All my life I have been told "go" & "come". I am told how I will live & I am told how I must die. I must be a man's servant & a mare for his pleasure, or I must hide myself behind walls & surrender my flesh to a cold, silent god. I would walk into the jaws of hell itself, if it were a path of my own choosing. I would rather die tomorrow in the forest than a hundred years of the life appointed to me.
❄️ Getting enough rain to fill our lakes for summer fun.
❄️ The tagged was a very good wintry read.
@NataliePatalie
@TheSpineView
#Two4Tuesday
"The prince arrived just as pale spring became dazzling summer, with a tender, capricious sky and the fading flowers buried in a wash if grass."
My favorite #wintery book of the past few years. (Not my photo but it seemed appropriate). #JanuaryJazz @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
panSuffice to say I hate this a little too much to waste more time thinking about. 315 pages of near unrelenting misery of a myogynistic, religious bent and an agonizingly slow pacing wrapped in a whisp of fairy tales are not my jam.
"The snow fell thrice, deep and solid after midwinter, and after the last snowfall came a deep blue frost, when men felt their breath stop in their nostrils and weak things grew apt to die in the night."
Starting to read part one tonight for the read along. I've been looking forward to picking this book up again. I adore The Winternight Trilogy and am happy to emerse myself in this world again.
Katherine Arden is doing a read along of The Bear and the Nightingale on Instagram! She'll be doing a live on these dates at 3pm EST(8pm GMT)and again at 8pm EST. She'll be continuing with The Girl in the Tower in February and The Winter of the Witch in March.
so-soMy first completed book of 2023 just happens to be a reread! I plan on finally reading the rest of the trilogy this winter so I needed a refresh. Still starts out a little slow but really gets interesting at the end. A high so-so pick. Using this for #booked2023, 1) Part of a trilogy @Cinfhen @alisiakae @BarbaraTheBibliophage
Thank you @Deblovestoread so excited to start the books. My husband was very excited about the new pine candle. ☺️
Thank you for the little gifts for my daughter. She is obsessed with puzzles.
#winterwonderlandswap
@TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit @Avanders
pickGreat Russian medieval fantasy with a strong female character. Abounds in odd creatures not known in fantasy outside that land. Really fantastic ending. May read more from the author for sure.
Yeah, book shapes are not my strong suit...😬🎄🤦🏼♂️ I am happy with my little crocheted stars though! Wild that the library loans out this many books to an individual: visual releases dopamine hit like a shopping spree without the price tag, assuming I don't end up paying late fees. Admittedly recent snowy weather makes the walks back and forth to the library to pick up and return my treasure a little more challenging. Worth it. 🤷🏼♂️
I'm starting this fantasy based on Russian folk tales.
pickThis story had a whimsical, fairy tale feel to it, but with a strong female character who trusts herself to know right from wrong.
It shows the hardness behind human judgement and what some may do to cover what they did wrong out of fear. It‘s an intertwining story between reality and Russian folk lore - the winter demon versus a higher being. It‘s a magical ride!
pick❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️ I know very little of Russian folklore and this was full of wonderful fey, woven throughout with strong character and world building. A perfect story to read in the cold winter during christmas. I love how the author illustrated the way religion has pushed out the old pagan stories of other cultures and how our beliefs in the old world can keep the spirits alive or destroy them by stop believing in them.
pickAnother belated review from December…😬 This one was a low pick for me. It moved a bit slower than I would have liked, and I wanted a bit more development in the ending. But the folk religion elements were fascinating to me, as well as how the story drew out the dynamics between the old ways and Christianity. Those dynamics were often uncomfortable for me, but thought-provoking nonetheless! And the #YABuddyRead discussion was wonderful. 😊
There's nothing quite like reading a book about a cabin in the middle of a snowy forest while being at a cabin in the middle of a snowy forest. I'm glad I waited to start this one. 🥰❄️
panSo I assume this is an unpopular opinion, but I was not a fan of the tagged.
The book started off great but I felt it dragged on and then on some more.
I did finish it, but I will not continue the series.
March‘s #nywd22 is “The Only Good Indians” thanks @Readergrrl
#Two4Tuesday
💕 There is a local chocolatier that always does something super fun & interesting for Valentine‘s Day & my husband will often splurge on a box which I love…although books are great for any occasion!
💕 Tagged book was the first one I thought of—I love reading it this time of year—so I‘ll go with it.
