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 day-before-Halloween! I took the day off simply because I have paid time off to burn before the end of the year and I felt like it, haha. I’ve spent the day relaxing, reading, and spending too much money at Petsmart, lol. Now it’s time to pick a book to feature for this week’s First Lines Friday! The one I’ve chosen is a library book that I picked up simply because I thought the cover was cool. I haven’t started it yet, so I’ll be discovering these first lines as I share them with you.
Now, let’s dive in!
The Line(s):
“‘The light is bright enough, white enough, to make you think of dying. Close your eyes, you still see it.”
Title: We Won’t All Survive Author: Kate Alice Marshall Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers Genre: Thriller Age Group: Young Adult Format: Audiobook Content/Trigger Warnings: Death, murder, mass shooting, forced confinement, blood, violence, emotional abuse, physical abuse Book Links:Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph
From the bestselling author of I Am Still Alive comes a new nail-biter that’s part survival story, part murder mystery, and all thriller—perfect for fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson!
Two years ago Mercy Gray was hailed as a hero for saving lives during a mall shooting. She still carries souvenirs from that incident: the fragment of a bullet lodged in her back, a mountain of medical debt, and guilt for ignoring her sister’s warnings that the sweet boy next door was anything but.
When billionaire-turned-TV-host Damien Dare recruits Mercy to compete on his new survivalist reality show, she can’t turn down a chance at the whopping cash prize that could send her sister to college—but when she and the other contestants arrive at the off-grid location, something isn’t right. The set is empty. The gates close without warning, trapping them inside. Then one of them turns up dead. What appeared at first to be a tragic accident quickly transforms as more contestants start dying. With time and resources running low, surviving this show takes on a new meaning.
Soooo, I 100% thought I had already done my reading wrap up for last month. Thought it was done and dusted. Until I searched for it on my blog and, lo and behold, it’s nowhere to be found! So time to share how my reading went in September… at the very end of October 😅😂
(I’m gonna blame perimenopause and keep it pushing)
Let’s dive in!
September Reading Stats
In September 2026, I read 13 books for 4,165 pages. Last month is tied with July for the most books read out of the year! I have to give credit to the Magical Readathon because that always makes me buckle down and focus. I think that is one of my higher page counts, as well, which is lovely! It is my favorite month of the year, so it feels good that I got to squeeze in a lot of my favorite hobby.
Heeeey, LGBTQIA+ was on top two months in a row! I’m not mad about it 😁 Horror and contemporary being tied with fantasy in second place is a bit of a surprise! Still, not mad about it! I do love the mixture here and how this chart never truly stays the same from month to month. I think that helps me from finding myself in a rut and, subsequently, a dreaded reading slump.
My format spread is much more equitable than last month, haha. The fact that even e-books, my least favorite format, has a pretty equal share of the pie is impressive! Especially after audiobooks dominated so much back in August. Print books only beat the other two formats by one book. We’re near the end of October and I can already tell you that won’t be the case this month 😅
My average star rating definitely took a hit in September, though. An average of 3.73 stars is, of course, not bad! I was just coming off a couple of months where my average rating was over4 stars. I got a little spoiled, haha. Still, I did have two 5 star reads, so that was certainly a win. And only one that was below 3 stars. All in all, not a bad reading month.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish back in June 2010. It is currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girland, 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!
Halloween is this Saturday, so this week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is a Halloween Freebie! I’m being pretty basic with mine because I want to share my top ten horror novels. This is an eclectic mix of horror novels that I’ve rated 5 stars and want everyone to read! Well, if you’re into horror at all. Some are scarier than others, but they are all the best at what they do, in my opinion of course!
Now let me share them with you.
Favorite Horror Novels
Bad Grains by Suzanne Schmidt Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones Deity by Matt Wesolowski Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury
Goodreads Monday/TBR Monday is a bookish meme hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Bloginvites 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!
We’ve arrived at the beginning of the week and that means it’s Goodreads Monday time! I’m currently sitting at 849 books on my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf. Now it’s time to randomly pick one to see if it gets to stay on my TBR or if it has to go.
Let’s dive in!
Random Goodreads Pick
Book: Felix Ever After
Author: Kacen Callender
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: May 5th, 2020
Pages: 368
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Fiction
Synopsis: From Stonewall and Lambda Award-winning author Kacen Callender comes a revelatory YA novel about a transgender teen grappling with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time.
Felix Love has never been in love—and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many—Black, queer, and transgender—to ever get his own happily-ever-after.
When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages—after publicly posting Felix’s deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned—Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn’t count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi–love triangle….
But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.
Felix Ever After is an honest and layered story about identity, falling in love, and recognizing the love you deserve.
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!
We have arrived at the end of the week and you know what that means? It’s time for another edition of The Sunday Post! I’m here to catch y’all up one what’s been going on here on the blog and in my actual life. I actually left the house this weekend, so I have stuff to talk about, lol!
That being said, let’s jump in.
Week in Review
The work week was honestly a blur. I was exhausted all week and I honestly don’t know why. I spent my one day off being a bit of slug and staying in bed as much as possible. I did have to get up to go vote, but that was the only thing that got me moving, haha. Ain’t no one I’m going to miss out on something so important. And early voting was available in our town, which made it easier to get in and get it done on my day off.
This weekend was full of activities! On Saturday, I took my youngest to check out our town’s Halloween parade. It was cute and he enjoyed it because he got free candy 😂 After that, we went and picked up my husband and we went out for breakfast and adventures! The adventures included checking out a new local indie bookstore on their “soft opening” day. It was an adorable little store and we will definitely be back! Then we headed to a local spot for a quick hike with our pup-pup. Some of the trees were looking especially lovely and it was a perfect day out.
