A month later, I am finally done reading this 818-page tome. Even the cat has collapsed in astonishment and relief.

#catsoflitsy

This passage hits me like a punch in the heart because my husband is a firefighter. And this is exactly what firefighters do: they walk directly into danger while the rest of us are running in the opposite direction. And for 343 of those firefighters 9/11/01 was indeed their last day on earth. 😢

Sitting here in the waiting room for a doctor‘s appointment and I just started this book. And I immediately began to cry.

A cool, crisp morning. A cup of hot black tea. An hour-long train commute to work. And ... a book about how to spot psychopaths. Let‘s get this day started ... 😬

1. 17 as of right now. Favorite so far was Turkey.

2. I‘ve lived my entire life within 10 miles of the coast —I can‘t imagine anything else! 🙂

3. Latvia. My dad‘s great-grandparents came from there to America.

4. I have an obsession with reading books set in India, even though I‘ve never been and have no plans to go there.

@Eggs
#wondrouswednesday

#7Days7Covers #CoverCrush
Day 7

7 covers you love, one a day for 7 days. No explanations. Tag a different Litten each day.

@jdiehr , would you like to play?

We moved into this house about 8 months ago. My husband had the idea to take the eaves space on the landing at the top of the stairs and build bookshelves into it. I love the way it looks —and now I need to go buy more books! 😀👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Literally sat in my car outside my doctor‘s office until I finished this book. Loved it — it‘s funny and sad and clever and engaging, all at the same time. It‘s just filled with so much heart.

#7Days7Covers #CoverCrush
Day 6

7 covers you love, one a day for 7 days. No explanations. Tag a different Litten each day.

@LapReader , would you like to play?

#7Days7Covers #CoverCrush
Day 5

7 covers you love, one a day for 7 days. No explanations. Tag a different Litten each day.

@Ash.on.the.line would you like to play?

#7Days7Covers #CoverCrush
Day 4

7 covers you love, one a day for 7 days. No explanations. Tag a different Litten each day.

@Tamra , would you like to play?

Yes!! This is exactly what it feels like when you are surprised by the old person looking back at you in the mirror.

Even though I‘m already in the middle of reading these books (on the left), I dropped everything and ran to the library to pick up those books (on the right). Because when a library hold calls, one must answer. 😀😬

#7Days7Covers #CoverCrush
Day 3

7 covers you love, one each day for 7 days. No explanations. Tag a different Litten each day.

@megzlynn , would you like to play?

@mom2bugnbee Amy, look what finally surfaced? The first package I sent you for the #bookmarkswap! It just came back into my mailbox! Isn‘t that bizarre? 🤷🏻‍♀️

@LibrarianRyan

#7Days7Covers #CoverCrush
Day 2

7 covers you love for 7 days, no explanations. Tag a different Litten each day.

@marleed , would you like to play?

#7Days7Covers #CoverCrush
Post 7 covers you love, one each day.

Day 1

I tag @mcipher

While eating my lunch at work ...
Coworker: “Why are you reading on an iPad if you have a book?”
Me: “Because one is nonfiction and one is fiction, and I‘m reading both. And I don‘t know which one I‘ll feel like reading until I‘m actually sitting down to read.”
Coworker (walking away with raised eyebrows and a look on her face that screams “What a weirdo...”)
Me (thinking, “you just don‘t get it...”) 🙄

This is how my mind works. Exactly. No computers —just the old geezer shuffling around the stacks in slippers. 😬

Well, that was horribly depressing. 😳

A pick, but with the warning that there is a ton of graphic language, sex, and violence in here.

Spent a pleasant hour this afternoon listening to Karl Marlantes read from his latest book, “Deep River.” He was an excellent speaker! And then of course I bought a copy.

Attended a reading and book signing by Karl Marlantes today. He‘s the author of several books, including the nonfiction account “What Is It Like To Go To War,” which he was nice enough to inscribe with a personal note to my Marine son!

When you‘re on the couch trying to read your book and you get the feeling that somebody‘s watching you ... 🧐

#catsoflitsy

Even though I have already turned a spare bedroom in our house into a library with a wall of bookshelves and comfortable chairs, I decided to rearrange our living room this weekend and create a reading corner. My husband asked how many areas of the house do we really need to set aside for reading? I said I didn‘t understand his question. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I don‘t know why he was arrested. This seems perfectly justifiable to me. 🧐🤷🏻‍♀️😀

Glorious Saturday morning on the patio with a compelling book and a giant mug of tea. Life is good. 😎

My friend sent me this book about a gunman who shoots up an abortion clinic. I‘m still heading to my volunteer shift this morning as a patient escort at Planned Parenthood. 💪🏼

Are you finding everything okay? Our staff is ready to assist you. Payment is in the form of chin scratches and belly rubs.

