The Sunday Post: April 5th, 2026

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme created by @CaffeinatedReviewer! It gives you a chance to post a recap of your last week, whether that pertains to books or not. You can talk about however much (or however little) you would like.

Hello, reader!

Happy Easter to all who celebrate! Happy Sunday to everyone else, haha! Whether the Easter bunny visited or no, it’s still time for The Sunday Post. This week has flown by and I’m ready for life to settle just a wee bit! We’ll see if the universe let’s me have that.

Now, let’s get to the wrap up!

Week in Review

I flew down to Georgia on Wednesday to be with family after the passing of my grandma. Her funeral was on Thursday and it was both beautiful and sad. I suppose most funerals are? It was great to hear so many memories about her and how much she meant to our whole family.

It was also nice to hang out with family after and just laugh and reminisce and play games. We all live all over the place (military folks) so we don’t get to see each other very often. The reason for the get-together sucked, but it was lovely to be around so many of my family members.

I am happy to be home, though! The flights this time were much more chill (no cancellations!) so I got to actually enjoy the experience. I absolutely love flying and airports, haha. I found some delicious popcorn in the Chicago airport and got some cool pictures out of the window. For real, though, I’m stoked I get to sleep in my own bed tonight.

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lets talk bookish

Let’s Talk Bookish: Novels in Verse

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Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly bookish meme created by Rukky @Eternity Books and co-hosted by Aria @Book Nook Bits and Dini @dinipandareads! This meme has a discussion format, where participants get to talk about certain topics, share opinions, and spread the blogging love by visiting other posts. You can learn more about this meme here!

LTB Topic of the Week:
Novels in Verse

Prompts: Have you read any novels in verse? Do you think novels in verse can be more emotionally powerful compared to regular prose, or do you think novels in verse are more difficult to connect with? What kind of stories do you think work best in verse (i.e. coming-of-age, grief, romance, historical fiction, etc.)? What are your favorite novels in verse?

Have you read any novels in verse? Do you think novels in verse can be more emotionally powerful compared to regular prose, or do you think novels in verse are more difficult to connect with?

I have read a few novels in verse and I thoroughly enjoyed them! Though I gravitate more towards prose than poetry, there’s an undeniably powerful effect a novel in verse can produce. There’s something about poetry that can feel so much more visceral than regular prose. I think the emotional impact can especially be ramped up if you listen to a novel in verse via audiobook! I’ve always connected to poetry more when it is spoken as opposed to reading it. It can be even more impactful if it’s read by the author!

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: April 3rd, 2026

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First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? If you want to make your own post, feel free to use or edit the banner above, and follow the rules below:

Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!

If you’re sharing on social media, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!

Hello, reader!

Happy Friday from sunny Georgia! I’m visiting my folks and the weather down here is drastically different, haha. Makes packing fun. But that’s neither here nor there. What we’re all here for is another First Lines Friday! The book I picked for today’s post is one I’m currently reading. It’s a YA fantasy with themes of grief that I find myself quite enjoying.

Now, let’s see if the first line can pull you in, as well!

The Line(s):

“It was a day for finding things.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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monthly tbr · readathon

Magical Readathon: Orilium Spring Equinox 2026

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Hello, reader!

It’s time to head back to Orilium with the Magical Readathon Spring Equinox! This year is going to be a new adventure for my character, Korrin, because last year she successfully became a Beast Master… Master 😂 I can’t believe it has already been four years since arriving at Orilium!

But, before I talk more about new adventures, what is the Magical Readathon? It is the brain child of the marvelous G @ Book Roast, who created the world of Aeldia, where Orilium dwells, and every aspect therein. It’s an incredibly creative readathon where you build a character, choose a guild, and guide your character through classes to achieve their calling. I am notoriously bad at giving all the details in a coherent way, so you should definitely watch G’s announcement video for the scoop:

My Character

✨✨✨ Name: Korrin Musgrave ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Calling: Beast Master Master ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Guild: The Order of the Crescent Moon ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Current Guild Reputation Points: 755 gp✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Conduit: Quarterstaff ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Legacy: Wolf familiar (Venandi) ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Background: Wildling ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Province: Irtheria ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Heritage: Earthling (earth element) ✨✨✨

If you want to learn more about these various choices, you can check out the Brief History of Aeldia on the Google drive. It’s awesome what G has dreamed up!

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: April 1st, 2026

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It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.

Current Reads

The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook by Matt Dinniman: I’m currently on a trip and this was the book I was reading on the plane. I have, officially, been sucked back into the world and there have been some twists that have blown my mind! I’m loving this series, so much, I cannot wait to continue.
The Vermilion Emporium by Jamie Pacton: I’m still working my way through this one! This is why I’m so far behind on my Netgalley reads… it takes me forever to read an e-book even if I’m enjoying the story. And I am enjoying this YA fantasy so far, though I’m not a huge fan of insta-love, which is rearing its ugly head. I’m still intrigued by the world Pacton is creating.
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green: I quite literally just started this audiobook, so I haven’t gotten far into this one. I’m excited for it, though, because working in clinical microbiology makes me nerd out about all things bacteria. I’m intrigued to see the history of this particular bug.

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blog tour · book reviews

BBNYA 2025 Finalist Tour: Miss Bennet’s Dragon by M.Verant

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Hello, reader!

In 2025, I once again participated as a panelist for the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award! It was a tough competition but we eventually narrowed it down a group of finalists. Now, those finalists are on tour! Today, I’ll be sharing my review for a Pride & Prejudice retelling that had me gasping and swooning: Miss Bennet’s Dragon by M.Verant!

But, before I go on, let me tell you more about this award. BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with, typically, 15 finalists (though we had 17 in 2025) and one overall winner. If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website http://www.bbnya.com or Twitter @bbnya_official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

And, now, let’s talk about the book 📚

Title: Miss Bennet’s Dragon
Author: M. Verant
Publisher: Acerbic Press
Publication date: April 28th, 2021
Length: 372 pages
Genre: Fantasy/Romance
Age group: Adult

Book Links

Amazon::StoryGraph::Goodreads

War threatens England, but Elizabeth Bennet’s battles are closer to home. She’s managing the family estate for her ailing father. Insufferable gentlemen keep bursting in to propose marriage. And most dangerous of all, she’s hiding a forbidden skill. Elizabeth can speak to draca, the small, fire-breathing dragons kept by gentry as frivolous status symbols.

