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The Sunday Post #10 & more!

| sarasreadingnook

Hello, everyone! Today we are linking up with

This is our 10th Sunday Post, how great!

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia has had quite the week! She’s enjoying her hammock, cat food pizzas, and tuna squeezie treats. A new phenomenon I’ve been noticing is her night-time “skittles.” Now, when I refer to “the skittles,” this means that during the evening, Olivia will chase her toys (especially her soft blue ball) and dash like a bolt of lightning across the room! When this happens, I can hear feet as they scamper about – I call these frantic episodes “the skittles.”

In other news, Olivia has been an excellent reading companion. I’m so grateful for this little bean!

Life Update

I’ve been so inspired by all of the Fall bookstagram vibes lately! It makes me want to:

  1. Immediately stock up on all Autumn drink ingredients.
  2. Decorate my home with Fall candles, autumn leaves, and tiny pumpkins
  3. Read all of the cozy and spooky books.

Olivia has a collection of seasonal collars and sweaters. One collar is black, orange, and yellow Halloween-themed. I’m saving that one for October!

Unfortunately, I had another back injury this week, but luckily, it has mostly improved. I’ve been trying to heal as best as possible; however, an area of personal growth for me is understanding my limitations. I tend to overestimate my recovery and take on physical tasks when I’m not ready to (e.g., heavy lifting). I need to be a bit more patient with myself. One day at a time!

Reading Update

Check out our August Wrap-Up for an update on how the month went for Olivia and I! We read 12 books in total. Here is our mini reading vlog for Lore by Alexandra Bracken.

@sarasreadingnook

Didn’t those chai lates look amazing!? #LoreBook #LoreBookReview #LoreReadingVlog #ReadingVlog #BookReview #BookTok #BookToker

♬ Ghibli-style nostalgic waltz – MaSssuguMusic

Currently, we are reading:

Our next reads:

Additionally, we went to the library and signed out many books. As promised, here is part 1 of our library haul:

@sarasreadingnook

#libraryhaul #librarybooks #bookhaul #bookish #booktok

♬ Sunroof – Nicky Youre & dazy

Let me know if you’ve read any of the books from our haul!

With another season ahead of us, we are running the Hello Autumn / Spring Readathon from September 17th-18th! I host the readathon along with several of my friends. To learn more about the readathon and our cohosts, here is our bookstagram post. We’d love it if you could participate with us!

This Week on the Blog

Next Week on the Blog

  • TTT
  • Book reviews
  • Friday Reads
  • Reading Sprint Invite
  • Sunday Post

QOTD: What book are you
reading next? Let us know!

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

August Wrap up

| sarasreadingnook

Hi everyone! Olivia and I are excited to share our August reading wrap-up with you. We’ve read 12 books and enjoyed most of what we read.

This month, we participated in the #ARCathon and did our best to manage our NetGalley reviews. Currently, we are sitting at an 85% feedback ratio and are happy with our progress.

So, let’s dive into this wrap-up!

Reading Wrap-Up and Stats

@sarasreadingnook

What was your favourite read of August? See any books on our list you’d like to check out? Let us know! Note all @NetGalley books were provided for an honest review. Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley. #ReadingWrapUp #ReadingStats #AugustBooks #BookTok

♬ Oke work that imaged the Ghibli-like forest – CRAFT SOUND STUDIO

Reading Statistics

In terms of overall mood, we mostly read mysterious and emotional books with dashes of adventure, reflection, and lightheartedness. Our books were all medium pace, which is quite a shock. Usually, there is a range, so it’s curious how this happened.

Correction – 11/12 books were fiction. And most of my books were in the > 300-page range. Again, not typical, but I have been trying to read more of a mixture between children’s and YA/adult fiction on NetGalley, which may have resulted in this trend.

Another active month! With the TBR game, Readathon, and our Top Shelf Society buddy read, August was quite a productive time! Also, my back injury has made it challenging to be active, so reading has been welcome this month. Olivia has very much enjoyed cuddling and reading together.

Reading Wrap-Up and Mini Reviews

Book Cover images link to Goodreads. Highlighted Book Titles link to book reviews. Content Warnings link to The Storygraph, if available. Books with an “NG” were from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review – all opinions are my own.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
Published: July 19th, 2022.
(5 stars) This book was my favourite book of the month! Silvia Moreno-Garcia has an impressive ability to provide atmospheric, entertaining reads that hook me in from the first chapter. She creates captivating stories while weaving social and political commentaries into her novels. Spectacular. Historical fiction, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Horror.
Content Warnings.

