Rainy Day Ramblings

Tell Me Something #207: Zombie Apocalypse

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. 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. 

Here is out too scary to want to think about topic:

Zombie Apocalypse: What would you do?

We have all seen the movies and read the books. We know the horrors that await the population if a zombie virus suddenly spreads. In weeks, the majority of the population would be shambling, mindless creatures in search of brains.....Shudders....

Okay, deep breaths... what would I do?? I hope that a zombie apocalypse never happens, but if one does, I would do my best to get out of the city and head to the rural countryside. Preferably, I would head to Idaho and hole up in a house somewhere in the country. Why Idaho?? Well, I grew up in Idaho, and there is a large population of Mormons in Idaho. Mormons believe in having a two year food supply in their home. So, if I am lucky, I could find a house out in the middle of nowhere, I can think of plenty of homes like this in rural Idaho. Then just hope that when I break in, that two year food supply is in tact. 

If I am lucky enough to make it to Idaho, and I find a house with an ample amount of food storage, I would then hole up. 

Now, I wouldn’t just go inside, bolt the doors and hope for the best. No, I would then set up all kinds of booby traps around the property. Anything, I can do to prevent them from getting into my hidey hole. I would think, though, that being out in the middle of nowhere, would be a good deterrent. Zombies aren’t going to shamble across miles and miles of empty countryside, especially if brains are few and far between. 

(Click on photo for credits)

I would hope that if I were lucky enough to make it to rural Idaho and find a house with a large food supply, that if I waited it out over a period of a couple of years, the zombies would eventually die out. 

I mean how long can a zombie exist without brains? You would think that at some point they would fall down and turn to dust or eat one another. 

 

Who knows because most zombie novels don’t get that far. Anyway.... that is what I would do. However, the likelihood of making it from Portland, Oregon to Idaho would be a tall task. I would have to hope that the zombie apocalypse breaks out while I am visiting. Better yet, let’s just put this in our It’s Never Going to Happen File.....

Or maybe I better read up on what to do by reading this handy guide:

 

Now it’s your turn. What would you do in the event of a zombie apocalypse?

Next week’s question:

Would you spend a full night inside of a haunted house if someone paid you?

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday# 206: Changing Halloween???!

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. 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 link to your post in the comments. 

 

This week it is a controversial topic:

How do you feel about the proposal being pushed to change Halloween to always be on the last Saturday of October instead of the 31st?

 

In the past few weeks, there has been a large petition being pushed in the United States by corporate sponsors and parents.  The idea is to change Halloween from the traditional date of October 31st to the last Saturday in the month. Supposedly it is going to make the holiday safer. You can read about it here. 

I am not on board with changing the date. Halloween is a long tradition that goes back to pagan times. Why mess with the date to make it so companies can make more money? Halloween comes one time a year, and children have been trick or treating and participating in all the fun that Halloween brings for decades without issues. So why ruin a good thing? 

The people pushing the petition make arguments such as it is safer and such, but I don’t believe that. 

When you deal with Halloween on a Saturday versus a weeknight you have to factor in the rise in drunk driving incidents. Most people have to work the morning after Halloween, so they aren’t likely to be attending Halloween parties where they might partake of too many drinks and then hit the road, perhaps inadvertently hitting a trick or treater who is out later than normal because there is no school the next morning. Let’s face it the weekend is a time for people to party and have a drink or two, so that means trick or treating could become more dangerous. 

When there isn’t school or work the next morning, kids will be inclined to stay out later than they would on a school night, so that increases the risk of danger as the hour grows later. In my neighborhood, most houses stop handing out candy between 8-8:30 as it is time to get school kids to bed. That is a safe time to end the holiday, usually before the revelers are out and about.

Vandalism would likely go up too with teenagers out later on a Saturday Halloween night as they don’t have to get up early for school. That means more time to be out causing havoc. 

Finally, you aren’t going to get everyone to agree on the date, you will still have people who want to honor the old traditional date, so it would create confusion. 

These are just a few reasons why I think moving Halloween to be constantly on Saturday would be a idea. I am a traditionalist and I say leave it alone!

