The Weekly Update: 7/3/16

 
 

-_-

Do you see that face? That is my face right now.

Can you guess why? Can anybody guess why?

MY LAPTOP IS STILL BROKEN.

Three times. THREE TIMES I sent it in already, and it’s still doing the exact same thing. And I say with complete honesty that I do not see how it could be anything I did since I didn’t even get the chance to use it the other times, and this time all I’ve used it for is a bit of blogging. Plus it’s most likely a hardware problem. So I give up! I’m not sending it in again. And once again, I warn all of you to never buy Toshiba because I sure won’t anymore.

For now I will continue using my old, slow laptop until I can afford a new one. The biggest problem though is that I was trying to learn Photoshop and can’t on this one :-/

Sorry for the ranting, peeps, but this whole ordeal has just been so ridiculous. Anyway, let’s forget the bad Toshiba people and get on with the happy bookish stuff now 🙂


Blog/Bookish Updates:

I noticed in the past couple weeks that I’ve started getting more traffic on some of my book reviews from Pinterest. I mean, Pinterest is where I have the most followers because that was the one social media I used heavily pre-blogging, but I’ve pretty much neglected it as of late, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that some reviews have been pinned quite a bit! It hasn’t been interactive traffic, but hey, if I can help people find new books to love, that’s still a good thing 🙂

Also I have 24 posts scheduled and completely ready to go right now. And I’ll probably have 25 by the end of the day since I have another discussion idea. AM I BEATING YOU YET, LOLA?!? I’m not even a competitive person, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, haha. I just want one day in which I have more posts scheduled than she does! And I know this is probably the most ahead I’ll ever be. Anyway, it’s 15 book reviews, 5 discussions, 3 cover characteristics, and 1 random fun thing. Yet somehow I still don’t have all my posts for next week ready lol. (I’m reading the book right now that needs to go up on the 12th.)

Books I Received for Review:

Teeth: The First Bite by Chele Cooke | reading, books
 

I got my first book from Story Cartel this week! Well, you don’t even have to request, you just click a button, so it’s not like it’s an accomplishment. I just mean that I check the site occasionally but had never found any books that interest me, but I finally found something that looks good. Vampire books are my weakness lol. And I was so damn excited for this one after checking out the first few pages that I also read it this week.

Books I Finished:

Girl in the Shadows by Gwenda Bond | reading, books
Naughty Cupid by Deanna Wadsworth | reading, books
Teeth: The First Bite by Chele Cooke | reading, books
Saga Vol. 6 by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples | reading, books
 

Girl in the Shadows was good, but not amazing. Naughty Cupid was a funny, sappy, sex-filled m/m paranormal romp. Teeth was great, but I was really disappointed by something that I’ll explain in my review since it’s too much to put here. Saga Vol. 6 also disappointed me.

Song of the Week:

Didn’t have a chance to find a song this week.

In Case You Missed It:

– I shared book covers featuring zombies on them.
– I reviewed Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet by Charlie N. Holmberg, a lightly magical read that’s sure to make you crave gingerbread cookies.
– I discussed whether you’re more bothered by the big things or the little things being unrealistic in books.
– I reviewed Dark Blood by Caleb James, a M/M supernatural [medical-ish] thriller.
– I shared 10 awesomely interesting book titles.

The Sunday Post Link-Up:

Once again, I’m linking up to The Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer 🙂

 
 
 
 
 
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48 thoughts on “The Weekly Update: 7/3/16

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  1. Greg

    Again with the laptop? Yikes sorry to hear that. Toshiba strikes again huh? And go you on being ahead- I try to stay ahead too but some posts do better than others. 🙂 I’ve got some stuff out through July and early Aug but no matter how ahead I am I still find myself working on stuff same week. lol

    Teeth looks fun. What a title…

    1. Kristen Burns

      Ugh STUPID TOSHIBA. Obviously they don’t know how to fix my computer, so there’s not even a point in sending it back. But thanks! Seriously though, it seems that no matter how far ahead I get, I still end up scrambling to make some posts the night before, haha.

