The Sunday Post: July 19th, 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!

I have another edition of The Sunday Post for y’all today. This was my last week of vacation and I’m feeling some kind of way about it 😭 Vacay can only be so long, alas, and it’s time to get back to the grind. Before that, though, let me give a wrap up for what I got up to last week.

Let’s jump in!

Week in Review

As mentioned, this last week was still vacation week, but it was much more chill than the week before. We had thought about going to Cape Cod to finally check it out after living in Massachusetts for 7 years. That ended up not happening because my energy level absolutely tanked because my uterus decided to be a jerk 😒 We ended up just chilling around the house for most of the week and playing board/card games, which I enjoyed!

The kiddos and I also went on a short shopping/library trip because we needed to pick up my youngest’s summer reading book! We found the book (The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan!) at the library but ended up going to Barnes & Nobel anyways. I picked up the sixth Dungeon Crawler Carl book because I can only justify buying one of these bad boys at a time. I love the hardcovers (they are going to look so good on my bookshelf once I rearrange it) but they are expensive! The kiddos got a couple of books and a vinyl, as well. All in all, a successful trip!

Other than that, there were more video games played, lots of naps taken, and many cuddles with the pets. It was a lazy week but, honestly, I think I kind of needed it. Now it’s time to get back to work and start thinking about back-to-school shopping! Which is absolutely bonkers to me… how is July already almost over?!

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Multiple Reads

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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

Do you read one book at a time, or juggle a few at once?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: July 17th, 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!

For this week’s First Lines Friday, I’m featuring a book that I’m currently reading. It’s a horror novel that messes with your head in the best of ways! I’m having such a good time trying to figure out what is going on and following our very intriguing main character.

Let’s see if the first line will intrigue you enough to give it a read.

The Line(s):

“The sight of this old train car saddens me, though I cannot articulate why.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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wrap up

June 2026 Wrap Up

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Hello, reader!

We’re well into July which means it’s about time that I do my June Wrap Up! I have to say, my summer reading so far is really popping off and June was the beginning of that. I read the most out of any month this year and I even read another five star!

That said, let’s jump into the wrap up.

June Reading Stats

In June 2026, I read 11 books for 4,354 pages. I had one DNF, as well. I have to say, for someone who has been very reluctant to DNF before this year, I’ve been getting better at dropping books when they just aren’t doing anything for me. This is good! There are far too many books in the world that I want to try to suffer through books I’m not liking.

I had quite a spread of genres in June! Fantasy has taken the top spot again, but I read quite a few other genres, as well. Though I’m not sure I would count “middle grade” as a genre 😂 I say the same thing we “young adult” is used to describes a book’s genre! It is an *age range* which can contain many genres. But enough of that rant… I do love a month where I shake it up when it comes to my reading and June was a strong mix!

Audiobooks have taken the top spot again! It is closer to 50% this time, but my preference for audio is clearly not going anywhere. I did manage to sneak in an e-book, as well, though it’s still not my preferred method of reading. I am happy that my reading of physical books picked back up. I love and appreciate both audiobooks and e-books, but holding a physical book still holds a special place in my heart.

My rating rose from last month, so yay! I had an average rating of 3.95 and didn’t read anything under a 3 star. Well… besides my one DNF, All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham. I was just bored with that one and I didn’t see it getting any better. Other than that, though, my reads in June kept me entertained and I was even lucky enough to read another 5 star! It was definitely a strong reading month.

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: July 15th, 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

Leech by Hiron Ennes: This is my current audiobook and, so far, I’m having a great time! I didn’t realize this is following a hive mind as the main character. I’m always fascinated by books with hive minds and how they execute the concept. This one has me absolutely captivated! I’m loving the world, the plot, and the random bits of humor that are sprinkled into this otherwise dark story. Also, the narrator is doing a fantastic job!
A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett: I have an e-ARC of the latest Ana and Din mystery which will be out in August. I’m terrible at reading my ARCs before the actual books come out, but for this series I like to make sure my review is out in a timely manner! I adore this fantasy/mystery series and, from what I’ve read already, I think this book won’t break my streak of loving it.
Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge: I just started this non-fiction today since we’re already halfway through the month of July and I haven’t read a non-fiction yet! I picked this up at the library because I’ve been wanting to read this book since I learned of its existence. I get the feeling I might have to buy my own copy because I’ve already come across a few passages that I want to highlight! This is going to be a good, if probably infuriating, read.

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: New To Me Authors

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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!

For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, I’ll be talking about books on my TBR that are written by authors I have never read before. I have a ton of those sitting on both my physical and digital TBR, heh 😅 So I’m going to try to focus on authors (and books!) that I’m super hyped to read.

So let me share my list with you!

Books by New to Me Authors

Canon by Paige Lewis
Molka by Monika Kim
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
The Geomagician by Jennifer Mandula

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: July 13th, 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!

It’s time for another Goodreads Monday! My Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf has dropped a little, from 840 books to 837 books. Look at me actually reading books on my TBR! Now, it’s time to randomly pick another book and decide whether it gets to stay or not.

Let’s see what book I get this week!

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
The Lost Girls of Paris

Author:
Pam Jenoff

Publisher:
Park Row

Publication Date:
January 29th, 2019

Pages:
377

Genre:
Historical Fiction

Synopsis:
The New York Times bestseller—for fans of All the Light We Cannot See and The Tattooist of Auschwitz!

Three women. One daring mission.

Manhattan, 1946. One morning while passing through Grand Central Terminal, Grace Healey finds an abandoned suitcase tucked beneath a bench. Inside is a dozen photographs—each of a different woman. Grace soon learns that the suitcase belonged to Eleanor Trigg, leader of a network of female secret agents deployed out of London during the war. Twelve of these women were sent to Occupied Europe as couriers and radio operators to aid the resistance, but they never returned home.

