I‘ve been down with strep for almost two weeks now, so I‘ve been MIA, and out of the loop!! Today, I think the antibiotics finally kicked in, and even though I‘m not fully recovered, I‘m on the mend, thank heavens! It‘s been lots of rest, liquids and some reading - everything else has been put to the side. One of the simple pleasures whilst ill, is tea and/or a lemon and ginger infusion. I swear by it!

For me, one of the most attractive aspects of the #boxwallabook box, is not knowing much about the authors or books included. I‘m introduced to authors & books I may not stumble upon here on Litsy or in a bookstore, etc. They move me, push me as a reader, explore themes & ideas that are heartbreaking, & beautiful & always leave me wanting more. Also, I love how each book takes me on a worldwide adventure - somewhere exotic, foreign & romantic.

It‘s nearing the end of the month (can you believe it), & I‘ve been working on a fun & spooky TBR for next month. ‘The Last Seance‘ is a collection of twenty stories, some featuring Christie‘s two famous sleuths - Hercule Poirot & Miss Marple. And, there‘s even a short story never before published in the USA. This collection releases today! It would be perfect if you‘re looking to add something festive and autumnal to your reading list. 🍂🎃🍂

I finished our pick for #TheCozyBookishWeekend last night before bedtime. It was sweet (maybe a little too sweet), light and definitely cozy, which was our aim. It has been so fun to embrace all things cozy, mindful and slow for the past few days. 🍂

I hope your Sunday is filled with good books, a comfy spot to read and with an appropriately autumnal beverage or treat nearby. Happy Sunday and Happy Reading!

A weekend checklist: comfy pyjamas, cozy socks, tucked up under a blanket on the couch, current read & just out of shot, a steaming teacup of earl grey tea. I‘m about half way through our pick for #TheCozyBookishWeekend. If I were to compare this book and author to another, I‘d say it‘s very much in the style of Debbie Macomber and a hint of Maeve Binchy.

A cross between a readalong and a virtual book club, ‘The Cozy Bookish Weekend‘ will be dedicated to reading a cozy book, over an entire weekend. Our first book pick will be, ‘The Vintage Teacup Club‘ by Vanessa Greene, to be read over the weekend of September 20-22 (from Friday to Sunday evening).

For all the details, please see this post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2hf95NHXVE/?igshid=uzk1sp3o0mtt

#TheCozyBookishWeekend

This is my 3rd Fitzgerald novel, & I think my favorite yet. One of the things I love the most about her writing, is how unpredictable her stories & characters are. I‘d compare Fitzgerald‘s writing style to Muriel Spark. Each, brilliantly pack a punch in their short, intelligent & hilarious books. Like all of her books, the reader quickly becomes attached to her unique characters, & moved along w/ a charming wit & intelligence w/ each page turned.

I must admit this is not an easy read, it‘s disjointed, acutely raw & difficult to say the least. Even if I re-read several times, I‘d still be grasping for comprehension. But, something in me craves this type of literature. It‘s meaty, full of body, stretches me as a reader, takes me out of my comfort zone, & ultimately pushes me towards awareness. This book although not rateable for me at the moment, will be staying with me for quite some time.

This morning started with buttered toast, plump strawberries and hot chocolate. Now, I‘m back in bed, a candle flickering merrily in the background and, ‘The Goldfinch‘ by Donna Tartt, cracked open. I‘ve been reading at least 25 pages each day, for a little over a week now. This book has been on my list since its release, but the movie being out this month has finally been the nudge I needed to start.

Last night, with peppermint tea in hand and Downton Abbey (re-watch for the movie release) in the background, I read the first 150 pages before bedtime. This is my first Tyler, and I‘m finding the storyline is simple, and addictive. I‘m hoping to finish this up later this evening, after attending a special advanced showing of the new Downton Abbey movie. If you‘re a Tyler fan, I‘d love to hear what you‘d recommend next from her.

This beautiful book was part of @theboxwalla‘s June Book Box. Each title is hand-picked & I haven‘t read one that hasn‘t moved me, or shaped me as a reader. I admire authors who challenge the literary norm, & I think I‘ve fallen head over heels in love with Lispector and her writing. I have a feeling I‘ll be chewing over this book and her words for quite some time.

(cont. in comments)

The last couple of weeks have been a bit trying. So, this weekend there will be rest, reading, a little baking & plenty of downtime. I need it, & hopefully, I‘ll be able to recharge & start next week & month w/ a fresh perspective.

This evening, I‘m starting my final read for August. I received a beautiful review copy from @WilliamMorrowBooks It‘s also on MMD Summer Reading Guide, which I‘ve been making my way through this summer.

Read for my #SeasonsByTheBook club. Overall, ‘Summer‘ is a ‘coming of age‘ story. Charity matures from a naive, romantic, & inexperienced girl to a young adult who has learned difficult lessons & made realistic choices – all in the space of a few weeks. She has rebelled against her guardian, fallen in love, become sexually active, experienced emotional betrayal, & faced her problematic origins, before making a choice which will affect her future.

