Update: Life and Books (7/15/18)

 
 

Another two weeks gone by. Another post in which I have nothing exciting to report.

But I did finally do something productive! There was a tweet going around at one point about how we all have a hard drive that just has a bunch of copies of nested older hard drives. Well, I actually organized my hard drive! It’s not perfect, but I’ve deleted so many of the files that were just multiples, I’ve got all the documents into actual named folders/subfolders (instead of just scattered everywhere), and I’ve started sorting through the pictures. I feel so accomplished!

I’m bummed though because I finally installed The Sims 3 onto my new, better computer (so that I wouldn’t have to switch computers every time I want to play), but the game is lagging so much in one of my favorite worlds that it’s not even playable. WHY. I swear I 100% truly believe there I have an electronics curse. But the other worlds I’ve tested are working better, so I guess all is not lost. I’ll just have to switch computers if I want to play in that one world, I guess.


Blog/Bookish Updates:

I won another giveaway! I’m on a roll, guys. Things are kinda tough for me right now, so winning some books has been a nice pick-me-up (and they’ll provide a nice distraction while reading them). Teeth is what I chose for winning the Discussion Challenge giveaway for May!

Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz

 

Books I Received for Review:

Keeper of the Bees by Meg Kassel
 

7/8/18: Nothing!

7/15/18: Keeper of the Bees is from NetGalley. I also applied to be in a blog tour for this book because I didn’t see the blog tour sign-ups until after I applied on NG, and the blog tour is offering the first book (Black Bird of the Gallows) for review too, so I guess we’ll see what happens lol.

 

Books I Finished:

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Twice Bitten by Rayna Vause
The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty
 

I haven’t been getting a whole lot of reading done. I’ve started giving myself daily reading goals though (e.g. 20% of my ebook), and it’s helping because I do want to read, I just keep not reading for some reason.

7/8/18: I enjoyed Rebel of the Sands, but I’m not sure I liked it enough to spend the time and money required to continue. Twice Bitten didn’t work for me, unfortunately.

7/15/18: The City of Brass was great! I already posted my review, so you can find that linked below.

 

What I’m Loving:

This week, what I’m loving is…

Monster Prom (Again)

I know, I’ve talked about this one before AND reviewed it, but it’s still growing on me. They added a new special ending even! And a gallery with pictures! And the monsters have temporary summer outfits! And there’s still so much I haven’t seen yet! And I love all the fan art online. I even ended up reading a 4000-word fanfic XD

 

In Case You Missed It:

7/8/18:
– I reviewed The Last Sun by K. D. Edwards, an incredibly unique urban fantasy with lovable characters.
– I recommended 5 diverse sci-fi/fantasy books set in the US.
– I reviewed Space Unicorn Blues by T.J. Berry, an inclusive space adventure.

7/15/18:
– I did the Book Blogging Firsts Tag and talked about my first post, my first review copy, and other various things.
– I reviewed What Fate Portends by Clara Coulson, the first in a new post-apoc, fae-filled urban fantasy series.
– I reviewed The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty, a book with complex characters and world-building + djinn.

 

The Sunday Post Link-Up:

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

 
 
 
 

Talk to me!

Have you read any good books or played any good games recently?
Do you ever give yourself daily reading goals?

 
 
[shared_counts]
 
 
 

Your Thoughts

 

62 thoughts on “Update: Life and Books (7/15/18)

I'd love if you'd share your thoughts, too!

 

Reading your comments makes me a very happy blogger!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

 
  1. Greg

    That would be aggravating about the SIMS and your computer. I have am older game that doesn’t run on newer versions of Windows and I have to go downstairs to the older computer when I want to play it- which is way annoying lol. So yeah…

    Yay for the giveaway win! I’ll have to check your City of Brass review, I guess I missed that one…

    Monster Prom fanfic… hmm. 🙂 And a new ending? Methinks it might be time ti play again….

    1. Kristen Burns

      Yeah, I’m so frustrated because part of the reason I chose this computer was to play The Sims! But I guess having to switch computers to play a game is such a First World Problem.

      Have you got any of the special endings yet? I only have like 5 left. I’m gonna be sad once I’ve done them all and have nothing left to do lol.

