This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.
This has been another week with lots of wind and rain and steadily cooling temperatures. It feels as if Autumn is just around the corner – a thought I dread… Other than finally getting a chance to visit the hairdresser, not much happened. Himself and I ventured into Rustington on his day off to do a bit of shopping, and visited our go-to cafe. Our planned walk was cancelled – the water fell out of the sky in a pelting torrent and neither of us were up for a soaking. So we went for a walk this morning along the beach, again – which is where this week’s photos are from.
In the meantime, I taken time off from the ongoing chore of editing, as I was beginning to struggle. So instead, I’ve been rewriting my outline plan for Picky Eaters 2 before continuing work on it. I’ve also been preparing the final details for the launch of Mantivore Warrior, which is being released tomorrow, Monday 31st August.
Last week I read:
Every Sky a Grave – Book 1 of The Ascendance series by Jay Posey
Mankind has spread out and conquered the galaxy by mastering the fundamental language of the universe. With the right training, the right application of words, truth itself can be rearranged. Language is literally power. Peace reigns now. Order reigns.
For if a planet deviates too far from what the authorities plan, an agent is sent out to correct that. To quietly and with great skill, end that world. One such agent is Elyth – a true believer.
I’ve truncated the rather chatty blurb and I’d advise you to give it a miss if you want to tuck into this one – which is highly recommended. I loved the tension popping from the nuanced character of Elyth and was impressed by the quality of the writing.
AUDIOBOOK Charlotte Sometimes – Book 3 of the Aviary Hall series by Penelope Farmer
It’s natural to feel a little out of place when you’re the new girl, but when Charlotte Makepeace wakes up after her first night at boarding school, she’s baffled: everyone thinks she’s a girl called Clare Mobley, and even more shockingly, it seems she has traveled forty years back in time to 1918. In the months to follow, Charlotte wakes alternately in her own time and in Clare’s. And instead of having only one new set of rules to learn, she also has to contend with the unprecedented strangeness of being an entirely new person in an era she knows nothing about.
This was in Frankie’s list of audiobooks, which I started listening to on a whim. And discovered a gem… This book is extraordinary – it’s right up there with Tom’s Midnight Garden and the writing is truly beautiful spoken aloud. It didn’t hurt that the narrator is accomplished actress Hannah Gordon. Review to follow.
Fearless by Allen Stroud
AD 2118. Humanity has colonised the Moon, Mars, Ceres and Europa. Captain Ellisa Shann commands Khidr, a search and rescue ship with a crew of twenty-five, tasked to assist the vast commercial freighters that supply the different solar system colonies.
Shann has no legs and has taken to life in zero-g partly as a result. She is a talented tactician who has a tendency to take too much on her own shoulders. Now, while on a regular six-month patrol through the solar system, Khidr picks up a distress call from the freighter Hercules…
I loved the worldbuilding and the action-packed scenario, which was so well done. This one buckets along at a cracking pace and is a real page-turner – but I wasn’t a fan of the very abrupt ending which left the story on a cliffhanger. Review to follow.
My posts last week:
Castellan the Black and His Wise Draconic Musings
Review of AUDIOBOOK Deep Roots – Book 2 of the Innsmouth Legacy series by Ruthanna Emyrs
A Déjà vu Review of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms – Book 1 of The Inheritance series by N.K. Jemisin
Friday Face-off featuring The Crow Trap – Book 1 of The Vera Stanhope series by Ann Cleeves
Review of NETGALLEY arc Every Sky a Grave – Book 1 of The Ascendance series by Jay Posey
Can’t-Wait-Wednesday featuring The Trials of Koli – Book 2 of The Rampart trilogy by M.R. Carey
*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of The Mother Code by Carol Stivers
Tuesday Treasures – 10
Cover Love #2 featuring the covers of N.K. Jemisin’s books
Sunday Post – 23rd August 2020
Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last week, in no particular order:
Happy Halloween https://www.becausereading.com/happy-halloween-ive-seen-ghost/ Yes – I KNOW it isn’t Halloween, but I was taking part in a tag on Twitter, and came across a real-life ghost story…
The Book Predictions Tag https://spaceandsorcery.wordpress.com/2020/08/25/the-book-predictions-tag/ Talking of tags… this one is huge fun – apart from the 1 star question which still has me scratching my head. Why would you pick up a book that you thought would be a 1 star read??
