Echoes Carry by Serena Agusto-Cox

the bookworm discussion, poetry , ,
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source: purchased
title: Echoes Carry
author: Serena Agusto-Cox
published: April 1, 2026
pages: 70
genre: poetry

about:

The poems and memories contained in Echoes Carry encompass generations, however this is no simple nostalgic revery. Serena Agusto-Cox writes with affection of her childhood, of Thanksgiving dinners and friendship bracelets, but she is not afraid to confront the darker side of things. We’re ushered into her grandmother’s kitchen, awash with savory aromas, but that kitchen is also “filled with secrets.” There are treasured memories, but these can be splintered, become the “scrapbooked bones of the dead.” “On paper,” Agusto-Cox reflects “we love ourselves/ friends, times together/But inside/dark shadows char the edges.”

The author calls on us to accept the flaws as parts of larger truths, to be unafraid in this quest. Agusto-Cox encourages us to let blare the freedom trumpet, like ” …fireworks exploding on the page…to save us from ourselves.”– W. Luther Jett, author of Flying to America.

my thoughts:

Echoes Carry by Serena Agusto-Cox is a collection of poems about her family and the different stages of her life. Grief, childhood memories and friendship are all woven through this collection. On reading it was easy to see these poems come straight from the heart. The ones that stood out the most for me were the ones about her grandmother.

“The trip we took together to the Azores
opened my eyes to the backbone you were
a set of vertebrae to hold a family strong”
-Pergola

Other favorites were Family History, We are all Cowards and Longing for Childhood. I recommend this collection if you enjoy poetry, especially about family. I’ve known Serena online for many years through book blogging so I was excited to read her poems and I enjoyed this collection.

“There’s a certain rhythm to everyone’s life.
The chug over the railroad ties or the thump of the road,
and it can lull the mind, cause us to sleep.”
 -Runaway Train.

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Echoes Carry is square #39 in my reading blanket. I happened to have a pretty felted Bernat yarn in the perfect color for this square.
Disclaimer: This review is my honest opinion. I did not receive any kind of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. I am under no obligation to write a positive review. I purchased my copy of Echoes Carry by Serena Agusto-Cox

Sunday Post/Mailbox Monday 7/19/2026: Updates

the bookworm discussion, plants , , ,
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The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists…


Happy Sunday, I hope this post finds you well. With the air quality warnings from the smoke coming in from the Canada wildfires and my getting sick to my stomach midweek for 2 days there hasn’t been a dull moment this past week. It’s Saturday evening as I type this and we’re still around 146 air quality index. 50 or less is good, 300 or more is hazardous. It’s affecting my throat and giving me headaches. We’ve gone from heat waves to smoky haze and downpours this weekend with flood alerts. I should not be complaining, I feel bad for Canada with all those fires and the poor wildlife too.

Otis hasn’t gone on his regular walks this past week but hopefully we can get back to walking again soon once the weather clears up.
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onto my updates…

recently on the blog:

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Meet Me at Midnight by Sophie Sullivan– This was a nice contemporary romance with an HEA but it is last in series so I wish I had read the first book before diving in.


in my mailbox:

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The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth– I grabbed a copy of this one from KU and am looking forward to reading it. I’ve read this author twice before and have enjoyed her work.

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The Spanish Daughter by Lorena Hughes– I borrowed this on audio from the library and am halfway through it so far.

plant corner:

“I did nothing but comfort my plants, till now their small green cheeks are covered with smiles.”– Emily Dickinson

I like the spring and summer since my plants grow faster during these months. These are a few of my trailing plants. One is a Philodendron Brasil and the other is a Rio. Last summer I got the Brasil first at the supermarket when I saw both of them there and chose to buy the Brasil. Then a week later on my next shopping trip I noticed the Rio was still sitting there, so I took that as a sign from the universe and brought it home with me. Here they are in the pots they came in.

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And here they are now in the white planters. These planters are meant to be hung flush against a wall so I may set them up that way soon. They are trailing so nicely it would look cool on a wall.
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That covers my updates for now. What was your week like? Enjoy the upcoming week and happy reading. 🙂

Meet Me at Midnight by Sophie Sullivan

the bookworm book reviews , , , , , , , , ,
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source: ARC from St. Martin’s Press
title: Meet Me at Midnight
author: Sophie Sullivan
published: December 8, 2026
pages: 304
genre: contemporary romance
tropes: friends to lovers, age gap (8 years), secret romance, HEA
first line: After spending too much time thinking about it, Kyra Grand concluded that there was no perfect way to quit her family.
rated: 3 1/2 out of 5
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blurb:
After an unexpected one-night-stand, two people must navigate the outcome in this sparkling rom-com from Sophie Sullivan.

