Very cute. I love the dog❤️

My first collection by Stephen King. Buddy read with my friend. Yikes, what to say? Weird and majorly disturbing: The Library Policeman…def gave me Rose The Hat vibes and then some- harm to children…awful, as far as some content goes. The Langoliers was probably my favorite. Interesting, other dimensional. The Sun Dog dragged on too much for me. Secret Window Secret Garden was a descent into madness I could‘ve lived without.

First book haul in 3 years!! The top 3 were $6.99 each from Book Outlet and the gorgeous cover of Needful Things is from Blackwell‘s.

I enjoyed this one. For me, it‘s getting better volume by volume.

This was a wildly popular book several years back and I understand how a teenager may love it because of the MC. For someone in my age classification (old), it‘s a so-so. Henry is a sweetheart, but the misery he endures actually gets old past the midpoint of the book. I loved the science, and the science fiction, but he was bullied mercilessly by classmates (and worse). His brother was abusive too but that was somehow “normalized”. TW suicide,rape

It‘s the perfect reading, journaling day in the rainy Northeast. The vinyl stickers on my Hobonichi are from Bolderbon on Etsy. You couldn‘t ask for a kinder, more dependable vendor. Shout out to Bonnie! Oh, and the book is good…I‘m halfway through.

Holy Cannoli….I loved this book. Never expected that!! Just figured it sat prominently in relatively early King lineage and I should read it. It is a bit long especially in middle, but he‘s so good at character and plot development you hold on. And man, once again, quite a yarn is woven!! If you think it‘s just about a possessed car, you‘re wrong. I would say this is true horror in the King catalogue.

This was slow going for me at first, I debated DNFing it and returning it to the library. I‘m glad I didn‘t…it got better as I read on. Most of these essays are from her columns from Cleveland Plain Dealer and The Beacon Journal. This was a random pick off my library‘s shelf. Published in 2010. She is one of 11 kids, a single mom for 18 years, married at 40. It was interesting and enjoyable.

Is anyone else having issues with Litsy? My feed is the same as yesterday‘s and it‘s not refreshing.

Better than volume 1. Enjoyable Manga. Dean is like “really?”I‘m on my heating pad and I don‘t wish to be disturbed with photos, especially at this late hour. Lol Sorry, Dean, you‘re just so darn cute!

Very cute. Manga is a good exercise for my brain. Lol I turned the page the wrong way a couple of times.

Oh boy, just finished this one. It‘s been 2 years since I‘ve read King, I won‘t let that happen again. I‘m not sure if I will remember this one in 2 years, truthfully, but it was an interesting ride in the King reading amusement park. 4⭐️

Sweet, heartwarming book. The Housekeeper is patient and kind and the Professor is a brilliant mathematician who only has 80 minutes of memory, then it‘s 1975 (the year he was hit by a truck while driving in his car) all over again and he forgets who is in front of him. The math definitely was interesting to me although there were bits and pieces that were over my head. Very thought provoking.

This book has two time lines: 1965 and 2010. Both set in #NorthCarolina. Ellie signs up for SCOPE program to try to aid Blacks to vote but they are faced with such rabid racism from Whites that the registrars‘ offices were closed, so the students mainly held protests and discussed voting with mostly poor sharecroppers. Tragedy ensues. The 2010 timeline has a separate but linked story which uncovers what really happened.

I loved this 3rd installment of the series, Before The Coffee gets Cold. It was slow going for me in places, and the author repeats a lot of things you already know, but maybe he‘s worried about fading memories? Lol Anyway, more vignettes, but a new setting….Hakodate, not Tokyo. It kind of makes you want to read the first book again. I don‘t remember Yukari being mentioned, is anyone reading the first or second book who can inform me?

Wow!!! What a trilogy!! At first, I thought I should‘ve read the first two books over before reading this last installment, but he recaps so well that it came back to me. I loved it. 4.5⭐️

Holy Cannoli, what a book!!! This is the original 1954 edition that my library had. If you‘re looking for a good non fiction book to read, more of a page turner than a lot of fiction, this book is for you. Warning: loaded with trauma, but extremely interesting. Her epitaph reads: As Bad As It Was It Was Good. Fascinating read. If you want to see film version with Susan Hayward, it has same title.

