Author: sarasreadingnook

The Sunday Post #27 – Weekly Reading Updates & Recommendations

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Update 🐾

I’ve always had a green thumb, but now that we have our own home, I am a lawn fanatic as well. Things I would have never been interested in before now fascinate me so much! Aeration, grass seed, weed killer, weed whacking. Like, who am I?

I used to take care of a garden when I was an undergraduate student. My parents invested in a home that I resided in during that time. My mother is an impressive gardener, truly. Her landscaping is inspired by Butchart Gardens, so while obviously not as extensive, her garden has always been a little piece of heaven to retreat to during the summer months. I’ve learned so much from her. Below is an image of Butchart Gardens for your reference. Such a beautiful source of inspiration!

Thankfully, our current garden is quite small but we are just getting started. We have a home that was built in 2017, and the landscaping is fresh, clean, and modern. Although I have lots of plans to spruce it up, I am going to be starting with baby steps. That means, doing a thorough pressure washing of our walkways and home exterior, revitalizing the lawn, setting up the garden beds, washing and staining our deck. All of those exciting preparation steps.

On another note, I’ve been making lots of banana/berry smoothies lately. And my partner discovered something amazing. If you just add frozen bananas to a bowl, add some almond butter (or peanut butter, if preferred), and just eat those two together, they are a delicious, cold Spring snack! It’s been a go-to all week. Especially since, for some reason, I have lost my appetite. So having these meals that are still fun and easy to put together has been a great help.

Happy Spring, everyone!

Reading/Watching Update

Currently Reading

Title: Alérgica A Pessoas (PT Edition)
Author: Sara Andersen
Publisher: Desrotina
Release Date: September 18th, 2025

Title: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon – Livro 1 (PT Edition)
Author: Naoko Takeuchi; Translation: Arnaldo Massato Oka
Publisher: Distrito Manga
Release Date: October, 2025

Title: Vincent (PT Edition)
Author: Barbara Stok
Publisher: Iguana
Release Date: February 1, 2026

Finished Reading

I finished quite a few short books this week! I will post my reviews closer to publication date, but for now just know that I typically enjoyed them all very much and they should all be on your list if you enjoy comics and illustrated cat books.

Title: A Viagem do Gato Zen / The Cat Who Taught Zen
Author: James Norbury
Star Rating: 5
Review:

ENG
I loved this book so much! This book was about a cat who is looking for a tree that he’s been told will give him an overflowing sense of peace. Along the way, he makes many friends and gives them advice on how to lead a more tranquil life, though it’s not always easy to put this into practice.

PT
Adorei este livro! É sobre um gato que está à procura de um árvore para se sentir mais em paz. Descobre vários amigos e dá-lhes conselhos para vivirem uma vida mais tranquila, embora isso não seja fácil. Simplesmente adorei <3

Title: I’m Still Here
Author: A Cat’s Purpose Forever
Release Date: September 8, 2026
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing (Thank you for this ARC! Review to come)

Title: Mobu’s Diary: Earning Your Paté
Author: Kathy Lam
Release Date: September 22, 2026
Publisher: Andrew McMeels Publishing (Thank you for this ARC!)

Title: Milk & Mocha
Author: Melani Sie
Release Date: June 23rd, 2026
Publisher: Andrew McMeels Publishing (Thank you for this ARC!)

Title: A Gray Cat Wanders: New Poems About our Animal Friends
Author: Karla Kuskin, Leonard Marcus (Compiler), Marcellus Hall (Illustrator)
Publisher: Wordsong (Thank you for this ARC!)
Release Date: August 4th, 2026

New to my shelf

Title: Ulysses S. Cat and Other Animals I Have Known
Author: Scott Simon, Liana Finck (Illustrator)
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (Thank you to LibroFM for this ALC!)
Release Date: May 5th, 2026

Title: Notes on Love: Poems and Photography
Author: F.S. Yousaf
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing (Thank you for the ARC!)
Release Date: June 2nd, 2026

Title: Hallowed Bones
Author: Lucy Smoke
Publisher: SMP (Thank you for this ARC!)
Release Date: October 6th, 2026

Just Watched

No films this week! However, we are finally going to watch Project Hail Mary this weekend. I’m so excited!

Currently Watching

Title: The Testaments
Thoughts: Still enjoying this series! Though, the further we go in the more disturbing it gets. This is typical of The Handmaid’s Tale. Difficult to watch, but so important. Not very many people I know watch The Testaments, so if you are please let me know below!

