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

I know I skipped last Sunday Post because I am way over my head into ARCs and book club reads this month! I just wanted to read and read and read!

But now I am back on track!

I am writing this post on my terrace under a huge arbor (you know these kind of big tents you put in the garden when you want to have a reception) with the sound of cicada in the background.

I might add, for a complete visual, that I am in a tank top, short and barefoot because we’ve been hit by a heatwave for two weeks in Belgium now! We reached close to 100°F!!!

I was homeworking in 32°C inside my livingroom and I had to take cold showers between Skype meetings! Not because they were sexy meetings  (I am not working in that field 😀  ) but just because I was sweating like a pig due to the heat.

Let’s hope next week will be more bearable!

 

Now about 50 being the new 20, Friday was my birthday and I reached the middle of my life: 50. I have decided long ago that I won’t die before hitting 100 years. We need one in our family.

It was a sad day because COVID prevented any celebration.

No friend, no cake, nothing.

My husband didn’t buy me a gift nor my son. They say they will organize something big when we are allowed more freedom. But, you know, just a little bouquet and a tiny cake would have made my day …. I swear men are clueless sometimes!

Lucky for me, my mom offered me a lovely bouquet and my daughter came back that day bringing me small gifts. One of them was my favorite : a mug with a mom flying with a cape. The text on the mug says:

“Maman, légende vivante.

PDG d’une PME polyvalente: traiteur, psychologue, soutien scolaire,…

Maîtrise l’espace-temps pour atteindre des journées de 29 heures.

Signe distinctif: estime que trois appels par jour est un minimum.”

 

“Mom, living legend.

CEO of a small polyvalent company: chef, shrink, school helper.

Master time/space to have days of 29 hours.

Distinctive characteristic: thinks that three calls a day is the bare minimum.”

 

I know that now you are swooning right?

Kisses Mwah GIF from Kisses GIFs

 

As my Bday was not so great, I decided to do something crazy and do a live unboxing on Instagram where I show my face guys!!!

Time is flying and I know that I don’t fit the “young and beautiful” mold of booktubers or bookstagrammers but we scream that we want more diversity in books with BIPOC, LGBTQ etc so why not more diversity in age for videos????

As I am a “walk the talk” kind of girl I did it! You can see it on my feed now, wrinkles, accent and all.

If you can’t throw your complex out of the window at 50, I don’t know when you can right? 😉 

PS If you are on IG, would you mind watching it and giving me an honest feedback? I would love to improve.

Here is the link to the video https://www.instagram.com/p/CD39UvngGG0/

 

Last information: I MISS MY FRIENDS!

There, I said it.

It seems that I could go a long time without seeing friends “in real life and face to face” but now, I miss the chats in the changing room of the fitness club, the lazy swim while talking for one hour, the girls night, the ….

That hit me hard since last week and my mood kind of plumeted.

I know I must be grateful to be healthy but that does not mean that the whole social distancing does not suck!

But as I was fed up to be sorry for myself, we already took measures: I will go walk with a friend wearing mask and keeping the 1,5 meters and we bought new garden furniture with a huge table (I just had to sell a kidney for this ) and said arbor to invite few friends and manage to eat outside while keeping the safe distance.

Because for as much as I miss my friend, I don’t want to act foolishly and lose my life!

 

On the blog this week (click on the graphic to read the post)

I reviewed two romance books and loved both!

Drowning in Stars by Debra Anastasia reminded me why I fell in love with her books many years ago (4,5 stars)

Leo by Jay McLean was so angsty and difficult that I nearly stopped reading it! By the end I gave it 4,5 stars too.

.

I managed to read two more books but the reviews will come later this month as I read them for two book clubs on Instagram!

 

On Tuesday I went all out and did a double post! The top Ten Tuesday because I wanted to show favorite books that I never reviewed because it was before I knew reviewing books was a real thing!

https://bewareofthereader.com/ten-books-i-loved-and-would-always-recommend-but-never-reviewed-top-ten-tuesday-08-11/

And Top 5 Tuesday as we talk  about books where something turned right!

Last but not least, August is the month of romance and I teamed up with Trisy and Caro to give you one post a week about a romantic topic. We have so much fun doing these that I’ll leave the two first posts here below.

 

https://bewareofthereader.com/our-favorite-characters-in-romance-romance-awareness-month/

I did manage to blog hop and leave comments even if I tend to reply late on comments on my blog! I love them so don’t stop but my life is busy right now!

 

On the blogosphere and in the literary world

Epic Reads has the perfect quiz for you:

Could You Survive a Gladiator Game? This Quiz Holds Your Fate

Click on the graphic to take the quiz.

 

And now, some blog posts I really liked:

About the Twilight series, reread and all the (funny) reactions of The Laughing Listener

https://laughinglistener.com/100-thoughts-twilight/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=100-thoughts-twilight

And Alexandra The Wry Writer, about the different views on the news from the English or French part of Canada!

http://wrywriter.com/author/cirocco/

Now, do tell me all about your week!

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Sophie

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67 Comments

  2. Happy belated birthday, Sophie!!! I’m sure you’ll beat the 100 age mark no problem with the way you take care of yourself. 😉 Just stop doing a gazillion things within 29 hours a day!!!! 😀 Your daughter’s gift is pretty awesome hahahha and yes… those two boys really are something. They need to read a book or two!!! 😛 And that’s a pretty cool live unboxing! I liked how genuine it was, how surprised you were on some of the content and how you were discovering it at the same time as us hahah I think it would be cool to try and film it from a lower angle, not showing us what’s inside until you’ve pulled it out or something. And having you look at us straight instead of upwards might make it more enjoyable for you too, if you have a well-lit area from where you can film! 😀 Keep up the awesome content, Sophie!