Baker and Taylor and the Mystery of the Library Cats by Candy Rodo.
Release Date: September 5th, 2022.
(5 stars) This picture book features two cats, Baker and Taylor, as they try to discover the mystery of the famous library cats. Magnificent read and so much fun! Children’s, Picture Books, Animals. (NG)

Anne of Green Gables by Manga Classics.
Published: November 10th, 2020.
(4.75 stars)This manga is the most entertaining, fun, and creative adaptation I’ve read of AOGG. It stayed true to the original book highlighting pertinent events. It was excellent to read. Manga, Classics, Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction. (NG).

A Treacherous Tale by Elizabeth Penney.
Published: August 23rd, 2022.
(4.25 stars). This sequel is a terrific, cozy mystery and is book #2 of The Cambridge Bookshop Series. Honestly, I enjoyed book two even more than book one. There are fairy tale vibes and a page-turning mystery present. Oh, and there are cats! Cozy Mystery, Fiction. (NG).
(Suggested CWs: death, murder, missing/?captured persons.)

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero.
Published: May 10th, 2022.
(4 stars). This book is a haunting and enchanting story about a biracial Jewish girl sent away to stay with her aunt in Prague. I read/listened to this book and enjoyed it. I highly recommend this book, especially if you love poetic writing. Fantasy, YA, Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Poetry. (NG)
Content Warnings.

The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson.
Published: February 2nd, 2022.
(3.75 stars). This is a contemporary fiction novel about Ruth, an Ivy-League Black engineer who is eager to start a family with her husband; however, she had to give up her baby years ago. And now, to move forward, she needs to make peace with her past. Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I think that Nancy Johnson did such an impressive job of setting the timeline and in crafting Ruth’s story. There are two points of view and Ruth’s POV was my favourite. Recommended if you’ve enjoyed books such as Little Fires Everywhere. Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery.
Content Warnings.

Underneath the Earth’s Crust. Trip to the Core of our Planet by Mack Van Gageldonk.
Release Date: November 29th, 2022.
(4 stars). Informative nonfiction children’s book that covers material about the earth’s crust. There is a lot of information packed in here! The earth’s layers, underground animals and plants, gemstones, thermal springs, etc.! And there are lots of drawings and images to keep kids involved. I enjoyed reading and learning from this one! Children’s, Nonfiction, Science. (NG)

Lucky Cat by Melody Cheng; Helen Wu; Janet Wang.
Release Date: September 20th, 2022.
(3.25 stars) This picture book features a good story about the struggle of immigrant families trying to run a business in a new country. The illustrations are so beautiful in this one and my favourite aspect. I wanted a bit more from this story, and some themes could have been explored differently; however, it was a good read overall. Children’s, Animals. (NG)

The Gravity of Existence by Christina Sng.
Release Date: December 5th, 2022.
(3 stars). This poetry book has many poems about sirens, ghosts, fairy tales, myths, and other topics. Not every poem was a hit for me, and many were short. My favourites were poems about myths and fairy tales. Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Poetry. (NG)
Content Warnings.

The Nine Origins by Kes Trester.
Release Date: October 11th, 2022.
(2.25 stars). A YA fantasy book. Set in modern times, within this novel are nine gifts that a select few individuals possess. Our main character is about to embark on a journey to discover what her gift means for her. It sounded like a good synopsis; however, the characters were quite stereotypical, the story did not feel fleshed out, and I think that it could have benefitted from having different perspectives provide feedback on this book. Some language was off-putting as well. I did like several components of the overall story and learning about the nine gifts. Fantasy, YA.

The Unbalanced Equation by H.L. MacFarlane.
Release Date: September 15th, 2022.
(2 stars). Initially, I was looking forward to this book and thought it would be fun and cute. There are some tropes here I think readers may enjoy, like dual perspectives, forced proximity, and others. Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me due to the presence of some very off-putting behaviours, language, and scenarios that occurred. Romance, Contemporary.
Content Warnings.

A Nico Colored Canvas by Nao Shikita.
Published: June 21st, 2022.
(2 stars). This manga is about a “free-spirited” art university student as she is learning how to perfect her craft. I was looking forward to it, but it wasn’t for me. The story felt rushed. Additionally, I encountered some very off-putting scenarios and rude language, so it just missed the mark for me. I think the overall art style was at an appropriate level as it reminded me a bit of Lovely Complex. Manga, University. (NG)

So, that is my Wrap-Up! Overall, we enjoyed many of our books, and while not every book was a hit, I hope this wrap-up provides some beneficial information for you and encourages you to check out some excellent books!

QOTD: What was your favourite read this August?
Let us know!

