reading – That Library Girl

Review: Old Ham by Seraphina Nova Glass

Title: Old Ham
Author: Seraphina Nova Glass
Format: eBook
Length: 195 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Publication Date: October 13, 2026

Old Ham by Seraphina Nova Glass was a quick-paced, darkly entertaining read. From the very beginning I couldn’t look away from the main character. Junie is completely unhinged and watching her justify every increasingly outrageous decision made this book impossible to put down. Her unpredictable behavior kept me constantly wondering what she would do next but also cringe at the same time. The cast of supporting characters added even more chaos to an already wild ride. You honestly didn’t know what was going to happen next throughout the entire story.

Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse, Podium Entertainment, and Seraphina Nova Glass for allowing me to read this ARC.

Can’t-Wait Wednesday – September 16, 2026

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

I requested this one on NetGalley and was approved by the publisher (HarperAudio Adult). I was in a festive mood when going on a requesting spree and this one stood out to me. They Know If You’ve Been Bad Or Good publishes later this month!

There’s no escaping the holiday spirit in this dark, forced-proximity, why choose, Christmas stalker romance, the sequel to Alta Hensley’s New York Times bestselling He Knows When You’re Awake!

Stalkin’ around the Christmas tree…

Hailey Parker thought she had outrun her past. As the assistant to a successful jewelry designer, she’s started a new life in New York City, and may even have a new boyfriend to cozy up with this holiday. Her boss’s security guard, Knox, is a man of few words, but his obvious obsession calls to the darkest parts of Hailey’s imagination.

Then, her ex-boyfriend—and ex-partner-in-crime—shows up outside Hailey’s Brooklyn apartment. Liam explains that their past has caught up with them: the mobster they robbed five years ago has tracked them down. If they hope to escape with their lives, they must return to the remote Canadian wilderness where Hailey hid the priceless stolen diamond.

But a very different fate is awaiting them in the frigid landscape. Someone else entirely is pulling the strings, an unhinged billionaire who has a dark fascination with Hailey and Liam—and with the protective, ex-military boyfriend who has tracked Hailey all the way to the Northwest Territories.

Imprisoned together in a luxurious cabin and with a lethal ticking time bomb, Hailey, Liam, and Knox have no choice but to work together to outwit their captor. As a winter storm approaches—and simmering tensions between them reach a breaking point—escape starts to seem impossible…but what if everything they need is right there in the cabin?

Tropes:

Christmas romance
Why choose
Military romance
Stalking
One last job
Forced proximity
M/M/F
Second chance romance
Only one bed

National Hispanic Heritage Month 2026

“Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.”- census.gov

These are the books I plan to read featuring authors of Hispanic heritage. I’m a mood reader so a planned out TBR is always up in the air, lol!

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile!
This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at The Book Date.

The plan is to make progress in all of these books I have already started this week. Last week was my first week back to work this school year and it really knocked me on my butt!

Falls To Pieces (an First Reads eBook I own) *I’m 25% in
The Paper Menagerie (a library book) *I’m starting this one after work today
What We Did To Survive (a library audiobook) *I’m 67% in

All of these are library books I have borrowed and plan to get to next.

The Sunday Salon / The Sunday Post #59

What is the Sunday Salon? The Sunday Salon is a place to link up and share what we have been doing during the week. It’s also a great opportunity to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. Hosted by Readerbuzz.

What is the Sunday Post? The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by 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 your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up.

The school year started back up, which means I went back to work. This is my second year with my current company but my 11th year as a lunch lady.

Today we went to church in the morning, and then I attended a baby shower for my good friends wife in the afternoon. This is their first baby and we are so excited to meet him next month!

I haven’t had a ton of energy to sit and read this week. I listened to my audiobook to and from work and I tried to get some Kindle pages in before bed… but that’s about it. Wednesday I barely had the energy to pet the dog let alone stare at words on a page. (I actually took a two hour nap on Wednesday, which I never do because it messes with my sleep at nighttime. It did not this time, lol.)

I read this book a few years back so I thought I’d watch the movie when I saw it pop up on Netflix. I liked the movie even though it was different than the book (or what I remember of the book).

This is a mini series I’ve wanted to watch since 2022, and I finally got around to it this week.

