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Saturday, April 4, 2026

Sunday Post #332

 


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!

I didn't post last week because I was in Austin, Texas babysitting our grandkids while our daughter and SIL went on a little anniversary getaway. We left on Wednesday and came home on Monday. It was a lot of fun, but very busy. We got to see our granddaughter receive an award at school for problem solving. The award was a surprise for her. She was so happy to see us in the audience because she didn't think anyone would be there since her parents were out of town. 

While the kids were in school we traveled out to Fredericksburg on Thursday and New Braunfels on Friday to sightsee and explore. My daughter and husband came home on Saturday, so we were able to spend some time with them, too. 
Pioneer Memorial Library in Fredericksburg, TX

Gruene Dance Hall in New Braunfels, TX

Pepper (my daughter's cat) looking down on his servants as we watch Apollo 13

Red Cardinal by my daughter's house in TX
 
So excited to see the Red Cardinal because we don't see them in California.

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed in Texas: Busy City by la pauz
Puzzle 17 of 2026

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Clam Talk by Hasbro (Charles Wysocki)
You should be able to see the 4 missing pieces. Bummer.
Puzzle 18 of 2026

Came home to everything blooming and so pretty here! We went on a hike today (Saturday) and it was gorgeous! I'll share more about that next week.

Read:

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews
The Price of Lemon Cake by Jennifer Ashley
Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

The Price of Lemon Cake by Jennifer Ashley-3 Stars

This is two weeks worth of reading. I didn't get to read *listen* to as much as I wanted to. This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me was one of my most anticipated reads for 2026 and it delivered! I want to do a re-read soon! I can't wait for the next book! Her Last Breath was riveting and intense! We (my husband and I) just finished the audio to Project Hail Mary and loved it! I teared up a few times at the end! We want to go see the movie soon.

Received:

Meet Me in Italy by Brenda Novak
Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass
The Moonlight Runner by Karen Robards
Blaze Orange by Paul Doiron

Meet Me in Italy by Brenda Novak
4/7/26

Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass
4/14/26

The Moonlight Runner by Karen Robards
3/24/26

Blaze Orange by Paul Doiron 
4/28/26

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, Park Row, and Macmillan Audio! 



How was your week?





31 comments:

  1. I would love to explore Texas before my friends move from there, which I suspect might be in the not so distant future.

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    1. It's a neat, and big place to explore! Hope you get the chance to.

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  2. I LOVE that they had an award for problem solving. It's nice to see practical and useful skills being rewarded. I had no idea red cardinals didn't live on the west coast, but I am not a birder or anything.

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    1. I thought it was a wonderful award and was so happy we were there to see it! Yes, we don't see them in Northern California so I'm always excited to see them when we visit Texas. They're all over the place in my daughter's neighborhood.

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  3. The library is beautiful, I'm glad you enjoyed your time in texas

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  4. Sounds like a lovely trip to Texas! Hope you have a good week.

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  5. So nice you could spend time with the grandkids and sightsee. You are a puzzle master. And a batch of 5 star reads!

    Anne - Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post

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    1. I didn't read much in two weeks but I did love what I read!

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  6. Sounds like a wonderful trip , and I'm sure your daughter and SIL really appreciated their getaway, too!

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  7. Im glad you had a lovely time away
    Wishing you a great reading week

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  8. Grandchildren plus travel makes for a wonderful trip. Glad you got to see the Northern Cardinals; I hope you also got to see at least a few bluebonnets while you were here. We went to my brother-in-law's house yesterday for an Easter get-together and we were surprised how few bluebonnets were blooming.

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    1. We did see a few, but not nearly as much as I did two years ago when it was emerald green with a ton of blue bonnets, poppy and Indian red paint. It was drier this year.

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  9. Congrats to your granddaughter! It sounds like a fun trip. I hope you have a great week!

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  10. That's nice that you got to spend time with your grandkids. Wishing you a very happy Easter.

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  11. How wonderful to spend time with your grandkids and to be there when she received her award. That must have been special for all of you. I love seeing cardinals, and do get them here in the summer. I received all those books, except the Robards one, as well and hope we both enjoy them. Have a wonderful upcoming week, Rachel.

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    1. It was special to be there! The cardinals are so vivid! I get excited every time I see them! Thanks! You too, Carla!

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  12. Sounds like a great get away! I'm listening to This Kingdom now, but with my kids home for the Easter holidays, I haven't listened often. I did take my daughter to see Project HM - I had already watched it opening night. I love the book and the movie does a great job adapting the material.

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    1. We hope to see it next weekend. Happy to hear you loved it!

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  13. It looks like a great time in Texas and you still finished a large puzzle, amazing! The kitty Pepper looks so funny up top there. Lovely photos and good to hear everything is in bloom back home, wow. Cheers.

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    1. He's a funny and fun cat! I call him my "grand-kitty". This spring has been gorgeous! I'm soaking it in. Thanks!

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  14. Glad you had such a great trip to spend time with your family.

    Have a great week!

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  15. You got to see a cardinal! I know it's a common bird back East, but I've never seen one. They don't come to Utah either...and it's very high on my bucket bird list. And that Pioneer Memorial library looks so cool. Yay for a fun trip. :D

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  16. That red cardinal is stunning! I hope I could see one soon.

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  17. Sounds like a good week! We have cardinals here occasionally. I like to see one, as they say it is a loved one looking in on you, and so I always think maybe my stepdad is saying hi. I went and saw Project Hail Mary and enjoyed it. Hope this is a good week for you too!
    https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2026/04/05/weekly-wrap-up-april-5th-2026/

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  18. Omg This Kingdom is so good! But I have far to go still

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