Sunday Post #175

Posted April 24, 2016 by Lola in Sunday Post / 56 Comments

sunday post

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.

What happened this week?

This was a nice week, enough to do, but also time for fun. I worked on two tours that were running this week, sent out some media kits and did a few marketing assistant tasks. We also visited my sister and had dinner there. I received a few more review copies of books I am really excited for, adding to my already long list of books I want to read right now. And the weather has been nice and sunny here and the trees around our apartment building are starting to bloom. I love seeing the trees and flowers start to bloom, it;’s why spring is one of my favourite seasons.

And something cool happened, SJ Pajonas answered one of my questions on her blog. A while ago in her newsletter she asked subscribers to ask her questions and that she might answer them in a blog post. So it was a pleasant surprise when I saw her post this week about how she designs her book covers in which she answered my question. I always find it fascinating to hear the story behind covers and I enjoyed learning more about her cover design process and she even photographed her own rice cooker for one of her covers, how cool is that?

On Wednesday my boyfriend and I visited a nearby city, we had a delicious lunch at a bagel story. My boyfriend had a false vegetarian bagel with hummus and bacon and I had a cinnamon sinner bagel. It was delicious! And after that we walked around a bit in the city and then headed towards my sister her house, on the way there we saw a duck and her little ducklings, they were so adorable! Then we went to my sisters and ate diner there. She cooked Okonomiyaki for us, which is a Japanese recipe that looks similar to a very thick pancake with veggies and other ingredients in it. In this case onion, red bell pepper and tofu. It was fun to visit her and the food was great too!

Random Picture(s) of the Week

Cinnamon-Lemon-Cookies
I made these Cinnamon Lemon Cookies for the second time now and also took pictures so I can do a recipe post about them. They are very flat cookies as there goes no baking powder in them. They taste like lemon and cinnamon and it’s a pretty good combination of flavours.

Duck-with-ducklings
This is the duck and ducklings which we encountered close to my sister her house. It’s not the best picture as we couldn’t get closer without scaring them, but there in the middle on the grass you can see the duck and her ducklings. I think we counted them and there were 9 of them. There was even one who stood on their mother’s back. They were adorable!

What did I cook for dinner this week?

  • Sunday: leftover Potato Curry
  • Extra: Cinnamon Lemon Cookies
  • Monday: Korma
  • Tuesday: leftover Korma
  • Wednesday: Dinner at my sisters: Okonomiyaki
  • Thursday: Mashed potatoes with red bell pepper and onion in soy sauce
  • Friday: storebought soup and french bread
  • Saturday: couscous with scrambled egg, red bell pepper and bean sprouts

This week I blogged about:

Review: Amanda Lester and the Blue Peacocks’ Secret by Paula Berinstein
Review: Saven Disclosure by Siobhan Davis
Lola’s Ramblings: Why I hate the Obligatory Break-up Scene in Books
Lola’s Kitchen: Cheesecake Recipe
Review: The Truth About Hope by Kate James

What to expect next week on the blog:

– Review: Peaches and Scream by Susan Furlong
– Review: Mindjack Short Story Collection by Susan Kaye Quinn
– Lola’s Ramblings: What’s your preferred Book length?
– Lola’s Kitchen: Hummus Recipe
– Review: Dangerous Tide by C.J. Matthew

Tours open for sign-up on Lola’s Blog Tours:

Review Opportunities:
Maisy and the Mystery Manor by Elizabeth Woodrum
Indestructible by Emma L Adams
Saven: Deception by Siobhan Davis
Summer Haikus by SJ Pajonas
Dominic’s Nemesis by D. Alyce Domain
Secret Baby Scandal by Joanne Rock
Check the full list of open review opportunities here.

Cover Reveals:
Tainted by Ginna Moran – 25 April
Ella’s Twisted Senior Year by Amy Sparling – 2 May
The Summer of Lost Wishes by Jessa Gabrielle – 5 May – New!

Tours:
Book Blitz: The Urban Boys by K.N. Smith – 25 till 29 April
Book Blitz: Sonar the Surge by B Truly – 25 till 29 April
Blog Tour: Micah by Lee DuCote – 3 till 16 May
Blog Tour: Princess Adele’s Dragon by Shirley McLain – 31 May til 13 June

Book Haul:

The Masked MaidenThe Masked Maiden (The Aria Fae Series #2)
by H.D. Gordon

Format: e-copy
Source: for review
You can find The Masked Maiden on Goodreads

Blurb:
No good deed goes unpunished, and no one understands this better than 17-year-old Aria Fae.

