My 2025 reading bracket was pond themed! I had a strong start to the year, but hit a massive slump halfway through the year due to school stress. My overall pick was a reread of one of my all time favorite books Vassa in the Night. I picked up even more reading it this time 🦢🌌✨

I made a honey and tea themed bracket for 2026 to reflect my love for chamomile tea lol 🐝🍯🫖 Here‘s to hoping this year‘s books will be sweeter 💛

Christmas #bookhaul 🎄❄️ My sisters and I decided to get each other book boxes this year. We didn‘t fully know what the other likes to read so we spent a lot of time on each other‘s goodreads and guessing 😂

a combination of sales, gift cards, and gifts means I‘ve accumulated 8 books! I‘m excited to try a bunch of books I know very little about or hadn‘t heard before. Getting out of my comfort zone and going into a book blind is refreshing 😊

Another great installment! I read this in Matt Berry‘s voice, who is the voice actor for Moominpappa in the 2019 show. Moominpappa might not be the most truthful story teller (and a little full of himself) but he is good at it! Excited for Moominsummer Madness next ☀️

#SundayFunday @BookmarkTavern This book feels like when you walk out at night and it‘s softly snowing without anyone else around if that makes sense ❄️

My favorite so far!

A short sapphic retelling of the Snow Queen ❄️ I think the story worked really well in a shorter form. The book primarily focused on the developing romance between Helvig and Gerda. The spin on the Snow Queen at the end was an interesting and eerie reimagining. A good book to kick off winter reading!

The moomin display at B&N piqued my curiosity and I went ahead and grabbed some the Moomin series from the library. I read Moominland Midwinter to match the storm outside, but now I‘m following the order of the series. It‘s very charming, but the show Moominvalley (2019) really brought the characters to life for me. I enjoyed some of the 90s episodes too. I was really excited to learn Jansson was queer and that Moomin and Snufkin are queer-coded.

I had very different expectations going into the book based on the title and the blurb than what the book ended up being about. I ended up feeling so depressed everytime I read it because what happens to the ghosts and how ghosts come to haunt a place was a lot more bleak and dark than what I wanted from the book. Most people really love Constable & Toop so it‘s definitely a me problem.

Two cute, fun, and emotional graphic novels for spooky season! 👻🖤

I was excited for this book because I love historic true crime, especially pre-1950s cases with their mystery and lack of forensics. I hoped for stories like the Axeman of New Orleans, but most of the book focused on the axe‘s history instead of axe murders. When the cases finally appeared, they felt random. The author‘s quippy tone and personal assertions distracted from the material and were annoying.

#SundayFunday @BookmarkTavern My favorite Halloween treat to read with are any kind of sour candies like lemonheads or a baked spooky good like spiderweb brownies! I actually have a hard time eating anything that is meant to mimic grotesque things like hotdogs made to look like fingers. I think it‘s just an aversion to body horror? But otherwise LOVE spooky season. Thanks for the tag @KadaGul

This was such a fun Halloween book! Each chapter is a day in October with a cast representing tropes in Victorian gothic lit. The MC is a dog named Snuff who is prepping for The Game to be played by his master Jack (the Ripper) on Halloween night. I loved the twists and figuring out The Game as October progressed. I wish there had been a just little more action but I can see myself reading this every spooky season. I‘m obsessed with this cover 🧡

Whenever I'm having a bad book slump, I turn to graphic novels. I love ghosts and thought the cover of the first book was so wholesome. The story drew me in and I found myself caring about what would happen to Marjorie and Wendell. Eliza was a great addition and her story deeply emotional. However, Marjorie felt flat as a character. There was little to show who she was, why she liked Wendell and Eliza, etc. Overall, great story with a mediocre MC.

I love this series! However, I didn't love this 4th addition as much, mainly because I don't like Mansfield Park that much. I find Fanny and the rest of the Mansfield characters a bit insufferable. However, I did like Fanny‘s ending and I gained a lot of respect for her after her brother confided something very personal to her. I found the ‘will they wont they‘ a bit overly dramatic and I didn‘t like the ending plot twists at all. Low pick.

Exams were really tough and the first few weeks of my third year of grad school were not great for mental health. But Dreadful was such a fun read! I loved the silliness of Gav trying to figure out what exactly a master evil plot entails and who everyone is while having no memories. The side characters had just as much charm too. It was a great, light hearted pick me up!

I really didn‘t like either cover for The Secret History of Moscow, so I made my own 😂 For some reason Slavic folklore + magical realism has been my jam and I really enjoyed this one! It was more of a character study of the people of Russia throughout the different eras of its history rather than an action driven plot. I wish the underground realm had been fleshed out more and sad no Baba Yaga. The ending had me 😱 for a good hot sec. 4 🌟‘s

I‘ve never really been one to reread books. I‘m always anxious to get started on a new book and find a new fav. But I have been thinking a lot about some of my fav books and decided to give this one a reread since I originally listened to it on audio. So far, it lives up to how I remember it. Bizarre, dark, gruesome, and magical ✨🦢

Maybe I need to reread books more! How often do you reread favs? How do you balance new reads and rereads?