Today started off nice and lazy. Had some coffee while doing a puzzle with my youngest. Then, the husband and I went to check out a community theater group that was putting on a production of Dracula. I do love a small, community theater moment and they absolutely killed it! Loved the stage production and all the actors did a fantastic job. Afterwards, we picked up the kiddo and went out for dinner. Now my “outside time” has been depleted for like the next month 😅 I am very much a homebody at heart, so leaving the house this much on purpose has me feeling like I need to hermit for a bit. Still, it was an incredibly fun weekend!
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 the creepiest book you’ve read that isn’t officially horror, but gave you chills?
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 First Lines Friday! I’m excited for a weekend where I’m not working, haha. And I actually have plans this weekend, which is lovely! Before we get to that, though, it’s time for me to share the first line of my featured book and see if it can hook my fellow readers. Today, I’ve picked a novel that I just started reading this afternoon. It’s certainly a fun ride, so far!
Now, let’s see if the first line does anything for you!
The Line(s):
“‘It was all Juniper O’Reilly’s fault, really, no matter who you asked.”
October is racing by in a blur, y’all, and I haven’t even told you about my library visit yet! My October visit was a bit of a rushed moment because all of October has been full of activities. A quick in and out moment, so my selections were a lot more about what caught my eye. Still, I always love a visit to the library, whether it’s a fast one or one where I get to linger. Now I’m here to share my selections with you!
Let’s jump in.
Last Month’s Stack
In September, I checked out five physical books, four audiobooks, and one e-book.
My physical picks were:
The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene
Heartstopper Vol 6 by Alice Oseman
Parenting at the Intersection by Jaya Ramesh and Priya Saaral
Spy X Family Vol 14 by Tatsuya Endo
Spy X Family Vol 15 by Tatsuya Endo
My audiobook picks were:
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie
The Secret World of Briar Rose by Cindy Pham
We Burned So Bright by T.J. Klune
My e-book pick was:
Tempest by Victoria Aveyard
My distribution of books was more varied in September. About an equal number of physical and audio reads and I even snuck in an e-book! Because it was the only edition available on Libby for Tempest, lol. Still, there were a lot of great reads in this selection. I didn’t finish a couple of the physical reads, but I still have them and will be shuffling them into my October reads.
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
We Won’t All Survive by Kate Alice Marshall: I’m being reminded, yet again, why I’m pulling away from YA thrillers. I have to keep telling myself that these characters’ frontal lobes aren’t fully formed and that’s why they are acting like completely idiots! There have been so many moments in this story where I’ve been left scratching my head, wondering why we had to choose the most difficult way to do things. I am intrigued about what is actually going on with this “competition” in this creepy ghost town. That’s the only reason I haven’t given up! We’ll see if the pay off is worth it.
The Trial of Magdalena Overmorrow by Caitríona Moran: I just started my e-ARC of this book today. The way it begins certainly caught my attention! I can’t really say much else about it as I’m only a few pages in. I do like the writing at the moment and I want to know how we get to the titular trial, so color me intrigued. I’m looking forward to reading more!
Parenting at the Intersections by Jaya Ramesh and Priya Saaral: I quite literally just picked this book up today. It’s a library read that I’ve had for awhile and finally got around to cracking open. So far, I’m not sure how on-board I’m going to be… the writing is leaving me feel a little cold. But I haven’t gotten to the meat of this non-fiction, yet, so I want to keep going and see if it gets better.
Title:Knight of the God King Author: Lauren Blackwood Publisher:Wednesday Books Genre: Fantasy Age Group: Young Adult Format: E-book Content/Trigger Warnings: Blood, gore, body horror, murder, physical abuse, forced marriage Book Links:Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph
A powerful knight and her handsome squire must stop the deadly schemes of a savior king in this romantic fantasy of dark deeds and court intrigue.
Calliope’s wish has always been to become a knight, an elite healer and protector who uses music to summon magic. Yet despite her exceptional skill, she’s stuck lifting up her talentless cousin, whose family begrudgingly took Cali in as a child. But when an opportunity to become the royal knight of the immortal God King arrives, Cali finally gets a chance at a fairytale life – until her cousin blackmails her.
Forced to bring her cousin to court so she won’t share Cali’s shameful past, Cali immediately snubs Beric, the alluring, handsome squire tending to her. Now she must contend with his ire, even while feeling helplessly drawn to him. If that wasn’t enough, her duty means accompanying the king into The Dark, a demonic entity that only the king’s magic is powerful enough to battle – a battle he has been waging for centuries. She must also keep the king’s secret under pain of death: that he’s not a god at all, and every royal knight’s magic that came before her was the only thing keeping him alive. It seems serving the God King isn’t a fairytale at all, and when people start dying around her, she and Beric realize that they have no choice but to take their fate – and that of an entire kingdom – into their own hands.
In Lauren Blackwood’s thrilling fantasy, Knight of the God King, a knight’s power and her squire’s love are the only things that can help her defeat a man playing at being a god.
Goodreads Monday/TBR Monday is a bookish meme hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Bloginvites 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!
The week has started and that means it’s time for another Goodreads Monday pick! I just went on a spree of adding anticipated 2027 releases onto my digital TBR, so my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf went from 820 books… to 852 books 😅 So let’s see if maybe I’ll trim it down by one after the randomizer tells me which book to judge.
Keep reading to see what I picked!
Random Goodreads Pick
Book: Gwen & Art Are Not in Love
Author: Lex Croucher
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: May 11th, 2023
Pages: 410
Genre: Romance/Historical Fiction
Synopsis: Heartstopper meets A Knight’s Tale in this queer medieval rom-com YA debut about love, friendship, and being brave enough to change the course of history.
It’s been hundreds of years since King Arthur’s reign. His descendant, Arthur, a future Lord and general gadabout, has been betrothed to Gwendoline, the quick-witted, short-tempered princess of England, since birth. The only thing they can agree on is that they despise each other.
