Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway

 

I'm participating in the Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway this year, co-hosted by  Reading Reality and Caffeinated Reviewer.  If you're like me, you're not a fan of going out in the craziness that is Black Friday.  Unfortunately I have to work that morning.  Although, I much prefer opening instead of having to close and clean up the store after a crazy Black Friday shopping day.  I've got two prizes.  One is for the US only, you can choose 3 books from my Books for Trade piles.  I've included pictures below, but I'll send you more up to date ones after the giveaway ends, just in case I do any trading during that time.

I'm not leaving out the International people though!  My other prize is your choice of any book $10 or less from The Book Depository.  So, just click through the Rafflecopter below, and then when you're done entering my giveaway, be sure to check out the rest of the blogs participating in the Link-Up below that.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Sunday Post #91 and Stacking the Shelves October 28th, 2018

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted  @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.  Two weeks in a row!  Maybe I'm going to start fitting these in again. Who knows.  

Had my birthday dinners with both of my families this week.  Cupcakes with my mom, stepdad, brother, sister-in-law and niece and nephew.  Got a cute pumpkin my 6 year old niece decorated for me, as well as a sweet necklace that said Auntie Lisa on it.  I don't wear necklaces that much, but I'm going to try to wear this one more often.

Then at my dad's side, with him, my stepmom, one of my sister's and her boyfriend's son, we went to eat at Wahlburgers, although I was a little disappointed in how their service had gone down in the month they'd been open.  We had cake and played a strategy board game.  I got gift cards to AMC movie theaters as well as one to Barnes and Noble.  Fun!  Also, got to love this fun card from my sister!

Had a really busy last couple of week days in the library at the school where I work.  My co-librarian was presenting at the state librarians' conference, so I was alone, and one of those days was CRAZY!  Everyone needed to use the library at the same time.  Yet few realized how busy it would be.  

Today I went to the library and spent some time working on getting as much blogging done as I could, getting past due reviews done, 7 of them to be specific, so that I could get ready to start NaNoWriMo on Thursday.  I've got my story idea, just getting it all ready and organized for writing.

Here's what you might have missed on the blog this week:

• Blog Tours:  Love, Cutter by Michelle Jester (giveaway), Complete Me by Khardine Gray (giveaway), and Eight Steps to Alpha by Taylor Sullivan (giveaway)
• Can't Wait Wednesday:  Umbertouched (Rosemarked #2) by Livie Blackburne
• Cover Reveals:  One Chance, Fancy (The Bear Bottom Guardians MC #5) by Lani Lynn Vale, and OPERATION:  Get Holly Laid (A Holiday Fling novella) by Callie Vegas
• Reviews:  Six Adult Contemporary Romance Audiobook Mini-Reviews including - RoomHate by Penelope Ward, The Upside to Being Single by Emma Hart, Four Letter Word by J. Daniels, End Goal by Amy Daws, Screwmates by Kayti McGee, and Listen to Me by Kristen Proby,  Not for Me (The Windy City Chronicles #1) by Kat de Falla, and The Darkest Star (Origin #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout 

What's coming up this week on the blog, of course along with hopefully me having some writing time:

• Reviews:  I Bet You by Ilsa Madden-Mills, Kiss and Make Up series by Sara Ney, Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn  Barnes, Royally Yours by Emma Chase, Lucy by Anna Ambrose, and three adult romantic comedy mini-reviews - King of Code by C.D. Reiss, Royally Endowed by Emma  Chase, and Studly Period by Sarina Bowen
• Promo Posts:  Pierced by JA Huss and Johnathan McClain, Carols and Chaos by Cindy Anstey, Want (Ryder Brothers #2) by Kayti McGee, All We Want (Alabama Summer series) by J. Daniels - cover reveal

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  It is a way for us to share the new books we have collected.  Just a few to share this week.

Got this ARC in the mail this week from the publisher.  I hadn't heard about it before, but it sounds good, so I can't wait!

