pickIt felt fitting to finish this one today. A powerful account of one woman‘s fight against censorship and her right to free speech as the book banners in her community attacked her relentlessly and without cause. This is happening to librarians and citizens all over the US as white nationalists try to take our country back decades. I was angered, informed, and inspired. I highly recommend! #BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
pickLoved this thriller filled with complicated and often problematic characters. You have to hang in there with this one through a lot of uncertainty but it is worth it. Made our long drive home in tricky weather a little more bearable. Good on #audio .
pickTwisty and fast paced, this was a little silly and stretched the boundaries of reality but the snarky vibe kept it interesting. Perfect #audiobook for a long travel day, it kept us listening and made the miles go faster.
Thank you so much, @Soubhiville ! I‘ve been out of town and so finally had time to check my mailbox and was so happy to see your generous gift from the #AAM 2024. I‘m thrilled to receive both books and I love the bookmark and stickers. I love participating in the #authoramonth challenge and winning a prize just made it all the sweeter. Thanks again!
pickDelightful! I loved this quietly building romance that finds two people working through challenges of their own, finding each other and discovering the transformative power of love. I especially enjoyed learning from the perspectives of the characters (as also experienced by the author) as they deepened my understanding of some people treat others who are different from themselves. Such a lovely book! #ownvoices
pickThis was a soft pick for me. Not usually my jam but I read it for #Bookriot #ReadHander challenge (task 14) and read it in one sitting. An interesting concept, it was compelling made me think about good and evil and right and wrong.
so-soThis was just okay for me. The mystery was pretty solid but slow (could have been the narrator) and it wasn‘t good enough to make up for the pretty consistent racism all the way through. I recognize that some of that is the time period in which it was written but, still no. #AAM #authoramonth @Soubhiville
pickSo good! Captivating and powerful, Lawhon‘s novel is a gripping read that you won‘t want to put down. Based on a true story of a midwife in 18th century America, I loved this strong, courageous woman who was fighting for justice and truth, no matter what it takes. This is a story of resilience, compassion, family, and the relentless pursuit of equality. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
pickI‘ve had this forever and finally gave it some the time it deserved. It is lovely, unique and quietly powerful. The cadence of the prose is hypnotic and the way she crafts a sentence! I moved between my print copy and on #audio and can see why this won the Pulitzer prize, well deserving of all the praise. #Roll100 @PuddleJumper
pickAmazing! This follow up to the thoughtful dystopian novel Moon of the Crusted Snow was fantastic, beautiful writing, tight pacing, and the setting in an indigenous community after the fall of the world is brilliant and compelling. If you haven‘t checked out these short (under 200 pages!) novels from Waubgeshig Rice, you are truly missing out. #BookspinBingo
pickFantastic! Moore has managed to make me want to stop everything to read her book yet again; such an amazing storyteller! Dark, mysterious, and twisty with characters that are complicated and authentic-everything you want in a thriller! If this is on your TBR, move it up! If it isn‘t and you like thrillers, add it now 🙂
pickSo good! Riveting feminist non fiction that explores the history of witches in connection to the patriarchy, shares the impact it has had in the past through now, and empowers the reader to respond effectively. This one informed and infuriated me and so feel more prepared to fight what is surely to come over the next few years. Great on #audio
January Bookspinbingo board is complete! Bookspin is also my #readordonate and my Doublespin will be a new book, likely The Will of the Many, my #jolabokaflod gift from @Gissy So many litsy connections this month! @TheAromaofBooks @julieclair
pickWow! This #audio was so good that I walked farther than usual to keep listening and then finished my LEGO Christmas gift while finishing it. Complicated coworkers, many dealing with significant personal challenges, trying to just make it through at a difficult corporate organization. Surprisingly funny, especially for a former cubicle worker, this made me laugh out loud often and cry real tears too. So good! Makes it 241 for the year :)
My #Roll100 and #ReadorDonate list is done (I use the same list). First up in January will be the tagged, hoping to read 2 titles for #Roll100 January and 1 for #ReadorDonate . @PuddleJumper @julieclair I read 54 books from my list in 2024, can I beat it in 2025?
Another good reading year! I don‘t get too caught up in the numbers, mainly just want to be sure to keep reading, learning, and sharing reading suggestions with others. I need to dig into determining my favorites, will work on that over the next day and a half :)
pickStormbound by Maggie Maren is not in the database. I read it via Kindle Unlimited and it was okay, a low pick. I liked the setting and the witchy woman who is stranded and the lumberjack forest ranger who feels compelled to protect her. #BookspinBingo
pickThis fascinating piece of non fiction was a deeply researched exploration of the intersection of faith, culture, and politics. It made me think about the assumptions our society makes about religion and shines a light on the complex and often corrupt history and values of white evangelicalism. Really compelling on #audio . #BookspinBingo
pickThis was a great one to read at the end of the year to learn about voices I may not be familiar with and set me up for a really diverse reading year in 2025! #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks #diversebooks
so-soShort holiday novel, a little predictable and I would have liked more story, less spice.