Setting out to learn the truth behind the women in the photographs, Grace finds herself drawn to a young mother turned agent named Marie, whose mission overseas reveals a remarkable story of friendship, valor and betrayal.

In this riveting story inspired by true events, Pam Jenoff weaves a tale of courage, sisterhood and the great strength of women to survive in the hardest of circumstances.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: July 12th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

Happy Sunday to you all! I hope you’re ready for another edition of The Sunday Post here on the blog. This was my first week of vacation and it has been a treat 💕 I definitely needed it!

That being said, let’s get to the wrap up.

Week in Review

So we didn’t have any firm plans for this vacation. We were supposed to be going to Virginia to visit my brother and his partner and help my parents look for possible places to move nearby, but we had to cancel. I’m sad because we were going to be staying at working farm with COWS!! I freakin’ love cows 😭 But my parents’ health comes before my love of bovines, so we at home, winging our vacay as we go.

The first trip we made was up to Boothbay, Maine to visit the Costal Maine Botanical Garden! I’m going to be honest, I had no idea this placed existed until I read The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston. The back of the book had a list of gardens that had inspired the fictional one in the book and the Costal Maine Botanical Garden was the closest one! I’m so glad we went to check it out because it was beautiful. They also had a display of five of the Thomas Dambo trolls. I’ve heard of them before but have never had a chance to see one in person. They were awesome! My youngest loved them and now wants to try the other ones that are close to where we live.

Our next adventure was at the New England Aquarium. We just renewed our membership so we figured this was a perfect time to visit! Neglected to take into consideration that there are still a ton of tourists here due to the World Cup and the Tall Ships, so it was crowded. But we still had a great time! We got to see Myrtle, the sea turtle in the middle picture and I believe the oldest resident of the aquarium. We got there right around feeding time so we got to watch her eat. We met up with my best friend afterwards for lunch and hung out near the harbor for a bit. It was a lovely day!

Then yesterday, I headed to Boston solo to spend the day with my best friend and do some yoga. Yoga was lovely, brunch afterwards was scrumptious, and then I got to just hang with my BFF and my animal nephews. She has two tortoises and a guinea pig and I love them all to pieces! The one in the picture is her oldest, Tardis, and he doesn’t come out often so it was a treat to see him.

Other than that, the last week was also filled with a lot of reading, a lot of chilling, and a lot of family time. So it has been lovely! Still not sure what we’re going to get up to next week, but that’s been part of the fun, haha. I know the beach has been mentioned so we’ll have to do that at some point. All in all, it’s been a grand vacay thus far 😊

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Book Community Pet Peeves

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This Week’s Prompt

What’s your biggest pet peeve about the book community?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: July 10th, 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!

Welcome to another First Lines Friday post! This week, I’m featuring a romance that I just got through Book of the Month Club. I’ve been a member for what feels like ages and I find myself more often than not enjoying the random romances I pick up from them every now and then.

Let’s hope this one starts out with something that gets me even more excited to read it!

The Line(s):

“Goddamn the universe and its attempts to keep me humble.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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monthly tbr

July 2026 TBR

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Hello, reader!

Summer has more than arrived and with it a new month. That means that it’s time for another monthly TBR! For July, I have no firm ideas about what I want to read, but my heart has been feeling romances lately. It’s been awhile since I’ve been feeling romance, so I think I’m going to lean into it, ya know?

That being said, let me share my July TBR!

The Book Club Reads

AFB Book Club
- Swept Away by Beth O’Leary
- I know next to nothing about this romance, but I did enjoy The Flatshare, which is by the same author. It also looks perfectly summery from the cover and I do love a book set on or near water. So I’m excited to give this one a try, even though I have no idea what I’m getting into, haha.
Literally Dead Book Club
- Dead But Dreaming of Electric Sheep by Paul Tremblay
- I hadn’t known this book was coming out until it became a book club pick. I’ve never read anything by Paul Tremblay, but I’ve always wanted to. I suppose this will be a good way to test whether or not I want to read his backlist. And, from reading the synopsis, this sounds like this could be a wild ride.
Weirdo Book Club
- Leech by Hiron Ennes
- This horror novel I’ve heard of and I’m a little intrigued to see how I get on with it. I feel like I’m either going to love this book or truly dislike and there won’t be a middle ground. I have no real reason to think this beyond some of the descriptions I’ve heard from people who have read this, but that’s what my brain is thinking 😅

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cant wait wednesday

Can’t Wait Wednesday: July 8th, 2026

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Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a meme where you get to flail about whatever upcoming book you’re excited to read. Though it is generally a new release, it certainly can be any book that’s on your TBR! This meme is currently hosted by Wishful Endings and it’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Hello, reader!

Today on the blog, I’ve decided to do another Can’t Wait Wednesday post! There are a ton of books I’m looking forward to in the second half of the year, but today I’m featuring a specific one that I’m so excited to read.

Let’s jump in!

Featured Title

This is an August release that I’ve been anticipating since last year! Here’s some hints as to what it might be:

This is a sequel to a YA horror/fantasy from last year
It features some pretty gnarly creatures
I loooove the cover

The book I’ve chosen for Can’t Wait Wednesday is…

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Titles That Contain The Word “Book”

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Hello, reader!

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday theme is a fun one! You get to pick your top ten books that have titles that contain a word of your choosing. There’s so many ways I could have gone with this. I could have picked a summery word to go with the season. I could have picked one of my favorite things, like cats or chocolate, and featured books with those in the title. What I ended up going with is probably so simple it’s silly, but my absolute favorite trope to read is a book about books or with bookish themes. So, I figured, why not make “book” my word of choice!

Now let me share my list with you!

