The Sunday Post: June 7th, 2026

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

Hello, reader!

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

Why don’t we jump right in.

Week in Review

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

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

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

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book reviews

Book Review: The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni

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

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

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

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

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

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: June 5th, 2026

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

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

The Line(s):

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

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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wrap up

May 2026 Wrap Up

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Hello, reader!

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

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

May Reading Stats

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

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

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

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

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monthly tbr

June 2026 TBR

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Hello, reader!

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

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

The Book Club Reads

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

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top ten tuesday

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

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

Hello, reader!

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

Alright, let’s get to the list!

My Pile of Shame

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

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: June 1st, 2026

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

Hello, reader!

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

Let’s get to the book I choose.

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
When the Tides Held the Moon

Author:
Venessa Vida Kelley

Publisher:
Erewhon Books

Publication Date:
April 29th, 2025

Pages:
464

Genre:
Fantasy/Romance/Historical Fiction

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

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

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

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

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: May 31st, 2026

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Hello, reader!

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

Let’s jump in!

Week in Review

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

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

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

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

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Must Read Books

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

This Week’s Prompt

Does the headline “Must-Read Books” grab your attention?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: May 29th, 2026

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

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

Hello, reader!

Happy First Lines Friday! The book I’ve decided to feature today is one I just picked up at the library. It’s one I’ve been eager to read for ages and I’m glad I had the chance to snag a copy. It’s a non-fiction about a topic I’ve always found fascinating, though tragic.

The first line will most definitely give it away, but it certainly has me ready to dive in!

The Line(s):

“The scientist had forgotten all about the radium.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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reading project

Project Library Love: May Visit

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Hello, reader!

May is almost over and I haven’t given y’all an update on my Library Love project yet! It’s been a busy month and I was only able to make it to the library this week. It was a lovely visit, though, because I didn’t have anywhere else to be so I could just linger. I love a good library linger.

Now, let me share with you what I picked up and how my library reading went last month!

Last Month’s Stack

In April, I checked out five physical books and two audiobooks.

My physical picks were:

One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad
The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan
Strange Buildings by Uketsu
Through Gates of Garnet and Gold by Seanan McGuire
When Trees Testify by Beronda L. Montgomery

My audiobook picks were:

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Sooooo, I didn’t do as well with reading all my library reads in April 😅 I read 2 of the physical books and both of the audiobooks. My physical reads have been suffering the more the year goes on, y’all, but I’m trying to get back into the groove! At least I enjoyed all the library books I did manage to actually read in April.

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: May 27th, 2026

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

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

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

Current Reads

Strange Buildings by Uketsu: I’m so glad I found these weird little books because I’m loving this newest addition! They are the perfect balance of creepy and mysterious. I’m enjoying trying to figure out what is going on with all these strange floorplans. I hope we get more from this author because I’m having a great time!
The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson: That’s right, everyone. I’m finally going to finish the first Mistborn trilogy! I’ve only been reading it for freakin’ years. My library hold for the audiobook came through recently and I’m determined to finally put this series to rest. I’ve loved ever other book I’ve read from Brandon Sanderson, so I have high hopes for this conclusion.
The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke: I’m trying to squeeze in the last book club read before May is over this weekend, haha. I just started this tonight, so wish me luck! As I’ve only read a page or two, I have no real feelings towards it either way. But I’m getting a good vibe so here’s hoping I enjoy this one.

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: My Favorite Books by My Favorite Authors

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Hello, reader!

We’ve arrived at another Top Ten Tuesday! I’m pretty hyped about this week’s topic because I get to share some of my favorite books from some of my favorite authors. It was honestly hard to pick a couple of these, I’m not gonna lie. I mean… these ten authors are my faves for a reason! I’ve loved pretty much everything they’ve written, so it was hard to pick just one from each.

I’ve made my decisions, though, and now it’s time to share!

My Favorite Books from My Favorite Authors

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: May 25th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

Happy Memorial Day to those of you here in the United States! Otherwise, happy Monday to you! It’s time for another Goodreads Monday post where I pick a random book from my Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ shelf and decide whether it gets to remain. My Goodreads TBR is ever-expanding, so I have plenty of options from which to choose, haha. Let’s see where the random number generator will take me today!

