Finished this one over the weekend. I‘ve had it on my TBR list for almost a year. Not as good as I was hoping for but then it‘s hard to beat “The Last Unicorn.” I agree with others who said pacing was choppy and character development was shallow. Had good potential but needed a bit more work before publishing. Sadly not one I‘d purchase for my own shelves or as a gift.

I‘ve read the Chronicles of Fairacre but hadn‘t heard of this companion book until I found it while on vacation. Got to read it outside amidst the fall colors over the weekend and finished it up this morning. A very restful read as are all the Miss Read books.

This was on my TBR list so when I ran across it at a thrift store on vacation I had to snag it. Not the holiday season yet but I enjoyed reading it on the plane ride home. Delightful cute story with interesting characters. Usually I dislike stories with 4 different POV but this one was sweet. Recommended for anyone who needs a cozy holiday read.

A short sweet story! Nice way to start my vacation. Although it‘s not one I would likely add to my library, I‘m glad I read it. Will pass it on to someone else.

I enjoyed this one more than I expected. Interesting setting and well built characters. It touches on some real life struggles alongside a delightful romance to keep it fresh and fun.

While not top notch or anything, I found this book relatable and easy to listen to. The MC‘s efforts to reach out and reconnect with old friends also sets her on a path to becoming more connected with her own local community. Fun musings on trees, travel and guidelines for guests. A soft pick for me, but should give my book discussion group something to talk about.

Found this one a bit disappointing. The first novella was delightful but the second one in the book was hard to finish. It was long, dark and depressing. Very unlike the Last Unicorn and not for a young audience.

Jenny Colgan‘s books often miss the mark with me, but I enjoyed this one. I‘m a big knitter too and like Gertie I also knit to relax and stay calm. Fun characters in a beautiful setting. Though I agree with others that the cover is oddly misleading.

My husband and I finished this one over the weekend. It took longer than usual because we took turns reading it to each other, but it was worth the wait. Another excellent book about Emily and Wendell! The plots in this series continue to get more and more complex. I‘d say this was three times more complex as the first one. So much happens in this one. I will definitely have to reread someday. Highly recommended!

Finished this one up tonight while cooking a pot of Tuscan bean soup. A bit repetitive between all 3 main characters especially at the beginning. Decent historical context which shows the author‘s research. The audiobook narrator was exceptional and really helped make this an enjoyable listen. If I tried to read it I probably would have gotten bogged down. I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️and would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Good potential but this one felt rushed. Pacing and storyline got really choppy halfway through and the main characters lacked depth. Some important characters are removed from the story when the author doesn‘t have time for them. If there are already planned sequels why the rush?

This one was definitely mediocre. The bake themed swearing sort of got on my nerves and the author gets carried away with her phrases. For example, “Claire burst out laughing, breaking the tension in his chest and somehow removing his kneecaps at the same time.” 🫣 Lightly entertaining with some yummy sounding food but not great.

Finished this one yesterday! Not as good as the last 3 books in the series. I was hoping for a new villain and stronger character development. This one felt like the author was scrambling for ideas and spread a little thin. Not a bad read just mediocre.

Exactly as advertised. Built on 2 different Chinese legendary characters who join forces and work to solve a string of murders. Definitely see strong parallels between this duo and Dr Watson & Sherlock. Good writing and an interesting read but not mind blowing or excellent. Agree with other posts it‘s not one I would own.

An entertaining and easy read featuring the challenges of sharing space with others. Jon Klassen‘s illustrations are spot on as always. I enjoyed this cute story, especially Rocket Potato. Favorite line, “You sound like a polka when you eat cereal.” 😂 I will be reading the sequel.

This was one of the better novels I‘ve read in a while. Lowe writes about the taboo and painful topics of miscarriage and loss, but also about the joy that can still be found. While breathing life back into a ghost town through hard work and restoration, Avalee experiences renewal in her own heart. Recommended for anyone who wants to take a trip down south and meet some new people.

Found this one a little heavy going especially in the middle. It was also hard for me to appreciate/relate to the main character. Thank goodness the pace picked up near the last third. I will probably read the next book in the series when it comes out.

This was excellent! Traditional fantasy with a few twists and some depth. Delightful use of language. My husband introduced me to this one and I read it on our honeymoon. Spent a cozy day reading in front of the fire and drinking hot cocoa.

Couldn‘t even finish it. Characters were all so flat and I couldn‘t relate to any of them. For a guy who has 4 kids of his own, the author sure doesn‘t understand kids. Also Litsy app hasn‘t been working for me since my phone updated. Hence my absence. But got it fixed by uninstalling and reinstalling the app. Yay!

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