Update: Life and Books (2/11/18)

 
 

So I’ve been doing some more Netflix watching. I watched two random gymnastics movies I found. The first was awful, the second was alright. I also watched The Road to El Dorado. It was cute! Also more inappropriate than I thought a kid’s movie would be. I’m also up to Season 2 of Peaky Blinders.

I’m dealing with eye strain at the moment though, so I’ve had to take it easy with TV/computer/phone/tablet use. Which sucks since those are about the only things I have energy for :-/

But anyway, I’m just chugging along as best as I can…


Blog/Bookish Updates:

I am so powerfully curious about what happened that caused my 2017 book covers post to suddenly blow up w/ steady visits from Pinterest for a few days. According to Pinterest analytics, my daily pin impressions increased by 11,000% within two days. I’m definitely not complaining! I’m just wondering what happened??? Did my board/pins get shared on a popular site? I’d really like to thank whoever shared my pins and gave me this temporary boost!

I also won this in a giveaway:

Ghosts of Manor House by Matt Powers

Last but not least, author Chauncey Rogers is looking for reviewers for his upcoming book Happily! You don’t even need a blog, those who only review on retail sites are welcome as well. eARCs only. If you’re interested, be sure to contact him 🙂

 

Books I Received for Review:

Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby
 

The Devil's Revolver by V.S. McGrath

2/4/18: Sleight is from Edelweiss.

2/11/18: The Devil’s Revolver is from Brain Mill Press. Isn’t it pretty? And it’s giving me a break from electronics.

 

Books I Finished:

Plume by K. Lynn Smith
The Tale of the Body Thief by Anne Rice
Living on a Prayer by Patrick Donovan
Caroline's Heart by Austin Chant
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
 

2/4/18: I read the entire Plume webcomic, and it was a fun fantasy western, even if I did have a few issues. Tale of the Body Thief was very slow to start, but I enjoyed it in the end, although I did have some mixed feelings about things.

2/11/18: Living on a Prayer was an enjoyable short story prequel to a series. Caroline’s Heart was lacking in tension or character development but had great diversity (two trans MCs). I listened to the audiobook of Nimona so that I could rest my eyes, so that was pretty interesting. I’ll do a review eventually.

 

What I’m Loving:

This week, what I’m loving is…

Didn’t get around to this what with the eye strain.

 

In Case You Missed It:

1/21/18:
– I reviewed Saga Vol. 8 by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples, another great volume in this SFF graphic novel series.
– I shared 3 book and song match-ups.
– I reviewed Thorns and Fangs by Gillian St. Kevern, a M/M urban fantasy with a unique supernatural ability.

1/28/18:
– I talked about how to use Feedly and why it’s my favorite feed reader.
– I reviewed The Gold-Son by Carrie Anne Noble, a totally unique historical/urban fantasy about leprechauns!
– I talked about imagining scenes from the POV of a non-POV character.
– I reviewed The Prince’s Gambit by C. S. Pacat, a fantastic second book in a M/M high fantasy series.

 

The Sunday Post Link-Up:

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

 
 
 
 

Talk to me!

Have you found any good books or movies lately?

 
 
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Your Thoughts

 

66 thoughts on “Update: Life and Books (2/11/18)

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  1. Adrian

    I want to try more audiobooks. I’ve listened to a couple but they didn’t really work for me. I read quickly and the pace of the narration kind of infuriates me.

    1. Kristen Burns

      I don’t really like audiobooks either, for a lot of reasons, but I’m trying them now in order to rest my eyes. The Nimona one worked well for me though since it was GN, so there were sound effects and stuff, and it felt kinda like listening to a movie!

  2. Anna @ Adventures with a Book Nerd

    Some weeks are like that. You’ve just got to keep chugging along, and do the best that you can. Wow, that’s a big increase in visitors! lol It would be interesting to see who caused it….

    Have a good week, and hopefully you’ll be feeling better soon! 🙂

    1. Kristen Burns

      Yep, sometimes life is definitely like that, and you just gotta do the best you can do! Yeah, the increase was insane, I just really want to know why it happened!

      Thanks 🙂

  3. Greg

    What’s Peaky Blinders about? I’ve seen that one on Netflix but haven’t check ed it out yet…

    Sleight looks good. I went over to check it out and I like the premise. Hope it turns out good.

    Nimona I haven’t read, but I did read Vol 1 of her Lumberjanes series. It was alright.

    1. Kristen Burns

      A gangster family in England in the past. The first episode was meh, but it has grown on me!

      I haven’t read any circus books in a while, so I figured I’d go for it with Sleight 🙂

      Yeah, Nimona didn’t blow me away, but it was enjoyable. I’ve never really been interested in Lumberjanes tbh.

