It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? (8/3/15)

Doesn’t summer TV normally stink? Not in our house at the moment! We just got Netflix (we’ve now officially joined the 21st century – womp womp!) and are two episodes into Bloodline. My husband and I are psyched to have finally found a show that we’re BOTH into and the endings of the first two episodes blew our minds! And, it’s obviously amazing to have Friday Night Lights’ Coach Taylor back in my life…even if he is a different person now. Did I want an excuse to put a picture of Coach Taylor on the blog? Yes, yes I did!

Coach Taylor, Friday Night Lights


And, Bachelor in Paradise is back on (I love it with the Bachelor franchise drops the pretense that they’re anything other than dramatic trash!) AND the FINA World Swimming Championships are going on in Kazan and will be on TV all this week.

Though this TV viewing combination seem super odd, it’s actually a perfect encapsulation of all my tastes! On to the reading…

I finished reading…

Days of Awe, Kitchens of the Great Midwest

Days of Awe by Lauren Fox (August 4, 2015)
After an initial stumble (or, letdown from Bull Mountain?), I ended up really enjoying the snarky humor in this one. Mini review to come.

Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal (July 28, 2015)
After a great start, this debut ended up leaving me a bit unfulfilled. Mini review to come.

I’m currently reading…

Everybody Rise, Stephanie Clifford


Everybody Rise
 by Stephanie Clifford (August 18, 2015)
I literally just started this one, so I don’t have much to say except the opening didn’t really grab me. We’ll see if things turn around.

Next up, are…

Best Boy, Fall of Princes


Best Boy
 by Eli Gottlieb (August 24, 2015)
This story told from the perspective of a thirty-three year old man with autism caught my eye because I loved Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

The Fall of Princes by Robert Goolrick (August 25, 2015)
I’m a sucker for books about Wall Streeters’ hedonistic highs and subsequent falls from grace…this one highlights the 1980’s.

Sprint Triathlon Training

I’d been linking up with Tara at Running N Reading‘s Weekend Update, which has now gone on hiatus. But, I thought I’d continue to share some brief updates on the last few weeks of my triathlon training.

  • Since I’d been getting attacked by sea lice swimming off our local beach (in the Long Island Sound), I joined the Early Morning Swim Program at our local pool. I went on Wednesday and inadvertently got mixed up in a Masters swimming practice. Then, I ended up sleeping instead of swimming for my second swim of the week – oops!
  • My second bike ride of the week was at an average pace of 16.3 mph…an improvement over last week’s best average pace of 15.4 mph! My bike speed improves a little with each ride and that’s a good feeling.
  • My runs this week were both in 80% humidity or higher and, as Kerry from Entomology of a Bookworm put it, “it’s like pudding out there”! Yes, that was exactly how it felt!
  • Next week is my last week of really hard training…which includes the dreaded full bike/run brick (12 mile bike followed by a 3.1 mile run).

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22 Comments

  1. Amanda wrote:

    Now I’m the only person left without Netflix! Glad you found some good summer tv!

    I have Everybody Rise to start soon as well! I hope it’s good!

    Posted 8.3.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      Haha! That’s the same way I felt until last week 🙂

      Posted 8.3.15 Reply
  2. Too bad about Kitchens of the Great Midwest. Will be curious to see what you think of Everybody Rise… that one is on my wish list, too.

    Sea lice??!! Give me a pool any day… but no Masters practice 😉

    Posted 8.3.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      I’ve heard some really good things about Kitchens (and I really loved parts of it), so I might be in the minority here.

      Everybody Rise…jury it still out. I’m going to give it until 25% for something to happen, then we shall see.

      Posted 8.3.15 Reply
  3. Mystica wrote:

    You sound as if the days are very full. Enjoy !

    Posted 8.3.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      They are 🙂 I wish they were a little less full sometimes!

      Posted 8.3.15 Reply
  4. I’m moving in the direction of Netflix, too. Thanks for the pic of Coach Taylor!Love him and FNL!

    Posted 8.3.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      Yay! Another Coach Taylor fan!! I’m enjoying Netflix…you can do a month free trial to see if you like it.

      Posted 8.3.15 Reply
  5. Anita wrote:

    I loved Bloodlines, I was into it all by myself, my husband was kind of like eh. We have our own Netflix passions, we did enjoy Dexter together and a series re-watch of The West Wing. Coach Taylor is the bomb..yumm!

