It is literally the perfect reading weather ⛈️💙⛈️, but I‘ve been having the *hardest* time getting into this book. I‘ve been trying for about a week now, and I‘m just stuck in the beginning…. 😩

May need to move on and return when the brain‘s in a more focused place….. 🤔

But trying in earnest: #hyggehour #hyggereadathon #hyggereadinghour (I can never remember which 🫣) @Chrissyreadit @AllDebooks @TheBookHippie

Tagged 🌳🔪🩸: loved the convoluted everything here🪼🪼🪼🪼🪼

Xmas Pty 🎄💃🏽🪩: disappointing 🪼🪼🪼

Desert Places 🏜️, even more so🪼🪼(+ major TWs)

Reading Crescent City (🎧) and 🧜🏼‍♀️🧜🏼‍♀️🎤🎶

Bottom left = #BOTM #BookoftheMonth. Excited for the North, but a little lackluster otherwise

Top left, coming in with the WIN is #aardvarkbookclub #aardvark. I just always 👏🏼 fill 👏🏼 that 👏🏼 box 👏🏼
🦦🐗🦫 (dreaming of an aardvark emoji)

Tagged, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ but it takes a bit to sink into the dreamy, foggy, atmospheric, slow-burn, esp when the world around you constantly races past. Once you do, you see the intention. Also, a favorite line: “His voice sounds like shattered glass, like a shadow that‘s being cast by nothing, like all the shrieks from all the nightmares that have ever been.”

The Heiress & Wolverton, both just ok at ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Reading the others…

Oh & Happy Easter! 🐣

🤩💫✨ #SanAntonioBookFestival #SABF 2025 done!

It was great! I spent tons of money 💸 on books I definitely don‘t have room for, had a couple of them signed, & discovered that the duo of Ashley Winstead (her book is in that pile ☺️) & May Cobb (Hollywood Assistant) is my new favorite authors-speaking combo. So entertaining & enlightening! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

AND THEN I got to go to ✨Nowhere Bookshop✨!!
😍🥰♥️ (tagged)

Now, off to read some more…

Came to San Antonio by myself for the Book Festival (today!)! #SABF 👏🏼♥️🍷📖 And getting some pre-festival reading in… of course. ☺️

Also finished the tagged (audio - 2 readers) on the plane. Loved it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

And finished Wild Dark Shore for #RealLifeBookGroup (also audio - 3/4 readers). Brutal & brilliant. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ too!

Reading Desert Places next on audio!

Today was the day! (That I decided to open this lovely pkg early ;))

Thank you @AmyG !! You always pick just the perfect book - I‘m so excited to read this!! And thank you too for the extra bday treats! That notebook is so cute, I love lavender, the face mask will come in handy while I‘m traveling this weekend, and of course the coin pouch says it all 😉 Thank you so much for thinking of me this month and I edge my way into “late forties”!!♥️♥️♥️

Upon finishing, this was the most prominent image/thought that came to mind.

starting top right: rec‘d a pkg from the ever-sweet @AmyG — thank you, I‘m so excited!! ♥️🥰

The next two, clockwise, are #aardvarkbookclub books for this month.. most excited for the tagged!! 🤩 @AardvarkBookClub (pic stolen from your Instagram page 🥸)

Some books bought at Barnes & Page 1 (local used/new) this past weekend….

And last, this yummy protein bar that tastes kinda like those chocolate covered marshmallows 🤤

A good coupl‘a days ☺️

Oh nooooo. I can‘t keep up with my acquiring!😩 (not really mad 😎)

Ok top left is #BOTM incl (free) book about … falling in love w a plane? Not in the sci-fi way?…

Bottom right is #aardvark. Couldn‘t pass up the special ed, of course, of one my fave books by one of my fave authors & the 2nd in that series.