Recently cast out of a secret supernatural organization where she’d spent her entire existence, Halfling Aria Fae is just getting used to her new life in Grant City… Until ghosts from her past start showing up.

A rogue supernatural known as The Scarecrow has escaped his prison, and his history with Aria makes her the crazed Warlock’s obvious target.

With the children of Grant City at stake, Aria knows she must face her past and defeat The Scarecrow once and for all, or die trying.

When things reach their worst, will the citizens of Grant City turn against their newfound young hero, or will the media and city leaders make The Masked Maiden out into a villain, and send Aria running back to her own kind?

I really enjoyed the first book, The Halfling, so excited for this one! Great combination or urban fantasy and superheroes!

Damned if I Don'tDamned if I Don’t (The Harker Trilogy #2)
by Erin Hayes

Format: e-copy
Source: for review
You can find Damned if I Don’t on Goodreads

Blurb:
I may be a vampire hunter.
But I’ve single-handedly screwed up big time.

After botching our chance to cure vampirism and the infection that’s killing me, I’m at a loss. My cousin Carl won’t speak to me. The bastard who killed my sister is still alive. And Jude, the amnesiac vampire, says he’s in love with me.

What’s even more shocking is that I love him back.

But the more Jude learns about his past, the more it will tear our relationship and our lives apart. I’m running out of time to find a new successor to become the new Progenitor. Because when I die, it’s game over for all of us.

I really enjoyed all of this author her books so far, even though I haven’t read her latest books yet they are on my have to read soon list. This is a fun vampire series, I enjoyed the first book, so I hope this one is just as good.

Double Play Double Play (Nadia Stafford #3.5)
by Kelley Armstrong

Format: e-copy
Source: bought with amazon gift card money
You can find Double Play on Goodreads

Blurb:
Life is good for lodge owner and sometime hitwoman Nadia Stafford — a couple of dogs, a job she takes satisfaction in and the man she loves at her side as they literally build a home together. It’s as close to normal as a pair of contract killers can get.

Jack knows that sometimes being very, very good at what you do can be very, very bad — for those around him. He’s gone to great lengths to keep his past from catching up with Nadia. He also knows it’s only a matter of time …

Jack is halfway around the world when the trap is triggered. They’re coming for Nadia. And he has no way to warn her.

Note: This is a novella, not a full-length novel.

A new Nadia novella! Gah I am so excited! I love this series so much and it’s amazing to know we get another novella when I thought the series has ended.

Forever and One WeekForever and One Week (Spirits of Saoradh #2)
by Caroline Cairn

Format: e-copy
Source: for review
You can find Forever and One Week on Goodreads

Blurb:
The Spirits of Saoradh, who carry the guilt of a crime they committed when they were alive, now spend their ghostly days in the Void, dark nothingness where time and space are distorted. Until they get bound to a human. As often as needed, that human can call them to the real world, ask them to grant a wish, then send them back to the Void. The Spirits also have to follow strict rules or be punished, unaware that they can earn their redemption through a selfless sacrifice.

Spirit Logan despises the obedience he has to show to his humans, and prefers the enjoyable solitude of the Void. For three years, he has managed to threaten them into severing their bond, thus having his memory wiped of their existence. Except his latest human, an emotionless woman with a secret past, isn’t scared of him. Worse, she doesn’t care about his ability to make wishes come true.

Tessa, a twenty-six-year-old nursery teacher in Fort William, Scotland, doesn’t expect a sullen ghost only she can see and touch to burst through her solid defences. Both dismayed and intrigued, she offers Logan a deal he can’t refuse: to live with her in the human world for one week, at the end of which she will agree to release him.

Slowly, Tessa braves through the safety of her detachment towards people to show Logan some kindness. But the more her feelings deepen, the more Logan increases his distance…

The first book in this series Forever Hers was really good, so I am excited for the sequel. Each book features a different couple, but I think there also will be an overarching plot line. Really curious about this one! And I really like the cover for this one.

Souls Forsaken (Darkworld #4)
by Emma L. Adams

Format: e-copy
Source: for review
You can find Souls Forsaken on Goodreads

Blurb:
In the Darkworld, there are no angels.

A betrayal has turned Ash’s entire world upside-down. Struggling to pick up the pieces, the last thing she expects is to receive a plea for help from the demon-hunting sorcerer cult, the Venantium. But signing a deal with the devil may unveil more than the hidden workings of the Venantium – it might also lead to clues about Ash herself, and the false fortune-teller who ruined her life.

