mail and/or via audiobook! It’s a bit of a lovely way to journal your bookish life and have a weekly reminder of the experiences of you’ve gathered and love to remember! In regards to getting back into the groove with #WWWeds – I’m either going to make the meme bi-monthly or monthly which I’ll decide within the next fortnight.
Hallo, Hallo, dear hearts!
Lightning became a bone of contention, this week!
I found a photographer who actually captured those ‘thick & dense’ bolts I witnessed this past week! This wasn’t taken locally but lightning is ‘lightning’ and these bolts are super-strong! Look at that power!
If I had to contend with one lightning storm per day, I might not have felt as rattled as I had – but to contend with upwards of four lightning storms (due to circling storm systems) per day, it’s a wonder I have any hair left! I just felt like this was the week the monsoon season’s wrecking lightning storms were pushing me over the edge! I had to keep unplugging my electronics like a mad banshee – listening to the surge protectors shrill their sirens (for which electronic actually likes living without power?) and hoping against hope I’d have enough hours left to find in order to be able to continue with my plans to blog and review the books I had scheduled to appear this week.
Although most of the reviews posted, there were a few I had to hold back and of which will be read and reviewed next week instead (specifically The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds, When The Future Comes Too Soon and Magic Sometimes Happens) as I honestly could only find enough hours to post what I did. The worst bit is the severity of the storms makes me worry inwardly about the potential for tornadoes – as the skies can turn so violent, so quickly – it’s a wonder how I can appreciate rainshowers because the storms I am conditioned to having round me are such monstrous affairs, my nerves should be gone by now!
It is true – the Summer Season is our worst for storms (for most readers this is true I am sure!) but when your a blogger, it feels overly complicated because technically speaking, we rely on technology in order to communicate and to blog. Ergo, a lot about this Summer is reflective of the Summer of 2015 where I had a solid 90 days of lightning storms which of course cancelled a lot of posts and reviews I had planned that year – leading to a lot of books ending up on my backlogue list as a result of the insanity of what happened that fateful Summer where lightning was frequently causing me to be offline and disconnected. Last year, of course, by September we had an epic storm and this is how I lost my computer outright – as the storm killed a lot of my electronics. This year, despite knowing my new computer is fully insured and is replaceable isn’t a balm to my spirit because honestly, I love this computer and who wants to go through the heartache of losing another one?
I also saw a slight return of my chronic migraines – something which bothered me more than the lightning, as I have gone without them for several months now. They seem to re-appear when I least expect them in my life and they disrupt my days more than I wish they wouldn’t. I am thankful they only teetered on the edge of going supernova (those really aching migraines where only rest and no light will be of any help) and the medicine I take at the onset of them truly did help (as I prefer natural medicine over conventional choices as much as I can); but what bothered me a bit is they were trying to ‘resume’ where they left off. This also played into lost hours outside of the lightning issue as I cannot read digital screens when I’m in the throes of one nor can I spend a lot of time digitally engaged on my blog after one occurs. Whilst my migraines irked my ire in the background of my health woes – I was still recovering from the stomach flu this past week as well. *le sigh* Tricky balance this week!
I am amazed I was able to do as much as I did this week – including visiting new book bloggers and taking part in the memes – somehow I was even able to host my chat #ChocLitSaturday before the next storm overtook my region! Honestly, the lightning storms are a bone of contention, but I refuse to give in to defeat! I might not have been able to get to every story this week, but I am proud of the posts I was able to share with you.
Here’s to a new week and hopefully a reduction in storms! I’d like to get into Anne of Green Gables and start to make enroads towards working on #20BooksOfSummer, too! Let’s see what the week will bring and hopefully none of you are dealing with severe storms whilst you’d rather be reading and blogging!
My latest #WaitingOnWednesday!
The following story was sent to me in exchange for an honest review by the author and publicist.
.@JKSlitpublicity | #BookReview
debut #MGLit novelist @authordenightShe's charmed me dear readers w/ #Croswald!🔮✨
📚https://t.co/obNSmFY8Gg pic.twitter.com/KttDtHYXxI— Jorie Story 📖🎧 (@joriestory) July 21, 2017
As I previously revealled – I was giddy about this #unboxing project since it was first pitched to me!! However, it was especially lovely getting the chance to read the novel! Despite the difficulties I had in finding ‘time’ to blog my thoughts about the story (ie. those naughty lightning storms!) – I was truly swept away by the world in which Ms Night created for us to find. Croswald has a lot of heart inside it and a lot of incredible magic. It is a literary find for those of us who are still captured by the unexpected and the fantastical! I was personally thankful this story was one I could read without feeling it went too over the top – there were moments I felt this was a story fit for an Upper Middle Grade reader, as it felt to me like it was written for readers who were ready to cross into YA whilst noting all MG readers would appreciate it – I think it would depend on each reader who finds it – as I stated on my review, even adults who love Fantasy are going to be charmed by this one!
