Hi Friends, It's been another week. I still haven‘t gotten around to everyone‘s #5JoysFriday posts & it‘s already time again to share what 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week. 💛

When it's Friday where you are or whenever you like,make your list then tag your post with #5JoysFriday & tag me (& others to spread the joy if you like)

I'm tagging some friends to get the party started & of course, everyone is welcome to join in! 🤗

Not quite the same view as I had in my last overnight to Hilo but the hotel has a lanai & Mauna Kea is still pink & lovely at sunrise & well worth getting up for. 🌅

A little reading of the tagged book (an addition to my #SeasonalCozies as I forgot it in my #TBR) & some coffee/hot cocoa mix—hotel lobby mocha before my board meeting. I present first this morning & then most of the pressure is off. 😅

Not quite the same view as I had in my last overnight to Hilo but the hotel has a lanai & Mauna Kea is still pink & lovely at sunrise & well worth getting up for. 🌅

A little reading of the tagged book (an addition to my #SeasonalCozies as I forgot it in my #TBR) & some coffee/hot cocoa mix—hotel lobby mocha before my board meeting. I present first this morning & then most of the pressure is off. 😅

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending #HyggeHour starting this book & a peppermint crunch chocolate bar.🍫 It‘s not been a calm Christmas so far so hoping to find ideas in here.

I might finish the scratch off for my #OnceUponABookClub reading challenge so I can take a pic & send it in for a free book, but honestly, I‘m tired & have to get up ultra early to fly to Hilo so I might throw it in my overnight bag & do it at the hotel.🤷🏻‍♀️

#ReadAway2024

I finished this one yesterday & just loved it. I had put off reading it because I was thought it would be sad based on the main character being a death doula. Instead it was sweet & touching & a good message about living life so you have no or (at least less) regrets. There were sad moments but also happy, hopeful ones too. Charming & engaging, it snuck in at the end of the year as one of my favorites of the books I read in 2024.

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

One of my #SeasonalCozies picks for December, I finished the audiobook while running errands today. This was a good little cozy mystery with likeable characters & a fun snowy holiday setting of the MC‘s (Holly) parent‘s Christmas Tree Farm in a very Christmasy town called Mistletoe in Maine. I didn‘t love the female narrator‘s male voices but I enjoyed the story & Holly. I‘ll read the next one. (Free on Audible too).

#SaturdayChatterday

My Saturday morning was spent at the coffee shop catching up on life stuff, finishing up cards for the #NaturalitsyWinterCardSwap & reading the chapters for the tagged book #SundayBuddyRead discussion tomorrow. Now off to run errands.

A day late with my #5JoysFriday post again this week. I‘ve been in lockdown mode getting documents & exhibits ready for our board meeting Tuesday in the midst of the rest of my job & sleeping when I‘m not working late. Joy did happen, (mostly food😋😉) so here goes:

1. Another lovely sunrise from my flight to Hilo-seeing the differences each week brings me joy.🌅

2. Best, most moist & delicious chicken katsu for lunch at our team meeting on ⬇️

Hi Friends, It‘s been a week.😬I have been in board meeting prep hell getting ready for next week & TBH I‘ve not felt very joyful—but finding some joy is what #5JoysFriday is for!

Whenever it‘s Friday where you are, list the 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week!💛

Tag your post with #5JoysFriday & tag me (& others to spread the joy!) I‘m tagging some friends to get the party started & of course, everyone is welcome to join in! 🤗

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

I finished book 14 for NancyDrewBR last week Sunday but didn‘t get a chance to post. In this one, Nancy & her posse of Bess & George are solving 2 mysteries, one where a client of Mr. Drew is concerned she is being swindled on the the books she is selling through a dealer & another mystery of a statue (it whispers & looks like Nancy!) stolen years before from a yacht club. So off to Waterford on the coast they go! ⬇️

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending my #HyggeHour on the couch & starting this library book which I am hoping is as funny as advertised. Also trying this local candy which is peppermint milk chocolate with pretzel crunch.