The Sunday Post #9 & More!

| sarasreadingnook

Hello, everyone! Today we are linking up with

Very brief post today! Resting and recovering from a busy weekend. Thank you for stopping by!

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia had another wonderful week! She enjoyed spending lots of time with my partner and myself, as we were on staycation. We still have another couple of days off, and Olivia is excited for even more cuddle time.

Life Update

Today is the first day I’ve felt relatively okay since my back injury. It’s been rough, but I’m happy to have spent time resting and recovering. That said, energy is a bit low today, but I’m sure it will return this upcoming week!

Reading Update

For a video recap of our week, and our progress on the ARCathon readathon please check out our youtube video! ARCathon is hosted by Marti and Britt!

Details are in our Friday Reads post below. We also added The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell to our virtual library shelf. Expect a library haul next week!

This Week on the Blog

Next Week on the Blog

  • TTT
  • Book reviews
  • Friday Reads
  • Reading Sprint Invite
  • Sunday Post

QOTD: Are you a mood reader or
a TBR list maker? Let us know!

The Sunday Post #8

| sarasreadingnook

Hello, everyone! Today we are linking up with

The briefest post today!

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia’s had a great week. She was eagerly awaiting and preparing for the arrival of one of our close friends who she hasn’t seen in about a year or so! He used to cat-sit for my partner and I and so they are good friends.

We have also given Olivia a bib-trim. Her mane was getting a little bit too long and was starting to cause a bit of trouble while eating and drinking. Now that she’s had the trim, it’s a bit easier for her. And I’m sure it may help with cooling her down during the hot summer.

Life Update

I am recovering right now from a back injury so today’s update will be short.

In better news, we’ve started a TikTok! Let me know your thoughts – I may try to do mini reviews and share them here when I upload my ARC reviews. I like this challenge because it gives me an opportunity to enhance my verbal review skills.

@sarasreadingnook

Only 20 pages left! #currentlyreading #booktok #currentread #bookclub

♬ Funkytown – Lipps Inc.

Reading Update

Linking you to my Friday Reads post for the books Olivia and I have read this week. We finished reading 8 books. With my back injury, it’s been nice to cuddle with her and get some reading in.

We’re still working through Lore and The Nine: Origins. Unfortunately, there have been a few issues with The Nine: Origins I’ve encountered – perhaps it would have benefitted from more feedback from others with different experiences. Of course, I’ll share my honest opinions when I’ve finished but may review this as part of my August wrap up instead of a full feature post.

We are in a bit of a sticky situation right now – from our Libby app, we’ve signed out The Family Remains – one of our most anticipated reads of the year! But we have SO many books to read, so perhaps we’ll read this next month. But gosh, we’re so excited to read it.

This Week on the Blog

Next Week on the Blog

  • TTT
  • Review | The Kindest Lie
  • Review | Radium Girls (ARC)
  • Review | A Treacherous Tale (ARC)
  • The Sunday Post

QOTD: Do you have a Kindle?
We’ve been thinking about getting one!

Friday Reads

| sarasreadingnook

Hi everyone! Here are all of the books I’ve read this past week! (Please note that my Youtube Video extends beyond this past week. And I forgot to add a children’s book!). This one will be very brief – currently resting from a lower back injury, but recovering well. Enjoy!

Recently Read

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

Lucky Cat by AsianBossGirl and illustrated by Eunice Chen. (NG)

The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson.

The Unbalanced Equation by H.L. MacFarlane. (NG)

A Nico-Colored Canvas by Nao Shikita. (NG)

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, Stacy King (Adaptor), Crystal S. Chan (Contributor), Daria Rhodes (Lettering), and Kuma Chan (Illustrator). (NG)

Baker and Taylor and the Mystery of the Library Cats by Candy Rodo illustrated by Weaverbird Interactive. (NG)

Underneath the Earth’s Crust by Mack Van Gageldonk. (NG)

Currently Reading

Lore by Alexandra Bracken.

The Nine: Origins by Kes Trester. (NG)

Next Reads

Ghostcloud by Michael Mann. (NG)

Dark Room Etiquette by Robin Roe. (NG)

The Lost Witch by Paige Crutcher.(NG)

The Gravity of Existence by Christina Sng. (NG)

Note: NetGalley copies are designated as NG. These are provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

QOTD: What are you reading?
Let us know!

Books I Love That Were Written Over Ten Years Ago

| sarasreadingnook

Hello, everyone!

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

We have so many books that we love written at least a decade ago that we wanted to focus on a few books that we’ve enjoyed and categorize them by mood. There are more than 10 books. Enjoy!