However, with sinister plans afoot and her own powers breaking free of her control, Ash is torn between helping the enemy or worse, losing herself to the demon inside…

I read the first two book in this series and really enjoyed them, so I have to catch-up soon and read book 3 and 4!

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56 responses to “Sunday Post #175

    • Aww that’s great they got so close to you and walked around your feet. I am glad my boyfriend spotted them, they were so cute!

  1. Mmmm cinnamon bagel, cinnamon lemon cookies… I believe I have mentioned my love for cinnamon before on your blog lol. I actually have been buying these cinnamon roll bites you just heat up in the oven lately, even though I normally eat really healthy, because I just couldn’t resist the cinnamon 0.o

    That’s cool that SJ Pajonas answered your question. I also like reading about the cover design process. And those ducklings are so cute! I’m glad you had a good week 🙂
    Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight recently posted…The Weekly Update: 4/24/16My Profile

    • Yes I remember you mentioned that somewhere before, I also love cinnamon. Hmm those cinnamon roll bites you mention sound so good. I like handy and yummy things like that that don’t take much time to prepare. I don’t think we have something like that here.

      I was pleasantly surprised when I saw she answered my question about cover design. It’s always interesting reading about that. The ducklings were adorable!

    • Sorry for making you hungry! The cinnamon bagel was really good. And yes spring is such a lovely season, I like seeing the change and it’s not as warm yet as summer.

    • It was fun to see the ducklings and we got to see them from quite close by. I’ll share the recipe for the lemon cinnamon cookies on my blog eventually, so you can make them yourself ;). And Okonomiyaki is really good, although I haven’t dared to try and make it myself yet.

  2. Sounds like you had a good week Lola. And how awesome that SJ Pajonas answered your question on her blog. That’s really cool!!
    I love your new book haul. Especially the Kelley Armstrong one. I love her books.
    Have a great week and Happy Reading!
    Maureen Hinten recently posted…The Sunday Post #15My Profile

    • I agree it was really cool to see that she answered my question! It was a good week :).

      I was so excited to hear that she has written another novella about Nadia Stafford, I love that series and I love her books in general so I just had to have it. I didn’t realize you were a Kelley Armstrong fan as well, that’s good to know :).
      Lola recently posted…Sunday Post #175My Profile

    • Sorry I need all the productive mojo again this week ;).

      And it was so awesome my boyfriend spotted the ducks and I even had my camera with me and could take a picture. I wanted to post a picture of the cinnamon bagel first, but the picture didn’t look as good. So i decided to go with the duck picture instead,

  3. The ducklings are adorable! We sometimes have a family of ducks on the lake across the street, but I haven’t seen them this year.

    Cinnamon and lemon isn’t a combination I would ever have thought of, but I’ll bet those cookies are good. And the Japanese dish sounds wonderful, too. You always make my mouth water when you mention these delicious dishes…

    Have a great week, and enjoy your new books!
    Lark @ The Bookwyrm’s Hoard recently posted…Sunday Post – 4/24/16My Profile

    • We have a family of coots close to our house, they are fun to watch. They have a nest build and I got to see the little ones from our window, but they only have one kid left now :(.

      Me neither, I never would’ve thought of it myself, but the cinnamon and lemon went really well together. The Japanese dish is really good, my sister makes a great okonomiyaki!

  4. I loved your picture of the duckies: with the sun shining, the cute little fluffy things, the green plants, it screamed springtime. Such a wonderful time of year 🙂

    • I agree it’s a really good springtime picture. It was a beautiful day, warm enough, but not too warm. It’s great to see all the young animals everywhere and the trees turning green. I love this time of the year 🙂
      Lola recently posted…Sunday Post #175My Profile

    • Yes I got so many good books this week, most are sequels, so I am really looking forward to reading it. The lemon and cinnamon was a great flavour combination.

      And the duck and ducklings were so adorable, they were so small and cute!

  5. I’m loving the spring weather, it’s about time right? Glad it’s nice there too. The ducks look adorable, I always love seeing baby ducks and geese in the spring. the one on the mothers back- priceless!

    That Japanese food sound good! And cool about SJ Pajonas answering you- I know I’ve seen her name around (on your blog maybe?) and she’s a blogger too? May have to check that post out, I like cover design. 🙂
    Greg recently posted…Sunday Post #139My Profile

    • We had a pretty mild winter, but it’s still nice now spring is here. Same here, it’s great seeing the young animals. And the duckling on his mother’s back was so cute!

