The Sunday Post is hosted by the wonderful Kimberly, the Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week, take a look ahead, and showcase our new treasures—I mean books!
This week I’m also participating in The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz, and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality.
The Past Week
In real life: We drove home over three days (Monday–Wednesday.) It was hard to leave, but also good to get home. I spent what was left of the week unpacking, doing laundry, catching up on email, and trying to bring some sort of organization to my various plans and goals for the next few months. I set up my planner for January, and cross-checked and updated my calendars through June.
This afternoon, there’s a Zoom get-together for members of my college light opera group. We’re hoping to make it a monthly gathering. This was my main friend group during my college years, and I’m looking forward to spending an hour or two with them.
In reading life: I created my spreadsheets to organize and track my reading and book acquisition in 2024. I checked NetGalley and Edelweiss and requested a few ARCs. I set up my 2024 challenges in UBB (Ultimate Book Blogger plugin), and wrote a review for next week.
Going forward, I’m going to try to set up review posts for books I’m currently reading, so I can add my thoughts as I go along. My idea is to make writing and posting the review less daunting and time-consuming, once I finish the book. I’ve tried this before and fallen off the wagon, so we’ll see how it goes! This week, I set up posts for the books I’m currently reading and listening to.
Recent Posts
- Sunday Post – New Year’s Eve, 12/31/023
- My Favorite Books of 2023
- Sunday Post – 1/07/2024 – this post
Looking Ahead
- The Night Island, by Jayne Ann Krentz – review
- My Most Anticipated New Releases: January–June 2024 – Top Ten Tuesday
- Phasers on Stun! by Ryan Britt – audiobook review
- Always Remember, by Mary Balogh – review
- News & Notes – 1/13/2024
- Sunday Post – 1/14/2024
The Backlist Reader Challenge
It’s not too late to sign up for The Backlist Reader Challenge 2024! If you’re looking for a challenge to help you tackle all those books that have been languishing on your TBR pile (or list) forever, check out this challenge.
What I’ve Been Reading/Watching
Reading: I finished rereading Aunt Dimity and the Duke by Nancy Atherton and Winter Solstice by Rosalind Pilcher (reviewed 2015.) I also speed-reread The Night Island (Jayne Ann Krents; ARC) to write my upcoming review for this week’s blog tour. And I continued reading A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft (also an ARC.)
Listening to: On our drive home, we finished up Phasers on Stun, by Ryan Britt (review scheduled), and started Roma Agrawal’s Nuts & Bolts: Seven Small Inventions That Changed The World (in a Big Way). Once home, I began listening to Why Fish Don’t Exist: A Story of Life, Loss, and the Hidden Order of Life, by Lulu Miller.
Playing: NYT games Wordle, Connections, and the Spelling Bee; Pokémon Go; Azul.
Watching: Not much, just a few episodes of Late Night with Stephen Colbert.
Added to the Hoard
For Review or Consideration
Many thanks to William Morrow for The Book of Doors!
Purchased or Free (Kindle, print, or audio)
Kindle: Sweetwater and the Witch; Sweet Starfire; Let It Be Love
(Click title for Goodreads page or my review.)
Anne - Books of My Heart
It’s fun to travel and great to be home, but there is some catchup on laundry and groceries. What you suggested works great for me – I set up the post “shell” when I get the ARC so all I have to do is fill in usually right after I read a book. I hope it works better for you.
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
Anne – Books of My Heart recently posted…Midnight by Amy McCulloch @amymcculloch @doubledaybooks @sophiarose1816
Lark_Bookwyrm
Yes… because I had so much work to do before we left, I left the house in a bit of a mess, too. So I have quite a bit of catching up to do! But I’m nearly caught up on the laundry now, at least, and mostly unpacked as well. I’m glad to hear that setting up posts ahead of time works well for you. I hadn’t thought to set them up as soon as the ARC comes in, but that makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the idea!
Haze @ The Book Haze
I really, really, should sign up for The Backlist Reading Challenge because my TBR is just ridiculous right now, but I’m already doing nine challenges and my brain is breaking at the thought of another one, but also, the FOMO! Arggh!
The Book of Doors look amazing, by the way! Totally just judging by the cover, but yeah.
Haze @ The Book Haze recently posted…Sunday Post | A Very Book Blog-ish Week
Lark_Bookwyrm
You can combine The Backlist Reading Challenge with other challenges, but I totally understand feeling like one more challenge is one too many. I cut back on a few of my challenges this year, and just kept the ones that I most need, or that keep me engaged with other bloggers who have become friends. Do what works best for you, and let go of the FOMO. 🙂
Haze @ The Book Haze
I love that, I agree about just keeping the ones that you most need and that keep you engaged with blogger friends. I’m making all sorts of rookie mistakes but definitely finding out what works for me and what doesn’t in the process!
Haze @ The Book Haze recently posted…Sunday Post | A Very Book Blog-ish Week
Lark_Bookwyrm
Discovering what works for you is a never-ending process, because we’re always growing and changing and learning new things. 🙂
Nicky @ The Bibliophibian
I should look at challenges in the UBB… I’ve only used it for a little while and I’m not used to everything it can do! Such a great plug-in though.
Hope you enjoy the new books!
Nicky @ The Bibliophibian recently posted…Stacking the Shelves & The Sunday Post
Lark_Bookwyrm
It’s a fantastic plug-in; I love it!
Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits
Welcome home! No matter where I go when I travel, and how much fun I’m having there, there’s always something nice about coming home. (And a huge part of it is getting to sleep on my own pillows again. 😉 )
It sounds like your plan to have review drafts in progress is a good one. I hope it helps!
Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits recently posted…Linkity to start the New Year
Lark_Bookwyrm
Thank you! I love traveling, especially staying with Robin or other family, but home is familiar and comfortable—especially one’s own bed.
Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews
I signed up again for the Backlist Reader Challenge. I didn’t finish last year, but I’m hoping this year will be better.
Have a great week!
Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews recently posted…Awww Mondays
Lark_Bookwyrm
I’m so glad you’re joining us again! To be honest, I didn’t meet my goal last year, either, but it reminds me to keep going on those older books.
Jill
Good luck with your challenges. Have a great week!
Jill
http://www.allthebooksihaventread.com/
Lark_Bookwyrm
Thank you; and you too!
Katherine
I have Winter Solstice on my list to read this year. I’ve meant to reread it for years but never quite managed it. I really liked The Night Island though it was definitely a bit bonkers. I like your idea of reviewing as you go along. So often I think that I need to make a note of something but by the time I finish the book I’ve completely forgotten about it. I hope you’re having a great week!
Katherine recently posted…Death at a Scottish Wedding – Cozy Mystery Review
Lark_Bookwyrm
Winter Solstice is a lovely, comforting read. It’s probably my favorite of Pilcher’s books, and that’s saying something. As for The Night Island… “a bit bonkers” is a good description of most of Krentz’s paranormal thriller plots (under any of her pen names), but they’re always fun!