The Sunday Post [87]

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.

News

Happy Sunday! My life has been too busy for books the last few weeks, and I really miss getting to sit down and read. I've been able to squeeze in some audiobooks, but not many. It's usually only doable while I'm cooking or picking up around the house. 

Last week we had family in town for Easter. The kids were baptized, confirmed and received First Communion. I was confirmed and received First Communion as well! It was such a beautiful Easter Vigil, and I'm so thankful we were able to have family there for this special moment. The kids only have a handful of classes left, but we're able to fully participate in the Mass now. 

At work we had CMAS all last week, and we'll continue to have CMAS this week. State testing isn't fun for students or teachers. We're all exhausted and just want to be on the other side of it. Thankfully, we're down to about 25 days left of school (not counting weekends or holidays), and that seems super doable.

We're also still prepping for our upcoming move. Please pray for my sanity. 

Previous Posts on the Blog

• The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
• Booked for Spring: My 2026 Reading Lineup - Top Ten Tuesday [23]
• Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
• Green Covers for Book Lovers - Top Ten Tuesday [22]
• The Sunday Post [86]

What I'm Currently Reading

We Won't All Survive by Kate Alice Marshall

Bloodsinger (The Fire that Binds, #2) by Juliette Cross

What I Plan on Reading Next

The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer, Tamara Moss

Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe

What I'm Watching

The kids and I binged season two of the live-action One Piece. We all loved it! 

Challenge Updates

• Audiobook Challenge: 10 / 30
• Goodreads Challenge: 31 / 100
• Physical TBR: 3 / 25
• NetGalley: 75 / 50
• Discussion Post Challenge: 1 / 20
• Beat the Backlist Challenge: 21/50

I hope you have a wonderful week! Happy reading!

The Sunday Post [86]

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.

News

Happy Sunday! Sorry I haven’t been around much the last few weeks. We’re getting ready to move—again—and hopefully for the last time! We’ll be heading back home to Texas this summer, and I’m really looking forward to being close to family again. I’ve started packing up my classroom and a few things around the house, but I’m planning to really dive into it next week over Spring Break.

My last two ARC reads weren’t that great, but I’m really enjoying Quicksilver. It’s not the best-written book I’ve ever read, but I love the characters and I’m really enjoying the story. It definitely gives off ACOTAR vibes, but I love the Fae/vampire twist. To quote my friend, "It's like good Swiss cheese. There's holes, but it still makes a great sandwich."

Previous Posts on the Blog

• The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C.M. Waggoner
• Spell the Month in Books [4]
• Once and Again by Rebecca Serle
• State of the ARC [41]
• The Notorious Virtues (The Notorious Virtues, #1) by Alwyn Hamilton
• Bride (Bride, #1) by Ali Hazelwood

What I'm Currently Reading

Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy, #1) by Callie Hart

Killing Me Softly by Sandie Jones

What I Plan on Reading Next

The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer, Tamara Moss

Bloodsinger (The Fire that Binds, #2) by Juliette Cross

What I'm Watching

I’m rewatching Sword Art Online, but this time with the kids. We’re about halfway through S2 and really enjoying it! S1 is still my favorite, and I don’t think I’ve ever watched S3. I’m sure we’ll get to it eventually. I also saw Tomb Raider pop up on Kanopy, so I’ll probably watch that at some point this week. It’s been forever since I’ve seen that movie.

Challenge Updates

• Audiobook Challenge: 6 / 30
• Goodreads Challenge: 25 / 100
• Physical TBR: 3 / 25
• NetGalley: 65 / 50
• Discussion Post Challenge: 1 / 20
• Beat the Backlist Challenge: 1/50

I met my NetGalley goal! I finally went through all of my requests (some were from 2017) and cleared out the books I’m no longer interested in and won’t be reading. Over the years I’ve gotten a little wiser and now only request books I really want to read, but past me requested anything and everything. My NetGalley ratio is still only 40%, but it’s definitely progress!

I hope you have a wonderful week! Happy reading!

The Sunday Post [85]

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.

News

We had a very busy weekend! I took a personal day on Friday to celebrate my son’s birthday, and the kids loved getting to skip school for the day. We ended the evening with Stations of the Cross at church, followed by a meal where everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to him. On Saturday, we tried a new nacho place that was delicious! We couldn’t decide what to order, so we ended up splitting three dishes so everyone could try more than one.

The first picture is their version of Jalapeno Poppers (so spicy!), and the second is their Strawberry Cheesecake Nachos (amazing!). I also had to take a picture of the bathroom because the wallpaper was so unexpected!

 

After dinner we went bowling and had a blast! I also managed to squeeze in a quick trip to the thrift store on our way home (my husband and son weren't as excited by this, but they were good sports).