When Napoleon’s spies attempt to steal draca, the distant war threatens even cozy Hertfordshire. Elizabeth seeks the aid of Mr. Darcy, the proud man whose proposal she once scorned. Amid the breathtaking halls of Pemberley, she discovers the truth: she is not the first woman to speak with draca. But with her secret revealed, the dark history of Pemberley tears her and Mr. Darcy apart.

One hope remains: her dangerous affinity to draca. But does she dare to trust legends and lost songs? And when a terrible betrayal threatens the man she loves, does she have a choice?

Miss Bennet’s Dragon is the first book in the award-winning Jane Austen Fantasy trilogy. For fans of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, and of course Jane Austen.

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: March 30th, 2026

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Goodreads Monday/TBR Monday is a bookish meme hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog invites you to post about what books are on your Goodreads “to read” lists or TBR lists, the progress you have made on your current books and reading challenges, and any other bookish news!

Hello, reader!

Monday is upon us and that means it’s time for another Goodreads Monday! Time to search through my Goodreads TBR and pluck a random book from within to judge. I’m currently sitting on 832 books and I feel like that is up from the last couple of weeks… At least it’s just a digital TBR and not a physical one!

Now, let’s see what the random number generator pulls for me.

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
House of Earth and Blood

Author:
Sarah J Maas

Publisher:
Bloomsbury Publishing

Publication Date:
March 3rd, 2020

Pages:
803

Genre:
Fantasy/Romance

Synopsis:
Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life-working hard all day and partying all night-until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.

Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose-to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion-one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it.

With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom-and the power of love.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: March 29th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

This weekend just flew by and it’s already time for The Sunday Post! It’s been… a week and I’m glad to be moving on to a new one. Well… kind of glad. We’ll get to it 😅

Week in Review

I mentioned last week that my grandma wasn’t doing well. She was put into hospice at the beginning of the week before last and, sadly, she passed last Wednesday. This week has been a blur of making plans to get to Georgia for her funeral and just… trying to function at work. I’m going to miss my grandma, but I am glad she’s no longer in pain. Grief is a weird thing, y’all.

On a much happier note, the husband and I went to a pretty cool concert on Friday night. It was a Candlelight concert with a string quartet playing a selection of songs by Pink Floyd!

Pink Floyd is one of my husband’s favorite bands and I love a good bit of ambience, so this was quite a fun time! I loved all the candles and the musicians were excellent. It was a nice, intimate setting and just super chill. It was also nice to have a date night because we haven’t had one in ages. It’s the little things in life 💕

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Bookish Scents

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The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Crazy-For-Books and is currently being hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer. Every Friday, a new question is posted for book bloggers to answer in the coming week. The purpose of the hop is connection and community. You can discover new blogs to follow, new books to read, and you may end up with some new followers, as well!

This Week’s Prompt

What’s your favorite bookish scent, and why does it appeal to you?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: March 27th, 2026

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Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!

If you’re sharing on social media, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!

Hello, reader!

We’ve arrived at the end of the work week and you know what that means. Time for another First Lines Friday! Today, I’m featuring a novel that I found out existed only a few years ago. My 80s kid heart was thrilled! I’ve had this on my bookshelf for awhile and I think it’s time to finally give it a read.

Now, we’re gonna if the first line can help suck me in.

The Line(s):

“This inscription could be seen on the glass door of a small shop, but naturally this was only the way it looked if you were inside the dimly lit shop, looking out at the street through the plateglass door.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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reading project

Project Library Love: March Visit

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Hello, reader!

It’s time for a check-in on one of my 2026 reading projects, Library Love! Gonna be honest, I didn’t do as well in February finishing all my books before they had to be returned to the library 😅 That’s because my reading these past few months has kind of slowed down from my surge in January. Life has been throwing a lot at me lately and it is definitely affecting my reading. Still, I made a point to get back to the library, even if my haul is a bit smaller this month.

Now let’s recap February’s books and talk about what I picked up in March!

Last Month’s Stack

In February, I ended up checking out seven physical books, one audiobook, and one book in both audio and physical form.

My physical picks were:

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Rayborn
Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
How to Kill A Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
Last First Kiss by Julian Winters
The Love Audit by Lucy Eden
One by One by Ruth Ware

My audiobook pick was:

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

And my audio/physical pick was:

All of Us Murderers by K.J. Charles

As I said, I didn’t do quite so well reading all my library books in February. I ended up reading three of the physical books, one audiobook, and the combined audio/physical checkout. I definitely focused on reading book club books cause I got all of those done! I started All of Us Murderers physically, but ended up switching to the audiobook because my Libby hold came in.

I ended up returning both Last First Kiss and The Love Audit back to the library without reading them. I suppose I just wasn’t in a romance mood last month. And I still have A Curious Beginning and Entangled Life checked out! I’ll probably have to renew them (again…) but I do really want to read them. We’ll see if that happens, haha.

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book tag

Book Tag: 2026 Reading Firsts

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Hello, reader!

I’m bringing you another book tag today. I saw this one pop up on @dinipandareads and it looked like a lot of fun! Also, Dini’s blog is not only aesthetically pleasing, but just a good time, so please go check it out. This tag was created by Tanya Patrice @Girlxoxo so go check them out, as well!

I’ve not done this tag before, but I do love a good recap! Let’s dive in.

First Book Read in 2026

My first read of 2026 was His & Hers by Alice Feeney. Though it wasn’t my most disliked Alice Feeney (looking at you, Beautiful Ugly…), I was not a fan of the twists at the end. I want to rant about them, actually, but I don’t want to spoil the book for others, haha. I will say, I was pulled into the story and at least I didn’t want to fight the characters constantly, so… it was okay as a first read of the year.

