Welp, I signed up! You should too! Definitely one of the easiest (ahem - least expensive) #LitsySwaps to participate in! I love a #LitsySwap! So much fun every time! #BookmarkSwap @LibrarianRyan

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBKn64vMx63klqDIM6DN9VtUXXH2yasU8s6a62...

I had many beloved books growing up, like, Each Peach Pear Plumb, There‘s a Nightmare in My Closet, and Pumpkin Pumpkin. But, The Lion‘s Paw was the first book to suck me in make me really fall in love with reading!

I‘m on vacation in Washington and we are on Whidby Island, where they filmed a lot of Practical Magic! And I found a #LittleFreeLibrary next to the dock! No one I‘m with thinks this is as cool as I do, so I‘m sharing it here! #LitsyFamily

#RoadtripNRead
Just started this, and I‘m already loving it!

I need more feminist poetry inspired by horror movies in my life. The premise behind this collection is brilliant and the execution is excellent. Holland uses the inherent darkness from her source material like a mag light, both as a light to lend perspective and as a weapon to fight the things that are trying to smother us. Definitely Recommend.

“There is nothing else in this world
like realizing
you‘re going to live
and not being sure
you can.”

Usually when I belt in to read poetry, I am prepared for there to be at least 3 out of 10 poems that I could live without. But this is a solid collection of hard hitting poetry that addresses harsh realities of being female, queer, and dealing with mental illness and societal pitfalls. Definite trigger warnings, but, at least for me, very much worth reading. Each poem has movement, purpose, and eloquent emotion.

Here‘s my #JuneWrapUp! 15 books finished this last month, with a few leading into July. The book that shone above the rest for me isn‘t just my #BestOfJune, it is also in the lead for my #BestOf2019, Sawkill Girls managed to hit all my sweet spots! It‘s got horror, romance, magic, Syfy, strong female friendship, and POC and LGBTQ+ rep, all blended beautifully in a well written story that I am sure I will be rereading again and again.

This was a refreshingly sweet story. Or at least as sweet as murder and spy craft can be! Very much in the vein of Agatha Christie, but sweeter, and with more romance. I absolutely loved this little nugget of a story! And I am waiting with baited breath for the next installment of Page & Sommers!

Blythe Baird says all the things I need to say/hear. She‘s definitely become one of my favorite poets.💕

So I was going through my pic.collage back log and realized I never shared this when I read it! I don‘t usually do very well with “casting” for books, but this one was super clear in my head at the time! It‘s one of my favorite reads so far this year, and I‘m super excited for the sequel that‘s coming out soon - 7.9.19! (Will tag the next book in the comments, if you‘re interested!)

With this reread, I met my yearly #GoodreadsChallenge!🎉100 books!📚💕

I definitely enjoyed this more the second time around. Baz and Simon‘s dramatic relationship is deliciously overwrought. (As any #Slytherdore ship should be!) Agatha annoyed me the first time through, but I found a new appreciation for her this time. And Penny is still 100% wonderful!

I can‘t wait for Wayward Son to come out 9/24! (The day after my birthday!🤫😆)

Thanks @RealLifeReading This was fun!

The character is from the tagged book.

#AlphabetBookishQuiz

Yay! The #HumpDayPost is back! @MinDea @DebbieGrillo
1. I got to spend the morning in my hammock with my puppy and an audiobook.
2. The Hob's Bargain by Patricia Briggs (the tagged book)
3. Um...go sports? I guess? I like dinosaurs?
4. War for the Oaks by Emma Bull
@Nessavamusic @pygmywarrior @Zenvicious #GloryToTheGuild

That was an awesome read! It's like Holly Black had a book baby with Grady Hendrix and raised it in a creepy mansion on the corner of Science Fiction and Fantasy. This is the first book I've read from Claire Legrand and she now has a permanent residence on my Favorite Authors list. Sawkill Girls is in the lead for my #FavoriteReadOfTheYear

I fell into this book from the very first page! With Fangirl vibes and the author‘s uniquely entertaining voice, this story took me by surprise! I loved the awkward MC and her circuitous path to the life she was meant to make for herself. It‘s easy to lose yourself in the whirlwind of early adulthood expectations. Riccio captures that beautifully. This is the book I wish I had had in my late teens and early twenties! Definitely worth picking up!

🎵Ms. Jackson - OutKast
♍️/♎️I was born on the cusp of Virgo and Libra
📖Tamora Pierce
@clpreston #WonderousWendsday @Eggs

1. I saw Litsy mentioned in an article way back in May of 2016.
2. I always wanted to shave my head. (And I did about five years ago.)
3. Surströmming (and I will keep avoiding it, lol)
4. I love to hate watch The Bachelor/Bachelorette.
5. I‘ve used Valkyrie as a nick name for a long while. It‘s a play off of my name and one of my favorite mythical beings from when I first got into mythology as a kid.
#PreMondayVibes @pepsicola

Not as epic a “read stack” as my February Reads, but Feb was kind of an anomaly. Still pretty great with 14 completed reads! And I finished my Mercy Thompson reread with time to spare before the newest one drops in May! Frost Burned was my #BestOfMarch. It‘s probably the most empowering point in Mercy‘s arc. She‘s always a badass, but I consider this book peak badassery. Conversely, it also serves up one of the bigger punches to the feels.

