The Sunday Post is hosted by the wonderful Kimberly, the Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week, take a look ahead, and showcase our new treasures—I mean books!
This week I’m also participating in The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz, and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality.
Happy Holidays!
Whatever holidays you celebrate at this time of year, I hope they were or are or will be happy ones! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Solstice, Merry Yule, and Happy Kwanzaa!
The Past Week
In real life: We drove back from Utah to New Mexico on Monday. It was a short visit with my dad and stepmom, but a good one. We did a jigsaw puzzle together, cooked several meals for them, and generally had a good time. Since returning to New Mexico, I have been finishing up the Christmas shopping, indexing, visiting with family, and snuggling with Robin’s cats.
5 Good Things: Some good things from this week.
- Dad & Stepmom loved the handknit gifts we gave them.
- Choir rehearsal was Sunday, and I will be singing with the choir this Sunday and for Christmas Eve. I have really missed singing, and it’s an essential part of Christmas for me, so I’m so grateful that the choir welcomes me whenever I’m visiting.
- The whole family (Mom & Stepdad’s side) had dinner and a movie at my sister’s house. The movie was on the low side of meh, but the food and the company were great.
- I am almost finished with my Christmas shopping! Just two or three digital audiobooks left to order.
- I am so fortunate to have an extended family who love and support one another, and who get along so well.
Recent Posts
- Sunday Post – 12/15/2024
- Robin’s Recs: A Personal Reading Challenge
- Books on My Winter 2024-2025 TBR List – Top 10 Tuesday
- Talking Cats—and Dogs
- Sunday Post – 12/22/2024 – this post
Looking Ahead
- The Most Wonderful Crime Of the Year, by Ally Carter – review
- Ten Books I Hope To Find Under the Tree – Top 10 Tuesday
- Last Sunday Post of the Year – 12/29/2024
What I’ve Been Reading/Watching (since 7/14/2024)
Reading: I haven’t read very much this week. I did finish reading This Will Be Fun by E. B. Asher (ARC), then plowed through The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year (which I loved, once I got past the start and adjusted to the author’s style.) I read Mari Lwyd 1927, a short seasonal “extra” from Celia Lake set in Albion, her version of magical Britain. And I started Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis (ARC; due out in February); I’m over halfway through, and it’s delightful so far.
Listening to: Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher, read by Jilly Bond. But The Cartographers (Peng Shepherd) is on hold until Mr. Bookwyrm and I drive back to the East Coast.
On the drive from Utah to New Mexico, we listened to several episodes of The Allusionist podcast; I wrote about it here.
Watching: We had a “comfort evening” over at my sister’s on Friday. That’s a family tradition where we have dinner together and watch a movie. This time it was The Merry Gentlemen (Netflix), which is possibly the worst Hallmark-wannabe Christmas romance I have ever seen (not that I have seen very many.) Apologies to anyone who loved it; personally, I felt everything about it—writing, plot, acting, dancing, even the score—fell somewhere short of mediocre. I’m going to have to watch The Holiday to get the taste out of my mouth.
Playing: Pokemon Go; also Wordle, Connections, Strands, Spelling Bee, and Sudoku; and Wingspan on Steam.
Added to the Hoard
(Click title for Goodreads page or my review.)
For Review or Consideration
Many thanks to Berkley for The Lady Sparks a Flame and Rules for Ruin!
Purchased or Free (Kindle)
Kindle: Mind Games; Diamond Fire; Dragon Rider; Seduction on a Snowy Night (reviewed 2019); The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year; Under the Whispering Door; What Comes of Attending the Commoners Ball; The Fall of Númenor: And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-Earth; Mari Lwyd 1927 (a seasonal “extra” from Celia Lake via her newsletter);
Lola
I am glad to hear you had a good visit with your dad and stepmom.I hope you can finish your Christmas shopping soon and have a great holiday. I tried reading This Will Be Fun earlier this year, but it wasn’t for me and I DNF’d it, curious to hear your thoughts about it. Your book haul looks nice, I hope they’re all good ones.
Lola recently posted…Sunday Post #627
Lark_Bookwyrm
I think This Will Be Fun requires a certain familiarity with D&D and/or quest fantasy tropes to make it work, as well as a willingness to make fun of them. I enjoyed it, on the whole, but part of me wants the same basic premise in a more serious book. The authors did do a good job balancing the darker emotions (grief, survivor’s guilt, anger, grudges, self-loathing) with the humor, without making light of those feelings.
Jody
That’s great that you had a good visit with your dad and stepmom. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas, Lark ☃️❄️🎄🎅🦌❤️
Jody recently posted…Brian and Mina’s Holiday Hits by Kitty Thomas
Lark_Bookwyrm
Thank you, and I wish you a joyous holiday, too!
Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews
I’m glad you had a good visit with your dad and stepmom. Sounds like a nice week. So many good books on your list. Have a great week and Merry Christmas!
Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews recently posted…The Weekend Review – December 21st-23rd
Lark_Bookwyrm
You too, Yvonne!
Anne - Books of My Heart
How wonderful you have this family time. A happy holiday to you! I loved Mind Games and Diamond Fire. I hope to read Wooing the Witch Queen soon.
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
Anne – Books of My Heart recently posted…Wildflower Ranch by Carolyn Brown #CarolynBrown #ForeverYours @sophiarose1816 #KindleUnlimited
Lark_Bookwyrm
I loved Mind Games when I read the ARC, so I picked up the Kindlebook when it went on sale. I’m always worried Amazon will clear out my Documents where all my ARCs are. I should probably read the Hidden Legacy trilogy before I read Diamond Fire. And Wooing the Witch Queen is delightful!
Katherine
So glad you had a nice visit with family and so glad you get along with all your family. I do for the most part but there are a few who I’m glad I don’t have to see all that much! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying your reading.