I disappeared again after my cryptic post about how the previous 8 months had sucked… well, the following year wasn‘t much better. A lot of changes. Starting in June 2021: I lost my childhood dog (not the one pictured here), then my dad (who I flew to Hawaii on my own to say goodbye to; a whole story in itself), then my beloved JackyCat. Those are all the things that led up to my posts a year ago. Since then… (more in comments)

Taking another break from Jade City - the story is amazing but I feel like I‘m running a marathon on a treadmill when I read it; always moving but never going forward. (Seriously, I‘m on chapter 39 & just barely halfway) This one is an interesting look at the things in our daily lives that cause us anxiety, all in the context of Maslow‘s Hierarchy of Needs.

Hey #LitsyFam - I‘m back after a long hiatus. The past 8 months have been awful. 0/10, do not recommend. We‘ll talk more on that later, though. For now, I‘m determined to finally finish this damn book that I‘ve been reading for approximately one million years now.

I didn‘t think it was possible, but this one hits even harder as an adult. I read the original in high school, & when I saw that it had been adapted to a graphic novel I knew I had to reread it. Definitely heavy, & a serious TW/CW as it‘s about surviving sexual assault, but an amazing and inspiring story nonetheless.

I found two of the books in this Dark Tales series at Ollie‘s and decided that, for $3 a piece, I would get them & read them. This one is actually a really good retelling of the traditional Beauty & the Beast story, and I‘m excited to read the other one (which is a retelling of the snow queen I think?). Definitely a nice, quick read in between grad school readings.

Audiobooks have become my go-to listens for driving and working out, although I‘m starting to think I need to avoid working out with my boyfriend (he got me big mad at the gym today - an hour workout and I spent half the time telling him to leave me alone🤦🏻‍♀️🤣) #audiofitness #audiobooks #audiofit #audiobooksandworkouts #fitsy #fitlitsy

4/5⭐️ (allegory was way too obvious in this one for my liking🤷🏻‍♀️)

5/5⭐️

5/5⭐️ (I‘m getting a Reepicheep tattoo because he‘s the best)

5/5⭐️

5/5⭐️

5/5⭐️

The full series is listed as one, 33-hour audiobook on Audible so of course I decided to download it and listen to it. I‘ve never read these books (though I have tried) & am definitely enjoying listening to the stories.

Finished this audiobook last week. I‘ve never seen these movies, but I‘m glad I haven‘t because I‘ve heard they‘re awful and half of it is made up🤣 unsurprisingly, I loved the book, especially with Andy Serkis narrating it.

It‘s been a minute, Litsy. I‘m (mostly) finished with Return of the King (I‘m struggling with the appendices) and love it, although I definitely prefer Eowyn‘s bad bitch moment as it was portrayed in the movie over how it was written (sorry🤷🏻‍♀️). We‘ve been busy beavers in the past month, too, with new furniture and a new DIY backsplash☺️

Why does a book about “living with less” have so many “goodies” included? Otherwise, good insights & lots of things to think about.

Amazing. Movie & books are on par, though for different reasons. Halfway through Two Towers and loving it just as much.🥰

Still hate chibi moon🤣

Still the best hero

I‘ve been slacking a bit in my goals - I haven‘t been consistent in working out or reading every day. I‘m not going to beat myself up over it, though - my true goal was to create the habits of working out and reading for enjoyment on a regular basis, which I am doing. I was just using the daily goal as a motivator. So far I‘ve finished 5 books in 2021, & I plan on getting through maybe even one more today with the snow day!

Thank you @Come-read-with-me for the lovely cards this holiday season! I know I‘m a little late with the Christmas one, but I really appreciated them, and they absolutely made my day. You‘re the best!❤️ #litsylove

I loved the Sailor Moon anime series so of course I love the mangas. 1st finished book of 2021! So far I‘m on track with my daily reading & exercising goals. A little over 6 hours left in The Fellowship of the Ring, so I should be done with that one soon too. Working on the second Sailor Moon, Jade City, & Practical Magic for Beginners, too.🤦🏻‍♀️😅 #readinggoals #goalupdates #readingtoomanybooks #istheresuchathing?

