Hi dear friends,

Time for our weekly wrap up and chit chat. As usual I am linking this post with The Sunday Post meme created by Kimberly @caffeinatedreviewer

Let’s get into private life first …

This week was my second week of holiday (Why do I need to get back to work tomorrow again? Ha yes! That’s right. To pay my bills…). As I was all broken and stressed I went to the ostheopath (he really manipulated my body in ways that ar so unnatural!) then to recover I went to the beautician for a massage (and fell asleep on the table. Snoring may or may not have been involved). I ended that day to the notary for my dad’s inheritance. And before you ask: no I am not suddenly a “crazy rich Belgian”. I will still have to work to earn my keep.

 

The “changing theme saga”.

Well this week I have tried another theme. Then I visited countless blogs that I love.

I wanted a footer with my bookstagram pictures instead of having them on my right sidebar. I discovered that I could add some coding and plugin to achieve that result with my theme until…my daughter told me that as a teenager she would never scroll down to the bottom of the theme. Just read the header, title, quickly the post and that’s it! So I’d better keep it on the sidebar.

 

Then I thought that I wanted wider posts. I was convinced that mine were written in smaller space than those of my friends.

I took a sheet of paper, jotted down the measures of my sidebar and my post width. Then went to friends blogs and compared ….exactly the same! I could widen my posts with some easy CSS coding all right but then it would have been wider than my logo and would not have looked great.

 

Then I was all: OK I need boxes around my sidebar widget.

Once again I found the CSS coding to add but it did not look as great as I thought it would.

 

I also discovered that other themes don’t have “boxed” post summaries like I do (and that’s because I coded the borders months ago and changed the background color with coding). Or you must choose a box theme. To get something similar.

 

I also realized that I do prefer “blog” themes than “site”themes. I mean just the “one page” theme where you land directly on the what’s new. I also don’t like when you scroll and you have these large “banners” coming into view. I prefer tiles with posts.

It’s cleaner and easier to navigate. The less the better with me.

 

To make it short I realized that if other themes looked good at my friend’s blogs I would have lost my identity. And paid for something that I had done myself with coding.

My “style ” is minimalist, clean but not the “all white” with “black or grey social media icons”. It’s white and grey with splash or pop colors on my buttons and widgets. With my huge Red Sonja as logo. So be it!

The only thing I changed is the addition of a grey “borek” picture behind my logo to soften the contrast and I changed my fonts. I also lightened my widget side bar.

Now that’s it.

I am staying with my free, responsive theme that I customized with coding.

 

But if you think I should change some things just let me know. I can probably code it if your idea is great 😉

 

Pfew that’s all for private life knowing that I will be back to work tomorrow.

 

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

I have reviewed three books but I have read two more ginormous books yet to be reviewed. So that makes 5 books!!!! The holiday are doing wonder for my reading!

I reviewed A Place Without You by Jewel E Ann ( personally painful but beautiful read) 4,5 stars; The Wish Collector by Mia Sheridan (for fans of romance). Retelling of the Phantom of the Opera: 4 stars. Winter Loon by Susan Bernhard: out of my genre read. 3,5 to 4 stars.

I read but have still to review (the draft is ready don’t worry) Binding 13 and then Keeping 13 by Chloe Walsh. Totalling 1800 pages! The biggest NA contemporaries I have ever read (usually big is fantasy not contemporary). New to me author and I was addicted to the series!

 

This week I’ve done two memes! Both topics were about the books I wanted to read in 2019 and this put me between a rock and a hard place as I already had three posts published and scheduled on that topic! How could I be creative as not to bore you out?

Well I wrote about books that I wish were written, about dream collaboration between authors etc.

Then I also wrote about a much awaited “underdog” for 2019. You know that book that you wished more readers and bloggers would read?

Finally I published my second post on my most awaited reads of 2019 focusing on books being released in spring.

Oh I also forgot my WWW Wednesday ….

Now let’s get to the reason why I titled this post “I am morphing into a romance planner”!

Like last year to celebrate the month of love (February with Valentine’s Day and all) I am organizing an event where I lend my blog to other bloggers and authors. I will host whomever wants to play with me. The topic is to post something about romance and love.

You can find more details clicking on the graphic below.

Important to know: you are free to write whatever inspires you but just send me your post for January 24th max. As some have problems filling in the Google doc you can send your answer (as in”Yes Sophie I will participate and I plan to do this”) at webmaster@bewareofthereader.com   

I will then reply so that we can see what’s best for you and you can send your post once it’s ready. I would really be honored if you participated (no pressure here).

 

On the blogosphere and publishing world

This week I got the Penguin Random House Newsletter and they had a really interesting article about The Many Benefits or Reading.

I will summarize it here below but you can find the article here : https://bit.ly/2M67jDY

It has cognitive impacts as in:

-It improves your memory.

-It lenghthens life (yes yes we live longer than non readers…maybe because we want to know the end of that series even if it will only be finished in ten years?????)

-It makes you smarter (more vocabulary and creativity)

Physical impacts:

-Lower stress and blood pressure.

-Helps to sleep better (you know you fall asleep while reading even if you planned to finished that book tonight!)

Emotional impact:

-It makes you more empathetic. We learn about other people struggles and beliefs. It’s eye opening.