Also, tagged is excellent 2nd in series 4⭐️
And piper‘s diary, linked to Santa Fe‘s Meow Wolf exhibit - cool & am going back next wk! 4⭐️

Books!
Tagged: 4⭐️ romance; you have to suspend some disbelief. Written by my friend‘s sister!
James: 5⭐️ as expected
Echoes: intriguing! She does “something different” so well 4⭐️
Malerman: 5⭐️ short story; loved!
Pyramid: decent historical cozy! 3⭐️
Secret Zoo: great mid grade audio (w buggy) 4⭐️
Exorcism: gross, fast, not perfect; fun nods to childhood 4⭐️
Mother Dear: showed up unannounced, but good thriller audio - ended better started! 4⭐️

@Chrissyreadit thank you so much for this early bday pkg!! Every 👏🏼 single 👏🏼 thing👏🏼 is 👏🏼 Amazing!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 The popcorn is soooo yummy, coffee smells deviiine, coffee candies will be perfect pick-me-ups, can‘t wait to try the bath salts, & the book will be a perfect escape during a time when it is much needed. Thank you!!! 🫶🏼♥️🫶🏼♥️🫶🏼 you are always so thoughtful & generous, & it is extra appreciated during these hard times. 🤗

Updates!

Tagged: quick, fun ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Starless: lovely, poetic, complete ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Darker audio: great (as expected) short story collection from the King ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Family Upstairs: yes, immediately ordered #2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Here Comes the Body: great, fun, not-as-typical cozy (Queens, e.g.) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

That‘s a lot of stars!

Buggy‘s new 8-year-old haircut!

#coffeebeanbookclub #cbbc pkg headed to you - smaller one w next book 2b sent in 1-2 wks!

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 (is that enough? Maybe a few more) 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Yay for #coffeebeanbookclub #cbbc

Thank you @Callemarie for this yummmmmy package and the books! We opened the bones coffee this morning and it is SO. GOOD. And those strawberry cream truffles are delish! And the second coffee also smells amazing!

Yay, thank you!! ☕️🫘📖♥️🤎♥️

book updates!
Top left/audio: wonderful ya horror to get lost in. I preferred the horror of What the Woods Took, but the story here. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ushers: fantastic short story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Locklands: I mean, excellent end to the trilogy. I wish I‘d had the time to eye-read this though; I think it would have been better bc you can‘t capture some of those voices well 🤷‍♀️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Have you seen this King-Sendak collab?😍

The other 3 I‘m still reading…

@Chrissyreadit !! What a sweet and thoughtful surprise!! Thank you for thinking of me! I loooove the book self-care warmie 🥰🥰 and the coffee smells sooooo yum. 🤤 I‘m so excited to read both books — the tagged sounds like the perfect distraction for everything else right now. 😅🥸😎

thank you!! 🤗🤗🥰♥️😘🙏🏼♥️

Oh ps- that return sticker? Love it! 🐦‍⬛

Whew! 😥 It‘s been a few weeks, huh. 😟

In moments, I‘ve made a little progress with my books. Finally reading the tagged and nearly 3/4 done w Locklands, the third in a trilogy by one of my favorite authors. I do regret reading this one by audio. I don‘t know why, but I think this one would have been better eye-reading, even though I listened to the other two. 🤔🤷‍♀️

Hope everyone‘s 2025 is… 🙏🏼♥️

Oooh what a cool book @Jadams89 and very timely too!! Perfect for a new perspective in the new year ☺️. And that smores mix is one of my faaaavorites. 😍😍 Also, the ornament is so cute, I love that smores bar, & the book of lifesavers were an annual gift from my parents when they were alive. What a warm hug of a box! Thank you so much!!!♥️🎄😍😘♥️ #LittleChristmasSwap #LCS

And thank you @bookish_wookish for hosting this lovely little swap! 🤗♥️

Did a little 2025 book rearranging… @Malachi wants to help me pick my “next book” (let‘s call it a real-life jar of fate), so I rearranged the left so he can pick from a set selection. 😏 The one on the right is just the shelf in my bedroom… starting to be too packed with 3 shelves double-stacked!

Anyone else have plans for how to pick “what‘s next” from the ol‘ tbr in 2025?

