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Top Ten Tuesdays: Top Five Authors I Miss

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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

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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

The Sunday Post #24

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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.

WWW Wednesdays #5

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WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme formerly hosted by MizB at Daily Rhythm and now hosted on Taking on a World of Words.

The three Ws are:

Currently Reading

Title: The Finders Keepers Library
Author: Annie Rains
Published on: April 16th, 2024
Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)
Thoughts: I just received a digital review copy of Annie Rains’ latest novel and I’m so thankful I did! I loved her book The Good Luck Café; you can read the review here. The Finders Keepers Library involves a cat and gardening – instantly, I’m in love with the concept!

Title: The Paradise Project
Author: Christina Lauren
Publisher: Simon and Schuster CA
Release Date: I’m thankful to have received this ARC! I loved The Unhoneymooners so much that I knew I needed to pick up another Christina Lauren!

Title: Love & Saffron
Author: Kim Fay
Published: March 5th, 2024
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Thoughts: This was recommended to me. I love a short novel, food, and letters in books, so I hope to enjoy this one. It sounds really sweet!

Title: Great Expectations
Author: Charles Dickens
Published: December 1st, 1860 (Initial), audiobook published 10-18-2011
Published by: Blackstone Publishing
Thoughts: I am 34% of the way done. I’m reading a little bit of this book each night. It’s my favourite book and I’m still savouring it!

Title: The Warmth of Other Suns
Author: Isabel Wilkerson
Published: September 7th, 2010
Published by: Random House
Thoughts: I intend to finish reading this book during the weekend. It’s excellent but a bit heavy, and I have been alternating between my readings during the week.

Recently Finished Reading

Title: Listen for the Lie
Author: Amy Tintera
Published: March 5th, 2024
Publisher: Celadon Books
Thoughts: Read my review here!

Title: The Wildings
Author: Nilanjana Roy
Published: August 17th, 2012
Published by: Aleph Book Company
Thoughts: I read this for our Catathon Readathon, and I liked it! It’s a cute adventure book with a lot of substance. Recommended for cat lovers.

Title: The Ghost Cat
Author: Alex Howard
Release Date: August 27th, 2024
Published by: Harlequin Trade Publishing | Hanover Square Press
Thoughts: Review to come.

Reading Next

Title: Et Cetera
Author: Maia Lee-Chin, Marta Bertello (Illustrator)
Release Date: August 27th, 2024
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Thoughts: This book is wonderful! It combines illustrations with explanations of the Latin phrases.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to the publishers for review copies of The Finders Keepers Library, The Paradise Project, Listen for the Lie, The Ghost Cat, and Et Cetera. All opinions are my own.

QOTD: Which cover from the books above stands out most to you?

The Sunday Post #23

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Update:

This weekend has been quite busy! Olivia and I have been running the Catathon Readathon on our bookstagram with our cohosts @abigailscupoftea, @christin_rene_, and @mels_reads_. We had reading sprints, and seeing everyone’s books and cats was so adorable! I’m already looking forward to our next one 😸

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia has had a super fantastic weekend so far. We’ve spent quality time together reading

Reading/Watching Update

Currently Reading

Title: The Wildings
Author: Nilanjana Roy
Published: August 17th, 2012
Published by: Aleph Book Company

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

Finished This Week

Title: The Ghost Cat
Author: Alex Howard
Release Date: August 27th, 2024
Published by: Harlequin Trade Publishing | Hanover Square Press

Title: Listen for the Lie
Author: Amy Tintera
Published: March 5th, 2024
Published by: Celadon Books

Title: Bad Dreams in the Night
Author: Adam Ellis
Published: April 16th, 2024
Published by: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Title: One Long Weekend
Author: Shari Low
Release Date: May 1st, 2024
Published by: Boldwood Books

Title: The Spell of a Story
Author: Mariajo Ilustrajo
Release Date: June 4th, 2024
Published by: Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children’s Books | Frances Lincoln

Thank you to @NetGalley and the publishers for these review copies, which were approved and read, and the title invited to review (below).

Invited to Review

Title: Devil is Fine
Author: John Vercher
Release Date: John Vercher
Published by: Celadon Books

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my recently read and invited titles for review.

Currently Watching

I am not currently watching any series. I just finished watching The Regime. While I loved Kate Winslet’s performance, the show was about a 2.5/5.

This Week on the blog

  • Review | Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
  • Top Ten Tuesdays | Unread Books on My Shelves I Want to Read Soon
  • WWW Wednesdays
  • The Sunday Post

Last Week On The Blog

QOTD: What’s the last book you read that was underhyped?

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.

Reading Challenge: NetGalley and Edelweiss 2024 (Host: Yvonne at SBR)

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Hello everyone!
I am super late to this challenge, but I would like to join Yvonne’s NetGalley and Edelweiss Challenge. Please check out Yvonne’s blog: Socrates’ Book Reviews.

Level I Intend to Read in 2024

There are 5 levels in this reading challenge:

Bronze – 10 Books

Silver – 25 Books

Gold – 50 Books

Platinum – 75 Books

Diamond – 100 Books

I intend to read and review at least 50 NetGalley books this year, which will bring me to 100 completed reviews. This challenge is a great way to get there!

My current NetGalley feedback ratio is 85%, with 65 approved titles. I have submitted feedback for 55 titles and will submit feedback for three titles this weekend, which should bring me up to 89%.

Thank you to Yvonne for hosting!

QOTD: Do you have any NetGalley-specific goals this year? Let us know!