Title: From
Thoughts: Another disturbing show! Sometimes I question if there will be any pay off and so far, there’s like some answers but it’s not as rewarding as I would like it to be haha. It’s so depressing. But, I really love Harold Perrineau – he adds dashes of humour and is such a great actor. And I really love Jade as a character. Again, I don’t know many people watching this series so if you are, let me know!

Title: Big Mistakes
Thoughts: It has its funny moments! But honestly … I preferred Schitt’s Creek. Only a couple more episodes left until Season 1 is complete! It’s very, very silly. But come on, it’s Dan Levy, so of course I’m watching it.

Last Week on the blog

The Sunday Post #26
May 2026 Releases – Top Ten Tuesdays – May Flowers

This Week on the blog

  • Top Ten Tuesdays
  • The Sunday Post #28

QOTD: How are you doing?

Where to find us: Blog | Bookstagram | Twitter | Booktube | BookTok | Storygraph | Pinterest

May 2026 Releases – Top Ten Tuesdays – May Flowers

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We are excited to link up with Top Ten Tuesdays, hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl.

This week we chose May 2026 releases but with one twist – all of the book covers have flowers on the cover! Or, in the case of Matt Haig’s new novel, leaves! I just had to include his in this list! I hope you enjoy.

Title: Before I Knew I Loved You
Author: Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Publisher: Picador
Release Date: May 21st, 2026

Title: The Daisy Chain Flower Shop (Dream Harbour #6)
Author: Laurie Gilmore
Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
Release Date: May 5th, 2026

Title: Where Happy Begins
Author: Maxine Morrey
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Release Date: May 12th, 2026

Title: You Can’t Hurry Second Chances
Author: Michelle Simpson
Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
Release Date: May 5th, 2026

Title: The Library of Flowers
Author: L.C. Chu
Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
Release Date: May 5th, 2026

Title: The House of Now and Then
Author: Edward Underhill
Publisher: Picador
Release Date: May 21st, 2026

Title: That Which Feeds Us
Author: Edward Underhill
Publisher: Picador
Release Date: May 5th, 2026

Title: The Calamity Club
Author: Edward Underhill
Publisher: Picador
Release Date: May 5th, 2026

Title: The Midnight Train
Author: Matt Haig
Publisher: Viking
Release Date: May 26th, 2026

Title: Strange Familiars
Author: Keshe Chow
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: May 19th, 2026

QOTD: Which of these books looks most interesting to you?

Review | The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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Title: The Bewitching
Genre: Horror, Fantasy
Publisher: Del Ray
Format: E-ARC
Pages: 357
Source: Digital ARC from Publisher

Description
In this chilling multigenerational horror tale, three women across different eras grapple with danger and witchcraft. Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic, weaves a tale where every secret uncovered brings creeping horror. Minerva, a graduate student, delves into the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure horror author, and uncovers a true story behind Tremblay’s famous novel, ‘The Vanishing’. As Minerva investigates, she feels a malevolent force that once haunted Tremblay and her roommate might still linger on campus. This force echoes the witch encounter Nana Alba, Minerva’s great-grandmother, experienced in 1900s Mexico. Minerva fears this shadow threatens her now. An academic pursuit can be challenging, but it could become deadly when witchcraft is involved.

(Source: Goodreads)

Review

It is always a pleasure for me to read Silvia Moreno-Garcias books! I was pulled into this one because of the witchy vibes, three eras of women on their own paths that converge, and of course … it’s an SMG book! What’s not to love?

In all honesty, I read this novel about a year ago but even then. Go into this not knowing too much. The key with this one is the sense of adventure and discovery as you go uncover the mysteries within. If you have enjoyed SMG’s previous novels, odds are you will love this one!

Content Warnings

This Book in Three Words

Historical Witchy Vibes

Values/Themes

  • Greed
  • Power
  • Femininity

Favourite Part

Trying to uncover the mysteries within – they are a plenty.

Feelings

  • Dark
  • Mysterious
  • Adventurous

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 4 stars

Acknowledgements

Thank you to LibroFM and Del Ray for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

QOTD: What’s your favourite summer read?

The Sunday Post #26

| sarasreadingnook

Update 🐾

Happy Mother’s Day 🙂

This week has actually been fairly productive! I am working extra hard on my Portuguese immersion studies and having so much conversation time in PT. It’s my heritage language, I am Canadian-Portuguese, and one day my partner and I would like to move to Portugal, so now is the time for me to improve it. When will we move? I honestly don’t know, it may be more like a retirement thing or summer home in the future, but it’s where my heart wants us to end up. It’s a goal of mine!

