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Friday Reads #2

| sarasreadingnook

Hi everyone!

These are our Friday reads which includes all of the books I’ve read since my last Recent Reads video. And guess what? We are doing the ARCathon, hosted by Marti and Britt! And trying to catch up to our July TBR reads (note: we’ve had to forward a couple of books and DNF one). I’ve included summaries of all books here for a quick glance. Make sure to watch the video below – it was a lot of fun to film with Olivia!

Content warnings links are included if listed on The Storygraph.

Recently Read

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

Always Never by Jodi Lafebre. This was a love story told in reverse over a long timespan – 40 years! Many people will love the story. I ended up not being a fan of the artwork and story as it progressed.
Content warnings.

I am a Cat by Sōseki Natsume. A story narrated by a highly observant cat who has a witty take on the humans of the household, set in middle-class Japanese society during the Meiji Era. I found it challenging to read and review due to some of the subject matter within the book.
Content warnings.

From Eve to Dawn: A HIstory of Women in the Worly by Marilyn French. This book was such an impressive historical account of women throughout history, beginning in prehistory to ancient Egypt, China, India, Peru, Mexico, Greece and Rome. Also, there is commentary of women’s relationship to various religions. Read this if you want to learn more about women’s issues told through a feminist lense.

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

Yasmin the Detective by Saadia Faruqi and Hatem Aly (Illustrator). Very cute book about a young girl named Yasmin who helps her grandmother find some missing items by using her detective skills. Lots of fun! There is a glossary in Urdu at the back of the book among other gems.

Lola and the New School by Keka Novales. Beautiful book about Lola who has just changed schools and is making friends. I loved the infusion of Guatemalan culture in this book. Excellent for young readers, with lots of activity and prompts in the book. Learn how to make the Abuelita’s limeade!

How Science Saved the Eiffel Tower by Emma Bland Smith and Lisa Visirin (Illustrator). This book was so cool! It’s filled with scientific facts and applications of the Eiffel Tower. I would highly recommend this nonfiction for young and adult readers, alike. Fascinating!

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

Shoo! by Susie Bower, Grancesca Gambatesa (Illustrator). This was beautiful picture book about a woman who has a new neighbour – a zoo! And the inhabitants really cause quite a caucus, so Mrs. Golightly has to figure out how to maintain the peace at home – or adapt. Funny, beautiful, and teaches about adapting to changes.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: Baby’s First Book of Extraordinary Women by Rebel Girls. This was filled with lots of short biographies of empowering women. Filled with diverse representations of women, and that will hopefully become even more diverse, inclusive, and expansive in future volumes.

With the Right to Fight: Planting Peace by Anika Christopher. Wonderful story about a Nobel Peace Prize winner from Kenya who enriches the world by starting an initiative the lead to the planting of millions and millions of trees. Totally amazing, beautiful, poetic and amazing to read. Highly recommended.

Storygraph | Goodreads

A Lot Like Adiós by Alexis Daria. Second chance romance Gabe (gym owner; Peurto Rican/Mexican heritage) and Michelle (freelancer and strategic marketer; Peurto Rico/Italian heritage). Gabe is set to start a new gym in NYC and his business partner unknowingly reaches out to Michelle who has a very complicated past with Gabe. It’s well written, it’s funny, it’s intense – a little too much for me at times haha but it was fun to read, overall!
Content Warnings.

Currently Reading

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

A Treacher Tale by Elizabeth Penney. Loving this so far! This is the second book in The Cambridge Bookshop Series in which our protagonist, Molly, owns a bookstore and learns that Iona York, author of The Strawberry Girls classic tales, lives closeby! She visits her cottage and discovers a dead body right beside her home! That is where I’ve left off in Chapter 1 and I can’t wait to see how Molly and company get to the bottom of this mystery.

The Kindest Lie by a Johnson. Enjoying this – reading for my July TBR Game! Speaking of which, I think I need to limit next month’s TBR game to five books because August is going to be full of books for ARCathon and catching up to last month’s TBR game. But we can do it! Olivia and I are up to the challenge.
Content warnings.

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

Lore by Alexandra Bracken. Need to finish this for the July TBR game! I’ve mentioned this one before, it’s been described as a mixture between Greek Mythology and The Hunger Games. I’ve barely dug into this one and am starting to remember what it’s all about. Can give a deeper analysis next Friday!
Content warnings.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero. Reading for ARCathon. This is beautiful and tells a story of a girl of a biracial Jewish girl who is sent away to stay with her aunt in Prague. She is torn between pursuing her parent’s wishes of having a stable career, for example in the sciences or medicine, and becoming a violinist. While she’s in Prague, she learns about a forgotten Jewish ancestry, encounters a ghost name Benjamin and also a man with no shadow, Rudolf Wassermann. This is beautifully written, every page feels like your being entranced by the author, and I’m enjoying it so much!
Content warnings.

Next Reads

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

Anne of Green Gables by Stacy King (Adaptor), Crystal S. Chan (Contributor), Daria Rhodes (Lettering), Kuma Chan (Illustrator), L.M. Montgomery (Original Author). This is a manga adaptation of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables. I started to read it for NetGalley a few months ago, however I had to stop because it was just really ill formatted. I want to finish it, though, so I have the book on hold at the library. Would love to have this read for ARCathon, hosted by Marti and Britt!

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Reading this lovely retelling via the Top Shelf Society buddy read! I am a cohost and we definitely invite you to join us! Click here for details and synopsis. Can’t wait!
Content warnings.

QOTD: What are you reading?
Let us know!