What a sweet book!!! Loved it. Makes a wonderful present. The love is palpable and the illustrations are lovely.

I enjoyed this book, quick read. Some online advice for getting your work seen. I think getting it out of your library first is a good idea bc there‘s a lot of pages with one sentence on it. I do that all the time and I just take a few notes on the advice, as written in my journal here. #librariesrock

Good book, it blends fantasy with the real world so well, you end up thinking it‘s nonfiction (in my head, at least). I will get the film out bc my librarian said they are very different. Bet I will like the book better!! Added my 36 views of Mt Fuji Hobonichi cover with my new Muji washi tape holder. I‘m currently obsessed with all things Japanese. I‘d like to go there soon!! #Japan #Hobonichi

“She stood and opened the window, and a gentle Spring breeze blew in as if it had been waiting for a chance”
This is such an adorable book. I‘m not sure who‘s page on Litsy I first saw it on, but thanks to this community, I‘ve found books I would have never found. Doing a little creative journaling bc I need it. For any of you Hobonichi people out there, Tombow 026 yellow gold is the bomb for this season! Oh, and who doesn‘t love washi tape?

My Princess Warrior and Junior Miss….this is the 1941 edition my library had. It was a breath of fresh air, simple, family oriented, set in 1930‘s Manhattan. The protagonist is Judy who is 12-14, I believe, in the span of vignettes. Quick, nostalgic read.

I absolutely loved the film (1963) with the great Sidney Poitier, so I decided to give the book a go. Loved it. Feel good, heart warming. Homer Smith❤️

“What if, I‘m raising children, we focus on ABILITY, instead of gender? What if we focus on INTEREST instead of gender?” (Caps were actually italicized in book). Really enjoyed this quick read of her speech at TEDxEuston, a yearly conference focused on Africa.

Children‘s Picture book (1995). Loved it! The dedication is very sweet also. Great illustrations!

I couldn‘t take a photo of the book bc it‘s covered with ILL paperwork-came all the way from Peru, Illinois to Jersey. I enjoyed this book. It was a travelogue through a tattered and extremely troubled California and Oregon with a couple looking for a safe place to raise their unborn child. It was very interesting and definitely disturbing at times. This the 2nd book I‘ve read by him...I liked Punahou Blues also.

This book was adorable with great illustrations. Xena liked Otis the cat, of course! @jlhammar thank you for your post on this book!!

Siddhartha
@TheSpineView @Eggs thanks for posting!!

A strange but intriguing novella. Absentee father who lived his life for success, makes an extraordinarily self sacrificing choice. I‘ll read anything Backman writes. He‘s that good.

Quick and Engaging read!! Paced well.

This book was first published in 1983. The paperback featured is from 1984. I had no idea it was that old.
Only took me 39 years.... this is when I‘m happy I‘ve lived this long. Small book, big message.
Thats my powerful girl, Xena. She‘s nobody‘s fool🐾❤️

Bizarre but intriguing. 36 short vignettes all occurring within one neighborhood. I found myself re-reading some to refresh my memory on recurring characters.

“Pure escapism” as one booktuber put it. If you need a book to dive into and forget about life for a while, the Riva family will provide that. Plus, that cover.......I (somewhat) recognized the name Mick Riva, who had been a character in TSHOEH and DJATS, but definitely forgot his role. Here he factors in largely but predominantly as a superstar absentee father. 3.5⭐️

A booktuber mentioned this book and described it as a book of essays that could be a bedtime story for adults. He was right....these were enjoyable short essays talking about different creatures that roam, or swim this earth and how endangered they are. I learned about axolotls for the first time in my life! Had never heard of these adorable amphibians. She meshes stories about trees, lightning bugs etc, in with her own familial anecdotes.

