TSS: Being Sick

This past week was a very quiet one here on the blog. My daughter and I both came down with a terrible cold early in the week and it just did us in. I found myself crawling into bed while she was napping because I didn't have much energy for anything else.

The only good thing about being sick was that I got a lot of reading done.  Among the long list of bad things about being sick was that nothing else got done and I'm now very behind in my reviewing.  I'm hoping that means that I'll have plenty scheduled for the next couple of weeks if I can get up the energy to actually write the posts.  So here are a few things to look forward to:

Books I Read and Need to Review:

• The Pilgrim Glass by Julie K. Rose
• The Seventeen Second Miracle by Jason F. Wright
• Tales from the Yoga Studio by Rain Mitchell

Next Up To Read:  Mothers and Daughters by Rae Meadows

Outside the Library Reviews:

• Educator.com
• Spring cleaning products from SC Johnson

and on Thursday, we will be celebrating St. Patrick's Day with the Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop!


Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

TSS: Reading Slump

I've hit another reading slump in the last couple of weeks.  It isn't that I don't have the time to read or that I'm not in the mood to read.  I've simply been too tired.  Every so often I go through a period of insomnia and the nights have been bad lately.  I am a worrier by nature and in the quiet of the night my brain sometimes goes into over drive.  During these times none of the usual suggestions for sleep help all that much so I end up exhausted during the day.  The good thing is that these periods seem to have a time limit and then I go back to sleeping fairly normally.  I'm hoping that I'm through the worst of this one.  Needless to say my reading has suffered because I've simply been too tired to concentrate.

Here is a quick rundown of what has been and will be happening:

Read but needs review:  Qigong Illustrated by Christina J. Barea - I finished this one last week but have been too tired to write a well thought out review.

Currently Reading:  Traitor to the Blood by Barb & J. C. Hendee (Noble Dead, series 1, book 4) - I'm hoping to finish this one today or tomorrow and have it reviewed sometime later this week.

Up Next:  Absolutely, Positively by Heather Webber (Lucy Valentine 3) just showed up at the library for me.  I'll probably pick it up tomorrow but I'm not letting myself start reading until I get the other two reviews written.

Books for Review:

• The Pilgrim Glass by Julie K. Rose
• The Seventeen Second Miracle by Jason F. Wright
• Tales from the Yoga Studio by Rain Michell

I won't be requesting any more books from the library until I get at least a couple of these reviewed.  Not to mention the two shelves on our bedroom bookshelf that are packed with books I already own and want to read.

I love that I will never run out of books that I want to read but sometimes I do with I could read faster so I wouldn't feel so far behind all the time!

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

TSS: New Bookstore Affiliates

I have never been comfortable with sales.  I hated selling girl scout cookies as a kid or doing any kind of fundraiser.  I always feel bad asking people to buy something.  It is even harder now because I know how many people are struggling financially.  So when I think about making a little money from my blog I am a bit torn.  There is the feeling that reading and reviewing is something that I am doing because I enjoy it so I shouldn't be thinking about earning any money.  Then there is the idea that I am a stay at home mom with essentially no income except the money that I make from taking surveys so earning at least enough money to cover the cost of shipping out books would really help.  Anything more than that would be a bonus.

So after much thought, I've decided to join some bookstore affiliate programs and just put them out there.  I'm not asking you to purchase anything but if you are interested in any of the books (or other things) that I review, I would really appreciate it if you would consider using one of my links if you decide to make a purchase.



I've been an Amazon.com affiliate for quite a while now.  I've earned a little money but honestly, it has been a pretty small amount.  And that is totally okay!  I never expected to make bundles from this *wink*

I know not everyone likes to shop at Amazon though so I've added some additional options:





IndieBound connects you with a local, independent bookstore which is always a great shopping option!



And I finally have an option for my international readers:




I will be adding direct links at the end of each review for the stores that have the book for purchase.  I also have links for each of these stores, on my right sidebar.  I do not plan to fill the blog with advertising but I wanted to offer my readers some relevant shopping options.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

TSS: Making Progress...

