So, you may have noticed I had an impromptu announced hiatus... mainly due to work and life, but also stemming from the fact that I have barely been reading this year and, so, sadly lacking in inspiration for a book blog. (I won't take time to go into various computer/internet problems, which have also kept me offline).
I have missed you all so, although I've been, surprisingly, keeping up with you all on my reader (I use Flipboard [free app] on my iPod and COMPLETELY recommend it for reading blogs. I fly through my google reader on it). Although, I haven't taken time out to visit and say hi (HI!)
Keeping my post in point form so I don't drown you all with a monologue of my life
1. For those who are interested: I am moving! Completely out of the blue, as I ADORE living in Sawtell (so very much) and assumed I was here to stay... yet a series of events lead my husband to his DREAM job which happens to be in Maroochydore, on the Sunshine Coast in QLD.
 |
| Aerial shot of Maroochydore, where we are moving to On the east coast of Australia |
Changing states! Wah! By all accounts, it is an equally gorgeous place to live. And so far my friends here are in equal parts mourning my departure (heheheh) and jealous of our good fortune.
If you're still reading ~ my husband will be working for Compassion Australia, an international world aid and child advocacy ministry. I've spoken on here before about his passion for world aid and eradicating extreme poverty, so I while I am slightly startled to be moving so suddenly, I am absolutely thrilled for the new direction in our lives. My husband will be travelling throughout Queensland and internationally and away from home a lot, which will be another change for our family.. Speaking of travelling, he is currently in Bali with my oldest son, Sam, holidaying and also helping to build water tanks for villagers who are dying for lack of clean water.
 |
| My son Sam, cycling through Bali last week |
 |
| My husband in Uganda with former child soldiers, taken in 2010 |
Are there any Aussie bloggers near the Sunshine Coast? It would be awesome to meet up one day :)
2. While I was absent on inkcrush, I guest posted on two of my fave blogs:
Over at Chachic's Book Nook where I raved on about a favourite Melina Marchetta book of mine for Marchetta Madness week. Can you guess which book?
 |
| a shot from my shelves... |
 |
| This MM book was made into a movie :) |
And I was here on The Readaventurer, talking about one of my ABSOLUTE FAVE HEROINES EVER. In fact, I love her so much, I even took pictures of myself trying to be her...
 |
| I know! Can you guess who I am and what I am doing? haha |
 |
| Maybe this will be a better clue? |
3. I was scheduled to be a part of a Very Exciting Blog Tour:
And I missed my stop! Never fear, I will be posting and encore guest post this coming week, including an international giveaway for a most wanted Aussie YA book. Be excited!
 |
| Do you know who this Aussie YA author is? Coming up on inkcrush |
4. I have read a GRAND TOTAL of 19 book this year. Not many, hey? I'll be back in a few days to show you the books I read in March and April. A little teaser: my favourite books for those months were
Free Falling! YOU GUYS. SO good. On my hall of fame of all-time lifelong favourites xo
5. I cannot pretend my blogging is going to suddenly be super regular, but I am not going away. In fact, March marked my two year anniversary. I love the literary world too much, and my blogging friends just as hard, to disappear altogether. That said, this next month is looking crazy busy for me (finishing up work, packing and farewelling friends and all the fun stuff that comes with an interstate move). Thanks to all you who bear with me and are still hanging around. You make it worth it :)
6. Just have to say: my new library on the Sunshine Coast looks like a dream! Definitely the biggest library I will have ever belonged too and I have already scoured their catalogue for books I have had on my wishlist for a while and found a bunch ~ so pretty pumped to check it out. Can't wait to join up and get reading :)
On the flipside of that, my Coffs Harbour librarians are sad to see me go, a couple of them have become good friends of mine, I will miss them too. Love my librarians xo
7. If you have the time: recommend me a favourite book you have read this year. I am sorely in need of a GOOD READ to remind me how much I love reading. YA or adult fiction :)
See you all again real soon
xo Nomes
Trinity! had NO IDEA you're a Newcastle girl! (hangs head in shame)
ReplyDeleteOne day we might be able to catch up (if I am ever in the area again). My husband will be down there for the whole last week of this month (sadly, I will be working and packing at home)
Thanks for the welcome back :)
xx
Good luck with the move, and yay for exciting changes!!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteWow, how exciting!! It looks like a fabulous place to live, all that water. Yum. :) I love the pictures, especially the one of you with green hair!
DeleteBooks: Looking through my list you've probably read most that I have. I've been crushing on Sara Zarr lately and I really liked Holly Cupala's Tell Me a Secret (a few years old though). I also really liked Chime.
good luck with the move!
Great to see you back. Congrats on the move too - Maryoochydore looks *beautiful*.
