Last week on FYFA (and in my life):
I don’t know how I let this happen, but I suddenly feel like I’m drowning in review books. I’m behind on reading them, even though I’ve been reading a ton of books. Plus, I have so many books that I have to post reviews for—I feel like I can only manage bite-sized reviews or I won’t possibly get them all done. This past week was especially hard because I was also posting wrap-ups and link-ups and … maybe I just try to do way too much. But I can’t seem to give any of it up, so I don’t see it changing anytime too soon. Hmmm …
I haven’t updated the Discussion Challenge sign-up with the March link yet because I keep getting an error every time I try. I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve never had this problem before. When I hit the Update button on my post, it gives me the message that says that if I leave the page my changes won’t be saved. I also get that message when I’m just on that page on my blog and I go to close it. (Obviously I’m not trying to make changes when I’m just visiting the page, so I don’t know what changes it thinks it’s not saving). Has anyone seen this issue before? Ugh! I hate it when technical issues make things take three times as long as they should. See, that’s why technology scares me.
Here’s what you may have missed on the blog last week:
- I Finished Two Series! Bite-Sized Reviews of Silver Shadows & The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead and MILA 2.0: Redemption by Debra Driza
- February Wrap-Up Round-Up Link-Up – Link up your February wrap-up posts here and watch for the giveaway this coming week!
- February Wrap-Up – Find out how my February went (hint: it wasn’t great), and see what you might have missed on the blog.
- March Discussion Challenge Link-Up & Giveaway – Link up your March discussions here and enter the giveaway!
- The Burning World by Isaac Marion: Review
- Two (Free) Tools that Have Transformed My Replying and Commenting Back – Thought I’d let you guys know about two new tools I’ve been using that have been helping me out!
Next week on FYFA:
Some of these may end up in a bite-sized review post
- Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop: Review (I was going to try to get this one up last week, but it didn’t work out that way!)
- The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera: Review
- Books 2, 2.5 & 3 of the Daydreamer Detective Series by S.J. Pajonas: Review
- Wrap-Up Round-Up Giveaway
- Let’s Discuss: Something bookish! 🙂
Book Blogger Birthdays and Blogoversaries:
Lots of birthdays and blogoversaries again this week! I hope you’ll go wish these bloggers well on their special days! Make sure you check out the calendar to see what you might have just missed or what’s coming up. (If you want to be added to the calendar, you can always fill out the birthday/blogoversary form.)
- March 6th – Sophie @ Sophie Reads YA‘s Birthday
- March 10th – Confessions of a Book Geek‘s Blogoversary
- March 10th – Micheline @ Lunar Rainbows Reviews‘ Birthday
For Review:
Got two surprises in the mail this week. Thanks to Simon Pulse for Confessions of a High School Disaster and Disney-Hyperion for Mutant Mantis Lunch Ladies (my son loves the crazy cover, which is a hologram that changes).
Great Discussions/Goings On Around the Blogosphere:
Here are a few posts I loved this week:
- Carrie @ Cat on a Bookshelf says I Don’t Like Following a Book Series As It Is Published
- Finding Wonderland is looking for Christian book bloggers who are interested in judging INSPYS 2017
- Nicole @ Nicole’s Novel Reads tells us why we should attend Misti-Con
- Kristen @ Metaphors & Moonlight gives tips on How to Request Review Copies from Authors
- Hooked to Books shares the touching essays from their scholarship finalists.
- Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight explains why Big Books Are Scary
Pre-Order Deals:
- Pre-order A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN by Sarah J. Maas and receive an exclusive color poster of the official map! (ends 5/1)
- Pre-order GIRL OUT OF WATER by Laura Silverman and receive a signed postcard and playlist. You will also be entered to win one of two prize packs and one grand prize prize pack containing a $25 B&N gift card. (ends 5/1)
- Pre-order DONE DIRT CHEAP by Sarah Nicole Lemon and get a signed bookplate with a quote from the book. (ends 3/7)
- Pre-order THE CROWN’S FATE by Evelyn Skye, and you can get a limited edition bookmark and a set of 3 stickers–Team Vika, Team Nikolai, and Team Pasha! Plus, there’s an additional giveaway if you order from Kepler’s. (ends 5/15)
- Pre-order THE LOST STAFF OF WONDERS by Raymond Arroyo and receive a signed bookplate for your book and a limited edition bookmark. (ends 3/6)
- Pre-order TRICKED by Jen Calonita and receive a Fairy Tale Reform School digital exclusive featuring Rapunzel! (ends 3/6)
- Pre-order THE BONE WITCH by Rin Chupeco and receive a signed bookmark and The Bone Witch sticker. You will also be entered to win a GRAND PRIZE Bone Witch themed crate. (ends 3/6)
- Pre-order THE SONG RISING by Samantha Shannon and receive exclusive badges and temporary tattoos to #JoinTheRevolution. (ends 3/6)
Other Current Giveaways on FYFA:
(Besides the ones listed with this week’s posts)
- So You Say It’s Your Birthday? It’s My Birthday (and Blogoversary) Too! – Come enter the giveaway!
- February Discussion Challenge Link-Up & Giveaway – Last chance to link up your February discussions and enter to win!
Even More Awesome Giveaways on Other Sites:
- It’s Rebel Mommy Book Blog’s blogoversary, and she’s having a giveaway to celebrate!
- The Crown’s Fate is coming and you can enter to win an ARC and Nikolai’s Faberge-style egg on Evelyn’s Skye’s site.
- Lauren @ Shooting Stars Mag is giving away 2 Subscriptions to Oprah Magazine
- It’s Book Briefs’ 6th blogoversary and Michelle is celebrating with a huge giveaway!
- Book Clubbish is giving away 10 sets of Advanced Reading Copies of 100 HOURS and SPECTACLE and a copy of MENAGERIE.
- Head over to Happily Ever Chapter to enter to win 50 YA Books in the YALit Giveaway (INT). (Note that you’ll be subscribed to the sponsoring authors’ mailing lists, and there are a lot of them!)
- XPresso Book Tours is giving away a $50 gift card and more in honor of the new year!
- The Bookkeeper’s Secrets is doing a year-long giveaway!
Lots of good stuff! Have any giveaways or great discussions happening on your site right now? Feel free to share them in the comments!
I hate the feeling of being overwhelmed with either review books or reviews. For me right now it’s definitely reviews. I used to be practically obsessive about writing a review immediately after finishing a book. Now I’m totally hit or miss with them and some lingering from months ago. *sigh* Sounds like you really fit a lot in last week and are feeling the effects. Hope this week is a little calmer and that you’re able to get caught up a bit.
I’m horrible at writing reviews right away. I really need to improve on that so I’m not forgetting things.
I was doing great with review books and suddenly got behind after caving in and accepting too many. It seems to come and go. I just do the best I can. I don’t like to feel like I have to rush when reading. And I know just enough code to get myself in trouble on my blog. LOL
Yes, I was doing great with review books … and then suddenly I wasn’t. Sigh.
I hope you get your technical issues worked out soon. I’m scared of technology, too. I don’t request review books because I know I’d get overwhelmed. I have a habit of taking on more work than I can do.
It’s probably smart just not to request. I’m usually pretty good about holding myself back, but lately there have been a lot that just look SO good. Need to catch up now!
Aw, thanks for including a link to my giveaway. 🙂 I love the Oprah Magazine.
I’m sorry you feel a bit overwhelmed. I’m happy to help if there is anything I can do or help with! I don’t mind bite-sized reviews so do whatever works best. I feel like I’m falling under review copies at the moment too, but I’ll get through these next couple months and then it should slow down again.
-Lauren
Thanks so much, Lauren. I think I tend to start to feel really bogged down when life in general gets busy AND blogging is busy too. Right now I just feel like I have too many books to read—and I read a LOT!
Oh my goodness I am so drowning in review books. I am not sure when I will catch up since my reading is slowing. The struggle is real!! Thanks for linking to my giveaway 🙂 Have a great week!!