The Sunday Post #5 & More! | Olivia’s purr-spective on “I Am a Cat” by Sōseki Natsume

| sarasreadingnook

Hello, everyone! Today we are linking up with:

This past week really got away from us and we are now trying our best to catch up, alas The Sunday Post is being posted on a Monday. Hope you enjoy it!

Olivia Update 🐾

A major update of our week is reading the book, “I am a Cat” by Sōseki Natsume. When we started the book, she was very happy to have found a feline protagonist. As the book went on, unfortunately, there was less and less cat in the book and she had quite a few issues with that. The book instead started to revolve around our cat’s owner and his friends, at times with very little cat insights thrown in.

While we certainly agree that Sōseki is a great writer, we are highly conflicted about this one due to the lack of cat content in the book. We also found the book difficult to read because of some of the content warnings which we should have read beforehand – there was a whole lot of body shaming and misogyny in the book (while we understand that this book was written over a century ago, we were very alarmed by the high volume of this sort of content). Most alarmingly, there was animal cruelty, so you can imagine my dismay reading these portions with Olivia (I was at a loss of how to comfort her – all I could do was provide her with her favourite tuna squeezie treat while I skipped these parts.) The plot was very minimal as well and it could be a bit tiresome to read at times. However, it is not all bad – Sōseki is able to blend silliness with beautifully analytical and philosophical writing. We laughed out loud so many times during this book that we made a thread of some of our favourite quotes!

As well, some of the philosophical questions had Olivia and I deeply invested. Through both our nameless feline protagonist and the various characters, the book discusses a wide range of topics: God, creation, death, Westernization, and existence, to name a few. So I will sit with our thoughts on the book for some before committing to a review and star rating. We are comfortable saying that this book is not for who are looking for cat content since it’s so sparse, or for those who have a difficult time reading literature with any of the issues mentioned above.

In other news, Olivia also had a good time being on bird watch this week! There were quite a few spottings, which she alerted me of with a few cackles and chirps to sound the alarm.

Life Update

What a busy week this was! Our entire week of blogging and booktube went straight out the window, but for a good reason. This month we had a family member visit us so we had a marvellous time eating at cafés, attending some highly important events, visiting the ice cream shop (they have some vegan flavours!), and exploring the city together. With work thrown into the mix, all of our days were full with varying degrees of business. We are so happy to have hosted our family member and the outdoor plants have really enjoyed the sun! Temperatures should be a bit cooler this week – I hope they are going to drop for you all in the hot destinations as well.

A major help this week was ordering some vegan salads from a local shop nearby. Here you can see a few of them: Kale Tabouli Salad, Summer “Pasta” Salad, and Beet Poke Salad. Of these, the Summer Pasta Salad was such a win! And the selection really inspired us to get creative with our salad combinations moving forward.

Reading Update

Recently Finished

As you can see from the Olivia Update, we read I am a Cat by Sōseki Natsume and had a very conflicted feel about the book.

Storygraph | Goodreads

I finished Always Never by Jordi Lafebre, read via my Hoopla app. Last week, I mentioned that I was very lukewarm about this read, and that feeling never went away. My biggest issue with the book again lies within the content warnings (I’m starting to think that I really need to pay a bit more attention to those moving forward) and the illustration style. However, my opinions are not necessarily what the majority of readers thought as the book is very highly rated on Goodreads and Storygraph, so don’t let my review throw you off too much!

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

We also stacked our NetGalley shelf and read several books, focusing on children’s literature! Look out for reviews this week. We enjoyed and recommend all of them but especially loved With the Right to Fight – Planting Peace, How Science Saved the Eiffel Tower, and Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls!
(Galleys are provided via NetGalley – all opinions are my own).

Currently Reading

Storygraph | Goodreads

We started A Lot Like Adiós by Alexis Daria and we are enjoying it so far! It is a second chance romance and is book #2 in the Primas of Power series. I’ve only read the first chapter, but have found it intriguing so far and can’t wait to learn more about Michelle and Gabe.

Storygraph | Goodreads

We are so happy we were approved for A Treacherous Tale by Elizabeth Penney! This is book #2 of the Cambridge Bookshop Series and it follows our protagonist Molly Kimball who runs a bookshop in England. Thrilled because we very much enjoyed book #1, Chapter and Curse. We’ve only read the first chapter but are loving it so far. Olivia especially loves cats Puck and Clarence!

Next Read

Storygraph | Goodreads

Immediately next, we want to finally start Lore by Alexandra Bracken! Our TBR game has been difficult to complete this month, and we are afraid that some books will have to be read in the month of August. We will be doing a TBR game in August as well! Haha but at least it should be fairly quiet this month and so we hope to finish all of our books – crossovers and new additions, alike!

Storygraph | Goodreads

We’ll see … but The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is looking pretty enticing right about now … how can I possibly focus when there are so many great books to read? I supposed you could say we’re overbooked 😹. We are so happy we received this gorgeous book mail earlier this week!

This Week on the Blog

Next Week on the Blog

  • Weekly memes (hopefully) for TTT and Stacking the Shelves/Sunday Post/Sunday Salon
  • ARC reviews for books published on Aug 1st – now live!

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

BOOK MAIL | The Daughter of Doctor moreau

Book cover of The Doctor of Doctor Moreau held up in front of a white bookshelf with garden decorations.
| sarasreadingnook
Storygraph | Goodreads

It’s here! It’s here! It’s finally here!

If you wanted to know what my most anticipated read of the year is, it’s this beautiful book I’m holding up right here: The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I couldn’t be happier to finally hold this incredibly beautiful book in my hands!