    Kitchens of the Great Midwest is on my list to read, I picked up an arc at my very generous Indie that gives me free reign in their arc room…like heaven! I’ll likely give a try. I like Robert Goolrick books, so you’ll have to report, and maybe share that arc with me…ha ha.

    Triathlon training…ouch! I’m so impressed with you! When is the actual date? Go girl! Have a good week.

    Posted 8.3.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      I have another friend who wasn’t that into Bloodline, but I’ve heard tons of raves about it too. It’s got us hooked at this point (now through 3 episodes).

      What a cool arrangement with your local indie store! I’ve never read Goolrick before, so I’m glad to hear you’re a fan.

      My race is on Aug 16, so I’m 2 weeks away. We’ll see how it goes. Thank you 🙂

      Posted 8.3.15 Reply
  6. I really enjoyed Days of Awe, Sarah; review will post this week and I’m now on to Everybody Rise, as well. I think I like it…I grew up with some folks who wanted to be pretentious, like Evelyn’s mom, etc., so it seems pretty entertaining, so far. The Fall of Princes sounds really good, plus I love reading about 80s debauchery; they were on top of the world! You’re doing so great with your training; I know you’re going to have a great race and I can’t wait!!

    Posted 8.3.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      Oh good – I’m glad you liked it! I’ll be posting a mini review sometime soon. I’m about 15% thr. Everybody Rise and, so far, it’s not really doing it for me…I’m going to give it until 25% before deciding whether to bail. And, I do love me some 80’s debauchery!

      Thanks so much 🙂 Had my full bike/run brick today and learned that I cannot take the run out faster than 9:15….otherwise mile 2 will be VERY painful. Glad I learned that today and not on race day 🙂 Have a great week!

      Posted 8.3.15 Reply
  7. Diane wrote:

    I am impressed with your training and stats in this hot, humid temps. You go girl!

    Posted 8.3.15 Reply
  8. veena wrote:

    I am about halfway through JM Coetzee’s Life & Times of Michael K. I can’t say that I love it, because it’s pretty depressing, but it has certainly captivated my attention. Looking forward to reading your review of Days of Awe!

    And good luck with the training! I used to live in Memphis, so I am with you on the humidity. It will get better soon!

    Posted 8.4.15 Reply
  9. I’ll be interested to hear what you think of Best Boy.. I’m really curious to pick it up myself!

    I’m just starting running again after getting out of the habit. It’s nice to find a group of book bloggers who are also runners! 🙂

    Posted 8.4.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      I just started it this morning, but only 3% in so don’t really have an opinion yet!

      That’s great that you’re picking up running again! And – there are some book bloggers who are also runners…Kerry from Entomology of a Bookworm, Tara at Running N Reading, and Kelly at The Well-Read Redhead that I know of. Are there others you know of?

      Posted 8.4.15 Reply
  10. I loved Days of Awe — thought the main character had such a wonderful, witty voice. I’ll be curious to hear what you think of Everybody Rise — I didn’t like it at all and I’m not even sure why I finished it, except that I kept thinking it was going to get better. The whole book sort of made me cringe, and a lot of was just plain silly.

    Posted 8.4.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      I actually just put it down this morning…I gave it until 25% and then gave up. I just didn’t see where it could possibly go and I usually like witty social commentary when reading about the habits of the wealthy and that was missing from this book. Glad to know I’m not missing anything in the remaining 75%!!

      Posted 8.4.15 Reply
  11. Catherine wrote:

    Oh my gosh, Sarah, I can’t even write about what I’m reading because I am laughing so hard about the Netflix. We just got Comcast and they threw in 6 months of HBO for free and I am like a drunken sailor. You name any HBO show from the last 5 years and I am binge watching it (except Game of Thrones- can’t do that much gore). It’s embarrassing.

    Kudos on the training. I can;t even imagine. I’m a swimming freak so, of course, am thrilled to see you’re doing that but can’t even imagine how you survived a Master’s practice. I’ve been regularly swimming for 4 years and I’m pretty sure that would leave me throwing up and crying- probably at the same time!

    Good Luck on your race!

    Posted 8.5.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      Haha! I definitely declined the invitation to join their masters workout! It’s been quite awhile (like maybe 20 years?) since I’ve done something like that! Thank you!

      Posted 8.9.15 Reply
  12. Shaina wrote:

    Had to drop by on this older post to say COACH!

    Posted 8.13.15 Reply
    • admin wrote:

      YES!!! Is that a Members Only jacket?? I love that man…my husband always makes fun of me when I talk like this – he reminds he that Coach is not a real person.

      Posted 8.13.15 Reply

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