Making my goals for this year less overwhelming. I‘m going to focus more on creating positive habits and less on reaching a specific number - either books read or weight lost. 2020 took a lot out of me, physically and emotionally, and I‘m going into 2021 with the intention of reclaiming those things. #newyeargoals #getitdone #smallgoals #creatinghabits

Listening to this while I fold laundry as a distraction from the tingling in my shoulder. #audiobook #audiocleaning #laundryday #morelikelaundryweek #christmasbreak #litsylistens

Litsy! I‘ve missed you all! It‘s been a long time; but life has been happening A LOT lately. Going to court for full custody of my stepdaughters. Starting & working through grad school. Going back to school now that the world has changed. It‘s all been crazy. BUT! I‘m back, and going to make the most of 2021.

Does anyone else get random bouts of nostalgia and impulsively buy things they remember from childhood? Because I did, and thankfully ThriftBooks had this trilogy available because it apparently isn‘t being published anymore. This was one of my favorite series as a kid and I‘m so excited to read it again!❤️ #nostalgiabooks #bookseries #thriftbooksbuys #thanksthriftbooks #fifteendollarsfortheset #whaaaat #dealslut

The 4th was great - until baby mama drama started. I‘m so done with people; I‘m emotionally drained. So are the kitties because we traumatized them with fireworks in the backyard; now we‘re all relaxing in bed while mama reads. #sendhelp #thiswomanisanightmare #anxietyonhigh #peoplesuck #booksandcatsarebetter

Sorry if I‘m late to the game - finishing my classes has killed me over the past two weeks.😫 #booked2020 spring accomplishments/prompts: #aboutgenocide was Maus (which I technically read in winter so take that as you will), #silkpunk is Jade City (still reading, because college) & #animaloncover was HP & the Sorcerer‘s Stone👌🏼 here‘s hoping to getting through some more of the #summer prompts🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

Eeeeeeeeeeeee!!!😍😍😍😍

#booked2020 animal on the cover prompt. Listening to this with the girls during their rest times❤️ #audiobooks #resttimereading #familyreads #harrypotter #introducingthelittlestothemagic

Figured I should start working through the spring prompts for #booked2020 since... I‘M STARTING GRAD SCHOOL SOON!🎉❤️ #silkpunk #gradstudent #quarantinereadathon #coronavirusreadathon #gettingbackinthegroove #outtamyfunk #accepted #feelingaccomplished #dontmindthebrace #ivehadwristissuesforyears #ipromiseimnotbroken

Back‘s out but the garden beds are in.😅Also, check out my broccoli cheddar frittata that both kids loved and ate a full quarter of! Been working on projects but I‘m missing books so hopefully I‘ll be back into it soon!❤️

I‘ve been kinda MIA on here lately. Haven‘t been reading. This whole lockdown thing is not doing great things for my mental health. BUT! I finally got my office organized and a bookshelf for in there so I don‘t have random stacks of books all over the place!😅

#booked2020 quarterly update:
1. Millennial Author - Severance by Ling Ma
2. Hat/Head Covering on Cover - Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman
3. #LiveAndLearn - The Search for the Green River Killer
4. Set in Hollywood - The Black Dhalia (in progress)
5. #CoverCrush - Illegal (switching books for this & 6)
6. Finished in a Day - Even Grimmer Tales

Thank you so much @Come-read-with-me for the goodies!!! You are too kind!❤️ it definitely brightened my weekend. #litsylove #spreadingkindness

1. Anything by Neil Gaiman. The Wrath & the Dawn books. The Lunar Chronicles. The list goes on and on.
2. Favorite comedies are all pretty much Seth Rogan comedies or other such dumb comedies. I also thoroughly enjoy White Chicks. Fantasy movies are always great for distractions.
3. Favorite podcast, hands down, is Lore. TV shows include GoT, My 600-Pound Life, Hoarders, Catfish (yes I love trashy reality TV)
4. Reading (obvs), also cross-stitch