The best takeaway from my review of The Crowns of Croswald:
The most beloved SFF (Science Fiction & Fantasy) authors I come to love reading are the ones who can stitch a breadth of dimensional ‘otherworld’ into the smallest of space as to elude to the largeness of their world. Ms Night is definitely a writer in this stead of Fantasy writers of whom have mastered the art of building their world not only through the subtle ordinary gestures of how their characters interact with their world’s perimeters but with the essences of how her world establishes itself into the readerly mind, heart and imagination! She has drawn together such lovely clues and visual aides to give a dimensional boost of imagery and imaginative thought to her readers! Settling into Croswald is as easy as soaking into the words of her narrative – as they route your mind round what makes Croswald so uniquely different whilst tempting you to see Croswald as Ms Night sees the world herself! Smashing, debut!
This collage I shared on Twitter is one of my favourite captures of using my own book photography! I am finding out how to use the fade-out technique for word boxes, too! I find it amazing how we can create our own digital collages in Canva whilst learning a bit more about Digital Art in the process. My favourite part of the collage is how the ‘glow’ of the bottle shines through but still gives you a mystery about ‘how’ and ‘why’ it’s doing that!
I went in search of book bloggers & vloggers who are celebrating #Croswald and these are the ones who stood out to me:
- Book Review + Photograph #unboxing | Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – GMR | so happy to find a blogger I knew who had the same experience!
- #unboxing | Happy Lil Book Nook | she reads the letter & instructions of the bottles!
- #unboxing | Paper Faerie | loved how she was caught up in the moment!
- #unboxing | The Bookish Babbler | loved watching her joyous reactions!
"To scriven is to cast #magic?!" YES! So glad you are into it, @joriestory! 😍 #books #book #magical #adventure #bookreview #bookish #reading https://t.co/FvgtzqJgPQ
— D.E. Night (@authordenight) July 23, 2017
Reviews of the Week:
The following stories were sent to me in exchange for an honest review by either the publisher or publicist.
NOTE: the quotes are taken from my reviews.
- The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night (see also Review)
- A Twisted Vengeance (No.2 of Kate Clifford Mysteries) by Candace Robb (see also Review)
- Lies and Letters by Ashyton Newbold (see also Review)
As I have mentioned The Crowns of Croswald – I wanted to talk about the two other reviews I featured this week (one of which is running today, on Sunday!). Let’s talk DNF and sophomore releases – although I strive to give authors the benefit of the doubt and stay with their stories – this one: Lies & Letterswas set-up wrong for me to find traction. Very early-on into the opening bridge of a novel, if the story hasn’t captured me emotionally or with an intense curiosity of interest to know more about either the character or the resolution (if there is one to be had) my mind starts to step out of the narrative. In this one, I was overjoyed for the second novel of an author whose debut left me wanting – ironically or not, the second novel didn’t float my boat anymore than the debut! Yet! Here is the interesting bit – Ms Newbold wrote a very compelling and convicting novella (see also Review) which not only touched my heart but gave me a second-look at her writing style. In this novella, dear hearts, she captured what I seek in compelling fiction (irregardless of genre) and yet… as I read Lies & Letters it read more like Mischief & Manors. I’ve resolved to appreciate her novella and let go of her novels. Sadly, this is one author I cannot read in length but I do appreciate what she can do with novellas; in this form of the craft, she excels.
I must say, Ms Robb truly caught me off-guard a few times between The Service of the Dead and A Twisted Vengeance – in regards to how heart-wrecking Kate Clifford’s life truly has become! There are some scenes that did push me to the edge of where I might feel a Cosy Historical Mystery could take me but she pulls back into the arc of the character’s journey and of the drama stemming out of her character’s incredibly complex family history! I was swept into how she talks about Ms Clifford’s ordinary hours – the times between when she’s sleuthing and trying to ink out information to either leverage in her favour or to barter for protection. It’s an interesting mix – as Kate Clifford is living in a highly explosive period in History where reputation, status and political intrigue all walk hand in hand.
Robb has such a gracious continuity about her series – you cannot help but easily re-alight inside Kate Clifford’s world – from how she appreciates the time she has out-of-doors to her fond love of her hounds to how she seeks to find balance out of her duties and obligations. One thing I find most incredible is how much the 14th Century still feels alive somehow; almost as if we could never mistake Robb’s 14th Century for our own or vice versa; as everything is as it were back then rather than a glimpse of what it could have been like without the details Robb stitched into her series. She gives you such a companionable entrance to find your footing quite quickly and to assert a working presence of what York looked like whilst we’re entering into their turbulent past.
I am going to see if I can start reading the Archer series before the 3rd Kate Clifford Mystery releases, as I know it’s around the 3rd where both series start to entwine as some of the characters will interact between both series. It will also be interesting to back-trace through the author’s original series and then, resume forward with Kate Clifford! I don’t mind being on tense nerves reading a Mystery / Thriller / or Suspense as that is what makes them enthralling to read but my favourite part of reading the mysteries by Robb is how she drops you into the century Kate Clifford resides! It’s authentic and it’s riveting; to be inside this part of the historic timeline where quick wits, a keen mind and a sharp instinct is what you need to survive.
