By Tessa Pulyer Posted on

Sunday Post 89: Calm Before The Storm

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

I have some busy times ahead, I learned this week.

My sister and 4 of my nephews (ages 5-12) are coming for a visit later this week, so I’ve been busy getting the house guest ready. I’ve also been arranging furniture to create enough space for the number of mattresses needed to comfortably accommodate everybody. I do love puzzles, so I am going to find the best configuration. I’m determined!

And then last week, my boss – who was my friend first and who pulled me in to work at my current position last year – told me she has put in her resignation and will be leaving at the end of the month. I always just want everyone to be where they need to be as I have had to do in the past, so I don’t begrudge her being able to work from home and having the flexibility she needs at this point in her life with the new position she accepted, but it kind of leaves me in a weird place and may mean extra work while they transition to someone new. I guess I’ll just take things one day at a time and see where they lead. It’s just disconcerting.

And a bit of good news – my youngest daughter has a job interview tomorrow. So fingers-crossed 🤞

So, that was my week – how was yours?

A few more widgets came my way this week – both YA – and I have been having fun filling in the holes in my schedule for December with books that have been on my virtual shelf forever. If all goes well, I will be able to read some holiday books in the weeks leading up to the holiday!

Dumplin’ meets Well Met in this novel about finding your place in the world, learning love is a risk worth taking, and discovering what happens when you take your fate into your own hands. Since her mother’s death, Madeline “Gwen” Hathaway has been determined that nothing in her life will change ever again. That’s why she keeps extensive lists in journals, has had only one friend since childhood, and looks forward to the monotony of working the ren faire circuit with her father. Until she arrives at her mother’s favorite end-of-tour stop to find the faire is under new management and completely changed. Meeting Arthur, the son of the new owners and an actual lute-playing bard, messes up Maddie’s plans even more. For some reason, he wants to be her friend – and ropes her into becoming Princess of the Faire. Now Maddie is overseeing a faire dramatically changed from what her mother loved and going on road trips vastly different from the routine she used to rely on. Worst of all, she’s kind of having fun. Ashley Schumacher’s The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway is filled with a wise old magician who sells potion bottles, gallant knights who are afraid of horses and ride camels instead, kings with a fondness for theatrics, a lazy river castle moat with inflatable crocodile floaties, and a plus-sized heroine with a wide open heart… if only she just admits it. “Set in one of my favorite places in the world— a Renaissance Faire full of jousts, royalty, bards, and castles—this is a wise, beautiful, funny book with tremendous heart. Schumacher treats all her characters with compassion and artfully blends a tale of deep grief with joy, reminding readers that magic is everywhere and that none of our stories are truly over, even when it might seem like it. I absolutely loved it.” – Jamie Pacton, author of The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly and Lucky Girl
Filled with a friend group that feels like family, an empowering journey of finding your own way, and a Just Kiss Already! romance, Emma Lord’s Begin Again is an unforgettable YA novel of love and starting again. As usual, Andie Rose has a plan: Transfer from community college to the hyper competitive Blue Ridge State, major in psychology, and maintain her lifelong goal of becoming an iconic self-help figure despite the nerves that have recently thrown her for a loop. All it will take is ruthless organization, hard work, and her trademark unrelenting enthusiasm to pull it all together. But the moment Andie arrives, the rest of her plans go off the rails. Her rocky relationship with her boyfriend Connor only gets more complicated when she discovers he transferred out of Blue Ridge to her community college. Her roommate Shay needs a major, and despite Andie’s impressive track record of being The Fixer, she’s stumped on how to help. And Milo, her coffee-guzzling grump of an R.A. with seafoam green eyes, is somehow disrupting all her ideas about love and relationships one sleep-deprived wisecrack at a time. But sometimes, when all your plans are in rubble at your feet, you find out what you’re made of. And when Andie starts to find the power of her voice as the anonymous Squire on the school’s legendary pirate radio station–the same one her mom founded, years before she passed away–Andie learns that not all the best laid plans are necessarily the right ones..

This week we decided to give a new movie on Netflix a try. Unchartered starring Tom Holland (Spiderman) and Mark Wahlberg (Transformers). It’s based on a video game that I have never played.

We enjoyed it. It’s based on more the spirit of the game than trying to reproduce the game in movie form. And Tom Holland is just perfect in it with that same humor he has in the Spider-Man movies.

