Welcome to Litsy!

If I could I'd kick my own backside for waiting so long to read this story! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read and will probably be my favorite of this month. Loved the world-building and the characters. #bookspin @thearomaofbooks

It was on my TBR list for a long long time and my Russuan language teacher insisted me to read it and it was amazing. Such a beuatiful tale and I learnt so much about Russian folklore and many new words.

This was a re-read for me, and I enjoyed re-visiting this world based on Russian folk tales. I‘m looking forward to reading the other two which are new to me.

This book makes you feel like you are in a snow storm, and the main character is independent and strong.

1) full length: Die Hard 😂
TV special: Muppet Family Christmas (Careful of the icy patch!)

2) All I want for Christmas is the best thing to eat and make sure you get the money. 🤣

3) The tagged book is cemented as a winter book in my mind.

#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

#midwintersolace #naturalitsy #fridaynightshare

I‘m going to nominate The Bear and The Nightingale. This is the first of a trilogy that takes Russian folklore and spins it into YA historical fantasy. I read this several winters back and have yet to finish the series, but am still impressed by the deep emotional impression this made on me.

Dec. 3 ☕️

repost for @KateReadsYA:

#whimsicalreads December book club pick. All are welcome to join us.

In 2024, I'll be taking a break from hosting this book club!

#BuddyRead

Original post:
https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2670865

💙💚💛🖤

#whimsicalreads December book club pick. All are welcome to join us. @BookmarkTavern
 @Linsy @ShelleyBooksie @gracielee8 @SamAnne @MrsRoberts96 @joolz_92 @RedxoHearts @Clwojick @Read4life @wanderinglynn @Allylu @AbigailJaneBlog @persephone1408 @KristiAhlers @GirlNamedJesse @BooksNBowls @Liatrek @PageShifter @ozma.of.oz @BrittanyReads @tokorowilliamwallace @BookBelle84 @Catsandbooks
In 2024, I'll be taking a break from hosting this book club!

At first I was a little bit lost with this book, but then it got me and I kept reading and reading and reading. Not that handy when you're supposed to sleep. It lost a bit of my attention at the end. But a good story and I'm looking forward to reading the next books whenever they'll fall into my hands.
TBR since 24-10-2020; 410 pages.

Rounding up to 4⭐️

This is a bit slow during the setup, but it unwinds into a beautiful tale. I was quite captured by the setting, the sibling relationships, and the horses! I'm very much looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy!

Oh, I‘ve been so spoiled by novels like Uprooted and Spinning Silver. I liked this novel and the complicated heroes but it didn‘t grab me the way Novik‘s writing has. I say this because these authors are often compared. 3 ⭐️

This was a really nice take on folk tales come real. The book tackles old ways vs new, old gods and christian missionaries, in the frozen north of Russia, with some political intrigue and superstition of witches. I really liked this take. Same vein as spinning silver but with a darker narrative.

So far so good!!

I opened my wonderful #MugLove23 package yesterday afternoon before we went out for a late lunch and then I forgot to post. Thank you so much for everything, @Littlewolf1 ! The book and coffee are perfect, and I can‘t wait to try the candy. And the mug is absolutely wonderful. I‘ve started collecting mugs for different seasons, and this past holiday season I realized I had no winter/holiday mug. ⬇️

#Seriesread2023

I read 1 of Robert Macfarlane's trilogy on landscape and the human heart. Started the tagged yesterday, Arden's Winternight trilogy. Will finish it this weekend.
@TheSpineView @Andrew65

All my life I have been told "go" & "come". I am told how I will live & I am told how I must die. I must be a man's servant & a mare for his pleasure, or I must hide myself behind walls & surrender my flesh to a cold, silent god. I would walk into the jaws of hell itself, if it were a path of my own choosing. I would rather die tomorrow in the forest than a hundred years of the life appointed to me.

❄️ Getting enough rain to fill our lakes for summer fun.
❄️ The tagged was a very good wintry read.

@NataliePatalie
@TheSpineView
#Two4Tuesday

"The prince arrived just as pale spring became dazzling summer, with a tender, capricious sky and the fading flowers buried in a wash if grass."

My favorite #wintery book of the past few years. (Not my photo but it seemed appropriate). #JanuaryJazz @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Suffice to say I hate this a little too much to waste more time thinking about. 315 pages of near unrelenting misery of a myogynistic, religious bent and an agonizingly slow pacing wrapped in a whisp of fairy tales are not my jam.

"The snow fell thrice, deep and solid after midwinter, and after the last snowfall came a deep blue frost, when men felt their breath stop in their nostrils and weak things grew apt to die in the night."

Starting to read part one tonight for the read along. I've been looking forward to picking this book up again. I adore The Winternight Trilogy and am happy to emerse myself in this world again.

Katherine Arden is doing a read along of The Bear and the Nightingale on Instagram! She'll be doing a live on these dates at 3pm EST(8pm GMT)and again at 8pm EST. She'll be continuing with The Girl in the Tower in February and The Winter of the Witch in March.

My first completed book of 2023 just happens to be a reread! I plan on finally reading the rest of the trilogy this winter so I needed a refresh. Still starts out a little slow but really gets interesting at the end. A high so-so pick. Using this for #booked2023, 1) Part of a trilogy @Cinfhen @alisiakae @BarbaraTheBibliophage

Thank you @Deblovestoread so excited to start the books. My husband was very excited about the new pine candle. ☺️
Thank you for the little gifts for my daughter. She is obsessed with puzzles.
#winterwonderlandswap
@TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit @Avanders

Great Russian medieval fantasy with a strong female character. Abounds in odd creatures not known in fantasy outside that land. Really fantastic ending. May read more from the author for sure.

