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, lodge 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.”
Title:The Sunbearer Trials Series: The Sunbearer Duology #1 Author: Aiden Thomas Publisher:Feiwel & Friends Genre: Fantasy Age Group: Young Adult Format: Audiobook Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, blood, human sacrifice, child abuse, emotional abuse, body dysphoria Book Links:Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph
Welcome to The Sunbearer Trials, where teen semidioses compete in a series of challenges with the highest of stakes, in this electric new Mexican-inspired fantasy from Aiden Thomas, the New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys.
“Only the most powerful and honorable semidioses get chosen. I’m just a Jade. I’m not a real hero.”
As each new decade begins, the Sun’s power must be replenished so that Sol can keep traveling along the sky and keep the evil Obsidian gods at bay. Ten semidioses between the ages of thirteen and eighteen are selected by Sol himself as the most worthy to compete in The Sunbearer Trials. The winner carries light and life to all the temples of Reino del Sol, but the loser has the greatest honor of all—they will be sacrificed to Sol, their body used to fuel the Sun Stones that will protect the people of Reino del Sol for the next ten years.
Teo, a 17-year-old Jade semidiós and the trans son of Quetzal, goddess of birds, has never worried about the Trials…or rather, he’s only worried for others. His best friend Niya—daughter of Tierra, the god of earth—is one of the strongest heroes of their generation and is much too likely to be chosen this year. He also can’t help but worry (reluctantly, and under protest) for Aurelio, a powerful Gold semidiós and Teo’s friend-turned-rival who is a shoo-in for the Trials. Teo wouldn’t mind taking Aurelio down a notch or two, but a one-in-ten chance of death is a bit too close for Teo’s taste.
But then, for the first time in over a century, Sol chooses a semidiós who isn’t a Gold. In fact, he chooses two: Xio, the 13-year-old child of Mala Suerte, god of bad luck, and…Teo. Now they must compete in five mysterious trials, against opponents who are both more powerful and better trained, for fame, glory, and their own survival.
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
Read Dangerously by Azar Nafisi: I’ve found myself slowing down with my non-fiction read. It’s not a long book… I should, realistically, be done with it by now! Honestly, though, it is a tougher read than I first imagined. Mostly because it’s hitting on topics like the pandemic and the end of Trump’s first presidency with a tinge of hope that makes me sad because of… well… *gestures at the current state of affairs* It’s all a bit heavy. Still, I’m enjoying the author’s viewpoints and the topics she’s discussing are certainly worth the read. I just gotta be in the right headspace.
Make the Play by Lucky Hart: I’m so close to being done with this romance and, not gonna lie, I’m kind of ready for it to be over😅 This is a cute, strangers to friends to lovers romance that is genuinely a slow burn in the best of ways. But there is legit no reason that it needs to be over 400 pages! It is draaaaaagging. And now that Jason and Emerson are together and being wholesome and adorable… I’m kind of over it? How ridiculous am I 😂
The Library After Dark by Ande Pliego: I picked up the audiobook for this and that has been both a blessing and a curse. It’s a full cast audiobook which I am stoked about! Buuut… the woman that does the voice for what seems to be the main POV is getting on my nerves. She makes Aria sound like she’s about to break down in tears every five seconds. It’s… a lot. Add to the fact that Aria might actually be an idiot and I find myself getting frustrated with this thriller already. Still, I’m intrigued by this gothic library and the possibility of ghosts, so I’m going to stick with it.
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, y’all! I’m excited about this week’s topic because I get to talk about my favorite indie reads. Well… it’s technically an indie freebie, but that seemed like the perfect excuse to make the topic some of my favorite indie books/authors! I love exploring books that are published outside of the major publishers because you can truly find some gems.
That being said, let’s get to the list!
My Favorite Indie Reads
Miss Bennet’s Dragon by M. Verant The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies Bad Grains by Susanne Schmidt Glunda the Veg Witch by Keith W. Dickinson A Necromancer Called Gam Gam by Adam Holcombe
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!
Goodreads Monday has arrived! It’s Labor Day here in the States and, for once, I’m not working. I’m going to take the day to chill and read and, of course, take a peek at my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf. Let’s see if the random book that gets picked is one that gets to stick around on the TBR.
Time to see what book that will be!
Random Goodreads Pick
Book: Every Body Looking
Author: Candice Iloh
Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 22nd, 2020
Pages: 416
Genre: Contemporary/Coming-of-Age
Synopsis: “Ada” means first daughter, means oldest girl, means pressure. “Ada” means you are expected to do a lot of things because the honor of this family rests on your back.