Welcome to The Sunday Salon, a place for readers and book lovers to come together to escape into our books for a bit.  Each Sunday, we set aside some time to read and to discuss that reading, our reading throughout the past week, and other events in our lives.  Please join in the discussion here and take some time to visit some of the over 500 bloggers who participate.

In my last Sunday Salon post, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with the number of books facing me.  Three library books came in at the same time and of course two of them could not be renewed.  Plus I received a couple of books for review.  I'm very pleased to say that I've gotten some reading done and some reviews written!

Even though I had completed You Already Know How to Be Great by Alan Fine before I wrote my last Sunday Salon post, it took me quite a while to write the review.  I think a good part of my hesitation was feeling unqualified to review the book after I read it.  I have no background in business and, in part, the book felt more like a business book than a personal self-help type book.

I've completed two more books since then.  A review of Thief of Lives by Barb & J. C. Hendee is scheduled to go up Monday and I'll be writing up my review of Grave Witch by Kalayna Price tonight to post on Wednesday.

Next book up is Sister of the Dead by Barb & J. C. Hendee.  I've been enjoying the Noble Dead saga as it is a real change of pace from the urban fantasy I've been reading for the last few years.  I still have two review books waiting in the wings, along with my personal to read shelf but I feel like I've made some forward progress.

Current Giveaway:  November Book Giveaway (ends 11/27, US only)

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

TSS: Reading Schedule

Welcome to The Sunday Salon, a place for readers and book lovers to come together to escape into our books for a bit.  Each Sunday, we set aside some time to read and to discuss that reading, our reading throughout the past week, and other events in our lives.  Please join in the discussion here and take some time to visit some of the over 500 bloggers who participate.

Last week I really thought I had my reading under control.  I didn't have review books or library books piled up and I was thinking I could just choose a book off my shelves to read.  So I grabbed The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks.  I was having a hard time getting into that one but I knew it was just the mood I was in and not the book itself.  So I set it aside and started reading You Already Know How to Be Great by Alan Fine, which I'd received for review.  I wasn't sure this was going to be a great choice since it is non-fiction but it gave me a lot to think about and I did finish it.  Now I just have to get the review written so look for that coming sometime this week.

My husband threw a wrench in my reading plan when he let me know he had requested the third book of the Noble Dead Saga (First Series) by Barb and J. C. Hendee through inter-library loan.  This created a problem for me because I haven't read the second book in that series yet!  I didn't want to have to request Sister of the Dead through inter-library loan a second time so I figured I'd better request Thief of Lives from the local library so I could read that and have the next book when Daniel finishes with it.  Of course I got Thief of Lives at the same time that Grave Witch by Kalayana Price showed up at the library for me and Sister of the Dead came in for Daniel.  Now I have all these books to read and there is a time limit on getting it done!

I also received Infinite Quest by John Edward for review so I'll have to squeeze that one in somewhere.  The Book Pushers sent me Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin after I won a copy in the Jennifer Rardin Tribute Giveaway.  Although I have never read one of Jennifer's books, the loss of an author is always a sobering event.  I am glad that I will have the opportunity to enjoy her book, although at this point I'm not sure when it will make it into the reading rotation.

I'm pretty sure I have at least one more book for review heading my way but at least that one just has to be finished before December 15.  I'm really hoping that is a deadline I can handle!

Do you generally find yourself with the freedom to choose your next book based on what you want to read?  Or are you just trying to keep ahead of the review books and library books?  For me, it seems to vary from the one extreme to the other with very few times of balance between them.

If you haven't entered my October Giveaway (US only) yet, better do so soon because it ends October 27.  Check out the Prize Page to see what you can win.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

TSS: Slowing Down?

Welcome to The Sunday Salon, a place for readers and book lovers to come together to escape into our books for a bit.  Each Sunday, we set aside some time to read and to discuss that reading, our reading throughout the past week, and other events in our lives.  Please join in the discussion here and take some time to visit some of the over 500 bloggers who participate.