Glad I’m not the only person with this problem. I’m usually pretty good about balancing my review books, but lately I just realized that I can’t possibly keep up—especially not with managing things in my “regular” life as well. 🙂
Sorry to hear about the post issues. It’s one of the reasons why I am always frustrated with technology! I can never figure out how to get myself out of a big mess when it happens! Lol! Hope you can figure out the kinks soon!
Nice new reads! Totally new to me ones! Hope you enjoy them all!
Here’s my STS
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂
I finally figured it out. It’s so frustrating when something simple takes forever!
A few months ago I finally eliminated my review pile! It took me over a year to do it. But now I’m on publishers’ mailing lists and they send me unsolicited books and ARCs – which I LOVE, but I’m struggling to keep up. I also have the same problem you do where I’ve finished a book but haven’t had the chance to post my review for it. Sometimes it takes me longer to post the review than it did to read the book!
This has happened with me too. I love getting books from publishers, but the unexpected ones have definitely thrown off my scheduling and balance. Oh, and it almost ALWAYS takes me longer to post a review than it did to read the book. 🙂
Well, I’m glad I’m not the only one!
Certainly not!
Sigh. I feel the same way. I haven’t requested too many books and have mad a tiny dent on my NG pile. But I still feel overwhelmed. I have made some progress this weekend, though, so that’s a good thing.
Well, I hope you’ll catch up soon! You got this, Nicole. 😀
I thought I was doing well with my review books … and then somehow it got out of control without me noticing. Sigh.
Looks like a lot is going on! Thanks for sharing and for visiting my blog earlier! 🙂
Always a lot going on, it seems. 🙂
We’re so honored to be in the list of posts you loved. Thanks a lot for visiting, Nicole. Hope you’re having a great week there!
I think it’s awesome that you offer that scholarship! And the winner’s essay was definitely worth sharing. 🙂
Yeah, that overwhelming feeling can weigh heavy. I’m doing better right now, but last year it was getting frantic with all the balls in the air. Wishing you well on figuring out the tech issues, too.
Glad your DayDream Detective series was good and I’ll have to scope out some of the posts you’ve shared.
Have a great week, Nicole!
I felt like I had it all under control … until I didn’t. Now suddenly I’m way behind on reviews and review books. Sigh.
I don’t have anything interesting any more….Life has happened here, and the blog was the one thing that had to go.. I am hoping to get back into it again, or at least post more often.
Sometimes we just need to take a break. We can’t do everything!
Thanks for including a link about MISTI-Con. I appreciate it and I hope a lot of Potterheads can attend!
You’re welcome. It sounds really fun! If I were out your way, I’d like to go! 🙂
Nicole, I felt the same way for all of February. I kept migrating reviews writing the same reviews from Jan 12 until last week! I finally got caught up this weekend. I just had to start preparing a draft one day, start writing the next day, and finish it up on the third day in order to get them written. I hope you’re able to catch up soon!
I had an error just earlier when I tried to schedule and update a post. I’ve had it open in my browser over the weekend, but I’ve never gotten an error message like that before. I tried to update it again and it went through. Technology can be very frustrating!
Glad I’m not the only one who resorts to review migration. I’ve been doing a lot of that lately!
We, your fans, will take bite-sized reviews! so don’t worry 😉 You do give LOTSA good information on your posts so that’s why it so much hard work. I’m thankful! (but maybe you do need a break) I wish I could help wit the link up problem but that was one of the things that were stressful so I had to give up linkups. SO I’m a neophyte 🙂 I’m off to visit all those discussions and giveaways before you decide to take a break 😉 . I hope you post a pic of that map I bet is AWESOME!
Glad that these shorter reviews work—sometimes I think I talk too much anyway. 🙂
Here’s hoping you feel caught up and that you aren’t drowning in review books, hugs! And I wish I could help with the Discussion Issue! Maybe open up a brand new post and try it in there? Maybe there’s some type of code issue on the previous post you’re working on? I’ll be thinking happy blogging thoughts and sending them your way. ♥
Yeah, I think I will have to create a new post for the discussion challenge because I haven’t been able to figure out what’s happening with it. I don’t know how I managed to get myself into the situation with review books—I was being so good about it for awhile and keeping on top of things, but lately it feels impossible!