ReplyDeleteHave you read Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma yet? I read it at the start of the year and adored it.
oops, that was not meant to be a reply to Kara's comment. Not sure how that happened. :)
ReplyDeleteNOMES! I've missed seeing your blog posts! So glad you decided to update us. Thanks again for doing that Marchetta Madness guest post for me, loved that you talked about Looking for Alibrandi. The new place that you're moving to looks gorgeous. Congrats to your husband for getting his dream job, it seems like a very rewarding kind of work. Good luck with the move! :)
ReplyDeleteOh, Sunshine Coast! I was at Noosa for holidays after HSC (2010), be sure to share some photos of the new place and your new bookshelves and all that! What are you going to be doing with the books?!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I CAN recommend any books to you, Nomes. I'd rec. Good Oil & Psych Major Syndrome, but since your reviews was half the reason I read them in the first place I'm sure you've read them. :P I'm reading Holier Than Thou by Laura Buzo at the moment. I'm really enjoying, but I just got distracted with my Insurgent (Veronica Roth) preorder which I just got in the mail yesterday. It's 500+ pages and being the slow reader I am, I'm only just past the halfway mark.
Love the update, Nomes! All the best for your hubby, and that is just great that he and your son are in Bali helping out. And I'll go and guess...is it Shirley Marr?
Good luck moving :) I hope you enjoy Queensland, although I am a little biased. The Sunshine Coast is lovely and I hope you really do love it! I live on the Gold Coast :)
ReplyDeleteNomes!!!!!! So glad to hear you are doing well. Moving?!? That's so exciting (and scary and overwhelming and adventurous in a super awesome way)!!!! That place looks gorgeous. I'm already extremely jealous that you live in the amazing Australia so where ever you move will come with some jealousy for me :D Unfortunately, I don't have any good books to rec cause I've been pretty reading lame as well and honestly, some of the best books I've read have been MSS that I've been beta reading! Anyway, glad to hear all is well and I do look forward to see your future posts!!! xoxox
ReplyDeleteNomes!! Golly gush, have I missed you! SO glad that you've decided to stay, even if you won't be posting like crazy.
ReplyDeleteOoh, the Sunshine Coast looks lovely! That's wonderful that your husband got offered his dream job, even if it means a move. But hey, look on the bright side, the library looks epic and the location your moving to looks fab. :)\
So far I've read a total of 32 book, so considering you sound like you've had a crazy whirlwind year so far, 19 isn't bad. That's about 5 books a month? A bit less. So a book a week? Sorry for getting technical, anyways I'm sure you'll make more progress soon!
I know what you mean, sometimes it a job to find a book you really enjoy. Especially when you don't have that much reading time, you need some good go-to books, so here are a few recommendations that I've read and loved so far this year.
The Catastrophic of History of You and Me - Oh, this book is beautiful. I love it to the moon and back. It's sweet and fun and engaging. Patrick <3
Love and Leftovers - Fun, easy to read and my first verse novel ever, it's such a lovely read.
My Life Next - Was super lucky to get an ARC. It comes out next month and I higly recommend you check it out. It's such a brilliant contemporary and the romance is slow, burning, beautiful! Love.
A Straight Line To My Heart - Okay, you caught me, I didn't read it this year, I read it in 2011, but Nomes you have to read it. You really do! I'm that positively sure you'll love this that if you don't, I'll buy you a book, any book, you name it, if you don't end up loving it. That's how much I think you'll adore this book. It's so unique and special and Aussie. A favorite. <3
I've read some other paranormal-y books I've enjoyed, but your more of contemporary girl so I'll leave with those books for now.
Take care, safe moving, good luck packing. <3 Cya soon!
Yay, Nomes is back! I've missed your blog updates.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with the move. That picture of Maroochydore is beautiful!!! I wanna go!
What exciting changes!
ReplyDeleteDo you live in a coastal town now?
Congratulations and don't you worry. We'll be here.
But thanks for the update.
good to know you're still around :)
ReplyDeleteif you haven't read it yet a straight line to my heart is a must. as is Jarvis 24 (it came out a few yrs ago, so i assume you have)
if you like fantasy i suggest the beka cooper series by tamora pierce.
deadline by chris crutcher is an all time favourite of mine.
Finding Darcy and After by sue lawson are brilliant.
my sister lives on the mantel piece annabel pritcher is heart breaking.
Wonderstruck by brian selznick and Why we Broke up by Daniel Handler are both quirky, sweet and great reads.
i realise that's a long, long list but i think any of those would be a good choice :)
also i love the movie of looking for alibrandi, it was just brilliant and it looked so australian.
ReplyDeletei was watching it in january and my 22 yr old brother walked through and announced that he 'loved this movie', and made me rewind to find the scene with a the frenzal rhomb as he's a massive punk rocker and loves frenzal. later one of his friends came over and was amazed i was watching it. i love how so many people know the book and movie.
i read it for the first time at 11 when it was being dug out of a box off school books for my brother to study for yr 9 or 10 english, and it was wasted on me. i remember loving every word, sitting on the stairs for hours reading it.
sorry for my little ramble :)
Great to see you back Nomes! I've missed your blog updates and your reviews popping up on goodreads! Hopefully we'll see you around more often! Good luck with the move and congrats on the two year blogoversary! :)
ReplyDeleteWelcome back! Your move and your husband's new job both sound fantastic. I just read a good Aussie YA book: Cath Crowley's Graffiti Moon, which I enjoyed very much
ReplyDeleteHey Nomes, great to see you back! I can't wait to see your Preloved post, I bet it's awesome!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the move, I bet you'll love living up Nth and what a great-looking library!
