Been wanting to read this for a year now, and I finally made it happen just in time for Halloween. Such a great story, and just creepy enough for kiddos. I love the illustrations too. This is the kind of tale to retell by a fire outdoors! 💀

A heartwarming story about food, family, friends and the real challenges of anxiety and depression. Sometimes no matter what you do you can‘t fix things, but realizing that you can love someone and be there for them is sometimes enough. Filled with delightful characters, funny moments and escapades, this book was a refreshing read on my Sunday with peach sangria in hand.

Read this one for book discussion and while it tackled some issues during WW 2 Hawaii, I‘m not a huge fan. Found the elements of magic/(nature?)to be disjointed and it was all a little too weird for me. The author captured the worries and prejudices of the time pretty well, but characters seemed flat to me.

1. Read the book
2. Laundry
3. Read
4. Chocolate
5. Pen (unless I‘m sketching)
6. Answer questions
7. Be one
8. Fowl
9. In-person (I like to touch and feel things, plus colors are more accurate)
10. Snowy

#wondrouswednesday
@Eggs

My fiancé bought me this book a couple weeks back, so thoughtful! I finished reading it today on a hilltop in the mountains (I think Emily would approve of this setting). What a delight! Very different from what I was expecting. I loved the balance between fanciful and darker themes while exploring such a unique landscape. If you‘re even curious about this one I recommend giving it a chance.

1) Got a raise at work today!
2) Celebrated my birthday ?!
3) Received the nicest yarn, card and knitting book from my fiancé!
4) Got to catch up with two sisters and one friend this week on the phone.
5) Enjoyed blue sky for the first time in over two weeks! (It‘s been so smoky here)

#5JoysFriday

@DebinHawaii

I loved listening to the first third of this book! Such a fascinating look behind the curtain of Broadway and Hollywood. Barbra‘s narration and sound clips were so perfect. Unfortunately I got bogged down with the political stuff 30% in and had to return it to the library because my loan was up. Don‘t know if I feel like placing another hold.

Finished this last night in bed. A republished, somewhat old fashioned book. I found it very soothing. Very slow paced, but peaceful, clean writing. Recommended for anyone who needs a book to fall asleep to 😴

Lots to be joyful about this past week!!

1) Spent a really special day canoeing with all my sisters.

2) Hosted an author talk for my brother who is promoting his new book.

3) My fiancée moved down to the area to be closer to me!

4) Yesterday I enjoyed some homemade spring rolls for lunch that my sister made.

5) Went out for fancy cocktails with my sisters and cousin.

#5JoysFriday
@DebinHawaii

Finally finished this over the weekend. I‘ve been so busy lately it‘s been hard to make any headway. Main character is a little naive, but mostly likeable. The food descriptions and scenes were described well, but I did find it odd that she kept wanting to paint things. No real passion for this is ever mentioned until the very end, so why keep referencing it throughout? Overall, I found it a simple read without any surprises.

1) Got engaged to my boyfriend!!! 💍
2) Supper on the deck with my family during a peaceful summer evening ☀️
3) Saw some of my nephews and nieces.
4) Was able to keep knitting the baby dress I‘m making. 🧶
5) Partying with friends tonight! 🥂

#5JoysFriday

@DebinHawaii

Got this one finished over the weekend. Enjoyed learning more about snails in this thoughtful account. I rate it 4 out of 5. One of my favorite aspects were the little black and white snail illustrations near the bottom of each page. The quotes from famous authors were also a nice touch. Recommended for fans of Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Started this as an audiobook because I needed something for my drive. Finished it yesterday morning in print. Pretty good for an author‘s first attempt at historical mystery. Well contextualized historical details but I guessed the murderer super early on so it wasn‘t very complex. Appreciated the references to mystery writers and books sprinkled throughout. I‘d give it a 3.5/5

I. Sleep
II. Stress and decisions
III. At this point becoming a librarian. But 2 weeks from now I will have supervised and coordinated a complete library move into a temporary smaller building so a new building can be built.

