I am so freaking ready for March! #BookSpinBingo

At least the book is distracting me from the stress of the dentist appointment. 😅

John thinks he‘s just going to get a pleasant night w/ an army captain. Little does he know, he‘s going to get swept up into fairy wishes, a secretive cult, & a puckish narrator.

This was delightful. A stronger read for me than Mortal Follies. Less to the romance (which was still sweet), plus wishes gone awry, action, dramatic rescues, & some really lovely sibling relationships. & Puck continues to make me smile! & a less abrupt ending!🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

My pick for hobby for #ThematicCozies for March! This one has such a cute cover, I‘m really excited! @julieclair

*takes deep breath* AAAAAHHHHH!

There was a lot I loved about The Sun and The Star, and I absolutely adored how it treated Persephone, and I cannot wait to see what this new books holds!

#CoverReveal

Honey‘s family is hosting a child violin prodigy while the BobWhites are trying to recreate a collection of pressed flowers for a teacher. Only, there is something out in the local marsh.

This was a mostly Trixie & Honey story. Di is barely there, the boys are in the background, & poor Dan only gets mentioned once. But we also see Trixie learning to not judge people by 1st impressions. & we meet an antagonistic journalist. 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

March‘s dice picks are certainly an eclectic pick!

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
Tortall and Other Lands by Tamora Pierce
Mere Christianity by C S Lewis

#Roll100 @PuddleJumper

#WeeklyForecast

I can always count on Terry Pratchett to make me laugh. #OokBOokClub

#BookReport

3 ARCs done this week! 🎉🎉🎉

After their father‘s death, sisters drift apart. Alaine into the family orchard, & Delphine into marriage w/ a businessman from the city. When Delphine‘s new husband turns out to be not what she wanted, Alaine must decide what she is willing to bargain to save her sister.

Interesting! Loved the magic & the complexity of the relationship between the sisters. The other characters felt a bit flat, & I would have liked more in fairy land. 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

I don‘t usually seek out self help books, but this book helped me to start unpacking my belief that clean house = good person. It‘s not nearly that simple or easy.

Unraveling where I learned that also helped start me on a self examination journey that, I hope, has made me a better person.

#SundayFunday Have a wonderful day, and don‘t forget to tag me.

On a voyage to Australia, Dorothy falls overboard & is swept away to the magical Land of Ev w/ a sassy talking chicken. When Ozma comes to rescue the royal family, Dorothy joins the quest.

Billina is in my top 5 favorite Oz characters! & this story is so charming & lets us explore more fairy countries. We get to meet new friends like Tik-Tok & the Hungry Tiger, the iconic Langwidere, & the Nomes! & an epic rescue, w/ Billina saving all!🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

Apparently this is the same book as Artful Dodger? Anyway.

Can I accept romance in a cozy mystery? Yes.

Can I tolerate a romance with a cop? Eh.

Can I continue reading a romantic cozy mystery where the cop kisses his prime suspect, WHILE HE IS INVESTIGATING HER? ✨No.✨

Once upon a time, there was a knight, w/ his hawk, who wandered a post apocalyptic wasteland killing demons. But what are the demons, & where are they coming from?

Goddamn! Elements of Ladyhawke & Tam Lin, while also being a moving exploration of change for survival & being unable to let go w/ a fairy tale feel I desperately need to listen to. A satisfying end for so short a story, but I would have read a whole series of this.🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

Rose is minding her own business working w/ potions & her guardian, when she swaps places w/ Princess Snow White, accused of cursing the kingdom. It‘s up to them to figure out how to save everyone.

This series remains so delightful! The little twists & turns this retelling takes made me gasp, & the stories are fresh while still retaining what I love about these fairy tales. The characters do read older than 12/13, but I did love this.🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

Katrina has ravaged the city of New Orleans. & Luke hasn‘t spoken to his alcoholic father in years. When he receives a call that his father has disappeared, Luke has to make a difficult decision.

I‘m unsure how to feel about this. It was fine? I feel like I should have been more emotionally invested. We didn‘t really get a sense of any of the characters, except how hot all the women were. The romance felt entirely unnecessary. 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑

Made crab cakes for the very first time! I‘ve got a couple things I need to fix next time I try, but overall, very tasty!

