Rainy Day Ramblings

The Sunday Post 294th Edition

The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share all the news and highlights on your blog for the past and upcoming weeks. Head over to Kimberly's for details and to link up!

How can this be?? The last week of summer vacation already. I swear it feels like school just got out. It has been a busy summer for sure. This week we wrapped up swimming lessons, finished up the remodeling of the bedrooms and attended the Portland Street of Dreams, where you get to see expensive houses on tour. My son was dying to go. It was a fun activity. It has also been a week of running around getting last minute things done. I start my job this coming Monday. Yikes! It will be a new experience, but I am looking forward to continuing to work with the kids in a full time paid capacity instead of volunteering. I am also happy that I will be at the school every day, so I can see my kids, especially since this is going to be Risa's last year of elementary school! Where has the time gone? I remember when she started kindergarten and her music teacher told was talking to her about exciting things she would get to do if she spent all six years there. I thought six years sounded like a lot of time, but in reality, it has gone by in the blink of an eye. Don't talk to me about middle school......

This last week, we are going to kick back and relax a little bit and get all the last minute stuff done. I know many kids out there already started and many more start this coming week. Good luck to everyone, study hard and have a great year!

Okay, let's talk blogging stuff. Here is what went down on the blog last week:

Monday: Review: Chernobyl: The History of a Nuclear Catastrophe by Sernii Plokhy

 

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: Have you found a way to cut back significantly on your TBR pile?

Wednesday: Audiobook Review: Deviate by Jay Kristoff

 

Thursday: Review: The Empty Nesters by Carolyn Brown

 

Friday: Friday Forecast

Received for review:

Next week on the blog:

Monday: Review: Stealing Home by Becky Wallace

 

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday:Why do you read blog posts?

Wednesday: Audiobook Review: Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber

Thursday:vAudiobook  Review: The Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa

Friday: Friday Forecast

That's the report from sunny Portland, Oregon! Hope you have a fantastic weekend. 

Friday Forecast August 25th-31st

Alright folks, we have a reality check this week. We are headed into the last week of August. That means that the beginning of September is only a few days a way. September brings Labor Day, the traditional end to the summer season as well as the return of school for all of us here in Portland. Sigh.... time to make the most of these final summer days. Cram in all the fun you can! Soak up the sun. Grab a good book or two while you are at it. If you need a suggestion take a look at what is slated to hit shelves next week. (Click on covers for details).

Forecast August 25th-31st

 

Lots to pick from up there. 

Weather for Portland, Oregon:

Saturday: H 76 L 54 Sunny            Sunday: H 77 L 52 Sunny

After a little rain midweek, we are going to have a lovely weekend. It has been a pleasant summer in the Pacific Northwest! 

Review: The Empty Nesters by Carolyn Brown

 

 

Dear friends and army wives Diana, Carmen, and Joanie have been through war, rumors of war, marital problems, motherhood, fears, joy, and heartache. But none of the women are prepared when their daughters decide to enlist in the army together. Facing an empty nest won’t be easy. Especially for Carmen. With emotions already high, she suffers an even greater blow: divorce papers. Diana understands the fury and tears. She’s been there. With nothing to lose and no one at home, the girlfriends impulsively accept an unexpected offer from their elderly neighbor. The recently widowed Tootsie has an RV, a handsome nephew at the wheel, and an aim for tiny Scrap, Texas, to embrace memories of her late husband. Still grieving, she can use the company as a balm for her broken heart. So can the empty nesters. Embarking on a journey of hope, romance, and healing, Diana, Carmen, and Joanie are at a turning point in their lives. And with the open road ahead of them, it’s just the beginning. 
Paperback, 316 pages
Published: August 20th 2019 by Montlake Romance
Source: Publisher

Four stars: A delightful story about friendship, hope, love and overcoming grief. 

Army wives Diana, Carmen and Joanie are doing their best to staunch the flow of tears. They just said goodbye to their three daughters, who are headed to Basic Training. These three women know a thing or two about military life as they have all been married to career military men. Diana is still getting over her divorce even though it’s been five years, and the thought of an empty house makes her sad. Then disaster strikes when Carmen gets divorce papers in the mail. How could her husband do this to her without even talking to her? Luckily, Tootsie their elderly neighbor who was recently widowed comes to the rescue. Tootsie proposes that all four of them go on a trip in her new RV. Her handsome nephew, Luke, is willing to drive them. What could be better than a little time away to recharge?