They’re forced to spend the summer together at Camelot in the run-up to their nuptials, and within 24 hours, Gwen has discovered Arthur kissing a boy, and Arthur has gone digging for Gwen’s childhood diary and found confessions about her crush on the kingdom’s only lady knight, Bridget Leclair.
Realizing they might make better allies than enemies, Gwen and Art make a reluctant pact to cover for each other, and as things heat up at the annual royal tournament, Gwen is swept off her feet by her knight, and Arthur takes an interest in Gwen’s royal brother. Lex Croucher’s Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is chock full of sword-fighting, found family, and romantic shenanigans destined to make readers fall in love.
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!
My next edition of The Sunday Post is here! It was a generally quiet week, so this catch up will probably be quick. But let me tell you about what I’ve been getting up to both on the blog and out in the world.
Time to jump in!
Week in Review
We had our CAP inspection at work and we passed with flying colors 🥳 It feels so good to not have to worry about that anymore! A bunch of the supervisors went out to dinner after the inspection to celebrate. We went to a Brazilian steakhouse and it was delicious. The drinks were pretty great, too 😉 Now it feels like I can focus on other things at work that have kind of been on the backburner because of preparing for CAP. It feels good, ngl.
Other than work stuff, not much has been going on this week. My youngest had an extra tooth pulled and that was about it, haha. It was a quick procedure and he handled it very well! Now we have his weird, extra tooth in a little treasure chest.
Oh! I also ended up buying Dressmaker and I am obsessed. It’s so relaxing just sitting and designing dresses. It makes me want to take my own measurements and make some dresses I might like in the game! It has been eating into my reading time because all I want to do is make dresses, haha. Probably gonna get on it for a little bit after I’m done here… 👀 If you’re a fan of cozy games, I highly suggest checking it out!
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
If you designed a book-themed escape room, what puzzles would it include?
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!
It’s First Lines Friday time! I’ve spent the day lost in the haze of playing Dressmaker, but now it’s time to talk about books. The one I’m featuring today is a horror novel that I’ve been enjoying the past few days. It’s a classic of the genre and recently had a 40th anniversary edition released!
I was certainly intrigued from the beginning. Let’s see if the first line can intrigue you, as well!
The Line(s):
“‘The blaze of sun wrung pops of sweat from the old man’s brow, yet he cupped his hands around the glass of hot sweet tea as if to warm them.”
Today was a looooong day, y’all. We had our CAP inspection today at work and then a celebratory “It’s over!” dinner afterwards. I just got home and all I want to sleep 😴
But I’m letting a draining day kill my posting streak! So today, you’re getting a ramble-y bookish post about a random subject that I’ve been thinking about recently: reading retention.
One of those eternal book community talking points has been popping back up the past few days. I’ve seen posts where people are ragging on readers who read 100+ books in a year, saying that there’s no way they are retaining the content from all the books they read. And, as per usual, it makes me roll my eyes so hard.
First, please stop trying to police how much people read and how they consume said books. Just because some people can’t read 100+ books and remember the details from each one doesn’t mean that others can’t! And even if they aren’t reading deep reviews and can’t remember every single detail in all their reads, who cares? Does it harm anyone? Does it detract from others enjoyment of reading? I would hope not because how someone else enjoys reading shouldn’t affect your enjoyment of the hobby.
Second, who cares if they aren’t retaining all the details of every book they read? Why does it bother some people so much that they jump on social media to grump about it? Seems like a miserable way to live to me 😅 As if they’re reading to prove something, ya know? I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m doing this simply because I enjoy it!
Personally, I’m never really focused on the number of books I read a year. I always set a goal, but it’s not sweat off my back if I don’t reach it. I also don’t feel bad if I don’t retain all the plot details from every book I read in a year. I mean, I also have a terrible memory in general, so I try not to beat myself up about it 😂 What I remember the most is how I felt while reading a book.
And that’s honestly the most important thing to me. Because this is my favorite hobby not because I want to write an in-depth book report on everything I read. It’s my favorite hobby because of how it makes me feel.
But if in-depth book reports are what make someone else happy, more power to them! Just maybe don’t try to push your way of enjoying books on to other people.
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
Knight of the God King by Lauren Blackwood: I’m having such a good time with this book, y’all, but I have a confession. We’ve hit the third-act breakup and I wish to rage at our FMC! Her thought process on why she is upset just makes no sense to me, but I’m also not a teenager anymore. I have to remind myself that I was also quite irrational at that age. But she still almost made me rage-quit, lol. Thankfully, I’m too invested in the story and I have to see how it ends!
Something Followed Us Home edited by Cynthia Pelayo: I’ve read my favorite short story of the entire anthology so far (Luz Y Fer) and I fear it’s all downhill from here 😭 Okay, I’m being a tad dramatic… the stories after haven’t been my favorite, but they’re still enjoyable! The one I’m currently reading might end up being my least favorite and I think it’s still a solid 3 star. What I’m saying is that this short story anthology slaps, y’all.
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty: I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this novel beyond a possession story. I’ve never seen the movie but I know the gist of what’s going on, ya know? Still, I’m liking the direction this story is going in. It feels a lot more like a character study than the type of horror that just goes for scares. Chris, Regan’s mom, is an interesting character, so far, and I like how the dread is slowly ratcheting up. I’m having a good time, so far.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish back in June 2010. It is currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girland, 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’s Top Ten Tuesday time! This week’s topic is leaning into the season because it’s all about books with autumnal colors on the cover. I’ve picked ten of my favorite reads that steal their colors from fall leaves and pumpkins. So, ya know, a lot of orange 😂 The vibes are cozy, though the books themselves (save one) are definitely not. But they are all really great reads.
Let me show you what I’ve chosen!
Books With Autumnal Colors on the Cover
The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter The Martian by Andy Weir Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi
Goodreads Monday/TBR Monday is a bookish meme hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Bloginvites 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!
