The ghost seemed to be working for a Beetlejuice adjacent kind of spiritual administration. The love interest had an awful lot of trauma and childhood baggage to unpack. The local setting felt really sincere, if that‘s the right word. This was a paranormal romance and I enjoyed it, but it felt kind of strange too. Emphatically white christmasy, if that makes sense.

Don‘t mess this up for me, Follett. I know how you treat your characters.

The last chapter made it all worthwhile for my research— it is my first and only true crime and I‘m not hooked but I can see how the genre appeals

📸 of my beloved juggling all our purchases on our trip to Beacon. We hit four out of five bookstores

What a lovely time. Perfect cozy mid-fall reading. I really loved the depth Fern found along the road and how friendship was depicted as anti-fragile.

📸 of my Mothman sticker, which (alas) must remain on the fridge at the old house 😢

A fun romp, replete with witches, mysterious evils, strange Italians, and Victorian vibes. The many tropes from the store of 19th-century supernatural kept me highly entertained.

A soft pick, not terribly blood-soaked, and altogether cozy for a horror story, with a perfectly bittersweet ending 💜

📸 from moi getting ready for a black tie wedding last night— the dress felt fitting with the storyline, although I went with another for the event ❤️

Horror trivia at the Biergarten! We don‘t really drink but man is this our fave spot lately. It‘s going to be interesting to find a similar chill spot in our new city, especially because there‘s a pop up bookshop!

So far loving this installment but kingfisher has become an auto buy for me— and this one has pretty poison green end pages!

My daughter picked this out because the cover was pretty and the pages were pink and then in the first chapter I was blushing almost the same shade as the edge pages hahahaha

Recommend but also v spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I can‘t say I enjoy reading about billionaires, but I picked this up at a book signing the other day and it was a nice distraction from everything going on with the move, work, and fascism.

I give the author a lot of points for deftly managing spicy scenes and making sure to add a bit more emotional heft. I‘ll be on the lookout for her next book about an Ivy League romance.

What a fantastic book 📕 solid haunting, visceral but not unnecessary gore, and downright atmospheric 💀💕 a blood soaked little gem 💎 I highly recommend

On a more personal note, post-listing calm has descended and all that‘s left is to sell the house (easy, right?) here‘s hoping they love it as much as we did and the ghosts make them feel right at home

Still packing up the house and moving and it feels endless but we out here fighting for our lives

A very good conclusion and as per my prediction but what a great time

I had guessed much of the plot but that‘s never the point with these and I‘ve read almost all of her books in this world by now. Still so good, every single one of them ❤️

Photo featuring the hilarious notes my children left around their “haunted house”

My expression when the author describes her experiences in the introduction. Girl, what?

Interesting read because I love the period but blergh, she can be quite tone deaf about what constitutes actual harm and what‘s just uncomfortable. Get a grip, madame.

Went to pick up the new Laurie Gilmore, and ended up buying that, this, and another one.

I know I‘m moving, but how was I supposed to leave this collection on the shelf? The poems are so good and the story weaves mythology into poetry, always a winning combination.

I‘m not usually a fan but this one changed my mind.

Why is reading to my kids the highlight of my day? Because I deeply loved these books and it‘s so cool to see them love them, too.

It reminds me of one of the reasons I decided I wanted kids— I loved my partner and knew I‘d love him more watching him love them.

apologies for getting all schmaltzy but I want to join Milo packing up for that trip.

Just a candle in between me and a full blown menty b but I got through the night with this one and while not my favorite read of the week it was lovely and will stay with me. A good distraction from mourning the world I thought I‘d leave my kids.

Moving has been hellacious— my partner was hoarding a dumpster‘s worth of stuff in our garage, my neighbors offered to buy but then tried to cut the price in half, and my mortgage is taking forever to approve.

So I did what anyone would do and sat down among the piles of books, lit a few candles to get things moving, and read this little gem of female community and solidarity ❤️

Listening to this on audio while packing up the house to move & wow it‘s happening again with AI

Also WHY do I have so much stuff?! Except I know why I have so many books (it‘s bc I‘m awesome) & that‘s okay but wow, the rest of it.

Hard won pic of my v clean living room.

Why is Kingfisher the best? Is it the relatable characters? The incredible banter? Whatever it is, I can‘t stop reading her books & it‘s amazing.

I also really love the way each of the books represents romance so admirably. We should all have someone who loves us as much as Swordheart. Like my friend who sent me this beautiful T-shirt from Powell‘s.

Fascinating to hear how much oaks impact the ecosystem— I wonder if we can find a place to grow one even if we move to the city. Great book either way & very well researched

What a fabulous, dark little blood-soaked jewel. I don‘t read a lot of horror but this is probably my favorite kind, even if the gore felt gratuitous.

