Building the Book Pile #531

​

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hi everyone ~ Happy Sunday. 

I hope that the autumn/ fall/ spooky vibes are bringing you to a happy place.

I put up some outdoor Halloween décor and am working on my indoor stuff. Which just really supplements the normal vibe here in the household. 

The trees of NH are changing and beautiful. We took a road trip to Maine with a friend and it was lovely ... then the rain came in. If you are on the East Coast hopefully the Nor'easter isn't giving you too much trouble.

It is rainy today, but we have to run normal errands and will probably head to the local pizza place for lunch and some football. 

The past week wasn't as busy which was very nice. The normal grind isn't so bad, but I have still been busy.

How was your week?

• Currently watching: Watched the Baku F1 race, partner finished Widow's Bay.
• Currently reading: The Wretched Divine by Adalyn Grace
• Playing: Strange Horticulture for a 2nd time, but not much this week.

Linking up with Caffeinated Book Reviewer Sunday Post 

xo steph

Coming up on the Blog

Rainbow Boys Anniversary Edition: Queer YA Then and Now - From Visibility to Possibility

Recent Reads: Castle Swimmer#2 by Wendy Martin

Recent Reads: Love Between the Lectures by Christie Curry

Monthly Re-Cap: September 2026

Books Received Recently...  

For Review From Publishers

  

The Beautiful Heir by Vanessa Montalban

The Christmas Crime! by Anouk Flippini

Better Than You by Emma Harrison

Reviews and Such

Halloween Round Up #1 With Penguin Young Readers

Recent Reads: Cards on the Table by Lana Harper and Lilly Gagnon- DNF

Donating Caffeine is greatly appreciated ... Donate on Ko-fi

What have you been reading?  How was your week? Feel free to leave a comment!

Happy Reading! 

Building the Book Pile #530

​

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hi everyone ~ Happy Sunday. 

Happy Sunday evening. I hope that you had a great week. Here in NH it is starting to cool down more and more and today was a chill rainy fall vibe which was so nice!

Not writing much today - too tired to remember. It was another week of late nights last week and I am just trying to stay afloat. 

How was your week?

• Currently watching: Shrinked on AppleTV
• Currently reading: Cards on the Table by Lana Harper & Jilly Gagnon (reading is slow these days)
• Playing: Strange Horticulture for a 2nd time.

Linking up with Caffeinated Book Reviewer Sunday Post 

xo steph

Coming up on the Blog

Halloween Round Up #1 With Penguin Young Readers

Recent Reads: Cards on the Table by Lana Harper and Lilly Gagnon

Books Received Recently...  

For Review From Publishers

  

Goblin Market by AJ Hackwith

Copperstitched: A Novel by Kalie Reid

Reviews and Such

Early Reader Review: The Faraway Forest: Hester’s Big Dream by Debbie Fong (MG, GN) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Recent Reads: Pole Position by Rebecca Caffery (Adult) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Recent Reads: Castle Swimmer Volume 1 by Wendy Martin (YA, GN) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Donating Caffeine is greatly appreciated ... Donate on Ko-fi

What have you been reading?  How was your week? Feel free to leave a comment!

Happy Reading! 

Building the Book Pile #529

​

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hi everyone ~ Happy Sunday. 

It was a long week of working late...even though it was a short week with the Labor Day holiday. I worked for ~12 hours each day for three days. This is normal and only for a few weeks, but I am so tired already. I help bring companies to campus to meet with students so I am there hosting events until the late evening most nights in September. It is fun but a lot of mental energy.

So, this weekend was all about recouping. Yesterday I just hung out at home, read a book, cleaned up a little, and got a nap in with the dogs. Today, it rained this morning so we stayed in and I was able to watch F1 almost live. My TV did something weird though - it dimmed like it wanted to go to sleep while we were watching. It is about 10 years old so I wouldn't be surprised if we need to finally replace it. I have also been spending today writing some reviews to preload some things since I have been so busy. 

I haven't been reading much in the evenings but I got some reading in over this weekend and hope to move faster through some books this week. Lots of Graphic Novels in the line up. My TBR looks insane at the moment though.

How was your week?

