Curioussquared's 2025 Book Haven, Part 2

Hello everyone! I'm Natalie. I have participated in the challenge on and off over my 15+ years on LT, and consistently over the past several years.

I'm located in the Seattle area, where I live with my husband and dogs. I do most of my reading curled up on the couch with my retired racing greyhounds Otter and Kermit, or listening to audiobooks while doing chores and walking the dogs.

I read mostly fiction, with a heavy emphasis on fantasy and sci-fi, romance, YA fiction, general fiction/literature, a scattered mystery here and there, and the occasional non-fiction title.

I've been keeping track of my books read since 2008. The past two years I've hit 225+, but I'm going to keep my goal at a respectable 150.

Another typical reading goal for me is to prioritize books off my shelves. If you count rereads, I read more off my shelf in 2024 than from the library! If you don't count rereads, the library wins. I have a separate thread I maintain in the ROOTs group to support this goal, and I have a selection of books off my shelves I'd like to get to this year, which you can see in a post below.

Here's another shot of Otter and Kermit sunbathing in their favorite room in the house.

Favorite Books of 2024

Everything I rated 5 or 4.5 in 2024, minus rereads

At the Feet of the Sun
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy
Such a Fun Age
Two Twisted Crowns
Piranesi
Summers at Castle Auburn
Illuminations
Slippery Creatures
They Called Us Enemy
Just Kids
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Across the Green Grass Fields
Have Dog, Will Travel
The Sugared Game
Give Me a Sign
Nothing Else But Miracles
Bookshops and Bonedust
Witchmark
Heartstopper Volume 5
The Song of Achilles
The Wishing Game
At Blackwater Pond: Mary Oliver Reads Mary Oliver
The Man Who Died Twice
Where the Drowned Girls Go
Red At the Bone
The Witness for the Dead
A Most Agreeable Murder
Lost in the Moment and Found
How to Be a Girl in the World
The Fiery Cross
Divine Rivals
Ten Thousand Stitches
Funny Story
Brothers in Arms
Briony and Roses
Bee Sting Cake
Mislaid in Parts Half-Known
A Power Unbound
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
An Immense World
Whiskeyjack
The Magician's Daughter
The Undocumented Americans
Memphis
Caliban's War
Evicted
How the Word Is Passed
Yours From the Tower
Ink Blood Sister Scribe
Kushiel's Dart
The Night Watchman
Killers of the Flower Moon
Love-in-a-Mist
Plum Duff
The Death of Vivek Oji
A Long Petal of the Sea
Not Quite a Ghost
Romantic Comedy
Pentimento
Girl, Woman, Other
Hell Bent
The Poisonwood Bible

2025 Reading Goals

The TBR cart is back, in front of my larger TBR shelves in my new library room :) I've chosen 55 books off my physical and digital shelves to get through this year -- I did it in 2024 so hopefully I succeed again this year! This is a mix of sequels I need to read, books I've been meaning to get to, and newer releases I'm excited about.



1. Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
2. Aurelie by Heather Tomlinson
3. Plainsong by Kent Haruf
4. Pyromantic by Lish McBride
5. A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin
6. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
7. The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison
8. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
9. The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen
10. See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon
11. Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross
12. Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell
13. Gwen and Art Are Not In Love by Lex Croucher
14. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
15. The Well Wishers by Edward Eager
16. Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde
17. The Diamond Keeper by Jeannie Mobley
18. Wildbound by Elayne Audrey Becker
19. Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
20. Swing Time by Zadie Smith
21. Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
22. In the Serpent's Wake by Rachel Hartman
23. The Twisted Heart by Rebecca Gowers
24. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
25. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
26. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
27. Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
28. Swordcrossed by Freya Marske
29. I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
30. The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava
31. Blood of Tyrants by Naomi Novik
32. The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman
33. Dark Rise by C. S. Pacat
34. Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey
35. The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith
36. Jonathan Unleashed by Meg Rosoff
37. The Storm of Echoes by Christelle Dabos
38. The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson
39. A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab
40. The Wicked King by Holly Black
41. The Siren Depths by Martha Wells
42. The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
43. A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon
44. The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden
45. The Trespasser by Tana French
46. Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans
47. The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol by Nikolai Gogol

And off my Kindle:

48. The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
49. Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
50. Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse
51. Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri
52. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
53. Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman
54. The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
55. Jade City by Fonda Lee

DONE: 35/55

Books read in 2025

January
1. A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin (off my shelf)
2. Lady Eve's Last Con by Rebecca Fraimow (library)
3. Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell (off my shelf)
4. A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone (library)
5. The Return of Fitzroy Angursell by Victoria Goddard (library)
6. When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare (library)
7. You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian (library)
8. Flight Risk by Cherie Priest (library)
9. A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab (off my shelf)
10. Shark Heart by Emily Habeck (off my shelf)
11. Christa Comes Out of Her Shell by Abbi Waxman (library)
12. Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan (library)
13. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (off my shelf)
14. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (off my shelf)
15. Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood (library)
16. The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter (library)
17. Next of Kin by Hannah Bonam-Young (library)
18. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde (reread)
19. The Annotated Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (reread)

February
20. The Winter King by C. L. Wilson (library)
21. Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher (off my shelf)
22. Frontera by Julio Anta and Jacoby Salcedo (library)
23. The Night War by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (library)
24. A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonja Odette (library)
25. Governess Gone Rogue by Laura Lee Gurhke (library)
26. Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross (off my shelf)
27. The Prospects by KT Hoffmann (library)
28. Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman (reread)
29. Second Chances in New Port Stephen by TJ Alexander (library)
30. Deep End by Ali Hazelwood (library)
31. I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner (library)
32. Where Wolves Don't Die by Anton Treuer (library)
33. Reputation by Lex Croucher (library)
34. Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner (library)
35. Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood (library)

March
36. Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey (off my shelf)
37. Next to You by Hannah Bonam-Young (library)
38. Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire (library)
39. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher (off my shelf)
40. The Wrong Way Home by Kate O'Shaughnessy (library)
41. The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava (off my shelf)
42. Yellowface by R. F. Kuang (off my shelf)
43. Libertad by Bessie Flores Zaldivar (library)
44. Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak (off my shelf)
45. Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin (library)
46. On the Bright Side by Anna Sortino (library)
47. The Wicked King by Holly Black (off my shelf)
48. The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers (library)
49. Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield (off my shelf)
50. Conclave by Robert Harris (library)
51. Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde (off my shelf)
52. High Rhulain by Brian Jacques (off my shelf)

Books read in 2025

April
53. Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler (off my shelf)
54. See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon (off my shelf)
55. The Seamstress of Sardinia by Bianca Pitzorno (off my shelf)
56. A Good Year by Peter Mayle (off my shelf)
57. Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones (reread)
58. A Love Like the Sun by Riss M. Nielson (library)
59. The Witch Family by Eleanor Estes (off my shelf)
60. I'm Not Dying With You Tonight by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal (off my shelf)
61. The Trespasser by Tana French (off my shelf)
62. Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana (library)
63. Code Girls by Liza Mundy (off my shelf)
64. The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison (off my shelf)
65. Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok (off my shelf)

May
66. The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard (reread)
67. How to Love a Duke in Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne (library)
68. Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez (library)
69. The Last Chance Library by Freya Marske (off my shelf)
70. Knife by Salman Rushdie (library)
71. Petty Treasons by Victoria Goddard (library)
72. Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo (off my shelf)
73. The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen (off my shelf)
74. The Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar (off my shelf)
75. The Orphan of Ellis Island by Elvira Woodruff (off my shelf)
76. Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis (library)
77. In the Serpent's Wake by Rachel Hartman (off my shelf)
78. Stormbreak by Natalie C. Parker (library)
79. Jonathan Unleashed by Meg Rosoff (off my shelf)
80. Sweet and Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley (off my shelf)
81. I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown (off my shelf)
82. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (off my shelf)
83. Still Alice by Lisa Genova (off my shelf)
84. Starfish by Lisa Fipps (library)
85. The Diamond Keeper by Jeannie Mobley (off my shelf)
86. How to Steal a Galaxy by Beth Revis (library)

June
87. A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon (off my shelf)
88. The Women by Kristin Hannah (library)
89. I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston (off my shelf)
90. How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang (library)
91. Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith (library)
92. Melt With You by Jennifer Dugan (library)
93. The Siren Depths by Martha Wells (off my shelf)
94. Clary Sage by Victoria Goddard (library)
95. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (off my shelf)
96. Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey (library)
97. The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman (off my shelf)
98. All Systems Red by Martha Wells (reread)
99. Fruits Basket vol. 1 by Natsuki Takaya (library)
100. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (off my shelf)
101. The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic (library)
102. Fast & Reckless by Amanda Weaver (library)
103. Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett (reread)
104. The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman (off my shelf)
105. The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren (library)

Books read in 2025

July
106. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (off my shelf)
107. Last Chance to Save the World by Beth Revis (library)
108. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (off my shelf)
109. Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao (library)
110. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab (off my shelf)
111. Swept Away by Beth O'Leary (library)
112. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (reread)
113. The Railway Children by E. Nesbit (off my shelf)
114. Song of the Lioness: The Graphic Novel by Tamora Pierce, Vita Ayala (off my shelf)
115. Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (reread)
116. The Well-Wishers by Edward Eager (off my shelf)
117. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (library)
118. The Carriers: What the Fragile X Gene Reveals About Family, Heredity, and Scientific Discovery by Anne Skomorowsky (off my shelf)
119. Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans (off my shelf)
120. Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri (off my shelf)

August
121. Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone (library)
122. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (reread)
123. Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu (library)
124. O Caledonia by Elspeth Barker (library)

September

Books read in 2025

October

November

December

Welcome to my new thread!

Happy new thread, Natalie!

Happy new one, Natalie!

Happy new thread, Natalie.

>3 curioussquared: I love that idea.

Happy new thread, Natalie!

Happy New Thread! Wow you read a lot of good stuff last year! I hope your reading year is as good this year.