      Teeth was good except that disappointment :-/ But there’s still hope for the series, so I’m definitely gonna continue.

  2. Christy LoveOfBooks

    Ugh, that stinks about the computer. I’ve always used Dell since they haven’t done me wrong. Haha – oh, what I’d give to have that many post scheduled! Sigh. Have a great week!

    1. Kristen Burns

      I might try Dell next since I haven’t tried that brand yet. But I don’t know when I’ll actually be buying another computer. Lol I seriously don’t think I’ll ever be this ahead on posts again! I’ve reached my peak 😛 You have a great week too!

  3. Trish @ Between My Lines

    So frustrating with the laptop. I’ve had the worst luck in the past with laptops and they never lasted very long for me. Until I saved and saved and invested in an Apple Mac about 3 years ago. It was expensive but worth it. It’s as fast as the day I got it, which is unheard of for me and laptops.
    Yay on all the scheduling. I’m doing ok too and it’s great to have a little buffer built up!

    1. Kristen Burns

      I just have the worst luck with electronics in general. This laptop is only a year old! But that’s why I’d be too afraid to spend so much on a Mac. With my luck, it would just break too, and then I’d be out even more money.

      It really is great know you have that buffer to fall back on if something comes up!

  4. Deborah

    Oh my god Kristen, I have blog post scheduling envy! 24 – 25 posts, wow… so impressive!

    But I’m so sorry about your laptop – it’s been a huge hassle and terrible they’ve been able to do nothing. (Can you not ‘guilt’ them on social media, to do something?!)

  5. Kei @ The Lovely Pages Reviews

    I have 15 drafts, that’s good right? Mostly I draft so as to not forget to post even with tons of reminders set up – lately I’m too afraid to schedule posts so I manually publish them.

    Ugh Toshiba? Not good. I have my own issues with laptops and summer, that’s usually when mine overheats and I try not to use it too much without a cooler, I hope you get finally resolve it!

    Have a great week!

    1. Kristen Burns

      15 drafts is definitely good! But I’m curious to know why you manually publish instead of schedule?

      Yeah, laptops do heat easily, but that’s not even the problem with mine. I’m just so aggravated about their inability to fix it. Thanks.

      You have a great week too!

  6. sjhigbee

    SO sorry about the laptop! I’ve been house-training my new desktop and managed to get the blue screen of death:(. Fortunately I have a very clever techie son who rescued me – but it is the worst feeling…

    Onwards and upwards – LOVED your article on nifty titles and I featured last week’s discussion on my Sunday post this week. I thought your review of Magic Bitter Magic Sweet was very fair, and I can understand where you were coming from. I’m looking forward to reading your review of The Creepy Hollow offering – I loved this series. What a shame that Teeth wasn’t as good as the cover and title suggested it would be. Have a great week:)

    1. Kristen Burns

      Thanks, I’m so aggravated about the laptop. That’s good that your son was able to rescue you from the blue screen of death at least.

      Thanks! Glad you liked my posts 🙂 Not sure what you’re talking about with the Creepy Hollow thing though? I mean, I actually do read a series called Creepy Hollow lol, but I can’t imagine that’s what you’re talking about as I didn’t mention it in this post. Teeth was good though, it was just kind of incomplete, but it might get more complete… that’s why I figured I’d just explain better in the review than try to explain here. You have a great week too!

  7. Annika @ Hiding Books

    NOOOO NOT YOUR LAPTOP!!! NOOOOOOOO
    Seriously. Still?! That is awful! Rant all you like about Toshiba! You deserve to rant!

    That’s fun about pinterest! I don’t really use it (except to look at the bestie’s wedding stuff…) but helping people find new books to love is always good! I mean, I’ve heard it can be really useful for blogging before but I’ve never really considered it that much!

    “AM I BEATING YOU YET, LOLA?!?” made me giggle! But that’s an achievement! Soo many posts! Yay!

    How did I miss awesomely interesting book titles? Heading over to check them out now 😛

    1. Kristen Burns

      GAH seriously, right? This laptop thing is RIDICULOUS!

