First Line Friday: 2/20

Happy Friday everybody! It’s been a few weeks!

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

📚 Take a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open it 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!

Here are the first lines:

Green died and then he didn’t.

He twisted his ankle and toppled off the curb. Pain flashed as his cheekbone hit the blacktop. Twenty feet away, the crushing mass of a city bus rolled toward him.

Do you know what the book is? Here are another couple of hints if you don’t…

Still don’t know the book? Here are some lovely pictures of books to look at while you think about it…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson!

(Didja guess it?)

Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson

LENGTH: 320 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Ballantine Books

RELEASE DATE: 10 February 2026

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

An ordinary man discovers a hidden world of wondrous supernatural creatures – and an unexpected home – in this enchanting contemporary fantasy debut.

Cryptonaturalist: one who studies cryptids; an expert in or student of supernatural history.

After a series of inexplicable encounters upends his life, Green finds himself alone and terrified in the Appalachian mountains, full of questions about the transformation he’s undergoing and the impossible creatures he’s starting to see.

When he meets a hermit named Valentina, he realizes that something more than chance has brought him to her door. For she has devoted centuries to researching the hidden world of cryptids that Green is only now beginning to perceive.

As Green begins his studies beneath her watchful eye, he comes face to face with time-stopping giant moths, cyclops squirrels, and doorways to elsewhere. Along the way come clues about his own nature and the powerful beings who led him here – and, most wondrous of all, a sense of fulfillment like nothing he’s felt before.

But Green’s new happiness promises to be short-lived, because alongside these marvels lurks a deadly threat to this place he’s already come to love.

Featuring incredible creatures and an unforgettable cast of characters, Strange Animals is a charming, addictive fantasy about the magic all around us.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an awesome day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Weekly Wrap-Up: 1/26 – 2/1

Another week has gone by, so it’s time for another Weekly Wrap-Up! This is kind of a quick start to the year, huh?

Last week was pretty good. I’m generally satisfied with both my reading and blogging. I didn’t get a book review out, but oh well – it’s not that big of a deal.

Anyway, without further ado, let’s get on with the Weekly Wrap-Up!

Tuesday 1/27: Top Ten Tuesday

Last Tuesday, I participated in Top Ten Tuesday for the first time in a couple of weeks. Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly post currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. It celebrates lovely lists, wonderful books and the bookish community. The prompt for last week was Bookish Discoveries I Made in 2025.

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Discoveries I Made in 2025

Wednesday 1/28: Can’t-Wait Wednesday

On Wednesday, I participated in Can’t-Wait Wednesday for the first time in a couple of weeks. 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: Queen of Faces

Friday 1/30: First Line Friday

Last Friday, I participated in First Line Friday again. Two weeks in a row! First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words. It’s where you guess what book the post is highlighting based on the book’s first words.

First Line Friday: 1/30

Books I Read Last Week

Wrapping It All Up

So yeah, last week wasn’t bad at all. I want this coming week to be just as good or better. I hope that ends up happening.

Concerning blogging and blogging adjacent stuff for this week, I want to do a couple of things. First, I want to participate in at least one of the usual posts that I jump into most weeks. I’d also want to post a book review. Most importantly, though, I want to do my Most Interesting Looking Books of February 2026 post, as well as my monthly reading wrap-up for January 2026. Gotta get those posts out. And for what book I’m reading next, I’m honestly not sure. I have a few ideas, though.

Outside of books and blogging, nothing much is going on. We’ve finally moved from January to February, which I think I like, as I think I might prefer the second month of the year to the first. I’m not sure, though. But yeah, the only thing really going on right now is that my spouse and I are trying to be healthier, and are eating more home-cooked meals and stuff.

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

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 1/30

Two weeks in a row with this! Happy Friday everyone!

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

Here are the first lines:

He sang along with the radio.

Something about taking a sad song and making it better.

After, he laughed until he could barely breathe.

