The little dude was at his grandfather's for week one of Easter break, which kinda sucked for me but he had great fun and yesterday my mother in law rocked up to my doorstep in a campervan she'd just bought... Wouldnt be so weird if she didn't live in Ireland when we don't! lol
That turned out to be an amusing day... Today too probably.
I've been trying to not use the computer during the week as I'm on computers all day at work and I figured coming home and being on the laptop isn't the best use of my time.
Over the past few weeks, I've limited the laptop to the weekends (Fri-Sun) and tried to schedule all blog posts, return comments and make visits, and take care of home-related admin in that time freeing up the other evenings to just chill, watch tv, play with the kid, clean, read, go out and do stuff.
It seemed to work pretty well (well, except the blog commenting, I'm not sure that's working for me) but this week it all went wrong in that posts I'd written and thought I'd scheduled were just saved as draft and didn't go live... I published them yesterday anyway but it's annoying.
I think I'm going to have to check in daily - like I used to - to make sure this doesn't happen and to comment a little everyday (I think I prefer that) but I really don't want to get sucked into the black hole that is the laptop and the internet every single day. All my time just evaporates whenever I go near it! 😖

⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was a KU recommendation that had the interesting quirk of allowing me to access both the Kindle and audio versions so I can read and listen (never gonna happen) or chop and change. In the end I listened to about 60% in the car and finished off reading it at home later in the evening.
(No hardship. The narrator was a bit blah.)
It was pretty good so I returned it and borrowed book two.
Kindle Unlimited
I got both a the kindle and audio versions with this one too!
I'm liking this new quirk that's appeared with some KU files... Is it like it in other countries? Borrow the kindle and get the audible too? I've never been able to borrow audible files before and with these, it just appears in the audible app same way the kindle file does in the kindle app/on the kindle!
I took part in the blitz for this earlier in the week and I'm looking forward to reading it.
I'm in a bit of a slow reading phase/slump so I want something different to shake me out of it!
eARCs
This one is actually from last week but I forgot to include it...
OMG! I can't believe I got approved for this one! I love Alex and Angela so freaking much and can't wait to see how this series wraps up!
This is a rockstar series that I adore and I'm excited to finally find out wtf Roxy and Cole's deal is!
Erica, at Erica Robyn Reads, discusses Honest Review Requests Done Right.

Binge watched S1 of The Umbrella Academy. It was weird... I don't think I understand half of it, but I liked it. It was funny af.
Review: The King of Her Heart by Emma Kingsley
Book Blogger Hop: Do you re-read the previous book/s in a series before the newly released book?
Blitz: Praying For Rain by BB Easton
TMST: Favorite series you would like to see revisited or a spin-off?
Review: Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn

