Time Flies When You're Not Looking!

While I sit here writing this I realise it's only the second or third blogpost I've created from absolute scratch and its February already - how on earth did that happen, and where the hell did all my time go?! 

Like most people Christmas and New Year came and went in a flurry of activity, too much food and a seemingly endless stream of visitors, day trips, and laundry - lots and lots of laundry! Which is nothing special or exceptionally hard to deal with, unless you throw in family dynamics, and a couple of mental illnesses to accommodate. Because having a husband who suffers from depression and a daughter with anxiety means often making allowances that you wouldn't normally have to consider when making plans of any kind - even mundane everyday stuff can sometimes pose a problem that requires time and patience to resolve. Which severally cuts into my time to do anything really - let alone read, blog, or have actual human interaction away from the home!

But I'm not complaining, not really. I just need to somehow streamline my time management skills to include a couple hours of me time a day (one can hope anyway!). I have started meditating in the evenings - this is my attempt to try and clear my mind of the useless chatter that doesn't seem to shut off, preventing me from a good nights sleep; and so far it's helping me a little. Although my hubby has noticed an increase in my snoring - but trade offs, right!

And I've fallen in love with adult colouring books, I have a number of differently themed books that I'm slowly making way through.

So books and reading - I haven't done much reading as I stated but I am trying to catch up, I really want to clear the stack of books I have on my bedside table.

To say it's a bit of a mess is an understatement, and don't get me started on the piles of unread books on my bookshelves and on my Kindle!

I'm also slowly dipping my toes back into the promotional side of blogging - I've been contacted by a couple of authors who'd like me to help them with a few projects in the coming months. I really love and miss the close interactions that come with arranging blog tours and other virtual events, but I'll just play it by ear at this stage.

So as far as updates go, that's about it really - now back to some reading (and sigh laundry!)

The week that was... and a giveaway!

So its been commented on that I haven't posted anything personal in recent months. And there has been a reason for that - I've only had doom and gloomy stuff going on in my world and who really wants to read about somebody elses woes - so we'll just avoid the personal stuff for now!

I've been trying to catch up on my reading pile and like everyone, mine is overflowing and threatening to consume me. I also tend to read the newer books first and longingly and guiltily sigh over the ones I keep skipping.

This week I read Mrs D is Going Without by Lotta Dann, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A really honest and insightful look at the usually unseen alcoholic, an everyday mum - look for the upcoming review!

I read four other books this past week, and although I didn't write any reviews to post on the blog, I did leave some brief thoughts on them at Goodreads, which you can check out here if you want...
 

Ryder by Jani Kay
Seizure by Erica Wagner 
Linked by Imogen Howson
Fallen Crest High by Tijan

 I was recently approached about reviewing for Simon & Schuster and I'm over the moon to now be receiving books from them - total buzz! My first couple of books arrived this week; The Year of the Rat by Clare Furniss and Being Jade by Kate Belle.

I started reading Being Jade over the weekend and so far, I'm enjoying it a whole lot :)
Sign-ups opened this week for a Review Tour I'm hosting. Simon by V.A. Dold, is a paranormal romance and if you would like to join the tour and review it, we'd love to have you on board. Sign up link here.

Alternatively, you can check out all of the tours currently available to join with Book Chatter Promotions here.

And that's about all there is to report at the moment...

except to say GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

That's right, in celebration of my long awaited return to a more personalized blog post I have a small giveaway to share with you all! I asked my amazingly talented Miss 12 to make these gorgeous metal bookmarks and two winners will win one each (the 1st winner will get the bookmark of their choice and the 2nd will get the other)

 

So to enter, just leave me a comment
- and be sure to leave your email address -
a comment about absolutely anything! Say hi, ask a question, leave a link to your own blog (I'll pop over and say hi!), anything at all!

Giveaway will end this time next week :)
(Sunday evening NZ time)
(open internationally!)

Short On Time

Yes, yes, I said I would blog about the books I have read but I've been short on reading time this week and haven't finished my book yet.

I'm currently reading Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh and while I love the characters it seems to be moving a little slow for me. I'm just over half way so the real action should start soon I'm sure. (No complaints on the bedroom action!!)

I'm really excited about a book I won today though and I'm SO going to read it next.
Spartan Heart Part 1 by Kristine Cheney
I read the blurb and was immediately intrigued by Evangeline and Dorien's love story. I've put it here for you to take a look at.

SPARTAN HEART: LOSING IT ALL PLACES YOU IN A POSITION TO GAIN EVERYTHING.  
TIME MEANS NOTHING WHEN THE ONE DESTINED TO LOVE YOUR HEART HAS WAITED CENTURIES 
 

Sent away to college in America, Evangeline swore she would never return to England. Anger loses its value when tragedy forces her home to assume ownership of the family's beloved Greco-Roman museum.
Placing a foolish, drunken kiss on a Greek statue in the museum's basement, Evangeline unknowingly frees a Spartan prince from an evil oracle's curse. Suddenly, her lonely life is invaded by the rakish man with knowing emerald green eyes who never eats or sleeps, and seems to know her every thought and feeling.

Falling in love is dangerous, especially when it's with a man who has already been claimed by the bitter oracle Demona. From the moment of her kiss, Evangeline is swept into Dorien's world of mystery, danger, and passion. The Oracle's fury only mounts as they unravel Demona's darkest secrets, but not before Demona finds out about their unborn half-breed immortal twins.

Demona uses her knowledge of the future to manipulate, but sometimes love has a will, and a heart...of its own.

Sounds great right? Check out the website here
So that's my reading plan for the rest of the week
What about you guys, reading any great books right now?