#DinnerByTheBook

Today‘s gray weather was perfect for staying inside, curled up with a book and the last of my brownie batch.

#WeirdWordWednesday #WeirdWords @CBee

8 years after turning down an engagement from the love of her life, Anne Elliot must come to terms w/ that decision when she meets Captain Wentworth again as he is courting another.

Maybe my new favorite Austen! Also, I love Austen dearly, but Anne is so Eldest Daughter coded I will not be taking criticism. This second chance romance was so lovely, & I resonated so strongly w/ Anne, & I loved her friendship w/ Lady Russell & Mrs Smith.🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

To support her former employees, Jules travels to a seaside resort. Only to find their new boss dead at the bottom of a cliff. And too many questions.

I really love the community & the characters in this series. They are all so much fun. & the importance placed on the food is delicious. & this mystery was well done, but I was disappointed that the book tried to go with “they‘re crazy” when their stated motivations were already enough.🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

After a violation, Vel is bundled off into an arranged marriage in shame. But things in his new home are complicated, & his new husband is 1 of the few people he can trust.

Marvelous! Romantasy is usually a hit/miss for me because it takes a lot for me to care about the romance, but this did it in spades. Amazing character work, expansive world building, a satisfying conclusion, diversity. POV switching between 1st & 3rd was a bit odd.🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

#WeeklyForecast

I am so excited to get to the next Oz book and the second Princess Swap story!

#BookReport

Managed to finish two ARCs this week! 🎉🎉🎉

The vibes are immaculate here. 💖

And I have so enjoyed seeing everyone else‘s posts for #LiterallyMyCharacter

“Literally my character” on Pinterest, and your first six images! Thanks @TheBookHippie for starting this!

Sometimes, you just need to make some brownies. #AudioBaking

Reading slumps are pretty rare for me, but when they hit, they hit hard. I used to try and power through them. Just push through with whatever book I‘m feeling stuck on, but I‘m trying to be better at not shaming myself for bailing on books that aren‘t working for me.

Worst cases, I go back to an old childhood favorite and do a reread. Remind myself what made me fall in love with reading.

#SundayFunday Have a great day, & remember to tag me!

#DinnerByTheBook

Delicious warm panini sandwiches while it‘s so gray and chilly outside!

Freya & Carole are thrust into the antiquities black market when a painting goes missing from the local village. Their investigation will stretch all the way to an antiquities cruise & a mysterious Collector.

I loved the change of scenery, & the relationship between Freya & Carole continues to charm me. & the spark between Freya & Phil! But too many characters & underdeveloped red herrings made it tough for me to be fully invested. 🌕🌕🌗🌑

Sifting through fact & fiction, McLaird puts together a well researched biography that avoids both sanitizing & demonizing the figure of Calamity Jane.

This was fascinating! I only knew the barest folk stories about her, & it was so interesting to see other pieces of her story, like her alcoholism, her acting as a nurse in her communities, & the fact that she had children. A little dry, but well balanced, w/ lots of amazing photos! 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

If you, like me, are having a rough time right now, *gestures vaguely at everything* I cannot recommend enough doing things together as a community.

A neighborhood clean up, volunteering at your local library, joining a new book club. Be with people. ❤️ Yes, even us introverts.

#WeirdWordWednesday #WeirdWords @CBee

The cover for the next Rivers of London book has dropped! #CoverReveal

What is it about haunted houses that captures our imagination? Taylor examines this phenomenon through the lens of houses in popular media.

A fascinating examination into what turns a home into a haunted house, from interior and exterior architecture, to landscape context, to the decay from lack of upkeep. I did wish that more time was spent on the real life examples that inspired stories rather than recounting the movie‘s plot. 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

#WeeklyForecast

I‘m so excited to get to start the sequel to The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder! 💙

#BookReport

Sick Houses is so interesting, although I definitely wasn‘t expecting to be spoiled for as many movies as I have been reading it. 😅

Long ago, the town of Lucille banished all the monsters. When a painting of Jam‘s mother comes to life intent on hunting a new monster, Jam must decide who to believe.