First Review of 2026

My first review of the year was for The Villa by Rachel Hawkins. This was a Netgalley e-ARC that I read forever ago and just… didn’t review 😅 So, in my pursuit to improve my Netgalley ratio and decrease my backlog, I started the year catching up on reviews I should have written forever ago! You can read my full review here.

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Spring TBR

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish back in June 2010. It is currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and, as is stated on the blog, it was “born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.”

Hello, reader!

It is officially Spring where I live (though it doesn’t always feel like it…) and that means it’s time to start thinking about Spring reads! That’s the topic for today’s Top Ten Tuesday, but I must confess something. I don’t really do seasonal TBRs… I’m barely with-it enough to make monthly TBRs! So I’ve decided to feature ten Spring releases that I’m excited to read instead. I probably won’t get to most of these during this season, but they are still on my radar.

Now, let me share my Spring list with you!

Spring Releases

The Geomagician by Jennifer Mandula
Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker
The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke
Platform Decay by Martha Wells
The Tapestry of Fate by Shannon Chakraborty

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: March 23rd, 2026

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Hello, reader!

It’s the beginning of the week, which means I’m bringing you another Goodreads Monday post! It’s been rainy and gross where I live and my energy level has been in the absolute toilet. Which is why it has taken me so long to sit down and write! We’re here now, though, and it’s time to see what book on my Goodreads TBR I’ll be judging today.

Join me on this ride!

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
Stolen by the Shadow King

Author:
Alisha Klapheke

Publisher:
Self-published

Publication Date:
January 11th, 2022

Pages:
342

Genre:
Fantasy/Romance

Synopsis:
When the vicious king of the shadow elves drags Maren to the Underworld and claims her as his fated mate, she fights to escape.

But when Maren learns she is the legendary seer of the Underworld, everything changes. She discovers a magical poison spreading, and the only way to save both realms from complete destruction is to bind her power with the king’s to heal the land through their union.

Maren isn’t heartless. Of course, she’ll sacrifice herself to save her beloved family and the world. And her feelings for the protective, mercurial shadow king are changing…

When another shadow lord steals the key to the king’s power and demands Maren’s hand in marriage, she realizes what evil truly looks like in the Underworld.

Now, she must either fight alongside the king and hope they don’t run out of time to save the realms, or surrender to the evil lord and stop the poison’s spread before it’s too late.

Maren can still save the realms, but it will require a true sacrifice of the heart.

If you like steamy-sweet, enemies to lovers fantasy romance loosely inspired by Hades and Persephone and Pride and Prejudice with brooding love interests, feisty female leads, and powerful friendships, this book is for you.

Dive into this rich new world today!

*This duology is set in the same world as Kingdoms of Lore and Dragons Rising but readers can easily start with this book.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: March 22nd, 2026

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Hello, reader!

It’s actually been a couple of weeks since I did a Sunday Post. Life has been an absolute whirlwind lately and not in a good way 😅 But updating this blog is a good distraction so I’m getting back on track! Let me fill you in on what I’ve been up to for the past couple of weeks.

Week in Review

Life definitely decided to throw a wrench in my routine the week before last when I got a call from my brother. My grandma hasn’t been doing well the past year or so, but now she’s going downhill rapidly. He suggested I come to Georgia (where my parents/grandma live) to try and see her because they were planning on putting her into hospice. So I got a last minute flight to go visit last weekend and basically say goodbye. My grandma was a huge part of my childhood and I’m happy I got to get down there and give her hugs and kisses. I wish I could have stayed longer, but we live in a capitalist hellscape and I gotta work to keep a roof over our heads.

BUT THEN! The trip back home was TERRIBLE. I had multiple flights canceled, got re-routed through several different airports, and didn’t get home until Tuesday morning at 1 am when I was supposed to be home Sunday 🫠 At least work let me take Tuesday off so I could get some sleep. It was a lot.

I suppose it’s a good thing I love flying and airports or else I would have been even more miserable. And I got window seats for most of my flights, so I got to see the beautiful views. I also found the bookstores in almost every airport I was in, haha. Because of course I did! I almost bought something, too (I didn’t know Strange Buildings was out!), but I only had a small carryon as I didn’t want to have to check any bags.

All in all, the reason for the trip sucked, the actual trip was long as hell, but it was all worth it to be able to see my grandma 💕

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: A Sequel to a Classic

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This Week’s Prompt

If you could write the sequel to a classic book, which one would it be? What new characters or plot twists would you bring in?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: March 20th, 2026

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Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!

If you’re sharing on social media, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!

Hello, reader!

Happy Friday, y’all! I’m enjoying a day off for this First Lines Friday because I’m working this weekend 😭 Still, it’s given me a chance to pick through my Book of the Month books to see which one I wanted to feature today! I’m trying to keep these books in the forefront of my mind because I have been neglecting them terribly in 2026. The book I picked is the first I picked for the year and it still hasn’t been read!

Now, let’s see if the first line can pull me in.

The Line(s):

“I’m the last one out of the limos, the twentieth woman Roland will meet tonight.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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book reviews

Book Review: She Made Herself a Monster by Anna Kovatcheva

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Title: She Made Herself a Monster
Author: Anna Kovatcheva
Publisher: Mariner Books
Genre: Historical Fiction/Gothic/Horror
Age Group: Adult
Format: Audiobook
Content/Trigger Warnings: Child abuse, sexual assault, physical abuse, emotional abuse, self-harm, suicide attempt, blood/gore, grooming, violence
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph

A heady, dark-hued Gothic gem of a debut novel: in nineteenth-century Bulgaria, a self-proclaimed vampire slayer—actually, a traveling con artist—joins forces with a teenage girl to create a monster deadly enough to vanquish their own demons.

We make monsters in order to destroy them. For thousands of years, we’ve named witches and burned them, suspected demons and exorcised them. When crops die and children fall ill, who better to blame than a monster?