Happy new thread Natalie!

>1 curioussquared: I cannot get enough of that gorgeous view. And the dogs to - goes without saying.

Happy new thread, Natalie. Looking forward to seeing your reviews whenever you get to them. 😊

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Natalie!
Love to see the greyhounds they look so cozy.
(I'm curious btw, was Kermit named after Jenna Marbles' dog? You don't have to answer if you'd rather not).

Happy new one, Natalie!

>9 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia!

>10 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

>11 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! I have to set myself specific goals or I'll never defeat my TBR ;)

>12 bell7: Thanks, Mary!

>13 elorin: Thanks, Robyn! I hope so, too. So far so good!

>14 humouress: Thanks, Nina! Honestly, me too with the view. I don't think it's going to get old!

>15 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! Hopefully this week... (she says every week)

>16 foggidawn: Thanks, Foggi!

>17 Ravenwoodwitch: Thanks, Angela! Kermit was more named after Kermit the Frog (I loooove the Muppets) but I was aware of Jenna Marbles' Kermit, too, and enjoy that they share a name. We definitely refer to Kermit as cermet sometimes (he must be kept at temperature BOILING or he will not graow).

>18 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It's been a busy week. We've been watching my grandparents' golden retriever Macarena since last Tuesday while they are in France on a trip to Lourdes. Then on Friday night we started also watching my uncle and aunt's lab puppy, Pepper. The girls are both very sweet but lots of trouble. Luckily they keep each other busy most of the time. Otter is enjoying the company and Kermit is wondering when they will leave. (Wednesday for Pepper and Thursday for Macarena.) Current destroyed chew toy tally: 7.

Friday my best friend came over and we were going to watch some TV but we mostly just ended up hanging out and watching Macarena and Pepper wrestle 😂 Saturday was gorgeous out (65 and sunny) and Tim and I took all four dogs on a nice walk. In the evening one of my friends from high school came over to see the house and we had Chinese food and talked for a few hours. Sunday I went to brunch with four friends (I had a delicious breakfast sandwich) and then two of them came over to hang out and watch TV at my place. We watched the 2007 Persuasion (we enjoyed it except for some of the weird cinematography choices and the bit where Anne sprints around Bath) and Notting Hill (one of my faves -- Julia Roberts is fine, but I love young Hugh Grant and his friend group). One friend stayed a little longer and we watched an episode of S2 Taskmaster Australia.

Yesterday I had a minor medical procedure in the morning and was supposed to take it easy for the rest of the day, so my best friend who recently got laid off came over to puppy wrangle while I mostly laid on the couch. We watched more Taskmaster Australia (finished S2 and started S3) and just chilled.

Today I'm dealing with idiot puppies and doing some work. That's the agenda!

Currently reading: Finished The Seamstress of Sardinia and A Good Year on audio and now listening to A Love Like the Sun. Started rereading Fire and Hemlock, one of my faves, in print. Still reading Stormbreak on Kindle.

Currently watching: Taskmaster AU S2 and S3, season finale of White Lotus, 2007 Persuasion and Notting Hill.

44 books read: Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak

The classic tale following Yuri Zhivago, doctor and poet, as he flees Moscow to protect his family during the Russian revolution and is torn between two women.

I'm glad I read this, but I didn't enjoy it as much as most of the other Russian literature I've read. I think I prefer a pre-revolution setting. 4 stars.

45 books read: Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin

Enid knows all about space and regularly tells her mom interesting space facts. She works for NASA and spends the rest of her time listening to murder podcasts and dating a revolving door of women she finds on dating apps without getting serious about any of them. Enid starts having suspicions that someone is following her and trying to break into her apartment, and she starts having trouble distinguishing between reality and delusions...

A friend recommended this to me because one our mutual friends from college is the author's agent. I liked it, but Enid's paranoia made it a rather uncomfortable and unsettling book to read. 3.75 stars.

>22 curioussquared: That one sounds interesting. I understand what you mean about the paranoia making for an unsettling read, though. I'll put it on my "maybe" list.

>23 foggidawn: I hope you like it if you get to it, Foggi! It's fairly short, which helped.

Our old house is officially on the market!! Finally. It was supposed to be last Thursday, but we decided to postpone a week to let the market calm down again after Trump's tariffs announcement last Wednesday. Really hoping we can get it sold quickly and off our hands since he announced the pause on most of them yesterday. It would be great if the economy could stop imploding for a hot second!

46 books read: On the Bright Side by Anna Sortino

Ellie was born Deaf and attends a Deaf boarding school, which she loves. But when the school shut down, she's forced to return home, live with her parents again, and go to regular high school for her senior year. School is tough, but she finds a friend in Jackson, a friendly soccer player who's struggling with some strange medical issues.

I loved Sortino's first novel, Give Me a Sign, and this one was great, too. Sortino is Deaf and does a great job conveying the experience in her books without making it feel like being hit over the head with a lesson -- her books are fantastic YA romance novels with great Deaf representation that feels integral to the plot. I listened to the audiobook and I really like how you can hear people signing along in the background whenever signed dialogue is read. 5 stars.

47 books read: The Wicked King by Holly Black

In this sequel to The Cruel Prince, Cardan is now King of Faerie, thanks to Jude, and Jude is his seneschal. Jude has Cardan mostly under her control because of their bargain, but Cardan, like most fae, is hard to truly keep under her thumb, especially while navigating the rest of the court politics...

I liked this even better than the first book. Looking forward to Queen of Nothing. 4 stars.

48 books read: The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers

Erin's life has been a mess ever since her best friend died. She hates her job and can't find a partner and doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. When she accidentally donates her lovingly tattered and annotated copy of To Kill a Mockingbird to the little free library down the road, she's devastated. But then, the book appears again, now with brand new margin notes responding to her own comments and suggesting they read Great Expectations together next. As Erin and her mystery pen pal grow closer, this strange relationship starts feeling like the only good thing in her life at the moment -- but would meeting the man on the other side of the pen ruin everything?

This was cute, and I loved the concept. Something about the execution didn't totally thrill me, but I had a good time overall. 3.75 stars.

>25 curioussquared: I thought he left the China tariffs and increased them, then downgraded everyone else to 10%, while adding Canada and Mexico back to the list? An economist on Bluesky said the aggregate is around 24%. That was this morning's Bluesky info. Who knows tonight. *insert laugh cry emoji*

At any rate, the media is saying the tariffs are paused, so fingers crossed your house sells quickly!

>29 libraryperilous: I honestly don't even know at this point 🤷‍♀️ just want to get this house off our hands ASAP at this point lol.

>25 curioussquared: Fingers crossed for a swift sale on the house!

Sending all my best wishes for the house sale!

I love dogs who know how to lounge! Your mentioning the destroyed chew toy tally of your guests reminded me of Penny so much. She was a toy-destroyer and serial un-stuffer.

Joining our friends in wishing you well with the house sale, Natalie.

Thanks for all the well-wishes, everyone! We had no offers at deadline yesterday, which is a bummer, but have a few potentially interested buyers still sniffing around this week now that it's clear there won't be a bidding war, so fingers crossed we get one soon.

What else is going on...

Friday I went for brunch with some friends at a Filipino place downtown famous for their ube pancakes, which are only served on Fridays and weekends. (We did Friday to avoid a huge line). It was delicious! Afterward we all wandered around Pike Place Market for a bit since we were right around the corner. I picked up a gorgeous bouquet with tulips for $20. The market is the one tourist attraction I always, always recommend and will visit regularly as a local. It's always a fun visit. That evening my best friend came over and we watched some TV and did a puzzle.

Saturday was a lazy day aside from finally putting up blackout curtains in our bedroom (I slept 9 hours that night, lol) and then Time and I went out for dinner in our new neighborhood. We went to a taco place that had been recommended to us, but I was not a fan and will not be going back.

Sunday two of my friends came over and we continued our Jane Austen watchathon -- so far we have watched Mansfield Park and Persuasion and on Sunday we watched Northanger Abbey. We also watched Sweet Home Alabama, which I had never seen and enjoyed. On Friday we have plans to go see the rerelease of the 2005 P&P in theaters :)

Monday I went to a shade store with my mom and got another quote for shades for our living room (which we desperately need as the weather gets hotter). This quote was slightly better and I think we're going to go with them.

Yesterday I was not very productive after we got the news we got no offers on the house, but I did cross a few things off my to-do list and I finished my book out on the deck in the sun, so we'll count that as a win.

Currently reading: Finished Fire and Hemlock and The Trespasser in print and am now reading The Grief of Stones. On audio, I finished A Love Like the Sun, The Witch Family, and I'm Not Dying With You Tonight and am now about 80% through Lore of the Wilds. Still reading Stormbreak on Kindle.

Currently watching: More Severance with Tim (I think we just finished S1E8) and we also started Ted Lasso. We also started the new season of the Parisian Agency and Dark Winds, a show about Navajo Tribal Police, but I need to go use the wifi at my parents' house to get my Netflix back (I refuse to pay for my own account, lol. Stick it to the man!) before we can continue. Started watching Married at First Sight with my best friend which is horrible but entertaining.

I somehow lost track of your thread!

>35 curioussquared: I am sure the right buyer will come with the offer you want.

My BFF and I are going to see P&P in the theater on Monday. Can't wait!

>36 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita! I sure hope so.

>37 katiekrug: I'm so excited! I'm hoping for a lot of collective theater reactions to moments like the hand flex etc.

>35 curioussquared: I'm sorry you didn't get any offers but I'm with Anita - you'll find the right buyer.

It's exciting that you're settling into your new place - checking out your new neighbourhood and reading on your deck.

We accepted an offer on our house last night! Woohoo! Now to just make it through the closing period...

Yay! Limber up your signing hand...

>40 curioussquared: Huzzah! Sending all the best wishes for closing.

>41 jjmcgaffey: Thanks, Jennifer! Those signing sessions are definitely a marathon!

