Sunday, June 30, 2019

The Sunday Post [23] & Talk Thirty to Me Giveaway!

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:

Today is my birthday! I'm officially 30! I know a lot of people struggle with this birthday, but I'm honestly okay with it. I love where I am in life right now, and my family is amazing. I'm so thankful to be spending today with my children. This weekend has been full of birthday celebrations, but today is about me and my monsters. We're going to play board games, do puzzles, paint with our feet, and just enjoy the day. At some point we need to grocery shopping, but I've already promised them water balloons. It's going to be great!

On Friday, my childhood best friend and I went to Six Flags. We reconnected recently (our fathers have kept in touch), and decided to celebrate our birthdays together (hers was on the 28th). I learned something while riding on roller coasters for the first time in years... I'm too old to ride roller coasters, haha. They made me dizzy, and were way more terrifying than I remembered. Six Flags has changed a lot over the years, too. There are new rides (ohmygodstheywereinsane), and old favorites were broken or no longer active. The lines were short (rode Batman back-to-back without getting off), and I don't know if that was a good thing or not. I needed more of a break between rides! Despite my body and mind screaming that it was a horrible idea, we had a lot of fun. 

Brooke made our shirts! Talk Thirty to Me!

After spending a few hours at Six Flags, we went to Green Door Public House and ordered food (veggie burger with fries) and drinks (margarita and a jolly rancher shot) while we waited for our Haunted Pub Tour to start. The guide shared ghost stories and historical facts about some of the buildings in Downtown Dallas. Apparently, there is a fan that moves on its own, even though there's no power connected to it any more. She also showed us where Lee Harvey Oswald was killed (it's being turned into a law office or law school), talked about Bonnie and Clyde, and various other things! It was a blast. Karaoke will not be discussed, haha. 


My mom was nice enough to stay the night with the kids, but my son still woke up when I got home and told me how much he'd missed me. I love my kids! It's not often that I leave them for more than an hour or two, and my son starting school is already making me cry.

The next day, my mom and I went to a spa and spent about two hours there getting massages and facials. We also steamed for about half an hour, but I didn't think to bring a book. What are you supposed to do while you sit there?? The actual massage was fantastic, although my mom fell asleep about halfway through hers (according to the masseuse). They had to come and get me after my massage, because they were having trouble waking her up after hers, haha. She was in a deep sleep, and it took me a full minute to wake her up. I videoed all of this of course, and sent it to my father so he could have a good laugh over it.


When I got home after my morning at the spa, my kiddos and my second set of parents (they've been like family forever) had this waiting for me: 


They excitedly told me they were the ones responsible for putting candles into the cookies. Naturally, I let my monsters blow them out, too. Everyone was happy, and the cookies were delicious! 

Moving on to my husband... his gifts arrived on Friday, and I absolutely love them! 


This plant is called a Pink Quill and it's lovely. The chocolate covered Oreos are mmmsogood! The tricky part is keeping the kids from eating all of them, haha (and me from devouring them all at once). The elephant currently resides in the bathroom, until I can convince Arcee (my son's cat) not to eat the leaves. 

That's it for my birthday news! Like I said earlier, I'm spending today with my kids, and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate my birthday. My son jumped on me as soon as he woke up this morning and screamed, "Happy Birthday, Mama!" I don't think I've stopped smiling. 

Previous week on the blog:

Monday: Soul of the Sword (Shadow of the Fox, #2) by Julie Kagawa ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
Tuesday: Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer ⋆⋆⋆⋆
Thursday: Chilly da Vinci by Jarrett Rutland ⋆⋆
Saturday: Nothing!

What I'm currently reading:

Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha, #1) by Tomi Adeyemi
The Looking Glass Wars (The Looking Glass Wars, #1) by Frank Beddor 
Kingdom of Exiles (The Beast Charmer, #1) by Maxym M. Martineau 

I'm halfway through the audiobook for Children of Blood and Bone and loving it! I think it's going to expire before I can finish it (again), so you'll probably see this book pop back up in 14-18 weeks, haha. I might actually buy it before then, so I can finish it sooner.

I've read The Looking Glass Wars before, but never finished this series. I thought I would read it to my kids at night, but it's way too violent. I forgot that Alyss is in her twenties when she returns to Wonderland, so the content isn't for children. I've been reading it on my own though, and I'm nearly finished with it!

Kingdom of Exiles is fantastic so far. I've only met Inky, but I'm curious what other beasts we're going to see throughout the story. Noc is an enigma, and I'm really curious about his past. Who was he before Cruor?