Previous Posts on the Blog

• Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
• Good Spirits by B.K. Borison
• The Sunday Post [84]

What I'm Currently Reading

Once and Again by Rebecca Serle

Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy, #1) by Callie Hart

What I Plan on Reading Next

Paper & Blood (Ink & Sigil, #2) by Kevin Hearne

Candle & Crow (Ink & Sigil, #3) by Kevin Hearne

What I'm Watching

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End gets better and better the more I watch it! Sein just joined their party and I love the new dynamic. I'm worried his path my diverge from theirs for awhile, but I'm hoping they decide to join him before continuing on. 

Challenge Updates

• Audiobook Challenge: 5 / 30
• Goodreads Challenge: 20 / 100
• Physical TBR: 2 / 25
• NetGalley: 33 / 50
• Discussion Post Challenge: 1 / 20
• Beat the Backlist Challenge: 15/50

I'm really happy with my progress so far! I wasn't able to post as often this week, but that's okay! I'm still chugging along and visiting blogs whenever I can. ❤️

I hope you have a wonderful week! Happy reading!

The Sunday Post [84]

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.

News

I wish every weekend were a three-day weekend! I feel like I actually get to rest and reset, while still getting everything done that I need to (grocery shopping, cleaning around the house, dog baths, etc.). It’s amazing what one extra day can do. I’ve also been doing a lot of baking and have a few new recipes I want to try! Please share any bread suggestions - that's my current fixation. 

We went to the library this week (for emotional support) and I grabbed A LOT of books. I'm going to pause on my ARC reads this week to tackle this stack before they're due back. A few of them are books I received for review on NetGalley ages ago and never got to, so I will still be making some progress on my goals. 

 

Work was better this week. Friday was a little rough (I blame it on being the 13th). We didn’t have a Valentine’s Day party, but I did let them exchange cards at the end of the day. One student brought handmade cards, and another student made fun of them for it. Kids can be so mean sometimes. 😔

Speaking of Valentine’s Day, my husband got me delicious cupcakes! We ate them all in a single day. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but if you’re twisting my arm, I’d say the red velvet was best.

Previous Posts on the Blog

• Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth, #1) by Kristen Ciccarelli
• Roses Are Red, Books Are Better - Top Ten Tuesday [21]
• Organizing Titles: A Reader's Dilemma 
• The Sunday Post [83]

What I'm Currently Reading

Bride (Bride, #1) by Ali Hazelwood

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

What I Plan on Reading Next

Paper & Blood (Ink & Sigil, #2) by Kevin Hearne

Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy, #1) by Callie Hart

What I'm Watching

If you haven't watched Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, I simply cannot recommend it enough! It's quickly becoming one of my favorite anime, and one I already know I will be rewatching again in the future. The story and characters are so, so good. 

Challenge Updates

• Audiobook Challenge: 5 / 30
• Goodreads Challenge: 18 / 100
• Physical TBR: 1 / 25
• NetGalley: 32 / 50
• Discussion Post Challenge: 1 / 20
• Beat the Backlist Challenge: 13/50

I decided to also participate (unofficially) in the Beat the Backlist Challenge, so I added it to the list. I'm really happy with where I'm at goal-wise and have been enjoying most of my recent reads! I have a short work week this week, so I'm hoping that also means more time for books. ❤️

I hope you have a wonderful week! Happy reading!

The Sunday Post [83]

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.

News

This week was a bit of a rough one, and Friday couldn’t come soon enough. I didn’t get as much reading time as I hoped, so what I’m currently reading and what I plan to read next are the same as last week. I don't know if it was the full moon or what, by my students really struggled this week. It didn't help that we had a training (PD) day on Friday and very little time in our rooms to prep. We did get a lot of planning done as a team, though. 

We have been enjoying the sunshine and warmer temperatures. I've been spending as much time outside as I can, and even took a short walk with one of my coworkers when we had a break on Friday. We were both mentally spent and needed the fresh air and movement. It's hard sitting through hours of PD and planning when I'm used to moving around all day. 

I did swap out my snowflakes for hearts last night! What do you think? Should they be more transparent? Smaller? I don't want them to be too distracting, but I thought they were super cute. ❤️

Previous Posts on the Blog

• Spell the Month in Books [3]
• Beast Business (Hidden Legacy, 6.5) by Ilona Andrews
• Love at First Font - Top Ten Tuesday [20]
• State of the ARC [40]
• The Sunday Post [82]

What I'm Currently Reading

The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C.M. Waggoner

The Bone Queen by Will Shindler

What I Plan on Reading Next

All We Have Is Time by Amy Tordoff

A Secret in in the Garden (Dark Manor Chronicles, #1) by Jeneane O'Riley

What I'm Watching

I haven't had a lot of time to watch anime this week, but I should finish the newest season of Shield Hero soon. I wish I could binge shows like I used to!

Challenge Updates

• Audiobook Challenge: 3 / 30
• Goodreads Challenge: 17 / 100
• Physical TBR: 1 / 25
• NetGalley: 30 / 50
• Discussion Post Challenge: 0 / 20

I finally knocked out a physical book, and I have a Discussion Post planned for this week—winning! I might be helping Shannon over at It Starts at Midnight with the Discussion Post Challenge this year, but I'm not 100% sure yet. I'll keep you posted. 

