I’m back with weekly wrap up : April 8, 2024
Hello everyone! I hope you all are well and had a lovely week. Yes, I’m back with weekly wrap ups.
I missed writing these posts and I think I’m doing much better now with my schedule than past 5 months (or was it 6?), I want to come back to these weekly post. Previously, I was just including books I read, current read and what I’m planning to read (yes, exactly like those WWW posts) but this time I’ll also include books I added to shelf and what I watched.
Last week had a little ups and down. I was feeling a bit upset and overwhelmed in trying to juggle responsibilities compounded by sting of reproofs. As I have less tolerance (never grew a thick skin) words affects me more than I want to and then it makes me a rebel. It took great deal of time and effort to regain my equilibrium and refocus on my priorities. By the end of the week, I managed to shake off the negativity and return to a more positive mindset. I focused more on reading and had a good weekend with family.
I’m back with weekly wrap up
What I Read
Holi and Diwali were amazing books to introduce kids to two biggest festivals we celebrate in India. All the pictures were colorful and my kid enjoyed reading them. Harlee Learns to Hop was interesting animal fiction that teaches learning to overcome fear by meditation, yoga and practice. I loved the message but not the illustration of squirrel that look like cat! I won’t Wash My Hair was a relatable concept but I didn’t like the end message or what can be perceived because of it. The Tale of a Naughty Prank is delightful blend of humor and Indian mythology and I’m sure prank lovers will enjoy this more. I published review of all these children’s books last week.
I finally finished A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon. I started buddy reading this with Toni @readingtonic in January! Toni is still reading this but I finally finished the book. Yes, it took me 3 months to read this. Not just because of 800+ pages but also I had other priority reads, lot going on in life and me busy with social events and job. I could hardly read more than 50 pages a week. This is how reading log looks like on Goodreads –
January 2, 2024 – page 107 12.33%
February 7, 2024 – page 207 23.85%
March 13, 2024 – page 305 35.14%
March 28, 2024 – page 404 46.54%
March 31, 2024 – page 485 55.88%
April 4, 2024 – page 604 69.59%
April 7, 2024 – Finished Reading
Unlike Priory of The Orange Tree, this is more character driven book. Details of the world in abundance. This takes place 500 years before the Priory of The Orange Tree so it gives answers to many missing questions I had while reading that book. Also as I know what happened at the end of Priory of The Orange Tree, it was weird and also fascinating to see the world in past.
As we still don’t have the story from before, from when the Nameless one came out of the Dreadmount to when he went to sleep and from there to the current timeline (that means the story of 500 years before this one- we only get that in pieces in both books), I still had some questions that I hope will be answered in the sequel of Priory of The Orange Tree. So overall feeling for this is, a bit slow but totally fascinating. Writing review for this is as complicated as its world but I hope to post it before this week ends.
What I’ll read this next
Bride by Ali Hazelwood
A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance.
Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again…
Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….
Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she’s ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.
Pen Pal by J.T. Geissinger
The #1 international and Amazon Charts bestselling novel
The first letter arrived the day my husband was buried. It was postmarked from the state penitentiary, and contained a single sentence:
I’ll wait forever if I have to.
It was signed by Dante, a man I didn’t know.
Out of simple curiosity, I wrote back to ask him what exactly he was waiting for. His reply?
You.
I told the mystery man he had the wrong girl. He said he didn’t. I said we’d never met, but he said I was wrong.
We went back and forth, exchanging letters every week that grew increasingly more intimate. Then one day, the letters stopped. When I found out why, it was already too late.
Dante was at my doorstep.
And nothing on earth could have prepared me for what happened next.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WARNING:
This novel contains content intended for a mature audience only. Due to explicit language, graphic sex, detailed depictions of death and grief, intense power play dynamics, and other possible triggers, it is not suitable for sensitive readers. (Full list of TWs on author’s website.)
Posts Published
The Improbable Meet-Cute Collection: Novellas 4-6
5 children’s books to read this summer vacation
Books Added to Shelf
These are NetGalley books I received from publisher.
Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung
A propulsive, extraordinary novel about a mother and her daughters’ harrowing escape to Taiwan as the Communist revolution sweeps through China, by debut author Eve J. Chung, based on her family story
Daughters are the Ang family’s curse.
In 1948, civil war ravages the Chinese countryside, but in rural Shandong, the wealthy, landowning Angs are more concerned with their lack of an heir. Hai is the eldest of four girls and spends her days looking after her sisters. Headstrong Di, who is just a year younger, learns to hide in plain sight, and their mother—abused by the family for failing to birth a boy—finds her own small acts of rebellion in the kitchen. As the Communist army closes in on their town, the rest of the prosperous household flees, leaving behind the girls and their mother because they view them as useless mouths to feed.