🤯😅 Read this yesterday. I couldn‘t stop until after midnight. It was the first thing to bring me back to the feels of one of my *fave* books, Night Film… also by Pessl. While I didn‘t think it achieved perfection all the way through (the end was fine, but not mind-blowing), there was enough perfection throughout to truly be satisfying. 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 (4.5 sparkly stars)

Next up: Knit One, Kill Two for #CoffeeBeanBookClub #cbbc & #ThematicCozies !

Monthly books! #Aardvarkbookclub #Bookofthemonth #botm

For Aardvark, full box again (🫨🫨), incl their book of the year (tagged), which, yes, I woke up at 530a to make sure I could secure (8aET is 6a here), plus these 2 I just… can‘t… pass… up. @AardvarkBookClub

For BOTM, a little lackluster, but I picked this interesting sounding thriller + getting the next issue of their short story subscription. Must… actually start that series soon… 🤔

Quick book reviews!

Tagged (audio): slow start, excellent creepy horror, nice personal growth. Def read more by this author! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5th Season: Excellent slow build epic fantasy; purchased 2&3 already. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Morris: #coffeebeanbookclub #cbbc quick read, fun fresh start, ghosts/spirits & murder. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Coming to you @Mommamanzi !

Also, more than doubled last yr‘s goal! This year? 36 - plan to read some #chunksters. ☺️

Happy 2025 all! 💜

@MaleficentBookDragon this was the *best* #NaughtyListHolidaySwap #NLHS pkg!!! Thank you for 4 books I‘m sooo excited to read, incl one of *your* faves 🤩🤩 The bookmark is 🤌🏼, the spooky candies are perf, & I love the Sophie‘s Scarf!! It‘s so expertly done & I love those colors too!! 😍😍 And the book sleeve! Guys, look at that amazing skull-snowflake design (blown up in back left)! Also the wrap was so cute (back-right)! 🖤❤️🖤 Thank you!!

Huh. I thought I‘d already posted this! Welp, by waiting I can officially announce (I think.. technically there‘s still a week to go!) that my favorite book of 2024 was Annie Bot. I recommend it all the time. 🤯

Saw this book somewhere — starting to listen on audio. Anyone read this one yet? Seems interesting but I‘m waiting for it to move out of teen-conflict territory… 😬

Also, wishing you all a peaceful night. 🙏🏼✨🤍

I… apparently didn‘t post this last night. But I put in the effort, so here it is anyway. Happy day to all - hope you fjnd peace and joy today! ♥️🎄

Aaaand also, thank you @JessieKB for this lovely addition to my #StuffedStockingSwap #sss gifts!! I love it - it‘s so cute!! Merry Christmas to you!
♥️🎄♥️

Thank you @MaleficentBookDragon for not only hosting my favorite swap all year #jolabokaflodswap, but also for sending me *two* books to enjoy!! I‘ve been coveting the Sager and can‘t wait to dive in, and the Christmas book looks sweet and calming - perfect for the season ☺️?. And I‘m super looking fwd to addition orange & chocolate, mint chocolate cookies, & a cocoa bomb my evening. Thank you again!! Happy Jólabókaflód and Happy Christmas!! ?♥️

Yay #jolabokaflodswap open day!!

Thank you @Graciouswarriorprincess for this perfect Christmas Eve book and some of my favorite chocolate combinations - orange, wafers, and almonds! I so look forward to this tradition every year. Happy Jólabókaflód and Happy Christmas! ?♥️

Received this giant package yesterday for #NaughtyHolidayListSwap #nhls *and* #jolabokaflodswap !! Thank you @MaleficentBookDragon — I can‘t wait!!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Also, you can‘t really see, but the ducks love winter around here because the pool is closed but has water and there are almost 50 ducks in that pic!! 😯

And still reading this book. Very involved, but very good. It‘s taking me a while to get through, but I‘m getting there! ☺️

Fun book day!!

2 found books on the shelves of my fave local used/new bookstore 🤩

Rec‘d package from @Graciouswarriorprincess 😯 But no #? Maybe #jolabokaflodswap ? Can‘t wait, either way - thank you! 👏🏼👏🏼

And rec‘d #coffeebeanbookclub #cbbc for Dec & Jan!! Thank you @Callemarie for the adorable mugs & cocoas!! Perfect for me & hugs to share ☺️. And I love chocolate hazelnut wafers and Lindt truffles 😍🥰 Merry Christmas to you!! ♥️🎄♥️

🎄 Malachi‘s Christmas outfit - that‘s a FABulous Mickey Mouse sweater 😍.

