Lost in a Good Book

Let’s see, what has happened since the last news post. The main thing I have been doing is reading which is nice. This month I was inundated with review requests from people (which is awesome!) so I have been enjoying all the books I have been asked to review which has been keeping me out of trouble. Since the last few days in July I have had a book pile that grew to 16 books that needed reviewing, most before the end of August, so really, that’s all I have been doing, slowly making my way through those. It has been ok so far, though we’re at the sticky end now trying to catch up after some busy non reading days but I have read and discovered some brilliant books as a result of this chaos. I have one book and half of two more books to go from which I should hopefully be able to squeeze into these final days, then I get to take a look at the September pile! I have only got ten or so lined up at the moment for September so they should be a lot easier to manage.

Away from my reading schedule I am gearing up to attend Book Expo Australia in Sydney this weekend which should be awesome. I am really looking forward to going and hopefully getting to report back for those who can’t make it. After that on Monday night I have been invited to attend the Hachette Young Adult Night which should also be super amazing. The special guest of the night is Laini Taylor, author of Daughter of Smoke and Bone  plus many others, more recently Dreams of Gods and Monsters. There is going to be goodies and giveaways and many surprises so there’s that to also look forward to!

I also finally got my review page up and running so if you want to check out a snazzy listing of all the authors and books I have reviewed feel free to check that out. I am still working on the final touches of the Review Policy page though but a lot of info is already on the Contact page anyway so that’s a start for now. I’ve also started my Weekly Wrap Ups, a simple post each Sunday highlighting the posts of the week, lets you catch up if you miss any, I may still change the image design yet but it works for now. Other than that other blog plans are still in development and not worth discussing as of yet.

Away from blog news I must gush about my recently acquired tiny ball of fluff known to society as a puppy but those with true knowledge understand it is in fact a tiny baby Ewok. She is adorable, her name is Coco, and she is small and bouncy and fluffy and just wonderful to stare at all day and forget important things need doing. She is a Lhasa Apso, similar to a Shi Tzu, and as I was reminded by a friend, the same dog as Milhouse’s dog in The Simpsons which is cool. To reaffirm the cute I will offer a picture.

I will hear no words against the Ewok theory. Those of you on Twitter may have already been perplexed by many an Ewok reference, and now you know why. She makes for a good writing companion, but she also makes for a great distraction to review writing and book reading as well. There will no doubt be many Coco updates as time goes by.

I did manage to finish reading Halfdan Hussey’s To the Dogs this afternoon and it was wonderful, I did not want it to end. I will have a review up for that tomorrow or the next day, but until then I will have tomorrow a release day blitz so keep an eye out for that.

So that’s what has been taking up all of my August. Now that winter is coming to an end, August is coming to an end it feels at last like the last half of the year. I don’t think it feels half way until August, really. There’s the June midyear feeling, but then there is the August midyear feeling that feels more real. Yes I know, it’s strange but that’s just how it goes. Next thing you know it’ll be Christmas! There are marshmallow Santas in the shops already so it is not my fault for bringing it up in August.

I hope you have all been having a great day, week, August and you have been able to read something spectacular. I know I have! 😀