So last week I spent worrying about my mom. Her doctor fit her into his schedule on Friday and he took more samples from her, he can see no tumors so we are hoping for good news. Also my dad’s 70th birthday was on Wednesday but we are going over to their house today to celebrate. I’m bringing ice cream cake – yum! It’s still so hot here in Hawaii, but the days are starting to get shorter which signals fall. My kids will have fall break in 2 weeks which is nice but we aren’t doing much during break since we are planning our family vacation during Thanksgiving instead.
Speaking of our upcoming vacation – I had to buy our Universal Studios Japan tickets and yikes they are expensive. I haven’t brought my kids to any major theme park yet, so this will be their first experience in Japan. Their number one thing is to visit Nintendo World and of course my husband wants to visit Harry Potter world. Me…I’m just there to experience it all since we had to pay so much for it. 😅 I’m trying to plan the rest of the trip – like I definitely want to check out Kyoto and Nara while we are there. I’m also excited it will be fall – I hope we get to see some autumn foliage!
I can’t say I got much reading done. I was mentally exhausted, but I’m finally getting my motivation back!
Chappell Roan‘s new album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess – such a fun album
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
In a country divided between humans and witchers, Venus Stoneheart hustles as a brewer making illegal love potions to support her family.
Love potions is a dangerous business. Brewing has painful, debilitating side effects, and getting caught means death or a prison sentence. But what Venus is most afraid of is the dark, sentient magic within her.
Then an enemy’s iron bullet kills her mother, Venus’s life implodes. Keeping her reckless little sister Janus safe is now her responsibility. When the powerful Grand Witcher, the ruthless head of her coven, offers Venus the chance to punish her mother’s killer, she has to pay a steep price for revenge. The cost? Brew poisonous potions to enslave D.C.’s most influential politicians.
As Venus crawls deeper into the corrupt underbelly of her city, the line between magic and power blurs, and it’s hard to tell who to trust…Herself included.
For fans of Fable by Adrienne Young or To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo, this romantasy debut is filled with sirens and mysterious magic, swoony romance and cutthroat betrayal.
This world of sea and storm runs deep with bargains and blood.
On the remote isle of Rosevear, Mira, like her mother before her, is a wrecker, one of the seven on the rope who swim out to shipwrecks to plunder them. Mira’s job is to rescue survivors, if there are any. After all, she never feels the cold of the frigid ocean waters and the waves seem to sing to her soul. But the people of Rosevear never admit the that they set the beacons themselves to lure ships into the rocks.
When the Council watch lays a trap to put an end to the wrecking, they arrest Mira’s father. Desperate to save him from the noose, Mira strikes a deal with an enigmatic wreck survivor guarding layers of secrets behind his captivating eyes, and sets off to find something her mother has left her, a family secret buried deep in the sea.
With just nine days to find what she needs to rescue her father, all Mira knows for certain is The sea gives. The sea takes. And it’s up to her to do what she must to save the ones she loves.
The epic sequel to the book Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, is a fast-paced, riveting YA fantasy inspired by the mythology and folklore of ancient China.
Years ago, the Elantian colonizers invaded Lan’s homeland and killed her mother in their search to uncover the Last Kingdom’s greatest the location of its legendary four Demon Gods. Lan’s mother devoted her life to destroying the Demon Gods, and Lan is determined to finish her mission. Yet, there are others searching for the gods, too.
Zen knew his soul was forfeit the moment he made a deal with the Demon God known as the Black Tortoise, but he’s willing to lose himself if it means saving the Kingdom–and the girl–he loves. But to crush the colonizers who have invaded his land he needs more power than even a single Demon God can provide. He needs an army. And he knows exactly where he can find it–in the undead army his great grandfather lead decades ago.
The Elantians may have stolen their throne, but the battle for the Last Kingdom has only begun.
NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Melissa Albert returns with THE BAD ONES , a supernatural horror novel about four mysterious disappearances in a town haunted by a sinister magical history
Goddess, goddess, count to five In the morning, who’s alive?
In the course of a single winter’s night, four people vanish without a trace across a small town.
Nora Powell’s estranged best friend, Becca, is one of the lost. As Nora tries to untangle the truth of Becca’s disappearance, she discovers a darkness in her town’s past, as well as a string of coded messages Becca left for her to unravel. These clues lead Nora to a piece of local a legendary goddess of forgotten origins who played a role in Nora and Becca’s own childhood games. . . .
An arresting, crossover horror fantasy threaded with dark magic, THE BAD ONES is a poison-pen love letter to semi-toxic best friendship, the occult power of childhood play and artistic creation, and the razor-thin line between make-believe and belief.
A steamy game of cat and mouse between witch and witch-hunter, played out against a backdrop of opulence, secrets, and bloody history. I couldn’t look away.” – Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Champion of Fate
On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.
Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can’t help but find herself falling for.
Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?
Kristen Ciccarelli’s Heartless Hunter is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch…is falling in love.
“Enchanting and deeply romantic, Heartless Hunter drew me in with the first sentence and left me breathless by the last. A story that unfolds like a spell, and one that is destined to capture your heart.” – Rebecca Ross, New York Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals
She’s his opposite in every way…and the greatest temptation he’s ever known.