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
Kill Creek

Author:
Scott Thomas

Publisher:
Inkshares

Publication Date:
October 31st, 2017

Pages:
416

Genre:
Horror

Synopsis:
At the end of a dark prairie road, nearly forgotten in the Kansas countryside, is the Finch House. For years it has remained empty, overgrown, abandoned. Soon the door will be opened for the first time in decades. But something is waiting, lurking in the shadows, anxious to meet its new guests…

When best-selling horror author Sam McGarver is invited to spend Halloween night in one of the country’s most infamous haunted houses, he reluctantly agrees. At least he won’t be alone; joining him are three other masters of the macabre, writers who have helped shape modern horror. But what begins as a simple publicity stunt will become a fight for survival. The entity they have awakened will follow them, torment them, threatening to make them a part of the bloody legacy of Kill Creek.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: May 24th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

It’s a rainy Sunday here in New England for Memorial Day weekend. Which I’m not all that upset about because I had to work this weekend anyways 😂 It is making me super sleepy, though, and I’m fighting it! I do love a rainy day nap, but I have stuff I want to do. That includes writing up my edition of The Sunday Post.

So, before I give in to the call of the nap, let’s get to my weekly wrap up.

Week in Review

This has been a pretty chill week. Mostly just work, work, work, as per usual! But it was a much smoother work week, which made me happy. I’ve been able to get a lot of my admin work done, lately, and that makes me happy. I love working the bench, but I’m also responsible for a lot of paperwork stuff that can’t get done if I’m doing benchwork. It’s nice to get a long stretch of days to be able to tackle all of that!

I had Thursday off since I was working this weekend and I ended up spending the day mowing our yard and doing laundry. Exciting stuff, I know 😂 I do love a freshly mown lawn, though. The smell is one of my favorites! I also read quite a bit on Thursday while doing chores. Audiobooks coming in clutch, as always!

Other than that, I’ve really been a bit of hermit! I think I’m storing up social energy because this weekend coming up is promising to be packed with outings! I’m excited for all of them, but I know I’m gonna be exhausted once the weekend is done 😅

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Rising Prices

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This Week’s Prompt

What do you think about rising prices for hardcovers, paperbacks, and eBooks?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: May 22nd, 2026

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

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

Hello, reader!

We’ve arrived at another First Lines Friday! Today, I’ve picked a book that is next up on my to-be-read pile and I’m so excited to get to it! It’s the monthly pick for two of the book clubs I like to participate in and it is one of my most anticipated reads of 2026.

I’m already eager to dive in, but let’s see if the first line can hook me even more!

The Line(s):

“The author’s photo fills the screen”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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book reviews

Book Review: The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin

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Title: The Obelisk Gate
Series: The Broken Earth #2
Author: N.K. Jemisin
Publisher: Orbit
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Age Group: Adult
Format: Audiobook
Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, death, gore, child abuse, bigotry, child death, body horror
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph

The second novel in a new fantasy trilogy by Hugo, Nebula & World Fantasy Award nominated author N.K. Jemisin.

THIS IS THE WAY THE WORLD ENDS… FOR THE LAST TIME.

The season of endings grows darker as civilization fades into the long cold night. Alabaster Tenring — madman, world-crusher, savior — has returned with a mission: to train his successor, Essun, and thus seal the fate of the Stillness forever.

It continues with a lost daughter, found by the enemy.

It continues with the obelisks, and an ancient mystery converging on answers at last.

The Stillness is the wall which stands against the flow of tradition, the spark of hope long buried under the thickening ashfall. And it will not be broken.

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cant wait wednesday

Can’t Wait Wednesday: May 20th, 2026

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

Hello, reader!

Today felt like a good day to talk about a book I cannot wait to read. Why? Because it’s Can’t Wait Wednesday! I’m laying it on thick today because this book is probably my most anticipated read of 2026. And, perhaps, I recently got a sneaky little e-ARC of it that I’ll be diving into as soon as possible!

Let me share what I’m so eager to read.

Featured Title

Today’s featured book won’t be released until August, so I’m very thankful to Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC! I’m not sure if I could have waited that long to sink my teeth into this one. Here’s a few details before the big reveal:

This is the third book in a fantasy series with a heavy dose of mystery
It features two of my favorite characters in recent memory
The hardbacks are truly works of art

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

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Secondary/Minor Characters

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Hello, reader!

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic kind of threw me, I’m not gonna lie. Why? Because it asks about your favorite secondary or minor characters and I have a very bad habit of forgetting every character name ever after I finish a book 😅😂 Even if I gave the book five stars! So I decided to kind of fudge it and go with something I can definitely recall… my favorite found families. Found families contain secondary/minor characters and I don’t have to remember their names, haha!

