Hiatus OVER!

Hello to all my faithful readers! Thanks for sticking with me so far - and while I took some time away. I've been so very busy these past few months, and now I'm ready to jump back into the blogging pool! It will be a little "slowly but surely" for a little bit longer, while I get the ball rolling again on reviews, blog tours, etc.

A quick update on my life:
I'm a manager now! That's right, me - a manager of a library branch. Woohoo!

I'm now a reviewer for School Library Journal AND Kirkus Media - on top of my review work for different authors, publishers, publicists, and more.

In my hiatus from here, I tried out a few things here and there.. which has lead me to open up a small side business doing some freelance work. I offer services for editing, proofreading, and also resume refreshers. I'm skilled in all three, so I figured I might as well put those skills to use! Send me an email if you're interested.

Again, thanks for sticking with me - and be on the lookout for more to come!

Weekly Reading Update 6/10 - 6/16/16!

Another week, another update! As always, click the title for more information.

A few weeks ago, I posted about reading Thief of Thieves volume 1: “I Quit” by Robert Kirkman. Well I finally got my hands on Thief of Thieves volume 2: “Help Me” by Kirkman, and Volume 3: Venice by Andy Diggle. I’m still really loving this series. I can’t want to see how he manages to get them out of the next scrape. And even better - I was able to find the next volume! I couldn’t for the longest time, but it turned up on one of my library’s digital platforms. Yay!

I’ve been listening to King Lear by William Shakespeare. Mostly because it counts for my library’s Summer Reading Challenge as an audio book. I figured if I was going to listen to one in a certain format, I might as well go with a classic that I haven’t read in years. And I’m glad I did, because it turns out, I forgot a good portion of the story! There was a whole subplot that had completely slipped my mind. And the audio production was incredibly well done, sound effects and multiple voice actors included!

I'm sure you'll be seeing random or different types of reads from me in the next couple weeks, as I participate in the different challenges as part of the library's summer reading program. And the next book is a prime example of that. I grabbed the book We The Animals by Justin Torres because it fulfilled the "author with the same last initial" spot on the challenge. This was something completely different for me, but I like to try something new now and again. It was good, and I can see why it garnered praise from different critics. But I don't really see myself re-reading it in the future. 


I'm almost done with Daring in a Blue Dress by Katie MacAlister, which will be reviewed on Romance Reviews Today. While this is the third book in a series, it works just as well as a stand-alone, considering I didn't read the first two books (yet!), but I still was able to jump into this one just fine. And for long-time fans of Katie MacAlister, I think you'll hear some familiar names in this book. But that's just like her, she loves throwing in little bits like that now and again. 

And last, but certainly not least, I read the newest Rick Riordan book, The Hidden Oracle! It's the first in the Trials of Apollo series, and let me tell you, I am absolutely desperate for the next book. I can't believe I have to wait until this time next year! Zeus is punishing Apollo by turning him mortal and making him sixteen again - and even worse, with acne! Apollo maintains none of his immortal powers, though he still excels at music. Thank goodness I still have the first Magnus Chase book to read, so that might help tide me over until his next release.

See you next week! And Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Whatcha Got Wednesday? Library Edition!

First up, be sure to enter my contest for a prize back (two books and an Amazon.com giftcard!). Go to this post to enter.

 
So, I have talked about how great libraries are - I just want to show you how awesome my library is. All the books shown to the side are library books. I know they're small and hard to see, but there are some new titles in there. Starting from the left, we have some Lorelei James, "iDrakula," "Personal Demons," "Graceling," "The Replacement," "When Harry Met Molly," "Smalltown USA," "Blood Ties" (By Lori Armstrong, Lorelei James' alter ego), "Rampant," "Perfect Fifths," and several more. Sorry for the glare in the picture - but aren't all those books pretty?! And they're all organized by due date, as well. ;)





And here we have my books received for this week.
Bought: "Storm Born" by Richelle Mead - it just sounded so good...

For Review: "License to Ensorcell" (ARC) by Katharine Kerr - this is for review on Romance Reviews Today.
"Loving Two Vampires" by Cassandra Pierce, also for RRT, ebook
"The Mind Readers" by Lori Brighton, ebook

Free reads:
"Up on the Housetop" by Suzanne Rock, ebook
"Angel's Master" by Sandra Sookoo, ebook

So that's it for me this week, what about you? Get anything you're excited about?

Whatcha Got Wednesday?

It's time for another edition of Whatcha Got Wednesday!

First up, from the library:
"Sweethearts" by Sara Zarr. That's the book on the left.. sorry for the glare, who knew my light was so bright?

Bought:
"The Lost Hero" by Rick Riordan
"Betrayed" by PC and Kristin Cast (Slowly buying up the whole series)
"Kiss of Death" by Rachel Caine

And last but definitely not least, For Review:
"No Rest for the Wicca" by T.C. LoTempio

Whatcha Got Wednesday?

This is me being excited about recent buys/loans/books sent to review. And I thought I would share it with you all! I already mentioned some of them, but now... now I have pictures! (dun dun dun). Um.. well anyways, on with the picture.

Bought: Books 1 - 7 of the Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine (yay!). Can't wait to re-read these.

On Loan from my local Library/work: "Fourth Comings" by Megan McCafferty. I read books one and two and LOVED them. I have three sitting here, waiting for me to finish up some books I was sent to review so I can get started on it. n.n

Won: ARC of "Haunted By Your Touch" an anthology featuring Jeaniene Frost, Shayla Black, and Sharie Kohler. I was going to buy this one when it came out.. I was so excited to win it!!

To Review: "When Pleasure Rules," "When Blood Calls," and "When Wicked Craves" (not pictured) by J.K. Beck. All for RRT. Originally I was only going to review book three for them, but they ended up assigning them all to me. I've heard some excellent things about this series, and I'm excited to have been given them all to review (I hated the thought of coming into the series at book 3).

Now it's your turn.. Whatcha Got?

The Great book and TV war...

I love reading. I do! I mean, I decided to take up reviewing, for hecks sake, of course I love reading. But there is another love in my like.. television. And I do watch a few shows on TV (Bones, Castle, Leverage).. I mostly prefer to see everything on DVD. And now, working at a library, I can do that! At my work, we lend DVDs out for two weeks, and have many, many TV shows to choose from.

Currently, I'm watching Monarch of the Glen. A BBC show, it ran for several years (I believe there are 7 seasons), and guess what - work has them all! So I put myself on the request list for seasons 1 - 3. Of course they came in out of order.. 3, 1, 2.. then as I started watching some, I put more on hold. Now 5 has come in before 4. But here's my dilemma. Since three came in first, it is due this week. So the part of me that hates to keep things overdue wants to spend all my free time watching this show, so I can return them. But the other part of me, the one that knows that as a library employee.. I don't get fines for overdue items... says might as well keep them overdue, and spend some of that free time reading!

But to make it even worse! Guess what else is due this week! "Tempted" by PC and Kristin Cast.. book six in the House of Night series. And I'm still on book five. So now, maybe, you understand the title of this post. My love of reading and my love of TV (as well as the pressure of due dates) is at war.. which do I do first? Do I watch the shows first, do I read first? Do I split my time? I just need a few more hours in the day, please!