In nineteenth-century Bulgaria, Yana rides from one desolate town to the next, staging grisly displays while the villagers sleep: animal corpses in the public square, eggs filled with blood in the chicken coop. She tells the stricken villagers stories of vampires that stalk the night. Then Yana eliminates the threat, and leaves seeds of hope in her wake.

The village of Koprivici, however, is plagued by exceptional illness and misfortune, its children rarely surviving infancy. There, Yana meets Anka: a headstrong orphan who the villagers blame for their curse. As Anka approaches womanhood, the village Captain is grooming her for marriage against her will. Anka is powerless against him—that is, until Yana arrives. Together, the orphan and the vampire slayer hatch a plan: to conjure a monster so vile, it might provide cover for Anka to escape. But their plan quickly takes on a horrifying life of its own…

Inspired by Slavic folklore, She Made Herself a Monster concocts a clever mix of witchery, ghost stories, heresy, and deception to spin a feminist fable about agency and the power of collective action. It is a haunting and astoundingly cathartic tale of two women who will stop at nothing to take control of their fate.

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: March 18th, 2026

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It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.

Current Reads

The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook by Matt Dinniman: I feel like such a traitor because I keep not reading this book! I’m planning on getting back into it this evening before bed. I’ve even placed it on my bedside table! I need to lose myself in this world again… I find I kind of miss it! Perhaps my brain can settle down enough to let me.
The Vermilion Emporium by Jamie Pacton: I just started this e-book yesterday and I’m having a great time so far. I can already tell that this is going to be a book that explores grief in one way or another and I think that might just be perfect for me right now. I’m loving the worldbuilding and I’m intrigued by our two main characters. Looking forward to continuing!
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty: Okay, I’m listening to the audiobook for this one and I think I’m realizing why this is one of the big hitters when it comes to mystery/thrillers. I am so invested in these random women’s lives and all I know so far is that someone died and all these people have kids that go to the same school. There’s already so much drama and I’m eating it up.

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Green Book Covers

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Hello, reader!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I honor of today’s very green-themed holiday, this week’s Top Ten Tuesday is all about books with green covers. I don’t pay much attention to the colors of covers of the books I’ve read, but apparently I’ve read quite a few that sport a bit of the grassy hue. Today, I’m going to share a few of my faves.

Come see which green books I’m featuring!

Green Book Covers

Strange Pictures by Uketsu
Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
Glunda the Veg Witch by Keith W. Dickenson
The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: March 16th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

I’m spending my Monday trying to get back home after an impromptu visit to my parents’ house in Georgia this weekend for a family emergency. Currently stuck in Baltimore and just hoping that my flight doesn’t, once again, get canceled 😭 Wish me luck, y’all.

To distract me, I figured I’d do this week’s Goodreads Monday post! Less thinking about planes and rain, more thinking about books. Time to hit that randomizer and see which book on my Goodreads TBR is either staying or getting chucked.

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
Wonder Woman: Warbringer

Author:
Leigh Bardugo

Publisher:
Random House Children’s Books

Publication Date:
August 28th, 2017

Pages:
369

Genre:
Fantasy/Superheroes

Synopsis:
Daughter of immortals.

Princess Diana longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters. But when the opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law—risking exile—to save a mortal. Diana will soon learn that she has rescued no ordinary girl, and that with this single brave act, she may have doomed the world.

Daughter of death.

Alia Keralis just wanted to escape her overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn’t know she is being hunted by people who think her very existence could spark a world war. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer—a direct descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery.

Together.

Two girls will face an army of enemies—mortal and divine—determined to either destroy or possess the Warbringer. Tested beyond the bounds of their abilities, Diana and Alia must find a way to unleash hidden strengths and forge an unlikely alliance. Because if they have any hope of saving both their worlds, they will have to stand side by side against the tide of war.

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lets talk bookish

Let’s Talk Bookish: Immersive Reading

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LTB Topic of the Week:
Immersive Reading

Prompts: Immersive reading is when you simultaneously listen to an audiobook while reading the physical or digital book. Do you do any immersive reading? Do you prefer it or is it not for you? Do you think it’s a good way to get everything from a book? Is there a genre that is better to do this with? What are your recommendations for immersive reading?

Do you do any immersive reading? Do you prefer it or is it not for you?

I have heard about immersive reading, but I have yet to try it out myself! Part of the reason is, when I’m listening to an audiobook, I’m typically doing something that wouldn’t allow me to pick up a physical or digital copy. Like driving to work or cleaning the house, ya know? But the more I hear about it, the more I think that it would be so much fun to try! Maybe I would come to prefer it, who knows.

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Genre Shy

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This Week’s Prompt

Are there genres you read that you feel a little shy about?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: March 13th, 2026

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Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!

If you’re sharing on social media, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!

Hello, reader!

We’ve arrived at the end of the (typical) work week, which means it’s time for another First Lines Friday! This week, I’m featuring a romance that I’m hoping to dive into soon. I need a bit of an escape and I think this book would do the trick.

So let’s see if the first line can pull me in.

The Line(s):

“When Jordan Carter tells his family the story of how he met the love of his life, it will go a little something like this…”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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book reviews

Book Review: The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2022 edited by Rebecca Roanhorse

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Title: The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2022
Edited By: Rebecca Roanhorse
Publisher: Mariner Books
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Age Group: Adult
Format: E-book
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph

Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author and guest editor Rebecca Roanhorse and series editor John Joseph Adams select twenty pieces that represent the best examples of the form published the previous year and explore the ever-expanding and changing world of SFF today.

Today’s readers of science fiction and fantasy have an appetite for stories that address a wide variety of voices, perspectives, and styles. There is an openness to experiment and pushing boundaries, combined with the classic desire to read about spaceships and dragons, future technology and ancient magic, and the places where they intersect. Contemporary science fiction and fantasy looks to accomplish the same goal as ever—to illuminate what it means to be human.

With a diverse selection of stories chosen by series editor John Joseph Adams and guest editor Rebecca Roanhorse, The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2022 explores the ever-expanding and changing world of contemporary science fiction and fantasy.

