The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.
News:
We had a lovely Thanksgiving! Jacob had to work, but the kids and I drove to my grandmother's house for lunch. We had a Thanksgiving breakfast with Jacob before leaving, which was delicious! The trip was roughly two hours, and the kids were surprisingly great. I've started listening to children's audiobooks when we're in the car for long periods of time, and that seems to keep them occupied more than anything else.
This was the fist time all of my dad's children and grandchildren were in the same place at the same time, so it was a happy occasion for him. My grandmother is a twin, so she was thrilled when we had ours! It's the first set of twins in the family since she and her sister were born. She brought a ton of pictures for me to look at. She wanted me to see what they looked like over the years! It was a Thanksgiving I'll always remember, and I just wish Jacob had been able to go with us.
I'm know I haven't been around as much lately, but we're packing up the house for a move! We've been busy getting everything ready for that -- phew! Also, the girls will be two in a few days, so we're planning a party for them. I really need there to be more time in a day!
Previous week on the blog:
Sunday: The Sunday Post [5]
Monday: Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #2) by Jessica Townsend [Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway] ⋆⋆⋆⋆
Tuesday: Wilder by Andrew Simonet [Blog Tour: Spotlight + Giveaway]
Thursday: Made by Maxine by Ruth Spiro [Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway] ⋆⋆⋆⋆
Friday: Nothing!
Saturday: Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, #2) by Ilona Andrews ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
What I'm currently reading:
Illusions by Madeline J. Reynolds
Phoenix Unbound (Fallen Empire, #1) by Grace Draven
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Illusions is a book I've been meaning to read for awhile! I'm only a few pages into this one, so I can't really comment on the story just yet. The synopsis is what hooked me -- lovely and intriguing!
Finally making progress with Phoenix Unbound! I've been fascinated by the story from the beginning, and really like the world and the characters. I think Draven shows a darker side of people, what they're willing to endure for survival, and the compromises they make along the way. It's not always pleasant to read about, but I do think she handles everything well. I look forward to seeing where this story goes!
I just borrowed the audio for The Poet X from my library! I've only heard wonderful things about this book and look forward to reading it. It's been awhile since I've read a book written in verse, but I usually find those stories to be powerful and compelling.
What I plan on reading next:
Naughty or Nice by Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward, Jodi Ellen Malpas, Emma Chase, Marie Force, Corinne Michaels, Susan Stoker
Love à la Mode by Stephanie Kate Strohm
Among the Red Stars by Gwen C. Katz
What I'm watching:
I still need to finish the third and final season of Bitten, but I don't really like where the story is right now. The characters have changed so much since the first season, and I've almost forgotten why I liked them. I'll finish it eventually, because I don't want it hanging over my head, but it has definitely lost some of its appeal. A quick Google search told me the TV show is vastly different from the book series, so I'll probably read those in the future to see how they differ.
Jacob and I started watching the newest season of The Great British Baking Show, and really enjoyed it! We binged the entire thing in less than a week. It was the first time either of us had seen the show, and now I'm tempted to go back and watch the previous seasons. I do have one question about the show, and it's something that has been bugging me from the start! From what I can tell, the show sometimes takes place over two days. However, all of the contestants wear the same clothes the entire episode. If it was filmed over multiple days, wouldn't their clothes be different?
Challenge updates:
Goodreads: 402 / 250
Beat the Backlist: 60 / 100
I still can't believe I've read so many books this year! I thought 250 was a lofty goal, haha. I'm doing okay on my Beat the Backlist Challenge, though I still need to read 40 books before the end of the year. We'll see how that goes! My kids were sick during the HoHoHo Readathon, so I wasn't able to read very often. However, I am happy that I managed to complete two books! Snowed In wasn't a good fit, but The Bear and the Nightingale was lovely!
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! May your days be full of yummy leftovers!
Twins are fun. My grandmother was a twin and I have twin brothers.
ReplyDeleteNice! Everyone tells me it skips a generation, but I think it's random! What was it like growing up with twin brothers?
DeleteGlad you had a great Thanksgiving! Sounds pretty awesome- and good luck with your move! You have a lot going on. :)
ReplyDeleteI missed your weekly pull this week, I'll have to circle back around and check that out. I've been reading more comics and graphic novels lately- it's been nice to get back in the groove!
I never got too far with Bitten, sadly, but the books- aren't those by Kelley Armstrong? I could be wrong, now I'll have to check.
We really do have a lot going on right now, but everything will settle down once we're finished with the move. It's going to happen after the girl's birthday, so that'll be one less thing to worry about. The new year should be relaxing, right? ;)
DeleteYay! I'm all caught up on my comics at home, but still need to pick some up! I'm still working my way through the older Venom series, but I'm almost finished! I'm glad you've been able to read a lot more.
Yes! Kelley Armstrong wrote the books, but apparently they're really different. In the books Elena and Clay have kids early on, but the TV series doesn't really go into that. I want to finish watching it just to be done with it, but haven't really been in the mood for death and torture.
I love that your kids will listen to audiobooks in the car. Fabulous! Good luck with the move. I hope all goes smoothly. The Poet X was wonderful and I am looking forward to reading more from Acevedo.
ReplyDeleteThey love listening and dancing to music, but they also enjoy listening to someone tell a story. Long car rides are perfect for long stories! We'll take breaks to listen to music or just talk, but most of the ride is spend listening to an audiobook. :)
DeleteFingers crossed the move is quick and efficient! I'm really looking forward to The Poet X! I've only heard good things about the book and the author. Was this her debut, or are there others?
