The Weekend Post #139: Weekly Highlights & More!

Welcome to The Weekend Post #139! The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme. I will also be joining Deb at Readerbuzz for the Sunday Salon and Marlene of Reading Reality in her meme Stacking The Shelves.

My Week:

It’s been a relatively quiet week. I set up the new printer we bought for my mom’s birthday on Monday, only to realize later that it’s just a printer and doesn’t copy or scan. I ended up returning it and purchasing a model with those features, which I’ll set up over the weekend. Aside from some lab work and a pedicure appointment, it’s been a low-key few days.

The weather, however, has been lovely this week, with plenty of sunshine. Overnight temperatures are hovering at or just below freezing – the usual trade-off for clear skies, but one I’ll happily take. January is flying by, and soon we’ll start noticing the days growing longer again.

Do you remember the waxed amaryllis I started growing on November 11 that I spoke of in The Weekend Post that week? The goal was to have it blooming for Christmas. I’ve started many amaryllis on this date that required planting and they’ve always bloomed in time for the holidays. Well it started blooming this week – a full two months after taking it from its cold storage. It has two blooms now with a third one coming. The stalk is much shorter than most – about 12 inches. There is also a second flower stalk coming. Would I grow one again? Yes but I would start it as soon as it arrives in mid-October. Here’s what it currently looks like:

Books I’ve Added to My Shelves This Week:

From Publishers, Netgalley, Edelweiss+ & Libro.fm: None. I have five outstanding requests.

From The Library: None

From Audible:

More or Less Maddy is a powerful novel about Maddy Banks, a young woman whose life is upended when she’s diagnosed with bipolar disorder during her freshman year at NYU. Struggling with family expectations, a recent breakup, and academic pressures, Maddy experiences a devastating low followed by a manic high that leads to her diagnosis. As she navigates the impact of bipolar disorder on her identity, relationships, and dreams, she ultimately rejects the confines of a “normal” life in favour of pursuing stand-up comedy. With deep empathy and insight, Lisa Genova delivers a moving story that humanises complex mental health challenges.

In this poignant and uplifting novel, Sophie and Tom, who first fell in love during a magical student trip to Paris, vowed to return every summer to their special place on the Pont du Carrousel. But five years after a life-altering event tore them apart, Sophie travels to Paris alone to meet Tom at midnight, carrying a revelation that will change everything. A story of love, loss, and second chances, this emotional tale is perfect for fans of David Nicholls, Kristin Hannah, and The Notebook.

What I’m Watching:

I’m looking forward to watching A Real Pain on Disney + this weekend. It’s the story of estranged cousins who reunite for a journey through Poland to honour their beloved grandmother, but as they retrace their family’s history, long-standing tensions resurface. It stars Jesse Eisenberg (who also directed and wrote the screenplay) and Kieran Culkin. Here’s the trailer:

On The Blog This Week:

Must Read Women’s Fiction Publishing in Winter 2025

Book Review: Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

Can’t Wait Wednesday #121: The Love Haters by Katherine Center

Book Review: The Favorites by Layne Fargo

Who Wears it Better in January 2025?

This Post: The Weekend Post #139

Next Week On That Happy Reader:

Must Read General Fiction Publishing in Winter 2025

Book Review: If The Ring Fits by Camilla Isley

Can’t Wait Wednesday #122

Book Review: Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams

Book to Screen Adaptations for January 2025

The Weekend Post #140

---

That’s a wrap on The Weekend Post #139. How was your week? 

I wish you a wonderful holiday week ahead!