Is anyone else attended FIYAHCON this weekend? It‘s been great so far! Amazing talks and panels with Rebecca Roanhorse, Kwame Mbalia, tons of amazing BIAOC, about science fiction and fantasy. I‘ve been glued to my chair!

The way my life is set up, I am doing the thing I‘m supposed to and not telling anyone about it 😂 😭 @MaleficentBookDragon this went out, I promise! @BookwormAHN keep 👀 peeled, should be there Tuesday or Wednesday! #AllHallowsReadSwap

I‘m ready! This arrived yesterday (I was already in bed when my husband brought it to me!) and I can‘t wait!! It feels like a book 🥰 😂@MaleficentBookDragon @EH2018 ! (I took a picture of mine before I sent it but I‘m about to teach class so I will post it this afternoon!) #allhallowsreadswap

“Nor am I a Strong Black Woman™️. No one can live up to the standards set by racist stereotypes like this that position black women as so strong they don‘t need help, protection, care, or concern. Such stereotypes leave a little to no room for real Black women with real problems.”⬇️

Oof.

I don‘t like Joyce Carol Oates, I don‘t like feet, and I struggle with body horror, so it‘s been a fraught couple of days on Twitter. But my hold on LFE finally came through so I‘ve got Sunday plans! Arya is the perfect catpanion for my plans.

Today was the day that all the weight of COVID and the prospect of quarantining forever and not particularly enjoying spending every living second with my husband and worrying about where my kids are getting their meals and their hugs and their quiet reading time and dance parties came crashing down. Power was out most of the day. And culminated in me sobbing because Annabelle and Sebastian can‘t be together. And compulsively eating peach rings.

It‘s my first day of teacher development before the 20-21 school year. Here is my classroom 😭 we read the tagged book over the summer for this week. I think some points it makes about what motivates and doesn‘t motivate people are very useful. It talks about ways to foster autonomy, mastery, and purpose, since those seem to be the key ingredients to intrinsically motivating people. ⬇️

Couching opposition to anti-racist speech and protest as a noble fight for freedom of speech is about protecting whites people from being criticized. It seems there is a belief among some white people that being accused of racism is far worse than actual racism.

There isn‘t anything notably, individually racist about the people who work in all of the institutions he [hypothetical typical black British man] interacts with. Some of the people will be black themselves. But it doesn‘t really matter what race they are. They are both in and of a society that is structurally racist, and so it isn‘t surprising when these unconscious biases seep out into the work they do when they interact with the general public.

This book is super readable, as all great nonfiction should be. I like getting to hear some history and perspective of a black person from Britain, and considering the similarities and differences in experience when compared to the US‘s history of race and racism.

I am so excited - my complete set of Redwall books came in today! Kwame Mbalia (author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky) is doing a readalong of the series on Twitter and partnered with an indie bookshop to send books to people. It was a lot of money for me so I‘m devastated that 2 are water damaged 😭 but it couldn‘t be helped given the weather today and I am so excited to revisit this series from my childhood!

Did you read something that made you laugh today? I am reading BWWF with some rising 8th graders this summer for virtual summer school & today we came upon a part I had forgotten about - the nun teacher the main character meets is described as having musty breath 😂 😂 which already was gross when Alvarez wrote it but telling someone they‘re musty is a legit insult nowadays 😂 the kids loved it. Hope you all had some levity somewhere in your day!

My food isn‘t pretty tonight is it IS tasty. Burrito bowl monster with rice, chicken, pinto beans, street corn, avocado, red leaf lettuce from my CSA box, sour cream, and tapatío. My husband left me to my own devices ? which means I get to read at the table. I‘m polishing off the tagged book but I‘m still unsure about it... tell you more later. Hope everyone has something tasty to eat today!

As the kids say, “Let‘s goooo” 😂

There‘s still time to sign up for and attend this event. An inspired thinker and writer and a timely conversation! #antiracism #blacklivesmatter #blackbooksmatter

I‘ve been gone for a long time. Being perfectly frank, this is a really privileged space & I was having a hard time trusting people - I wonder & worry about what all of the nice folks here would do when confronted with situations of oppression. Also, the tone of the Litsy Facebook page was increasingly petulant. That being said, I love having a space to talk about books with other people who ❤️ books - I don‘t have that in real life. So... hi :)

I have long suspected that no one in my town reads - at least, not the same books I do anyway. Why do we need to purchase another Nora Roberts book when I haven‘t seen a new fantasy book on the shelves in months? But it worked out in my favor because today I waltzed in and got this and Nickel Boys right off the shelf with no wait list.

