The Sunday Post #74

Posted June 12, 2022 by elzaread in The Sunday Post / 46 Comments

Greetings you guys! Another week just flew by and here we are again at Sunday wondering where the heck the week has gone. How are you guys doing?

We are good! I’d say we are about 97% done with the renovations. There are still a few things that need to be done. The big clean up is starting this week and I can see that it’s going to be a bit of a challenge. We are starting with water shedding tomorrow. Between the hours of 10:00 – 16:00, we will have not water. Monday to Friday. Our dam levels are at critical levels and we need rain desperately. Let’s not go into the politics and rather just pray for deliverance. And rain. Faith like potatoes and this little guy.

Adding to the Litter

If only the rains want to fall as much as the books fell from the sky this week. I am not going to make a graphic now, but we promise to give a fully updated post on all the new books for Book Club. It will be my Mommy’s turn to host in July, so she went and bought the books she thinks they would like to read on Friday. Of course she wants to read them all.

  • The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune (We have read this one, but my Mommy says the other ladies must also read it)
  • The Milk Tart Murders by Sally Andrew
  • The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
  • Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
  • Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
  • The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar
  • Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton

And she didn’t even go over budget. I’m seriously impressed with her. But wait! There’s more. On one of the many, many book exchange groups my Mommy belongs to, a lady advertised 10 Jodi Picoult books for the price of 1 new one in the Book Shop. Of course she bought them all. 10 books for the price of one! Who in their right minds would leave that?

Oh and then she also bought a book on Kindle Daily Deals, The  Social Graces by Renee Rosen. That’s 18 books in one week. I just wish I knew when we are going to read all of these…..

On the Couch

Those of you who follow our Sunday Post regularly, will notice that I’ve just moved the layout around a bit. That’s because I need to shed a few bothering hairs and need to advice and encouragement from you guys.

 

We haven’t had a good reading week. Both our review books turned out to be well, rather mhew. The one showed so much promise, and then it just fell flat on it’s face like a kitten learning to climb a tree. We love reading review books, but lately we’ve had too many misses and only one or two hits. I think my Mommy is getting frustrated, because she has this whole stack of books she knows she really, really wants to read and on the other hand are all the review copies. And no, it’s not that she doesn’t want to read them! A few she is very excited for. Just not any more for this month… (Are we as bloggers even allowed to say that?? Or are we getting kicked off tonight??)

I guess my question is: 1) How do you choose your review books and know it will hit home? 2) If applicable – what impact did it have on your blogging when you simply stopped taking in review books for a while?

Not everything on the reading front was bad this week though. Thank my gorgeous whiskers for the miracle that is Project Hail Mary. Gosh, we love that book! We have just over 2 hours left to listen and don’t actually want it to stop. Oh another question! For those of you who have read it, are we the only ones that picture Rocky the Labrador-Spider with a bandana and whenever he enters the tunnel you hear Eye of the Tiger??

We did start with a new book this afternoon. An Afrikaans one and always a good fallback author. We do like our new Kindle read as well. Here’s to hoping it turns out good!

Scratching the Blog Pole

We did intent to post a bit more this week, but it just didn’t happen. Builders got in the way. This week Wednesday will be our 2 year blogoversary and I have no idea what we want to do. Take the day off and read? Oh the invitation does extent to all of you of course. Just send me your boss’s number or email address. I’ll make the arrangements.

If you did miss our posts and want to catch up, here’s the links:

 

We wish you all (and ourselves) a wonderful week ahead! Oh and don’t forget to add your links to our hosts’ pages and to pay them a visit too! Debbie @ Readerbuzz with The Sunday Salon, Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer with The Sunday Post and Marlene @ Reading Reality with Stacking the Shelves.

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46 responses to “The Sunday Post #74

  1. I’ll send rain your way. We are getting some today! It feels lovely. Bless the rains in Africa … that song lyric was so big in the 80s, I remember! Hope you are well and that the final touches of your house renovations are in reach. Good luck finishing the project! Have a great week.

    Susan recently posted: June Days
    • Hi there Susan! We had some rain last week, but needs so much more. Rain is predicted for this upcoming weekend again. Let’s hold thumbs!

      Toto’s song is still very big here in SA and you will hear it at least once a week on some or other station.

