The Sunday Post: May 17th, 2026

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

Hello, reader!

Happy 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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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

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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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 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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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 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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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!

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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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Bookish Habits and Quirks

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This Week’s Prompt

Do you have any bookish habits or quirks you catch yourself doing again and again?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: April 17th, 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! I’m particularly excited it’s Friday because I don’t have to work this weekend 🥳 Looking forward to some time to relax and read. Speaking of, let’s talk about my First Lines Friday post! I’ve picked a book that I picked up purely because of the title and the cover, haha. I mean, it helps that it was written by an author I typically enjoy.

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

The Line(s):

“It was gruel again for breakfast.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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book tag

Book Tag: 2026 Quarter Year Crisis

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Hello, reader!

I’ve been feeling the urge to do a book tag. Thankfully, I’ve been seeing the 2026 Quarter Year Crisis tag popping up everywhere. I love reading everyone’s post, I’ve been wanting to do a tag as I mentioned, so this just feels right! This tag was created by Roisin’s Reading on BookTube, so go check them out, as well 😊

Now let’s get to the tag!

How many books have you read so far?

I’m currently sitting at 26 books read for 2026. Which means I’m well on my way to meeting my goal of 65 books read this year! According to Goodreads, I’m 8 books ahead of schedule 🥳

More importantly than how many books I’ve read, I’ve been enjoying the majority of the books I’ve read so far this year! I’m also exploring non-fiction a lot more and discovering that maybe I don’t hate it as much as I thought I did, haha. No one is more shocked that my fantasy-loving self. Here’s hoping this trend continues!

Have you found a book that you think might be a 2026 favorite?

I’ve only had two five stars so far in 2026, which makes me sad… But, of those two five stars, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones is definitely the frontrunner! I adored this horror novel. It’s quietly disturbing, which is my favorite kind of horror, and I love the format in which it’s presented. I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this, but a book written in a journal or diary format is always going to pique my interest. This is freakin’ stunning novel.

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cant wait wednesday

Can’t Wait Wednesday: April 15th, 2026

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

Hello, reader!

Today on the blog, I’ve decided to dredge up a bookish meme that I used to do awhile back. That’s right, it’s time for Can’t Wait Wednesday! There are quite a few books coming out in the next few months and I thought it was about time I started highlighting them. Maybe I can get you just as hyped as I am 😁

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

Featured Title

The book I’ve chosen to feature today isn’t releasing until May, which is honestly not to far away! When I tell you I am chomping at the bit for this book, I’m not lying! I audibly gasped when the book appeared on Goodreads, lol. Here’s a few details before the big reveal:

The newest addition to one of my favorite (if not favorite…) science fiction series
A full-length novel in a series that is mostly novellas (so you know I’m hyped!)
My favorite resident construct is back!

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

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Titles That Describe Me

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Hello, reader!

It’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday and this one is pretty creative! I scrolled through a bunch of my read books on Goodreads to see if I could pick some books out that tell you a little bit more about me. I definitely had fun with this (and some may be a bit of stretch 😂) and I’m excited to share my picks with y’all.

Book Titles That Describe Me

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis: My husband recently got his Bachelor’s degree and is currently working a more entry level job, so I’m the one bringing in the dough 😉
Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez: Summer is my favorite season and this cover embodies a perfect summer day to me.
How Freaking Romantic by Emily Harding: I’m a romantic at heart, but I’m also sarcastic as hell 😂
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry: Even with some hard times recently, I’m truly living a wonderful life and I need to remind myself to appreciate that every once in awhile.
The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean: I may not physically eat them, but I certainly love to “devour” a good book!

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: April 13th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

My Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf has somehow moved up to 843 books… I was at 837 just last week! I guess it gives the random number generator more to choose from for Goodreads Monday 😂

Let’s see what we pull out of the hat today!

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
The Testaments

Author:
Margaret Atwood

Publisher:
Nan A. Talese

Publication Date:
September 10th, 2019

Pages:
422

Genre:
Dystopia/Science Fiction

Synopsis:
When the van door slammed on Offred’s future at the end of The Handmaid’s Tale, readers had no way of telling what lay ahead for her–freedom, prison or death.

With The Testaments, the wait is over.

Margaret Atwood’s sequel picks up the story more than fifteen years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead.

In this brilliant sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, acclaimed author Margaret Atwood answers the questions that have tantalized readers for decades.

“Dear Readers: Everything you’ve ever asked me about Gilead and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well, almost everything! The other inspiration is the world we’ve been living in.” –Margaret Atwood

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: April 12th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

The end/beginning of the week is upon us and that means it’s time for The Sunday Post! Life is settling back into my normal routine, which is pleasing at the same time as it feels too soon after my grandma’s funeral. Grief is weird, y’all. But it was a good week, a busy week, and I’m feeling okay. Looking forward to the warmer weather that next week promises, as well!

That being said, let’s wrap up last week.