Is It Cheating To Listen to Audiobooks? https://barelywise.com/2020/08/08/is-it-cheating-to-listen-to-audiobooks/ I’ve seen this subject discussed several times in book blogging circles, but this article covers it really well…
Finding Our Focus During Crazy Times: Only So Many Ducks To Give https://authorkristenlamb.com/2020/08/finding-focus-mental-health-stress/ I love Kristen’s articles and had noticed her absence – so it’s lovely to see her back…
How to spot a Dragon using an illusion spell https://twitter.com/fictiongateway/status/1297843739688341504/photo/1 I just loved this pic…
Thank you for visiting, reading, liking and/or commenting on my blog – I hope you and yours have a peaceful, healthy week. Take care.
Brainfluff 
Hi Sarah! I need to have a look at Charlotte Sometimes. That seems like a great read.
We are still in the dredge of winter. Cold and rainy. I wish for spring! But it won’t come this week…..
Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier. So glad you like the new template!
Have a wonderful week Sarah.
Yes, I am sure you are looking forward to summer – while we are bracing ourselves for winter. Though Himself is looking forward to it as he hates the heat. And yes – I think the new template works really well. I hope you, too, have a lovely week, Mareli:)
I got soaked on one of my walks. I thought I had time to get it in but the storm came in a little earlier so I was pretty wet by the time I got home.
I’m not surprised you got soaked – because that rain wasn’t messing about, was it? I hope the other walks weren’t so soggy!
I think Spring made an early appearance here today (it officially starts Sept 1st), the weather was glorious. Autumn is my favourite season though.
Good luck with your launch tomorrow!
Wishing you a great reading week
Thank you, Shelleyrae – I’m hoping it will go well, too:). And glad the weather has been so good for you. Have a great reading week, too!
I love the beach photos! I don’t think I’ve seen the ocean since 2011 when I went to Florida. Have a great week!
Thank you, AJ. Gosh – 2011… That’s a long time to not see the sea. I drive along Sea Road every time I go shopping! Have a great week.
Love the beach pics! It’s been cooling off here too. We have the windows open today and it’s nice- until recently it would have been way too hot and humid to open the windows lol. Glad you got to got out as well. I’ve been getting some take out from time to time and it does wonders getting out even a little!
Hope your weekend is wonderful!
Thank you, Greg:). Lol… and we’re just in the process of starting to close our windows because it’s too nippy to sit in the lounge and work with them open:)).
But getting out to walk along the beach is a treat. I hope you have a wonderful week.
Wow. It seems like autumn arrives early there. We are just settling into the second half of our summer. I’d give anything for autumn to come here. Would you trade me your autumn for my summer? (Caution: my summers occasionally come with hurricanes.)
The beach is beautiful. I’d love to take a walk there.
I hope your launch goes well!
Thank you for your kind good wishes, Deb. Hm – I’m really, really tempted to swap your summer for our Autumn, but I’m afraid your hurricanes are a dealbreaker!
And yes – it’s a real treat to be able to walk along the beach, especially as we were able to leave just as it was starting to get busy.
Well the grass is always greener. We’ve had no rain all week and heat. But since Lulu doesn’t even like the dew on the grass, it is ok. Today is a north wind so cooler but with Sunday posts to visit I won’t get out to do as much as I’d like. It’s lovely you are close to a beach.
Anne – Books of my Heart Here is my Sunday Post
Yes… I suppose we are never satisfied. Though I am very grateful we are so close to the sea. It’s just as well that Lulu doesn’t live here – she’s hardly ever be able to go out, if she disliked being wet so much.
I am curious about Charlotte Sometimes.