@TheSpineView
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a different read for me, and part three of this book basically kept it as a pick instead of it being just a “meh” read. The story was unique, but I simply didn‘t love it as much as I wanted to. The theme of Christianity vs. old religion is strong in the plot line, but is well-written. I did really enjoy Vasya‘s character and her fight to forge her own path against the societal norms and expectations for women during that time.
Another Friday snow day! Going to try and make some progress with this one. I had previously started and abandoned it when I got distracted by life. Excited to read it again, and hopefully finish the trilogy this time.
❄️ The tagged book is my most recent favorite with with a snowy setting.
❄️ A personal goal this year is to work on changing my mindset around habits that seem onerous and so don‘t get done.
❄️ Today I‘m grateful for the energy to get some much needed housekeeping done.
Anyone who hasn‘t played and wants to consider yourself tagged.
#wondrouswednesday @Eggs
1. The tagged book
2. Personal Goal for 2022 is to save money and take care of my mental health above all else.
3. Today I am grateful for my good health!!!
Thanks for the tag @Kshakal 😀
1. Tagged
2. Decrease both personal and work anxiety, or at least the frequency and intensity of feeling anxious (cause a goal has to be measurable)
3. The COVID Vaccine
Thanks for the tag @Avanders
Want to play @sprainedbrain @Liz_M @Nute @Butterfinger @sblbooks @MeganAnn @megnews @Catsandbooks
1. Tagged
2. To get my Etsy shop up and running! I started working on art/products last year, but then I got into a depression slump and just wasn't feeling inspired. But I'm doing better now and I think the support of #LitsyCrafters will help too!
3. My mom- she's the best! 💕 I can't wait to actually see her in person at the end of the month!!
#wondrouswednesday
pickLast book read in 2021 for #20in4 @Andrew65 A lovely story set in winter and about Valsya, a witch. I loved how the human world intertwined with this magical world. This book motivates me to look more about Russian folklore. Any recommendations? 4⭐️
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
❄️I‘m trying to finish these books before Dec 31: The Language of Thorns; The Lives of Daints (these two are for my book club to finish the Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo); and The Bear and the Nightingale.
❄️Various hallmark/Disney Christmas movies, Narnia, the winter season in Harry Potter movies and yes I liked National Lampoon movie. I want to watch A Boy Called Christmas
Thank you @kamoorephoto for tagged me🥰
pickI loved it. This is my kind of book. Also- when I grownup I want to be a witch and live in the woods. 🐻 🐦 🧙♀️🌳🌲
I‘ve been too busy to keep up with reading or posting on Litsy much these past couple of weeks, but I‘m really looking forward to ringing in the new year with my Christmas #bookhaul (pictured). I‘m also excited about ending 2021 with a few wonderful books that I‘ve recently started, and I‘m confident they will make it onto my list of favorites for the year.
pick#WeekendReads
1) Godsgrave (Second book in the Nevernight Chronicles)
2) Home Alone or The Grinch
3) Tagged. Loved this book and the series ❤❄
@rachelsbrittain
#Booklovers #BookNerds #LibraryMouse #InkDrinker #ReadersLiveAThousandLives
#BookNerdsUnite #BookWitch #BookGeek #Reader #ReadABook #LostInABook #SundayReadersClub #Tea #Books #BookLover #JustOneMoreChapter #LetMeRead #GreatReads #ProfessionalBookworm #LostInABook
pickI loved this book! I‘m glad it was the #yabuddyread for Dec, and based on A Strong Sense of Place I listened to the audio- it was everything I love, atmospheric, magical realism, historical- and one of my favorite characters ever- but I loved how all the characters were presented. This will be a book I gift and recommend. Also shoutout to @LeahBergen - I finally took a picture that fit! Thank you 😘😘😘😘
so-soI enjoyed the premise of this book, parts were magical and wonderful but I did find myself bored at times. I‘ll probably read the others on this series as they‘re available at the library. A decent winter read and I did like the main character a lot
#YABuddyRead questions posted with spoilers. See my page. Anyone who‘s read this is welcome to join in.
Anything else you‘d like to discuss?
Johanna414, erzascarletbookgasm, catebutler, Bookgoil, LibrarianRyan, BarbaraJean, BethM, Bklover, Deblovestoread, Chrissyreadit, SamanthaMarie, RedxoHearts, Butterfinger, BacklistReader, IndoorDame, Roary47, Cazxxx, peanutnine, MadelineMcCrae
The Bear and the Nightingale | 