📚the White Trash Zombie series by Diana Rowland
🎥Warm Bodies (though Zombieland is my fave zombie flick!)
🎵Walk Like a Zombie by the Horrorpops
@JoScho #ManicMonday
🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️

#GloryToTheGuild @Nessavamusic
1. @authorkatekennelly ‘s recent release (with my eyeballs 📖) and my book club pick (on Audiobook 🎧)
2. Not so far... usually just wear green nail polish 💅🏼 and make corn beef and cabbage!
3. Yep! In Yellowstone, with my grandpa when in was in Jr. High.
4. Only in books, but I‘m convinced I would love it!
5. @Artemis2 @punkinruth @Lydsters
#HelloThursday @wanderinglynn

Finally getting around to my #FebruaryWrapUp! Feb was a very industrious reading month for me! So many good reads to choose from! But out of the first time reads, (Because rereads have an unfair advantage!😘) The Frame Up was definitely my favorite! It checked so many of my boxes! And was wonderfully executed! I pre-ordered the second book and I‘m hoping it will be a long lived series!🤞🏼Side note: Leah on the Offbeat was my fave reread!💋

Happy Book Birthday for @authorkatekennelly ‘s third book! I‘m so excited! Definitely gonna have to shuffle this bad boy to the top of the TBR pile! I‘ve been dying for this one to drop! If you haven‘t read the first two go do that! All three are on Kindle Unlimited and of you‘re not a KU user, the price tag is still pretty low! Here‘s the link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07K2JYQLL/?ie=UTF8&ref=series_aw_dp_link
#LookAtThatGorgeousCover!

I loved this way more than I expected to! Thanks for the rec @Nessavamusic ! I should know that anything you recommend is going to be great! I enjoyed this take on a second chance romance. The characters were well developed, the sexy times were sexy, and the smaller details throughout checked the boxes I look for in a contemporary romance. The end wasn‘t a surprise, but that didn‘t take anything away from my enjoyment of the story. #Romantsy

@rachelsbrittain #WeekendReads
1. Repeat - Kylie Scott
How Long ‘til Black Future Month - N.K. Jemisin
Fierce Fairytales - Nikita Gill
Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo
2. All of the above, but I generally go with eBook or audiobook because my psoriatic arthritis makes holding a book open difficult.
3. Moby Dick - Herman Melville

This story will prick your imagination and set you to dreaming. I love how Gaiman took iconic fairytales, spun them together, and turned them on their ears. And he did it in a away that leaves the reader inspired and spinning their own tales. Riddell‘s illustrations depict Gaiman‘s words beautifully, while hinting at more stories unfolding beyond what was written. Together, they‘ve created a wonderful book and so much more. Two thumbs way way up!

My reading buddy, Ivy, and I are really enjoying this collection! Part of me wants to rush through, and finish this slim beauty quickly, but I‘m trying to make myself stop frequently to absorb and contemplate what I‘m reading. This is a struggle for me with poetry collections in general, lol. But, such a great read so far! Thank you @BridgetteM Great pick! #HappilyEverAfterSwap
@Chrissyreadit

#BookMail is best mail! Just got my first ever purchase from Book Depository! And I‘m so excited to read this graphic novel! It looks adorable and sweet, and there‘s a second one in the works, so I have that to look forward to as well!

I loved this even more on the reread! In addition to identifying with the #BiRep, the #PlusSizeMC, and Leah‘s economic situation, this time, I found a better appreciation for the overall structure, noticed more details about the supporting characters, and I took more time to contemplate the relationships between Leah and Abby, and her mother, and her other friends. It was a great reread. I will definitely revisit this coming of age story!

Opened my #HappilyEverAfterSwap! And @BridgetteM you did such a great job shopping for me! Thank you! I can‘t wait to dig in to both the books and the goodies! You were so generous too! Thank you again! 🥰 I‘m torn between finishing what I‘m currently reading and starting one of these beauties!

Thanks @Chrissyreadit for hosting this swap! I loved both the shopping/giving part and the receiving part so much!

@BridgetteM I got my #HappilyEverAfterSwap in the mail today! I can‘t wait to open it! I will, but it will be difficult!
@Chrissyreadit

I loved this book even more than I expected to. It made me laugh, made me cry (seriously, more than once), made me want more. I can‘t wait for the next book, and the next after that, and so on. I‘m hoping this series has a long run!