I hope everyone has had a lovely Monday. I’m here to make it even better with another Goodreads Monday 😉 I’ve got 821 books on my “Want to Read” shelf and it’s time to pick a random one to judge. Will I remember why I added the book to my TBR in the first place and keep it? Or will I decided it’s time for us to part ways and toss it?
Let’s find out!
Random Goodreads Pick
Book: Uncle Montague’s Tales of Terror
Author: Chris Priestley
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: September 7th, 2007
Pages: 238
Genre: Horror, Short Stories
Synopsis: Uncle Montague lives alone in a big house and his regular visits from his nephew give him the opportunity to relive some of the most frightening stories he knows. But as the stories unfold, a newer and more surprising narrative emerges, one that is perhaps the most frightening of all.
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 Sunday to you all! I hope everyone has had a good weekend. I’m feeling much more human this weekend, which I’m very thankful for! Now, it’s time for a new edition of The Sunday Post. It’s a little catch up on what I’ve been doing both here on the blog and in my daily life.
Let’s jump in!
Week in Review
I spent the first part of the week sick as hell, haha. I left work early on Monday, worked from home (as much as my body would allow…) on Tuesday, and was off on Wednesday. I did absolutely nothing on Wednesday beside sleep and read and I finally started to feel human again. This always happens once my youngest heads back to school… kids do love to share germs!
Work was fine once I started feeling better. It was a busy week because all the site labs were having their CAP inspection. Ours is this weekend and I’m ready for it to be over, haha. I know my section is good to go! Fingers crossed the inspector thinks so, as well.
Saturday was spent being a lazy reader again and clearing up the last of my illness. It felt good to bed rot a little bit, not gonna lie. Today, though, I actually left the house! My best friend and I went on a bittersweet adventure. Her mom passed back in May and requested we scatter her ashes in the ocean. We had all previously spent a couple days out at Hull, so we decided to scatter her ashes there. We spent the day exploring the area, stopping at the Lifesaving Museum, stopping into random restaurants and shops, and then finding the perfect place to put Mom. It was a lovely, if sad, day and I’m glad we got to do it together 💕
Now I’m chilling at home, watching people play Dressmaker (and kind of wanting to buy it…), and considering finally turning the heat on, haha. Here’s hoping the week to come is a good one!
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 run more than one blog? If so, how do you manage your time?
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, everyone! I’m so happy it’s the end of the week because it has been a long one. And I’m actually off this weekend so I get to just relax. Before we get to the weekend lazies, though, it’s time for another First Lines Friday! I’m featuring a YA fantasy, today, and one that I find myself having a wonderful time with, so far.
Title:The Secret World of Briar Rose Author: Cindy Pham Publisher:Kokila Genre: Fantasy Age Group: Young Adult Format: E-book/Audiobook Content/Trigger Warnings: Suicidal ideation, violence, death, blood, gore, war, child abuse Book Links:Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A lush and immersive queer “Sleeping Beauty” retelling about escapism, grief, and dreaming of a better world, as imagined by YouTube star Cindy Pham
The deluxe first edition features a classic fairytale-inspired embossed jacket, custom designed colored edges, gorgeous illustrated endpapers, and a gold foil-stamped case!
“The emotional depth of the characters adds many layers to the search for identity, overcoming grief, and finding belonging; the book shows how hope, love, and redemption can exist in this darkness.”—School Library Journal, starred review One hundred years have passed since the last heir of Gyldan fell into eternal slumber and doomed the once-mighty kingdom to poverty and invasion. At least, that’s what the fairy tales claim.
Corin is a jaded thief who doesn’t believe in fables, even when she searches Gyldan’s underground tunnels to find her younger sister, Elly, who ran away to find the sleeping princess in hopes of a better life. Corin’s conviction is challenged when she discovers the ruins of the ancient castle, maintained by beings from the kingdom’s golden age, who protect a hidden portal into Princess Amelia’s subconscious. Following Elly’s voice, Corin jumps in the portal and seals the entry behind her.
Inside the lush world of Amelia’s dreams, the sisters reunite for a new adventure as they meet Briar Rose, Amelia’s whimsical alter ego, and Malicine, a sharp-tongued demon with a gift for magic. But as they explore ice castles, sunflower mazes, and star-filled oceans, Corin suspects Briar Rose is hiding darker secrets behind her “perfect” paradise—and that there are some things her subconscious can’t bury forever.
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 Will of the Many by James Islington: After spending September focusing on my Magical Readathon reads, I’ve finally picked this one back up. You would think I don’t enjoy the book with as long as it is taking me to read, but that’s not the case! When I pick it up, I’m completely engrossed in the story. There is a lot going on, though, and I think that’s why I’m taking my time getting through it. Still, it’s thoroughly entertaining, so far.
Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie: The Poirot read-through is going strong! I just picked up the next in the Hercule Poirot series and I’m already intrigued. I’m probably operating of my high of figuring out the killer in the last book I read 😂 Either way, I’m having a good time with this story, so far. I’ve already picked who I think the killer might be but it was for an incredibly petty reason, so it probably won’t be him, haha. Got my eyes on you, though, Roddy…
Knight of the God King by Lauren Blackwood: This is a Netgalley read that I’m attempting to get read before the book actually comes out later this month. Ya know… as one is supposed to do with ARCs 😅 I’m literally only on the first chapter, so I have no real thoughts just yet. Still, I’ve enjoyed Lauren Blackwood’s books before and I was immediately pulled in by the synopsis. I’m hoping I love this one!
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish back in June 2010. It is currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girland, 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!
The second day of the week has arrived and that means we’ve got another Top Ten Tuesday on our hands! This week’s topic is all about the happy feels. I’ll be sharing tend books that conjure happy memories, The level and recentness of this memories will vary, but all the books mentioned make me remember a happy moment in my life. And thinking about that in of itself makes me happy… the fact that so many books are connected to the better memories in my head. I love books so much 💕
Alright, let’s jump in!
