Happy Monday, Friends!

There was snow on the ground this morning. It’s April... and there was snow on the ground this morning. We've had flood warnings, tornado warnings, and snow all in the last week. Gotta love spring in Ohio. I am so ready for warm weather to get here and actually stay.

Today at the theatre, we had a School Matinee—which is an educational performance where we bus in hundreds (sometimes thousands) of elementary students. I’ve been the one organizing these for the past few years (and every time I try to pass it on to someone else, it somehow finds its way right back to me). These days are long and tiring, and hopefully... fingers crossed... this was the last one I’ll be in charge of.

I also have a new review posted on the blog for Jennette McCurdy’s I'm Glad My Mom Died. I don’t feel super qualified to review nonfiction since I rarely read it, but I gave it my best shot—and it’s posted for you now!

Review Here

Remember how excited I was for Abby Jimenez’s new book last week? Well... I’ve now seen so many people who didn’t love it or have given it pretty lukewarm reviews, and I’m nervous! I’m trying not to let the early reactions sway me and still plan to start it this week. I’ve loved her other books, so I’m hopeful I’ll still enjoy this one. But hey—not every book is for every person, and that’s part of the joy of reading.

There are no book releases on my radar this week. I even double-checked and didn’t see any familiar authors listed. If I’m missing one I should be excited about—please let me know!

The Good Stuff

Here's what I've been reading...

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins | FINISHED

This was a joy—and it also made me cry. I don’t want to give any spoilers, because I know this is a world so many people love and are excited to jump back into. But I’ll just say: it beautifully connects the dots and ties together the stories we already know and love.

It gave me more insight and backstory about characters I never thought I’d read about again—and it even answered questions I didn’t realize I had.

I would 100% recommend this if you’ve read and enjoyed the other Hunger Games books. I’m hoping to have a full review posted next week!

Bet On It by Jodie Slaughter | IN PROGRESS

I chose to read this one because it's been sitting on NetGalley, waiting for a review, for actual years.

It’s okay so far—I’m a little over halfway through. There are several quirky and fun side characters, and I love the aspect of a younger woman playing bingo with a group of older ladies. It’s very fun, and I think we’ve all heard stories about how intense bingo halls and bingo ladies can be.

That said, I’m struggling a little to feel fully connected to the characters. The pacing of the relationship feels a bit rushed to me, and I’m honestly not sure I like the main male character. There’s just something about him I can’t quite get behind. There have been moments where I’ve literally said to myself, “Wow, I really don’t like him.”

I think I’ll be finishing this today or tomorrow, so I’m hoping to have a review up in the next few weeks. We’ll see how things go from here!

Wrap Up On TikTok

What I'm Doing...Playing Sister Robert Anne in Nunsense II: The Second Coming

It is officially show week—tech starts tonight! We are so ready to get some butts in the seats.

This is such a fun show, but there’s no fourth wall—we’re talking to and interacting with the audience the entire time. That makes rehearsing without a real audience a little tough, so we’re beyond excited to finally have people in front of us.

We had bits and pieces of the set last weekend, but I cannot wait to see it fully complete and in action tonight. Everything is coming together, and we are just so, so ready to get this damn show on the stage.

Wish us luck! And if you're local—come see us, you’re in for a good time!

What I'm Making...A Wicked Inspired Cardigan

I’m working on my Wicked-inspired cardigan—half greens, half pinks—and I’m already obsessed! The colors are so vibrant and look amazing together.

The process feels a lot easier this time around now that I’ve made one sweater already. And since this one doesn’t involve granny squares, the construction is definitely going to be quicker and simpler.

I’ve shown a few people progress pics and everyone seems to love it so far, which makes me even more excited to keep going. Honestly, if I really buckle down at home—and maybe even take it to rehearsals or work on it before the show and during intermission—I think I could have it finished so soon.

I’m so glad I chose this as my next project. It’s exactly the creative pick-me-up I needed!

Thanks for hanging out with me this week—whether you're here for the books, the yarn, or the chaos, I’m so glad you’re part of this little corner of the internet.