Book Blog

To 2026 | Happy New Year 🥂📖

Jeez, I can’t believe the new year has already begun. 2025 was crazy in a lot of (mostly bad) ways, and the last few months really flew by. I’m hoping that 2026 is a much better year than last year was!

And yeah, this is later than I usually do this post. Sorry, the latter part of this week was kind of busy.

Once again, I’ve got some goals and a bookish New Year’s resolution for this year. I’m very excited about all of it. Hopefully some of it’ll go better than the last couple of years. Here it comes.

For 2026

For this year… I’m not strongly decided on anything. Last year was just so tough and it was honestly the worst year of my life. And I’m still working on finding my footing from all that had happened.

I’d like to continue with the blog, as I do enjoy it. But I’d also like to try to work on some of my other original writing, and a lot of times after finishing up a post for the Blog That Nobody Knows, I feel like my writing battery has run out. Which is weird, because part of the reason that I started this blog in the first place was because I was trying to get into the mindset for writing more often. I dunno. I still want to try to keep up with this blog, and I probably will, but I might post a little less often.

In 2025, I read 20 books and over 6,000 pages. Which wasn’t nearly as good as my reading in the years before, not to mention I didn’t even come close to my reading goal last year. I’m hoping to do much better than that in 2026 – I’d like to read at least 30 books this coming year. Well, I’d actually like to read one book a week and read 52 books this year, but after last year, I want to take it easier with my reading goal.

List of Goals for 2026

📚 Read 30 books

📚 Keep posting on the blog

📚 Try to read more books outside of fantasy and science fiction

📚 Write and maybe publish a novel – like come on I have so many ideas, I just have to use them

…And that’s kind of all I’ve got for my goals for books and blogging. I do have a few other goals, but they aren’t really relevant to the blog. The other goals are also more related to my personal life, so I’m keeping them to myself.

I definitely want to start to be a more productive and proactive person though. I think I’ve been better about it lately, but I know I could improve even more, so that’s what I want to do. So anyway everybody, cheers to a great 2026 and Happy New Year!! 🥂🎆🕛🎉

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Things to Cook With (Non-Bookish Freebie)

Hey everybody and Happy Tuesday! It’s been a couple of weeks, but I’m participating in Top Ten Tuesday again.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly post currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. It celebrates lovely lists, wonderful books and the bookish community. This week’s topic is Non-Bookish Freebie. Since it could be just about anything, it was a bit difficult for me at first, but I ultimately decided on Favorite Ingredients to Cook or Make Food With. I’m also defining “ingredient” very broadly here: as in anything used to make any kind of meal.

Anyway, without further ado, let’s get started! In no particular order, here are my ten favorite things to use whilst making food!

#1: Butter

Butter is fantastic. You can use it to grease pans, complement bread, as well as in cooking and baking.

#2: Brown Sugar

I didn’t know that brown sugar could be so versatile until recently. I used to mostly use it while baking, but I’ve discovered that it also has an excellent use in creating sauces or marinades.

#3: Onions

I add onions to a fairly decent amount of stuff that I cook. They just have a flavor that I love, and they complement most things very well.

#4: Tomatoes

Though I don’t use them nearly as often as onions, I still like how useful they can be. I mostly use the sauce or paste versions of them, but I also find small tomatoes to be excellent additions to salads and such.

#5: Cinnamon

I love cinnamon. Particularly in the fall, which is coming up. I’ve found that it’s mostly useful for baking or seasoning, but I also love how it’s a great scent for your house, too.

#6: Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is something else that I really love. I love putting it on bagels and bread, as well as dipping stuff into it. It’s also a great ingredient for baking – particularly cheesecake as well as some cookies.

#7: Eggs

You can put eggs in so many things. They’re great on their own, in whatever form you prefer to eat them, but they’re also great for baking.

#8: Milk

I love milk. It’s great for both baking and cooking, and the heavy cream version of it can be even better.

#9: Noodles

Noodles are awesome. I love using them in pastas, as well in stir fry.

#10: Bread

Bread is so useful. You can eat it on its own, or you can smooth stuff on it like butter and cream cheese. You can also toast it and add these things. It’s also crucial if you want a sandwich of any type.

Do you like to cook or bake? What are your favorite things to cook or bake with?

As always, thanks so much for reading, and I hope that you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Weekly Wrap-Up: 1/6 – 1/12

I’m a little later than normal, but I’m here with another Weekly Wrap-Up. Ugh. Hopefully this won’t be a common occurrence.

Last week I was able to get out four different posts. Yay! And I’m pretty happy with the posts that I did. Now I finally feel like I’m caught up with all the end of the year/new year stuff. The business of the holidays is also over, which is a relief, honestly.

Anyway, let’s get on with the wrap-up.

Tuesday 1/7: The Most Interesting Books of January 2025

Last Tuesday, I posted a list of the books that I’m looking forward to this month. Or, at least the ones that I think look the most interesting. It was the Most Interesting Looking New Books of January 2025. As always, it’s basically only fantasy and science fiction, as those are the two genres I primarily read. This time I had six books on my list.

The Most Interesting Looking New Books of January 2025

Wednesday 1/8: Can’t-Wait Wednesday

On Wednesday, I did another Can’t-Wait Wednesday. It had been a couple of weeks since I last participated, but there’s another upcoming release I’m a interested in.

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme currently hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings. It focuses on books you’re looking forward to reading, usually new releases.

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Liar’s Kingdom

Saturday 1/11: 2024 Reading Wrap-Up Part #1

Last Saturday, I finally posted my Yearly Reading Wrap-Up for 2024. (At least the first part.) It mostly consisted of a list of my statistics from The StoryGraph during the past year. There was so much of it, though, that I had to split it into two posts. Yup.

