Sunday Post #221

Posted March 12, 2017 by Lola in Sunday Post / 36 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 week was again a busy one and pretty productive. In terms of work, there were two cover reveals I organized that took place this week. I put two new sign-up posts live, both for cover reveals. And I am working on some new tours, hopefully I can get some of those live next week. I also got some hours assistant work done, I sent out another author newsletter this week and even had some inspiration for a new service I might want to offer on Lola’s Blog Tours later this year. So another good week in terms of work.

The week started a bit off when it came to reading as I had my first DNF of the year. I was really sad about it as it was a book I was really looking forward to and had high hopes for, but it just didn’t work for me. I left a short review on Goodreads for it. After that I decided to go with a book from an author I already knew and was sure I would enjoy, Lost Souls. It also was a netgalley book and I noticed I am quite close to finally get to the 70% on netgalley.

Ofcourse after that I requested a new book again. And sadly it was a pdf only and a type of file I can’t convert, so I am still trying to see if I can get another type of file for that as else I can’t read it. The pdf is too small on my e-reader to read comfortably. I also had some trouble getting a book from edelweiss this week, so it seems I had some bad luck when it came to review copies. I did got a pdf review copy for a tour and managed to convert that one thanks to a tip I read on Kristen her blog last week to sent the file to your kindle e-mail with convert in the subject. I hadn’t tried it myself yet, but the file came through pretty well.

And last weekend I won a 10$ amazon gift card from Lexxie from Unconventional Book Views through participating in her new release challenge in 2016. It was a nice surprise.

Another week with little time for blogging sadly. I did got two reviews written for the books I read and I hope next week I can get a recipe post written for a new recipe I tried last weekend. I did make some time to play a game for an hour one day. I think this is the first time I played a game this year and that’s one new year’s goal I probably am going to fail.

Picture of the Week

Sorry no picture this week πŸ™

What did I read this week?

Lost SoulsLanding Luck

Lost Souls was really good. I love Kelly Armstrong her Cainsville series and this novella was narrated by one of my favorite side characters Gabriel. It was fun to get to spent a bit more time in his point of view. Landing Luck was a short, fun and romantic read. Tracy Krimmer can write short stories well without them feeling rushed, so I am glad I read this one.

What did I cook for dinner this week?

  • Sunday: Mashed Potatoes with carrots and onion casserole
  • Chocolate Covered Coconut Balls
  • Monday: Pumpkin curry with potatoes and red bell pepper instead of pumpkin
  • Tuesday: leftover Pumpkin curry with potatoes and red bell pepper instead of pumpkin
  • Wednesday: Fried Rice with tofu
  • Thursday: leftover Fried Rice with tofu
  • Friday: Soup with french bread
  • Saturday: Lukewarm Couscous Salad

This week I blogged about:

Lola’s Advice: When to start planning your marketing activities
Review: Pressed to Death by Kirsten Weiss
Review: Lethal Tide by CJ Matthew
My To-Be Read List #31: the winner

What to expect next week on the blog:

– Review: The Daydreamer Detective Opens a Tea Shop by SJ Pajonas
– Review: Accidentally on Purpose by Jill Shalvis
– Review: Pancakes and Corpses by Agatha Frost
– Lola’s Kitchen: Pumpkin Curry Recipe

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

Review Opportunities:
Here Comes the Witch by Ani Gonzalez
Newborn by Edward Hoorneart
Necromancer by Graeme Ing
Teach Your Heart by Tracey Alvarez
Naughty or Nice by Jessie Logan
Right Under Your Nose by Holly Tierney-Bedord
Fated Memories by Joan Carney
Remember by Joan Carney
Finding Kyler by Siobhan Davis
Making Bad Choices by Rita Stradling
Cards From Khloe’s Flower Shop by Isabella Louise Anderson
Check the full list of open review opportunities here.

