Starting a new reading adventure with my buddy Brutus by my side 💕❣️

Adding a cute gingerbread house mug cookie to my morning coffee is about as crazy rich as I get! 🍪☕️

My husband surprised me with some autumnal flowers and a delicious berry smoothie toward the end of my workday! Feeling pumped for Fall and blanket weather 🎃🍁🧡 I love wrapping myself up like a burrito and reading when it‘s crisp outside 😂

Oh, to never need sleep and to read forever!
Alas, I need funds to support my book habit so I must keep this job that requires me to put my book down and sleep on occasion. Most unfortunate! 😝

Read this book so fast I didn‘t have time to mark it as Currently Reading on Litsy! Unputdownable. A perfect beach/vacation read with an interesting twist to boot!

Practically all plot and characters with very little world building which isn‘t what I normally go for, but I was completely absorbed all the same. Some side characters are a bit one-dimensional, but the main characters are so complex and intriguing I had to know what happened to them!

A nice day to start a new book❣️

Mine too, bud. Mine too.

I can‘t believe Andy Weir made me cry about a rock. 😭💚🪨

This is why I‘m a terrible reader: I open my book and see I only have about 80 pages left. I should be able to finish this today! But what am I about to go do? Measure the home library for new bookshelves…
#whyamilikethis #atleastitsbookrelated 🤷‍♀️🤣🤷‍♀️🤣

Visited some friends in Rehoboth Beach this weekend for some fun in the sun! 🕶🌞🌈

Took my book with me on the trip but couldn‘t actually bring myself to take it to the beach since sand gets into literally everything! 🏖📚 Maybe if it was a paperback?? 🤷‍♀️

My friend also taught me how to make sourdough this weekend thus the random bread in the picture! Even though it‘s best same day, we had some this morning and it was still delish! 😋🍞

A fictional work based on the state-run Dozier School for Boys in Florida where boys were tortured and even murdered while the school remained open for more than 100 years.

I‘m still thinking about this book days after finishing it and nothing I could say about it will ever be enough. Brilliantly written and completely devastating. Add this to the pile of books that destroyed me emotionally.

TW: Racism, severe beating, sexual assault, rape

Nearly 6 months since my last post… again, 23 books behind my scheduled goal for the year, and I‘m just trying to keep going!

Lately I‘ve been using background noise/ASMR scenery videos from various YouTube accounts to help me maintain focus. This one seemed appropriate for the last 25 pages! 🐍⚡️🐍⚡️🐍

I haven‘t posted in 6 months! I hit a major reading rut last year and barely read any books past June. I can usually work my way out of a rut, but last year was so tough. This pandemic has affected us all in so many different ways, we may never understand its full impact. I‘m at least happy to share that I‘m slowly working my way to reading more regularly!

On the 2nd book of The Great Library series by Rachel Caine and enjoying it so far ☺️❤️📚

Learning Python with no background in coding so I bought this book because I need someone to explain this to me like I‘m five! 🙃

This book was a #struggle for me to get through.

It‘s one of those books where I‘m enjoying it while reading it, not quite captivated but interested enough, but when I put it down I don‘t really want to pick it back up again and I can‘t figure out why 🤷‍♀️

I have 63 pages left and we‘re getting through this right now come hell or high water!

Here‘s a photo of my library stack after hearing Jason Reynolds talk last week and absorbing Ghost in two days! If it‘s not clear that I‘m #obsessed from this pic, please know that I legit cried reading Ghost. The story might seem simple on the surface, but I think there‘s a lot of substance here. Everyone can relate to it and take something important from it. I can‘t wait to read more of the Track series and more of Jason Reynolds‘ books! 💙📚

“Trouble is, you can‘t run away from yourself. ... Unfortunately, ain‘t nobody that fast.”
—————— Ghost, Jason Reynolds ——————

Fun to see a different take on The Monster Book of Monsters! This one almost looks cute 😊

Shame is a cruel thing. It should rest on the perpetrators... but they don‘t carry it the way the victims do.

