This is a thoroughly researched book, detailing ways in which women have been and continue to be vilified. I found the passages on how women have internalized patriarchal and misogynistic viewpoints illuminating. By turns heartbreaking, informative, and infuriating, my only issue is that the text is dry. I do not know if this is an issue with the writing itself, or with the translation, but I did find it a bit of a slog.

I‘m enjoying the reimagined European folktales by Sharon Blackie and I started In Defense of Witches on audiobook. I hope to finish both this week. I think Revelator will be my next print book. It‘s Southern Gothic recommended to me by the owner of my local indie bookstore. I‘ve been sitting on it since February, waiting for October. #weeklyforecast

I finished things this week! I read All the Sleepy Hollow books this week, Alma Katsu‘s new horror short story, and finished up my banned books week reading. I will probably start an audiobook later today, but I‘m not sure which of my October TBR books I‘ll choose, yet. #bookreport

My overly enthusiastic #octobertbr has been adjusted to remove the books I finished in September. I‘m carrying over 2 books from September, and I have a couple of non-seasonal reads to get to, including my work book club selection, People of the Book. I know I won‘t get to everything, but I‘m taking a week off work, so I hope to make a big dent in my collection of spooky books. 🖤

I won‘t finish Horseman tonight, so my September reading ends here, with 11 completed works and one of the worst monthly stats I‘ve had in several years - tons of bails and many days where I didn‘t even want to open a book. 😭 The highlights, though, were Small Angels, Black Water Lilies, Thirteen Reasons Why, Twig, and an early start on my October TBR with multiple versions of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. 🖤 #septemberstats

Small Angels is a novel about the importance of stories. It‘s a ghost story, a tale of a small village and sentient trees, and a story of 3 sisters who grow up isolated from the neighborhood because of the misdeeds of an ancestor. While at times the story is creepy, it‘s beautifully written. Enter the realm of Mockbeggar Woods, if you‘re brave enough, and be sure to come with stories to share.

Twig had better return, Mr. Young. Issue 5 is the perfect ending to this adventure, but I want more epic journeys for our hero and the best sidekick ever. 💙💛 (and plushies. Someone needs to market a plushie Splat. I would buy that.)

The adventure continues. Twig and Splat make a new friend, face another big test. I love the story and the artwork. Twig brings me joy, even when the story is sad or scary. I love this comic even more than Saga, and that‘s saying something.

This is the fifth year in a row that I‘ve listened to Tom Mison‘s narration of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and I think this is the most I‘ve enjoyed it. I must be in just the right mood for all things Sleepy Hollow. I find the story entertaining (thanks Disney!) and Mison‘s narration is delightful.

The #basicwitchswap package arrived today! Now to hide it from myself until the end of October. 🖤🧙‍♀️🖤

Thanks to Disney animated shorts, Sleep Hollow is one of my favorite stories. This abridged text has illustrations with an aged feel that add to the mildly creepy tale. They did a good job of keeping the heart (or head?) of the story and the illustrations, while not my favorite style, are perfect for it. This version may not make my annual reread list, but it‘s definitely worth picking up at least once.

I honestly don‘t know what I‘ll read this week to finish out the month. Nothing I have checked out from the library appeals to me, and neither does anything left from my original September TBR. I have a couple of book club books that I may start and I do still want to finish Small Angels, but I might switch to audio for that one. I haven‘t decided. #weeklyforecast

Look at me posting on the right day! I didn‘t get much done this week, but I did finish two books for #bannedbooksweek and started two more. This will be it for this year and I expect to finish the Silverstein today. I may or may not finish All Boys Aren‘t Blue today. If not, it will be finished tomorrow. Still enjoying Small Angels-I just haven‘t had the bandwidth for much print reading this week. #bookreport

I picked this up to have a short, quick read for #bannedbooksweek. Reading it, I have no idea why it was ever banned or challenged, unless it‘s because it‘s so bad.

Heartbreaking.

#bannedbooksweek

It‘s Talk Like a Pirate Day, so I‘m taking a short break from my Banned Books Week TBR to start Captain Blood on audiobook. 🖤🏴‍☠️🖤

I started and bailed on 2 more books last night, including one I had picked for banned books week. Small Angels is due back to the library in 5 days, so I figured I‘d give that one a try. I‘m on page 12, so maybe it will stick. After that, I have absolutely no idea what, if anything, I will read this week. 😭

#weeklyforecast

September has been a really bad month for reading. I can‘t find an audiobook I actually want to listen to and I have to bail on Dead Water at least until I can find someone to tell me whether or not the dog dies. I‘m so worried about the dog that I can‘t get past about page 60. Tomorrow, I‘ll start my #bannedbooksweek reading list, even though I don‘t think I want to read any of them anymore. 😭😭😭 #bookreport

I‘m so confused. This just arrived from Book Depository today. I have no recollection of ordering it, I have no order confirmations in my email, and it isn‘t even the kind of book I‘d typically pick up. 🤔

This novel about a Navajo crime scene photographer who sees and speaks to the dead started off strong. The concept was interesting, as was the main character. Sadly, it wasn‘t long before it just became tedious and predictable. For a short novel, it took ages to get through. Recommended for the look at Navajo culture - just don‘t get your hopes up for a strong mystery.