To provide a little bit of history, I am a huge fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and ever since I finished reading the last page of Mexican Gothic with our book club, The Top Shelf Society, I have wanted to read another gorgeous, historical fiction SMG gothic horror. Mexican Gothic is beautiful, tragic, strange, and has very important themes discussed within. SMG’s writing is enchanting and we feel this book has the potential to sweep us off of our feet yet again.

And finally … it’s here! Gah!

Yes, my expectations are very high. It’s SMG, after-all! Regardless, I’m just so excited to enter another one of SMG’s worlds and spend a little bit of time with with our heroine, Carlota, as I turn the pages of this gorgeous read. We will likely be doing a buddy read, details to come.

QOTD: What is/has been your most
anticipated read of the year?

The Sunday Post #4 & More!

| sarasreadingnook

Hello, everyone! Today we are linking up with:

Update

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia enjoying her Sunday.

Olivia had a wonderful week! We recently purchased some tuna Smooth & Savory squeezies, which are her absolute favourite treats.

The image above provides evidence of a very rare spontaneous hammock spotting – Olivia has started to spend time on her hammock! I couldn’t believe my eyes but I really did spot her enjoying her hammock two days ago when I came home from work. I was shocked and I very quickly rushed to take a photo, which is not of very good quality. But, I’m so happy I now have some photographic evidence that she, indeed, is enjoying her hammock. Encouraging!

Life Update

Fresh salad with beautiful veggies.
Avocado sushi roll – yum!
Cucumber rolls.

This week was a lot of fun. I spent time with family and even had some delicious sushi and salad. My partner’s family lives close to the Farmer’s Market and so all of the veggies are super fresh and very delicious. The sushi rolls were from a local sushi factory and I have to say – the avocado rolls were some of the best I’ve had in a long time!

This weekend I was able to watch my partner play his tennis tournament and sneak in a bit of reading at the same time. The matches were quite long and challenging, and the weather was very hot, but it was just wonderful to watch him have some great tennis this season. He loves the sport and I know it’s a highlight of his to play every summer in the beautiful weather.

Reading Update

Here is where we will insert our stacking the shelves and reading updates!

Recently Finished

Storygraph | Goodreads

Yesterday I finished reading A History of Women in the World by Marilyn French via my Libby app. It was a fascinating read about women and their roles in society throughout history as well as various religions and female roles within them. I thought it was just a marvellous book and I learned so much from it that it was difficult to put down – to be honest, this book wasn’t even on my radar until I saw an interview by Margaret Atwood in which she referenced it. I wanted to read it because I thought, well if Margaret Atwood is referencing this novel then I want a bit of an inside look into reference material she may have drawn inspiration from – and I was pleasantly surprised to see that she had actually provided Forwards for each of the various volumes.

The book can be a bit dense at times, and I think there is still a lot of various issues to cover, so I’m looking forward to reading further volumes. I also want to read more recently published material and see a more expansive and extensive approach that reflects feminism today and how the definition is constantly evolving.

Currently Reading

Storygraph | Goodreads

I am still reading Always Never by Jordi Lafebre via my Hoopla app. Still feeling a bit lukewarm about this read, but I’m hoping to finish it today since I have some time to read this afternoon and evening. It’s a love story of 40 years told in reverse, and I think the art style is just not my favourite – not sure, but I’m hoping it will grow on me and I will just love the book. It does have high ratings, so I hope that is the trajectory moving forward.

Next Reads

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

I am a Cat by Sōseki Natsume. This is a three volume translated collection of work written from the perspective of a cat – a dialogue on human nature. I’ve heard a lot about Sōseki’s writing and can’t to dig in! Olivia, especially.

A Lot Like Adiós by Alexis Daria. We have mentioned this book before – it is a second chance romance and we think it will be just perfect to read this week.

Lore by Alexandra Bracken. Finally, we can’t wait to finish Lore by Alexandria Bracken! Greek mythology is something we’re especially looking forward to after reading Marilyn French’s book, mentioned earlier, in which she discusses women’s roles in ancient greece as well as after the common era.
Note: all three books were independently purchased via Indigo, Chapters.

New Arrivals

Unfortunately, we have not added anything to our physical or library shelves this week as we’re still chugging along, finishing up our July TBR books. However, I’ll add a few books here we’ve added to our Goodreads and Storygraph TBR shelves recently!

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

Last Week’s Posts

This Week on the Blog

  • Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday: Books From My Past Seasonal TBR Posts I STILL Haven’t Read
  • Friday: Let’s Talk Bookish – Topic TBD
  • Friday: Reading Sprints Invitation for Saturday Sprints
  • Saturday/Sunday: Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post, The Sunday Salon

Bookstagram

We have been having some fun making reels lately! Here are our latest bookstagram posts:

Booktube

Latest Booktube Videos

Alas! We still have not made all of our mid year booktube videos, but these are to come. Potentials include the mid-year freakout tag, mid-year bookish wrap up OR favourites, and a mid-year reading journal flip through.

QOTD: What are you looking forward to reading this week?
Let us know!

The Sunday Post #3 & more!

| sarasreadingnook

Hello, everyone! Today we are linking up with:

Update

Olivia Update

This week has been a very restful week for Olivia, though we did manage to sneak in a few adventures here and there.

We’ve gone on the netted balcony/catio together quite a few times for some fun in the sun. She absolutely loves to sniff all the outdoor smells she possibly can.

The weather has been very sunny with clear skies and warm days. Although I personally may enjoy the summer breeze, Olivia is fearful of the wind, a fear that she bravely manages to conquer by the end of each summer season. She inspires me!