Titles With The Word “Book”

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean
Black-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore by Char Adams
The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook by Matt Dinniman
The Book Made me Think of You by Libby Page
Zora Books Her Happy Ever After by Taj McCoy

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: July 6th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had an excellent weekend and are ready for another week. I’m ready for another Goodreads Monday, myself! This week, I’m working with 840 books on my “Want to Read” shelf which is a few more than last time because I have no self-control 😅😂 Still, let’s see what book the random number generator pulls up for me today and whether or not it will get to stay.

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
Beneath Cruel Fathoms

Author:
Anela Deen

Publisher:
Fine Fables Press

Publication Date:
May 1st, 2019

Pages:
389

Genre:
Fantasy/Romance

Synopsis:
After a violent storm destroys her ship, Isaura Johansdottir knows better than to hope she’ll be rescued from Eisland’s vast Failock Sea. Adrift and alone, her plans to start over lost, it’s a tragic conclusion after the disastrous end of her marriage—until she’s saved by Leonel, one of the merfolk, a creature long believed extinct. In repayment for her life, Leonel enlists her help to investigate the Failock’s mysterious and deadly plague of squalls. But when Isaura discovers Eisland’s ruthless new Lord commands the storms, her life will be in more danger on land than it ever was at sea.

As guardian of the Fathoms, Leonel must find the cause of unnatural storms ravaging the tidal currents and destroying the sea life. There are rumors of dark magic stirring in the Orom Abyss, the resting place of old, vanquished gods who tried to submerge the land millennia ago. Yet without proof, no one in King Ægir’s court will listen to him. And if it’s discovered he broke the Blue Laws to save a shipwrecked landweller, he might not survive the consequences.

As storms spread, Leonel and Isaura uncover secrets as forbidden as the bond that grows between them. Betrayal lurks in the restless sea, and when ancient powers lay siege to Eisland’s coast, the truth may be drowned along with everything else.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: July 5th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

We’ve arrived at the end of the week, again, and that means it’s time for another edition of The Sunday Post! This past week has been a bit more eventful than previous months, so I actually have stuff to talk about, haha.

Let’s dive in!

Week in Review

This was my last work week before vacation, so you know it draggggged 😂 Thank goodness it was a short work week anyways because of the 4th of July. Still, the motivation was lacking, but I got quite a bit done even with zero drive. Probably because I didn’t want to deal with it when I got back from vacay, haha. Felicia was ready for me to be on vacation, too… that cat hates whenever I open up my work laptop at home!

Now that we’re off for the next couple of weeks, shenanigans have ensued. My youngest and I discovered a wild black raspberry bush in our backyard! Last year we found a wild blackberry bush growing over our fence (which is back this year!) and now we’ve got raspberries. They are tiny, but tasty.

We also went out for ice cream again on July 4th. Our town had fireworks the day before but it was far too muggy for me to want to go outside beyond taking the dog out. He was posted up in front of our AC, so I think he felt the same 😂 So we went out for Jamaican food and ice cream to commemorate the day instead. It was a pretty chill day and at least it wasn’t as hot and humid.

The rest of this weekend was mostly me sleeping in as much as I wanted to and playing video games with the youngest. This next week, we’re hoping to actually leave the house, haha. I just gotta get the family to agree on what we want to get into. Either way, it should be a good time.

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Book Soundtracks

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This Week’s Prompt

What book would make a killer soundtrack, and what would that soundtrack sound like?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: July 3rd, 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, everyone! I’m especially hyped for this Friday because it’s the start of my ✨vacaaaation✨! Let’s celebrate by featuring one of my current reads for this First Lines Friday. This is a romance that I am absolutely loving. It’s set in summer, it features a garden, and I’m just having a great time because of it.

Now let me share the first line to see if it might intrigue you, too.

The Line(s):

“There was once a house on the cliffs that grew the most beautiful flowers.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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book tag

Book Tag: Mid-Year Freak Out 2026

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Hello, reader!

It pains me to say this… but we’re already halfway through 2026 😦 Time is an illusion, I swear. Although the fact that there are only six more months of the year has me in a bit of an existential crisis, there is good news. That also means it’s the perfect time to do the Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag! I believe this lovely tag was created by Read Like Wildfire over on BookTube, but please correct me if I’m wrong!

Now, let’s jump in, shall we?

Best Book You’ve Read in 2026

Though I started off the year with two five star reads, I really haven’t read a lot of hits this year. I’m currently sitting on only five 5 star reads! You’d think that would make it easy to choose my favorite from the bunch, but I have to admit I wavered a bit. In the end, though, I went with one of the first ones: The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. I still think about this book fairly regularly even though I read it in January! It’s such a gripping, haunting story that is going to stick with me for awhile.

Best Sequel You’ve Read in 2026

This is much easier because I’ve only read one sequel in 2026 that was five stars! That distinction goes to The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin has to take the prize. Not only was it incredible, but it managed to beat the second-book curse! I’m so glad I finally picked it up because it was well worth the wait. Now I just need to make sure I don’t wait another obscenely long amount of time before reading the last book in this trilogy.

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: July 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 Secret World of Briar Rose by Cindy Pham: I’ve picked this e-book back off after taking a little break to read a book for a blog tour. I’m still on the fence on how I feel about this one, y’all. Now that our characters are in the dreamworld, I’m getting a bit more interested. The pacing feels so choppy, though, and I’m wondering if it’s because we’re jumping back and forth between timelines so much. I want to get to at least 50% and see how I feel… I’m really hoping I start liking it more.
The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston: I’ve been in the mood for romance, so I decided to pick this one up since it’s a library read and I’ll have to give it back sooner rather than later! Already I’m loving the setting of this one. A beautiful (possibly haunted?) house with a fantastical (possibly magic?) garden? Yes, please! Also, I’m 100% sure this book is going to make me cry with the way it opens… I’m looking forward to it 😅😂
This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page: SPEAKING OF CRYING 😭 I just started this audiobook today and it’s already trying to break my heart. I mean… reading the synopsis I suppose I should have expected it but the novel really comes out swinging! I’m enjoying it, so far, and I’m readying myself for the pain, haha.