How did it get to be almost the middle of October already?!  This year seems to be flying by.  I've been off to a really slow start on the blog this month and I don't see it picking up any time soon.  Once we hit September my life seems to be pretty crazy until the end of the year.   Between birthdays, our wedding anniversary, and the holidays, I don't have a huge amount of time for reading.  This time of year means a lot of trips to Michigan to see family.  These trips are wonderful but exhausting.

I can't believe I haven't even reviewed a book yet this month.  According to my list on Goodreads, I've only finished two books so far.  Here is a mini-review for The Christmas Chronicles: The Legend of Santa Claus by Tim Slover: 

This was a cute story about how the legend of Santa Claus developed over time. The end gets a little preachy about the meaning of Christmas and how greed and commerce have taken over the season but it was a fun story overall. A short book, it can easily be read in a day or two.

The Christmas Chronicles is such a short book that I just don't have much to say about it.  The official release date is November 2, 2010.  I received this book from the First Reads program on Goodreads with the expectation that I would provide my honest review.

Look for my review of Annexed by Sharon Dogar coming tomorrow.

Since Sunday is now the day of football at our house and the Indianapolis Colts are playing right now, I should have some reading time this afternoon.  The plan is to start The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks and alternate that with You Already Know How to Be Great by Alan Fine.

I hope you all have a great week!

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

TSS: Library Girl Rambles...

Welcome to The Sunday Salon, a place for readers and book lovers to come together to escape into our books for a bit.  Each Sunday, we set aside some time to read and to discuss that reading, our reading throughout the past week, and other events in our lives.  Please join in the discussion here and take some time to visit some of the over 500 bloggers who participate.

One of my blogging goals this year was to be more consistent in my Sunday Salon posts.  I have failed miserably at meeting this goal!  I think I've finally caught on that weekends are not a great time for me to blog.  I'm either spending lots of time with my family, catching up on the things that need doing around the house, or I'm out of town.

So instead of beating myself up about my inability to commit to one single day of posting, I'm considering starting a new feature.  My idea is to have a post every so often (notice I'm not committing myself to a schedule here!) that goes beyond what I'm reading and reviewing and lets you into my life a bit more.  These posts could be about anything from introducing you to other hobbies, my favorite non-book related blogs and websites, or even product reviews.  I'm thinking of calling it Outside the Library so the posts would be easy to spot.  Now the big question is would anyone be interested in this feature?  Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts, I really want to hear them!

Back to books for a moment, it has been over a week since I've posted a review.  I actually finished The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown but decided not to review it.  The issue isn't that I'm lacking in thoughts about the book.  I actually have so many thoughts bouncing around in my head that I'm not sure I could get them written down in a way that would make any sense.

Today I finished Cheap Cabernet by Cathie Beck so look for a review coming sometime this week.  I have a feeling that this review will be difficult to write because I have a pretty strong opinion on the book but I'm thinking my opinion is not going to match the popular one.

I also have a couple non-fiction books checked out from the library but those have been slow going and I probably won't review them.  I'm really not sure what I'll pick off my shelf to read next - it is such a different feeling to be able to choose instead of moving right on to the next review book.

My current giveaway to win a book from the Prize Page is open until September 26 (US only).

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

TSS: Another Vacation!

Elizabeth and I are heading to Michigan tomorrow.  We're going to see my mom, some family friends, and some other relatives.  It will be fun to take her to Lake Michigan again especially since I didn't think we were going to make it up there this year.  I actually got to go up when I was pregnant with her and then this picture is us on the beach last summer.  Last year most of her beach experience was taking a nap under a tent and her daddy dipping her toes in the water a little.  This year, I may be chasing her all over the beach though!

I'll be gone for a week (or maybe more!) and I'm actually not taking my laptop with me.  The place we stay doesn't have internet access and barely has cell phone service most of the time.  It is really nice to get away from everything for a while there and just relax.  I do have a couple of posts scheduled and I'm hoping to get one more written up before I leave so you probably won't even know I'm gone.  The only big thing will be that comments won't be approved for days at a time.  I might be able to check in while I'm at my aunt and uncle's but I'm not promising anything.