What about you all? Weight in!

Here is next week’s TMST:

Zombie Apocalypse: What would you do?

Tell Me Something Tuesday #205: Spooky Reads for Fall

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. 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 link to your post in the comments. If you want the upcoming TMST questions, send me an email. 

 

Here is the subject for this week’s conversation:

What are some spooky books you would like to read this Fall?

 

I love October as I love all things Halloween. I adore the spooky decorations, and I especially love all the creepy books and movies that come out this time of year. I am always ready to load up books that are scary. 

Here are some of the books I am looking forward to reading this October:

The Legend of Decimus Croome: A Halloween Carol by Kevin Purdy: This book caught my eye as it is a retelling of Christmas Carol, but with a Halloween twist. I couldn’t resist! 

The Dark Side by Danielle Steele: Admittedly Steele used to be known for her romances, she is branching out. This is a psychological thriller about the dark side of mother hood. Sounds scary!

The Furies by Katie Lowe: This is from the description: “This page-turning, harrowing debut is the story of a girl trying to fit in, whose obsessive new friends and desperation to belong leads her to places she’d never imagined…dark, dangerous, and possibly even violent.” A boarding school book with a dark history, sounds like an eerie read for sure! 

The Institute by Stephen King: You can’t go wrong with a Stephen King book if you want to good scare. This one is about kids battling evil. A boy is kidnapped in the middle of the night taken to an institute with other kids with special abilities. That sounds a little unnerving, don't you think?

A House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig: This is about twelve sisters who are under a family curse. The girls begin mysteriously dying one by one. The remaining girls are haunted by their ghosts. This one has a creepy atmosphere and a gothic feel. 

Heartwood Box by Ann Aguirre: A girl goes to live with her great aunt in the woods. Her great aunt still leaves out food for her missing husband of twenty years. Then there are lights in the woods and mysterious letters.... Another creepy atmospheric tale. 

These are my upcoming picks to read during the Fall/ Halloween season that might make me pause to turn off the lights. What do you think? What scary books are you planning on reading?

Next week’s TMST:

How do you feel about the proposal being pushed to change Halloween to always be on the last Saturday of October instead of the 31st?

Tell Me Something Tuesday #204: Relieving Blogging Stress

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. 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.

Here is what we are talking about this week:

What do you do to relax and relieve blogging stress?

 

Life gets busy and sometimes things happen that prevent us from getting everything done. That leads to added stress. I know we all go through times when we feel stressed. Here are some strategies I have learned to that have helped me when I feel overloaded, especially when it comes to blogging:

• Blog for you: I can't stress this enough. I have said this time and time again over the last few years. If you are blogging for tours, authors, promoters, publicist etc. you are doing yourself a disservice. You need to read what makes you happy, and forget about trying to keep up with all the posts others want you to do. I know first hand how stressful it is to get all those guest posts and tour posts up on time. Cut out the pressure posts such as guest posts and tour posts, and keep it simple. 
• Cut back: If you are feeling like the blog is taking over your life, it is time to cut back. I used to spend hours every day reading blogs and leaving comments, prepping posts, keeping up with social media and then trying to read. It got to the point where I was spending four to five hours a day on blogging, and that didn't include reading. I realized that it was time to make some changes. I cut out tours and guest posts, trying to keep up with those posts and get everything prepped is a lot of work, so eliminating them made it much easier as I am not worried about deadlines. Set aside a certain amount of time each day for the blog, and then put it away until tomorrow. Don't waste time on social media and so forth once your blogging day is done.Don't let your blog overwhelm your life. Do it and forget it. 
• Get a step ahead: Speaking of life getting crazy, it is so much easier when things get hectic to be able to not have to worry about the blog. Taking my own good advice, this past year, I have been reading what I want and cutting back. That has allowed me to blog ahead. Blogging ahead makes it so much easier for me to relax during the summer while I am busy with my kids, vacations and company. If you can give yourself a buffer, you will feel so much less stress, and if you can’t blog ahead don’t sweat it, do what you can.  
• Don't procrastinate: I think we all struggle with this, but again, if you want things to be easier, do what you can today, and not wait until tomorrow. I am in the habit of writing up my reviews immediately after finishing the book. I never let my reviews pile up, that is just my personal motto. It also makes it easier to recall details if you write up reviews as soon as possible. I know life gets hectic, but the more you can do now, it will be easier in the long run.
• Take a vacation: If things get to be too much, take a break. Your readers and followers will understand. We all know how busy life can be, and if you are finding yourself unable to keep up, take a mini break. It is, of course, best to do a post on your blog stating you are taking a small break so your readers will know what happened. If your blog has long, unexplained hiatuses you will lose followers. Hopefully once you have had a break, you will come back energized and recharged. 
• Remember the blog is a hobby and that it should be fun. Read what you enjoy and that way you won't lose your enthusiasm. You are more likely to get through books quickly when you are loving what you read.  Have fun and don't let your blog run your life. 
• Incorporate other hobbies. I know that for a long time, the blog and reading were the only thing I did in my free time. Talk about burn out. These days, I am doing more things that I love such as cross stitching. I can stitch and listen to audiobooks so I am blending two hobbies. You can also bake or walk or whatever and listen to an audiobook. Do what makes you happy besides blogging and reading. 

