Sunday Post 31; It's Monday, What are you reading? 19

The Sunday Post - a kind of virtual coffee shop/water cooler - is hosted by Kimba here: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ and It's Monday! is now hosted by Kathryn at http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/

Let's see ... last week wasn't anything particularly extraordinary, I don't think. We did get a new car, and my entire involvement was "It's fine but I'm not making the payments and also I'm not filling out any paperwork". I bloody hate paperwork. But I will admit it was getting to the point with our other car where it had more problems than anything. So. New car. It's nice. It has all kinds of unnecessary bells and whistles, as new cars seem to.

It's a black Toyota Wish, if anyone is into that sort of thing. :)

Work was. It was work. Neither terrible nor outstanding, and honestly, that's absolutely fine with me.

Spawn and I went to the Bill Richardson Transport Museum on Saturday, which is just across the road from us. We had lunch at the very busy cafe there, and roamed about looking at trucks and things. I built some Lego in the Lego room. After we came home, we watched Prince of Egypt and... I built more Lego - lol.

I went to my stitch-and-watch friend's on Saturday night and picked away at the peonies that are up in my rotation at the moment. We also watched four episodes of The Night Manager, and good golly gosh darn, it's really, really good.

I started Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb, book two of the Farseer Trilogy, in my quest to make this year the Year of the Series (don't ask me how it's going)and so far it's ... well, I'm 43 pages in, so I can't say.

I also finished Lock In by John Scalzi yesterday, which I enjoyed, but found a bit confusing.

I'm going to do a short reviews post this week, and I also have a kind of ... musing on sanctuary post that I've written but haven't put up yet.

For this week, well, there's work, and spawn is back at school after the holidays. I'm hoping to get some reading and maybe some stitching done before Saturday.

That's about it, really.

What about you? What's up in your world?

What are you reading?

Sunday Post 30; It's Monday, What are you reading? 18

The Sunday Post is hosted here by Kimba: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ and It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Kathryn here: http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/

Ugh, I had a Week, last week. Work went terribly all week, and my right eye swelled up so much it pushed my eyebrow up. First week of the school holidays, too. Still. Onwards, right?

Right.

So I spent a lot of my down time playing Dragon Age and Trying Not to Think About Work (which always goes about as well as can be expected.)

Come Saturday, and I took spawn into town because I needed to go to the library. So we went to the movies as well (Zootopia, it was a lot of fun) and of course, as always, to the gaming store. (Yes, I'm a pushover. I know.)

I dug more into The Casual Vacancy on Saturday, and pep-talked myself into going out to my stitch and watch friend's house, as we hadn't had a stitch and watch session for various reasons for about three weeks. However, I had had such a Week, that by 9.30pm I was ready to come home. I shuffled about, made a hot chocolate, watched a repeat of Face Off and was in bed by 11.20pm. It was bliss - lol.

I finished The Casual Vacancy today, and also read issue five of Dragon Age; Magekiller yesterday so I'm slowly clawing back the numbers on my goodreads challenge. Very slowly.

I really enjoyed The Casual Vacancy, and also Magekiller 5, and will try and do a review post this week. I'm also going to try and do a sanctuary thingies post if I remember. Ambition thy name is ... well, not me but you know.

I ordered some books from book depository, so I'm waiting for those to trickle in, and I'm contemplating another order because someone described Black Wolves by Kate Elliott as Persuasion meets Dragon Age so clearly I need to order Persuasion Dragon Age as those are two of my favourite things.

This week will hopefully be better at work, and I have tomorrow off as it's Anzac Day here, and therefore a stat.

I plan to spend it reading Locked In by John Scalzi, playing Dragon Age, and maybe doing some stitching.

What about you?

What are you up to this week?

What are you reading?

Sunday post 29; It's Monday, What are you reading? 17

The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba here: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ is a chance to catch up with the week that was, plan the week ahead and chat with other bloggers. It's Monday! What are you reading? has been taken over by Kathryn at http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/ and the title says it all. :)

Last week we returned to a kind of equilibrium, and spawn returned to school, much recovered from his fever/infection. All hail antibiotics. (All hail the glow cloud). Of course, he had one week of school and now has two weeks off for school holidays but eh. There's never a good time to get sick.

I worked, and kept chipping away at The Girl With All the Gifts (which really is very very good) and played a little Dragon Age and an even more little Mass Effect (I'm very bad at Mass Effect so far. Like. Awful.)

I'm never up for much of anything by the time I get home from work; after sorting out tea, lunches, clothes and uniforms (and homework), so last week I finally started on the last season of The Walking Dead. I finished Versailles and needed something else. So far TWD is good. Little bit slow and there's a little too much teen angst that I just don't care about, but I persist because I think The Walking Dead is one of the best shows to come along in a long time.

