Last week on FYFA (and in my life):
I know it was a slow week on the blog this week. I’d love to say that it’s a one-time thing, but I can’t make any promises. Now that school is back in full swing, I have papers to grade and classes to prepare for and my kids to teach! Add to that, two editing projects with upcoming deadlines and I just don’t think I can manage more than three to four blog posts a week right now. (Plus, this week we had a wedding to go to as well.) I’m also just not getting around the blogosphere like I usually do, so I’m sorry. Experience has told me that once these first few weeks of school are under my belt, things will get easier and I’ll be back to making the rounds.
Here’s what you may have missed last week:
- What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler (All-Time Favorite review)
- Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales (review)
- Book Sniffing: It’s a Real Thing – Really, there’s a scientific explanation for why old books smell so good! 🙂
Next week on FYFA:
- Undivided by Neal Shusterman – I tried, but I just didn’t have enough downtime this week to read. I did skim the first three books again, though (which was incredibly helpful) and I’m now just about 100 pages into this one. So, I should be able to post my review next week. I will finish this series!!
- Transformed by EV Fairfall (review)
- Let’s Discuss – something bookish 🙂
Won it:
Thank you A.W. Exley and CBB Book Promotions!
From my OTSP Secret Sister:
I got such a fun gift from my Secret Sister this month!! Spike! For those of you who don’t know, I am a HUGE Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, and my heart will forever be with Spike. (Yeah, I know that Buffy reunites with Angel in the comic books, but I’m sorry, Joss Whedon, it will always be Spike for me!)
Great Discussions/Goings On Around the Blogosphere:
Since I’ve been behind lately, these discussions are all a bit older (not from this past week), but they were great and I wanted to point them out!
- Jen at TheBookAvid asks Do We Need Books About Mental Illness By Neurotypical People?
- Renae at Respiring Thoughts writes about Cyberbullying: what it is, and what it isn’t.
- Jo at Once Upon a Bookcase says Booktubing Isn’t For Me, But Could that Be My Downfall?
- Cyn at Book Munchies talks about Fear of the 5 Star.
Other Current Giveaways on FYFA:
(Besides the ones listed above)
- August Wrap-Up Round-Up Giveaway – Last chance to enter to win any book that features diversity (Anyone can enter – you didn’t have to link up a post to be eligible for the giveaway).
- September Discussion Challenge Link-Up and Giveaway -Link up those September discussion posts and enter the giveaway!
- The Body Institute by Carol Riggs – Still time to enter to win a $25 gift card!
- The Foxglove Killings by Tara Kelly – Still time to enter to win lots of prizes!
- Stepping Stones by Kacey Vanderkarr – Still time to enter to win a $20 gift card and swag pack!
- Get Real by Tellulah Darling – Still five more days for the pre-order giveaway!
Even More Awesome Giveaways on Other Sites:
There are tons of giveaways going on around the blogosphere!
- Lots of blogs participating in the Stuck in a Good Book blog hop!
- If you pre-order Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, you can get a fun Pre-Order Party Kit, including an exclusive colorable dust jacket!
- Did you know that Entangled gives away a $5 GC in their newsletter? Sign-up and you can enter to win every week!
- Shannon at It Starts at Midnight is giving away an ARC of The Rose Society by Marie Lu, a book mentioned during her Shattering Stigmas event AND a hardcover copy of Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett!
- Book Briefs is hosting the tour for Persuasion by Martina Boone and there’s a fun scavenger hunt style giveaway!
- The Donor Blog Tour is giving away a Donor swag pack filled With SWAG and a signed book!
Lots of good stuff! Have any giveaways or great discussions happening on your site right now? Feel free to share them in the comments!
GORGEOUS haul Nicole^^ I SO want to read The Girl at Midnight! And I love the little peak you shared of your bookshelf ♥ It sucks when real life gets in the way of reading and blogging but sadly, it’s a reality we all deal with from time to time…I do hope you get a little bit of ‘you’ time soon 🙂 Have a wonderful week xxx
I thought that Spike fit well in that little post-apocalyptic corner of my bookshelf. 🙂
I also feel the same way the first month of school. This year I tried really hard to prepare my content ahead of time, but I still had some holes. As for keeping up, I’m seriously slacking. I hope you enjoy Ella, the Slayer. I really liked it!
I just never feel like I have time to work ahead. It’s so frustrating. I don’t know how people do it!!
It has been hard with school starting back up and I don’t even homeschool so I can’t imagine how crazy it must be for you!
Good luck with school and with your editing projects!
Thanks – it’s hard to keep up with everything, but I’m doing my best!
Ella, the Slayer is a wonderful book! I was part of the blog tour. I hope you enjoy it.
I won the book from that tour and I was so excited – I kept reading great reviews!
I can’t imagine how busy this time of year must be for you!! What great Secret Sister gifts! Enjoy them!
Thanks, Grace! I’m hoping things will be back to normal soon!
I’m excited to hear about the last Unwind book! During the summer, I listened to the audiobook of the 2nd one, Unwholly, and really enjoyed it. I think I’ll get the next in audiobook too. Hope you have a great week!
I’m enjoying it so far, but I haven’t had much time to read this weekend. I’ll bet these books would be great in audio!
OOoh yay for the win!! And ooh! Nice OTSP gift!! I know that vampire Spike one is insanely hard to find! I find I haven’t even bought the regular one yet. I’ve exhausted all my shelf space for trinkets and such. Guess I need to buy a new bookcase! LOL!
Happy Reading!
Here’s my STS
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂
It looks like your secret sister knows you well. That is an awesome package this month. I hope you enjoy Ella Slayer, that cover is gorgeous! Thanks for the links….I spent a lot of time clicking on this page.
Yes!! My Secret Sister is a secret genius! 🙂
I’m quite busy myself these days, so I understand. Do what you can and don’t stress too much! I love all your secret sister gifts. I never watched Buffy regularly, but when I did, I loved Spike too. Is this secret sister thing something you can sign up for, or is it a personal thing? I’d love to do it if there is room or whatever!
I was kind of a Buffy fanatic back in the day!!
Wow awesome haul and goodies. It is hard when school starts back up. Hopefuly you will settle into a routine and find balance. Have a lovely week!
Girl at Midnight is such a fantastic book! I do hope you’ll enjoy it.
Have a great week, Nicole!
I can totally understand life getting to busy to blog. I’m the same right now. I have a found myself a couple of hours to write a post and visit a few blogs today so I’m taking advantage of it.
Hope you have a great week, even if you are busy. Cheers 🙂
I know I sound like a broken record in saying this, but I know first hand what how busy the school year can be. This is the first year I am homeschooling all four of my children and to be honest, I don’t know how I even know how I manage to keep myself together ha! I’m so grateful for my littles though, they help immensely with the house and just taking initiative and working on their own as best as they can 🙂 I hope things settle down a bit more for you!
Awesome haul! I loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer so, so much. I have been rewatching it on Netflix. And I am Team Angel all the way. 🙂
I with you on Spike (it’s so cute!!) Thanks for sharing!
I hope you don’t mind, but I tagged you in the TBR Book Tag!
http://beansbookshelfandcoffeebreak.com/2015/09/22/tbr-book-tag/