We have also discussed our recent reads and she is quite annoyed at the lack of cat books this week – I just must keep reminding her that we will be starting one soon. Now, this clearly provides little reassurance for her – but we really do have a fantastic Cat book coming up soon. So, hold tight, Olivia! We’re almost there!

Life

Last weekend we had a lot of fun and went to a local cafe. They have delicious vegan muffins that have so much flavour, I often need to get a second helping after finishing muffin #1!

Just typing this out makes me want to have another muffin so badly!

After our muffin and caffeine fixes were complete, we then went to our local garden centre and purchased roses, succulents, and plants for our balcony. The garden centre usually has so many choices, but this late in the season it can be difficult to find exactly what you are looking for. But, better late than never!

Reading

Here is where we will insert our Stacking the Shelves and reading updates!

Recently Finished:

We are happy to report that we finished both Radium Girls and Wildseed Witch! Both will both be given full reviews here on the blog very soon (Note: these are NetGalley reads and all of my NetGalley books are provided in exchange for honest reviews), but we are a bit behind at the moment. We also finished Surviving the City which was quite an emotional read. Quickly, we recommend all books if you are looking for a good nonfiction graphic novel (Radium Girls), a magical middle grade fantasy (Wildseed Witch), and/or a powerful and emotional contemporary graphic novel (Surviving the City).

Currently Reading:

Currently, I am reading A History of Women in the World by Marilyn French and Always Never by Jordi Lafebre, taken out from my library via the Libby and Hoopla apps, respectively.

I am learning so much in Marilyn French’s book, and am about 30% of the way through, so far. The book provides insights into the roles of women in society throughout history in ancient Egypt, China, India, Peru, Mexico, Greece, and Rome (among other places). It is eerie to read this book at this moment in time and I am just devouring the book. The Foreword by Margaret Atwood is just awesome.

Always Never tells a love story in reverse over a span of forty years. I’m not quite sure how I’ll end up enjoying this one – I think the art style is not for me, perhaps? But I think the story has a lot of potential, so we will keep moving forward! And perhaps I’ll end up loving it by the end.

Next Reads

All my next reads are books that are picks from my July TBR game. And, frankly, I’m a bit concerned I may not get through all of my books this month! If we can finish these three by the end of next week, oh gosh, then I’ll be on my way to completing the list and all fears re: not finishing will be alleviated swiftly!

Olivia is most looking forward to I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume, a dialogue of human nature from the perspective of a cat. I am looking forward to all three books but think that A Lot Like Adios might be exactly what I’m looking for after some nonfiction and philosophical reads since it is a contemporary romance with a super intriguing synopsis! And it may just be perfect for this point in the summer. Finally, Lore might be interesting to read after reading my current read: A History of Women in the World since they mention ancient Greece quite a bit in the book.

New Arrivals

NetGalley

We have been approved for two books by NetGalley this week and are happy to give our full review soon! The first book is a cozy mystery and is the second book in the Cambridge Bookshop Series – A Treacherous Tale by Elizabeth Penney. We had so much fun reading the first novel that of course we had to request this title! And we cannot wait to see what new mystery Molly Kimball will fall into this time around!

Additionally, we have been approved to read The Lost Witch by Paige Crutcher. It is a fantasy/romance about a time-travelling witch who loses her memory after waking up in her own home 100 years later. Oh, and there are monsters. We are intrigued and hope this will be a great read before heading into Autumn!

Last Week on the Blog

This Week on the Blog

  • Tuesday – Top Ten Tuesdays: Freebie (Note: What topic would you like to see?)
  • Saturday – Stacking the Shelves
  • Sunday – The Sunday Post and The Sunday Salon
  • TBD: Wildseed Witch Review

We will also be hosting our Caturday Reading Sprints on our booktube channel this week! And, still on the list is a mid-year bullet journal flip through.

Update!

Booktube:
Here is our Recent Reads video which goes over our weekly reading. Enjoy!

QOTD: what are you currently reading this week?

Let us know!

The Sunday Post #2

| sarasreadingnook

We are so excited to be posting our second Sunday Post update! We are linking up to The Sunday Post via the Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon at Readerbuzz!

Update

Olivia Update

Olivia 😸 has been on the prowl this morning! She is always assessing her environment to find hidden catnip toys (her favourite is Yeowww catnip Purr!-muda Triangle – she is very happy with it).

On the prowl.

Another favourite of hers this summer is her cooling mat which she loves to lounge on in her office. Though, she has little to no interest in her hammock. We’ve tried placing a familiar blanket her grandmother made for her on top which helps a bit. But, alas, the cat hammock is still an unknown situation in the household!

Olivia, uncertain re: her new hammock.
Plotting her escape.

Life

The weather outside has been a mixture of rain/thunderstorms and clear, sunny weather. The rain has been very much welcome, though, as the last few summers have been terribly hot and dry. It looks as though today is the perfect day to get a few plants for our garden – look for a garden update next week!

Reading

We are still working our way through Radium Girls, Wildseed Witch, and Surviving the City. Alas … we have not completed any books this week! However, we did host reading sprints on our booktube channel yesterday which were a ton of fun; thus, we’ve made a fair bit of progress on Wildseed Witch and hope to finish it today!

Blog

This week was all about setting up our new blog! I transferred from Blogger to WordPress.com simply because I wanted to easily use various plugins, I like the community aspect and various other features, and finally I wanted to learn how to use a new-to-me platform.