Since I left the blog, we purchased a house and moved in. It’s such a pleasure to be outside getting our garden ready! Currently, there isn’t much going since we are just tidying up and doing some outdoor spring cleaning. I live in Alberta and it was snowing just a couple of weeks ago so there is much to work on! So, I’ve raked up lots of leaves, and having been tidying up old foliage. I cannot wait to start planting, stain our deck and our fence, and do some pressure washing!

Thank you to everyone who share condolences regarding the passing of our cat Olivia on her anniversary post, as well as for her recently passed best friend Melanie, our 12 year old goldfish. It meant a great deal to me.

Reading/Watching Update

I am currently immersing myself in books in European Portuguese.

Currently Reading

Title: Alérgica A Pessoas
Author: Sara Andersen
Publisher: Desrotina
Release Date: September 18th, 2025

Title: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon – Livro 1
Author: Naoko Takeuchi; Translation: Arnaldo Massato Oka
Publisher: Distrito Manga
Release Date: October, 2025

Finished Reading

Title: Moonwalk
Author: Michael Jackson
Publisher: Doubleday
Release Date: February 1st, 1988
Star Rating: 4 stars

Title: You are Not Alone: Michael: Through a Brother’s Eyes
Author: Jermaine Jackson
Publisher: Touchstone
Release Date: October 26th, 2011
Star Rating: 4 stars

New to my shelf

Title: Bodies and Battlements
Author: Elizabeth Penney
Published on: May 27th, 2025
Published by: Minotaur Books

Title: Dungeons and Danger
Author: Elizabeth Penney
Release Date: May 26th, 2026
Published by: Minotaur Books

Just Watched

Title: The Drama (2026)
Star Rating: 2.5 stars
Review: I wasn’t a huge fan of the acting in the film, but I do think it was a creative movie with a hook that kept you intrigued the whole time.

Title: Michael (2026)
Star Rating: 4 stars
Review: Growing up, I was a huge fan of MJ’s music, but also The Jackson Five. Before I listened to his music, I remember watching a film called “Now and Then” and they played a couple of hits from the Jackson 5. I didn’t even know he was a part of the group until much later! I went to see the film twice – regular and then IMAX. Highlights for me were Jaafar’s performance – he really became Michael. As well as stellar performances from Colman Domingo, Juliano Krue Valdi (little Mike), and Nia Long.

Currently Watching

Title: The Testaments
Thoughts: This show is so intense! It’s a continuation/spinoff of The Handmaid’s Tale. My coworkers think I have no chill for watching this show. This may be true, it’s stressful and can be very triggering at times. But I also think it’s important to watch if you can because it’s so powerful. THT really changed my world perspective and I’m very grateful for that.

Title: From
Thoughts: Another show with no chill! From is now in it’s 4th season and is a show by the people behind Lost. Honestly, it’s bleak, depressing, but interesting enough! And we’re in it now, so we just have to finish it!

Title: Big Mistakes
Thoughts: I’m feeling pretty on the fence about this one!

Last Week on the blog

One Year Since Olivia has Passed Away – The Sunday Post #25
Top Ten Tuesdays: Top Five Authors I Miss

This Week on the blog

Review | The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
  • Top Ten Tuesdays
  • The Sunday Post #26

QOTD: How are you doing?

Where to find us: Blog | Bookstagram | Twitter | Booktube | BookTok | Storygraph | Pinterest

Top Ten Tuesdays: Top Five Authors I Miss

| sarasreadingnook

We are excited to link up with Top Ten Tuesdays, hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl.

From The Artsy Reader Girl — “Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic is Authors You Wish Were Still Writing Today, and was submitted by Rebecca @ Top100Books. These could be authors who have passed away, are retired, or are taking a hiatus from writing. You could also spin this and share authors who have switched to a genre you’re not interested in. I’m kind of doing a little of everything today!”

I have cut the list to focus on these five authors for today. I am just getting back into blogging, please see my last blog post for an update.

One Year Since Olivia has Passed Away – The Sunday Post #25

C.S. Lewis

Ugh, I love the Narnia books so much. They are a favourite from my childhood, especially “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.” I read them all of the time!

James Baldwin

Yet another author I wish was still here. However, his books and thoughts are still remarkably relevant today. He is a gift and a treasure.

Madeline Miller

Author of “The Song of Achilles” and “Circe.” I miss her writing so much! But looks like we won’t have to wait too long. She has a new short story coming out soon – Mestra, coming out on September 26th, 2026, about the daughter of the King of Thessaly.

