That’s right, bookwyrms, I’m back and still alive (and not a zombie, as far as you know) and trying to get back to this blogging thing.
Or, you know, at the very least some sort of semblance of “normalcy,” whatever that is. I’m not gonna lie: The past two months have been an emotional low for me. I actually intentionally stepped away from a lot of things since June (well, really mid-May if I’m honest) in order to take time for myself because I was not in a good place. I’m ready to get back to it now, though!
Are you ready to find out what’s been going on? It’s been . . . a lot. Most of it not particularly exciting, unfortunately, but let’s get to it anyway!
- The kittens all found homes! Don’t worry, I definitely will be giving you final kitten tax before I start the downhill roll this update is doomed to be. I just wanted to start on a high note! My younger sister took the gray one and named her Togepi. Her step-sister took the last one (pictured below) and named her Kyotani. We’ve decided to keep Mama, which Minion named Callie some time ago. She’s a super lovable cat, but really skittish, so we’re getting her used to cuddling and being held. She’s warming up to it little by little.
- My grandfather passed away on June 2. My grandfather was my first and best friend. The dementia was hard, but I wasn’t ready yet for him to just be . . . gone. I was closer to him and Nana than any of my parents (which may be a weird statement, but trust me, I have a weird family). As you might imagine, this has hit me incredibly hard emotionally, especially since I now get to help my uncle deal with his estate, which is a whole other issue. I spent most of June deep in the throes of depression, and I spent most of July clawing my way back out. So here we are. I’m doing okay now, but it’s still a work in progress.
- I officially became the assistant director of my library! It’s been . . . exhausting? But also amazing? So many conflicting feelings! There’s so much to learn, but I honestly absolutely adore everything about the position and can’t imagine doing anything else. It’s going to be a little overwhelming being in the new position and starting up grad school again this fall, but I’m super excited for it. Despite everything, I was able to recharge my school brain over the summer and am ready to tackle another semester! That’s probably going to change by, like, the second week of school, but for now it’s all good. xD
- My publisher announced that they are closing, which means my book WILL NOT be published after all. This is a real bummer, especially with how close it was to release, but things happen. COVID has hit everyone hard, and we all have had to learn to roll with the punches. I was super excited to be able to share it with you all, but it’s going to have to wait. I’ve decided to attempt to query it again and find a different publisher, so cross your fingers for me! I’m not giving up on it yet. :3
- I started a volunteer research position at my grad school, and it’s been a really interesting experience so far. When I went into public librarianship, I never considered research as something that I would be able to do. So it’s been fun to realize that’s not necessarily the case! This is something I’m interested in myself, so I’m enjoying getting more experience about the process and everything.
- One of my accounts was hacked and money was stolen. Which is disheartening, but we got lucky. They didn’t get away with a lot to start with, and we were able to reverse the payment and get our money back. Still, in the midst of everything else, it was incredibly bad timing and ridiculously stressful to try to navigate. Crossing my fingers that it’s done and over with now.
- Hubby and I celebrated our 12th anniversary on July 11. It really doesn’t feel like it’s been that long, but Minion’s 10, so I guess it really has. Phew. We’re getting old. xD We didn’t do anything special. Actually, hubby completely forgot. But as he’s often said before: “An anniversary is just another day when you get married expecting to die with someone.” I’m just hoping it’s of old age and not, like, a murder-suicide. xD Guess I should’ve specified!
So that’s . . . it? Huh. Doesn’t feel like much when it’s typed out like that, and I’m sure I’m missing some things, but at least I hit the high notes!