I hope you have a wonderful week! Happy reading!

The Sunday Post [82]

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.

News

We’ve had warmer weather this week! I actually shaved my legs so I could wear shorts today. 😂 The snow is almost completely melted, but that means we’ll have a muddy yard for a few days. I know the chickens are thrilled to not have single-digit temps at night.

The kids and I had a little adventure on Saturday after my son’s soccer practice. We tried a place called The Happy Cow for lunch. It was good, but a bit on the expensive side. I absolutely devoured my burger, and the fries are apparently fried in beef tallow, which gave them an interesting taste. After eating, we stumbled across a Goodwill I’d never been to, so of course we had to go inside. We left with a few knickknacks that I’m really jazzed about. 

On our way home, we made a pit stop at the library to drop off books, pick up holds, and update my reading challenge. It’s Edgar Allan Poe–themed, and you track how many hours you’ve read to earn entries. The grand prize is a gorgeous blanket tapestry with crows on it. For reading 20 hours, I received a pin and keychain, and for 40 hours, I was given a mug that reveals a Poe-themed image when hot. Pretty cool! The challenge goes through the end of February, so I'll keep you updated on whether I win or not.

Previous Posts on the Blog

• What's in My Mailbox [1]
• Past Due Reviews [13] - January Link-Up Post
• The Daughters' War (Blacktongue, #0) by Christopher Buehlman
• The Plentiful Darkness by Heather Kassner
• Bookish Discoveries I Made in 2025 - Top Ten Tuesday [19]
• Graceless Heart (The Spellbound History, #1) by Isabel Ibañez
• The Sunday Post [81]

What I'm Currently Reading

The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C.M. Waggoner

The Bone Queen by Will Shindler

What I Plan on Reading Next

All We Have Is Time by Amy Tordoff

A Secret in in the Garden (Dark Manor Chronicles, #1) by Jeneane O'Riley

What I'm Watching

I recently started Reign of the Seven Spellblades, but so far I’m not thrilled with it. Two of the kids in the group had a MAJOR insta-love moment—so much so that even the other characters commented on it. “The two of you crossed swords and just knew you were meant to be together,” or some such nonsense. It was described as a dark academia with Harry Potter vibes, but so far it’s mostly been partial nudity and an obnoxious bunch of kids doing magical stuff.

Challenge Updates

• Audiobook Challenge: 3 / 30
• Goodreads Challenge: 14 / 100
• Physical TBR: 0 / 25
• NetGalley: 30 / 50
• Discussion Post Challenge: 0 / 20

Copy and paste from last week: I guess I need to make more of an effort with my Physical TBR and Discussion Post challenges! Good Spirits is a physical book, so I should at least have 1/25 by next weekend. I also have a few discussion post ideas planned out, and I'm hoping to post at least one of them this week. 

I hope you have a wonderful week! Happy reading!

The Sunday Post [81]

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.

News

Hello lovelies! This week went by fast with the holiday on Monday. The weather hit Friday afternoon and has been steadily dropping since. We dipped into the negatives yesterday with some snow and I don't think I'll ever be warm again. We've kept a fire burning in our little woodstove which has helped, and we're doing our best to stay bundled up and cozy. Our poor chickens don't want to leave their coop and only come into the run for a few minutes to get food and water.

We started a new family D&D campaign last night and didn't make it very far before my kids resorted to trickery and thieving to get what they wanted. I stayed quiet this time to see what they would do on their own. Clearly they still need guidance, lol. I caught my husband laughing several times at their ridiculousness. He has this entire thing planned out and we never do what he's expecting. He's a good DM though and we're having a lot of fun with it.

Previous Posts on the Blog

• Butcher & Blackbird (The Ruinous Love Trilogy, #1) by Brynne Weaver 
• When the Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain
• Bookish & Personal Goals for 2026 - Top Ten Tuesday [18]
• The Sunday Post [80]

What I'm Currently Reading

🎧 Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth, #1) by Kristen Ciccarelli

Good Spirits (Ghosted, #1) by B.K. Borison

The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C.M. Waggoner

What I Plan on Reading Next

🎧 Caught Up (Into Darkness, #2) by Navessa Allen

The Bone Queen by Will Shindler

What I'm Watching

I'm back to watching Frieren: Beyond Journey's End in my spare time. I'm really enjoying it! The slower pace, the animation, the characters—all of it! I also plan on finishing the new season of Shield Hero soon, but I have to wait and watch it with my son or he gets upset. 🙄

Challenge Updates

• Audiobook Challenge: 3 / 30
• Goodreads Challenge: 12 / 100
• Physical TBR: 0 / 25
• NetGalley: 28 / 50
• Discussion Post Challenge: 0 / 20

I guess I need to make more of an effort with my Physical TBR and Discussion Post challenges! Good Spirits is a physical book, so I should at least have 1/25 by next weekend. I also have a few discussion post ideas planned out, and I'm hoping to post at least one of them this week. 

I hope you have a wonderful week! Happy reading!