Know the book? If not, here’s another hint or two…

Still not know? Here are some wonderful photos of books to look at while you consider it a bit longer…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune!

(Didja guess it?)

The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune

LENGTH: 394 pages

GENRES: Science Fiction, Romance, LGBT+, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Tor Books

RELEASE DATE: 26 October 2018 (e-book only) / re-released 4 February 2025 (for print)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A spine-tingling standalone novel by bestselling author TJ Klune – a supernatural road-trip thriller featuring an extraordinary young girl and her two unlikely protectors on the run from cultists and the government.

There’s nothing more human than a broken heart.

In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright has lost everything: his parents are dead, his only brother wants nothing to do with him, and he’s been fired from his job as a journalist in Washington, DC.

With nothing left to lose, he returns to his family’s summer cabin outside the small mountain town of Roseland, Oregon, to try and find some sense of direction. The cabin should be empty. It’s not.

Inside is a man named Alex. And with him is an extraordinary ten-year-old girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader. Artemis, who isn’t exactly as she appears.

Soon it becomes clear that Nate must make a choice: let himself drown in the memories of his past, or fight for a future he never thought possible. Because the girl is special. And forces are descending upon them who want nothing more than to control her.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an awesome day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Weekly Wrap-Up: 1/19 – 1/25

Jeez, I can’t believe it’s been another week already. Oh well, time flies when you’re being relatively productive, I guess.

Last week wasn’t too bad, in regards to both my reading and my blog activity. I finished a book and reviewed it – and it was my first of both for the year too! I also managed to post a few times, and am happy with the amount of blog posts I was able to do. So yeah, a pretty good week overall.

Anyway, without further ado, let’s get on with the Weekly Wrap-Up!

Wednesday 1/21: The Ashfire King Review

Last Wednesday, I finally posted my review for The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah. It’s the sequel to The Stardust Thief, as well as the second book in the Sandsea Trilogy. This one was a long time coming – but I finally read and reviewed it!

The book ended up being slower than I expected for a good portion of it, but I liked it overall. The plot and characters are still great, and the writing is as engaging as ever. I gave it ★★★★☆.

The Ashfire King Review

Thursday 1/22: Birthstone Book Covers

On Thursday, I participated in Birthstone Book Covers at a more reasonable time for the first time in months. Birthstone Book Covers is a fun little post created and hosted by Leslie @ Books Are the New Black.

Each month, for the post, you feature book covers that are either the same color of the month’s birthstone or include the color in the title. This month was January, and its birthstone is garnet. So the colors to pick from are shades of red.

Birthstone Book Covers: January 2026

Friday 1/23: First Line Friday

Last Friday, I participated in First Line Friday for the first time in a few weeks. First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words. It’s where you guess what book the post is highlighting based on the book’s first words.

First Line Friday: 1/23

The Books I Read Last Week

Wrapping It All Up

So yeah, my reading and blogging this past week was pretty good. I’m pretty happy with all that I did. I hope this week is just as good.

Concerning the blog this coming week, I want to participate in at least a couple of the usual weekly posts that I participate in as well as do a book review. So hopefully I’ll finish the book I’m about to start reading before the end of the week so that I can review it.

Speaking of what I’m planning to read next, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune. I already have it checked out from the library. I haven’t read any of his works in a couple of years, so I’m looking forward to it. This has actually been nebulously on my TBR for about a year, lol. I was going to read Water Moon and The Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotto Yambao, but I ended up not feeling either of them at the last second.

Being in late January, we’re now in the midst of winter, and it really displayed that in my area late last week. It snowed quite a bit, and said snow is still piled on the ground even now. It’s also been freezing cold and will continue to be for at least the next several days. Brrr. In other news, my spouse and I are still trying to be healthier.

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

See ya ~Mar

Weekly Wrap-Up: 12/22 – 12/28

I’m a little later than usual with this, but not too late. These last few weeks have just been flying by, as they usually do, and I’ve been a little busier since it’s the holiday season. But I still want to wrap up the past week.