I am driving a 16 foot truck from FL to WA to help my aunt move (she lives in WA but much of her stuff was in FL...). I‘m hoping we get to listen to the tagged audiobook today! She loves audiobooks, so it wasn‘t hard to figure out what we‘d do on our drive (once we were sick of carpool karaoke) - picture of TN!

I‘m in shock - we have lost a luminary.

You guyssssss attempt #1 was pretty tasty. This is 1 cup milk (I used oat milk), 4 cookie scoops of butterscotch blondie ice cream, 4 scoops of vanilla caramel ice cream, 2 oz. vanilla vodka, 2 oz. butterscotch schnapps, and 4 Tbsp butterscotch instant pudding mix. Garnished with whipped cream, salted caramel drizzle (Smuckers brand), and gold sprinkles. A little watery, would halve the milk next time. Will try again tomorrow!

Me, a rational human being less than 24 hours ago:
That butter beer drink was good. I wonder if I could make it into a boozy milkshake.
Also me, less than an hour ago:

This book comes out September 17 and features a Latina human space captain trying to balance being blackmailed by one of the most powerful groups in the galaxy with telling the truth to her friends and crew, and keeping them and her ship safe. It is definitely a fun space romp! It was a bit ambitious in scale, so I think the 2nd will be better now that I‘m more familiar with the world. Pick!

8 books in July! Time to put lots of thought into my August TBR o my to promptly ignore it 😂

Thank you SO much @Catsandbooks for the delightful package!! Everything is perfect and I got Moody‘s wand! I‘m sorry I‘m late giving you thanks - I got home late and popped the sticker on my journal and dove in to Empress... basically the package was so good I had to be torn away 😉 thanks again!!!
#happeebirthdaeharryswap

Okay okay okay I know I‘ve been MIA - sorry friends. Physically okay but went through a sticky depression bog combined with some real-life things I needed@to take care of. An update to the floating shelves question! I still haven‘t put them up because I can‘t find my stud finder (🙄), but I did get my stuff together for the other wall! I like it!

This! This box is why I gotta order my swap stuff early. Got a soft-backed item for an upcoming swap only to open the door and KNOW I would need to do an exchange. 😩

It‘s been baby steps for #BFC - time to check in! I meditated every day ✔️ I yoga‘d 3/4 times (⬆️ from last week!) and I exercised 20/100 minutes again 😐). I hate working out so much! And the things that I think I would enjoy (CrossFit, kickboxing) cost 💰. But I will get there!! Onward and upward! Gandalf is trying to kill himself via box. Happy Sunday one and all!

Littens, I need your help! This is my current set up in my (very small but cozy) office. On the left is my bookshelf and TBR cart, and on the right you can see the corner of my desk. Here‘s the question: my dad gave me two small “floating bookshelves” for my birthday. Should I install them under the quote, or on that blank wall to the right?

Last week was off to a great start but will be marked as a learning week! I finished Becoming ✔️I meditated every day ✔️ I did yoga once ✖️ I worked out 20 minutes ✖️ so this week is all about figuring out how to fit in my yoga and workouts. Mentally it was a good week so that‘s a win! Picture of my book haul (I walked to the library!) to start off this week with energy! #bfc

I meditated bringing day 1 to a close. My meditation ended with this saying from Buddha which I thought fit the weekly challenge of an inspiring quote. Love yourselves Littens, we‘re doing the damn thing! #BFCr2

I miss Sunday 😩 I exercised 20 minutes this morning, and did ten minutes of beginner yoga. I listened to Becoming and learned about Michelle‘s father and his battle with MS. Haven‘t meditated yet, but I will! Trying to start strong. #BFCr2

Starting my #BFCr2 journey by posting my goals. A few are weekly goals and my book goals are for the end of the six weeks. My audiobook this week is Becoming (Michelle Obama). My physical book is The Confessions of Frankie Langton. I deliberately avoided an eating goal due to a history of disordered eating, but I hope the cardio, strength, and yoga work will make healthy changes to my body!