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Jul-Dec 2026 Releases

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Hello, reader!

It’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday and this one is all about the hype! That’s because I’ll be sharing my top ten most anticipated releases for the rest of 2026! Now I’m sure I’ve featured/talked about quite a few of these books already, but, hey, that’s why they’re in my top ten 😂 These are books that I’ve been eager to get my hands on since last year and I can’t wait to share them with y’all.

That being said, let’s jump in!

My Most Anticipated 2026 Releases (Jul-Dec)

Heartstopper Vol. 6 by Alice Oseman (Pub Date: July 7th)
A Clash of Carnivores by Liselle Sambury (Pub Date: August 4th)
A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett (Pub Date: August 4th)
The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon (Pub Date: September 8th)
Taipei Story by R.F. Kuang (Pub Date: September 8th)

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blog tour · book reviews

BBNYA 2025 Winner Review: Fiona and the Forgotten Piano by Kate DeMaio

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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, all the finalists have had their moments in the sun and it’s time to talk about our 2025 champion! This is an adventurous middle grade fantasy that was a lot of fun: Fiona and the Forgotten Piano by Kate DeMaio!

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: Fiona and the Forgotten Piano
Author: Sarah McKnight
Publisher: Wild Ink Publishing
Publication date: January 14th, 2025
Length: 247 pages
Genre: Fantasy/Contemporary Fiction
Age group: Middle Grade

Book Links

Amazon::StoryGraph::Goodreads

Eleven-year-old Fiona isn’t allowed in the Fermata woods. And though its unique trees are fascinating, Fiona has no problem following her mother’s rules. That is, until the trees begin to sing.

Suddenly, it feels as though long forgotten memories are being unlocked in Fiona’s mind. As she nears the woods edge, the trees fall silent, so silent even the leaves stop rustling. Fiona will finally break the rules and venture into the woods. She’ll soon find herself traveling through portals to undiscovered worlds. And she’ll have to trust her instincts and her quirky new friends to bring back the music or she may get lost within its notes.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: June 28th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

Happy Sunday, everyone! We’re here again for another edition of The Sunday Post. I’m another week closer to vacation and it cannot come soon enough… Now it’s time to rehash what I got up to this past week both here on the blog and out in the real world.

Let’s dive right in!

Week in Review

This past week at work triiiiied my patience, y’all. You make one little change about a test and suddenly people have no idea how to collect/order anything anymore 🫠 Still, it wasn’t a bad week because I had two days off since I worked the Sunday before and this Saturday.

Those days, however, were mostly taken up with taking the husband to get an allergy patch test done. Poor guy has had skin issues for awhile and they finally decided to see what he might actually be allergic to. It turns out we’re gonna have to make some adjustments with clothes and products, but hopefully this will help him enough where he doesn’t have to keep going back for steroid treatments.

We did get to hang out as a family on Friday after my husband’s last appointment. We went out to breakfast with the kiddos, then hit up a mall close to us that is actually still functioning. Spent way too much money, but it was fun! Then the youngest and I started a new Stardew Valley playthrough. I do love a co-op video game moment with my kiddos 💕

Today, my best friend and her hubby came over for a lunch and ice cream moment. It was a perfect day for it, too! The sun was shining, it wasn’t too hot, and our favorite ice cream spot wasn’t too busy. All in all, it was a lovely day and a good start to the week before vacay starts.

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Short or Long Reviews

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This Week’s Prompt

Do you prefer writing long, detailed reviews or quick, punchy ones?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: June 26th, 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!

For this week’s First Lines Friday, I’ve decided to move away from the library reads and highlight one of my Book of the Month picks from earlier this year. Have I read the book? No. Am I eager to give it read and happy I picked it for my March pick? Absolutely!

I’m hoping the first line will get me even more excited.

The Line(s):

“I’ve been warned to be wary of strangers in the woods since I was a little girl.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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reading project

Project Library Love: June Visit

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Hello, reader!

We’re about to head into July and I’m having a bit of an existential crisis about it 🫠 I’m also realizing I haven’t told y’all about my June library visit for my Library Love project! Time to remedy that and share with you what books I snagged from the library this month and rehash what I checked out last month.

Last Month’s Stack

In May, I checked out three physical books and three audiobooks.

My physical picks were:

The Forest on the Edge of Time by Jasmin Kirkbride
The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen

My audiobook picks were:

The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni
The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin
Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake

Surprisingly, I did quite well with actually reading my library picks. I’ve read all but one of the books I checked out and I’m currently reading the last one. I’m hoping to have it done by the end of June and it’s a shorty, so I think I’ve got this in the bag!

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: June 24th, 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

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly: I’m almost done with this romance, which means I’m currently in the third act break-up and it hurts, y’all! Mostly because I absolutely love London and Dahlia together! I went into this interested in the cooking show aspect but, right now, I couldn’t care less about the show, I just want them to be okay 😭 I mean… it’s a romance so I know they will be, but why must they suffer?! Suffice it to say, I’m vibing with this book, haha.
Fiona and the Forgotten Piano by Kate DeMaio: I’m reading this middle grade fantasy for a blog tour and, so far, I’m enjoying my time! This was the winner of last years’ Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award and I didn’t get a chance to read it during the competition. I had to jump on-board the tour! I’m looking forward to reading more.
When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen: I just started this short horror because it’s due back to the library soon and I really want to read it before it goes back! I’ve heard great things about this and, so far, I’m having a good time. I get the feeling this is going to make me rage, though, but I expected that going into it! The events are happening at a wedding taking place at a plantation, after all…

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: My Summer 2026 TBR

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Hello, reader!

