Sunday Post #348

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Happy Sunday!

It's been a busy and hot week here! Friday we got to 106F, the hottest day of the year so far. It's cooled off into the upper 90s since then, but still, it's hot! Our son, DIL, and our two grandkids (3 1/2 and 2 yrs old boys!) came up for a visit which is why I've been a bit MIA. Lots of activity! We had dinners with my sister and BIL, went to the pool, went rafting/floating on the Truckee River, and then the local bookstore with a neat kids section and then the candy store.

Very calm waters for the most part.

Kids section in Booktown Books in downtown Grass Valley

More of the kids section

They left on Friday afternoon. Sad to see them go. Now we're recuperating. 

Went to lunch yesterday (Saturday) and shopping at Trader Joe's.

The garden has been producing a lot! We're having a bunch in wraps and tonight I'm making pasta with tomatoes, basil and shrimp. 

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Beach Boardwalk by Werkshoppe.

Puzzle 39 of 2026

Read:

A Trade of Blood (Ana and Din Mysteries #3) by Robert Jackson Bennett-5 Stars

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum-4 Stars

It's not surprising I didn't get much reading done! Both were really good, though!

Received:

The Black Orchid by Loreth Anne White

The One Who Walked Away by Karen Rose

The Heiress of Northanger Abbey by Nancy Bilyeau

The Black Orchid was my Prime First Reads pick. Thank you to Berkley, Admiral Road Books and Great Reads Promotions!

How was your week?

Review: The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen

 

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen

Publication Date: August 4th 2026 by St. Martin's Press & Macmillan Audio

Pages: 304

Audio Book Length: 7hrs 57min

Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

The Women in White is told through two timelines: the past, set in 1964, and the present day. In 1964, Betty and her friends, known as Girls One through Four, are test subjects in a study on psychic abilities at the Marquis University. In the present, Riley applies for a job as Betty's caregiver. Riley isn't sure why Betty hired her, as Betty seems capable of caring for herself, even if she does seem stuck in a time warp. However, Betty has a another assignment in mind: she wants Riley to track down the other women, Betty’s friends, who participated in the experiments conducted by the study's director, Dr. Trimble.

 

I was outraged by the amount of power Dr. Trimble and the husbands wielded over Betty and her friends in the 1964 timeline. I wanted these women to stand up for themselves. Riley’s search for the women yields little information at first but digging deeper she finds out their fates. In the present there’s also some strange occurrences and Betty determines she must go back to Marquis with Riley to get to the truth.

 

The Women in White was an engrossing story, but I found I was more invested in the present timeline than the past. I speed up the audio for the 1964 chapters because I was frustrated by how powerless these women were. I wanted one of them to stand up for themselves, or for someone to intervene in their behalf.  Some of what happened was “too little too late” for my tastes.  I also wanted more closure regarding Dr. Trimble. He was a nasty piece of work only concerned with his research and what the discoveries would mean for him.

 

That said, I was satisfied with how things ultimately turned out for Betty and Riley.

I alternated between the e-book and audio copy and can recommend either version. Saskia Maarleveld did a wonderful job bringing all the characters, male and female, in a wide range of ages, to life.

3.5 Stars

Book Description:

From Sarah Pekkanen, the New York Times bestselling author of House of Glass and co-author of The Wife Between Us—a stunning new novel of buried secrets, mind-bending history, and one woman’s search for the truth . . .

Decades ago, four women at prestigious Marquis University were the focus of parapsychology experiments led by a pioneering researcher. Just as they seemed on the verge of a real breakthrough, the four women vanished and the program was abruptly shut down.

In the present day, Riley Bell is desperate for a new life when she lands a caretaker job for Betty Sadler—an elderly, wheelchair bound woman whose house seems suspended in time. No television. No microwave. And Betty has never even heard of a cell phone.

Newly widowed, Betty discovers notes in her late husband’s papers that spark her quest to answer one final unanswered mystery that has shadowed her for six what happened to her three best friends who disappeared on the same day?

Told in dual timelines, as Betty’s world of 5 o’clock martinis and increasingly rigorous experiments converges with Riley’s present-day search for the other three women, the danger and intensity grow white hot.

Because whatever was swirling around these four exceptional young women is rising again.

Review: The Age of Enchantment by Anna James

 

The Age of Enchantment (Chronicles of Whetherwhy #1) by Anna James

Publication Date: April 29th 2025 by Flamingo Books

Pages: 304

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

The Age of Enchantment was a delightful middle-grade fantasy filled with adventure, magic, and whimsy. I enjoyed every minute of it!

 

On their thirteenth birthday, twins Juniper and Rafferty Quinn are summoned to determine their guild affiliation and enchantment inspection. Usually, this is when they find out their season affiliation: spring, summer, autumn or winter, but some, called Enchanters, have extra magical powers and can wield all the seasons. Enchanters go to Thistledown Academy for special magical training.

