#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 ⬇️

Headed to Kauai for the day for Open Enrollment. Starting out with the usual coffee (Oatmilk sugar cookie latte today) & and Impossible Breakfast Sandwich.

Midway through the tagged library e-book. Not sure if it will be my plane book for the 40 min flying time or not as I‘m in the middle of 4 books, but I‘m sneaking a chapter in before my coworker gets here.

#Naturalitsy #LitSolace #HyggeHourReadathon

I was going to spend my #HyggeHour with Trixie Belden but I really wanted to start this one. Accompanied by white chocolate with peppermint chips from Maui.

Tonight‘s mood is mellow & a little sleepy. Gearing up for another busy week & a trip to Kauai for the day tomorrow to finish up helping with benefits open enrollment. It makes for long days-but it‘s a good way to meet people & see our branches.

Starting this ARC which publishes Feb 2025 & is Book 20 in the Bakeshop Mystery series. (I‘m trying to get Litsy to fix the book title but it‘s taking a while).

Here with my linner/lupper of ginger tataki poke & rice.😋

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

I‘d just started this in October & wanted to finally finish it since it was a #Roll100 pick clear back in May that I never got to.

I give it a pretty soft pick—I wanted more humor, less angst & more background on the killers they kill & growth from the characters. It‘s dark & pretty gross in parts with likable characters, but it felt hollow to me. Still, I already bought Book 2 on BOTM, so I‘ll probably read it.⬇️

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

Finished earlier in the week for #NancyDrewBR & I will echo what seems to be most of the group & say this was my least favorite so far of the books. Very disjointed plot & downright weird in spots, I don‘t remember reading this one as a child (I think there are some gaps in my Nancy Drew reading). There were no noggin knockouts for Nancy & the #NNK counter but a side character got smacked over the head really hard ⬇️

#ReadAway2024

Ran errands this morning & stopped off for coffee, banana bread & some #LitsyLove replies. (Yes, I‘m behind again…)

Also finished the tagged book. Nostalgia for Michael Crichton & this being his last book that James Patterson finished made me want to give this a pick but the writing & undeveloped story & characters are just so-so. It does read like a thriller movie & reading it on the plane flying around the islands & to-&-from⬇️

A day late with my #5JoysFriday I went home & crashed last night after traveling yesterday for work & hit the ground running errands this morning. In a busy week, most of my joy came from food but it was delicious & joyful.

1-2. I don‘t get joy from tiny planes but I did get to see a lot of beautiful joyful scenery on my first trip to Lanai. I spotted a reader in the wild on our tiny plane which gives me joy!💛

3-5. Food eaten: 3. Breakfasts:⬇️

I blinked & tomorrow is Friday. Time to find some joys for #5JoysFriday. I‘m headed to the island of Lanai to visit our newest location & help with open enrollment so I‘ll be a bit late again but get started whenever you want.💛

List 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 started & everyone is welcome-so please join in the joy!

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

Finished this one earlier in the week. # 7 in The Secret, Scone & Book Society series, it‘s a medium pick for me. I liked the mystery of Nora trying to find clues to find a miniature library in a crumbling house owned by a hoarding customer—sad & intriguing, but especially in the first half of the book, I was unhappy with Nora‘s actions & lack of communication with her friends & especially her partner. Eventually, ⬇️

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

Listened to the audiobook for #SeasonalCozies & I‘ll give it a soft pick for the food & the fact it‘s centered around a contest for my favorite Thanksgiving dish of stuffing. I enjoyed the characters, but it got pretty crazy at the end & not at all believable even for a cozy. If there was a hard way to do something or a way that really made no sense, the MC & even the police did it. I also forgot it was written in ⬇️

Thank you @TheSpineView for the #Two4Tuesday tag! 🤗

1️⃣ Gonna have to go with spots but small-medium polka dot ones. 🔵

2️⃣ Yes! I have the 6 pictured currently checked out, 4 e-books & 2 print books, including the tagged. 📚

Anyone want to join in who has not yet! Consider yourself tagged! 🤗

#LitSolace #Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

My #HyggeHour is hanging out with Nancy for a bit along with some chocolate I picked up in Maui. This one is chocolate, mac nuts, marshmallows & Rice Krispies.😋🍫

I really wish I had tomorrow off but it‘s back to work & another busy week. Health wise, I am feeling better, stronger each day. Mental health wise, I feel like I am going through the motions just to get by. 😵‍💫

Late to post my #Roll100 picks for November but here we go:

#8 Any BOTM We Solve Murders
#38 Any ARC Kill g Me Soufflé
#39 Any Subscription Book Shark Heart (going with another BOTM to try & finish the challenge)

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

I finished this one yesterday with a late lunch of tonkatsu ramen, gyoza & lemon tea which is not at all Canadian for November‘s #FoodAndLit Canada, but I did consume some Canadian snacks from @mcctrish & I‘ll post about those later.