🎄 #LittleChristmasSwap #LCS package received @Jadams89 ! 👏🏼👏🏼 Now just have to wait… 😉
Btw, receipt of package a minor miracle bc our postal carrier decided for no discernible reason that we‘d moved with no forwarding address and forwarded 4 packages and all our mail for a couple days. 😳 They caught this one in time!! 😅

🎄An unfortunately accurate chuckle… 😉

And thank you @JessieKB for this wonderful box of Christmas cheer!! I loooove moose munch, the tea smells amazing, and I love Lindt truffles! The socks are so cute and I can‘t wait to wear them (today), and I‘m so excited to read these books!! The tagged being particularly timely 😘.

I also love the themed wrapping!! Thank you so much; I love it all!! ♥️♥️🎄✨☃️🧦♥️♥️ #StuffedStockingSwap #sss

Yay!! #StuffedStockingSwap #sss opening day!

Thank you @MrsGagnonreads2024 for this lovely package!! I‘ve been wanting to read this book for so long, the book sleeve is ✨gorgeous✨, I love both bookmarks, the candy sounds soo yummy!, and the ornament is perfect for our tree!! Thank you so much!! ♥️♥️🎄☃️🧦♥️♥️

I listened to this 2nd in the series and *quite* enjoyed it. I actually thought this was better than the first and am very much looking forward to the 3rd! 😄 I liked the story, the family, the magic, and the, er, tension. 😉 4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Also received my #StuffedStockingSwap #sss package from @JessieKB today - yay!! Can‘t wait to open! (Also, adorbs box!!) 🎄☃️❤️👏🏼👏🏼

Received one of my #StuffedStockingSwap #sss packages! 👏🏼👏🏼 Thank you @MrsGagnonreads2024 - I can‘t wait to open it!! 🎄☃️❤️

Also, look at this adorable Christmas house craft @Malachi made! 😍😍

Aaaand also a pic of the super awesome nightmare before Christmas advent calendar his auntie got him for Christmas 🥰♥️

Hope you‘re all having a nice December! ☃️💙

This week I wanted escape… but couldn‘t. So I caved & opened your gift @AmyG - thank you so much!! I can‘t wait to read this book, the cozy additions are perfect, I love that frame for me & buggy… and I already drank the mocha cocoa .. w/ some marshmallow liqueur 🫢🤤😴 Thank you for this spot of joy!! ♥️♥️

We also had our #reallifebookgroup book exchange & I scored this Picoult! 👏🏼👏🏼

Also spotted: this $400 deco in the wild 😳 (yes, TJX 😜)

Found! In my favorite new/used bookstore, this creepy sounding novella — anyone read it?

Also, mailed the last of my Christmas packages tonight! Two to the in-laws and one to my #NaughtyListHolidaySwap secret recipient !
🖤👹😈🤡🖤
@WildAlaskaBibliophile

Hi all! Just checking in re #stuffedstockingswap #sss - I‘m tagging some folks in the comments who I don‘t have notice yet of packages shipped. If you‘ve already mailed and let me know and I just missed it - sorry! please let me know again. 🤗

Finished tagged #RealLifeBookGroup⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lovely & lyrical & I liked the intertwining stories. But while I understood why some things weren‘t wrapped up, I still missed a cpl ribbons. 🎀

Listening to Villain, 9th of my #tenbeforetheend #10beforetheend

And Pic of sisters & @Malachi & I last wknd 🥰

Also, mailed #coffeebeanbookclub #cbbc for Dec - @Mommamanzi it d/n have the next book bc I don‘t have it yet, but 👇🏼 (see comments for rest)

Oh @AardvarkBookClub you temptress.
I added, removed, added different ones… and settled on a selection that may be a little less typical for me… but just as exciting. 🤩 #aardvark #aardvarkbookclub

Also we decorated our tree today! @Malachi helped a lot!! 🎄♥️

And I mailed out 3 more swap packages:
Both of my #jolabokaflodswap packages and my #LittleChristmasSwap package. 😅💌📦📚💝
@MaleficentBookDragon @bookish_wookish

Picked my #botm #bookofthemonth books & am getting the challenge reward too! Picked 1 for Dec & added from a prior month - sounds interesting!