Reserved, controlled, and proper to a fault, Kai Young has neither the time nor inclination for chaos—and Isabella, with her purple hair and inappropriate jokes, is chaos personified.
With a crucial CEO vote looming and a media empire at stake, the billionaire heir can’t afford the distraction she brings.
Isabella is everything he shouldn’t want, but with every look and every touch, he’s tempted to break all his rules…and claim her as his own.
***
Bold, impulsive, and full of life, Isabella Valencia has never met a party she doesn’t like or a man she couldn’t charm…except for Kai Young.
It shouldn’t matter. He’s not her type—the man translates classics into Latin for fun, and his membership at the exclusive club where she bartends means he’s strictly off limits.
But she can’t deny that, beneath his cool exterior, is a man who could make her melt with just a touch.
No matter how hard they try, they can’t resist giving into their forbidden desires.
Even if it costs them everything.
King of Pride is a steamy opposite attract, forbidden billionaire romance. It’s book two in the Kings of Sin series but can be read as a standalone.
Contains explicit content and profanity. Recommended for mature readers only.
An ambitious wedding planner must work with her grumpy florist ex, whose heart she broke, on the most high-profile wedding of her career, in this spicy and emotional romance from popular fanfic author Julie Soto.
He loves me; he loves me not…
Ama Torres loves being a wedding planner. But with a mother who has been married more times than you can count on your fingers, Ama has decided that marriage is not the route for her. But weddings? Weddings are amazing. As a small business owner, she knows how to match her clients with the perfect vendor to give them the wedding of their dreams. Well, almost perfect…
Elliot hates being a florist, most of the time. When his father left him the flower shop, he considered it a burden, but he’s stuck with it. Just like how he’s stuck with the way he proposed to Ama, his main collaborator and girlfriend (or was she?) two years ago. But flowers have grown on him, just like Ama did. And flowers can’t run off and never speak to him again, like Ama did.
When Ama is hired to plan a celebrity wedding that will bring her business national exposure, there’s a catch: Elliot is already contracted to design the flowers. Things are not helped by the two brides, who see the obvious chemistry between Ama and Elliot and are determined to set them up, not knowing their complicated history. Add in a meddling ex-boss, and a reality TV film crew documenting every step of the wedding prep, and Ama and Elliot’s hearts are not only in jeopardy again, but this time, their livelihoods are too.
The night the Prince of the East razed her village, Raina Bloodgood’s life changed forever. Forced into someone else’s war—and into the arms of the Witch Collector, Alexus Thibault—Raina discovered that everything she believed was wrong, and that she was capable of far more than anyone imagined.
Now, the Prince of the East has taken the Frost King as a pawn in his war against the Summerlands, causing Alexus’s life to hang in the balance. To thwart the prince’s endgame and prevent the Tiressian empire from returning to an age of gods, Raina, Alexus, and a band of Northlanders race against the sands of time to reach a mystical desert land where merciless assassins lurk around every corner.
In the midst of tragedy, Raina and Alexus fight to stay together and alive, all while a nefarious presence follows them straight to the jeweled gates of the Summerland queen’s citadel—the City of Ruin. With much to fear, it’s the terror of a past she shouldn’t remember that Raina cannot cast from her dreams.
A past that’s determined to find her. One way or another.
City of Ruin is book two in a thrilling romantic fantasy series, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik, Sarah J. Maas, and Jennifer L. Armentrout.
The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:
What are you currently reading?
What have you just finished reading?
What are you going to read next?
Friends I have had no motivation to read lately! Maybe it’s because we’re approaching the last few months of the year? I don’t know! Anyway I’m working on some books pretty slowly.
Can you believe September is almost over? I can’t! Just been busy with the kids and their homework and activities. Heard some news yesterday concerning my mom’s health and it has bummed me out but I’m going to try and stay positive about it and see what happens after her next doctor appointment/procedure. She has had blood in her urine off and on for 3 years now and they kept giving her antibiotics and saying it was a kidney infection but its back and she demanded an answer so they FINALLY took some tissue from her bladder and the doctor said its cancer. I’m devastated BUT I want to be positive, and keep her positive. She has a procedure in 3 weeks and they need to check her uterus also, etc…I’m praying they caught it “early” (except 3 years would have been earlier)and that it’s treatable…etc…I’m kind of mad it’s taken them 3 years to finally listen to her. I find it crazy because for me, one little blip on a mammogram and boom – it’s another mammo, an ultrasound, a biopsy, an MRI – like they got me a TEAM of people and I only have pre-cancer cells! Yet she’s had blood in her urine off and on for 3 years and it was no concern to them. It’s so frustrating and I’m going to pray for the best because I really, really, really can’t fathom….I don’t even want to think about it or else I’ll have anxiety. Anyway…hate that I have not so good news to share, but isn’t that life? I still gotta stay kinda oblivious and happy and steady for my kids while internally dealing with messy feelings. SIGH.