Thanks @Owlizabeth for cool books, sweet summer pampering, Harry Potter and cat related love, and a poster book with my favorite group of women, the madres de la plaza de mayo (in addition to other coolness). And, when I checked my email, awesome ebooks were waiting too! I appreciate everything so much! I‘m excited to read stuff I haven‘t come across before! #summersantagoespostal

This book is due back Monday so better get cracking! It sounds sooo good!

Especially since I can open my #summersantagoespostal box Friday! @BookishMarginalia I *did* mail mine out, but I didn‘t take a picture. I have a tracking number if anything is amiss! Gandalf is judging my inability to follow the guidelines.

Nicholas Sparks has been personally on my shit list for a while since he‘s an elitist prick with regard to romance novels. However, I had no idea he was this level of ugly, and so I think it‘s time to officially cancel him. #thankyounext

Cats up to cuddle + caramel waffle cone iced coffee + the tagged book = best Friday night plans

I have the joy of seeing Darnell Moore speak at my former school‘s College Signing Day. “Come, celebrate with me, that every day something has tried to kill me and has failed.”

Hey @Owlizabeth did we just become best friends?! I found this sitting on my doorstep this afternoon. @BookishMarginalia , never fear, my swapper got me@m this bundle of joy with plenty of time! (Mine is going out this week, and I am so excited to open this!) #summersantagoespostal

Happy Pride month beautiful friends! I don‘t know what my June spread will look like yet but here‘s my May in a nutshell!

It‘s Friday, I JUST got to the classic Stephenson move in this ARC of his new book out Tuesday (to completely change direction/time frame on this story making me scramble@to catch up), and I‘ve got a raspberry iced tea. Sometimes - only sometimes - being an adult is great.

It‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s here it‘s

I loved this continuation of the story of the Wildes. Lady Boadicea, named after the warrior queen, presents a totally different face to the world. Afraid of being lumped in with her mother, who ran off with the help and left her children behind, she debuts for her season with modest and grace. But she's not fooling Lord Jeremy, a family friend who is staying at the castle while recovering from complications of his PTSD. Sexy, sweet, funny!

I enjoyed this book - an ambitious undertaking to connect history of “ideal“ women's body types to the introduction of black women through slavery into European society as the turning point of opinion on women's fatness. Provides a critical look at ways that men's contributions through art, society, &medicine continued to use norms as a way to degrade black women and oppress white women, and for white folk to continue to push white supremacy.

This was my favorite spot. Small, books stacked high, but the gentleman in charge obviously loved books and was an equal opportunity reader. We chatted about how we seem to spend more time reading reviews than actually reading. I‘m thrilled about all of the books I got at his spot.

I can‘t find the store in the database but this is from RiverRun Bookstore on Daniel St. it was cute with a carefully curated used book selection and some new. The woman was very kind and they sold cards made by adults with disabilities. Im@super excited to finally read The Proposal! #romantsy

Okay, I‘m home and I can show you all the awesome books I got! I‘ll do a post for each of the bookstores I went to. Portsmouth B&B has a great tap selection and my lunch was very tasty. They also do crafted coffee drinks so I could totally see myself here all seasons and all weather. I would seriously love to open something like it someday. I‘m really excited about the local beer cookbook!

The fear of the imagined “fat black woman” was created by racial and religious ideologies that have been used to both degrade black women and discipline white women.

You guysss I‘ve dreamed of opening a bookstore bar and here‘s one just like I imagined! Drinking Founder‘s Curmudgeon‘s Better Half, a maple bourbon barrel-aged old ale. I‘ve hit 3 bookstores including this one, can‘t wait to post my haul later!

Good morning Litsy family! I am heading up to Dover NH/Portsmouth/Portland ME (the best Portland) for the long weekend. I used to live in the area and have family here so I‘m all set on food and entertainment but I have an afternoon free where I‘d like to hit literally all the indies. Besides Print in Portland where should I go?