This will be Kyra Grand’s year. As the clock strikes midnight and the ball drops, she resolves to finally go after what she wants. This will be the year she leaves behind the family business and makes something of her own. However, a magical one-night-stand with her brother’s best friend throws a massive wrench in her plans.

Ethan Reynolds didn’t think he was the type to settle down. Scared of jeopardizing his friendship with Kyra’s older brother, he resolves to never cross that line again. But when an unexpected consequence of their night together complicates things, Ethan and Kyra must grapple through everything standing in their way, to find love that’s waiting on the other side.

my thoughts:

Meet Me at Midnight was my first foray into author Sophie Sullivan’s work and I enjoyed it overall. This was a sweet contemporary romance with a HEA. And I did not realize until I finished the book, that this is the last in a series.

A new year is here and 25-year-old Kyra Grand is determined to leave the family business and finally pursue her dream of becoming a business owner. Her parents are not thrilled about her plans of venturing out and opening her own storefront. She works for their successful family business that sells children’s items…it reminded me of a Kids R Us type company. Her parents and siblings all work together.

Ethan Reynolds is 32 and he is the best friend of Kyra’s older brother. Ethan and Kyra wind up sleeping together on NYE. They agree it’s best to keep it as a one-night thing so Kyra can focus on her career. Ethan is a successful bar owner and is ready to settle down but he gives Kyra her space and time. Also, they don’t want to complicate anything by telling their families about what happened since their families and friends are so entwined.

A major theme in the story is following your dreams but also that while things don’t always go as planned, you can still make it work. I liked this aspect of the storyline.

So as soon as I began reading, I felt as if I was in the middle of a series. There was no real buildup to the long-standing friendship or attraction between Kyra and Ethan. There was no backstory here.

Also at times I had a hard time keeping track of the side characters. Plus I had no idea who the supporting cast of characters were as they came in and out of the storyline, yet they were fully involved with Kyra and Ethan.

Then, when I finished reading and read the author’s afterward, she mentions that this book is the end to the series! I had no idea I was reading the last book in a series. It all made sense after I realized it. I am confused as to why this book is not marketed as a last in a series? It was not offered to me for review as part of a series either.

So that means I read an entire book that was the last in a series without realizing it until the very last page.
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Having said that, I still enjoyed this one overall. I liked the romantic tension and the sparks between Kyra and Ethan as the story flowed, it gave it a Hallmark movie feel. The romance was very sweet although I did find the conflict between Kyra and her family to be a little forced. That part could have been more realistic.

You might like Meet Me at Midnight if you enjoy light contemporary romance about newly found love, family issues and friendship and don’t mind reading series books out of order. The cover is so pretty also.

Quotes from Meet Me at Midnight by Sophie Sullivan:

“If this was the year she put herself first, doing things that made her happy, Ethan Reynolds seemed like an amazing place to start. He didn’t seem to do relationships, he’d be discreet, she could trust him, and, Tessa was right; he was really yummy.”

“His words made her feel powerful. And the way he kissed her would be something she’d compare all future kisses to.”


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Meet Me at Midnight by Sophie Sullivan makes book #38 in my reading blanket.

Disclaimer: This review is my honest opinion. I did not receive any kind of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. I am under no obligation to write a positive review. I received a copy of Meet Me at Midnight by Sophie Sullivan via St. Martin’s Press for my honest thoughts.

Sunday Post/Mailbox Monday 7/12/26: Book Blanket Update etc.

the bookworm discussion, plants , , , ,
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The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists…


Happy Sunday, I hope this post finds you well. It’s been a pretty quiet week and that’s a good thing. It was my first week back to work after being away on vacation so Friday could not come fast enough.

We’ve had a break from the heatwave but alot of rain now so it’s been in the high 80’s and muggy. I still prefer the summer over the cold winter. As I type this, I have just finished re-watching an old favorite, The Lost Boys. It never gets old. And I’m currently reading Meet Me at Midnight by Sophie Sullivan and it’s good so far.

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Otis is obsessed with his walks and is never too tired for one.

onto my updates….


recently on the blog:

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My thoughts on Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid. – This was a sweet MM contemporary hockey romance.

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Top Ten Tuesday 7/7/26: Book Titles That Include the Word “Hot”

in my mailbox:

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Lacquer is a Thrilling Word by Barrie Cole via Poetic Book Tours for a September 9 review.

plant corner: storytime edition

If you visit my blog regularly you may know I collect houseplants and have around 25. I have officially decided to not buy online anymore unless it’s through big box sellers which I’ve had good experiences with.

I ordered online from 2 small business the past 6 months and have bad experiences with both. Both sellers had good reviews too. I will not mention names but….

