Beverage update: Tea and double-checking the pronunciation of a word that could be (but isn't) on the #HauntedShelf Word Finder list.

I'm not used to caffeine, so now I need to take a break to work some of it through my bloodstream so I'm not so jittery. Luckily, the laundry needs attention, so I can get my body moving and audio-chore with the tagged book for a bit while still being productive.

After taking Thursday and Friday (mostly) off to celebrate our 26th wedding anniversary, today I get to catch up on some work (annotating a book so I'm ready to record when the house is empty tomorrow) with the assistance of some mildly stimulating beverages. First decaf coffee, now oat milk cocoa, later some tea my spouse got me in London. Now I just need to stop procrastinating on Litsy...

One of our favorite restaurants uses choose-your-own-adventure books to give patrons their checks. I approve. (They also have photos of Danzig and heavy metal cats in the bathrooms.)

We lucked into a double rainbow near the end of a 10.5-mile urban walk. (Not pictured: the epic sunset behind us.) #beautybreak

@anncrystal @dabbe @dilara @jessclark78 @amiable @tamra @originalcyn620 @sace @amyg @thebookhippie @kspenmoll @liseworks @uncommonlycozies @karisa @cuilin @jenlovesjt47 @monalyisha

#AHRS2025 went out via UPS today!

@MaleficentBookDragon #AllHallowsReadSwap

We do not care that our carefully planned two-day anniversary celebration is being threatened by possible storms on one day and the shifting of the next day's "nice urban walk" into a pub crawl with stops at dive bars, oyster bars, and sausage shops. We're going to have a good time, even if it means ditching the spouse and heading to the library, then meeting back up when everyone convenes at the vegan place with the good mocktails. #wdncw @dabbe

At the Japanese Friendship Garden yesterday. I didn't really have time for a stop, but I was in the neighborhood and craved a walk through somewhere tranquil. #beautybreak

@anncrystal @dabbe @dilara @jessclark78 @amiable @tamra @originalcyn620 @sace @amyg @thebookhippie @kspenmoll @liseworks @uncommonlycozies @karisa @cuilin @jenlovesjt47 @monalyisha

This isn't quite as scary as the first time I read it when I was 12, but it's still a great story. It's so much better than Kubrick's adaptation (I enjoy the movie fine, but there are too many eye-rolling 70s/80s movie cliches in it that aren't in the novel). The ending of the novel is also much more satisfying than the movie ending. I also like seeing hints of themes in other King novels on this re-read.

A small and mighty hummingbird on my audiowalk this morning. It's a little weird to be in the Overlook Hotel and in suburban SoCal at the same time. #beautybreak @anncrystal @dabbe @dilara @jessclark78 @amiable @tamra @originalcyn620 @sace @amyg @thebookhippie @kspenmoll @liseworks @uncommonlycozies @karisa @cuilin @jenlovesjt47 @monalyisha

"Bonkers" is a good adjective for this shortish novel. "Brutal" and "bizarre" also come to mind, as do some words that don't start with B, like "fun," "propulsive," and "gory." Quite an apt choice for spooky month.

Coincidentally, I'm also re-reading The Shining right now, so for a brief period, I was simultaneously reading two novels with main characters named Winifred (two quite different Winifreds).

Getting in the spirit of the season, with a seasonal spiced pumpkin cider, a seasonal book, a year-round cat begging for my attention, and badgers and wolverines battling it out (college football) in the background. (And a spouse who keeps interrupting me to say, "Whoa! Look at this! Look at how spread out they are across the field! I totally thought he would have gotten more yards." I might have to go hide.)

Here's the second of the two #HauntedShelf games I'm posting about today, #ScreamTeam.

This one is a month-long game all about finding words in your spooky reads! I always love this idea and then do horribly because I forget to look for the words, so hopefully you do better at it than I do. :-) (I suppose I could search the words in my ebooks...not sure why that never occurred to me until now.) At any rate, have fun and track your points!

Okay, #ScreamTeam! Although the #HauntedShelf solo games are on the Discord server and Google Drive, I'm posting a couple more here, too, to highlight them.

This one is a month-long game posting book recommendations that fit the prompts. Have a fun time, and be sure to tag posts #ScreamTeam and #HauntedShelf, and tag me if you'd like so I can see your recommendations!

This novel is a little difficult to follow with the large number of characters and jumps in time, which could be why it's less scary than it might have been. I appreciate the setting---California's Central Valley---and there's a lot of vivid imagery, but the story doesn't quite gel, at least for me. The ending is solid, though.

#CastTheDie #OneSnackToRuleThemAll #Chocolatiers

#5JoysFriday a day late:

1) Read-aloud started for the year, and a bunch of the students remember me (kind of impressive for 4-5yos).
2) Silo teaching the value of rest.
3) Two zoo trips, one of them solo (and Skyfari!).
4) Live music (high school band concert where my son rocked a tuba solo and The Dandy Warhols where Zia rocked a synth bass solo).
5) not pictured: Audiobook narration wins. (No jobs yet, but making progress!)

