Every other week I participate in The Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer. The meme is weekly, every Sunday, but I’ve decided to do it bi-weekly since I don’t usually have that much to share every single week. So, here are some updates from the last 2 weeks!
→ So, how many “I’m Back” posts do I need to write before it actually sticks? I’m sure y’all are sick of reading those type of posts from me at this point so I decided to just combine it with a Sunday Post so you can see what I’ve been up to as well. Anywho…I’m back! 🙂 It’s been hard to find a balance of my “real” life and my “bookish” life but at the end of the day, I always miss my blog and all my blogging friends. I hope y’all can forgive me for always ghostin’ you 😉
→ My last post was in early November. Since then, not much has changed, except Emerson is huge now and walks all over the place. In fact, as I am typing this, he is standing on the couch behind me holding onto my sweater. Other than Emerson growing up (too fast), life has been pretty much the same as it was in November. I did make a goal of working on my health this year. I want to lose my pregnancy weight, “first-year-as-a-mom” weight and the quarantine weight (all very much a real thing the last year 😆 ). So far I’m down 17 pounds! I’m really proud of that because I’ve never been able to stick to a “health kick” for longer than 1 week (seriously, no joke).
→ I haven’t been reading a lot, up until this month. I listened to 3 audiobooks in the first 2 months of 2021 but I’m trying to make reading / bookish stuff a priority. I needed something that I do for me and not anyone else (hence coming back to my blog). So I’m hoping to be reading more (instead of just scrolling through TikTok in my downtime). I’ve been into more non-YA books so you’ll see some reviews for those – but don’t worry, I still love YA and will be talking about plenty of those too.
Daughter of the Salt King
by A.S. Thornton
The full synopsis is below but check it out on Goodreads as well! And follow the author on Instagram @as_thornton
As a daughter of the Salt King, Emel ought to be among the most powerful women in the desert. Instead, she and her sisters have less freedom than even her father’s slaves … for the Salt King uses his own daughters to seduce visiting noblemen into becoming powerful allies by marriage.
Escape from her father’s court seems impossible, and Emel dreams of a life where she can choose her fate. When members of a secret rebellion attack, Emel stumbles upon an alluring escape route: her father’s best-kept secret—a wish-granting jinni, Saalim.
But in the land of the Salt King, wishes are never what they seem. Saalim’s magic is volatile. Emel could lose everything with a wish for her freedom as the rebellion intensifies around her. She soon finds herself playing a dangerous game that pits dreams against responsibility and love against the promise of freedom. As she finds herself drawn to the jinni for more than his magic, captivated by both him and the world he shows her outside her desert village, she has to decide if freedom is worth the loss of her family, her home and Saalim, the only man she’s ever loved.
Thank you for reading yet another “I’m back” post! I’m looking forward to chatting with all of you again!
Please drop your URLs in a comment so I can check out your blogs too.
33 Comments
Welcome back, and thanks for visiting my blog! I love blogging so much and it has actually saved me this past year during isolation!
Enjoy your week!
That’s awesome! There’s a lot of great people in the blogging community so I’m glad you’ve found some solace here 🙂
TikTok is the Devil! My daughter showed me and now I can’t stop scrolling, even when I say I will just look for a minute and 3 hours later, I am like WTH just happened. lol. They just have such awesome stuff on there. 😀
Real life is hard and being a mom isn’t easy so don’t stress about dropping out once in a while, it happens to all of us. I wasn’t around for almost 2 years and came back this year to drop off for about a month. I am back again. Real life just has a way for doing that.
I hope you have an amazing week, Molly and Welcome Back! xx
I had to put a time limit on my social media usage on my phone hahah it doesn’t always work because when the notification pops up I’ll just click “ignore for rest of the day” or whatever that option is. But sometimes I’ll be like “oh damn, it’s been a while, better get off”. And thank you! Yeah, life just happens and blogging gets put on the backburner. I’m lucky if I even get to read sometimes (but again, I can blame tiktok for many of those times lol). I hope you have a good week!
I’ll never get tired of I’m Back posts since I do them quite a lot as well and only recently did I really commit to really being somewhat back. haha. It’s great you’re able to stick to your health plans and getting good results. It’s really hard to stick to specific habits. Glad you’re going a great job at it.
I haven’t really been drawn to much YA recently so I feel your change of interest. Although I still have several YA on my shelf and I hope to still get around to reading them.
Glad to see you back, Molly! 😀
hahah it’s so easy for life to just get in the way of blogging. Glad to know there’s other people that totally get it lol. Also, yeah, maybe it comes with age or just general interests, YA has just been letting me down a lot lately >.< But I know I'll continue reading them because I can't resist haha
I’m trying to comment to see if it works…
I can’t see my previous comment yet (I suppose you’ll have to approve it), but I think it worked? What I did was click on the WP icon and then proceed to authorise my Google account from there, instead of clicking on the Google icon from the start. It worked elsewhere before, so I think I finally found a way?
