Hi all and Happy Sunday – I hope you are having a good weekend. Mine hasn’t exactly gone to plan as I ended up working yesterday – the result of a week that didn’t quite go to plan either. Whilst I was working from home all week (yay!) and should have gotten lots of work done, the entire house (me, hubbie, daughter) came down with a stomach bug that is doing the rounds. Which meant time off work feeling sorry for myself and time off work trying to be super-mom and taking care of the little one. Thankfully we are all well again – I just need to try and catch up with life.
The lurgy didn’t just slow me down, it slowed down my blogging, visiting and reading. I got some of each done, but not as much as I would like. All told, I posted three times in the end – two reviews and my usual Tuesday intro (for Find Her by Lisa Gardner, which I really enjoyed and will be reviewing this week).
The reviews were…
Both were books I really wanted to read, and very different from each other.
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult was a book that took time to read and time to digest. It tackled a big subject, race relations in modern day America, and for the most part did so very well. However, it didn’t hit all the marks with me because – at times – I felt the message it was looking to get across was used to beat me over the head a bit.
The second book was a much easier, and quicker, read The Girls Next Door by Mel Sherratt – a favourite author of mine. This started with a shocking scenes that have definitely stayed with me and introduced an interesting new detective into my life. It also made me feel slightly like a grumpy old woman however as I struggled to not get annoyed at the main teenage character.
For all my lack of reading and reviewing, I did manage to start to stack my shelves again after a few weeks of not adding anything at all (clicking on the cover should take you to goodreads)…
Amanda Prowse and Joy Ellis are both authors I know and enjoy reading. Caroline Mitchell is new to me but I have been reading some really good reviews of her latest release these last couple of weeks so wanted to give her a go and fingers crossed I’ll enjoy.
And that’s it for me this week. How about you? What have you been up to and been reading?
Emma
This week, I’m linking in with Kimba at the Caffeinated Book Reviewer and her Sunday Post and with (a little early) Katherine at Book Date for It’s Monday, What Are you Reading? Head over to see what other bloggers have read, written about or just added to their shelves.
One Readers Thoughts 
Aw sorry you were not feeling well. Lot of stuff going around. Hope you’re feeling better and having a good weekend. The Girls Next Door looks great! Love the tagline there and it just looks like a nice thriller. Witness looks spooky too. 🙂
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There is…it’s the changes in the weather I think. The girls next door is definitely worth a read my niggles aside.
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I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Girl Next Door! I need to check it out! Check out this week’s Book Photo Sundays: https://rabbitearsblog.wordpress.com/2016/11/20/book-photo-sundays-2-november-20-2016/
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Definitely worth checking out. Enjoy if you do.
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So sorry to hear you were smitten. Nothing worse than feeling like something the cat sicked up and STILL having to look after a small person… In the circumstances, managing to post 3 times during the week is impressive. I’ve heard great things about Amanda Prowse and she’s an author I definitely need to check out. Hope this coming week is a better one and take care:). My Sunday Post –
https://sjhigbee.wordpress.com/2016/11/20/sunday-post-20th-november-2016/
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Thank you and thankfully I feel much better now as does everyone. I have read two of Amada Prowse’s books before. The first was brilliant enough to make me squirm, the second good but had a lot to live up to in my head.
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Glad you’ve all recovered. As for the books – inevitably the quality does vary from book to book with authors. I hope that they generally get better, though – not start on an incredible high with subsequently good but not amazing offerings… Sadly, it does happen.
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Being sick is awful but being sick and having to take care of another sick person is super tough! Glad you are feeling better!
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Much better thanks. Plus the little one is back in school…yay!
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I love the premise of Small Great Things, but can’t stand to be beat over the head with an idea. I much prefer little inklings that make me think for myself.
It looks like you added some interesting books to your shelves. I love a good suspense novel. Enjoy.
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It is a difficult subject I think and worth a read but I don’t think the reader is as free to make decisions as in some of her other books unfortunately.
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Oh, no… the stomach bug is the worst! Glad you’re all on the mend now. I gave up on Jodi Picoult a while ago, but am tempted to try her latest. Have been focusing on nonfiction this month… unusual for me to go so long without a novel!
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They are. I came to Picoult late then binge read all her books. I do like them. This wasn’t a favourite though. I meant to do non-fiction November as I read much less of it since staring my blog. Then I got distracted…next year!
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Getting sick sucks! Glad you’re better, but I remember those times when everyone got sick, including me, the mom, but I still had to take care of everyone else. Glad you’re better!
I added The Girls Next Door to my list. But I am also one of those grumpy ones who find some teenagers annoying. lol.
Thanks for sharing and for visiting my blog. Enjoy your week!
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It does. Taking care of everyone did make me feel smugly virtuous though 😉
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Sorry to hear you’ve all been poorly and I hope you catch up on life soon!
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Thank you. I think this will be a week of lists to catch up.
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Its horrible being poorly, I hope you feel better soon.
#NewbieFollower – Sunday Post
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Much better thank you. And thanks for stopping by and following.
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I’m glad you’re feeling better 😊
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Oh, that is a bummer that you all came down with the bug. It’s so totally not fair that moms never get to have time to just be sick cause they have to be super-mom and still take care of the house. Hope you get some good reading this week.
Stormi
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It was a bit. I now get to pat myself on the back though for helping us all make it through 😉😇
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I’ve read the Picoult but like the look of all of your other books this week. All very much to my taste!!!
Sorry to hear you’ve been unwell and hope you’re all feeling much better. x
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I have high hopes for them all and am praying I’m not let down!
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Ugh! Sorry you were sick! Especially when you had plans to get all sorts of things done – that’s the worst.
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It was but life does go on. I need to remember that I think as nothing really fell apart I just feared it would.
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Stomach bugs are the absolutely worst! 😦 I find working from home can be pretty tough for me because I’m so easily distracted, I sit down to work on something and realise that the laundry bin is overflowing! Thankfully I live about a block from a great big library with lots of seating, so I often head down there to get work done away from all the distractions. 🙂
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They are. I think I have worked from home for so long (10 years?) I have it down to a fine art. Now I travel more for work I find the peace and quite the best thing. It’s what I need to do my job.
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Oh yuck, hate stomach bugs that do the round of the whole family. I love Amanda Prowse too so off to check this one you mention.
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They are the worst. I am excited about the Amanda Prowse book. It does sound good.
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Sorry your family caught the stomach bug. I think the premise of Small Great Things is so interesting, but I’ve felt hit over the head with the author’s other books, so I am passing on this one. Happy Thanksgiving.
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Thankfully all better now. I know other people have felt the same way about Jodi Picoult so completely understand.
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Sorry to hear you have not been well. I hope you are on the mend now.
What a great selection of books. Small Great Things was a four star read for me. I will be adding The Girls Next Door to my wishlist, thank you!
I hope you have a nice reading week, take care.
Amanda @ Mrs B’s Book Reviews
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Thankfully I feel MUCH better. Now I just need to get on with my week (which I’m doing very slowly). I would have given Small Great Things four stars too I think (I don’t rate with stars). That feels like the right number.
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