@DebinHawaii

Book mail! I know this was a #blameitonlitsy, but I don't remember for sure who exactly tempted me. (Maybe it was @DebinHawaii ?) But oh, man, is this book sweet! I almost feel like skipping the concert I have tickets for tonight to just sit and leaf through the pretty papers and paper-related items in here! (Almost...I think I'll still go to the concert and save this book and my others for tomorrow.)

I took a little detour to an indie bookshop this morning. Two were planned purchases, one was an impulse buy, and the tagged was serendipity (it's the store's "Free Book Friday," so I got to pick from a shelf of freebies). And behind my spider plant, you can just glimpse my poor little peacock plant, which probably thinks getting me as a plant mom is a horror story.

It's so cool to see everyone's #beautybreak photos! Here's one from my walk this morning.

And we've had an addition or two to the tag list, so hopefully I've got everyone who asked to be tagged.

@AnnCrystal @dabbe @Dilara @JessClark78 @Amiable @Tamra @OriginalCyn620 @Sace @AmyG @thebookhippie @kspenmoll @liseworks @uncommonlycozies @Karisa

My Bookends Post for September is up! https://imperfecthappiness.org/2025/10/01/bookends-september-2025/

I'm starting to think that writers of fiction are even more prescient than I realized. This isn't a great Christie novel. It's her attempt at dystopian fiction, and it's disjointed, melodramatic, and weird, but there are some really interesting observations and commentary. It's got a bit of overlap with themes from A Clockwork Orange and Brave New World, but she never leans into those in a compelling way. Still, it's an interesting departure.

"...once people learn to love destruction for its own sake, evil leadership gets its chance."

Christie goes in a weird direction with this later in the book, but there are some very current-sounding pieces, especially as spoken by Great-Aunt Matilda.

She also says, "one can't help coming to the conclusion that politicians have a feeling that they have a kind of divine right to tell lies in a good cause."

Even with all of my DNFs this month (I usually have more DNFs in September to clear the way for spooky books), I managed a bingo with books I actually completed! I got my #bookspin but not my #doublespin, and totally should have finished The Red Badge of Courage...it's so short, it would have been easy had I not been so contrary.

#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

A little too repetitive and a little too surface-level in the character relationships for my taste (at least within the first 65 pages). An interesting and important part of recent history to write about, just not the right style for me. Plus, it's due back at the library, and I can't place more holds until I return it.

#HauntedShelf #ScreamTeam Book Chain!
Teams create a chain or list of books where each book has something in common with the book before it, e.g.:
Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice – Dracula by Bram Stoker (Has a vampire character) - The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells (Published 1897 same year as Dracula) – The Witch King by Martha Wells (Surname is Wells)

Post each book as a new comment to the game post. 10pts per book. Infinite points

#HauntedShelf #ScreamTeam

Book Scavenger Hunt!
Find books that match the prompts. They can be from your own collection, from a book shop or library, or from your e-book archive

They are open to interpretation. For example ‘Orange‘ could mean an orange cover, the word orange, or the fruit orange.

15pts per cover found with a maximum of 465pts to earn. Post throughout October.

It's not midnight where I am, but I know it's midnight (or getting close) for some of you, so here is the first of a couple of #HauntedShelf posts to get you started, #ScreamTeam!

First, an overview of the points system. Exciting and spooky!

You can find a points tracker and lots of other good stuff on the Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1E4W1geiK9TvLniayV03nUER_UbQ0pNIx?usp=dri...

I picked this one up on a whim and made it to 28% before bailing. It feels either outdated (published 25 years ago) or cartoonishly oversimplified (or both?). It has some potentially helpful insights, but I can't get past the style of the writing. In the author's defense, I think the audiobook version I had was abridged, so maybe the original is better.

Photo: Camille is definitely not a people pleaser.

My favorites for September. Tied for overall favorite are Emotional Labor and The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, which might also be my favorites for the year (so far).

#WeeklyFavorites @Read4life

This novel is a bit like a more serious, more introspective, and more sprawling When Harry Met Sally, but saying that doesn't remotely convey the scope of Desai's story, which includes commentary about and criticism of at least four countries, the art world, journalism, and the nature of familial and romantic ties. Her characters are silly, maddening, and so relatable, and I love that they engage in productive introspection without therapy.

Today was the first read-aloud day of the new school year, and I'm so happy to be back with the kiddos! I'm reading to two classes this year, UTK and kindergarten, and these were the selections for today. The animal noises from the tagged were an especial hit.

I am feverishly trying to finish the tagged audiobook so I can give spooky books my full attention in October. In the meantime, I went to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and learned that sand cats are just as adorable sleepers as domestic cats.

A little #beautybreak for this Monday (and to try out the tag list).

If you'd like to be on the #beautybreak tag list and aren't yet, please comment. And if you don't want to see #beautybreak posts (or only want to see them when you search up the hashtag), see my previous post about how to mute hashtags.

October is just around the corner, and that's the start of a very hashtag-intensive season. If you're seeing a ton of posts for events that don't interest you, rather than unfollowing people, you can mute the offending hashtags.

