Welcome to March’s Monthly Minutes at Midnight!
Here’s the deal: I’ll share the books I’ve obtained, posts of interest from others, giveaways I have happening, and just general random shenanigans. You know I love a shenanigan. Also, covers all link to Goodreads, because I am awesome. As always, I link up with the Wrap Up Round Up, too!
The Books
For Review/From Publishers:
Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Baron ♦ Tomorrow’s Children by Daniel Polansky
Thanks to the publisher for these gems!
eARCs:
Huge thanks to the publishers for these lovelies! Look who’s back on her bullshit! 🙈
Purchased:
Whoops. Guess it could be worse?
Future Hopes ♦ The Sentence ♦ The Parliament ♦ Snowglobe ♦ Listen for the Lie ♦ Annie Bot
Also some cheap ebooks!
Won/Gifted/Traded:
Thanks to the publishers for A Sorceress Comes to Call, All This and More, and Island Rule!
Shenanigans Since Last Time:
I read 12 books this month. Blame Conageddon I guess.
A lot off wins, no huge misses, so let’s consider that a victory!
Giveaways: Click Here, or on Sidebar
Blogosphere Bulletin
Here are some of the loveliest/most entertaining/super helpful/just plain interesting posts I found this month!
- Beth @ Bethwyrm discusses her thoughts on AI
- AJ @ Read All The Things! shares the results of reading the highest-rated books on her shelves
- Tammy @ Books, Bones, & Buffy is ranking all her 2024 books (this is a genius idea!)
- Girl With Her Head in a Book discusses the ethical obligations of writing historical fiction
- Kym @ Black Librarian Reading talks about feeling afraid to share your thoughts on certain books
- Sam @ We Live and Breathe Books asks what impacts your reading speed
- Jessica @ A Great Read chats about hype ruining your enjoyment
- Lisa @ Lisa Loves Literature asks whether you still host and/or enter giveaways
- Heather @ Based on a True Story talks about bingeing particular authors
Fancy & New Since Last I Saw You!
I love looking at pretty covers! So here are some new ones that I have fallen in love with since our last update!
Pretty covers are pretty. Very much pretty this month, too!
Things we need to talk about at this juncture:
- March has been a lot. Between some serious family issues (please continue to send all good thoughts/prayers/juju/whatever), a new job, Conageddon, kids’ sports, and classes… well, it’s easy to understand why I hardly had a minute to spare! My new job… let’s just say it is far away, and while I knew they were only going to be paying me a day-to-day sub salary, I had no idea that I would have the hours and responsibilities of a full time teacher, only for $16.25/hr with no benefits. Like- I was cool accepting a lower pay, but with these hours, I made more money as a para! And it is like a 45 minute each way commute. I am just trying to make it through at this point, but man. I feel very duped/taken advantage of.
- What’s on deck for April? Well, I start my last class tomorrow! Seven weeks stand between me and being a certified teacher (and like $300 because of course, eye roll). Other than that, more of the same. I need to get through these next two months, somehow!
- Conageddon was fabulous! I want to cry because it is over but it was so wonderful- and I would cry more but….
WE’RE BACK, BITCHESSSSS! So if you missed out, well…. needn’t worry! It’s coming back again! Obviously, I highly recommend, see my post for info!
Love all the con pictures, and I am so glad you had this happy place to go to. The only good thing that may come out of your sub (long-term sub?) position, is a job offer when you finish your degree. Though it sounds like you would like something closer (I would welcome 45 min commute at this point). Hang in there and I hope all your family things work out.
Aw thank you! It was really wonderful, as always! So- that is why I had at first taken the job, because of the hopes of a job offer. But I am not thrilled with how it has gone so far, you know? And like- I kknow 45 minutes isn’t THAT bad, in the grand scheme of things, but I get out so much later than my own kids, and how the heck can I get them to activities and such, you know? That is the big issue. On a personal level, no it isn’t that long, but when I have to get my own kids from school by 4, they don’t let me leave til 3:50…. well, the maths aren’t mathing 😂
What age group are you teaching? 3:50 is late. One of the schools I taught at was 2:30, the other was before 2pm (we started at 7am). It’s challenging when you have the kids’ activities to juggle. I remember those days. Fingers crossed you find something great close to home.
Right?! It is SO late! It’s intermediate, 3-6. Which are the grades my kids are in, and they are home by 2:45! So I never imagined being there so late.. I start at 8:10, too. Which is a long day. The other school I worked at it was 8:40-3:25!
You have had some amazing bookish times this month! But I am angry for you about the job. Totally sounds like a bait and switch if the job was supposed to be part time and it’s not.
Aw thank you! And that is exactly it- I didn”t mind working for part time pay, but when you tell me I have to work 8 full hours AND have all the responsibilities of a full-time teacher (IEP writing, bus duties, etc) and won’t pay me for them.. nah, not cool.
The cover game is strong in publishing!
Right!? I had to narrow it down this month and it was hard! So many great ones!
Wow March was a lot. The job sounds disappointing, but maybe temporary? Hopefully when you finish school you can step up to a much better one. I’m so curious to see what you think of Calypso, I think I’ll read it next. And I didn’t know Peng Shepherd had a new book! I hope April treats you and your family well😁
I loved your Conaggedon post! And that sucks about your job. I feel you in some ways because my current job is not at all what I’d thought/hoped it would be. But that sucks that you are only getting paid that much! I hope if you want to that you find something better! Here’s hoping April is better for both of us!
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2024/04/01/the-looooong-and-the-short-of-it-march-2024-wrap-up-post-and-looking-forward-to-april/
OK, so you’re halfway through your last class now. Wahooo!
With the job….is it ending soon? Do you have a better option soon? Because, even if it was zero responsibility, you’re using 6.234 gallons of gas per week with that commute, which costs about $21.82. So you’re making more like $15/hour and then subtract taxes…..girl, let’s get you a better job. I have some state resources now that I wanna look at for you. You deserve and need better!
And thanks for linking my blog post up there! Literally the day after that went live, I found out that people are, in fact, using AI to write and publish books that are then selling! *screams in rage*