
I am linking up with Deb at Readerbuzz,  Kathryn at Book Date, and  Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well! I had a crazy week last week and I think I want to use today to recover. It was just busy. Luckily, it might rain today and if it rains I am definitely declaring today a relax day.
Books:
I’ve been having a hard time settling down with a book lately. I tried a few different books last week and nothing was working so I went back to a series that I knew worked.

This series is just a lot of fun. I like Marlee and her feisty demeanor, and I love the setting. This one was also full of messy relationships and drama and I just really enjoyed it. It is the third book in the Berry Basket series.
This week. I have no idea. I have a few I am thinking about, but I might just wander the library tomorrow and pick something out that calls to me.
My ideas:



I am reading The Smallest of Joys already, just a little bit at a time. I am really loving it’s gentleness, which seems funny when juxtaposed next to those other books. I guess I need a little of everything right now.
Screens:
Billy and I are watching The Artful Dodger most nights, and when we don’t feel like like watching that we are catching up on Murdoch. Murdoch is just an easy show to watch, and is usually entertaining. We are still continuing on our quest to show Wyatt the movies we grew up watching, and tonight we are watching Camp Nowhere. I don’t think I have ever watched that one, so it will be new to me as well!
Last week I posted:



Top Ten Tuesday: Books that Live In My Head Rent Free
Wednesday Morning Coffee Catch Up
Book Recommendations Based on Nostalgic Movies of the 80s and 90s

I am cohosts with Lisa at Boondock Ramblings and Cat at Cat’s Wire, of the linkup A Good Book and a Cup of Tea for all things books -not just books read or reviews, but bookstore visits or author visits or whatever else bookish you can think of!
Here is the link for July’s link up!
In-Betweens:
Yesterday we had a day of small projects, where we worked on some of the little things that we have been intending to do around the house. We worked on the new crested gecko tanks, which are really plant cabinets that Billy is converting to be crested gecko friendly. We have one done converted, one to go! Then we also started our gallery wall in the bedroom, of our artwork and needlework. Max got in on the job too – well, actually all of the jobs!