Library Book I Currently Have Checked Out

Throwback Tuesday

WWW Wednesday – September 9, 2026

Thriller Thursday: Don’t Tell Me How To Die by Marshall Karp

Friday Book Snippets

https://thatlibrarygirl27.blog/?p=4616

*subject to change

National Hispanic Heritage Month 2026
Review: Old Ham by Seraphina Nova Glass
WWW Wednesday –
Stacking The Shelves #13
The Sunday Salon / The Sunday Post #60

Saturday Series: The Farseer Trilogy

This is book 1 in The Farseer Trilogy. I got this one on PangoBooks with the money I earned from selling a few books on PangoBooks. My credit card was not charged so I am counting this as a non-spend. This was also my first purchase on the app and I couldn’t be happier with how the whole transaction went.

I’m debating on just starting this series whenever I get a chance to, or waiting until the new year and focusing my whole reading journey on just bingeing the crap out the whole series in one go.

Have you read The Farseer Trilogy?

Thriller Thursday: Don’t Tell Me How To Die by Marshall Karp

Title: Don’t Tell Me How To Die
Author: Marshall Karp
Format: eBook
Length: 385 pages
Genre: Thriller
Publication Date: March 4, 2025

I have one thing to do before I die.
And time is running out.

I had it all: a fantastic husband, two great kids, an exciting career. And then, at the age of forty-three, I found out I would be dead before my next birthday.

My mother also died young. I was seventeen, and she warned me that women would flock to my suddenly single father like stray cats to an overturned milk truck. They did. And one absolutely evil woman practically destroyed his life, mine, and my sister’s.

I am not letting that happen to my family.

I have three months, and I plan to spend every waking minute searching for the perfect woman to take my place as Alex’s wife, and mother to Kevin and Katie.

You’re probably thinking, She’ll never do it. Did I mention that in high school I was voted “Most Likely to Kill Someone to Get What She Wants”?

From thriller writer Marshall Karp (cocreator with James Patterson of the #1 New York Times bestselling NYPD Red series), and rich with Karp’s deft array of three-dimensional characters and his signature biting humor, Don’t Tell Me How to Die has so many twists and turns, you’d swear he wrote it with a corkscrew.

WWW Wednesday – September 9, 2026

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next?

I am reading an Amazon First Reads choice that I picked last year but haven’t read yet. It’s called Falls To Pieces by Douglas Corleone.

I am listening to What We Did To Survive by Megan Lally. I enjoyed another one of her books so I thought I would listen to this one, and thanks to my library it was available on Libby.

I borrowed The Cuckoo’s Calling from the library. I am making significant progress in this story, and I am enjoying both main characters. I am making this one a priority this week!

Since I last posted all of the books pictured above have been finished, and rated &/or reviewed on Storygraph.

These books are planned for me to read next, but I’m a mood reader so who knows what will happen, LOL!

Don’t forget to link up with Taking On A World Of Words to share your WWW!

Library Book I Currently Have Checked Out

My local branch of the library is quite smaller in what’s available off the shelf, but it’s interconnected all throughout my county in New Jersey so I am able to request books and have them shipped to me if need be.

I made a trip to the library the other day and now these are the library books I have in my possession.

Until August by Gabriel García Márquez. A short story by a Hispanic author #ShortStorySeptember #HispanicHeritageMonth
The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu. A collection of short stories by an author I’ve wanted to try #ShortStorySeptember
What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena. An author I’ve read before, my son thought I would enjoy this one and I borrowed it in the large print edition.
The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith. I’ve had this one for awhile now, and I am almost done with it. It’s the large print edition as well.

The Sunday Salon / The Sunday Post #58

Monday was a crappy day outside weather wise, so I ended up doing a ton of post writing and setting up things on the blog most of the day.

Tuesday my son had an interview, the dog went to the groomer and I went grocery shopping. Nothing too crazy…

Wednesday I had a work meeting to attend in the morning, and then my husband and I went out to dinner with our friends to a new local restaurant nearby. We also played duckpin bowling- so fun!

Thursday I had errands to run in this morning, followed by dropping my son off at his girlfriends house, then picking my daughter up from college for the weekend. I was in the car over six hours and drove 300 miles without leaving New Jersey! I was completely wiped out by the time I got home.