I just read Holier Than Thou by Laura Buzo and I'll Tell You Mine by Pip Harry, both Aussie YA, I'm sure you will love them!
Mands xox
Hey Cruiser, I'm excited that you posted something on here. And excited about your move. And about your new library. And our friendship, which will last even though you are the last person in the technological world to get a cell phone.
ReplyDeleteHAPPY TWO YEARS OF BLOGGING!!
Nomes!!! So great to hear from you again :) Wow, what a lot of changes happening for you and your family! I hope the move goes very smoothly and you enjoy your new home on the Sunshine Coast. Looks from the photo like it's got spectacular beaches! (We have a Sunshine Coast here in B.C., by the way. A pity you aren't moving to the Canadian Sunshine Coast! LOL.)
ReplyDeleteCompassion Australia sounds like a wonderful organization and it's great to hear your husband loves the work he does. And what an experience for your son in Bali!
So glad to hear that you'll still be blogging, even if it's just sporadically. Congrats on your 2-year blogoversary! :)
Heyyyyy my Mom used to work for Compassion Canada! Some of the people from Australia were over here a few years ago, actually. We are, like, so connected now! =b But anyway, that is so amazing for him, and I'm sure it will be great for all of you, even though that kind of move is also terrifying.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I've read a lot of good books this year, but I actually really loved Scarlet a lot. Also, Shine, but I'm not sure if you've read the first 2 in that trilogy.
Congrats on heading north to the Sunshine State! And congratulations to your husband on the job - sounds like he's doing amazing things.
ReplyDeleteOnce you're settled, let me know if you're coming down to Brisbane sometime and want to grab coffee somewhere. :)
Hope the move is kind.
I guess it's because I haven't been reading your blog for very long, so I was completely unaware of your hubs' work! That's awesome! I've heard of Compassion and what an awesome organization it is! So congrats to your hubs! If Hubs and I ever went to Oz and visited we'd get along nicely -- projects for nonprofits completely take over my heart when I get to work with them. My dream job is actually to work for Heifer International, but sadly they don't have any openings for my position. =(
ReplyDeleteI still need to read I'll Be There, and I definitely have to put Free-Falling on my TBR list! One of my favorite books I read this year was Wonder by RJ Palacio. Beautiful little book!
Best of luck with the move! What an exciting time for you and your family!
Wow, congratulations to your husband! That is amazing. Good luck with the move!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! Nomes! Congrats! Compassion are wonderful and I have so much love for the work they do. BIIIIG change of scenery, but I hope you and your family love your new home and the new lifestyle!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have the EXACT same TARDIS T-shirt your husband is wearing in the photo on the other post ^__^
Great to see you back Nomes and YAY on the exciting move. QLD is the best LOL and yes would love to meet up for a coffee and chat one day, I'm in Brissie but I'm often on the coast!
ReplyDeleteCompassion is totally awesome, congrats to your hubby, what a wonderful new adventure for you.
Ooh favourite reads this year:
Divergent by Veronica Roth (finally got to read it and have to say total awesomeness)
Underside of Joy by Sere Prince Halverson
Outside the Lines by Amy Hatvany
and Spartacus The Gladiator by Ben Kane
The Bungalow by Sarah Jio
I know Grafitti Moon was a favourite of yours, I finally read it this year and loved it :))
Okay, just finished a book that you've probably already read, but if you haven't (if anyone hasn't) you/they are in for a real treat. Between Shades of Gray is now my all time favorite book ever ever EVERRRRRRRR. The most amazing, heartwarming, heartbreaking, beautiful, painful, full of love, courage and hope book I've ever experienced.
ReplyDeleteLooks like there has been a lot of movement in your life lately!
ReplyDeletebut I hope that it's all for the best - your new estate looks gorgeous! - and as for good reads this year.
I've read a few, like Welcome Caller, This is Chloe; wich I found very funny.
I don't know, I'm kind of behind on my review pile.
There you are! Looks like life has been busy in the wonder world of Nomes. Thanks for the update and good luck with the move.
ReplyDeleteOh people go on about the 'Gold Coast'... Sunshine Coast is so much more beautiful! You're so lucky to be living there. It takes me atleast 2 hours to get there :(
ReplyDeleteI'm terribly late but YAY I AM SO HAPPY THAT YOU ARE BACK. I'm happy you're sticking around :)
ReplyDeleteAnd wow, your life has become a lot busier as of late! But all good things, happily. I didn't know that your husband had such a fascinating job but it's a noble pursuit and I wish him well (those pictures are amazing, btw).