I enjoyed how whimsy and cute the story was and getting a little bit of knowledge on plants! I like how the letters from the past were woven into the story and Caspia‘s journey of self-discovery, finding courage, and growing her roots. The only thing I didn't like was it seemed like Caspia didn't like her friend Laryssa all that much. It seemed like she tolerated her presence and that was it. Overall, a sweet easy read eminating warmth and magic.

June was a little bit of a dud in terms of books to choose for my bracket. But I did really love reading Jurassic Park! 🦖 The new movie was ok, not enough spinosaurus 😜 I‘m hoping July will be a bit better reading-wise, and I‘m loving the tagged book. I joined a middle grade themed book club and The Green Kingdom 🌿 is the current read. I‘m very glad to have found some fun book clubs on Fable.

I ditched my espresso machine for a French press and have been practicing making a latte! I'm very happy with the result ☕ Nothing better than a good cuppa with a good book! 📖

I just learned about this app and that it gives you a little Myers-Briggs reading personality! Are there any littens on Fable? What are your thoughts? I love trying new book apps, even though Litsy will always be #1 🥰

Some new crafts to do while I listen to my audiobook 🎧📖 So far I‘m enjoying this sapphic take on Austen 😊

🌟🌟🌟 I am of a firm opinion that the title of this book and the previous one should be flipped lol

🏎️🧡 I finally decided to try stickers for my e-reader!! I had to do an F1 (mostly papaya/Oscar lol) themed spread! The background didn‘t print perfectly but I‘m very happy with the outcome. Nevermind that Oscar‘s facial expression is how I felt about this weekend‘s Canadian GP 🫣 I‘ve also got an OTGW, Ghibli, spooky, more F1, and Cottagecore themes lined up :)

I LOVED the plot twist at the end! I find the ghosts to be the best part of these books. I wish more time was spent on them. I can‘t say the living characters have grown on me at all. Their dialogue and inner monologues are so cheesy. Keira can be especially repetitive. I do not like the possible implied romance either, I was hoping it would stick to being a mystery horror. A fun fast read, but I found myself skim reading to the ghost parts.

The Sisters Brothers is marketed as a dark comedy Western. Dark comedies are one of my fav sub genres. However, I could not for the life of me find the humor. The writing style was very simple and straightforward musings from Eli Sisters (who I found naive and annoying). The plot felt repetitive following their journey and I did not like the callous violence. A scene with a child was when I decided it just wasn‘t my cup of tea.

I feel very mixed on this one. I enjoyed the action for sure, but I was not a fan of Frodo and Sam‘s chapters. I just never felt attached to them and disliked Gollum lol. I also felt like the last chapter, and the last line, were very anticlimactic and lacking emotional depth. I think I just missed the dwarves too much from the Hobbit. Overall, loved lotr, but I don‘t think this was my fav. Excited to start The Silmarillion next!

Soft pick. I randomly grabbed this one at the library. I was looking for Dead Lake, but this was the only Coates book on hand. It was more of a fun book than a scary one. I was intrigued by the idea of a woman who can see the dead tending to a graveyard and its ghostly occupants (a weird part of me really wants that job). There was a quirky cast of characters and a plot twist in the ghosts story. Nothing mind blowing but I will grab the next one!

? I love my name, Madeline. I‘ve never liked my nickname Maddie, although my dad named me Madeline so I could go by Maddie ? Madeline feels pretty and elegant. Maybe I‘d change the spelling to Madeleine. I do love the name Josephine too as an homage to a great grandmother and my dad.

? Theodora Roosevelt aka Teddy Bear, Charlotte Ann aka Charlie, Pepper, and Ghost

? Emeline, Casiopea, Pangur Bán, Pilu, Vassa, Rose, Lily, and Ayesha

I‘ve loved the movies since I was a kid, but recently saw a review depicting the book as much more horrific and I immediately downloaded it. It was definitely more graphic and gorier. I was surprised by some of the different characters in the novel and the difference in who made it to the end. I kept reading it before bed and then feeling uneasy the rest of the night lol.

Do you think it‘s worth trying The Lost World next?

For my birthday, my friend took me to a Jane Austen picnic!! Everyone was dressed up. There were different Austen inspired activities every hour with scenes from Pride and Prejudice in between. I‘m obsessed with the pink fan I bought too 🩷 I‘m hoping to listen to the audio for Pride & Prejudice this summer and watch all of the adaptions!

🌼 I would love to learn ancient Egyptian or Akkadian. I am obsessed with the Club of Great Powers that existed between 1500 and 1200 BC and would love to read artifacts. I also love Hatshepsut. I could gush for hours about the women from that time period!