#AmReading Update
June/July Reviews
- [9 Jun] Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke ★★★★★
- [10 Jun] Bacchanal by Veronica Henry
- [15 Jun] Daughter of Sparta (Daughter of Sparta, #1) by Claire M. Andrews ★★★★
- [18 Jun] The Box in the Woods (Truly Devious, #4) by Maureen Johnson ★★★★
- [24 Jun] Mirrorland by Carole Johnstone ★★★★
- [30 Jun] Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon ★★★★
- [5 Jul] Rea and the Blood of the Nectar (The Chronicles of Astranthia, #1) by Payal Doshi ★★★★
- [9 Jul] Josephine Against the Sea by Shakirah Bourne ★★★★
- [14 Jul] The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass ★★★★
Discussion Posts
No posts found.Top Ten Tuesday
- [1 Jun] Books I Don’t Remember Adding to My Goodreads TBR
- [8 Jun] Upcoming 2021 Releases On My Summer Possibility Pile
- [15 Jun] Fantastic LGBTQ+ Books That Leave Me Wanting More
- [22 Jun] Books I Still Need to Get My Hands On
- [29 Jun] Most Anticipated Releases of Fall 2021
- [6 Jul] Why I Love Reading (Ft. Books You’ll Love Reading, Too)
- [13 Jul] Titles That Make Me Ask Questions
WWW Wednesday
- [2 Jun] What Are You Reading Wednesday (June 2, 2021)
- [16 Jun] What Are You Reading Wednesday (June 16, 2021)
- [23 Jun] What Are You Reading Wednesday (June 23, 2021)
First Line Friday
- [4 Jun] First Line Friday 56 || The Mummy Meets Indiana Jones
- [11 Jun] First Line Friday 56 || Last Chance For Humanity
- [25 Jun] First Line Friday 56 || Game Gone Wild
Blogger Post Love
Here are some great posts this month from other bloggers:✦ Mari @ Tirilu weighs in on the eBook vs. physical debate.
✦ Nicole @ BookwyrmKnits gives us a handy list of freebie fiction to check out.
✦ Krysta @ Pages Unbound gives some tips for spreading your love of reading to others along with ways book bloggers can benefit from public libraries.
✦ Sofii @ A Book. A Thought shares a list of 2021 LGBTQIA+ releases.
✦ Abby @ Beyond the Read shares over 30 YA books with disability rep in honor of Disability Pride Month.
Twitter Fun
Not following me on Twitter? Maybe you should.Life as a non-Christian in the Bible belt is like:
— Sammie (The Bookwyrm's Den) (@srbetler) July 11, 2021
Cashier: Did you find everything okay?
Me: Yup! Unless you've got some secret medicine that'll cure kids of an attitude hidden somewhere.
Cashier: It's called the B-I-B-L-E.
Me: So…do I beat her with it or perform an exorcism?
#Bookwyrm Problem # 593:
— Sammie (The Bookwyrm's Den) (@srbetler) June 29, 2021
New books are pretty.
But I live off of dreams, tears, and coffee. I've been informed no one takes those as payment.
Selling your kidney is also not a viable option. Apparently, neither is selling your spouse's.#amreading #BookTwitter #booklover
My grandfather passed.
— Sammie (The Bookwyrm's Den) (@srbetler) June 15, 2021
We're just starting the who wants what stage.
Most families would be arguing over inheritance, right?
My family is having a heated discussion about whether a BB gun counts as a gun or an air rifle.
… y'all, this is why we can't have nice things.
How have these past couple of months been treating you? What did I miss while I was away? Catch me up on things, people!
Wow Sammie, you’ve been through a LOT. I hope things are on the upturn for you. Congrats on your new job and starting grad school again!
Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy recently posted…Future Fiction #136 – Cover Reveals & Newly Discovered SFF Books
Thanks so much! Definitely feels like it’s looking up again, even though if it sometimes feels like I’m going uphill. Up is still up, however you get there!
Ah so sorry to hear about your sad news, but super exciting on the good news! It’s so difficult when your feelings are going through a rollercoaster of complete extremes at the same time. Glad to hear you’re on the up! Happy reading in August! ☺️
Someone lied to me when they told me roller coasters were fun. xD I feel cheated. Thanks, though!
Wow, this is a roller coaster of updates! So happy for the promotion and other good news, but I’m sorry to hear about your grandfather and your publisher.
Briana @ Pages Unbound recently posted…Jukebox by Nidhi Chanani
Thank you. It really has been a lot of ups and downs, but at least it’s never a dull moment. So there’s that. xD I’m gonna take it as a plus haha.
Hooray kitten pictures! I’m glad they all found good homes, too. 🙂
I’ll be thinking happy publisher thoughts for you! Hopefully you’ll be able to find a new home for your book without too much trouble.
Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits recently posted…Writing Wednesday ~ July 2021 recap
I’m glad they found good homes, too, but man do I miss the little pain-in-the-butts now. xD Thank you for the happy thoughts! <3
I’m so happy you are back. Everyone needs a mental health break occasionally. It sounds like you certainly deserved one. Best wishes on all the great things happening in your life now.
Gina recently posted…Gina’s Friday Finds July 30, 2021
Thanks! I’m ridiculously happy to be back. I’ve missed blogging, even though I really did need the time to focus on other things lol. Guess you can say I’m addicted. 😉
Hugs. I noticed you weren’t very active but since you posted about your grandfather and your publisher i figured that were reasons to pull back a little. And totally valid at that. I’m sorry you’ve been having such a hard time. But I’m happy that some good things happened to you as well like with the library and your anniversary. Happy belated anniversary to you and hubby <3 And I know your book will find a new publisher.
I totally get what you mean with it feeling like it hasn't been that long. I moved to this area 10 years ago and hubby and I have been married for 7 of those but it really doesn't feel like it haha.
Annemieke recently posted…Dancing out of July 2021
Thank you. I’m just glad that there were some ups to counter those downs.
Seven years! Some days it feels like forever and then others like no time at all, doesn’t it? We’ve hit the point where we have to actually do mental math whenever someone asks us how long we’ve been married. xD
Wow, you’ve had a rough couple of months! I’m so so sorry about your grandfather. And I hope you find just the right publisher for your book. I wish you all the best with the new job and grad school. You’re such an inspiration, and I hope things keep looking up for you. <3 <3
Dedra @ A Book Wanderer recently posted…July 2021 Monthly Wrap-Up
Thank you so much. <3 I don't feel like I'm much of an inspiration. Most days I feel like I'm barely keeping things together haha. I appreciate it, though.
It’s so incredibly difficult to lose a grandparent…..especially in your case. Our 7 year old grandson lives with us…so we’re extra close, too. Thinking of you In these days when your loss is so new…… One of your greatest gifts in life is to be your grandfather’s granddaughter 💕 💕 may God’s love like the warmth of a cozy blanket surround and comfort you all day.
Carol (Reading Ladies) recently posted…Three Words For Goodbye [Book Review]
Thank you so much. <3 I'm sure it's wonderful for both you and him to get to live together. I know I would've loved to still be living with my grandparents at that age.
I’m so sorry about your grandfather. I can’t imagine how you must feel. Sending you positive thoughts and virtual hugs ❤️
But congrats on the new position and Happy Anniversary!
Cheryl @ I Heart Fictional People recently posted…Monthly Wrap-Up: July 2021
Thank you so much. <3
I’m so sorry to hear that you lost your grandfather. A few years back, when I lost my grandmother, who was the first person to encourage my crazy, I was a wreck, but it has gotten easier. I can’t help but smile and laugh at the memories. Huge hugs, luv!
Natalie recently posted…Review // Gen Pop by Lani Lynn Vale
I know it’ll get easier, but it’s always hard, when it happens, to ever imagine it getting easier. Been there with my grandmother, so I understand that it’ll come in time. So lucky that we still have the memories, though!
It has been quite a few months for you. Congrats on becoming assistant director at your library and good luck with querying your book!
Thank you!
Hey, Sammie!
I’m so sorry that live is treating you so bad at the moment. Every time we think it’s done now, there comes another thing to put you down. I’m really sorry. I send you all the hugs I can muster and hope everything is gonna be okay. Don’t forget: You are mighty.
I also wish you all the best for your query and yayyyy for your assistant director position. I told you, you would get it! 🙂
Marion recently posted…Review “The Girl in Wooden Armour”
Thank you for all the hugs. <3 I am mighty, hear me roar! meow? ... erm ... that's close enough.
My condolences on the passing of your grandfather, Sammie ❤ You really have been on an emotional rollercoaster this last couple of months, which I can completely sympathise with, as my last month has been similar. It is lovely to have you back and all the best with grad school and your new job! 🙂
jessicabookworm recently posted…📖 Eragon by Christopher Paolini (The Inheritance Cycle #1) ⭐⭐
Thank you so much!