Special Posts of the Week:
- Cover Reveal w/ Notes | Summer in San Remo by Evonne Wareham
- An Interview with Candace Robb | on her writerly process of creating Historical Mysteries!
If you’re a new visitor to my blog, you might not realise it – but I occasionally participate in *Cover Reveals* of stories I want to read once they are released into print! A bit of a spin on #WaitingOnWednesday as generally speaking, the reveals I host on behalf of ChocLitUK are Digital First releases; thereby, I am able to share the joy of finding the stories far ahead of when I can read them – as I’m a ChocLit Star and Reviewer. As a ChocLit Star I get to add feedback about certain pre-publication choices (such as Cover Art Design) and afterwards, I host the Reveals of the stories which most interested me to read.
I missed a few of these in late Spring / early Summer due to my allergies – this latest one for Ms Wareham was an honour as I haven’t had the pleasure of reading her Rom Suspense novels (yet) and I found she had a slightly lighter story coming out next whose setting ‘had me at hallo’! I love exotic locales in stories – especially Roms, as you get caught up inside travelling someplace you’ve never heard about before or a place you could only dream about visiting IRL. In this case, I hadn’t heard of San Remo previously and it sounded so lush and vibrant!
If you ever see a Cover Reveal on my blog – just know it’s not your typical ‘promo post’ as I do add my own thoughts to these posts and I do share why I want to read the stories once their available in a format I can read. I have hosted other Reveals for other publishers over the years, however, at the moment I tend to host more for ChocLit right now. Not surprising! I’m wicked addicted to reading their relationship-based Romances! I’m truly a ChocLit girl at heart rather than a ChickLit girl!
I also had the pleasure of hosting Ms Robb this week – where I was able to ask her about her writerly progress in crafting her Historical Mysteries! As you will see shortly – this became quite the lovely experience when Ms Bruno tweeted out a special s/o on this interview’s behalf! I truly love hosting author guest features – either interviews or guest posts, especially as I like to create the questions and topics myself! There are the rare few where I yielded to the author’s ideas for the guest features, but as you will see if you visit this interview, I had a heap of fun getting the conversation started!
Read more about this via Blogosphere Bookish Memes & Weekly Features
The following stories were sent to me in exchange for an honest review by either the publisher or publicist.
Next Stories by Favourite Authors:
- The Library of Light & Shadow by MJ Rose (Synopsis) (see series archive for Daughters of La Lune)
I truly was surprised when I heard from the publicist about this lovely third book in the Daughters of La Lune series! I have been reading each of them as they publish – the first two were on blog tours, and the third I received direct from the publisher! I love the fact they included the Press Release – as I was trying to sort out how the lead character (Delphine) would fit into the back-story – as this is a chronicle of women from one family all of whom are inter-connected to one another throughout the series. It’s quite involved but the Press Release gave me this nice concise recap of how the women connect to one another:
Delphine (from The Library of Light & Shadow) is the youngest sister of Opaline (from The Secret Language of Stones) and the daughter of Sandrine (from The Witch of Painted Sorrows). As you can see, it’s truly one’s family’s legacy told in different sections of their collective lives! One thing I have loved about the series is how it’s set and told. This one is spilt between France and America – just after the war – where we pick up the life of Delphine.
Reviews forthcoming (this week):
The following stories were sent to me in exchange for an honest review by either the publisher or publicist.
- The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds (No. 1 the Malayan series) by Selina Siak Chin Yoke (Synopsis)
- When The Future Comes Too Soon (No. 2 the Malayan series) by Selina Siak Chin Yoke (Synopsis)
- Such Mad Fun by Robin R. Cutler (Synopsis)
- Indy Writes Books (anthology) by Indy Reads Books (released to help Literacy) (Synopsis)
- Magic Sometimes Happens (No.6 of Charton Minster) by Margaret James (see Archive for Charton Minster)
To keep an eye on my upcoming reviews, kindly visit my Bookish Events!
I spoke about all of these stories last week for [The Sunday Post] as I thought my week might have gone a bit differently than it had. I was looking forward to sharing my JOY of reading Ms Siak’s novels and I had hoped to conclude my readings of #ChartonMinster (thus far released in print) as well. However, as the week went differently – I am still very much inside these stories!
One thing I can share with you this [Sunday] is I am fully appreciating the cultural exchange within The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds – as I can see how the author’s great-grandmother inspired her to tell this story! There are so many lovely moments of just peering into the past through the eyes of living histories – the stories which are passed down from one generation to another in a singular family (such as the stories my own family has happily shared) – which give you such a grounding of where you are in this woman’ story! It’s hard to put the book down and I love this about how the story is written – it encompasses so much about Chye’s life and her family; it is sometimes hard to pause and put my thoughts down on my review! As I feel I am there with her – walking through the ebbs and flow of her life, starting in childhood.