And that is it from me today! I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!
I hope you get rain and even if you don’t , go ahead and declare it a Relax Day. It’s been brutally hot here…so I am in reading…and napping.
Tina, I think you are absolutely right. I think we need a relax day. Or at least I do! Reading and napping sounds amazing.
It’s hard to break a reading slump sometimes. For me it’s turning to a favourite author. I love that you have a handy hubby – mine used to be but not so much these days. Have a great week!
I had so many plans of things to get done while I was home on summer break, and just realized I have one week left and didn’t get half of them done. :-(. Oh well. I’m going to try to use my Mondays off now that I am in a district with 4 day weeks to get things done maybe? Oh well. Hope you are finding more fun movies to watch with Wyatt. We had a little rain last week but lots of heat before and after.
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2026/07/26/weekly-wrap-up-july-26-2026/
Lol that allows happens! I had a ton I wanted to get done this summer, but, I managed to get to a small fraction. Lol. Oh well I guess.
We are having a great time with our movies this summer. We haven’t had rain for a while! Just heat and then the smoke, which has thankfully cleared.
I was struggling with books as well, and finally got into a great one. I hope you have a good week!
I am in a reading slump! Lol.
Erin, I understand! That is when I switch to something pretty light and fluffy with lots of humor. I am currently reading A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham.
I hear good things about Simone St. James, though I haven’t tried any of her work myself! Maybe it’s a good time to poke around and just read whatever, even if that means just trying a few pages. Sometimes that helps me find the right thing and settle in, especially if I tell myself “just a few pages and then you can stop”.
Hope you find something that works!
Max looks like he’s doing a great job of snoopervising.
Lol I love that. He is totally a little snoopervisor.
I have never read Simone St. James either! I thought she might be a good one to try right now. And that is a good way to get through a slump! I am going to try that!
What a great idea to feature needlework on a gallery style wall 🙂 I looked at that Buffalo Hunter book for my BIL for his birthday, but ended up with an Alice Feeney mystery, I think… Have a great week!
Thanks Becki! I have heard really good things about the Buffalo Hunter book and I have been meaning to read that author. I’m going to pick it up from the library tomorrow, we will see if it works right now!
Your cat is so pretty! Hope you have a good week.
Thank you!!
You’ve been getting things done so a Relax Day is a good idea. I never seem to take one unless I haven’t read my book for a review the next day and then I am not really relaxing as I am under pressure to finish even if I enjoy the book. Hope you find some interesting reads at the libray.
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
I believe you don’t take one! I read your blog. Lol. You are always so busy. 🙂
I have been in a reading slump for a couple of years. I used to read three or four books at a time. Now, I’m lucky to get one done in two weeks. I’m actually rereading an Elin Hilderbrand book so I kinda know what happens but not really. We are supposed to get storms which means we won’t. I am so ready for some DIY, but time is just so short these days. I hope you all have a wonderful week.
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
I used to read a lot more too. I think it just means we are busy doing other things and that is ok. Lol. I read Elin Hilderbrand, but I think they were Christmas? They were good. And yes, that is how it is here too lately! They say rain and storms, and we don’t get anything. I hope that your week is going well!
The Smallest of Joys sounds like the perfect book to savor a little at a time. Wandering the library and letting a book choose you is one of my favorite ways to find a great read—I hope you discover something wonderful! Happy Reading!
Thanks Kat!! And it is. I checked it out from the library but it is definitely one I want to own. We wandered the library and I did bring a few home. Yesterday was super busy but today I hope to get some reading in!
Simone St. James’ books are usually good ones. Sharon Farrow’s series is good too. Hope you have a great week!
I have never read her, and I have heard such good things! I ended up checking out a different one by her. A Box Full of Darkness?
I have loved all of Simone St. James! The Buffalo Hunter Hunter was certainly different too! I don’t think you can go wrong with either!
I have a Simone St. James and the Buffalo Hunter Hunter now on my dresser. They both sound really good!
The Simplest of Joys is best savored a bit at a time. I love Max’s involvement! What a beauty!
He is such a goofball! Mouse is too but she is not as helpful with home projects.
I am really enjoying the Diane Shiffer, but like you said the my darlings or whatever do start to annoy.
I started a book today and put it away after 15 pages or so because there are animals involved and I absolutely wouldn’t be able to read something bad right now (on the other hand I was quite cool about the first body).
So now I have the choice of a German classic and … well, I can’t make up my mind.
My, Max has turned into a fabulous helper and look at that floofy tail!
I can’t read books where animals get hurt either. It is too upsetting to me. Or if I know it is coming I will just flip ahead a few pages and skip it, and then figure out what else I missed as I read. But yeah, cozy mysteries with dead people characters are no problemo. Lol.
Max is such a good boy like that. We can always count on his help. And his tail is so long too! Like abnormally long, So is Mouse’s. Everyone who meets the two of them comments on it.
It’s a great idea to read books from a series you’ve liked in the past when reading isn’t working. I remember seeing several people rave about Buffalo Hunter Hunter (I think I got that name right) but it did not look like a book for me.
I did enjoy that Berry Basket book. And then I jumped into a horror/thriller and absolutely devoured it! It was so good. A Haunting at Payne’s Hollow by Kelley Armstrong.
I had a hard time settling on a read this last week too! I finally went with a cozy mystery and I’m loving it: How to Cheat Your Own Death by Kristen Perrin. It’s book 3 and all the books have been so good! I’ve really enjoyed Simone St. James! I think The Book of Cold Cases is my favorite from her. Love how Max is “helping” with projects. My cats love to “help” too, lol! Have a wonderful week, Erin!
I will have to remember that one! Sometimes cozy mysteries do the trick for me – they are light but also have a mystery to puzzle out.
Oo I will remember that one too. I think I ended up leaving the library with A Box Full of Darkness.
And Max is such a good boy helper. LOL.
I really like Murdoch. Haven’t seen The Artful Dodger. Ha! Max has to supervise. Thanks for reminding me about the Good Book and a Cup of Tea link-up. I have one to add!
I like Murdoch too!! At first I didn’t. but now I love it. We have been alternating between the two. The Artful Dodger is really good as well.
And Max cracks me up!
I loved The Sun Down Motel on audio. I think both narrators did a fantastic job! It is certainly a contrast with The Smallest of Joys. 🙂 My husband was on call at the hospital all weekend so we were stuck staying within 30 minutes of there in case he got called in for an emergency. We’ve been so busy all summer, I’m not complaining. It was nice to have a weekend to just do whatever little projects I wanted to work on. I hope you took Sunday off for yourself too. Your cat is beautiful. Seeing him in the middle of everything made me miss my cat for a minute and she passed away in 2010. She sure knew how to insert herself into everything!
Lol I had to laugh at my books all together like that, scary books and then that one. Sometimes you just need that time to fiddle around with those little things that just escape being done. And I did end up taking a rest day on Sunday. I really needed it.
Max is hilarious. All of my cats are but he is the most likely to be up in our business when doing things. And awww. She sounds like my Max.