Sunday, March 24, 2013

Sunday Salon: Ramblings

I am not sure if you have noticed or not but it has been kind of quiet around here recently. While I have still been reading up a storm, the idea of sitting down to collect my thoughts and write about a book hasn't been that appealing. Yep....I'm in a reviewing slump. The only thing that gets me to sit down and actually write something is where I have committed to post a review on a particular date, usually for a blog tour. I have even dropped off Weekend Cooking for the last few weeks because I was so uninspired. Of course, it doesn't help that even the baking I have been doing hasn't exactly turned out well either! I did have a book to write about yesterday for Weekend Cooking, but then I saw something shiny and got distracted so it didn't happen. I have posts scheduled for the next two weeks now so it could well be that I don't ever actually write about that book! We'll see!

Of course, getting obsessed with something new isn't going to help motivate me to write reviews! Today, after hearing about them for a long time, I started watching The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. My intention was just to watch a few episodes. Do you think that 40 can still be quantified as a few or have I crossed the line into many, many episodes now? I can't wait to watch more! So much fun! I have no idea why I didn't start watching them earlier!

I am also way behind on blog hopping but I did notice a few posts the other day announcing that it was time for Once Upon a Time again, being hosted by Carl from Stainless Steel Droppings for the seventh time.

This year I am going to undertake the Journey level of participation.

This is really as simple as the name implies. It means you are participating, but not committing yourself to any specific number of books. By signing up for The Journey you are agreeing to read at least one book within one of the four categories during March 21st to June 21st period. Just one book. If you choose to read more, fantastic! If not, then we have still had the pleasure of your company during this three month reading journey and hopefully you have read a great book, met some interesting people, and enjoyed the various activities that occur during the challenge. It has always been of utmost importance to me that the challenges that I host be all about experiencing enjoyable literature and sharing it with others. I want you to participate. Hence, The Journey.

In a way it kinds of feels as though I am cheating just a little bit on this one because the book that I finished the day that the challenge started is one that met the criteria, and I did have that in mind at the time I was reading it so technically, I could have finished the challenge already. Of course, see my opening paragraph to find out the likelihood of a review being written is.

Other books that I might reading for the challenge that are sitting on my shelves include:

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall by Bill Willingham
Song of Achilles by Madeleine Miller
Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik

I am sure that there are others on my shelves that might make the grade too!

In other news I am still going strong on the #estellagram front and so far haven't missed a prompt for the month of March! Normally I drop off after a few days from these photo a day challenges so I am quite happy with that achievement. Some time this week I will probably do a post with the photos that I haven't yet shown here. I do have to laugh at myself though because for yesterday's prompt I did something a teensy bit embarrassing. I am not sure if anyone has noticed because no one has said anything, but I am going to out myself anyway.

Yesterday's prompt was e-reader, so I put my e-reader on top of a book and took a photo of the both of them saying something along the lines of I am happy to read either paper books or using my e-reader, and didn't think much more about it! After I had received a few likes, I had another look at the picture and I realised that the page I was showing on the e-reader was of....ummm...sexy times in the steamy romance I was reading and not the Tudor set historical mystery that I had thought it was! Whoops! But it is there now so I am not going to take it down! Note to self....make sure you take a look at what you are taking photos of.

So that's it for my rambly Sunday Salon post this week! There will be at least a couple of reviews this week because they are scheduled. We'll see what else happens shall we!

Currently Reading

The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau and listening to Tuscan Rose by Belinda Alexandra

Up Next

Enchantments by Kathryn Harrison

20 comments:

  1. Ha! I haven't seen your pic from yesterday yet, but I say if you like it, flaunt it! :)

    I'm feeling much the same way--reading lots of good stuff but not in the mood to review. Although I haven't officially reviewed it yet, I hope you get a chance to read The Song of Achilles for your challenge. I really loved it!

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    1. Seriously...now that I know that it is there, there are certain words that are just jumping out at me!

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  2. I recently started watching the lizzie Bennet diaries too and I got hooked on the whee storyline, including twitter conversations and everything. It's so creative!

    I can't believe it's time for Once Upon a Time already. We're snowed in again so it definitely doesn't feel like that time of year!

    I have Tender Morsels on my shelf too, might be a good time to read it, we'll see.