      I’ve never actually been good at using social media for my blog. I mean, my Twitter and Tumblr are basically just filled with obligatory links to my blog posts and nothing else lol. And that’s basically what my Pinterest has become at this point. And most of the time I post the links weeks late. That’s why I was surprised. I really should get back to using Pinterest a little more though now that I’m seeing it might actually help my blog.

      Haha, I’m glad my temporary post insanity could make someone giggle 😛

  8. Samantha

    You have the worst luck with that laptop!! So sorry to hear! I have been trying (unsuccessfully) to learn Photoshop as well so I wish you luck!
    And yay for having so many posts scheduled! Thats awesome!

    1. Kristen Burns

      I really do have the worst luck with that laptop! But ugh, I am upset that I can’t learn Photoshop on this computer. So unless I can get an old computer from someone else that runs better or something, I won’t be doing any Photoshopping :-/

      Thanks!

  9. Molly @ Molly's Book Nook

    Have you tried taking your laptop somewhere else to get fixed? Geek Squad? Frys? A random but definitely legit tech shop? Those are the places that I take my computer to get fixed. When my desktop wasn’t working — like it WOULD NOT turn on — I took it to Geek Squad just to find out that it was a loose part xD Either way, good luck with all this laptop drama!

    ALSO 25 FREAKING POSTS!?!?!??! You wanna know how many I have scheduled? ZERO. NONE. NADA. I’m jelly of your skills.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Well, I was using the repair center since I had a warranty and would have to pay to bring it anywhere else. And Toshiba is a pain in the ass and makes their laptops to make it, like, as difficult as possible for anyone but them to work on because they want to force you to send it to them. So idk yet what I’m going to do.

      Lol I do feel like I have some mad post scheduling skills right now 😛 But I seriously think this is probably the most ahead I’ll ever be, so I gotta tell everyone about it while I can, haha.

  10. Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library

    Oh how frustrating with the laptop. It’s frustrating enough to not have things just work like they’re supposed to but pairing that with awful customer service is even worse. You are my post scheduling hero. That is crazy and you have my undying admiration and jealousy! That’s interesting about Pinterest. I use it all the time but not as much as I should connected with blogging. Thanks for the reminder to stay current with it. Have a great week!

    1. Kristen Burns

      Seriously, it’s beyond frustrating since now it’s still not fixed and apparently never will be -_- But lol, thanks 😀 About Pinterest, I pretty much only use it to link to my blog nowadays and most of the time am weeks late at even doing that, but that’s why I was so surprised. It was a reminder to me too that I should get back to it since maybe it would help my blog! You have a great week too!

  11. Literary Feline

    I am so sorry about your computer. That is so aggravating! My husband has a Toshiba laptop that has always had issues. It sometimes works. It sometimes doesn’t. And it doesn’t hold a charge no matter how many times the battery is replaced. I feel for you, Kristen.

    That’s great that your receiving more traffic from Pinterest. I have enver mastered Pinterest and so rarely use it.

    Naughty Cupid sounds like fun. I am glad you enjoyed it! I am curious to know what it was about Teeth that bothered you so anxiously await your review.

    I hope you have a great week, Kristen!

    1. Kristen Burns

      Thanks. Yeah, I’m seriously never buying Toshiba again.

      I don’t know that I’ve mastered Pinterest? I just used to use it a lot for fun and never actually cared about followers or anything and now I just link my posts and somehow it’s semi-working lol.

      Naughty Cupid was a fun book 🙂

      You have a great week too!

  12. Lola

    That’s just ridiculous that you’ve sent it back three times now and still isn’t fixed. That’s so frustrating!

    You beat me ;). I am at 22 scheduled posts at the moment. I’ve been busy this month, so I’ve fallen behind a bit.

    That’s neat you got some traffic from pinterest. I do use pinterest, but mostly for cooking related pins. I do pin my reviews there just in case anybody sees them. And my most popular pin is one about rats, which makes me sad every time pinterest lets me know it’s my best pin as I still miss my pet rats. But overall my non bookish pins seem to do better than my bookish ones, lol.

