#25Alive!

For today‘s prompt #1stBk25 this was my first finished book for this year.

It‘s the end of another week & that means it's time for #5JoysFriday again! 💛💛💛

When it‘s Friday where you are or whenever you feel like it, post your list of 5 things big or small that gave you joy. Add the #5JoysFriday hashtag to your post & tag me. You can tag others to join the joy. Use the background graphic as you like or use your own.

Tagging some regulars to get things started, but as always, everyone is welcome to take part! 🤗

#25Alive!

TBH, I changed my mind multiple times today about my pick for my favorite book of 2025. I read SO MANY great books this year (James, What Moves the Dead & Zorrie were just a few of the contenders) but as I said when I picked it as my December #12BooksOf2024 this book just came off my #BOTM TBR at the last minute & stole my heart. Touching, about loss, grief & regrets—it still made me smile & feel uplifted. It‘s my #FaveBk24 💙💐💙

Playing catch-up from my trip yesterday for #25Alive!

The family & wolfpack in this series embodies #LastingLove through the good times & the bad. Maybe because wolves mate for life? 💚

Headed to Hilo for the day. Traveling with colleagues & ran into someone I know in the lounge so the reading will have to happen inflight. Just started this one yesterday as my Libby loan came in last week. So far, so good.

#Read2025 #JumpStart2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished the other day for #BobWhiteBuddies this is Book 9 & a fun one with some serious danger for some of the group as they spend spring break (except poor Dan) in Iowa at the Belden‘s uncle‘s sheep ranch. Trixie is on the case of some missing sheep & making a few mistakes along the way. There‘s ice skating & rabbit chasing & new friends who show up in a later book. This is one of my favorites mainly ⬇️

Thanks @TheSpineView for the #Two4Tuesday tag! 🤗

1️⃣ That it gets cooler here, although it‘s been slower to get there this year. (I thought it might be me getting older & “running hotter”😅 but everyone I know feels it‘s a warmer year. Darn global warning. 😡

2️⃣ A favorite childhood classic never fails to make it feel like winter! ❄️🩵❄️

Anyone else want to join in? Consider yourself tagged! 😘

#25Alive!

Believing in impossible things opens up a lot of #Possibility

#Read2025 #JumpStart2025 #SeriesLove2025

I finished Book 15 for #NancyDrewBR last night & while this is a milder one in terms of the action, it was not bad. Nancy, her father, Bess & George are at a lodge while Mr. Drew investigates a jewel theft ring with Nancy‘s help—when she isn‘t playing in a semi-pro golf tournament (is there anything Nanners isn‘t a pro at?!?) or investigating a haunted bridge. No head injuries (instead it‘s a hand) & so ⬇️

#25Alive!

Two dystopian books involving #Memory I‘ve read. 🧠

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Nanners & I are spending the #HyggeHour together for #NancyDrewBR. I was having a conversation with my friend last week about cream soda DumDums (my favorite flavor) & she sent me a bag of just that flavor from Amazon. 😋🍭

TBH I am not ready for the week ahead which will be a long & busy one again.

#Read2025 #JumpStart2025

My first book finished from @JacqMac ‘s #AuldLangSpine list & it was excellent! The blurb says it‘s “tinged with supernatural horror” & I can see why they said that but it‘s creepy & atmospheric rather than scary. It‘s really about the bonds of family, loss & grief. I loved the characters & the look at Cree culture of which I know little. It‘s only 240 pages but not a quick read as it starts out slow, but the tension ⬇️

#25Alive!

My library #BookHaul from yesterday. Picked up holds for #ChildrensClassicRead2025 @JacqMac ‘s #AuldLangSpine list & #NancyDrewBR The tagged book was on the new book shelves & intrigued me as a film lover & rom-com fan & my favorite librarian gave me the ARC of The Bookshop Sisterhood The book chickens 🐔🐔 approve!

#25Alive!

