Sundays with Sam is a combination of Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews.
My Week in Review
Another week closer to the end of summer. Ahhhhh. Not much to tell this week. I got to go out to lunch this week for the recognition luncheon. It was fun to get off campus for a little while, since I am normally trapped there due to the fact that I take the train in. I was frustrated all week, because an eGalley I really, really want went up on EW, and everyone keeps posting how they were already approved, and there I am, hanging out in limbo. *sad face* I am trying to stay positive, but it's not looking good for me.
The pub to me
When did offices start having kickball teams? I had messaged my daughter this morning, and she answered me hours later, telling me they roped her into playing kickball, since there were not enough women on the team. After I stopped laughing, I realized this was legit. Do any of you play on kickball teams?
On the Web:
I can't get enough of To All the Boys I've Loved Before, and everything about Lara Jean was so on point. Let's give it up for the designers. *applause, applause*
🎶 Can we talk 🎶 for a minute about Lara Jean's aesthetic?— Jenny Han can't come to the phone right now (@jennyhan) August 25, 2018
12 of the year's best dizzyingly imaginative and unruly YA reads. https://t.co/fSjnSrYtAZ— B&N Teen Blog (@BNTeens) August 24, 2018
Here's the bingo board!!! pic.twitter.com/ljQnBmxMuW— Latinx Book Bingo (@LatinxBookBingo) August 23, 2018
On the Blog:
- Monday: In a Nutshell - The State of Grace, Kiss Me in Paris, Beautiful Mess
- Tuesday: TTT - Books That Chase the Funk Away
- Wednesday: CWW - Love a la Mode by Stephanie Kate Strohm
- Thursday: Review - Hidden Pieces by Paula Stokes
- Friday: Discussion - Influencer or Enthusiast?
Free
- A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert
- You'd Be Mine by Erin Hahn
- You Asked for Perfect by Laura Silverman
What I Read Last Week
My audiobook game was so fierce this week. Most were great, but two were fantastic. I know Symptoms was buzzed about a lot when it first came out, but Words is just from last year, and really deserves more attention.
Though I am struggling with the review, because everything I was to talk about it spoilery, TDR was great. Some of my novella-fed theories were confirmed, and let's just say Blake left me wanting the fourth book NOW. I also really loved Meet the Sky. I had zero expectations, and was pleasantly surprised by how wonderful the story was.
Books
- Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake - ★★★★ 1/2
- The Opposite of Innocent by Sonya Sones - ★★★ 1/2
- Meet the Sky by McCall Hoyle - ★★★★ 1/2
- Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman - ★★★★
- The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory - ★★★ 1/2 review
- Unclaimed Baggage by Jen Doll - ★★★ 1/2 review
Audiobooks
- Bad Reputation by Stefanie London - ★★★★ review
- Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin - ★★★★ 1/2 review
- Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton - ★★★★ 1/2 review
- People Like Us by Dana Mele - ★★★ 1/2 review
What I Am Currently Reading
- Bad Bachelor by Stefanie London
- Pride by Ibi Zoboi
What I Plan to Read
- The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden
- No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen
- Someone Else's Shoes by Ellen Wittinger
- Kiss the Girl by Tara Sivec
How was your week?
Let us know in the comments!
Kickball teams? That sounds like fun!
ReplyDeleteYou got some gorgeous-looking new books - hopefully, the stories inside are just as beautiful.
Have a wonderful week ahead and happy reading.
Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
When I told my father that offices now have kickball teams, he felt they were more inclusive than other sports, because it doesn't require too much skill. So, I guess, it's a good thing? It just makes me think about grade school PE.
DeleteTo All The Boys I've Loved Before WAS quite good- I loved it! And I hope your ARC comes through...
ReplyDeleteI do not know when kickball teams started but I'm intrigued by this development... ???!!??? :)
Yay for Two Dark Reigns. That makes me very happy. :)
I wish I had recorded my laughter when I read that my daughter had been playing kickball. Crazy kids these days..... Yes, TDR was really good. Lots of good stuff about the island and the history was revealed. I love all the love people are showing for TATBILB. This is what I like to see online - something we can all really bond over.
