Hi dear friends!
Here we are Sunday again! Time for a look in the rearview mirror and little chitchat about my week in real life and on the blog! This meme is hosted by Kimberley @caffeinatedreviewer
In Real Life
First of all I want to thank all of you for your comments, friendship and support when you read about my father’s cancer last week.
It reaffirmed that the blogging community is one of the bests. It’s when you blog and chat with people from all around the world, with different cultures and religions that you realize that by the end of the day we are all the same: human.
You also realize that the big majority of people are kind and generous.
Whatever you see on the news these are the minority among the human race. Unfortunately they bark loud while the others only yip. That’s why you see them on television or read about them in Twitter.
This week has been weird.
Nothing really big happened but I am tired, so tired. I think what’s happening with my dad and son is taking its toll. Well I’ll just have to stay strong and try to enjoy the small things in life. Because there is light in the darkness. Because no matter what I am privileged compared with many other people. So I will try to focus in the bright side!
One of the bright side being my son who’s made huge progress in Dutch! Finally we are getting somewhere! Now I am confident he’ll pass his exam with flying colors. Because he worked hard and because I’ve been on his back all the past weeks!
Second bright side: my daughter proves being a responsible young lady. She attended a music festical yesterday with friends, asked to go back with them and have a sleepover *I agreed* and she did not drink a single drop of alcohol! You have to know that in my country young people can drink “light” alcohol from the age of 16… and a mother’s fear is the binge drinking, being called by the hospital because your kid is in a drunk coma.
She is growing up and proves trust worthy!
Another bright side: both my kids now officially read in English for their own pleasure!
My daughter began The Throne of Glass series years ago but the French editing house decided to stop the publishing. Now that we came back from YALC London she decided to try the fourth book in English and she read it all in three days! She is now busy with the fifth book and began War of the Fae by Elle Casey too.
I am a proud mom as I made readers of both my kids and multilingual readers!
On the blog this week (click on the graphics to read the review or post)
I only reviewed two books but I have read Crew by Tijan (review due tomorrow) and finished Lifel1k3 by Jay Kristoff a few hours ago. Expect the review in the coming days too and it was GENIUS but EVIL!!!! What do I do now???
I also decided to rant here when faced with a new practice (or new to me) among indie authors and PR agencies: the invite only ARCs. What infuriated me was not the “invite only” *even if I find it demeaning and ostracizing* but that it was never clearly stated before we signed for the promo!
As we made it to 1000 members on the FB Group Beware, Book Boyfriends Alert we decided to celebrate with a giveaway. To make it fun we gave our top 10 books read in 2018. I decided to share my list on the blog as I love reading similar posts on other blogs! Just know it was very difficult to limit myslef to 10!
I also loved Bring Down the Stars so much that I wanted to share with you all my reasons why I loved Weston, Autumn and Connor so much!
I had so much fun writing the weekly memes!
Shanah asked us about our top 5 LGBTQ books and I confess that I took this opportunity to rave about these books and how they opened my eyes on the LGBTQ love. Read it I promise it is fun 😉
https://bewareofthereader.com/top-5-i-will-turn-your-world-on-its-axis-lgbtq-stories/
I Heart Character was about the one who would go through a fire to …. and as I had more than one fitting the bill I featured several contestants and one winner.
What I was, am and will be busy reading…
And my First Impression Friday was about Crew by Tijan.
In the blogosphere
Lindsey tells us how to go out of a reading slump http://www.lindseyh.be/2018/08/21/ten-tips-and-tricks-to-beat-that-terrible-reading-slump-top-ten-tuesday/#comment-10109
Naty really nailed it with her “if you were underwhelmed by … then read” as many of her alternate choices are favorites of mine! https://natysbookshelf.wordpress.com/2018/08/24/forgettable-books-and-what-to-read-instead/
And Sam has a really interesting post about the difference between influencer and enthusiastic (I fall into this last category clearly!) https://weliveandbreathebooks.blogspot.com/2018/08/discussion-influencer-or-enthusiast.html?showComment=1535141560724#c1992894018454906466
Now I will go reply to all your comments and go visit your posts to knwo what’s happened in your life this week!