Perfect for back to school, too 🤓

I, a real human woman, often have difficulty citing things about witchcraft without resorting to “trust me, bro, I know things.“ As someone who has definitely only read about witchcraft in books and never attended rituals, Mooney's guide has been super helpful. When Reviewer 2 asks “how do you know about covens?“ I can cite this book instead of avoiding eye contact! Because the real magic is never having to explain your personal beliefs again ♥️

Loved this book so much I purchased two new ones on similar subjects. All day Zoom meetings make a perfect place for perusal. Reviews of these two coming soon! 💐

The best book cover, the most lurid prose. Loved every bloody page haha 💀 honestly it was interesting to read about a genre I don‘t care for (true crime) I struggle even with the Victorian serial killers— the pain their victims and their families experienced still feels too fresh, like seeing mummies (especially small ones) two centuries later doesn‘t make me any less sad (or make me question whether they should be on display any less)

What an absolutely lovely book. The heart of this magic was found family & love as resistance to an unkind world ♥️ I‘m very here for it

I normally don‘t do spoiler posts, but I had to say something about the ending. All I can say here is: many stars ⭐️ I highly recommend.

If you‘ve already read it, see the comments below 😉 I have many thoughts about this!

📸by me of a tiny cicada molt I found clinging like amber to a tree outside my office 🪲

Now that comps are over I‘m treating myself to all the books that have been languishing on my TBR ♥️ that‘s right— I‘m rewarding myself for reading by reading 😉 I also bought beautiful hardback editions bc I‘m fancy & this one has blue edges!

I never read The Spellshop but this book made me want to so I‘m sure it‘s in my reading future! Such a heartfelt novel, with lush descriptions— it was truly enchanting meeting all the plants & living here

As the week of comps draws to a close I can only say how thankful I am. My friends & family (including Litsy fam) all came together to support me while I took these exams. The culmination of a year‘s worth of work, compiling lists & reading them, feels unreal ♥️

That said, this book by Roy Porter is heartbreaking & comprehensive. Anyone planning to study psychology should give it a read. Also anyone struggling with madness, like PhD students! 😆

Finished paper 1 at 2 am
& now I sit here yet again
to write another line and verse;
I hope this essay isn‘t worse
than this poem.

I‘m halfway through comps exams & enjoying the heck out of the process even if I am tired. Today I get to write about microscopic worlds, affective ecocriticism, & The Secret Garden.

Highly recommend the tagged book even if you are not writing for scholarship. It‘s so cool! This illustration is one of my favorites🧚

My exam starts tomorrow! This is the book I‘ve been most excited about but for some reason I saved it for last— maybe like a really delicious dessert! It‘s definitely living up to expectations. Highly recommend 🔎 the tea is good, too ☕️

Read this to give my brain a break from comps reading & it delivered beautifully. Not very spicy but vulnerable, reflective, & heartfelt. Perfect for breaking up the weight of all the theory & philosophy I have to read this week. Exam questions arrive Monday morning! I hope I have enough time to write a few sentences in an email to each of my advisors in between speed reading what‘s left on my list 😅😬😰😭🫥 this summer has been so transformative

Moving right along into more Anne Brontë ♥️

An artist with courage & perseverance. Also, some interesting reading about how Charlotte‘s biography of Anne misrepresented her. She also was responsible for repressing this book in particular. According to the introduction, she told the editor it was “a mistake“ to write about such a subject. I wonder at the family dynamics since Anne & Emily published before Charlotte.

?by me at Longwood Gardens?

I had way more to say about Anne Brontë so I had to do a second post (sorry!)

She‘s SO smart. Her religious philosophy has such a Unitarian vibe— “G!d is love; love each other.” Her answer to the patriarchy was female community. Always choose integrity over comfort, even if defending your principles means discomfort. Wield a quiet persistent power & providence will answer your prayers. Be kind but have boundaries.

The stoic philosophy of Agnes♥️

The kind of book Elinor Dashwood might have written about life as a governess. Charlotte wrote a prettier line. Emily wrote a better narrative. Even so, I think Anne would have been a better friend.

Highly recommend the audiobook— the narration of the penguin classic version is excellent! It does a great job of capturing how awful the supposed “quality” can be but without any ire.

📸 hook, line, & tinker project by moi #audiocrafting #stitchitup

Le Fanu ♥️ “Green Tea” is my favorite— books & pots of tea leading to more awareness than sanity can contain intrigues me (obv.).

& Dr. H‘s hypothesis about the metaphysical matter is pure Victorian science, akin to adding a bit about quantum physics to a story today.

Mesmerism was a very real at the time this was published. The relationship between physical & mental ambiguous. Stories on the border between paranormal & mystery are so thrilling!

Finished the series! (Technically, there‘s still the Shrieking Skull, but it‘s a reread.)

Even Christmas in July can make it the most wonderful time of the year. I went into July upset, anxious, & weary. I‘m feeling more refreshed now. Still mad, but braver 😈

I know they‘re “just” stories, but they‘re really not. If I‘m going to remain hopeful, I need plants & books & coffee. I treated myself to a garden reading day & it was the best decision.

The ghost stories in this one are American, entirely collected from newspapers, & much more realistic. They have a level of grit; they have heft. I prefer the aesthetic of a British ghost. Give me fancy! Still, I recommend for the sheer number of glowing skeletons.