(I should, I know, please forgive me…)

Let’s jump into it!

My Favorite Found Families

Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: May 18th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

It’s time for another Goodreads Monday! The weekend went way too fast, but the weather is making me happy, so I’m okay with having to go back to work already 😂 It’s amazing what warm, sunny weather can do for my mood. Now, though, it’s time to pick through my Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ shelf and find a book to put on the (potential) chopping block.

Let’s see what book we get this week!

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
The Lady of the Lake (The Witcher #5)

Author:
Andrzej Sapkowski

Publisher:
Orbit

Publication Date:
January 1st, 1999

Pages:
560

Genre:
Fantasy

Synopsis:
The Witcher returns in this action-packed sequel to The Tower of Swallows, in the New York Times bestselling series that inspired The Witcher video games.

After walking through the portal in the Tower of Swallows while narrowly escaping death, Ciri finds herself in a completely different world… an Elven world. She is trapped with no way out. Time does not seem to exist and there are no obvious borders or portals to cross back into her home world.

But this is Ciri, the child of prophecy, and she will not be defeated. She knows she must escape to finally rejoin the Witcher, Geralt, and his companions – and also to try to conquer her worst nightmare. Leo Bonhart, the man who chased, wounded and tortured Ciri, is still on her trail. And the world is still at war.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: May 17th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

Happy Sunday, everyone! It’s time for The Sunday Post and it feels crazy to be saying that. I feel like the weekend just started! But, no, it’s time to talk about my week and what’s been happening on the blog. I wouldn’t have minded if time had slowed down just a smidge this week, haha.

Let’s get to it!

Week in Review

Work was an absolute whirlwind this past week 😵‍💫 There were call-outs, instrument issues, and just a general feeling of chaos that reigned, haha. I did get to work from home on Friday, which was nice, but this past week definitely made me eager for vacation in July!

It was a lovely weekend, though! The fam went to Costco to stock up and, afterwards, we hit up a local ice cream spot. The weather was absolutely gorgeous this weekend, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to sit outside and enjoy a tasty treat! It’s so nice having my oldest kiddo home for the summer. I didn’t realize how much I missed her while she was off at college!

Today was less fun, but definitely necessary. We spent most of the day Spring cleaning. So much sweeping and laundry and scrubbing 🫠 Still, I do love the feeling of a clean house, so it was worth it. There’s still a couple of spots to hit, but I’ll save those for next weekend, haha.

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: To Dog-Ear or Not to Dog-Ear

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This Week’s Prompt

Are you team dog-eared pages or strictly no creases?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: May 15th, 2026

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

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

Hello, reader!

I hope y’all have had a good Friday! I spent the day working from home, which was nice because I could wear comfy pants and actually get some stuff done 😂 Now, it’s time for First Lines Friday! Today, I’m featuring a book I started recently that certainly has an interesting premise.

I’ll admit the first line caught my attention. Let’s see if it can hook y’all, as well!

The Line(s):

“Dead, grey skin rotted away to show off the stringy sinews of muscle below.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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blog tour · book reviews

BBNYA 2025 Finalist Tour: Carousel by Sarah McKnight

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Hello, reader!

In 2025, I once again participated as a panelist for the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award! It was a tough competition but we eventually narrowed it down a group of finalists. Now, those finalists are on tour! Today, I’ll be sharing my review for a horror novel that had me on the edge of my seat: Carousel by Sarah McKnight!

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

And, now, let’s talk about the book 📚

Title: Carousel
Author: Sarah McKnight
Publisher: Self-published
Publication date: April 27th, 2024
Length: 290 pages
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Age group: Young Adult

Book Links

Amazon::StoryGraph::Goodreads

Ladies and gentlemen, the show is about to begin…

All Laura Fitzpatrick wanted to do was tell her lab partner, Maddie, how she really feels about her, but when a perfect opportunity falls into her lap, Laura does what she does best – chickens out.

Then, Laura is dared to check out the abandoned carnival grounds outside of town, and she seizes the opportunity to prove to herself and others that she can be brave after all. To her surprise, Maddie isn’t about to let her go alone.

As they explore the eerie property, they’re thrust into an endless night of terror, where danger lurks around every corner. With a century-old mystery waiting to be uncovered, Laura must learn what true bravery means if she hopes to get herself – and Maddie – out of the Plum Creek Carnival alive.