Book 3 in the Haven‘s Rock series & it‘s a good one! Lots of tension & good progression in the storyline. TBH, my reader is a bit off with this dumpster fire 🔥 of a week so I was ⬇️

Yes, it‘s 9 days into November & I‘m just posting my #TBR. In progress with some of these already & while I won‘t get to all the books here (& I am skipping a few read-alongs/challenges I normally do or wanted to do, I am going with this plus any holds & things coming in that I decide to read instead). We‘ll see where the month takes me. 📚📚📚🤷🏻‍♀️📚📚📚

Late on my #5JoysFriday as with many, the joy was hard to find in this week. I worry for so much & so many & I‘ve been on autopilot at work & sleeping & “hiding” when not working. The moments of joy were there though, as is the hope.

1. I was in public & on trips Wed-Fri & I made it & am feeling better. For the first time in a few weeks I can breathe & talk without non-stop coughing & there‘s joy in that. 💛

2. 1995 BBC P&P has been on ⬇️

It‘s been a couple of weeks since I‘ve hung out at the coffee shop on a Saturday morning & it feels good to feel well enough to be back.💛

This morning I‘m reading the tagged book a bit, hopefully writing some #LitsyLove responses & I just tabulated my #HauntedShelf numbers for Team #Flerken. I thought I missed it.🤦🏻‍♀️Not a great showing for my final 2 weeks & I still need to do book reviews, but given illness & work pressures, I‘ll take it.

#DaysDevotedTo

2nd trip of the week, to Maui for the day to help my HR Manager with open enrollment & visit some locations. The flight is earlier than Hilo which means I‘m a bit too early for the lounge & so I am having a lap picnic breakfast in the boarding area. Todays is the new turkey sage Danish (tastes like stuffing) & a sugar cookie oatmilk latte, so a little #Coffee/Tea to start the day. Still working on my ARC

Ahh, my friends… we made it through another day which seems like a pretty big achievement in a week I‘m still processing & numb about. Many of us need to find the joy more than ever. 💛

List 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week, tag your post with #5JoysFriday & tag me (& others to join the joy party. I‘m still behind on visits but will see you soon.

Tagging friends to get started & everyone is welcome-so please join in the joy!

My first of two day trips this week, Hilo today & Maui tomorrow. Still not a 100% but getting better. (Thanks for all the care & concern, everyone).

Changed up my airport breakfast a bit today to the potato cakes. Happy to spend some time with my ARC although it is going too fast. I love this series!

Thank you @TheSpineView for the #Two4Tuesday tag! 🤗

1️⃣ I am a fan of both but lately sunrises from the plane ride to Hilo have become my favorites. So pretty in the clouds! ⛅️🌅🧡

2️⃣ Tagged is #7 in the Secret Book & Scone Society:
Books, Friendship & Mystery

Play along if you want to! 💛

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

My #HyggeHour is starting this ARC that I‘ll be using as my #FoodAndLit Canada pick for November. It‘s the latest book in a favorite series from Armstrong, publishing at the first of the year & set in the Yukon. I may try to get to another of the author‘s ARCs this month as well.

For snacks, I was surprised & delighted to find a box from the lovely @mcctrish on my porch this morning full of Canadian snacks. ⬇️

This one is first in a series (A Domestic Diva Mystery), set in November/Thanksgiving time & the audiobook is free with Audible Originals so it will be my #SeasonalCozies pick for November. 🦃🍂

I failed to read as much as I wanted or complete all of my books & challenges for October & #HauntedShelf but I did manage to finish some & read/listened to 15 books + 1 children‘s book & 2 stories.

I still need to do reviews but I finished for #SundayBuddyRead #SheSaid #ChildrensClassicRead2024 #NancyDrewBR #BobWhiteBuddies 3 for #SeasonalCozies #SeriesLive my 3 #Roll100 books but no #CastTheDie
Starting fresh for November & working on my #TBR

Hi Friends, still down for the count & spent most of Friday afternoon to tonight sleeping. I think I‘m making it back up the other side but if I‘m not much better by Monday I have to go in for more chest X-rays. Anyway, sick or not, joys happen. Here‘s my late #5JoysFriday list:

1. I made sure to get my ballot in last week & got the clearance it was accepted & registered & got my digital sticker. Such joy in voting & voting 💙💙💙

2. Joy in ⬇️

Not gonna lie, it‘s been a rough week & continues to be one & I‘m still not back to normal health-wise, but it‘s nearly Friday & time to find some joys💛

List those 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week, tag your post with #5JoysFriday & tag me (& others if you want to share) I still need to visit your posts from last from last week & will.