I saw this on Instagram today, and loved it! I‘m an extroverted introvert and these made my heart happy! I‘d love to hear if these sound relatable to you! See link below for original source credit:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1TokR3B0rB/?igshid=g9fc2q38xd98

#introvert #imanintrovertareyou #introvertproblems

It‘s been a full Saturday, lots of errands and running around. Grocery shopping for the upcoming week was the final stop before heading home this evening. Mr. S and I both agreed a cheese board sounded perfect for our evening respite. I absolutely enjoyed putting this together for us to nibble and snack on whilst watching a movie. And now, I‘m looking forward to a lazy Sunday with lots of reading.

I‘ve been working on my knitting skills, & this book about a knitting shop, & first time knitters was a delight to read. I loved everything from the adorable knitting shop called, ‘A Good Yarn‘, to the dynamics between the four main characters & each of their stories. Macomber, I‘m finding has that lovely, feel good, cozy vibe that seeps into each page of the book. Perfect when life‘s a bit chaotic & you need to destress & unwind. 📖🧶
#bookreview

My final #BookMarkSwap package came from the adorable @LeslieO , thank you Leslie! I love each item you sent. I‘m actually getting ready to do a re-read of P&P this month, so the sticky tags are perfect & the cherry blossom & bee 🐝 bookmark is particularly gorgeous! Did you make the beaded bookmark? Your generosity astounds me, thank you! (3/3)

And thank you so much to the fabulous @LibrarianRyan for hosting this swap, you‘re wonderful, Ryan. xx

My second #BookMarkSwap package came from Canada 🇨🇦. The sweetest homemade bookmarks, letter, treats and candy from Maynards. I may have tried one or two pieces after taking a picture. The peach gummies are particularly good! Thank you so much, @StayCurious - what treasures I‘ve received! 💓 (2/3)

It‘s opening day for #BookMarkSwap! 🔖 The first package I received, was from @Dolly I love the strap & ribbon bookmarks, & have already tucked each into books sitting on my shelf! It will be such a lovely surprise to open them in the near future & see these lovely bookmarks. And, I loved the local library bookmarks too, how fun to see where they traveled from! The paperclip bookmark is already in my daily planner too. Thank you, Dolly! 💓 (1/3)

Determined to be more present & accountable on Litsy this week for #BFCR3. Made it to the gym this afternoon, and hit a lull in the crowd! 🎉 I was able to almost finish the pictured book. So, post gym, I‘m finishing the last few chapters & eating one of my favourite post workout snacks: high fiber whole wheat toast, peanut butter, banana, honey & a sprinkling of chia seeds. It‘s messy, but so delicious!
#BookFitnessChallenge #BFC

My favourite type of weekend includes a busy and full Saturday, and then a slow and relaxing Sunday. This weekend met both of these requirements. Yesterday was full of errands, household chores, surprise book mail and then a date night. Today, the kettle is on, I‘m trying a sample tea from Plum Deluxe included in a recent tea order and I‘m starting the second book in the Penderwicks series. 🌿📖☕️

I just realized I forgot to post my goals for this round! 🙈 So, see above in this first check-in post (great way to start, I know 🙄). I got hit with a summer cold last weekend, which carried into the first part of the week, so I didn‘t make it to the gym this week, but I did move each day & took care of myself when I was ill, so my recovery was quick! Sleep goals were epic fails, but I‘m resetting this week. #BookFitnessChallenge #BFCR3 #BFC

Just returned from the post office 🏤, all three of my #BookmarkSwap match packages are on their way! ✉️📬 I was waiting for one more swap item to arrive, which finally showed up yesterday, yay! As of today, I‘ve received my packages, thank you! @LeslieO @StayCurious @Dolly I can‘t wait to open each on the 15th! I also picked up a few stamps for #LitsyLove replies. I was so happy they had the State Fair stamps in stock! 🎡 They‘re so fun!

This afternoon we‘ve had a storm blow in, it‘s dark and moody & the perfect puzzle weather. I‘m listening to the tagged book & working on this striking puzzle. A couple of weeks ago, @catiewithac posted about this puzzle, & I left a comment about how amazing it was. I couldn‘t have been more surprised when a couple of days later it, along with the kindest note showed up in the mail. Thank you Catie, you made my day!! 🥰 #LitsyLove

First up on my August TBR, ‘The Summer Country‘ by Lauren Willig. I‘m excited to read this beautiful book (look at that cover 😍) for the #LiteraryCrew #buddyread, this month. Weekly sections are marked with flags and I‘m already caught up on the first section being discussed tomorrow 8/3. It‘s going to be quite difficult for me to stick to reading a section at a time with this one, I‘m already hooked!

