Weekly Wrap-Up: 2/16 – 2/22

Happy New Week! It’s slightly later than I usually aim for, but I’m here with last week’s Weekly Wrap-Up!

This past week was pretty prolific for me, particularly on the blog. My reading wasn’t too shabby either though – I started a new book! Either way, I’m pretty happy with last week’s stuff.

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

Tuesday 2/17: January Reading 2026 / Top Ten Tuesday

Last Tuesday, I posted my Monthly Reading Wrap-Up for January 2026. Unfortunately, I posted it rather late in the month again. Ugh – I gotta stop that. 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: January Reading 2026

I also 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 Books for Armchair Travelers, but I wasn’t feeling it, so I went with one from a TTT a couple of weeks ago that I missed – Book Covers Featuring Cool/Pretty/Unique/etc. Typography.

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Covers Featuring Pretty and/or Unique Typography

Wednesday 2/18: Can’t-Wait Wednesday

On Wednesday, I participated in Can’t-Wait Wednesday again – two weeks in a row. 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: The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox

Friday 2/20: First Line Friday

This past 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: 2/20

Sunday 2/22: Birthstone Book Covers

On Sunday, I participated in Birthstone Book Covers. 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 February, and its birthstone is amethyst. So the colors to pick from are shades of purple.

Birthstone Book Covers: February 2026

Books I Read Last Week

Wrapping It All Up

So yeah, last week was much better the week before. And two weeks ago as well, honestly. I hope to not only keep up the pace with what I managed to do this past week, but to hopefully surpass it. Just a little. As always, however, we’ll find out what happens.

In regards to my blogging for this week, I’m planning on at least one book review, participating in at least a couple of the usual posts I engage in, and possibly doing a Bewitching Book Covers post. I’m wanting to do at least three or four additional posts this week, aside from this one.

Concerning books and reading, I actually just finished up Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson, so I’ll be starting another book soon. And I’ve already decided which one – Stolen Midnights by Katherine Quinn. I’m pretty excited about it. And I’m also pretty certain I know what book I’m going to read after that one – Don’t Let the Forest In by CG Drews. I’m also quite eager to read that one, too. After that, I’m not as sure, but I’m also reading Brighter Than Nine by June CL Tan (the sequel to Darker By Four) when it comes out. So that’s on the horizon.

Outside of books and blogging, not much else went on last week. Just my spouse and I trying to be healthier, but that’s pretty much it. As usual on weeks like that.

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:

📚 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:

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

First Line Friday: 1/23

Hey there. It’s been a bit since I last participated in First Line Fridays – about a month, actually.

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:

Time has no borders except those people make. On this particu-larly cold autumn day, Ishikawa Hana fashioned that border out of the thinnest layer of skin.

Do you know what the book is? If you don’t, here are another couple of hints…

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

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao!

(Didja guess it?)

Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao

LENGTH: 374 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Contemporary, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Del Rey

RELEASE DATE: 14 January 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Most will see only a cosy ramen restaurant. And just the chosen ones – those who are lost – will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets.

Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as its new owner to find the pawnshop ransacked, the shop’s most precious acquisition stolen and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike other customers. For he offers help, instead of seeking it.

Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hana’s father and the stolen choice – through rain puddles, hitching rides on paper cranes, across the bridge between midnight and morning and through a night market in the clouds.

But as they get closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her own – and risk making a choice she will never be able to take back.

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

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!! 🥂🎆🕛🎉

Weekly Wrap-Up: 11/17 – 11/23

Hey there. I’m a little late with this, but it’s still really early in the week, so I’ll take it. Ugh. Still getting back into things.

Like the couple of weeks of the month, I still haven’t really read any books, unfortunately. I really, really want to, though! I don’t know why it’s so hard to get into the mindset of novel reading right now, but I’m very annoyed about it. As for my blogging last week… well, at least there was some of that, even if I only ended up posting twice. Erghhhh. (I’m kind of frustrated with myself about this, lol.)

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

Friday 11/21: First Line Friday

Last Friday, I participated in First Line Fridays for the first time in a couple of months. 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: 11/21

Sunday 11/23: Bewitching Book Covers

On Sunday, I finally got around to posting another Bewitching Book Covers. The gap wasn’t as long as last time, but it’s still been over a month since the last time I did one of these posts. So I thought it was more than time for another one.

