Hi friends,
Today is Sunday, time to look back in the rearview mirror and talk about my week in and out of the blog. As usual I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted for years by Kimberly @caffeinatedreviewer .
In my private life
Quarantine and all I still had great news and fun this week!
It seems that the quarantine awoke the jokester in me and I chose to write some fun posts this week (see below).
I am all settled in my routine and yes, things can get boring and scary, but my way of coping in crisis and under stress is to look at the bright side of things and find some humor.
Everything is not rosy though as my husband really begins to struggle with the lockdown. He used to get depressed many years ago so I hope he won’t fall back down the pit of despair!
Unfortunately, there is not much that I can do to help, only being upbeat and positive.
One thing I am wondering more and more is: how will we feel when everything will be over? When we’ll get the green light to go back to the office? Will we dare? Will we shake hands again? Or opt for a namaste?
I try not to become paranoid but that’s hard.
So yesterday I had a pep talk with myself (yes yes I talk with myself and draw lots of weird looks) and it was something like: “Don’t be stupid Sophie! Of course you’ll dare! Don’t let this rule your life! If it’s your time well, it will be your time. But no way you’ll live a half life in fear!”
See I can be very bossy with myself 😀
Making jokes aside (again see below “on the blog”) what helps me to cope is creating!
And this week I had so much fun creating a funko pop for our friend Trisy @bobosbookbank ! I will ship it next week to Texas! It’s a unique, never done before funko and it’s one of the Black Dagger Brotherhood vampires! If you’ve never read that series you get the same vibes as Sons of Anarchy with very hot and badass vampires. For those of you who knows that series, we chose to make Vishous!
I won’t show you the funko here as we’ve decided with Trisy that I’d make a funko post and she’ll complete it with the funko on her shelf (fingers crossed that it arrives unscathed)!
I have now a funko in The Netherlands and one will soon be in Texas and others in the UK!
That’s very heartwarming to know that my babies are traveling the world LOL.
Last but not the least exciting news: I have been chosen to become a rep for a book box!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It seems that Instagram is really my place to shine as an international blogger! I got publishers sending advanced or finished copies there, an online custom funko pop shop chose me as an influence months ago, my favorite online shop The Story Gift chose me as a rep and now, Beacon Book Box decided that I was interesting enough to represent their boxes for three months!!!!
I am really over the moon!
That means that I’ll get three free book boxes to feature in my feed and stories and hopefully, make others want to subscribe!
I have been VERY IMPRESSED when I learned that the owner, Cameron, founded Beacon during his freshman year of high school! He will begins his senior year next school year. Can you believe this???
Honestly I was amazed!
He’s got the help of his parents of course and from what I get of his sister as well.
And they are real serious as you have to agree to a contract and all that jazz.
I am equally excited and afraid to begin as I hope I’ll be more than “good enough” for them. 😀
That’s who I am though. I really want to help these shops to grow and support them.
With The Story Gift, I even got a friend in its owner, Deema, who is the kindest and most talented person that I know!
If you are curious about these shops and boxes, I am leaving you a picture with a link to their site below (PS Deema is celebrating The Story Gift’s two year this weekend with a massive sale and five giveaways!).
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On the blog (click on the graphic to read the post)
I have been quite MIA this week on the blog. I posted early in the week and just very late too. I even skipped Top 5 Tuesday for what must be the first time!!!! 😯
I confess that I was in a weird mood with all the bad news and I just wanted to escape in a good book. And what a book! I’ve read Crescent City by Sarah J Maas and with 800 pages it took me some time! Even more as the pages are packed with informations! Review incoming tomorrow.
This week I posted two reviews for romance books.
Ashes by Aleatha Romig is the conclusion of her trilogy and a very good one at that! It’s the darkest I have ever seen her! 4,5 stars.
Southern Storm by Brittainy C Cherry is honestly one of her bests. She was brilliant here and broached topics like grief with deep understanding and compassion. And I loved the side characters as well! 5 stars, the first in weeks now!
Then we come to the humor part of the week… 😀
On Monday I posted about grocery shopping requiring a degree from West Point as it is akin to strategize for a battle! If you want to laugh, just read it!
And on Friday I decided after observing the many reactions and strategies adopted by many towards the Covid Crisis to have a list of recommendations fitting every covid “type” LOL. Read the post and tell me which time you think you fall into!