Not a great picture I guess.  Earlier last week I bought a couple books to help with my writing.  I'd constantly heard from authors at conventions that the book Save the Cat! was one that was great to help with writing, even thought it was for screenplays.  Recently one specifically for novels came out, so I bought it.  I also found a writing prompt for romance book at the same time, so bought it. Then today with my Barnes and Noble gift card, I was looking for a romance book to buy, and while I had an idea what I wanted, one of my coworkers recommended Intercepted, and since she and I have been gushing over how much we love the same books lately, I decided that was the one to pick up.  

That's my weekly wrap up and book haul for last week.  How was your last week?

Sunday Post #89 - I'm going to ALA in NOLA!!!!

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted  @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.   I haven't posted one of these since January!  Between being booked almost solid with tours and my own reviews, I also spent a lot of Sundays working this past spring at my part time job.  And while I could do these posts ahead and schedule them like I do most other posts, it just feels like I should actually write these on a Sunday.  A lot of things have gone on since January, obviously, but even beyond that, this coming week is one I've been waiting for and excited about since probably about that same time!  

I've been out of the classroom and in the library as a high school librarian for the past 5 years.  Before I got the job, I was teaching in Missouri, and attended several Missouri Association of School Librarian conferences, that were really great.  This year I'm going to attend the American Library Association Annual Convention, which is taking place in New Orleans!  Now, I've wanted to go to ALA for a long time.  I know that it's not just librarians who go, a lot of bloggers go as well.  But now, well I'm going as a librarian and a blogger.  I'm hoping to get a lot of good library resources, but have a feeling that all the author signings might draw me away from those actual sessions.  We'll see how it goes.  The reason I decided to go this year, is that it is taking place in New Orleans and I have a place to stay thanks to one of my friends from college.  Plus, it's NOLA!  If you haven't been, you totally should go at least once in your life.  And not just for the drinking and partying.  No, there is such great history and so many sights to see.  The first time I went, I got to go on a swamp tour, a plantation tour, and also did the tour of the cemetery where Voodoo queen Marie Laveau is.  While I know my days will be packed full with conference stuff, I look forward to peaceful evenings.  Hopefully one night will be dinner with a former colleague.  Another night hopefully dinner with my friend who is letting me stay in his place.  The other nights I'll probably wander the town,  or relax in my room, maybe get some writing done.

So, you should be prepared for maybe some impromptu posts from the convention.  If you're not following me on Twitter or Instagram, or even Facebook, I'll probably share stuff there as well, so go follow me.  Lisa Loves Literature on Facebook, buffywnabe on Twitter and Instagram.  

Some other happenings on my blog.  Well, first let's talk about my horrible progress on my Goodreads Reading Challenge.  I already dropped it down 5 books, back to what last year's goal was.  However, I'm still 16 books behind.  Not sure exactly why I'm not doing as well as last year. But that's okay.  I'm still reading a lot of good books I think!  

Instead of just doing a specific to last week list of posts, instead I think I'll leave you some links to some of my reviews I've done since my last Sunday post that I think you should check out, if you haven't yet, or maybe just some other fun posts.

• Drumline by Stacy Kestwick
•  Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia
• The Ex Lottery by Kim Sanders
•  Combust (Every Day Heroes #2) by K. Bromberg
•  Cake by Carmen Jenner
• Two Wedding Crashers (Dating by Numbers #2) by Meghan Quinn
•  Now a Major Motion Picture by Cori McCarthy
• Release Blitz with Review: Social Media Viral Sensation - Wait With Me by Amy Daws 
  
  

  • Discussion Post:  Book Blogger Woes

  •  Almost Jamie by Gina Robinson
  • A Prom to Remember by Sandy Hall
  • Three 5-star Adult Contemporary Romance Reviews
  • Bittersweet by Carmen Jenner and Lauren K. McKellar
  • After by Anna Todd Movie Casting News
  • Bad Romeo (Star-Crossed #1) by Leisa Rayven
  • Brave (A Wicked Trilogy #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
  • Aftermath by Kelley Armstrong
  • Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe by Preston Norton
  
  
  I'd do a Stacking the Shelves as part of this post, but that would be a ton of books as well.  Here are a couple cool ARCs I did get lately:
  
  
  
  

  
  

  And that doesn't include stuff I've bought for myself.  

