Bookish Weekly Wrap-Up: 10/7

Happy Sunday bookworms!

Did everyone have a good weekend?! I had an excellent weekend! A weekend that included attending an amazing book festival here in Ohio…

*Bookish Weekly Wrap-Up is a weekly post where I feature what books I’ve been reading, which books are on my upcoming TBR, what posts were published on the blog for the past week, any bookish news I came across, and noteworthy posts from around the bookish community.

I know, I know! I’ve been very absent around the blog lately. Since my youngest is now in Kindergarten, I’ve been working almost every week day. Since my evenings & weekends are full of activities, sports, and social engagements, my blogging time has been greatly reduced. Fall tends to be the busiest time of the year for us, particularly October, so I hope things will start to settle down.

On another personal note, we got to celebrate both of my children’s birthdays these past two weeks. I officially have a 13-year-old and a 6-year-old! The fact that I can now officially say that I have a teenager is mind blowing. We’ve had a great two weeks celebrating with friends and family for both kids.

I’ve attended not only one, but TWO great author events over the past two weeks! I got to meet Ruta Sepetys on her book tour for The Fountains of Silence. I also got to attend Books by the Banks, a book festival held here in Ohio. I got to meet authors like Laini Taylor, Anne Bogel, Jasmine Ward, and Imbolo Mbue. I also got to see many of my favorite authors I’ve met many times: Mindy McGinnis, Edith Pattou, etc. More details to come about both events.

Recently Finished Reading:

» The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction by Meghan Cox Gurdon

Wonderful book about the benefits of reading aloud and the science that backs it up.

» House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

A deliciously atmospheric fairy tale retelling that is perfect for fall/Halloween time. While I loved the writing & the way Craig retold the fairy tale, it came up a bit short for me.

» Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue

This was a wonderful & heartbreaking story about the challenges that immigrants face trying to live the “American dream.”

» Tunnel of Bones (Cassidy Blake #2) by Victoria Schwab

*4.5 stars*

The second book in a MG paranormal series. I enjoyed this one even more than the first!

» The Hideaway by Lauren K. Denton

The Hideaway had many of the tropes I typically enjoy: eccentric cast, old house renovation, family secrets, etc. There was something lacking from the story for me. It also felt too cliche.

Currently Reading:

» West (East #2) by Edith Pattou

Status: 30%

» The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Status: 10%

What Am I Reading Next?:

» Nightbooks by J.A. White

A boy is imprisoned by a witch and must tell her a new scary story each night to stay alive. This thrilling contemporary fantasy from J. A. White, the acclaimed author of the Thickety series, brings to life the magic and craft of storytelling.

Alex’s original hair-raising tales are the only thing keeping the witch Natacha happy, but soon he’ll run out of pages to read from and be trapped forever. He’s loved scary stories his whole life, and he knows most don’t have a happily ever after. Now that Alex is trapped in a true terrifying tale, he’s desperate for a different ending—and a way out of this twisted place.

This modern spin on the Scheherazade story is perfect for fans of Coraline and A Tale Dark and Grimm. With interwoven tips on writing with suspense, adding in plot twists, hooks, interior logic, and dealing with writer’s block, this is the ideal book for budding writers and all readers of delightfully just-dark-enough tales.