Feeling reluctant to start the week as it will be another busy one preparing to present to the board next week. I really would have liked another day off. Mondays come much too soon! 🥱😵😵‍💫

#ReadAway2024

After reading The House in the Cerulean Sea 2 years ago, I made it a goal to read all of Klune‘s work including his backlog. This one was a self-published novel in 2018 but it‘s being republished in 2025. (I think that‘s the new cover pictured). Anyway, I loved it. I put me heavily in mind of my 80s love of Dean Koontz books & movies where there‘s the government/military after a “special someone” with powers. I mean that in a ⬇️

@monalyisha has worked her matchmaking magic once again & I am super excited about my #AuldLangSpine list from @JacqMac ! 🎉📚🎉

The 5 books I‘ve already read from her list (James, Slewfoot, In the Lives of Puppets, Where the Crawdads Sing & The Children on the Hill) were all books I loved & put on my own #AuldLangSpine lists the years I read them, so that bodes well for those books I haven‘t read yet!

I‘m still deciding on what I‘ll read ⬇️

Thanks @dabbe & @TheSpineView for the #TLT #ThreeListThursday tags! 🤗

I guess I have watched & do watch a lot of Christmas movies!🤷🏻‍♀️🎄

My Top 4:
-Love Actually*
-Elf
-The Holiday*
-The Year Without a Santa Claus (fave from childhood love me some Heat Miser🔥& Snow Miser❄️)

Honorable Mentions I can‘t leave out:
-The Family Stone* 😢🩵
-The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (cartoon version because my Dad 💚)
-While You We‘re Sleeping*

⬇️

#SaturdayChatterday

Hit up the local craft fair/makers market this morning for holiday shopping & then had lunch & some reading & work time at the coffee shop before heading out for more errands.

Hope everyone‘s Saturday is a good one! 💜

A day late with my #5JoysFriday list due to long meetings days & late flights back from Hilo. And, just one photo-the view from my hotel balcony because it represents many of my joys this week.

1. Having a hotel room with a big soft King bed & a view of “coconut island” 🏝️ for my overnight stay in Hilo.

2. Waking up early to have time to watch the sunrise over Mauna Kea on my balcony with a cup of coffee & my Kindle

3. Good in room coffee ⬇️

Hi Friends, it‘s about 8 PM here & I just got back to my hotel room after a day of meetings & a group dinner. Since my day started at 3:30 AM, I‘m pooped, but if it‘s Friday where you are it‘s time to list the 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week! 💛

Tag your post with #5JoysFriday & tag me (& others to spread the joy if you like!) I‘m tagging some regulars to get the party started & of course, everyone is welcome to join in! 🤗

And headed to Hilo again, this time for an overnight & 2 days of business review. Big fun! 😬

In the lounge waiting to board with the usual coffee & breakfast. I‘m about midway through the tagged book & enjoying it. Trying to get through all of Klune‘s backlist.

Thanks for the #Two4Tuesday tag @TheSpineView ? Sorry I‘m late!

1. The last few years my favorite tradition is reading my #JólabókaflóðSwap book on Christmas Eve (while eating the chocolate) & then finishing it Christmas Day while listening to holiday music.???

2. The tagged book because work has been so crazy & stressful that I want to have a calm & restful holiday. ?

Anyone else not play yet & want to? Consider yourself tagged! ?

Having a crazy work week & I realized I never posted my December #TBR. I meant to have a calm & quiet December but still loaded up 21 books that I wanted to read.this month. 😉 Will I get to them all? Probably not, but we‘ll see where we get to.