I can't stress enough how important it is to have fun while blogging. If it is a chore, you won’t want to do it. Keep it fun and simple.

So tell me what do you do to alleviate blogging stress?

Next week will be all about the Halloween reads:

What are some spooky books you would like to read this Fall?

Tell Me Something Tuesday #203: Writing the Not So Positive Reviews

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. 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.

Here is the hot topic of the week:

How do you handle writing reviews for books that you didn’t love?

One of the hardest parts of blogging for me is writing a negative or not so positive review. It isn't exactly because I am at a loss for words, lots of times, I am brimming with things to say about what didn't work for me. However, there is a fine line between being nasty and overcritical as opposed to being constructive. I personally believe in trying to provide feedback that will help readers decide whether the issues that bothered me will be a problem for them. I also believe in giving the author helpful suggestions for ways to improve their work. For me, I would much rather read a review that is constructive and helpful as opposed to those that seek to completely defile the book. All those one star reviews on Goodreads full of gifs and pictures are the ones I stay far away from. 

Those of you familiar with my blog and reviews know that I always write my review in a two part format, I start the review by listing all the positive aspects of the book. Even if the book wasn't a good fit for me, I can always find at least two or three nice things to say. 

 

Remember if you can't say something nice, perhaps it is better to not say anything at all. There have been a few times when a book didn’t work at all for me, and I struggled to find positive things to say, so that is when I opted out of doing a review. If I can’t think of anything nice to say, time to move on and keep my mouth shut. 

 

Okay that being said, let’s get back to writing those not so flattering reviews:

Once I have mapped out all the things I liked about the book, I move to the section where I discuss the portions of the book that I didn't enjoy. 

Lots of times there are questions or things that I felt needed more development, so I lay that all out. 

Did the book have a cliffhanger? A love triangle? These are always two big problems that many readers seem to have with the book. 

Was the plot well developed? Were there plot holes? If I had issues with the story, or if I find plot holes, I explain how I felt, and how it could be better. 

How was the world building? I am a stickler for world building, and if it doesn't work, I discuss what I thought was weak and how to improve it. 

Finally, once I have laid out all the good and not so good points in my review, I end it with a conclusion that highlights what I said in my review, so if you are pressed for time and just want to read the highlights, you can skip to the final paragraph.

My tried and true method of writing the positive along with the things that need improvement and listing why things did or did not work for me, hasn't let me down yet. I feel this is the best way to help potential readers and the author. 

It is never easy to write a not so flattering in review, but if you are polite and professional in doing so, you will find it isn't such a bad experience. 

How do you handle writing reviews for those books you didn’t love?

Next week's TMST question:

What do you do to relax and relieve blogging stress?

Tell Me Something Tuesday: #202 Blacksheep Books and Authors

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. 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.