What I Liked:

• Carolyn Brown delivers another heaping dose of comfort reading with her latest book: The Empty Nesters. I loved that this book was all about supportive friendships and overcoming grief and loss. Girl power for the win!
• The main focus of this book is on friendship and camaraderie. The four women over the years have forged a strong bond. They feel like family. When disaster strikes, the four drawn in close to help one another. I loved how these women looked out for one another. There is so much positivity and love in this one. The strong female friendships were so inspiring. I loved it. 
• I liked that each woman was dealing with a different problem. Tootsie was trying to cope with life after losing her long time husband. Carmen is reeling from her impending divorce, Diana is trying to find love after divorce, and Joanie is questioning the bonds of her own marriage. Each woman was in a different stage of a relationship, and I liked that. It was interesting to watch each woman grapple with her problem and overcome it the best she could. It was a joy to watch these women succeed. I was especially proud of Carmen and Tootsie. Carmen especially gets handed a nasty load to handle. She takes her anger and uses it to help her through. She is fierce and tough, and she comes out on the other side better off. Loved that. 
• Yes, there is a romance in this one. It wouldn’t be a Carolyn Brown book without one. I liked that the romance starts out as a friendship and slowly, slowly moves into the romance zone. There are some stumbles and some hesitation, but it all works in the end. It was delightful. 
• I loved all the coziness of this one. It takes place during fall, and I loved how the season was incorporated into the story. It is the perfect curl up with a good blanket book. It is full of all the lovely things that fall has to offer. 
• The ending is perfect. It catches it up with the characters a few weeks down the road, and everyone is in a good spot. I thought it ended on the right note. 

And The Not So Much:

• I was disappointed that we didn’t get to know Smokey a little better. He sounded like such an interesting and kind man. 
• I felt like the whole kid drama in the romance was a little forced and predictable, I knew exactly how it was going to play out. 

The Empty Nesters is the perfect read for fall. This one features four strong women bonded together thru friendship and love as they grapple with different issues in their relationships. I loved the focus on friendship and love. I also adored the cozy fall feel to this one. It is a lovely read. Grab this and cozy up on a fall day. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review. 

 

Audiobook Review: DEV1AT3 (Lifelike #2) by Jay Kristoff

 

 

Lemon Fresh has seen better days.
After the climactic battle in Babel, she finds herself separated from Ezekiel and Cricket in the wastelands. Lemon’s abilities to manipulate electricity mark her as a deviate, and deadly corporate operatives are hunting her to use as a weapon in the war between BioMaas Incorporated and Daedelus Technologies. Instead, Lemon finds herself falling in with a group of fellow deviates—a band of teenagers with astonishing abilities, led by an enigmatic figure known as the Major, who may hold the secrets to Lemon’s past. Meanwhile, Cricket finds himself in possession of the puritanical Brotherhood, a religious cult set for a head-on collision with the Major and his band. Searching for Lemon, Ezekiel finds a strange ally in an old enemy, and uncovers a plot that may see him reunited with his beloved Ana. And inside Babel, a remade Eve hatches a plan to bring an end to the world. 
Audible Audio, Unabridged Audiobook
Published June 25th 2019 by Listening Library
Source: Publisher

 

Four stars: Another thrilling bang up adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat. 

 

After the shocking events in Babel, the ragtag group of misfits grudgingly set out, leaving a confused and angry Eve behind. In the wastelands disaster strikes. Cricket’s battery unexpectedly dies, forcing Ezekiel to head back to Babel to retrieve another one. In the meantime, Lemon is stay put, until she doesn’t. The band soon finds itself separated. Lemon after a series of events, finds herself with a group of deviate teenagers like herself. Has she finally found a place to belong? Cricket finds himself in the possession of the maniacal Brotherhood. Can he return to his friends or will he die in the arena? Meanwhile, Ezekiel takes on the most unlikely of allies in hopes of recovering both Cricket and Lemon. Along the way, Ezekiel encounters his lifelike brothers and sisters who are hellbent on their own deadly mission. Will the gang reunite and live to see another week?

What I Liked:

• Ahh.... Mr. Kristoff you continue to impress me with your astounding, action packed works. I have been a fan of Mr. Kristoff since he debuted back in 2012. His books always deliver amazing worlds, fantastic characters and lots of action as well as a few gut punches. One is never bored with a Kristoff book, and this latest book is no exception. I raced through Deviate. Now when does the next one release? Have you read anything by Jay Kristoff yet?
• I adore the characters in this series. I especially liked that the main focus of Deviate was on Lemon Fresh, the snarky, adorable and spunky sidekick from book one. In this book, Lemon ends up on her own. She exercises her powers, makes new friends and she grows. Lemon is fantastic. Cricket also grows and evolves, I enjoyed watching him learn to work around the robotic laws. Ezekiel continues to impress me as well. His loyalties have changed, even if that puts him at odds with his lifelike siblings. I love that he follows his heart. This is one heck of a cast of characters!
• Even though I didn’t love that the group got separated, I enjoyed seeing each character go out on their own and have their own adventure. The book follows each character as they try and find their way back to each other, encountering new people, enduring harrowing experiences and lots of adventure. I enjoyed each view point. 
• As I mentioned, a Jay Kristoff book is never boring. This one is action packed from the get go. Prepare for terrifying scrapes, lots of battles and non stop action. There is rarely a moment to catch your breath in this one with all that is going on and the cliffhanger chapter endings. You will stay up well past your bedtime reading this one. 
• The world building is outstanding. Kristoff dumps the reader into a post apocalyptic United States. The landscape is harsh and unforgiving. The world is populated by religious fantastic and robots. It is a tough world, which provides the perfect backdrop for this thrilling series. 
• I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Erin Spencer. She does a phenomenal job with the voices. I especially love that she nails the sass and spunk of Lemon Fresh. Definitely grab the audio if you can.

