I signed up for #jolabokaflodswap2024 and so can you! The most anticipated swap of the year 😄
@MaleficentBookDragon

Great fun! If you love the Thursday Murder Club series, you‘ll find new characters to love here with Osman‘s trademark wit and whimsy. Some parts were a touch slow for me but mostly I found myself eager to keep riding the subway so I could continue the audiobook (which is saying a lot for me, lol) ☺️

Couldn‘t put it down! This was the only Quinn I hadn‘t read for some reason, and it was just as perfect as her other 20th c. heroine stories. Brilliantly complex characters and satisfying moral clarity. Beautiful use of switching timelines and perspectives, to a cinematic effect. Her writing is like honey—a smooth and delicious read.

Obsessed so far! Can‘t stop listening! I‘m about 1/3 through and so happy to be back in Osman‘s (albeit new) world. SO glad I decided to do audiobook rather than wait for the library hold list—the narrator is epic.

Reading challenge update!
🦎Wingardium Leviosa: includes a flight - The Most Likely Club by Friedland
🦎Accio: a book you have to get your hands on- Briar Club
🦎The Grim: related to an omen- Here One Moment
🦎Harry Potter: a book that mentions him- The Guncle Abroad
🦎Arthur Weasley: rules are bent - Eight Detectives
🦎Draught of Peace: peace is restored - The Rom-commers
🦎McGonagall: has a matriarch - the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers

Hard to compare to the first Guncle book because that one was so refreshing and beautiful and this was more a rehashing of everything, walking through the same exact emotional speeches…but I still mostly enjoyed the ride. I don‘t want to be overly critical because I think it‘s hard to measure up to #1.

As Anne Lamott aptly said in her cover review, “You don‘t know how she‘ll land it, and then she DOES!” I was nervous this book would be too depressing or grim, but I should‘ve just trusted in Moriarty‘s consistent genius. This book is not only an absolute master class in gripping and witty writing, it‘s a story that is truly life-affirming and heartwarming. Trust me, it‘ll surprise you!!

How do you deal when a book “ruins” the plot on the book jacket blurb, and then you‘re just waiting what feels like forever to get the characters up to speed?? For me, it‘s a bail, sadly. I really enjoyed the audiobook narrator and the writing style, but I hate when I‘m just sitting there thinking the characters are so ignorant to what I knew before cracking open the book.
Have you ever felt that way?? It happens to me a lot!

I don‘t think I can forgive Charlie for all the times he was SO cruel and horrible and immature. And Emma for all the times she was SUCH a moron. But…I also really liked it? I mean, I certainly sobbed and laughed and swooned as if I liked it, so…

What‘s stronger than a Pick?? I think this is my fave Kate Quinn so far, and that‘s saying a LOT. She‘s a genius. How‘d she write SO MANY POVs and make them ALL equally compelling & distinct & heart-wrenching? I ❤️ the recipes, the jam-packed history, the personification of the house, and the twists upon twists!
When women come together, stand up for what‘s right, and look out for each other, anything is possible! 🥹❤️❤️
TW: so much domestic abuse

17 pages in and already smiling ear to ear. Kate Quinn is such a brilliant writerrrrrr

🦎Hippogriff: a book you flew through - Expiration Dates
🦎Repairo: repaired relationship -Love Lettering
🦎Dementors: includes a kiss- Funny Story
🦎Hogwarts, a History: includes history - The Phoenix Crown
🦎Switching Spell: read in print & audio - First Lie Wins
🦎Rubber Ducky: makes me nostalgic - Sunny Side Up
🦎Parseltongue: fictional language - The Tainted Cup
(Faves of this batch are pictured!)

This. Was. FLAWLESS! Started audio, hated the narration, couldn‘t stop listening, then scored a hard copy for the end 😂 OMG. I loved this for the same reasons I loved Sign Here, even tho they‘re so different:
🤫Genre bending—not just a psych thriller
🤫Made me go wait WHAT?! Multiple times
🤫The way the author uses flashbacks & doles out info at just the right moment—genius
🤫Flawed people, yet totally makes you believe in the goodness of people

EXCITING NEWS!!! 🎉🎉🎉 Stay tuned for more details on location! It‘s going to be epic and I‘m so pumped for her 🥰🥰🥰@LiteraryinLawrence

This was a cool concept (murder mystery short stories that follow a mathematical formula and are woven together into a larger narrative)…but it was just too much to keep track of and care about 😂 I think it was trying to accomplish too too much instead of being one solid story, so by the end we didn‘t care as much as we should‘ve? Also the reviews on the book jacket way oversold it. Interesting, though, and I definitely wanted to keep reading!

Couldn‘t put it down! Kate Quinn is the master of fast-paced historical fiction with badass women, and this co-authored book with Janie Chang is no exception!!