Merry Christmas in July! On this day, Will Smith defended Earth against alien invasion.

To celebrate, we will be watching all of our favorite holiday movies, reading Victorian ghost stories, & making iced horchata hot chocolate while eating an absolutely ridiculous feast of all our favorite foods.

I also highly recommend this series of ghost stories 👻 it‘s become one of our traditions to read one aloud before bed 🎄 they make great gifts, too!

Came to Indiana, PA for a campus event & was fortunate enough to stay with a friend who took me here. As the sun set it felt like swimming into an oil painting.

Also finished the tagged book as part of comps exams, which draw ever apace. It was delightful and I highly recommend. I‘m a fan of all fairytales. These are quite different from Grimm but sure to enchant.

#nokingsday just a helpful graphic of the gear Hong Kong protesters wore back in 2019. 📸 by Saša Petricic & my friends over on Instagram

My beloved finally noticed this morning that everything in the world is terrible before I‘ve had a cup of coffee. Shout out to observant partners everywhere. ☕️#chatterday

May all the protesters stay safe today— if you don‘t have any homemade revolution, store-bought is fine. Reading books fights fascism, too.

Charles Taylor again today. It‘s brilliant & won lots of awards for it, all rightfully earned.

@AllDebooks @Chrissyreadit @BookwormAHN

Drop whatever Victorian novel you‘re reading & go get a copy of this one. I‘m one of the many boffins in love with Lydia Gwilt & I don‘t care who knows it. Also, I know which Allan Armadale I prefer— I‘d kill the other for whistling, other offenses aside.

It‘s also nice to see some representation in a nineteenth century novel— there are many more affluent people of color in the landscape of Europe than a whitewashed history would have us believe.

Listening to this on audio because a pressure headache had me wincing all day thank goodness the storm finally broke for #hyggehour

After reading Armadale, I predict Lucy Graham is a psychopath based on her charm & accomplishments

📸 of the wisteria installation outside the Longwood Gardens gift shop— would love to install this over my bed or bookshelves

Spent the morning drinking coffee, spinning records, throwing away watercolor sketches, & doing light school work ☕️

Making chickpeas now so I can make vegan macarons later lol future plans include watching literary adaptations from a nest of pillows while it rains & rains & the children visit their Grammy 😍

What are you reading today?

#chatterday @Chrissyreadit @AllDebooks @BookwormAHN

Missed posting during #fridaynightshare but enjoyed seeing everyone‘s posts 💕 tagged book is not my favorite Hardy novel, but I loved reading this during May. (Armadale will likely be my favorite read of the summer, though.)

Yesterday I practiced watercolor sketching while reading in the Mediterranean garden at Longwood. I love this new conservatory— modern arches with classic taste #naturalitsy #midsummersolace

I‘m not embarrassed to say I‘m more enchanted with Lydia Gwilt than the dunderhead Miss Milroy. Give me Ozias Midwinter over every Allan Armadale, too.

Reading this in the park with the whole family was a perfect #hyggehour experience ❤️ I can‘t wait to go back & do it again next week!

Book haul from one of my favorite places ❤️ featuring “the Pure and the Impure”by Colette, “How Proust Can Change Your Life” by Alain de Botton, “Indian Ghost Stories”with an introduction by Dr. Mithuraaj Dhusiya, Martin R. Delaney‘s “Blake or the Huts of America,” the Chakras Activity Book, and a watercolor workbook by Emily Lex 🎨

“Yes: victuals and drink is a cheerful thing… ‘tis the gospel of the body, without which he perish, so to speak it”

Packing breakfast, lunch, & snacks for the whole family takes me about an hour what with all the fruit & veg to be washed & prepped but it‘s so worth it! Gospel, indeed, & one of love‘s offices, as Robert Hayden might say, although I doubt he ever packed a bag lunch for his family 🍎

Walked around the State House to go to Old Fox Books where many blissful hours were passed perusing their many shelves, drinking tea, & finding fabulous old editions of 19th century literature.

This salad has you suprême your citrus & shave your fennel— so fancy! I can see myself making this for lunch this summer. It has to be pretty good to get me excited for salads & this delivers ?

I love the accessibility of the recipes, too— even the sectioned citrus comes with a how-to guide. It looks like good food cooked with fresh ingredients & a lot of attention to detail ❤️

Highly recommend the audiobook version read by Andy Serkis. The story is long and complicated with lots of names but worth the work. It‘s powerful & redolent of his source material: the myths & sagas of the ancient world, mostly Norse but also Finnish.

My advice is to let it wash over you rather than try to make sense of it or capture every detail. You can always get the details on the next go around.

Reading about ships wrecking in the harbor where we like to go picnicking adds a certain historic flavor to the experience. I gasped & told the awful details to my partner but had to make sure my son couldn‘t hear. His 6 yr old imagination kicks his empathy into overdrive.

Altogether a fascinating read— caught this pic of the University of Delaware boat heading out into the bay just before we packed it up & called it a day.