A #TakeCharge title in my Kindle “stack” of books to consider for my work leadership program. I haven‘t read it yet. 📈📥📌🎯📊

Playing a little catch up on my #Pemberlittens #JaneAustenThenAndNow reread over coffee & a breakfast sandwich. Then I have some catch-up for #LitsyLove & maybe some journaling. It was a long week & Saturday is for errands & self-care.

I keep getting sidetracked by news & images of the fires in Los Angeles. So far my friends & my nephew & his girlfriend who live there are all okay. Hope any Littens & your families are too. Such a tragedy. 💔

It‘s still Friday for a few more hours here so I‘m on time for my #5JoysFriday post. I‘ve mostly been working long hours at home this week so not a lot of joyful experiences but here goes:

1. I saw this art journal online & wanted it. My Target happened to have it for $8.49. It‘s got lots of fun & creative prompts. 🎨🖌️

2. A bowl of ramen, gyoza 😋& my first book from 3. @JacqMac ‘s #AuldLangSpine list. It‘s joyful finding great new books!📚⬇️

#25Alive!

This foodie #Friendship book has been in my TBR for ages. I remember my mom getting Amish friendship bread, the recipe & starter from a neighbor once & she went through a phase of sharing it with friends & family.💙🍞💙

Thanks @dabbe for the #ThreeListThursday #TLT tag sorry I‘m a little late! 🤗

I did okay I think for being old & child-less! 😉😂

My top 5 (can‘t do 3) favorites on the are:
-Daddy-Long-Legs & Pippi Longstocking (favorites from my dad!)
-Little House (all the books) & Little Women (favorites from my mom)
-The Snowy Day—I LOVED this book! ❤️

Missing sadly are The Borrowers (how do you not include it?!?!), Are You My Mother?, Green Eggs & Ham ⬇️

I blink & it‘s Friday once more (or it will be in an hour here). That means it‘s time for #5JoysFriday again!

Make your list of 5 things big or small that gave you joy this week. Add the #5JoysFriday hashtag to your post & tag me. You can also tag others to join in finding some January joys! Use the background graphic as you like or use your own.

Tagging a few regulars to get things started, but as always, everyone is welcome to take part!💛🤗

#25Alive!

Today‘s #FreshStart prompt made me think of some cookbooks I have with fresh &/or start in the titles. 🍽️📚

#25Alive!

The last 2 years my Goodreads #ReadingGoal has been 150 books & I read 172 in 2023 & 178 in 2024. I decided to up my 2025 goal to 155 just because of not knowing how crazy work will be.

Honestly Goodreads works well for me because I read so much on Kindle, it updates my read books easily but I am trying to track my goals better on StoryGraph this year since I‘m in some challenges on there. 📚🤷🏻‍♀️📚

Thanks for the #Two4Tuesday tag @TheSpineView 🤗

1️⃣ Overall yes. It does depend on the situation though.

2️⃣ Persuasion is one of my favorite books & in it, Anne Elliot gets a second chance at love.❤️

If you haven‘t played & want to, consider yourself tagged!

#25Alive!

I have a view of Julia Cameron‘s books on my shelves starting with The Artist‘s Way & including this #Prosperous one.

#25Alive!

Good foodie book of essays & recipes for comfort food when #Joy is needed. 💛😋

#Naturalitsy #MidWinterSolace #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending #HyggeHour with Trixie & the Bob-Whites, herbal tea & some peely gummy mangoes to snack on. Also, how cute is this Bob-Whites of the Glen sticker from @TheAromaofBooks ? (Thank you, Sarah!) 🤗

Mood is sad that Monday is tomorrow & it‘s a whole long week of work. I may have the January blues. 😨

#Read2025 #JumpStart2025 #SeriesLove2025

I finished this Friday for #FictionalTraveler January #SomeplaceCold 🧊❄️While it wasn‘t winter in Alaska, there were storms, caves, mine shafts & icehouses that were pretty chilly. This is Book 6 in the Alaska Wild series & while a big plot point was settled & the end was left a bit ambiguous, I‘m hoping the author will continue with this series as I love the characters & the small-town Alaska setting.

