The Sunday Salon and New Books and Old Posts with a nod to 17 years of Blogging on Chick with Books!

Welcome to The Sunday Salon! It's the place where Book Bloggers from around the world share their bookish finds with one another in a virtual place called The Sunday Salon. Thank you to for Deb at ReaderBuzz keeping us all together on Sundays and hosting The Sunday Salon now! I also visited with Kim at The Caffeinated Reader, another Sunday gathering place for us bookish people called The Sunday Post!

It's been a busy week on the blog. February 18th was my 17 year anniversary for Chick with Books and I decided to look back a little this week on some of the fun posts I had written way back when. I finished a great YA Fantasy/Romance book that I'll be sharing today and I got some great eBooks from publishers this week. I feel a bit scatter brain right now. Where to start? Well, let's talk about the books I bought for my TBR pile this week...

And Now, Back To You by B.K. Borison... "Two competing meteorologists are forced to find common ground in this opposites attract, When Harry Met Sally inspired romance, from #1 New York Times bestselling author B.K. Borison.

Jackson Clark and Delilah Stewart have had their fair share of run-ins over the years, often ending in disaster. While Jackson thrives on routine and organization from the comfort of his radio booth, Delilah loves the spontaneity and adventure out in the field. When they’re partnered against their will to cover a historic snowstorm, they find themselves scrambling to figure out how to work together.

Eager to be taken seriously as a journalist, Delilah offers Jackson a deal: If he can help her ace this assignment, she’ll help him rediscover his long-lost fun side. With unexplored chemistry burning beneath their clashes, the unlikely partnership quickly tumbles into an easy and surprising friendship.

But when other feelings start to enter the equation, can Jackson and Delilah withstand the storm? Or does what happens in the mountains stay in the mountains?"

I bought this book this week because it is the March 2026 Indie Next Pick. Are you familiar with the Indie Next Pick? Each month independent booksellers choose 25 upcoming book releases they are excited about. From that list the #1 pick of the month is chosen. I always look to see what's on the list and always make a mental note of what the #1 pick was. I was a bit surprised at And Now, Back To You being the #1 pick. I just thought it was basically a light rom-com, not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just I usually see more literary fiction as #1 picks. This book looked like so much fun... and after cracking the spine, it is perfect! After reading some more heavier books this week, I wanted fun and I started it right out of the mailbox and am really enjoying it. Bright, fun, well written. Recently published this February 24th by Berkley Publishing, you can pick up a copy at your favorite bookstore now. And I would definitely put this on your TBR list.

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Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir... "Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.

Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.

Or does he?

An irresistible interstellar adventure as only Andy Weir could deliver, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian—while taking us to places it never dreamed of going.

In anticipation of the movie coming out the end of this month, I thought I would read the book first. Andy Weir seems to be the king of desolate space movies and I'm hoping it will be as good as all the buzz behind it! Did you read or watch The Martian? I did enjoy that movie. Published by Ballantine Books way back in May of 2021, you can pick up a copy with either the movie cover with Ryan Gosling or the original cover. Personally I HATE movie covers, but Ryan Gosling is kinda cute.

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The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins and Sawyer Robbins... "A Life-Changing Tool Millions of People Can’t Stop Talking About. What if the key to happiness, success, and love was as simple as two words? If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated with where you are, the problem isn't you. The problem is the power you give to other people. Two simple words—Let Them—will set you free. Free from the opinions, drama, and judgments of others. Free from the exhausting cycle of trying to manage everything and everyone around you. The Let Them Theory puts the power to create a life you love back in your hands—and this book will show you exactly how to do it.

In her latest groundbreaking book, The Let Them Theory, Mel Robbins—New York Times bestselling author and one of the world's most respected experts on motivation, confidence, and mindset—teaches you how to stop wasting energy on what you can't control and start focusing on what truly matters: YOU. Your happiness. Your goals. Your life.

Using the same no-nonsense, science-backed approach that's made The Mel Robbins Podcast a global sensation, Robbins explains why The Let Them Theory is already loved by millions and how you can apply it in eight key areas of your life to make the biggest impact. Within a few pages, you'll realize how much energy and time you've been wasting trying to control the wrong things—at work, in relationships, and in pursuing your goals—and how this is keeping you from the happiness and success you deserve.

Written as an easy-to-understand guide, Robbins shares relatable stories from her own life, highlights key takeaways, relevant research and introduces you to world-renowned experts in psychology, neuroscience, relationships, happiness, and ancient wisdom who champion The Let Them Theory every step of the way.

The Let Them Theory will forever change the way you think about relationships, control, and personal power. Whether you want to advance your career, motivate others to change, take creative risks, find deeper connections, build better habits, start a new chapter, or simply create more happiness in your life and relationships, this book gives you the mindset and tools to unlock your full potential."

I have been seeing this book EVERYwhere. I actually follow Mel Robbins on Facebook for her wisdom and funny posts. I read the first chapter after I got this yesterday and found it to be pretty interesting... The very first thing she talks about in the book is her 5 second rule... this is for when you are unmotivated to do something or afraid to do something. She will begin a countdown (she likens it to a NASA launch countdown) at 5-4-3-2-1 and then move... get up, make that phone call, feed the cat... whatever it is, when you hit that 1, it's time to change directions. I will be trying this next time I need to. Supposedly millions of people use this technique now. She first talked about it during a TED talk. I'm looking forward to the rest of the "lessons". Published by Hay House back in December of 2024! 

Weekly Wrap-up!

Monday... Memoir Monday with a little bit of Hannibal Lecter?! You'll have to read it to believe it!

Tuesday... Book Release Tuesday! 3 New books released on Tuesday that you are going to want to put on your TBR list! Click the link and read about them on tuesdays post!

Wednesday... Bye, Bye, mass market paperbacks... read about the demise of the cute little books you can fit in your purse!

Thursday... 17 years of Chick with Books this February! Time sure flies when you're having fun! And we sure did have fun the past 17 YEARS! Read about it on thursdays post!

Friday... Book Review of Immortal Game by Allison Saft. I didn't know chess could be so much fun. But Shea Fury and her other fellow chess players weren't having much of it in Immortal Game. A fantasy with Fae, mysteries, some magic. Read my review and put this on your TBR list too! 

First Lines Friday... An oldie but goodie where generations come alive. Follow the link and read what book I'm talking about on First Lines Friday!

On Friday and Saturday I posted some of my favorite posts from the years before. Follow the links to read the posts. It's fun to look back, but they're still relevant today... especially the shrimp Remoulade!

    Is Romance Just for Women (February 2009)

    Review of Dracula in Love by Karen Essex (July 2009)

    Review of Down South Cookbook by Donald Link (August 2014) *recipe too!

    Review of Delirium by Lauren Oliver (January 2011)

    A Farewell to my Reading Buddy, BJ (March 2012)

    Are eReaders Taking Over the World? (September 2010)

Whew, that was a lot to read! Hope you had a great week too! And how about any new books you've found?! Please share them!! Come back next week for more great books and bookish talk!

Happy Reading... Suzanne