Sunday Post #2 - December 24, 2017

Work has still been crazy! It's not showing signs of slowing down either. This last week I finalized 2 reports which took entirely too long to do. Our Marketing Department at work is also in the midst of basically an overhaul on a lot of the advertisements they have, so a co-worker and I have had our hands full reviewing the advertisements. It seems they are just flying in on fighter jets or something because they come at us so fast. Get one overhauled piece reviewed, there's another one waiting in the wings. Plus there are the regularly scheduled advertisements.

It didn't help I got a cold on Tuesday. Thank goodness I seem to have kicked it already. I still have a stuffed up nose, but at least I can breathe most of the time. I'm not filling my trash cans with used Kleenex. (Eeewww.) Then our dog got sick as well on Wednesday. So he is now on drugs I have to give him with each meal. My husband is currently the only person in our house not sick yet. (Crap, need to go knock on some wood now. Hope I did that in time, wouldn't want to have hexed it.)

So, COYER has been going for one week now, and I haven't finished one book yet! I haven't picked up my eBook at all. I did start My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni in audiobook format. The eBook I think I've been trying to finish for like 2 months now is Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller. I feel like I'm barely into it and it's still calling my name, I just haven't been able to pick it up at all. I'm getting quite frustrated about it too. Of course, if I hadn't watched YouTube videos while having breakfast, I could have read a few more pages at least. I'm going to go rectify this and go read some while I still can before the madness of the holidays fully hits (we still have presents to wrap 🤪).

Recapping Last Week
Tuesday - December 21, 2017: Book Review - The Secret Garden
Saturday - December 9, 2017: YouTube - 2017 Reading Wrap Up & 2018 Reading Goals

Coming This Week
Tuesday - December 26, 2017 - Top 5 Favorite Books Read in 2017
Saturday - December 16, 2017 - YouTube: 5 Book Releases I'm Most Looking Forward To

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at The Caffeinated Reviewer.

You can find me on Twitter, Goodreads, YouTube, and Facebook.

Book Review: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Title: The Secret Garden
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Format: audiobook (Audible)
Narrator: Victoria McGee
Publisher: Trout Lake Media

As a child I was given a movie version of The Secret Garden. I watched it over and over and over again. As an adult I found out the movie was based on a book and I decided I wanted to read it, and I finally did.

While reading this book I kept thinking back to the movie I continuously watched when I was younger. This book brought back all kinds of memories.

The story follows a young girl who was spoiled growing up because her parents didn't want her, and didn't want to hear her crying. The servants in charge of her care gave her anything she wanted for fear of her mother. Then a great sickness hits the village and the household including her parents are killed, somehow she survives and is taken to her guardian's.

Life at her guardian's house is not much better. The house is a mansion with hundreds of rooms not in use, but she is not able to explore any of them. She is to stay in her room or go play outside, but there are also really no toys. There is also a weird howling that can be heard in the house from time to time. She's told it's nothing but the wind, but she knows better.

The howling turns out to be a cousin of hers, but he doesn't walk. He's been sickly and has refused to even try. The two end up helping each other grow and become better.

It's interesting how the two work off each other, and help each other grow. The friends they make along the way are great too. The friends even help them learn to make friends and show them things about themselves they would have never realized because they have both been given basically everything they ask for in fear of their tantrums.

The amount of growth they each go through in such a short time is amazing. And their growth even helps the guardian's view of life. Her guardian is a hunchback and doesn't see much point in life since his wife died giving birth. He also doesn't give much attention to his son since he reminds him of his wife.

This is an excellent classic book, and I would recommend you check it out.

You can find me on Twitter, Goodreads, YouTube, and Facebook.

The COYER Winter Switch Reading Challenge

I recently found of a reading challenge called COYER - Clean Out Your E-Reader. Coming up they are having a new challenge, running from December 16, 2017 - March 9, 2018. For this challenge you can choose either the regular COYER or doing COYER Switch which has 3 different components to it. You can read more about COYER over at coyerchallenge.com. I will be doing the Switch, and I'm going to try to focus on ebooks although you can also listen to audiobooks, except it's my ebooks that are piling up...figuratively speaking of course since ebooks are hard to physically pile.

From December 16, 2017 - January 12, 2018, is the first part of the COYER Switch. For this first part I will be doing The List. For this challenge I will be making a list of probably closer to 15 books, even though you can have up to 30 on your list. I don't read fast though, and while I know the electronic pile of books is tall, I don't want to feel overwhelmed. I'm very competitive and know I would push to read all 30 books that started on the list. For each 5 books you read from your list though, you can add 5 more. I feel this would be enough to give me options for reading.