How is it time to think about #BookspinBingo 2025? Got my new planner for 2025 so it must be! My list for January :) @TheAromaofBooks
My last #readordonate of 2024 is a donate. Just didn‘t grab me, #hailthebail . @julieclair
pickDelightful and funny with really clever banter, this was a great enemies to lovers romance with a good bit of mystery thrown in. I went into it pretty blind so I won‘t say much but so good on #audio ! Loved these characters and would enjoy seeing them again! #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
pickLoved this sweet Christmas novel about a woman who was left at the altar being forced to face her ex-fiancé during an extended friends holiday. Strong characters, funny shenanigans, and queer love make this a special holiday romance that had me grinning ear to ear! #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
My quiet view during the calm before the busy. Feeling blessed to be with family today and sending love to all those who celebrate the holiday, and to those who don‘t. You are loved! Merry Christmas!
I love everything in my #jolabokaflod package! Thank you so much @Gissy I‘m so excited to read this one, it will be my first read of 2025! Thanks so much for organizing @MaleficentBookDragon 😍 Merry Christmas eve everyone!
pickWow! Totally worth the hype :) I prefer her more recent works but this was riveting and I really enjoyed the #audiobook . Great palate cleanser from all the holiday stories. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
My #jolabokaflod package can a couple of days ago and I forgot to post. Thanks @Gissy ! I love how you wrapped it and I didn‘t peek in the tissue paper :) Thank you so much for organizing @MaleficentBookDragon I can‘t wait to open them up 😍🥰😍
pickFun and unexpected, I really enjoyed this fake dating trope that was different than any others I‘ve read. I loved the body positivity, the librarian FMC, and the work that these two do on themselves to make themselves confident and their relationship stronger. All that and spice too! #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
My #tlt #ThreeListThursday cookie version! Loved this one @dabbe As a former price baker and self described cookie aficionado, this one was fun 🤩
pickFunny, festive, and fiesta, this novella available on KU was a great holiday mood read. Pretty spicy, I especially enjoyed the HGTV show goes to a small town set up. #BookspinBingo #readyourkindle
pickI really enjoyed this heartwarming and hopeful read that is perfect for fans of holiday small-town romances with a great cast of characters. Centered around an autistic heroine, McNicoll celebrates the beauty of neurodivergence and the importance of acceptance. Highly recommend! #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
pickSweet, clever, and compelling, this YA set of short stories by some of the most talented writers in YA was great. Highly recommend! #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
Your #jolabokaflodswap2024 package is on its way, @Karisimo ! I love this swap, thanks for arranging again, @MaleficentBookDragon 🎄🤶♥️
pickDelightful! Sweet and festive, this was short but packed a lot of story into it. A little predictable but the perfect story to listen to while running holiday errands or wrapping presents 🎄🎁🤶#BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
pickDark, twisty Christmas thriller that was short, surprising, and great on #audio. If you like a dark English Manor, rich families who are awful, and a good twist, this may be the holiday book for you. Really enjoyed this one! #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
pickThis was amazing! Hard to put down, great characters that were unique, compelling, and fully formed. The writing was tight, well paced, and smart. So good on #audio ! Highly recommend! #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
so-soThis was a cute, YA queer romance that was perfect for the season but it fell a little short of knocking my socks off. I liked the small town setting and the supportive family, overall a sweet and cozy holiday story. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
pickThis is the funniest dark romance ever. Definitely lots of content warnings but the characters are also wickedly funny! Spicy for sure and not for the faint of heart! Not sure I would have kept reading but the #audio was fantastic! I would listen to the male narrator read just about anything. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
pickQuiet, thoughtful, calming, romantic. I really enjoyed this story of a young woman finding her purpose and her found family supporting her process. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
pickFunny, sweet, heartwarming. The perfect way to kick off December! Highly recommend checking out the Dream Harbor series!
pickSuch a delight! I always enjoy being back in the world of this complicated family. This love story has everything you want, authenticity, banter, humor, romance, and a sweet pup. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
While I‘ve read about 15 of my #readordonate books, I was inspired to do a bit of a purge today to make room for more new books in my life. I sold nearly 30 books to Half Price Books, only bought 3 ( one was a gift) and feel lighter for it! Thanks for the inspiration @julieclair !
pickThis entire series of holiday novellas was great! Great way to get in the holiday romance mood!
pickThoughtful and poetic, a love letter to earth while questioning humankind‘s ability to take care of her. Seeing the world through the eyes of various astronauts and a cosmonaut from varying backgrounds was really illuminating and quite different from anything I‘ve ever read. Great on #audio! I will be thinking about this one for a while! #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
so-soThis collection of newspaper articles from the 1930‘s had a few really interesting ones and then a couple that while they were definitely of the time, they were tough to read now. His perspective of NYC from many different walks of life, rich and poor, during this pivotal time was illuminating and revealing. #BookspinBingo #roll100 @TheAromaofBooks @PuddleJumper
