Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Randomness

 10 Things I think we need more of in the world:
  • Kindness
  • Forgiveness
  • Faith
  • Positivity & Hope
  • Dialogue
  • Civility
  • Integrity
  • Understanding & Empathy
Because what we put out into the world is what we get back. Negative words only lead to more negativity. Hate only begets more hate. And that makes the world a very dark and violent place. But the opposite is also true. Kindness, civility, gratitude, and love can fill the world with light and peace. And who doesn't want that?





Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Top Ten Tuesday

 
Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week's theme:  BOOK COVERS THAT GIVE OFF FALL VIBES. Only I changed it up a bit. Because when I think of books with fall vibes, I think of books with school settings...whether boarding schools, private colleges, etc. So that's what I went with for my list today, BOOKS WITH A SCHOOL SETTING. Some of these I've read, and others are on my TBR list. 

Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie




Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison




The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason



The Eights by Joanna Miller




Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor




The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman




Gentlemen & Players by Joanne Harris




The Ivy by Lauren Kunze




The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand




The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association by Caitlin Rozakis




Happy Reading!

Friday, September 26, 2025

Witchful Thinking by Kristen Painter

 

First line:  Charlotte Fenchurch stared down at the library cart of books waiting to be reshelved and wished for the hundredth time in as many days that her recently acquired status as a witch also came with immediate powers.

Setting:  Everlasting, Maine, where both the normal and the supernatural live.

The plot:  Walker Black, a leopard shifter and witch hunter, is tracking down a dangerous grimoire full of black magic before its evil can be unleashed on the world. The same grimoire Charlotte has just found at her library. She doesn't intend on ever using it, but there are others who aren't so scrupulous. And now Walker must protect her from them.

My thoughts:  This is a cozy paranormal mystery/romance. It's cute and humorous and an easy read if you're running tired--which I seem to be a lot lately. It's also a good book for fall with the whole witch/magic thing. I have to admit, I prefer Kristen Painter's Nocturne Falls books to this one, but it was still a fun read, if a little bit thin. Charlotte and Walker are very likable. I just wish there had been more of them, more magic, more story. But this book has its charms and I enjoyed reading it. (It's also a book from off my own shelves, so it was an added bonus to get another of my own TBR books finally read.)

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

Top Ten Tuesday

 
Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week's theme: BOOKS ON MY FALL 2025 TO-READ LIST.

Which is always an easy one...my TBR list is long and constantly growing. But here are 10 books I am definitely planning on reading this fall: 

  1. Ghost Business by Jen DeLuca
  2. Dying Cry by Margaret Mizushima
  3. A Judgement of Powers by Benedict Jacka
  4. Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong
  5. Her First Mistake by Kendra Elliott
  6. The White Road by John Connolly
  7. An Ancient Witch's Guide to Modern Dating by Cecilia Edward
  8. Bad Luck Charm by Julie Johnson
  9. The Paranormal Ranger by Stanley Milford Jr.
  10. Skinwalker by Faith Hunter
  11. If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair
Counting to 10 is obviously not my strong suit. But this list could have been even longer, there are so many books I want to read before the end of the year. What books are you hoping to read this fall?

Happy Reading!

Saturday, September 20, 2025

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

 

From the blurb:  "You know what's worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what's worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That's what. 

"Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world--or just get to the next level--in a video game-like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that's actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly drug-dealing llamas. This ain't your ordinary game."

My thoughts:  After a string of mediocre 3-star reads, it was a relief to immerse myself in this entertaining, quirky, and irreverently hilarious book. If you ever played an RPG like D&D, get ready for some fun. This is a crazy, action-filled adventure with fantastic monsters, loot, and leveling up. Though there's also a fair amount of language and a little gore at times, too. Despite that, I really enjoyed this book. Carl is such a great character, trapped in the dungeon without shoes or pants. And the snarky, full-of-herself Princess Donut, a talking Persian cat, totally made me laugh. They make an awesome team. I've already put the second book on hold and I can't wait to check it out.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Haiku Reviews....

 

As You Ice It by Emma St. Clair


Single mom and son 
get second chance at love 
with hockey defenseman.


Sweet hocky romance .... 304 pages .... 4.5/5 stars.
(Loved Camden Cole's interactions with Naomi and her son, Liam; such a cute romance.)




We Won't All Survive by Kate Alice Marshall


Survival was just
part of the show until people
 started dying for real.


YA thriller .... 326 pages .... 3.5/5 stars.
(Readable and fun.)






Once Upon a Boy Band by Jenny Proctor


He was a pop star.
She was a fan. Music and
dogs bring them together.


Sweet romance .... 342 pages .... 5/5 stars.
(Love, love loved this one!)




Happy Reading!



Saturday, September 13, 2025

September's Bookish Art...

 
James Tissot -- Woman Reading By the Harbor 


"There is nothing more luxurious than eating while you read--unless it be reading while you eat."
--E. Nesbit