Not expecting much from this month…but funny how my list is still growing…sigh
#bookspin
#doublespin
#bookspinbingo

This is one of those slow paced novels that reads pretty fast. We‘re following a random group of strangers as they travel to escape the plague (among other things). Through their travels strange things start happening and mysteries revealed right up until the end. I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed this. Read for #literarycrew and quite happy I did as it is one I likely would not have picked up on my own.

When you go to the library…but are also a pirate 🏴‍☠️ 🤷🏼‍♀️ #raisingreaders

I didn‘t expect to like this one as much as I did. Doing the audiobook version helped I think because it does get bogged down in details so I found parts easy to fall into background. Probably could have used a bit more editing. Ultimately though, it was an interestingly told story about life and the multiverse and liked most of the characters and their varying complexities.

Nothing like reading about The Plague when you‘re going through the modern day one. My how nothing changes #literarycrew

My isolation reading continues:

This one was a tough read (think all the triggers you could associate with a book with this title in graphic detail) but ultimately a worthwhile one. At first I didn‘t like the immature style it was written in but then as I progressed realized that was the intent and had a greater appreciation for it. Even more so, I‘m amazing at the perseverance and vulnerability the author shows in sharing her story.

Bad News: I got the Covid
Good News: I‘m the only one in my house to have gotten it and it seems to be minor as I‘m already on the mend. That also means isolation which is giving me time to catch up on things.
Blasted through this last section via audiobook. Nonfiction is always a bit rough for me and I‘ve found doin the audio version makes it easier to absorb; especially this one that gets heavy into detail especially in the second half.

Definitely a mixed bag with this one. I like the story enough to want to know how it ends. I still don‘t love Evie, but I enjoy the variety of characters and the attention paid to marginalized groups. The book was too long and some of the decisions the characters made felt inconsistent making me thing it could have used a solid edit. I still want to finish the series though; but I can understand why this one may not be as popular a YA series.

#bookspin #doublespin #bookspinbingo
Putting my buddy reads in the 20-23 as will only probably get to one as the other two are waiting on library holds to come through. 24-25 are free spaces as I‘m meeting my friend next week for a much overdue (pun intended) book swap and no idea what I‘m getting from her. TMI probably but 🤷🏼‍♀️

An epic story excellently woven together through formative moments of three separate women. I was enthralled with the mystery from the first chapter and found it difficult to put down. Each of the women were strong but complicated in their own right but I didn‘t find any of their stories lacking. The supporting cast is wonderful and adds to the depth of the novel. Highly recommend! Read for #literarycrew

Strong female lead, terrible humans, multiple suspects, and some super natural flavor. St James is a master at her craft and this one is no exception. Read for #sundaybuddyread and overlapped as my #doublespin 🤘

“It was always worse at night.” #firstlinefridays

Finally got around to finishing this re-read for #literarycrew and it was just as good this time around maybe better as this time I opted for the audiobook version for about half the time. The voice actors were wonderful and the characters really came to life. I highly recommend this complicated and heartbreaking tragedy.

🤐🤐🤐🤯🤯🤯 #sundaybuddyread

“By the time we left Calais, I thought perhaps I hated Dottie Forsyth. “
#firstlinefridays @ShyBookOwl
#sundaybuddyread @TheBookHippie
#doublespin @TheAromaofBooks

Earlier this week was catching up while waiting for a little to finish soccer practice. #sundaybuddyread #doublespin

Since it‘s a rainy day it‘s a lazy morning so I got to work on my #bookspinbingo board and reading plan for the month.
#bookspin - The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
#doublespin #sundaybuddyread - Lost Among The Living (yay overlap)
#obamabuddyread Tagged (part 6)
#literarycrew All the ways we said goodbye

Still need to catch up on my various discussions…but got around to putting together my May list for #bookspin #doublespin and #bookspinbingo

@CBee They came!!! Thank you so much 💛. I‘m super excited to add these to my shelf and read them and the book marks are very cute! They‘ll be great for my buddy reads…unless my boys get a hold of them and they end up being toys haha. Thanks again!!! 🥰

I‘m big on making the best out of a bad scenario and it seems the author has done that here. Williams tells her story of her brief yet notorious encounter with Anna Sorokin. I knew a bit of this story but this was an interesting perspective to read. It‘s easy to think of white collar crime as “victimless” and this shows that it is not always the case. #doublespin for April

Finished Part 5 of #obamabuddyread which also served as my #bookspin for this month. It was mostly foreign policy so a little bit of work to get through; but the audio version helps with that. The last chapter was my favorite as it was really well told (literally in the audiobook ha) and was about his work on climate change.

This one isn‘t for me. Read for #sundaybuddyread. I‘m not liking any of the characters enough story or location descriptions to keep me interested 🤷🏼‍♀️

April reading outline:

#bookspin & #obamabuddyread overlap this month for part 5 (yay!)
#doublespin is tagged and looking forward to that one
#sundaybuddyread: the enchanted April
#literarycrew: salt to the sea (which will be a reread, so may try the audiobook)

This was a fantastic look at identity and the risks taken to find your own. I usually don‘t care for slice of life type stories, but this seemed to be so much more and was beautifully done. Theirs was my #doublespin for March

Here‘s my #bookspin list for April! Tagged is the #sundaybuddyread book that also works so lovely for the title this month.