Now to get this post back on to things reading related here are the books I'm taking with me:

The Promise of Lumby by Gail Fraser
Kitty Goes to War by Carrie Vaughn
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

My guess is that the only reading time I will have will be when Elizabeth is napping so I'm not sure how far I'll get with any of these.

Here are the reviews I've done since my last Sunday Salon post:

Mind Games by Carolyn Crane
The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
Haley Randolph Mysteries by Dorothy Howell
Juliet by Anne Fortier

Upcoming Reviews:

Twice Dead by Kalayna Price
Changes (The Dresden Files #12) by Jim Butcher

Current Giveaway:

Win a book from the Prize Page in the August Giveaway (ends 8/25, US only)

I hope you all have a great week!

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

TSS: Series or Stand Alone?

Welcome to The Sunday Salon, a place for readers and book lovers to come together to escape into our books for a bit.  Each Sunday, we set aside some time to read and to discuss that reading, our reading throughout the past week, and other events in our lives.  Please join in the discussion here and take some time to visit some of the over 500 bloggers who participate.

My reading has been totally sporadic this summer.  It will take me forever to finish one book and then suddenly I'll have time to read again and two or three books will be read within a few days.  Unfortunately, this reading schedule or lack of one also means that content for the blog is pretty irregular.  I don't want to put up a lot of 'filler' content or overload on the memes and hops so some days there just isn't anything new around here.

Today, I actually have a topic I've been musing on for a bit though.  Are most of the books you read in a series or are they stand alone titles?  I have quite a bit of both and I enjoy both for different reasons.  I have noticed though that most of the books that we buy are books that continue a series we already own.  If I want to read a stand alone title, I'm more apt to borrow it from the library.  I think this purchasing divide comes about because I am already invested in the books in a series.  I know the characters, I know the author's style, and I know that I am most likely going to really enjoy the book.  Stand alone books are more of an unknown quantity for me unless I've already read other books by the same author.  I tend not to take too many risks with my money and that includes purchasing a book that I am not sure I will really like.  Unless a stand alone title is absolutely phenomenal, I don't tend to re-read them.  Often I will re-read series books to remind myself of the story when a new book comes out, especially if it has been a while since I've read that series.

As far as reading goes, I enjoy series books because I feel that I get to know the characters better as I watch them grow and develop over time.  With a stand alone title, the reader only gets a brief glimpse into certain moments in a character's life but multiple books allows the author to expand so much more.  On the other hand, it is sometimes nice to read a stand alone book and not have to think about any additional background or remember events from previous books.  I think stand alone books can also delve into some subject matter that might not be a good fit for a series.

Anyway, enough of my random ramblings on the subject.  I'd love to hear some of your thoughts!

Currently Reading:  Mind Games by Carolyn Crane

Recent Reviews (link to review):
Dark and Stormy Knights edited by P.N. Elrod
The Language of Secrets by Dianne Dixon
Lumby's Bounty by Gail Fraser

Need to Review:  Handbags and Homicide by Dorothy Howell

Current Giveaways:
July 2010 Giveaway (USA only) ends 7/26
$70 CSN Stores Giveaway (US and Canada) ends 7/31

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

TSS: Moving Week

Welcome to The Sunday Salon, a place for readers and book lovers to come together to escape into our books for a bit.  Each Sunday, we set aside some time to read and to discuss that reading, our reading throughout the past week, and other events in our lives.  Please join in the discussion here and take some time to visit some of the over 500 bloggers who participate.

The big news here is that it is moving week!  If you've read some of my recent Sunday Salon posts you might remember that we recently closed on our new house.  All of the work was finished up by Wednesday afternoon so now we can start moving our stuff in.  This weekend has been spent packing boxes, installing appliances, and cleaning up the new house.  Our apartment is full of boxes, both full and empty.  Every trip to the new house means another load moved from one place into the other.  Next weekend we plan to have movers come to take all the large furniture and any of the other boxes that are left.