Bewitching Book Covers (formerly known as Majestic Mondays and Tasteful Tuesdays), is when I gush over a book cover that I like as well as analyze it (sometimes). I also typically give the book covers funny rating systems – not the usual blank out of five stars kind of thing.

Bewitching Book Covers: Seven Deadly Thorns

Books I Read Last Week

Wrapping It All Up

So yeah, last week wasn’t what I was hoping it would be, but it definitely could’ve been – and absolutely has been – worse, so even though I’m annoyed about it, it’s not as much as I could be. I do want this coming week to be better, however. I really have to get back into gear.

I’m still debating about which book to read next, which has created the problem in which I don’t read anything at all. It’s very stupid, I know. I just gotta pick up a book and read, damnit! Ugh! My blog activity was okay, though. I would’ve liked it if it were better – and it should’ve been better – but it wasn’t, and I just gotta accept that. Hopefully I’ll be better with both reading and posting on the blog this coming week.

Regarding stuff outside of books and blogging, there wasn’t really anything big that went on last week, as usual. It was cleaning week, so we did that, but that was kind of it. I did do a couple of things to prepare for Thanksgiving as well, though. My spouse and I are also trying to watch what we eat more, and try to be healthier in general. We kind of fell off of that for a while, what with everything going on.

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

See ya ~Mar

Weekly Wrap-Up: 9/1 – 9/14

Heyyyy – look who it is! It’s me! I’m back with another Weekly Wrap-Up! Or, I guess a Bi-Monthly Wrap-Up in this case, haha.

The last couple of weeks have been a little busier than normal, but during the last one I managed to get some blogging and reading done. And I was happy with what I was able to do for both.

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

Monday 9/8: The Most Interesting Looking New Books of September 2025

Last Monday, 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 September 2025. As always, it’s basically only fantasy and science fiction, as those are the two genres I primarily read. This time I had a whopping eight books on my list!

The Most Interesting Looking New Books of September 2025

Wednesday 9/10: Can’t-Wait Wednesday

On Wednesday, I did another Can’t-Wait Wednesday. 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: The Faerie Morgana

Friday 9/12: First Line Friday

Last Friday, I participated in First Line Fridays 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: 9/12

Books I Read Last Week

Wrapping It All Up

So yeah, though the week before last was a little lacking, I made up for it some this past week. I’m hoping that I can keep it up this coming week, but ultimately time will tell.

For posts I want to do this week on the blog, I want to do a couple of my usuals, but I also want to do my monthly reading wrap-up for August 2025. I’d also like to participate in my favorite monthly post, but we’ll see.

In regards to books… I have a few that I’m eyeing right now, though I’m not sure which one I’ll end up choosing before the day is done (I’m giving myself a hard deadline of picking by the end of today). Voidwalker by S.A. MacLean is calling me a little bit, but I’m also considering a couple of other things.

Concerning stuff outside books and blogging, my spouse recently started playing the long-awaited sequel to a certain indie hit from 2017, Hollow Knight: Silksong. Admittedly, I haven’t been as into this one, as I’m not super into Hollow Knight (though I know some people are), so I haven’t seen too much of this game yet. But I’m really happy that my spouse and all the people who waited like seven years for this game are finally getting to play and enjoy it. We’re also still continuing to try to eat healthier and be more active.

Anyway, as always thank you for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day/night! As well as a much better week than I’ve been having!

See ya ~Mar

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: A Mastery of Monsters

Hello and Happy Wednesday everybody! There’s a lot of books coming out lately that I’ve been interested in! Two weeks in a row!

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:

A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury! 🪶📚

This is one of the books coming out in 2025 that I’m pretty interested in. It has a great title and a great cover, and the book description is also pretty intriguing.

A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury

SERIES: A Mastery of Monsters #1

LENGTH: 592 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Margaret K. McElderry

RELEASE DATE: 29 July 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Ninth House meets Legendborn in this thrilling first book in a dark academia fantasy series about a teen who’s willing to do anything to find her brother – even infiltrate a secret society full of monsters.

