Welcome to this week’s Sunday Post. This feature is brought to you by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, so swing by after you are done here and get the full list of participants!
What I Reviewed:
- [3 Oct] A Fool For You by Katee Robert ★★★★
- [3 Oct] One Step Behind by Brianna Labuskes
- [4 Oct] Race the Darkness by Abbie Roads
- [4 Oct] Thief of Hearts by L.H. Cosway ★★★★½
- [5 Oct] In Safe Hands by Katie Ruggle ★★★★½
- [5 Oct] Not a Hero by Sarah Robinson ★★★½
- [5 Oct] The Wanted Virgin by Alexa Riley
- [6 Oct] Safe from Harm by Kate SeRine ★★★★½
- [6 Oct] The Bachelor Auction by Rachel Van Dyken ★★★★
- [7 Oct] In Ruins by Danielle Pearl ★★★★
- [8 Oct] High-Sided by ★★★★
What’s Coming Up:
- One Step Behind by Brianna Labuskes
- A Fool for You by Katee Robert
- Thief of Hearts by LH Cosway
- Race the Darkness by Abbie Roads
- Not a Hero by Sarah Robinson
- The Wanted Virgin by Alexa Riley
- The Bachelor Auction by Rachel Van Dyken
- Safe from Harm by Kate SeRine
- In Safe Hands by Katie Ruggle
- In Ruins by Danielle Pearl
This Week’s New Releases:
Open Giveaways:
- $20 Amazon Gift Card from Grace White
- Print copies of the Montana Men series by Jennifer Ryan
- eBook from my October TBR
This Week’s Book Haul:
ARCs thanks to the authors and publishers!
Non-Bookish News:
Home from Italy! It was exciting, overwhelming, and terrifying! The kids were great even when the day was not so great. We had one girl in a leg immobilizer so the walking was not happening for her. And we walked EVERYWHERE. And, the entire town of Assisi is hills. So, she had to get a cab frequently and a chaperone had to go with her. Hence, I didn’t walk very much either 🙂 However, this also meant I had to miss things. I was okay with it though so it worked out well. Our cab driver didn’t speak any English however so it was difficult to communicate! But, we made it work.
Then, on day 5, while in Carcari, a girl slipped and broke her ankle. So, after spending many hours in the hospital in Perguia, she came back to the hotel around 2 am in a cast. Trying to communicate with doctors in a foreign language? Impossible!! Even if you know a bit of a language, you don’t know medical terms! That is not something you learn when studying a foreign language.
We saw some beautiful places, experienced some amazing stories and events, and learned a great deal. There were days that were miserable and there were days that were stunning. The struggle for me was that this wasn’t a trip as a tourist. This was a trip where I was responsible for 20 teenagers on a pilgrimage (not a vacation). So, ideally, I would like to go back to Rome as a tourist who didn’t have to take care of 20 kids, 2 of whom couldn’t walk, and the other chaperone was my boss! There were lots of times I was furious with him because of some decisions he made and I had no outlet because I was trapped in a foreign country with him. That was difficult for sure! There were several days where I was sure I would just quit my job because I couldn’t deal with him another moment. But, we made it back with all 20 kids so its all good. You can get out my instagram page for some of the pictures (see the sidebar!).
Tomorrow its back to work! Its homecoming week for my students so every day is crazy! Powderpuff game, spirit games, dress down days with themes (pj day, tacky Tuesday, etc) all leading up to the football game on Friday and the dance on Saturday. Its a busy week for sure!
So, whats new with you this week? Did you read any of the same books I did? Did you find any great book deals I need to grab ASAP? Let me know in the comments!
Your pics look amazing! Sorry there were rough moments but still I hope you enjoyed it! Love your book haul, I look forward to reading Until Friday Night, too busy but I’ll make time LOL!
Oh you poor girl! The trip sounds amazing but that was a lot to take in while away and in another country. I hope you are able to go back one day. I would love to go and visit family. I hear the food is different but delicious.
I love when the school has spirit week, my sons I think is this week but I am not 100% sure since I don’t remember him bringing home a flyer. He likes it because he can color his hair with crazy colors on day.
I hope you have an amazing week, Samantha! Happy Reading!
Wow! What an eventful trip! I was going to say how lucky you were to be in Italy, but then again you had major responsibilities. I’m glad you got to see some scenery. Hope you get to go back soon.
I’m really interested in reading Abbie Roads’ Race the Darkness, I haven’t read her before, but the book looks good. ~Aleen
It was stressful so I hope one day to visit and not be stressed. But, then again, I am a worrier so I would be stressed no matter what!
Race the Darkness is my first Abbie Roads book as well!!
(My previous comment never went through, so sorry if this double posts later) Wow! What an eventful trip! Italy is definitely on my bucket list. Glad you and everyone made it back ok. Hope you get to re-visit soon.
The new Abbie Road’s book sounds good. I haven’t read her, but I’m interested in that one. ~Aleen
Oh no, sorry about the two teens that couldn’t walk! I’m sure that was difficult, trying to translate in a hospital. Glad you all made it home safe and sound though – even if your boss was annoying you! That would be tough.
-Lauren
Thanks!! I am thrilled to be home!
Sounds like a very challenging trip and that you did the best you could under very tough circumstances. Glad it was successful and hope you get to go back and actually relax and enjoy the country next time!
That worked out kinda well that you didn’t have to do too much walking, but that’s terrible for the poor girl who broke her ankle :-/ And I’m sorry there were some not-so-good days and that your boss was frustrating. It sounds like you did get some good out of the trip though, and the pictures look great! And wow, it does sound like you’ve got a busy week now! Maybe soon things will calm down and you’ll just get to relax a bit!
Well that was eventful! I should imagine you’re shattered – the responsibility with 20 teenagers and working alongside someone you’re finding difficult must be grim. Glad you got to see so many amazing sights and I hope that you get a chance to revisit Rome sometime as a tourist. It doesn’t sound like you’ve returned to peace and quiet, either… Hope you manage to get a bit of reading time and a chance to decompress in the coming week:) My Sunday Post – https://sjhigbee.wordpress.com/2016/10/02/sunday-post-2nd-october/
The trip sounds great but I agree it’d be much better to be there without the responsibility of all of the kids. I’m actually about to start some informal Italian lessons so looking forward to that!
Sorry to hear things didn’t go as well as you’d hoped in Italy. You got some awesome pictures. I get almost afraid to travel because I have this fear of missing something. I would drive everyone nuts with scheduling and then need a vacation from my vacation. Glad to hear that you didn’t quit your job. I know in the heat of the moment it is difficult.
You still got so much posted here on your site. That’s awesome. I hope you have a great week!
Wow, Italy sounds both eventful and frustrating so I’m glad you could enjoy parts of it. Some of the Intsagram pics I saw on your slider looked amazing!
It looks like you have a full schedule and a great book haul this week so I hope you manage to relax a bit and enjoy your reading!
Sounds like you had a fun trip to Italy, but I am sorry to hear about the frustrating parts. And wow I can imagine communicating in a foreign language when it comes to medical terms is tricky. especially as you usually don’t learn those words when learning a foreign language. I hope you get to return as a tourist once as that’s probably a very different experience. I hope you’re having a great week!