Being able to blog about these stories this coming week is going to be bliss!
Favourite Moments on Twitter this week:
On the 20th of July, I caught sight of a special s/o on behalf of the Interview I hosted for Ms Robb by Ms Bruno! She runs Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours – however, seeing a spotlighted tweet like this an unexpected surprise! I never had a post of mine highlighted in this way (at least not that I remember?) previously and I must admit, seeing this go LIVE gave me such a happy smile and a heart full of gratitude! I truly enjoyed hosting Ms Robb this past week and apparently the joy we shared together in the conversation is not only being happily received but celebrated! How wicked lovely!!
✔️ out the fabulous interview w/author @CandaceMRobb & @joriestory & learn more about the #KateClifford Series! https://t.co/1cUWQ8cSI5 pic.twitter.com/qRfiuRrSZw
— HistFic Virtual Book Tours 📚 (@HFVBT) July 20, 2017
This particular tweet just left me in a fit of giggles – because I have seen discussion floating round the twitterverse & the book blogosphere about why aren’t stories of sex being positively portrayed, etc, etc. And, she’s right of course, you only have to pick up today’s Contemporary and Historical Romance novels to find a hearty array of pro-positive relationships and oft-times, a healthy sex life included – unless you read INSPY Romances, where everything is ‘behind doors or off-scene’. I personally read both mainstream and INSPY Romances – you can see why this tweet made me SMIRK!
hi, hello, if you're having trouble finding books featuring sex positivity may I point you toward this super cool genre, it's called ROMANCE
— Kay Taylor Rea (@kaytaylorrea) July 19, 2017
"Cats can work out mathematically the exact place to sit that will cause most inconvenience." ~ Pam Brown #catlove pic.twitter.com/9ZOh34EOU2
— The Purrington Post (@purringtonpost) July 20, 2017
Seeing this tweet in my timeline truly gave me a HEAP of JOY because honestly, anyone who has a cat or multiple cats is quite used to stumbling into this ‘moment’ where your cat is claiming something of YOURS they do not wish to give back! I roared with laughter and promptly shared this with my Mum and Dad; who in turn, started laughing even louder than I had been! lol Our cheeky cats, mind you, looked at us like we had lost it – which was driving us to laugh even more – because their behaviour is so classically similar to this cat! Not to mention, my tabby has *done!* this and like this cat, gives you that glare about ‘it’s a box, so by default – it’s MINE!” or at least, this is what my cat attempts to tell me! lol Read what I tweeted in reply!
Great interview! Thank you for hosting Candace's Blog Tour, Jorie! pic.twitter.com/Hj0RyxH6MV
— HistFic Virtual Book Tours 📚 (@HFVBT) July 20, 2017
Being a knitter, this warmed my bookish heart! It was such a random piece of tweet joy, I played it over and over again – especially as I grew up watching ‘David the Gnome’ this became even more special, somehow! Read what I tweeted back!
Sorry you found S5 too dark for your taste! S6 promises to be a lot of fun. Keep a look-out in January.
— Tahsin Guner (@tahsinguner) July 20, 2017
It isn’t often I seek out the production & crew behind a tv series I am watching – there are times though which warrant the extra work to find them – on Twitter – as I gave up years ago trying to email a production in progress with feedback. Twitter does allow us to have our voices heard in times where a quick reply is more essential than a drawn out one by email or postal mail. My fam and I discovered the Father Brown Mysteries via NetFlix about mid-way through watching Heartland, which is the Canadian family drama we are happily addicted too!
We held off watching most of Father Brown until Heartland concluded (we literally watched S1-S9 from say March to early June!) as we knew we’d have a long wait until S10 were available; once we were settled into Father Brown, we were absolutely delighted by what we found! It’s set during the 1950s shortly after the last World War (in this, parts of what is affecting the characters reminds me why I loved Foyle’s War) but with an engaging plot narrative and character depth which is befitting of the 21st Century. It is the ensemble cast which we feel in love with and of whom endeared us to the story-lines. Somewhere along the way, things started to derail for us in the early bits of S5 – the crime scenes were grittier and more graphic and the plots themselves seemed ‘darker’ and more ominous than in previous episodes. The fact we lost two critical characters from the series: Lady Felicia and Sid didn’t broker well either – as to us, they were as essential as Mrs McCarthy and Father Brown!!
This is why I decided to see if I could find the production home for Father Brown on Twitter and/or Flowerday of whom produces the series. In effect, although I contacted Ms Flowerday, it’s the screenwriter for the series who wrote me back and gave me a bit of hope for S6 – which surprised me recently for being in production! I hadn’t thought this series moved past S5 as it was not widely talked about online – at least not on the sites I checked (from Wikipedia to iMDb). I was very grateful to have the response – as I originally thought they might ‘overlook’ the tweet as I wasn’t clamouring for S6 but worried about why there was such a radical change in how Father Brown was being written. I tweeted my thank you!