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  3. I haven't heard of The Lizzie Bennett Diaries - have to check these out! I just started watching Downton Abbey - watched Seasons 1 and 2 last two weeks ago and started season 3 yesterday while doing some maintenance on my blog as part of Bloggiesta.

    I often feel the same way you do about sitting down to write reviews. And lately, while I've gotten the scheduled reviews done, it's often been last minute with me finishing the book just in time to get the review done.

    Have a great week!
    ~Kristin @ Always With a Book

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  4. You're the second Sunday Salon blogger this morning to mention the Once Upon a Time challenge. Thank you -- I'm definitely going to participate in this one! I've already got at least one book picked out -- Marissa Meyer's Scarlet.

    I know what you mean about getting burnt out on reviewing. Although in my case, life has just gotten so darned busy that I haven't had as much time for reading and reviewing, let alone keeping up with all the blogs I like to follow. *sigh*

    Here's my Sunday Post/Salon for the week.

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  5. Ha!! I saw it was a romance but didn't think anything of it. I've missed you at Weekend Cooking, but I figure you'll come back around when you're ready. :)

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  6. Ah...now I'm going to have go back and look at that photo. I think I saw it. I've been following you on Instagram, but now I'll really look, so I can laugh at you. :P

    As for #EstellaGram, I'm doing it too, but I'm also "doing" a few other photo-a-day memes too. I'm not getting to all of them every day, but just the ones that strike me that day.

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  7. Yay! So happy you are watching (and enjoying) The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. They are addictive, aren't they?

    I am currently composing my Once Upon a Time pool of reads list. I hope the event might make me a little more eager to blog again, I'm in somewhat of a reviewing slump as well.

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  8. Ooh, I highly recommend The Song of Achilles. And you've reminded me that I said I was going to blog about each of my cookbooks in turn. Maybe I should revive that plan!

    Good luck with Once Upon a Time.

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  9. Good luck with the Once Upon a Time Challenge. Carl's challenges are always a lot of fun!

    My Sunday Salon

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  10. I'm in the same place when it comes to reviewing - I have about a dozen books (going back to late summer!!!) that I haven't written a review for. Love reading - dread writing a review. Maybe I'm just burned out after 6 years. I keep meaning to get caught up, I really do...

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  11. I'm not blogging much either these days, though still enjoying reading from my TBR pile and an occasional review. Finding recording my books at Goodreads and simply rating them much more easy and efficient these days. Sounds like many of us have the same feelings about posting reviews lately.

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  12. I'm afraid to start the Lizzie Bennett diaries - there are only so many hours in the day!

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  13. Ha, the same thing happened to me with the Lizzie Bennet Diaries! Addictive, aren't they?

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  14. This "challenge" is so laid-back, it's hard to really cheat... :)

    I keep hearing about the Lizzie Bennett diaries too. Really must start watching those!

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  15. I haven't started watching the LB diaries, I think I'm afraid I will get hooked! They sound so fun, though.

    So glad you are joining in on OUAT again. I am just doing my post now. I love this challenge.

    I have ideas for posts, but am so far behind in my reviews. I want to blog more, but find when I sit down, my ideas disappear! lol very frustrating. I think of it as taking time for me, that if I need silence in my life, quiet times, possibly I need to rest in blogging too.

    Take care and enjoy the challenge! At least you've read one already for it :-)

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  16. I'm currently obsessed with the SyFy series Eureka. I'm nearly finished the last season so after that I hope I get back on schedule!

    Shelleyrae

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  17. I saw your Instagram pic (I always try to work out what people are reading) and it made me laugh! I am trying to stay away from the Lizzie Bennet diaries because I know I'll watch them all and I really need to do some reading...
    I know how you feel about reviews etc, I really should take the time to write some of mine this week but I probably won't!

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  18. LOL at the instagram pic!
    Some of the instagram prompts for the photoaday challenges I had no answer for, so I haven't been posting those as much. Kudos to you for keeping up!
    Hope you get out of your slump!
    I have a review to write myself too.. not in the mood.

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  19. I think most book bloggers would feel like you from time to time Marg. I've certainly had times when I feel quite overwhelmed by responsibilities to review... even though I love reading the books and sharing my thoughts.

    At the moment I'm trying to catch up on Downton Abbey eps... but now I think I'll check out these Lizzie Bennet diaries!

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