  2. Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks

    I’ve heard great stuff about Teeth 🙂 congrats! It’s too bad to hear about the Sims. And I also feel like I have nothing to share, despite being super busy with events these last few weeks – this week I just came back and reaped all the damage from being mostly off from work all this time xD so basically, I was just working all the time, so nothing to share, really.

    Hope you have a good week!

  3. Lindsi

    I really need to organize all the files and such on my computer. I’m sure there are thousands of things I could delete, lol.

    Keeper of the Bees! I have that one, too. I hope we both love it. 🙂

    L @ Do You Dog-ear?

    1. Kristen Burns

      I don’t even know how much I deleted. It was SO MUCH.

      Yay! Did you read the first book? I mean, from what I understand you don’t *have* to since this is different characters, but I still like reading things in order, so I’m hoping I’ll get accepted for the blog tour.

  4. Stephanie Jane

    One of the few benefits of not owning a proper computer is I don’t get snarled up in all that stuff 🙁
    Fingers crossed you get your sims working properly in all worlds soon – weird that just one is lagging?

    1. Kristen Burns

      Awww I’m sorry you don’t have a proper computer! It might be more than just that one, I haven’t tested them all, but I think that one is the biggest one that uses the most memory or whatever it is, so :-/

  5. Suzanne @ Under the Covers Book Blog

    Just reading about you organising your hard drive made me feel guilty about the mess mine is in! I should do it, but something else more urgent always seems to pop up. Avoidance at its best I think! The Sims! I love those games but I have decided I can’t play them anymore…they suck me in and before I know it 10 hours have gone by and although my Sim has a great house and a good job, I’m still in my pjs and forgotten to go to work….

    Have a great week!

    1. Kristen Burns

      Lol it’s just more motivation 😉 I’ve been avoiding it for years, so I get it! Oh yeah, they’re a major time suck, but they’re so great for destressing! But pshh, my sims are so much more successful and productive than I am. It’s terrible, haha.

      Thanks, you too!

  6. Sam@WLABB

    Yeah for book wins! It’s been so long since I won something, I don’t even remember what it’s like. (I’m know, I’m being dramatic). I used to clean up my hard drive all the time when I used my computer for more than blogging. Now I am just happy it turns on after an update (seriously Apple). It’s kind of old, but I vow to use this computer until it dies.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Lol maybe you’ll win something soon! My problem is that I just have terrible luck with computers constantly breaking or having issues. So I know what it feels like being stuck with computers that are lucky just to turn on.

  7. Jenea's Book Obsession

    How awful about the Sims game, but at least you’re still able to play on another device. I should get my hard drive cleaned up. My computer might run a little faster too. Have a great week. 🙂

  8. Roberta R.

    YET ANOTHER GIVVY?!? You have the magic touch, I swear. I’m glad you won another book, since they’re helping you through a particularly rough time.

    Yay for becoming a computer wizard too! LOL. I leave the technicalities to the hubs. At least he can do something useful for a change 🙄😂.

    1. Kristen Burns

      I feel like I might be a bit lucky with giveaways, but also I enter A LOT lol. Thank you 🙂

      Haha it wasn’t so much technical, just boring and time-consuming!

  9. S. J. Pajonas

    Organizing your HD is a big task! I did mine two summers ago and it took me days. But now it’s nice because I know where everything is. I need to go through my Downloads folder in August. It’s been on my to-do list for months. 🙂

    1. Kristen Burns

      It was! And I’m so happy I got so much of it done! Still haven’t done all the pictures, but honestly, I’m just happy to have the docs sorted and to be able to actually find the files I need. Good luck with your downloads folder!