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: March 11th, 2026

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It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.

Current Reads

The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook by Matt Dinniman: I’m still plugging along with this book. It’s taking me so long that you might think I’m hating the experience, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Life has just been throwing (expensive…) surprises at me and the stress is definitely affecting my reading. Every time I pick up this book, though, it let’s me just fall into the story and, if I didn’t already love it, I’d love it for that alone.
What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher: One thing T. Kingfisher is good at (among many things) is writing a sarcastic but kind main character that is highly relatable. This series has that in spades! I’m loving this second installment in the Sworn Soldiers series, with visits from characters past and new characters to pull me in. The creepy stuff hasn’t started up yet, but I’m eagerly anticipating it.
She Made Herself a Monster by Anna Kovatcheva: I legit just started this audiobook, so I can’t say much about whether I’m enjoying it or not. I can say I’m liking the narrator, haha.

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Books With Ordinal Numbers

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Hello, reader!

It’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday! This week, we’re featuring books with ordinal numbers in the title. As I found as I scrolled through my Goodreads shelves that I apparently haven’t read enough books that meet the criteria to fill out ten spots, haha. I’ve decided to pick five of my favorite books with an ordinal number and then five books from my TBR that I’m hoping to love.

That being said, let’s get to the list!

Books I’ve Read

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

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monthly tbr

March 2026 TBR

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Hello, reader!

It’s a new month, y’all, and that means it’s time to build another monthly TBR! I didn’t do too bad with my February TBR, having read five (and a half) of the nine books I had listed, which isn’t too shabby. I probably would have been able to read more if February didn’t speed by like a freight train. Now it’s time to turn my sights to March and what I’m hoping to get to read.

With that being said, let me share with you my March TBR!

The Book Club Reads

AFB Book Club
- Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
- The theme for March was “books set in Australia” and this was the winner of the poll. I’m gonna be honest, I’ve never really had an interest in this blockbuster of a book. But this is one of the big hitters of the thriller/mystery genre and I’m using this as an excuse to see what all the hype is about. We’ll see how it goes!
Literally Dead Book Club
- The Fisherman by John Langan
- I’ve already started reading this horror novel and it’s kind of like if Pop Pop sat you down to recount some stories from his past but those stories included a huge helping of eldritch horrors. A lot of rambling about so-and-so was what’s-his-face’s son and also I HAVE WITNESSED THE LEVIATHAN. Not gonna lie, I’m kind of loving it 😂
Weirdo Book Club
- She Made Herself a Monster by Anna Kovatcheva
- Look, I noticed that the painting on the cover is one where a woman is sawing a man’s head off and I was instantly intrigued. The synopsis sounds like there will be a healthy dose of feminine rage and I’m here for it.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: March 8th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

It’s the end of the week and time for another work week to begin. Imma be honest, I’m not ready for it 😭But I spent a good portion of today reading and playing Stardew Valley, so at the very least I’m feeling relaxed. And there are no sizeable snow storms on the way, so I’m pretty happy about that. Now it’s just time for The Sunday Post!

Week in Review

Well, it was a pretty chill week here. We had our busted pipe fixed, I had some dental work done, and we started our taxes. Adulthood is ✨thrilling✨

I did manage to get out of the house this weekend, though! I went to visit my best friend this weekend. Her mom is moving into hospice care and it has been rough, to say the least. I spent Saturday with her, going to yoga and brunch and just hanging out. We made Washington Apple shots and got drunk, then went to visit Mom to rowdily cheer her up, haha. It’s so surreal to see her in hospice, chatting with us, eating, and know that she’s actively dying. My best friend and her mom have been in my life for twenty years and I’m truly going to miss her when she’s gone. I can only imagine what my friend is going through. But we’re going to have fun and make memories while she’s still here!

Other than that, my D&D group had a session tonight. We met a yeti family, killed the dad like the little murder-hobos we are (he started it, though), and got sent on a mission to capture a sketchy dwarf. All in all, a successful session! Especially since my character, despite a valiant efforts made by different baddies, did not die 😂 I always count that as a win.

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Who Gets My Books

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This Week’s Prompt

If you had to, would you pass your book collection on to someone special? If not, what would you prefer your family, or friends do with your books after you’re gone?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: March 6th, 2026

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Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!

If you’re sharing on social media, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!

Hello, reader!

Happy First Lines Friday! I’m happy to be coming to the end of the work week and that Spring might be making an appearance next week! Who knows if it will stick around, but I would be happy with just a taste right now. I’m hoping y’all had a good week and will have an even better weekend! Now, for the book I’ll be featuring today, it’s a non-fiction that I’ve been itching to read lately. I’ve heard good things and I hope they were all correct, haha.

Now, let’s see if the first few lines will give me hope.

The Line(s):

“I looked up toward the top of the tree. Ferns and orchids sprouted from its trunk, which vanished into a tangle of lianas in the canopy.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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wrap up

February 2026 Wrap Up

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Hello, reader!

We’ve entered a new month which means I need to wrap up my reading for the last one! First of all, I know February is the shortest month of the year, but it feels like it absolutely flew by. How is it already March?! Still… the faster we get to Spring, the better, so let’s freakin’ go.

February wasn’t quite as good a reading month as January, but I still had a good time. So now let me share what I read!

January Reading Stats

In February 2026, I read 7 books for 2,435 pages. Funnily enough, that’s 5 more pages than last month even though I read two less books! No DNFs this month, though there was one that I kind of wish I did… Curse my need to finish book club books.

Look at mystery/thrillers knocking fantasy out of the top spot! My genre list is a lot more colorful this month and I think that’s because I read quite a few books that could fit into multiple genres. I do love a novel that subverts expectations, so I love a genre-bender!

I love that my physical reads and my audio reads are neck-and-neck this month. I only read one digital book, which doesn’t feel great, but I’m hoping to improve that number in March. Especially since most of my Netgalley books are gonna be read via e-book (if I don’t already own it… I know, kind of defeats the point😅). But I’m hoping to keep up the good work with the audiobooks! I’m really loving them this year.