DeleteI too am in EW request limbo... I'm dying while desperately hoping to be approved for Diamond Fire (the Ilona Andrews novella due out in November) but it's just not happening... *sobs*
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed we both get happy EW news this week!!
The only pubs, who never really leave me in limbo is Harper (which is usually good news) and Disney and Penguin (always bad news, don't even ask anymore). Seriously, I have requests over 100 days old. How about you just reject me.
DeleteYay for getting out to lunch. Oh man I am always in EW limbo and it never works out for me really. I have learned to not have high expectations anymore. Looks like you got a lot of great books. Enjoy and have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI either get nothing or 30 approvals at once. Gaaahh!
DeleteNice new reads! All totally new to me ones! Hope you enjoy them all!
ReplyDeleteHere's my STS
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
No Fixed Address and The Benefits of Being an Octopus are on my must read list for the fall. I've read stellar reviews so far.
ReplyDeleteI went and requested Octopus, because I read such a glowing review, and I love Nielsen. I am doing a run of MG to have a In a Nutshell MG edition out soon.
DeleteI like that list of weird YA - My Plain Jane made the list, and that's one I want to read! My office definitely does not have a kickball team!
ReplyDeleteWho knew the new office sport was kickball? #IAmOld
DeleteI have been sitting on Plain Jane. I loved My Lady Jane, but reviews are all over the place on Plain Jane. I will probably read it when my schedule clears up, because I am hoping for the best.
Hurray for the end of summer! Good luck with EW - I've literally never been approved for anything there. I hope you enjoy all your books! I've heard great things about Pride.
ReplyDeleteI have really good luck with Harper, and they tend to put out most of the books I want, so it's a good thing. S&S is usually good to me too, but for some reason, they have had me in the most stressful limbo for over a week. Disney and Penguin HATE me and will never give me anything. The oddest thing is that back in 2017, I had Penguin titles "read now". That's how I got Warcross and other HUGE titles. Now, in 2018, there is no love.
DeleteI am enjoying Pride. I grew up in Brooklyn (East Flatbush), so I always love being back in the borough. I have never read P&P, so I am not judging it based on how well it retells the story, but I love the sisters and the setting so far.
I hope you get approved! I haven’t played kickball since I was a kid, but I’ve heard of office kickball teams. When I was in Washington DC a few years ago, there was a massive kickball tournament going on. I guess offices want people to get away from the computers sometimes.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
That's the last time I played kickball too, which is why I was so surprised to hear this was an actual structured game. I guess since you don't need too much skill, it's a good game for mixed groups.
DeleteSam you complain about your ARC but try to be an international reader and you'd be even more frustrated I guarantee you! Now what is kickball because it sounds so dirty LOL Sophie @bewareofthereader
ReplyDeleteI am a Z-list blogger, so most books aren't even available for me to request, but yeah, I am happy about the ones I do get. I get most of my BIG titles via book tours. Is it a publishing rights thing with international bloggers? I feel like there is a lot more to that story than just cutting international bloggers off, but I have not seen anything from publishers regarding the situation, and there are a ton of very visible international bloggers. Kickball is like baseball, but played with a large, soft rubber ball instead of a small ball and bat. It's popular with the grade school set.
DeleteFingers-crossed you get the book on EW. Ya for rocking the audiobooks. I look forard to your reviews on them Sam :)
ReplyDeleteMy audiobook selections have been spectacular. I must continue this trend.
DeleteYou did awesome this week. My reading has been almost non existent. I’ve got so much going on and all my current reads are unavailable on audio. Otherwise I bet I would have flown though them.
ReplyDeleteAudiobooks are a godsend with tackling my TBR, and I am lucky that I work a desk job, where I can sit and listen to them as I work.
DeleteMy book budget groans when I visit your blog. LOL So many fun looking new ones to check out! I used to play kickball. My body wouldn't like to now. LOL
ReplyDeleteMy Sunday Post
I don't think I would be able to get out there and do kickball either, but my daughter is in her early 20s, so, more power to her.