The next run for the COYER Switch is January 13, 2018 - February 9, 2018. For this I will be doing The One with a Twist. This is easy enough, read any book, any price, obtained any legal way. The twist is sticking to one format. My focus will be ebooks, but this means any audiobooks I listen to won't count for this part of the challenge.

Finally, I will be doing the Strict, from February 10, 2018 - March 9, 2018. I chose this one for last because the books you read can not be borrowed from anyone or anyplace, or Kindle Unlimited, and need to be under $5.00. Many of the books I picture reading, or would like to read, are ones I've had for years such as Snow like Ashes. I know I did not purchase Snow like Ashes for under $5.00, but there are likely several that are. Since many of the books were purchased because they were free, $1.99, or $2.99. I'm not sure I know which all of these books are, so I need to allow myself plenty of time to go through my purchase history and make sure the books I read were purchased for less than $5.00.

You can follow me on my social media accounts to see how I'm doing. I'll also check in from time to time here on the blog. :-)

You can find me on Twitter, Goodreads, YouTube, and Facebook.

Sunday Post #1 - December 10, 2017

Work has been crazy! I haven't even been able to listen to an audiobook while working. I've been trying to go full force to get all the projects we have before the end of the year. Thankfully there's only a few left, but the year doesn't have long before it's gone either! Things got complicated when one of my coworkers lost her mother. Needless to say, she has been understandably not coming in. However, since her and I work most closely, I've been trying to be her in her absence. I don't know how she does it all. I've had a seriously hard time filling her shoes and have been bringing work home so I haven't been able to do a lot of reading.

My husband also got the crazy idea, now that it's freaking freezing, to paint our master bedroom. The house is a bit of a disaster area due to this, and as I've been doing most of the painting it's been hard to read. I'm grateful for the help I've received painting, but when someone is helping, it's hard to listen to an audiobook because there is usually a conversation that starts. (sigh) Being social is hard when there are hundreds of books calling my name. (I do think I am now up to 100 books I own and haven't read; if I'm not there I'm sure I'm close.)

Recapping Last Week
Sunday - December 3, 2017: YouTube - November Whimsify Box Unboxing
Tuesday - December 5, 2017: Book Review Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters
Saturday - December 9, 2017: YouTube - NaNoWriMo 2017 Vlog

Coming This Week
Tuesday - December 12, 2017 - COYER Winter Switch challenge announcement
Thursday - December 14,  2017 - Book Review (?) (This has not been set in stone and is subject to having time to finish a book...)
Saturday - December 16, 2017 - YouTube Top 5 New To Me Authors of 2017

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at The Caffeinated Reviewer.

You can find me on Twitter, Goodreads, YouTube, and Facebook.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Title: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters
Author: Rick Riordan
Format: audiobook (Playster)
Narrator: Jesse Bernstein
Publisher: Listening Library

Camp Half-Blood is in trouble. The tree is dying, it's been poisoned. No one knows how to cure it. Without the tree, the protection the half-bloods have at Camp Half-Blood won't be there and they will be susceptible to attacks.

The leader of Camp Half-Blood has been replaced by someone who seems to not care the camp is dying and in serious trouble. Percy and Annabeth suggest a quest, but the quest goes to the camp bully, Clarisse.

Hermes has other plans, and encourages Percy, Annabeth, and Percy's newly found half-brother, Tyson, sneak out of camp and thanks to the fates who took them to camp, head off to the Bermuda Triangle.

Additionally, Percy is having dreams about Grover being in trouble. It turns out, Grover is being held captive exactly where Percy and Annabeth are heading, to obtain an item that can cure the tree and restore balance to the camp.

I found this story entertaining, and loved the chapter headings. There is humor throughout. This book, just like the first, will make you laugh. It may also make you think about your family and how you treat them...Percy has some issues with Tyson being claimed by his father Poseidon. Tyson is a Cyclops and no on at camp really accepts Tyson and calls him a monster; because Cyclops are monsters.

If you pick up this book, you will not be disappointed. There will be a smile on your face, and plenty of laughter to be had. I gave this book 4/5 stars.


You can find me on Twitter, Goodreads, YouTube, and Facebook.

Book Review: Secondborn by Amy A Bartol

Title: Secondborn (Secondborn #1)
Author: Amy A Bartol
Format: audiobook via Audible
Narrator: Kate Reinders
Publisher: Brilliance Audio

This is one of those books, where after you finish the book, you scream nooo, and reach out like your 5 years old and all you need to do is reach far enough for more. Unfortunately, we have to wait for next year to get more, as the second book of the series isn't set to come out until April of 2018.