      Sorry for the late reply! I hope you are doing well!

      elzaread recently posted: Ten Books on our Winter TBR
  2. I kind of addressed the review question on your blogoversary post but I’ll add a bit more. I really burned myself out when I first blogged from 2009 – 2016 by trying to post too much and accepting too many review books. When I started back up in 2020, I decided that I was blogging for myself. So I post when I have time and don’t accept review books. My blog hasn’t grown as much as it could have but I’m happier as a blogger. So that’s my advice: Find a sustainable routine (or non-routine!) that makes you happy.

    We’ve had catastrophic flooding this week just south of us in Yellowstone National Park. It’s really bad. I wish we could have sent some of our rain your way.

    Project Hail Mary is so good!

    Enjoy your week!

    Jen at Introverted Reader recently posted: Books I Wish Had an Epilogue
    • Hi Jen! First of all, it’s so lovely to see you around again. I think we’ve missed each other a bit lately!

      I actually planned on not activating my Netgalley account when I started blogging again, but the interesting thing is that I have my Netgalley books well under control. It’s the rest that have become a bit chaotic. But I do love the new regulations and I am going to stick with it. It will help me and the blog, I know that.

      I think it’s important to read what we want to read mostly, that’s how we learn to discern just so much better when reviewing.

      Thanks for the thoughtful advice, I am going to adhere to it for sure!!

  3. Managing book ARCs, review requests, book tours… I have a lot of respect for bloggers who multitask with all of that. But I can totally see how it gets difficult to say no. Some time back, I took up some comics/ graphic novels at Netgalley – the art looked great so I thought it couldn’t possibly go wrong – oh, but some of those plots were so bad! There really is no way to tell, is there? I dropped them all after 4-5 misses, no more pressure.

    I hope it rains soon in your part of the world. The lil guy in your photo says it best. 🙂

    • Book Tours is fun, especially if you only do a spotlight or excerpt. Mostly reviewing is also great, it’s just a matter of having the time to do everything like you say. And that is a luxury very few of us can afford lately.

      I’m so glad you stopped by! We miss you. Hopping over right now.

      elzaread recently posted: Happy Second Anniversary!
    • Hi there Emma!

      I am quite excited to start with Cloud Cuckoo-Land. Just don’t know when that will be. I’ve heard great things about it from readers I will trust. So I am eagerly anticipating reading it yes!

      elzaread recently posted: Happy Second Anniversary!
  4. Glad the renovations are coming along! So stressful, though. I hope you get some rain for your dams. Our lakes and water levels are terrible here on the other side of the big ponds.
    Good luck with your review reading. I realized early on that wasn’t in my cards. It was too stressful and then I ended up hating everything. So I just stick to reading my own books.
    Isn’t Project Hail Mary the best? Everyone I’ve talked to just loves it. I want to listen to it one day as well.
    I hope you have a lovely week and that you get some rain soon!

    • Hi there Heather!

      I’ve had some really great books for review, so I don’t want to stop completely. Just think I might need to streamline it a bit. I do have a plan, I just need to streamline that as well!! LOL!!

      I’ll be saying a prayer for you guys as well for some rain!

      Thanks so much for paying us a visit and I hope you are doing well.

  5. I hope you get some rain. We need it too. Today I watched a huge wildfire again near our house, and it’s due to the very dry forest and high winds. So sad. Nice book haul! I loved Lessons in Chemistry

    Wendy recently posted: Sunday Post #45
  6. Project Hail Mary is awesome and I loved Lessons in Chemistry. Hope you enjoy it. I feel you about the review copies vs. the books you buy. I’m in the same pickle. I’m thinking about just taking the widgets that are emailed to me if the book sounds good and pulling from my pile of purchased books for any gaps. So, basically, no more requesting unless it’s a special book – like one by an author I would read anyway.

    Tessa recently posted: Sunday Post 81 | Summer Days
    • Hi Tessa!

      I think my main problem at the moment is the gaps to grab the books on my own pile. There just isn’t any extra time! And that is no one’s fault, that’s just the way life works. I know I need to streamline my reviews and requests a bit though. I have a plan and will share it with you guys shortly to get some feedback.

      I always think you choose the best books ever for review.

      Thanks for stopping by and I hope your week is good so far.

  7. I hope that you will have rain soon. If I could send it your way, I would! Last week was a bit of a soaking for us (though the farmers do need it for the crops). As for the books you picked up this week, I think you will all enjoy The Reading List. I read it at the end of last year and loved it! Be prepared for some tears. You may want to check out the content & trigger warnings (especially for mental health).

    • Hi there Pam!