What I plan on reading next:

 Wilder Girls by Rory Power
Queen of Ruin (Grace and Fury, #2) by Tracy Banghart
Please Send Help (I Hate Everyone But You, #2) by Gaby Dunn, Allison Raskin

I'm really excited about starting all three of these! Are any of them on your TBR?

What I'm watching:

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is the only show I'm watching at the moment, although not very often. I haven't had time this week! 

Challenge updates:

Audiobook Challenge: 27 / 30+
Beat the Backlist Challenge: 41 / 100
Discussion Challenge: 5 / 11-20
Goodreads Challenge: 201 / 500

Talk Thirty to Me Giveaway:

One winner will receive a book of their choice (up to $25) from Amazon or The Book Depository, depending on where you live. For a list of some of my favorites, click here.

Giveaway Rules:

This giveaway officially starts on June 30, 2019 and ends on July 14, 2019 (two weeks!). The winner will be announced on July 15, 2019 on this post within the Rafflecopter form, and also notified by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or I will choose another winner (read my full giveaway policy here).

International entries are okay as long as The Book Depository ships to you. Click here to check!

To enter – simply fill out the Rafflecopter form!

57 comments:

  1. Happy birthday! I think age is not really relevant and all that matters is how we feel and it's amazing and inspiring how grateful and happy you are with everything.

    Children of Blood and Bone is on my TBR since forever - and I actually started it before going through a reading slump. I hope you will finish it next.

    Have an awesome week!
    Cheeky Lines

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    1. I feel amazing! I love my life right now, and I've really enjoyed being able to stay home with my kids. I only wish that my husband could do the same, but he works so I can be here for them. I will always be grateful for that.

      I wasn't able to finish Children of Blood and Bone before it expired, but I'm on hold again, haha. I'm sure I'll finish it next time! My library doesn't give you very long to listen to audiobooks, and I haven't had a ton of time for them lately. It's really good! I hope you have a chance to read it soon. :)

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  2. I love cupcakes. Specifically, filled gourmet cupcakes. It looks like you did a lot of fun and wonderful things to start your next decade. The happiest of birthdays to you!

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    1. Mmm -- that sounds good! I haven't had a good cupcake in forever! We're vegan, so it's a little harder to find bakeries that make things we can eat, but there's a place in Atlanta that bakes AMAZING vegan desserts. Their German chocolate cake is something my mouth will never forget! ;)

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  3. Happy birthday, Lindsi! 30 isn't so scary. :)
    Kingdom of Exiles looks so good! I'm excited to read that one.

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    1. It's not scary at all! I still feel like the same me. <3 Kingdom of Exiles has been great so far! I should have finished it by now, but life! Now that things have settled down after my birthday, I'll get back to reading more.

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  4. Oh wow Happy Birthday to you! I hope your day is a great one. I like cupcakes for the portion size since you have to cut the cake and make a mess anyway. I am 54 and I still love rides. I love the thrill of it. Always have. My Sunday Post

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    1. Cakes are intimidating! I like when I can buy a single slice, because then it's not so daunting. When we have leftover cake in the house, I feel compelled to eat it since it's there. ;) Cupcakes are easier to manage, even if there are a lot of those leftover. It's like a treat after dinner.

      I've never loved roller coasters, but I did enjoy some of them in the past. I'm happy you still love them! They make me anxious, terrified, and inevitably dizzy afterwards. My brain just doesn't think my body can take the stress anymore. ;)

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  5. Happy birthday! The celebrations seem great! I so want to visit Six Flags! Keep enjoying your Bday!
    Genesis @ Whispering Chapters

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    1. Six Flags is an experience for sure! Although, I feel more inclined to stick to the children's rides these days, haha. It's right beside Hurricane Harbor (used to be Wet and Wild), and a lot of family vacations were spent at the two places.

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  6. I am turning 50 (FIFTY!!!) in July, so I'm also very into birthdays right now. My friends just planned a surprise weekend at the mountain with my family, and it was so much fun. My friend's daughter (who's your age!) was telling me how much she loves Children of Blood & Bone, so I really do need to read it soon.

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    1. Right?? It's fun to get really excited about big birthdays! Happy early birthday, Wendy! I hope you have a lot of fun and enjoy every second of turning 50. A weekend in the mountains sounds like a blast! I'm assuming s'mores were had? Hiking? Children of Blood and Bone is fantastic!