>42 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! 😁

49 books read:

50 books read: Conclave by Robert Harris

The pope is dead, and the cardinals must gather to choose a new pope. Cardinal Lomeli, dean of the college of cardinals, is responsible for orchestrating the gathering, and over the course of the conclave he is challenged morally and spiritually as secrets come to light and alliances and decisions are made.

Feels a little strange to be posting this review today even though I read the book back in March... but anyway, I was skeptical when my old coworker recommended this one to me. How much could I care about the papal election process? Turns out the answer is a lot! I loved this and flew through it on audio. I'll be interested in seeing the film, too. 5 stars.

51 books read:

52 books read:

Finally done with my March reviews, lol. On to April!

Other updates:

On Friday my best friend and I spent the day in Tacoma with our other friend. The weather was gorgeous (high 60s and sunny) and we drove to Gig Harbor and walked around, enjoyed some pastries and boba, and then had a really nice dinner before going to see Pride and Prejudice in theaters. It was glorious on the big screen and worth not getting home until 11:30!

Saturday was Tim's birthday. We had a nice dinner out and I surprised him with a cake at home :)

Sunday we went up to my in-laws' beach house for Easter. It was a small gathering this year but good to see everyone. We were a little preoccupied dealing with the house stuff during the holiday but it was a nice end to the day to accept the offer!

Today I've been working and also taking care of my parents' dogs. I have soup in the slow cooker for dinner so it should be a fairly low key rest of the day. Tim has come down with a bad cold so hopefully the soup helps.

Currently reading: Just a little left in The Grief of Stones in print. Finished Lore of the Wilds and Code Girls on audio and now listening to Girl in Translation. Still reading Stormbreak on Kindle.

Currently watching: All the same stuff -- Severance, Ted Lasso, and S2E1 of The Last of Us. My best friend was going to come over tonight to watch E2, but won't now that Tim is sick.

>40 curioussquared: Congrats! How exciting.

Great news about accepting the offer! I hope the rest of the process goes smoothly.

I saw P&P in the theater today and loved it (of course). Seeing it on the "big screen" also allowed me to notice more about the set design and filming choices. I'm so glad I went.

I'm bummed I missed out on the re-release of P&P. All the showings in my area were sold out by the time I knew it was a thing. 😔

Happy belated birthday to Tim and crossing all my fingers you don't catch his bug.

Congratulations on accepting the offer for your house!

>44 curioussquared: I really loved Our Wives under the Sea and I had no idea it would be as weird as it was. Luckily, I like weird. I can understand the ending maybe not satisfying, but for me it all worked.

>45 curioussquared: That was good timing. My husband saw the film on a flight and wants to watch it again - with me this time.

Congratulations on the house offer and on hitting 50 books read.

>49 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita!

>50 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! Yes, I was surprised at just how much P&P was enhanced by the big screen. I had forgotten that it's kind of artsy in places and it really let me rediscover the film.

>51 MickyFine: Sorry you missed the rerelease, Micky! I recommend finding a very large TV and inviting all of your Austen fan friends to watch it with you to recreate the experience 😂

>52 ursula: Thanks, Ursula! I did like OWUtS. It was just a little weird because normally the ending is totally something that would make me absolutely bawl and it just didn't have that affect on me. Could have just been that I was in a weird mood but I missed that emotional impact.

>53 humouress: Thanks Nina! I'm getting pretty close to 75 at this point, I'm just very behind on reviews 😭😭

Happy Sunday. It's been an overall awful week for me. I won't go into details, but a family member is going through a mental health crisis and my family has spent this week dealing with this crisis. This family member still trusts me so the last three days a lot of the communication has fallen on my shoulders. I'm glad to have this trust, but it's a lot to deal with. I also officially came down with Tim's cold yesterday morning -- I felt like I was succeeding in fighting it off all week, but it caught up with me, I'm sure due to the stress and exhaustion from the family situation. So now I'm a puffy-headed snotty mess. Luckily I think I can just rot in my bed all day today.

I haven't done a ton of reading this week -- none of my current reads were really doing it for me, so yesterday I started a reread of The Hands of the Emperor, which has been perfectly comforting and just what I needed.

Sending massive virtual hugs for all the stresses you're dealing with and vats of tea while you fight your bug.

Glad to hear comfort read is doing all you need it to.

>55 curioussquared: What Micky said. Sorry you & your family are going through that.

I hope your cold gets better soon and the family crisis is resolved soon and with little additional stress. So glad you have a comfort read to help.

Thanks, friends. The last two days have been less stressful, which is good because I have done nothing but lie in bed and read The Hands of the Emperor. I'm hoping I'll feel a little more human tomorrow because I am super behind on work stuff.

53 books read:

I'm sorry to hear that you and your family are going through the wars but glad to hear that things seem to be looking up. I hope your cold disappears soon. Fingers crossed.

>61 humouress: Thanks, Nina! Feeling a teeny bit more human today as I try to catch up on work stuff but still pretty gross. Hopefully improvement will continue!

54 books read:

55 books read:

56 books read:

57 books read:

>63 curioussquared: That one's going on my wishlist.

Heya Natalie :)

Sounds like you've run the full scale of emotions while I was gone. Starting with the highs I'll say congratulations on accepting an offer on your old home! That's such a big step; I'd feel bittersweet if I was in your shoes alongside the excitement.

As for the lows, I'm so sorry you're going through it with the family. I hope that family member makes it to a better headspace and I hope things settle down with the family as well. AND as someone who also fought a cold over the weekend, you have my sympathies. Being sick sucks SO much.

>66 curioussquared: Hmm; well I must have read that one when I was still in school (couldn't tell you what age but probably mid-teens) and I don't really remember a romance element. So it would probably still work for younger readers - but then, modern kids are so different to when I was growing up.

>66 curioussquared: That was one of my favorite DWJ books when I first discovered her (in my early 20s). I wasn't squicked out then, but also, I grew up reading a lot of older books where that sort of age difference was not considered problematic. I'll have to revisit it sometime and see if it troubles me now.

>67 elorin: I hope you like it, Robyn!

>68 Ravenwoodwitch: Thanks Angela! The bittersweetness about the house is tempered by the fact that we moved in November, so at this point I'm just ready to have it officially sold 😊 I am finally feeling mostly better and hope you are too. Family stuff is still ongoing unfortunately and probably will be for a while.

>69 humouress: The romance really only starts at the very end, on the last few pages, so it's not a major part of the book. But the way that Tom shapes Polly's childhood so thoroughly to then have that relationship become a romantic one when she's still very young did not sit right with me as an adult.

>70 foggidawn: I'll be interested to see your thoughts if you reread, Foggi. I'm not usually squicked by an age gap (my parents are ~20 years apart and happily married for almost 35 years), but the way the Tam Lin story necessitates Tom essentially grooming Polly to love him while she is very much a child felt very wrong to me while reading this time.

58 books read: A Love Like the Sun by Riss M. Neilson

Childhood best friends spend a summer fake dating and testing the waters of a relationship that could be real if they just let themselves try.

This was fine. I liked Laniah's business with her mom, and Issac is very sweet as both a friend and a boyfriend, but I just never cared very much about what was going on. 3 stars.

59 books read:

60 books read:

Happy Friday!

My family drama stuff continues but was a little less volatile this week, which was good for my mental health and my reading :).

The big news is that Tim and I have made contact with a local Borzoi breeder and put down a deposit for a puppy! The puppies are due in two weeks and we should be able to bring our little guy home in late August. I cannot WAIT. The breeder came and did a home visit at our place and brought one of her boys, Darius. We made good friends with him very quickly:



Otherwise, I've been reading a lot and still need to catch up on reviews. (I'm 11 or 12 behind again, oops). I don't even know what I was reading the last time I updated, but here's the current stuff (and you can always find a more current list of what I've read this year at the top of my threads). I finished The Undermining of Twyla and Frank in print today, which was delightful, and am currently reading Before the Coffee Gets Cold on Kindle. (I never finished Stormbreak on Kindle and decided to shift it to audio instead, and will pick it up there soon). On audio I finished Knife and Raymie Nightingale recently and am now listening to The Flight Girls.

>75 curioussquared: Cute dog! Exciting!

>75 curioussquared: Yay, puppy! I have a friend who breeds and shows Borzoi. I love their long noses.

Life sounds busy and full for you, Natalie. Can't wait to see pics of the new puppy!

>75 curioussquared: Is borzoi the breed of dog in Robin McKinley's Deerskin?

>75 curioussquared: Yay for a puppy. That's very exciting.

There's a woman in my neighbourhood who has a pair of borzois and they always look very glamorous when they're out for walks.

>75 curioussquared: Yay for new puppy! What made you think of borzois, after greyhounds and Irish wolfhounds (although I see a theme)? Darius is HUGE!!

BB'ed - I've put The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy on waitlist. Hmff; I need to read more ROOTs.

>76 norabelle414: Thanks Nora!

>77 foggidawn: Thanks, Foggi! I am also a fan of the long snoots :)

>78 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! I can't wait either :D

>79 libraryperilous: Hi Diana! I haven't read Deerskin in aaages and can't remember exactly how the dog is described. A quick google says they're called Fleethounds in the book, but it's certainly depicted as a borzoi on the cover I have:


>80 MickyFine: Thanks Micky! They definitely look very glamorous but seem to be pretty derpy personality-wise (at least the boys), which is exactly our jam :) Can't wait to be the crazy sighthound people in the neighborhood with our two naked noodles and one fluffy noodle :D

>81 humouress: Thanks Nina! It's a breed I've loved for years. We've been thinking of getting a puppy but it's pretty much impossible to get your hands on a racing greyhound puppy -- you can go through a breeder, but the AKC greyhounds seem to have slightly different temperaments from the racing greys. Meanwhile, borzoi seem to be slightly derpier, slightly larger fluffy greyhounds, which sounded perfect to us, and we happened to make contact with a local reputable breeder right before they officially announced a little this month, so the timing was perfect! Hope you enjoy the book! I thought it was super fun.

