I’m linking this post up to Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer’s Sunday Blog Share. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.
I’ve not had the best week in terms of my health, I’m still struggling to find the balance between controlling pain but not ending up feeling out of it on painkillers. The result at the moment is that I’m feeling quite awful all of the time, so my reading is suffering as I can’t concentrate on books for more than around ten minutes at a time.
I’ve had a good week in terms of blogging though. It’s made such a huge difference to me having my dictation software, I’m dictating just about everything now (even tweets & Facebook updates) so it’s great. Finally working out how to schedule posts in advance, and also how to schedule links to my blog posts to go out on social media using an app, has been a revelation. I’m managing my time better now and it’s been great this week that I’ve had posts up every day on my blog as it was all scheduled in advance during the short periods when I’ve felt a little better.
This week I’ve managed to read two books:
Peter and Alice by John Hogan
This is actually a play script but it was easy enough to read as it’s predominantly got just the two characters throughout. This a fictional conversation between Alice (who Alice in Wonderland was based on) and Peter (who Peter Pan was based on) and it’s fascinating. I bought this book a while ago but wish I’d read it sooner now as it was brilliant. I plan to review this on my blog quite soon.
In Too Deep by Samantha Hayes
I finished reading this very late on Friday night and so haven’t managed to review it yet but I will be doing very soon. I really enjoyed this book, it kept me hooked all the way through it.
I’ve blogged ten times this week:
Sunday: Weekly Wrap-Up Post
Monday: Q&A with Sherry Mayes (author of Stop the World)
Tuesday: Review of Dear Dad by Giselle Green
Wednesday: WWW Wednesday post
Thursday: Review of Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn
Announcement of the winner of The One-in-a-Million Boy giveaway
Friday: Review of When She Was Bad by Tammy Cohen
Blog post about Wonder Cruise by Ursula Bloom
Saturday: Stacking the Shelves post
Guest post by Rosy Stewart (Author of Hope: Stories from a Women’s Refuge)
Coming up on my blog this week:
Sunday: Weekly Wrap-Up (Sunday Post)
Monday: Q&A with Kayte Nunn (author of Rose’s Vintage) PLUS an international giveaway!
Tuesday: Review or Author Q&A/Interview
Wednesday: WWW Wednesday Post
Thursday: Review or Author Q&A/Interview
Friday: Review or Author Q&A/Interview
Saturday: Stacking the Shelves Post
This is what I’m currently reading:
The Midnight Watch by David Dyer
I treated myself to this book last week and couldn’t resist starting it the other day. It’s about the Titanic disaster but focuses on the Californian – the ship who was near enough to potentially help but they didn’t react. It’s a novel but has been very heavily researched. I’ve only read the first few chapters so far but it’s very good.
The Second Love of My Life by Victoria Walters
I’m very much enjoying this book, it’s brilliant. The only reason for me not finishing it sooner is due to me not being able to read much this week. I hope to read more of it very soon.
Shtum by Jem Lester
I’ve read the first third of this book but I’m not feeling very motivated to pick it back up, it just isn’t grabbing me at all.
Shame by Jasvinder Sanghera
This is non-fiction and whilst I know it’s probably going to be quite a tough read later on, at the moment it’s fascinating reading about the family dynamics and how they all got on before the problems started.
Wonder Cruise by Ursula Bloom
This book is wonderful. It was written in the 1930s and is about a spinster, Ann, who always listens to what her brother tells her and lives a very sheltered existence. Then one day she comes into a sum of money and on a whim books a cruise! I’ve only read the first few chapters but it’s such an enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to reading more when I feel better. If you want to know more about this book, I wrote a post about it on my blog yesterday – you can read that here.
Twisted River by Siobhan MacDonald
I only started reading this late last night so have only read a couple of chapters so far but I really want to read more of it as soon as I can. I’m on the blog tour for this book on Sunday so look out for my post then.
What have you been reading this week? Please feel free to link to your weekly wrap-up post, or if you don’t have a blog please share in the comments below! I love to hear what you’re all reading. 
RatherTooFondofBooks 
I really wanted to see the play Peter and Alice, didn’t know it was available in print! 🙂
I’d love to have seen it on stage too but it made for a good read. I hope you can find a copy and that you enjoy it. 🙂
Really hope you have a better week ahead healthwise. Thanks for continuing to blog about books even though you’re in pain – brave woman. All best
Thank you so much. I just take each day as it comes and make the best of it. Blogging gives me such a sense of achievement at the moment so I make a real effort to keep going even when I’m not doing so well.
I hope you feel better this upcoming week! And, wow, amazing job with the blog, very productive 🙂 Look forward to reading your thoughts on The Midnight Watch, I loved that book!