NFL Football – football is back! But I think I only have energy to watch Eagles games this year. We’ll see!
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Music – the Olivia Rodrigo album, GUTS, is STILL on repeat! It’s such a good album.
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:
What are you currently reading?
What have you just finished reading?
What are you going to read next?
Okay…I don’t know what happened to me this past week but I only finished one book! Like how did I get so busy? I don’t know why Happy Place has been a struggle for me to read? Usually I can finish an Emily Henry book in one sitting, but this has taken me days – maybe I’m not feeling the second chance romance? I do like all the “happy places” she starts off in each chapter…but I’m not sure what it is but I’m not feeling it.
We got through another week, and it was short but my daughter of course caught a cold over the weekend…so I was trying to get her better quick. She managed to go to school all week – and what is with this hot weather? I felt like compared to right now Hawaii’s summer weather has been really mild. But I feel the heat now, in September which means October is going to be hot yuck…I hate sweating during Halloween lol…it’s not ideal.
My kids started Sunday school today so yeah I was so late in writing and posting this but it is what it is. I did get a much needed massage today though! I used the gift card my hubby gave me back in November. He got me a gift card to the spa I used to work at 20 years ago and man…I don’t know if it’s because of the Olivia Rodrigo album, GUTS, I’ve had on repeat and reminding me of my young self…but I had a major bout of nostalgia. Like…when I worked there 20 years ago I was still going out clubbing with my friends, lots of lunches, dinners, hanging out, my 20’s was FUN. And today I went in, gray in my hair, dropped off my kids to Sunday school, the place looks the same, smells the same (they use AVEDA products which I will ALWAYS love), and I was like longing for that easier, funner, less anxious time. It was bittersweet! Might be the stress just hitting me and I felt finally I had some “me” time at the spa. It was just so much needed, August was tough. 15 more months before hubby comes home…🙏🏼
Well, gotta keep going!! I hope all of you had a good week!
Love Again (Netflix) – this one was a little boring but I liked the whole grief and moving on theme because I can relate. But I needed more chemistry or something in the movie.
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Music – the Olivia Rodrigo album, GUTS, is on repeat! It speaks to my teenage self, I love all the alt rock sounds in the upbeat songs, it makes my body move and dance! And then man does her ballads cut to my heart. LOVE it!
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:
What are you currently reading?
What have you just finished reading?
What are you going to read next?
My a/c is fixed yay! My daughter caught a cold – boo! And then I pulled a muscle kind of in my lower back but right at the top of my hip – major BOO, and yes I pulled it while bending over to look in the freezer for something. 🤦🏻♀️ Like, how does that happen?! 😫 It’s such an inconvenience but hey at least I have a/c. So now that my house is nice and cool again, I am in the mood to read!
It was an easier week, yay! Except for my hot flashes and no a/c. But it finally got fixed 2 days ago. You don’t know how happy I am!
It’s Labor Day weekend here in the USA, so tomorrow is a holiday. We are going to The Cheesecake Factory to celebrate my son’s belated 11th birthday with family, so that should be fun and filling.
I cannot believe it’s September! My kids start up Sunday school next weekend, so we’ll be back to a busy weekend schedule. I’m looking forward to cooler weather, football and the holidays but it also means the year is almost over. And we are taking another trip to Japan, but this time to Osaka. My hubby will meet us there – us, being our kids and my parents who wanted to tag along again! We will be going for Thanksgiving, so I have lots to plan for that!
Voltron (Netflix) – my son is very into movies and shows lately (it only took him 11 years! lol) but we watched all of Sailor Moon, he watched Nimona and he was trying to find something and I said well when I was a kid, I watched this show called Voltron. So we’ve been watching the new version of it and he likes it!
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:
What are you currently reading?
What have you just finished reading?
What are you going to read next?
My family and I are all recovered! The part for the a/c came in yesterday so YAY to having my a/c fixed soon. You know I grew up without a/c but I grew up in the valley where we always had breeze or rain. Now I live in the dry and hot part of Oahu and I can’t live without a/c. Add to that my breast cancer prevention medication gives me the worst hot-flashes (especially near my period) well…it’s not fun and I’m irritable. 😅 Which is no fun for my kids at all – so yes…I need my a/c back. My hubby did get smart and decided to buy 2 of the motor parts that broke since like all parts for machinery they stop making them anymore. So we’ll be safe for a few more years I think before we have to replace the whole thing, which will cost a lot.
Well, I had my son home all week because he caught Covid from his sister and I. But honestly he had the most mild case, out of all of us. I’m still dealing with some stomach issues. Add to that our a/c broke but my brother-in-law took a look at it, found the broken part and it’s all about waiting for the part to come in right now. It’s been quite an annoying week, but all I wanted to do was my son and I to get better.
Today is my son’s 11th birthday! And we were gonna go to Cheesecake Factory with the family but, we’re postponing it to Labor Day weekend just to make sure he’s not contagious anymore. So it was a fairly chill week, we had to cancel some events because of being ill, but better safe than getting others sick.
I hope this week is better! Have a great week everyone!
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
Past Midnight Book Reviews & More 