Last week, I managed to post more than I usually do during the week of Christmas. I’m not quite sure how, though. These two weeks around Christmas and New Year’s are always a little rough like that. But I did it somehow, and I’d at least like to match the number of posts from last week during this week. I also didn’t really read last week, but I’m not surprised or annoyed about that. I can’t remember the last time I was reading a book over the week of Christmas – it’s just not something I really do because it’s busy.

Anyway, without further ado, let’s get on with the Weekly Wrap-Up!

Wednesday 12/24: Christmas Eve

Last Wednesday was the day before Christmas. So, to everyone who celebrates, here’s a belated Merry Christmas Eve!! 🦌🎅🔔🕯️ I didn’t really bake any cookies on this day this year like a normally do, but I still had a wonderful time with my spouse and dinner with my family. (I did do some baking this year, it was just on the Saturday before Christmas and one batch of Christmas Day itself. Christmas Eve just wasn’t the day this year.)

Thursday 12/25: Christmas Day / Birthstone Book Covers

On Thursday, I managed to squeeze a post out, so I got to wish everyone well on Christmas. But since I’m wrapping up the week, I’ll say it again: Merry Christmas!! 🎄🎁❄️🌟 I hope that everyone who celebrates had a great holiday. I spent more time with my family and some time with my husband’s family and it was really nice.

I was also able to post something before the day was out last Thursday. I participated in Birthstone Book Covers at a more reasonable time for the first time in months. Birthstone Book Covers is a fun little post created and hosted by Leslie @ Books Are the New Black.

Each month, for the post, you feature book covers that are either the same color of the month’s birthstone or include the color in the title. This month was December, and its birthstones are tanzanite, zircon and turquoise. So the colors are all different shades of blue and cyan.

Birthstone Book Covers: December 2025

Friday 12/26: First Line Friday

Last Friday, I participated in First Line Fridays again. Two weeks in a row – almost a streak! First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words. It’s where you guess what book the post is highlighting based on the book’s first words.

First Line Friday: 12/26

Sunday 12/28: The Glass Scientists: Volume Three Review

On Sunday, I finally got my review out for the final volume of The Glass Scientists by S.H. Cotugno. And now I’m all caught up on my reviews! But yeah, I really enjoyed this story, both in its original form of a webcomic (that’s still finishing up) and the three graphic novels that came out of it, with their extra stuff. This was such a great reimagining of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Like the first two volumes, I gave it ★★★★★.

The Glass Scientists: Volume Three Review

Books I Read Last Week

Wrapping It All Up

So yeah, I ended up being more active on the blog than I thought I would, but my novel reading was pretty much the same as it usually is around Christmas – nearly non-existent. Oh well, maybe next year I’ll actually read around the holiday for once. We’ll see, I guess.

I’ve actually managed to pick a book to read next and I’m almost done with it. You’ll see what it is when I review it, hopefully later this week. After I’m done with it, though, I’m not sure which novel I’ll go with next. It’s still between most of the same books as it’s been, however.

For blogging this week, I want to get my end of the year post out, as well as either my December 2025 reading wrap-up or my list for the Most Interesting Looking Books of January 2026. And at least one more post to match last week’s amount of posting.

Regarding stuff outside books and blogging, it was pretty much just relaxing and Christmas stuff last week. Basically, what I expected, because it is the usual for that week. My spouse and I will focus on being healthier after the New Year. For now, it’s just holidays and relaxing.

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

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 12/26

Happy Friday everyone! Two weeks in a row with this one!

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

Here are the first lines:

I have a heart for every year I’ve been alive.

There are seventeen hidden in the sand of my bedroom. Every so often, I claw through the shingle, just to check they’re still there.

Know the book? If not, here’s another hint or two…

Still not know the book? Here’s some awesome photos of books to look at while you consider it…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo!

(Didja guess it?)