Thank you so much. I’m really enjoying The Midnight Watch so far, I hope to be able to read more of it today.
Hope you start feeling better soon! ♥♥ I’m glad this week went so well for you blogging wise! 10 posts in a week is impressive
Thank you so much. Now I’ve got my dictation software and have figured out my scheduling it’s made things so much easier for me.
I’m delighted you have had such a productive week bloggingwise – I’ve been able to visit your site regularly throughout the week and comment on your excellent articles:). I do hope it continues to give you the opportunity to share your reads – I am intrigued with ‘Peter and Alice’. In the meantime, thinking positive thoughts at you and wishing you a week with plenty of sunshine and books:).
Thank you so much. I always very much appreciate your comments on my posts. Peter and Alice is a short read but a very good one – I hope to review it soon. Hope you have a good week too.
Sorry to hear that you haven’t been well! I hope you can get a good balance of the medications etc soon. Great to hear you had a good blogging week though.
I’m intrigued by In Too Deep. It kinda looks familiar but I’m sure I haven’t read it!
Thank you so much. 🙂 In Too Deep was a really good read – I’ve scheduled my review for Tuesday. I read a review copy, it’s not out until 5th May so if you have read it, it would have been a recent review copy. I know Samantha Hayes has very similar covers on all of her books so it might be that you’ve read one of her other books.
I’m sorry the pain has had such an effect on you. It’s amazing you have been able to keep blogging.
Thank you. Blogging is my distraction from real life, it gives me a focus and a reason to keep going so it’s been really good for me.
I’m so glad. Thanks for liking my blog that’s very kind. I’ve suffered pain from a form of rheumatoid arthritis since my late teens. I admire your wonderful blog and your strength.
Thank you so much. I’m really sorry that you suffer with a lot of pain too, it’s hard when it’s bad isn’t it? I’m happy to follow your blog and am looking forward to reading more of your posts.
The Midnight Watch looks so good. I hope you are able to get the pain managed soon. Love that you are dictating social media..how awesome is that! Have a good week 🙂
Thanks so much. I know, it’s amazing to be able to dictate my tweets etc. 🙂 The Midnight Watch is so good, I hope to read more of it very soon.
Congratulations on making technology work for you in so many ways – I couldn’t blog without the scheduler – I simply don’t have time in the week!
Thank you, it’s been a revelation to me to discover all these things at once. I wish I’d taken the time to work out how to schedule posts before now because it makes such a massive difference.
The software sounds really good and even better if it makes your life easier. I like the sound of In Too Deep. Will look out for the review. Have a good week. Emma
The dictation software is brilliant, it’s making such a big difference in my life. In Too Deep was really good, I’ll be reviewing it this week. 🙂
I look forward to the review but think it will on the list!
Advance scheduling is nice, glad that is working for you. Sorry the reading not so much- hopefully this week is better!
In Too Deep looks good and Wonder Cruise sounds interesting too.
It’s made such a difference to me – without it I wouldn’t have blogged more than once this week as I’ve not had a good week. Thank you, I miss being able to get lost in a book but hopefully I’ll be back reading as normal soon. In Too Deep was really good and I’m still enjoying Wonder Cruise.
How awesome technology is! I’m glad you’ve been able to keep up the blogging despite the inconveniences. I need some of those app tips! Hopefully you get the medication and pain levels under control soon. Here’s to a good week!
This dictation software has made such a huge difference to me already, I wish I’d got it sooner. I’ll have to write a blog post about all the things I’ve learnt recently to help me schedule and organise my blog better. Thank you so much.
I’m sorry your health hasn’t been good, Hayley, it must be so hard to be in pain most of the time *hugs*
I’m really glad your dictation software is helping you with your blogging, though, and I’m sure you’ll be able to find a good way to schedule your post in advance… is it possible for you to have the WordPress editorial calendar? I use that, but I’m not sure it’s available for free wp blogs.
Your new books look really good, and I hope you’ll feel well enough to enjoy them this week.
Thank you so much, it’s not easy but I always try to make the best of every day. I’ve just found an app that helps me with my scheduling so I think I’ll find things easier from now on. Thanks for your suggestion as well, I will look into that. I’m always looking into anything that might help in any way. I’m looking forward to reading my new books. Hope you have a good week too.
Wow! You still got a lot of posts even not feeling well. I hope you’re feeling better this coming week.
Check out my Sunday Post
Thank you so much. I managed to get so many posts up this week as I finally worked out how to schedule in advance so most of my posts were written a few days before they were posted. I’ll go read your Sunday post now. 🙂
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