It’s officially summer, y’all, and this week’s Top Ten Tuesday pays homage to that. I’ll be talking about the top ten books that are on my summer TBR! I don’t typically make seasonal TBRs, but there are definitely books I would like to prioritize these next few months.

Let me share them with you now!

My Summer 2026 TBR

The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin
Heartstopper Vol. 6 by Alice Oseman
Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker
The Tapestry of Fate by Shannon Chakraborty
A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: June 22nd, 2026

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Hello, reader!

It’s time for another Goodreads Monday, y’all! I’m starting the week with 837 books on my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf, which is not bad for me. One day I might work that number under 800… not anytime soon, but one day! Let’s see which book I’m going to explore today and whether or not it gets to stay on my shelf.

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
Kon-Tiki

Author:
Thor Heyerdahl

Publisher:
Rand McNally

Publication Date:
January 1st, 1948

Pages:
240

Genre:
Non-Fiction

Synopsis:
Kon-Tiki is the record of an astonishing adventure – a journey of 4,300 nautical miles across the Pacific Ocean by raft. Intrigued by Polynesian folklore, biologist Thor Heyerdahl suspected that the South Sea Islands had been settled by an ancient race from thousands of miles to the east, led by a mythical hero, Kon-Tiki. He decided to prove his theory by duplicating the legendary voyage.

On April 28, 1947, Heyerdahl and five other adventurers sailed from Peru on a balsa log raft. After three months on the open sea, encountering raging storms, whales, and sharks, they sighted land – the Polynesian island of Puka Puka.

Translated into over sixty languages, Kon-Tiki is a classic, inspiring tale of daring and courage – a magnificent saga of men against the sea.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: June 21st, 2026

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Hello, reader!

It’s Father’s Day here in the States, so I want to wish a happy one to any of the dad/dad-stand-ins out there! Now it’s time for another edition of The Sunday Post. Not gonna lie, it was a pretty quiet week this past week, so this’ll probably be a short catch up, haha.

That being said, let’s just jump in!

Week in Review

I’m one week closer to vacation and I’m starting to countdown the days! Especially since work was just a pile of stress last week, haha. We started new testing, had a power outage (not planned…), and had to call service for one of our instruments due to said power outage. I did get to work from home on Friday, but my ability to focus was absolutely shot! At least I got a task done that I’ve been trying to do for, like, three weeks. That always feels good!

Outside of work, as I mentioned, the week was pretty quiet. We hit up the farmer’s market in our town yesterday and went out from brunch for Father’s Day. We had to celebrate early because I had to work today (booooo). It was a beautiful day, though, so it was great wandering around the farmer’s market in the sunshine. Today is pretty gorgeous, too, but I’ve been a lab all day. We are planning to go out and have hibachi for dinner to wrap up our Father’s Day celebrations and I’m looking forward to it!

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Fictional Roommate

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This Week’s Prompt

If you could pick any fictional character to live with, who would it be, and how would they change your daily life?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: June 19th, 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 Juneteenth, y’all! I spent the day working which, frankly, how dare my job? (I make the schedule… I did this to myself, lol) But now it’s time to relax and enjoy the rest of the day. That means it’s time for another First Lines Friday post! The book I’m featuring is a library pick that I’m hoping to read very soon.

Reading the first line made me even more eager to give it a read! Let’s see what it does for you.

The Line(s):

“After, people had asked Mira what she saw.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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book reviews

Book Review: Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

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Title: Sorcery and Small Magics
Series: The Wildersongs Trilogy #1
Author: Maiga Doocy
Publisher: Orbit
Genre: Fantasy/Romance
Age Group: Adult
Format: Audiobook
Content/Trigger Warnings: Grief, past death of a parent, violence, blood, alcohol use
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph

Desperate to undo the curse binding them to each other, an impulsive sorcerer and his curmudgeonly rival venture deep into a magical forest in search of a counterspell—only to discover that magic might not be the only thing pulling them together.

Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics.

He can summon butterflies with a song, or turn someone’s hair pink by snapping his fingers. Such minor charms don’t earn him much admiration from other sorcerers (or his father), but anything more elaborate always blows up in his face. Which is why Leo vowed years ago to never again write powerful magic.

That is, until a mix-up involving a forbidden spell binds Leo to obey the commands of his longtime nemesis, Sebastian Grimm. Grimm is Leo’s complete opposite—respected, exceptionally talented, and an absolutely insufferable curmudgeon. The only thing they agree on is that getting caught using forbidden magic would mean the end of their careers. They need a counterspell, and fast. But Grimm casts spells, he doesn’t undo them, and Leo doesn’t mess with powerful magic.

Chasing rumors of a powerful sorcerer with a knack for undoing curses, Leo and Grimm enter the Unquiet Wood, a forest infested with murderous monsters and dangerous outlaws alike. To dissolve the curse, they’ll have to uncover the true depths of Leo’s magic, set aside their long-standing rivalry, and—much to their horror—work together.

Even as an odd spark of attraction flares between them.

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: June 17th, 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 Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman: I’m now over 50% into the fourth Dungeon Crawler Carl book and this level has a lot going on! I’m loving the intricacies, though, and trying to figure out how Carl and co. will survive this one. I’m also loving the character growth we’re seeing in all the characters, not just Carl. I just read a kickass scene, too, that made me love Carl even more, haha. I’m hoping to have this read by the end of the month.
The Maiden and her Monster by Maddie Martinez: I started my read of the June Weirdo Book Club pick. This story is based on Jewish mythology and is incredibly atmospheric so far. At the beginning, I was feeling a little overwhelmed with the amount of unfamiliar words, but I’m now more settled in the world and don’t feel like I’m drowning 😅 Now I’m more focused on the growing relationship between our two titular characters 👀
The Radium Girls by Kate Moore: I picked up my non-fiction read for the month just recently and I’m excited to get into it! I know it’s going to make me rage and cry in equal measure. I’ve been interested in this book for ages and I’m already enjoying the style of writing, so I’m looking forward to the experience.