When Ada leaves home for her freshman year at a Historically Black College, it’s the first time she’s ever been so far from her family—and the first time that she’s been able to make her own choices and to seek her place in this new world. As she stumbles deeper into the world of dance and explores her sexuality, she also begins to wrestle with her past—her mother’s struggle with addiction, her Nigerian father’s attempts to make a home for her. Ultimately, Ada discovers she needs to brush off the destiny others have chosen for her and claim full ownership of her body and her future.
Every Body Looking is a luminous and inspiring novel in verse about bearing the weight of others’ expectations and finding the courage to shape a life of one’s own.
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!
Sunday has rolled around and that means it’s time for The Sunday Post! This week went by in a flash and I’m surprised it’s already the end. At least it’s a long weekend so I get one more day to relax. Now, though, it’s time to talk about last week on the blog and in life.
Let’s jump in!
Week in Review
It was a fairly boring work week, though a busy one. Busy meant it went super fast and I appreciated that! We have a bunch of people going on leave in a couple of weeks so I’m trying to enjoy having a full staff for the next week 😅 We’ll see how it goes!
I had a day off on Thursday since I had to work Saturday. I spent it running a bunch of errands, but I also got to go to one of my favorite places: the library! I spent a couple hours there just browsing, reading, and hanging out. It was glorious. I’ll be updating y’all soon as to what I picked up.
Saturday was work but we also had another D&D session. It was a lot of fun, especially since my wizard was kicking ass last night! I rolled a nat 20 two times in a row! It doesn’t happen often; my rolls usually make me want to put my dice in jail 😒 It was a great session.
As for today, I didn’t feel like doing anything, so I spent the day being lazy and reading. It has been just what I needed. Perhaps I’ll do the same thing tomorrow, haha.
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 book do you think deserves more love but flies under the radar?
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! For today’s book, I thought I’d share with you another book I’m currently reading. It’s a non-fiction that I’m sure you’ve seen me mention a few times on the blog recently. I finally started reading it and I’m having a great time!
Now, let’s see if the first lines can grab your interest.
The Line(s):
“‘On October 8, 2016, I sat down and wrote a letter to my father, who had been dead for twelve years.”
It’s the best month ever, but that doesn’t mean we can leave August in the dust just yet. I still need to do my August Wrap Up after all! And I’m doing it before we’re halfway through the month! Please clap 😂 August was an odd reading month in that my focus for anything other than audiobooks was completely shot… but I still had a good time!
Before I keep rambling, let’s get to the wrap up!
August Reading Stats
In August 2026, I read 9 books for 3,451 pages. Definitely less than the past two months, but I’m still not mad at it! I think I burned myself out a teeny bit with how much I read in June and July, haha. I will say I also tackled thicker physical books in August (that I still haven’t finished…) so perhaps that contributed to my books read being a little less.
Kind of love that LGBTQIA+ lit is sitting pretty at the top of my genres for August! I’m also surprised that YA is number two because A) IT’S NOT A GENRE and B) I don’t read a ton of YA these days. Other than that, I feel like this mix is a bit of the usual. I like what I like, what can I say?
Remember last month when I was so happy that physical books made a comeback at got to 50% of the chart? How I wanted to keep that trend going? Yeeeeeaaaah… 😅 Audiobooks didn’t give any other format a chance in August at a whopping 78% of the books I read! I was just in a mood to consume all my books through my ears, apparently. And, hey, I loved the experience! We’ll try and give physical books more of a chance in September, heh.
Somehow I beat my average rating from last month! I had an average star rating of 4.33 stars in August! So clearly the audiobooks were working, haha. I had three 5 star reads! One of which was a re-read that I bumped up from 4.5 to 5 stars. That’s the most I’ve had in a month all year. So maybe I didn’t read as many books in August, but I certainly enjoyed then a hell of a lot!
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
What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher: Ever thought about going caving? Maybe don’t read this book because you will swiftly change your mind 😂 I’m learning that I am maybe claustrophobic (?) because the description of the tight spaces and being so deep underground have me genuinely shivering. Absolutely not, could NOT be me! Reading about other people dealing with horrors in the dark, however, is my idea of a good time. So you won’t be surprised that I am loving this book!
The Tapestry of Fate by Shannon Chakraborty: Oh it feels so good to be back in this world! I adored The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, so I was eager to read the sequel that came out earlier this year. I wanted to read it via audio again and, unfortunately, the wait at my library took ages. But it’s hear, and I’m reading, and it’s perfect 🥰 I am worried about these beloved characters, though, because the narrator has already promised that this is gonna be more on the dark side… This book is going to make me cry, isn’t it?
Happy September, everyone! This is my favorite month of the year for multiple reasons. Namely, it’s my birth month 🥳 But, also, this month contains one-half of my favorite readathon: the Orilium Autumn Equinox! This is the second half of the Magical Readathon and I always love participating.
