It’s time for a weekly check-in!
The fact that this post is going up a day late AND a few hours later than my normal schedule time is a pretty fitting example of how my week has gone. It’s been a bit of a doozy — nothing BAD, just a stressful, busy week so far. I’m off today, though, so I’m hoping to spend most of it relaxing.
On a happy note, our oldest cat Lyric (she’s 7) went to the vet for preventative labs this week and a check-up, and got a perfectly clean bill of health! After losing Lotus, we’ve been worried about Lyric (they were close to the same age), so it was a big relief to get that good news. ♥
^ one of my favorite pictures of Lyric, courtesy of my spouse!
2 DNFs in one week didn’t feel like a great start to the month, but I read a novella from a new-to-me author that was AMAZING, so I consider it a net win.
- Anybody Home? // Michael J. Seidlinger (DNF review)
- This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, so I’m VERY sad to have DNFed it. 🙁
- Wash Day Diaries // Jamila Rowser & Robyn Smith (review)
- This was okay! Cute, but I had issues with the mental health rep in it.
- Stargazers // L.P. Hernandez (RTC)
- I LOVED this so much and am hoping to post a full review tomorrow!
- This is How You Lose the Time War // Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone (DNF review)
- Listen, nobody is as surprised or as bummed as I am to say that this didn’t work for me AT ALL.
It doesn’t look like I made a ton of progress, but I’m actually incredibly proud of myself because yesterday, I sat down and picked up several of the books from my current reads and read at least a few chapters in each one! It was a really fun little “challenge” for myself, so I’m going to try to do it again today and tomorrow, or maybe every day for the next week, and see how many of these I can finally get finished!
- The Shadow of the Gods // John Gwynne → 20%, last updated July 6
- A Court of Silver Flames // Sarah J. Maas → 11%, last updated July 6
- Hide // Kiersten White → 5%, last updated May 9
- Screams From the Dark // edited by Ellen Datlow → 61%, last updated July 6
- Hell Followed With Us // Andrew Joseph White → 11%, last updated June 20
- Book Lovers // Emily Henry → 29%, last updated June 26
- Book of Night // Holly Black → 9%, last updated July 6
- Broken Beautiful Hearts // Kami Garcia → 9%, last updated June 27
- Square³ // Mira Grant → 27%, last updated July 6
- Just Like Mother // Anne Heltzel → 4%, last updated June 28
- A Taste of Gold and Iron // Alexandra Rowland → 6%, last updated June 29
- Vespertine // Margaret Rogerson → 20%, last updated July 1
- The Dead Romantics // Ashley Poston → 45%, last updated July 1
I think the gaming slump has passed pretty quickly! I haven’t been in the mood for a ton of gaming, but I have been playing some House Flipper this week while listening to audiobooks and it’s been really lovely to work on the Pets DLC some more. I’ve also been playing a little bit of Powerwash Simulator — those 2 games are my favorite games for unwinding, so it’s not surprising that I went back to them during a stressful week. 😅
What are you reading right now, or what did you recently finish? Is anything exciting happening in your life? Let me know in the comments!
— destiny ♥
Jordyn @ Birdie's Book Nook
July 7, 2022I didn’t like This is How You Lose the Time War either, so you’re not alone there. I’ve never heard of the House Flipper game but it sounds EXCEEDINGLY up my alley, and like something I can play while also watching TV…I’ll have to look into it some more!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
July 10, 2022I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy Time War, either! Did you finish it? I’m curious if it ever got any less… flat? I don’t know, I kept feeling like the characters *wanted* to be extremely intriguing and complex, but it never really connected for me (probably due to getting to “know” them through such short, weirdly-timed snippets).
House Flipper is a great game for multi-tasking with TV, audiobooks, youtube, etc.! It’s so much freaking fun. 😀 I hope you like it if you do end up checking it out.
Jordyn @ Birdie's Book Nook
July 11, 2022I did not finish it. I DNFed it just like you, though I think I gave up around…maybe 20% of the way through. I just wasn’t enjoying it at all.
dinipandareads
July 8, 2022Aw, Lyric is beautiful! Glad that you got some great news about her health 🙂 I’m sorry to hear that Time War wasn’t for you—I’ve honestly been a little intimidated to start it cos the hype is so very real. I guess we can’t love all the books, hey? A Taste of Iron and Gold is one of the books I’m so excited to read so I hope you’re enjoying it—I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it. Happy reading!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
July 10, 2022Thank you! 🥰 It was such a relief. And I feel you, I was also really nervous to try out Time War after hearing so much hype! I’m not normally someone whose opinion is swayed much by hype once I do read a book, but it does make it harder for me to pick up the book in the first place sometimes! 😬 Hype is such a double-edged sword sometimes, lmao! Oh, and I am very much enjoying Iron and Gold so far! The anxiety rep is some of the most brutally honest I’ve ever seen and it’s giving me big feels. 🥺 I hope you enjoy it when you read it!