Snuggling on the couch with cats. Everything is closed in N.Y. other than essential businesses. My copy of the new Animal Crossing game is looking like it won‘t be here today. And it‘s hella gross outside. Looks like I‘m just bunkering down and reading all day again. #coronavirusreadathon #covid19readathon #quarantinereadathon #lockdown #day4 #teachersoflitsy #readalldayeveryday

My library doesn‘t have this available as an ebook, but I found it on archive.org! This has been on my list for a while, & now seems perfect as the only winter prompt I have left is set in Hollywood.👌🏼 #booked2020 #setinhollywood #winterprompts #coronavirusreadathon #covid19readathon #quarantinereadathon #teachersoflitsy

Yup, this was bad. The only good thing about it was the distraction it provided - being lost in thoughts of “oh this is so bad, wtf?!” is much better than the constant thoughts of coronavirus. #coronavirusreadathon #covid19readathon #quarantinereadathon #booked2020 #covercrush #thisiswhyyoudontjudgebookabytheircovers #exceptthisisobkectivelyabadcover #soishouldhaveknown

Don‘t ask me why I‘m drawn to this based on the cover. I just am. My psyche doesn‘t know how to handle things right now.😅 (& for everyone wondering, I am okay, just feeling all sorts of weird and anxious) #covercrush #booked2020

This is a good book. It heightened my anxiety beyond words, considering the current global health situation, but it is good. #millenialauthor prompt for #booked2020 - now to find something that actually distracts me from the fact that I‘m stuck home for the foreseeable future. #coronavirusreadathon #teachersoflitsy #imreadytogobacktoschoolnow #catsoflitsy #littenkittens #kittenlittens

Well I‘m almost done with this book and pretty sure I won‘t be at work for most of the next four weeks so now the big question: do I try getting books from the library or read the never ending pile I have at home?🤣 #teachersoflitsy #coronavirusreadathon #covid19readathon #abouttoreadeverythinginmyhouse

Yo reading this book right now is feeling super creepy with the current global health situation. I‘m totally into the story, but it‘s giving me the heebies, for sure.

Starting my pick for the #millenialauthor prompt for #booked2020 today. I‘m only through the prologue but I‘m digging it so far. #lunchbreakreading #readingandlunch

Sick day means reading all day. Finished this book and totally loved it as much as the first one. Now I plan on reading the webtoon adaptation (after I finish my remaining library books, that is...😅)

Wow. As for writing talent, definitely the ability to develop and balance an entire story, world, cast of characters, etc. that all mesh together. It can be learned, but it is more intuitive for some people than it is for others. & I can‘t pick a most talented writer, but Neil Gaiman, one of my absolute favorites, is definitely up there. Thank you @Come-read-with-me for the tag! #wonderouswednesday

Oh. My. Goodness. GIRL! This is so sweet. It‘s like you knew everything about me. I am floored. Thank you sososososo much. I cannot WAIT to curl up with a hot cuppa in my new mug and read through these. I‘ve wanted to read all of them for so long, they‘ve just gotten pushed further and further down on the TBR pile. #bhms #blitsyhistorymonthswap #blackhistorymonthswap #blackhistorymonth #blitsyhistorymonth

Okay I haven‘t opened anything else but I am so excited because GARDETTOS DUDE!😍🤣 @sprainedbrain you are already the best.❤️🤣 #bhms #blitsyhistorymonthswap #blackhistorymonthswap

Omg @Chelleo this card is amazing - I am obsessed. I love the bookmark, too.❤️Thank you so much! Now onto my package from @sprainedbrain 😍😊😊 #blitsyhistorymonth #blackhistorymonthswap #bhms

Yooooooo. This book is so good. I was going to wait to read the second one until after I finished Severance but I honestly might just have to dive right in. Also how am I at 11 books already this year?! Like it does not seem possible!