Saturday, July 19, 2014

This Week in Reading - July 20


It's Sunday so I'm linking up with the awesome Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer to talk about what's happened and what's going to happen.

What I Got:

NetGalley:



This week I didn't request any books!  I did happen to get approval for a request I put in ages ago and an invite for a middle grade that looks promising.

Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good by Kathleen Flinn
I'm so excited about this one.  I have her first 2 though I haven't read either of them despite all the raves.  I'm really looking forward to this one though.  Review should be up in August.

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm
This looks like a fun middle grade fiction involving a little boy who may or may not be the main character's grandfather.  It sounds like it will be an entertaining read.



Other:

The Cookbook Conspiracy by Kate Carlisle
Just one but I'm excited about this one as well.  I've really enjoyed this series and this one has cookbook in the title!  


Off the Blog:

I have learned a valuable lesson this gardening season.  If you don't know what one particular vegetable really looks like don't plant it near a vegetable that will look similar.  I planted regular cucumbers and then I planted Armenian cucumbers.  I've never actually seen an Armenian cucumber but they're supposed to be at their best when there at least a foot long whereas regular cucumbers would be spoilt.  There's been a lot of time looking at cucumbers figuring out if they're Armenian or not and I'm still not really sure.  On a positive side Golden Jubilee tomatoes are delicious!  My lunch these days has consisted of chopped up tomatoes with a little balsamic glaze and a couple of cubes of horseradish cheddar.  So tasty!

We had a food truck event in town last night and J, the Tornado and I went.  We had a fun time even though the line for the bacon truck was about a mile long so we ended up eating elsewhere.  

Soccer sign ups are this weekend and this will be Tornado's first year to play on a team.  He's so excited he can barely stand it.  Can't believe it's already soccer time because right after that is school time.

I've been enjoying listening to L.M. Montgomery's Anne of the Island.  It's one of my favorites and it's been fun to listen to it in audio format.  Not much going on TV-wise these days.  Seems like everything is on break though I am enjoying Major Crimes, Perception and Unforgettable.

COYER:

I've been really enjoying all the questions in the Facebook group even though I haven't been the best at consistently participating.  I'm so far behind on getting reviews plugged into the linkup that it's not even funny.  I've been making more room in my day to read and also have worked out a system for reviewing so I feel more on top of things which is half the battle.  The next readathon is Christmas in July which should be a lot of fun!  Even though I haven't made as much progress I feel more organized mentally so I'm calling it a win.

On the Blog:

This Week:

I didn't get everything I wanted to get done this week because it was the week of technical difficulties.  Here's what I did get posted:

A Bletchley Park Memoir review
My Top Ten TV shows which proved if I do nothing for a year but read and watch TV I might be slightly caught up on the things I want to read/watch
A fiction book that I thought was going to be a thriller about a woman who owned a bookstore but it ended up being about the woman figuring out who she is.  Still haven't figured out what I think of it.
The 1950s Non Series Agatha Christie book reviews.  The 1950s seem to have been her most consistent decade.
Excerpts from a fun paranormal cozy series that I hope to review next week
mystery that reminded me why I shouldn't request books just because they take place in bookstores
A fun middle grade fiction that I think would be a good read aloud book.

Coming Up:

The Top Ten Characters I'd want on a desert island which is going to be a tough one!
The usual excerpts from whatever I'm reading on Friday
My review for the new Julia London contemporary will be posted tomorrow
At least 2 more reviews
Hopefully a review of this month's Birchbox and a post regarding ratings guidelines.

19 comments:

  1. Oh, gardening! I only have a few plants and flowers on our patio (since we live in an apartment) and D calls it my "jungle." I have made it no secret to him that one of the main reasons I want to buy a house (not in a subdivision) is to do my own landscaping. Have fun figuring out those cucumbers! Can you look them up?