  
  

  Anyway, I've got most of my posts scheduled to go up even while I'm out of town, so while I will be posting, just know I may not get back to replying to comments immediately. Although, honestly, I'm a bit behind lately because I'm no longer getting email notifications when I get new comments.  Need to figure that out I guess.

  
  

  Hope you had a great week, and that you  have a good one coming up!

Sunday Post #88 and Stacking the Shelves January 21st, 2017

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted  @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.  As I mentioned last time I did this, about two weeks ago, I think I want to try to start doing this post again.  Will just depend on time though.  I keep having some issues with either tours getting postponed, or finding that for some reason I wrote down a tour, but am not actually scheduled for it. So this week I'm ending up with three days that have nothing on them.  I won't stress if I don't have time to fill them in.

This week was not the greatest. We had Monday off for Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.  And then it was so cold on Tuesday that they cancelled school. So it was a three day week, which was nice.  We had a snow day the week before as well.  Friday, when I was taking my trash out, I did something to my back, twisted or sprained/strained a muscle.  It was so bad that I went to Urgent Care Friday afternoon. The doctor gave me a muscle relaxer and anti-inflammatory, and today I'm feeling a lot better. Still hurts though.  I didn't get much writing done last week. :-(  Not sure how much I'll get done this coming week either.   But I am hoping to get another sewing lesson from my mom.  Next weekend I'm scheduled to work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at my 2nd job.  Which sucks, because it means I won't have any days off after today for about two weeks.  We'll see if my back is all better by then, I may see about having someone take my hours if possible for one of those days.  

I've also found a couple new challenges I might join into.  One was a challenge that the faculty sponsor for our LGBTQ club at school set for them, it was to read 10 LGBTQ books this year.  I am going to count Meet Cute as one, and then read some others like by Adam Silvera, or the one that the movie Love, Simon is going to be based on.  The other challenge is one that I will have to see if I can fit in, and it is catching up on series, by reading one a month.  I have so many series I either have only read the first book in, or that I want to start, that I am thinking this would be a good one, if I can fit it.  If I decide to do it, I'll do a separate post just for that challenge.

Here's what you missed last week on my blog:

• Reviews:  Crazy, Sexy Notion by Sarah Darlington, Unconditionally by Erin Lyon (giveaway), Three Young Adult ARC Mini-Reviews:  Meet Cute, The Hazel Wood, and Love Hate and Other Filters.
• Promo Posts:  Always on My Mind by Ali Parker, Searching for Gertrude by D.E. Haggerty, Lions and Tigers and Boys by Tawny Stokes, Sugar Lump by Megan Gaudino, Musings of a Gossip Queen by Victoria Bright,  Arachnosaur by Richard Jeffries (giveaway), Pulse by K.E. Osborn, Midnight Blue by L.J. Shen, and On the Edge by Dani Collins (giveaway)
• Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books I Wanted to Read in 2017, But Didn't Get To
• Cover Reveals:  Caution on Ice by S.R. Grey, Midnight Blue by L.J. Shen, To New Beginnings by Corinne Mazille, and Recovered by Jay Crownover
• Can't Wait Wednesday:  The Lantern's Ember by Colleen Houck

Coming up this week on my blog:

• Review:  Americanized by Sara Saedi
• Promos:  XO Zach by Kendall Ryan, Dear Dwayne, With Love by Eliza Gordon, Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann, and Neesa by Dina Haynes
• Can't Wait Wednesday
• Possible reviews:  Dark Wild Night by Christina Lauren, On the Plus Side by Alison Bliss, Without Merit by Colleen Hoover, Miss Me Not by Tiffany King, Friends Without Benefits by Penny Reid, Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia, and Three Blind Dates by Meghan Quinn

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  It is a way for us to share the new books we have collected.  I have a few I've collected the last two weeks.  Here they are:

Both of these were sent from the publisher for me to review.  

I won these two books from Take Me Away to a Great Read.  

Another book from the publisher.

I won this book from a giveaway on Facebook!

I had already received an ARC of this to read, but the publisher sent me a finished copy as well!  I'll be sure to add this finished copy to my school library where I work.

Also from the publisher.

I've got a lot to read as you can see!  It's been a great couple of weeks for free books. The really good thing is that I didn't buy any of these.  :-)

How was your week?  What did you add to your shelves this week?