Welcome to The Weekend Post #179! The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted atĀ Caffeinated Reviewer. Itās 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:Ā Sunday Post Meme. I will also be joining Deb atĀ ReaderbuzzĀ for the Sunday Salon and Marlene ofĀ Reading RealityĀ in her meme Stacking The Shelves.
My Week:
My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by Hurricane Melissa, especially those still waiting to hear from loved ones. š
I write my weekend post on Friday mornings but I hope you all had a fun but safe Halloween! I love seeing the little ones out trick-or-treating, but I could do without the never-ending fireworks (they started two weeks ago for Diwali) that carry on well past midnight. Iām a light sleeper, so it doesnāt take much to keep me awake. Fireworks are technically banned in our city without a permit, yet the problem seems to persist every year.
Itās been a rainy and sometimes windy week here, though we were lucky to have a couple of dry, sunny days that were very much appreciated. The mature maple trees lining our street are shedding their leaves quickly now. When I look out my window, I see a breathtaking mix of red, orange, and yellow ā natureās own masterpiece.
This week has been a busy one, filled with appointments for both my mom and me. Iāve also spent several hours on the phone with different agencies as we continue working through the changes that follow my dadās passing. On a brighter note, I discovered a handy new iOS 26 feature for my iPhone called āHold Assist.ā It listens for hold music and alerts me when an actual person joins the call ā no more listening to endless loops of elevator music! After waiting two hours on hold, I canāt tell you how much I appreciated that feature.
Books Iāve Added to My Shelves This Week:
From Publishers, Netgalley, & Libro.fm: None that I have accepted. I have no audiobooks pending approval.
From The Library:
Longtime friends Amy, Frankie, Rachael, and Nina reunite for their cherished holiday tradition, only to find themselves on an unexpected adventure when Salvation Army buckets start disappearing around town. Determined to help, they team up with Annie and Myra, whose shipment of toys bound for a New York City charity event has also been stolen. Realizing the crimes are connected, the two groups join forces on a whirlwind chase through the city, vowing to stop the thieves, protect the spirit of giving, and create a Christmas filled with justice, laughter, and unforgettable memories.
FromĀ Audible:
Evelyn Schwartz has her dream job producing a live televised musical of A Christmas Carol during Hanukkah, but when a set accident triggers one of her chronic migraines, sheās stunned to find her ex-husband, David Adler, working as the studio doctor. Two years after their divorce, Evelyn is still a driven workaholic, and David still sees the woman he once lovedāespecially when āghostsā from her past heartbreaks appear, pulling him back into her orbit. As the pressure of the production builds and old wounds resurface, their undeniable chemistry sparks again, forcing them to confront whether they can rewrite their history. It may take a Hanukkah miracle for Evelyn and David to turn their ghosts of the past into a future together.
What Iām Watching:
Weāve been watching the World Series and cheering on Canadaās Blue Jays (sorry Toronto you have to share š¤£). Iām writing this Friday morning so weāll be watching Game 6 with great interest as we give out the Halloween candy. Go āJays!
On The Blog This Week:
Book Review: Christmas Fling by Lindsey Kelk ā A Funny and Festive Holiday Romance
Canāt Wait Wednesday #162: Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston
Karen Kingsburyās The Christmas Ring Review ā A Heartfelt Tale of Hope and Second Chances
This Post: The Weekend Post #179
Next Week On That Happy Reader:
Book Review: A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan
Canāt Wait Wednesday #163
The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah by Jean Meltzer
Celebrity Book Club Picks for November 2025
The Weekend Post #180
Thatās a wrap on The Weekend Post #179. How was your week?
I wish you a wonderful week ahead!
Jonetta | Blue Mood CafƩ
Happy reading, Jodieš Iāll have to check out that Hold Assist featureš
thathappyreader
Let me know what you think Jonetta!