#25Alive!

For today‘s #NewYrQuote I‘m going with Eleanor Roosevelt for New Year inspiration.

I don‘t know if it was in the tagged book but it seems like a good one.

#25Alive!

Placing catch up with prompts. For yesterday, I definitely count cheese (& cheesemakers) among my #Blessings. 😋🧀💛 This is a quirky & fun foodie book.

#25Alive!

I got a little behind since Friday so catching up on prompts. After reading Enchantment by Katherine May last year with #Naturalitsy I am meandering my way through Wintering now & it fits Friday‘s #Winter prompt well. ❄️💙❄️

I realized I hadn‘t posted my January TBR so here we go: lots of readalongs & challenges: #SundayBuddyRead #ChloeGongReadAlong #ChildrensClassicRead2025 #NancyDrewBR #BobWhiteBuddies #Naturalitsy #Pemberlittens #JaneAustenThenAndNow #ThematicCozies #FictionalTraveler #AuthorAMonth #AuldLangSpine #Roll100 #FoodAndLit #SeriesLove2025

It may not all happen & other holds might jump in but I‘ve finished 2 & have another 5 in process so we‘ll see.🤞🏼

Some great books read in December but The Collected Regrets of Clover really stole my heart & is my final pick for #12BooksOf2024 Had I not read it after, it would have made my #AuldLangSpine list.

Honorable Mentions: A Wizard‘s Guide to Defensive Baking, The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, The Rivals, The Bones Beneath My Skin, A Botanist‘s Guide to Society and Secrets & Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You

Thanks @Andrew65 for hosting! 🤗

#SaturdayChatterday

The usual Saturday running errands & hanging out at the coffeeshop having lunch & some “replenishment” time with my new-ish magazine & paper book & starting the tagged book for #SundayBuddyRead discussion tomorrow.

It was a tough week that felt long, even being shortened by holidays. Yesterday I flew to Hilo to let someone go which always sucks & then came home & slept so I‘m late as usual with my #5JoysFriday post but here goes:

1. My travel was the best part of going to Hilo yesterday. I had the exit row to myself & of course, a beautiful sunrise.

2. Due to all the work travel I hit Platinum status which means an upgrade to First Class when available ⬇️

November was probably my best reading month & it was so hard to pick just one #12BooksOf2024 but I‘m going to go with *We Solve Murders. The Thursday Murder Club is a favorite series & while this one isn‘t quite there (yet), it was still delightful.

Honorable Mentions are: *Neighbors and Other Stories, *Annie Bot, *Shark Heart, Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Dinner for Vampires & The Age of Magical Overthinking

*All on my #AuldLangSpine list.

October had some good but not great books & so my #12BooksOf2024 ended up being this 7th book in a paranormal romance series I enjoy.🤷🏻‍♀️ Now November was a great reading month & it will be a struggle to pick a favorite.

Honorable Mentions include: Vampires of El Norte (audiobook), So Hungry

Waiting to board for Hilo. Breakfast, coffee & a book.
Happy Friday, everyone. 🤗

I almost forgot to post my #OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew #20in4 #readathon results. I‘m too lazy to add up my reading time tonight & my goals were more about what I could finish. I completed 6 books & made progress in 2 others. I also kept up with readalongs of A Tree A Day & Sense and Sensibility, so all-in-all, I‘ll call it a success. Thanks @Andrew65 for hosting! 🤗

Can you believe it‘s already Friday (or almost Friday)? The holidays have me turned around. I fly to Hilo tomorrow for what will be a not joyful meeting, so I‘m going to need some good joys to read.💛

So make your list of the 5 things (big or small) that brought you joy this week. Tag your post with #5JoysFriday & tag me (& others to spread the joy if you want to).

Tagging some regulars to get the party started & of course, all are welcome!🤗

##25Alive

Probably not the kind of #Toast meant by today‘s prompt but here‘s two good toast-titled foodie memoirs. 🍞🧈😋💛

September was another great reading month but A Sweet Sting of Salt stands out the most—beautiful & evocative, it‘s my #12BooksOf2024 pick.