Hittin a wall in the middle of the readathon. Hoping my fave pals in Harry Potter will help me get my second wind! 👓⚡️#24Hour #Readathon

Delicious din din and listening to #TheEyeoftheWorld

🥪 Turkey clubs and black bean soup 😋 #yumyum

#24Hour #Readathon

The Shining is so addictive it‘s scary! 🍁☠️🎃👻

#24Hour #Readathon

Felt cute, might delete later.

#TheTalesofBeedleTheBard
#24Hour #Readathon

This morning for the #24Hour #Readathon I‘m attempting to finished the illustrated edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard which I was already halfway through. Lovely style of artwork by Lisbeth Zwerger that is a joy to read through 💙📚

I love the illustrated editions so far. My favorite pictures are images we haven‘t seen from the movies or pictures from notes and textbooks. I guess that makes sense since I‘m a Ravenclaw! 💙📚

I need more time to absorb what this book shared about family, memory, and guilt. The third part where Westover grapples with the meaning of each is so interesting I wish it was longer. Her struggle with her family is both sad and hopeful, and for her to unfold these struggles before our eyes in this memoir, regardless of vulnerability, is extremely generous and compassionate toward others she seems to recognize may be struggling through the same.

Brave New World, 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Slaughterhouse Five: Commentary on societal demise isn‘t new, but The Seclusion nods to the classics while discussing right now. This genre is my favorite so perhaps I‘m biased, but I loved this book.

The beginning is rich with detail that dissipates a bit as the author moves the plot to get to an end point, but I would‘ve happily read an additional 200 pgs for more detail! Eagerly awaiting a second book!

You know, I‘d be okay with more adult literature containing illustrations. It makes me more engaged!This is Harry Potter so technically for a younger audience and I‘d be engaged regardless, but why do illustrated texts seem to stop when we grow up???

Random list of books I want illustrated:
The Snow Child
The Earthsea Cycle
LOTR but that probably exists already
Shadow of the Wind/Everything by Zafón

What text would you like to see illustrated?

I was hoping for the Irish version of Serial and this just didn't deliver. There was a lot of coverage about the original murder, accusations, and suspects. I thought the more interesting bit, Ian Bailey finally facing trial, received far less coverage. Maybe they'll release a followup covering the trial? I would still listen to a sequel reviewing the modern events of this case even though I didn't quite enjoy this synopsis of the initial events.

Unfortunately there isn't enough here to justify an entire book. Frazer Douglas is an excellent narrator for the audiobook, but in the end I didn't care and wanted it to be over. Torn between a historical fiction about Achilles or a strong romance novel, this book should've leaned more in either direction. Toeing the line between those was safe, boring, and a bit money-grabbing. Using both genres reaches more buyers, but the book is worse for it.

Thanks to @ShyBookOwl for being my 300th follower and to everyone on here for the continued #LitsyLove! In honor of all this awesomeness I promise to put this darn blanket down and actually read a bit today! ❤️

Does this count as reading??? 😂😭😂😭
Why is there never enough time in the day?

Currently working through this crochet sampler blanket and making a blue, green, and tan one for friends and making this more Irish color combo for myself! If I ever finish that is! 💚🇮🇪🧶

I‘m still not reading nearly enough lately, but I‘ve been enjoying listening to this during my long drives to choir on Thursdays! The narrator, Frazer Douglas, has a fantastic voice and the story is intriguing so far even though I know how it must end.

I‘ve been sick for 2 months. 😷 Went to the doc who told me it was a virus I had to ride out. They gave me meds to ease symptoms, but the sick cycle just kept starting over. Finished my first round of meds when the sick cycle began for the 3rd time. Went back to a different doc and they armed me with a ton of new meds. Just 3 days in and I can breathe! 🌺

Now I just want my life to get back to normal which includes Harry Potter of course! 💙👓⚡️

Every time I pick this up someone warns me against it. I finally decided to see for myself by listening and reading at the same time to help me with numerous pronunciations which will help me remember more in the end! 🎧📚

I‘ve just read the foreword and preface of this book, which weren‘t included in the audiobook, and was excited to learn some of the mythos of this world! I think I will enjoy what this book has in store! 💚

Although I rated this book 4/5 stars on Goodreads many years ago, upon finishing the audiobook I have to increase my rating! This book is superb and manipulates language until it becomes art.

