It’s Sunday once more and I am in an excellent mood. This is probably due to the fact I have had myself a long weekend, I’ve been off work since Thursday and I don’t have to go back until Tuesday! That kind of time away from the workplace would have cheered me up a bit simply for the break. But then, the weather here in the UK has been practically tropical (for us anyway) at 26°C so I’ve had my legs out sitting in the garden and generally basking in the sun (with a thick layer of sunscreen on and constantly moving to be in the shade). So, some might say I’ve had myself a sunny little holiday for one right in my back garden. I’ve been reading, spending time watching TV and generally enjoying myself.
More good news is the fact my mom and I have booked our holiday! That’s right, I have booked myself a sunny week away in Cyprus in September. Luckily for me, one of our directors at work is Greek-Cypriot so I will be grilling him for language tips so I don’t come across like the typical Brit abroad (saying things slower and louder in English and somehow thinking that will help people understand). I am very excited and cannot wait to start my holiday shopping so I have a suitcase of pretty clothes to wear. There are some historical sites nearby and plenty to do but also good beaches and a nice pool to sit next to. I will have a great time.
Now, I’ve talked about lots of cheery happy things but I am not unaware that this week began pretty terribly. I woke up Tuesday morning to the awful news of what happened in Manchester and I was in shock. I mean, there were just young kids there and teenagers out to have a good night. That is not the kind of thing you ever expect to happen! I couldn’t believe it and I think pretty much everyone was in shock. I mean, how do you even react to something like that? I am actually going to a concert next month and I know some people are saying they’re nervous to go to an arena but I say screw that because if you change your behaviour then terrorism wins, right? It’s been a shocking few days and every time you see more on the news you’re shaken but here are a few links to some articles to make you cry about how people are so good (and yes, out Queenie did wear a fab hat and go visit some victims of the attack who are still in hospital because she is lovely) and laugh because we’re British and we take the piss out of everything. So yes, it sucks but we’ll get by.
Now I feel like we’ve taken a very serious turn so shall we turn to books?
What I’ve Been Reading
I’ve had a decent reading week and I’ve actually been liking most of the books I’ve read. The Names They Gave Us was brilliant yet kind of not what I was expecting. That can be explored in the review, though. Taken by the Cowboy was one of the most ridiculous reads and it definitely had leanings to old school romance but it was so damn entertaining and I read it in a night. I’m glad I got it when it went on offer for free because it’s not often you get an enjoyable ridiculous romance, normally they just end up being bad. My second Nora Roberts read was a success. I mean, it’ll take me a lifetime to manage to catch up with all her releases but I may try. That Summer was a reread as I want to slowly reread all of Sarah Dessen’s books over the space of the summer, I think. It was never my favourite but it was enjoyable. Surrender the Dark was a good paranormal romance and yay for some decent disability rep, even if there was a magical aid to it. And now I’m reading Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda and it’s good so far.
New To Me
I probably have a few more new books than I should but as I swapped two old unwanted books to get a couple of these I’m not really all that made about it. The Night Circus I swapped for and as I’ve already read it I feel no guilt about getting myself a physical copy. I also swapped to get Wanderlove because it sounds like a fun YA and fine I would rather have a copy of Wanderlost because I’ve been wanting to read that since last year but I’ll take what I can get and it was on my TBR. Then a few Kindle purchases may have happened…. The Novice was a freebie as was Dissident (although I can’t remember where I first heard about that book so I can’t remember why I wanted to read it). Charged was 99p and I have the first and figured buying the next would motivate me to read (look, it’s romance I’m bound to like it). Lick is me buying myself a copy of a book I had to get through the library because I know I liked it but I can’t remember why. So really… I haven’t got that many new books as 2 replaced unwanted books on my shelves anyway.
And two more ARCs and I am so excited for Shattered Minds. I loved False Hearts last year (and will probably buy myself a copy of the hardback is as pretty as that one) but I cannot wait to read. I admit I’ll be rushed to read All The Secrets We Keep as I need to read the first one as well so it’s a busy start of June for me and my ARCs!
And that is my week, what have you been up to? Has anyone else had some nice weather to enjoy? What’s been your best book of this week?
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