Week in Review

Last week was just a typically work week. I did finally get our taxes done! Nothing like waiting til the last minute 😅 I swear, every year when I get all our documents together, I tell myself I’m going to get my taxes done in February. And almost every year, I wait until it’s freakin’ crunch time. One day I’ll get this procrastination under control. What else did I get up to this week? Well… not much, haha.

My best friend made me a super cute bookmark with one of my favorite animals on it and I started using it this week! How cute is the little Highland cow! I would use it for all my physical reads, but I’m way too afraid that I would leave it in a library book and lose it. No, this beauty is staying in books I actually own, haha.

My youngest had an eye doctor appointment and we dropped by Barnes & Noble afterwards because he couldn’t go back to school right away (freakin’ standardized testing…). I spotted this board game, A Place for All My Books, while browsing and I don’t think there was ever a board game more made for me! Because buying and organizing books is a totally separate hobby to reading and I excel at it 😂 I took a picture so I could remember to ask for it whenever someone wants to get me a gift. I never know what to say when people ask…

I found out through the group chat for a Dungeon Crawler Carl buddy read that Five Below was selling mystery bag keychains based on the series. So you know I immediately went to my nearest location to try and snag one! My first two visits were a bust (they didn’t have a single one 😭), but the third time was the charm! And I got insanely lucky because I got the one I wanted! Princess Donut will forever have my heart. I wouldn’t have minded a Mongo, either.

Now I’m gearing up for this next work week and the rain that is coming with the warmer weather. April showers and all that, haha. Here’s hoping for a good week!

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Rewriting Reviews

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This Week’s Prompt

If you could revisit one of your past reviews, what would you change, and why?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: April 10th, 2026

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

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

Hello, reader!

It was such a beautiful day today and that made me so ready for true Spring! I mean… I know it’s officially Spring, but I don’t know if New England got the memo. But today was a sign that it’s coming! Now it’s time to talk about one of my current reads for this week’s First Lines Friday. This is a book that has been my TBR for awhile and, I have to admit, I’m eating it up.

Now, let’s see if the first line can get you intrigued.

The Line(s):

“I was twelve when my daddy put a suitcase by the door.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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wrap up

March 2026 Wrap Up

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Hello, reader!

How is it already April?! How was March longer than February but felt like it went infinitely faster? March may have flown by, but it was also a pretty great reading month. I don’t think I read anything below 3 stars! Was it a good month for my reading challenges/projects? Well… perhaps we should just get to the wrap up 😅😂

March Reading Stats

In March 2026, I read 8 books for 3,130 pages. That’s way more pages than both January and February and I’m not 100% sure why… none of the books I read were really chonkers. Then again, I only read one novella in March whereas I read several during the first two months of the year. I need to get back to novellas. They are excellent pallet cleansers between bigger books!

I was apparently into horror in March because it took the top spot along with historical. Again, I think this is because I read a lot of books that were a blend of genres. I’m quickly learning that books that blend multiple genres are kinda my thing. I need to explore that more, I think. I’m surprised that literary muscled its way up there… I’m not sure I would consider anything I read literary. But the Storygraph community has spoken 😂

Oooo, audiobooks are taking over my reading life! That works well with one of my reading challenges and, honestly, my life right now. I feel like I’ve become so busy lately and my ability to focus is suffering. But I have no issue focusing on an audiobook. My frazzled mind wouldn’t let me focus on physical books for too long in March, so thank goodness audiobooks were there to carry me through.

I had another month with no five stars. Still, an average of 4.06 stars is nothing to sneeze at! I thoroughly enjoyed my reading in March, but it would be nice to find another five star in April. I am hoping to read a couple of favorite authors this month, so maybe they’ll get me there!

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: April 8th, 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 Vermilion Emporium by Jamie Pacton: The plot is starting to get intriguing in this one, so I find myself picking it up more. That’s certainly a good thing! The not so great thing is that the main characters are starting to get on my nerves… A lot of repetition of goals and being so in love even though they’ve known each other for five seconds. I’m hoping the plot will distract me enough to move past that, haha.
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi: I’m joining a new in-person book club and this was the first book that was chosen for all of us to read. I had heard about this book but hadn’t really felt the urge to read it. I’m glad this book club has pushed me to give it a try because I already love our titular character and will fight anyone that is mean to him. I mean… no one has been mean, but the statement stands 😤 I think this is the fastest I’ve latched onto a character in a long time!
Wolfsong by T.J. Klune: I just picked this up today and I’m already invested and whatever the heck is going on in this town. The writing feels a little stilted, but I’m hoping I’ll get used to it as I get farther into the book. I’m hoping to love this one because I’ve already purchased the entire series… oops 😅😂 The paperback Barnes & Noble editions were too pretty!

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Places on My Bucket List

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Hello, reader!