Books That Spark Happy Memories
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
In fourth grade, I had an incredible teacher who was a big proponent of reading. She recognized that I was a fairly advanced reader and, one day after school, pulled me aside to hand me a copy of All Creatures Great and Small. She knew I liked animals and had a feeling I would enjoy it. I devoured it and, subsequently, all the other books in the series. I’ll always remember that teacher and how happy she made me by really seeing me.
Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
I don’t remember how I found this fantasy series as a kid, but I do remember being obsessed with the books. These are the books that I credit with making me a reader when I was young. They were fun and adventurous and featured a princess that fought for herself. I adored them and have many fond memories of reading them over and over again.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and… that other guy
This is a more recent happy memory though not a more recent read. I read this book forever ago but didn’t know there was a TV series until the second season was already out, haha. I’m not a big TV watcher but I decided to give it go. This show became my entire personality for a hot minute! Watching it for the first (and second… and third…) time was such a joy. Then a certain man had to turn out to be a horrible person and now I can’t bring myself to watch the third “season”. But it will and this book will always hold a special place in my heart.
Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
This memory is a little bittersweet. My husband used to be in the Air Force and he was deployed to South Korea for a full year. That, of course, sucked, but while he was over there, he started reading The Expanse series. He told me about them during one of our many phone calls, so I decided to give the first book a read. I enjoyed it a ton and it made me feel closer to my husband while we couldn’t be physically close.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Around 2018-2019, I went through one of the worst reading slumps I have ever experienced. Like… I was reading maybe three books a year and that is very unusual for me. I was having a hard time finding stories that would hold my interest and I honestly wasn’t sure what to do. So I randomly decided to pick up The Name of the Wind because I had been hearing incredible things about it and fantasy has always been my go-to genre. It blew me away and reawakened my love of reading! So, even though I haven’t continued the series (and wonder if it will ever be finished…), this book will always spark the happy memory of rediscovering my love of reading.
Goodreads Monday/TBR Monday is a bookish meme hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Bloginvites 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!
Happy Goodreads Monday, everyone! It’s time for me to delve into my digital TBR and find a random book to judge, haha. I have 824 books from which to choose, so I’m using a random number generator to see who is on the (potential) chopping block. Will I keep the selection or will it get the boot?
Let’s jump in and find out!
Random Goodreads Pick
Book: The Lyra Novels
Author: Patricia C. Wrede
Publisher: Open Road Media
Publication Date: January 1st, 2012
Pages: 1603
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: Five fantasy novels by the author of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, set in a world of magic and noble adventure.
Shadow Magic
While Alkyra’s noblemen squabble, an ancient enemy, the Lithmern, raises an army. And as the head of the Noble House of Brenn attempts to organize an alliance, the princess Alethia celebrates her twentieth birthday. She is quick-witted, beautiful, and handy with a throwing knife. But on the next night, she passes through a dark corridor on her way to the banquet hall, and never emerges from the shadows. The Lithmern have kidnapped the princess. To find her way home, Alethia will have to learn to trust in the old tales, whose legends of magic and daring hold the only hope of saving her kingdom.
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 hope everyone has had a good weekend! Now, it’s time for another edition The Sunday Post! Another weekly catch up where I talk about life and the blog.
Let’s get into it!
Week in Review
Not gonna lie, y’all, I’m not feeling great 🫠 I’ve apparently contracted some kind of cold… stuffy nose, dry cough, and a little fever. Enough to feel like crap but not be completely knocked out. Fun! So I’m gonna keep this brief, haha.
Work was buuuusy last week. But that did mean that it went quickly! I had to work this weekend, as well, which was great while feeling gross. Friday was especially long because one of the instruments in the section I was working decided to break and it threw everything behind. But it’s a new week and will, hopefully, be better.
Outside of work, I was a boring little hermit, lol. I spent my day off cleaning house and trying my best to not interact with people. Mission successful! And that was the most I did this week, heh. I really just wasn’t feeling interacting this past week beyond work and family. Now, beyond the germs, I’m feeling much better! Sometimes, you just need to hermit out for a little bit.
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!
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!
It’s time for another First Lines Friday! I hope everyone has had an enjoyable week as we welcome a new month. The book I’ll be featuring this week is one I picked up recently that I’ve been loving. It pulled me in rather quickly and I just know it’s gonna hurt at the end.
Let’s jump in!
The Line(s):
“‘Don switched off the television. He’d spent the morning in the garden, those pesky weeds returning with a vengeance. All that spring rain, he thought. And for what?”
My favorite month is over (boooo) but my second favorite month is just beginning (yaaay)! It’s the first day of October, we’re settling into Fall, and it’s, officially, spooky season! I do love this time of year, when the air gets crisp and I can break out the hoodies again. This is the perfect time to delve into my darker, creepier reads, so I’m leaning into that as I pick the books I hope to read this month.
Now let me share my October TBR!
The Book Club Reads
Version 1.0.0
Always Fully Booked (AFB) Book Club
Nightshade by Autumn Woods
Funnily enough, this book just jumped on my radar during the Magical Readathon last month because the host, G @ Book Roast, was reading it. It seemed like she had a good time with it so I was intrigued! But I have recently mentioned that dark romantasy novels haven’t been doing it for me. So… we’ll see how I feel about this one 😅
Literally Dead Book Club
Something Followed Us Home edited by Cynthia Pelayo
I’m excited about giving this short story anthology a try! Perhaps it will treat me as well as my last anthology did or, fingers crossed, even better. It’s a collection of horror shorts focusing on Latiné horror. I didn’t know it existed before it was picked for the book club, but it does look like something I could love. It certainly fits the vibes I’m looking for this month!
Weirdo Book Club
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
Ya know, I’ve never felt the urge to read the source material for The Exorcist movie. Probably because I’ve never seenThe Exorcist movie, haha. However, this is a classic of the horror genre, it’s October, and it’s on Kindle Unlimited. So why not?
