@Soubhiville Thank you so much for my #jolabokaflod candy and book (and bookmark and postcard and stickers!). I spent most of the 24th wrapping so was late opening this but just getting to unwrap this made me feel much more relaxed.
@MaleficentBookDragon
My #jolabokaflod from @Soubhiville arrived as I was tidying up for a Christmas party I was hosting so I neglected to post about it day of. Now I‘m putting the things I stashed away for the party back out in my line of sight so I wanted to acknowledge it‘s here! @MaleficentBookDragon
Finally getting around to posting that I sent my #jolabokaflod @MaleficentBookDragon Forgot to write Jolabokaflod on the package though. 🙄
Current state of my lap. (No cats have been spotted since Harper joined the family 2 days ago. 😂)
A cold rain, a new puppy, and a book on the couch. What could be better? Meet Harper, my new reading buddy/early Christmas present.
Later than usual but here‘s this month‘s #bookspin and #bookspinbingo board. Holiday reading and books that need to be read to be tucked into family stockings and a book club book.
I‘ve had this galley since 2020. Thought I‘d finally tackle it during Nonfiction November.
I‘m starting in on the books I‘ve bought for others for Christmas. So far after one chapter, I‘m not sure it actually works for the adult kid I initially bought it for. I guess we‘ll see (and good thing it‘s short!).
Still fighting with my iPad so another handwritten #bookspin and #bookspinbingo card for this month. @TheAromaofBooks
I am enjoying dipping into this one so far.
so-soI love Mackinac Island. I enjoy locked room mysteries. Unfortunately these two pluses didn‘t come together to make me love this story of a grandmother and her estranged granddaughter trying to solve murders, a case of blackmail, and establish ownership of a successful video game. Full review at https://booknaround.blogspot.com/2025/06/review-this-is-not-game-by-kelly-mullen...
Ozzie is bored by me choosing the second book in the All Souls series for my next read. How can he be bored by witches and vampires this time of year?!
I‘m starting my Christmas present pre-reading early this year. 😂This one will go in my mom‘s stocking but since it‘s a mystery, I decided to make it an October book.
This is my #doublespin book this month and I‘m about 1/3 of the way in so far but it‘s barely a murder mystery at this point. Good thing I am enjoying the characters enough at this point to keep going. I hope it gets more mystery-ish soon!
It‘s been a busy several weeks (my daughter‘s wedding on the 20th, traveling home from my summer away, my first 50K race on the 27th, etc.) and my iPad isn‘t currently functional so this scrawled list will have to do for this month‘s #bookspin and #bookspinbingo. @TheAromaofBooks
panHoly Toledo was this a deadly boring read! I was so disappointed in this, especially since I picked it up on our long deferred trip to Ireland hoping it would be full of interesting history and marking changes to the place over 30 years. Instead it was blatherskite. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2025/06/review-in-castle-and-court-house-being.h...
Did I fail miserably at #14weeks14books again this year? Why, yes I did. Why do you ask? 😂 I read 7 of the planned 14: Absolution, Grown Ups, Malinche, Last Days of Summer, Wave, Wild Dark Shores, and July and August. Who knows when I‘ll ever actually get to the other 7! @Liz_M
Before I dump this August board, I wanted to note I got one bingo and came dangerously close to another, even in a month where I read very little. @TheAromaofBooks
This is my #bookspin book, initially added to my bingo board because September is back to school. I‘m not sure if I originally bought it for one of my now adult kids or not but I figure YA books fit the back to school prompt pretty well so I‘m cracking it open today.
pickThe story of a “worthless” girl, her mother, and sisters trying to survive and reunite with their paternal family after they have been abandoned in the midst of the Chinese Civil War. This is about resilience and determination and the strength of women. The end didn‘t entirely deliver but over all a good read. Full review at https://booknaround.blogspot.com/2025/06/daughters-of-shandong-by-eve-j-chung.ht...
