Hi all and happy Sunday – I hope you’ve had a good week and a good weekend. I’m writing this at the end of a weekend away which was a lot of fun though I think I have eaten enough to put on about 20 stone! It started with dinner at friends on Friday night, followed by lunch with other friends yesterday and will end with afternoon tea today (before a long, and no doubt sleepy, drive home….don’t worry I won’t be the one driving!).
It’s been really nice catching up with everyone, who we don’t see or speak to enough since we moved away and a reminder that I need to be better about keeping in touch with people. I know quite a few people reading this live away from family and friends and wonder if I’m the only one who finds it hard to keep in touch? I imagine I’d be much worse without the joys of modern technology – Skype and FaceTime are saviours.
Talking of modern technology, here’s what happened on my blog this week…
On Monday I revisited and old favourite to see if it stood the test of time nearly 25 years after it was first published – A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton. Re-reading a book you loved first time round is always a risk but thankfully here it was one worth taking. I am pleased to report it’s still a good book and I still want to grow up to be Kinsey Millhone.
On Tuesday I introduced one of my latest reads, All These Perfect Strangers which I have to admit having mixed feelings about. I’ve yet to write my review but fear it will not be as positive as I thought I might be during the first third or so of the book. It needed up being a bit of a struggle to read if I’m honest.
On Wednesday I wrote about Simplifying my blog following ways and how I have developed a plan for making sure I get to visit and read all my favourite blogs, including posts I seem to be missing at the moment. Now I just need to carry it out!
On Thursday I reviewed Don’t Look Behind You by Mel Sherratt , one of my favourite authors. This was the second outing for her new detective Eden Berrisford. The subject matter isn’t my favourite, violence against women and domestic abuse, but the way it was handled and story itself were excellent and I can really recommend the book.
On Friday I took part in feature and follow and listed my tips for helping me blog – there aren’t many and I’m guilty of not following them nine times out of ten but if I could get organised enough to out them into action I think they would definitely help me.
In between the blogging, I read little (again) – I wouldn’t say I’m in a reading slump but things seem to be getting in the way of me and the pages but did pick up a couple of books (click on the covers to get to goodreads to read more)…
And that’s it for me. What about you – how was your week, what did you read?
Emma x
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 
It is hard to keep up with people. Glad you had a good week! Hope the not-a-slump goes away soon. 🙂 And glad A is for Alibi held up- I hate it when a beloved book doesn’t work the second time around.
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It is harder than it should be with all the technology we have at our fingertips. I hope it picks up too. I just need to turn the TV off!
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It’s unfortunate when things get in the way of reading, isn’t it? I think it’s what’s happening with me at the moment. You sound like you accomplished a lot on the blog. Enjoy your week!
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It is, though some was my fault as I can’t turn off the TV! Lol x
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Glad you had a lovely sociable week-end – I love catching up with friends and family. And I’m RUBBISH at keeping in touch. It’s not that I don’t care, but living apart from my family from the time I was 8 means that I shut everyone out when I didn’t see them as a survival strategy, which has persisted into my adult life. Have a great week, Emma. Sunday Post – https://sjhigbee.wordpress.com/2017/01/29/sunday-post-29th-january-2017/
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It was a lovely time, even if my waistline won’t forgive me. 8 is so young. I can imagine it had an impact. I think my travelling around a fair bit has impacted me. I used to be better when I fist left home. Interestingly that was when I had to write letters and make phones calls and without email,and text.
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Yes, it gives us a false sense of security – we ONLY have to take a few minutes to text/call, so we keep putting it off…
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I think you are right. And then sometimes the people you want to call aren’t there any more.
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I know…:(
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Sounds like you have a good week and a nice weekend, it is hard to keep up with people who don’t live nearby.
Captive on the Fen!!! I just started this series on audio and I pretty much listened to the first two back to back and can’t wait to get the next one!! Hope you enjoy this one!
Happy reading and have a great week!
Stormi
Week in Review
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It really is nice to catch up. Now I need to not be a rubbish friend and keep in touch. I swear writers write quicker than they used to.
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I haven’t been able to Skype as much as I like these days…the nine hour time difference and work issues for my eldest son make our chats less frequent. We do “see” each other on FB, though.
I think I mentioned on another post that I would love to have all of the Sue Grafton alphabet series, arranged alphabetically on my shelves. I should probably start checking out those library/used book sales!
Look Behind You is definitely one I want to read. Enjoy your week, glad you got to visit old friends, and here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES
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Time differences are a pain. My husband has five hours to talk to his family so it takes a lot of planning. Nine hours must be worse.
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Eating is always good, especially with loved ones [not the calories though 🙂 ] I also have to get better at staying in touch. 😦 Now off to read your post about following blogs 🙂
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I work on the principle that if I’m not at home there are no calories. It works for the guilt if not the waistline. Thank you for stopping by!
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My mom has been nagging me to read the Sue grafton series. Glad you still like it all these years later!
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They are worth a read if you like old fashioned gumshoe type detective books.
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As someone who has moved to 4 different states, I know how hard it is to keep in touch. I enjoyed quite a few of the Alphabet books. Enjoy!
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Four is a lot. It is hard even though we are only three hours away and in the same time zone!
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Oh it is lovely to see old friends. I did that in December. Seeing my three closest friends – one in NZ (and another in Brisbane) I’ve known since Uni in the late 1980s when we lived together and there’s something nourishing (sorry that sounds wanky) about spending time with people like that.
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It really was. And good in that it felt like we hadn’t been apart though it had been six months in most cases.
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I rely a lot on texting to help me keep in touch. My parents have moved about 3 hours away, but my mum and I text every day. I actually probably talk with her more now than I did when I lived closer! 🙂
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I text but not as much as maybe I should to keep the conversations going. Too stop and start-y
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Captive on the Fens looks like an interesting book. I hope you get out of your reading slum. I’m in one too, but now I picked up “Three Dark Crowns” by Kendare Blake, and it seems to help!
My It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? post.
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I hope it’s good. The others have been great so I have high hopes. My slump maybe over as I’ve read most of a book today…it was bloody good though so hard not to!
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I’m glad A is for Alibi stood the test of time. So many of my old favorites haven’t. Come see my reading week here. Happy reading!
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Me too. It’s a shame when they don’t and a risk I guess when you revisit them.
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All these perfect strangers sounds really good!! Enjoy your week. 🙂
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It does doesn’t it. Not sure it quite lived up to its promise though. 😔
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Sounds like a perfect weekend catching up with important people and yes Skype and Facetime are modern joys. Well even if you don’t follow all your great tips at least you know what’s good when life is perfect!
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It was a great weekend, though my waistline might not thank me.
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Sounds like you had a nice time catching up with friends. Afternoon tea sounds wonderful.
I haven’t read Sue Grafton yet. I should give her books a try sometime. It is nice when you revisit a favorite and it is as good as you remembered. I just reread Little Women and while I still enjoyed it I think I liked it more when I read it the first time a couple of years ago.
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It really was. Re-reading is always a tricky one. I don’t do it often but there are some books I feel like I need to check back in on.
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