On the blogosphere and in the literary world
This week I chose Epic Reads ” Would You Be in The Selection or on The Bachelor?” as it seems that this week they didn’t publish any new quiz!
My results made me laugh! ” You’d be on The Bachelor. You have a devious mind but a hopeful heart—and have a knack for navigating drama! We think you really will make this the most dramatic season ever…” Devious mind he? 😆
Click on the graphic to take the quiz
And on the blogosphere I found very interesting and sometimes funny posts!
Kim @cadburypom will make you laugh with this post!
On the Lighter Side ~ Coronavirus Edition
Trisy @bobosbookbank gives you tips to get free or cheap ebooks!
The Orang Outang has a very interesting discussion about reads being cathartic
https://theorangutanlibrarian.wordpress.com/2020/04/10/the-power-of-catharsis/
That’s all for this week guys! What’s happened in yours? Leave a comment and I’ll answer within a few days! Now I am going to blog hop! Stay safe everyone!
Thanks for reading.
Sophie
Wow, Sophie congratulations all round – the growing Funko Pop empire and being a rep for many businesses!
Thank you Flora!!
Congratulations on being the rep for beacon! That’s really awesome!
Thank you Raven!!!
Congratulations, Sophie, on making it big through Instagram again! I do hope you’ll get to grow even more as quickly as you can! 😉 Love your Funko projects too. So creative! 😀
Thank you Lashaan!!!
Glad I’m not the only one who talks to myself. 😉 Congrats on all your awesome news!
I know it’ll take awhile but I can not WAIT to get my Funko! Congrats on your new appointment as a book box rep too Sophie…they have a fabulous bookstagrammer on their hands! Also, thanks so much for the shout out my friend, have a fantastic week!
Congrats on being a rep for Beacon!!!! That is super awesome <3 I can't wait to see your awesome pictures <3
Yay for your funko pops traveling the world and living everywhere! I am glad you still managed to have a good Easter. I am also waonering what this life is going to be like when all of this is over. And I hope your husband will be okay. We are keeping well with quarantine at the moment but it is still hard and must be harder on some more than others 🙁
Yes Olivia some who live in tiny apartment with small children must have a really hard time!
My husband and I were just having the same conversation, Sophie. When this is over, what will it be like to “return to normal?” Will I be afraid to go back to the office, coming into contact with people every day? Will I want to shake hands with anyone. Will I shy away from any touch from people? Will I want to be in large gatherings of people? It will be interesting to see what the long term impact is.
And I wonder how your visit at the office today went Tanya!
I have to go to work but my son doesn’t so we try to set a routine as he struggles with depression also. Congrats on your exciting news, Sophie!
Thank you Laura! I really hope your son will feel better and find a routine that will help him!
Ahahahah! Your list of strategies for Shopping Mall Expeditions does resonate with my own in many ways! 🙂 Particularly with the choice of time: it does not always work, but it does reduce the queueing time before being admitted inside…
Humor is indeed the best medicine we can use against this situation: if we can laugh about it, we will survive it!
Happy to have made you laugh Maddalena!!
Awesome new, Sophie – congrats! Your Instagram posts are always beautiful – not surprised at all they chose you.
Thank you so much Teri!!
Huge congratulations on you being chosen as a rep for a book box company! What an exciting project at a time when the libraries are all shut, and people are stuck indoors:). I loved your post about the trials of shopping – so funny:)).
I hope your husband can hang on in there. Depression is a significant illness, as I’m sure you know… Can he contact a helpline? Or maybe talk to his dr – it is such a hard time for folks who struggle with such problems and I very much hope he soon manages to feel better. Take care and stay safe – I hope the coming week is a good one for you!
Thank you so much! And he has his previous doctor so I think he’ll be fine. We began playing family games today, to lift up his mood!
That must be such a relief – continuity of care is so important… And family games are a charm. We ought to dust off our Game of Thrones monopoly set!
Congrats on your successes! There are some awesome book crate/box companies out there.
Encourage your husband to speak to a doctor if need be, lots of people need some extra help right now to manage their stress.
Wishing you a great reading week, and good health.
I know Shelley and he went to a professional years ago so you are totally right!