One minor hiccup when changing domain hosting platforms … What I did not expect was how long it would take for my DNS to propagate – basically meaning that I was unable to access my site for more than a day 😅

But we are still here!

And my cat Olivia and I are SO happy to continue blogging so we can share our thoughts about books and check out everyone’s posts. Thank you for being here!

Thank you!

Last Week On the Blog

Here are our posts from this past week! We’ve been able to write and connect with others. And that’s just so great!

This Week on The Blog

  • Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesdays (#2): Book Covers That Feel Like Summer
  • Friday: Friday Reads #2
  • Saturday: Stacking the Shelves #2
  • Sunday: The Sunday Post #3
  • Wildseed Witch and Radium Girls NetGalley Reviews (TBD)

Also, we are planning to host reading sprints next Saturday (Caturday!) on our booktube channel and at the very least film our mid-year reading journal flip-through.

Check out our Reading Journal Setup video from the beginning of the year!

New Arrivals

Definitely check out our Saturday Stacking the Shelves post for this! We purchased new new books and have checked out some books from our library.

This wraps up today’s Sunday Post!

QOTD: How’s your week been? Let us know!

Note: we are not affiliated with any companies or products mentioned in this post.

Stacking the shelves #1

| sarasreadingnook

This is my first time participating in Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality!

“Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! And audiobooks. Don’t forget audiobooks! In other words, if you can read it or if it can be read to you – no matter how you got it – it belongs in Stacking the Shelves. The Stacking the Shelves meme was originally hosted at Team Tynga’s Reviews. For the last few years it’s been co-hosted at Team Tynga’s and here at Reading Reality.” (Source)

We have purchased and are adding two new books to our shelves! Let’s takes a lot at our bookish finds.

Purchases

We recently pre-ordered our most anticipated book of the year “The Daughter of Doctor Moreau” by one of our favourite authors, Silvia Moreno-Garcia! This was purchased via Indigo, Chapters in hardcover form and we are SO excited welcome this beauty onto our shelves! Just look at it!

Green, yellow, and red book cover. Text: The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno Garcia. New York Times Best Selling author of Mexican Gothic
Goodreads | The Storygraph

We gushed over SMG’s new novel in our Anticipated 2022 Reads blog post and we are happy to gush over it again here! And from reading everyone’s lovely comments, it appears though MANY of us cannot wait to read it!

Let’s take a look at our second purchase from Indigo.

Goodreads | The Storygraph

We are so lucky to have found these wonderful Sailor Moon editions! Thus far, I have acquired Eternal Editions 1-5, and now I am happy to continue adding more to the collection. If you’ve previously read this manga, these books are such a treat as they are so large (10.02 x 7.13 x 0.91 inches!) allowing you to really immerse yourself into the story. They also include additional notes at the back of each copy to learn more about the world of Sailor Moon both as you are reading or afterward for review.

Library

Finally, we have shelved and are reading two books from the library!

Goodreads | The Storygraph

This book is about Miikwan (Anishinaabe) and Dez (Inninew) who have to face and maneuver various challenges they encounter while growing up Indigenous in the city. I’m already 77% of the way through – it is beautifully illustrated and an emotional read as it deals with grief, loss, and other sensitive topics. Fortunate to have found this in our Libby app and to be reading it this month as part of our July TBR!

Goodreads | The Storygraph

Finally, another book that I’ve put on my July TBR based off of our TBR Game, Fighting Evil by Booklight is Always Never by Jodi LaFebre. We were able to access this book via Hoopla. It tells a 40 year love story in reverse and I’m so curious to see how it will be done! I’ve seen wonderful reviews and I can’t wait to dig in!

QOTD: What books have you
recently placed on your shelves?

Note: I am not sponsored or affiliated with any stores/brands/companies/products mentioned.

friday reads #1

| sarasreadingnook
Olivia is soaking up the sun on this Fri-yay!

Hello everyone!

Today Olivia and I our first Friday Reads on our book blog – Wahoo! While we usually aim to do our Friday updates via booktube, we’ve had a fairly busy week and think this is the perfect way to catch up on the ongoing updates. Today we’ll just be discussing what we are currently reading and then what book we’ll be picking up next. In future posts, we’ll update you on the books we’ve finished since our last update. And a short summary will be present in our Sunday posts.

Okay, enough talking. Let’s get to the books!

CURRENTLY READING

Title: Wildseed Witch
Genre: Middle grade fantasy.
Format: E-book
Pages: 352
Source: NetGalley and Hoopla

Goodreads Description:
Hasani’s post-seventh-grade summer to-do list is pretty simple: get a bigger following for her makeup YouTube channel and figure out how to get her parents back together. What she does NOT expect is that an emotional outburst will spark a latent magical ability in her. Or that the magic will be strong enough to attract the attention of witches. Or that before she can say #BlackGirlMagic, she’ll be shipped off on a scholarship to a fancy finishing school for talented young ladies.

Les Belles Demoiselles is a literal charm school. Here, generations of young ladies from old-money witch families have learned to harness their magic, and alumnae grow to become some of the most powerful women across industries, including politicians, philanthropists, CEOs, entrepreneurs—and yes, even social media influencers. Needless to say, admission to the school is highly coveted, very exclusive . . . and Hasani sticks out like a weed in a rose bouquet.

While the other girls have always known they were destined to be witches, Hasani is a Wildseed––a stray witch from a family of non-witches, with no background knowledge, no way to control her magic, and a lot to catch up on. “Wildseed” may be an insult that the other girls throw at her, but Wildseeds are more powerful than they know. And Hasani will learn that there are ways to use magic and thrive that can never be taught in a classroom. 

