Are you in the summer frame of mind yet? We are… not quite there yet. Although the local schools are all out for summer, we’re solidly in the midst of June Gloom, which means it’s practically wintery over here. But I’m not complaining! As soon as the gloom burns off it’s going to get hot, so I’m happy for the marine layer to hang on as long as possible.
That said, I think we’re going to have a fun summer. The toddler has recently discovered that she loves ice cream, has just been introduced to the absolute JOY of watering the lawn (aka spraying her parents with the hose), and on the rare warm day we’ve had so far, she can spend hours playing with her water table. I can’t wait to introduce her to shaved ice, slushies, and the splash pad my mom got her.
Tell me, what’s on your summer bucket list - especially books, food, or anything that you can do with young kids!
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What I’m reading
Celestial Academy: Essence by Olivia Pharos
In the Afterworld, Wen Wight is a slave to a cruel demon, looking for a way to free herself and her best friend from their indentures. But when she discovers a way to turn the essence of angels into a potent drug, it isn’t long before she’s arrested - and sentenced to be a student at Celestial Academy, because no one’s supposed to be able to do what she does, and the angels want to figure out what she is.
What follows is a delightful story with all my favorite tropes - dark academia, mysterious magic, training to become a badass, unexpected friendships, rivals who become allies, and a deadly set of trials. The writing style could use a little refinement, but overall, I quite enjoyed this story!
This review copy of Celestial Academy: Essence was provided by Seventh Wonder Press via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Celestial Academy: Null by Olivia Pharos (Kindle Unlimited)
After really loving the first book in this series, I was extremely disappointed by how much not a fan I was of the second book. This book was all angst and very little substance. Everything I loved about the first book - the dark academia focus, the badassery of the characters, the action and suspense - just wasn’t there in book two, and then it got really weird at the end. As much as I want to know where the story goes… I likely won’t continue this series, because there are just so many other good books out there that would be more worth my while.
Magical Midlife Awakening (Leveling Up Book 10) by K.F. Breene (Kindle Unlimited)
This may just be my favorite series on Kindle Unlimited right now, I adore this story and the set of characters so much! In this book, Jessie is going home for Christmas, to see her parents and her ex and ex-in-laws. It’s supposed to be a quiet, magic-free holiday with her family, and of course turns out to be anything but.
My only (very minor!) complaint is that K.F. Breene doesn’t do any sort of recap or remind you of who all the characters are, so if you’re reading the books as they come out, things can be a little confusing if (like me) you’ve forgotten exactly who everyone is. This is the sort of series that would probably be a little better if it were read all at once, but I am not nearly that patient! Despite that, I adore this series SO much, and cannot wait for the next book.
Woven Song by Rachael Krotec
This is a story of a girl who has forgotten that she’s the Japanese goddess of the moon, the mortals she calls family, and the divine war she cannot escape.
This was an interesting book, although it wasn’t until the second half that I found myself intrigued. The writing style wasn’t my favorite - I prefer novels that build more connections between the reader and the characters, but this felt a bit distant - and while the setup portion of the book was important, it felt like it took a long time to get to the meat of the story.
However, I loved the focus on Japanese mythology, and not only did I enjoy the resolution, it was also very satisfying to find out what happened to all the characters years down the line.
This review copy of Woven Song was provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
What we’re eating
Ham sandwiches. We don’t eat sandwiches very often around here, but every now and then I get a craving. Honey roasted ham, pepperjack cheese, and bread and butter pickles, on sourdough with mayo and pesto. Yum.
Bánh bèo. I always love bánh bèo, but this is the first time I’ve tried it as takeout, and it was surprisingly not bad! It obviously would be a little better fresh, but even so, that craving was thoroughly satisfied.
Mango gelato. Lately when we go on walks, we leave the stroller at home and the toddler will walk with us - and sometimes she wants to go in a different direction than we originally planned. In this instance, she headed towards the downtown area of our neighborhood, and my husband took that as a sign that we needed to stop for gelato. And of course, I’m never going to say no to gelato!
That’s all for this week! What have you been eating and reading lately? Reply to this email or let me know in the comments - I’m always looking for food inspiration and books to add to my TBR!
Summer is only my jam because no school... The weather can only be described using words that I can't type here.
Okay, those first two books look like fun! And squeeeeeeee!!! Another Magical Midlife book! Gdad and I both enjoy those. Can't wait.
You had Gdad at ham sandwich. And me at gelato.
I hope the toddler loves shaved ice. It's the greatest thing ever.