It‘s raining here and the front has triggered a migraine. I‘ll be spending most of my day in bed, in the dark, with an ice pack. Reading is off the table. But, when it finally breaks, I have an audiobook to finish and a library book. I fear I‘m going to have to take the library book back unfinished and buy my own copy, thought. I‘m running out of time and there‘s a wait list. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Up next are next due dates. #weeklyforecast

Reading was a struggle this week. I didn‘t even want to crack open a book. But, I flipped between audio and print to get through Black Water Lilies and I started Dead Water last night. I have high hopes for it breaking my book apathy. #bookreport

This is a pick with one giant reservation (see spoiler in comments if you want to know). The prose is beautiful, smooth, and compelling, with near perfect pacing. There are three storylines that merge in a very unexpected way and it‘s absolutely brilliant. #lmpbc

Banned Books Week is almost here! It‘s September 18th through September 24th. With libraries and basic human rights for marginalized communities under fierce attack, this week feels more important than ever. My reading list for this year is a combination of my local library‘s recommendations and titles from the Top Ten most challenged books of 2021 and 2020.

🧙‍♀️all the blues
🧙‍♀️sea air, pipe tobacco, old paper
🧙‍♀️Kitchen Table Magic; Practical Magic
🧙‍♀️Strength & The Hermit from The Crow Tarot
🧙‍♀️sodalite, labradorite, lapis lazuli, black tourmaline
🧙‍♀️gummy bears, dark chocolate
🧙‍♀️peppermint
🧙‍♀️sweater weather and changing 🍁
#basicwitchswap

I would like to say “here‘s my plan for the long weekend”, but I have a ton of stuff to do and read. Plus, let‘s be honest. I‘m probably just going to binge Lucifer. It would be nice to get through everything here this week, though. #weeklyforecast #curseyounetflix

Sooooo…. I have gotten sucked into a TV show on Netflix with 6 seasons, and haven‘t gotten much reading done this week. 🤷🏻‍♀️ At least I have a 3 day weekend. Of course, I still have 3+ seasons of Lucifer to binge. 😂

#bookreport

Tentative plans for September (from left to right) are to finish my carry over book from August, the Litsy chapter-a-day reread of Jane Eyre, a NetGalley September release, my next work book club selection, 4 library books, the last 3 McIlvanney long list titles, and an audiobook for #readingafrica2022. I will probably throw a few more audiobooks in there, but I don‘t know what, yet. #septembertbr

I won‘t finish Black Water Lilies tonight, so my slowest reading month of the year ends with 10 finished books and several bails. On the bright side, three were 5 star reads, making it nearly impossible to pick a favorite. I‘ll take quality over quantity, if I can‘t have both. I cleared 6 books from my NetGalley backlog and checked off 4 books from the McIlvanney Prize longlist. #auguststats #augustwrapup

I‘m glad I took @LibrarianRyan advice and checked this out from my library. It was not for me. Designing quilts using traditional patterns is one of my favorite things, and I love playing with different fabrics and colors. There was little “fresh” about this book for me. There are better design books out there, so definitely #borrownotbuy if you want to check it out.

#unpopularopinion I didn‘t love this. I didn‘t connect to Craigie or his coworkers and I did not care for the resolution. I loved the audiobook narrator‘s voice, but this may be something that works better in print. I may also just need a break from crime procedurals. Reading the McIlvanney Longlist is draining. 😂

Today‘s #bookstoremath sponsored by Sally at Park Road Books. I went in for one book (Kushnameh) and left with three. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Sally knows I‘m an easy mark. 😂😂

Keeping my plan for the week small, since it‘s really a plan for the last of August (!!!). I want to finish Black Water Lilies at a minimum, this weekend.

