Sunday, November 24, 2013

Sunday Snippets #13

Oh dear, I haven't made a single Sunday post in November. On the other hand, I've been posting quite frequently, compared to most other months, so I'm happy that the blogging mojo is back!
 
The weather here in Helsinki is still autumny - no sight of snow yet. Let's keep it like that until at least December. It looks like people are slowly starting to prepare for Christmas and although I am very down-to-earth when it comes to any kind of holiday, I know this year will be the kind in which I embrace the whole holiday feeling. Last year the whole holidays went just past me - we didn't even bring the tree because it seemed completely pointless. It changes from year to year. Today I got some candles and a glittery red flower pot for my biggest cactus, which looks really festive. I've also gotten a few gifts for Jan.
 
I've spent a fair amount of time getting to know the Kindle that I got for birthday and I must say I am very happy with it. It doesn't replace physical books, but I can now be a bit more selective in which books I decide to buy to occupy the shelves. I also intend to read first books in any series on Kindle to see if I want to continue with the series, and then if I like the first book, I will consider buying physical copies.
 
Kindle definitely has its perks when it comes to reading in kitchen.
 
I've also been reading a lot - we are in the middle of The Moonstone readalong still (I think I have a few pages until the end), I read two non-fiction books on e-reader (about the first Moon landing by humans, and about the only man who has managed to escape North-Korean concentration camp), now I'm reading Parasite by Mira Grant on Kindle (half way through - it's a bit of a disturbing read), I also bought several virtual books that I want to read like now - The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield and The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (waves to Sarah and Ekaterina). And there's all the science fiction that I want to read lately - Carl's Sci-Fi Experience reading event is coming up next month so come sign up if you feel like it. I haven't made a list for the event yet, but there will be some awesome books featured.
 
I'm looking forward to next week, there will be a long-waited-for concert taking place on Tuesday evening and we will be seeing Blue Jasmine in the movie theater on Thursday.
 
Overall, I am very happy with where I am with reading and blogging at the moment (review posts - not so much, but I'll try to make a few next week), and may that continue.
 
Happy end of November, everyone!

8 comments:

  1. I'm glad you're feeling so good! This is a year I'm not feeling the holidays as much. I'm not dragging my Christmas tree out of storage because we have no room in our apartment anyways. Oh well.

    Yayyyyyyyyy Locke Lamora!!! I'm going to feel very silly if your don't love it, but I think you will. It's so great.

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    1. Those years when I don't feel the holidays I just tell myself "It's all just some commercial crap anyway" and so it doesn't even feel bad not to take part much. Besides, it saves money as well if you don't get some new decorations and what not. But some other years I feel like going for full tree, gingerbread cookies and red hat thing.

      Muahaha, feel the pressure! But no seriously, I think I'm ready for this, from your and Ekaterina's reviews it sounds really good and we often have the same taste in books, so I'm excited to give it a go.

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  2. I'm happy you're happy! I usually get a bit like that with the holidays. I always find them a bit anti-climactic. I'm excited for this year, too, though. Mostly because I don't live at home anymore so any time I do go home I get very happy.

    I do the same with my kindle - it is very useful to save space on the shelves. Particularly for holiday reads I find (by which I mean the slightly popular fiction I tend to read when I go away which I'm not all that fussed about).

    Have a good week, and enjoy the last few days of The Moonstone :D

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    1. Thanks, Ellie. I will also be going home to Estonia this year, so it's exciting.

      I've purchased different kinds of reads for my Kindle so far (fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, non-fiction), but I think there will always be some books I don't want to read on e-reader (like those fantasy series I'm half-way done with - I want nice copies cos they are awesome).

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  3. Yay for blogging mojo! Can you send me some please? :P
    That's a good idea, to start series books on the kindle before buying actual copies, series take up so much room on my shelf! I've been neglecting my kindle a bit lately, I need to get back to it after I finish Les Mis.
    Hope you enjoy your week :)

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    1. Hehe blogging mojo is tricky, it comes and goes. But I'm glad to see your around, Sam, was wondering where you had disappeared!

      I hope Les Mis is going well for you.

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  4. We just got our first snow here in upstate NY -- hope your autumn weather holds out! Autumn is my favorite season, so I'm always a little sad to see it go. I do love Christmas though, so it makes up for autumn ending! Things have been kind of crazy for me the past few Christmases, but I'm hoping to manage a tree this year in the new house.

    I like your series plan for the kindle -- that's a really good way to give it a test run! And I really loved The Thirteenth Tale. I'm currently in the middle of her second book Bellman & Black, but have been too busy to finish it! Seems really good so far though.

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    1. I'm sad to see autumn go too (no snow yet, though, but it's kind of chilly - winter is in the air). Usually when it snows then first few weeks it's really exciting and then you start thinking that it could be gone already :p

      There have been pretty different reactions on Bellman & Black, so I have gotten curious about these books. Looking forward to your final thoughts.

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Leave a comment if you feel like it - it warms my little bookish heart. :)