Review: Pestilence by Laura Thalassa
Book Blogger Hop: Do you check your post views?
Book Blitz: Demon Magic and a Martini by Annette Marie
Top Ten Tuesday: Rainy Day Reads
It's difficult for me to balance computer time and real life, but I try to remind myself that real life comes first. I think you have come up with a good plan for it; you just have to work the kinks out.
ReplyDeleteI haven't ever tried Kindle Unlimited, but it sounds lovely to get the audio with the physical book.
I'd love to have you link up at Sunday Salon. I've taken over as moderator, and I hope to build it back up to where it once was. It was the first meme I ever participated in, and I met so many bloggers through it. The linkup will be posted each Saturday on my blog, and it will stay up all week.
I need to remember the sunday Salon! I've only linked up a couple of times...
DeleteBiker baby!!!!!!!Wow that one looks steamy. I've been on a romance book binge watch. But I can't find anything lovely on Netflix that catches my attention.
ReplyDeleteRomance books are my thing. 🙂
DeleteI love your blogging plan, I am also on the computer all day and at night just want to relax with the family. After vacation my plan is to do a lot of blogging on Fridays, visits one day and other stuff another. I honestly don't mind if people don't comment back to me for the most part I know they read it I wish comments had a like button so at least they knew I was there even if I can't comment back. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope this week is awesome for you Nicci! Happy Reading! xx
Thanks Michelle!
DeleteI write all my posts on the weekend, but have to check in daily for commenting. I would be spending the whole weekend commenting if I didn't.
ReplyDeleteThat's what's happening here and I'm failing at it. Maybe switching to writing at weekend and commenting a little during the week is the way to go... I could use my phone rather than the laptop 🤔
DeleteI agree, the computer can be a great time sucker! Nice that you're trying to limit time on there. I'm about to power down so I can read. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy reading!
DeleteI'm curious about The Umbrella Academy. Enjoy your books, and thanks for visiting my blog.
ReplyDeleteIts random but fun!
DeleteI've had weird things like that happen on my blog and when I check I'm like, wth? lol
ReplyDeleteIts so annoying, lol
DeleteFinding a balance with the computer is hard Nicci! I try to tone it down but truly this is difficult. Enjoy your second week of Easter with kid this time!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I will. 5 days off starting Thursday!
DeleteI'm glad that your little side had fun with his grandfather!I know what you mean Nicci! I feel like I get sucked in to the black hole of the internet as well. I need to figure out how to manage my time better. Commenting on other blogs is time consuming. It looks like you got a lot of great books this week! Biker Baby looks like a book I'd like. I've been watching Netflix myself and have been curious about The Umbrella Academy. I hope this week goes better for you with the publishing of blog posts and figuring out how to balance computer/internet time daily. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteLindy@ A Bookish Escape
Thanks. I'm determined to find a way that works!
DeleteI try not to be on the computer if the kids are awake. I wait until nap time or after everyone's asleep for the night. It means I don't do as much as I want, but it also means I'm giving my children as much attention as possible, and they're way more important. :)
ReplyDeleteI recently finished The Umbrella Academy, too. Loved Klaus! I also liked how things were progressing (Luther and Allison flying to see her daughter, Grace sharing secrets with Diego, Klaus seeing Dave), before Five went back too far -- ugh. It makes me feel like the apocalypse was entirely his fault. Vanya would have discovered Leonard's lies a lot sooner, too.
Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬
I said something similar to my husband! Lol. I'm curious about the second season. I hope it's the same cast and they're not teenagers all the way through.
DeleteTime is such an issue with blogging! I hate it when scheduled posts don't go live for whatever reason... grr so aggravating! I've had that happen a few times as well...
ReplyDeleteIt still cracks me up seeing that one dude on the promos images for Umbrella Acad. He was on Black Sails and whenever I see him I think of him as a pirate. :)
Lol, I think of him as Percival in a BBC TV show called Merlin (it's an old one).
DeleteHe was good in black sails though...
Oooh, what's your Mum's campervan like? We've thought about taking our Hymer to tour Ireland!
ReplyDeleteI hope you get your internet/life balance to a good place. Twitter is my downfall. I can lose hours there :-(
Its an older model and nice but fairly basic. I'm terrible with vehicles, lol, and can't tell you a model.
DeleteShe lives in co.kerry and it's beautiful around there. Definitely worth a visit and lots of places to stop for a while!
Sometimes I find it difficult to balance work and blogging. I'm still trying to figure it all out.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your books. They look good.
Its hard but I enjoy it so I'll make it work.
DeleteI, too, struggle with getting sucked into a black hole when I'm on the computer during the week. I've kind of been sticking to the weekend + one weekday per week, but not by choice. I just work long hours and then come home to an almost one-year-old, and mom-ing kind of sucks up the rest of my time!
ReplyDeleteI think we just need to be kinder to ourselves and accept that what we can give is enough.
DeleteIt's really hard to balance blogging and computer time with the rest of life. Sorry your experiment didn't work as well as you'd hoped, but it seems like you're figuring it out, and that's the important thing.
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Slowly getting there. Eventually I'll crack it!
DeleteThere are several books in KU that have the audio version available as well. But, I have the romance package on audible, so most of the books I want are there anyway so don't pay much attention to the KU with audio.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have different KU packages available. Its all the same, any genre.
DeleteI'm on the computer most of the time at work, so sometimes I really don't want to be at home. For that reason - and many others - I really need to get better at scheduling ahead. I want to watch The Umbrella Academy; I need to start that.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I don't use scheduling much. I think I just prefer to go on each day for a quick look and get things posted even if it is one of my blog rest days! I'm online too much and I know it but I do like blogging and using things like Goodreads!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about what happened to your posts. I used scheduling once, but I did something wrong and the post didn't go live when it should. Since then, I always click on the button "publish".
ReplyDeleteI need to start reducing my hours in front of my laptop, but with writing a thesis, looking for a job and doing designs and blogging on the free time it can be hard. My vision is already paying for the number of hours I spend at my laptop. At least, I give myself a few breaks to read/write and watch TV shows (which also isn't good for my vision).
I started watching The Umbrella Academy. I only watched two episodes, but so far I've enjoyed it.
I hope you enjoy your new books. :)
Tânia @MyLovelySecret
I have a self defined goal to comment or at least like 5 blog posts a day, that adds up over the week, and it helps to have a minimum limit.
ReplyDeleteHave a great reading week
Commenting has been odd for me since I moved. I'm trying to do a few a day as well. I'm missing so much where as I used to catch every post. Oh well...lol
ReplyDeleteKaren @ For What It's Worth
I commend you on trying to balance life and time on the computer. I always strive for a balance but fail miserably. I hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI need not only computer ban, but phone ban and Ipad ban. Even TVs are so smart now that they suck you into the internet black hole like nothing...
ReplyDeleteBut I do not even try, failed terribly before