I sent my swap out earlier today! It should be there by Friday 1/8! So excited!
#HappilyEverAfterSwap @Chrissyreadit #BookMailIsBestMail

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉📚💕 Congratulations on your milestone @TheReadingMermaid And thanks for the chance to win! #150kGiveaway My favorite genre is Urban Fantasy!

If you want to join the celebration and enter to win a book, #repost this and let The Reading Mermaid know what your favorite genre is!

Man! I loved this book! MG, our reluctant heroin, is a snarky comic book writer focused on her career. She‘s not pleased when a casual comment at a coffee shop drags her into a police investigation about a vigilante superhero. But a turn in the investigation makes things personal. Full of witty banter, fandom references and fabulous drag queens, this story is a riot!
#Booked2019 #NewToMeAuthor @Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage

I felt such a strong connection with these poems. This collection feels like snapshots of my heart, my life, and my friendships. Absolutely love this!

“In this story, escaping you tormentor isn‘t enough to save you; it‘s just enough to keep you alive.”
- Trista Mateer
#Poetry

I‘m pretty happy with this kick off to the new year. LOTS of great reads this month! But the one that I loved the most was Once Ghosted, Twice Shy. Who knew a novella would win my heart? I have a love/hate relationship with novellas and short stories, they‘re either rushed or absolutely perfect. This one is a new favorite! Great pacing, nuanced story arc, interesting MCs, excellently executed flash backs, balanced tension, HEA, beautiful prose.

Just like in her Knitting in the City series, Reid turns tropes and stereotypes on their heads throughout Duane and Jessica‘s story. And the result is a sweet, satisfying, and hilarious series of misadventures and endearing moments. I read this one, beginning to end, in a day. And now I‘m making room in my budget to buy the rest of the series because I am absolutely, head over heels, in love with the Winston Brothers!

1. Alice in Wonderland
2. My Love Story (It‘s an anime, not a movie, but it was the first thing I thought of!)
3. Cake by Melanie Martinez
#ManicMonday #🍰 @JoScho

Yay! I did it! I got my #24in48 ! I finished three of the books I was reading and enjoyed them all.
@24in48 #Readathon

Switching back and forth between these two lovelies and I‘m just a little over halfway to the 24 hr mark. #24in48 @24in48 #Readathon

If I‘m gonna be sick😷, there are worse ways to spend the time! Got a few hours in before bed, time to get a few more! #24in48 @24in48

Kicking off the #24in48readathon with my current read! I‘m 2 hrs behind the official kick off (time zones and all that) and I‘ve caught the plague (a cold/strep combo) from my mom, but I‘m still gonna try my best!🤞🏼Happy reading Littens! 😘
@24in48 #24in48 #HourZero #GloryToTheGuild

#20ThingsAboutMe
Thanks for the tag @Nessavamusic and @isobelr this was both fun and surprisingly difficult!

I‘m gonna tag @clpreston @GingerAntics and any of the #GloryToTheGuild guildies who haven‘t already been tagged. Sorry if you‘ve already been tagged, so many people have done this tag that it‘s pretty much a stab in the dark!

#WeekendReads @rachelsbrittain
1. Sweet Disorder - Rose Lerner; NOS4A2 - Joe Hill; Salt - Hannah Moskowitz
2. Matcha Latte 🍵
3. Matcha Latte 😜

I can‘t express how much I loved this story. It was sad and sweet with just enough tension. And the epilogue made me cry a little, in a really good way. Kotsi is sexy as hell, I want to *be* Fab, and the city was a charming character in itself. This novella might be my favorite Alyssa Cole book. (I have to finish reading all her stuff first, just to be sure, lol!)
#ReadingWomenChallenge @thereadingwomen #9 #ANovella

This story, told in a series of poems, is lovely, sad, and enlightening. We follow Ha, a wonderfully spunky girl, as she witnesses the fall of Vietnam, escapes with her mother and brothers to Alabama, and learns to live their new lives in their new home.

I loved this first of Anne Bishop‘s Others spinoffs. In it, we get to see how the events in Lakeside have affected other parts of their world, and how the remaining humans and terra indigene will move forward from here. There‘s crowgard charm, elder terror, and everything in between that we‘ve come to expect from The Others. New town, new people, and the game has definitely changed. #ReadingWomenChallenge @thereadingwomen #19 #ABookAboutNature

Both the plot and the characters are dark and twisty. The language is a beautiful blend of modern style with elements of classic fairytale storytelling. Jude‘s machinations are playing out, Cardan is as unpredictable as ever, and all of faery is continuing to react to the tumultuous events in #TheCruelPrince. I will definitely be rereading this book. Is #TheQueenOfNothing here yet?! #ReadingWomenChallenge @thereadingwomen #21 #BookBoughtIn2019