      Just your well wishes does add a drop to our bucket of hope. Thanks so much for that! Other parts of our country has been pouring with rain with severe flooding. Over 400 people lost their lives. But in our part, we are in the midst of the worst draught in years. Strange how that can work.

      I am looking forward to all my new reads and hope to get to them soon.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  8. mae

    Reading is what I like to do. I choose the books I read, and only read books that interest me. I’m totally puzzled by people who accept books to review, as it seems to me to limit their freedom. But I wish you good luck with all those books that don’t really appeal to you!

    best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com

    mae recently posted: Flags of my Neighbors
    • Hi there Mae! I have read some of my favorite reads ever through review copies, so there is another side of the coin as well. But I hear 100% what you are saying. I am busy with a plan here on paper to try to streamline my review requests a bit.

      Reading is also what I do for pleasure and I love it so much! So I hate it when it starts to feel a bit like a chore.

      Thanks for your input and for the visit.

      Hope your week is good so far!

  9. Yay for the renovations being almost done! and nicely done on the Toto reference. 🙂

    I’m in the minority probably but I’ve never really taken review books. Not like most bloggers, anyway. I just read whatever I want and I figure there’s so many books out there, and tastes, that if I review what I like someone will like it. Even if it’s only one person lol. But then again my reviews have been so sparse lately lol! I do everything BUT review books lately!

    Happy upcoming blogoversary!!!

    Greg recently posted: Sunday Post #456
  10. I cut waaaaay back on my review books for this reason…I was getting a lot of misses and I felt like I wasn’t getting to read what I wanted (even though I wanted to read those, LOL), it just felt like all I read were books for review…if that makes sense. I am happier now because I am able to get in some of my own neglected books. I still haven’t found the perfect balance…but maybe I am closer.

    Cindy Davis recently posted: First Bride to Fall
  11. I’m sorry about the water situation where you live. We’re in a drought where I live too. But people continue to waste water by watering their lawns during the hottest part of the day. I wish people cared more here.

    Jenni Elyse recently posted: Sunday Post #22
  12. I hope you gets lots of rain and soon!

    This review thing is difficult, isn’t it? I’m trying to cut back, too. First, I’m limiting the number of blog tour reviews I do. Mostly I’m doing spotlights (they don’t require a review). I do have way too many NetGalley and Edelweiss books and I’m trying to be good, honestly 🙂

    I’ve been lucky, though. I manage to accept the reviews of books I know I’m going to like. Since I love cozy mysteries as my primary genre, I’m usually safe in choosing those. I don’t accept any review requests for books outside my normal genres (cozies, romance and suspense). That’s not to say I won’t read them on my own, just saying I don’t want to feel obligated to review a genre I’m unfamiliar with. Also, if I’m already familiar with an author, and enjoy their work, I feel safe in accepting their books for a review.

    As for blogging when not reviewing, I write reviews for everything I read even if they weren’t requested. Plus, there are the weekly memes that I participate in.

    I’m not always successful though and often find myself with way too many reviews. I’m still a work in progress with that. I’m sure you’ll figure out what works for you.

    Have a great week!

    Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews recently posted: Review: Jiggered by Gin by Lucy Lakestone
    • Hi there Yvonne!

      Aaah I love how you take the time to answer and give support. I’m normally really good with my review books, it’s just that lately I’ve not been so lucky and then I lose interest in reading anything. And that’s not good. My Netgalley is under control and Edelweiss is luckily non existent in my reading life.

      I like the idea of just doing spotlights with blog tours. I have started doing one or two of those a bit more. I like too many reading genres I guess as well! My husband came up with the clever idea that I should only request and accept books with cats to stay with the theme of the blog. That will probably limit my numbers significantly as well and I’ll have more time to read my “own” books too. That might actually be worth exploring..

      Thanks for taking the time to help Yvonne! I appreciate it sooo much!

      elzaread recently posted: The Sunday Post #74
  13. I read The House in the Cerulean Sea and it’s one of the few books I want to reread with my journal next to me. There are so may lessons to enrich our lives withing its pages. The Reading List was also a recent read that I enjoyed! You have some great books on your reading list!
    Please do tell: What exchange book clubs are you in?
    I’ve only recently joined Net Galley and am reading my first book, so I don’t have any advice to offer except that I had to be in the mood for the tone of my selection. It’s on a topic I’m currently passionate about, so that helps.
    Happy reading!

    • Hi there Patricia!