61 books read:

62 books read: Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana

Lore is a human living in a land ruled by fae. When a fae lord comes to her family's shop and learns that she can read and write the fae language, she is forcibly taken to one of their rulers' palaces, where there is a magical library that has been locked for 1000 years, and fae are barred from entering. But a human... Lore is put to work searching the library for the book the fae seek, desperate to earn the money her family needs to survive despite the prejudice she faces as a human living with fae. As she starts to befriend one of her guards, Lore must decide sooner rather than later whether or not to trust him.

I LOVE a magical library so I really wanted to love this, but it failed to grab me. Aspects were great but I just didn't love it. Then it turns out it's part 1 of a duology and ends without wrapping up literally anything 🙄 not sure if I'll read book 2 yet. 3 stars.

>75 curioussquared: Congrats on the puppy!

Wow! Darius is a big boy!

>85 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita! Yes, he's pretty big. Only about 10-15 lbs heavier than our greyhounds, but he's only about 2 so he should fill out a little more.

63 books read:

>82 curioussquared: Ah - makes sense.

>83 curioussquared: I'm tempted, despite not being into (modern) crime books.

>84 curioussquared: I'll wait and see what you say about the second book - if you read it.

>86 curioussquared: Fill out more?! 😮

>88 humouress: I don't read a lot of crime books either, but Tana French is my go-to author when I'm in the mood for one. Her stuff is really atmospheric which works for me.

Happy Monday!

Family drama stuff is ongoing and stressful and taking over a lot of my life. I don't think it's going to end anytime soon, unfortunately. Since there's some other stressful stuff going on as well, I decided to take the plunge and get a therapist. I found a group that's in-network near my house and am going to give them a try with an intake appointment later this week. So boo, stress, but yay mental health self-care, I guess? (May is Mental Health Awareness month and I've been writing a bunch on that topic for work, so I suppose it's only fair I follow my own advice.)

We were exposed to Covid about a week and a half ago and I had a minor medical procedure scheduled for this weekend that I really did not want to reschedule, so I spent most of that time avoiding Tim as he thought he was developing symptoms. Neither of us ever tested positive and Tim was OK after feeling crummy for a few days, so looks like we dodged the bullet and my procedure wasn't cancelled.

On Saturday I went and visited my friend and her one-year-old daughter, which was nice. I hadn't seen her since her maternity leave, so it had been too long!

This weekend we're going on Tim's family's annual camping trip. I'm not a big camper, but we haven't really traveled this year so I'm looking forward to a little getaway. I might cancel if the family drama stuff requires but I'm really hoping to be able to go.

The puppies are due this Friday and I cannot wait! They're expecting 9-10 and mama dog looks ready to pop. We won't be able to take one home until they're 12 weeks old but we will get to visit before that and pick our pup :) I plan to lie down in some grass and get swarmed.

Currently reading: A Breath of Snow and Ashes in print, I'm Still Here on audio, and Before the Coffee Gets Cold on Kindle. I am very very behind on reviews soon and hoping to catch up shortly.

Currently watching: Finally watched Fleabag (and now understand the obsession with Andrew Scott as the hot priest!!). Watched the first two episodes of Murderbot with Tim and I am very very pleased so far. Skarsgard is doing a great job. Also working our way through Andor which is also fantastic (and as a French speaker, the Ghormann language broke my brain). Still watching Ted Lasso on my own but Tim decided it's not for him. I'm early in S2 now.

Also, happy SPL (and now KCLS!) Summer Book Bingo day to all those who celebrate! (Maybe just me and @Kyler_Marie, lol). https://www.spl.org/programs-and-services/authors-and-books/book-bingo/2025-book...

64 books read:

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67 books read: How to Love a Duke in Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne

Years ago, Alexandra Lane killed the man that hurt her in self-defense, and buried him with the help of her two best friends. Since then, she has fended for herself, following her dreams to become an archaeologist but keeping men at arm's length -- and consistently paying the blackmailer who threatens to expose the crime she committed all those years ago. Now with her family nearing bankruptcy, she's not sure what to do -- until she meets Piers, the "terror of Torcliff," who was left scarred after an accident. Piers needs a wife, and Alexandra needs money, and she's willing to do what she must to get it -- even if she must allow another man to get close to her.

This was recommended by my friend. It was fine. I liked the banter and I love a scarred hero, but this was a little too long and some of Piers' issues with Alexandra were just frustrating to me. 3.25 stars.

68 books read: Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez

Vanessa is a popular travel YouTuber, purposefully living every day to the fullest since she doesn't know if she has the early-onset ALS her mother and sister died from. That is, she was living every day to the fullest, until she got stuck with emergency custody of her addict sister's newborn. Adrian is Vanessa's neighbor, a workaholic who can't seem to get lucky in love who steps in one night when the baby won't stop crying and soon becomes friends with Vanessa. Vanessa makes it clear that she doesn't date, and Adrian respects that, but since he doesn't watch her YouTube, he doesn't know that Vanessa's rule is because of her possible ALS. As the two get closer, the dating rule starts to seem stupid -- but can their relationship last when Adrian learns Vanessa's truth?

I enjoyed this, but I need to stop thinking of Jimenez's books as romcoms. They are roms, and they have some com, but they always have a LOT of pretty heavy content in addition to the rom and com and that is not always what I want when I want when I'm looking for something fairly lighthearted. Also, her male leads all feel exactly the same to me, but it's a good model, so could be worse. 4 stars.

69 books read:

>90 curioussquared: I've been completely MIA on here for the past couple months but Book Bingo is pulling me back into reading. Already finished Station Eleven as my Found Family pick and A Heart That Works as my Grief pick. Any favorite categories or books you're excited about for book bingo this year?

>97 Kyler_Marie: Good to see you and glad that Book Bingo has rekindled the reading flame!! Hope you liked Station Eleven -- I thought it was excellent. I feel like the categories are a bit broader this year but still challenging, and I'm still mulling over a lot of my picks. New-to-Me Format is a bit difficult since I read almost all formats, but after a bit of brainstorming I think I might try a manga! And I just started A Breath of Snow and Ashes on Saturday which is perfect for One Big Book.

>98 curioussquared: Manga is a great choice for New-to-Me! I was considering Dracula because I thought it was my first episolary novel, but it turns out that it isn't! So....still trying to figure out how to meet that category. Maybe an anthology, mythology, or a western?

Station Eleven was good! It was also a good reminder that I should always read the book before watching the show/movie (my favorite aspect of the show wasn't in the book, which immediately ruined the book for me.).

That's a great choice for One Big Book! I'm sure you'll fly through it.

Sending hugs for you as you continue to deal with family drama, Natalie.

I don't think Fleabag would be my jam but I loved Andrew Scott's Moriarty so I'm always delighted to see him when he crops up in other things.

Glad to see you're still diving into (and hopefully enjoying) Outlander books. Did you see that Diana Gabaldon announced the title of book 10 and has confirmed it will be the last book in the main series?

>75 curioussquared: Did someone say Borzoi? Oh I can't wait to see your baby House Goat. So cute!

On a serious note. I am so sorry to hear that this family drama is causing you so much grief; you have been such a kind person from all I've seen here and don't deserve to suffer that kind of stress. Good luck with your therapy. As someone who's been in it for years, I will say there are times when sessions get hard, but I promise it's worth it. Best of luck; I'm rooting for you :)

>99 Kyler_Marie: Those are all good options for new-to-me! I haven't watched the Station Eleven show yet -- sounds like I should?

>100 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! Fleabag is pretty raunchy and unapologetic about it but it's hilarious and Andrew Scott is brilliant. He's so great. I am definitely still enjoying Outlander, just taking it slow and reading about 1 book per year. So at this rate... I should finish in ~4-5 years 😂 I did see that but filed it away under "not relevant to me right now" since I still have 4 books to go before book 10!

>101 Ravenwoodwitch: Thanks Angela! Puppies are due Friday and I'm so excited :D We'll see what happens with the family stuff. Definitely glad I'm seeking some outside help.

I've been doing really well at reading books off my shelf this year and reducing my TBR... but then someone in my Buy Nothing group offered up a bunch of brand new romance novels and I happened to be chosen for them. Oops -- can't say no to that! Looks like my summer reading is sorted. I picked up:

Mickey Chambers Shakes It Up (the only one I've read off this list)
Give Me Butterflies
Flirting Lessons
The Relationship Mechanic
The Spare
Scot and Bothered
If We Were a Movie
A Summer for the Books
All the Noise at Once

70 books read: Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder by Salman Rushdie

On August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie was on stage about to give a talk when a young man rushed the stage and brutally attacked him with a knife, leaving him in serious condition and permanently without vision in one eye. In this book, a kind of catharsis, Rushdie ruminates on the attack and his attacker, covering everything from his journey to recovery to his meditations on why the man did it in an imagined conversation with his assailant.

This is a powerful memoir, and I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook narrated by the author. Rushdie talks about how he needed to write this book before he would be able to write anything else after his traumatic experience, and I can definitely see why. How do you process something like this and move on? Even Rushdie, who spent years expecting to be killed after the fatwa, was not actually prepared to look death in the eye when it almost came for him. 5 stars.

71 books read: Petty Treasons by Victoria Goddard

Emperor Artorin Damara has been through countless secretaries. When a new one shows up, he doesn't have any reason to think he'll be different -- but Cliopher Mdang is not just any old secretary.

A slim novella about Cliopher becoming His Radiancy's secretary. Not hefty, and not worth reading if you haven't read The Hands of the Emperor, but definitely worthwhile if you want to spend more time with these characters and see Kip from HR's point of view. 4 stars.

72 books read:

Ooh puppies! I hope you get one you love to bits and enjoy lots of sweet puppy breath! I'm putting the Goddard on my wishlist.

>102 curioussquared: It is good! I would recommend it.

>105 curioussquared: I adored this one. I think it's my favorite of the shorter works.

I need to put Knife on my TBR. Thank you for the reminder!