  4. Christy LoveOfBooks

    Boooo down with eye strain! 😉 That stinks. Hope they start feeling better. Do you like Peaky Blinders? I mean, you must if you’re still watching, huh? I remember seeing ads or whatever for it a while back.

  5. Tizzy Brown

    You get through so many books each week, I’m impressed. I am in a reading slump at the minute-probably have been since I had my daughter. By the time I have got back from work, done dinner, put her to bed and done the chores I crawl into bed and read maybe one or two chapters before passing out! Oh well, I am on holiday next week so hopefully I will catch up on my reading a little.

    1. Kristen Burns

      This was two weeks, and one of them was only a 40-page or so short story, so it’s not as impressive as it looks lol. But damn, reading slumps do suck. I hope you get to enjoy lots of great books on your holiday!

  6. Becky @ A Fool's Ingenuity

    I heard mention of eye strain, have you gone to the opticians about it? I was getting killer headaches for a while and turns out my prescription had changed. As soon as I adjusted to the new prescription headaches were gone. It might help and with everything else getting to enjoy TV/reading etc is important. Glad you’re liking Peaky Blinders! You’re on to the season where Tom Hardy is in it and although I think the story gets way confusing with the third season I do really enjoy that show. Enjoy you’re new books and hopefully you’ll figure out you’re eye strain so you can get a little screen time in.

    1. Kristen Burns

      There’s nothing to do for eye strain except stop using my eyes so much, but there’s nothing to do other than use computer/watch tv/read! I think I need some drops for dry eyes though. I will be seeing the eye doctor in the summer, but I’m trying to avoid having to go before then cuz it’s flu season. I don’t actually know who Tom Hardy is lol. But I am enjoying it! At least I will once I can watch it again lol. Thanks 🙂

      1. Becky @ A Fool's Ingenuity

        You’ve missed out not knowing who Tom Hardy is (he’s the weird and hilarious jewish dude, it’s brilliant). And hopefully eye drops and a bit of eye rest will help, it’s hard figuring out stuff to do without straining your eyes, though. It’s the same reason I end up in a dark room sleeping when I have a migraine.

        1. Kristen Burns

          Ah, I know which one you’re talking about now lol. Thanks. It’s def hard figuring out what to do. I’ve been lying in bed w/ eyes closed listening to ebooks.

  7. chucklesthescot

    I’ve had a good reading month overall and tonight is going to be reading night for at least 7 hours! I hope to get the best part of two books done after a day off for sport yesterday.

  8. Fran

    A friend of mine lent me Season 1 of Peaky Blinders, but I haven’t watched it yet. She praised it a lot, so I am really looking forward to watching it.

  9. Stephanie Jane

    Take care with your eyes. Hope they’re back to providing normal service soon.

    If you haven’t read Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere yet, that audiobook is brilliant. I think I remember it was a full cast recording?

  10. Lola

    That’s nice you found some good shows and movies to watch, even tough one of the movies you watches was terrible. We watched The Mechanic recently, which was pretty good action movie about a hit man, although it could get a tad gruesome in a few places.

    I am sorry to hear you’re dealing with eye strain. I would recommend checking out the program flux (I think they have an app as well), which makes your screen more red and less blue, which can help with eye strain. It takes some getting used to, but when you’re used to it, it’s so much easier on your eyes.

    I had that happen in December that one of my old posts suddenly got really popular and wans’t able to figure out why. I had hoped to thank the person if someone linked to it, but I couldn’t find who shared or posted it.

    That’s awesome you won a giveaway! How was your experience listening to an audiobook? I vaguely remember a post you once did and we talked about how we preferred to read instead of listening usually.

    I noticed you made a block around your question now, I like it! It pulls extra attention to that part. Have a great week!

    1. Kristen Burns

      Huh, I’ve never heard of that movie.

      Oh thanks, I will check that out!

      Yeah, it was such a crazy increase in traffic that I can’t but be curious. And whoever shared my stuff really helped me out! I have no way of finding whoever it was though since the traffic is coming via Pinterest.

      I still don’t like audiobooks, but I’m trying to listen to some just to rest my eyes. Nimona worked well for me though since it was a GN and was like listening to a movie!

      Yay, someone had mentioned my Q at the end was kind of blending in, so pulling attention to it was exactly what I was going for!

  11. suzanna

    Sorry to hear about the eyestrain. I know this sounds odd, but drinking more water always helps me.
    My son’s friend had a ‘Peaky Blinders’ themed wedding – they all looked awesome. 🙂
    Take care

    1. Kristen Burns

      I’ve been thinking I might have dry eyes and need some drops, so maybe that’s why water helps you? I already drink more water than necessary for my weight though. Ha, a Peaky Blinders themed wedding sounds AWESOME, especially since the style is amazing!