But, before I talk more about new adventures, what is the Magical Readathon? It is the brain child of the marvelous G @ Book Roast, who created the world of Aeldia, where Orilium dwells, and every aspect therein. It’s an incredibly creative readathon where you build a character, choose a guild, and guide your character through classes to achieve their calling. I am notoriously bad at giving all the details in a coherent way, so you should definitely watch G’s announcement video for the scoop:
My Character
✨✨✨ Name: Korrin Musgrave ✨✨✨ ✨✨✨ Calling: Beast Master Master ✨✨✨ ✨✨✨ Guild: The Order of the Crescent Moon ✨✨✨ ✨✨✨ Current Guild Reputation Points: 805 gp✨✨✨ ✨✨✨ Conduit: Quarterstaff ✨✨✨ ✨✨✨ Legacy: Wolf familiar (Venandi) ✨✨✨ ✨✨✨ Background: Wildling ✨✨✨ ✨✨✨ Province: Irtheria ✨✨✨ ✨✨✨ Heritage: Earthling (earth element) ✨✨✨
If you want to learn more about these various choices, you can check out the Brief History of Aeldia on the Google drive. It’s awesome what G has dreamed up!
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 the beginning of the week and it’s time for another Goodreads Monday. That means I need to pick a random book from my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf and see if I want to keep it on my shelf. My amount of books has climbed a bit because I found myself browsing around Goodreads and… things happened 😂 So we’ll see if this random pick helps me bring the count down or not.
Let’s jump in!
Random Goodreads Pick
Book: A Clash of Carnivores
Author: Liselle Sambury
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: August 4th, 2026
Pages: 608
Genre: Horror/Fantasy
Synopsis: The thrilling sequel to A Mastery of Monsters, following the fiercely determined eighteen-year-old August Black as she infiltrates a secret society hiding the frightening reality that monsters are real, while unraveling the mystery behind her brother’s disappearance.
August risked everything to find her brother, joining a deadly secret society protecting the chilling truth that monsters are very, very real. She thought when she found him that she would leave the society behind.
Instead, she fought and bled to bond herself to a Monster for life.
Now, despite her efforts to stay unattached, her connection to her Monster partner, Virgil, continues to grow. She can’t stop replaying the memory of their forbidden kiss that Virgil wants to pretend never happened.
Their strained bond is put to the test as they prepare for the Monster’s Ball, a brutal tournament where pairs battle for the coveted title of Master. But despite the danger of the contest, August is consumed with finding her mom’s killer and getting revenge. Her vendetta leads to her accidentally form a rare second bond with Nolan, a Wild Monster who wants nothing to do with her. And if the three of them can’t work together, they’ll be kicked out of the tournament before it even begins.
But August can’t pull her focus away from revenge—even if it means becoming the worst sort of monster herself. She believes that vengeance will cure her grief, but it may just be the thing that breaks her bonds for good.
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!
The end of the week is upon us and that means it’s time for another edition of The Sunday Post! Time to share what I’ve been up to here on the blog and in life offline. I’ve been a bit busier than usual this past week, so more to talk about today!
That being said, let’s jump in!
Week in Review
Work was a blur last week, I’m not gonna lie. We had people out that lead to me having to work the bench a few days and I was going in early so I could pick my husband up from work. So I was tired and busy, haha. Still, it was a good work week because I got quite a bit done! I think working from home on Friday certainly helped with that.
Saturday, we brought our eldest back to her university to start her sophomore year 😭 I’m so proud of her work so far and I know she’s going to do wonderfully again this year! Still, I already miss her. Her new dorm situation is almost like an apartment set-up, which is nice. Her room has a living area which has a kitchen and a washer and dryer! I hope she has an amazing year.
Today, I spent my day in Boston with my bestie to check out a restaurant called the Union Oyster House. It’s a staple in Boston that has been around for years and yet neither of us had ever been there, haha. The food was delicious! After lunch, we headed to the Boston Market to stroll around. We ended up picking up some apple cider donuts and questionable mixed drinks 😂 Then we headed back to her place and watched some YouTube. It was a lovely day!
Now it’s back to the grind and getting the youngest ready for his first day of school. Then we’ll be back to our typical routine.
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!
Happy Friday, everyone! For this week’s First Lines Friday, I’m sharing another of my current reads. It’s a YA dark academia that feels like a spooky autumn evening. It’s definitely getting me ready for my second favorite season!
The first line certainly intrigued me, so let see if it works for you!
The Line(s):
“‘Thirteen thousand feet above sea level, you can drown in air like water.”