Cover Reveals:
Amanda Lester and the Gold Spectacles Surprise by Paula Berinstein – 27 March – New!
Temptation Trials Part 1 by B Truly – 7 April – New!

Tours:
Blog Tour: The Fairytale Chicago of Francesca Finnegan by Steve Wiley (Audiobook Tour!) – 13 till 26 March
Book Blitz: Behind the Lens by Cassandra Giovanni – 14 till 20 March
Book Blitz: Myths & Legends – 14 March till 18 April
Blog Tour: Issaura’s Claws by Katharine E. Wibell – 10 till 23 April

Book Haul:

His Last DefenseCome QuietlyLanding LuckMabel Opal Pear and the Rules For Spying Wishes at First Light

His Last defense I got for review for a tour stop early April. Karen Rock is one of my favorite romance authors so I was looking forward to reading this one. I already started it and am enjoying it so far. Come Quietly I got for 0.99$ on amazon, it sounded interesting. Landing Luck I got for review and then later also bought when it got released, I already read that one and enjoyed it. Mabel Opal Pear and the Rules for Spying is the book I got from netgalley and was pdf only, but an acsm file so I can’t convert it. Wishes at First Light I bought as I loved the first two books in the series and own book 3 and 4. I know I want to read this eventually so I bought it. I really hope I can fit book 3 into my reading schedule soon. Joanne Rock is another one of my favorite romance authors.

Freebies I grabbed:

You can stop by my facebook post here to see some freebies I found last week. Here’s the facebook post for next week.

Tags:


36 responses to “Sunday Post #221

  1. I quit Netgalley earlier this year because of the dreadful quality of their pdf files. It kills your eyes and I just wasn’t prepared to strain them or have to sit for hours reading them on the computer. I’ll just buy the ones I really want to read. I’m trying to be more selective these days, buying only my favourite genres and books without tropes I hate. Gives me a better chance of liking it!

    • I just submitted feedback for that book that I couldn’t read it because of the pdf format. Their other formats are fine, but the pdf’s are horrid indeed. I wasn’t prepared to strain my eyes to read it. Which was a shame as it did sound like a good one.

  2. More steady work projects, great! Oh, and neat that you hit 70% on NG. Every little bit helps. I’ve not tried to use the .pdf option for my review copies through them but I can’t do too small print, either. Glad you were able to get the one to convert.

    Very nice haul. Those Rock sister in laws are great writers, I think. Glad you have some good ones to make up for the DNF.

    Have another good week, Lola! Hopefully you’ll have some more time for your blog work and still get some good books and more work projects in. Or maybe you’ll discover a Hermione Granger Time Changer so you can do it all and more. πŸ˜‰
    Sophia Rose recently posted…Review: Brighter Than the Sun by Maya BanksMy Profile

    • Thanks! It’s so nice to have a steady flow of new tours being booked. I almost hit the 70%, I am at 69% at the moment I think if that new book didn’t knock me lower again. But I hope to read at least one more NG book this month, so I hope to get it to the 70% then.

      I think the Rock sisters in law are great writers, I read multiple books by both of them and really enjoyed them so far. I also signed-up for a tour for Joanne Rock her newest book in a new series in April so I probably should receive the review copy for that soon.

      A Time Changer or an extra hour each day certainly would be helpful. I am still struggling to find the right balance between everything sometimes. Nowadays it seems weekends are for a bit less work and more blog, which so far works.

    • It was a bummer about the DNF, especially as it sounded like a book I would I enjoy.

      I just had to sue the kindle conversion again this week for a review copy. I am really glad I read that on your blog recently!

      I am really happy about the extra work, but I do feel a bit bad about being able to blog less.

    • Yes it felt eve worse now as I was really hoping to like this book and already had book 3 in the series as well.

      I really love the Cainsville series and it was nice to get a bit more of Gabriel’s point of view in Lost Souls.