September‘s #bookspin and #bookspinbingo. This is a collection of books for National Hispanic Heritage Month, wedding centered books (because my daughter is getting married in 3 weeks), kid lit, and one of my current reads. @TheAromaofBooks
I keep forgetting to post my #bookreport and #weeklyforecast so I think this is two or three weeks‘ worth.
so-soA fictionalized version of Princess Diana from the perspective of a long-lost school chum, this turned out to be more of a hagiography than something trying to create a full person, which was disappointing. Full review at: https://booknaround.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-princess-by-wendy-holden.html?m=1
I wanted to read a mystery so when I was perusing my shelves, I was delighted to remember this one is translated from the German since it‘s women in translation month.
pickBrooks is a beautiful writer and this account of losing her husband very unexpectedly as well as four years later when she finally has the time to truly grieve this massive loss is a masterfully written memoir. Full review at https://booknaround.blogspot.com/2025/06/memorial-days-by-geraldine-brooks.html?...
It‘s women in translation month so I‘m picking this one up. It‘s translated from Norwegian to English.
panA young woman inherits her great aunt‘s cottage and dog. As she settles into the village, she decides to investigate her aunt‘s death as a murder and poke around about her neighbor‘s possibly missing daughter. If I hadn‘t wanted to strangle the main character myself… Full review at https://booknaround.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2025-06-18T03:14:00-07:00&ma...
It‘s been a super busy week of travel and family stuff so I didn‘t get a ton of reading accomplished. I‘ve been in 4 states, watched my oldest get his MBA, took my middle to her wedding dress fitting, and squeezed in a couple of training runs towards the big race I have coming up at the end of September. Understandable that books took a backseat. 🤷♀️ #bookreport #weeklyforecast
Per usual, a day late and covering two (three?) weeks. #bookreport #weeklyforecast
Summer is kicking me in the butt in terms of reading so this month‘s #bookspin and #bookspinbingo is full of the same summer books the last few months were too. There are also books in translation (August is the month for this), book club books, and some previously unfinished books. @TheAromaofBooks
A couple of weeks of reading here. Somehow Sunday passed me by without me noticing so I‘m a day late again. #bookreport #weeklyforecast
“The behavior modification techniques outlined in the following book are not based on scientific evidence or clinical research. Attempting to implement any of these techniques may result in serious adverse medical and/or psychological outcomes. (But it might be fun.)”
When this is the note preceding the novel, my expectations are higher. This promises entertainment, right?
pickThis was a fascinating look at chickens and the culture that has risen up around raising them in the backyard. It is not a how to but rather one of those deep dives that will teach you a lot about these birds. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Full review at: http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2025/01/review-under-henfluence-by-tove-danovich...
True to form, the #camplitsy conversation has already started so I‘m just picking this one up. 😂 The gorgeous flowers are from the local farmer‘s market this morning.
None of the books I‘m in the middle of are really keeping my attention so I thought I‘d give this one a try. It‘s not as light as I expected so far but there have been some hilarious lines at less than 1/4 of the way in.
*Also, just to toot my own horn a bit, I ran a race this morning and got 4th in my age group. I‘ve never been so tickled to miss a podium (usually I‘m not even close).
It‘s been a busy two weeks (but not in terms of reading) so here‘s the roundup for the past couple of weeks. #bookreport #weeklyforecast
Starting this one, which is my #doublespin book for a previous month.
pickA novel about mothers and daughters, their complex relationship and about disappointment and love and all the layers of a life shared closely. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2024/12/review-burst-by-mary-otis.html
I actually got a #bookspinbingo this past month. Didn‘t read my #bookspin or #doublespin books though. 😂
Almost didn‘t make it in time for #bookspin and #bookspinbingo for June.
pickWith a mystery, a dysfunctional family, and the secrets of the past, this novel by Burns was very much a character study. My book club didn‘t love it but I rather liked it myself. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2024/12/review-mercury-by-amy-jo-burns.html
This is Thursday‘s book club book so I‘d better get cracking!
Finished a quartet, including the #sundaybuddyread but I‘m not participating in the discussion because I didn‘t stop reading until I was done and don‘t want to spoil it for anyone else. I revisited a childhood favorite, read a second beautiful memoir, and finished up the third in the Angel Tungaraza series for #serieslove2025 . #bookreport #weeklyforecast