Friday my daughter and I ran her errands in the morning, and once we got home she helped me straighten up the house. We also baked a gluten free egg free cake together!

Saturday we did a whole bunch of nothing! I got a TON of reading in while sitting in the backyard enjoying the beautiful weather.

And today is church in the morning, and then cleaning out the camper before hanging out in the backyard and BBQing. The last days of summer are here and I don’t want them to end!!!

I borrowed A Study In Scarlet through Prime Reading.

I am listening to What We Did To Survive through Libby.

I have NOT had a chance to sit and physically read The Cuckoo’s Calling this past week. I am making it a priority to finish it before the weekend!!!

Short Story September #ShortStorySeptember

Final Check In: 20 Books of Summer 26 #20BOS26

Monthly Wrap Up: August 2026

Thriller Thursday: The Woman In My Home by D.L. Fisher

Library Friday: Library Card Sign-Up Month

Saturday Series: A Update On My Serie-ous Challenge Progress

Library Book I Currently Have Checked Out
Throwback Tuesday
WWW Wednesday – September 9, 2026
Thriller Thursday: Don’t Tell Me How To Die
We Will Never Forget: 9/11
Saturday Series
The Sunday Salon / The Sunday Post #59

Saturday Series: A Update On My Serie-ous Challenge Progress

I joined a series challenge I saw in a Discord group earlier this year, and wanted to update how well I am doing on with it. With this challenge you earn points for finishing series, caught up on a series, if it’s a buddy read and a few other ways throughout the year (zero points for book 1 in a series, because the point is to complete series!).

Thriller Thursday: The Woman In My Home by D.L. Fisher

Title: The Woman In My Home
Author: D.L. Fisher
Format: eBook
Length:
Genre: Thriller
Publication Date: October 15, 2026

A MESSAGE POPS UP ON MY HUSBAND’S PHONE. I READ IT, OF COURSE—WHO WOULDN’T?

I’m thirty in two weeks. I can’t wait to find out what my husband has got me.

So when his phone lights up while he’s in the bathroom, I sneak a peek. What I read takes my breath away.

Congratulations on your new home! You’ll find the key under the welcome mat.

He’s bought us our dream home. A log cabin in the mountains, by a private lake.

I have to see it! So the moment Ethan leaves for his work trip, I get in the car and drive. He’s not back until tomorrow evening. He won’t suspect a thing.

But when I pull up on the gravel driveway deep in the Poconos, Ethan’s truck is there.

And so is another woman . . .

Perfect for fans of Daniel Hurst, BA Paris, Freida McFadden, Shari Lapena and Riley Sager. BET you can’t guess the final twist—it’s going to blow your mind!

Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse for sending me an e-ARC copy. I will be reading this one later in the month, and will have a review post up on the blog mid October.

Monthly Wrap Up: August 2026

Good morning, readers! August is always a busy month for my family and I, and my reading always reflects that. I did read 9 books, but most of them were shorter in length.

My best read this month was You Killed Me First by John Marrs. I didn’t want to stop reading, all the main characters were great and I wanted to see how everything played out.

My worst read book this month was The Rich Guy’s Wife by Bonnie Traymore. The story had potential but just didn’t hit for me.

Short Story September #ShortStorySeptember

Last year, Lisa at ANZ LitLovers hosted the inaugural Short Story September. This year, Rebecca from Bookish Beck is stepping in to host on behalf of Lisa and she will have a master post on her blog from the first of the month.

These are the books I am thinking about reading in September. I’m a mood reader so it’s always up in the air!

The Sunday Salon / The Sunday Post #57

My son’s girlfriend came to stay with us for a few days. Other than that we actually had a rather lowkey week here. The weather has been beautiful and I’ve been taking advantage of my summer almost being over by sitting the backyard reading and soaking up the sunshine and fresh air! Of course it rained on Friday, booooo!!

I celebrated my birthday yesterday by being in the backyard all day, playing board games with my husband and son. Then I was in the mood for pizza from our favorite local place so my husband ran to pick it up. Then we had brownie sundaes for dessert. It was actually a perfect day!

I borrowed Sunburned by Katherine Wood from my library. It’s a NetGalley backlog book, and I am trying to keep the summer season alive, so why not listen to one last summery book! Hoping to be done with this one at the start of September.