The Sunday Post #22

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Update:

Hello everyone! It’s been another busy week for me, but I’ve managed to be fairly productive. Recently, I discovered that I can make lists on NetGalley, so I’ve created a list of widgets that I’ve been invited to read. This way, I won’t forget what I have available to me. Apart from that, I’m enjoying the warmer weather.

PS – Please don’t “furr-get.” The Catathon Readathon is coming up on April 20-21st!

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia is doing well and enjoying watching the birds outside our balcony door. Here she is, being a gem.

Reading/Watching Update

Currently Reading

I am almost finished reading two books from NetGalley: One Long Weekend, published by Boldwood Books, and Bad Dreams in the Night, from Andrews McMeel Publishing. I am taking my time reading Great Expectations and thoroughly enjoying it! Additionally, I am slowly making my way through The Warmth of Other Suns, which has been an excellent read.

Added to My NetGalley Shelf

The publisher invited me to read this by Celadon Books, but I just remembered I hadn’t downloaded the ARC. I will get around to this one very soon!

Currently Watching

We only have the finale left! It has hits and misses, but Kate Winslet is so good.

Recently Finished

I found Ripley very interesting and liked it overall! I watched the whole series in two days. Although I haven’t read the books, I have watched parts of the adaptation starring Jude Law and Matt Damon — The Talented Mr. Ripley. If I get the chance, I’d like to watch three adaptations and compare and contrast them.

The Phantom of the Opera is a movie I’ve watched multiple times. I honestly don’t know how many times I’ve seen it, but it’s been quite a lot. There are parts that I like more in the Broadway version with Sierra and Ramin. Here, I’ll leave my favourite performance by Sierra. I cry every time I watch it! I hope you enjoy it too. I’ll also leave my favourite performance from the movie, which features Emmy Rossum and Patrick Wilson. They are a pleasure to listen to, and Patrick is my favourite Raoul, hands down!

And, of course, since I’m going through a classic film phase, I have to continue watching James Stewart.

This Week on the blog

  • Reviews
  • Top Ten Tuesdays
  • The Sunday Post
  • More … if possible!

Last Week On The Blog

QOTD: What Book are you reading right now? 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.

Top Ten Tuesdays: Top Ten Books to Read for the Catathon Readathon!

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

Hello everyone,

Today’s post is a freebie so I will post about the Catathon Readathon, a 48-hour readathon that will take place on April 20th-21st. Myself, Abigail from Abigail’s Cup of Tea, Christin from Christin_Rene_, and Melanie from Mels_Reads_ will host the event. We have hosted this readathon once before, and it was a lot of fun! The event will mostly be hosted on Bookstagram; and we invite all bloggers to join and post about their readathon weekends on their blogs and socials!

So today my cat Olivia and I are providing you with our top ten recommendations for our readathon! Five recs for each prompt. Please note I have read all of those listed below except for the two I plan to read for the readathon. Let’s start with the first prompt.

Top Recommendations for:
“Catnip Comforts: A book that brings you comfort or joy”

Title: Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Author: Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Geoffrey Trousselot (Translator)
Thoughts: Four individuals visit a cafe that promises to transport visitors through time; a very comforting Japanese-translated read!

Title: Oddball: A “Sarah’s Scribbles” collection
Author: Sarah Andersen
Thoughts: I loved this comic book! Although it is not solely based on cats, it has hilarious comments about daily life with cat-related themes throughout.

Title: Rascal
Author: Jean-Luc Deglin, Edward Gauvin (Translator)
Thoughts: This is an absolutely adorable graphic novel featuring a cute cat named Rascal!

Title: A Tale of Two Tabbies
Author: Kathi Daley
Thoughts: “Whales and Tails” is a murder mystery series, and I highly recommend the seventh book. It revolves around cats and has become one of my favourite books, bringing me a lot of joy.

Title: Cat’s Café
Author: Matt Tarpley
Thoughts: SO CUTE. I enjoyed this graphic novel! It’s sure to bring you those cozy, comfy vibes.

Top Recommendations for:
“A cat-related book you’re excited to read”

Title: Chapter and Curse, The Cambridge Bookshop Series #1
Author: Elizabeth Penney
Thoughts: This is one of my favourite cozy mystery series and it features a cat named Puck! The best part about this series is that book 2, “A Treacherous Tale,” is just as good, or even better! I hope you’ll enjoy it.

Title: The Wildings
Author: Nilanjana Roy, Prabha Mallya (Illustrator)
Thoughts: I’ve heard about this book and have really wanted to read it! It’s about a group of cats in Delhi. One day, an orange kitten joins their group and their whole world is transformed. Sounds great!

Title: A Cat Story
Author: Ursula Murray Husted
Thoughts: I loved this! It takes place in Valletta and follows two cats, Cilla and Betto, on an adventure to find their forever homes.

Title: The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book (Volume 14)
Author: Bill Watterson
Thoughts: Classic! This comic book series features a fictional tiger named Hobbes who is the best friend of the mischievous Calvin. I love it so much!

Title: The Fatal Folio
Author: Elizabeth Penney
Thoughts: This is book number 3 of the Cambridge Bookshop Series and is a personal pick for me since I can’t wait to finish this series!

Therefore my Purr-sonal Picks for the readathon are ….

Both of these books are cat-related books, but I want to use The Fatal Folio also as a book that brings me comfort or joy since this is a series I have absolutely loved! I’m very excited to read The Wildings for the readathon and am sure this will also bring joy as well!

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QOTD: Are you a cat person? Let us know!

This post was edited/enhanced with Grammarly AI.