Taking part in #SundayBuddyRead #NancyDrewBR #ChildrensClassicRead2024 reads with #Naturalitsy #FoodandLit #SeasonalCozies #Roll100 & of course #SeriesLove2024

My #20in4 #readathon recap. While I didn‘t make 20 hours, I am happy with 16.5 considering I worked all day Friday & Monday & put in about 4 hours on Saturday too. I didn‘t count chapters but I finished the 5 books I had in progress for November, plus finished a December read & made progress on 2 more. 🎉📚🎉

Thanks for hosting @Andrew65 ! So glad you are back! 🤗

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon #20in4 #readathon

Spending my #HyggeHour with Nancy Drew for December‘s #NancyDrewBR 🔎

I‘m having some apple spice tea & trying these Planters Apple Cider Donut Cashews that I bought this weekend. I find them good if a bit mild in🍎flavor. I think they would be great on a cheese or charcuterie board though.🧀😋

I‘m reluctant to face Monday & work tomorrow & a busy work week with classes & a business review.😣

My #LibraryHaul from yesterday. I went in to pick up my hold on The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society & The Night Guest & God‘s Country ended up in my hands, followed by the tagged book which looks pretty funny. (I find online romance fraud pretty fascinating).

Finally my favorite librarian gave me the ARC of Smothermoss which she called weird & said she thought I might like it. Hmm… so what is she saying about me?
The book🐔🐔 wonder! 😆

I feel good about my November reading. I guess hiding after the election helped my numbers as I finished 20 books including my 3 November #Roll100 + 2 more from previous months. I also finished books for #SeasonalCozies #BobWhiteBuddies ChildrensClassicRead2024 #Naturalitsy #FoodAndLit & I finished my #OUABC 40 Book challenge, met my 150 book goal on Goodreads & I‘m 1 book away from my #BOTM challenge. Favorites were: We Solve Murders, Shark ⬇️

#ReadAway2024 #20in4 #readathon

I finished the last 40-ish pages this morning but I‘m counting it for November. Read with #Naturalitsy I really enjoyed this blend of history & science. I possess a very brown thumb but find plants fascinating & love to both look & read about them. The short Chapter 25: A Sarawakan Stinkbomb: The Titan Arum was a particular favorite as I‘m a fan of “the corpse flower” & enjoyed his focus on the bawdier side of it.

I‘m pretty excited about my December #Roll100 books—the dice were good to me! Nothing too taxing for December & all of them ones I have been wanting to read for a while

#82: A Wizard‘s Guide to Defensive Baking

#76 Since #76 was read already in Feb, I picked #77 Any Series & chose the tagged book), third in the Saffron Everleigh Mysteries

#10 Sleeping With Friends

#ReadAway2024 #20in4 #readathon

I started this ARC back in October & never finished it & wanted to get it off of my massive NetGalley ARC TBR. Ir was okay. I liked the main characters but I felt like the story was too convoluted & needed shortening & better editing. It had some sparks of humor (Pod the raccoon familiar & the sentient kitchen appliance‘s) but I require more & more snark in my paranormal romances. This one was too angsty. 🤷🏻‍♀️

#ReadAway2024 #20in4 #Readathon

Read tonight for November‘s #ChildrensClassicRead2024 This was a cute story & quick read with life lessons told through animal characters. It‘s apparently a series with different animals the lead in each book. It was perhaps a bit “folksy” for me but I enjoyed it overall. 🐿️ 🤎

#ReadAway2024 #20in4 #readathon

Finished today while running errands (I went between the audiobook read by the author & my #BOTM copy) & enjoyed it. I have never watched One Tree Hill -the tv show the author is most known for & was drawn to this book because I loves me a cult story, especially a biography because I find the subject fascinating. (I did look up Lenz mid book & I do remember her as the neighbor on Dexter which I just rewatched). ⬇️

#ReadAway2024 #20in4 #Readathon #SaturdayChatterday

Unfortunately my Saturday vibe is work for next week when I have manager training classes & a business review but I took myself to the coffeeshop for food & caffeination.