I flew too close to the sun last month with two five stars… I didn’t have a single one in February! Most of the books I read were 3.5 stars this month and that feels… okay? At least they all weren’t two stars! Still, here’s hoping January hasn’t cursed me and those five stars from last month are my only two of 2026… 😬

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: March 4th, 2026

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It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.

Current Reads

The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook by Matt Dinniman: Book three in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series certainly starts off with a bang! I’m loving getting back into this messed up world and learning about all the new rules for the new floor. I’m looking forward to seeing where Matt Dinniman is taking the story now!
All of Us Murderers by K.J. Charles: I’m very nearly done with the audiobook for this one and the main character just did something SO STUPID I nearly stopped 😂 Imma let him finish but my goodness… critical thinking skills where not in the room that chapter. Still, if I’m that invested in a character’s choices, you know I’m probably having a good time!
What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher: I read the first book in this series last year and was rather intrigued by the main character and the gothic setting. Looking at my previously mentioned book, I apparently have a type, haha. I’ve quite literally just started the e-book because I was looking for a quick Kindle read and I’m loving the atmosphere of it so far. Here’s hoping I like it as much as I did the first book.

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Fantasy

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Hello, reader!

It’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday! Today is a genre freebie, so I thought I would talk about one of my favorite things: fantasy books with bookish themes. Whether that is because the main character is bookish, a book is highly featured, or there are other bookish notes, this is one of my favorite tropes in any novel and fantasy is my favorite genre. Seemed like a good pick, haha.

Now, let me share ten of my favorite bookish fantasy novels!

Bookish Fantasy

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean
The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Nightbooks by J.A. White

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: March 2nd, 2026

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Hello, reader!

Happy Goodreads Monday, everyone! I hope y’all have had a good start to your week. I spent my day off listening to an audiobook and doing a paint-by-number, so it was incredible😁 Now it’s time to randomize my Goodreads TBR and see which book we come up with. My “Want to Read” shelf has jumped to 835 books, but let’s not talk about that, haha. I need to come to terms with the fact that my TBR will never get smaller. Not a terrible problem to have!

Alright, now let’s get to this week’s pick.

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
The Final Gambit

Author:
Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publisher:
Little, Brown And Company

Publication Date:
August 30th, 2022

Pages:
375

Genre:
Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:
Avery’s fortune, life, and loves are on the line in the game that everyone will be talking about.

To inherit billions, all Avery Kylie Grambs has to do is survive a few more weeks living in Hawthorne House. The paparazzi are dogging her every step. Financial pressures are building. Danger is a fact of life. And the only thing getting Avery through it all is the Hawthorne brothers. Her life is intertwined with theirs. She knows their secrets and they know her.

But as the clock ticks down to the moment when Avery will become the richest teenager on the planet, trouble arrives in the form of a visitor who needs her help—and whose presence in Hawthorne House could change everything. It soon becomes clear that there is one last puzzle to solve, and Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are drawn into a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: March 1st, 2026

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Hello, reader!

The shortest month of the year really lived up to its name this year! I feel like February just started and BAM… it’s March. I think the fact that I had a week off from work might have contributed to it. Vacation always flies by, haha. Still, we’ve arrived at the first day of a new month and it’s time for another Sunday Post!

Week in Review

Quite honestly, this has been a pretty uneventful week. Well.. besides the Blizzard of 2026, haha. Both my kids and I were off for two days because we got over 2 feet of snow! Thankfully, our city is prepared for this type of weather and we were dug out fairly rapidly. I’m just glad we didn’t lose power because quite a few people did. And I’m also glad that Spring has started to peek in and the snow is melting fairly quickly. Not quickly enough for my taste… but this is what I get for moving to New England 😂

Since we were stuck in the house for a few days and I wasn’t particularly in the reading mood, I ended up distracting myself with other hobbies. Chiefly, Stardew Valley has consumed all my time lately, haha. I haven’t played since quite a few of the new updates took effect, so it’s almost like I’m playing a brand new game! Mostly it’s great and then sometimes you create an Eldritch horror with Willy all to win a prize ticket… it’s about balance. I also decided to give paint-by-number a try because my best friend gave me a kit ages ago and I’ve been curious. Holy hell is it relaxing! I just pop on an audiobook, get set up, and go to town. I’m still finishing the one in the picture up, but I’m loving the process.

Other than that, can’t say much has been going on this past week! Oh, besides a pipe bursting in our downstairs bathroom 🫠 We have a plumber coming out tomorrow and I’m not excited about the upcoming bill… Yaaaay, homeowner-ship, haha. Here’s hoping it’s not a terribly complicated fix.

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Book Giveaways

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This Week’s Prompt

When you spot giveaways, do you enter just for fun—even if you’re unsure you’ll read the book—or only when you truly want the title?

Submitted by Elizabeth, Silver’s Reviews

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: February 27th, 2026

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Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!

If you’re sharing on social media, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!

Hello, reader!

We’ve made it to the end of a snowy week here in New England and it’s time for another First Lines Friday! I’m pulling myself back into reading mode after an intense Stardew Valley sojourn, which is still going but is less… all-consuming. To help with that, I recently read the first few lines of a few books on my TBR to help pick what I want to crack open next. The book I’m featuring definitely blew the other contenders out of the water!

Let me share the first few lines to see if they pull you in, as well.

The Line(s):

“Hmm. No. I’m telling this wrong.
After all, a person is herself, and others. Relationships chisel the final shape of one’s being. I am me, and you.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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book reviews

Mini-Book Reviews: Library Edition

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Mini-Reviews

Title: His & Hers
Author: Alice Feeney
Genre: Thriller/Mystery
Format: Audiobook

This was a good, average mystery/thriller that employed some pretty cheap tricks to try to keep the reader on their toes. I wasn’t a big fan of the final “twist” in this story… though it’s hard to say why without going into spoiler territory. Just know that it gave me the ick. This got an extra .5 stars simply because Richard Armitage’s voice is peak.