Thanks for reading.
Sophie
I missed your previous post but I’m so sorry to hear about your dad and send you all the love! Love your bright sides though. It’s great that things with your kids are good and that they are becoming multilingual readers 🙂 Also, I urgently need to read Lifelike! And thanks for the shoutout <3
Ahh all thoses bright sides are so awesome !! congrats !!
You are also allowed to rest a bit, I know how hard and tiring it can be to take care of someone who’s ill. I did it so many years for my mom; but that’s just what you do when you love someone, eh?
I’ll also agree that this community is simply the best and the most heartfelt i’ve ever seen ! I don’t think I saw hate or negativity anywhere yet; just love and support all around. I love it!
The book blogging community really is great. Internet friends have helped me through a lot of awful stuff. I’m glad your kids are doing well and making progress with their languages. Have a good week.
Congratulations on being an awesome mom! I Ahhhh I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on LifeL1k3! I’m glad you loved it! 🙂
I’m so sorry to hear about your dad – I seem to have missed your previous post. I’m sending all the love and positive vibes for you and your family <3
I am really happy to hear about your son and daughter getting into reading and in different languages, that's incredible and you should be so proud to raise future bookworms and maybe future book bloggers haha 🙂 That's really awesome.
I hope you will have a lovely week and great reads! <3 <3
I missed the post about your dad; I’m sorry to hear that he has cancer.
The ‘invite only’ thing is a little eck for me. On the one hand, I understand it because with as many ARCs as go out, not as many reviews are returned. So if you find a solid ARC team, it’s good to stick with. But it’s too bad for readers and reviewers who discover your books late in the game and would love to be a part of the new release hubbub.
I love hearing about kids reading! In more than one language? IMPRESSIVE!
Thanks for sharing.
You are amazing Sophie!! Not only turning them into reader but also inspire them to read in English!! I see that you love Lifelike?!!!! I’m so glad!! It’s beautiful yet so cruel!!
What wonderful news with both your kids! You have every right to be a proud mom right now 🙂
That’s so great that both of your kids can now read for pleasure in English! I keep trying to persuade my son to be a reader but books get tough competition from video games for his attention, lol.
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed LiFeL1K3. I really liked that one too. Such great characters!
Wow-if you can get your kids to not only read, but read in multiple languages, you are a gifted mom! My students HATE reading. If I asked them to read in foreign language, they might mutiny.
Congrats on having awesome kids!
Aw, congrats on having awesome kids! That’s pretty exciting. 🙂 And glad that Lifel1k3 was good! I’ve been going back and forth on that one, so that’s good to know.
Hope you have a super week ahead. 🙂
I was always mad at my dad for not teaching us his language, but I understand why he put his German aside (he moved here in the 50s, after WWII, Germans weren’t very popular). Your kids are total rock stars to me. To read an epic fantasy book NOT written in your native language shows quite an amazing command of the language. *applause, applause* I have not heard of this invite only ARC thing. Huh? I am going to admit, that I only really want digital ARCs, and rely on EW and NG. Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I don’t. However, I am really lucky to have access to a great library.
So awesome that they are multilingual. I was trying to get both my girls into Spanish (second language here). One went through years of it and stopped and my youngest has just started. I hope she sticks with it as it will help throughout her life. Have a wonderful week and hugs to you and your dad. I lost mine to stomach cancer 15 years ago and not a day goes by that I don’t miss his lighthearted nature and smile. Hugs to you!
Mary
Your post made me smile. I am glad to hear your son is passing, and that both children are reading for pleasure and making good choices! Take a little time for yourself today!
Such lovely thoughts in your post today. And how wonderful that your son and daughter can read in several languages. That is some accomplishment! I still struggle to get my son to pick up a book. He was slow to catch on to reading and then became a fast reader. But he’s very selective in which books he’ll read. We’ll figure it out:)
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