Our house got hit with the major storms that came through West TX over the last couple of days. Unfortunately, my office took the worst of it. I managed to save all the books that got wet and, with the major help that you see here, found the bright side and rearranged my shelves while I was putting them back up. Now, I just have to finish cleaning & wait for insurance to replace windows, roof, paint, etc… It could have been much worse, though.

I turned in section 1 of my dissertation to my SME for review, so I get a night to read for fun… I finished the last Witcher book I was reading, now I can‘t decide. Do I move on to the next (Blood of Elves) or choose something else?! This is what I brought with me to the mountains. (In a Dark, Dark Wood is a re-read) Help?!

Checking in to say hi! I‘m hanging out in the mountains for a few months to get further along in my dissertation (less distractions), but taking a break today to reset with some reading other than research. Hoping you‘re all having a great Sunday!

Finished work a little early, so taking a bit of a break from research for a bit of self-care.

I really hope everyone is reading something better than dissertation research tonight! Enjoy for me, please!!!!!

Not feeling my best, so self-care via #bookandbath it is…

It‘s that time again… #bookandbath

Got done with my dissertation assignment early this morning and have some time to enjoy pleasure reading this afternoon. Definitely need to feel like I‘m somewhere else today…

Off work a bit early, so I was able to get writing for school done a bit early leaving me time for some self- care this evening. Love when that happens…

This is the one the hubs pulled out of the TBR jar for me this morning, so starting this series while he plays his game and the pups snore away. Have a great Sunday!

Book & bath time… Hope you‘re all having a good weekend.

Spending this cold, windy Saturday hanging out with the pups. Cletus and Bellatrix say hi, Litsy fam!

On to the next…

Spending NYD snuggling with Bellatrix as she recovers from her spay. Hope you all are having a good start to 2025!

The perfect start to NYE… Be safe all going out to celebrate!

As we get ready to move into this last week of 2024/beginning of 2025, remember to take time for self-care, everyone!

And the interhouse rivalry for the Independence Bowl is on in our house! (My undergrad Alma Mater vs Army)

On my second book of the day (the first was a re-read of Christmas Cupcake Murder) while the hubs plays Witcher and we wait for the Independence Bowl to start. Have to get in all the fun reading I can while winter break is still on! Hope you‘re all having a good weekend!

Cletus, Bellatrix, and I hope you‘re all having a lovely holiday!! 💚

Taking a break from dissertation writing to indulge in my annual re-read…

And book 1 of my cruise has been completed! On to the next!

I‘m so happy… Now, if I can just find time to read it!!

Hi! Just checking in since I have a few minutes to breathe (& read!) this weekend. I hope you‘re all doing well. I haven‘t been around since life, lately, has been pretty much school and work. I‘m in my last 2 classes before I start my dissertation, I should be defending in Dec ‘25 & be done w/my doctorate! Bellatrix is a year old now! Cletus is Cletus. And my sweet Scout is 12 & we‘re cherishing every moment left with her. I miss you all!

I‘m so happy! I had to share with people who‘d understand (and not think I‘m crazy)- I ordered this copy from the UK because I wanted this edition and not the edition that was released in the US and it just came!

Hi all!! Just checking in to let everyone know I‘m alive! After spending most of the long weekend (and very cold weather!) buried in research I am taking a couple of hours for self-care in the form of a book, drink, and a hot bath. I miss you all terribly and hope you‘re all doing well!! The end of this doctoral program can‘t come soon enough!

Winter break is finally is session and I can finally read for fun!!!

Hi friends!!
I‘m getting ready to go on a cruise the first week of November and I want to load up my kindle with some holiday cozy mysteries (brain candy!) since I‘ll be out of school and not reading research for the week! Send me your best recs, please!!

I‘ve been waiting for this since it was announced forever ago!!! I‘m so excited!!!

This looks like fun! Thanks for this @Catsandbooks It looks like a great way for me to make myself fit in some fun reading with all my school reading 😊 I‘ll definitely at least try for 31 hours!