Exhibit #1:

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The listing was for a 3″ Party Time plant and this is what I received. It’s the tiny plant on the left, basically a weed in a 2-inch nursery pot. I emailed the seller with this photo asking for a possible refund or replacement because what I received was not as pictured and the plant arrived wilted and half dead. The seller replied that “if it has roots, it will grow”. Spoiler alert. It did in fact not grow, it died a few days later.
This was from a NY based small business and I paid extra $$ for a heat pack because I ordered this early Spring and it was still chilly out. The plant on the right also arrived with this order, and it had some leaf damage but survived.


Exhibit #2:
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I ordered a Pinstripe Calathea from a California based Etsy shop. I was excited when the package arrived and the plant was as pictured and seemed to be in good shape. Until. When I looked closely I found mealybugs.

I inspect and quarantine any new plants I bring home for this exact reason. If I had put this plant next to my other plants, these bugs would have spread like wildfire. “Because an adult female can lay up to 600 eggs or produce live young in a few weeks, a single undetected bug can balloon into an infestation within a month or two.” -Google

I messaged the Etsy seller photos the same day the plant arrived and she acted surprised and thanked me for the heads up. No refund, no offer to replace the plant, nothing. This plant was clearly infested and there is no way she packaged it without knowing that. Sadly I had to throw this Calathea away. I didn’t want to risk it.

I think it’s because plants are trending that these people are getting away with selling and scamming. They are also not being inspected by the state for pests like big box sellers are. I gave them 1 star reviews and included these photos.

crochet:

Onto happier things…my reading blanket is coming along. I’m on book square #37. Yay. I haven’t sewn in my latest squares yet because I’m waiting until I have enough so that I can color coordinate the placement. I want it to be a decent size so as of now I will need 7 more book squares before it’s complete. But I swear every time I add new squares it still looks too small.

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This pic below is from May when I thought I’d need just 8 more books to finish it:
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That more than wraps up my updates for now. What have you been up to? Reading? Watching? Crafting? Enjoy your week!

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

the bookworm book reviews , , , , ,

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source: library book
title: Heated Rivalry (Game Changers #2)
author: Rachel Reid
published: March 25, 2019
pages: 372
genre: LGBTQ contemporary romance/MM contemporary
romance
heat level: spicy
first line: Shane Hollander was as close to losing it as he ever allowed himself to get.
rated: 4 out of 5
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blurb:

Nothing interferes with Shane Hollander’s game—definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate.

Pro hockey star Shane Hollander isn’t just crazy talented, he’s got a spotless reputation. Hockey is his life. Now that he’s captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won’t let anything jeopardize that, especially the sexy Russian whose hard body keeps him awake at night.

Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane’s not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he’s as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him—except Shane. They’ve made a career on their legendary rivalry, but when the skates come off, the heat between them is undeniable. When Ilya realizes he wants more than a few secret hookups, he knows he must walk away. The risk is too great.

As their attraction intensifies, they struggle to keep their relationship out of the public eye. If the truth comes out, it could ruin them both. But when their need for each other rivals their ambition on the ice, secrecy is no longer an option.

my thoughts:

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid is the second book in her Game Changers series but reads perfectly fine as a stand alone. This one is also now a show on HBO.

Heated Rivalry centers around two professional hockey players on opposing teams who are secretly hooking up then end up falling in love. Canadian Shane Hollander is the captain of the Montreal Voyageurs and Russian Ilya Rozanov is captain of the Boston Bears. The book begins in present time, then we get the flashbacks as to how their story began.

This one can classify as enemies to lovers. This was a fast read, it is very spicy. Author Rachel Reid adds depth to these characters so I appreciated that. Neither Ilya nor Shane are out of the closet so this is a big part of the storyline also as these two are sneaking around to see each other. Another aspect of the storyline is that these two are in constant competition, even in the bedroom. Hockey is woven into the storyline, but it never overpowers it.

Ilya has family issues going on with his family members wanting his money. Ilya is fun, adventurous, and confident in his bisexuality, while Shane is quieter, more anxious, and still coming to terms with being gay. I liked them both. This was my introduction into this genre and while there was alot of spice, I appreciated the emotional layers to the story. I liked that these two fall in love slowly.

The ending wraps it up nicely while still leaving room for book 6 called The Long Game featuring Ilya and Shane, so if I were to continue with this series, that’s what I would read next.

Quotes from Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid :

“I have ruined you,” Rozanov said when they broke apart. “No one else will do.”

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Rozanov gave a crooked grim and shrugged. “I like trouble.”

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“And Shane Hollander was a bad fucking idea. The worst idea. Wrong in every way imaginable. Two men. Two NHL hockey players, poised to be the two biggest stars in the league soon enough.”

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“Shane smiled shyly at him, and Ilya grinned back, and they both sat there, smiling stupidly at each other while they thought about the possibility of one day.”

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Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid makes book #37 in my reading blanket.

Disclaimer: This review is my honest opinion. I did not receive any kind of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. I am under no obligation to write a positive review. I borrowed a copy of Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid from my local library.