>107 elorin: Thanks, Robyn! I hope you love HOTE :D

>108 Kyler_Marie: Putting it on the watchlist!

>109 clamairy: It's my first of the novellas I've read and I enjoyed it but missed the heft of her longer works. Still lovely, though! I have Clary Sage checked out of the library to read next. I hope you enjoy Knife!

The puppies were born on May 25! Eleven sweet little potatoes. 6 boys, 5 girls :)



ETA: Mama's name is Lyra and her show name includes "The Amber Spyglass," which is a fun literary connection.

>111 curioussquared: Looking for the "love" button -- they are so adorable, and the mama looks happy and elegant for someone who has so many potatoes to care for!

Happy Monday! It's been a while since I checked in.

Camping with Tim's family was nice. We had gorgeous weather and it was so good to be away from cell service for a bit. Unfortunately we ended up leaving a day early because a brush fire broke out at the base of the mountain we were camping on. It was windy that day and had been dry for several days, so we didn't want to risk it. The fire ended up being extinguished that day but we still felt good about leaving. The fire helicopters came and got water from the lake we were camping at, which was very cool to see but also a good indication that it's time to pack up and leave, lol.





This past week was OK. Tim picked up a cold while camping from his cousin so I spent most of it avoiding him trying not to get sick, working, and dealing with more family drama, which continues to be exhausting. I had a rough day family-wise on Thursday so I took myself to my favorite bookstore and did some retail therapy. I bought:

The new graphic novel adaptation of Alanna: The Song of the Lioness, book 1 - this was my excuse for going, since I had to pick up my preorder
A new copy of The Outlaws of Sherwood since mine is falling apart
The Frozen River
The Raven Scholar
The Tomb of Dragons
The Incandescent
The Knight and the Moth
And a copy of Service Model for Tim

Currently reading: I am finally nearing the end of A Breath of Snow and Ashes (by which I mean I have 300 pages left -- this entry in the series might genuinely be too long for me) in print. On audio, I'm listening to The Women for my in-person book club. Reading Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston on Kindle. I'm about 20% in and it's not charming me like I want it to -- I'm hoping it picks up.

Currently watching: Caught up on Murderbot, which I'm loving, and I might rewatch the first 4 episodes with my best friend since they're so short. Tim and I also finished S2 of Andor, which was excellent, and I think a Rogue One rewatch might be in order. We also watched an episode of Arrested Development, and I continue to make my way through Ted Lasso (I think I'm on S2E7?).

>112 foggidawn: Doesn't she? I love her happy smile despite not even having enough nipples for all of her offspring ;)

>111 curioussquared: So cute!!!

>113 curioussquared: I've been rewatching all of the episodes of Murderbot before each new episode, which is a cool and normal thing to do, and I've been enjoying it. As you say, it doesn't take very long

>115 norabelle414: Super cool and normal!!! I wholeheartedly endorse this behavior.

73 books read:

74 books read:

75 books read:

The Wayne immediately re-watched Rogue One after finishing Andor 🙂

Sorry the family drama continues. It must be exhausting.

>111 curioussquared: How adorable. Wow! Eleven little ones. Mama still has a happy face :)

Awwww look at the babies!
The photos also look fantastic. I've never camped on a mountain or by a lake; adding that to the list.

Im sorry about the family drama continuing but congrats on reaching 75 already!

>120 katiekrug: I think we'll give it a rewatch when we're in a suitable mood for emotional devastation :) And thank you! It is exhausting and there's not really an end in sight, unfortunately.

>121 figsfromthistle: Isn't she pretty? A very good mama.

>122 Ravenwoodwitch: Thanks, Angela! I'm actually at 87, but as usual I am waaay behind on reviews. I will catch up... eventually...

>123 curioussquared: Well in that case, congratulations in blasting past 75!

Sorry about the family drama; I hope it's resolved soon with the best possible outcome. We're having a mini drama of our own.

>111 curioussquared: 😍 So gorgeous.

>124 humouress: Thanks, Nina! Echoing your wishes for your own mini drama.

76 books read: Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis

Ada Lamarr is working a looting job on a space ship wreck on a strange planet, but she has a hole in her ship and 8 minutes of oxygen left in her space suit and the other ship nearby might not respond to her distress signal in time. When she barely makes it, she's not sure what to make of the other ship's crew -- especially Rian White, who seems to be in charge. What are they doing here looting? If they're from the government, why haven't they reported the wreck in the proper channels? What are they being so secretive about?

A very fun, very quick sci-fi romance novella. Ada is very sassy and irreverent and could very easily become an annoying character, but Revis walks the line pretty well. Her voice start to grate over a longer book but it worked for the novella length. This is super fast-paced and I listened to it really quickly and immediately checked out book 2. 4 stars.

77 books read:

78 books read: Stormbreak by Natalie C. Parker

Caledonia Styx and her crew are prepping once and for all to take on Lir and his army. But even though they have been steadily taking on ships and destroying baleblossom, the drug that allows Lir to control his Bullet army, it's not enough. Can Caledonia take the necessary step and join with a dangerous ally? It may be the only way to win the war.

A solid ending to the series. I thought this last entry could have used with a little more diversity in the conflicts -- it didn't really feel very different from the previous two books, and there are only so many types of sea battles you can have. The final conflict was a little bit of a letdown. Maybe the series would have been better as a duology. But I still enjoyed the closing. 3.75 stars.

Yay for blasting past 75 (and 75 reviews!). Strength and patience for the family drama.

Congrats!

>129 elorin: Thanks, Robyn!!

>130 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!!

79 books read:

80 books read:

81 books read:

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83 books read:

84 books read: Starfish by Lisa Fipps

Ellie is in middle school and is tired of being fat-shamed, especially by her mother, her siblings, and the bullies at school. Her father does his best to protect her, but he and her mother disagree on the best way to deal with Ellie's weight, and there's only so much he can do. When Ellie starts seeing a therapist, she's initially skeptical, but soon she starts working through her own feelings about her size and decides to stand up for herself.

An important, sometimes tough to read book, especially when you learn that all of Ellie's experiences in the book are based on Fipps' own experience growing up as a fat kid. Her mom is genuinely abusive, even if she doesn't mean it, and I so felt for Ellie. 5 stars.

>134 curioussquared: This is on my list. Glad to see it's such a great read.

85 books read:

86 books read: How to Steal a Galaxy by Beth Revis

Ada and Rian just happen to be at the same fundraiser event... both with ulterior motives. But someone else has different plans for the gala, and it will take both Ada and Rian to save the day.

Just as fun as the first book in the series and planning on listening to book 2 soon. Ada got a little bit more annoying for me in this entry so I'm glad it's a novella. Hoping she'll be a little more vulnerable in book 3. 4 stars.

>138 bell7: I hope you like it, Mary!

It's hard to read your reviews without wanting to read the books. Two BBs, maybe 3. Onto the wishlist they go!

Happy Friday, everyone! As of >140 curioussquared:, I'm finally done with reviews for May 😂 Hopefully will catch up for June soon.

Things have been busy, but I'm still reading! Family drama is ongoing but quiet for the moment, which is good.

I had a minor medical procedure on Monday, and also re-injured my foot on Saturday with an injury I had last year. The podiatrist didn't really know what was going on last year, or this year. I was literally just walking in my yard when all of a sudden I couldn't really walk or put weight on my left foot without pain, and I have a big-ass bruise on the top of my foot :( But there was no injury or trauma -- I didn't even stumble! -- so super weird and I get to have a foot MRI on Monday. So most of this week was taken up with medical appointments -- super fun.

Currently reading: Finished I Who Have Never Known Men last night and need to start a new print book. Currently listening to Valdemar and reading Empire of Sand on Kindle.

Currently watching: Ted Lasso S2, the new Murderbot episode. Tim and I are really enjoying the series so far!

>142 elorin: Thanks, Robyn! That's a very nice compliment :D Which ones got you?

>144 curioussquared: The Diamond Keeper, and Still Alice for sure. I keep going back to Sweet and Bitter Magic and the coffee getting cold one, so probably those two too.

>143 curioussquared: Yay for completing May reviews!

Sorry to hear your foot is giving you problems again. Hopefully they're able to figure out the issue this time.

>145 elorin: I hope you enjoy all 4!

>146 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! The foot is feeling a lot better (right before my MRI, of course). I'm hoping it's still injured enough that they're able to see something on the scan this time. I don't want this injury to keep happening!

How is your book bingo going?

>148 Kyler_Marie: It's going pretty well!

So far I have finished 6 squares:
- New to You Format: Fruits Basket vol. 1
- Dystopia: I Who Have Never Known Men
- Found Family: The Bullet That Missed
- Monsters: The Siren Depths
- One Big Book: A Breath of Snow and Ashes
- Gender Bender: Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston

I have books picked out for most of the others from my TBR or library holds:
- Suggested by a library worker: Swept Away, although this one is subject to change
- SAL Speaker: Tom Lake
- Grief: Promise Me Sunshine
- PNW Nature: The Overstory -- not sure about this one
- Author from Another Continent: Swordcrossed or The Storm of Echoes
- Suggested by an Indie Bookstore: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
- Flower on the Cover/Title: The Well-Wishers or Olga Dies Dreaming
- Resistance: The Once and Future Witches
- Humor: Rereading Monstrous Regiment, one of my faves I've been wanting to reread for a while
- Great Escapes: Notorious Sorcerer
- BIPOC Historical Fic/Nonfic: Siren Queen

Still not sure what I'll read for:
- Censorship
- Intergenerational Friendship
- Disability
- Read in Public
- Hope
- Buddy read -- I'll probably find something my best friend and I both want to read, but not sure what yet. Maybe Holy Terrors.

How is yours going?

87 books read:

88 books read: The Women by Kristin Hannah

Frankie McGrath decides to follow her brother to Vietnam as a combat nurse -- only he dies before she even makes it on the plane. In Vietnam, Frankie experiences untold horrors: gaping wounds, bombings, injured civilians, friends who don't make it. But she also makes great friends, and meets someone who just may be the love of her life. Little does she know, though, that even if she survives the war, coming home just might kill her.