This was delightful! I liked how, as always, the romance was realistic and hott, but it was also a story about friendship and family. Emily Henry doesn‘t disappoint!

At the beginning I wasn‘t convinced I‘d like this, but then for the last two thirds I was really captivated by the plot and stayed up late to find out what happened. I think that‘s mostly on account of liking detective mysteries, though - because I still don‘t feel sold on the fantasy elements of the world building and how they were integrated into the narrative. But an enjoyable read overall!

Y‘all my heart is RACING! 😱😱😭😭😭😍😍😍
I just flew through this in one sitting and I am floored. The TWISTY genius of Rebecca Serle. For such a fantastical premise, this story still felt so grounded and relatable and real. I cried and laughed and cheered alongside these beautiful characters. Clearly I need to read more from her. I will be thinking about this for a LONG time!

I‘M IN LOVE!!! Wow. This is a love letter to NYC and to the written word - and as a huge fan of both of those, I am so obsessed. Clayborn is a poet; she describes the art of calligraphy in such a cool, visual way. The narrative was fun and unique and inspiring, tackling really important issues like maintaining adult friendships while also delivering a sexy romance. Here for it!!

This graphic novel had me in tears! Such a beautiful and poignant story about a girl struggling with her big brother‘s addiction issues. Told in dual timelines, this story also weaves in the history of the DC and Marvel comics and how those characters inspired young people for the first time.

🦎Iambic Pentameter: relates to Shakespeare - Family Family, Laurie Frankel
🦎Grammatica: multiple authors - True Love Experiment, Christina Lauren
🦎Dobby: prominent animal character - The Eyes & the Impossible, Dave Eggers
🦎Expecto Patronum: happily ever after - With Love, from Cold World, Alicia Thompson
🦎Greenhouse: character with plant name - Slip, Marika McCoola & Aatmaja Pandya
🦎Polyjuice Potion: impersonator - The Appeal, Janice Hallett

If this isn‘t the most gorgeous book inside and out that I‘ve ever read, I don‘t know WHAT is! Full of heart and humor, this story told from a dog‘s perspective is one that will stay with you forever. As a teacher, I instinctively imagined how I would read this aloud to a group of kids, because it would be so perfect for any mid-upper elementary classroom. A perfect blend of realistic and fantastical.

The masters have done it again! Loved this. Really steamy and genuine and clever and heartwarming. Characters you want to root for and be friends with IRL. It‘s so cool how they weren‘t going to write another story from the world of The Soulmate Equation, but then fans convinced them to! Christina Lauren, can‘t wait for your next one ❤️

What a clever, heart-pounding book!! I couldn‘t put this down. And I think the epistolary format (which I am always drawn to) made it less scary, because I was safely “outside” the situation, reading the evidence but not actually inside the story. But for regular thriller/murder mystery fans, don‘t worry, it was still duly creepy!!! Thank you @LiteraryinLawrence for the brilliant rec! 🫨

I bought the tagged book at Book Culture LIC in NY and they had the cutest display for V Day! They had so many of these author puns taped to the shelves, but these were my favorites :)

You know when writing is so beautiful and clever that it takes your breath away, and you want to savor it but also read it all in one sitting? THAT. I loved this book from start to finish. I especially loved the chapters told in the 10-year-old daughter‘s voice.
Frankel shines a light on the diversity of adoption stories and the need for positive representation, and I really feel like this book should be required reading for… every human.

This book has EVERYTHING! Thank you @MatchlessMarie for such a wonderful rec!! Would you also recommend her first book?
This really started my reading year off right. Thompson writes with such heart, humor, and STEAM. I loved these characters - full of relatability, honesty, and multiple forms of representation.

#AuldLangSpine @monalyisha

My latest excursion on the Hudson Valley Book Trail was The Spotty Dog. Clearly a town staple and a great vibe if you‘re looking for a bar. Also cool because there‘s an art supply store in the back.

Loved this bookstore, Postmark Books, along the Hudson Valley Book Trail. 🚙🏞️📚Great and varied selection and inviting atmospheret. Came away with a cookbook, a children‘s book, and a puzzle ☺️

Wrapping up on the 2023 HP-themed reading challenge and excited for the next, with 60 new prompts to choose from! This year I made it “on the team” but didn‘t make “quidditch captain,” lol. Next year I‘m going to challenge myself to read at least 3 books in each category of prompts. You can find them on a website called The Sticker Party if you‘re interested!