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  7. Oh, and happy birthday!

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  8. Happy birthday!! Sounds like you have an amazing day planned! And Six Flags sounds like a blast. :)

    Wilder Girls looks awesome!

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    1. Six Flags was TERRIFYING! ;) I don't remember roller coasters being so scary as a teenager. I am so excited about Wilder Girls!

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  9. First off, I love the "talk thirty" pun LOL.

    I'm envious now! You got so much fun this week! But you deserved it.

    That elephant is an awesome match for your bathroom decor! I would leave it there if I were you. Cute plant too!

    I've NEVER gone on a rollercoaster because I'm sure my stomach couldn't take it, but I used to love less wild rides. Too bad I can't go anymore - I wouldn't know whom to go with.

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    1. Oh, and of course I already wished you a happy birthday on Twitter, but it doesn't hurt to send more wishes ๐Ÿ˜‰.

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    2. Haha! Thanks! We wanted our shirts to say something fun, so we went with "Talk Thirty to Me". I'm worried about leaving the elephant in that bathroom, because that's the children's bathroom, and that means nothing is safe. ;) Thank you for the birthday wishes!

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  10. Happy Birthday! ๐ŸŽ‚ I haven’t been on a roller coaster since I was a teenager, I’m not great with heights these days, but it sounds like you had fun.

    Have a great reading week, Please Send Help looks fun.

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    1. I didn't mind heights when I was a child, but now they terrify me. I don't even like to drive on high bridges, because they freak me out. Oh, to be young and ignorant again, haha. ;) It was a lot of fun, but probably not something I'll be repeating in the future.

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  11. Happy Birthday! It sounds like you had a wonderful, weekend long celebration - which is how it should be!! I don't drink, but that Haunted Pub Crawl would still have been fascinating. I could really go for a massage right now. LOL

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. I felt like a weekend celebration is required when someone turns thirty! ;) I was driving, so I only had the one drink and shot (which was before our three hour walk/tour), so I was totally there for the ghost stories and history. It was really interesting! Massages are amazing, although not something I like to do often. It's weird to have someone's hands on you for that long while you so exposed, haha.

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  12. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINDSI!!! X x X x

    It looks like you had a fabulous weekend.

    I loved Kingdom of Exiles and pre-ordered the paperback straight after reading the ARC.

    Hope you have a great week, Lindsi and enjoy your reads.

    Flora
    Here's my Sunday Post

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    1. Thank you! I did have a fabulous weekend! Although, I'm still tired and waiting for energy to return. ;) I'm enjoying Kingdom of Exiles and really hope Noc isn't as devious as he seems. I'm curious about his curse, and the marks left on the assassins arms when they take a job.

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  13. Happy Birthday! Glad to hear you had a great birthday. My daughter turned 28 last month and she said she can't believe she's almost 30. lol

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    1. It's a crazy feeling, but I'm not upset about it! I have three wonderful children that I love spending time with, and they take up most of my thoughts. We had a water balloon fight earlier today, haha.

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  14. Happy birthday Lindsay! I quite enjoy 30 so you've got the right idea! I'm in the middle of Kingdom of Exiles, I need to find the energy to read again.

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    1. There's nothing wrong with thirty! It means that I'm getting older, yes, but my children are also getting older. It's going by too fast, but I love watching them grow and learn new things. As long as I can be here for them, I don't care how old I am. I'm enjoying Kingdom of Exiles, but haven't had a chance to really sit down and read it yet.

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  15. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINDSAY!!! I'm so happy for you! I'd prefer cupcakes... what would you like? :)
    Megan S.

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    1. I'm a fan of cupcakes, but I won't say no to a German chocolate cake. Mmm. ;)

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  16. Happy Birthday to you! My pressie for you is to not sing. LOL Looks like you had a lot of fun! My mom would KILL me if I did that to her! Hope you get to celebrate for the rest of the year too. :D

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    1. My mom was mortified when she realized I'd videoed her sleeping during her massage, haha. My dad laughed hysterically for a long time, so that was worth it. I didn't post the video anywhere, but it's nice to have. I'll never forget the experience, haha.

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  17. Happy 30th birthday! Sounds like you had a blast :)
    I prefer cake on my birthday.

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    1. Nice! Favorite type of cake? Mine is German chocolate!

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    2. Nice. There's a fruit cake we get from the asian market that I love :)

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    3. I honestly don't think I've ever tried a fruit cake! They always seem to be poorly represented in holiday movies, haha.

