Good morning, good morning. I got a late start on the #JanuaryBlues Readathon but I‘m feeling better and diving in right now.

I liked this. It started at the end and ended with the beginning. The book tells the story of upheaval one family faced in Armenia, Lebanon, and New York City. #ToB26

@hooked_on_books @barbarabb @chelsea.Poole @squirrelbrain @sarahbarnes @chaoticmissadventures @bkclubcare @deblovestoread @merelybookish

A fantasy heist story set in 1920‘s DC. Loved it. Don‘t skip the afterward.

Either the creeping crud that has been going around caught me or it‘s food poisoning from the sketchy smoothie I decided to consume last night in York,PA (smoothies should not be warm) but I have been down for the count all day. Going to start my #hyggehour early and try to catch up on where I want to be for #JanuaryBluesReadathon

Breakfast with Shirley before the day begins. Or not as the case may be #countdowntoshirley #hashtagbrigade

A simple goal for #JanuaryBlues Readathon - read this book! I started this summer and then concentration issues set in. I‘m hoping for a better outcome this month. Thanks @LiseWorks

#5JoysFriday I was going to skip this week but @DebinHawaii is right. We need to look for the joys always.

We had a break from winter and I spent a lot of time outside.

1) Walked home from the train station yesterday instead of taking the bus
2) Kids screamed for me to come outside and see the sunset
3) A hawk keeping an eye on the neighborhood
4) Heather starting to bloom
5) Got a laugh out of unintentionally making my whole dinner circular

Late Gen X here. My mom would often make us spaghetti o sandwiches- spaghetti o‘s between buttered pieces of bread. Fat and carbs yum. Another favorite was American Chop Suey which was macaroni with ground beef and tomatoes slathered in margarine. Actually I could go for some of that. We would also eat El Paso taco kits every time my dad went out of town because he didn‘t like “weird food.” Weird in those days being not spaghetti or burgers. #TTT

I love noir this time of year, and Hanukkah related noir made it extra fun.

I‘m bailing on this one. I‘ve been trying for a week and I‘m just not into it. I may try again if it advances in #ToB26

@hooked_on_books @barbarabb @chelsea.Poole @squirrelbrain @sarahbarnes @chaoticmissadventures @bkclubcare @deblovestoread @merelybookish @ChaoticMissAdventures

It‘s Friday eve! Let‘s do this!

The slow pace of this book made it hard to follow on audiobook, but I loved loved loved the setting in a radio station in small town NW Territories.

#breakfastandabook although this chapter is so long it will probably turn into #lunchandabook too #hashtagbrigade

George Washington meets Travels With Charley meets the life and times of Nathaniel Philbrick. I enjoyed learning about all 3. I also learned a few things about Alexandria, the town where I‘ve lived for 20 years or so. I thought the reflections at the end were great and hopeful. Washington, Steinbeck, and Philbrick all had similar experiences when it came to everyday people. #USPresidents26

It‘s only Jan. 6. Not too late to restart this.

I listened to two interesting podcasts about George Washington this morning that I wanted to share with the group.

The George Washington Story You Haven't Heard (Adam Grant with Ken Burns) https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/rethinking-the-george-washington-story-you...

Presidential: George Washington https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/business/podcasts/presidential/

#USPresidents2026

#MiddleGradeMonday

My favorite 2025 Middle Grade read. I loved the 1980‘s time period and how the author handled this complicated family.

🎶Tumble outta bed and I stumble to the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition🎶

Grateful for a bit of reading time before the grind begins!

#12Booksof2025 @TheEllieMo Miss you @Andrew65 hope you‘re well

This may have been my favorite of 2025, but that might also be recency bias.

Daisy says if I sit on her kindle she can‘t go back to the office #catsoflitsy

I‘ve read this twice before and I still love this book of short stories, essays, and recipes. It‘s just very soothing at such a busy time of year.

This book had a lot going on, but it was a pleasant enough read. I liked the premise of the food network competition.

#JaneAustenThenAndNow (only a month late)

I‘m beyond exhausted tonight for some unknown reason, so I‘m starting my #hyggehour a little early. I actually got quite a bit of reading in today so I‘m going to catch up on reviews and journaling (again I read for 5 hours today. WHY am I so tired???)

I read a lot of good books in November but Blob is the one is the one that stuck with me the most. #12Booksof2025 @TheEllieMo

#26for26 day…whatever this is. Two more readathon days left. It‘s indoor field hockey season again so I spent time with my kindle between games. Also started my George Washington book this morning. I may just put my two December books aside if I haven‘t made any progress by Monday. I just don‘t find myself reaching for them.