Naoko Takeuchi

She is the one — Sailor Moon!
I have desperately wanted new manga from the author of my favourite series for decades! She is literally everything.

Charles Dickens

My favourite author. I would love to know what he would think of today’s times. To try and make sense of the world, and what is happening.

QOTD: Do any of these authors also make your list?

One Year Since Olivia has Passed Away – The Sunday Post #25

| sarasreadingnook

Update 🐾

Hi everyone,

I’ve taken a long break from the blog but am hoping to get back into it. I took about a year and a half or so off because a lot has happened.

It has been one year since Olivia passed away, on May 4th 2025. She was about 16.5 years old when she had a health scare and we realized we needed to take some time to help her as much as possible in her later years. At that time, I couldn’t really read and didn’t have much to contribute, she was my greatest focus. And I’m happy I did that because she very much needed the help and I was able to spend many, many amazing days with her showering her with love and care.

I don’t want to be too sad here, I know that many people have lost loved ones and it’s a difficult topic. But in all honesty, it still hurts very much. We were in each other’s lives for so many years that even a year later, I feel like a part of myself is missing. She was like an extension of myself, but she was just pure love and joy. She was the closest thing you could ever have to an angel on earth. And I’m so grateful for the time that I had with her.

In Olivia’s absence, we are not ready to have another cat. That will come in time. But we work with rescues and are fostering cats, one at a time, and that has been going very well.

We also lost our dear fish, Melanie, who was 12 years of age. She passed away on April 21st. She was Olivia’s best friend in the whole world. So, it makes me happy to think they are together again, fish and cat, best friend’s forever.

Here are some of my favourite videos featuring Olivia <3
She truly was an amazing cat and I know everyone loved her so much.

Reading/Watching Update

I am currently immersing myself in books in European Portuguese.

Currently Reading

Title: Alérgica A Pessoas
Author: Sara Andersen
Publisher: Desrotina
Release Date: September 18th, 2025

Title: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon – Livro 1
Author: Naoko Takeuchi; Translation: Arnaldo Massato Oka
Publisher: Distrito Manga
Release Date: October, 2025

Recently Read

Title: O Leão, A Feiticeira e o Guarda-Roupa
Author: C.S. Lewis
Published on: April 16th, 2024
Published by: Forever

New to my shelf

Title: Our Perfect Storm
Author: Carley Fortune
Published on: May 21st, 2024
Published by: Forever

Currently Watching

This Week on the blog

  • N/A

QOTD: How are you doing?

Where to find us: Blog | Bookstagram | Twitter | Booktube | BookTok | Storygraph | Pinterest

Review | The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

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Title: The Paradise Problem
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: E-ARC
Pages: 352
Source: Digital ARC from Publisher

Description
Christina Lauren, returns with a delicious new romance between the buttoned-up heir of a grocery chain and his free-spirited artist ex as they fake their relationship in order to receive a massive inheritance.

Anna Green thought she was marrying Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. She also thought she’d signed divorce papers when the graduation caps were tossed, and they both went on their merry ways.

Three years later, Anna is a starving artist living paycheck to paycheck while West is a Stanford professor. He may be one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate, but he has little interest in working for the heartless corporation his family built from the ground up. He is interested, however, in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance. There’s just one catch.

Due to an antiquated clause in his grandfather’s will, Liam won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years. Just when Liam thinks he’s in the home stretch, pressure mounts from his family to see this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his one-percenter parents—his unpolished, not-so-ex-wife.

But in the presence of his family, Liam’s fears quickly shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam will have to ask himself if the price tag on his flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie.

(Source: Goodreads)

Review

I started off really enjoying the book! I loved Anna’s sense of humour and enjoyed reading Liam’s back story. Anna was presented as being very quirky, creative, and fun. Liam’s character is pretty constant throughout the book, and much of his story is centred around his family dynamics and, of course, his predicament regarding his inheritance money.

While the book was a lot of fun, it started losing some of its charm somewhere in the middle, and I didn’t find myself wanting to pick it up as much. I’m unsure why that is, but I suspect I might have an idea. Anna had to act as Liam’s wife, and her personality changed to fit that role. But, with that change, I missed seeing her quirky side emerge as it became more dilute. The last 1/3 of the book was much better for me, though not quite as engaging as the first third, and I thought it wrapped up very well.

Who do I recommend this novel to? There is also quite a bit of spice! I typically enjoy less spice in my romance novels, so readers who enjoy medium+ spice levels would likely enjoy this. Tropes that may entice you are fake dating, paradise escape, one bed, and a wedding set on a private island. Fans of Christina Lauren will adore this book. You most likely will enjoy this if you’ve enjoyed The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren.