Whatever you do, don’t let the Carnival Man see you…

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: May 13th, 2026

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

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

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

Current Reads

The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman: Audiobooks continue to own my soul, so my physical reads are getting neglected! I did read another chapter of this and chided myself for not reading more. Because this is so much fun already and I do want more! I’m going to try and focus on my physical reads a bit more.
All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham: My e-books are also suffering from my not wanting to read anything with my eyeballs. I read another chapter of this, as well, and honestly? I was kind of bored 😅😂 The first chapter really sucked me in and I was hoping that momentum would keep going! It is only one chapter, though, so I gotta give it more of a chance.
Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson: This is my current audiobook read and it’s the monthly read for the Always Fully Booked Book Club. So far, I’m unsure how I feel about it… On one hand, I am intrigued by what’s happening and I want to see how it plays out. On the other hand, the main character is driving me insane. Part of that is just her personality, but the other part is the voice the narrator has settled on for her. It’s this weird mixture of gravelly with a healthy dose of vocal fry and it absolutely grates on my nerves 😂 If the plot didn’t have me so fascinated, I’m not sure I’d be able to make it through this one, y’all…

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: May Flowers

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Hello, reader!

We’ve made it through the April showers, y’all. Well… it’s still kinda rainy here in New England, so those April showers are hanging on. But it is, officially, May and it’s time for those flowers to start popping! That’s the theme for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday. We’re on the second portion of the old saying “April showers bring May flowers” and it’s time for the books to bloom. This prompt was open to interpretation, so I decided to share with you ten of my favorite books that have flowers on the cover! There is nothing on this list that I rated less than 4 stars.

Now, let’s get to my flowery selection 🌷

My May Bouquet

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske
Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson

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goodreads monday

Goodreads Monday/TBR: May 11th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

We’ve arrived at the beginning of the week, which means it’s time for Goodreads Monday! My Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ shelf has moved down to 841 books and I’m not 100% sure how 😂 My reading has been pretty slow, as of late. But now it’s time to pick a random book from among the digital book mountain and see if it gets to stay.

Let’s dive in!

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
Into the Drowning Deep

Author:
Mira Grant

Publisher:
Run For It

Publication Date:
November 14th, 2017

Pages:
448

Genre:
Horror/Fantasy

Synopsis:
Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy.

Now, a new crew has been assembled. But this time they’re not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life’s work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost.

Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the waves. But the secrets of the deep come with a price.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: May 10th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

I hope you all have had a wonderful week! We’ve made it through and to a new one, which means it’s time for The Sunday Post! Another weekly catch-up to fill you in on life, the blog, and more.

Let’s jump into it 😊

Week in Review

This week was pretty uneventful for most of it. Work went well (if it was a bit busy) and nothing to crazy happening on the home front. Then the weekend came and everything got busy!

On Friday, I went and picked up my oldest from college. She has just finished up her freshman year! I can’t believe she’s already done with her first year… it feels like it has flown by! And she has been absolutely thriving. I’m so proud of her 💕 Then, on Saturday, I went to spend time with my best friend. This is the first time we got to see each other since her mom passed last week. It was great to be able to just hang together and… be. We went out to brunch, too, and it was lovely. And now, it’s Mother’s Day here in the States! I have spent the day playing games, chilling out, and generally being pampered, haha. My family has done a great job of spoiling me today and I definitely appreciate it.

The other activity I’ve been doing is playing an inordinate amount of Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream! I bought it for my youngest after watching some videos about it online. And then I thought, “Why not make my own island?” Well, now I’ve been sucked into the unhinged little world of my Miis and it’s so. much. FUN! It’s definitely pulling me away from reading, though 😅 Still, it’s definitely worth the month, so far.

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book blogger hop · Uncategorized

Book Blogger Hop: Designing A Book Cover

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This Week’s Prompt

If you designed a cover for a beloved book, how would it look, and how would it reflect the story?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: May 8th, 2026

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

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

Hello, reader!

For today’s First Line Friday post, I’m pulling another book from my library stack! This one is a sequel to a book I read last year on a lark because it just sounded like a good time. I ended up enjoying it, so I decided to pick this one up when I saw it was out! It’s a translated work and, hopefully, we’ll be just as much of a thrill as the first one.

Now, let’s see if the first line can draw us in!

The Line(s):

“I am sitting in a cafe in Toyama Prefecture, with a woman across the table from me.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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wrap up

April 2026 Wrap Up

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Hello, reader!