I’m really enjoying this book so far! You really root for Hasani in her efforts to become a great witch. Despite not coming from a magical background, it’s evident that she has the potential to do amazing things and I’m excited to see what the second half of the book will bring for us!

Title: Radium Girls
Genre: Nonfiction graphic novel
Format: E-book
Pages: 136
Source: NetGalley

Goodreads Description:
The proud holders of well-paying jobs at the local watch factory, these working-class young women gain their nickname from the fine dusting of glowing, radioactive powder that clings to their clothes after every shift painting watch dials. The soft, greenish glow even stains their lips and tongues, which they use to point the fine brushes used in their work. It’s perfectly harmless . . . or so claims the watch manufacturer.

When teeth start falling out, followed by jawbones, the dial painters become the unprepared vanguard on the frontlines of the burgeoning workers’ rights movement. Desperate for compensation and acknowledgement from the company that has doomed them, the Ghost Girls must fight, not just for their own lives but the future of every woman to follow them.

A stunning graphic novel retelling of the shocking and inspiring true story.

This is such a fascinating graphic novel! Prior to reading this, I had no idea that women were facing such occupational hazards in the early 1900s. It’s made me look even further into other hazardous work environments – for example, I did a youtube search and discovered that the snow in the Wizard of Oz was asbestos, which is carcinogenic!

NEXT

Title: A lot like Adiós
Series: Primas of Power #2
Genre: Romance, contemporary
Format: Paperback
Pages: 387
Source: Purchased from Indigo, Chapters

Goodreads Description:
Hi Mich. It’s Gabe.

After burning out in her corporate marketing career, Michelle Amato has built a thriving freelance business as a graphic designer. So what if her love life is nonexistent? She’s perfectly fine being the black sheep of her marriage-obsessed Puerto Rican-Italian family. Besides, the only guy who ever made her want happily-ever-after disappeared thirteen years ago.

It’s been a long time.

Gabriel Aguilar left the Bronx at eighteen to escape his parents’ demanding expectations, but it also meant saying goodbye to Michelle, his best friend and longtime crush. Now, he’s the successful co-owner of LA’s hottest celebrity gym, with an investor who insists on opening a New York City location. It’s the last place Gabe wants to go, but when Michelle is unexpectedly brought on board to spearhead the new marketing campaign, everything Gabe’s been running from catches up with him.

I’ve missed you.

Michelle is torn between holding Gabe at arm’s length or picking up right where they left off—in her bed. As they work on the campaign, old feelings resurface, and their reunion takes a sexy turn. Facing mounting pressure from their families—who think they’re dating—and growing uncertainty about their futures, can they resolve their past mistakes, or is it only a matter of time before Gabe says adiós again?

I have been meaning to read this one for such a long time! That is exactly why I added this to my TBR game and low and behold, this book was selected! It just sounds really good and the perfect summer read.

Here’s our TBR game, if you’d like to see what other are on our July TBR!

July TBR Game video!

QOTD

What are you currently reading?

Most Anticipated Books Releasing In the Second Half of 2022

| sarasreadingnook
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
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Top Ten Tuesdays by http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com


Hello everyone!

Welcome to today’s blog. There are so many good books coming our way in the second half of 2022! Needless to say … pinning this down to 10 books is a very big task – a challenge, if you will! And …

We are happy to tackle this in our first Top Ten Tuesday!

And yes, while there is some fantasy, and some contemporaries, we are gearing up for spooky season starting …

NOW!

July

Book cover of Night of the Living Rez: STories by Morgan Talty

Goodreads | The Storygraph

July 5th, 2022

Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty

How do the living come back to life?

Set in a Native community in Maine, Night of the Living Rez is a riveting debut collection about what it means to be Penobscot in the twenty-first century and what it means to live, to survive, and to persevere after tragedy.

In twelve striking, luminescent stories, author Morgan Talty—with searing humor, abiding compassion, and deep insight—breathes life into tales of family and community bonds as they struggle with a painful past and an uncertain future. A boy unearths a jar that holds an old curse, which sets into motion his family’s unraveling; a man, while trying to swindle some pot from a dealer, discovers a friend passed out in the woods, his hair frozen into the snow; a grandmother suffering from Alzheimer’s projects the past onto her grandson, and thinks he is her dead brother come back to life; and two friends, inspired by Antiques Roadshow, attempt to rob the tribal museum for valuable root clubs.

In a collection that examines the consequences and merits of inheritance, Night of the Living Rez is an unforgettable portrayal of a Native community and marks the arrival of a standout talent in contemporary fiction. (Source)

Why We Want to Read This Book

My cat Olivia and I always enjoy reading a good collections of stories together. We are very intrigued to read a book set over the authors lifespan set in a Native community in Maine.

Exciting news – today is publication day!

Goodreads | The Storygraph

July 19th, 2022

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night comes a dreamy reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico.

Carlota Moreau: a young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of either a genius, or a madman.

Montgomery Laughton: a melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.

The hybrids: the fruits of the Doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.

All of them living in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Doctor Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.

For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.

THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU is both a dazzling historical novel and a daring science fiction journey. (Source)

Why We Want to Read This Book

When Olivia and I first read Mexican Gothic together, we just knew that Silvia Moreno-Garcia would be an auto-buy author! We love her writing and the immersive, atmospheric settings she creates. And we’re so excited to read this retelling! And by the way, did you see that cover?!

YES.

