My ideal cozy setting includes a comfy chair, blankets, cats, a candle, and a good book. I usually do not get all four of my boys in the same picture, so this scene from a couple months ago was rather special. #Zeke #Vladimir #SebastianKitty #Xander #CatsofLitsy #DecemberChill

Because 10pm seems like the perfect time to begin Russian literature…🙄 😂

I‘m usually in the minority when it comes to my love for Russian literature, so we‘ll see what I think compared to others participating in #DecemberChill

Flyn visits twelve locations in the world that have been abandoned for one reason or another and examines the way the ecological system at each location has been impacted. Written with beautiful pose and reflection, Flyn paints a portrait of both devastation and a tiny bit of light and hope in some aspects. It‘s a good primer on the calamities in the world, how humanity affects the ecological system, and what we can do to help solve the problem.

Thanks for the tag, @Eggs !

1. While technically I do this before December, I enjoy preparing holiday cards and mailing them.

2. I don‘t have one specifically, but I do love the movie Love Actually. And, I always have a thought to watch Little Women this time of year (the version with Winona Ryder).

3. A week off of work, which is providing me with a lot of self-care.

#WondrousWednesday

To “celebrate” my 40th birthday in 2022, I wanted to do something fun and decided to commemorate the year by reading a book published in each year from 1982-2022. I‘m calling it #19822022 . I‘ve wanted to do similar challenges that encompass 100 years worth of books, but this will be a perfect smaller challenge that I can do along with other challenges.

Feel free to join me if you would like! I don‘t have a signup form, so this is very low key.

The December #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead is Dollface by Renee Rosen. Tagging those who asked to be tagged for the December read, but all are welcome to join!

There are not great chapter breakdowns in this one (titles, not numbers), so not a suggested reading timeline this month. I‘ll post periodic check ins, with discussion on the 31st!

Questions are now up for this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead ! You can either find them on my feed or by searching #LiteraryCrew !

I will post later today a reminder for December‘s book, Dollface, along with the suggested reading timeline. I‘m also compiling the book recommendations for next year, so that post will appear later this week!

Any overall thoughts to share about Of Irish Blood?

I really do not know how Penny does it - writes a narrative with so many layers. This one follows multiple storylines, and while that may sound confusing, it‘s really all connected, all related to one event. She‘s a master of hiding details and evoking so many emotions. Another great addition to the series, and one that I think will take multiple rereads to absorb every little detail.

In the 12th addition to the Daisy Dalrymple series, Daisy finds a sore tooth can be deadly…when she discovers her dentist dead. What transpires is a set of lies and secrets that Daisy has to unravel. A great addition to the series, and Daisy knows just how to wheedle information out of suspects!

…and my #BookSpinBingo for December!

Combined #BookReport and #WeeklyForecast - I have a week off from work, so I‘m really hoping to carve out time for reading!

I have to see where I am on challenges, so I may start other books this week or reorganize my reading plan in order to get more prompts accomplished by the end of the year.

My #Jolabokaflodswap package is on its way!

I also cleaned out my post office of international stamps, so while I wait for more, not all of my #LitsyLove cards to my Canadian friends went out today. They‘ll be mailed ASAP, once more stamps arrive!

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for an audio listening copy of this!

What if you discover a list from high school of things you wanted to do before 30? Enter the throwback list, which contains many obstacles and trials for a group of friends to accomplish 10 years after the list was drafted. I appreciated the development of the story, but at times felt a little bogged down in the narrative. Light reading with hints of nostalgia & “what-ifs.”

It‘s hard to review such an odd book, though I did not find it as odd as Bunny, which I surprisingly liked. This one I liked too because it is so different. Unreliable narrator, suffering from chronic pain, who meets three mysterious men who offer her a different path. It‘s hard to understand everything taking place, but I could also feel the levels of despair and elation throughout the novel.

Be prepared for an odd adventure with this one!

Combined #BookReport and #WeeklyForecast …lots of library books I need to read this week!

I cannot begin to say how excited I am to receive @katy4peas ‘s #NewYearWhoDis list!!

So many of these are on my tbr list, so it‘s a perfect opportunity to get these read in January. I‘ve read the Simone St James on the list and The Discovery of Witches, but am so looking forward to everything else!

Thanks for hosting, @monalyisha ! It‘s such a fun list and one I keep referring to throughout the year.

Reminder: December‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead selection is Dollface by Renee Rosen.

Closer to December, I will post a suggested reading timeline (I‘m waiting for my library hold on this one!). I‘ll post periodic checkins and will post discussion questions on Dec 31st.

Tagging those who are reading this month, along with those who have asked to be tagged for December. All are welcome! Comment below if you wish to be tagged in posts for December.

Thanks for the tag, @TheRiehlDeal !

1. No! I‘m actually behind on my Goodreads goal, but not by much.

2. Ummm…all of them! 😂 But, it would be nice to complete those books I started this year and haven‘t finished. I have this problem of getting distracted by other books, leaving others waiting to be finished!

#Two4Tuesday

Checkin lost for #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead …I wanted to do a checkin over the weekend and missed doing it!

We are halfway through the month…any thoughts or impressions to share? I had also planned to start this one this weekend, but best laid plans…

I certainly could not pass up a cozy mystery set in a haunted library! While I overall enjoyed the book, I was not a big fan of the MC, Carrie. Her attitude, though understandable given her backstory, is still off putting. She does get better by the end. And, I‘d love to work in a public library that has the ability to host as many programs as this tiny library does!