      Yes, I also want to read The house in the Cerulean Sea. I can highly recommend the audio recording. It was sooo good.

      My exchange groups are all local! South Africa and my home town. But I’m sure there must be a few in our area. If South Africa can do it…

      I’m just in a bit of a reading slump at the moment I guess because of a few disappointing reads. It will be better again!

      Thanks for visiting us and I hope you will have a wonderful week ahead.

      elzaread recently posted: The Sunday Post #74
  14. I hope you get rain! Water restrictions are no fun. We sometimes have them here when things get really bad. I’m not sure how to answer your review questions because I usually don’t accept review books. I only take 1 or 2 a year. I’m a really slow reader and feel bad that I can’t finish them on a deadline.

    • Hi AJ! I really pray for rain at this stage. Other parts of our country had severe floods earlier this year and we are in severe draught. How strange this planet can be.

      I’m actually a really fast reader, but this year with all the renovations, I just don’t get to everything!

      I hope things will be good for you this upcoming week…

      elzaread recently posted: The Sunday Post #74
  15. Diane

    Glad you are loving Project Hail Mary (loved Rocky). I have had the same experience with (2) review books recently. So disappointing. I am now trying to see what other bloggers and reviewers have raved about and going that route. Right now I’m listening to What Happened to the Bennetts?; Lisa Scottoline and It All Comes Down to This, Therese Anne Fowler. Both pretty good.

    • Hi Diane! Maybe it’s just this time of the year and we’ve all too eagerly sprinted into the new year. I’m not a good long distance athlete…. One of my biggest problems with the books that other bloggers “rave” about, is that there are so often restrictions on books to SA. Even E-galley. Nope, I don’t understand it either.

      But I have a few great reads on my kindle and maybe I should just squeeze one in and feel better about reading and reviewing a bit!

      Thanks for the visit and the advice! Hope you will have a good week ahead.

      elzaread recently posted: The Sunday Post #74
  16. Can I send you some rain? We have had way too much so far in 2022 and looking to have some warmer, drier weather please!

    I have learned over the 3 years of requesting books from Netgalley and Edeweiss+ to only request what I absolutely want to read/listen to. I do love the new cancel request button which helps me streamline my requests to keep them manageable. That’s not to say there has been a few disappointing reads, but far less than I once had.

    Have a wonderful week ahead.

    • Hi there Jodie! We will welcome the rain so much! You can send them in bucket loads please!!!
      Netgalley and Edelweiss isn’t my problem (I have only read on Edelweiss like once), I actually manage my Netgalley quite good. It’s the authors and the blog tour hosts that I feel too sorry for to say no. I am usually quite good with spacing it out well, but lately I got stuck a bit between reviews and tours and that what I want to read. It will all sort out again! It’s holidays in 2 weeks time, then I’ll sort it out.

      Thanks for the advice and the visit!

      elzaread recently posted: The Sunday Post #74
  17. Here’s hoping you get some rain really soon. You can have some of ours if you like – we had a very dry April, but the rain since has more than made up for it. As for review books – it’s a tricky one, isn’t it? I try to space them out a bit so that if I have one or two meh reads, I can fit in other books and dilute the effect. That’s the theory, anyhow! I’ll join in the squee-fest regarding Project Hail Mary – such a fabulous listen!! I hope the coming week is a good one, Elza and give Mommy my love:).

    • Dear Sarah!

      We always start smiling as soon as we see your name. I actually tend to space my review books out yes, but this year with all the renovations and busy school schedule, I don’t read as much as I usually do, but feel guilty about the review copies, so I read them first and my other reads fall behind.

      I was very hesitant to listen to Project Hail Mary at first, so not my style. But gosh I love it! Can’t wait for the movie adaptation as well. Think it’s going to be awesome.

      I hope you are feeling better and getting more things done.

      Lots of Love!

      elzaread recently posted: The Sunday Post #74
  18. We have had rain almost daily so far. Now for a dry spell. I usually get book suggestions from posts on FB groups and request the ones that I like the looks of. Women Reading Great Books on FB is a good source of book reviews by readers, and of course the NetGalley facebook groups always comment on the books they’re reading.

    • Hi there Harvee! Ha, I didn’t think of FB groups. That’s actually a really good idea. We so desperately need rain. I need to plan my week around when we can do washing and I need to remember to have extra water for the toilets etc… Shocking to think we need to think without water. I guess we really shouldn’t take it for granted as much as we do.

      elzaread recently posted: The Sunday Post #74