DeleteOh, your books look tempting! I am still stuck on that whole "no wifi thing," and feeling it for you. When I go to a restaurant these days, I pick those with wifi...unless something else about the place is more compelling. But a campus without it? Ouch!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your week! Here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES
I didn't get many books this week, but I was really happy with what I did get.
DeleteI'm wondering if you're talking about Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews on EW? I applied for it too and haven't heard back and I REALLY want it! Lol! I'm about to start Magic Triumphs today so I shouldn't complain. Looks like The Proposal wasn't earth shattering with the 3 1/2 stars. I'm glad I didn't request it. I need to watch To All the Boys I've Loved Before! Everyone seems to have loved it. I didn't read the books but I'm kind of glad because usually I'm disappointed in some way when they make a book into a movie if I've read the book before. Happy reading Sam! :)
ReplyDeleteNo. I am hoping to get the new Jenn Bennett book (I LOVE her!). S&S is usually pretty good to me, but I imagine the demand is high. It doesn't come out until April, so pending right now doesn't put me out of the game.
DeleteI loved Carlos so much, and I felt like there was too much focus on Nik and her friends. I wanted more of him. It was still fun and cute, and I will definitely read her next book, but I wish Guillory had put more of Carlos and his family in the story.
If you need a pick me up or just want to feel really happy, watch To All the Boys I Loved Before. It's just that sort of movie.
What great reading this week. I have the ARC for You'd Be Mine and it is on my table to read. I have a few ahead of it and posted it on Instagram. I hope you have a great week and can't wait to see your review of it.
ReplyDeleteMary
I have a million books before I get to any 2019 books. I am currently reading September releases, but I am very excited about it. It sounds like my type of book.
DeleteThere are some fun places to work. I don't work at one of them but I have heard about some cool things. I was on a website for a company that we do business with and they had an open wiffleball challenge to other companies. It is always a bit sad to see other people getting a book that you want and you still don't have it. No answer is better than a no though - there is still hope! I hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI guess I am a "rip the bandaid off" type person, and I have a history of my requests just sitting out there until they fall off. It's like a false hope.
DeleteI have several ARC requests outstanding right now, and I wish they would just go ahead and send me a rejection already! I don't particularly want to get to the point where I have several books to read in order to get back up to 80%. I currently have a 100% rating on Netgalley and am afraid to request more books until I get the rejections back.
ReplyDeleteI plan to finish writing the first draft of my 7th novel/novella today. I didn't realize that I've written so many! I only have two pages left, and it's an easy scene to write, so it should be easy peasy. I've been working on this one for 2 1/2 years.
Didn't get too many books read, but they're longer books. Finished City of Ashes today and I'll be finishing Heir of Fire later today. I kinda wanted to read them both so I've been switching back and forth between them!
I couldn't imagine writing a whole book. If you ever watched me struggle with a review, you would understand how a novella would be a pretty impossible task. Good for you! Fantasy books are always sooooo long, but I really enjoyed both of those.
DeleteOur office doesn't do much of anything in the way of sports but kickball actually sounds pretty fun. Makes me nostalgic for elementary school, lol.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you've had so much great reads this week, especially with your audios. I'm getting ready to start Summner Bird Blue and am very excited about it.
Hope EW comes through on that book for you. Have a great week!
Get the tissues ready, because Summer Bird Blue is pretty heartbreaking.
DeleteKickball teams? Have never heard of an office kickball team. Had a chuckle reading the title for The Benefits of Being an Octopus. :-)
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental Sunday Memes
I know I was surprised to hear about organized kickball. Millennials are funny.
DeleteMy coworkers would never be desperate enough to ask me to join a sports team! I'm hoping to read Kiss the Girl soon! I've heard good things!
ReplyDeleteI hate being left in approval limbo on NG or EW! Its the worst! Well, maybe the worst is getting straight up denied, but it still sucks!
I usually enjoy Sivec's books. They are funny, and you know, I like funny. I would rather know right away, than linger in not knowing. I have like zero patience.