As with most stories about the Titanic, this one was full of tension and anticipation knowing the events to come. However, Lee manages to create a story within this broader tale that gives you moments where you almost forgot what was about to happen with such an interesting perspective and vivid characters. Worth a read for a new look at a familiar tale. Also: the last 1/4 of the book is impossible to put down. #sundaybuddyread

Bought a car in Wyoming and drove back to Colorado so used part 4 of #obamabuddyread as my travel companion.

Listened to the audiobook version of this one. Quite enjoyable; very well done. I‘ve only seen the old cartoon movie of this story so only vaguely remembered it. I‘ve read the Lord of the Rings series and was interesting trying the audio version, so thought I‘d give this a try. Glad I did!

Here‘s my #bookspin & #doublespin list. I‘ll leave 21-25 as open spaces in the event I feel like making a board this month.

I‘ve been seeing a lot of hype on this one and now I can see why! What a wild ride! Very difficult to put down. Filled with twists; but I will say it got almost too twisty past the point of believe-ability. Regardless, I enjoyed the adventure this book took me on.

Good News for #sundaybuddyread if you have a #botm subscription!!! Look what‘s up for a March box!!!

I wanted to like this one more based on the reviews, but I think the biggest problem was the person reading it. I think Ive aged out of coming of age tales. April has a pretty rough upbringing and after a last straw with her dad, hits the road to try life out on her own. Despite meeting some wonderful people; she was pretty terrible to all of them making it hard for me to sympathize with her. Borrowed from one of my people & my #doublespin

A beautifully written story about a variety of people and multiple types of loving relationships. While it was confusing at times, it ended up being interwoven quite nicely. Books like these are why I love #sundaybuddyread! Because of the fabulous discussion, I try to read every selection of the group as I stumble upon gems like this that I wouldn‘t otherwise have read. Thanks @TheBookHippie 💙❤️

Holy Stopping Point this week! @TheBookHippie #sundaybuddyread

Starting my #doublespin for February, on loan from a friend.

Wow! What a surprise of a story; and I mean that in the best possible way. A sorta thriller but perspective on life kinda tale told from the POV from an unconventional narrator. I really enjoyed this one. #bookspin for January

If it wasn‘t for the last minute, nothing would get done. Here‘s my #bookspin #doublespin & #bookspinbingo list. Gonna leave 22-25 free…see if that actually helps 🤞🤣😂

What I love about St. James is her ability to allow me to suspend disbelief and become so immersed in whatever world she has created for us. I don‘t know if I believe in ghosts or psychic abilities but none of that mattered with this story. Another solid one! Also loved the appearance of a former character in one of her previous books; that was fun. Read for #sundaybuddyread

Just when you thought the weekly section couldn‘t end on a more suspenseful moment…then I read this week‘s section of #sundaybuddyread @TheBookHippie

Starting my #bookspin for January today…and ugh do I know this feeling.

In an effort to not overbuy books, I started tracking my reading vs spending doing #pennyperpage sorta thing. Thank you to the library, friend book swaps, and deals mentioned here in Litsy to keep me in the black!

My 2021 in Books:
▪️18042 pages over 45 books
▪️Average book length 400 pages (guess I like chunkier ones)
▪️Average rating is 4.1 ⭐️ (makes sense…I generally like things)
▪️All 12 #sundaybuddyread
▪️8 #bookspin & 7 #doublespin
▪️reread the Harry Potter series in #potteraday
▪️Met my goals of 3 books a month and 36 books a year but missed my goal of getting a bingo

Best Year Yet!

Gonna keep the same goals because it was a good life balance. 📚

A solid like for me. And since I didn‘t go to sleep, it‘s going in the books under 2021 for me. Happy New Year Litsy Friends! 😘

Here‘s my January list! Unfortunately didn‘t meet my goal of getting a Bingo this last year, but I love trying! The second of the month is one of my favorite days because of this! I love reading, have a huge tbr, and hate making decisions so it‘s perfect! A huge thank you to @TheAromaofBooks to putting in the work every month for this!
#bookspin
#doublespin
#bookspinbingo

Catching up on reading…watching a little Tangled. Photo credit: 5 year old

Love is the husband packing up the boys and bringing them to not one but two libraries to pick up the next #sundaybuddyread while I worked 💙

Tagged is my last read of this year and my first of 2022 will likely be The Other Side of Midnight (Simone St James) for #sundaybuddyread
#lastfirst

Thanks @BookNAround

Merry Christmas to my Litsy friends! Love to you all and your families this holiday season. A big thank you for amping up my reading, I‘m loving it so much. I walked up to the scene of my hearts when we were doing some last minute Christmas shopping and thought you‘d enjoy. 🥰😘
(Tagged is the book they were reading, but very much a good dream come to life)

Starting this one of the first day of my vacation. Was hoping it would be the last for my BOTM challenge but I realized one of my books was too old. I likely will be one book short 🤬