#wondrouswednesday
@Eggs

Cute story about a 9 year old Korean girl who lives for swimming. Good descriptive scenes, sweet characters and excellent illustrations, this book could have benefited from a stronger plot line and a less abrupt ending. Overall a decent read which allows young readers to dip their toes into competitive swimming.

🌸Either, but partial to hardcover
🌸Both
🌸Science Fiction
🌸Classic (or old 🥰)
🌸Coffee
🌸Physical
🌸Print

@Eggs

Kind of a slow starter, but a sweet story about a 12 year old girl who must embrace logic and magic, America and Egypt to save her family‘s legacy.

Just as expected, this one is hilarious! Clever word play by Megan McDonald and Scott Nash is going on my list of favorite children‘s illustrators. Bunny and Clyde have delightful adventures together in their efforts to be bad. Highly recommended! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

1. Church, Easter brunch, mimosas and our traditional family piñata.

2. The Fabric of Civilization. Got bogged down on this one and didn‘t have time or energy to finish it. Wish the publishers had sprung for some colored pictures.

3. The Little Fur Family. I remember the soft fur cover and loving the cute illustrations by Garth Williams.

#MotivationalMonday

@Cupcake

Finished this one while driving home last night. I enjoyed this immensely! Minnie Driver certainly has a way with words and expressing inner thoughts. Her depth and passion for life is humorous while at the same time truly moving. Ultimate bonus of course is that she narrates the audio version herself. Beautifully done!

Cleaned a lot of my older cloth bound books last night. They look and feel great now. Looking at them all spread out I‘m struck by the older color schemes. I really love all these colors!

Finished this one last night before bed! It was recommended by a friend of my sister‘s. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but am now kind of scared to read the others since I didn‘t realize it was part of a trilogy. In my experience the first book is always the best and then the rest go downhill.

1. Yes because I grew up on a farm, although I‘m a bit out of practice now.

2. Tagged this excellent book about 3 teenage boys who restore an old car and then race it up the coast of CA. Unfortunately it‘s hard to find a copy these days and they run about $50.

 @TheSpineView

With a current temperature of -22 degrees and a dusting of snow, this book I ordered picked the most appropriate day to arrive in the mail. It‘s supposed to get down to-27 degrees tonight🥶 Looking forward to a cozy weekend spent indoors reading under my wool blanket.
#bookmail

I did it! It took me almost a year but I finished this excellent anthology of nature poetry. Such a fascinating exploration on the relationship between African Americans and the natural world. Highly recommended for all poetry lovers.

What a fun read for Christmas time! I agree with others, there is quite a lot going on but the author ties it all together nicely in the end. The characters are developing well and I appreciate the references to previous books. It makes the characters feel more grounded.

Taking a breather and getting some quiet reading time in by the tree. Also enjoying the new blanket I got for Christmas 🥰

This one was hard for me to get into. The setting and historical details were fairly well done but the magical elements seemed too disjointed and not woven in at all. Just little dollops like something extra on top that doesn‘t match the flavor. Luckily the action and romance picked up a bit towards the end so I was able to finish it today.

#wondrouswednesday

❄️Canadian Whiskey

❄️ Silver Bells (I usually listen to Bing Crosby‘s version but any one gets stuck in my head)

❄️ Flannel pjs, candles or a fireplace, handmade socks and wool blankets.

Starting this one tonight! I hope it‘s as good as it sounds. Regardless the cover sure is gorgeous!

So excited and proud about the installation of the first StoryWalk at a park in my hometown! A big achievement in my new job as library branch manager. I‘m the one in the red hat. The tagged book was our first story featured, and if you haven‘t read it yet you should because it‘s delightfully funny. #reading #outdoors #storywalk #public libraries

Had a great time shopping at a second hand bookstore today! Trying a few new books and of course had to collect a few childhood favorites.

Has anyone read the tagged book?

#bookhaul

Curling up with a cozy fall romance. Just what I needed this Sunday.