DeleteOkay, it's my turn to be jealous, because I'm currently trapped in limbo for You Asked for Perfect! TATBILB is just... so good. I can't get over how great it is. I'm glad to see you enjoyed Summer Bird Blue! Have a great week, Sam!
ReplyDeleteSourcebooks apparently likes me, but S&S has me in a painful limbo. UUUUUGGGHHH! I hope you get it. I enjoyed Silverman's debut, and this one sound really good.
DeleteI'm really not surprised there are adult kickball teams, but I don't know of any around me. LOL I'm so curious about You Asked for Perfect; hope it's a good one!
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Twenty-somethings are such an interesting species to me. Ha! I thought Silverman's debut was great. If she has a character half as awesome as Lincoln in her new book, I'll be happy.
DeleteI've been neglecting book reviews recently so I need to get back to sorting through my backlog and getting on with it. Ugh! They just take so long to write!
ReplyDeleteIt's never a good thing when I fall behind with my reviews. I just finished a book, which I will review after work, but I need to force myself to do my Two Dark Reigns review. I sort of have no choice, since it's a tour book, but so hard.
DeleteWhen I am really struggling with my review, trying a different format helps. TDR might end up a gif review at this point.
DeleteUgh, that's a bad feeling when everything else is getting approved for *the* ARC. Fingers crossed that yours is still coming. Kickball? Seriously? Wow, that's a new one on me. I thought that died out in 4th grade or something. LOL You were killing it with the reading/listening last week! Color me impressed! I hope this week is just as good. :)
ReplyDeleteI feel a little "less than" right now, but I'll get over it. The book doesn't come out for a really long time. It could happen. Hey, kids these days apparently cannot get enough of their childhood faves.
DeleteA kickball team? I haven’t played kickball since grade school. Sounds kind of fun. I am curious, what is the ARC you are wanting?
ReplyDeleteI totally associate kickball with grade school, which is why I laughed so much when I heard about it. I am trying to get Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett. I feel like, if I get it at all, it will be really late. All the good bloggers will get it first.
DeleteMy audiobook of Bad Reputation is on the fritz which is upsetting because I'm almost finished. Reid's story is still my fave.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the eARC you're waiting to hear back on. Which one was it?
I've never been apart of an office sport but I know a few companies are trying to incorporate sports and after work activities to boost team work and morale.
I just told Hoopla how much their app sucks. I listened to almost 7 hours of Bad Reputation, and when I went to resume today, it bumped me out and would not restart. Last time that happened, I had to delete and redownload, but I cannot get enough bars at work to do it
DeleteAhh you're reading Pride! I just found out about this book today and I LOVE the sound of it. I'm too late to snag an ARC but hope you love it and can't wait for your review. So happy you enjoyed Symptoms of Being Human as well. I read that one for review and loved it. It was my first encounter with a non-binary character, which was just about when I met someone gender fluid in real life so it helped a lot with my understanding. Fingers crossed you get approved on EW for the ebook you want to read!!
ReplyDeleteI think Garvin's book was the first big book to tackle that topic, and I thought it was quite a wonderful book. I really enjoyed Pride. I grew up in Brooklyn, and love books set in familiar places, and I thought the story and poetry was great too.
DeleteYay for getting our for lunch for once! And I feel you on the EW front, I am always seeing my request for books rejected on there and I wish I knew why! At least Netgalley gives you vague feedback for you to try and improve upon. And I adored To All The Boys I've Loved Before it was so on point with the set design and the outfits, etc. I loved that they kept close to the book even if it wasn't totally accurate. And You've read The Proposal? It's not out for ages here so I'm having to sit and wait which sucks. Hope you have a good week.
ReplyDeleteI get the whole "reach" thing, but I have seen bloggers with similar numbers as me get books I am denied for. I don't know. I get sad when I am rejected, but I like knowing better than my request hanging out there for 100+ days. JUST TELL ME NO ALREADY! Both TATBILB and Everything, Everything had amazing designers and musical scores too. Perfection! The Proposal comes out next month here. It was good, but I wanted more Carlos.
Delete