So, it has been a couple of weeks since I blogged. Wait, that sounds a little like a bloggers anonymous confession but if there is one thing that I haven't been in the last few weeks it is addicted to blogging.
I am in a bit of a strange headspace at the moment, not only in relation to blogging but that is part of it. I am actually not sure exactly what is going on in there. For example. this week I bought a dress. I don't do dresses normally, and I especially don't go to the shop and buy a dress when I don't have somewhere to wear it! And now I am stuck wondering where the heck I am going to wear this dress that I have now paid good money for! Not sure if mentally I am just preparing for changes in my life even if I don't necessarily know what they might be or what. It kind of ties in with some things that are happening at work too. Maybe it is a mentally getting ready for the holidays thing or something. Who knows!
Speaking of holidays, if you are interested in the Virtual Advent tour it is happening this year. Look out for the sign up details in the next week or so. I think we are still looking for someone to make a button for the Virtual Advent tour so if you can help let me know. I also need one for next year's Historical Fiction Reading Challenge so any help with that would be gratefully accepted too!
As well as not blogging, I am also finding odd things happening in my reading. I would have said that I am not a very seasonal reader but I am beginning to see that every couple of years in November I seem to crave reading contemporary romances. I am sure that it has something to do with being alone still after all this time but I am alone all year round and I can normally intersperse the romances with other reads, but not at this point in my reading cycle!
On my ereader I am reading a book that I am really enjoying, but I have been reading it for the best part of 3 weeks, and it was a book I was supposed to have reviewed 3 weeks ago too. When I am reading it, I am liking it a lot but as soon as I put it down, that's it, I won't necessarily pick it up for another week or more! Another example of my odd headspace... I am several books behind on updating my Books spreadsheets. And I forgot to put up this week's Library Loot post. Neither of those things have ever happened before! Very unusual behaviour for me. It's all a bit confusing really.
Anyway, here's what I read in October. There's is still a fair number of books read, but if you take the three audiobooks out it isn't quite as much as normal. And yes, I know it is a bit weird seeing one audiobook on the list twice but honestly, I loved that book soo much. In fact, if you counted all the bigts that I listened to multiple times rather than from beginning to end you would probably get another whole book read. Now I am thinking that maybe I should reborrow that audiobook again.....maybe.
No Place Like Home by Caroline Overington 4/5 (AWWC)
A Clash of Kings by George R R Martin 4/5 (audiobook)
The Longing by Candice Bruce 4.5/5 (AWWC)
Weak at the Knees by Jo Kessel 3.5/5
The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta 5/5 (audiobook) (AWWC)
Colossus: The Four Emperors by David Blixt 3.5/5
The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta 5/5 (audiobook/reread)
Lady Luck's Map of Vegas by Barbara Samuels 3.5/5
Leave Me Breathless by Cherrie Lynn 4/5 (reread)
Banquet of Lies by Michelle Diener 4/5 (AWWC)
Holding out for a Hero by Amy Andrews 4/5 (AWWC)
Rumor Has It by Jill Shalvis 4.5/5
One Sweet Ride by Jaci Burton 3.5/5
Sydney Harbor Hospital: Luca's Bad Girl by Amy Andrews 4/5 (AWWC)
In terms of challenges, several of the books I have read count for the Australian Women Writers Challenge (AWWC) and I have highlighted them above. In addition, The Longing counts towards my participation in the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge too.
Now that I have started a post, it seems that I can't stop writing, and I haven't even mentioned my afternoon at the Untitled festival which is hosted by one of the library systems here. The session I attended today featured Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Project, Paddy O'Reilly who wrote A Fine Colour of Rust and Lesley Jorgensen, author of Cat and Fiddle. I will try and post about this next week as it was a very enjoyable session.
Currently ReadingA Divided Inheritance by Deborah Swift, listening to A Storm of Swords by George R R Martin
Up Next
No idea. I should probably check my library account and see what is due next.
Glad to know that things are good with you but that you're just going through something or other -- I thought maybe you were going to disappear like so many have. Although I'm still blogging, I'm not around to chat as much as I used to be and I miss that. Hoping this is all a temporary phase for all of us.
ReplyDeleteI am certainly not intending to disappear but sometimes that just happens! I am definitely not around as much on Twitter. I am mainly on there Thursdays nights for #spbkchat. I do miss it, but don't seem to have inclination to just hang around and wait for someone interesting to come along anymore.
DeleteI went looking around for the Virtual Advent info yesterday. Happy to know you are planning to sponsor it again. It's my favorite blog-gish December activity.
ReplyDeleteNow to think about what I want to share this year!
I am just waiting to hear back from Kelly. Hopefully the post will be up shortly.
DeleteI think we all get into those blogging funks from time to time...and sometimes quite often, but I've learned through communities like The Sunday Salon, it helps to get back on my feet.
ReplyDeleteI hope so. This is the most sustained blogging funk I have had since I started 8 years ago!
DeleteIve seen you post on Facebook so I knew you were still around :) Let me know if you need help to create a badge for either events, I can whip something up for you :)
ReplyDelete