Weekly Rewind
The new books on my shelves, the links I loved, and my week in a nutshell.
Since I started this blog I've participated in Stacking the Shelves, which is a weekly feature hosted by Tyngas Reviews, and I'm going to continue linking to that meme. Throughout my student teaching semester I was using my weekend post as a way to let people know what's going on in my life, so I've decided to rename my weekend post because this feature is more personal than just what books I've received. The Weekly Rewind will be about what's going on with me and my blog, as well as about the books I've added to my shelves, and the links I've enjoyed over the past week from other blogs and the interwebs in general.
My Life and Blog
Life: This week was pretty uneventful. I've been sick all week, so have mostly just been on my couch watching bad TV. I can't explain why, but I just cannot read when I'm sick. It's silly because I'm not doing anything, but I just can't do it. I had a couple of sub jobs scheduled, but had to cancel both.
The girl I was supposed to start training accepted a different job which is kind of good for me as it means I'll hopefully be able to hold on to my job for a couple extra weeks. I'll be fine while school is in session as I could pick up sub jobs every day if I need, but I'm worried about the summer months. We'll see. I'm sure everything will work out.
So how's Spring going for you all so far? It's snowing as I type this, so that's awesome. When will it be warm??? I need to move south, I think.
On the blog front:
- Monday: Sick
- Tuesday: I've all but stopped doing TTT posts, but I can't resist the semi-annual Books Topping My TBR Lists.
- Wednesday: I'm waiting on The Doubt Factory which looks intriguing and has a very Andy Warhol-ish cover.
- Thursday: Sick and especially lazy. I watched a lot of hours of ID TV. Like, an embarrassing amount.
- Friday: A film review for Joseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut Don Jon.
New books:
I have some pretty awesome titles to share with you this week. So without further adieu, I hope you are all having awesome weekends.
Review Books
Sekret by Lindsay Smith
I'm so intrigued by the concept of this novel that follows a girl with special powers in Soviet Russia who is captured by the KGB, but the execution isn't quite as good as it could be. I read about 40% of so before getting bored and picking something else up instead. I need to finish it this week. It might pick up in the second half. Has anybody read this one?
The Last Forever by Deb Caletti
After her mom dies, a girl and her father take a road trip to the coastal town where her grandmother lives and falls in love. I've never actually read a Deb Caletti book despite owning, like, 4.
Salvage by Alexandra Duncan
In the future a girl escapes a space ship in favor of a floating continent in the Pacific Ocean. This star-ratings from my GR friends have been pretty dismal which makes me wary about picking up this 500 + page novel.
Cold Calls by Charles Benoit
Per GR: In the vein of
the teen suspense classics I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Face
on the Milk Carton, Cold Calls is a chilling thriller, an unsettling
mystery, and a provocative exploration of bullying, culpability, and the
cost of keeping secrets.
The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
A novel about a book store owner whose wife has died and a bookseller. It's getting great reviews so far.
What I snagged from the library
Split Second by Kasie West
Finally! I cannot wait to dive into this Pivot Point sequel.
The Mirk and Midnight Hour by Jane Nickerson
Based on the fairytale Tam Lin (which I have to admit I'm not familiar with) and set in Mississippi and something about voodoo. Sounds pretty interesting.
Insanity by Susan Vaught
Three interconnected stories about an insane asylum. Any American Horror Story fans? Is there anything spookier than an asylum?
Link Love
From Blogs:
- The blog Stacked had a guest post by author Corey Ann Haydu which looked at YA Sex Scenes and Feminism and such and is pretty awesome.
- Gillian from Writer of Wrong talked about Disney Princess Tags.
- Going to BEA this year? The Irish Banana Has These Tips for You. I soooo wish I was going. Hopefully next year.
- Publisher's Weekly posted The Ten Worst Boyfriends in High School Literature.
- Huffington Post shared some pretty awesome news about my favorite Childhood Cartoon.
- For my fellow teachers (or you young 'uns who read my blog) this NY Times article about How High School Should Start Later is pretty interesting.
I loved Split Second! I also have Salvage and have been dying to get to it. I love futuristic stories involving a decimated Earth.
ReplyDeleteMy Stack
Wait...Salvage is 500+ pages??! DANG. I have my eye on that book but huge amounts of pages scare me. And I haven't seen many raving reviews either. Still, it'll be awesome to know what you think of it. But GET BETTER SOON. Eh, I hate that sick-feeling-ness when I don't feel sick enough to mope in bed, but that's all I feel like doing. I don't read when I'm sick either. :(
ReplyDeleteI can never read when I feel really sick. I generally put on some dvds to fall asleep to instead! I hope you feel better soon. I'm having a good reading spell just now but I do feel a cold coming on so I better take advantage of my reading now in case it gets worse!
ReplyDeleteI really want to read Sekret at some point since I'm really interested in the whole Soviet espionage stuff. The Pivot Point series is also something I should probably read since I've loved Kasie West's contemporary novels.
ReplyDeleteNew stalker, hi! Sorry you've been sick, I'm the same and can't read. I usually just sit and complain loudly about how I'm going to die at any moment. I've open most of the links you posted in new tabs and going to start going through them all, particularly interesting in the one about YA Sex Scenes and Feminism.
ReplyDelete★ Under The Mountain ★
Salvage and The Last Forever have been on my radar. Looking forward to hearing what you think about both. I hope you feel better soon! Enjoy all of your books!
ReplyDeleteSucks that you were sick, I really hope that you are feeling better!
ReplyDeleteMissie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
I hope you're feeling better. I really enjoyed Split Second. I hope you like it too.
ReplyDeleteI recently read Cold Calls and enjoyed it. The Storied Life of AJ Fikry looks really good, I'll have to check it out! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteMy StS
Ooh, some of these covers are really intriguing. Hope you enjoy them!
ReplyDeleteI loved Salvage, so hopefully you will too. I thought it was so well done. Split Second…so glad you got that one! Have fun reading! ~Pam
ReplyDeleteI got bored with Sekret too. I put it on hold and I'm hoping it'll pick up once I decided to read it again. I need to get Mirk and Midnight because I've been excited about that one for some time.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your lovely books!
Nick - My Haul
Split Second is a GREAT book! I hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteYou poor thing, I hope this week is a lot better for you. I too don't read a lot when sick, it takes too much effort to concentrate.
ReplyDeleteSekret sounds awesome!
Great haul. I was quite interested in Salvage but the really bad ratings and 500+ page length has really put me off. I think I might have to seriously avoid that one. I hope you enjoy all of your books :) My STS.
ReplyDeleteAwesome haul!! I really like the sound of Sekret and Salvage. I hope you enjoy all your reads.
ReplyDeleteHere is my STS
Have a great week. :)
I hope you're feeling better today. I've been MIA on the blogging world as well simply because I can't seem to find a balance between work and my hobbies. Anyway, you've gotten some pretty awesome books this week, I hope you'll enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI can't really read when I'm sick, either. Or when my kiddo is sick, which she has been for the last five days. Sorry you've not been feeling well! I don't have many of your new books on my list this week, but I did read Split Second...it was a pretty awesome sequel! Hope you enjoy all your new reads!
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