Amy A. Bartol does have other series out, and after reading this I will be checking them out sometime. Since this year is almost over, they may wait until next year though.

In the Secondborn universe, you can only have 2 children. Your first born takes you family name and family responsibilities. Your a Senator, your first child will take over as Senator. The second child is given up to fight a war. If your first child dies, the second will take over as your first. You can apply to be able to have a third, but you may not be approved to have another child.

Roselle is the second born daughter of The Sword, her mother runs the Sword faction. The Sword faction, as you can probably guess is good at fighting. Roselle's life has been televised since she was little, many want to be her, but this doesn't save her from her transition day. The day she is turned over to the government and becomes a soldier just like every other second born child.

Roselle is smarter than she looks, and she would make a far better Sword than her brother, or even her mother. This can be seen by her resourcefulness to overcome obstacles and get out of certain circumstances. Even Roselle though needs some help. On her transition day, on her way to the check in, her train is attacked. She is taken the rest of the way by a group of Secondborn soldiers. One of them turns out to be a love interest. Not right away, but he does help break her out and guide her on what things mean; such as someone asking for personal lessons from her, doesn't mean they want to see and learn her fighting abilities.

Roselle gets into some pretty tight and sticky situations, and it doesn't help a census agent is now watching her every move. He is ruthless and enjoys causing harm to others. He was a second born, but killed his older sibling. Now his parents have no choice but to accept him. His parents allow him to work in census hoping he will get over the urges he feels to cause others harm.

There is also a Rose Society developing, wanting to keep her alive and trying to move things to their favor to keep her from being killed. Something her mother would love, because she feels Roselle's existence threatens her first born. Her mother thinks Roselle is out to be the Sword, and if she could would kill her brother. This can't be further from the truth.

Roselle's life is not her own as everyone seems to have their own idea of where she would fit best, even if it means her death. Roselle is smart and cunning and manages to wiggle through, and stay alive.

I swear when I finished this book I started to scream. I had to quickly muffle my scream since I finished the book at home, but while my husband was sleeping. He wouldn't have understood if I suddenly screamed over a book. It was hard to rate this, knee jerk after finishing was to give it full stars, but I also don't feel a need to reread, or throw the book in everyone's hands. The action was never edge of your seat action, and even when things got hairy there was an element of calm. With that, I am giving this 4 stars out of 5.

You can find me on Twitter, Goodreads, YouTube, and Facebook.

Book Review: Until Tuesday by Luis Carlos Montalvan

Title: Until Tuesday
Authors: Luis Carlos Montalvan and Bret Witter
Format: eBook
Publisher: Hachette Books

Until Tuesday is both motivational and inspirational without being specifically a self help book or religious.

This is the story of Former Captain Luis Carlos Montalvan and a Golden Retriever named Tuesday. Tuesday is a service dog who ended up needing some help of his own after his experiences growing up as a puppy. He was part of a program called Puppies Behind Bars where people convicted of a crime and serving time in prison can train a dog to be a service dog. Each dog has to know certain tricks so they can help someone.

Tuesday went through a few trainers at the beginning through no fault of his own. His first trainer from Puppies Behind Bars was paroled, and from there once he learned all the tricks he needed from one trainer he moved to the next until finally being paired with Former Captain Luis Carlos Montalvan. Luis was injured in Iraq plus suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The two then slowly begin to help heal each other's wounds.

The book is well written, beginning with Tuesday in his puppy years and what he went through, and then goes to Luis and his first tour in Iraq. From there he leads right into his pairing with Tuesday and everything just flows together.

Reading about what this pair has been through and how hard they have fought to be where they are gives you strength to get through the day. Luis talks about his struggle with people not believing Tuesday is a service dog because most think a service dog only helps the blind. So he is continuously kicked out of stores and restaurants. People not seeing Tuesday as a service dog even messes with a date Luis goes on, as the bus driver did not want to let him on thinking Tuesday was a pet, and then the restaurant he took his date to, the greeter did not want to let him in because of the health risks.

What these people don't know is the daily grooming he must do for Tuesday so that he can take Tuesday in all these establishments. He even talks about one of the people who received their service dog the same time he did, and how they almost lost their dog because  it was believed they weren't taking good enough care of the dog.

This book is great for readers of all ages, it doesn't matter what genre is your favorite. You will love this book.

You can find me on Twitter, Goodreads, YouTube, and Facebook.