I also finished this lovely book of poetry from Barbara Kingsolver. I like how personal she gets & of course she excels at the nature poems. This was the last prompt I needed for my #OUABC 40 book challenge & also my ⬇️

My #SeasonalCozies December picks. Evergreen Chase is a short story set the Shady Hollow Mysteries. The tagged book & Sleigh Spells both look cute & are first in series & free through Audible Originals, so I think I‘ll give both a try. 🎄🔪❄️

A day-of #5JoysFriday after working all day. At least it was pretty quiet & I got some stuff done. But here‘s my list:

1. A vivid sunrise on my Hilo flight. 🌅💛

2. An overdue joy, my #travelingstars box from @BookwormAHN I was sick when it arrived Halloween week & I put it away to open when I felt better & forgot.🤦🏻‍♀️Ashley is always so generous & the Samhain box, cookbook, coloring book, book pouch & coffee brought me joy. 🧡Thank you! ⬇️

#ReadAway2024

Finished yesterday, I enjoyed this exploration of our minds & cognitive biases & where they come from. It doesn‘t go especially deep into each type of bias or the science behind it but I like Montell‘s way of casually explaining concepts & putting them into relatable examples. I was just talking about the “halo effect” where we make positive assumptions about a person‘s character based on out impressions of a single trait. (You ⬇️

#ReadAway2024

Finished on Tuesday, I had to sneak this one in for work as our President (& my boss) wants to introduce the book & concepts in our business review meeting next week & guess who gets to help him?!😬Luckily it‘s a fast read (about 3 neighbor island plane rides long for me) & has good ideas to simplify & optimize processes to eliminate waste & maximize value at work & even at home. It‘s a bit scattershot, but the ideas are solid.

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

Finished Sunday for #BobWhiteBuddies Trixie # 8 revolves around Trixie coming up with an idea to have an ice carnival to help raise money to rebuild her Mexican penpals‘ school library (a concept any reader can get behind). It also introduces a new character & addition to the club, Dan, who has a rocky start with the group & especially Trixie. Small spoiler… I always felt sorry for Dan because he rarely got to go ⬇️

Thanks for the #TLT #ThreeLineThursday tag @dabbe
I did the survey earlier & thought I should post it before Thanksgiving Day is over here!

Here‘s 3 of my answers:

1. No one shall ever take my beloved potatoes away, so I‘ll therefore have to have turkey everyday (hopefully I can rotate the form/type).🥔🤎

2. I hate pumpkin pie so I don‘t care if the sugar is left out, & we‘ll keep the rolls unburned.🥐

3. I‘m all for any only sides meal!😋

Joining in the #20in4 #readathon hosted by @Andrew65
I don‘t think I‘ll be able to get a full 20 hours in with work on Friday & Monday but I think 20 chapters is more than doable. I want to finish up the 4 books on the top for November & start the 2 on the bottom for December.

Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrated today!🍁🧡I had a nice quiet day of mostly napping & some reading & otherwise vegging. I‘ll be at work tomorrow-there‘s just too much to do to take it off, but Friday means it‘s time to list those 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week!

Tag your post with #5JoysFriday & tag me (& others to join the joy party). Tagging some friends to get the party started & of course, everyone is welcome!

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

Finished earlier in the week, this is my (final) #Roll100 pick for November (# 38 Any ARC). It‘s # 20 in tbe Bakeshop Mystery Series & comes out 2/25/25. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC! I‘m still trying to get Litsy to fix the wonky title in the system. 😵‍💫 This one is set outside Ashland at the Oregon Coast (one of my favorite places). I won‘t put any of the details in here as not everyone may be caught up ⬇️

This looks familiar… headed to Hilo for the day after some breakfast & a chapter of the tagged book in the lounge.