I figured I’d follow up my May TBR with how my reading went in April! Honestly, the fact that we’re already in the fifth month of the year is kind of blowing my mind. The first couple of months of this year crawled by and now we’re flying! Or maybe it just feels like that when the weather starts to get warmer, haha. Anyways, April was a pretty great reading month, so I’m excited to share what I read with y’all!

April Reading Stats

In April 2026, I read 8 books for 2,464 pages and had one DNF. I read a lot of shorties in April, haha. My attention span was not spanning, so short books and audiobooks were my saving grace. I didn’t read as many of the books on my Magical Readathon TBR as I would have liked to, but I still got through quite a bit! Now, let’s take a look at the stats.

Look at fantasy making a comeback! She’s back on top, baby, and it feels good! I also read a lot more non-fiction than I usually do. 2026 is really the year of non-fictions for me! Which… I’m not 100% sure why because the world is on fire and I usually gravitate towards fiction when that happens. I mean, I did say I had a goal to read at least one non-fiction a month, but, as you will see later in this post, I’m not great at actually sticking to my reading goals 😅😂 I’m pretty please with the mix we have going on in April!

Well, look at that! We’re perfectly split down the middle between physical (print) books and audiobooks. Audiobooks literally took over my reading life in April and I’m super okay with that. They are just so immersive and easier for me to digest when my mind is stressed. It’s soothing to have these talented narrators whispering in my ear, I dunno! E-books got completely pushed to the side last month, heh.

We finally got another 5 star, y’all 😁 I also didn’t rate anything under 4 stars! Well… if we don’t count my one DNF. That was The Vermilion Emporium by Jamie Pacton and I ended up rating it 2.5 stars 😬 I read over 70% of it, I figure I can give it a star rating. I was sad about that one, though, because I was really hoping I would like this one! I’ve enjoyed previous books from Jamie Pacton, but this one was just a miss for me. The other books I read in April really saved my reading mood, though!

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monthly tbr

May 2026 TBR

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Hello, reader!

After using my Magical Readathon TBR as my April monthly TBR, I’m back to my regular old TBRs. This month, I’m hoping to get back into my book club reads, get some more books off my Netgalley shelf, and finally start reading some books from my 26 in 2026 list. I know, I’m a slacker! But May is the month where I start to turn it around, I can feel it.

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

The Book Club Reads

AFB Book Club
- Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson
- I’m still on the fence about whether or not I want to read this one. I enjoyed the first book in her original YA series, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, but wasn’t a huge fan of the sequel. So much so that I kiiind of DNFed the series 😅 This is an adult book, though, and the premise is very intriguing. We shall see if I squeeze it in this month.
Literally Dead and Weirdo Book Club
- The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke
- I’m so excited that two of the book clubs I usually participate in picked this book because it is one of my most anticipated books of 2026! I have my Book of the Month copy and I am ready! This is a book written by two authors: Cat Clarke and V.E. Schwab. I’ve never read anything by Cat Clarke, but I’m a big fan of Schwab’s work. Looking forward to this thriller!

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I Wish Were Still Writing

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Hello, reader!

It’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday! The theme today is authors I wish were still writing. I’ve picked ten from authors who may or may not be dead but, either way, I’ve loved books from all of them and would love to have more!

Now let me share my list with you 😁

Writers I Wish Were Still Writing

Alexandre Dumas
Maya Angelou
Jane Austen
James Herriot
Anne McCaffery

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: May 4th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a good start to your week. I had a busy weekend and, as a result, I’m freakin’ exhausted today. My bed beckons but first… it’s time for Goodreads Monday! Let’s poke through my ever-growing Goodreads TBR and find a book to judge 😂

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
Gardens of the Moon

Author:
Steven Erikson

Publisher:
Tor Books

Publication Date:
April 1st, 1999

Pages:
666

Genre:
Fantasy

Synopsis:
Vast legions of gods, mages, humans, dragons and all manner of creatures play out the fate of the Malazan Empire in this first book in a major epic fantasy series from Steven Erikson.

The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations with the formidable Anomander Rake and his Tiste Andii, ancient and implacable sorcerers. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen’s rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins.

For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squad of Bridgeburners, and for Tattersail, surviving cadre mage of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, yet holds out. It is to this ancient citadel that Laseen turns her predatory gaze.

However, it would appear that the Empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister, shadowbound forces are gathering as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand…

Conceived and written on a panoramic scale, Gardens of the Moon is epic fantasy of the highest order–an enthralling adventure by an outstanding new voice.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: May 3rd, 2026

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Hello, reader!