Honorable Mentions include: The Flight Portfolio, A Prayer for the Crown-Shy & A Sorceress Comes to Call.

#OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew #20in4 #JumpStart2025 #Read2025

My first finished book of 2025, I‘ve not read any Haig before but it was the book pick for the #OnceUponABookClub “Up All Night” box & came with a champagne glass, the #OUABC 2025 40 Book Challenge poster & 3 gifts that correspond to the story. I have some mixed thoughts about the book—I liked it but it took a while to get into & the magical realism was too heavy-handed for my taste. ⬇️

My year in books: 178/150. 🎉📚🎉
I upped my goal from 150 to 155 books in 2025-just in case work gets too crazy, it‘s still achievable.😉

Goodreads said my top genres were Mystery, Romance & Non-Fiction. Mystery was no surprise but I was a little surprised at Romance making the top 3. I guess I did go on a bit of an Abby Jimenez binge this year & snuck some others in there too.

Anyway, a good year with some great books. Here‘s to 2025! 🎉📚🎉

#25Alive!

Three #Peace titled cookbooks for today‘s prompt. I own Peace & Parsnips & Peace, Love, and Parsnips & Peaceful Kitchen came out this year & is on my cookbook wishlist.

I‘m waiting on a few holds from @JacqMac ‘s #AuldLangSpine list so the tagged will be my first pick, along with the Backman short story. Finally, if I can fit it into January, The Briar Club, otherwise it will move to February.

I‘m excited about all of these & the others I‘m waiting for holds on! ⭐️📚⭐️

My December reading results were good for a busy month. I finished 16 books & started 2. I didn‘t quite get to everything I wanted but I read 3 books & a story for #SeasonalCozies & joined in #NancyDrewBR #SundayBuddyRead #Naturalitsy #MidWinterSolace & read all of my #Roll100 picks as well as completed my #BOTM challenge & #OUABC 40 book challenge.

I‘m midway through my #JolabokaflodSwap book & started the book from my #OUABC Up All Night Box.

Joining in #FictionalTraveler with @julieclair & my January #SomeplaceCold pick is set in Alaska. It‘s book #6 in the Alaska Wild mystery series so it will also be a #SeriesLove2025 read too. ❄️ 💙❄️

August was another great reading month for me & I struggled to pick a favorite between the tagged book (read with #SundayBuddyRead ) & Chain-Gang All-Stars but ultimately this fascinating historical fiction novel won out as my #12BooksOf2024 pick.

A close second: Chain-Gang All-Stars (the audio book) Honorable Mentions: Hello Stranger, Black Sheep, The Undermining of Twyla and Frank, Bear, Unwell Women & Incidents Around the House

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024 #20in4 #Readathon
#OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew

Book 3 of the Saffron Everleigh series, my third & final #Roll100 book for December & probably my last finished book of 2024 since it‘s 10:30 PM. I struggled a bit with this one & all the characters, but I really enjoy Saffron, her roommate & her colleague/love interest. The science & the 1920s London setting are great too. I find I really enjoy historical mysteries, ⬇️

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024 #20In4 #readathon #OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew

The Verifiers was one of my favorite books of 2022 so I was happy to see a Book 2 in the Claudia Lim series. I got notified that my library Libby had the ebook & audiobook & I got them both & traded off. While I didn‘t love this one as much as the first book (as it seemed a bit more muddled), I love Claudia the MC & enjoyed the smart & dry humor & will read the next one.

Thanks @TheSpineView for the #Two4Tuesday tag. 🤗

1️⃣ I think I will set my GoodReads goal for 150 books again this year. I‘ve averaged 170+ the last couple of years so it‘s achievable but still a push.

2️⃣ So many! Vilest Things for the #ChloeGongReadalong The new Grady Hendrix, Abby Jimenez & A Witch‘s Guide to Magical Innkeeping to name a few! 📚📚📚

Anyone want to play along? Consider yourself tagged! 🤗