It’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday! I’m excited for this week’s topic because we’re talking about books that are set in places that are on my bucket list. I grew up in the military and gained a love of exploring new places. Unfortunately, in my adult life, I haven’t been able to travel nearly as much as I would like to. That means I have a lot of places on my bucket list, haha. I’ve narrowed it down to the top ten and selected a book set in each one.

Now, let me share my list with you!

Books Set in Places I Want to Travel

The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton (New Zealand)
The Dry by Jane Harper (Australia)
Strange Buildings by Uketsu (Japan)
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (Scotland)
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (Ireland)

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: April 6th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

It’s the beginning of the week and it’s time for another Goodreads Monday! I made it back home to New England and am settling back into the routine. Part of that is logging into my Goodreads TBR and picking a random book to decide whether to keep or toss. My ‘Want to Read’ shelf has mysteriously climbed from 832 books last week to 837 books 👀 Who knows who that happened… *cough*

Perhaps the random number generator will help bring the numbers down a weee bit, haha.

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
Hench

Author:
Natalie Zina Walschots

Publisher:
HarperCollins

Publication Date:
September 22nd, 2020

Pages:
400

Genre:
Fantasy/Superheroes

Synopsis:
A smart, imaginative, and evocative novel of love, betrayal, revenge, and redemption, told with razor-sharp wit and affection, in which a young woman discovers the greatest superpower—for good or ill—is a properly executed spreadsheet.Anna does boring things for terrible people because even criminals need office help and she needs a job. Working for a monster lurking beneath the surface of the world isn’t glamorous. But is it really worse than working for an oil conglomerate or an insurance company? In this economy?

As a temp, she’s just a cog in the machine. But when she finally gets a promising assignment, everything goes very wrong, and an encounter with the so-called “hero” leaves her badly injured. And, to her horror, compared to the other bodies strewn about, she’s the lucky one.

So, of course, then she gets laid off.

With no money and no mobility, with only her anger and internet research acumen, she discovers her suffering at the hands of a hero is far from unique. When people start listening to the story that her data tells, she realizes she might not be as powerless as she thinks.

Because the key to everything is data: knowing how to collate it, how to manipulate it, and how to weaponize it. By tallying up the human cost these caped forces of nature wreak upon the world, she discovers that the line between good and evil is mostly marketing. And with social media and viral videos, she can control that appearance.

It’s not too long before she’s employed once more, this time by one of the worst villains on earth. As she becomes an increasingly valuable lieutenant, she might just save the world.

A sharp, witty, modern debut, Hench explores the individual cost of justice through a fascinating mix of Millennial office politics, heroism measured through data science, body horror, and a profound misunderstanding of quantum mechanics.

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: April 5th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

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

Now, let’s get to the wrap up!

Week in Review

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

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

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

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lets talk bookish

Let’s Talk Bookish: Novels in Verse

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

LTB Topic of the Week:
Novels in Verse

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

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

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

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: April 3rd, 2026

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

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

Hello, reader!

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

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

The Line(s):

“It was a day for finding things.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

Continue reading →

monthly tbr · readathon

Magical Readathon: Orilium Spring Equinox 2026

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Hello, reader!

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

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

My Character

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

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

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: April 1st, 2026

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

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

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

Current Reads

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

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blog tour · book reviews

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

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Hello, reader!

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

And, now, let’s talk about the book 📚

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

Book Links

Amazon::StoryGraph::Goodreads

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

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

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

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

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: March 30th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

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

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

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
House of Earth and Blood

Author:
Sarah J Maas

Publisher:
Bloomsbury Publishing

Publication Date:
March 3rd, 2020

Pages:
803

Genre:
Fantasy/Romance

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

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

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

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

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the sunday post

The Sunday Post: March 29th, 2026

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Hello, reader!

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

Week in Review

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

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

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

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Week in Review

This Week’s Prompt

The Line(s):

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

Book Links

Current Reads

My May Bouquet

Random Goodreads Pick

Week in Review

This Week’s Prompt

The Line(s):

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

April Reading Stats

The Book Club Reads

Writers I Wish Were Still Writing

Random Goodreads Pick

Week in Review

This Week’s Prompt

The Line(s):

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

Current Reads

Last Month’s Stack

Random Goodreads Pick

Week in Review

This Week’s Prompt

The Line(s):

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

Current Reads

My Fave Blue Books

Random Goodreads Pick

Week in Review

This Week’s Prompt

The Line(s):

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

How many books have you read so far?

Have you found a book that you think might be a 2026 favorite?

Featured Title

Book Titles That Describe Me

Random Goodreads Pick

Week in Review

This Week’s Prompt

The Line(s):

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

March Reading Stats

Current Reads

Books Set in Places I Want to Travel

Random Goodreads Pick

Week in Review

LTB Topic of the Week:Novels in Verse

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

The Line(s):

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

My Character

Current Reads

Book Links

Random Goodreads Pick

Week in Review

LTB Topic of the Week:
Novels in Verse