Sunday, December 23, 2018

The Sunday Post [8]

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:

Hello lovelies! Today is moving day, so I will be unavailable until after the holidays (which is when they can set up the wireless connection at our new house). Please forgive my absence! I promise to return once all the boxes have been unpacked and I feel like I can finally breathe again. The kids have been going crazy (all their toys are in boxes), and they're not looking forward to sitting in the car. Thank Thor for children's audiobooks (and adult audiobooks for when they fall asleep). Send happy thoughts my way! ๐Ÿ˜…

Previous week on the blog:

Sunday: Nothing! 
Monday: Firefly (#1) by Greg Pak ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
Tuesday: Nothing!
Thursday: Nothing!
Saturday: Nothing!

…and the week before that (since I didn't do one last weekend):

Monday: Nothing!
Tuesday: My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life by Rachel Cohn [Blog Tour: Spotlight + Giveaway]
Thursday: Nothing!
Saturday: The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy, #1) by Katherine Arden ⋆⋆⋆⋆

What I'm currently reading:
I'm not sure how I feel about Once Upon a River yet. The story is interesting, but the pacing is slow. We keep meeting new people, and I'm sure they're all connected in some way, but it's also making it hard to connect with the induvial characters. I've been told it gets better, so I'm going to keep going for now.

Circe is phenomenal! I really loved The Song of Achilles, but I believe this one might be even better! I'm really bad about remembering the due dates for my audiobooks, so my library just plucks them from my phone before I've had a chance to finish. My first attempt at Circe ended this way, and I refuse to let that happen again!

I started How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7 on a whim, and I'm really enjoying it! I've learned a lot about myself and my parenting style, and how my choices impact my children. I'm listening to the audio, but I definitely want a physical copy. I've been jotting down notes as they talk, but I desperately want to highlight and make my own notes! 

What I plan on reading next:
I'm starting The Wicked King as soon as we're unpacked at the new house! I've been dying to continue this series, and I cannot wait to dive back into the world Black created. She left us with one hell of an ending last time!

What I'm watching: 

I started the new (and final!) season of Fairy Tail! It's been amazing so far, and the twists just keep on coming! I really love this anime, and I'm happy to see everyone together again. 

I've also been watching Cowboy Bebop and really enjoying it! It's my first time watching this series, although I know it's one of the more popular ones. Have you seen it?

Challenge updates:

Goodreads: 419 / 250

Have a lovely holiday everyone! Don't forget to enter my 2018 End of the Year Giveaway! There is also a giveaway for Love a la Mode (loved this one!) and My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life

56 comments:

  1. Thank Thor lol. Good luck with the move!! :)

    I don't think I've seen a bad review of Circe yet! And that Holly Black series is on my radar too to read hopefully soon ish.

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    1. Circe is amazing! I'm really loving it! Have you read The Song of Achilles? Also awesome! I highly recommend the audio for both. The narrator is fantastic! I could listen to her for hours (which is exactly what I did during our move). The kids even enjoyed listening to it. I think you'd like The Cruel Prince -- gruesome start to the entire thing!

      I thank Thor often! ;)

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    2. I have not read Song of Achilles, but I've seen numerous people mention that both it and Circe are good. Honestly, I don't think I've seen a bad review of either. And they both appeal to me given the Greek mythology angle. And I've heard the Cruel Prince is really good too- I'm going to get to that sometime early in 2019, I hope!

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    3. They've been two of my favorite reads this year, so I highly recommend both! I love books with ties to Greek mythology, and these really scratch that itch. The Cruel Prince has started off well, so we'll see how it goes! I've heard the ending is a whammy.

