Sunday, February 3, 2019

Sunday with Sam - The Sunday Post



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

I am happy last week is behind me, and that it's almost 40°F today. Though it wasn't as cold as it was out west on Thursday, it was still coming in about -17°F on Thursday, and my bus driver decided to leave me on the side of the road waiting. Once my toes started burning, I gave up. The good news is, my train was late, and I was able to run home, get my car, drive the two miles, park in the parking deck, and still make my train. I was happy about that.

Last Sunday we went to my niece's graduation party. This woman was staring at me, and she asked me if my name was Sam. After that, I recognized her. She was one of my dance mom pals, who I haven't seen in over 12 years. It was so random, but I love that I got to catch up with her.

Not much else. We had jeans week at work, which is always a good thing, and I am going to see a play at Paper Mill today, which is alway a good way to spend an afternoon.

Since it's the end of the month, I have a few month-end stats. I read 41 books with only one 5-star read. I was a Frankie fan.


My daughter sent me this picture from her alumni event. Needless to say, she was very happy that Otto came to Chicago for her birthday weekend.


This made me happy!
Let's Discuss!
  • Michelle asks if original plot is an oxymoron (I think it is)
  • Ang shares reasons she DNFs books 
  • Zeee talks about why she's not quite a well read as you think
On the Blog:
  • Monday: Blog Tour - Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry
  • Tuesday: TTT - Last Ten Added
  • Wednesday: Nutshells - Death Prefers Blondes, A Danger to Herself and Others, Just For Clicks
  • Thursday: Blog Tour - That's Not What I Heard by Stephanie Kate Strohm
  • Friday: Discussion - What's In a Name?
STACKING THE SHELVES

Bought/Free


Edelweiss/NetGalley


Won

What I Read Last Week

I read a bunch of good books, my audiobooks didn't shine as much, but my reading was very good. My favorite was To Night Owl From Dogfish. I would love to give this to a middle school aged girl (in US). It's a lovely story about friendship, but also about different kinds of families and growing up. The characters start 12 years old and turn 13 over the course of the book. Message me if you know someone, who would be interested.

Books


Audiobooks

What I Am Currently Reading

What I Plan to Read

I am really going to read the Kinsella this time. I swear!

How was your week?
Let us know in the comments!

56 comments:

  1. We had one day with a touch of snow which had melted away by that night. It has been cold but no worse than we usually get in January. If it can hold off snowing until I take care of a few medical appointments then I'll be happy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am so OK with the fact that we have not had any real amount of snow since the storm in November, but the cold has be brutal.

      Delete
  2. Oh man that stinks the bus left you out there in that cold!! Glad you were able to catch the train though. And wow you are proof people win the GR giveaways. I have won 1 in 4 years so I guess I knew it was true lol. Looks like you added and read some great books. Hope you have a great week!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have been pretty luck with GR giveaways. I have won about 20 books. Quite a few really amazing ones at that.

      Delete
  3. OMG, your commute sounds like an apocalyptic novel plot sometimes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I. Can't. Stop. Laughing. I think you just came up with the concept for a new reality show about my commute (morning only, the afternoon is usually - knock on wood - drama free)

      Delete
  4. That sucks about the bus. I’m glad it mostly worked out, though. Congrats on reading 41 books. I’d get through my TBR so fast if I could do that. Have a great week!

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I knew I was being too generous, talking about how dependable Ralph had been during the colder weather. SMH. Remember, 16 of those are audiobooks, and I don't read books as massive as the ones you read.

      Delete
  5. Yeah, it was cold this week for us too! Schools were closed on Wednesday and some were even closed on Thursday too! It was nuts!

    Nice new reads! Some new to me ones! Hope you enjoy them all!

    Hopefully this week will be warmer for everyone! Happy reading!

    Here's my STS

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even my company closed the Chicago location on Wed and did a 1pm opening on Thursday. I was impressed. My daughter's company closed as well, and she worked from home.

      Delete
  6. I'm so over the cold weather. It's supposed to be in the 50s and 60s here this week and I'm just so excited for it. It will feel like a heatwave after last week. I look forward to seeing what you think of Immoral Code. That one sounded so interesting to me. Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know! I am looking forward to it warming up a bit, but I hope it isn't the quiet before the storm. Phill says spring is coming early. Let's hope the little rodent was right. I just finished Immoral Code this morning. I liked it. The characters were interesting and at its heart, it's a friendship story. However, there are a lot of inner monologues and five POVs, which I KNOW some readers do not like.