A little choppy and disorganized at first, but the author found her stride and since it was my day off I was able to finish it in one sitting. Some things were totally unbelievable but I enjoyed it and am interested in reading the next one.

1) Knitting
2) Finding things
2) Taking care of plants
3) Washing dishes
4) Communication
5) Writing letters
6) Organizing
7) Puzzles
8) Reading
9) Holding babies
10) Rearranging spaces

#wonderouswednesday
Great tag! @Eggs

An exciting adventure tale which focuses on the outdoors, nature and history. Jake inherits an outdoor scavenger hunt after the death of his grandfather. The hunt quickly becomes a quest, and the race is on to find and safeguard an unknown treasure. Chase scenes, puzzles and warnings abound. Highly recommended for any kid who loves the outdoors, solving clues or thirsts for adventure. Pictured with my bison puzzle.

This book was a nice twist on your typical #RomCom story. Highlights the importance of communication in relationships without being preachy or generic. The two different POV, each written by a different spouse/author, were especially entertaining. While the cover gives off ‘summer read‘ vibes, I think it‘s a fun read anytime of the year.

Got a chance to do some reading by the river today. Glorious fall weather! 🍁🍂

Excellently researched and put together! Wellesley makes these fascinating treasures accessible for the modern reader. I enjoyed it, but it‘s not the sort of book where when I‘m done reading I feel inspired to go buy a copy for all my friends.

Just in time for Halloween…Ben Hatke‘s latest graphic gem is full of spooky adventures where young Milo learns to face his fears and help others. Short on words but full of art this book is highly recommended for anyone who‘s ever been afraid of what might be lurking in the basement! The artistic changing jewel tones are also a unique touch.

Fun, enjoyable read! I was very interested in this one because it‘s the first new book by Wrede in years. More unique magic, world building and great characters. The ending wraps up a little conveniently, but all in all an excellent book centered on a 14 year old girl. Patricia has still got it!

Definitely “Legally Blonde” meets “Bourne Identity!” A silly, quick read full of fluff and a dash of romance. Enjoyable enough for what it is, but it‘s a low pick for me.

Snatching a few minutes to read over dinner. Treating myself to homemade mac and cheese and a glass of wine tonight. Thank goodness it‘s the weekend.

This was one of those rare cases where I struggled to read a physical copy but enjoyed it in audiobook. Trying to keep track of all the characters was easier with different voices. A fun mystery with cute baking accents. Definitely a slow burner with a slightly open ending. Mostly I enjoyed it while driving. I think the cover is my favorite part of this book. ☺️

Finished this ridiculous, light and entertaining mystery over lunch. Here‘s hoping the chocolate pudding works some magic and improves my Monday.

Picked this up randomly to see if it would be good for one of my book discussion groups and was pleasantly surprised. Although I struggled to identify with Madeline, the love story was really sweet and of course the ending was tragic. I think it‘s a good depiction of how one can become closed off emotionally after a traumatic experience. While historical fiction is still not my thing but I enjoyed this one.

Finally got around to reading my first real graphic novel! I‘ve been meaning to read some, but felt I may have missed my window since they weren‘t available when I was a kid. I chose this one because my nieces and nephews love it. Very fun! Great character development and superb illustrations. I‘ll be reading more of Zita‘s adventures!

I enjoyed this one almost as much as “Book Lovers.” Plenty of the usual playful banter which is fast becoming a Emily Henry trademark. Some insightful thoughts on writing and what motivates authors, but felt the family relationships could have been developed a little more. Overall, a funny romance and great summer read! ☀️

I‘ve been falling behind on my reviews lately. Partly due to the holiday but mostly because I‘ve been cleaning up the library basement. This was an excellent children‘s book that gives maps a chance to shine! Two kids set out to draw a map and end up discovering all the fun places within their community. Extra map facts are tastefully included at the end.

Simply delightful! A children‘s tale full of delightful characters and an adventurous quest. The author skillfully interweaves stories within stories which all come together to shape the narrative. The simplicity of the children in this story is what makes it powerful.