It has been a hell of week, not gonna lie 😅 In both good and bad ways. But we’ll get into that in this edition of The Sunday Post! Let’s just jump right into it.

Week in Review

I suppose I’ll start off with the bad news to get it out of the way. My best friend’s mom passed away on Friday and, even though we knew it was coming, it was a blow. She has been in my life since my best friend and I met and she has always treated me like another daughter. She was a wonderful, spirited person and I’m going to miss her a lot. My best friend is, as one would expect, going through it 💔

In some lighter news, I sing in a local community choir and we had our Spring concert last night! I always have fun with our concerts but this one was special because I got to sing a duet with my husband 🥰 We had a blast! Now we have a break until we start rehearsals for our Winter concert. Well… my husband has a break. I joined the chorale board so I’ll be seeing all the board members once a month over the summer, haha. That’s just how much I’m loving this choir group!

With all of that, this past week was a busy one! This week is probably going to be just as busy because of work stuff and my eldest is coming home from college for the summer. It’ll be nice having her home!

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: TBR Veterans

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This Week’s Prompt

Is there a book you’ve been meaning to read forever but haven’t gotten to yet?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: May 1st, 2026

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

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

Hello, reader!

Happy Friday and happy first day of May! I can’t believe that April is already over and we’re not in the fifth month of 2026. The beginning of the year always drags for me, but now it seems like time is flying! But, for now, it’s time for this week’s First Lines Friday post. I’ve picked a book that is the latest in a long series that I love. I’m excited to get to this one because I just know I’m going to love it!

The Line(s):

“Doors are magical things. Always. It doesn’t matter whether they connect two familiar, well-known rooms or two entirely undiscovered spaces: to travel from one distinct location into another simply by passing through a portal, whether bound in wood or carved from stone, is a magical act.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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book reviews

Book Review: Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher

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Title: Nine Goblins
Author: T. Kingfisher
Publisher: Tordotcom
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Adult
Format: Physical
Content/Trigger Warnings: War, violence, death, mass murder
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph

From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes Nine Goblins, a tale of low fantasy and high mischief.

No one knows exactly how the Goblin War began, but folks will tell you that goblins are stinking, slinking, filthy, sheep-stealing, henhouse-raiding, obnoxious, rude, and violent. Goblins would actually agree with all this, and might throw in “cowardly” and “lazy” too for good measure.

But goblins don’t go around killing people for fun, no matter what the propaganda posters say. And when a confrontation with an evil wizard lands a troop of nine goblins deep behind enemy lines, goblin sergeant Nessilka must figure out how to keep her hapless band together and get them home in one piece.

Unfortunately, between them and safety lies a forest full of elves, trolls, monsters, and that most terrifying of creatures…a human being.

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: April 29th, 2026

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

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

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

Current Reads

The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman: I’m not much farther into this one, but I’m having a great time! I’ve just been sucked in by all my audiobooks lately and I’ve been neglecting my physical reads! I have a day off coming up soon and I’m hoping to lose myself in this one all day.
All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham: I’m back on my Netgalley catch-up game and this is the oldest e-ARC I have at the moment. I didn’t even remember the premise of this thriller, but I’m already hooked! The first couple of chapters really throw you right in, haha.
The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni: This is another book on my Netgalley list. I just started the audiobook today and… I’m not sure how I feel about the story right now. Our main character met a woman and instantly felt a connection to the point that he’s kind of being a creep about it, lol. But maybe there’s some kind of supernatural element going on that caused it? Maybe? I dunno, I’m kind of confused and interested at the same time!

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reading project

Project Library Love: April Visit

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Hello, reader!

It’s time for my April check in for Project Library Love! My stack is less modest than last month, but definitely more reasonable than my February stack, haha. It’s been a busy month, so I only got to visit the library once. Still, it’s always a fun time when I get to go to the library and I got a great stack of books this month!

Now let’s talk about it 😁

Last Month’s Stack

In March, I ended up checking out two physical books and three audiobooks.

My physical picks were:

Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher
Black-Owned by Char Adams

My audiobook picks were:

The Fisherman by John Langan
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Y’all should be proud of me because I actually read all of these books! Not all of them were read in March, but I’m happy that I actually read ’em! Bonus: I enjoyed pretty much all of them. The Fisherman was my lowest rated and it still got a 3.5, haha. I even had a 5 star (finally!) among my picks! Looking at you, Nine Goblins 😉 It was a pretty great library stack, I must say.