#NaturalLitsy #LitSolace #HyggeHourReadathon #BobWhiteBuddies

Trixie & I are hanging out for #HyggeHour tonight, along with Sleepytime tea & some peanut butter & jelly M&Ms. (I feel like these are better in theory than in taste but they aren‘t bad, because… chocolate) 😉

Looking forward to a shorter week with the holiday although it will still be a busy one & I need to work Friday morning. 🤷🏻‍♀️

#ReadAway2024

I can‘t say that I enjoyed this book—it made me both squirmy uncomfortable & angry in turns but it also was fascinating & made me think. Annie is a sentient robot or “Stella” in the book, created to be a “Cuddle Bunny” for & owned by Doug, an apparently well-to-do single man in his 30s. In this mentally abusive relationship, she struggles with her identity & understanding herself & human emotions. I found it to be an intriguing ⬇️

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

Read as one of my November #Roll100 picks (#8 Any #BOTM) I was sad when I heard Osman was detouring from writing his Thursday Murder Club series to start a new one but I need not have worried, this series has a similar style & humor & I have a feeling it will grow on me even more as it unfolds. As it was I had a blast with Amy, her father-in-law Steve & especially Rosie, a world famous author not just along for ⬇️

I‘m registered! 🎉📚🎉 This will be my 6th year participating in @monalyisha ‘s annual #AuldLangSpine (formerly #NewYearWhoDis ) event & I look forward to it each year. I‘ve been turned on to so many great books by my matches!

I thank them all:
2020 @MoonWitch94
2021 @chrissyreadit
2022 @ladyneverwhere
2023 @laughterhtp
2024 @itchyfeetreader

Check out @monalyisha ‘s post for the link & details! Space is limited & you want to do this one! 🎉📚

#ReadAway2024

Finished belatedly for #Roll100 in September (#41 Any Book of Stories) I both read & listened to it, having been drawn to it as a #BOTM selection months ago. This is where #BOTM gets it right, selecting Diane Oliver, an author who tragically died in a motorcycle accident in 1966 at just 22 with 4 stories published + 2 more posthumously. This collection is 14 stories & while not all of them were perfect, they are amazingly good & ⬇️

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

Did I love this as much as A House in the Cerulean Sea? No, not even close. Did I still enjoy it & was it a pick for me? Yes, absolutely! The pacing struggled somewhat & I understand all the reviews/comments about the preachy tone of Arthur, but I really love these characters—especially the kids & I loved being back in this world with them. I think given the election results that safe spaces are even more ⬇️

A day late with my #5JoysFriday post. I took the afternoon off from work & went to get my haircut & highlights & then did some holiday shopping & crashed when I got home.
Here are this week‘s joys:

1. Views from my inter-island flights always bring me joy. This is Kauai from Monday

2. I am addicted to these cinnamon-sugar dried Fuji apples—they are so good they bring me joy. 😋

3. Getting my hair cut & highlighted yesterday was desperately ⬇️

Yowza! I can‘t believe it‘s time for #5JoysFriday again! Time to list those 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week. 💛💛💛

When the spirit moves you, make your post & tag it with #5JoysFriday & tag me (& others to join the joy party if you want). You can use the graphic/background however you want or not at all.

Tagging a few friends to get the joy party started & of course, everyone is welcome-so please join in the joy! 🤗

Thank you @dabbe for the #ThreeListThursday #TLT tag!🤗 I meant to do last week‘s dessert one too so I‘ll try to do it.

OK, interesting list. From Hawaii (I‘ve been here 24 years now) it‘s missing rice (gotta have rice), macaroni salad & some poke as a pupu among other things.😉😋

I‘m good with 85%
From this list my Top 3 are:
1. Stuffing (my fave Thanksgiving dish)
2. Mashed Potatoes $ Gravy (counting it as 1)
3. Apple Pie (my sister‘s) ⬇️

#ReadAway2024

Finished my first November #Roll100 pick (#39 Any Subscription Book) & I quite enjoyed this unusual story about a young couple Lewis & Wren.who find out shortly after their marriage that Lewis has an animal mutation & his body will turn into a great white shark. It‘s sounds odd but it becomes believable & is beautifully written too. The story moves back-&-forth in time & also tells Wren‘s story before the marriage & her mother‘s ⬇️