When I went to pick up a couple baking holds at the library I was able to find these two books for 50 cents each on their book-sale shelf. They look practically new.😍

#Goodreads Challenge met. This will give me 7 rows of 9 squares for my #2025readingblanket. Now I need to read either 3, 5, 7, 9, 13, or 17 (😹) more by the end of the new year for my #bookblanket to be even rows of 9 or 10 or have rows with 4 end squares that would have the year crocheted on them. Considering I can never time out my dishes to come out at the same time when cooking this should be interesting. 😜😁 3 or 5 seem doable.

Another cocoa morning with the pups in snowy Virginia. ☕️ 🐕 🔥 📖 🎄

With just a couple weeks left, I wonder what book will emerge to challenge the tagged book (which narrowly beat out We'll Prescribe You a Cat) to be my #2025BookOfTheYear
All in all, this wasn't the most exciting year for my reading, with this as my only ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ book. I enjoyed a lot of what I read, but not many amazed me.
#2025ReadingBracket

My December #Bookspin (20) is a seasonal #MoodRead from books that I already own and my #DoubleSpin (10) is The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson. I've been wanting to try something by him, so this little seasonal novella might be a good intro into his work.
@TheAromaofBooks

The #aardvarkbookclub picks are up! This one looks really interesting, with the potential to be heartbreaking.
What did you all get, or did you pass on the last box of the year? #aardvark.

Random colorful yet horrific #shelfie

Hoping to finish my #BookSpin #DoubleSpin books this weekend.🤞I've been in a reading slump the past 2 months. This year I added a new “rule“ to help me finish more books for the challenge & scale down my #TBR. Once a quarter I allow myself a swap of the picks with another one from my list that month if I am really not feeling the chosen one. That way I'm still reading off my planned TBR list. I've used ALL 4. 😂 #bookspintracker
@TheAromaofBooks

Here are my holiday themed December #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin hopefuls.
@TheAromaofBooks

All #JolabokaflodSwap matches have been sent out!
We have almost 100 people participating this year, and I see a couple of new faces (Welcome!!!) along with lots of old friends who have been with me for this swap since the beginning.

I'm off to bed now. 😴

I‘ve been in a funk/slump lately and just not reading very much even though both of these are enjoyable. I need to snap out of it soon.

#weekendreads

Last chance to sign up for this year‘s #JolabokaflodSwap
At last count we had 89 participants!

I‘ll be working on the matches this weekend.

This is a simple, budget friendly swap. You will send ONE book to your recipient AND some chocolate. Opening day is December 24th.

Sign up here-
https://forms.gle/AVnqdj6quby9jLyZ6

I can't believe it is November already. I‘m thrilled to host my 6th Jólabókaflóð Inspired swap. I just love the idea of giving and receiving a new book and chocolate on Christmas Eve. But you do not have to celebrate Christmas to participate.

This is a simple, budget friendly swap. You will send ONE book to your recipient AND some chocolate. Opening day is December 24th.

Sign up here-
https://forms.gle/AVnqdj6quby9jLyZ6

#JolabokaflodSwap

November #bookspin and #doublespin
@thearomaofbooks

I'm doing so-so this year on my #bookspin #doublespin progress.
@thearomaofbooks

November 2025 #bookspin and #doublespin hopefuls
@thearomaofbooks

Thank you @bookish_wookish for this wonderful #modernwitchswap 📦! #MWS
I love it all! And it is Harpy approved. She was especially thrilled by the colorful book sleeve and the little cat crystal figurine. Thank you so much. Everything is perfect.
And thank you @BookwormAHN for hosting one of my favorite swaps. Now I‘m looking forward to your #winterwitchswap

@mcipher I adore everything about this #AllHallowsReadSwap package! The sprayed edges on the tagged book are fantastic. I‘m very intrigued by the brown butter chocolate bar. The apple candle smells like a fall afternoon and Pennywise has a spot on my shelf right next to my Michael Myers candle. Thank you so much!

My final #BOTM pick. It looks super cute and I think I need that right now.
I have one more credit to burn but I couldn‘t fine anything else I really wanted that I don‘t already own, and I‘m due to renew in November, so I have to pause or cancel.
I am very excited about this hat however.
What did you all get?

Sorry I‘ve been offline for a bit (out of town, a couple days of technical difficulties, job hunting, interviews, ADHD hyper focused obsessive crafting, flu shot reaction, puppy nannying, READING, yada yada yada) but I swear I will get to ALL of my notifications today.

I have received AND sent out both my #modernwitchswap and #allhallowsreadswap #ahrs2025 packages (my recipients should have gotten theirs already).
Can‘t wait for opening day!!!

i picked up three new to me titles at the local book door in Lititz PA on my annual Chocolate Walk trip with my sister and my past TV coworkers. I had not heard if any of these books or authors so these were interesting finds. They look spooky, twisty, and fun.

Here is my (overly ambitious) TBR for this month.
There are too many books I want to read for spooky season and just not enough time. I had a hard time narrowing the list down to these as it is. I will probably get to about 5 of them. The rest will roll over into next month.

It's a Rachel Harrison October for my #Bookspin and #Doublespin and I'm all in for it. @TheAromaOfBooks

Thank you #Netgalley! I was just approved for this #ARC.
I am always excited for a new Starling book. Thankfully this one had a Send-to-Kobo option as well.
It almost makes up for me being rejected for the Tim Curry memoir (I‘d rather get that on audiobook anyway 😁).