When August’s brother disappears before his sophomore semester, everyone thinks the stress of college got to him. But August knows her brother would never have left her voluntarily, especially not after their mother so recently went missing.

The only clue he left behind was a note telling her to stay safe and protect their remaining family. And after August is attacked by a ten-foot-tall creature with fur and claws, she realizes that her brother might be in more danger than she could have imagined.

Unfortunately for her, the only person with a connection to the mysterious creature is the bookish Virgil Hawthorne… and he knows about them because he is one. If he doesn’t find a partner to help control his true nature, he’ll lose his humanity and become a mindless beast—exactly what the secret society he’s grown up in would love to put down.

Virgil makes a proposition: August will join his society and partner with him, and in return, he’ll help her find her brother. And so August is plunged into a deadly competition to win one of the few coveted candidate spots, all while trying to accept a frightening reality: that monsters are real, and she has to learn to master them if she’s to have any hope of saving her brother.

Are you looking forward to the release of A Mastery of Monsters? 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 fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Weekly Wrap-Up: 5/12 – 5/18

I’m on time this week! Yay!

Not much to say this time. I posted three times which I’m fine with, even though I did do a book review. I’ll do that ASAP. I finished another book though, which is always a good thing. Especially since I seem to be in an on-and-off slump this year so far.

Anyway, without further ado, let’s get on with the weekly wrap-up!

Tuesday 5/13: Top Ten Tuesday

Last Tuesday, I participated in a Top Ten Tuesday for the first time in a few 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 Ways in Which My Blogging and/or Review Style Has Changed.

Top Ten Tuesday: Ways in Which My Blogging and Review Styles Have Changed

Wednesday 5/14: Can’t-Wait Wednesday

On Wednesday, I did another Can’t-Wait Wednesday. Two weeks in a row, baybay! So many new interesting looking books lately.

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: Behooved

Saturday 5/17: Birthstone Book Covers

Last Saturday, I participated in Birthstone Book Covers. 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 May, and its birthstone is emerald. So the color of the month was green.

Birthstone Book Covers: May 2025

Books I Read Last Week

💖🎁 Wrapping It All Up 💖🎁

So yeah, last week was pretty good all around, though I think it could have been better. I’m happy with it though.

This week I wanna do a couple of my usual weekly posts, but I especially want to get my review out for Impossible Creatures. I’m hoping to do that in the next couple days. I also want to read either Behooved or finally start The Ashfire King. (Regardless, I’m planning on reading The Ashfire King before the month is out.)

Outside of my diet, nothing else has really been going on the past week with my life outside the blog and books. The weather has been really nice throughout the last week, though.

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

See ya ~Mar

Weekly Wrap-Up: 4/7 – 4/13

Ugh, late again. But not as stupidly late as last week. Here’s the Weekly Wrap-Up for this past week.

My blog activity for last week was really bad. I’d hoped that it would be better than the week before, but what can you do. My novel reading also sucked, which… sucks. I hope both are better this coming week.

Anyway, I’ll shut up now. Without further ado, let’s get on with the weekly wrap-up!

Thursday 4/10: Can’t-Wait Wednesday

Last Wednesday, I did another Can’t-Wait Wednesday for the first time in a couple of weeks. There’s been a lot of new books coming out lately that I’ve been 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: The Ashfire King

Sunday 4/13: March Reading 2025

On Sunday, I posted my Monthly Reading Wrap-Up for March 2025. It was once again posted at a reasonable time in the month, though not as early as I posted it last month. 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: March Reading 2025

Books I Read Last Week

💖🎁 Wrapping It All Up 💖🎁

So yeah, last week kind of sucked for me with both reading and blogging. Here’s hoping that this week improves on that. 🍀🤞

I still want to read that sequel I said I kind of wanted to read last week, but there’s also a book coming out this week that I’m hoping to read this week as well. I also want to do three or four additional blog posts during this week, as well.

Regarding stuff outside of the blog… This week is another cleaning week at home. I’ve also started dieting and eating better this week, as well as being more active. But other than this stuff, nothing really else is going on. I guess Easter is this Sunday too, so we’ll be seeing family and stuff during that day.

Anyway, I’ve talked more than enough here. As always thank you for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day/night!

See ya ~Mar