      Delete
  7. I've learned the late buses have very strategic timing. It's usually when I have some place to be at a certain time that they decide to be so late that it won't even matter if I eventually get to where I need to be. I'm glad things worked out for you on that day though! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I guess I should be happy I only ride the bus in the morning. I used to watch it leave every afternoon too, but have convinced my dad to pick me up instead. My train being late every day is a blessing in disguise.

      Delete
  8. Sounds like you had a lot of drama with the weather as well. Glad you found some solutions. I'll try and pick up 'Watch Us Rise.'#Sundaypost

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My morning commute gives me endless pain and suffering, but I think it's still better than driving.

      Delete
  9. This cold has been brutal! So glad it's supposed to warm up this week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am looking forward the springlike weather, and here's hoping the cold is done (I know, wishful thinking)

      Delete
  10. I don't think I could handle waiting outside in the cold for the bus. I had to walk across a parking lot and that was almost too much and it only took me a minute. You are brave! Is Legend available? I thought it came out on Tuesday? I hope yoou have a great week, Sam!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was so cold and windy. The mucus in my nose kept freezing up and I thought I was going to suffocate.

      Delete
  11. Your bus incident reminds of waiting for the bus to go to school. We froze out there! It's warmed up here and 70s. I'm hoping it's true and Phil not seeing his shadow means we will get that early spring! Enjoy all of those lovely books:)

    My Sunday Post

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I grew up in Brooklyn, so we always had to walk to school. At least my childhood wasn't spent being left on the side of the road. It was in the 50s here today, and it is supposed to climb to almost 60. I am thinking Phil might be onto something.

      Delete
  12. Aww the pupper! He looked so happy to be mobile again!

    It's been the opposite in Australia at the moment, half the country is on fire with inferno temperatures and the other half is flooded and underwater. So many great new reads Sam and lots I haven't heard of before. Looking forward to checking some of these out and adding them to my ever growing TBR. Have a brilliant week of reading!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EEK! You have having some extreme weather too. It does get cold here in the winter, but not this cold. This was like Minnesota cold. Stay cool (and dry).

      Delete
  13. Loved the dog video--made me happy too! We are almost 50 degrees here today and I am so wishing it would stay. Winter and I are not friends, in fact, I'm no longer on speaking terms with winter. Phil made me very happy on Saturday with his early spring prognostication.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I believe I gave Phill a round of applause. I am just not a fan of too hot or too cold. I like it somewhere in the middle.

      Delete
  14. Yikes. The weather and the bus just sound like nightmares!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was pretty happy to hear Phil predicted an early spring. I guess I should be happy that we haven't really had any snow though, but we have another 40 some odd days of winter left.

      Delete
  15. Oof, -17F is COLDDDDD, but I'm glad you made your train and you didn't lose any limbs in the process! It's been a brutally cold week for a lot of us.

    How Not to Ask a Boy to Prom sounds like a fun read and I'm curious to see what your thoughts are when you write the review.

    And wow, 41 books? I'd get through a lot if I could read that much. :o

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I loved Goslee's debut and was so happy when I finally got my approval for Prom. My books are a combination of ebooks and audiobooks (I think 16 were audiobooks)

      Delete
  16. How fun you got to meet up with an old dance mom. It was pretty dang cold last week, but it was really nice today, so you know, I can't complain too much. haha You always amaze me on how much you read in a month! Glad they were mostly good.

    -lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am really happy about the weather improving. It was beautiful yesterday. Lately, it's only warm when it's raining, so a nice surprise.

      Delete
  17. 41 books that's amazing! I read The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks several years and remember enjoying it! I'm hoping to read Immoral Code soon too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I bought Frankie at YallFest in 2015 to get it signed, and then I took an ebook out of the library to read it last month. At least I finally read it, and I really enjoyed it.

      Delete
  18. That is sooo cold, and what a day to miss the bus! Good that you didn't miss the train, though. Hope it warms up for you. It's been pouring rain for several days both in Northern California and down where I am now in Southern California. We need it, but it does make travel and commutes difficult.