With a gothic feel, a gruesome story within a story, and a cast full of intriguing characters, the fantastic dual narrators maintained the tone experienced while reading and even helped clarify muddier areas.

I can‘t recommend this book highly enough.

I got my husband to listen to Harry Potter! ❤️👓⚡️ He‘s seen all the movies, but he‘s not a big reader.

So I clearly and concisely explained the superiority of the books and the vast book/movie differences (rambled in straight monologue for 4 hours). Then I presented the audio as a way for him to try the books and for us to spend time together and he agreed (had no choice)! 😜😂 Almost done with book two! Can‘t wait for him to hear more! 💙📚

When you have a long road trip coming up and you start packing! 🚗🚙🚐📚📚📚😂😂😂

I read this book so long ago I forgot what happens, but my Goodreads rating is 4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I MUST remember why I loved it so much before so I‘m absorbing this story again through audiobook. Love the narrators so far! 💙📚❤️📚💚

After a nice day of crocheting at the library with friends, where one of my friends gifted me with some awesome Harry Potter coasters, it‘s time to relax with a good book and weaving in some ends. 🧶

Did I say relax? I meant freak out over these stupid crochet patches and what‘s going to happen to the characters in the book! 😂😂😂

Another required read from my grade school days. An interesting book with plenty to teach about tapping maple trees for syrup! 🍁 It is also a useful tool for discussing various life lessons: death, the trials of war, avoiding judgement, thinking before speaking, everyday miracles, and living in the moment.

I highly recommend the full cast audio book as a way to absorb this story. It‘d be a lovely way for a family to enjoy this book together.

Two of my favorite places to visit! 💚🍀

This was required reading when I was in grade school and I wanted to revisit it to see what I thought today. The ending feels slightly rushed and not as eerily dramatic as the rest, but I loved rediscovering the themes and history involved in this book. A well-paced read that doubles as an excellent educational tool for all ages!

Just a note: To fully experience this book I also recommend reading up on the history of author Virginia Hamilton!

I love the illustrations in this book and how the words in the images foreshadow so delicately. Clever! 💙

Went back to work after the furlough and immediately got sick. 😷 Guess I‘m allergic to work! 😜 It‘s amazing how being sick can throw you off your game! Channeling my inner Mary Poppins and trying this app #Habitica which makes daily tasks and big projects feel like a game. Hopefully this‘ll help me get back on track with everything, reading included! I am very behind if I want to meet my reading goal this year 😮 #Ifeeltheneed #theneedtoread

“...for it will not go out of my mind that if we pass this post and lantern either we shall find strange adventures or else some great change of our fortunes.” ~The Chronicles of Narnia

As a furloughed federal employee, this book hits way too close to home right now. I can‘t help thinking this is the future that awaits a society willing to wall themselves off to the outside world under the guise of ‘protection‘. I‘m only a third through, but so far this book is an interesting mix of Fahrenheit 451, 1984, and Young Adult Dystopian. I‘m curious to continue but also scared to complete this one!
#Yikes #TooCloseForComfort

I‘m back! I fell off the Litsy wagon last year. I got married which was so much to plan! Then in the 2 weeks after marrying we traveled to Pittsburgh for Christmas, I got furloughed, we watched a friend‘s dogs, and then our dog had a seizure. A hectic end to the year and reading wasn‘t on my radar at all. Now my doggo is better, we‘re making it through the furlough as best we can, and I‘m finally ready to start reading again! I‘ve missed this!

A story reminiscent of The 400 Blows by director François Truffaut, an excellent example of tailoring situations to fit personal agendas whether conscious of it or not and systems that fail the most vulnerable. Required reading when I was younger and I understand why now.

I love getting a new set of Harry Potter books with different covers! Time to start all over again at the very beginning ⚡️👓⚡️

Reading the tagline Are you happy with your life?, I thought I was getting It‘s a Wonderful Life meets Saw or some plot where characters realize what they‘ve had all along and fight for their lives back.

I loved seeing that tired plot go a new direction. Jason Dessen does fight for his life, but through multiple parallel universes culminating in a battle of wits against himself. Could you defeat yourself?

A quick, action-packed read!