Goodreads | The Storygraph

July 26th, 2022

Violet Made of Thorns (Violet Made of Thorns #1) by Gina Chen

A darkly enchanting fantasy debut about a morally gray witch, a cursed prince, and a prophecy that ignites their fate-twisted destinies—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove.

Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.

But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus. Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all. (Source)

Why We Want to Read This Book

We are constantly on the lookout for books that feature witches, and we are looking forward to reading about Violet, a morally gray witch. We also love books with synopses reminiscent of fairytales. And skimming reviews, it looks like there will definitely be some fairytale elements in this book.

We are in!

Goodreads | The Storygraph

July 21st, 2022

The Family Remains (The Family Upstairs #2)

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell comes an intricate and affecting novel about twisted marriages, fractured families, and deadly obsessions in this standalone sequel to The Family Upstairs.

Early one morning on the shore of the Thames, DCI Samuel Owusu is called to the scene of a gruesome discovery. When Owusu sends the evidence for examination, he learns the bones are connected to a cold case that left three people dead on the kitchen floor in a Chelsea mansion thirty years ago.

Rachel Rimmer has also received a shock—news that her husband, Michael, has been found dead in the cellar of his house in France. All signs point to an intruder, and the French police need her to come urgently to answer questions about Michael and his past that she very much doesn’t want to answer.

After fleeing London thirty years ago in the wake of a horrific tragedy, Lucy Lamb is finally coming home. While she settles in with her children and is just about to purchase their first-ever house, her brother takes off to find the boy from their shared past whose memory haunts their present.

As they all race to discover answers to these convoluted mysteries, they will come to find that they’re connected in ways they could have never imagined.

In this masterful standalone sequel to her haunting New York Times bestseller, The Family Upstairs, Lisa Jewell proves she is writing at the height of her powers with another jaw-dropping, intricate, and affecting novel about the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love and uncover the truth. (Source)

Why We Want to Read This Book

Lisa Jewell has become a favourite when it comes to Thrillers. We have read a few in the past and cannot wait to read this one – with just one caveat. We will want to read The Family Upstairs first before reading the sequel as we haven’t read book one yet. That will change very soon!

We are in!

 

August

Goodreads | The Storygraph

August 9th, 2022

Mika in Real Life by Emiko Jean

One phone call changes everything.

At thirty-five, Mika Suzuki’s life is a mess. Her last relationship ended in flames. Her roommate-slash-best friend might be a hoarder. She’s a perpetual disappointment to her traditional Japanese parents. And, most recently, she’s been fired from her latest dead-end job.

Mika is at her lowest point when she receives a phone call from Penny—the daughter she placed for adoption sixteen years ago. Penny is determined to forge a relationship with her birth mother, and in turn, Mika longs to be someone Penny is proud of. Faced with her own inadequacies, Mika embellishes a fact about her life. What starts as a tiny white lie slowly snowballs into a fully-fledged fake life, one where Mika is mature, put-together, successful in love and her career.

The details of Mika’s life might be an illusion, but everything she shares with curious, headstrong Penny is real: her hopes, dreams, flaws, and Japanese heritage. The harder-won heart belongs to Thomas Calvin, Penny’s adoptive widower father. What starts as a rocky, contentious relationship slowly blossoms into a friendship and, over time, something more. But can Mika really have it all—love, her daughter, the life she’s always wanted? Or will Mika’s deceptions ultimately catch up to her? In the end, Mika must face the truth—about herself, her family, and her past—and answer the question, just who is Mika in real life?

Perfect for fans of Kiley Reid’s Such a Fun Age, Gayle Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, and Rebecca Serle’s In Five Years, Mika in Real Life is at once a heart-wrenching and uplifting novel that explores the weight of silence, the secrets we keep, and what it means to be a mother.

In this brilliant new novel by from Emiko Jean, the author of the New York Times bestselling young adult novel Tokyo Ever After, comes a whip-smart, laugh-out-loud funny, and utterly heartwarming novel about motherhood, daughterhood, and love—how we find it, keep it, and how it always returns. (Source)

Why We Want to Read This Book

Olivia and I really enjoyed reading her book Tokyo Ever After and are curious to read another book from her that is separate from that series.

Goodreads | The Storygraph

August 23rd, 2022

Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution by R.F. Kuang.

Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.

1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation — also known as Babel.

Babel is the world’s center of translation and, more importantly, of silver-working: the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation through enchanted silver bars, to magical effect. Silver-working has made the British Empire unparalleled in power, and Babel’s research in foreign languages serves the Empire’s quest to colonize everything it encounters.

Oxford, the city of dreaming spires, is a fairytale for Robin; a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge serves power, and for Robin, a Chinese boy raised in Britain, serving Babel inevitably means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to sabotaging the silver-working that supports imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide: Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence? What is he willing to sacrifice to bring Babel down?

Babel — a thematic response to The Secret History and a tonal response to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell — grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of translation as a tool of empire. (Source)

Why We Want to Read This Book

I absolutely love the concept of this – training in languages during the 1800s. The dark academia vibes. And I think this book would be an amazing buddy read due to it’s popularity already, even before it is out! So looking forward to this one and I can’t wait to get a copy.

September

Goodreads | The Storygraph

September 6th, 2022

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson

New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson ramps up the horror and tackles America’s history and legacy of racism in this suspenseful YA novel following a biracial teenager as her Georgia high school hosts its first integrated prom.

When Springville residents—at least the ones still alive—are questioned about what happened on prom night, they all have the same explanation . . . Maddy did it.