    I also got the Unhoneymooners, but for some reason I totally forgot to list it in my Sunday Post. You read a ton of books last month! I only read 17 and that's with audiobooks. Wow!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't miss the bus. He never came. He does that sometimes. SoCal definitely needs rain. After living in FL for 6.5 years, rain doesn't phase me. It's a lot easier to travel in than snow. You travel a lot. All I do is go to work. It gives me a lot of time to read.

      Delete
  19. Oh man, 40 is still so cold! Please don't freeze! XD I hope you enjoy your new reads! The Unhoneymooners has been on my radar for a little while now and I'm interested to know what you think!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 40s feels great! Without wind, it's almost like a nice spring day. I am so in love with everything CLo has been putting out lately. Give me rom-coms, or give me death!

      Delete
  20. -17 degrees, yikes! Idk how you do it. I'm freezing when it's 60 something lol. But 41 books, that's amazing! Stay warm and have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You get used to it, to some extent. Like, after 4 years in Syracuse, my daughter thinks 20s is warm.

      Delete
  21. Wow 41 books Sam that is incredible! I think I read like 10 in January, but a lot were Dnf's! And your commute at times sounds awful, but I'm glad you were able to make it for the train on time! I really loved Layne's Wedding Belle's story, how are you finding To Love and To Cherish? I hope you have a wonderful week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DNFs make me sad, but I also don't count those. I pretend they never happened. I used to have an easy commute, but the most miserable job. Like, my job was so horrible, I was physically sick for 10 years. Now, My job I ok - low stress, great management team, nice perks, awesome teammates, but my morning commute is a bear. When I think about, I don't mind suffering through the commute, even if I whine about it a lot. Alexis made me nuts, but it was was really good. I always like Logan and I absolutely adored the ending. What a fine way to end the series.

      Delete
  22. And that's why I am walking the 2 miles from home to the train station every day Sam! God it was so not the day to get stranded in the cold!Sophie @bewareofthereader

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have done the walk home, but only when it was light out. I get to anxious to walk that far in the dark by myself.

      Delete
  23. How awkward if you weren't Sam, Haha! I hope The Honeymoonere is good!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right? (you made me laugh with the line there - thanks!). I am hoping the CLo streak continues. They have been writing rom-coms I love lately.

      Delete
  24. I love winning books! I notice I try to enter for ones that I will eventually read. I think the dog getting his new legs is adorable, how cute tho. Have a wonderful week.

    Mary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Free stuff is always awesome. Since reading a physical book is more difficult for me, I only enter giveaways for books that sound like a really good fit for me.

      Delete
  25. 41 books?!! 41 books in one month?! I can't even process that... That's insane and I want your superpower! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I need something to do on my commute and when I am up at 3am

      Delete
  26. I cannot even conceive of that kind of cold. I think I would have to find a way to work from home. LOL Effective this week my company just went to a casual/business casual dress code - which means are acceptable every day and not just Friday’s. To be honest, I’m not a fan for several reasons. But most everyone seems happy about it. I’m in the mood for a lighter/happier romance so it might be time for some Lauren Layne. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Business casual in NJ is NOT jeans. It's still dress pants, skirts, dresses, dress shoes, and shirts, but no tie for men. Lauren Layne ALWAYS hits the spot. She's up there with Shalvis and Reid for being fun and light and leaving me happy.

      Delete
  27. Glad you enjoyed your niece's graduation party and isn't it so cool when you get to have a catch up with someone you haven't seen in years? I also see that you hauled in the Unhoneymooner's and I want to read that one because it sounds like the enemies to lovers trope which I am a softie for and quite a funny situation as well. Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seeing that mom again was so random, but awesome. I love CLo and was overjoyed when I got approved for Unhoneymooners. They have been killing it lately, and I have loved all their recent releases.

      Delete
  28. That dog video made me have tears in my eyes, I was so happy they were able to help that doggie out! ♥
    And I'm so happy you're enjoying LL's Wedding Belle's series. For Better or Worse was my favorite out of that series. LL writes the best banter!
    Jen @ Star-Crossed Book Blog

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How did we live without animal videos? They never fail to give me a little lift. The ending of For Better or Worse was perfection! LL is always worth picking up. Her books are delightful.

      Delete