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 Gathering Dark edited by Tori Bovalino: Y’all, this short story anthology is going very well! I haven’t read a story that I’ve rated less than a 3 star which is a big deal for me. Usually there are at least a few stories in an anthology when I’m this deep in that I actively disliked. Let’s hope this trend holds!
The Secret World of Briar Rose by Cindy Pham: I was having a hard time focusing on the e-ARC I had of this book, so I decided to try giving the audiobook a try. My hold on Libby finally came in so I jumped to where I stopped to give it a go. I’m happy to report that this seems to be doing the trick! I’m much more engaged in the story! Of course, it might be because a lot started happening, as well. I’m finally excited to continue and that makes me happy.
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol 2 by Beth Brower: Seems like a lot (if not all?) of this series is on Kindle Unlimited and I enjoyed the first one, so here we are! Also, for some reason, I don’t mind these short little books as e-books. It’s enjoyable getting a glimpse of Emma’s life through her journal and she has my exact kind of humor, haha. I’m having a great time so far.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish back in June 2010. It is currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girland, 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 today’s Top Ten Tuesday, we have a Fall Freebie! There’s so many ways I could have gone with this, but one of my favorite parts of Fall is that it’s officially spooky season. So I figured I would feature my top ten books with spooky covers. I loved all the books I’ll be sharing and it’s just a bonus that they have especially creepy covers.
That being said, let’s jump in!
Spooky Covers
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes Deity by Matt Wesolowski Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Goodreads Monday/TBR Monday is a bookish meme hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Bloginvites 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!
I’m back with another Goodreads Monday! I’m going to randomly pick a book from my rather extensive (824 books) Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf and decide whether it gets to remain or gets the boot. I feel like I’ve had a good run of pulling books that I’m still excited for, but we’ll see what happens today!
Now let’s see what I get.
Random Goodreads Pick
Book: Don’t Fear the Reaper
Author: Stephen Graham Jones
Publisher: S&S/Saga Press
Publication Date: February 7th, 2023
Pages: 457
Genre: Horror
Synopsis: Jade returns to the rural lake town of Proofrock the same day as convicted Indigenous serial killer Dark Mill South escapes into town to complete his revenge killings, in this riveting sequel to My Heart Is a Chainsaw from New York Times bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones.
Four years after her tumultuous senior year, Jade Daniels is released from prison right before Christmas when her conviction is overturned. But life beyond bars takes a dangerous turn as soon as she returns to Proofrock. Convicted Serial Killer, Dark Mill South, seeking revenge for thirty-eight Dakota men hanged in 1862, escapes from his prison transfer due to a blizzard, just outside of Proofrock, Idaho.
Dark Mill South’s Reunion Tour began on December 12th, 2019, a Thursday.
Thirty-six hours and twenty bodies later, on Friday the 13th, it would be over.
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!
It’s been a rainy, windy weekend, but now it’s time for another edition of The Sunday Post! It was a bit of blah week though it was certainly a busy week. Plenty to share to catch up on what I was up to in life and what I was up to on the blog.
So, let’s dive in!
Week in Review
My work week started off with my co-worker and I going to a conference! It was the annual NACMID conference that was both Monday and Tuesday. I had a great time listening to talks about mycology and molecular diagnostics and the future of clinical microbiology. They had a ton of wonderful speakers and the vendors had a lot of great pens 😂 I always restock my pen collection for work at these conferences. The rest of week was just a normal work week, though I did start feeling poorly around Thursday evening.
Which leads to why we did nothing this weekend. I left work early on Friday because I was feeling bleh. Sore throat, small cough, and just exhausted. We were meant to go visit my eldest for Family Weekend at UConn on Saturday, but I felt gross and the weather here was even more gross. I didn’t feel like driving while also wishing I was unconscious 😅 So I slept pretty much all day Saturday, which was much needed.
Today, I feel a little better. Good enough to go out into the gross weather and go grocery shopping with the family. It needed to happen and I needed to get some fresh air. I was feeling funky, y’all, haha. Grocery shopping went well, but I climbed back in bed and slept until… now because I was run down. So maybe still recovering a little, heh. At least the sore throat is gone! Thrilling week, I know.
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 the best investment you’ve made for your blog?
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 First Lines Friday! We’re preparing for a nor’easter here in Massachusetts, so the family and I are going to be hunkering down this weekend. But, for now, it’s time to feature a new book and it’s first line to see if it can capture our interest. The book I’ve picked today is something I’ll be reading soon, but I haven’t cracked the cover just yet. It’s a genre-blender and I’m excited to give it a read.
Today felt like a good day to do a book tag. I ran across The New Releases Book Tag awhile ago and it has taken me this long to actually do it. I am nothing if not a procrastinator 😅 But I’m here now and I’m excited to participate!
The Rules Thank the person who nominated you (I wasn’t nominated but I saw this over at Janette @ Wicked Witch’s Blog and decided to join the fun!) Answer all the questions down below Pingback to the creator: Ellyn @ Allonsythornraxx Nominate 5+ bloggers you’d like to know more about, to do this tag (I’m just nominating anyone who might want to do it, haha)
A New Release that you’ve already read
The Tapestry of Fate by Shannon Chakraborty was one of my most anticipated releases of 2026. I had a notification set for when the audiobook became available at my library. I was one of the first people to place a hold… and I just got to read it in September 😅😂 The read was well worth the wait, though. Absolutely stunning sequel and it had me jaw on the floor at the end! I cannot wait for the next installment.
A New Release that’s already come out but you haven’t read yet
Taipei Story by R.F. Kuang is another one of my most anticipated releases and it just came out at the beginning of September! I still haven’t picked it up yet, though I did get some money for my birthday that was specifically for books! It’ll probably go directly to this one. I love R.F. Kuang as an author and I’ve read almost all of her books. But I do drag my feet a little on the more literary fiction reads. Still, I’m eager to give this a read.