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  2. Hope everything goes smoothly with the move, Lindsi! What crazy timing. I hope the drive is an easy one (yes, thank goodness for audiobooks!) and that the new place feels like home quickly. I am crazy excited for The Wicked King! I read Amber's (Du Livre) review on Friday and it got me so hyped that I pre-ordered the book, something I rarely do. I need more Cardan! :)

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    1. It already feels like home! It may have taken us two full days to load the moving truck (my body is going to hurt for days), but we had help unloading everything. My father is a beast! He was moving some of the heavier furniture by himself, and I was worried he was going to hurt himself or have a heart attack. He did fall once, but wouldn't take a break until everything was unloaded. My in-laws came over that afternoon (they had prior engagements that morning) and helped us reassemble some of our furniture. The timing was pretty crazy with the holidays, but we were surrounded by family.

      Audiobooks make long drives more bearable. I listened to a lot of Circe, which I'm loving, and cannot wait to get back to it! <3

      I am PUMPED about The Wicked King! I have it sitting by the computer so it's available when I have a free moment. :)

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    2. Dad to the rescue! :) My dad was like that - such a hard worker and just got things done. Yay for dads. The actual moving pat is sooo exhausting. My body physically hurt for a couple days after our move. And it's not even like I did the heavy lifting. We left that to our nephews. LOL

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    3. I am physically and emotionally drained after the move. I think I finally understand what weary means, haha. Yay for awesome dads! My kids make it impossible to just sit down and rest (unless they're all asleep), but I'm trying to do less right now.

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  3. I hope the moving will go smoothly! We moved in July this year and it was quite the adventure - I have so many things!! But I hope your move will be better and that you will unpack quickly and return to the online blogging world! Happy holidays!

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    1. I didn't think we had a lot of stuff until we tried to cram it all into the moving truck. We'd originally asked for a smaller truck, but they gave us a larger one when none were available on the day we needed it. It ended up being a good thing, because there was barely enough room for everything! The loading was tiring and took forever, but unpacking didn't take as long. :) I hope you had a wonderful week!

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  4. Moving just before the holidays must be a nightmare! I hope you and Jacob will be able to keep the little ones in control and happy enough during your ride...and for all the time it takes to relocate LOL.

    Happy Holidays! ๐ŸŽ„ ๐ŸŽŠ

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    1. My back! My feet! My fingers! I have so many aches and pains right now, haha. Family was glad to have us around for the holidays, which was nice. They were also able to help with the unloading and reassembling of furniture -- yay! The kids were pretty great in the car, although they were understandably fussy after a few hours. They just wanted out of their car seats! They're happy to be here, and love seeing their grandparents more often. We're completely unpacked and our internet was set up today (wheee!).

      I hope your week was amazing! <3

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  5. Good luck with the move! I know how stressful that can be. I think my sister needs that How to Talk book, lol, she's always saying that talking to her 3-year-old is like talking to the wall!

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    1. It's been a great listen so far! My son is four (almost five), and we have twin girls that are recently two. It's madness! I thought a little advice and some new skills would be beneficial right now! ;)

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  6. Hopefully everything goes well with the move. Merry Christmas.

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    1. Everything went well! We're here and unpacked, so yay! :)

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  7. I admire you being able to handle a move, Christmas, and your kids. You are super mom! I hope you have an easy and successful move and enjoy the holiday.

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    1. It wasn't easy, but we got through it! I never imagined trying to load all of our belongings would take two whole days. It makes me appreciate professional movers, haha. Also, working around kids wasn't easy. They wanted in and out, or they needed this or that -- aargh! We made it, so that's definitely an improvement. <3

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  8. I'll definitely be sending going positive vibes for the move. I've heard nothing but great things about Achilles and Circe, I need to read them.

    Wicked King is wonderful! It'll be a nice treat when you're finished moving.

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    1. Thank you for the positive vibes! Moving boxes and furniture with just one other person is a daunting task. I'm literally too weak to lift most of the things we own, haha. We persevered and finally got everything into the truck, although my aging body had many complaints. It was actually a relief to sit down and drive for hours. I could rest my weary legs and listen to awesome audiobooks! However, the kids did not like sitting a car for that long.