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  18. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! I'm glad you had a wonderful time.

    i never cared about 30 (or any birthday). In my 50's it's getting a bit harder though lol I'm FEELING older physically.

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. You don't look like you're in your 50's! I think that's it... I don't feel 30, so it's not a hard milestone for me. I feel exactly the same, and I'm enjoying my time with the monsters. Maybe once they're older and I feel like I can't do as much, then it will hit me harder.

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  19. Happy belated birthday! I used to love rollercoasters and crazy rides, but I shudder to think how I'd feel if I rode one now lol. I'm glad you had such a good time with your friend and a nice massage. Your kids sound so sweet <3 The plant is so cute! I'd rather have cupcakes only because I like the ends of cake, and cupcakes are basically all end lol.

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    1. It was seriously terrifying. My body and my brain revolted on every ride. My brain was screaming that I was a mother and shouldn't be risking my life (and that rides were dangerous in general), and my body haaated being tossed around without my control. Once you're on a ride, that's it. There's no stopping it no matter how scary it is. :(

      We had fun... but not something I'm eager to repeat, haha. The massage was welcome after a day of torturing my body on roller coasters. My kids are unbelievably sweet! I love them! I'm very happy with my birthday plant. I also really like plants, because they last longer than other things. Like... my chocolate covered Oreos… ;)

      Hah! I've never thought about cake that way. <3

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  20. Happy Belated Birthday! When I turned 30 I honestly had a hard time with it! It sounds like you had an amazing birthday and you got to do some really fun things. I haven't gotten a massage in a while and it is literally the best thing in the world. Chocolate covered oreos sounds soooooo good!! =) Wilder girls is definitely on my radar when it comes out!

    ~Kendra @ Kendra Loves Books

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    1. My friend was really struggling with it too! I honestly don't feel thirty, so I think that helps. My kids have an insane amount of energy, and they force me to keep up with them. ;)

      The massage was welcome after a day at Six Flags. The Oreos were delicious!! <3 I'm really looking forward to Wilder Girls.

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  21. Happy birthday, Lindsi!! I'm excited about Children of Blood and Bone, but I haven't gotten to it yet. Glad to hear that you are enjoying it. I have some theories about who Noc is and I'm guessing royalty. Those cookies are the most adorable thing and I'm tearing up. Your children sound absolutely precious!

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    1. My library hold expired, so I'm back on the wait list! This is the third time... haha! My library doesn't let you keep audiobooks for more than a week, so it's hard to squeeze in the longer books during that timeframe. Some weeks I just don't have the time! I'm really enjoying it though. The narrator is amazing, and the story is fantastic. (Stop reading -- potential spoilers ahead!) I think Noc is the original sacrificed son. Zane? Zayne? I don't know how that would work since he was raised by Talmage though... hmm.

      My children are amazing. <3

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  22. Happy Birthday! I was okay with turning 30 too. Your presents are cool!

    To answer your question, I'd rather have cake on my birthday.

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    1. Thanks! What kind of cake would you want? German chocolate is my preferred cake, but I also like cheesecake. However, I haven't been able to find a good vegan cheesecake, so it's been a few years since I've had one. All of my attempts didn't work out! ;)

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  23. Happy Belated Birthday! Honestly, I believe age doesn't matter as long as you're happy. Love from India.

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    1. I agree! Happiness is key, and I'm really happy! My kids are my world, and I'm enjoying every second of being a mother. <3

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  24. Ice cream cake sounds good. But then it reminds me of the time that I forgot to put the rest of my son's ice cream cake in the freezer & put it in the fridge instead. My kids were dismayed but also hysterical over the happy face cake being much flatter. We tossed it into the blender & made a milkshake. Sometimes you just got to roll with whatever comes your way. :)

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    1. Haha! That's a wonderful story! I'm sure your son will remember that birthday for the rest of his life. It's likely everyone will. ;) Milkshakes were the perfect solution! Right?? Sometimes you just have to go with it and make the best of whatever happens. <3

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  25. I'm a sucker for cakes! ♥ I don't know if it's because, at least in my house, we only have them when we celebrate birthdays. But yeah, I LOVE THEM! My favorite one has to have chocolate mousse, dulce de leche and fresh strawberries! =D
    Happy belated birthday, Lindsi, and I'm so glad to read you had a fantastic time, celebrating the whole weekend! ♥

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    1. I've never been a fan of cakes with fruit on them! I don't know why! I love both cake and fruit, just not together. :)

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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