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
Tempest by Victoria Aveyard: This is the September pick for the Weirdo Book Club and I am of two minds. On one hand, I’m enjoying the setting because I love books set on or near the ocean. I’m a sucker for pirates, as well! On the other hand… I am boooored. The author went with dual timelines and each chapter alternates between “Before” and “After”. And I think that’s what contributing to my boredom. Whenever a chapter starts to get to something interesting, we move on to a new chapter/different timeline and the momentum just dies. I’m enjoying it, for the most part, but I wish it didn’t feel so choppy.
The Gathering Dark edited by Tori Bovalino: I started this YA horror anthology because it’s on my Magical Readathon TBR and, so far, I’m having a good time. I’ve only finished two stories, but I’ve enjoyed them both! That’s a strong start for a short story collection when it comes to me. I don’t usually have a good track record with them, heh. Here’s hoping the stories stay strong!
Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie: Look at me reading two short story collections at once! I kind of love these Poirot shorts because we get to the unraveling of the mystery so much quicker. Also, so far, all these stories are featuring Captain Hastings, that adorable idiot. He’s legit my favorite character in all the Poirot novels, haha. I was immediately met with a bunch of racial slurs, however, so… there’s that 😅 I do try to give grace because of the time she was writing these novels… but damn, Agatha, did we have to say it so many times?!
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish back in June 2010. It is currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girland, 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’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday! We’ve arrived into a new season and my second favorite one of the year: Autumn! Now, I’m not typically one to make a seasonal TBR because I am far too much of a mood reader. But this week’s topic is all about books we plan to read in Fall, so I cobbled together a list of possibilities. The reasons these books made the list run the gambit from being books in series I want to continue, dark academia books, and Netgalley reads I’m excited to get to. Either way, I hope I do read them all this Autumn and have a great time with them!
Alright, now let’s get to the list.
My Fall 2026 TBR
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman The God of the Woods by Liz Moore Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo
I’m doing something a little different for today’s post. I’m away from home for a work conference and I left my laptop at home, so I don’t access to my usual resources to do my Goodreads Monday! So I decided to get chatty with y’all and talk about a topic that has been on my mind lately: romantasy versus fantasy romance.
Now, why is this topic on my mind? Because I have been trying to find a romantasy that I enjoy and it… has not gone well, haha. But I know I enjoy a fantasy that has a romance in it! So why can’t I get into romantasy novels?
At first I thought it was perhaps because I’m not a big romance reader. I only really started reading the genre regularly in the past couple of years. Before that, I shame-facedly will admit, I was of the mind that romance wasn’t worth reading. Yes, I was an idiot 🙂↕️ But I have since read quite a few romances that I loved!
I have noticed a similarity in the romances that I like, though. They tend to be fun! Even if there are more serious topics tackled, the ones I’ve loved have had an overall light-hearted vibe. And I think therein lies my issue with romantasy. Most of the ones I have tried have been on the darker side with high stakes and “enemy” to lovers vibes.
Still, I have enjoyed high stakes fantasy novels that have a romance. I think that is because the romance isn’t the main focus of the novel. I can handle it when the world-building and plot are more central and not the kissing. I find the tension feels a little more real in a fantasy romance, too.
Now, I’m not saying I’m going to give up on romantasy. I’ve learned my lesson from romance… I have a feeling I can find something in this newer genre that will appeal to me, as well! Any suggestions would 100% be appreciated 😁
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 Sunday, everyone! It’s time for another weekly wrap up all about life and the blog in this week’s edition of The Sunday Post. Time to share what I’ve been up to and the blog posts I managed to get out this past week.
Let’s jump in!
Week in Review
This past week was my birthday week! That being said, it was much less eventful than the previous one 😅 I usually take time off around my birthday, but there were a lot of people absent from work this past week, so it wasn’t possible. But my day was still pretty nice because my co-workers got me cake and ice cream! And the other microbiology supervisor got me some champagne and a gift card to buy books! So it was a good day.
We also had our first rehearsal for our choir’s new season! That’s always a busy time because I’m on the board, so I have to help with registration and getting everything set for the first day. But I always love seeing everyone at practice and getting to hear the music come together as we learn. I’m so glad that I joined! It’s been a great outlet in my life.
We had to wait for the weekend to celebrate as a family because this past week was busy with appointments. My youngest made me a cake on Saturday all by himself! It was very sweet of him and it tasted delicious. It was my favorite kind of cake, too: yellow cake with a chocolate frosting. My youngest also made me the sweetest card which made me cry happy tears, haha. My other bday presents are still on the way, though having a weekend to just chill and read was a present in and of itself.
Now we’re gearing up for next week. Hopefully it’ll be a good one.
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
If you could recommend one overlooked book, what would it be and why?
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!
It’s the end of the week. I don’t have to work this weekend. And it’s First Lines Friday time! I’m feeling good, haha. This week, I’m featuring a book I finished recently. It wasn’t my favorite book from this author, but I had a good time with it and I love the cover. That’s really the reason I chose it for today because this book has high “cover buy” potential.
The first line certainly caught my attention. Now let’s see if it can catch yours!
The Line(s):
“‘The guillotine blade glinted, lodged halfway through her shoulder.”
It’s my birthday and I decided I would talk about one of my favorite places on my day. That’s why I’m doing my September post for my Library Love project today! My September visit was a lovely little hang out where I spent time just reading in the library and soaking in the vibes. So pretty perfect, ya know? I also got maybe too many books 😅😂 But we will get to that!
Now, let’s jump in.
Last Month’s Stack
In August, I checked out four physical books and six audiobooks.