This is my second book by Hannah and I read it for my IRL book club. I thought it was solid -- I appreciated Hannah shedding a light on the overlooked service of women in Vietnam and I thought the first half of the book was very well done with excellent narration by Julia Whelan. In the second half of the book, I still appreciated what Hannah was doing showing how veterans and especially female vets were treated after coming home, but the plot relied a lot on coincidence to move forward, which was a little annoying, and I wasn't the biggest fan of the surprise at the end. 4 stars.

89 books read:

>150 curioussquared: As you know, I'm very fond of the series but every time we watch the show, Mr. Fine always quips "who's getting kidnapped this week? Jamie or Claire?" so your comment made me laugh.

>149 curioussquared: did someone say Fruits Basket? Oh, the memories 😢❤️

I spoil nothing and hope you like it.

Hi Natalie, wow you have had a lot going on in your life. I hope things get easier for you and I applaud you wanting to enter therapy - this is such an important step. Congratulations on your soon-to-be-sold house (or did it sell already and I missed it)? and your soon-to-be-new puppy! How wonderful! I have picked up a few BBs from you and I am SO glad you enjoyed Starfish. I recently read another book by Lisa Fipps called And Then, Boom! and found it to be just as excellent and heart-wrenching.

Take care of yourself.

>153 MickyFine: Lol! I'm glad I'm not the only one 😂 I still enjoyed it a lot, but it was a little too much kidnapping for my taste this time.

>154 Ravenwoodwitch: Hi Angela! Unfortunately I think Fruits Basket was not for me but I can see how it would be a favorite.

>155 AMQS: Great to see you, Anne! Things are still pretty rough around here, but I have started therapy, we sold the house, and our puppy is growing by the day, so those are all good things 😁 I'm just waiting for the breeder to tell us we can come down and meet them. And there are always lots of books, which is another good thing! I hope you enjoy the BBs and good to know about the Fipps!

Hi friends! It's been a while since I've done an update.

The last few weeks have been busy with work and appointments and reading, of course.

Some highlights and lowlights:

- My friends came over for a movie day and we watched the first two episodes of Miss Austen and rewatched Bride and Prejudice, which I hadn't seen since college. So good.
- I got a foot MRI! Not very fun. Still waiting on the results -- why do I need an appointment for that? Can't they just call me?
- Last Wednesday my best friend and I drove to Tacoma to Point Defiance Zoo, specifically hoping to see Ume the baby tapir if she was out. She was, but she was hiding behind mama Yuma the whole time sleeping. We were able to catch glimpses of her little ears and snoot, though. Then we got dinner at a tiki bar with our friend who lives down in Tacoma.
- Tim and I have started playing Cult of the Lamb on co-op mode and it's so fun even if we're very bad at it and our followers keep dying and starving (is that normal??). Tim spent a bunch of gold on something useless early on which has definitely had a negative impact 😂 hopefully the cult will begin thriving soon.
- I got Tim a fancy grill for his birthday in April and he has been on a grilling streak for the last few weeks. I have been the direct beneficiary of this, so you could say the grill was a gift for me as well, lol.
- The puppies are getting HUGE and we will hopefully get to meet them in a week or so!
- Our dining table was delayed in production, but should hopefully be arriving in the next few weeks.
- Family drama is still ongoing but not the most active over the last few weeks.
- Otter ripped his dew claw almost all the way off doing too many zoomies on Friday night. There was blood EVERYWHERE. So we ended up at the emergency vet. Luckily they were able to get us in almost right away and after 24 hours of a bandage he is back to normal and you would never know anything happened. He also just snapped the dew claw off near the base instead of ripping it off all the way, so it bled a lot because of the quick but should grow back normally. I am still finding blood stains in the carpet and I think I need to treat it with hydrogen peroxide per the internet.
- My best friend and I have been doing a lot of watching of Below Deck and puzzling together.
- I got a mani/pedi with my SIL.

This week I'll be working and then I think we're going to host some family for 4th of July. I think we might have a pretty cool fireworks show from our deck -- will be fun to see!

Currently reading: Let's see, since my last update I've finished... Valdemar, The Bullet That Missed, a reread of All Systems Red, Fruits Basket vol. 1, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, The Foxhole Court, Fast & Reckless, a reread of Monstrous Regiment, and The Invisible Library. Currently I'm reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue in print, Empire of Sand on Kindle, and The Paradise Problem on audio.

Currently watching: Murderbot, Dark Winds, Below Deck, Love Island UK.

Currently playing: Cult of the Lamb and Stardew.

>157 curioussquared: is it normal?...yes and no. The adorable little cultists are...a little stupid. And its really easy for them to waste away.

But Heya Natalie, I'm glad to hear from you. I'm really sorry to hear about otter's trip to the ER; That must have been real scary.

That zoo trip also sounds fun. I should look into visiting some close by ones.

90 books read: How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang

Helen is a bestselling YA author who just hit the jackpot -- her series has been optioned for TV, and she gets to be in the writers room. The only problem: one of the main writers is Grant Shepherd, who she hasn't seen since her little sister died by suicide by jumping in front of his car. Helen knows it wasn't his fault and he must have been traumatized too, but her parents have never, ever forgiven him. At first, Helen is cool with Grant, even awkward, as the writers get to know each other. But as they get closer, Helen starts to wonder -- what if they could be more than this? And would her parents ever forgive him -- or her?

A solid romance with some deeper notes that I enjoyed but found largely forgettable after finishing. 3.75 stars.

>158 Ravenwoodwitch: Thanks Angela! I'm hoping we are able to get our cult going in earnest soon 😂 Thanks for the well wishes. We could tell Otter was mostly OK, but wanted to get his foot cleaned up and professionally bandaged to make sure everything was all good since there was soooo much blood.

>157 curioussquared: I'm so jealous of your trip to Point Defiance Zoo. I tried to figure out if I could get out there when I was visiting in November but it was too complicated.
- My cultists usually die of old age, not starvation, but I spend so much time taking care of them that I forget I need to go out and get replacements until its too late...whoops...
- I'm so excited for your puppy!
- Dew claws are so annoying... one of the dogs I had growing up kept getting his caught on things and there was always so much blood

Good to see an update from you, Natalie! It'll be even better with puppy pictures soon(ish)!

>157 curioussquared: Jasper lost a dew claw quite early on and didn't seem to even notice; fortunately there wasn't much blood. Mind you, we don't have much carpeting; just some large rugs on our stone/ tile/ parquet so there's lots of cool floor for a hot dog to flop down on and/ or move to a new patch (read right-in-the-middle-of-the-most-trafficked-pathway) to cool down on.

How exciting to host family at your new place! I hope you get to see some wonderful fireworks.

And ... um ... enjoy setting up your new cult.

>161 norabelle414: Yeah, Seattle to Tacoma is hard without a car :( I personally prefer WPZ to Point Defiance, but PD has some cool stuff that WPZ does not! I think my favorite exhibit was the walruses -- they were putting on a great show for us, swimming in circles and playing and doing lots of big exhale puffs. I think we may have scaled up our cult too fast and then spent all of our money. We're doing better taking care of our cultists now, lol. We finally have a date for when we get to meet the puppies (July 11!!!!) and I cannot wait.

>162 katiekrug: Hi Katie! We get to meet the puppies in about a week and a half (squee!!!). In the meantime I'll post a few pictures from the breeder at some point :)

>163 humouress: Hi Nina! We had hardwoods at our old house, but the new house came with a lot of carpet. We like it overall and the dogs like that pretty much everywhere is a bed, but it's definitely annoying to try to get stains out of!

91 books read: Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith

Callie has always known they are not a girl or a boy, and they dream of becoming a knight like their father, the king's champion, spending their time training in the forest camp where they have lived with their father, father's partner, and the rest of their ragtag gang since fleeing Callie's abusive mother who wanted to force them to live like a girl. When Callie's father is summoned back to the palace at Helston to whip the prince into fighting shape, Callie begs to come along as his squire. But Callie doesn't know just how challenging Helston will be, a place where people don't like people who are different...

Definitely heavily inspired by Tamora Pierce, I wanted to love this but came away just liking it. I loved that Callie's family is supportive, and that they are able to put together a loyal friend group and stick up for the kids around them. This felt more middle-grade to me than Pierce -- even though the book starts when Alanna is ten or eleven, she is fourteen by the end of the first book, and the rest are solidly YA IMO. Anyway, lots of good messages here and a nice story, but I didn't 100% love it. 4 stars.

92 books read: Melt With You by Jennifer Dugan

Fallon and Chloe used to be best friends -- their moms are best friends and co-own an ice cream business together, so it just made sense. But then they shared a night together before Chloe went to college, and now everything is weird between them. The last thing Fallon wants to do the summer before freshman year is an ice cream truck road trip with Chloe, but their moms are depending on them to get the truck to a food festival while they're in talks with investors to bring the brand national. Can Fallon survive the trip?

Meh. This was just one big lack of communication. I was already not a huge fan of Dugan's Hot Dog Girl but that was better than this. Read for the PopSugar prompt "book about a food truck" and definitely wouldn't have picked it up otherwise. 2.5.

93 books read:

94 books read: Clary Sage by Victoria Goddard

Young Hal Leaveringham is already the Duke of Fillering Pool, and as his family has for generations, he is destined to attend the University of Tara -- even if he'd much rather go somewhere with a decent emphasis on botany. Perhaps there is a way he could find another university to attend... one where nobody would know his rank or last name...

I loved this little view into young Hal's brain. So delightful. Recommended if you have read the other Greenwing & Dart books. 4 stars.

95 books read:

96 books read: Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey

Third in the founding of Valdemar series -- the city of Haven is coming together, and Kordas, against his will, is now the king of Valdemar. When a distant evil strikes, the new Valdemarans will need all the help they can get to fight it -- including some new, white, horse-shaped friends...