Title:Off the Reservation Series: The Only Good Indians #2 Author: Stephen Graham Jones Publisher:S&S/Saga Press Genre: Horror Age Group: Adult Format: E-book Content/Trigger Warnings: Body horror, blood, gore, child abuse, kidnapping, death of a child, substance abuse, transphobia, deadnaming, violence Book Links:Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph
A ragtag group of activists sets out to repatriate the bones of a Blackfeet boy taken to the infamous Carlisle Indian Industrial School in author Stephen Graham Jones’s return to the Blackfeet reservation of his award-winning New York Times bestsellers The Only Good Indians and The Buffalo Hunter Hunter.
Five years have passed since the massacre on the Blackfeet reservation in Stephen Graham Jones’s breakout bestseller The Only Good Indians. Nathan Yellow Tail, one of the survivors of the revenge murders, finds himself in the hospital after a terrible accident that should’ve killed him and that nearly killed his best friend, Sebby, who is hanging on to life in a room a few doors down.
Nate’s life is out of balance, so when he is given the chance to reset his life, and maybe save Sebby in the process, Nate steps up, again. This time it’s into a camper van that is almost as run down as his broken body, filled with three older Blackfeet, to find the bones of the lone Blackfeet boy who died at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School—where many Indigenous children were abused—and repatriate this boy home. The problem is, when they get the bones, something terrible has escaped with them.
By turns terrifying and deeply moving, Off the Reservation is a haunting American Indian novel of survival, reckoning, and redemption, shining light on the dark corners of this country’s history while also showing the desperate choices people make when they’re put up against a wall.
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
Off the Reservation by Stephen Graham Jones: Okay, completely disregard what I said in my last WWW Wednesday! We weren’t switching timelines, we were just getting into the mind of a character that I thought I already knew but Stephen Graham Jones had a surprise for me. Every time I sit to read this book, I get completely engrossed! Which is saying something for me because I’m not a fan of e-book reading. Mostly because I lost my Kindle and have to read ’em on my phone 😅 This is getting even more bizarre and twisted and I’m loving it!
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee: Audiobooks are making a comeback this month. This is evidence by the fact that I’ve been listening to this YA thriller that I’m only kind of enjoying over picking up the two physical novels that I have been loving. I’m intrigued by the mystery of this novel and I like the general witchiness of it, but literally every character is insufferable. And it’s delving into some topics that feel super tired in the year of our lord 2026. I can’t really hold that against the book, though, as it came out in 2021 and I just took forever to read it… so I’m trying to give it grace, haha.
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!
As a person who loves to (but doesn’t often get to) travel, today’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt was right up my alley! It’s all about bookish places I’ve been! Now, I haven’t been to a ton of bookish spots and there are a ton on my bucket list, so I thought I’d split this up. I’m going to share five places I’ve been and five places I want to go.
Bookish Places I’ve Visited
Bremen, Germany
My family used to live in Germany when I was a toddler. My brother and I loved German fairytales, like the Town Musicians of Bremen, so our parents took us to the actual town! Somewhere, there is a picture of tiny-me standing in front of the statue pictured above. Definitely one of my most cherished childhood memories.
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Massachusetts
This cemetery in Concord, Massachusetts is the final resting place of quite a few famous writers. The grave in the picture above is that of Ralph Waldo Emerson! Louise May Alcott is buried there, as well, but I couldn’t find her grave when my husband and I went to visit. Good excuse to go back!
This is my favorite indie bookstore near where we live. It’s located in Plainville, Massachusetts and it has a little more claim to fame than just being my fave. This bookstore is owned by the author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Jeff Kinney! He even has a workshop on the top floor and they offer tours every once in awhile. This was especially cool because my son is obsessed with that series 😂
Make Way For Ducklings Statue, Massachusetts
The setting of the classic children’s book, Make Way For Ducklings, is set at the Boston Public Gardens. So of course there is a lovely little statue dedicated to the book! My favorite thing about this art is that they routinely dress the duck and her ducklings in outfits to match seasons/occasions. It’s very cute and we make a point to stop by every time we’re in the Gardens.
The Boston Public Library, Massachusetts
I couldn’t make about a post about bookish places I’ve been and not include the Boston Public Library. To be honest, I’ve lived in the area for around seven years now and only just went inside the library last year! It’s just as gorgeous as I heard it would be. I definitely want to go back and poke around more!
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 back into my Goodreads “Want to Read” list to see what it has to offer. Let’s see if today’s choice gets to linger on the list or it gets the boot.
Random Goodreads Pick
Book: Forging Silver into Stars
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Publication Date: June 7th, 2022
Pages: 560
Genre: Fantasy/Romance
Synopsis: Forbidden magic. Secret romance. Dangerous alliances. Enter the world of New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer’s electrifying series.
When nineteen-year-old Tycho, the King’s Courier, arrives in the remote village of Briarlock, he hopes to escape the demands of his new life in the royal court, where magic reigns for the first time in ages. He doesn’t expect to fall for a handsome blacksmith with a bruised heart.