I‘m interested in trying the next in this series. #Xander #CatsOfLitsy

Combined #BookReport and #WeeklyForecast :

I started out last week making great progress, but by the end of the week, things slowed down. I got my booster shot on Friday, and I‘ve had a very strong reaction to it, so no reading yesterday! I‘m still not feeling well, but am so much better than I was yesterday.

This week, I should play catch-up on Louise Penny‘s books for an upcoming book discussion (I‘m way behind!)…all titles not listed.

Confession: I have been the worst #LitsyLove correspondent this year. The absolute worst. So many lovely letters waiting for a response!

But, as this picture shows, I‘ve been preparing my holiday wishes to everyone. Those who sent me a letter will get one too with their card! I started writing out cards and well wishes earlier this month, so everything can be sent around the US Thanksgiving holiday.

Thanks for your patience!

Catching up on these slowly! Thanks for the tag, @Eggs !

1. There are so many bookstores I‘d love to visit! The famous ones (Powells, The Strand), but also any small independent I happen to see.

2. Sometimes. Lately, to support my favorite independent, I make up a list for them to order upcoming titles. But, part of the fun is exploring for hidden treasures on the shelves!

#Two4Tuesday

This addition to the Daisy Dalrymple series was way better than the prior entry! Daisy spends the holidays with her family, and of course there is murder and intrigue. Daisy is a fun character, who tries to be a modern woman in post WWI, breaking through her titled background. Cannot wait to go on to the next in the series!

Words cannot describe how much I loved this memoir! Grohl presents a very down to earth persona, whose humbleness with his success and the friendships he has had over the years was a delight. The love for this family, friends, and music rang true. And, of course, I had to grab the tissues for parts. Easily one of my favorite reads in 2021…I did not want this journey to end!

Thanks for the tag, @MoonWitch94 !

1. So many! I‘m currently actively reading Shadow of Night, The Storyteller, Mistletoe and Murder, and Houses of the National Trust. There are others I‘m in the middle of as well.

2. I use Goodreads, have a spreadsheet on my computer, and LibraryThing.

3. Hmmm…I Google a lot of books for work! But, probably Belgravia for some discussion questions for #LiteraryCrew

#WeekendReads

I‘ve learned a bit more about Wharton, thanks to her home The Mount‘s virtual ghost tours the last two years…I had not realized she wrote ghost stories until taking part in the tour!

This collection has some spooky (to me) storylines and some not too spooky but definitely bizarre. I enjoyed this collection as a fascinating look at early 20th century ghost stories, from an author who has greater acclaim with her stories about opulence and greed.

My combined #BookReport and #WeeklyForecast …

An American Marriage examines the “truth” of the Lincoln marriage, but I became immediately turned off by the author‘s remarks about Mary Lincoln (she was no saint, but she also lived with mental illness and debilitating migraines, so IMO, contributing factors) and bailed.

LOVE The Storyteller and wish I was Dave Grohl‘s BFF IRL…

I am not quite sure what I was expecting, but in the end, I thought the collection of essays in this book were just okay. The main essay - from the title of this book - seemed the most impactful to me, with reminders of practicing loving kindness to oneself in different ways each month. A short listen, with some essays averaging a minute long. The narration was good. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio copy!

Confession: Sleeping Beauty is my favorite fairy tale…which, according to the beginning of Zinnia‘s story, makes me a dying girl (!) and also a lover of the worst fairy tale ever. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Despite this, I loved this story! Amazing retelling, full of some wickedly clever princesses, besties, and a desire for a fuller life, not to mention honoring inclusivity and recognizing one‘s true self. The illustrations are fun too!

Today starts this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead . Tagging those who expressed interest in my last post, but all are welcome! Just comment below if you wish to be tagged in periodic posts throughout the month. Discussion questions will be posted at on the 30th.

I am so glad I finally took the time to read this book! Many thanks to @MoonWitch94 for hosting #DOWRTR . I was captivated by the mixture of history and alchemy and witches and vampires and daemons. The story unfolded nicely, and I plan to continue to the next book, using the real time reading guidance by Harkness.

Diana and Matthew‘s stories are very intriguing, and I cannot wait to learn a bit more.

#Zeke #CatsOfLitsy

What a deliciously fun read! And perfect for this time of year. Romance, magic, and mayhem are the combination in this novel about witches and curses and broken hearts and talking cats. It‘s silly and quirky, and there are times I laughed out loud. The audio version is so fun and engaging…thanks to Libro.fm‘s ALC program for a copy of this!

Discussion time for this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead !

Questions are posted as spoilers…check out my profile or search for #LiteraryCrew .

Any thoughts to share?

I am so excited that @BarbaraBB and I are officially announcing next year‘s challenge, #ReadingAfrica2022 ! I fully anticipate my tbr pile will become even bigger, and I look forward to seeing posts.

Here is a Google Form to register and track your reading: https://forms.gle/tKdCCsxttXxcex6p9

Hope you can join us! And don‘t forget to tag us in your posts!

**Image from Google

Combined #BookReport and #WeeklyForecast …

I‘m always surprised with the number of books completed each week!

Finally had some time to update an old bingo board for November‘s #BookSpinBingo . Here‘s hoping for lots of reading time in the near future!

A delightful mystery, set in WWII, featuring a thief and a problem that could change the course of the war. I‘m a fan of Weaver‘s Amory Ames series, with its enjoyable heroine, a mystery, and a dash of romance, and in this book featuring Electra “Ellie” McDonnell, Weaver does not disappoint. The plot was intriguing, Ellie is a fascinating character I‘d love to learn more about, and the setting of England in WWII is superb.