Click Here for Synopsis

There are two sides to every story: yours and mine, ours and theirs, His & Hers. Which means someone is always lying.

When a woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British village, newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Detective Jack Harper is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect in his own murder investigation. Someone isn’t telling the truth, and some secrets are worth killing to keep.

His & Hers is a twisty, smart, psychological thriller. A gripping tale of suspense, told by expertly-drawn narrators that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

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book tag

Book Tag: 2026 Bookish Predictions

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Hello reader!

I’m deep in a Stardew Valley binge-playing moment, so I don’t have much of a reading update for this Wednesday. So, instead of my usual WWW Wednesday post, I thought I’d do the 2026 Bookish Predictions tag! I saw this tag over at Twirling Book Princess’ blog and it looked like a lot of fun. Let’s see if I tap into some latent clairvoyance😉 This tag was originally created by Book Princess Reviews, so make sure to go check them out, as well!

Alright, now let’s get to the questions.

Next Read

This is an easy prediction as I’m attempting the read the entire series this year: The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman! I’ve been enjoying this series so much! It’s just appeals to my kind of humor while still having a surprising amount of substance that I’m truly enjoying. I also love Princess Donut so much because she has the exact personality I think my cat would have if thrown into similar circumstances. I’m so excited to read more of their story!

Next 5 Star Read

This is such a tough question because I feel like it puts extra pressure on the book to blow my mind 😂 That being said, even though I’ve heard people say it’s not as good as the first book, I’m rather certain that I’m going to absolutely love Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn. I’ve been meaning to continue the Legendborn series for ages, now, and I think part of the reason that I haven’t is because I’ve hyped it up so much in my head! I have faith that it can live up to the hype and I hope it will prove me right.

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Novellas

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Hello, reader!

Welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday! The actual topic for today is all about book quotes but I am the type of reader that can read a beautiful line, underline it or write it down, and then instantly forget it 😅 So, instead, to celebrate the last Tuesday of the shortest month, I’ve decided to list my top ten favorite novellas!

Now, let’s get to the list.

My Favorite Novellas

All Systems Red by Martha Wells
Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: February 23rd, 2026

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Hello, reader!

Welp, the weather folks were spot on again with the blizzard warning and we got absolutely dumped on 😂 I’ve spent the day watching the snow, playing Stardew Valley, and dreading digging my poor car out of the snow. It’s been a very chilly Monday, haha. Now, though, it’s time to distract myself from the weather and do Goodreads Monday! My ‘Want to Read’ shelf is currently sitting at 834 books, which is the same amount as last week. Look at me resisting temptation!

Now, let’s see what the randomizer picks for me today.

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
His Majesty’s Dragon

Author:
Naomi Novik

Publisher:
Del Rey

Publication Date:
January 3rd, 2006

Pages:
299

Genre:
Fantasy

Synopsis:
Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain’s defense by taking to the skies . . . not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons.

When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future-and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: February 22nd, 2026

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Hello, reader!

As I sit awaiting yet another winter storm here in New England, I figured I should get to my Sunday Post! We’re expecting another 1 -2 feet of snow and I am not excited about it 😂😅 Tomorrow is going to be a cozy day in as school has been canceled, my husband’s job has closed for the day, and *gasp* they even closed my workplace! If you work in healthcare, you know how shocking that is! I’m just crossing my fingers that we don’t lose power…

That being said, let’s get to the post!

Week in Review

This week was pretty chill because I took the week off to spend it with my youngest while he was on his February break! We spent the week playing video games, chilling in my bed while I read and he draws, and him getting braces. I’ll let you guess which was his least favorite, haha. The braces look good though they are hurting at the moment, poor kid. He did get distracted for a bit by a birthday party for one of his best friends, so that was fun!

Braces was one big new thing in the family. Another was the beginning of our sourdough adventure! A friend from choir gave me a sourdough starter because I told her I’ve been wanting to try the whole “baking my own bread” thing. I have to say, for a first attempt, it didn’t turn out too bad!

We named our starter Lady Breadington the First and she was a real champ when it came to feeding! I decided yesterday that it was time to try making her into bread and the results were tasty. There’s definitely some adjustments I can make to make it better, but not bad for a first attempt!

Other than that, there hasn’t been much going on in my corner of the world. Just surviving another snowmageddon and gearing up to get back to work after a week off. Wish me luck, y’all 😅

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Text Alignment

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This Week’s Prompt

When writing reviews, do you align your text to the left, center, right, or justify it?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee Addicted Writer

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: February 20th, 2026

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Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!

If you’re using Twitter, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!

Hello, reader!

We’ve made it to Friday and that means it’s time for another First Lines Friday! For this week, I’m featuring a book that I just finished today. This is a book that has become wildly popular in the last year even though it was originally published back in the 90s. It was recently translated from French to English and has been all over the bookish community. I… didn’t love it 😅 But it’s certainly an interesting read!

Now, let’s see if the first lines can pull you in.

The Line(s):

“Since I barely venture outside these days, I spend a lot of time in one of the armchairs, rereading the books.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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book reviews

Series Review: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

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Series Title: The Thursday Murder Club
Author: Richard Osman
Publisher: Penguin Books
Genre: Mystery
Age Group: Adult
Format: Audiobook
Current Books in Series: The Thursday Murder Club (2020), The Man Who Died Twice (2021), The Bullet That Missed (2022), The Last Devil to Die (2023), and The Impossible Fortune (2025)
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph

In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders.

But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.

Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it’s too late?

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: February 18th, 2026

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It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.