Let's see ... by Friday night I was so knackered that I nearly fell asleep on the couch about the time I meant to head to bed. Just. Exhausted. And I'd started coughing, which hasn't gone away, so I guess it's my turn for the seasonal lurgy. Marvellous.

What else. I started The Casual Vacancy by J K Rowling yesterday and I have to say, I'm really enjoying it. A friend pointed out to me that she's an excellent storyteller, and so whatever story she chooses to tell is bound to be a good one. So far that theory is holding.

For this week I think I'll pause on The Girl With all the Gifts and venture slowly back into Perdido Street Station.

I did a short reviews post last week, though I didn't get around to my happy list/things that are saving my life post. Hopefully this week, I'll see. I also have an idea brewing of - I'm not sure how to describe it - the things that give us sanctuary. From our daily lives; our children - books and games and things. I'm in mind of it because Spawn is playing Dragon Age Inquisition. Which is fine, I'm happy he can handle it and all that jazz but it's like ... this is MY escape. I'm actually thinking of launching a new playthrough that he doesn't know about, so I can have a proper, real escape with it.

Anyway. I'll see if I can even get a whole post out of that idea.

What about you?

How's your week been?

What are you reading?

Short reviews

I've got a bit behind, so here's a short reviews post - aka: Me, catching up with myself.

Strong Signal by Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell

Garrett is marking time as a mechanic in the army; waiting till his last tour of duty is finished so he can head home, find a job, start a life. Kai is a gamer with severe social anxiety - he makes a living streaming games on Twitch. Kai and Garrett meet when Kai kills Garrett's character in a game they both play.

They start talking, and one thing leads to another IFYOUKNOWWHATIMEAN

I really enjoyed Strong Signal - both men are damaged in different ways but find a way to work with their issues in order to be together. Also, uh, nakedness. IFYOUKNOWWHATIMEAN (youknowwhatimean)

Rotten Beast (novella) by Mary Pearson

Rotten Beast is set in the same universe as the Jenna Fox trilogy. It's a standalone - well, short story really, about Ally who is opposed to the  way scientists interfere with the natural progression of life. Then, one day, she wakes up to find her parents have gone against her wishes and turned her into the very thing she hates most. Ally must learn to come to terms with her new reality.

I loved the first book in this series - The Adoration of Jenna Fox, and enjoyed the subsequent two books. Rotten Beast is a nice addition, though I wish it was a bit longer.

Scrap Metal by Harper Fox

A year ago, Nichol was living his dream - he'd escaped the small Scottish island of Arran to study at university, leaving the family farm in the hands of his mother, brother and taciturn uncle. But then fate tapdances, and Nichol finds himself back on Arran, grieving for his mother and brother and trying to get along with his uncle. Then, one night, a fugitive called Cam breaks into oneof the farm sheds ....

This was so good. Like. So many feelings. And Nichol and Cam are great together and even taciturn old uncle Harry is a fully realised character. Once again, warning for the naked touching. :)

Dragon Age: Magekiller #4 by Greg Rucka, Carmen Carnero and Michael Aityeh

Dorian!!!!!!!! Dorian!!!!!!!!!!! I mean. Um. DORIAN!!!! Wait, no. Marius and Tessa have joined the Inquisition and have been sent to the Hissing Wastes to investigate pockets of Venatori. Between the sand, sand and more sand, Tessa flirts with Charter, and we meet - DORIAN. DORIAN IS IN THIS ONE - and Bull's Chargers, and Rocky blows up a thing and DORIAN. There's another cliffhanger, and also, Dorian. :D

The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King

I fully believe, when Mr King is on hisgame, there are few who can even claim to strike the match to light the candle to match him. And this is Mr King at the top of his storytelling game.

Book 2 of The Dark Tower finds Roland losing some fingers to charming creatures called lobstrosities, and also calling the Three to him. And the way the Three are called is some peak Stephen King, let me tell you. The Tower is no closer, but the people, ah, it's the people that make the journey memorable....

 Eye of the Labyrinth by Jennifer Fallon

This is book 2 of the Second Sons trilogy and it's a good'n. I read the whole book in about two days, something I don't do very often these days.

Dirk Provin sets off to the ancient temple of Omaxin in the company of Tia, a girl who seems to actively hate him (until, of course, she doesn't IFYOUKNOWWHATIMEAN) to see if he can figure out the secret of the labyrinth that will predict the next Age of Shadows. Meanwhile, the Lion of Senet - basically the guy in charge of everyone - is trying to find Dirk in order to make him over in his own image. Which Dirk doesn't want. He just wants to live his life and solve maths problems.