  3. Yes, I had a DNF a couple of weeks on a Netgalley arc – it simply wan’t what I thought it was – lots of violence, lots of rather abusive sex… So I decided not to continue and sent a note to the publisher telling them it wasn’t for me. I’m glad you regained your mojo with Lost City – I love her writing and have just finished reading The Drafter. Have you read that one? Have another busy and fulfilling week, this time without the DNF! My Sunday Post – https://sjhigbee.wordpress.com/2017/03/12/sunday-post-12th-march-2017/
    sjhigbee recently posted…While the Morning Stars SingMy Profile

    • And while you’re scratching your head and wondering WHAT I’m burbling about – for some reason best known to myself, I got it into my head that Kelley Armstrong had written The Drafter and of course that is Kim Harrison… *bangs head on the desk*
      sjhigbee recently posted…While the Morning Stars SingMy Profile

      • I actually was kinda confused when I first read your comment as I never heard of a book called The Drafter by Kelley Armstrong and I was pretty sure I hadn’t missed hearing about one of her releases. I haven’t read The Drafter, but I have heard of the author.

    • The book I DNF’d sounded like a book I would enjoy, but it just didn’t work for me. It’s sad when that happens. Lost Souls was a great read to follow up with as I always enjoy Armstrong’s books.

    • I am actually at 69% right now, so I am really close to that 70%. My problem is that I review the books, but I also get a lot of new ones, so I rarely go up much in terms of my percentage.

    • It was a shame it turned into a DNF as I thought I would enjoy the book gauged from the blurb. I only knew how to get the file on my e-reader as it’s this weird acsm file thing. In the end I just submitted feedback to netgalley telling them I couldn’t read it.

    • Yes DNF’s are unfortunate, but it’s better than pushing on when you don’t enjoy a book. I did e-mail the companies to see if they could help me with the review copies.
      Lola recently posted…Sunday Post #221My Profile

  4. I am impressed with all of your reading and cooking! I wish I could say that I made all that great food this past week….. enjoy the week ahead and by the way I love your blog design!

    • I e-mailed netgalley to see if they could ask the publisher if they had another file format available. It’s sad when you get an ARC and can’t read it.

    • It’s so frustrating as I was happy I got the book and then disappointed as I couldn’t read it. I just submitted my feedback saying I couldn’t read it.

  5. Glad it was a great week for the business! Sorry to hear about the DNF though. I had that too where I was looking forward to a book and it kinda bombed for me. Oh well… it happens I guess.

    I’m really curious about K Armstrong now that I’ve read a couple of her books. She seems to write a lot of different stuff. And looking forward to your review of The Daydreamer detective.
    Greg recently posted…Sunday Post #185My Profile

    • I agree it happens, but I still feel bad every time I have a DNF book.

      Yes Armstrong has written a lot of different books, so far I’ve enjoyed all of her books that I read.

    • I usually get them sent straight to my kindle app as that works best. I could open this one on my Kobo e-reader or computer, but it didn’t read comfortable. The font was too small for my e-reader and I dislike reading on my computer. I just sent feedback back that I was unable to read the book.

    • I was really sad about the DNF, especially as I was really looking forward to this book. But sometimes stopping with a book is the best things to do.

      Landing Luck was really cute and I am glad I got a copy from Tracy πŸ™‚

  6. Ah, the DNF book…I haven’t had one this year yet, though I haven’t had time to read much lately. I’ve noticed that a lot of my DNF were big best-sellers! I like finding the little gems that not many have heard of, because it usually means that the storyline is original.
    I find that nowadays, publishers cram the shelves with the trend of the moment, and favour a tried-and-tested formula. If one book becomes mega successful, then you can be sure you’re going to get carbon copies of it for a good few months, or years after…despite publishers asking for “new voices”. Hmmm…

    • That’s nice you haven’t had a DNF yet this year. This was actually an indie book. I love finding little gems as well, although I also have some favorite more well known authors whose books I still buy and read.

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