Not her best work, but we FINALLY see some Companions halfway through. This is still kind of a novel about logistics more than anything else, but it was nice to see the Heraldic structure forming. The conflict felt distant and never really a threat until the sudden final battle at the end. 3 stars.

97 books read:

98 books read:

>169 curioussquared: I felt the same way about I Who Have Never Known Men! I enjoyed it, and it has stuck with me -- possibly because of the lack of resolution.

>166 curioussquared: How many books about food trucks can there possibly be? I feel like Big Food Truck Publishing pushed that category.

>173 foggidawn: Agreed, Foggi. It has kept me thinking, probably because it didn't give me those answers I so desperately wanted!!

>174 ursula: Lol! Big Food Truck is definitely at fault here.

99 books read: Fruits Basket vol. 1 by Natsuki Takaya

Tohru is a high school student who finds herself secretly living in a tent after her mother dies and her grandfather turns her out. When the Sohma family finds her camping on their land, they strike a deal to allow Tohru to live with them for free in exchange for cooking and housework. But the Sohmas have a secret...

My first foray into the world of manga for the SPL book bingo square: new-to-you format. Unfortunately, I just don't think it was really for me. Maybe if I had read it when I was younger? 3 stars.

100 books read:

>176 curioussquared: I discovered this when I was in high school so, yes.
Feel free to skip me if I'm explaining something you know, but manga/anime aren't just split up by perceived gender but also by age and gender. Fruits Basket is in the "shojo" category, meaning a presumed school-age girl audience must like Tohru herself. Shojo tends to focus more on romance, social stuff and drama.

If you still want that YA feeling with a fantasy twist, I recommend The Ancient Magus Bride series. Its a beauty and the beast type tale with old school fairies (we're talking changlings and Church Grimms). It's one of my favorites.

Wow, 100 books - congrats!

Poor Otter, and poor you with so much clean up! Our Whistler was a bit of a frequent flyer at the vet...

Congratulations on 100 books Natalie!

>178 Ravenwoodwitch: Thank you for the background! I still don't think it's for me, but it helps to understand the audience.

>179 AMQS: Thanks, Anne! Poor Otter managed to hurt himself AGAIN a week later and opened up a gash on his leg, maybe by running into one of our raised beds. He has been through the ringer!

>180 humouress: Thanks, Nina!

Hi everyone! Long time no talk again. What's been going on over the last week or so...

- Family drama is back in full swing and unfortunately my close family member is undergoing a pretty severe mental health crisis. I spent last Wednesday and Thursday playing amateur travel agent and getting together travel arrangements for some other family members to travel to them (in Europe) and supporting as much as I could. It's very stressful but they are getting good care in the country they are in, which was the issue before (finding a way to get them care in the US where our healthcare system is broken) and they have lots of support, so I'm cautiously positive.

- Part of the family support is watching family dogs, so it's been a bit of a zoo over here :)

- In the midst of all this we hosted family and friends for the 4th. It went well, but the vibes were weird due to the family situation going on. Still nice to have people over and share our home. We are still working through all the leftover food, lol.

- My foot is feeling better and I've been getting back into being active. Lately I've been doing kettlebell workouts while watching Love Island (lol) and it's a good combo. I like how good of a full-body workout I can get with the kettlebell in a pretty short amount of time.

- We went to trivia last night and missed out on third place by HALF A POINT 😩

- We get to go visit the puppies on Friday!!! I am so excited.

Currently reading: I am liking The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue but it is taking me way too long to read. Hoping I can finish it today. I gave up on Empire of Sand on Kindle and am going to see if it works better for me on audio. Now reading Swept Away on Kindle and loving it. Listening to Dear Wendy on audio which is super cute.

Currently watching: Mostly Love Island UK... not sorry about it 😂 And Murderbot, of course. And some The Parisian Agency.

Currently playing: Cult of the Lamb is really addictive but I feel like we are still really bad at it. Finally got up to about 5 followers and really trying to get to 7 so we can unlock another door. Sometimes they leave when I feel like there's nothing to be mad about and I don't get it!!

>182 curioussquared: There are many different things that can go wrong with followers but just in case your issue is the same as mine....someone in my cult was snoring very loudly and no one else was able to sleep and they all left. It took me forever to figure it out because I wasn't paying attention to them at night because I assumed everyone was asleep!

>183 norabelle414: Omg, I had no idea that could happen!! 😳 Very good to know, thank you.

>169 curioussquared: I just bought this in the original French and the translated English in hopes that I can try to improve my dusty French with a bingo square book. Four stars is not bad! I sometimes appreciate books with some open ended issues, because it let's you fill in the blanks.

>172 curioussquared: I've been meaning to read this! Hopefully the show is respectful to the book.

>185 Kyler_Marie: Even though I didn't give the Harpman 5 stars, it's the kind of book that sticks with you for sure. I hope you like it and good luck with the French version! I need to dust off my French, too.

Oh, I hope you love Murderbot if you give it a shot! It's one of my comfort series now. The show has been excellent so far. They made some necessary deviations from the book, but they have all been very really well done and all were made in conjunction with the author, who was heavily involved with the show and has made it clear she loves it. It's about as good as you can get as far as adaptations go!

>186 curioussquared: Glad the series is going well. I am not opposed to changes that are respectful to the book or make sense.

Hopefully the French and American versions arrive soon so I can get started! That reading project will require some extra time...

Murderbot renewed for season 2!! Hooray, we get to see ART!

https://deadline.com/2025/07/murderbot-renewed-season-2-apple-tv-1236453764/

Happy Tuesday!

Things are still crazy with some of my family overseas supporting my family member in crisis, including my mom. Here at home we are supporting by watching many dogs (currently fluctuating between 2-3 extra at a time for a total of 4-5 😂) and I also had to work as an assistant wedding coordinator this past Saturday in my mom's absence. I did not enjoy it, lol. Hopefully I don't have to do another one anytime soon.

Otherwise, I'm just trying to get through the days. Reading has been pretty slow with everything going on but I'm still making some progress.

Highlight of the week was visiting the puppies on Friday!! I was emotionally overwhelmed. They are all perfect and we have three favorites. Not sure how picking will work -- I know the breeders will pick first and they might reserve some of the more promising dogs for people who are planning to show them. TBD. Hopefully we get one of our three faves. I'll post some pictures below.

Currently reading: Alanna: the graphic novel adaptation in print, Jade City on Kindle, and Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow on audio.

Currently watching: Finished S1 of Murderbot and we thought it was excellent. So glad it's renewed! Still watching lots of Love Island UK because that's my brain cell level right now, lol.

Currently playing: Some Stardew and some Cult of the Lamb with Tim. Our cult finally feels a little more stable, phew. Question for those of you who play - we are playing on Steam Deck with Xbox controllers. We are trying to use The Hunger power but the lamb and the goat will just not eat a meal. We'll cook a bunch and then put our character basically on top of the meal but there is never any way to actually make them eat. Pushing A (or any other button) never does anything. Thoughts?

Puppy spam!

oh my godddddd they're so cuteeeeee!

Adorable puppers!

>191 norabelle414: >192 foggidawn: 😁😁😁😁

SQUEEEEEEEEEE!

They are so cute! But how in the world can you think of getting another dog if you're dog sitting and have 4-5 dogs at home! That's a lot!

>190 curioussquared: What everyone else has said, Natalie. The puppies are so cute!

Returning your visit, Natalie, after far too long an absence.

I love the puppy spam! They are adorable.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Thanks for sharing the puppy pics!

>194 AMQS: I, too, am SQUEEEING constantly :D

>195 Kyler_Marie: Lol! We are dog crazy, I guess. The dog situation is a lot right now but they will eventually return to their owners :)

>196 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul!

>197 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia!

>198 katiekrug: Anytime! Can't keep these cuties to myself.

101 books read: The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic

Neil has been on the run for years since his mother's death, avoiding his crime boss father. His only vice is Exy, the dangerous, lacrosse-like sport. When he's recruited by a prestigious university Exy team, Neil knows he shouldn't join -- the last thing he needs is his face on the news. But it's been 8 years, and he's tired, and he loves Exy -- maybe he can just do it for a bit?

This was a TikTok recommendation and it was... fine? It felt very Wattpad. I won't be continuing the series. 3.5 stars.

102 books read: Fast & Reckless by Amanda Weaver

Mira grew up around F1 since her father owns a team. But years ago, she made a horrible mistake, and she's distanced herself from racing since then. Now she's in her early 20s and taking advantage of a second chance as a team assistant. She's determined to keep her head down and be successful in her role -- but handsome hotshot racer Will Hawley seems determined to be a distraction.

Another TikTok recommendation. Maybe I would have enjoyed this more if I cared about Formula 1? Lol. It was fine but nothing special. 3.25 stars.

103 books read:

Late to the party but the puppies are so cute! Looking forward to updates as you get closer to bringing your new friend home.

>203 MickyFine: Thanks Micky! We're pretty excited :D

104 books read:

>205 curioussquared: Oh that's a fun series. I hope you continue to enjoy its zaniness. It largely stays somewhere around the level of madcap adventure for most entries.

>205 curioussquared: I've been listening to this series slowly for the past year or so. I put the next book in the series on hold in Libby when I finish one, so it's usually several weeks or even months in between them being available. I think if I tried to read them back to back I would burn out, but this way they are a fun diversion, and putting them on hold means I don't forget about the series, which I might otherwise do. I have two more to go. I think the audiobook narrator has just the right voice for Irene.

>206 MickyFine: I think I'll continue to enjoy them as long as I'm in the right mood :)

>207 foggidawn: That sounds like a good method, Foggi! Technically I can get book 2 right away from one of my libraries, but I just put it on hold at the library where it will take ~6 weeks instead :)

Yay puppies! They are so big already!
Monstrous Regiment has a special place in my heart as a Discworld book without most of the usual suspects as main characters. So many good characters in the story, it's hard to pick a favorite. I'm glad to see that you appreciate it too.