Also, rec‘d this pkd @AmyG , but no tag — #jolabokaflodswap? Either way, thank you!! 👏🏼👏🏼♥️

And sent my 2 #StuffedStockingSwap #sss packages on Wed! (1 big size and 1 small size) I believe they‘re both set to arrive Monday!

Finalizing the rest of my winter swap packages and will send those soon! 😄

Happy Thanksgiving!! 🍁🦃♥️

Started the tagged… finally!! I have wanted to read this for so many years. Of course, it is delivering in ♠️♠️♠️ already!

Also excited to learn that #Belletrist‘s book this month is Darkly!! Super wanted to read that too.

Also, buggy lost his THIRD tooth this month!! 😍

Aaaand just showing off my perfect (it turned out so well this year!!) pumpkin pie with pecan streusel. 🤤

♥️🦃🍁♥️🦃🍁♥️🦃🍁♥️🦃🍁♥️🦃🍁♥️🦃

And here‘s my #naughtylistholidayswap aesthetic…. I like it dark & creepy. 😈

A soft pick (tagged) ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lyrical, pretty to ponder, & great potential for the story b/t Angel & Demon. Ultimately fell a little flat for me.

Soft pick for Gold Hills. Again, such pretty writing, & fascinating story & characters! I don‘t know if it tried to do too much in too few pages, but it wasn‘t as strong as it could have been. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pram - a quick audio creature feature ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Next: audio Apprentice & paper Cemetery #reallifebookgroup

I thought… it must have the right ending…
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Next up & primed for #hyggehour #hyggehourreadathon: City in Glass 🏙️

Holy Swap Season Batman!

I think these are all of the litsy swaps that still have active signups! 👏🏼❤️❄️🤍📦💙☃️💝

See:
 @LibrarianRyan for #HolidayCardSwap (cards)
@MaleficentBookDragon for #Jolabokaflodswap (1 book + chocolate, 12/24 open)
@CarolynM for #AussieSecretSanta (Aussie Littens)
@bookish_wookish for #LittleChristmasSwap (1 book + treat; 1/6 open)
and
@WildAlaskaBibliophile for #NaughtyListHolidaySwap (diff sizes; 12/28 open)
🤗🤗

Read in 1 day! Quick, tense, techie, and manages to work in some very interesting and thought provoking relationship ponderings. Really enjoyed this and so nice to read a book so quickly again! 🙌🏼
🌟🌟🌟🌟

And with that, I‘m halfway done with #tenbeforetheend #10beforetheend 😅

Starting The Unraveling next….

Finished! It was really good. I very much want to read the next one. I really liked the characters, the town, and even the “love interest” won me over (a *little*) by the end. 😉 A solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

But as indicated in my prior post, I need a real break from cozies for a beat. So starting William…

Welp.. I still think I can probably finish the #10beforetheend #tenbeforetheend - but I had to replace 2. I think I‘ve read all the cozies I can read this year, save maybe 1 more if I need to for #cbbc #coffeebeanbookclub

Reading the tagged. It‘s good. I can tell. But the last several cozies have dragged for me & I think it‘s because I need… let‘s say, less predictability. So. 2 cozies replaced with: The Unraveling & The City In Glass.

🤞🏼🤞🏼

My progress on #10beforetheend #tenbeforetheend

Finished:
Thirsty ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and fun!
What My Bones Know ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trust ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🤷‍♀️

And reading:
The Body in the Bookstore (#cbbc)
How Much of These Hills is Gold (#reallifebookgroup)

Matches sent!

Let me know if you haven‘t received yours or if there are any issues.

#StuffedStockingSwap #SSS
🎄❄️🩷