After years of cruelty in his father’s forge, Jax never dared to dream of a better life — until a magic-wielding young lord shows him an enticing alternative. But when rumors of a rebellion reach Briarlock, Jax wonders who he can trust — and if he’ll even survive.
Jax’s best friend, Callyn, doesn’t trust anyone — especially not a handsome stranger with magic, which killed her parents years ago. When another royal emissary arrives, seeing a co-conspirator, Callyn finds herself embroiled in a plot that could lead them all to ruin. . .
As tensions flare throughout the kingdom, it won’t be long before everyone must choose a side.
War is brewing. Passions are building. And magic may doom — or save — them 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!
I’m bringing you another edition of The Sunday Post today! Time to let you know what I got up to this week, both here and out in the world. I was actually social this week so I have more to talk about, haha.
That being said, let’s jump in!
Week in Review
Ahh what to say about this week at work. It was a lot. Mostly because the place where we get a lot of our supplies for our department is having a huge warehouse issue and it is trickling down to us, the buyers. Which is stressing me out 🫠 Ahh, the fun of being a supervisor… But it honestly wasn’t a bad work week besides all the supply issues. I feel like I got a lot done, which is always a great feeling.
Friday was my day off since I worked this weekend and I actually left the house! Please clap! I went over to a fellow choir member’s house to help put together the music for our upcoming season. There were a handful of us that showed up to help out and it was fun to chat and catch up with everyone! I’m looking forward to starting our new season soon in September.
This weekend was a work weekend, so pretty boring, lol. I did take the kids to do some back to school shopping today after work. Now I’m a little poorer and a lot more exhausted 😂 I like shopping with my kiddos, though, because they are hilarious, lol. And at least it’s done now! Now we just gotta get the oldest packed and ready to move back to the dorms this coming weekend. Summer really flew by, didn’t it?
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 follow book trends and bestsellers, or do you prefer hunting down lesser-known titles?
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!
I hope you’re all having a good end to your work week. It’s Friday and we all know what that means… it’s time for another First Lines Friday post! Today, I’m featuring one of my current reads. It was a random Libby pick that I find myself enjoying quite a bit! The premise is bonkers but, so far, it’s working for me, haha.
Now, let me share the first lines to see if it can pull you in!
The Line(s):
“‘I’m sorry, Asher… but I can’t go on this trip-‘
The last words I expected to hear coming out of my long-term boyfriend’s mouth at the airline ticket counter.”
August is swiftly coming to a close which is wild to me. This summer is flying by! Thankfully, I have had time to drop by my local library, so it’s time for another Library Love entry! My last library visit was absolutely perfect because I got to linger. No rushing because we had other errands to do. No monitoring the youngest since it was just me. I had nothing but time and a vague idea about what I wanted to read. I do love those types of library visits 🥰
Now, it’s time to jump in to the post!
Last Month’s Stack
In July, I checked out two physical books and two audiobooks.
My physical picks were:
Platform Decay by Marthe Wells
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
My audiobook picks were:
Leech by Hiron Ennes
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad
I didn’t go as wild at the library last month as I typically do. I feel like July was a month of nothing but rushing! I did manage to read one of my physical books and both audiobooks, though. I quite enjoyed the ones I read, as well. The only one I didn’t get to was Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers but I still have it so there’s a chance I’ll read it in August!
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: This continues to be a very compelling, if slow-going, read! And it’s only slow-going because I want to take my time with the world that James Islington is creating. It’s fascinating to me! I do feel like I need a whiteboard at times to keep track of everything 😂 Thank goodness for the appendices in the back! I’m having a great time with this but I feel like I need a day to just buckle down and get lost in the pages.
Off the Reservation by Stephen Graham Jones: This author knows how to write a scene that gets under your skin and makes you shiver! There’s already been a handful of those in this novel and I’m not even halfway through. I just hit a part that ended with quite the cliffhanger and we’ve jumped to a different time/perspective. I’m not gonna lie, it’s slowed me down a bit because I want to know what’s happening in the other timeline! Still, this a solid read so far.
Work For It by Talia Hibbert: Oooooooooooh my, Ms. Hibbert! Got me blushing in my car on the way to work every morning, lol. I love these two grouchy idiots (no offense meant, Griff) and the spice is spicing 🥵 The audiobook is top notch though the voice Olu’s narrator uses for Griff took some getting used to. And the tension! I do love a romance with some yearning and this has it in spades.
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!
Today’s Top Ten Tuesday post is really calling me out 😂 Not only on the fact that I’m in the middle of several series, but the fact that I’ve been failing dismally on my Series Takedown reading project. Since I already have ten books on that list, I decided to pick ten different series for this post. Because I’m in the middle of enough for me to be able to pick ten more 😅
Let’s dive in!