🌼 I really want to learn more about the ancient Chinese warrior and queen, Fu Hao. I haven‘t been able to find any solid books on her, but I guarantee there are some written in Chinese.

- I love reading lying down! I actually like to do my work lying down too. My back really aches when I have to sit for a while and I end up getting too distracted. I have a new chair in my living room that allows me to comfortably lay down while I read!
- I‘m just about to start the third lotr! I really love the books so far. However, I did find Frodo & Sam‘s parts a bit of drag. Hopefully everything picks up #Two4Tuesday

Yay for more space horror!! I liked the premises of her first two books, but not so much the execution. It felt like the horror really falls apart during the climax and each book has the same group of characters. I was happy this one was a little different and read it in one sitting. I still wish the horror had hit harder. I didn‘t mind the romantic subplot in this one; it didn‘t feel as random. Hoping her next one will be even creepier! 3.5 🌟

Someone listed this as a Pride & Prejudice retelling, which was enough for me. However, I‘d say this was more of typical enemies to lovers. It felt a little too instalove and the plot on the back cover was only maybe 1/4 of the book. I didn‘t love how infertility was handled. But overall it was a fun read when I was feeling a little too stressed with grad school. It took me an embarrassing amount of time to realize what a quizzing glass was.

I remember trying to read lotr a long time ago and not being able to get past Bombadil. However, now is the right time because I am loving Tolkien‘s work. I found the references to Númenor during Bombadil‘s chapters to be fascinating. I love Tolkien‘s lore and history of Middle Earth the most, especially of the dwarves and men. I had fun seeing what the movies kept and what was different :) There were many scenes that had me choking up too ?

Thanks to @kelli7990 for sharing! I don‘t have much to say other than please help keep libraries an integral part of our society: petition is this link https://nwmd.social/s/copylink/5QyDZVuWfuHOxbWOmQ==/b

🇺🇦💙💛🕊️ My heart goes out to Zelensky who has stood with Ukrainians during this atrocious Russian War on Ukraine. Слава Україні!

I‘ve started a ritual of reading something relaxing before bed with a cup of chamomile and honey to help with my insomnia. This is my third time trying to enjoy the Hobbit, although I love the movies. I started this attempt with a mindset that I was reading something very cozy and ended up loving it. I even cried at the ending. I‘ve purchased lotr, The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, and The Children of Húrin to read next ☺️ It is my Feb pick ?

Thank you @LA1 for this beautifully made #ValetineCardSwap 🥰🩷💌

Well then….I feel a little attacked but this was super fun lol. Thanks @TheBookHippie for sharing #LiterallyMyCharacter 🤩

Thank you everyone for the lovely #Valentinecardswap25!!! 💌💗📝 I sent mine out a little late but hopefully they will all be arriving very soon 😊

Thank you so much @bumpinthenight for this wonderful spooky #Valloweenswap!!! The chocolates look delicious and I‘m so excited to light the candles 🕯️ 🥀 Bleached Reminders looks like it‘s gonna be so interesting 💀 I appreciate all the goodies ☺️

My cousin, who is my book bestie ♥️📚, and I have been sending each other Valentine‘s Day book swaps for a couple years now. She‘s a really big romance fan. I finally got it wrapped up and ready to send! We painted wine bottles at my friend‘s Galentine‘s day party. I think a little sweet lemon wine + reading is the perfect way to spend the evening 🥰🍋♥️

I received my #Valloweenswap! 💀🖤♥️🥀🕷️ #Valloweenswap25

I was craving a space horror and this one was recommended frequently. I liked the premise and the psychological horror. I had a minor gripe with the characters, especially Sasha. I didn‘t like how she treated Zhang, and I thought the romance was just kinda dumb. I do wish the horror had been amped up. But it was very fast paced with constant action. I‘m excited to see what horrible scene they stumble on as they explore their final destination.

I shipped my #Valloween swap! It should be there by the 5th 😊🖤💀🥀 #valloweenswap25

I read a lot of great books in January, but Hotel Lucky Seven delivered a sharply comedic and thrilling ride 🐞 I have some great books lined up for February.

In 1935, five men set off to follow in the ill-fated footsteps of the 1905 expedition up Kangchenjunga. Little do they know the mountain is hiding a dark secret. I like historical and psychological horror but this one was a soft pick. There was just so many opportunities to make this story truly horrifying, disturbing, and unsettling but Paver chose to take a safer route. I‘m hoping her other book Dark Matter will make me afraid of the dark.

The Mantis follows the inner life of a singular assassin, Kabuto, who works for an eerie handler called The Doctor. Kabuto is a talented and ruthless hitman, but at home he‘s fearful of upsetting his wife and not being a good father. This was a mix of humor and lots of emotion, and Isaka definitely threw a gut punch at the end that left me teary eyed. While this was markedly different from the rest of the series, I devoured it in one sitting!