 

And there is one post that I’d like to share with you because it’s about books that will be made into movies this year and I discovered fantastic trailers!

So thank you Candid Cover! https://candidcover.net/2019/01/10/2019-ya-book-to-movie-adaptations/

 

That’s it! Now give me your news and I’ll comment back. Just give me a few days as I’ll be back at work.

Thanks for reading!

Sophie

 

 

 

 

 

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44 Comments

  1. Check you out busy bee!! Weren’t you supposed to be on a holiday? Lol. Your romance planner idea sounds fab! All the best.

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  2. My head hurts from all the blog changes/not changes/ thought about changes/themes etc… If I’d went through all that, I think I’d have been tempted to burn my blog down and hide in a ‘why did I do that?’ corner while feeling satisfied that it wasn’t hurting my head anymore, lol.

    Have a good week!

    P.S – I like the blog like this. 🙂

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    1. Bwahahahaha Nicci no please don’t burn your blog! That’s not worth it 😉 I am glad I looked into all this as it comforted me to keep it and fall in love with it again! Thank you!

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  3. I’m happy you had a nice vacation. My daughter and I have massages monthly as part of her physical therapy and to reduce muscle tension. Ours is next Monday since it is MLK and she doesn’t have school.

    I have also worked on my blog to change up small things. I like your blog style and the fonts. Everything is clean, clear and easy to read. There’s nothing wrong with liking what you have.

    Enjoy all those many books you are anticipating in 2019!! Anne – Books of My Heart

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    1. Oh thank you so much Anne! And I do hope that your daughter gets the best of these massages. It really is awful for parents when their kids are suffering. My daughter has had recurring migraines for 11 years now and I often felt powerless.

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  4. Good luck with the fixing of the blog. I know how hard that can be and still haven’t been able to get the dates on my own. It might be because I just have the 17 hours I need to spend trying to figure it out on my own. I love your blog and sorry my coming on is spotty. But, I will get to your post as time allows. So many awesome bloggers out there and I love them all! Have a wonderful week!

    Mary

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    1. Don’t worry about hoping here sporadically Mary! Work is back full force this week and left me on my behind. I am only now catching up with replying to comments etc!!!!

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  5. That sounds like one awesome massage! <3

    When it comes to themes, i'm also kinda a minimalist. I think it works well for you, cuz you like putting pictures in your posts, and with the white/grey surroundings it doesn't look too "busy".

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    1. Exactly Norrie! I already put so many pictures and graphics in my post that having a patterned background was too much! Next time I will save time asking your advice 😉

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  6. It is really hard to decide where to place widgets on a blog sometimes. You are lucky to have a teen voice to give you advice. I am so jealous that you found time to get a massage! Have a great week. 🙂

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  7. Sounds like a good week… and with a spa day, nice! I hope you feel better from the health focus too. Have a great week.

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  9. Cats never massage me. I am always jealous when I see those videos of them doing that, but, nope, never me. –sigh– I am always leery of a contemporary hovering near or over 500 pages. The ones I have read had a lot of fat, which could have been cut, and just made the books overlong.

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  10. Ah that sounds so familar lol. About the theme changes. I’m always thinking my posts are too narrow or some such… I rarely change anything but I always think about it. 🙂 Glad I’m not the only one!! I usually end up keeping it simple since I’m not biog on coding…

    Your romance blogging idea sounds great too! Hope you have an awesome week!

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  13. I too prefer a minimalist style. It’s just easier on the eyes and gives you the opportunity to get your reader to focus on something in particular too. I’m glad to hear you took the time to take care of yourself though! Some people love to forget to do that, especially during stressful times. Hope your return to work will be easy on the psyche, Sophie! Happy reading! 😀

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  14. I now and then think about changing my theme but I’m just teck savvy enough to make a mess of things. I so like mine just the ay it is. It’s been me for a long time now. I hope it goes smoothly on your return to work:)

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  16. I like changing themes and other things on the blog, but I don’t want to have to change code. So I go with the ones that come with my “free site.” LOL

    Enjoy your week, and thanks for visiting my blog.

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  18. I go through phases of messing with my theme too! But, you’re right-if it looks like everyone else’s than you lose ‘you’. Have a good week you not crazy rich Belgian!

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  19. The struggle is so real finding the right theme. I have tried so many different ones, but I think I like the one I have currently for my blog.

    Thanks for sharing!

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  21. Time off work? What is that? I’d love some time off…….I have to wait until April though (g I just realised how long away that is!)

    Have a great week

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  22. Oh, how I wish I could go get a massage right about now. But no one is leaving the comfort of their homes, this last week, as it’s been around MINUS 20!!!

    I too went looking (a few years back) for a new blog theme, convinced I needed something different, that did this, or did that and … in the end. I stayed with what I had because, in the end, what I had was what I wanted . Ha! Ha! And what’s the point of buying a theme you then alter? It’s counter-productive.

    Anyway, Sweetie, take care of you going back to work.

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  23. I, too, went for a massage during my week off from work (the week of Christmas). I had a gift card that I’d been hording so the massage was free which made it that much better. 🙂 I love how went through all the changing and comparing and measuring and contemplating… only to stay with what you currently have. That is so you. 🙂 Who knew reading had so many benefits?! Even more reason for me to quit my job and read full time. Ha!

    Reply