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's weird, when I see Armenian cukes in the store they are always about 6 inches long, narrow and shiny. The European cukes are really long. I don't grow anything to eat though! I did it for one or two years and then joined a CSA. Then two years ago I planted the most expensive tomatoes ever. Organic plants. soil, fertilizer. I think it came to about $5 a tomato.
    My post: http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/2014/07/sunday-june-20.html

    ReplyDelete
  3. I don't garden but that sounds like the sort of mistake I'd make. :D At least your tomatoes turned out well.

    I got the invite for the goldfish book too but I'll probably skip it.

    Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good isn't the type of book I usually read, but it sounds good. I'll be looking for your review.

    I haven't tried Golden Jubilee tomatoes, but maybe I'll plant them next year.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am filled with admiration - you garden! I do NOT have a green thumb. Even my flowerbeds are so full of weeds that my husband just mows them. (Yes, really.)

    Glad you got some books you're looking forward to!

    I may be MIA for much of this week and next because I've got a huge project due near the end of next week, but I'll try to visit once in a while! Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I really really love food trucks. Actually.. I love food. It does seem like EVERYTHING is on break on TV. Though I did start watching the Strain and that was really really good! I want to see your review on Birchbox!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. We have been enjoying food trucks too... were just on vacation and there was a TON. Some were quite good... I'm so behind on COYER too. Maybe this week... :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ha, I love the fact that you always fall for the bookstore angle in books (as I do myself) ... but sorry that it sometimes ends in disappointment.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I want the tomatoes you planted! Send me some. LOL :) And if there's a bacon truck in the area where I live or work, I'd fall in line for that too :) Last week's Top Ten Tuesday was really fun right? And I totally agree with you about the upcoming TTT. I'm actually starting to list down mine now and it's hard! :) But I'm looking forward to reading your list :) Have a great week ahead!

    ReplyDelete
  10. *sigh* Anne of the Island so brings back happy memories! I haven't touched that series in years, but I loved it as a girl. I'm chuckling about your cucumbers because I can see myself having done the same thing (I mean who wouldn't plant cucumbers together?) and would be having the same problem. I can just see y'all sitting there staring at them with pictures trying to figure it out :) Glad you're enjoying COYER - the FB group is turning out to be way better than I could have hoped so glad you're liking participating there. Have a good week :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lol, you don't want me in the garden. I'd see spiders everywhere >.<

    My Sunday 

    ReplyDelete
  12. Burnt Toast...etc., looks like a delightful book! Enjoy! And thanks for visiting my blog.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love the title of Burnt Toast. It makes me Lol.
    I love Middle Grade! And that one sounds so super fun. I'll have to check it.
    Hope you have a bit more luck with gardening this week. I don't know anything, so you're a whole bunch of steps in front of me.
    Happy reading!
    Brittany @ This is the Story of My(Reading) Life

    ReplyDelete
  14. Have fun with soccer!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm a little behind with linking up my COYER reviews as well and the questions on the facebook page have been fun. I'm hopeless with gardening myself but my kids want a veggie patch so I'll have to remember your advice.
    Have a great week.
    Sharon

    ReplyDelete
  16. Don't stress over getting two different types of cucumber confused - my knowledge of gardening and vegetables is so dodgy I still ask my mother what vegetables I'm about to eat and whether I like them or not even though I'm an adult.

    ReplyDelete
  17. "Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good" is such a good title! It makes me want to read the book. I hope you like it. :-)

    I hope Tornado enjoys playing soccer! We plan to enroll Mouse back in soccer in September--although she's still too young for team soccer just yet. She's been missing playing on Saturdays. For now, we're content with swim lessons (although, I can't wait until they are over and I don't have to rush to pick her up, rush her to get ready, and rush her to the pool).

    I hope you have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I planted cucumbers this summer -- my first try at them. Right now they are tiny, prickly babies. I've had a bumper crop of strawberries and jalapenos. Yum!

    Enjoy your NetGalley reads!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm so excited that Burnt Toast is on its way to me. I really enjoyed Flinn's first two books, especially Kitchen Counter Cooking School.

    ReplyDelete