This is what was inspired by the #SVS July challenge "#Independent". The #hermit #crab is called #paguro #Bernardo in italian…. #inking pic.twitter.com/NEETYzi5EM
— Simona Ceccarelli (@smceccarelli) July 19, 2017
Read my tweeted reply | and the artist’s reply | This is an illustrator I LOVE following on Twitter – esp for her 100 Kids Project and other illustrative pieces which give me so much JOY to find in my feeds! I love art and illustration which is why I like to follow the artists I find on Twitter or the ones who happily find me! When I pulled this open in it’s larger form on Twitter, I cackled with absolute happiness and laughter because – you just can honestly understand the point! “Don’t go!” indeed!
:fingers crossed:
:toes crossed::wishing on a ✨for a NEW lovely #Suspense by Ms @henrigyland! https://t.co/oDmmoxn89o
— Jorie Story 📖🎧 (@joriestory) July 20, 2017
To fully understand this tweet s/ o on my behalf to a favourite Rom Suspense author, you might want to read the review I left on behalf of UP CLOSE. This was part of a convo I was having with another ChocLit author about how we ache for her to start penning a new Suspense novel, as we’re positively addicted to how she writes them! Read Ms Gyland’s reply! Eek. So happy!
Thank you! Blessings!
— laurainesnelling (@laurainesnellin) July 19, 2017
And, what rounded out my week of happy moments on Twitter was finding a second response by Ms Snellin in regards to my first reading of one of her novels! She initially replied back to me awhile ago, but seeing this reply come through was unexpected and lovely! I do admit, I like interacting with the authors I am reading on Twitter. It makes the book world feel a bit smaller somehow, and it allows us to talk to the writers who inspired us to read one of their stories.
Technically speaking, there were other moments I loved peppering my feeds this week on Twitter. You’ll find them under “Favourites” (ie. Likes) as this is where I leave bread crumbs for myself to re-visit lateron all the lovely moments which made me smile or think throughout a day, a week and a month. It’s a bit of a scrapbook of virtual memories if you will – whereas if I RT/retweet something, it’s something which either resonates with me immediately, something said which parlays into my own thoughts/opinions/feelings or contains something I wish to celebrate & share.
Favourite Moment in the book blogoshere this week:
I had quite a few favourite moments whilst I made my route through the #WaitingOnWednesday + #TheSundayPost linky routes – however, the best moment for me came when a blogger I was enjoying visiting and I decided to exchange our blog’s badges! You might have noticed the addition of “Lampshade Reader” in my sidebar!? What struck me so incredible is how we’re both reading two novels within a similar time frame: The Dream Keeper’s Daughter and Betrayal at Iga! I hadn’t even realised we are hosting for HFVTBs – sometimes even on the *same!* blog tour – whilst finding we appreciate similar genres and types of stories! I am looking forward to discussing the latest books we have in common but also, seeing what she’s reading next in case it’s something which will interest me as well!
Stories eager to be reading next:
The following stories were sent to me in exchange for an honest review by either the publisher or publicist.
- Anne of Green Gables (x3) audiobooks by Post Hypnotic Press
- The New Science of Conscienceness by Paul L. Nunez (Synopsis)
- There Goes the Neighbourhood by by Ali Noorani (Synopsis)
- Seeing What Others Cannot See by Thomas G. West (Synopsis)
Nothing’s changed! These are the stories I want to read after I conclude my readings of Siak and James; as I do have the Anne RAL posts to start to write ahead of my blog stops for the Anne of Green Gables blog tour coming up in August. Ergo, the stories I was eagerly excited about reading last [Sunday] are the same for this [Sunday], too!
Reading Challenges & Spontaneous Reads Updates:
Read the bookish & readerly challenges which I fancied to join this year
and honestly haven’t had the time to devout attention since the day I organised this List! Oy vie.
I related this news last [Sunday] which posted on [Wednesday] and thereby nothing is new to share yet in regards to my progress on either #20BooksOfSummer or my RAL.
As you might have also seen dear hearts, I haven’t even had the proper chance to dig into my #20BooksOfSummer! I have Worthy and Allie and Bea patiently awaiting me on my bookshelf – as I re-arranged my shelves to reflect the Adult Fiction selections which are the ones I picked for this particular spontaneous challenge – vs. the Children’s Lit choices which are arranged two shelves up from these which I am reading simultaneously.
As far as progress is concerned, the most progress I have made to be honest is visiting with other participants and finding out which books they’ve chosen to read themselves. I updated my route of visiting these bloggers on my #20BooksOfSummer hub page – wherein I shall be providing future updates as well.
I was able to get back in touch with the blogger (Jamie) who wants to read three of the books with me in a bit of a spontaneous readalong which will include: Pretending to Dance, Pretty Baby and As Death Draws Near. We’re slating it for the end of July / start of August – which yes of course, means I need to get my druthers together! We’ve decided to read Pretending to Dance ahead of Pretty Baby, and I am hopeful by next Sunday or the one thereafter, I can update I’ve not only started reading this novel but have made progress with Worthy!
