Sundays with Sam is a combination of Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews.
My Week in Review
Happy Sunday! We had our first snow of the season Friday into Saturday. It's wasn't too bad, very light snow probably because it's been really cold. My daughter flew in on Friday. First she was delayed because of snow somewhere in the path, and then they kept them on the plan for a very long time after they landed. It was my parents' 55th wedding anniversary, so we went out and had her Uber home.
Saturday, the kid and dad started our holiday meal preparations. Dad did the red and white cabbage while my daughter worked on the dough for the dumplings. She shaped and boiled them and will fry them up the day of the meal. It smelled really great, and I love getting to enjoy my Grandma's classics.
Tomorrow is my last day of work for the year. I don't have a lot of stuff planned for my time off, but my daughter will be here for most of it, so that will be nice. I have a few appointments, but mostly, I have to get my 2025 reading challenges nailed down. Is anyone out there doing any challenges?
On the Blog
- Monday: Reviews - The Temple of Swoon, The Lodge
- Tuesday: TTT - My Winter TBR
- Wednesday: CWW - Tatufo, The Door-to-Door Bookstore
- Thursday: Reviews - To All the Dogs I've Loved Before, Betrothal or Breakaway
- Friday: Discussion - The Goodreads Choice Awards
- Saturday: Six Degrees of Separation - How to Save a Life
Let's Discuss
- The Orangutan Librarian give us more bad writing advice
- Tanya did a huge round up of 2025 reading challenges
- Krysta wonders if you are an author completionist
Stacking the Shelves
The end of the year is always slow with approvals, but I did get one invite. I actually had this one on my TBR, so I was happy to get the email.
Invites
- The Odds of Getting Even by Amanda Sellet
Read Last Week
I wasn't blown away by my reads this week, other than the Higgins book, but everything was good. Higgins stood out with her story about sisters faced with personal challenges. I am a big fan of the combination of humor, drama, and romance she puts into her stories. I did think Hunter did something interesting with the amnesia trope in Before We Were Us, and it had a standout ending that brought me to tears.
So, I did a thing last week. I was reading and enjoying PS I Hate You when I found out it takes the characters to eight different states. It was the dying wish of this man for his best friend and sister to spread his ashes in the states he never got to visit. Well, when I found out what states they were, I knew I needed to save this book for 2025 because they were some of the hardest states to find books for my reading challenge. I mean, North and South Dakota! Alabama, Delaware -- These are tough states. I had to do it.
Find all my reviews on Goodreads
Books
- Into the Woods by Jenny Holiday - ★★★★
- Before We Were Us by Denise Hunter - ★★★★
- For One Night Only by Jessica James - ★★★★
- The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn - ★★★★
- The Strange Library by Haruiki Murakami - ★★★
Audiobooks
- If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins - ★★★★ 1/2
Currently Reading
I am almost done with Before the Coffee Gets Cold. It's about a magical coffee shop where people can go back in time, but they must finish their coffee before it goes cold. The first story didn't prepare me for the more emotional stories that would follow. I am hoping this last tale does not end the way I think it will.
Higgins' book is a delight as always. I enjoy how she brings us back to worlds of her other books, and I recognize characters who get mentioned. This book is also about sisters, step-sisters this time. Both are dealing with losses - the death of a spouse, a broken engagement. I am only at 22%, but I am eager to see these two women heal and wonder what the future holds for them.
- Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
- On Second Thought by Kristan Higgins
To Be Read
- Libby Lost and Found by Stephanie Booth
- Unromance by Erin Connor
- Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis
- The Rival by Emma Lord
Let us know in the comments!
It’s so nice that you’re getting to spend some time with your daughter. Enjoy your time fav work. I bet you’ll get a lot of reading done.
ReplyDeleteI never get a lot of reading done when my daughter is here. I tend to talk with her and whatnot
DeleteHave a wonderful Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary! I hope you have wonderful Christmas too.
Delete55 years of marriage? Wow that's a lot! They are lucky Sam! Enjoy Christmas with your family and your grandma recipes!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing, right? I hope you have a wonderful holiday too
DeleteYay for having some time off! Happy to hear you're enjoying it with celebrations and family time! I really loved On Second Thought. I think it was one of my first reads by Higgins. I also have Better Than Friends and I hope to start it soon.
ReplyDeleteThe ex-boyfriend (Eric) is insufferable. I hate him. I can honestly say, I have enjoyed every Higgins book I read this year, and this will be my 8th of 2024.
DeleteI'm glad you are getting to enjoy family time! And 55 years is a wonderful achievement!
ReplyDeleteI am amazed by how long my parents have been married.
DeleteThat is great that you have so much time off when your daughter is home! Love that your family still keeps up with old family recipe traditions - I still make my grandma's stuffing every Thanksgiving. Happy anniversary to your parents!
ReplyDeleteWhen grandmas were such good cooks, it would be a crime to NOT use their recipes. My daughter makes My Aunt Ilse's Linzer Tart too.
DeleteA cozy week, snow notwithstanding. I hope your Christmas will be a blast! especially with your parents' and kid's recipes. Seriously, is there anything Kiersten can't do? Sewing, cooking, dancing, all the things LOL.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Roberta! I hope you have a lovely holiday as well. I know, the kid has many talents.
DeleteOf course I'm reading this almost a week late, so Christmas has come and gone. I hope you had a wonderful time with your daughter. PS, I Hate You, just went on my 2025 list, Sam. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteI will be finishing PS I Hat You this week. Hopefully we both love it. The first 25% was great! Happy New Year to you as well.
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