And The Not So Much:

• Argh!! A big fat cliffhanger that leaves the reader hanging on the precipice, wondering the fate of the characters. I hated it! I need the next book stat!
• I was disappointed that Eve was a background player in this one. She makes a few appearances, but the story is more about the other three. Not to mention, I am not thrilled with the path she has chosen. I really loved Eve in the first book, this one, I could have done without her. I hope she returns to her former self in the third book. 
• I have read enough of Kristoff’s books to know that he isn’t afraid to throw in a few gut punches. This one is no exception. Prepare for some shocking betrayals and a loss or two. 

Deviate was a promising sophomore novel in a widely imaginative series. I enjoyed seeing my favorite group of ragtag characters grow and evolve as they each navigated the world on their own. This one packs in plenty of action and danger so you are never bored. Watch out for the nasty cliffhanger, the next book can’t release quick enough. If you haven’t read anything by Mr. Kristoff, you are in for a treat. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.

Read the series:

Tell Me Something Tuesday #199: Tackling the TBR

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your link to your post in the comments. 

 

Here is what we are talking about this week:

Have you found a way to cut back significantly on your TBR pile?

As a blogger, I am constantly researching books to add to my ever growing To Be Read Pile. Before blogging, I didn’t realize that a TBR pile could become a daunting task. It even caused me great stress for a few years. You see, I was always requesting books and taking on books for review. My TBR pile got way out of hand, to the point where my enthusiasm for reading was suffering. There is nothing worse than wanting to read a book you are dying to read, but you can’t find the time to read it because your TBR pile is full of obligations and deadlines that must be met. Seriously, I hardly read anything for enjoyment for five years. Then I got smart.....

I finally figured out how to cut back on that TBR pile. Here are some tips that worked for me.

Stop taking requests: I don’t know about you all, but I have a hard time saying no. When I first started blogging, I was thrilled to be asked to read and review books, I thought I was on my way to making it big. Ha ha.... then I learned. Taking on too many books made me an unhappy blogger. Not only was I constantly reading books for other people, but I wasn’t exactly loving what I was reading. So I finally got smart and stopped taking requests. I don’t answer solicitation emails anymore as my review policy clearly states I am no longer taking review requests. You would be amazed how much putting this in your review policy helps cut back the solicitous emails. 

Control Yourself: The lyric to an old school rap song runs through my head as I write this, “Check yourself before you wreck yourself!” How many of us made the mistake of going on Netgalley or Edelweiss and haphazardly requested books based on covers or buzz or synopsis or whatever....Guilty as charged! I got way out of control in my early years. I took on so many books, that I never dug out from under that pile. I finally learned to exercise some self control. I now refrain from going on those websites to avoid temptation, and before I request, I research the book to see if it is something I really want to read and review and if it will be a good fit for me. Learning restraint has made me a much happier reader and blogger. 

Use the Library: I think many of us bloggers got swept up in the privilege of having Advanced Reader’s Copies. There was something thrilling about having a book before everyone else. Thus, I quit utilizing the library. These days, instead of requesting ARCs, I put holds on the upcoming books I want to read at the library. That way, once they release, I can get an ebook copy or audiobook on my phone. There are still long waiting lists, but I don’t mind waiting as I always have something to read, and best of all there is no obligation. If I don’t like a library book, no big deal, walk away. No pressure to review. It is so freeing to be able to read a book without having a review hanging over my head. Most of the time, I still review the library books I am reading, but if I don’t want to, I don’t have to. Utilizing the library has been a game changer in controlling my TBR. 

Dejunk the Pile: I have seen many bloggers participating in memes where they sort through their TBR and evaluate books that have been in the stack awhile. Is the book something you still want to read? If not get rid of it. Whether it be an actual physical pile of books or an electronic list on Goodreads, or all the books on your Kindle. Take time to go through them every once in awhile and get rid of the books that no longer appeal to you. The same goes for your Netgalley requests. Go through your shelf and remove books that you tried and didn’t finish, or books that no longer appeal to you. Dejunking the pile makes you feel so much lighter. 

Research: Before adding any old book to the pile, take time to do some research. Read a few reviews to make sure the book will be a good fit for you. It pays to do a little reading on the book beforehand. Doing some research has saved me from reading a book or two that probably would have been a miss for me. Taking a more critical approach to what you read can significantly cut down on that pile. 

These are few of my new tried and true tips that have helped me significantly cut back on that towering TBR pile. I am reading more and more of what I want to read these days, and I am so much happier. 

What about you all, are you tackling that TBR pile and making progress?

Next week’s TMST: 

Why do you read blog posts?

For all of you who like to participate in TMST (no pressure) I sat down and wrote up questions through August 2020. If you want a copy to prep posts ahead of time, send me an email and I will shoot the questions over to you.