Quagmire of insanity but deeply engaging. Makes you want to take a psychology class. Holy cannoli, maybe commuter college was the way to go, after all....lol

Her experiences as a Secret Service Agent during various administrations ( and 9/11) was interesting. The story is read by the author. I like how she starts each chapter with a quote from an ancient Greek. I‘m a sucker for quotes. Unfortunately, with an audiobook, you‘re rarely in a position to jot it down.

This book, although slow, should really be focused on. It is character driven; the plot is less important then the lessons learned. Joanna Canon is a really good writer and a (former?) psychiatrist. The story follows two time periods: summer of 1976 (hottest on record for Britain) and late 1967. It‘s a coming of age story, a bit of a mystery, and a small town narrative. It highlights the dangers of herd mentality and misjudgment. 4⭐️

I absolutely loved this second installment of Before The Coffee Gets Cold. I‘m so invested in this cafe and the coziness and life lessons, I‘m craving more!! Photo: Dean Martin is featured on his heating pad, and Xena is in background.

Dean is hugging this book for good reason...it‘s a finely crafted yarn, with a lot of tragedy. If you are in a reading slump, pick this one up!

I enjoyed this. Four different stories all interrelated by the cafe. I think I liked The Sisters the best. I have to get my hands on the follow up!

This book is something else. I feel sorry for Tara and anyone else who had to grow up with toxic masculinity. Kept thinking about the line from Looking For Alaska “subverting the patriarchal paradigm.” I think Ms. Westover has achieved that, against all odds.

This book was pure fun and good adventure. Tang is a Robot that shows up in Ben‘s back garden. One problem: he‘s got a damaged cylinder and no one seems to know how to fix him. They travel from the UK to Cali, Texas, Tokyo and Palau and have some interesting experiences. Ben learns about himself through his experiences with Tang. Heartfelt and sweet.

I‘m at about the 72% mark and I had to stop and think about how badly this woman was psychologically damaged by her father, brother and patriarchal society, in general. It‘s so depressing. (no, it‘s criminal). The fact that she rose above the brainwashing and abuse she suffered is quite impressive. Highly recommend the audiobook, don‘t think I would have picked the physical copy up.

This book started out SO slow, I would literally fall asleep after 5 pages.I‘ve been reading it for MONTHS! Something kept me hooked, however...and it finally picked up and then I went running with it. I really enjoyed this read. Dare I say I liked it more than its predecessor? Yes, I think so.

I LOVED this book!!! So heartwarming and fun. Great middle grade read! Highly recommend for any cat lover in your circle. Super fun premise, very good storytelling. Leonard🐾❤️ Xena agrees💕

I sincerely loved this book. Grant character. Now this Saab vs Volvo thing will stick in my head. I loved the styling of the Saab, such a cool car. The side characters (and how Ove affected their lives) were interesting too. I especially enjoyed Cat Annoyance and Parvaneh. 4⭐️

I loved Demetrios‘ I‘ll Meet You There, so I had to pick this one up. Another good YA novel (with truths from author‘s life) taking place during Junior and Senior years of high school when Grace, who comes from a not so good family with a mother who is lost and a step dad that‘s verbally abusive, meets her “savior” of a bf. She too loses herself to a manipulative, and harmful dude. Good warning for teens. The female friendships are sweet. 3.5⭐️

Sweet read. Children who are magical in one way or another (shape shifter, sprite wyvern, gnome, etc) who have had hardship and find love and guidance from a man and an adult sprite. They are investigated by protagonist who works for the agency that runs orphanages. His life is changed by this experience.

Started out not so thrilled with this...but I was pleasantly surprised as it went along. The protagonist, Laurel, grows and heals from tough stuff (including disturbing stuff-tw) during her freshman year of high school through writing to Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin et al. Epistolary novel. Enjoyed this!

Of the 3 Kawakami I‘ve read, this is my favorite. A great character study and a glimpse into Japanese culture. 4⭐️.
And I‘m finally out of my reading slump....yahoooooo!