 

Both Juniper and Rafferty are almost certain that Juniper is an Enchanter and worry about their inevitable separation.

 

Juniper and a couple of other students en route to the academy are attacked by a mysterious group intent on stealing some of their power. It’s an encounter that leaves Juniper shaken up. The academy's faculty are determined to uncover who is responsible and whether other Enchanters are at risk.

 

Meanwhile, unwilling to be far from his sister, Rafferty secures an apprenticeship as a bookbinder near the academy. Before long, he finds himself entangled in a mystery of his own, one that intersects with Juniper's.

 

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the storytelling format. The story is narrated by a grandfather to his grandchildren, who hang on every word as they eagerly follow Juniper and Rafferty's adventures. Their excitement and questions perfectly mirrored my own!

 

This adventure wraps up but there’s another to come in The Season of Flames. I can't wait to see what happens next!

4 Stars

Book Description:

First in a brand-new fantasy series from acclaimed author Anna James, filled with seasonal magic and exciting adventure

In Whetherwhy, everyone has magic inside them – grown from the changing seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. But a rare few are people born with magic in their bones, who can wield all four seasons of magic.

When Juniper discovers she is an Enchanter, she must leave behind everything she knows to begin studying at the Thistledown Academy of Enchantment. Unwilling to be left behind, her twin brother, Rafferty, decides to follow her to the capital city of Stormgrove and takes up an apprenticeship at a nearby bookbinder.

As Juniper makes new friends and learns how to wield enchantment, Rafferty becomes involved with a mysterious secret society that meet after dark. Monsters are creeping out of the shadows and dangers lurk in unexpected places. Amid night markets and magic lessons, they both realise there is more to enchantment – and life in Whetherwhy – than they could ever have imagined.

Sunday Post #347

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Happy Sunday!

It's been hot here! It was a 102 degrees here yesterday and it's supposed to be hotter on Monday and Tuesday. I guess summer is well and truly here. Nothing exciting to report here, just the usual work, garden, and chores. I did pick a bunch of blackberries and our peaches for canning. I canned blackberry jam, pickled red onions and pickled peppers yesterday. This afternoon I plan on making peach preserves to can. 

Pickled red onion, peppers and blackberry jam.

Spotted this butterfly on Echinacea at the garden center. So pretty with that vibrant blue flashing.

Deadheaded some of my spent blue hydrangeas and they're still pretty! 

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Campfire Stories by 1Canoe2

Puzzle 38 of 2026

Read:

The Missing Couple (Colby Agency: The Next Generation #7) by Debra Webb-4 Stars

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen- 3.5 Stars

How to Cheat Your Own Death (Castle Knoll Files #3) by Kristen Perrin-4.5 Stars

The Age of Enchantment (Chronicles of Whetherwhy #1) by Anna James-4 Stars

Never Lie by Freida McFadden-3.5 Stars

Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood-3 Stars

Received:

Brimstone Hollow (Annie Gore #2) by Archer Sullivan

The Missing Couple by Debra Webb

Don't Look Close by Jaima Fixsen

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Harlequin Audio and Recorded Books!

How was your week?

Audiobook Review: The Delivery by Gregg Hurwitz

 

The Delivery by Gregg Hurwitz

Publication Date: July 28th 2026 by Audible Studios

Pages: 225

Audio Book Length: 4hrs 48min

Narrator: Scott Brick

Source: Part of Audible/Kindle Unlimited Membership

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

We hear about AI everywhere now and I can’t help but think of the Terminator movies whenever it’s being discussed. The Delivery isn’t quite like that but the story poses a chilling situation that I don’t think is too far fetched!

 

Rebecca and Mark are overwhelmed by life. Mark has a demanding job and overbearing boss. And while they love their neurodivergent daughter, Maddy, her everyday needs are constant and draining.

 

There’s an a-hole neighbor adding to Rebecca’s stress and mean-girls at school for Maddy. I really felt for all three of them!

 

When they’re offered help in the form of an AI bot, “Mr. Man” they’re hesitant, but in the end the offer of help is too great to resist.

 

At first, it’s a dream, but soon Mr. Man’s interpretation of “help” becomes troubling. Part of me (the dark part) wasn’t completely horrified by his “solutions”.

 

I’m a huge fan of Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series, so when I saw this standalone novella I had to grab it and I was not disappointed!

 

Scott Brick also narrates the Orphan X series, and his performance is perfection! So, it came as no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed his narration here as well.

4 Stars

Book Description:

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Orphan X series comes a tense novella, a psychological thriller about an AI companion that will do anything to serve—with terrifying consequences.

Rebecca and Mark Higgins are doing their best to hold their family together. She’s healing from the pain of a miscarriage, he’s drowning in pressure at work, and their neurodivergent daughter, Maddy, needs all the care she can get. So when a cutting-edge tech company offers the perfect solution, they jump at the chance. And they welcome “Mr. Man”—a humanoid AI companion—into their home.