#weeklyforecast

It‘s official. I have a problem. I am completely out of shelf space and out of space for new shelves. This is the current overflow. Of course, I‘m buying little shelves to go in front of my fireplace. They‘ll be here Monday. But then, that‘s it. I‘m seriously out of space. 😭😭 #notahumblebrag #acryforhelp

This week, I finished two kissing books and two murder books, and if that doesn‘t sum up my fantasy life, I don‘t know what does. 🤣🤣 I also started Black Water Lilies which has to have one of the best prologues that I‘ve read in ages. I‘m hoping to find time to finish that one this weekend, if not tomorrow. I did set another audiobook to the side, but I‘m glad I didn‘t try to push through as I wouldn‘t have finished it or the Askew if I had.

Sarah MacLean does not disappoint. Addie‘s book is as brilliant, fun, and exciting as Addie herself. I love the Belles. The writing is flows wonderfully, the plot is entertaining, and Adelaide and her Duke are almost as explosive as anything Lady Imogen concocts in her lab. Full of laughs, brawls, races from England to Scotland, and more than one night at an inn with only one bed, Heartbreaker is not to be missed!

#4 in the DI Birch series - this worked well as a standalone. I never felt lost or like I was missing important details, although there were allusions to things I‘m sure happened in previous novels. I liked the MC a lot. It was well-written and held my attention. The ending was slightly annoying as it felt like a convenient way to tie up loose ends while creating potential drama for the next book. I definitely want to read more of the series.

Book 4 of 9 done for the McIlvanney Prize long list. While I thought there were some interesting twists, I hated all of the characters. The only saving grace for this book was the audiobook narrator-Alan Cumming. If it hadn‘t been for him, I would have bailed.

The first in a new series, this is fun, adventurous, a little steamy, and delightful. Bridget and Cal are wonderful and their banter as they move from antagonists to couple had me laughing. Galen doesn‘t use weird euphemisms, is laugh-out-loud funny, and crafts an exciting plot for her H/h. It‘s everything I love in historical romance. I‘m looking forward to reading more of her work.

My plan for the rest of the weekend and next week. There‘s a really good chance I‘ll finish Beauty and the Thief tonight, even though it means staying up past my bedtime. It‘s so much fun so far. The Second Cut and A Corruption of Blood are my audiobooks for the week. I don‘t think I‘ll finish both, but I should get through one and a hunk of the other.
#weeklyforecast

#PemberLittens are reading Jane Eyre in September/October. While I‘m worried that I won‘t love it the same as when I first read it, it‘s been 20 or so years since I last reread it, so I think I‘ll join in. The only question now is which edition do I read?

There is something in the water at Akashic this year. First Denver Noir and now South Central. This is one of their best collections, filled with stories that somehow manage to bring characters to life not as victims of environment, but as people first. Noir is almost always bleak, but these all have a quiet hopefulness about them. Yeah, things might be shit, but there‘s a determination to live without resignation that‘s beautiful. All the stars.

I‘m going to try shifting my #bookreport to Saturday-Friday. I think that may work better for my brain. We‘ll see. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I finished 2 books this week - one good, one not. Slowly working my way through South Central Noir. I‘m savoring it because the stories so far have all been excellent and I don‘t want them to end. The Second Cut is a MacIlvanney Prize longlist pick and it‘s narrated by Alan Cumming! That was a pleasant surprise.

I haven‘t done a Litsy swap in years, but I always feel a little regretful on opening day for this one, so this year I‘ve signed up! See @sprainedbrain post for more details. Thanks Jenni! I‘m excited! 🧙‍♀️ #basicwitch

This appears to be thoroughly researched and is a compelling, well-written account of Michal Goleniewski, code-named Sniper, a Polish spy who defected to the US, providing significant Soviet secrets. My only issue is Tate‘s claim that Goleniewski was ultimately driven insane by CIA betrayal, but that doesn‘t appear to be substantiated by an actual medical diagnosis.

Here‘s to getting another book off my NetGalley queue. This was disappointing on multiple levels. The core mystery was painfully predictable. There were elements that took longer to play out, but even those were easily guessed long before the Big Reveal. The whole book was hokey and clichéd. The only positive is that it unfolds at a breakneck pace and now it is over.

“meat-e-orite” 🤣🤣

I know you aren‘t supposed to quote from an ARC, but this has to be the best line from an otherwise disappointingly predictable “thriller”. It would be criminal to remove it.

We‘ll see how far I get with this week‘s #weeklyforecast. I will be happy if I can at least finish my in progress reads. Agent Sniper is fascinating so far, so I might actually finish an audiobook this week instead of bailing.

From a reading perspective, it has not been a great week. One lackluster audiobook finished, two bails. I finally made some progress in Do No Harm, but I‘m probably going to watch TV for the rest of the evening, so I‘ll save the last 1/4 for tomorrow and hope next week is more productive. #bookreport