Series I Want to Catch Up On
Ninth House Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo The Sunbearer Duologyby Aiden Thomas Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman Green Creek series by T.J. Klune Sworn Soldier series by T. Kingfisher
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 work week has begun! That means it’s time for another Goodreads Monday. Time to pick a random book from my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf and decide whether or not I actually do want to read it. I’ve been on Goodreads since 2011, y’all… there’s quite a few books on there that I probably don’t even remember adding! I’m currently sitting at 828 books to choose from and it really could be anything.
Let’s see which one we get today!
Random Goodreads Pick
Book: Deep End
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: February 4th, 2025
Pages: 464
Genre: Romance
Synopsis: A competitive diver and an ace swimmer jump into forbidden waters in this steamy college romance from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis.
Scarlett Vandermeer is swimming upstream. A Junior at Stanford and a student-athlete who specializes in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and on recovering from the injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships—at least, that’s what she tells herself.
Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy, Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline. It’s how he wins gold medals and breaks records: complete focus, with every stroke. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes.
So they start an arrangement. And as the pressure leading to the Olympics heats up, so does their relationship. It was supposed to be just a temporary, mutually satisfying fling. But when staying away from Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett realizes that her heart might be treading into dangerous water…
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’ve reached the end of the week, which means I have another edition for you of The Sunday Post! Time to wrap up my week and what I’ve been up to on the blog.
Let’s dive in!
Week in Review
Not gonna lie, y’all, last week was pretty dull 😂 Work was work. I ended up only working four out of five days because I had a killer migraine on Friday morning. I could barely keep my eyes open and I was nauseous as hell. So I slept pretty much all day on Friday and have been taking it easy this weekend.
I did get into the kitchen yesterday morning. The kids were craving pancakes, so I obliged. I randomly Googled a recipe and the pancakes ended up coming out delicious! I also played some Minecraft with the youngest which ended when he decided to stab a witch and she murdered both of us… even though I told him not to! It was hilarious, haha. We also hung out and watched some random YouTube videos of Rhythm Heaven Groove. He’s trying to convince me to buy him the game and I’m beginning to be swayed!
Today was a lot of listening to my current audiobook, which is A Trade of Blood. Yes, I did just read the e-ARC at the end of July. But my library added the audiobook and I was the first person that got a chance to borrow it… so I did! Also, I love the narrator for this series (Andrew Fallaize) so I always pick up the audio as soon as I can after it’s released. This time it was just sooner than anticipated 😅😂 Still, I’m having a great time!
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
Is there a book you keep coming back to, reading it more than once?
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’ve spent most of this Friday in bed with a killer headache which was… not fun. But the haze is clearing and I’m feeling much more human! Now it’s time to share the first line of another novel that I’m hoping to read soon. The book I chose today is one I’ve been interested in since it came out. I’m hoping to pick it up soon because I think it’s something I could love.
Now, let’s see if the first line will get me even more excited!
The Line(s):
“Vera Wong Zhuzhu, age sixty, is a pig, but she really should have been born a rooster.”
We’ve gotten to mid-August, so I figured it was about time I did my July Wrap Up! July has to be one of my best reading months when it comes to star ratings because I was reading banger after banger. I also read the most books out of any month so far! It was a good, freakin’ time.
Now, let’s get into the wrap up!
July Reading Stats
In July 2026, I read 12 books for 4,152 pages and I had one DNF. That two months in a row with a DNF! It really gets easier and easier the more you do it 😂 The book deserved it, though, because it had the nerve to be boring and have a plot twist that pissed me off! One or the other, I’m not dealing with both.
Once again fantasy has come out on top! Are we at all surprised? It’s my favorite genre after all. I did read a lot more romance than usual, though. I did say I was in a romance mood and I leaned into it. Maybe that’s why I read so many books in July… I actually followed my mood for what I wanted to read! Still, I have a pretty good spread of genres from last month which makes me happy.
Ohhhh, we have an upset in the format section! Physical books were 50% of my reads in July. And audiobooks are at the lowest since the start of the year. I even read two e-books… that’s unheard of for me! This is the most I’ve diversified my reading, I think, but I’m kind of happy I read so many physical books. I’ve been neglecting them a bit because I’ve been so into audiobooks lately. Perhaps we can keep this going for the rest of the year.
My average star rating in July was a whooping 4.21! I told y’all I had the best reading month of the year (so far) in July! I read so many books that I thoroughly enjoyed and even came out of the month with another five star. I did unfortunately DNF Swept Away by Beth O’Leary because I could not get past the third act drama of it. Not to mention I was bored which is a feat when they are quite literally fighting for their lives out on the ocean. Still, at least it was balanced out by all the amazing books I got to read!
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!