Designed to anticipate their needs, he’s like a miracle at first. The house runs like clockwork. Meals appear on the table. And Maddy thrives under his patient attention. But when inexplicable tragedies start to strike the neighborhood, Rebecca glimpses a darker pattern at play.

Each incident is an answer to an unspoken fear, each kindness shadowed by violence. Mr. Man isn’t just following instructions—he’s anticipating what they want. Even the things they never dared to say. And if he’s executing their darkest desires, it’s their responsibility to stop him…at any cost.

Audiobook Review: The Lion's Tusk by Robert Jackson Bennett

 

The Lion's Tusk (Shadow of the Leviathan) by Robert Jackson Bennett

Publication Date: July 28th 2026 by Brilliance Publishing

Pages: 38

Audio Book Length: 1hrs 14min

Narrator: Hannah Curtis

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

As a fan of the Shadow of the Leviathan series, I was excited to listen to this short mystery featuring Ana Dolabra as the storyteller rather than the usual narrator, her assistant Din. Ana is clever and has unraveled the most puzzling mysteries from the thinnest threads of evidence. I loved getting a story from her point of view for a change.

 

While Ana and Din are enduring a long carriage ride, Ana decides to pass the time by telling Din about a century-old mystery she solved after reading the investigator’s reports. The case is both strange and gruesome, centering on newlyweds who were murdered on their wedding night.

 

The Lion’s Tusk is a short listen, just one hour and fourteen minutes, but it completely held my attention from beginning to end. Hannah Curtis was a new-to-me narrator, and I thought she was wonderful as Ana. Ana has always been a larger-than-life character to me, and Ms. Curtis captured that perfectly. Her rich, low voice and pleasing accent made the listening experience even more enjoyable.

 

The audio and e-copy available on Kindle Unlimited.

4 Stars

Book Description: 

An eccentric detective turns to the fantastical to solve a cold case in a short story by the Hugo Award–winning author of The Tainted Cup.

On a long carriage journey with her assistant Din, brilliant investigator Ana Dolabra ponders a solution to an impossible crime that has remained unsolved for centuries. A lavish wedding for two noble scions of the Empire descended into chaos when the newlyweds were found murdered in their marriage bed. But Ana—an expert in ancient myths, awakened beasts, and magic—knows that nothing is impossible, only unimaginable.

Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Lion’s Tusk is part of the Magic & Mystery collection, puzzle-box mysteries from top fantasy authors. They can be read or listened to in one enchanting sitting.

Review: The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss

 

The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss

Publication Date: April 7th 2026 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Pages: 403

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Season four of The Escape Game, a reality escape room game show, didn’t end well. Sisters, Alicia and Sierra were pitted against each other on rival teams, each working to solve escape rooms for a cash prize. The finale was like a scene from a horror movie when Alicia is found murdered. It’s rumored Sierra killed her.

 

Surprisingly the show is going on with season five. There are new contestants: Adi, a cryptographer, not excited to be on the show but if he wins, it will help him escape the clutches of his mother, a horrid, attention seeking woman. Carter is brilliant at math and solving puzzles, famous on social media under her avatar, but she’s painfully shy in person. Beck designs his own escape rooms and has a history with the show’s backer. To everyone’s surprise, Sierra returns and is the most controversial contestant. A lot of people think she killed her sister in a fit of sibling rivalry, but she doesn’t let that derail her mission. Together they form Team Helsing.

 

Sierra’s motives are unclear at the beginning, especially when she leans into her goth-girl-with-a-grudge persona, but it didn’t take me long to root for her. I enjoyed seeing these misfits merge and slowly build trust. Together they confront danger from unknown fronts as they try to keep ahead in the game.

 

The Escape Game was an edgy and fun YA mystery that hooked me from the start!  I had my suspicions which were confirmed in one way, but there was a big surprise I didn’t see coming. Things got a little crazy in the end! This mystery wraps up, but there’s another book coming. I look forward to joining Team Helsing in their next adventure!

4 Stars

Book Description:

It’s all fun and games until someone ends up dead.

Six months ago, season four of The Escape Game ended in horror when contestant Alicia Angelos was found murdered on set.

Now season five is underway, and new contestants are ready to put their skills to the test solving the show's trickiest escape rooms. There's Adi, the cryptographer; Carter, the math whiz; Beck, the wannabe game master, and . . . Sierra Angelos, the girl who got away with her sister’s murder. Or so everyone believes.

But Sierra’s not just here to win. She’s here for justice.

When the contestants begin uncovering clues that hint at the identity of Alicia’s true killer, it becomes clear that the stakes aren’t high in this competition, they’re deadly. If these teens want to win—and survive—the game, they must solve the biggest mystery of who killed Alicia Angelos?

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer and rising star Tamara Moss comes a twisty thrill-ride, filled with sabotage, betrayal, and puzzles to die for.