An outcast at her small-town Georgia high school, Madison Washington has always been a teasing target for bullies. And she’s dealt with it because she has more pressing problems to manage. Until the morning a surprise rainstorm reveals her most closely kept secret: Maddy is biracial. She has been passing for white her entire life at the behest of her fanatical white father, Thomas Washington.

After a viral bullying video pulls back the curtain on Springville High’s racist roots, student leaders come up with a plan to change their image: host the school’s first integrated prom as a show of unity. The popular white class president convinces her Black superstar quarterback boyfriend to ask Maddy to be his date, leaving Maddy wondering if it’s possible to have a normal life.

But some of her classmates aren’t done with her just yet. And what they don’t know is that Maddy still has another secret . . . one that will cost them all their lives. (Source)

 

Why We Want to Read This Book

 
We were hooked when we saw another Tiffany D. Jackson book to be released later this year. Just say her name and we will show up with excitement.
 
But, my gosh. When we saw the cover, and we got MAJOR Carrie retelling vibes, we knew this had to be prioritized. I am not quite sure how we are going to wait until September to read it, but if you’re as thrilled as we are, it’s ok — we can make it! Just a couple of months to go!
 

September 27th, 2022

Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Evans Welch

From the New York Times bestselling author of Love & Gelato comes a poignant and romantic novel about two teens trying to find their place in the world after being unceremoniously dragged to Salem, Massachusetts, for the summer.
 
Willow has never felt like she belonged anywhere and is convinced that the only way to find a true home is to travel the world. But her plans to act on her dream are put on hold when her aloof and often absent mother drags Willow to Salem, Massachusetts, to wrap up the affairs of an aunt Willow didn’t even know she had. An aunt who may or may not have been a witch.
 
There, she meets Mason, a loner who’s always felt out of place and has been in and out of foster homes his entire life. He’s been classified as one of the runaways, constantly searching for ways to make it back to his mom; even if she can’t take care of him, it’s his job to try and take care of her. Isn’t it?
 
Naturally pulled to one another, Willow and Mason set out across Salem to discover the secret past of Willow’s mother, her aunt, and the ambiguous history of her family. During all of this, the two can’t help but act on their natural connection. But with the amount of baggage between them—and Willow’s growing conviction her family might be cursed—can they manage to hold onto each other? (Source)
 

Why We Want to Read This Book

 
Love & Gelato, anyone?
We absolutely loved the book and we were thrilled to see an upcoming new release from Jenna Evans Welch! During Summer and Fall we really love to settle into thrillers, and we feel like a contemporary YA romance during spooky season will be a good addition to the mix. We love the promise of visiting Salem, Massachusetts, and the incorporation of an unknown family history and uncovering mysteries within!
 
Olivia and I cannot wait!

October 4th, 2022

Jackal by Erin E. Adams

A young Black girl goes missing in the woods outside her white Rust Belt town. But she’s not the first—and she may not be the last. . . .
 
It’s watching.
 
Liz Rocher is coming home . . . reluctantly. As a Black woman, Liz doesn’t exactly have fond memories of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a predominantly white town. But her best friend is getting married, so she braces herself for a weekend of awkward and passive-aggressive reunions. Liz has grown, though; she can handle whatever awaits her. But on the day of the wedding, somewhere between dancing and dessert, the bride’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing—and the only thing left behind is a piece of white fabric covered in blood.
 
It’s taking.
 
As a frantic search begins, with the police combing the trees for Caroline, Liz is the only one who notices a pattern: a summer night. A missing girl. A party in the woods. She’s seen this before. Keisha Woodson, the only other Black girl in school, walked into the woods with a mysterious man and was later found with her chest cavity ripped open and her heart missing. Liz shudders at the thought that it could have been her, and now, with Caroline missing, it can’t be a coincidence. As Liz starts to dig through the town’s history, she uncovers a horrifying secret about the place she once called home. Children have been going missing in these woods for years. All of them Black. All of them girls.
 
It’s your turn.
 
With the evil in the forest creeping closer, Liz knows what she must do: find Caroline, or be entirely consumed by the darkness. (Source)
 

Why We Want to Read This Book

 
Reading the synopsis, I am hooked into Erin E. Adams’ debut novel already. It is so haunting and compelling. Just looking at the italic font sends shivers up my spine! That is exactly the mood we are seeking going into October. I literally want to start reading it right now because I need to know what happened to Caroline!? Caroline, where are you!?
 

December

Goodreads | The Storygraph

December 13th, 2022

A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar

Adiba Jaigirdar, author of one of Time‘s Best YA books of all time, gives Titanic an Ocean’s 8 makeover in a heist for a treasure aboard the infamous ship that sank in the Atlantic many years ago.
 
A thief. An artist. A acrobat. An actress. While Josefa, Emilie, Hinnah, and Violet seemingly don’t have anything in common, they’re united in one goal: stealing the Rubaiyat, a jewel-encrusted book aboard the RMS Titanic that just might be the golden ticket to solving their problems.
 
But careless mistakes, old grudges, and new romance threaten to jeopardize everything they’ve worked for and put them in incredible danger when tragedy strikes. While the odds of pulling off the heist are slim, the odds of survival are even slimmer . . .
 
Perfect for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper and Girl in the Blue Coat, this high-seas heist from the author of The Henna Wars is an immersive story that makes readers forget one important detail— the ship sinks. (Source)
 

Why We Want to Read This Book

This sounds super awesome! Count us in! We’re looking forward to seeing these four women in action and exactly how they are going to pull this off!

 
We have not yet read a book by Adiba Jaigirdar but are definitely looking forward to it!

QOTD

How do you decide on your most anticipated reads?
Let us know!