We’ve arrived at the middle of the week and I want to talk about one of my most anticipated books of 2026. That’s why I’ve decided to do another installment of Can’t Wait Wednesday! As we work our way through August, I can’t help but wish it would move along. Why? Because September is not only my birth month but there are so many great books releasing that I want to read! So this seems like a good time to talk about at least one of them.
Let’s jump in!
Featured Title
Again, this book is releasing in the Best Month Ever™️and I’m so hyped for it! Here’s some hints as to what it might be:
This is the newest release from one of my favorite authors
It’s kind of a departure from this author’s usual genre
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!
I was so excited when I read the topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday. Why? Because it’s just so fun! This week, we’re taking a trip back in time and I’ll be sharing the ten books I was reading on August 11th for the past ten years! Or, at least, as close to August 11th as I can get, haha. Thank goodness I’ve been on Goodreads since 2011 because my memory is not that good 😅
It was fun looking at my past reads and now it’s time to share them with you!
My Past August Reads
2016: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (⭐⭐⭐) 2017: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (⭐⭐⭐⭐) 2018: The Road to Jonestown by Jeff Guinn (⭐⭐⭐⭐) 2019: Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson (⭐⭐⭐⭐) 2020: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (⭐⭐⭐⭐)
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 time for another Goodreads Monday! I’m still sitting at 829 books on my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf which isn’t bad. I usually add at least one or two books to my digital TBR a week 😂 Now it’s time to see what random book I’ll be judging. Will it get to stay on the TBR or will it get tossed?
Read further to find out!
Random Goodreads Pick
Book: Hamnet
Author: Maggie O’Farrell
Publisher: Tinder Press
Publication Date: March 31st, 2020
Pages: 372
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis: Drawing on Maggie O’Farrell’s long-term fascination with the little-known story behind Shakespeare’s most enigmatic play, Hamnet is a luminous portrait of a marriage, at its heart the loss of a beloved child.
Warwickshire in the 1580s. Agnes is a woman as feared as she is sought after for her unusual gifts. She settles with her husband in Henley street, Stratford, and has three children: a daughter, Susanna, and then twins, Hamnet and Judith. The boy, Hamnet, dies in 1596, aged eleven. Four years or so later, the husband writes a play called Hamlet.
Award-winning author Maggie O’Farrell’s new novel breathes full-blooded life into the story of a loss usually consigned to literary footnotes, and provides an unforgettable vindication of Agnes, a woman intriguingly absent from history.
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 has been a lazy Sunday here in the McBookNerd household, but now it’s time for another edition of The Sunday Post! I’m not feeling too great today, but I wanted to get on real quick to wrap up my past week on the blog and in real life. And then I’m going to lie back down with my book, haha.
Right, let’s get to it!
Week in Review
I had to work five full days at work because I wasn’t working a weekend and it felt so long 😂 Coming off of a weekend where I wasn’t feeling the best, the work week definitely dragged. I felt like I did a lot while simultaneously getting nothing done, ya know? Ugh… here’s hoping this up coming week is a bit more productive.
In more exciting news, my husband and I spent yesterday celebrating our 13th wedding anniversary! Our actual anniversary isn’t until tomorrow but going out on a Monday night is not feasible for this almost 44 year old. I need my sleep! Anyways, we took a dinner sunset cruise in the Boston harbor and it was absolutely magical. The food was delicious, the weather was perfect, and the views were just stunning. We spent most of our time on the top deck enjoying the sunset and the weather. And our waiter brought us a special anniversary dessert! It was the perfect night 💕
Today was less fun because I was not feeling great. It was nice to be able to rest, though, and I think I really needed it. Here’s hoping this next week 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 see yourself more as an editor, a writer, or just a reader?
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, everyone! I hope you all had a good work week and are ready for the weekend. I know I am because this work week was looooooong. Now, it’s time to lose myself in talking about one of my favorite things. The book I’m featuring today is one I started reading recently. I get the feeling this is one that a lot of you will recognize quickly because I feel like one of the few people who hasn’t read it 😅😂
The first line had me intrigued, so let’s see if it gets you, too!
The Line(s):
“I am dangling, and it is only my father’s blood-slicked grip around my wrist that stops me from falling.”
We are in the dog days of summer or at least it feels that way here in New England! It has been hot and muggy and sunny. I’m a summer girl, so I’ve been loving it 😁 I think it’s good reading weather, as well, since it encourages you to stay inside with the A/C and curl up with a book, haha. But to the point of this post! It’s a new month and, with that, comes a new monthly TBR! I have no solid reading plans for August, so this is gonna be a bit of a random mix.
Now let me share my August TBR!