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

LENGTH: 342 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Feiwel & Friends

RELEASE DATE: 6 March 2018

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Lira, a famous siren, must prove herself by stealing the heart of the man, a prince, threatening their race in this dark and action-packed debut.

Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most – a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen and or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby – it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good – but can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an awesome day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Weekly Wrap-Up: 12/15 – 12/21

Another week has gone by already. And it’s nearly Christmas and the end of the year to boot! Wow. In any case, time for a wrap-up.

Last week was okay. I feel like I’m getting back in the swing of things, even though I still really haven’t been reading, which is somehow I hope to fix before the new year comes around. But my blog activity was good – I did a Weekly Wrap-Up and additional three posts – so I’m satisfied with that.

Anyway, without further ado, let’s get on with the Weekly Wrap-Up!

Wednesday 12/17: Can’t-Wait Wednesday

Last Wednesday, I participated in another Can’t-Wait Wednesday for the first time in a couple of weeks. 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: An Arcane Inheritance

Thursday 12/18: November Reading 2025

On Thursday, I posted my Monthly Reading Wrap-Up for November 2025. It was once again posted little bit later in the month than I’d have liked, but eh, I wanted to get my book reviews from that month out first. For those who don’t know, monthly wrap-ups are when I go over the books I read over the past month, as well as my stats over on The StoryGraph.

Monthly Wrap-Up: November Reading 2025

Friday 12/19: First Line Friday

Last Friday, I participated in First Line Fridays for the first time in a month or so. First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words. It’s where you guess what book the post is highlighting based on the book’s first words.

First Line Friday: 12/19

Books I Read Last Week

Wrapping It All Up

So yeah, that was all the stuff I did last week. As I said, I kind of wish I’d gotten around to reading something, but with how December usually ends up being in regards to that, I’m not that upset about it. I do want to at least read one more book before the year ends though, so hopefully this week and next week are different.

Considering what week it is, I’m probably not gonna get out more than three posts. One of those is definitely gonna be my review for the last volume of The Glass Scientists by S.H. Cotugno. Honestly, that one should’ve been out last weekend but, oh well. I also want to participate in one or two of my usual weekly posts, as well as my favorite monthly post – doing the latter being the most important to me out of the two. I can’t keep posting that one during the last couple of minutes on the last day of the month! That’s got to stop!

Regarding books, I’m kind of at a crossroads, which is keeping me from reading, which I hate. But sometimes this happens, unfortunately, and it’s the cause of half of my reading slumps: I can’t decide what to read so I end up not reading anything. Ugh. How annoying – I find the way my brain works to be a pain in the ass at times. I’m thinking maybe The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah, though. I kind of feel obligated to read that one before the year is out, since I’ve been stringing it along for about eight months now.

Outside of books and blogging, last week we cleaned the house. Yep, that’s right, it was Cleaning Week. Woohoo. My spouse and I are also generally trying to be healthier, but it being the holiday season and all, it’s kind of hard. So we’re going to wait until the new year starts before getting back into it. There’s just way too much going on this time of year for that kind of thing.

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

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 12/19

Happy Friday, everybody! Wow, it’s been a couple of months – I didn’t mean for that to happen!

(Edit: Who accidentally scheduled this for today and had to fix it in post? And also didn’t notice until now because they were busy yesterday and then crashed last night? Couldn’t be me. Definitely not. Ugh. I have got to stop doing this.)

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

Here’s the first line:

My big brother reaches home in the dark hours before dawn, when Leven ghosts take their rest. He smells of steel and coal and forge. He smells of the enemy.

Any ideas on what book it is? If you don’t, here’s another couple of hints…

Still have no idea? Here are some lovely pictures of books to admire while you think about it…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir!

(Didja guess it?)

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

SERIES: An Ember in the Ashes #1

LENGTH: 464 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction

PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

RELEASE DATE: 28 April 2015

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier – and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined – and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an awesome day/night!

See ya ~Mar