I am hoping whilst I have a high yield of reviews populating my blog this coming week – I’ll be able to spend the last week of July shifting between my #20BooksOfSummer and the books I’ve wanted to read during the months of Spring where my allergies truly grounded all efforts to make any progress in my reading life.
The posts which everyone seems to love reading:
If you’d like to visit & add your comments, I’d appreciate to know your thoughts!
Meanwhile, I am still working on responding to recent comments – thank you for your patience!
- #TheSundayPost No.1
- #WaitingOnWednesday | The Crowns of Croswald (review)
- Author Interview : Candace Robb
- Book Review | Lies & Letters
- Book Review | A Twisted Vengeance
- Cover Reveal | Summer in San Remo
- Book Review | Fannie Never Flinched
- Book Review | Marion Hatley
- Book Review | The Belle of Two Arbours
- #WaitingOnWednesday | my 1st #unboxing
- Author Interview : Paul Dimond
- Book Review | The Ninja’s Daughter
- Two Years, Two Cats | Stories of Jorie
Remember: when I host a Cover Reveal, I also blog about why I want to read the story.
Thank you for your kind thoughts about my Dad!
In closing, I wanted to thank everyone who either left me a comment last week on my Sunday Post and/or whom tweeted me or contacted me privately in regards to the news I shared about my Dad! I truly appreciated those of you who understood what I was going through and why last week was difficult to get through even though we received good news. We are still breathing easier knowing my Dad is alright. In some ways, as I think about it – perhaps this is why my migraines returnt for awhile… I had too much to process and shift through and sometimes despite our best intentions to manage our stress, our emotions can take longer to calm down even after we’ve resolved how we feel ourselves.
My adventures within the blog hop for #TheSundayPost
This list is being generated | this is a WIP list
The STORIES I cannot wait to READ myself as found via the blog hop!
And, the POSTS I loved finding via this lovely meme’s route!
I attempted to leave commentary on each blog as I first arrived. A few I had to re-visit lateron to leave a note and others I tried to find via Twitter to help promote their posts although not everyone was tweeting their posts.
- Lilac Girls on my own TBR | Comma Hangover
- Aunt Dimity & the Widow’s Curse (love this series!) | The Bookwyrm Hoard
- Musical Youth is now TBR & we share interest in Wide Sargasso Sea | Jhohadli
I had some wicked lovely news to share on [Monday] – pop open this tweet!
It was a short bit later I realised something else: I have 100 Followers again! I had lost quite a few recently due to inactive/non-existent blogs or bloggers – to where I dropped from 105 to 97! To find new followers so quickly who found my blog enjoyable to read was quite the happy surprise and blessing! I appreciate everyone who drops by & finds something they like to read amongst my posts, reviews & guest author features! Truly a joy which keeps renewing!
- Outshine (Nicole Van) |Wishful Endings
- A smorgasbord of loveliness | Sit and Be Still
- (needs comment) Spied a few posts to read | Cornerfolds
- Hogwarty Highlights | Jo’s Book Blog
- Betrayal at Iga (will re-visit after I read the book!) | Reading Reality
- Spied more posts to read | The Bookish Libra
- Loved what she’s sharing! | Avalinah’s Books
- (needs comment) ooh! spied a few titles! | Book Reviews by Di
- The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds | Book Dilettante | we’re both reading it!
- (needs comment) Potterhead & Austen | Addicted to Happily Ever After
- (needs comment) Ooh, new #HistFic! | Because Reading – Michelle
- (needs comment) Spied a few new titles/authors | Brain Fluff
- (needs comment) Interesting Journalled Recap! | Adventures with a Book Nerd
+ 1 | found via the Bookwrym’s Hoard
[making my way through the bloggers – I’m moving backwards in reverse order! Need to add commentary to the blogs I’m linking too as I’m moving up the list as I read a book!]
last update: 26July 2017 | Comments are all submitted except where it says “needs comment”
Do you like engaging with authors &/or tv actors / producers on Twitter? If so, what do you like most about being able to engage with them in a more direct way?
{Sources: Photo Credit: Unsplash Photographer Brandon Morgan. (Creative Commons Zero). Blog graphics created in Canva: The Sunday Post badge using Unsplash.com (Creative Commons Zero) Photography by Hope House Press, Denise Chan and Pacto Visual as well as Jorie’s Box of Joy badge and #20BooksOfSummer badge. All Book Photography Credit: Jorie of jorielovesastory.com. Photo edits and collage created in Canva. Post dividers and My Thoughts badge by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. The Lampshade Reader badge provided by the blogger and is used with permission.}
Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2017.
I’m a social reader | I share my bookish life via Twitter
#TheSundayPost No2
Lightning storms 🌩️vex #bookblogger's spirit!