I am glad you were able to get a hair trim…I am still struggling here.
Great photos, and I envy the walk along the beach. Thanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog.
Thank you, Laurel – I’m very conscious that we are extremely lucky to be able to get out and be so close to the beach. Charlotte Sometimes is a little gem, which I highly recommend.
Good luck with the release tomorrow! I can’t wait for autumn to arrive. Sadly, we will probably have a summer comeback week in mid September before it really begins to settle in!
And with your temperatures – I can understand why you’re looking forward to Autumn, while I’m dreading it…
I’m sorry about the bad weather. I do love the pics you shared, though. Your books all look good. I hope you enjoy them. Have a great week!
Thank you, Yvonne. Yes – we were lucky in that the sun was shining yesterday morning when we went to the beach for a walk. And yes, the books were great. I hope that you, too, have a great week:))
It feels like Autumn in Belgium too! Nice pic of what I guess is propably a fair on a pier!
We were on the pier, looking back up the River Arun – there is a large amusement park nearby. Not that I ever take the grandchildren there – it would get too expensive, so we generally head for the beach, instead:))
Once again you have me wishing to spend time on the beach, what lovely photos! I’m intrigued by Charlotte Sometimes, I’m looking forward to your review😁
Charlotte Sometimes is a lovely, poignant and emotional read…
We had the same idea – getting a haircut *smile* But you look better than I do with the new cut! A walk on the beach, I would love to do that again some day. Stay safe and well.
Thank you, Vi – I was glad to finally get a haircut and highlights, again:)). It was a lovely walk – and there will come a time when we WILL get back to normal…
A fabulous reading week as always, Sarah! I’m glad you also managed to get out and enjoy the coast, despite the terrible weather! It has been rather relentless up here too and I fully expect a cold and rainy week off – not that I mind much, of course! 😄
Though I do hope you have much better weather than forecast – because being able to get out and walk is one of the things we CAN do without too much stress and risk. Have a lovely week, whatever the weather, Proxy!
Enjoyed the post. Your hair looks good.
Am saving the interesting posts you found. Some, I definitely want to read. have a good week!
Thank you, Rae – yes, I’m very pleased I managed to get to the hairdressers. And I hope you enjoy at least some of the links:)). Have a peaceful, happy week, Rae.
We’re cruising into autumn here too. The temperatures are coming down, and it’s getting more tolerable to sit outside. BTW, I’m almost done with THE RELENTLESS MOON and I’m loving it. Such a great book! I’m sure I’ll finish with it today or tomorrow.
I’m so glad you love it too! It is a storming read, isn’t it? I’ve built up quite a backlog of reviews, and I’m hoping to publish that one during Sci Fi Month in November:))
I have literally been on the edge of my seat! It is so well-paced and smart and gut-punching. I hope it wins awards. They would be deserved.
Absolutely! I agree – it’s a real page-turner.
I’ve enjoyed previous books by Jay Posey so a bit naffed off that I didn’t request the latest book, and it is enjoying very good reviews – but I just couldn’t seem to fit it in.
Your walk on the beach and pier looks lovely and you’re well wrapped up but it’s a lovely sunny day even if it was a bit cold – autumn is nearly upon us.
Lynn 😀
I’m amazed that you manage to fit in as much as you did. Sorry you didn’t get to this one – but the good news is that if your TBR miraculously gets a bit lighter, this one is relatively cheap at £2.99 for the ebook.
It was actually a nice warm day on Sunday, I just run on a different thermostat to everyone else I know! But it is rapidly cooling down at night and the evenings are drawing in horrifyingly fast, aren’t they?
Happy release! Hope this week goes well.
Thank you:)). The release went off without any hitches, so I’m happy so far!
It sure is a bummer when rain hinders those beloved outdoor meanderings, but at least you two got some always-loved time together!
Oh we did… And thankfully, the temperatures went back up again, so that September was a lovely, sunny month and ridiculously mild, compared to when I was a girl and we used to regularly be getting frosts by the end of the month…