Happy Jolabokaflod!

Yeah, book shapes are not my strong suit...😬🎄🤦🏼‍♂️ I am happy with my little crocheted stars though! Wild that the library loans out this many books to an individual: visual releases dopamine hit like a shopping spree without the price tag, assuming I don't end up paying late fees. Admittedly recent snowy weather makes the walks back and forth to the library to pick up and return my treasure a little more challenging. Worth it. 🤷🏼‍♂️

I'm starting this fantasy based on Russian folk tales.

This story had a whimsical, fairy tale feel to it, but with a strong female character who trusts herself to know right from wrong.

It shows the hardness behind human judgement and what some may do to cover what they did wrong out of fear. It‘s an intertwining story between reality and Russian folk lore - the winter demon versus a higher being. It‘s a magical ride!

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️ I know very little of Russian folklore and this was full of wonderful fey, woven throughout with strong character and world building. A perfect story to read in the cold winter during christmas. I love how the author illustrated the way religion has pushed out the old pagan stories of other cultures and how our beliefs in the old world can keep the spirits alive or destroy them by stop believing in them.

I loved this one. Can‘t wait to get continue the series.

This was also one of my character prompts for Orilium.

#orilium

Another belated review from December…😬 This one was a low pick for me. It moved a bit slower than I would have liked, and I wanted a bit more development in the ending. But the folk religion elements were fascinating to me, as well as how the story drew out the dynamics between the old ways and Christianity. Those dynamics were often uncomfortable for me, but thought-provoking nonetheless! And the #YABuddyRead discussion was wonderful. 😊

There's nothing quite like reading a book about a cabin in the middle of a snowy forest while being at a cabin in the middle of a snowy forest. I'm glad I waited to start this one. 🥰❄️

So I assume this is an unpopular opinion, but I was not a fan of the tagged.

The book started off great but I felt it dragged on and then on some more.

I did finish it, but I will not continue the series.

March‘s #nywd22 is “The Only Good Indians” thanks @Readergrrl

#Two4Tuesday

💕 There is a local chocolatier that always does something super fun & interesting for Valentine‘s Day & my husband will often splurge on a box which I love…although books are great for any occasion!

💕 Tagged book was the first one I thought of—I love reading it this time of year—so I‘ll go with it.

@TheSpineView

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a different read for me, and part three of this book basically kept it as a pick instead of it being just a “meh” read. The story was unique, but I simply didn‘t love it as much as I wanted to. The theme of Christianity vs. old religion is strong in the plot line, but is well-written. I did really enjoy Vasya‘s character and her fight to forge her own path against the societal norms and expectations for women during that time.

Another Friday snow day! Going to try and make some progress with this one. I had previously started and abandoned it when I got distracted by life. Excited to read it again, and hopefully finish the trilogy this time.

Once again I‘m way late to #yabuddyread but I really enjoyed this fantasy tale even without knowing much about Russian history or folklore. I was completely swept up and enchanted by this intricately layered story and it‘s one of the few books I may need to read again to pick up stuff I know I missed. I‘m definitely interested in seeing where Vasya‘s journey takes her so I will be finishing the trilogy.

As always I have several books going on at once. Hoping to make a big dent in the titles above this weekend. What are you reading @sherrisilvera

❄️ The tagged book is my most recent favorite with with a snowy setting.

❄️ A personal goal this year is to work on changing my mindset around habits that seem onerous and so don‘t get done.

❄️ Today I‘m grateful for the energy to get some much needed housekeeping done.

Anyone who hasn‘t played and wants to consider yourself tagged.

#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

1. The tagged book
2. Personal Goal for 2022 is to save money and take care of my mental health above all else.
3. Today I am grateful for my good health!!!
Thanks for the tag @Kshakal 😀

1. Tagged
2. Decrease both personal and work anxiety, or at least the frequency and intensity of feeling anxious (cause a goal has to be measurable)
3. The COVID Vaccine
Thanks for the tag @Avanders
Want to play @sprainedbrain @Liz_M @Nute @Butterfinger @sblbooks @MeganAnn @megnews @Catsandbooks

1. Tagged

2. To get my Etsy shop up and running! I started working on art/products last year, but then I got into a depression slump and just wasn't feeling inspired. But I'm doing better now and I think the support of #LitsyCrafters will help too!

3. My mom- she's the best! 💕 I can't wait to actually see her in person at the end of the month!!

#wondrouswednesday

Last book read in 2021 for #20in4 @Andrew65 A lovely story set in winter and about Valsya, a witch. I loved how the human world intertwined with this magical world. This book motivates me to look more about Russian folklore. Any recommendations? 4⭐️

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

❄️I‘m trying to finish these books before Dec 31: The Language of Thorns; The Lives of Daints (these two are for my book club to finish the Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo); and The Bear and the Nightingale.
❄️Various hallmark/Disney Christmas movies, Narnia, the winter season in Harry Potter movies and yes I liked National Lampoon movie. I want to watch A Boy Called Christmas

Thank you @kamoorephoto for tagged me🥰