  • Monday (August 1, 2022): Book Review – Alias Emma by Eva Glass (Espionage Thriller)
  • Tuesday (August 2, 2022): Book Review – Thank You For Listening by Julia Whelan (Women’s Fiction)
  • Wednesday (August 3, 2022) WWW Wednesday
  • Thursday (August 4, 2022) Book Review – Such A Good Mother by Helen Monks Takhar (Psychological Thriller)
  • Friday (August 5, 2022) Book Blogger Hop
  • Saturday (August 6, 2022) Book Review – The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill (YA SciFy)
  • Monday (August 8, 2022): Book Review – Elodie’s Library of Second Chances by Rebecca Raisin (Women’s Fiction)
  • Tuesday (August 9, 2022): Book Review – Long Gone by Joanna Schaffhausen (police procedural/ crime thriller)
  • Wednesday (August 10, 2022) WWW Wednesday
  • Thursday (August 11, 2022) Book Review – Stay Awake by Megan Goldin (thriller)
  • Friday (August 12, 2022) Book Blogger Hop
  • Saturday (August 13 2022) Blog Tour Spotlight – With Fire in Their Blood by Kat Delacorte (YA Supernatural Romance)

35 Replies to “Sunday Post 89: Calm Before The Storm”

  1. WendyW says:

    You do have some challenges up ahead of you! I hope you enjoy your visit with your Sister and her family. It will all work out, I”m sure. Best of luck to your daughter and her interview! Nice haul too!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      Well said 🤗. I always enjoy seeing my sister, so that’ll be nice and I definitely have my fingers crossed for my daughter.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Kelly says:

    I hope everything works out at work! Have fun with your sister and her family and good luck to your daughter!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Jenny Mcclinton says:

    It’s hard to deal with things when you don’t know what is going to happen. Hopefully you won’t end up having to take too much extra on and it is a smooth transition. Good luck for your daughter, and hope you have a lovely time with family this week 💕

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Mareli Thalwitzer says:

    A few challenges have always been good for the spirit and seeing that you love solving things so much, I’m sure you will figure everything out in no time. And if that fails, you always have the best books to escape into.

    Enjoy your visit and I hope there will be some time for reading a bit.

    Lots of Love,

    Elza Reads

    Liked by 1 person

  6. nickimags @ Secret Library Book Blog says:

    That’s fun that you watched Uncharted, as my son mentioned it when we were trying to decide what to watch last night. We opted for the last Peaky Blinders series in the end, which I imagine was completely different to Uncharted! Fingers crossed for your daughter’s interview and that fingure out all the mattresses for your visitors.Also hope work is okay during the transition time. 🤞 🤞🤞

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      I think you’ll definitely like Uncharted when you get to it. And my fingers and toes are crossed for my daughter. She could definitely use the self esteem boost, not to mention the money 😊

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      It’s definitely weird to think about. I only took the job originally to help out my friend but I do enjoy it.

      Like

  10. writerravenclaw says:

    Went swimming with my daughter and granddaughter today, and it was a nice way to spend the afternoon. My granddaughter is a proper little water baby, and even at two, shows now fear of jumping in (again and again). They are going visiting next week, to see the other set of grandparents. We will miss her, and it will be quiet, but they don’t see her very often. There’s not been a lot on TV this week, but watching Van-Der-Valk later.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      It does sound like a lovely way to spend the afternoon. You must have enjoyed it very much. I’m sure you’ll miss them but they will be back before you know it. Have a great week!

      Like

  11. Jacquie Biggar says:

    The visit with family sounds chaotic and fun 🙂 Congrats to your daughter on her job interview. I hope she succeeds, and that your new boss will have a kind heart.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Carla says:

    I love visits from family, and I hope you enjoy this one. It is disconcerting (I like that word) when things are changing and you aren’t sure how it is going to affect you. I hope the transition goes smoothly and all works out for everyone. Fingers crossed that your daughter is successful in her interview. Have a wonderful week ahead Tessa.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      My fingers and toes are crossed and I am looking forward to seeing my sister and the boys. It’s always great spending time with family ❤️

      Liked by 1 person

  13. BonnieReadsAndWrites says:

    Changes at work are always hard! Is there a possibility of a promotion for you? Best wishes for your daughter’s job interview. The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway looks good!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      You know, when I had the surprise heart failure / major blood clots combo event, I took an indefinite sabbatical from counseling and did not really ever expect to work again. I was more than content volunteering, writing, and the book blog. But my friend at the place where I volunteer needed help, so I came in as a hired employee on a part time basis. I’m content doing that. I don’t really want a full time job or especially the stress that goes with that. They never figured out why my heart failed or I developed the blood clots and the only thing I could attribute it to was extreme stress, so I’ve been so cautious.

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Teri Polen says:

    You’ve got a busy week ahead, Tessa. It’s always fun seeing family, but it’s also work hosting that many. Hope you don’t get a lot of extra work on your plate after your friend leaves. Good luck to your daughter today!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      She came home beating herself up over something she said but I don’t think it was a big deal. Hopefully she’s worrying for nothing.

      Liked by 1 person

  16. D. Wallace Peach says:

    Sounds like you’re very busy, Tessa. Have fun with the family and don’t stress over mattresses. 🙂 I can’t believe you’re filling slots in December. Wow. That’s a long long reading list. But I’ll bet it’s going to be fun. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      I have filled all 3 spots per week for reviews though the end of December. I guess that is a bit far out. I hadn’t really given that reality much thought. I’m excited to read all of these books and I will be adding in books I bought starting in October, which is even nicer.

      Liked by 1 person

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