      1. suzanna

        Ah, if you have dry eyes, you definitely need to drink more.
        The wedding pictures were fantastic. All the men wore caps and old-fashioned suits and the bridesmaids were all in spotted fifties-style dresses. Even the bride had red and white spotted shoes. Definitely a wedding I’ll remember lol.

        1. Kristen Burns

          I don’t think dry eyes is related to drinking water. As I said, I drink a lot already, more than is recommended for my weight. Too much water is actually bad for you too.

          I can imagine how awesome those wedding pictures must’ve been!

  12. Karen

    I love the over for The Devil’s Revolver. I have Caroline’s Heart but haven’t read it yet.

    I had trouble with my wrist from reading on my Kindle too much (And typing) so I needed a break and have been picking up HC’s instead to rest it.

    Karen @ For What It’s Worth

    1. Kristen Burns

      It’s so pretty! And oddly enough, I had some of the same thoughts about Caroline’s Heart as I did about Stake Sauce lol.

      I got all sorts of issues. Eye strain, tennis elbow. Reading physical books hurts my tennis elbow more, but it’s better for my eyes. Just trying to balance everything out.

  13. AngelErin

    What were the gymnastics movies you watched? And which one did you think was alright? I love gymnastics stuff even though I’ve never done any gymnastics. I find all that so intriguing though! I think Lifetime did a movie on simone biles I’d like to watch sometime, but I don’t watch TV much at all anymore. ?

    1. Kristen Burns

      The alright movie was called Full Out, despite the fact that the video clip they used was a full in, not a full out -_- lol. Forgot the name of the other already. Gymnastics is awesome though, so I don’t blame you for liking it! Have you seen Stick It? That’s actually a great gymnastics movie.

      1. AngelErin

        Sorry I just now saw this reply! Thanks, I’ll have to look up Full Out and Stick It. I haven’t seen either. Gymnastics are just so fun to watch. :o)

  14. Daniela Ark

    Sorry to hear you are dealing with eye strain on top of everything else. 🙁
    That pinterest thing is cool, though. But so mysterious! I hope you post whatever you find because now I’m very curious! 🙂
    Hope you feel better soon!

    1. Kristen Burns

      Thanks, it does feel like the problems pile up sometimes.

      It was so exciting! But it’s bothering me so much that I can’t figure out who shared my stuff cuz I’m so curious!

      Thanks 🙂

  15. Lorna

    I hope your eye problem is only temporary and that you feel better soon! I know so little about Pinterest. I joined but haven’t done anything. Enjoy your week!

  16. S. J. Pajonas

    I hate when something happens and I can’t pinpoint why or how it does. Like one day I’ll have a ton of downloads of my book and not know why! I bet your pins were shared, for sure. Sorry to hear about the eye strain. I watched a lot of Netflix last week while I was sick. 🙂

    1. Kristen Burns

      Yes, it’s driving me crazy not knowing! They must’ve been shared somewhere with lots of traffic/followers, I just don’t know where. Hurray for Netflix 🙂

  17. Barb (boxermommyreads)

    Hope the eye strain improves. Stuff that like sucks especially when is bookworms use our eyes so much. Sleight has such a wonderful cover. It definitely caught my attention when I saw it in Edelweiss. Hope you have a wonderful week!

  18. Sam @ Spines in a Line

    That Ghosts of Manor House looks super interesting and I love the colours! Sounds like you’re getting some good watching in, Netflix just added the last season of The Mindy Project so I can finally finish it!

  19. Cee @ Dora Reads

    Tip with eye strain: make sure you turn the screen-brightness down. Mine is literally down as low as it goes because I have high light-sensitivity related to migraines. When I worked in an office (I know, can you imagine me in an office?!) no-one else could see what was on my computer screen, and I’m there like: what d’you mean? It’s right THERE!

    Lol 🙂

    1. Kristen Burns

      Thanks, I do have the brightness down on my comp and phone, and I now have an add-on for firefox so that it’s black background/white text (which is how I read ebooks too) as it’s easier on my eyes 🙂

  20. Olivia Roach

    I hope you feel better soon and that the eyestrain goes away as well :/ I really am curious about the gynmanstics things you’ve been watching lately. I used to love gymnastics and do it but not anymore ahaha. Yoga is my fix now 😉 I recently watched Black Panther and there are no words for how much I loved that movie.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Thank you <3 I've realized idk if it is eye strain, though too much electronics does make it worse. Still trying to figure out the cause of the headaches :-/ Ah, the good movie was Full Out! And I didn't realize you did gymnastics before yoga! Ooh glad to hear Black Panther was so good!