Adventurous

  1. Sailor Moon Manga by Naoko Takeuchi. Amazing.
  2. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. Get a tissue box ready.

Challenging/Informative

  1. From Eve to Dawn: A History of Women Volume 1. Origins by Marilyn French. I can’t believe how much I’ve learned from this book, and I’m happily continuing the series. I think this could be updated and even more inclusive now, but it’s a good place to start.
  2. The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin. Everything Baldwin writes belongs in the must-read section.
  3. A Stranger at Home by Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, Christy Jordan-Fenton, and Liz Amini-Holmes. A must-read.

Dark

  1. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. This book really impacted my world view.
  2. Deathnote by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. Disturbing, but you can’t stop once you’ve started it.

Emotional

  1. Night by Elie Wiesel. Deceptively short read; however, its impact lasts forever.
  2. If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin. Literally finished a box of tissues with this book.

Reflective

  1. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. My all-time favourite book. The theme of adjusting one’s expectations really helped me a lot with some very difficult decisions.
  2. Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. Again, read this with a box of tissues.

QOTD: Have you read any of these titles?
Let us know!

The Sunday post #7

| sarasreadingnook

Hello, everyone! Today we are linking up with

Brief post today!

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia has been doing very well – such a big appetite and lots of books to read! And we did read two cat books which she and I absolutely loved (more below).

Last night, however, Olivia became quite concerned – somehow, a moth flew into our apartment! Olivia was not impressed. Whatsoever. In fact, it made her so anxious that she was yelling at this moth for quite some time. In an attempt to assist her, we were about to evacuate said moth; however, by the time we went to the lamp where it was situated, the moth had already flown away, nowhere to be found. Because Olivia is terrified of insects (as am I), we snuggled for quite some time afterwards, consoling both her and I. The location of the moth is still unknown, but we’d like to think it happily flew away sometime last evening or this morning. Now our Olivia is all settled – with a little bit of extra catnip to pep her step.

Life Update

A few highlights:

  • My partner and I went for a long walk a few days ago and found a really cool area in the city nearby that we had not visited before! There were lots of stores and even a new bistro that we will visit in the future.
  • We finished Netflix: Keep Breathing. Although I did enjoy some episodes, overall I would rate it around a 6/10. I enjoyed: the survival aspect, the main character, and how the story was revealed. Being from Northern British Columbia, I liked that this was filmed BC and gave an insight into the beauty we are fortunate to be surrounded by in Canada. I did not enjoy: the constant flashbacks, some plot and emotional mechanics used, the romantic element, and some of the overall plot points. I would recommend giving the first 2-3 episodes a shot, and if you like them, it gives a pretty clear indication if you may enjoy the rest of the show. I will say I thought that Yellowjackets was my favourite survival-type show watched this year (also filmed in BC).

Keep Breathing Trailer:

Yellowjackets Trailer:

Reading Update

We are doing the ARCathon, hosted by Marti and Britt! And we are reading our TBR game picks, which overlap. Our NetGalley feedback ratio is something we have been working on and we are happy to say it is currently at 94%.

In general, we’re very conservative with requests, opting to read and review many “read now” titles that we simply don’t want to wait for and get to reading them immediately! We have found so many amazing books this way. Although sometimes the request bug does bite, too!

We currently have two requests pending. A book we’ve requested is A Cat Cafe Christmas – if we receive an eGalley, Olivia and I will be so happy! But we will also happily request from the library if it doesn’t come our way – it looks absolutely purrfect! And I’d love to give our insight from a feline and cat lover purr-spective.

The second book we’ve requested is Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying. It is a YA graphic novel, and it just looks and sounds stunning. It discusses difficult topics, such as disordered eating and mental health. Again, I will need to read this book, regardless of my pending request – very much looking forward to reading and reviewing this one.

Recently Finished

We’ve finished several books this week from NetGalley (see below, thank you to NetGalley for providing review copies). I will discuss these more in future reviews and/or wrap ups; however I do want to say that the manga for Anne of Green Gables, Baker And Tale and the Mystery Cats, A Treacherous Tale, and The Ghosts of Rose Hill were just great! You can see reviews for Anne of Green Gables and The Ghosts of Rose Hill below.

Currently Reading:

We are enjoying and finishing The Kindest Lie tonight and continuing Lore forward!

This Week on the Blog

Next Week on the Blog

  • Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Love That Were Written Over Ten Years Ago
  • Reviews for The Kindest Lie
  • Review for Lore
  • Stacking the Shelves/Sunday Post/Sunday Salon

QOTD: Did you have a good weekend? Let us know!