      Yes I love her books, so you probably have seen her name around here a few times. And yes she has a blog as well. It was cool she answered my question.

    • They were so cute and there were so many of them, all walking around, exploring and cleaning themselves. They were so small and cute 🙂

  6. It sounds like a wonderful week for you, Lola. Those ducklings are precious. I once rescued a nest of baby mallards when the mother was killed. I raised them myself. I called and they waddled after me. It was fun to watch them swim and dive in the bathtub and they sure took to my fish pond too. I took them down to our local duck park when they matured. Only one looked back and called to me. LOL Such a wonderful experience:)
    Laura Thomas recently posted…What’s New On My Bookshelf #156 and The Sunday PostMy Profile

  7. I’m glad to hear the tours and the marketing assistant job are going great. Though things have been slow to flourish this year I’m excited too. Spring is my second favorite trumped only by summer 🙂
    Cover design process is something that I find fascinating too! So I think that is SUPER cool that you got to learn more about it.
    Sorry Lola but I HAVE to ask… what is false vegetarian bagel???? 🙂
    Daniela Ark recently posted…What a week [44]: Conquer Camp NaNoWriMo: Back to outlining and characters’ motivation!My Profile

    • It’s been a nice few busy week :). It’s good the work keeps up a steady flow.

      Summer is too warm for me, so I prefer spring. And I always find it fascinating to read about covers and how they are made.

      The false vegetarian bagel had bacon and hummus and something else I forgot the name about. So all typical vegetarian ingredients and then with bacon so it wasn’t vegetarian. The store gave all their bagels such fun names.
      Lola recently posted…Review: Mindjack Short Story Collection by Susan Kaye QuinnMy Profile

    • Oh I wonder how that duck ended up in your yard when the lake is so far away.

      I don’t think I have ever eaten something with lemon and cinnamon before, but the flavour combination works surprisingly well in these cookies!

    • It was fun catching up with my sister and dinner was delicious! And we were so lucky to run into that duck and ducklings, so cute!

      I wasn’t sure what to expect from the cookies at first, but it turned out to be a good blend of flavours.

  8. Eeeep such CUTE little ducklings! And omg coming to your blog always makes me so very hungry. XD Those cinnamon cookies look delicious and I’m loving the sound of those bagels. Yuuuuum. Also that’s awesome that your question got answered by the author! I’ll have to duck over there and read it. ;D
    Cait @ Paper Fury recently posted…Why You Should Start A Book BlogMy Profile

    • The ducklings were so adorable, really glad we got to see them.

      Sorry for making your hunger. The cookies and bagel were both really food.

      It was such a fun surprise to see the author had answered my question 🙂

  9. I enjoyed answering your question for my blog post, so thanks for asking! I’m glad you enjoyed the post. 🙂 I’m waiting for all the goslings to come out in the park. Usually I start seeing the fluffy little things around this time of year. I have seen plenty of geese just sitting in off-the-path areas of the park, so I imagine they are sitting on eggs! And yay for okonomiyaki! That’s one of my favorite dishes! I’m totally getting that when I go to Japan later this year. Have a great week!
    S. J. Pajonas recently posted…Compiling Your Manuscript From Scrivener To Createspace PaperbackMy Profile

    • It was fun to see you had answered my question, so I had to share it here :). The coots in front of our house also got a baby, It’s so cute to see all the small animals around this time of the year.
      I love okonomiyak, but haven’t dared try make it myself yet, so I was happy my sister made it when we went to eat there.

    • Me too! Nadia and Jack are awesome and it’s great we now have another novella to read about them.
      It was a fun week catching up with my sister and seeing the ducklings.

  10. I’m glad you had a nice outing to your sister’s, Lola. The lunch and dinner sound lovely and the mama duck and her ducklings are so cute! You procured some nice looking books. I hope you love them all. I’m really intrigued with The Harker Trilogy book…always love a new vampire story. 🙂 I hope this week is going well!
    Bookworm Brandee recently posted…Release Day Review ~ Mr. Perfect ~ JA HussMy Profile

    • Yes it was fun to see my sister again and the lunch and dinner were great. It’s been a good few week for books. The first Harker book was really good, so I hope the second one is as well. If you’re looking for a good new vampire story, I would definitely recommend it.

    • It was really good, a bagel with molten butter and cinnamon sugar on top.

      The author asked for questions in her e-mail and I know her pretty well, but even then I still felt a bit shy to ask. It can be a bit scary to ask authors something.

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