#catsoflitsy

I work hard so my cat can live her best life. 🙄

#catsoflitsy

Yes, I know I‘m probably the last human on the planet to read this 😬... ANYWAY, I was reading during my lunch break and literally laughed out loud at the mental image inspired by this passage. 😄

Let‘s try this AGAIN, @mom2bugnbee ! 🙄 I made sure to get the tracking this time. Should be there by Thursday!!

#bookmarkswap
@LibrarianRyan

Sigh. I sure miss having a president who was intelligent enough to recommend good literature instead of one who accidentally “wrote” a book based on the stupid things he said/tweeted after a natural disaster. 😖

Got an hour until my son‘s plane arrives. Guess I have no choice but to wait here. 😉

I love these, @BookishTrish ! Especially the book clips —they look just like my cat! 😻 Thank you so much!

#bookmarkswap
@LibrarianRyan

4/4

I love everything about these bookmarks from @TheNerdyProfessor ! THE SUSHI ROLL CATS ... AHHH!! 😻 And I‘m totally using the postcard as a bookmark too, Kayla! Thank you!

#bookmarkswap
@LibrarianRyan

3/4

Guys, look at the gorgeous bookmarks made from recipes out of repurposed cookbooks! Thank you so much, @BeaG ! 😍

#bookmarkswap
@LibrarianRyan

2/4

Such lovely hand-crafted bookmarks, @Johanna414 ! I love them! 😍 Thank you!

#bookmarkswap
@LibrarianRyan

1/4

Last two #bookmarkswap packages have arrived, @LibrarianRyan ! Ready for opening day. Thanks, @BookishTrish and @TheNerdyProfessor ! 🙂

@mom2bugnbee , let me know if your envelope still hasn‘t arrived by the end of the week. I‘ll send you another one. Stupid postal service. 😕

Got my #bookmarkswap package today, @BeaG ! Can‘t wait to open it. 🙂

@LibrarianRyan

This book hit me like a sucker punch to the soul with a story filled with melancholy, snarky humor, missed opportunities and an ending I did not see coming. I couldn‘t put it down.

Hubby‘s current read (on left), my current read (on right). The couple that reads giant 1,000-page books together stays together. Mostly because nobody else will carry the book bag. 😀📚

Weekend trip with the hubby —of course I insisted on immediately finding the bookstore in the village. Bought three books between us. 👍🏼

As someone who has raised kids from infancy to adulthood, I say yes to this assertion. They should definitely come out talking with basic practical information. 😄

1. I like both, but I love being inside by the fireplace wrapped in a fleecy blanket with a book and a mug of tea. Winter is coming! 💃🏻 ☕️❄️
2. Black tea. A pina colada is nice, too 🍹
3. My old boss retired last year and did a literary tour of the area near Quebec where Louise Penney‘s fictional Three Pines is set and now I want to do that
4. White
5. Yup! 😀

#friyayintro
@howjessreads

Got my package for the #bookmarkswap, @Johanna414 ! Can‘t wait to open it! 🙂

@LibrarianRyan

1. Compassion. And a snarky sense of humor that matches mine. 😀
2. Bigotry
3. My friends Elizabeth and Marci have known me the longest— since kindergarten. (That was 47 years ago! 😳)
4. Anyone else who‘d like to play! 🙂

Thanks for the tag, @KathrynElise !
#wondrouswednesday
@Eggs

When you‘re at work and trying to get stuff done but you keep looking over at the book in your bag and all you want to do is just get up and walk away and find a quiet spot to sit and read. Sigh ....

Feeling inspired to brew up a cuppa after reading this book.

Completed for the “something from another country” category—and to complete the board for #nonfiction2019! Subtitled “How England Stole the World‘s Favorite Drink and Changed History,” it‘s a quick read about the East India Company‘s successful plan to infiltrate China‘s tea industry.

@Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Just picked up this new one — the latest installment in what my husband calls my “Disease of the Month Book Club.” I admit it. I have a fascination with these kinds of books. 🤷🏻‍♀️