Without an Ang male to punish, the land-seizing cadres choose Hai, as the eldest child, to stand trial for her family’s crimes. She barely survives their brutality. Realizing the worst is yet to come, the women plan their escape. Starving and penniless but resourceful, they forge travel permits and embark on a thousand-mile journey to confront the family that abandoned them.
From the countryside to the bustling city of Qingdao, and onward to British Hong Kong and eventually Taiwan, they witness the changing tide of a nation and the plight of multitudes caught in the wake of revolution. But with the loss of their home and the life they’ve known also comes new freedom—to take hold of their fate, to shake free of the bonds of their gender, and to claim their own story.
Told in assured, evocative prose, with impeccably drawn characters, Daughters of Shandong is a hopeful, powerful story about the resilience of women in war; the enduring love between mothers, daughters, and sisters; and the sacrifices made to lift up future generations.
Add to Goodreads
The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch
Featuring beautiful ruby sprayed edges!
Nicholas “Coal” Claus used to love Christmas. Until his father, the reigning Santa, turned the holiday into a PR façade. Coal will do anything to escape the spectacle, including getting tangled in a drunken, supremely hot make- out session with a beautiful man behind a seedy bar one night.
But the heir to Christmas is soon commanded to do his duty: he will marry his best friend, Iris, the Easter Princess and his brother’s not-so-secret crush. A situation that has disaster written all over it.
Things go from bad to worse when a rival arrives to challenge Coal for the princess’s hand…and Coal comes face-to-face with his mysterious behind-the-bar hottie: Hex, the Prince of Halloween.
It’s a fake competition between two holiday princes who can’t keep their hands off each other over a marriage of convenience that no one wants. And it all leads to one of the sweetest, sexiest, messiest, most delightfully unforgettable love stories of the year.
Add to Goodreads
What I Watched
We went to watch this in cinema with my kid. I enjoyed the movie, it was fun and interesting to see Po’s last adventure, choosing next Dragon Warrior, and accepting change. This was my kid’s first movie in theatre so we were really excited for her. As for the experience, we had to shush her a lot during the movie. As for her thoughts on movie, She enjoyed it but I really think she enjoyed cheese popcorn tub more. 😂She didn’t even let us taste it, not a single popcorn. 😐
Check out how was my week, what I read, watched and added to shelf in this post – Weekly Wrap Up : April 8, 2024 Share on X
Have read or watched any of these?
What are you reading this week?
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Just in Case You Missed,,,,
- Tales from the Café by Toshikazu Kawaguchi – feel good time travel contemporary
- Dubai Diaries: A Week of Adventures and Stunning Sights
- My Way Series by Elizabeth Cole – beautiful and meaningful picture books for kids age 4+
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Books Teacup and Reviews
Hi, I'm Yesha, an Indian book blogger. Avid and eclectic reader who loves to read with a cup of tea. Not born reader but I don't think I’m going to stop reading books in this life. “You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
11 Comments
Teri Polen
I’ve seen so many good reviews for Bride – hope you enjoy it, Yesha. Also thrilled to hear your daughter enjoyed the movie – and the popcorn. Our oldest couldn’t take his eyes off the screen at his first movie. Still loves them as an adult.
Books Teacup and Reviews
I hope so too. I might read Bride in weekends as I still haven’t progressed much with Pen Pal.
Taking her to cinema was great experience. I hope we can do it often.
Tessa Pulyer
Enjoy Bride! It sounds like you had a rough go for a bit. So glad everything has improved and your equilibrium is restored.
Books Teacup and Reviews
Thank you, Tessa! Turns out after many years of being Stay-at-home parent, I don’t like the pressure of job and unrequired affronts from boss.
Tessa Pulyer
I’m with you all the way. 🩷
Susy's Cozy World
The Nightmare before Kissmas sounds fun, and that edition is so beautiful!! 😍 And I recently read Bride, and really enjoyed it! I hope you will enjoy it too!!
Books Teacup and Reviews
I also love that cover. I started with Pen Pal but I hope to read Bride in weekend.
Eustacia | Eustea Reads
Glad you managed to end the week on a more positive note! Looking forward to reading your reviews of the books you read!
Books Teacup and Reviews
I’m happy too. Thank you!
Reading Tonic
Congratulations on having finished the Day of Fallen Night-can’t wait to read your review, I’m sure it will be amazing!
Sounds like the last week wasn’t that easy, but I’m really glad you focused on positive things and people who love and care about you. Hope this week is a good one and will bring you lots of joy!
Books Teacup and Reviews
There is so much to discuss in this book so I can’t wait to talk about it with you. I hope so too, thank you, Toni!