I borrowed The Cuckoo’s Calling from the library. Not sure why I am always slow when reading physical books but it just feels like I’ve been reading this one pretty slow. I’m enjoying this story a lot and plan to make it a priority this upcoming week!

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Places I’ve Visited

WWW Wednesday – August 26, 2026

Books Acquired In August 2026

Library Stats and Savings For August 2026

Another Chapter #birthday

*subject to change

The Sunday Salon / The Sunday Post #58

Library Stats and Savings For August 2026

I absolutely LOVE using my library for all my books and audiobook needs. I do not have a lot of money to blow on a hobby, so I found a good way to support my community, my library and my reading habit! The library has a ton of resources and I always check there first for audiobooks I want to listen to or books I want to read. Libby is my friend and I have multiple library branches hooked up to my account for maximum borrowing.

I thought it’d be fun to post monthly updates about my library stats, on top of keeping up with my official challenge page.

Books Acquired In August 2026

Good morning readers! These are all of the books that I acquired/received/borrowed onto my shelves, virtual and/or physical, for the entire month of August:

I borrowed all of these from Libby.

I borrowed these large print editions from my local library.

I chose the bonus short story read on First Reads this month.

I was approved for the newest book in the Michael Bennett series!

I was also sent a hardcover copy of Delusional thanks to Little, Brown.

Acquired: 8

Total spent this month: $0.00

Total spent this year: $0.00

WWW Wednesday – August 26, 2026

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next?

I am reading a book I received for free titled The Rich’s Guy Wife. I needed a book with blood on the cover for HRCYED 3.0 and this is the first one I found on my TBR list.

I am listening to One Of The Family, a NetGalley eARC I have, since I saw my library acquired the audiobook right before publication day. I was first in line thanks to the Libby notify me tag, woohoo!

I borrowed The Cuckoo’s Calling from the library. I am making significant progress in this story, and I am enjoying both main characters.

Since I last posted all of the books pictured above have been finished, and rated &/or reviewed on Storygraph.

My daughter helped me choose these books as my next reads.

Don’t forget to link up with Taking On A World Of Words to share your WWW!

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Places I’ve Visited

I have been to Key West, where Hemingway lived. The house is available to visit via a tour, and our tour guide had such interesting facts to share with us! Highly recommended if you visit the area.

Speaking of Key West, I have been to Judy Blume’s bookstore. Judy Blume is a co-founder and co-owner of Books & Books @ The Studios of Key West, a local nonprofit independent bookstore located inside The Studios of Key West cultural center.

And a litttttttttttle bit of a stretch, but I visited Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach in Vik, Iceland. In Season 7 (Episodes 5 and 6) of Game of Thrones, this dramatic coastal location served as Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, the remote castle on the eastern end of the Wall. P.S. You can’t tell in the photo but it was absolutely pouring when we were there! We took some photos quickly and enjoyed the views from the parking lot lol.

The Sunday Salon / The Sunday Post #56

I spent all week getting everything set and ready for my daughter going back to college. Yesterday we dropped her off at her dorm and helped her set up the place. I pray she has a great school year!

If you know Delaney you know if she’s not out living life, she’s in bed reaxing!

The kids and I made a spur of the moment trip to the boardwalk on Wednesday night, just to get out and get some fresh air and sunshine. We love spending time at OCNJ!

I randomly started The Last Morning on my Kindle (a First Reads backlog). I forgot what the premise of the book is so I am flying blind.

I am halfway through One Of The Family. Should be done with this one early in the week.

I borrowed The Cuckoo’s Calling from the library. I made some progress this past week, but not too much, since I’ve been so busy. I’m enjoying this story a lot and hope to have more time this upcoming week to put a big dent in this one.

Spotlight: Delusional by James Patterson and James O. Born

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Series I Want to Catch Up On

Can’t-Wait Wednesday – August 19, 2026

Review: Hunting Fiends For The Ill-Equipped by Annette Marie

Birthstone Book Covers – August Edition

*subject to change

WWW Wednesday – August 26, 2026
Final Check In: 20 Books of Summer 26 #20BOS26
My Birthday
The Sunday Salon / The Sunday Post #57