📖#currentlyreading | 📬#bookmail | #SundayBlogShare https://t.co/aYuAZA7o22— Jorie Story 📖🎧 (@joriestory) July 23, 2017
First off, let me tell you how much I appreciate you putting my badge up on your blog. Much love! I’m so glad to find another blogger to talk books with, that it gets me giddy. :)
Jorie, I finished both of those books and I LOVED Betrayal at Iga! I’m not doing the blog tour on it this time, but I’m reviewing it next week. Can’t wait to discuss what you thought about it.
I’m sorry about your migraines. I know those can get bad, I’ve known people who had them. Hope you feel better.
We had a storm blow in on Sunday and we lost power. Your scrambling to unplug everything reminded me of my husband. He’s the one that runs around doing that. Especially when they start beeping frantically. LOL.
I didn’t do a Sunday Post last weekend, but I’ll have one up this week. Hope to talk to you soon. :)
Hallo, Hallo Aleen!
You are most welcome!! :) I was so wicked happy when you wanted to exchange our badges!! It has been a true delight for me to proudly *wave!* your blog’s badge in my sidebar as well! IF Summer had gone differently, I would have maintained not only more posts on my blog but my routes of visiting bloggers – this is why when I was able too, I hit the ‘like’ button on this comment hoping you might see the wink of acknowledgement and at least know I had seen your beautifully lovely comment! I’m thankful I can respond in length today – even if it’s quite a distance from the moment you’ve written me the note!
Yes! I had the same immediate reaction you did – a lovely new bookish mate to cheer on stories with and anguish over the ones we might feel fell a bit short of our expectations! I’m wicked happy our paths have crossed – especially as I was lamenting on another reply to one of your other comments (hint: Mr Darcy!) I’m mostly quite eager to start talking about the two books we’re reading in sync with each other; you’ve finished them ahead of me, but ooh! I cannot wait to chat about them! Will be loads of bookish fun!
Ack. My naughty migraines came back in spurts and batches this Summer; knock on wood, they took off again which I hope will keep true for at least part of the next Season if not the rest of the year! One can always hope, eh? At least I am used to them – I know what I need to do to get through the worst of them and how to transition back to what I am doing afterwards. The best virtue to have when dealing with migraines is patience and the second best is being adaptive to switching your plans quite on the fly if one ploughs right into your day! :(
I was a bubble of laughter reading about your husband! How champion I am NOT the only one who is going round like a mad hatter trying get *everything!* unplugged! Dear me, I have had my exercise this Summer and I am sure he has too! Aye. I am hoping before too much longer our respective weather patterns will take a downturn of fierceness but ooh! I am keeping my eye on the tropics now – what an active Atlantic it’s been – two more inbound towards us again and I truly hope they will not be as bad as Harvey even though according to the forecasts, I fear Irma might be. Then, coupled with the fires on the West Coast – I do wonder how anyone is enjoying their Seasons this year — so many active natural disasters all at once! I’m still grieving for Harvey’s wrecked passage through Texas – I was literally glued to streaming updates via YouTube and other online sites! Oy vie.
Yes, I have fallen behind on my Sunday Posts – those resume this coming weekend! I cannot wait to get back into the rhythm of them – I was blinked offline one two many times in the recent month to where the joy of working on my last few Sunday Posts felt more drudge than joy; ergo, I rolled them into one lovely update and journalled everything I felt best to highlight for the weeks I’ve missed. Off now to see what you’ve been posting about and I do look forward to our next visits with each other and the conversations which will grow between us.
Super fun post, Jorie! Sorry about the lightning. I don’t like it when it’s destructive, but do enjoy watching the shows. :) Thanks for stopping by too!
Hallo, Hallo Tressa!
Thank you for swinging by my blog! :) I know you’ve been on holiday recently, but I am so happy to be participating in your meme! It’s re-inspired me to create new journalling posts to share with my readers & new visitors but also – it’s re-inspired me to start blog hoppin’ again! I had to take an absence for personal reasons – which is why I’m loving the routes through memes I’ve discovered recently! Yes, I do agree – if your at a safe distance, there is no personal safety concerns & the lightning can be ‘magically inclusive’ to the atmosphere – yes, then this is okay for me. However, I don’t live where lightning can be enjoyed for the purity of it’s electric dance – it’s highly destructive and wrecks lives. I respect it as much as I respect all other natural phenoms but ooh! Summers here truly put my heart on alert and my nerves take a holiday!
You’re wicked welcome! I’m enjoying reading your blog – I’ll be dashing on different reviews of yours soon, as I might have mentioned on your blog, we gravitate towards the same kinds of stories & authors! I think we’ve read a few in common, too! Have a happy week!
I’m so sorry to hear about your migraines and the stomach flu. I hope you feel better soon! I’m not a big fan of lightning either for the same reason. I’ve lost too many electronics that way over the years.
Hallo, Hallo Suzanne!