Content Warnings

This Book in Three Words

Summer Holiday Book!

Values/Themes

  • Family
  • Vacation Wedding
  • Fake dating (fake marriage)

Favourite Part

Some of Anna’s lines were just hilarious!

Feelings

  • Humorous
  • Fun
  • Tense

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 3.75 stars

Acknowledgements

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

QOTD: What’s your favourite summer read?

The Sunday Post #24

| sarasreadingnook

Update:

Brief post today! I have been less busy on my blog lately since I’ve dealt with some pretty tough migraines over the last week and a half. I’m feeling quite a lot better today, though. I hardly get them anymore, but when they come, they come in pretty aggressively. Meanwhile, it’s given me some time to rest. And I’ve been comforted with a bit of ice cream – there’s a great cashew, plant-based cashew chocolate fudge brownie I find hard to resist from a local vendor! Apologies. I have been on a bit of a pause in replying to comments since my migraines. I hope to get back on track soon.

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia has been doing great! She’s helped make these migraines go by a lot smoother. I’m always amazed by how loving and caring she is. She’s such an amazing cat.

Reading/Watching Update

Currently Reading

Title: The Paradise Project
Author: Christina Lauren
Publisher: Simon and Schuster CA
Release Date: May 14th, 2024

Title: Great Expectations
Author: Charles Dickens
Published: December 1st, 1860 (Initial), audiobook published 10-18-2011
Published by: Blackstone Publishing

Title: The Warmth of Other Suns
Author: Isabel Wilkerson
Published: September 7th, 2010
Published by: Random House

Recently Read

Title: The Finders Keepers Library
Author: Annie Rains
Published on: April 16th, 2024
Published by: Forever

Title: Crooked Plow
Author: Itamar Vieira Junior, Johnny Lorenz (Translator)
Published on: June 27, 2023
Published by: Verso Fiction

New to my shelf

Title: The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle
Author: Annie Rains
Published on: May 21st, 2024
Published by: Forever

Recently Watched

This Week on the blog

  • Reviews (hopefully) for The Paradise Problem and The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle
  • TTT (possibly!)
  • WWW Wednesday
  • The Sunday Post

Last Week On The Blog

QOTD: What is your favourite flavour of ice cream?
Let us know!

Where to find us: Blog | Bookstagram | Twitter | Booktube | BookTok | Storygraph | Pinterest

The writing of this post was edited and enhanced with the help of Grammarly AI.

Review | One Long Weekend by Shari Low

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Title: One Long Weekend
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Format: E-book ARC
Pages: 326 pages
Source: NetGalley and Publisher

Description

When all seems lost, hope remains… Val Murray has mislaid her most precious mementoes of the people she’s loved and lost. Can her family, the wonders of technology and a little divine intervention somehow mend her shattered heart?

Sophie Smith had to take a rain check on a marriage proposal. Will her bid to turn back the clock lead her to her greatest love or yet another heartbreak?

Alice McLenn stood by her husband, Larry when a scandal cost them everything. When he hits the headlines again, Alice has an opportunity to leave – but can she find the strength to finally walk away?

Rory Brookes was forced to turn his back on his parents to save his career and marriage. Now, he’s lost his job and wife on the same day. Is it too late to make amends with the one person who never let him down?

Three days. Four broken hearts. Just one weekend to make them whole again.

(Source: Goodreads)

Review

Well, I had a great time reading this one! This is my first time reading a novel by Shari Low, and it was a pleasure. I fell in love with the characters, enjoyed the plot, and was propelled forward at every chapter cliffhanger. The book is told from the perspective of several main characters. This is an element I love to see in a book! They intertwine beautifully and make for an engaging read. I enjoyed the protagonists; they each have their personality and backstory. It’s a great way to add depth to the characters. The book is sometimes predictable – with that said, it’s still very intriguing and fun to follow.

I recommend this read to those interested in a lighthearted, multi-perspective, and uplifting novel.

Content Warnings
(None listed on The Storygraph. There is alcoholism, toxic relationship, illness, MVA.)

This Book in Three Words

Uplifting, engaging read

Values/Themes

  • Family
  • Love and loss
  • Multi-generational

Favourite Part

I liked that the chapters were fairly short and digestible. The pacing was excellent.

Feelings

  • Uplifting
  • Emotional
  • Hopeful

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 4.25 stars

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

QOTD: Do you enjoy reading contemporaries? Let us know!