    I don’t think I ever got a book through Storycartel, but I’ve heard of them. I am curious about your review for Teeth now as I wonder what disappointed you. Naughty Cupid looks fun and like it’s exactly the type of book you would expect from the cover. I hope you’ll have a great week!

    1. Kristen Burns

      It’s completely ridiculous since now I have a year old computer that no longer works when they should have fixed it -_-

      YAY!!! I finally have more posts scheduled than you! I will have to revel in this day because it will probably never happen again lol 😛

      Yeah, mostly I post links to Pinterest and Tumblr just so they’re there in case anyone searches and it comes up or something, but that’s why I surprised to see some of my book reviews actually getting attention. But the way Pinterest works, once your image starts getting popular, it kind of snowballs since it is then the image that starts coming up in searches and more people see it, etc. Not that any of my posts have gotten SUPER popular, but still, it’s something. Aww, sorry your most popular pin makes you sad though :-/ I didn’t know there was even a way for Pinterest to show you your best pin though?

      You’re right, Naughty Cupid was kind of exactly what you’d expect from the cover and title lol. You have a great week too!

      1. Lola

        Who knows if you keep this up you might stay ahead of me 😉

        Pinterest often e-mails e with the most popular pin of the week or something and the rat pin I mentioned often shows up there and on top of my pinterest stats. They have a page where you can see some stats.

        1. Kristen Burns

          I was just looking up business accounts on Pinterest, is that what you have that shows you stats? Because mine is still a personal account, but I’m thinking I should probably switch…

          1. Lola

            Yes I think I have a business account indeed. I think I might have switched to a business account a year or so ago. I can’t remember what the difference is except for the stats, but I like seeing the stats.

  13. Got My Book

    I was totally excited that I had a functional blog ahead plan in place, and then this week I went and decided to increase the number of reviews I’m doing. I’m not starting until Sept though, to give me some more time to get ahead a bit.

  14. Maureen's Books (@MaureenHinten)

    OMG.. that definitely is ridiculous! Your laptop is still broken?!! Pff… you totally deserve to rant.
    25 posts ready to go? Wow.. I’m so jealous. I’m so busy lately I don’t have any ready. I just try to make a post the day before it’s supposed to be up. What is your trick? Teach me!! 😉 LOL!!
    Have a great week and happy reading! 😉

  15. Bea @Bea's Book Nook

    24 reviews scheduled?! Holy cow. Go you!

    My laptop is a Toshiba, I’ve had it for 6 years and I haven’t had problems. Lately it’s been slow but that may be because I need to clean up some software and some files. I’m sorry you are having so much trouble, that’s rotten.

    Happy reading and have a great week!

    1. Kristen Burns

      Haha, thanks!

      I’m glad you’ve had better luck with your Toshiba than I have. I’ve only had this computer for a year, and now they can’t even fix it, so I’ll definitely be trying something else next time :-/

      You have a great week too!

  16. S. J. Pajonas

    Oh no! I feel you on this one. We used to have Toshiba laptops and that’s why we now refer to them all as “Trashiba.” Yes. (I’ve always been a Mac person so these were my husband’s computers. Now he has a Macbook Air as well). I hope you get it back soon in good condition!

    1. Kristen Burns

      Trashiba, I like it. I’ve never had a Mac. I’m afraid that if I bought one, with my electronics luck, it would just break in a year too and then I’d be out even more money. Not even sure what I’m gonna do about the computer situation, but thanks, I’ll be sure to everyone know if it ever does get fixed :-/

  17. Stormi Johnson

    Oh I hate computer problems, I hope you get it fixed soon. My desk top is down and I have to use my laptop and it’s okay but I just like my desk top more…lol. Have a great week and happy reading!

    Stormi

      1. Kristen Burns

        Haha I love that you went and signed up for Story Cartel just for this book. But yay! I’ll have someone to talk about it with! Let me know when you’ve read it so we can chat! My review isn’t scheduled until the 21st though.

        1. AngelErin

          It just sounded so interesting! I saw it’s super short so I’m hoping to read it soon. We’ll have to msg each other on Twitter once we’ve read it! Good luck with the laptop. I hope you’ve sent Toshiba an angry email. :/