TMST

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

If you could invite 5 authors (dead or alive) to dinner who would you invite? 

Omg, hard!!!!

But, Jane Austen. Yes, queen, that wit and just yes!

JRR. Tolkien. It would be so interesting getting inside his head

Elizabeth Chadwick, it just hit me I have been enjoying her historical fiction books for almost 25 years, and I think it would be interesting talking to her

Siegfried Sassoon, ok so poet, but hey that is an author. He could talk to Tolkien how war is hell.

And last, Rachel Aaron, because that would just be fun

6/13/2023 What's most important in a book for you: the plot, the characters, or the writing style?

6/20/2023 How do you get out of a reading slump?

6/27/2023 What are your least favorite tropes?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

If you are interested in participating in TMST or receiving periodic emails that list the upcoming TMST topics and questions,  please fill out this GOOGLE FORM.  Participation is optional and never required.

Carole´s Monday: The Siberia Job

Author: Josh Haven

Title: The Siberia Job

Genre: Historical Fiction, Thriller

Format: Paperback

Pages: 384

Expected publication June 6, 2023

Where I Got It: My shelf (Publisher/author for my unbiased and honest opinion)

Summary: 

After the demise of the Soviet Union, the newly established Russian government privatized its industry by issuing vouchers to all of its citizens, allowing them the chance to be shareholders in the country’s burgeoning businesses. The slips are distributed among the population, and auctions are arranged where they can be exchanged for actual shares. For the country’s rural populations living in abject poverty, the vouchers appear to be little more than pieces of paper, totally separated from the far-off concept of potential future fortunes. 

But for Texas businessman John Mills and his Czech companion, Petr Kovac, the seemingly valueless chits suggest a lucrative potential, worth much more than what the current owners are willing to sell them for. They travel to the farthest, coldest reaches of the country to acquire vouchers for the country’s national oil company, Gazneft, roving from town to town with suitcases full of cash. But they quickly learn that the plan has complications--for example, the fact that the auctions at which these vouchers are traded for actual shares have been planned at the most remote, inaccessible locations possible to deter outsiders from buying in. When the Russian mafia and the oligarchs in charge of Gazneft catch wind of their successes, the stakes become suddenly more deadly.

Review:

After reading the summary I knew I had to check this one out. 

The story follows John and Petr and their journey. They see a lucrative potential in Russia after the demise of the Soviet Union. They will quickly learn that their plan will have some serious complications and even some danger. 

I will admit this took me a while to really get into it. The beginning was a hair slow for me. However, once it got its hooks into me....I was absolutely hooked. I stayed up WAAAAAY too late. Whoopsies. But totally worth it being tired at work the next day. 

What made this extra thriller-ish for me is knowing that this was based on a true story and I was able to resist temptation to look anything up. I quite literally had zero idea so I had to know what was going to happen! There was a moment near the end that brought a tiny tear to my eye. Didn't see that coming. 

What really surprised me was the sprinkle of humor. There was one scene that had me laugh so hard!!!! It was a nice surprise. There is a lot of serious-ness, drama, and financial talk so the humor moments helped lighten the mood. 

There were some financial talk but the author did a good job simplifying it so readers, like me, could follow along enough and not be bogged down by complicated stuff. 

Overall, I enjoyed this. The beginning was a little rough for me. It took a bit for me to really get into the story, but once I was I became invested! This was pretty good and I recommend it to those that like a little financial danger mixed with physical danger and a splash of humor. I'll stamp this with 4 stars. 

Best of May

 

Here are our bests of May! 

Best Movie of the Month:

Blodeuedd - Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Carole - 50 First Dates (2004)

Best Book of the Month:

Carole - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Blodeuedd - She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Best TV show of the Month:

Blodeuedd - XO, Kitty (season 1)

Carole - XO Kitty (season 1)

Best Cover of the Month:

Blodeuedd - "I do not feel I have anything to fit best cover."

Carole's - 

A blogger´s life

 

It took me a long time, but I reached my first blogging burnout.

I tried to pinpoint why, and I am come to a conclusion. I work well under pressure, I live under stress. But I have lost a lot of review contacts during my blogging years, and I was down to 2. Then I was down to 1. It was not the books that kept me going, it was more the OMG, must finish this book at this time!!! That constant pressure fed me.

Now, almost no review books, I had like 2 this month. I have gotten really bad at reading printed books cos I am so audio in love. Less time to listen at work, been bad at walking and listening. I honestly have not had time for books at all!

I did think about quitting. But I would miss you all! So I thought about it, so what if I have one book review posted a week. So what. I will do that, no pressure. Maybe that will get me back in the saddle. I do miss that pressure though, damn I got books read then

But I wanted you all to know, this has been months coming, I have felt it coming for so long.