Off to Dallas to see Baylor Neurology again…
Hi friends! It‘s been a while! Life has been busy and stressful. School has been insane and I‘ve changed jobs (gone back to my old company in a new position). Hopefully, things are settling down a bit and I can check in more often. Hope you‘re all doing well!! 💚

Hi all!! Just dropping in to say hello. I haven‘t been around for a while and, well, this is why. My fun reading time is sparse these days, as most of my spare time is spent on research for my doctorate. Hopefully, everyone is doing well! I miss you all!!

An early birthday book haul from my wonderful husband 💚 (My big gift is tickets to see the Chili Peppers at the Alamodome in May!)

Hanging out with my nephew this week while his mom is out of town & finally have a night off of school, so getting some fun reading in.

I got my Alice piece finished last night! She did such a good job bringing my muddled vision to life with her artists eye!

Last day on the cruise! It‘s super bright and I‘m facing the sun, so listening to an audiobook that I‘ve read/heard many times, so it doesn‘t matter if I fall asleep💚

Hi from the middle of the ocean, Litsy fam!! I‘m taking a needed vacation this week on the cruise that I bought my mom for Christmas. I hope you‘re all having a great start to your week!

Happy Christmas to all who celebrate! I hope that everyone is having a nice, relaxing break- wherever you are and whatever you‘re doing 💚

Thank you so much, Sarah!!! @TheAromaofBooks I love all of this! I‘ve had this book on my list since it came out and am really looking forward to diving in to it and the chocolate looks divine! I hope you have a wonderful holiday!!

Thanks @MaleficentBookDragon for hosting this swap!

#jolabokaflodswap

As I posted in my Jolabokaflod swap post, I‘ve been a little distracted this past week. The holiday came a bit early for me, and I was accepted into one of the two post-grad programs that I applied to, so back to school I go! My fun reading life is going to diminish a bit for a few years (again), but worth the sacrifice😊 Now to get through the week of my family crap talking me going back to school….

I stopped by to visit with my daddy on the way in for the holiday today. #daddysgirl

Thanks Book Depository! It got here from the UK just in time for me to take it with me on my trip tomorrow! Freaking late releases in the US…. (The UK cover is better anyway)

So- I‘m the worst swap partner ever this #jolabokaflodswap 🤦🏼‍♀️ I sent the package to UPS with my husband without taking a picture first and just realized that the card that was supposed to go inside of it is still sitting on my desk because I didn‘t finish writing it. It‘s been a hectic few days, y‘all. (I‘ll say why in another post) So- if you receive a package from Lubbock, TX with no card saying who it‘s from… 🙋🏼‍♀️ya girl! #isuck #sorry

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you so, so much, my friend! It got here just in time for me to pack it for my work trip to Toronto! You‘re the best!!

I didn‘t get as much as usual at the B&N Black Friday sale, but I did get this gorgeous signed edition of Song of Achilles, a signed edition of Beyond the Wand, and Ink Black Heart for 50% off. They were also giving away this little reading journal, so I have a nice little journal for the new year. I hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving!

After 2 days, the decorations are done! (And Scout says hi!)

I have a long weekend this weekend, so I‘m listening to a holiday cozy and slowly getting my holiday decorations up. I like to have the house decorated when we have everyone over for Friendsgiving (next weekend). I hope you‘re all having a Good Friday!

I got my second covid booster (4th vaccine) yesterday (making sure that I have it and my flu vaccine before I fly to Canada in a couple of weeks) and I‘m having symptoms from it so no reading for me tonight. Instead, I‘m lying here watching Great British Baking Show so I don‘t have to think.

Continuing with my cozies- I‘m starting the next Bakeshop Mystery on my list. As an incentive to get through these, I have a galley of the new one that releases the end of December! (Also Cletus says hi to his Litsy family!)

November is my “cozy mystery” reading month and I‘m super excited about it! So far I‘ve read/listened to a couple of Stephanie Plum books, an Agatha Raisin, and now I‘m listening to a Jana DeLeon while I work. I do love cozy mysteries!

I made it back home yesterday and am just now putting up my books from my trip to Half-Price Books. This was my little haul- a few books to fill out collections, a couple I‘ve been wanting, and a couple of fun holiday books for this year.