I’m glad you had a good Thanksgiving and survived the trip with the kids. I love The Baking Show. I binge it whenever possible. Good luck with the move. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
I've always enjoyed cooking shows, but The Great British Baking Show is a new favorite! I really love the judges, and Noel is hilarious. I liked how friendly everyone was, and that their friendships felt authentic! They were competitive, but they also wanted each other to succeed. They even hang out together outside of the show! <3
DeleteOoo what does Thanksgiving breakfast consist of??? My grandmother is also a twin which has me super nervous about having kids.
ReplyDeleteI ADORED Phoenix Unbound and I hope you do too. It's pretty dark!
We had a tofu and potato scramble with an agave mustard drizzle, seitan bacon, and some vegan cheese-filled crescent rolls! Oh -- twins are definitely a possibility! They're not too terrible... ;)
DeleteI'm really liking it so far! Right now I'm mad at Gilene for returning to Beroe! Girl should have stayed where she was. I'm hoping the ending is a happy one!
I'm glad you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It sounds like it was very memorable. Good luck with the move. Moving is one of things I miss about the military, it gave me a chance to donate things I no longer use and a new location was always fun to explore. I'll have to add Naughty or Nice to my list, it has some of my favorite authors. Have a lovely week.
ReplyDeleteIt's something I'll always remember! I really enjoyed the time spent with family and that my grandmother had an opportunity to meet my children. We haven't always lived this close! I don't mind moving, but dislike having to pack everything up. There's always more stuff than I think there is, haha. I'm happy to unpack things and find new places for them! We also go through things as we pack them, and we donate or trash the items we no longer use. We always arrive at our new destination with fewer boxes! It's also nice to explore new areas -- especially with kids! <3
DeleteSo Jacob didn't get the chance to cook for you? 😉
ReplyDeleteI hope your move is smooth! Will you be far from where you live now?
He made the breakfast while I got everyone else ready to leave! We also did our own Thanksgiving dinner the following night, so it worked out. :)
DeleteThanks! It's a long move, but we'll still be in the same state. Texas is quite large! Lol.
We started doing the same thing with my little brother! The last audiobook we did was Narnia- he literally listened to it 3 times he liked it so much!!
ReplyDeleteIt's always fun when our children and siblings enjoy books! I love sharing the stories I love with them, and cannot wait to share more as they get older.
DeleteI'll be reading Love al a Mode soon and let me know what you think of Poet X. Thinking of getting that one from the library.
ReplyDeleteKaren @ For What It's Worth
I'm a few chapters into The Poet X and would already recommend it! Xiomara is a powerful character that I think a lot of people will be able to relate to. She's younger, fifteen I think, so I'm not sure how this book is labeled. YA for the language and content, but MG for the issues she's dealing with. I think it's a blend of the two. You should definitely get this one from the library! It's written in verse, and the audiobook sounds a little like slam poetry -- love it! <3
DeleteYour Thanksgiving sounds like it was a lovely event! I love when family members bust out the photo albums! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's always fun to see what family members looked like growing up, but you can also get stuck looking at them for hours! There's a story for every photograph, haha. :)
DeleteIt sounds like a perfect Thanksgiving except for Jacob not being there. The audio books in the car are such a good idea for the kiddos. I never got into Bitten. I loved the books so much and the series just sort of fell flat for me. I watched the first 5 episodes of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Enjoying it so far.
DeleteI'm happy to hear the books are great! I really like Kelley Armstrong, so I was looking forward to reading this series. Bitten as a TV show was an okay idea, but I don't think it was executed well. It focused too much on violence and fighting, and less on the characters and their individual lives. Does everyone die in the books??
DeleteI was thinking about watching The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, but haven't had a chance yet! I watched the original series when I was younger, but the remake looks nothing like what I remember!
Glad to hear you had a lovely Thanksgiving Lindsi :) children audiobooks do magic indeed for long car rides :) Can't wait to hear what you think of Poet X. I Loved it!
ReplyDeleteThe Poet X was outstanding! I really loved the audio version and felt like it added another layer to the overall story. Her words and emotions really popped!
DeleteI already have our next audiobook for the car picked out: Willa of the Wood by Robert Beatty. I think it's going to be great! :)
Glad you had a good Thanksgiving! Too bad your husband had to work. :( But at least you had a yummy breakfast before he left. Sounds like it was a very special family gathering. And audio books for the win! :) I don't envy you the packing... ugh. I am *amazed* by the number of books you've read this year!!! Reading is your superpower! LOL
ReplyDeleteIt would have been perfect if Jacob had been able to go with us! Also, I would have let him drive and read a little on the way, haha. My husband likes to listen to the classics when we choose audiobooks for road trips. James and the Giant Peach, Shiloh, Where the Red Fern Grows -- books that will definitely make me cry.
DeleteHaaaaaaate packing. It's worse than Tetris and infinitely more stressful. You know! You just went through the same thing. ;)
A lot of those books were comics, which are significantly shorter than novels -- haha! I'm more of a reading sidekick. <3
I'm glad you had a nice Thanksgiving. We didn't go anywhere, just relaxed.
ReplyDeleteWow that's lots of books you've read. I really enjoyed Bear and the Nightingale and Phoenix Unbound.
I hope your move goes well. It is a ton of work so it doesn't surprise me you are so busy. I listen to audiobooks while packing the last time I moved. Anne - Books of My Heart
I love staying home and relaxing! The best vacation is a staycation, haha. I'm always more exhausted after traveling, especially with all the kids and our dogs. It's insane!
DeleteI really loved both The Bear and the Nightingale and Phoenix Unbound! Amazing books! <3
I wish I could listen to audiobooks while packing, but my kiddos don't allow it. They always need something, you know? "Mama!" ;)