Intrigue, romance, villains, heroes ... heroes forced to make what could be seen as villianous choices ... it's all right here.(I'd warn for the naked, but they kind of draw a tent flap over that, so no need).

Sunday post 28; It's Monday, What Are You Reading? 16

It's that time of the week again somehow - time to catch up with what's been going on around the blogosphere and also catch people up on what I've been doing. The Sunday Post is hosted here by Kimba: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ and It's Monday! What are you reading? is over here, at Kathryn's: http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/

Let's see.... I didn't blog at all last week, but I had a bit of a week, to be honest. Between work (it still feels good to say that) and the fact spawn was hit from out of nowhere by a fever and a raging ear/throat infection which knocked him off his feet for most of the week ... well. I can do some of the work I'm doing from home, so I spent a fair amount of time shuttling back and forth.

By Friday night I was ready to fight a pigeon in the pit. Tired, but also capable of making bad choices, is what I'm saying.

We took spawn to the doctor on ... Thursday I think? 39.5degC fever, and raging infection. Woop. So we got antibiotics and paracetamol for the fever. Today was the first day he started to sound and act like himself. He didn't even touch his video games all week. That's how I knew it was BAD. Also, he kept crawling into my bed and falling asleep in the middle of the day, which he only does when he's not well.

So on Friday night I fired up Dragon Age 2 and ran around killing qunari and bandits and whatnot. Trying to push the rivalry so I can romance Fenris and still be nice to the mages. Therapy, is what I'm saying.

Saturday, I put off my stitch-and-watch friend because I was shattered. I spent most of the day either reading The Eye of the Labyrinth by Jennifer Fallon (book 2 of the Second Sons trilogy) and running around Thedas again - in Inquisition this time. Then I watched some TV - Versailles, I think and an episode of Face Off and went to bed. Spawn had a bad day on Saturday - miserable and sick and tired, but he'd turned a corner this morning thank goodness. Fever all but gone, and much more himself, which was a relief.

I finished The Eye of the Labyrinth today, and really, really enjoyed it. It's such a good series. I also finished The Drawing of the Three before that, so my reading is starting to pick up again *fingers crossed.*

I have The Girl With All the Gifts on the go on the ibooks to read at work, and after eating in the cafe once and being interrupted (grr) I now eat at my desk. I'm in an empty office so it's pretty peaceful.

What else. I'm hoping to do a short reviews post this week, and I picked up an idea from Trish at http://www.lovelaughterinsanity.com/ so I'm going to be doing a happy list/things that are saving my life post - hopefully this week.

So.

How's your week been?

What are you reading?

Sunday post 27; It's Monday! What are you reading? 15

  The Sunday Post is hosted here by Kimba: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ and is a chance for a chat and a catch-up with what's been going on in your week.

It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted here: http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/ by Kathryn and does what it says on the tin. :)

Let's see ... I worked. I played Dragon Age: Awakenings. I did not do much reading last week, however. I stumbled over a mini-slump instead, which really wasn't much fun. Hence, getting through Awakenings so quickly (also I accidentally skipped a bunch of side-quests). I launched Dragon Age 2 again today. I always say that Origins was my first love and Inquisition is my true love. DA2 ... I guess DA2 is my bit on the side but I do love it.

Anyway. Yesterday, with determination and fortitude and blah blah blah I sat down with The Drawing of the Three, and made actual, real, genuine progress with a book. I've read it before, though not for many years, and I forgot that this is peak King. Like. This is Peak King. It's King right at the top of his game. I got through another 50 pages or so today, and I'm on track to finish this week. Which will be nice, as my goodreads stats keep slipping - lol.

I'm still picking at Perdido Street Station but I've had to put it down for a bit, there was a sequence that was ... hard to read. I might pick it up this week again, I'll see.

A friend of a friend and her son came down from Christchurch unexpectedly yesterday so spawn and I spent a large part of the afternoon with them. It was fun, but both spawn and I were ready to go home by about 7.30. The friend is my stitch-and-watch Saturday night friend and asked me if I'd want to come back with my stitching, even though her friend and son were still there - they were staying with them. Honestly, as much as I enjoy our Saturday nights, I just wanted to go home.

Today, I got all my grown-up things done, and launched DA2, like I said, and friends of spawn showed up (there's a rant/post for another day) so he was well  occupied for the afternoon.

For the coming week, I have work, hopefully finising The Drawing of the Three, and possibly catching up with Versailles and maybe also The Walking Dead. I'd like to get some writing done, too maybe and also possibly some stitching. Hopefully I'll also get at least one blog post done - a short reviews post. :)

I'll see.

How's your week looking?

What are you reading?