Current Reads

The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2022 edited by Rebecca Roanhorse: I promise I’m still reading this 😭 I ran into a string of ‘meh’ stories, which is what always seems to happen to me when I read short story anthologies, and it’s made me feel pretty ‘meh’ about picking it back up. But the next story is by an author I enjoy, so I’m hoping it will get me back on board!
On by One by Ruth Ware: I’m listening to the audiobook for this one and the narrator is killing it! Which would be more exciting if I wasn’t already getting bored, lol. I want to shake one of our POV characters and that’s certainly not helping with my enjoyment. But anxiety is a hell of a mental illness and I don’t know all the details yet, so I should stop judging her so hard and give her a chance. I’ll try, at least…
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman: I just started this novella and… um… I don’t know how I feel about it 😅 Is the narrator supposed to be insufferable? Am I meant to care about the mystery of why these women are locked in a cage? They don’t even care! Well… the narrator does and she’s making it everyone else’s problem. I really hope something actually happens soon cause this book and I are not getting on.

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Books For Armchair Travelers

Featured kerrimcbooknerd5 Comments

Hello, reader!

Top Ten Tuesday is upon us! This week’s theme is a super fun one. We’re talking about books that can transport you to a different place, all from the comfort of your favorite reading spot! I love a book where the setting is almost as much of a character as any of the humans and books where the author really pulls us into the world so it feels like you’re there. The books I’ve picked out are all ones where I found myself transported to the setting right alongside the characters!

Now, let’s get to it 😁

Books for Armchair Travelers

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
(The Indian Ocean/Somalia/Yemen/Oman)

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
(Yorkshire, England)

Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstances by Ruth Emmie Lang
(Michigan/Oklahoma, USA)

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
(Oxford, England; France)

It Looks Like Us by Alison Ames
(Antarctica)

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: February 16th, 2026

Featured kerrimcbooknerd1 Comment

Hello, reader!

It’s the first day of my youngest’s February break and I’ve spent it reading and doing laundry cause he was off at a friend’s house, haha. Not gonna lie, it was a pretty relaxing Monday! Now it’s time to get to my Goodreads Monday post for this week. I do love taking a peek through my Goodreads TBR to remind myself of all the interesting books I want to read. My Want to Read shelf has risen to 834 books in just this past week because I have no self-control, but it’s hard when there are so many potentially great books out there.

Let’s see whether or not I’ll be reducing the TBR this week.

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
A Clash of Steel

Author:
C.B. Lee

Publisher:
Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date:
September 7th, 2021

Pages:
432

Genre:
Fantasy

Synopsis:
Two intrepid girls hunt for a legendary treasure on the deadly high seas in this YA remix of the classic adventure novel Treasure Island.

1826. The sun is setting on the golden age of piracy, and the legendary Dragon Fleet, the scourge of the South China Sea, is no more. Xiang has grown up with stories about the Dragon Fleet and its ruthless leader, a woman known only as the Dragon Queen, all her life. Xiang desperately wants to set sail and explore—mainly to find her father, a presumed dead crew member of the Dragon Fleet. Her only memento of him is a pendant she always wears, a simple but plain piece of gold jewelry.

But the pendant’s true nature is revealed when a mysterious girl named Anh steals it, only to return it to Xiang in exchange for her help in decoding the tiny map scroll hidden inside. Rumor has it that the legendary Dragon Queen had one last treasure—the plunder of a thousand ports—hidden away on an island shrouded in mist that only can be seen once in a blue moon.

Xiang is convinced this map could lead to the fabled treasure. Captivated with the thrill of adventure, she joins Anh and her motley crew off in pursuit of the island. But the girls soon find that the sea—and especially those who sail it—are far more dangerous than the legends led them to believe.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: February 15th, 2026

Featured kerrimcbooknerd6 Comments

Hello, reader!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful week. We had both Friday the 13th and Valentine’s Day this week so if anything it could have been eventful! My week was pretty slow, but I’m now on vacation since my youngest is off school all next week, so I’m looking forward to get some one-on-one hang out time with him. And maybe catch up on some reading 👀

Now, let’s get to the post!

Week in Review

Like I said, last week was pretty uneventful. Work was an absolute crap-show because we have a lot of people out and it was busy. By the end of the week, I was so ready for my vacay. Thankfully, I have a great group of co-workers who were all helping each other out during the busy week, so I didn’t want to burn the place to the ground as I was leaving on Friday 😅 Still, I’m looking forward to a little break.

This weekend has been pretty eventful, though! Saturday, I spent most of the day catching up on reading and ferrying my youngest around to playdates. I did get to spend about an hour and a half browsing/reading at my local library, which I always love. I love that they are open on Saturdays during the school year, though I wish they could be year-round.

Today, I went to a Galentine’s Day get-together in the city with my best friend! There was champagne, yummy snacks, and cookie decorating of some cookies shaped like… certain body parts. I would share a picture, buuuuut they aren’t exactly appropriate 😂 We even did a mini-boudoir shoot! It was a ton of fun with a bunch of super chill women. Look at me making adult friends! It was a good end to the week.

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Week in Review

LTB Topic of the Week:Novels in Verse

Have you read any novels in verse? Do you think novels in verse can be more emotionally powerful compared to regular prose, or do you think novels in verse are more difficult to connect with?

The Line(s):

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

My Character

Current Reads

Book Links

Random Goodreads Pick

Week in Review

This Week’s Prompt

The Line(s):

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

Last Month’s Stack

First Book Read in 2026

First Review of 2026

Spring Releases

Random Goodreads Pick

Week in Review

This Week’s Prompt

The Line(s):

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

Current Reads

Green Book Covers

Random Goodreads Pick

LTB Topic of the Week:Immersive Reading

Do you do any immersive reading? Do you prefer it or is it not for you?

This Week’s Prompt

The Line(s):

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

Current Reads

Books I’ve Read

The Book Club Reads

Week in Review

This Week’s Prompt

The Line(s):

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

January Reading Stats

Current Reads

Bookish Fantasy

Random Goodreads Pick

Week in Review

This Week’s Prompt

The Line(s):

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

Mini-Reviews

Next Read

Next 5 Star Read

My Favorite Novellas

Random Goodreads Pick

Week in Review

This Week’s Prompt

The Line(s):

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

Current Reads

Books for Armchair Travelers

Random Goodreads Pick

Week in Review

LTB Topic of the Week:
Novels in Verse

LTB Topic of the Week:
Immersive Reading