My physical picks were:
The Library After Dark by Ande Pliego
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie
Read Dangerously by Azar Nafisi
Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie
My audiobook picks were:
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
Murder in the Mews by Agatha Christie
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas
The Tapestry of Fate by Shannon Chakraborty
A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett
Winging It With You by Chip Pons
I went wild with audiobooks on Libby in August, lol. And I finished all the ones I checked out! My physical books didn’t fair as well… I mean, I finished two of them and still have the other two. I’m planning on reading them, but the audiobooks have really been taking over lately. Still, I would like to read them before they must go back… wish me luck!
Today on the blog, I’m joining the The Write Reads blog tour for The Sun Casts No Shadow by Mark Richardson. This neo-noir is gritty in a way I didn’t quite enjoy, but I can see the appeal this twisty tale could have. It was certainly a quick read that I got through in a day and a half! Thank you to the team at The Write Reads and the author for sending me a copy of the book to try.
Alright, now let’s get to it!
Title: The Sun Casts No Shadow
Author: Mark Richardson
Publication date: June 25th, 2026
Genre: Dystopian Noir
Length: 180 pages
Age group: Adult
Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, death, misogyny, bullying, blood, drug use
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish back in June 2010. It is currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girland, 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!
We have a fun topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! This week, I get to share some authors that I’ve met, which is always a thrilling time! Now, I haven’t met a ton of authors, though I have been lucky enough to meet some of my faves. Leaving near a city like Boston certainly helps when it comes to opportunities to go to author events. Still, there are many more I would still love to meet! That’s why I’m splitting this up into two sections: five authors I have met and five authors I want to meet.
Let’s jump in!
Authors I Have Met
Leigh Bardugo Jordan Ifueko Erin Morgenstern Margaret Owen Angie Thomas
Goodreads Monday/TBR Monday is a bookish meme hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Bloginvites 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 Monday, y’all! The start of another week and famously least favorite day of the week for a lot of people. But at least we have Goodreads Monday to get us through 😉Time to randomly pick a book from my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf and see if I want to keep it around. I’m currently sitting at 825 books on there, which is still so much, but less than it has been for awhile!
Now, let’s see which book I’ll be judging today.
Random Goodreads Pick
Book: The Sun and the Void
Author: Gabriela Romero Lacruz
Publisher: Orbit
Publication Date: July 25th, 2023
Pages: 511
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: In a lush world inspired by the history and folklore of South America, a sweeping epic fantasy of colonialism, ancient magic, and two young women’s quest for belonging unfolds.
Reina is desperate.
Stuck living on the edges of society, her only salvation lies in an invitation from a grandmother she’s never known. But the journey is dangerous, and prayer can’t always avert disaster.
Attacked by creatures that stalk the region, Reina is on the verge of death until her grandmother, a dark sorceress, intervenes. Now dependent on the Doña’s magic for her life, Reina will do anything to earn—and keep—her favor. Even the bidding of an ancient god who whispers to her at night.
Eva Kesare is unwanted.
Illegitimate and of mixed heritage, Eva is her family’s shame. She tries her best to be perfect and to hide her oddities. But Eva is hiding a secret: magic calls to her.
Eva knows she should fight the temptation. Magic is the sign of the dark god, and using it is punishable by death. Yet, it’s hard to deny power when it has always been denied to you. Eva is walking a dangerous path, one that gets stranger every day. And, in the end, she’ll become something she never imagined.
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!
It’s the end of the weekend and the end of the week. That means it’s time for a little life and blog catch-up in this edition of The Sunday Post! I feel like I’ve been going non-stop this week, so be prepared for some gabbing. All the running around certainly made the week go fast!
That being said, let’s dive in.
Week in Review
Work or, more accurately, people I work with were driving me crazy last week 😅 It was a lot of people asking questions that I had already answered, in detail, which always grates on my nerves. And it was just busy so I was already feeling a little frayed. There was a bonding moment among the supervisors as we were talking about hunting down the spotted lanternflies that we’ve discovered in the parking lot, lol. I was definitely ready for the weekend, though.
Saturday was a very busy day! The family and I went into Boston to see my husband’s favorite band, RUSH, in concert. It was my youngest’s first concert and he was so hyped! Before we went to the concert, we tracked down an art installation of wooden elephants that were in downtown Boston. They were lovely and kind of the perfect day for a wander. The weather was gorgeous!
We also met up with my best friend for dinner pre-concert to celebrate her birthday. We ate right across the street from the venue and were surrounded by other RUSH fans, haha. The food was delicious and it is always a great time hanging out with my bestie.
And then it was time for the concert! It was absolutely incredible. My husband introduced me to RUSH and, slowly, has turned me into a fan. The music is fantastic and the friendship between Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson is fun to watch as they perform together. Their new drummer, Anika Nilles, was fantastic! Neil Peart was a one-of-kind drummer, but she really held her own and blew me away. They had various tributes to Neil throughout the show, who died in 2020, which made me tear up a couple of times. You can just tell how much they all mean and meant to each other. Also, they played my favorite song, Freewill! All in all, it was an incredible night with family and music.
Today, I was a lump in the bed, lol. We didn’t get home til 1 am and I was dead to the world until almost noon today. I’m too old for all that! We did eventually dragged ourselves out of bed and made breakfast. Then I slept until I needed to take my oldest back to her dorm. The fact that it was raining all day certainly didn’t help the energy levels! Now I’m home, eating ice cream, and bracing myself for the upcoming work week. Here’s hoping it’s a good one 😊
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
How much do online reviews shape what you pick up next?
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!
The end of the work week is here! I’m particularly excited for the weekend because I’m heading to a concert with the family. It’s also almost my birthday week 🥳 For now, though, it’s time for another First Lines Friday! I’m featuring a book that I picked up on a whim because I saw it on Kindle Unlimited and a friend recently read and loved it. I figured, why not give it a go?
Now let’s see if the first few lines might draw you in.
The Line(s):
“‘I’ve arrived in London without incident.
There are few triumphs in my recent life, but I count this as one. My existence of the last three years has been nothing but incident.”