This is what we are talking about this week:

Are there authors/books that everyone seems to love but you don’t? 

I have experienced it, and I am certain that many of you have been through it as well. The old black sheep when it comes to a book or author that everyone is gushing over, then you read that book or author and it is either a negative experience or a meh.....it is frustrating for sure. I feel like I need to tuck my tail and hide because I didn’t like what everyone else was digging, but then I learned. It is okay to not love the book or author that everyone is overly impressed with, in fact it is nice to get a dissenting opinion. So with that said, I am going to name a few books or authors that left me feeling like odd man out.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mari: I couldn’t wait to finally read this book after hearing so many positive things about it. While I appreciated the author’s unique writing style, I was completely unimpressed. Not to mention this one had an annoying love triangle. I never finished the series because I was so underwhelmed. 

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan: This was a huge buzz book, and it got even bigger with the movie. I thought the movie was fine, but the book was annoying. I couldn’t stand the multiple view points, it was confusing, and I found I didn’t care about the majority of the characters, especially because they were so petty and snobby. Ugh... no.

 

The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren: I read so many positive reviews for this one. It is about a couple who later fall in love after they survived a school shooting as teenagers. I was expecting this one to pack an emotional punch, but it didn’t. I was sorely disappointed. 

 

Authors:

Kate Morton: While she writes captivating stories, I find most of her books leave me disappointed. It isn’t worth the hassle for me to try and read her stuff. She gets loads of praise, but she is not for me. 

 

Brenda Novak: A wildly popular author, but her books always leave me wanting. The endings tend to be abrupt. I have given up on her stuff. 

 

Nora Roberts: Another talented author that has failed to impress me. I keep trying her, but her latest book that flopped for me was Year One. It was a total miss for me. I might try again, but she just doesn’t seem to work for me. 

 

So these are the books or authors that have made me feel like a black sheep. Tell me, what about you? Are there books or authors that everyone else seems to love but you don’t?

Next up:

How do you handle writing reviews for books that you didn’t love?

Tell Me Something Tuesday: #201: Fall Picks 2019

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. 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.

The main event of the week:

What are your picks for Fall 2019.

 

YA Picks

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh: It’s been a long while since I read a vampire book. I was drawn to this one because it is set in New Orleans in the 19th century. I can’t resist. This one arrives on Oct 8,

Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater: Maggie Stiefvater is known for her amazing stories, descriptive writing and fascinating characters. She returns with a story featuring Ronan from The Raven Cycle series. I am on board, what about you? Look for this on Nov 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adult Picks:

The Giver of Stars Jo Jo Moyes: A historical novel from Moyes. This one is set during the Great Depression and features five women on an extraordinary journey through the Blue Mountains. You can check this one out on Oct 8.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo: Bardugo delivers her first adult novel. This is a tale of power and dark magic set among the Ivy Elite. I am intrigued. You can grab this on October 9th.

 

The Guardians by John Grisham: I recently picked Grisham back up, and I am hooked. This is a book about a black man wrongfully convicted of murder in Florida. This one is set to hit shelves on Oct 15. 

The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas: Another installment with the brilliant Lady Sherlock. What case will she solve this time? Will she finally hook up with her secret love? The answers are forthcoming on October 15. 

Twice in a Blue Moon Christina Lauren: The Christina Lauren duo can do no wrong these days. I continue to adore their fun contemporary romances. This is a second chance romance. Will the couple get it right the second time around? Find out on October 22nd.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern: Finally, the brilliant author behind The Night Circus returns with a tale of a timeless love set in a secret underground world. I am intrigued. Look for this one on Nov 5th.

As you can see, October promises to be a fantastic book release month. There are so many up there that I am looking forward to reading. What about you all? Tell me what books you are looking forward to this Fall?

Next week’s TMST:

Are there authors/books that everyone seems to love but you don’t?

Tell Me Something Tuesday: #200: Why Read Blogs?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. 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. 

Here is what I am pondering upon this week:

Why do you read blog posts?