Lux
I feel like our country and the rest of the world are hit by tragedy after tragedy. Prayers to everyone affected by the hurricane. Sounds like a busy week for you. Do you have more holiday book recs?
thathappyreader
Check out my Christmas 2025 Reading Challenge post (link in sidebar) for more holiday book recommendations!
Nancy Andres
You sure have the holiday spirit early. I’m trying not to hurry the season and I read Plant You, a cookbook review to get ideas for Thanksgiving here in the U.S. Visiting you from Sunday Salon and wish you a lovely weekend.
thathappyreader
Welcome to That Happy Reader Nancy. I hope you have a lovely weekend too.
Michelle@Because Reading
I understand the waiting and getting stuff organized, I am sorry for your loss. I don’t know why they need to make things so difficult when trying to settle stuff. I just went thought that. I am glad we had no fireworks but we did get a ton of kids.
Have a great week, Jodie! Happy Reading!
thathappyreader
Thank you Michelle!
Becki
Sounds like you’ve already gotten into some fun holiday reads š Thanks for sharing!
thathappyreader
Thanks for reading Becki.
Harvee
We were heartbroken by the devastation in Jamaica from Melissa. I watched the weather channel for days and read comments and watched reels from the island on social media. So glad there is aid flowing in from all parts, tho it will take a while to reach all areas of the island.
thathappyreader
I feel the same way Harvee. We need to do whatever we can.
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature)
Our fall colors took a while to get here with the warmer than normal weather. But we are finally getting some pretty views, even as the leaves are starting to fall. I’m going to have to look up that iPhone thing, that’s awesome! I watched some streaming video of when the hurricane was just starting to hit land. Hoping they can get rebuilt and that the lives lost are as few as possible. You got some good books I’ll be eager to see your reviews on. Have a great week!
thathappyreader
Thanks Lisa!
Shelleyrae @ Bookād Out
I havenāt had occasion to use Hold Assisted yet but I will do. I hope your Jays played well.
Wishing you a happy reading week
thathappyreader
Thank you. Unfortunately they suffered a heartbreaking loss.
Sarah
I feel your pain regarding the fireworks situation – it’s like World War III around here from Halloween onwards until well after Bonfire Night!! And last week when it all started, Amari was quite jumpy with all the bangs going on outside. I’ll look to see if the Hold Assist app is available here in the UK – the dr’s surgery has terrible music as it’s distorted and I’m sick of listening to it! I hope the coming week is a good one for you, Jodie.
thathappyreader
Thanks Sarah. The Hold Assist is not an app itās included with iphoneās ios26.
Cindy's Book Corner
I have two more ARCs to finish (fiction anyway), and then I can go back to reading whatever I want š So that means, even though I already have 7 books out from the library, I totally should start reserving some more š Have a great weekend!
thathappyreader
You sound like me Cindy!
Deb Nance at Readerbuzz
The Blue Jays had a great year even though they did not ultimately triumph. Thank you for sharing that app with us. I can see that would be helpful for many people!
thathappyreader
Thank you Deb. Hopefully we do it next year.
Anne - Books of My Heart
Hold Assist sounds amazing. Glad you could get some things handled this week. Happy reading!
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
thathappyreader
Thanks Anne.
Her Digital Coffee
That sounds like such a cool feature! I’m also interested in the Call Screening feature, which would help with spam calls. I hope you have a great week Jodie!
thathappyreader
I love that one too! It works like a charm.
hena
Ah.. that’s the random fireworks I was hearing last week. We do have a large Hindu population. I too am a light sleeper.. thankfully none of them were too close to my house.
thathappyreader
Thanks for reading Hena.
Carla@CarlaLovesToRead
Too bad about the Jays, Jodie. I am still very proud but would have loved it if they had won. I have the Jean Metzer book to listen to, but probably not until I get home. It’s hard to listen with my sister here. Have a great week, Jodie.
thathappyreader
It was such a heartbreaking loss Carla.