I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon (TSS) hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking It's Monday! What Are you Reading? hosted by Kathryn of Book Date where readers talk about what they have been, are and will be reading.
I am linking up Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently.
Spring Break is winding down for us. Mouse wanted to do an unofficial bookstore crawl during Spring Break, and so we visited several of the independent bookstores in and around town in addition to the local Barnes and Noble throughout her time off. That was a lot of fun! We also spent a couple days in San Diego just to get away. We went on a ghost tour that took us inside a few of the well known haunts in San Diego--we all enjoyed it immensely. We also spent a day at Balboa Park, visiting the botanical gardens and a couple of the museums there. No vacation is complete without a bookstore visit, and we stopped in at the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore, which my husband and daughter had to drag me out of--but not without books, of course! I think we all needed the break and a chance to recharge.
We also had the chance to tour the Davis-Horton House (below), which is said to be one of the most haunted houses in the area, particularly popular among ghost and paranormal activity hunters. Alas, there were no ghost sightings while we were there, but we enjoyed hearing about the house's history.
Outside the Davis-Horton House
Inside the Davis-Horton House
Dante, one of your tour hosts, explaining the use of an
antique picnic basket at the Davis-Horton House
On the ghost tour, we had the chance to go into the present day Horton Grand Hotel in the Gaslamp District, where two of the rooms are said to be haunted, both having been built on properties that had been a brothel run by the famous Ida Bailey and also Wyatt Earp's Seven Buckets of Blood gambling hall. And we visited the well-known haunted Whaley House in Old Town San Diego, which has quite a history. The tour ended with a visit to a seemingly small graveyard in Old Town, which turns out not to be so small--when you think of all the bodies still buried under the sidewalks and paved street.
Outside the Casa del Prado
Outside the botanical building (Balboa Park)
Lily pond outside the botanical building
California Tower of the Museum of Us
Even amidst moments of personal joy, the weight of events and news in the U.S. and around the world is always there. Americans may not feel the repercussions now, but we surely will even as some already are.
What have you been up to? I hope you are well!
At the moment, I am juggling three books. Pandora's Jar by Natalie Haynes is my latest nonfiction book (I have talked about it so much that my husband wants to read it). I am also reading A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher--I really do not like Evangeline. My current audiobook is Before I Go by Kennedy Ryan, which is the first book in the Skyland series. My diverse romance book club will be reading the second book of the series in May. While Ryan's books are part of a series, they can be read as stand alone novels (each book features a different couple), but my library had a copy so I thought I would give it a try. I am loving it to far!
What are you reading right now? Is it something you would recommend?
Where I share what everyone else in my family is reading
~ Mouse's Current Reads ~
The Language of Spells by Garret Weyr
The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 11 by Nekokurage, Natsu Hyuuga, Itsuki Nanao
Sixteen Souls (#1) by Rosie Talbot
The False Prince (Ascendance #1) by Jennifer A. Nielson
~ Anjin's Current Reads ~
Too Many Losing Heroines, Vol. 3 by Takibi Amamori, illustrated by Imigimuru (light novel)
Uncle from Another World, Vol. 11 by Hotondoshindeiru, translated by Christina Rose
Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun, Vol. 1 by Izumi Tsubaki, translated by Leighann Harvey
Mouse wanted to do our very own personal bookstore crawl during her Spring Break, and so we visited several of the new and used independent bookstores (in addition to the local Barnes and Noble). These are the books I picked up:
Oathbound (Legendborn Cycle #3) by Tracy Deonn
Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space edited by Zoraida Córdova
Tea You at the Altar (Tomes & Tea #3) by Rebecca Thorne
Translation State by Ann Leckie
Karaoke Queen by Dominic Lim
Metamorphoses by Ovid
Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth by Natalie Haynes
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Foundryside (The Founders Trilogy #3) by Robert Jackson Bennett
Greenteeth by Molly O'Neill
The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz
The Undetectables (#1) by Courtney Smyth
Have you read any of these? If so, what did you think? What new books did you add to your shelf this week?
Following in the footsteps of Deb of Readerbuzz - With all the worries and stressors in life,
I want to highlight some of the good, even the seemingly small stuff.
2. Anjin and I attended Mouse's band competition a couple of weeks ago, and her middle school band received an unanimous superior for both their band performance and their sight reading test, which is the highest rating. They truly did sound good and Mouse enjoyed the experience.
I hope you have a great week! Let me know what you have been reading!
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