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Wishes

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Hello, reader!

Today was one of those Tuesday where I spent the entire day thinking it was Wednesday 😅😂 But, now, it’s time for Top Ten Tuesday and I’m loving the topic for today! Well… I love the concept of it. The theme is bookish wishes and the stated point is to post your top ten most wanted books, leave a link to your wishlist so people can perhaps grant one of your bookish wishes, and go about to other people’s post to grant their wishes!

However… your girl does not need more books on her shelves as her shelves don’t even fit the books she does own! So, though I love the idea of the theme, for my own personal post, Imma mix it up. I’m going to pick my top ten authors that I wish would write another book!

Authors I Wish Would Write Another Book

Peng Shepard: I’ve only read one full novel and one short story from this author and I gave them both five stars! I know she has other books out that I could pick up, but I want mooooore.
Madeline Miller: Okay, she has a short story coming out this year, but I want a full length novel. I, like many others, adore her mythological retellings.
Rebecca McLaughlin: I really enjoyed this debut novel and have been anxiously awaiting another book since 2020 😭 Standalone fantasy that I love doesn’t happen too terribly often, so once I find an author that can pull it off, I want more from them, haha.
Maiga Doocy: I was just talking about how I need the next book in this series very recently, haha. This book was so good and I need more!
Jonathan Edward Durham: I loved this self-published fantasy horror. I’m so happy that it will soon be traditionally published! But I would also love another novel from the author pleeeease.

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: June 15th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

It’s another Monday and it’s time to delve into my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf to see what gems (or duds…) I might uncover. For this week’s Goodreads Monday, I’m working with 835 books on my TBR, which is a good drop from the last time I checked. Progress is being made!

Let’s see if I’m going to end this post with the same amount of books on there or one less 👀

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
The Book of Lost Things

Author:
John Connolly

Publisher:
Atria Books

Publication Date:
November 7th, 2006

Pages:
339

Genre:
Fantasy/Horror

Synopsis:
High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness. Angry and alone, he takes refuge in his imagination and soon finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. While his family falls apart around him, David is violently propelled into a world that is a strange reflection of his own — populated by heroes and monsters and ruled by a faded king who keeps his secrets in a mysterious book, The Book of Lost Things.

Taking readers on a vivid journey through the loss of innocence into adulthood and beyond, New York Times bestselling author John Connolly tells a dark and compelling tale that reminds us of the enduring power of stories in our lives.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: June 14th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

Another week is over and it’s time for another edition of The Sunday Post! It was a quiet week, but sometimes that is just what I need, haha. It’s also been a warm (read: HOT) week, temperature-wise, and that just sends my mood skyrocketing!

So why don’t we jump right in 😁

Week in Review

My work week was pretty hectic due to some drama surrounding one of the tests we run. Suffice it to say, there was a lot of hastily called meetings and quickly crafted emails and I was ready for a day off. Unfortunately, my day off consisted of me spending my day with a tiny camera traveling through my guts so my doctor can try and pinpoint why I’m constantly anemic. The best part of my day off was when I could finally eat solid food again 😂

A highlight of the week was attending our youngest’s school choir concert! It was super cute and the choir actually sang a song the the choir I’m in sang at our Spring concert. It was a lot of fun watching our kiddo follow in our singing footsteps, haha. Other than that, this week was pretty quiet.

At this point, I’m just counting down the days til I go on vacation. I’m taking two weeks off at the beginning of July and my body is ready. Here’s hoping these last couple of weeks of week pre-vacay aren’t too terrible 😅

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop (Part Deux): Featured Books

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This Week’s Prompt

How do you decide which books to highlight on your blog?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: June 12th, 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!

It’s another First Lines Friday and, this time, I’ve picked a book club book that I’m pretty excited about reading! It’s a mystery that has a full cast audiobook and, full disclouser, I’ve already started reading this.

The first line certainly grabbed my attention, so let’s see if it can do the same for you!

The Line(s):

“07:01. Someone will die here this morning at this suburban train station.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Weird Place To Read

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This Week’s Prompt

What’s the quirkiest or most unexpected place you’ve ever read a book, and why?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: June 10th, 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 Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman: I’m pushing myself back into my physical reads, so I finally picked this one back up! There is so much going on yet I don’t find myself confused. I find myself enthralled! This floor is intense and the stakes feel higher for some reason and I’m loving it. I do love a quickly patched together Carl Plan™️ and we’re getting plenty of them in this book 😂.
The Secret World of Briar Rose by Cindy Pham: I picked up my e-ARC of this and it’s going… fine? I’m not vibing with the plot just yet, but I think our two main characters have a lot of potential. I am only 5% in, so I can’t truly judge yet. I’m hoping as I get further in and the plot really kicks in, I’ll start loving it more!
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt: I’ve had so many people in my life tell me I needed to read this book. My Libby hold came in, so I decided, why not? I’m really enjoying the audiobook (the narrators are doing a great job!) but there’s something about this book that is getting on my last nerve. And that something is Cameron 😒 Am I meant to like this giant man-baby?? Cause right now I kind of want to toss him into a dumpster. I’m hoping we’re working towards character growth but we’re 65% in and I’m losing hope.

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Books With Handwriting On The Cover

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Hello, reader!

Top Ten Tuesday has arrived and, this week, it’s all about the writing. Not in the books, mind you. No, we’re looking for handwriting on the cover! I have to admit, I love a title that looks handwritten, especially if it complements the cover. That being said, I’m not sure if there’s a lot of books that I have personally read and would recommend that fit this criteria. So this list might end up a list of books I’ve read and want to read, but I’m loving the topic!