  10. Nicci @ Sunny Buzzy Books

    Oh my god, I really need to sort out my hard drive AND our family server… I just can’t. It scares me. It’d be something I’d start and weeks later still not be finished wading through all the files and duplicate files and duplicates of duplicates… I applaud you for succeeding! 🙂

  11. Sophie

    Hi Kristen thanks for drawing my attention to Keeper of the Bee! I loved Black Birds of the Gallows so much that I just requested the sequel (yet I promised myself that I would stop requesting ARCs….). Sorry to hear that rebel of the Sand was good but maybe not enough to have you buy the other two. I finished this series this week and I loved it! have a bright Sunday 😉

    1. Kristen Burns

      Oh yay, I hope you get approved! Psh, the promise doesn’t count when it’s part of a series you already love 😉 I’m glad to hear you loved the Rebel of the Sands series! Thanks, have a great week 🙂

  12. Northwoman

    Sometimes if you want something to happen you have to schedule it, even if it’s reading. I try to either get out of bed a bit later or go to bed earlier to squeeze in an hour or so of reading. I also listen to lots of audio books while doing chores, driving, eating lunch at work, sewing, knitting, etc. Audiobooks allowed me to finish 70 more books a year roughly. I finish 1-2 a week. There are always more things I want to read! Good luck. Anne – Books of My Heart

    1. Kristen Burns

      Yep, sometimes you have to make the time or push yourself to do things. That’s fantastic that you get so much extra reading in with audiobooks! I would love to do that, but I just have such a hard time finding audiobooks with narrators I can deal with.

  13. Lola

    I sometimes struggle to find anything interesting to say too in my weekly recap posts, some weeks just nothing exciting happens. That’s great you organized your hard drive. That’s annoying your game lags when you play it on your newer computer. I have some games that lag on my current computer and it’s so annoying and can make it almost impossible to play when it’s really bad. You probably already tried this, but sometimes it helps to set the graphic settings lower or change the resolution to a lower one.

    That’s awesome you won another giveaway. Winning giveaways is a nice mood booster. I hope you’ll enjoy the book you picked for that giveaway.

    I’ll have to read your review of City of Brass next. Glad to hear you’re still annoying the Monster Prom game and it’s fun when games do summer or winter specials. Have a great week!

    1. Kristen Burns

      You know your week was unexciting when organizing your hard drive is news 😛 But I guess we all have those kinds of weeks sometimes! I did try changing settings, but honestly, I’d rather just switch computers than play with horrible graphics anyway.

      It is a great mood booster! New books always are! Thanks 🙂

      I’ve never played these types of games before, so the summer update is so fun! Thanks, you too 🙂

  14. JJ @ This Dark Material

    Congrats on your giveaway win! I’m impressed that you managed to organize your hard drive. Mine is in the same state, with a lot of nested folders from old computers and external drives 😂 I’m almost scare to try rearranging everything…it might be a little messy, but at least I know where everything is! Hope you have a great week Kristen 🙂

    1. Kristen Burns

      Thanks! Honestly I’m impressed too, haha. But see, I *didn’t* know where everything was. It took me like ten minutes just to find anything. But if messy works for you, I say stick to it! Thanks, you too 🙂

  15. Aj @ Read All The Things!

    Congrats on getting organized and on winning the giveaway! Sorry about The Sims, though. I’ve never had a good enough computer to play The Sims 3. I was so excited when Sims 4 came out because I thought I might be able to play that one, but nope. Have a great week!

  16. sjhigbee

    I know I need to springclean my C drive as I have nested files – I think I need to ensure I’ve everything backed up, pull on the virtual rubber gloves and get scrubbing… Another summer holiday chore! I hope you have another great week – I thoroughly enjoyed Rebel of the Sands, but have yet to track down The City of Brass, which I’ve heard a lot of good things about. Have a great week, Kristen:)

    1. Kristen Burns

      The nested files are a real problem lol. Good luck with getting your drive organized! Glad to hear you liked Rebel of the Sands! I think you’ll like City of Brass as well 🙂 Thanks, you too!

  17. Barb (boxermommyreads)

    I really loved Black Bird of the Gallows and am excited for Keeper of the Bees as well. The cover is just as gorgeous and knowing how the bees tie in already makes me super curious about where this one is headed. Sounds like you’ve gotten lots accomplished with your hard drive. I’m so techie-limited. However, I did manage to update my husband’s Fitbit and stuff this weekend.

    Hope you gave a great week. Happy reading and gaming!

    1. Kristen Burns

      I really want to get into the blog tour so I can get an ARC for BBotG too since it seems like everyone loved it! And I want to know about the world and stuff. Glad you managed to embrace your techie side and update the Fitbit! 😉

      Thanks, you have a great week too!