Isn’t it always ironic how things come in triplicate? Honestly though – I am so thankful last week is over, if only to shift past being unwell! All that came on the heels of my Spring allergies ending for the year – sometimes a girl just feels overwhelmed, and that surely was me! I think I can safety say I’m more ‘me’ today than I have been in a long time! The migraines are reducing a bit each day – I only had a small issue with them earlier and if they just want to vacant as readily as they appeared I’d be thrilled! lol
Ugh. Tell me about it! Lightning can damage so much so fast it’s numbing! This is the first time I could get my computer insured for replacement; previously my computer was too old to even be considered! :( I hope your fairing alright this year – I find the lightning has been upping it’s game in the past several years. Thanks for swinging round and checking in with me! I appreciate your return visits!
Yikes, the lightening storms though. Sets my hair on edge. Summer where I live kicks off hurricane season so no fun either…but lightening though.
Hallo, Hallo Joanne!
Thanks for dropping by my blog today – you said it best ‘sets my hair on edge’! Doesn’t it though? I found it incredible I could find a photographer who not only captured lightning in such an eclipse of the lightning I saw myself this past week (oy!) but how he could get the definition out of the image! I’d love to learn the tricks of night photography, myself! Evenso, only my great-grandfather was motivated to watch the skies heat up in electricity – mind you, he was an electrician by trade, but oh! My family used to worry about him being out in the ‘thick of things’! Ah! yes, hurricanes are quite horrid, you hear enough about them in the news which makes me personally cringe whenever they set their sights on land! I don’t think any part of ‘natural disaster’ is easy to handle! But, yes, we’re agreed on the point about ‘lightning’ scary us into hives!
Thanks for stopping by, Jorie. Yes, we could write stories.
I tried to tag you on Twitter to help share my good news – these three beautifully lovely comments left for me this week on [The Sunday Post] helped me reach a new milestone here on my blog: 2000 comments! I am so overjoyed I created a tweet s/o to help spread the good cheer! You can pop up the tweet to see my joy and I used the tag for your name when I couldn’t find your presence on Twitter. I truly appreciate everyone whose ever taken a moment to leave me a note and I was so wicked happy seeing I’ve crossed this new threshold of commentary! Thanks for being a part of it!
This is a great post! I will be honest in responding to your question about engaging in Twitter. I used to love engaging with actors from shows I loved, but I suddenly found Twitter to be a very intimidating place! I hate that it seemed to inspire competition more than anything else, and it really started to make me nuts. I’ve had more positive experiences writing for a television blog as part of a group, and when I say nice things and tweet the actors, several have actually read the posts and retweeted or responded back. I’ve actually found those to be more valuable to me.
I am also going to say, that cat on a fricken pizza box is the most on-point cat post with a caption I think I have ever seen!!!
Plus, I am very glad your dad is doing alright. I know we just met via The Sunday Post, but getting good news is always…well, good! :)
Hallo, Hallo Lauren!
Thank you so much for your lovely compliment on this Sunday Post! I still feel like I am getting my sea legs with the meme – as I’m a bit out of practice writing weekly posts for memes! Definitely gave me a boost of joy knowing what I’m sharing is resonating with readers! Oh, I don’t know – sometimes it’s the random people who cross your path who end up noticing the important bits of your life and have a way of commenting on things which makes them feel as if you’ve known them longer. In this way, I was thankful to hear your remarks about my Dad. I agree with you – good news is something to celebrate ALWAYS!
Isn’t it though? *that!* cat seriously had me remembering all the times the cheeky cats in my life (and there have been plenty!) have given me that glare and that earnest willpower as if to say “It’s mine!” I felt it was so definitively cat-centric to be the one image all cat lovers could look at and have the same reaction! I was surprised it wasn’t getting more love on Twitter!
Yes, unfortunately I know what your referencing on Twitter in regards to actors/tv series; however, I made the choice not to get involved in ‘that’ and strictly only tweet directly to ‘someone’ or in ‘general’ about a series – whether I was happy or feeling indifferent. Oy vie – you should have seen my tweets about *Castle!* and NCIS: LA! And, once upon a year, *Downton Abbey*. This is why I wanted to highlight something positive about reaching out with a concern with a series still in production – it was so unexpected and nice of them! :) I will say, one time an actor I like from Lifetime & Hallmark Channel asked his fans about the roles he takes and which ones are our favourites. So I openly admitted I like him in gentler roles and not the super scary ones – I was immediately attacked on Twitter and bless his heart, he defended me! I didn’t expect that and ever since, I look at it all a bit differently. Everyone can say their piece but I lead with my heart – as the best we can all do is share what is true for us in the moment. I don’t believe in attacking people who have different ideas or opinions (oy!) but I do think we can all share whichever opinion we have and that should be accepted. Not that it is but it should be. So, again – I get you on this issue! I’ve had different experiences these past four years to say that with confidence!
I admit – it is nice when they see something we tweet or post on our blogs! I’m glad it’s worked out for you! You should always feel you can tell someone you like something about their performances! :) Thanks for visiting with me – and you’ll find a heap of notes on your blog tonight from me! Some of which I saw you’ve already responded, too! Laughs. It’s great we’ve found each others’ blogs!