• Currently watching: Lanterns on HBO, already watched the Madring F1 race today
• Currently reading: Cards on the Table by Lana Harper & Jilly Gagnon & Castle Swimmer by Wendy Martin
• Playing: Nothing at the moment

Linking up with Caffeinated Book Reviewer Sunday Post 

xo steph

Coming up on the Blog

Early Reader Review: The Faraway Forest: Hester’s Big Dream by Debbie Fong (MG, GN)

Recent Reads: Castle Swimmer Volume 1 by Wendy Martin (YA, GN)

Recent Reads: Pole Position by Rebecca Caffery (Adult)

Books Received Recently...  

For Review From Publishers

Crash Course by Piper Lawson

Castle Swimmer by Wendy Martin #1

Castle Swimmer by Wendy Martin #2

Castle Swimmer by Wendy Martin #3

Castle Swimmer by Wendy Martin #4

Crown & Captive by Kathleen Kitt

Reviews and Such

Early Reader Review: Fire Power by Mir Benitz (Adult) - ⭐⭐⭐

Early Reader Review: The Night by Mariachiara Di Giorgioc (Youth) -⭐⭐⭐

Recent Reads: Hellbound by Stephanie Binx (Adult) -⭐⭐⭐⭐

Donating Caffeine is greatly appreciated ... Donate on Ko-fi

What have you been reading?  How was your week? Feel free to leave a comment!

Happy Reading! 

Building the Book Pile #528

​

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hi everyone ~ Happy Sunday. Happy September!

On Monday of last week, I went to Boston for the day - We stopped for lunch and I got amazing coconut chicken tenders that lasted me about 3 days of lunches because there were so many. We stopped by Lovestruck Books in Cambridge and I grabbed a few F1 Romances 💕😍

And ...then we went to the Red Sox v. Mariners game for Heated Rivalry night! 🧢⚾ It was PACKED, we got there right at 4 when gates opened for the event and got our jerseys - you had a chance to get either Rozanov or Hollander. 

The whole ballpark wasn't open until 5:15... and it was so busy in the area they set up for us. 

Décor was cute, but it was hard to hear and so we just kinda found a spot and hunkered down with hot dogs.  

I love baseball. The game was amazing. Since we had to drive home though, we only stayed til the 6th inning. Beautiful night. 

The rest of the week was a whirlwind of work meetings and talking to students. I worked from home Thursday and Friday though so that was nice. On Friday night, I tried D&D with some friends for the first time and had a blast. It is monthly, so we will see if I can keep up with it. 

How was your week?

• Currently watching: Lanterns on HBO, F1 is in Italy today. 
• Currently reading: Monsieur Pain by Roberto Bolano & Cards on the Table by Lana Harper & Jilly Gagnon
• Playing: Strange Antiquities on PC - I will probably finish today

Linking up with Caffeinated Book Reviewer Sunday Post 

xo steph

Coming up on the Blog

Early Reader Review: Fire Power by Mir Benitz (Adult)

Early Reader Review: The Night by Mariachiara Di Giorgioc (Youth)

Recent Reads: Hellbound by Stephanie Binx (Adult)

Books Received Recently...  

For Review From Publishers

The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance by Chiara Bullen

Night of Madness by Ryan Douglass

Rainbow Boys [25th Anniversary] by Alex Sanchez

Bought

Hearts Unchained by AG Starling

Full Throttle by JK MacLaren

Pole Position by Rebecca Caffery

Reviews and Such

Early Reader Review: A Trophy for the Jackal by Jule Wellerdiek (Youth) -⭐⭐⭐

Early Reader Review: Good Night, Break a Leg: Life with Broadway Dads by Bret Shuford (Youth) -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Recent Reads: When the Witch Wrote Back by Nathan Christopher (Youth) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Monthly Re-Cap August

Donating Caffeine is greatly appreciated ... Donate on Ko-fi

What have you been reading?  How was your week? Feel free to leave a comment!

Happy Reading! 

Building the Book Pile #527

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hi everyone ~ Happy Sunday.

It was another long work week, but I got lots done and met with lots of students about their recruiting plans. The new class is always so fun to be around, they are so enthusiastic and happy to be there and meet to chat. Recruiting season, i.e. companies coming to campus, starts on the 8th, so only a week away. 