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: April 27th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

It’s time for another Goodreads Monday! We’re working with 843 books this Monday which gives a lot of choices for the random number generator, haha. The TBR just continuously grows, y’all. Let’s see which book we’re gonna pull today!

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
Dead First

Author:
Johnny Compton

Publisher:
G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Publication Date:
February 10th, 2026

Pages:
359

Genre:
Horror

Synopsis:
From the Bram Stoker award-nominated author of The Spite House comes a bone-chilling new novel about a private investigator hired by a mysterious billionaire to discover why he can’t die.

When private investigator Shyla Sinclair is invited to the looming mansion of eccentric billionaire Saxton Braith, she’s more than a little suspicious. The last thing she expects to see that night is Braith’s assistant driving an iron rod straight through the back of his skull. Scratch that—the last thing she expects to see is Braith’s resurrection afterward.

Braith can’t die, it turns out, but he has no explanation for his immortality, and very few intact memories of his past. Which is why he wants to pay Shyla millions to investigate him, and bring his long-buried history to light.

Shyla can’t help but be intrigued, but she’s also trapped by the offer. Braith has made it clear that he knows she’s the only person he can trust with his secret, because he knows all about hers.

Bold, atmospheric, and utterly frightening, Johnny Compton’s Dead First is spine-chilling supernatural horror about the pursuit of power and the undying need for reckoning.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: April 26th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

The weekend is already over, y’all 😭 Though I’m bummed my time to chill is at an end, at least that means I get to catch y’all up in another Sunday Post! It has been a wonderful weekend and I think that’s why I wish it could keep going, haha. But, alas, I do like having a roof over my head and such, so I gotta get back to work. At least I like my job!

Now, let’s talk about what I got into last week.

Week in Review

Last week was Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, which means there were a lot of events going on at work! There was food galore, a lunch & learn about some instrument we’re never going to get, and so. many. COOKIES. It was a fun but busy week and I was tired by the end. It didn’t help that there seemed to be crisis after crisis and I was stressed.

At least I didn’t have to worry about my husband to work on the youngest on the bus because it was April break for the kiddo, so my husband took the week off to stay home with him. They spent the week just hanging out at home (since we only have one car) and playing video games. I wish I could have stayed home with them, too!

We did get to spend the weekend hanging out. That mostly consisted of the kiddo convincing me to buy Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, lol. Y’all, I can already tell this game is going to be taking all my time in the near future! I already made my husband and I and I just keep tossing our Miis at each other, yelling at them to fall in love 😂 The game is freakin’ hilarious and I’m having a great time. I did take some time to finish reading a book, so yay for me! It was a good weekend.

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Bookish Board Game

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This Week’s Prompt

Imagine creating a book-themed board game. What kind of gameplay would it have?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: April 24th, 2026

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

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

Hello, reader!

It’s finally the weekend! This week has felt ridiculously long and I have been ridiculously tired today, so I’m happy to have some time to relax. I’m also happy to do another First Lines Friday! This week, I’m giving a little sneak peek of my April library haul. This is a novel I’ve been seeing around the bookish community and, when I saw it on my library’s shelves, I decided to see what all the fuss is about.

Now I’ll see if the first lines can pull me in!

The Line(s):

“I decided to write this all down while on a business trip to my European offices in Florence It was one of those romantically black and violent autumn days when the rain does not fall so much as dash itself against the city.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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book reviews

DNF Review: The Vermilion Emporium by Jamie Pacton

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Title: The Vermilion Emporium
Author: Jamie Pacton
Publisher: Peachtree Teen
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: E-book
Content/Trigger Warnings: Emotional distress, parental death, kidnapping, violence, grief
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph

The heart-wrenching story of The Radium Girls meets the enchanting world of Howl’s Moving Castle. Jamie Pacton’s fantasy debut is a story of timeless love and deadly consequences.

It was a day for finding things . . .
 
On the morning Twain, a lonely boy with a knack for danger, discovers a strand of starlight on the cliffs outside Severon, a mysterious curiosity shop appears in town. Meanwhile, Quinta, the ordinary daughter of an extraordinary circus performer, chases rumors of the shop, The Vermilion Emporium, desperate for a way to live up to her mother’s magical legacy.
 
When Quinta meets Twain outside the Emporium, two things happen: One, Quinta starts to fall for this starlight boy, who uses his charm to hide his scars. Two, they enter the store and discover a book that teaches them how to weave starlight into lace.
 