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  3. Happy 50th Sophie. I can’t believe your Hubby and son didn’t get you anything!! They should be ashamed of themselves! Thank heavens for your Mum and daughter.

    Glad to hear that you’re starting to arrange “safe” walk and get together in your garden. Hope you have a great week. x

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  4. HAPPY 50, SOPH! ❤️❤️❤️

    I can’t believe I haven’t visited your lovely blog in so long. And I missed the video too!

    I hope the heat eases up in Belgium! My side of the world has a little more bearable weather right now and I hope it continues its good behaviour. ^_^

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  10. Happy birthday, Sophie! And 50 is absolutely the new 20 – you look fabulous in the video! Love the mug your daughter got you – it’s perfect. Hope you have a better week and can spend time with friends.

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  11. Here’s to 50 being the new 20! I turn 52 next month so I can get on board with that sentiment. 🙂 Sorry your birthday was a bit anti-climatic. Men really can be clueless. Thank goodness you have a girl who gets it. That mug sounds priceless. I hope you’re able to plan some safe friend time very soon!

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  13. Happy birthday! I hope 50 is the new 20 because I’m way past 20. I’m crossing my fingers that your heatwave goes away. Heat is the reason why I hate summer. 100F is a normal temperature around here in summer. You look great on Instagram! I haven’t been brave enough to show my face on there because I also don’t fit the “pretty girl” mold. I hope you have a great week!

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  14. We’re about 6 months apart. I just turned 50 December 30th. Happy 50th to you, Sophie! Looks like you’re dealing with the heat, too! Stay cool and happy reading!

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  15. Fifty and fabulous! You look amazing! Happy birthday! Sorry you couldn’t have a the blowout you deserve, but hopefully you will be able to celebrate properly at one point.

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  16. Happy birthday! I vaguely remember being 50, lol. My second son had a big 50 birthday bash in 2018, and he did it up right.

    As for men and clueless behavior, haven’t they every heard of the joy of small gestures? LOL

    Enjoy your week, and thanks for visiting my blog.

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  18. ah mygod, 100F is way too hot indeed.. Here our heatwave had been over 118,4F, I’m glad our AC at work is working again because boi I had a heatstroke once, I sure don’t want another one ahah Thanksfully the heat has came back down ..

    Aww Happy Belated Birthday, Sophie !! It will be my dad’s tomorrow, actually .. but he had to go away for work so he’ll pass it alone this year though when I came off work saturday we surprised him with a lemon-filled donut from work with a candle and mom had put some Crown Royal away when we bought a bunch in the holiday-ish for him to enjoy for his birthday.

    Oh I totally get you.. As it was finally less heated outside (or so I thought…) I finished work and decided to get the dogs and mom for a walk in a park xd even if i’m sorta paranoid enough not wanting to go eat in restaurants, only being at work & home with nothing else to do is souring my mood lately.

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  22. Happy birthday! You are amazing and don’t you forget it. I also plan to live to be at least 100. I was not happy to be 50 and still feel like I want to live a whole life – fall in love, get married, have more children even but I’m too old for that. But I have many good things and plenty more to do and experience. Nobody is enjoying the heat. It’s finally a little better here.

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  23. Happy belated birthday I’m still a few years off 50, though not enough!
    Fill a wide bucket with bulk ice and cold water, and dip your feet into it while you are on the computer, it will help cool you down.

    Wishing you a great reading week

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  24. They didn’t get you ANYTHING?!?! I swear men can be absolutely clueless at times. Well I wish you a happy belated birthday regardless and I hope you get to have some wonderful celebrations in the future!

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  27. Happy belated birthday to you, Sophie. Of course 50 is the new 20, especially since I have passed that milestone too! ☺️ Congrats, and at the same time, sorry that the men in your life forgot to buy you anything nice. And way to go your mum and daughter for getting you something sweet.

    I loved that we get to see and hear you on the unboxing, and that was a lot of lovely things you got with your surprise book. I especially love the glass ornament and the City Of Brass pin.

    Meanwhile, I do hope you get to see some of your friends while the summer lasts. And again, happy birthday! ❤️

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  28. Happy Birthday! Mine’s in just over a week but I’ve come down to visit family so we have booked a meal out. I won’t be able to do a celebration with friends like normal though…I’m still too scared to go to a pub!

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  29. Happy birthday Sophie! I’m excited to hear I’m not the only book blogger who has crossed over into her 50s Solidarity!! I loved your unboxing video

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  30. You go girl!! LOL Live to 100. As long as I am healthy and can still do things then I am all for living that long. Probably why I exercise and eat as healthy as I can.

    Happy belated birthday darling! Hope you had a great time celebrating and you are STILL in the prime of your life…age is just a number. And my grandma would always say it didn’t matter how her body aged…her spirit was forever young.

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  31. 50 is the new 20? Quite right too. And I’m with you – some men ARE clueless – thank goodness for the women in your family and a belated Happy Birthday:)). Our heatwave finally broke here on Thursday and despite loving the hot weather, I am frankly relieved. I hope you get some relief soon – and yes – do go for some walks with friends… It’s hard missing them so much. Have a good week, Sophie.

    Reply