      The Song of Achilles was amazing! I especially loved the audio, and the audio for Circe is equally fantastic! I'm trying to finish it and Once Upon a River before giving all of my attention to The Wicked King! I've heard it's wonderful, and now you're confirming that! Yay! <3

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  9. Ooooo good luck with moving! You'll get through this for sure, haha, even if you'll be driven crazy by the kids.

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    1. I think the kids were being driven crazy by the move! We had to pack all of their toys, and there isn't much for them to do while we load boxes and furniture onto a truck. They were mostly just ready for it to be over, and I can't blame them. Fortunately, we're here and we made it! I'm just never moving again -- hah! At least not without professional help. Movers are awesome, and I think I've taken them for granted in the past.

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  10. I hope your move goes smoothly! I still need to read Song of Achilles but it and Circe are both on my agenda for 2019. I also look forward to hearing what you think of The Wicked King.

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    1. The Song of Achilles and Circe have been two of my favorite books this year! They're beautifully narrated, and the stories are so descriptive and captivating. You can't help but love the characters -- all of them -- and want them to succeed. Although, Circe has faced some hardships simply because she's a female, and it makes me want to hurt people. I hope you have a chance to read them soon! :)

      I'm really looking forward to reading The Wicked King next!

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  11. I hope that you get moved into your new place with ease. You have some amazing titles on your TBR. I hope that you enjoy them. :)

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    1. Thank you! It wasn't fun to move, but we're here and settled in. The first thing we did today was check out the town's library. They have an amazing children's section! :)

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  12. Happy reading and have a lovely week!

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  13. Good luck with the move! I hope it’s not too stressful.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. It was definitely stressful, but nothing a bottle of wine couldn't fix! ;) We toasted being fully moved in, and I plan to only do fun and relaxing things for the rest of the week. :)

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  14. I loved Song of Achilles. I'm so glad to hear that Circe promises to be better; it's on my TBR! I also loved The Cruel Prince and look forward to reading The Wicked King! :)

    The cover to Once Upon a River is gorgeous. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on that one (to see if it does get better).

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    1. I really love the Achilles reference in Circe! It's subtle, but I'm happy it was included. We see Odysseus again, too. He seems to be everywhere in Greek mythology. A son of Hermes? Descendent? I can never keep the god's children straight! I thought The Song of Achilles was amazing, but I do think I'm enjoying Circe more. I like her perspective, and I've enjoyed seeing her grow into herself.

      I cannot wait to dive into The Wicked King! It's going to be this week for sure! Once Upon a River HAS gotten better. The story is engaging, but there are a lot of people and threads to keep up with. The language was also something I had to get used to, but now I'm enjoying it more. We'll see how the rest of the story goes! I'm currently very concerned about Maud (she's a sow). ;)

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  15. Merry Christmas!! I'm glad to hear you're loving Circe. I need to read The Song of Achilles still!

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. Yes! You really need to read that one sooner rather than later -- amazing! You don't need to read it before Circe, but you'll understand one of the references more if you have. If you enjoy listening to audiobooks, these are phenomenal! <3

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  16. Good luck with moving!!! Fingers crossed that you'll have everything go smoothly and nothing will get lost or broken. ;)

    I just saw the first episode of Fairy Tale, and I'm not sold I should keep watching. What captured you about this series? I love anime-- so I'd love a reason to keep going! :)

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    1. We did manage to break our dining room table -- hah! However, it likely wouldn't have fit on the truck with everything else anyways, so it worked out. Unfortunately, that means we need to buy a new table.

      Yes! Keep watching Fairy Tail! It's always better when everyone's together, and it takes a few episodes for that to happen. The guild is a family, and you really start to see that after awhile. There very short episodes, so I hope you decide to watch at least a few! I love the friendships and the overall story. You really see growth and development over the seasons, and they're constantly having to adapt to new challenges and villains. I also like the characters, their personalities, and their different magical abilities -- it's just fun! Let me know what you think if you decide to keep watching it.

