Another weekend is almost upon us and it’s before one of the busiest weeks of my year. A week from Monday, my baby girl turn two! We won’t go into how I’m completely floored that it’s been two years since she crashed into our lives or just how much reading has been done just for her in those two years.

In the next week and a half, I have to clean my whole house for the family who is visiting. I then have to make sure we have all the decorations and activities for her party next weekend. I then have to finalize the menu and create a schedule for making everything. And then in all of my wisdom, I decided to make her birthday dress. So far, I have bought the material. To say, I am in over my head is putting it lightly.

So this probably means I will read less next week, right? Hahaha. My priorities are always in the right place, so reading will always come before personal responsibilities.

Now let’s get onto the good reads…

Reading Social Media News

I have a lot to do, so I always have my eye on how AI can make my life easier. So I was all in on PR Daily’s obstacle course for AI tools. I already used ChatGPT to give me germs of ideas for blog posts, so I was excited to see that it was seemingly the best tool for that. I might need to experiment more now.

For anyone who is marketing on TikTok, you have to keep your eye on what is going on with the sell-off. As of right now, TikTok is fighting it. Will they be able to stop it? Will TikTok change owners? The future of the platform has a big question mark on it, so we will just have to wait to find out.

Reading Books, Books and More Books

Past

I am so happy Table for Two by Amor Towles came into my life. It was the perfect book at the perfect time fully of little glimpses of emotion followed by a novella about a rag tag group drawn together by a woman who just appears in Hollywood. It was a huge reminder of why I adore reading Towles. His mastery of emotion just makes me want to write more. I want to have this ability to make people feel something so deeply. My favorite story was about two men who meet when their respective flights are canceled. What follows becomes such a huge, unexpected declaration of love. I want to relive reading it for the first time. Anyway, it should go without saying… Score: A

Present

I said last week how I was so excited to break into Godwin by Joseph O’Neill. We’re still early, but that excitement hasn’t worn off. Because I read such a good book before this, I have had concerns. Could the writing live up to my previous book? Would I be as invested? So far, the answer is yes and yes. I’m locked in. Let’s hope it stays that way.

Future

Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman is another book that fell into my lap because I was searching the must-read books of the year. This is always a crapshoot. I’ve read some amazing books this way, but I have also read some really mediocre books this way as well. But it has been the most fruitful way for me to find books aside from reading recommendations from friends. I don’t have many recommendations from friends lately, so I am back to these lists. The book and the author are both mysteries to me, so I can’t wait to be surprised. Let’s hope it’s a good surprise.

So what are you reading? What books are you looking forward to?