Tagging some friends to get started, but everyone is welcome-so please join in the joy! 🤗

Pretty sure some of you are sick & tired of hearing that I‘m sick & tired but wanted to touch base since I haven‘t been around since Friday morning. The sinus thing i was fighting got ugly Friday afternoon & I got a fever & chills & was down for the count all weekend. To the point that I barely lifted my head except to cough & no reading or anything got done. Yesterday & today I worked & napped & worked as I have 2 big projects due. Feeling a ⬇️

Another crazy busy week where I had to dig a bit for joys but here‘s my #5JoysFriday list:

1. I really do get joy from seeing the sunrise on my Hilo trips each week.🌅💛

2. Had time between meetings in different locations in Hilo so that meant time to grab a poke bowl for lunch. Always joyful when it‘s super fresh!🐟

3. Went to a lunchtime virtual session on work bookclubs & because I shared my bookclub experiences I won this cute tote.🤗 ⬇️

Another crazy week & we‘re heading into Friday some joys! Whenever it's Friday where you are or when the spirit moves you, go ahead & post your #5JoysFriday lists!💛

List 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week, tag your post with #5JoysFriday & tag me & others if you want to share. You can use the background graphic however you like.

Tagging a few to get things started but everyone is welcome-so please join us in spreading joy!🤗

#WickedWhispers

Three #Potion titles from my stacks. I‘ve just read That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion At a Werewolf. The other two are cheap Kindle cozies in my massive TBR. 🧪✨🪄

Thank you to @Eggs & @TheSpineView for the #WondrousWednesday tags! 🤗

1️⃣ Without a doubt my mom & dad. In slightly different ways, they taught be me so much about being a good person, influenced my love of reading & most importantly gave me my sense of self & self-worth. I miss them both so much! 💙💚

2️⃣ My family: siblings, nieces & nephews & their families & my small circle of good friends who have become family. 💛

Want to join in? 🤗

#WickedWhispers

I love a good #Mystery but I am having to hold myself back from these two that are at the top of my #TBR until November as they aren‘t on my #HauntedShelf TBR
I chose the tagged book as my #BOTM birthday pick this month as I love the author‘s previous series & Cold As Hell is an ARC & next up in a favorite mystery series.🔎🩶

Thanks for the #Two4Tuesday tag @TheSpineView 🤗

1️⃣ This is tough so my top 3 are mango 🥭 watermelon 🍉 & sweet/crisp juicy apples 🍎 (so Honeycrisp of course), but I love most all fruit & could keep going!

2️⃣ Tagged! One of my favorite novels of food & friendship, it‘s all about sharing a weekly meals. 🍽️ Highly recommended.

#WickedWhispers

For today‘s #Monster prompt. This was a fun children‘s picture book I read last year where a group of monsters don‘t want to let a cute bunny & her friends to join their group on Halloween because they aren‘t scary enough.👻

And off again to Hilo for the day & meetings. Waiting to board with breakfast & a little of the tagged book. It‘s Book 5 in the witchy Thistle Grove series & part of my #HauntedShelfTBR. Team #Flerken 👻🎃

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

Read for #BobWhiteBuddies Book 7 in the series doesn‘t quite live up to my childhood hype of it. I remember it being a favorite because of the code found in the magazine (Saint Nicholas-a real children‘s magazine) & the little spark of Trixie/Jim romance (a corsage & a dance but be still my preteen heart) Unfortunately the racist caricature of the Japanese brothers doesn‘t age very well. It still gets a nostalgic ⬇️

#WickedWhispers

Cozy mysteries have lots of punny #Death titles. Here are 6 from my Read & TBR stacks.

I‘m using the tagged book for the #HauntedShelf #BookScavengerHunt #KnittingKnitwear prompt.

Go Team #Flerken ! 👻

#Naturalitsy #LitSolace #HyggeHourMarathon

I wouldn‘t usually relax into #HyggeHour with a horror book but I find this author more about the black humor than scares & I want to start it for #HauntedShelf

This coconut cream mini bundt cake looked prettier before I dropped it🤷🏻‍♀️but I‘m looking forward to trying it with coconut chai. I slept a lot today & am feeling better though still snorty 🤧& I wish I had tomorrow off.