This has to be done from a web browser. Log into Litsy and go to your profile. Click the gear by Settings/Import, and scroll almost to the bottom to Mute Hashtags. Add the hashtags you want to mute, et voila!

Camille says, "Less phone, more petting."

She has a point (actually, she has 5 of them on each front paw, which she delicately---and then gradually not-so-delicately---places on my arm when I pause too long in scratching her head).

Sometimes, I come across something pretty that I would like to share to bring a touch of serenity to my feed, and it seems like others are interested in doing this, too. So, here's a hashtag you can use so the pretty pictures are easy to find. Not attached to any particular day (at least not so far), just whenever you want to share a pretty picture. Super casual.

If you'd like to be part of a #beautybreak tag list, comment below, but no pressure.

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii

1) A little bit of fall.
2) Shorebirds.
3) Melted lap cat.
4) Solar-powered cat.
5) Solo art museum trip after dropping off six book bins to two schools in preparation for read-aloud, which starts next week.

Another #beautybreak, this one a little more humble than a sunset but just as triumphant.

I'm feeling a bit stressed today, and it seems like others might be, too, so I figured I'd post a sunset from a few days ago. There's so much beautiful, and it helps to remind myself.

I've been listening to the tagged today, and while I like the writing a lot, and the narration is excellent, I don't think it's helping my stress level.

Editing to add a hashtag so it's easy to find all the beautiful photos when we need a respite: #beautybreak

This is a quick read, and I enjoyed spending time with the characters, but it feels a little insubstantial and a little too on the nose to really feel like satire. The layers of meaning and posturing and hypocrisy and lack of self-awareness are interesting, I just wanted a little more substance (and maybe a little more connection between elements). #bookerlonglist

For #Tuesdaytunes, I'm enjoying The Dandy Warhols "Scientist." https://youtu.be/R7hjm-ODUTU?si=PMxFq6kDyy8iovYY

Hoping to see them in concert in a couple of weeks!

@TieDyeDude

István isn't unlike George from The Book of George in the way that he relies on women to shape his life for him, although István is much less whiny than George despite experiencing more actual hardships. He's not a bad guy, he just seems to float along, avoiding any real introspection or connection, sublimating his emotions into sexual expression. The novel is kind of depressing. It will be interesting to see if I remember it in 6 months.

I've been having a lot of trouble with the way this book is written (so. many. words.) so I picked up the abridged audiobook on Libby, with Estes telling some of the stories and explaining some of the concepts, and I found it much more accessible. I think sometimes storytelling and writing are two very different things. Figured I'd mention the audiobook in case others are having trouble with the book as I was. #womenwhorunwiththewolves

My October TBR for #Bookspin, #HauntedSelf, and #CasttheDie (first 13 with the tagged as my Lucky Book), plus several alternates since I have so many newer titles on my TBR and those are sometimes difficult to acquire in a timely manner without breaking the budget. (And because I was too excited about spooky reading to stop at 20.)

And here's Camille, making sure I'm doing it right.

@thearomaofbooks @puddlejumper

Hello, again, #ScreamTeam! Here's another challenge for you to keep in mind as you're putting together your #HauntedShelf TBR.

If you read any of the Team Lead Favorites/Favourites (from any team), you can stack an additional 15 points each on top of any other points you've earned for reading that book!

It will quickly become apparent that my spooky story love language is “haunted houses,“ and my choices reflect this. :-)

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii
1. Sharing horror films with my teen.
2. Tiny, perfect lizard.
3. Sunsets.
4. Silo dressing up in a towel on the way to the vet.
5. Silo with his pupils dilated, coming down from sedation. Hopefully we'll finally have an effective treatment for his tummy troubles soon!

I alluded to this in a previous post, but the most lasting traditions in my family center around bedtime routines. We've tried a lot of things, but this one has stuck the longest. Since my younger kid was 2 or 3, we've been doing a bedtime routine we call "gratefuls, sorries, and intends" in which we go around and each list one thing from the day for which we're grateful, one thing for which we're sorry, and one thing we intend for the next day.⬇️

"When someone has a strong opinion about something, it usually says more about *them* than whatever or whomever the opinion happens to be about. This is especially true when it comes to resentment and hatred of other people."

My family has been reading one entry from this book each day as part of our bedtime routine (my youngest is 16, and we still make a point of touching base at bedtime). Some are meh; others really hit the mark.

First #haikuhive in a while, inspired by a true story*

reverse carding, noun:
When the flu shot guy guesses
you might need high-dose.

*that happened to my spouse. Who is 50. For the record, I was there, too, and was not offered the high-dose vaccine. Which is a relief because I'm younger than my spouse.

Alright, #ScreamTeam...here's your pre-game #HauntedShelf challenge, should you choose to accept it!

25 points for posting your October TBR
25 points for posting an October book rec
10 points for sharing the sign-up link or post

The sign-up link: https://forms.gle/wmcY27wyx6awp3EfA

You're tracking your own points, but I'd love to be tagged on your posts!

Wait a second...are sprayed edges a result of the "spines in" bookshelf trend? I have just these two with sprayed edges, and I've been trying to figure out why/how the trend started (without googling it, because where's the fun in that?).