The Book Club Reads
Always Fully Booked (AFB) Book Club
The Will of the Many by James Islington
That’s right, y’all. I’m finally going to be starting this series! This book has been all over the place the past couple of years and I was getting a severe case of FOMO because I hadn’t read it yet. Thank goodness for book clubs because it gave me just the nudge I needed to bump this up the TBR. So far, I’m having a great time with this!
Literally Dead Book Club
We Don’t Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry
I know absolutely nothing about this book, lol. I didn’t know it existed until it was picked for this book club! I’m honestly waffling about whether or not I’m going to participating in this read. I have a couple of big books I want to get through in August and this one might ended up getting skipped because of that. We’ll see.
Weirdo Book Club
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
We have another instance of a book club pushing me to read a book that is already on my TBR! In this case, this poor book has become a shelf veteran because I have owned it for ages and haven’t picked it up once. I was, obviously, intrigued by the premise of the novel enough to pick it up, so I’m looking forward to finally giving it a chance.
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: Y’all, I’m stalling out on this one 😣 I don’t know if it’s just because I’m reading the e-book and that is my least favorite format or if this one is going to end up not being for me. I’ve but the audiobook on hold at my library to see if maybe it’s just a format thing. It’s bothersome because I’ll find myself really loving a section and then my enthusiasm swiftly peters out. I’m hoping the audiobook will help me sink into it.
The Will of the Many by James Islington: I’ve only read the first chapter so far and I’m already hooked! There are so many juicy secrets I can sense lingering right under the surface. I’m excited to dig into the story and see if I can figure them out. I’m enjoying the writing style, the setting, and the main character. He seems very intriguing. I’m certainly excited to read more!
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas: This is my current audiobook read. I was looking at my 26 books in 26 list that I have been woefully neglecting because I couldn’t decide what my next audio read was going to be. This was the first one that was available in Libby and, so far, it is a hit! The world being built is so lush and vivid that I just want to luxuriate in the story. I’m loving the characters, too. I feel bad for neglecting this book for so long but I’m happy I’m finally giving it a chance.
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!
Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is a cover freebie! So, since we’ve entered August, the last full month of summer, I figured I’d make my favorite season the theme! I’ve picked some books that I’ve enjoyed that have covers that give me a summery vibe! It doesn’t necessarily mean that anything contained within the book is summery, but the cover makes me think about hot weather, lazy days in the sun, and vacations.
Now let me share what I’ve picked!
Books With Summery Covers
Heartstopper Vol 3 by Alice Oseman The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston Wildblood by Lauren Blackwood The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
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 weekend is over and it’s time for another Goodreads Monday! I’ve gotten down to 829 books on my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf which honestly surprised me! Am I, someone notorious for ignoring her TBR, actually picking books from it??? Look at me go 😂 Now I’m going to randomly choose a book that is still chilling on my digital TBR and decided whether or not it gets to stay.
Let’s see what we get!
Random Goodreads Pick
Book: Red Queen
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 10th, 2015
Pages: 388
Genre: Fantasy/Dystopia
Synopsis: This is a world divided by blood—red or silver.
The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.
That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.
Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.
But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance—Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.
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!
Well, we have arrived at the 8th month of the year. I honestly can’t believe it’s already August! Soon, the kiddos will be going back to school and we’ll be getting ready for Fall. Which is my second favorite season, so I’m not mad about it, haha. For now, though, it’s time for another edition of The Sunday Post!
Let’s dive on in.
Week in Review
This week was a pretty productive one at work, which felt nice! I got a lot of admin work done, though there’s still a lot to do for our upcoming inspection. We’re smack dab in the middle of summer vacations, though, so I’m finding myself on the bench more often than not at work. I don’t mind it too much because I love working the bench in microbiology!
Life outside of work was less fun this past week. I’ve been having some abdominal pain and I ended up making an appointment with urgent care on Friday. I feel like I’m falling apart y’all 😭 My 40s have been no joke! Anyways, I ended up needing a CT scan, then there was a fire alarm so we had to evacuate, so I ended up being there for six hours. All for them to say it was something they can’t really treat and to just take ibuprofen for the pain as needed. For… like… ever?! They did refer me to a specialist so hopefully they can help cause I’m not keen about just being in pain 24/7…
That being said, my weekend was pretty lackluster 😅 I slept a lot and read a lot and felt generally crummy because we had had plans for the weekend! Sigh… hopefully next week will be better.
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 had to stick to one genre forever, which would you choose 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 been an interesting Friday here, let me tell you! Pretty busy for a day off. Now I get to sit, relax, and do another First Lines Friday post. I’m featuring a book that I just started reading yesterday and I’m already loving it! It is part of one of my favorite series, though, so I’m not surprised I’m having a good time.
Now let’s see if the first line can pique your interest.
The Line(s):
“Space was okay to look at but not super fun when you were out in it.”
Kerri McBookNerd 