#12Booksof2025 @TheEllieMo

At the very end of October my slump was finally broken with this excellent witch story.

My first read of 2026.

I liked this, but found it a little depressing knowing the games would still be going on when Hamitch was a grown man. Very hopeless. Well written hopelessness though.

Fell asleep before I could post last night. I got some reading done but spent the evening finishing Stranger Things (hence the red sky pic from a few days ago.) Thanks for hosting @LiseWorks even though I didn‘t finish any books I was inspired to make a lot of progress.

My first #BookspinBingo board for 2026. I‘m working to regain my attention span and motivation this year.

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii

1) Joyful to leave 2025 in the past. Optimistic for 2026.
2) A 6 day weekend with quality time to visit with my parents and play many, many games and take long walks
3) Watched fireworks from my porch in my pjs at midnight
4) New phone with a new camera - big difference between 8 and 17!
5) Rode the Ferris wheel at National Harbor- something I‘ve wanted to do for years

#12Booksof2025 @TheEllieMo

September is not a month I would like to revisit, but I did like this middle grade book set in 1980‘s Delaware.

Day 3 #Welcome2026Readathon / Day 1 #26For26

Haven‘t finished any books yet, but added another to my stack of books in progress 🤷‍♀️

@Blerdgal_Fenix Keia I love this so much. Such a pretty presentation. And you did a great job because I was just looking at this book earlier today.

Everyone check out Keia‘s Blind Date With A Book shop!

www.etsy.com/shop/quillsandteacups

#12Booksof2025 @TheEllieMo

August and September were not good months for me personally, and it shows in my reading because I didn‘t rate anything above 4 stars. Reading about dinosaurs with #Naturalitsy was a good distraction though so this is my pick from August.

If you think, from this prelude, that anything like a romance is preparing for you, reader, you never were more mistaken. Do you expect passion, and stimulus, and melodrama? Calm your expectations; reduce them to a lowly standard.

You can‘t scare me Brontë! #HashtagBrigade #WeveSeenItAll #BoringKindleCover @BarkingMadRead

My StoryGraph wrap up is here! My reading was all over the place in 2025. Hopefully I can devote more time to quiet reading in 2026.

Day 2 - Since I like to party I decided to spend my reading time this morning deep cleaning my fridge instead of catching up on reading. I did start the audiobook for Sunrise on the Reaping though. #Welcome2026Readathon

Happy New Year! I have so appreciated you all this year, but did you have to post so many good books in your year end round ups? How will I ever read them all???

My first and last reads from 2025. Two books from ToB lists.

I think I finally have my #BookSpinBingo list together for January. I‘ll tag the titles in the comments.

I had a good reading month in December, but pretty much switched from my TBR to mood reads halfway through the month. Basically I‘ve been living off cookies and novels for two weeks. Looking forward to getting back to normal in 2026. At least I did read my book spin and double spin.

#12Booksof2025 @TheEllieMo

Another perfect summer read that takes me back to long nights on my porch in July. This book was written in the 90‘s but sadly it talks about a lot of the things we still struggle with now. I‘d like to listen to it on audio someday because I could hear the voices very strongly as I read.

An excellent audiobook, and a great choice for last read of the year. I loved all of the letters and the book reference. I will probably listen to this again before #WinterCampLitsy

#ToB26 long list (and though I love it I forgive them for not putting it on the short list.)

@hooked_on_books @barbarabb @chelsea.Poole @squirrelbrain @sarahbarnes @chaoticmissadventures @bkclubcare @deblovestoread @merelybookish @ChaoticMissAdventures

In no particular order, my top 12 from 2025 ( assuming I don‘t finish any more today.)

Day 1 of #Welcome2026Readathon went well despite having to work. It helped that there were only two of us in and I had plenty of audiobook time. Hoping tomorrow is the same.

Picture is “The Awakening” at National Harbor.

Gah, I need to know what happens and my headphones are down to 20%! Come on little guys just get me to the end and then you can charge!

Ramona really was a little brat in this one huh? These audiobooks read by Stockard Channing are balm to my soul. #192025 1955 @Librarybelle

Good morning! Back to work for me today, but I did take advantage of the slower pace of late December to read some ghost stories and noir from the December holidays. Hoping to finish these two books before midnight tomorrow.

#12Booksof2025 @TheEllieMo

For me this was a perfect summer read. I can feel the warmth of my front porch in June just thinking about it.

#12Booksof2025 @TheEllieMo

Novels in verse aren‘t my norm, but I read this for #RiseUpReads and ended up loving it.