OMG the puppies!
I squealed at my computer so loud my cat woke from a sound sleep.

By the way as far as Cult of The Lamb, I found this.
>183 norabelle414: I think you'll appreciate this too, Nora.
https://youtube.com/shorts/YhhVvuxewak?si=nGmFUO4WuBwJUoTH

I'm sorry to hear that the family drama is still ongoing but glad to see that it seems to be resolving well.

>183 norabelle414: umm ... okay?

>190 curioussquared: PUPPIES!!!

>209 elorin: I know! They just don't stop lengthening! Sweet pups. Monstrous Regiment def has a special place in my heart as well. It's one of the places I like to recommend people start the series if they want a standalone (if not, I recommend Guards! Guards!).

>210 Ravenwoodwitch: Lol, I make that squealing sound every time the breeder posts new pics :D And lolll yes that just about sums up cult life. I saw someone post that this game is just a glorified daycare sim 😂

>211 humouress: Thanks, Nina! Not sure I'd say the family problems are resolving, but there are ebbs and flows in terms of how much any given day is a crisis, so I guess there's that.

>210 Ravenwoodwitch: Hahaha this is why I could never be a real-life cult leader

>213 norabelle414: Same! Also thank you for sharing about the snoring trait because we got a follower with it and I knew immediately to build them a bed far away 😂

I haven't done an update in a few weeks, oops! What's been going on:

- Family drama continues and my mom is still in Europe. I may need to work another wedding this weekend. Ugh.
- Still watching various dogs. Currently down to just our two and my brother's dog, who is a sweetie but has a really unfortunate habit of marking in the house. So we have him in a belly band, which has helped.
- The puppies continue to grow! I'm hoping we get to visit them again next week. It sounds like the people who will be choosing first will choose this weekend so we should get to choose pretty quickly after that :)
- Work will be heating up over the next month so I'm getting ready for that.

Today is my best friend's birthday and we're going out to a creole restaurant for dinner, which should be lovely. I might stop and grab a small cake from the fancy grocery store on the way. I also need to stop by my parents' house and grab some supplies for picking up wholesale flowers for a wedding tomorrow morning (I am now a part-time wedding florist against my will) and as a side benefit I'll get to see my dad for a bit.

Currently reading: Working on Swordcrossed in print, Jade City on Kindle, and Empire of Sand and The Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel on audio.

Currently watching: Lots of Love Island (that's where my brain cells are at currently)

Currently playing: Still having so much fun on Cult of the Lamb with Tim. This is definitely the first ever co-op game we've played where I think we're having an equal amount of fun, lol.

105 books read: The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

Anna and Liam had a marriage of convenience during college so they could afford subsidized family housing. And as far as Anna knew, they got divorced 3 years ago. But now Liam's here on her doorstep, letting her know that not only are they still married, but he needs her to come on a trip to a private island for his little sister's wedding so his family can see that she's real -- or he won't receive his inheritance due to a weird clause in his grandfather's will. Anna's own income has ground to a halt, so she agrees -- for a price. But will they be able to keep up the charade in front of Liam's impossible family?

Christina Lauren can be hit or miss for me but this one was a hit. Lots of fun, and I love a marriage of convenience/fake dating storyline. 4 stars.

>216 curioussquared: This one is already on The List but I'm delighted to see you rate it highly.

I hope dinner out is good and wishing you all the luck with having to do as little wedding stuff as possible.

>215 curioussquared: "I am now a part-time wedding florist against my will" -- That gave me a chuckle. I was once a part-time wedding photographer against my will.

>218 foggidawn: Ooh, you could both form a company ;0)

>219 humouress: Let's see, we'd need an unwilling baker, and maybe a reluctant wedding planner to pull all of us together. Our motto: "We'll do it if we have to."

>217 MickyFine: Thanks Micky! I hope you like the new CL when you get to it :) Dinner was lovely and the cake was a hit. Unfortunately this weekend I get to work on floral arrangements on Saturday and it looks like I'll have to actually work the wedding on Sunday, but hopefully just for setup and I'll get to go home early. Fingers crossed.

>218 foggidawn: Lol! There are dozens of us!

>219 humouress: >220 foggidawn: 😂 Perfect! I love the motto.

Got the flowers today and I was exhausted by the time I got home. I got to the wholesale flower place and they did not have our order -- apparently my mom's contact there was supposed to adjust the date of the order, but she didn't, so there was nothing ready for us and they didn't have 90% of the flowers we ordered. Crisis. Luckily I was able to facetime my mom and the worker there took us through everything they had and we were able to cobble together replacements, but that was a nice stressful morning I didn't need!

>168 curioussquared: Oh that looks like a fun read!

>190 curioussquared: How adorable!

>222 figsfromthistle: Thanks for stopping by, Anita!

106 books read:

107 books read: Last Chance to Save the World by Beth Revis

In the final book in this wacky space opera, Ada and Rian return to Earth and must infiltrate the launch of a new nanobot technology to make sure the correct technology is released -- or Earth might not survive.

These are fun, quick reads, almost more like one novel in three parts, and I had a good time. I thought I had sussed out all the twists, but there were one or two that took me by surprise in this final book. 4 stars.

108 books read:

>169 curioussquared: & >168 curioussquared: Both of these are on my TBR list. Thanks for the nudge.

>172 curioussquared: I did this whole series as audiobooks to get ready for the TV series, which I have yet to watch. So I am glad to hear you found it enjoyable.

PUPPIES!!!! :o)

>227 clamairy: I hope you enjoy the two books and the Murderbot show!! I am eagerly awaiting season 2.

We are picking up our puppy on Sunday and I cannot wait :D

109 books read: Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao

Sophie is a student at Wellesley, and she has a secret -- she runs a popular advice column Instagram account for Wellesley student. She doesn't want her identity getting out, especially since she also happens to be aromantic and asexual and isn't sure how people would react to relationship advice from an aro-ace person. Then things get complicated when another, competing Instagram advice account for Wellesley students pop up, and soon Sophie finds herself in a feud with the new account. Meanwhile in real life, she's becoming closer friends with Jo, a person she met in one of her classes, and they're bonding over both being aro-ace and how nice it is to find someone who gets it. Will their new friendship collapse when they learn the identities behind their anonymous accounts?

Very fun, sort of a modern day Instagram-based You've Got Mail with aro-ace protagonists. Super cute and I had a good time and loved the representation. 4 stars.

110 books read:

>230 curioussquared: Not an author for me, which I decided after reading the first Darker Shade novel. Umm, it's not okay to be owned by another person, even if they're nice to you! Just a bizarre and offensive writing choice. It was a whole-ass conversation between two characters, and the prince (duke or whatever) who was enslaved was like, "Yes, you're right. I must check my privilege."

Congrats on the puppy! 😊

>229 curioussquared: - Adding this one to my list - thanks! I've not read anything with aro- or ace- representation.

I can't believe it's almost Puppy Time!

>231 libraryperilous: Glad I'm not alone! I don't remember that scene from ADSoM but yikes!

>232 katiekrug: I hope you enjoy it, Katie!

Happy Thursday!

It's been a crazy week. I spent all day Saturday doing floral arrangements and then Sunday delivered them to the venue and helped with setup. I think they turned out great and the couple were very happy, so that's good. The rest of Sunday and Monday I felt like I was coming down with something, so I tried to rest up and fight it off and I think that mostly worked.

I've had a few appointments this week and work is heating up, and in between we're getting ready for our new puppy, to be named Goose :) Monday night Tim and I repaired a hole in the fence, and today we have someone replacing a section of shorter chain link fence with taller fencing. Today and tomorrow I'm focusing on moving some furniture around in the bedroom so we have room for a crate, as well as doing a sweep of the house for stuff that little teeth could chew on. Saturday I have to work another wedding (boo! hopefully the last one) and Sunday we get to go get our boy 😁

I haven't been reading as much as I'd like, and August reading will be focused on completing my Seattle Public Library book bingo (between all the puppy wrangling!). Trying to get through Swordcrossed and A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel, which I have already in progress, and also Tom Lake, Any Trope But You, Siren Queen, True Biz, Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books, and The Once and Future Witches to complete my Bingo Blackout.

Here are a few photos of the florals at the venue:





And a few photos of our boy Goose!

>235 curioussquared: Nice work!

And gorgeous Goose! How did you decide on his name?

It'll be all boys, still. I'm guessing your other boys haven't met him yet? Will this be your first puppy?

The florals look great, Natalie. Excellent job!

And yay for bringing home Goose this weekend!

Oh my goodness, those legs!!!!

>236 humouress: Thanks Nina! We liked the idea of having a silly goose around and thought it was a cute name :) This will be my first puppy on my own and Tim's first puppy ever -- we had a few puppies while I was growing up. The greyhounds will meet him on Sunday!

>237 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! 😁

>238 norabelle414: He's a very leggy boi ❤️

>226 curioussquared: I am so glad you enjoyed this one, Natalie - I picked it up a couple of months ago and will hopefully get to it soon.

OMG GOOSE!!! He's adorable, and the name just absolutely suits hin. Hope your boys love him.

>235 curioussquared: Yeah, Goose is a winner! Love the choice of name, too, Natalie.

GOOSE! He's so adorbs!
I may check out the aro-ace book. Interesting stuff.
The flowers looked great.

Hooray for Goose! I've added Dear Wendy to my TBR list.

Hi everyone! I'm not dead, just crazy busy with the sweetest but busiest puppy and a ramping up work schedule. I'll try to get over here to post some book updates and Goose pics soon. In the meantime, feel free to follow me on StoryGraph at natkeepsreading for updates on current reads, or DM me for my Instagram handle if you want to enjoy all the Goose content :)

Goose! Oh I love it. He's the sweetest looking baby T_T

And heh, yeah, baby animals will wear you out just like a toddler. Take your time, Miss Natalie.
And wonderful job on the florals, just *chef's kiss*

>244 curioussquared: Thanks, Angela!!!