Team #Flerken 👻

#ReadAway2024 #Series

This is a cute children‘s book (part of the Bats series) with an autumn & slightly spooky (it‘s bats) 🦇🦇🦇 vibe so I‘m counting it for #HauntedShelf. I‘m also using it for the #BookScavengerHunt #Luck prompt as these book-loving bats get lucky when a library window is left open & they get to spend the evening at the library. .

Read during the readathons listed in comments below. Go Team #Flerken 👻

⬇️

#WickedWhispers

I thought a cozy mystery recently finished had a #Scarecrow on the cover but looked closer & it wasn‘t.
I got to thinking that there must be plenty of cozies with scarecrow covers. And there are… here are six. Full disclosure, I haven‘t read any of these.

#Readaway2024 #SeriesLove2024

A soft pick for this first in a new cozy mystery series from my #HauntedShelf TBR & read as part of #SeasonalCozies & #Roll100 I liked the Oregon Halloween town/bookstore during Halloween setting & the characters overall, but I felt it moved a bit slowly. Still, I‘d read the next one. I found 2 words for the #WordSearch & I‘m using it for the #BookScavengerHunt #Moon prompt. Read during the below⬇️

Team #Flerken 👻

ReadAway2024 SeriesLove2024

Finished this witchy addition to my #HauntedShelf TBR🧙 It was an addition because I kept checking on Audible & it still wasn‘t showing up when I made my list.🤷🏻‍♀️The 3rd & final book in the Starfall Point series, it was cute & a nice way to end & free on Audible. These are fluffy rom-cons & they aren‘t as good as some of the author‘s other series but I like the humor & the always excellent narrators. Read during ⬇️

#WickedWhispers

This #Magic title is from my #HauntedShelf TBR as well as #CastTheDie & I hope to start it soon.

I‘m also going to use it for the #BookScavengerHunt #HotDrink prompt for Team #Flerken points 👻

#SaturdayChatterday

Saturdays are my mostly solitude & regroup time. As I work from home I like to go out to a semi-quiet coffee shop.

Today I stopped by the craft market & found my favorite card vendor back-so I restocked. I‘m going to eat my breakfast, drink my coffee, read for various readathons & HauntedShelf, get some #LitsyLove responses & Halloween greetings out & get around to some #5JoyFridays posts.
Hope your weekend vibe is good! 💛

#WickedWhispers

Funny, I posted this Dark Screams series a couple of years ago for a #Scream prompt saying that while I‘d read all the others, I still hadn‘t read the first book (tagged) & guess what? I still haven‘t read it! 📚📚📚🤷🏻‍♀️📚📚📚

I might just get to it or at least Kelley Armstrong‘s story for #HauntedShelf to get some story points for Team #Flerken 👻🎃😱

It‘s not been the best of weeks between health & work but there were some joyful moments. Here‘s my #5JoysFriday list.

1. When you‘re stuffy & sinuses hurt, nothing is more joyful & clearing than a big bowl of hot pho. I‘m already craving another.🥣💛

2. I watched one of my fave go-to seasonal comfort movies last weekend. Practical Magic always brings me joy.🧙💛

3. My #BOTM order came early in the week. I got joy from my free birthday book ⬇️

Again, how did Friday get here so fast? It‘s been a crazy week & I‘m still getting through sinus crud but it‘s time to find some joy! Whenever it's Friday where you are or when the spirit moves you, post your #5JoysFriday lists!

List 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week, tag with #5JoysFriday & tag me & others if you want to share.

Tagging a few to get things started but everyone is welcome, so please join us in spreading joy!💛

Thanks to @JessieKB for the #WondrousWednesday tag! 🤗

1. Both would probably spark my allergies 🤧 but I‘ll say 🌽
2. Pick🍎so I can eat them!
3. Nature walk 🌳🌲🌿
4. Haunted House 👻 Too much smoke at a 🔥 🤧
5. Curling up with 📚 WHILE watching a movie🍿 marathon
6. Caramel 🍏 all the way! 😋
7. Love them both but good 🥔🥣 is my fave 😋
8. Apple cinnamon, always! 🍎 💚

Anyone want to play? You are tagged! 👻

#WickedWhispers

According to Goodreads, I read this book 7 years ago. I don‘t remember much about it but I like the cover with the #Skull on it & I‘m also using it for my #HauntedShelf #BookScavengerHunt #Purple 💜prompt.

Team #Flerken 👻