@AardvarkBookClub delivers again. I was hoping for the tagged book. The other‘s an unexpected surprise that I had not heard of, but am excited for. It‘s perhaps a slasher version of Thursday Murder Club? If so, I‘m all in! Just in time for spooky season. I‘m going to have to change up my #bookspin post.☺️
#aardvarkbookclub
What did you all get?

Spooky season 👻 🐺 🧛🏻‍♂️ 🧙🏻‍♀️ 👿 has officially begun now that Slasher Summer 🔪 is over. (I guess that means for me it‘s always sort of spooky season).
Up next is Such Sharp Teeth. I can‘t believe I haven‘t read this one yet. I love werewolves 🐺 and I love Rachel Harrison; so exactly what have I been waiting for?!?!

I was VERY pleasantly surprised to see this as a #BOTM selection today.
I didn‘t like Armstrong‘s last foray into horror, but this one sounds good so why not? Another credit burned.
I also picked up a book from one of my swap match‘s wish lists.
What did you all get?

Some #audiocrochet today.
I made a little Sandworm.
#ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

My spooky October hopefuls.
#bookspin #doublespin
@TheAromaOfBooks

Harpy does not approve of the 2 page “cozy” cigarette ad in my 1971 paperback copy of this month‘s #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3 #Bookclub selection
🐈‍⬛She‘s so judgy. 😹😹😹

This year‘s #AllHallowsReadSwap matches have been sent! If you signed up and did not get a match, please let me know.
We have a small group of 39 this year. It was nice to see some new faces along with some of us who have been doing it since the beginning. I love hosting this and the #JolabokaflodSwap each year.
Opening Day is Thursday, October 30th. Have a spooky good time stalking your match. #AHRS2025

Found this at a local used book store yesterday. You know I love me some a vintage Christie paperback. 😍

OK I have NO concept of time since I got laid off. So here is last call to sign up for this year's #AllHallowsReadSwap!
Opening Night is Oct. 30th.

Sign up here-
https://forms.gle/yF672JHARgW4fB85A
I'll be making the matches tomorrow night.

This is a simple swap - You will be sending 3 Items-
1 BOOK From Your Recipient's Wish List
1 SCARY BOOK you recommend.
Halloween Candy or other treat.

Up next. This has been a good weekend of staying in and doing a lot of reading.

This looks like fun to read AND cook from. Perfect for the spooky season.

Next up is an #arc from #netgalley that I‘m finally getting around to.
This was also my June's #bookspin pick.

YES!!! Very excited to have been approved for this book by #NetGalley.
I LOVED The Change. I'm hoping this is as good.

Tea, cocktails, and book shopping at Kramers in DC last week.

Well this one looks like a lot of fun. Horrorstor meets Hobby Lobby! Thanks #netgalley!

My latest two #arcs

The camera did not do a great job of showing the pretty foil #aardvarkbookclub edition of this book. So pretty.

Meh. One of my least favorite of Christie‘s works so far.
Hastings was especially annoying in these stories.
I mostly listened to the audio while knitting Estella, my emotional support chicken, seen here with the paperback, so it was worth it.
I got laid off last month & am having a hard time finding a new job. Thankfully I have books & hobbies to keep me from falling too far into depression. #christiescapers #agathachristieclubr3 #audioknitting

Random #shelfie of some of my favorite reads both past and present.

#AllHallowsReadSwap is back! I can‘t believe that it‘s Sept already.
Opening Night is Oct. 30th.

This is a simple swap - You will be sending 3 Items-
1 BOOK From Your Recipient's Wish List
1 SCARY BOOK you recommend.
Halloween Candy or other treat.

Sign Ups are open until Sept. 21st .
https://forms.gle/yF672JHARgW4fB85A

Here is the inspiration I had 8 years ago for this swap.
https://youtu.be/1tYtLeWN5NQ?si=HZAFglrhmxAF4M8X

So pretty 🤩
#BOTM

My September #Bookspin and #Doublespin picks
@thearomaofbooks

I have never read a Chuck Tingle before even though all his books sound so interesting (I am not a big fan of any body horror) but I was seduced by this gorgeous special edition and the intriguing premise of the book, that I cracked for my September #aardvarkbookclub pick.
I also checked out some reviews and trigger warnings. I know what scene to skip over and was advised that this one is lighter on the body horror than his others. 🤞
#aardvark

Okay. I watched The Thursday Murder Club on Netflix. I “may” have squealed a little when David Tennant first came on screen.
I scared the napping dog next to me. (So judge-y)
The movie was pure delight. The cast was magic. I even loved Joyce (who I disliked in the book). I only disagreed with one of the changes they made from the book; and not enough to really care. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I have met people who enjoy a channel crossing: men who can sit calmly in their deck-chairs and, on arrival, wait until the boat is moored, then gather their belongings together without fuss and disembark.“

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

I try to be this person when traveling because I hate the stress of everyone jamming the exits on planes, trains, and ships. I wait until the end unless a short transfer forces me to be one of the crazies.

FINALLY #BOTM! Some options I can work with!
This month helped me burn two credits so I can cancel (or pause).

September's #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin hopefuls.
I'm slowly gearing up for spooky season.
@TheAromaOfBooks

8/29 Updated picks