      What other anime have you watched? Any favorites? Your Lie in April is amazing! I also watch One Piece and a few others.

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    1. I'm really looking forward to starting it! I'll text you as soon as I've finished. :)

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  18. Fingers crossed everything went well with your move and you're all settling in ok in the new place?
    I'm keen to learn your thoughts on Circe. I have this one awaiting reading myself and am enjoying the anticipation stage at the moment!

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    1. We're settling in, but things could have been a little smoother, haha. It took us longer than we thought it would to load all of our stuff on the moving truck, and it made me realize my age! I'm getting too old to lift and move furniture. Also, mattresses are insanely heavy -- phew!

      Circe is wonderful! I'm really enjoying it and the audio. I listened to it for hours on the drive to our new house, and the kids seemed to enjoy it. It's Greek mythology, which I love, and my son likes the Percy Jackson books. The girls are too young to really understand what's being said, but they weren't as fussy as I thought they would be! I hope you enjoy this one as well! :)

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  19. Good luck with the move!! I feel your pain and wish you all the luck for the unpacking and settling in!

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    1. Thank you! The unpacking wasn't too bad! I like finding new places for everything, and it never seems to take as long as packing. The kids are adjusting well, and I think they like being closer to family. <3

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  20. Glad the move went relatively well (I just went and read your replies to comments to get the scoop). Hope you have plenty of recovery time! :-)

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. I stayed up entirely too late last night to finish unpacking the last box, so our house already feels like home. We're settling into new routines, and exploring the area! The kids seem happy, which is always good. :)

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  21. Hope the moving is going well.
    Though on your watching list, I am now curious if you have seen Bird Box yet? (I'm addicted to the movie lol)

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    1. I was JUST telling my husband we should watch that together! I haven't seen it, but it looks crazy suspenseful. I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it! The move went well, though we're all exhausted.

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  22. I adored Once Upon a River, so I hope it gets better for you!. ๐Ÿ‘✨

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    1. I keep thinking I'll stop reading it, but then something pulls me back in. The story itself is interesting, but the delivery feels weird. Hmm -- I'm still sticking it out for now.

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  23. I’m going to look for How to Talk. That sounds like an excellent read.

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    1. It's been really great so far! My hold expired before I could finish it, so now I have to wait for it to be available again. Wait Lists are fun! ;)

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  24. I still need to get to Circe, and I'm thinking it should be soon cause everyone loves it!

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    1. I'm really loving it so far! I'm about 75% through and cannot wait to see how it's going to end. :)

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  25. Here's hoping that the move went easy and seamless *fingers crossed*! And I hope you end up loving The Wicked King! I need to go back and read the first book, Arielle and Chelsea both read and loved....I'm behind lol!
    Jen @ Star-Crossed Book Blog

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    1. It was not easy or seamless, haha. Jacob and I had to load the moving truck on our own, and it took us two full days to get everything on there. Then the house had to be cleaned before we could actually leave, and the kids are insane by this point. They have nothing to watch, nothing to play with, and they want to be done with whatever we're doing. It was a nightmare. I'm thrilled to finally be here and unpacked, and that we were fortunate enough to have help when we arrived. It took only a few hours to get everything off the truck with help!

      I've only heard amazing things about The Wicked King, so I'm sure it will be wonderful! I hope you enjoy the first book. It was unexpectedly dark, and there were tons of twists!

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    2. Moving is such a nightmare *hugs*! I'm so glad it is behind you now!

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    3. The physical move is over, but we still have to deal with our old rent house, utilities, and all that jazz. It's a complicated process, and we want our security deposit back! Jacob's still has a few work-related things to do there, so he's going back in a few days to take care of that and the house. We should be completely squared away by the end of the month, and I'm really looking forward to not having that hanging over our heads.

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“Stuff and nonsense. Nonsense and stuff and much of a muchness and nonsense all over again. We are all mad here, don't you know?”
― Marissa Meyer, Heartless