@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
🎄❄️🩷

Hi all - perhaps some holiday cheer?

Last day to sign up!

Sign up by 11/6
Matches sent by 11/8
Shop by 12/5
Open on 12/15

Sign up here:
https://forms.gle/b6D58KQQbxkD3SVdA

#StuffedStockingSwap #SSS

Ooooooh @MaleficentBookDragon 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Thank you, this is so sweet of you!!! The tea smells amaaaaazing, I can‘t wait to have some! And all the goodies are perfect for the foggy, chilly, snowy days we‘ve been having! Also, these books!! 🤌🏼🫶🏼

And of course that platypus is adORBS, and will find a place of honor next to the latte friend you made me, on my desk at work. 😍😍 Thank you!!! ♥️♥️

Also, happy Election Day, all! Go vote! ❤️🤍💙

Well, I filled my #aardvarkbookclub box, I added 2 for #bookofthemonth #botm (bog wife being one I‘d missed last month), and yes, I sucke… er, *subscribed* to botm‘s volume 0 set. Bc. I… had to? 😳

And then I also joined #belletrist 😨🫣 (paired w Tertulia, a book coop)

Good times…. 😁🥰😎

Ok folks, it‘s on!

Sign up by 11/6
Matches sent by 11/8
Shop by 12/5
Open on 12/15

Sign up here:
https://forms.gle/b6D58KQQbxkD3SVdA

#StuffedStockingSwap #SSS

Tagging some folks who‘ve expressed interest/may be interested.

What do we think? Is there an appetite for this? Open date: 12/6? (St nick‘s day, a holiday celebrated in WI, half of MN, and by 1 person in NM 😜) or 12/15?

I‘m thinking small to smallish, with smallest being just 1 book, and biggest being … 3 books + 3-5 goodies?

#StuffedStockingSwap #sss

Aaaaand some other books I acquired last month.
😳🫣🤫🫥🥸😶‍🌫️👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

#bookhaul

@LeslieO !! I love this #HauntedHallowSwap #hhs24 package!! These 2 books are perfect for the season and my mood!! The journal is so cool! And I love the dancing skeletons 😂. Also, that boot deco is so cute, those junior mints are my faaave, and the little mint tin is adorable! Thank you so much!!
🖤☠️♥️👻🎃💚💀💜

And thank you @wanderinglynn for hosting this every year!! ♥️😘

Ooohmygosh @Jadams89 !! You picked the perfect books for #AllHallowsReadSwap #ahs24 !! I‘m so excited for both of these - a full novel by Malfi, & the 2nd: that title! Also, prefect candy!! I love the s‘mores marshmallows!! & that key lime bar is soooo yummy! (Yes, I‘ve already tried both 🥸) And of course, a giant Kit Kat bar is 🎉. Love that card too! Thank you!!

And thanks to @MaleficentBookDragon for always hosting one of my favorite swaps!

Thank you soo much for sending such a perfect (tho unnecessary 😉) #AllHallowsReadSwap pkg @AmyG !! I‘m sooo excited for these books, there was so much candy (& such variety!!), the coffee smells soo yummy & I love the socks, the amaze-bates motel notepad, & stickers! 😍😍 Oh & did I forget to mention the best. bookmark. ever? That clown bookmark is so perfect for me!! Thank you so much for your always generosity & sweetness & thoughtfulness!!♥️♥️

Here‘s my #TenBeforetheEnd #10beforetheend

Includes: #RealLifeBookGroup picks, #SeasonalCozies picks, #CoffeeBeanBookClub #cbbc picks, and even my current #audiobook #earreading (tagged). I … think I can… 🚂🚂🚂

#HyggeHour #HyggeHourReadathon

Bugga‘s costume this year (a *spider* monkey 😉), this stupid good Apple soda, my #RealLifeBookGroup book for … October (🫣), my #CoffeeBeanBookClub #cbbc for Oct/Nov, and my beautiful book sleeve from #fffs @PatriciaU 🥰😍

A perfectly October Hygge Hour! 🤗♥️

Ooooh thank you @BarkingMadRead for this perfect #ModernWitchSwap #MWS package!! I was *just* looking at the tagged book yesterday, covetously, and now I have it!! I‘m so excited for both reads - excellent picks! And I love the pouch, stickers, & bookmarks, and can‘t wait to eat those gummies & drink the yummy cocoa! Thank you!!! 💚🪄💜🔮🖤🧙🏼‍♀️💚

And thank you @BookwormAHN for hosting such. Fun swap!!

Received this month‘s #coffeebeanbookclub #cbbc!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Thank you @Callemarie for all the fun Halloween goodies!! Look at all those pins/buttons & stickers! I love the mug with a hat that comes off!! And the decoration and the pouch!! 🧡🖤🧡 And of course the chocolate raspberry coffee smells divine. 🥰🥰 Can‘t wait to read this month‘s book!
Thank you!! ♥️♥️♥️

(Also, @Malachi wanted to be part of this pic ☺️)

‘Morning all!

Finished my trip and returned to 2 Litsy packages! 👏🏼👏🏼 one is #AHRS #AllHallowsReadSwap and the other… I‘m guessing #HHS? #HauntedHollowSwap #HHS24 @LeslieO ?

Also audio-read Starter Villains on my drive - it was good! Fun, not *exactly* as I‘d have liked. 😜 But ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

And started and aaalmost finished the tagged… just about an hour left!

Happy fall weekend! Hope your weather is crisp!
🍁🍂🍎