Anyhow…welcome back for the 543rd time LOL. And congrats on sticking to your diet! See, you can actually STICK to things! That bodes well for your blogging! 😉
Yes I have to approve it! I don’t know how to get a notification to let people know that lol Hopefully your method continues to work! Thank you for you always trying. Also, thanks! That’s a good point – I need to apply the same mindset to my health to my blog. Let’s see if I can avoid a 544th return to blogging hahah
Welcome back! Wow – 17 pounds down is amazing! I started exercising during quarantine (since I had more time with a zero minute commute), but I need to work on diet more. I haven’t gained, but I haven’t lost.
That’s good too! Plus any physical activity is good for your body regardless of your weight. I just was getting too high in weight to the point I could feel my body slowing down, and with a 15 month old, that’s the opposite of what needs to happen lol
Good to see you back! Everybody is working on things but one of the keys in the Fit Reader group as a goal is kindness, including kindness to yourself. For me however, it can’t include food rewards because that is the wrong path for me. So books are a great reward. 17 pounds is a lot – you’re doing great!
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
That’s a good idea! I don’t really reward myself with anything because I’m just trying to find a healthy balance between junk food and healthy food. So I try not to put any value on the type of foods I eat – just as long as I am making choices that work towards my goal (if that makes sense). I’ve always started health kicks and quickly drop them when I think too much about it lol I’ll have to find a reward that works for me like you did! Also, thank you 🙂 I hope the momentum keeps going. Have a great week!
Congratulations on your success in your health goals! 17 pounds is amazing! I’ve also gained weight with the pandemic (about 10 lbs) and I’ve been slowly shedding them. As a mom it’s important to carve out some time for yourself otherwise you get burned out. Glad to hear you were able to do that! Thanks for visiting my blog, and have a lovely week! 🙂
Thank you so much! And yes, it is important! My mom would always tell me to make sure I make time for myself when I have kids and I’d be like “oh of course I will, it’ll be fine”. LOL How naive I was thinking it would be easy to do. I wake up at 4am! lol Have a great week 🙂
I know what you mean about that life/bookish life balance. Our kids really do grow so fast, don’t they? Mine’s going to be ten this week. Double digits! I still remember when she was little like your Emerson. Congratulations on the weight loss! Pandemic weight gain is real. I’ve been eating healthier too to. I hope you have a great week, Molly!
AWWW well happy birthday to your little! I can’t even imagine Emerson at 10 years old yet. Stay even smaller foreverrr lol and Thank you! Have a great week 🙂
You definitely need something that’s just for you and books are always a great choice. And congrats! 17lbs is awesome! Hope you have a great week ❤️
Thank you so much! I hope you have a great week too!
I like your idea of every other week Sunday Posts. I just started doing them again after many years, though I’m not sure I have enough material for every week, lol. I’ll see how it goes. OMG, TikTok!! I’m addicted. My teens think it’s so cringy that I’m into it too, but that’s too bad! Enjoy your week. 🙂
hahah I definitely DON’T have enough for every week. When I did them every week it was basically the same thing all the time. My life isn’t that exciting lol and yes tiktok is dangerously addicting! I always get that guy that’s like “hey you’ve been scrolling a long time, take a break” while I’m on it. Do you ever get that? lol
Hey welcome back! 🙂 It’s like riding a bike… blogging is always here haha! My reading has been down too- I blame the pandemic. You’d think I’d be reading MORE, but instead it’s been less…
Anyway, hope you have a great week!
I read even less last year but this year I’m trying to make it a priority so I’ve been reading more. Not a lot, just a itty bit more lol
Lmao this is so relatable! I feel like every time I post I’m like “hey a post, shocking.” Remember when we posted like EVERY DAY? XD I’ve been reading a lot of adult books this year too and I’m so confused!
hahah life just really gets in the way of blogging sometimes >.<
17 pounds is fantastic! Especially when you throw in quarantine with all the other new mom craziness. I’m great with exercise but junk food is my downfall. I’m getting better but have a ways to go. Your first comment made me laugh. I think with all you’ve got going on a posting hiatus and a handful of I’m Back! posts are your due! Have a great week.
Thank you! and yes junk food for me too so I just stopped buying it lol. I also gave myself some grace when I do eat kinda crappy – especially when we visit my parents. I hope you have a great week too!
Welcome back! It is very hard to read and blog with little kids in the house, so I applaud you for being able to make the time. I had to take time off the blog after both kids, the second one lasting 3 years, yikes! In the meantime, hope you are able to find the groove and even if life happens, no big deal, we’ll still be here.
Thank you! And yes it is! Even right now, I’m only blog hopping because we’re at my parents house and there are 3 grandparents able to watch him while I blog hahah. I’m glad you came back to blogging! It’s important to make time for yourself 🙂
Congrats on he weight loss! I know how hard it is. I’m down about 25 lbs and it comes off sooo slowly. But kudos on sticking with it! I’m a big fan of audio books. I love having another way to enjoy reading. 🙂
Thank you! And thats awesome! Congratulations. Yes, it is a slow process but definitely worth it! I can fit in my jeans again which I haven’t been able to wear since pre-pregnancy lol
Welcome Back, and well done on focusing on your health. I like to listen to audiobooks when I run and clean/cook/laundry its a good way for me to stay motivated 🙂
Thank you! And yes, that’s when I listen to audiobooks as well! It’s very helpful.