Another Year of Books: Reading 2024

Sunday 1/12: 2024 Reading Wrap-Up Part #2

On Sunday, I posted the second (and final) part of my Yearly Reading Wrap-Up for 2024. The part of the post mostly focused on all the books I read last year, in 2024.

All the Books I Read Last Year: Reading 2024

Books I Read Last Week

💖🎁 Wrapping It All Up 💖🎁

So yeah, I’m pretty happy with my posting from last week. Not as happy about the reading (of books) I was able to get done, but hopefully I’ll be better about that this week. There’s a new book coming out that I’m interested in, so I’m optimistic about it.

Last week was also generally more relaxed. I didn’t get a lot of stuff done in general. This week I’m planning on getting some cleaning done, and maybe some other stuff around the house. I’m not sure what else I’m thinking of doing – I don’t really have any other plans for anything.

Anyway, as always, thank you to everyone for reading, and I hope you all have a wonderful day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Weekly Wrap-Up: 11/11 – 11/17

It’s back for a third week in a row! That’s three weeks, so that’s technically a habit right? Or at least a turkey, like three strikes in bowling? Uh, nevermind.

I’m satisfied with my reading and my blog posting last week. Not only did I participate in a couple of my usual posts, but I put out two book reviews. Woohoo! Also, I read and finished three books! Fingers crossed I get the same kind of productivity this, or at least an amount that I’m personally happy with. 🤞🍀

Anyway, without further ado, on with the wrap-up!

Tuesday 11/12: One Piece Review (Part #1)

Last Tuesday, I finally posted my first review for One Piece. This one basically only focused on the pre-time skip arcs, but I’m planning on doing two more reviews of the long running series by the end of it. (One focusing on the New World and Wano, and the other focusing on One Piece’s Final Saga when the manga is finally complete.)

Though I had somewhat different thoughts regarding each of the arcs from the pre-time skip, I rated the entirety of it ★★★★✯.

One Piece Review Part #1

Wednesday 11/13: WWW Wednesday

On Wednesday, I participated in WWW Wednesday for the first time in a while. WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme that is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. It focuses on talking about what you’re currently reading, what you recently read and what you’re thinking about reading next.

WWW Wednesday: 11/13

Friday 11/15: First Line Friday

Last Friday, I participated in First Line Fridays for the first time in several weeks. First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words. It’s a fun little post that focuses on guessing books based on their first lines.

First Line Friday: 11/15

Saturday 11/17: Skyshade Review

Yesterday, I finally got my review out for Skyshade by Alex Aster. It’s a new release and a part of the Lightlark Saga, a YA romantasy series. I ended up giving this book ★✫☆☆☆.

Skyshade Review

Books I Read Last Week

💖🎁 Wrapping It All Up 💖🎁

So yeah, I’m really happy with both the posts I was able to do, as well as the amount of reading that I had gotten done. Also, I got out two book reviews, which I’m really satisfied with. I don’t know how common of an occurrence that’s gonna be, however, even though it might happen again this week, lol. We’ll see what happens together.

Regarding my upcoming posts for this week… I’m definitely planning on participating in a certain monthly post regarding the color of book covers. I’m also going to do at least one book review this week (I finished MDZS within the first half of last week, but wanted to review Skyshade first, so I still gotta review it). I’m hoping to read at least one or two books this week, as well. And I’ll probably participate in at least one weekly post, too.

Concerning stuff going on in life outside of books and blogs; there wasn’t too much of one, honestly. We mostly relaxed this past weekend, though I did clean a lot of the house last week. But other than that, nothing notable happened.

Anyway, as always, thank you to everyone for reading, and I hope you all have a awesome day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Skyshade

I’m back for a second week in a row with another book I’m looking forward to. Well, sort of. Not really. It’s complicated.

Anyway.

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings (and was previously hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine where it was known as Waiting on Wednesday) to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. They’re usually books that have not yet been released.

This week’s book is:

Skyshade by Alex Aster! ☁️🐍

So yeah. I’m not exactly looking forward to this one, but I am anticipating the mess that this book is absolutely going to be. I want to hate read this, essentially. Just like I did with Lightlark and Nightbane, the first two books in this disaster of a fantasy series.

Now let me be very clear: hate reading is not something I typically do – I normally try to read books that I like and/or want to read. But the Lightlark Saga is special – I can’t help myself, I definitely mostly want to read this series for the trainwreck.

Skyshade by Alex Aster

SERIES: The Lightlark Saga #3

LENGTH: 384 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, YA, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Amulet Books

RELEASE DATE: 12 November 2024

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The pulse-pounding third novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Lightlark Saga, by acclaimed author and #BookTok sensation Alex Aster

Love kills kingdoms…

Back in Grim’s castle on Nightshade, Isla is reeling in the wake of a brutal battle and the devastating truths it exposed. Her future—and the fate of the world—now hinge on a heart split in two.

Past Isla, who fell in love with the ruler of Nightshade, fights to resist feelings she considers treasonous. The Isla of the present, who has seen the ruin her powers can cause, will do anything to save Lightlark and its king.

As the line between enemy and friend is tested, Isla is more desperate than ever to understand the oracle’s final prophecy and change her heartrending fate. But a storm is coming. And with it, a long-buried evil greater than anything the realms have faced before.

With the clock ticking on her destiny and the survival of two warring kingdoms hinging on her own shattered heart, Isla Crown will either save the world—or destroy it.

Are you looking forward to the release of Skyshade? Like, legitimately looking forward to reading it, unlike me? Or are you interested in it for the same reasons I am, lol? What other books are coming out in the next few weeks that you’re looking forward to?

As always, thank you all so much for reading and have a great day/night!

See ya ~Mar