Soon, their lace catches the eye of the Casorina, the ruler of Severon. She commissions Quinta and Twain to make her a starlight dress and will reward them handsomely enough to make their dreams come true. However, they can’t sew a dress without more material, and the secret to starlight’s origins has been lost for centuries. As Quinta and Twain search the Emporium for answers, though, they discover the secret might not have been lost—but destroyed. And likely, for good reason.

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: April 22nd, 2026

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

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

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

Current Reads

Wolfsong by T.J. Klune: I’m a good chunk into this one and I’m having a good time! The chapter I’m currently about to read promises some drama and I’m looking forward. I’ve adjusted to the choppy writing and now I’m just immersed in the story. Still a little skeeved out by the fact that Ox met the love interest, Joe, when he was ten and Ox was sixteen… Six years is a pretty minimal age gap, I suppose, but still.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna: I was looking for an audiobook to read while at lunch today. Lucky for me, a lot of my Libby holds came in recently, so I had plenty from which to choose! I ended up picking this one because I’ve returned it so many times because I was in the middle of reading something else and it’s also due back the soonest, haha. I’m glad I picked it though because I feel like I’m already falling in love!
The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman: I’m so behind on the group buddy read I’m participating in for the Dungeon Crawler Carl series 😅 But I’m still having a great time with this series! I just started this today when I got home so I’m not too far in. Far enough to be excited about the set up of this newest level, though!

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: April Showers Bring Blue Books

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Hello, reader!

Tuesday has arrived and that means it’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday. April is winding up and New England has been living up to the “April showers” part of “April showers bring May flowers” 😂 Though the sun has definitely been making appearances and I’m not mad about the temps lately! It’s chilly but not as bad as it has been in previous years. Either way, I’ve had a lot of nice, rainy days for some reading, so today’s prompt being “April showers” felt perfect.

I decided to pick ten of my favorite books that have blue covers to share with you today. So let’s get to the list!

My Fave Blue Books

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor
Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: April 20th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

Happy Monday, everyone. I’m hoping you had a good start to your week. Today has been a busy one, for me, and I’m happy to finally be home and ready to do Goodreads Monday! I’m sitting at 842 books on my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf, so let’s see what the random number generator picks for me today.

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians

Author:
H.G. Parry

Publisher:
Redhook

Publication Date:
June 23rd, 2020

Pages:
531

Genre:
Fantasy/Historical Fantasy

Synopsis:
A sweeping tale of revolution and wonder in a world not quite like our own, A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians is a genre-defying story of magic, war, and the struggle for freedom in the early modern world.

It is the Age of Enlightenment — of new and magical political movements, from the necromancer Robespierre calling for revolution in France to the weather mage Toussaint L’Ouverture leading the slaves of Haiti in their fight for freedom, to the bold new Prime Minister William Pitt weighing the legalization of magic amongst commoners in Britain and abolition throughout its colonies overseas.

But amidst all of the upheaval of the early modern world, there is an unknown force inciting all of human civilization into violent conflict. And it will require the combined efforts of revolutionaries, magicians, and abolitionists to unmask this hidden enemy before the whole world falls to darkness and chaos.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: April 19th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

It’s time for The Sunday Post! It’s been a pretty chill Sunday here with rain storms and lots of cuddling under blankets while reading. Honestly, kind of a perfect day! But now it’s time to start thinking about next week and wrap up what I was up to last week. Let’s jump into it!

Week in Review

Last week is honestly kind of a blur 🫠 Work felt like everything was going off the rails all at once, though it wasn’t anything that couldn’t be handled. Still, it made for a very hectic week. I also had an endoscopy to try and figure out my whole anemia thing. That was fine, though no answers seem to be forthcoming from that as the doctor said everything looked good. Still, better to know that is the case than to wonder!

I did get to visit my best friend and my other mother (her mom), which was bittersweet. Her mom is not doing well and watching her deteriorate is kind of gut-wrenching after going through something similar with my grandma just last month. We’ve both decided that the universe really needs to leave us be for a little bit 😅

Good things did happen last week, though! I got a very exciting email from Del Rey that I get to read the e-ARC for the next Ana & Din mystery! A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett is my most anticipated book for 2026 and now I get to read it early! You can tell by all the exclamation points that I’m thrilled, lol. I also got back into my This Month’s Craft boxes and finally did one I’d been putting off… moss art! My youngest and I spent the morning designing our lovely moss creation and now it’s displayed on one of the bookcases downstairs. It was a lot of fun once we figured out how to use the hot glue gun 😂

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