Books With Handwriting on the Cover (Read)

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
Slay by Brittney Morris (admittedly more spray-painty, but that’s done by hand!)
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (see my Slay comment 😂)

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: June 8th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

It’s the start of the week again and it’s time for Goodreads Monday! Not gonna lie, I’m feeling a little meh today because I’m having a procedure done tomorrow that required me to have a liquid diet all day today 🫠 So I’m just gonna jump right into it!

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
American Psycho

Author:
Bret Easton Ellis

Publisher:
Vintage Contemporaries

Publication Date:
March 6th, 1991

Pages:
399

Genre:
Thriller/Horror

Synopsis:
Patrick Bateman is twenty-six and works on Wall Street. He is handsome, sophisticated, charming and intelligent. He is also a psychopath. Taking us to head-on collision with America’s greatest dream—and its worst nightmare—American Psycho is a bleak, bitter, black comedy about a world we all recognize but do not wish to confront.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: June 7th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

The end of the weekend is here and that means it’s time for The Sunday Post! Time to wrap up my past week and my past blog posts. It wasn’t an eventful week, but it was a good one!

Why don’t we jump right in.

Week in Review

Work was work this past week, haha. I did mix it up a bit by working late shift both Monday and Tuesday. Not gonna lie, I kind of liked it. There’s less people there, I can focus on my own section, and I was busy so the time flew by! I also got to work from home on Friday, which was nice. Sitting in Teams meetings is a lot more enjoyable when you have a cat on your lap 😂

Other than that, I got to have lunch with some of the ladies from my choir. That was absolutely lovely! It was nice to sit and chat while we’re on our summer break from choir. The weather was also perfect to sit out on the host’s porch and watch the birds while we chatted. All in all, it was a lovely lunch.

This weekend was mostly dedicated to chores. We mowed the lawn and did some general cleaning up yesterday. And today we finally got some grocery shopping done! I dislike doing chores, but I do love the feeling I get when their done. I also got to listen to an audiobook while I was mowing and I am loving my current audiobook, so it made the whole thing a lot more bearable, haha.

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book reviews

Book Review: The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni

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Title: The Puzzle Master
Series: Puzzle #1
Author: Danielle Trussoni
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Age Group: Adult
Format: Audiobook
Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, death, gore, gun violence, medical trauma, suicide, suicidal ideation
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph

All the world is a puzzle, and Mike Brink—a celebrated and ingenious puzzle constructor—understands its patterns like no one else. Once a promising Midwestern football star, Brink was transformed by a traumatic brain injury that caused a rare medical condition: acquired savant syndrome. The injury left him with a mental superpower—he can solve puzzles in ways ordinary people can’t. But it also left him deeply isolated, unable to fully connect with other people.

Everything changes after Brink meets Jess Price, a woman serving thirty years in prison for murder who hasn’t spoken a word since her arrest five years before. When Price draws a perplexing puzzle, her psychiatrist believes it will explain her crime and calls Brink to solve it. What begins as a desire to crack an alluring cipher quickly morphs into an obsession with Price herself. She soon reveals that there is something more urgent, and more dangerous, behind her silence, thrusting Brink into a hunt for the truth.

The quest takes Brink through a series of interlocking enigmas, but the heart of the mystery is the God Puzzle, a cryptic ancient prayer circle created by the thirteenth-century Jewish mystic Abraham Abulafia. As Brink navigates a maze of clues, and his emotional entanglement with Price becomes more intense, he realizes that there are powerful forces at work that he cannot escape.

Ranging from an upstate New York women’s prison to nineteenth-century Prague to the secret rooms of the Pierpont Morgan Library, The Puzzle Master is a tantalizing, addictive thriller in which humankind, technology, and the future of the universe itself are at stake.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: June 5th, 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!

It’s the end of the work week and I couldn’t be happier! I’m ready for a stress-free weekend, haha. I’m also excited for another First Lines Friday! The book I’m featuring this week is one I just started and is also a very recent release. I’m looking forward to continuing because I have pretty high hopes for this novel!

I think the first line did a great job of capturing my attention, but let’s see if you agree.

The Line(s):

“The last words Elly said before she disappeared were ‘I hate you.'”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

Continue reading →

wrap up

May 2026 Wrap Up

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Hello, reader!

Now that I’ve talked about what I’m going to be reading in June, I figured I should wrap up my reading in May! It was an interesting reading month in May… mostly because I could not seem to focus on any of my physical reads. My attention span for physical reads has been absolutely shot, lately. I’m hoping that goes away soon because I have a lot of physical books to read 😂

But back to May’s reads! Let’s jump right in.

May Reading Stats

In May 2026, I read 7 books for 2,383 pages. One book less than April, but right around my average per month! I’m not mad about it, especially since Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream stole quite a bit of my reading time last month, haha. The game is freakin’ addicting! Still, I’m happy I got a good amount of reading in despite being glued to my Switch.

Though fantasy is still up there, thriller/mystery claimed the top spot in May. They weren’t my favorite reads of the month, but they were the majority of my reading! Maybe I just read too many thrillers back-to-back and that’s why I wasn’t loving them as much? Who knows, but I know I definitely need a tiny break after I finish the current thriller I’m reading! My genre spread isn’t as varied this month, so maybe I’ll work on that in June.

Annnnd audiobooks have edged ahead of my physical reads! I think this is the first time I listened to more audiobooks than read physical books this year. Like I said, my physical reads were just not holding my attention in May, but audiobooks had their hooks in me! Even the audiobooks that had terrible narration! (Looking at you, Not Quite Dead Yet…) Though I’m loving my audio reads, I would like to bring this pie chart back to more of a 50/50.

