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
Hello Sunday People! I hope all is well. I have been loving the much cooler temperatures, but alas, all good things must end. It's forecasted to be in the 90s all week. BOO! But, you know, summer in the northeast.
The weather and the trains being on time definitely made some of the other aggravating and disappointing things less severe. I have been with my auto insurance company for over a decade. I got my policy renewal, and there was a $250 increase. I called them, they verified I have no citations or accidents on my record and told me it's because I live in NJ. I was not happy with that answer, so I switched to Geico and got a new policy for $300 less. Still high, but I need a car where I live. I don't drive it much. I have had my car since March 2024, and it has 2600 miles on it. It just makes me even more salty about this state. I would love to leave.
Then, my shoe tragedy continued. I have grown weary of shoes feeling good when I try them on, so when the new Birkenstock sneakers came, I wore them around my house for a while. The first pair slid too much. That is when I learned that there is a size guide on the inside of the the Birkenstock box. I measured a size down. Those came and fit well, but after some walking around the house, they pressed too much on the nerve. Back to the drawing board! I really need some closed shoes for my trip. I have a closet full of shoes that cost $150 and up that I felt great at try on, but then hurt after a while. --sigh--
On the bright side, I swear I don't seek these things out, but this reel about my coffee cup killing me came up on my feed. This prompted me to buy some glass mugs. I got the Zwilling Sorrento double walled mugs. They are really pretty and lightweight while keeping my tea/coffee hot but cool to touch.
On the Blog
Stacking the Shelves
Purchased/Free
- Moose Be Love by Jacqueline Winters
Invites
- Love by the Book by Jessica George
- Such Sheltered Lives by Alyssa Sheinmel
Read Last Week
I was happy with my reading week. Heart Strings was a standout. I had loved the first book in this companion series and was happy to return to Galway. Another book I really enjoyed was Hockey Wife. It's been a while since I read something from Meader, but I always enjoy her hockey romances. This pairing was great, and I adored the hero and his family. I decided I trash for a nice family boy.
Find all my reviews on Goodreads
Books
- Heart Strings by Ivy Fairbanks - ★★★★ 1/2
- Just Beachy by Wendy Wax - ★★★★
- The Good Boy by Stella Heyward - ★★★★
- Falling into Place by Alison Ashley - ★★★★
- Clean Point by Meg Jones - ★★★★
Audiobooks
- Hockey Wife by Kate Meader - ★★★★ 1/2
- My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine - ★★★★
Currently Reading
- Quality Street by J.M. Barrie
- The Tryst by Sawyer Bennett
To Be Read
- Scotch on the Rocks by Elliot Fletcher
- Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey
- Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander
- The Second Chance Bus Stop by Ally Zetterberg
Let us know in the comments!
Aw, sorry to hear that the shoe saga continues! I've been having the same troubles with closed shoes. Who knew it would be so hard to find something that's comfortable the longer you wear them? It's frustrating but I hope that you're able to find something soon! Excited to see that you loved Heart Strings (love that cover so much) and I'm excited to see what you'll think of Scotch on the Rocks. I hope you have a great week ahead, Sam!
ReplyDeleteMy feet feel the best with no shoes. Back to my barefoot days. AHHHH. I liked both the Galway books a lot. Great characters, stories with some substance, family, friendship - all that good stuff. I haven't decided if I will read Scotch next or get to my ARCs since I am a little behind, but I will be reading it this week.
DeleteMy car insurance has gotten too expensive as well. But, I would be seriously ticked if it went up just because of where I lived! You should get a major discount for hardly driving! Sorry to hear the shoes didn't work out. That is such a bummer. I too have a rack of shoes that were great when I tried them on, but not great on their first official wear. I finally just ordered another pair of Vans-they are the only gym shoe type shoe that works for me. Otherwise, I wear Toms (I'm really flat footed and know those don't work for a lot of people). Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI am surprised Vans and Toms work for you. Loved them in my youth, but they have no support. My feet are a mess. The Birkenstock sole is fabulous for me. I just need a non-clog with that footbed. One more shot with the shoes coming tomorrow.
DeleteI hope you find some shoes that fit well and don't hurt. My late husband was from Wyckoff New Jersey. He joined the Army when he was 17 just to get away from there. He never moved back. His mom and one of his sisters moved to California but one of his sisters still lives there.
ReplyDeleteWyckoff is north of me. I am originally from Brooklyn but have lived most of my life in NJ. I will stay where I am while my parents are living since I help them. I would love to move though.
DeleteBummer about your shoe saga. I hope you find some that work for you. I'd be pretty salty too if my insurance came up $250 for no good reason, especially since you drive so little! That cat video is too cute! My cats talk to me as well. :)
ReplyDeleteThey really do understand us!!! I love it!
DeleteUgh, sorry about the shoes! I buy shoes so rarely, but I had to get a new pair of sneakers. I got a brand that usually works well for me. They're ok, but not perfect. I hear ya on the car insurance. I always impress upon them that we barely put any miles on our cars and hope that it makes a difference in the premium.
ReplyDeleteI have bought the same Rykas three times for my workout shoes, but now they were too old. So, I bought the new version of that sneaker, and they are NOT the same. I have to put my orthotics and metatarsal pads in just to get them to sort of fit, but the lateral support is terrible. I loved my Devotions. I am very sad. I just want to go to a store and try on shoes like the olddays.
DeleteWe're in a 3 day heatwave, but I have to say, overall, this has been a mild summer.
ReplyDeleteI have feet problems too and the shoe problem is real. They costs SO much now and there's no real way to know how they'll be over time,even if they feel good at first. I had found a pair that always work for me and bought several. The pair that i recently broke out of the box were killing my feet on my hike this weekend.
You are lucky in your part of the country. I have not looked into it, officially, but it feels like it's been hot too often. LOL! I had workout shoes that I loved, but the newer version is not working for me. I am sad because I did buy the old version until I could not.
DeleteCar insurance can be a pain. I live in the county, just outside of Windsor, but have lower insurance than if I lived in the city. Pretty silly, as I do most of my driving in the city. Sorry that you are still struggling to find a pair of shoes that work for you, Sam. I hope you get some success before your trip. Our temperatures have been high all summer and with the humidity, I don't spend a lot of time outside. I do get in the pool almost every day though. I hope you enjoy your upcoming books.
ReplyDeleteAt least if you have to be out in the heat, you can do it from the pool. Insurance is such a scam, but NJ has always been out of control price-wise. It's like one of the top states people are leaving because it's not affordable, and I am in the suburbs, not a city.
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