My Facebook feed is mostly full of jokes these days–it’s one of my ways of coping with our current crisis. Humor and focusing on the hear and now. I suffer from bad anxiety and so have been pulled out all the stops in my coping strategies to get through this. We all must do the best we can, right? I talk to myself too, by the way, so I don’t think you are crazy at all. 🙂 Congratulations on being chosen to be a rep for a book box. That sounds cool. I hope you have fun with it! I hope you have a good week. Take care and stay safe and well.
Pfew I feel better now! I am not the only odd one LOL
I’ll never shake hands again haha! I mean you hear about these people who are germaphobes and don’t shake hands or whatever, and we know it passes germs but we all do it. Not anymore for me lol!
Hope your husband is okay and doesn’t get depressed. I worry about people because all the uncertainty does get to all of us I think in different ways.
Congrats on Insta!!!
Love the idea of Covid recommendations!
So elbow hugs foverver Greg??? Or namaste? LOL
It will be strange when the restrictions are lifted, and I doubt things will go back to the same. I think we’ll all be fearful until they come up with a vaccine. Glad you’re trying to be positive! 🙂
Rachel the vaccine will probably ease everyone indeed!
I’m glad you are having such a good time with things. The days kind of run together here. We are fine but I am a moody reader. I’m not sure when I will feel comfortable going out again. The BDB books are not my thing but SOA is, as you can probably tell with my Charlie & me avatar.
Have a healthy, safe week! Happy Easter!
Anne – Books of My Heart Here is my Sunday Post
Yes I have seen your picture with Charlie Anne!
Thanks for including me Sophie. I struggle with depression and anxiety as well, so focusing on the positive and humorous definitely helps me. I’m looking forward to your review of Sarah’s book. I have it, but haven’t dived in yet.
Kim I can’t wait to read your review of that one!!!
I want to see the vishious funko! ❤️
Cant wait for Trissy to get her Funko!
Depressions is serious and can be devastating so I really hope your husband hangs in there and manages to find away to stay as positive as you, Sophie. But damn, it’s hard. Love, love, love that you are getting so much wonderful recognition and becoming an “influencer” how cool is that?
Stay positive dear friend, and happy easter weekend. xxx
My oldest is like your hubby who really needs to get out to fight off depression. I think getting up, dressing and keeping a routine while at home helps. We are all trying to keep a postive attitude too. Stay safe!
I love the BDB series and can’t wait to see your new Funko! Congrats on achieving so much success with Instagram- it’s awesome to be rewarded for your efforts 🙂
Even though we’re locked down with the virus, it’s heartening to know we’re all in this together. For once, the whole world is working toward one common goal!
I think things are going to be rocky, when we return to real life, but if more people are like you, and try to be positive, the transition will be easier. You are a funko queen! That’s awesome that you are still creating so much, and sharing your talents. And, congratulations on your Instagram success! It takes a lot of work to be successful there. It’s nice to see you are be rewarded.
Congrats on all of the success you’re having with your Bookstagram account. That’s wonderful. I also love your positive attitude and humor through all of this. I’m all for anything that helps lighten people’s moods right now.
My biggest fear is that I will have a hard time leaving the house. I have always had anxiety about things that could happen while I’m out (house catches on fire, dogs die, etc) so being home this much will make it even more difficult than usual! But, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it!
Congrats on being a rep!!!
I get what you mean Samantha! And thank you!
Congrats on being chosen as a rep! That’s really awesome!
Thank you!!!
You’re welcome!
I like your idea of finding some humor. Your grocery shopping post was a fun one. I hope your husband can stay out of the depression zone. Can you still go outside for walks? That might help. Or at least get some sunlight, vitamin D help with serotonin levels which in turn can help against depression.
I sometimes wonder about that too, when will we know it’s safe to go back to normal and how will that be. Will we go back to shaking hands. Although I am totally fine if we just stick to waving instead.
That’s awesome that company picked you as a rep. Congrats! That’s awesome news. I have an Instagram account for my tour company, but never really got into it for books, but I do love seeing other people’s Instagram accounts.
Stay safe and have a great week!
Thank you so much Lola!!! Stay safe too and ..find some flour LOL
I like your attitude. It is so helpful to focus on humor and the positives, and living in the moment is the best defense against anxiety, IMO.
Enjoy your creations! Thanks for visiting my blog.
You are so wlecome Laurel!