A powerful story about what makes a monster & how a monster can hide when we don‘t have the words to talk about them. I loved Jam & Redemption, & I really appreciated the ending. 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕

I really didn‘t appreciate this one the first time I read it, but on multiple rereads after, I‘ve grown to love this motley crew and what they accomplish.

#SundayFunday Have a wonderful day everybody, and don‘t forget to tag me in your posts!

#DinnerByTheBook

I‘ve got the nibling over for themed dinner and a movie tonight! ❤️

Moist von Lipwig is hanged for his crimes. And then, he‘s put in charge of rehabilitating the Ankh-Morpork post office. Only, there‘s competition that Moist didn‘t count on & maybe a curse?

This remains 1 of my favorites of the Disc. Every time, I pay attention to something else. For instance, Gilt gives me such strong vibes of current political figures who shall remain nameless. & I fall in love w/ Adora Belle & Moist so much. 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

A fabulous collection of short stories from a master wordsmith, spanning both science fiction and fantasy.

Le Guin can pack such a powerful story in so few words. Some weird stories, some lovely, all very human. Loved revisiting Earthsea, (The Rule of Names introduced me to her in a 5th grade textbook), & seeing new Hainish stories! Did have to skip Omelas though, I know I wouldn‘t have been able to handle rereading it right now. 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

It has been a rough few weeks at home, and I am feeling this word pretty hard right now. But I know I can come here and find small pieces of joy. ❤️

#WeirdWordWednesday @CBee #WeirdWords

August returns to the magical island of his youth to bury his mother. But he has to confront the love he left behind, & the community that thinks he‘s a killer. There are more dark secrets to be unearthed than he expects.

I liked the atmosphere & the magic. But I think this should have been a movie, w/ multiple random POVs, out of order flashbacks. Every time I started getting invested, it felt like Young switched it up to confuse me.🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

This was such a strong start for January! Let‘s hope I can keep up the energy! 🎉🎉 #MonthlyRoundup

#WeeklyForecast

I am so excited to start Sick Houses! And I‘ve got my #QueerBC all lined up next too!

#BookReport

Going Postal is probably in my top three Discworld novels, and I‘m so happy to be revisiting it right now.

I‘ve got some amazing reads lined up for February!#BookSpinBingo #BingoBoard

#BookSpin Calamity Jane, #DoubleSpin Artful Dodger

#Roll100 The Wind‘s Twelve Quarters, Gwenhwyfar, Calamity Jane

#OokBOokClub Making Money

#BobWhiteBuddies The Marshland Mystery

#BeyondTheYellowBrickRoad Ozma of Oz (one of my favorite Oz books!)

#QueerBC Pet

#ThematicCozies Artful Dodger

#AuldLangSpine A Strange and Stubborn Endurance

@Butterfinger ‘s response to last week‘s question made me realize I had never read any of Louisa May Alcott! So I‘m going to have the tagged book be my next read on Serial Reader! 🩷

#SundayFunday Have a great day, and don‘t forget to tag me!

This past week and a half has been absolutely buck wild, but things are finally settling down, so I had time to put together my #BookSpinBingo list for February! ❤️

Feeling curious & trying to escape a bully, Saffron follows a mysterious woman through a portal, & lands in a world of magic & queens & prophecy.

I love portal fantasies! & this was a fun 1! All the most important characters are women, the fantasy world is queer normative, & such interesting magic. But for such an info dump heavy book, the world itself felt narrow, w/ a rushed romance & abrupt ending. Hopefully book 2 is better!🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

A fascinating look into the often forgotten and erased women who helped to build the study of Egyptology into what it is today.

This was so interesting! It covered a lot of time, and several different women who all influenced Egyptology. I really appreciated how the author emphasized the presence of LGBTQ women, & the role all these white women played in the colonialism against Egypt. It was a bit dry, but well worth the read. 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

Watching the nibling for the afternoon, and they‘re doing a Greek mythology thing at school, so it‘s time to bring out the book I got for Christmas when I was their age. ❤️