Over the course of the week, I have read a little, I am almost done with Hellbound and I read a bunch of kids books from Penguin for some Halloween showcases that I will be posting soon. I love me some spooky season 🎃👻. 
I have also been working on a cross stitch bookmark - taking my time, but I think it is coming out well for my first attempt. 

I also downloaded Strange Antiquities for my PC. I played Strange Horticulture on my Switch and really enjoyed it. I got a bundle so I have both on my PC now and I might do a replay of SH. They are moody-vibe, puzzle games. People come in asking for things an you have to figure out what to give them. There are also little clues you pick up to get more items/ find new information as well. There is always a weird spooky thing happening in the town that all the villagers talk to you about. I like it.

That's all from me this week. Tomorrow I am headed to Boston for the Red Sox v. Mariners game and it is Heated Rivalry night! 🧢⚾ I will grab some pics to share next week (hopefully).

How was your week?

• Currently watching: Shrinked on AppleTV, Lanterns on HBO
• Still...Currently reading: Hellbound by Stephanie Binh & Monsieur Pain by Roberto Bolano - hoping to finish both today
• Currently listening to: Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro (I took a break so TBD when I re-up)
• Playing: Strange Antiquities on PC

Linking up with Caffeinated Book Reviewer Sunday Post 

xo steph

Coming up on the Blog

Monthly Re-Cap August

Early Reader Review: A Trophy for the Jackal by Jule Wellerdiek (Youth)

Early Reader Review: Good Night, Break a Leg: Life with Broadway Dads by Bret Shuford (Youth)

Recent Reads: When the Witch Wrote Back by Nathan Christopher (Youth)

Books Received Recently...  

For Review From Publishers

Crash into You by Simone Soltani

The Adventures of Tubby Nugget: Big Robot Invasion #2  by Jenine Pastores and Josh Jackson

Bought

Curses, Keys, and Secret Societies by Breanne Randall

Ravenous by Kresley Cole 

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Reviews and Such

Recent Reads: Vows of Betrayal by Jessa York (Adult) - ⭐⭐

Back to School Round-Up with Penguin Young Readers (Youth) w/ reviews for: Forty the Fortune Teller by Drew Daywalt -⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Crayons' Book of Manners by Drew Daywalt - ⭐⭐⭐

Pencil & Eraser: New Friends Rule by Jenny Alvarado -⭐⭐⭐⭐

Donating Caffeine is greatly appreciated ... Donate on Ko-fi

What have you been reading?  How was your week? Feel free to leave a comment!

Happy Reading! 

Building the Book Pile #526

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hi everyone ~ Happy Sunday.

The week was pretty boring - lots of work, lots of meetings, and I am tired. Some of the students are already getting sick - so I am really trying not to catch anything so early in the school year. 

In my spare time, I finished Alchemised and have started a few other books. I am working on a cross stitch pattern that will be a witchy bookmark and I hung out  with some friends and we had pizza on Saturday night. 

How was your week?

• Currently watching: F1 is BACK! after summer break
• Still...Currently reading: Hellbound by Stephanie Binh & Monsieur Pain by Roberto Bolano
• Currently listening to: Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro (I took a break)

Linking up with Caffeinated Book Reviewer Sunday Post 

xo steph

Coming up on the Blog

Recent Reads: Vows of Betrayal by Jessa York (Adult)

Back to School Round-Up with Penguin Young Readers (Youth)

Books Received Recently...  

For Review From Publishers 

Tree Daddy by Molly Harper

Amazon First Reads

The Getaway by Kieran Scott

The Spider Silk Scarf: A Short Story by Ana Reyes 

From the Author

The Directive Detectives: The Freedom Trail Directive: File 001 by G. Savo

Time Lines by Giulio Antonio Savo

Sisters of Twelve by Giulio Antonio Savo

Reviews and Such

Recent Reads:  For the Love of the Quest: A Novel by Alexandra Ammon Parthun (Adult) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Recent Reads: Whale, That Was Unexpected by Casey Lyall (Youth) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Donating Caffeine is greatly appreciated ... Donate on Ko-fi

What have you been reading?  How was your week? Feel free to leave a comment!

Happy Reading!