All of our books are packed so the only reading I'll be doing this week is reading stories with my daughter.  I finally gave up on getting my book from the library because it had been on hold (and in transit) for probably three weeks with no sign of showing up in time for me to read it before moving.  At this point, I don't know when we will have out Internet turned off here or turned on at the new house.  All of this means the blog will be very quiet for a while - probably two weeks or more.  It will take us a bit of time to get everything settled in at the new house and get back into our routines.

I will be choosing the winner for my April giveaway this week but since those books got packed as well, it may take me some time to get the book mailed out.  I'm hoping to still do a May giveaway but it may go up a bit later in the month than usual.

I hope you have a wonderful week!

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

The Sunday Salon April 11, 2010

Welcome to The Sunday Salon, a place for readers and book lovers to come together to escape into our books for a bit.  Each Sunday, we set aside some time to read and to discuss that reading, our reading throughout the past week, and other events in our lives.  Please join in the discussion here and take some time to visit some of the over 500 bloggers who participate.  I admit to not being as regular in my participation as I would like to be but that is one of my goals for improving on my blog this year.

The biggest news for me right now is that we are closing on the new house tomorrow! I am really excited about this but nervous at the same time.  We've crunched all the numbers but I still wonder if we can really afford this without me having to go back to work.  I'm a worrier though so I'm pretty sure I would feel that way no matter what the loan amount.  It will still be a few weeks before we can move in because we are having a bit of work done first.  The house will have almost all new flooring and the inside will be completely painted before we move in.  We also needed to get all new appliances since the former owners (the house was a foreclosure) took them when they moved out.  We will be really close to the schools and the library is right down the road.  It isn't a big library but it is part of a larger library system so I'm hoping we will be able to request the materials we want from other branches.  It also looks like they have a great childrens' area and maybe even a play group that my daughter and I can participate in.  We've heard really good things about the neighborhood and it has seemed very nice every time we have gone down to see the house.  I am really looking forward to having more space!

I don't generally do an In My Mailbox or What are you Reading type post each week because they would be pretty boring.  I don't get books too often in the mail and at most it is one or two in a week - not really enough to bother with a whole post about it.  Same with the What are you Reading posts - I'm generally only reading one book at a time or at the most one fiction and one non-fiction.  This past week though we finally got our Barnes & Noble order from January.  My husband and I had received several gift cards for Christmas and decided to do just one big order to use them.  The result was that we pre-ordered a bunch of books in our favorite series and Barnes & Noble held the entire order until they were all released.  I can't promise that I'll get around to reviewing any of these books in the very near future with the move coming up but the majority of them will probably be reviewed on here at some point.

Books Received this Week:

Changes by Jim Butcher (Book 12 of The Dresden Files)

Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher (Book 4 of The Codex Alera)

Princeps' Fury by Jim Butcher (Book 5 of The Codex Alera)

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson Book 5)

Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison (The Hollows/Rachel Morgan Book 8)

Divine Misdemeanors by Laurell K. Hamilton (Meredith Gentry Book 8)

Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton (Anita Blake Book 18)

At The Gates of Darkness by Raymond E. Fiest (Book 2 of The Demonwar Saga)

The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson (Book 12 of The Wheel of Time)

This week, I'm going to be focusing on Longbourn's Unexpected Matchmaker by Emma Hox.  The book officially comes out on Thursday so look for my review then.  I'm about halfway through right now and I'm really enjoying the book so far!  Tomorrow will start a giveaway with a chance to win your own copy.  I'll also have some information about Jane Austen and a Q & A with Emma Hox this week.

Last week I read and reviewed The Power of Half by Kevin and Hannah Salwen.  I admit to being skeptical as I started the book but it ended up being a very inspiring read for me and got me thinking about some issues in new ways.  Also my April Giveaway is up and running for US residents.  Deadline is April 28, 2010.

I hope you are enjoying your Sunday.  What are you up to this week?

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.