The 5 star trend continues! That’s two months in a row where I had a 5 star read! My overall star rating, however, wasn’t as high as last month because my ratings were a little more spread out. Still, an overall rating of 3.79 stars is pretty great! I’ve noticed I tend to give out 4 star ratings quite liberally, but if a book entertains me and leaves me with good vibes, I feel like it deserves a 4! If it was fine, it gets around a 3. You have to really annoy me to get less than a 3 star from me quite honestly. So my ratings tend higher and I’m okay with that!

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monthly tbr

June 2026 TBR

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Hello, reader!

May has ended and summer is starting to show itself here in New England! June has rushed up on me because I cannot believe May is already over. Now that we’re in the first week of June, though, it’s time to let y’all know what I’m hoping to read this month. It is Pride Month, so I want to focus on LGBTQIA+ reads. Whether or not I will actually read them is truly up to my attention span this month, haha.

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

The Book Club Reads

AFB Book Club
- Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly
- I remember when this book came out and I was vaguely intrigued by it. I do love the idea of sparks flying on a cooking show! The fact that one of the main characters is trans definitely piqued my interest, as well. I’m feeling in the mood for romance, as well, so I’m excited to get into this!
Literally Dead Book Club
- Five by Ilona Bannister
- I had not heard of this book before it was picked as the June read for this club. Reading the synopsis, though, I find myself eager to pick this up! It sounds like it’s going to have an interesting writing style, breaking the fourth wall to try and get us, the readers, to decide which of our five main characters might be dead soon. I wanna see how the author pulls this off.
Weirdo Book Club
- The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez
- Again, I hadn’t heard of this book before it became a book club pick, but it certainly sounds intriguing! A dark, creepy woods? A young woman trying to save her mother? And maybe falling in love with the “monster” of the woods??? Sign me up!

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Can’t Believe I’ve Never Read

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Hello, reader!

We’ve arrived at another Top Ten Tuesday! This week’s theme is kind of guilting me because it’s all about books I can’t believe I haven’t read yet. Which, if my goals and projects are any hint, is quite the long list! I’ve narrowed it down to ten books that I am the most eager to read and, therefore, am the most surprised I haven’t picked up yet. What compels me to pick up certain books has never made sense, even to me 😂

Alright, let’s get to the list!

My Pile of Shame

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn
The Will of the Many by James Islington
The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: June 1st, 2026

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Hello, reader!

Happy Pride Month, y’all! And happy Goodreads Monday! My mind is a little boggled that it is already June. May was like a blink-and-you-miss-it kind of month… I am excited to celebrate Pride Month, though, so I thought I’d be a little more picky with this week’s Goodreads pick to kick it off right!

Let’s get to the book I choose.

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
When the Tides Held the Moon

Author:
Venessa Vida Kelley

Publisher:
Erewhon Books

Publication Date:
April 29th, 2025

Pages:
464

Genre:
Fantasy/Romance/Historical Fiction

Synopsis:
In Coney Island, true love rises to the surface. With lush illustrations and buoyant prose, Venessa Vida Kelley forges an unforgettable New York fairytale.

Benigno “Benny” Caldera knows an orphaned Boricua blacksmith in 1910s New York City can’t call himself an artist. But the ironwork tank he creates for famed Coney Island playground, Luna Park, astounds the eccentric sideshow proprietor who commissioned it. He invites Benny to join the show’s eclectic cast and share in their shocking secret: the tank will cage their newest exhibit, a live merman stolen from the salty banks of the East River.

More than a mythic marvel, Benny soon comes to know the merman Río as a kindred spirit, wise and more compassionate than any human he’s ever met. Despite their different worlds, what begins as a friendship of necessity deepens to love, leading Benny’s heart into uncharted waters where he can no longer ignore the agonizing truth of Río’s captivity—and his own.

Releasing Río could mean losing his found family, his new home, and his soulmate forever. Yet Benny’s courageous choice may just reveal a love strong enough to free them both.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: May 31st, 2026

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Hello, reader!

It’s another rainy Sunday in New England because that’s just what Spring is like here 😅😂 It’s also been a pretty chill Sunday because every other day this week has been busy! But that’s what we’ll be talking about in this edition of The Sunday Post! Time to let y’all know what I’ve been up to and what’s been going on around the blog.

Let’s jump in!

Week in Review

Well, work was a good mix of getting admin stuff done and working on the bench this past week. I find having that mixture helps me from going stir-crazy, haha. Doing too much of one or the other is freakin’ stifling. There will be more of the same this week because the summer vacations have begun! Which makes me realize we need to get everything nailed down for our summer vacation in July. Tomorrow is June… it’ll be here before we know it!

Other than work, I was actually social this past week! My husband and I went out to dinner with some of my work friends on Friday night and then went to karaoke with some choir friends. It was a busy day but a lot of fun! Dinner was at this delicious Thai place near where I work and it was nice to just hang out and chat. Then karaoke was a blast, as per usual, with some interesting characters and some great songs! I was definitely exhausted by the time we got home, though, haha.

Then, on Saturday, I went into the city to hang out with my best friend and have lunch with a mutual friend of ours. A great time was had at lunch. We were supposed to go to this Mexican restaurant but it was apparently closed, even though my best friend had made reservations… So we walked down the street and ate at an Irish pub instead. The food was delicious, so I was happy, haha. After lunch, we went back to the BF’s place and watched trashy reality TV til it was time for me to go home. It was a great Saturday! Top it off with the fact that the husband and I got to have a D&D session with our online group and I was a happy Kerri.

Today we were supposed to do stuff… but I was beat! I didn’t even want to get out of bed until 11 in the morning 🫠 So we ordered in some groceries and had a lazy day instead. It was much needed and now I feel like I’m ready to face the next work week!

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