The results are in!! Honestly hard to decide between Sign Here and the Time War. They‘re so different, but what I loved about both of them is that they really blended genres in a way that felt fresh and compelling. In the end, Time War is the pick because it just filled me with so much love.
Happy almost New Year!! #ReadingBracket2023 #2023ReadingBracket

Charming, witty, and truly laugh-out-loud funny! This book is an exceptionally good time. And I highly recommend the audiobook on Spotify- the actress reading, Bessie Carter, is so animated with her fun voices.
For anyone who‘s ever wondered if they‘re “doing self-care right.” It gets taken to such an extreme in the story, but in a funny, relatable way. And the romance is really heartwarming 💕
A nice way to end the reading year!

I can already tell that Burnout will be my last book of the year and Babel will carry my into the new year! @BookNAround thank you for this fun opportunity! #lastfirst

Thank you so much, @MommyOfTwo ! My #JolabokaflodSwap is perfect and I‘m going to dive in immediately!
Thank you @MaleficentBookDragon for organizing this beloved swap!!

Thank you for your #AuldLangSpine list, @MatchlessMarie !! And thank you to the incomparable @monalyisha for organizing this epic event!
The tagged book is the one I‘m going to start with in January, then take it from there. I‘m excited because a lot of these authors are new to me! And some books that I‘ve read from the list are 1, 4, 5, and 17. The Flatshare is an all-time fave. Thanks again! ☺️

This year I accomplished my goal of one new recipe per week - 3 to go! I wanted to work on a backlog of beautiful cookbooks (the first four pictured, left to right). I combed through on NYE to pre-determine 50 recipes, so then each week I could choose from the list (with 2 for wiggle room). It was SO FUN and fruitful! I‘ve decided to do it again for 2024! I‘m adding Shabbat and MT to the list, possibly a third…but six photographed so evenly 😄

This was way too disturbing to me to be the fun romp I felt it was pitched as. More like a thriller, which is not my genre of choice. Yes, it‘s Regency, but it‘s actually less like Bridgerton and more like… women being violently abused and tortured by the majority of men in the ton? Not my idea of a good time at ALL. Should come with lots of TWs.

#JolabokaflodSwap arrived! Yay!! @MaleficentBookDragon

Two weeks left to determine my final reading bracket results!! #2023ReadingBracket #ReadingBracket2023
Apr and Sept are blank because I didn‘t actually finish a book in those months 😬
Making this was really fun - I‘m so curious what‘ll be the top read of the year!

I‘ve got 12 books ready to go for clearing off my TBR in 2024, one month at a time! I‘ve had some of these for a very long time and always put them at the back of the list. Some will also be for #ReadOrDonate @julieclair - thanks for inspiring me to tackle the TBR!

Mailed my #JolabokaflodSwap package yesterday! @forestandcrow it was mailed priority yesterday so should be arriving soon!
Thanks @MaleficentBookDragon for organizing like a boss! ☺️

YAY #aardvark ! I thought the package was stolen but it was being held at the PO- Phew! Excited to dive into this one.

#AuldLangSpine is up again!! Thanks to @monalyisha for this amazing event. I‘ve enjoyed it so much the past several years! And thanks @LiteraryinLawrence for texting me to register!! 🥰

🧹Nimbus 2001: Set or written after 2001- How Not To Die Alone
🧹Quidditch Gloves: Set in winter - The Last Devil to Die
🧹Beater: Includes a competition - The Good Part
🧹Gryffindor: Related to Gryffindor house/traits- Paper Things
🧹Cho Chang: Written by an Asian or AAPI author - Falling Back in Love…
#quidditchcupreadingchallenge

HIGHLY recommend this audio read by the author. It was like spoken word. Gorgeous, melodic, heart-wrenching. These letters/poems center largely on trans women and sex workers, and it really felt like a gift to hear the author share so vulnerably. Now I need the print edition; each poem ends with a suggested activity, and I want to do them all!

THANK YOU to the Litten who posted the bookriot quiz, “find your perfect autumnal read” - this was mine!

First review?! What an honor!! This book is a REVELATION. Logan Ury has changed my outlook on myself, on dating, and on what it takes to find a life partner. For anyone who feels stuck with the modern dating scene, I can‘t recommend this enough! Concrete tools and action steps backed by behavioral science. AND the Spotify audiobook is a delight - read by the author!
P.S. - Spotify premium, monthly 15 hrs of free audiobooks now!? Game changer!

THIS BOOK!!! I sat down to start and then did not get up until it was finished. Was BAWLING as it got to the end- so masterfully written that not only did I not know how it would end, I didn‘t know how I WANTED it to end! As someone who‘s often wished I could “skip to the good part,” this really hit home. The characters were so real and lovable (Felix!!) and this is now one of my favorite books. I need to read more by Cousens!!

Yayyy! My #aardvark arrived!

Fave Litsy event of the year is LIVE! #JolabokaflodSwap
Go to MaleficentBookDragon‘s page for the sign-up!