It’s hard to imagine my day without reading a few blogs. Reading blogs has been a part of my day for the last nine years. I first started reading blogs as I wanted to learn more about the latest books releasing. Once I got my Kindle, there was a whole new world of books out there and lots of blogs willing to help me find my next book to read. 

I read book blogs for several reasons. First and foremost, I like to read book blogs to get information on books. I love reading reviews to see if a book is a good fit for me. I also love discovering new authors and new series. If it wasn’t for book blogs, I would never have discovered many of my favorite series and authors. 

Another reason I read book blogs is to connect with bloggers. I didn’t realize when I started blogging nine years ago that blogging would be so much more than books. I have established many wonderful friendships and connections over the years. I love getting to know my fellow bloggers. I especially enjoy reading conversation posts. 

I don’t just read book blogs. I read other blogs as well. 

I enjoy reading cooking and baking blogs in hopes of finding yummy treats and good eats. 

I started cross stitching again a few years ago, and so of course, I started following a few stitching blogs. 

Reading blogs provides me with a wealth of information from books, baking and stitching. 

So tell me, why do you read blogs?

Next week’s TMST post:

Fall Picks for 2019

Tell Me Something Tuesday #199: Tackling the TBR

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. 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 link to your post in the comments. 

 

Here is what we are talking about this week:

Have you found a way to cut back significantly on your TBR pile?

As a blogger, I am constantly researching books to add to my ever growing To Be Read Pile. Before blogging, I didn’t realize that a TBR pile could become a daunting task. It even caused me great stress for a few years. You see, I was always requesting books and taking on books for review. My TBR pile got way out of hand, to the point where my enthusiasm for reading was suffering. There is nothing worse than wanting to read a book you are dying to read, but you can’t find the time to read it because your TBR pile is full of obligations and deadlines that must be met. Seriously, I hardly read anything for enjoyment for five years. Then I got smart.....

I finally figured out how to cut back on that TBR pile. Here are some tips that worked for me.

Stop taking requests: I don’t know about you all, but I have a hard time saying no. When I first started blogging, I was thrilled to be asked to read and review books, I thought I was on my way to making it big. Ha ha.... then I learned. Taking on too many books made me an unhappy blogger. Not only was I constantly reading books for other people, but I wasn’t exactly loving what I was reading. So I finally got smart and stopped taking requests. I don’t answer solicitation emails anymore as my review policy clearly states I am no longer taking review requests. You would be amazed how much putting this in your review policy helps cut back the solicitous emails. 

Control Yourself: The lyric to an old school rap song runs through my head as I write this, “Check yourself before you wreck yourself!” How many of us made the mistake of going on Netgalley or Edelweiss and haphazardly requested books based on covers or buzz or synopsis or whatever....Guilty as charged! I got way out of control in my early years. I took on so many books, that I never dug out from under that pile. I finally learned to exercise some self control. I now refrain from going on those websites to avoid temptation, and before I request, I research the book to see if it is something I really want to read and review and if it will be a good fit for me. Learning restraint has made me a much happier reader and blogger. 

Use the Library: I think many of us bloggers got swept up in the privilege of having Advanced Reader’s Copies. There was something thrilling about having a book before everyone else. Thus, I quit utilizing the library. These days, instead of requesting ARCs, I put holds on the upcoming books I want to read at the library. That way, once they release, I can get an ebook copy or audiobook on my phone. There are still long waiting lists, but I don’t mind waiting as I always have something to read, and best of all there is no obligation. If I don’t like a library book, no big deal, walk away. No pressure to review. It is so freeing to be able to read a book without having a review hanging over my head. Most of the time, I still review the library books I am reading, but if I don’t want to, I don’t have to. Utilizing the library has been a game changer in controlling my TBR. 

Dejunk the Pile: I have seen many bloggers participating in memes where they sort through their TBR and evaluate books that have been in the stack awhile. Is the book something you still want to read? If not get rid of it. Whether it be an actual physical pile of books or an electronic list on Goodreads, or all the books on your Kindle. Take time to go through them every once in awhile and get rid of the books that no longer appeal to you. The same goes for your Netgalley requests. Go through your shelf and remove books that you tried and didn’t finish, or books that no longer appeal to you. Dejunking the pile makes you feel so much lighter. 