    1. Kristen Burns

      I’m definitely going to try and stay organized from here on out. I used to be super duper organized on the computer. Idk what happened over the past seven or so years. I think it was partly cuz I ended up jumping from computer to computer as they kept breaking.

  18. Wren

    congrats on winning a giveaway! Winning stuff always makes me feel a bit happier 🙂 My daily reading goals are honestly just to read… I tend not to say that I want to read a certain amount of pages in a day, although I have done one 24 hour read-a-thon where I read 2 and a half books! As for games, I love this card game called Boss Monsters that my boyfriend introduced to me. I don’t play computer games much.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Thanks! It makes me happier too 🙂 Just to read is a good goal too! That just hasn’t been working for me lately though, so a set amount has been helping. I would say 2 and a half book in 24 hours is a lot, but I’ve read 2 books in a day before lol. Not anymore though! Ooh Boss Monsters? I like the sound of any game with the word Monsters in it 😛

  19. Suzanne @ The Bookish Libra

    I should organize my hard drive too. Should but probably won’t because I just get so lazy about things like that.

    Your post reminds me that Rebel of the Sands is still sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. I always seem to pick that one up and then immediately set it aside, no clue why since I’ve heard mostly good things about it.

    Congrats on your new books!

  20. Olivia Roach

    Looking forward to your review of Rebel of the Sands! Ah, I had to sort out my files as well when I switched laptops because of my old one choking its last breath and giving up. I needed something faster, and so I also got my first hard drive too and could set that up all organised. It’s quite a satisfying feeling so good on your for doing that.

    1. Kristen Burns

      I’ll prob just do a mini one, if anything. See, I switched computers a whole bunch of times, but that was what *caused* all the chaos. Instead of organizing, I just kept making more mess and files were scattered in all diff folders and things lol. It is satisfying to have it organized though!

  21. Di @ Book Reviews by Di

    UGH. I’ve been so slack again 🙈 I have had your blog open for a week or more to come comment but between work being crazy and my spare time being spent on having to go to kid’s birthday parties and stuff I’ve just had nothing left to give! I didn’t even post on my blog this week! But this coming week I swear I’m catching up and putting some love back into my blog.

    Yay for winning give-aways! I’m sorry you’ve been having a tough time lately but I hope that things are looking better.

    I really enjoyed the Rebel of the Sands trilogy. Book two was quite different to book 1 to be honest, so I’m not sure how to advise you here. It’s less sassy gunslinging and more epic kind of fantasy with more politics involved. Let’s chat in Twitter? I saw your message there the other day but totally flaked on responding. 🙈 Sorry. Communication failures right now.

    Hope to catch up with you properly soon!

    xx

    1. Kristen Burns

      It’s ok that you’ve been busy! But oh no, that does suck you haven’t even been able to do your own blog!

      Thanks 🙂

      Hmm, the comparison between books does help, but I’m still not sure. I just never really connected to the MC, so idk if the rest is worth it to keep reading or if she might grow on me. I can’t do much chatting right now though cuz my tennis elbow is really bad 🙁

      Hopefully we’ll both be able to chat more soon!

      1. Di @ Book Reviews by Di

        Oh! Kristen! I had tennis elbow on my right !!! Thankfully it’s getting better and isn’t turning into a chronic condition so I’m really happy. I struggled for a few weeks, then I bought an ergonomic mouse and that helped a lot and suddenly it started to heal!

        I miss your email response system!!! Ha ha. xx

        1. Kristen Burns

          Mine is already chronic -_- I really need to get a real desk though and try an ergonomic mouse.

          I’M SORRY. I know, I feel like no one even sees my replies anymore, but it was too much work trying to figure out what to use with the GDPR nonsense D-: Maybe I’ll figure out something eventually.

          1. Di @ Book Reviews by Di

            Disqus seems to be able to send out emails with the GDPR stuff… Not sure what changed if anything though… ? My own Policy just mentions:
            Disqus
            Personal Data: Cookies, Usage Data and various types of Data as specified in the privacy policy of the service.