Research: Before adding any old book to the pile, take time to do some research. Read a few reviews to make sure the book will be a good fit for you. It pays to do a little reading on the book beforehand. Doing some research has saved me from reading a book or two that probably would have been a miss for me. Taking a more critical approach to what you read can significantly cut down on that pile. 

These are few of my new tried and true tips that have helped me significantly cut back on that towering TBR pile. I am reading more and more of what I want to read these days, and I am so much happier. 

What about you all, are you tackling that TBR pile and making progress?

Next week’s TMST: 

Why do you read blog posts?

For all of you who like to participate in TMST (no pressure) I sat down and wrote up questions through August 2020. If you want a copy to prep posts ahead of time, send me an email and I will shoot the questions over to you. 

Tell Me Something Tuesday: #198 Blogging Mistakes Not to Repeat

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. 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. 

Here is the discussion for the week:

What mistakes have you learned to stop repeating when it comes to reading and blogging?

• Blogging is a hobby: Knowing what I do now, I wish I could go back and tell myself to not stress out so much over the little things. I used to spend hours emailing publishers and authors to do guest posts, and I organized lots of events, thinking that all of this would increase my following. I am certain that I gained followers, but I think if I truly knew the numbers, I would find that it wasn't worth all the stress and hassle. So for all of you newbies out there, try and take a relaxed stance with your blog, and remember it is a fun hobby. Don’t let blogging become a job! 
• Don't get sucked into tours and promos: I know I have discussed this over and over, but it bears repeating. One of the biggest mistakes I made was getting suckered into doing tours and promo posts for authors, once again, thinking it would help grow my blog. Tours might bump up traffic, but it isn't significant enough to constantly host tour spots. The biggest problem I have had was that I found myself constantly reading through books that weren't exactly a good fit. Plus it takes an great deal of time to piece together these promo posts. Stick with what you love to read, and keep your posts simple and easy! 
• Don't be a lemming: When I first started out, everyone, was reading YA. I had hardly read YA before the blog, and I quickly found myself immersed in YA. I am truly an eclectic reader, and I found that I quickly tired of the worn out tropes and cliches that were so prevalent in YA. Yet, I continued to slog through because I wanted to follow the crowd. These days, you see a far more varied line up of books on my blog, as I have finally learned to pick up more and more titles for myself. 
• Time suck: I wish I hadn't let the blog suck up so much of my time. I used to spend upwards of four and five hours on the blog and that didn't include reading. Now days, I am usually doing blog stuff for about two hours or less, and then I unplug. These days, I am more about the reading and enjoyment of books. 
• Read for yourself: I can't stress this enough, do not lose sight of who you are as a reader. If you are constantly feeling pressured into reading titles that you wouldn't normally read, don't read books because some one asks you to, especially if it is way out of your comfort zone, as more often that not, it isn't likely to end well for you. 
• Don’t request a second or third book in a series thinking you can hurry and read the other books before the newest book releases. I can’t tell you how many times I did this. Then I often read the first book and didn’t love it. Now I was stuck reading a series I wasn’t a thrilled with. Plus, I seldom had time to read the additional books. If you want to check out a series, get it from the library, no pressure that way. 
• Have fun: Remember why you started a blog and don't lose sight of it. Once your blog begins to feel like a chore, you will quickly burn out, and you may even stop blogging. So take breaks, shake things up and read something different, cut back, do what you need to do to make it fun. 

I wish I could go back and tell myself everything I know now when it comes to blogging, but life is about making mistakes and learning from them. I have grown and changed so much as a blogger and as a reader since I started blogging almost nine years. Blogging is so much more relaxed. I don’t stress over it anymore. If I can’t get it read or posted by a certain date, I don’t worry about it. No one cares! Just do what you can, read what you want and have fun. 

Next week’s question: 

Have you found a way to cut back significantly on your TBR pile?