The last day of the month and I‘m wrapping up my last read for July. I woke up early to make a dent in the to do list, so now I can take a slightly longer lunch this afternoon. I‘m indulging in one of my all time favourite summer dishes— a caprese pasta salad with arugula and balsamic vinaigrette, it‘s perfect for a hot day and everything I love about a summer salad.
#katemorton #summerreading #julytbr #julywrapup

I love when books have illustrations, this one is particularly lovely. The book is broken down into months (written as journal entries). I especially loved this one with a woman reading idyllically in a hammock. One of my favourite places to read in the summer too! #thesolitarysummer #bookillustrations #elizabethvonarnim

I have several recipes I‘ve tagged in this wonderful cookbook. Today, I‘ve been busy mixing, stirring, baking & rotating two trays of homemade maple cinnamon granola (whilst listening to my new audiobook, the second Maisie Dobbs, ‘Birds of a Feather‘). My house smells AMAZING!! After five rounds of rotation baking, the dried cranberries have been added, mixed throughly & is now cooling. I can‘t wait to use this with my morning yoghurt & fruit.

My gym buddy (baby brother) can‘t go to the gym w/ me for a while due to work & school schedules. So...gym time is going to have to be tweaked. I did walk quite a bit this week (three days I met my move goal by 200% or more). And my biggest accomplishment - fulfilling my Apple Watch July Challenge. I‘ve fulfilled all, so far this year, but this one was hard! A breakdown of 45 mins of exercise each day in July, & I met it yesterday!! #BFC #BFCR2

This weekend I‘m working my way through the stack of books in my last post. I just finished a digital library hold on my Kindle and after using a randomiser app (anyone else use one to pick their next read), #4 on the list was, ‘The Solitary Summer‘. I recently finished, ‘Elizabeth and Her German Garden‘, and loved it. Self-deprecating wit, humour, gardening and a journal format make for a delightful read and perfect for a summer afternoon.

It may be a bit ambitious, but these are the books I‘m planning on finishing before the end of the month. I can already mark off the bottom book — I finished it via audio whilst making dinner and tidying up last night. Two of the titles I haven‘t started, but with a quiet weekend ahead and a week before the start of the new month, I think I can manage it, or at the very least carry over just one or two next month, progress indeed!

Well that‘s a wrap! I‘m over about 20 mins, I want to finish one or two more chapters in my current read. I always look forward to these readathons, it was so great making a dent in my TBR and current reads for July. Congrats to all who made the 24 hour challenge and to all who participated! 👏🏼 Any amount of reading time is superb in my book. ☺️ #24in48 #24in48readathon

Whew! I‘m down to an hour to go for #24in48. Yesterday I cruised through the hours, today it‘s been a bit slower. But, I‘ll make the 24 hour goal this round! 🙌🏼 I‘ve finished 4 books (2 physical, 2 audio) & now I need light & frivolous. I‘m not that big of a romance reader, but I ADORE Julia Quinn. Her books have made me laugh out loud, they‘re intelligent, fun & have great characters - she‘s described as the modern Jane Austen, I‘d agree.

Today, I‘m hoping to get in the last 7 hours of reading I need, to hit the full 24 hours. I have three books, I‘m still hoping to get to for the readathon, but right now, I‘ll be reading the last half of, ‘The Penderwicks‘, a lovely book about four sisters on summer vacation with their Dad & Hound (a loveable pup) & their many adventures! I heard some compare this to a modern ‘Little Women‘, & I can see the similarities.
#24in48 #24in48readathon

Probably my last progress post for #24in48 this evening. I‘m still going to read for an hour or so, but I‘m clocking in right now at 15 hours read. I finished the two books pictured, and have listened to half of, ‘Phineas Redux‘ on audio (ended at ch. 40), and read half of, ‘The Penderwicks‘, since this is a buddy read with a friend — we‘ll finish the latter half tomorrow. #24in48readathon

Time for a check in! I‘m at 9 1/2 hours so far. Most has been audiobook listening, since I‘ve been working on household projects. Just took a late lunch (leftover onion, mushroom, spinach, & feta frittata w/ grape tomatoes & cold brewed watermelon mint tea 🍉🍃) The Guest Book is one of those books I think I should have read, & not listened to. It just didn‘t grip or keep my interest. 🤷‍♀️ It‘s finished & I‘m on to the next book! #24in48 @24in48

#24in48 Hour 12 Challenge: I‘ve recently gotten back into audiobooks. When I commuted more, a few years ago, I listened to them every day. Now, I listen to them when I‘m exercising, on road trips, while cooking and cleaning. I‘ve fallen in love with Libby and others forms of listening have fallen behind. Tagged and pictured is my current audiobook, which I most likely will finish during the readathon. #24in48readathon

Hour 3 Check-in: Calling it a night at 2 hours and 34 mins. It‘s just after 1AM my time, and I‘m sleepy. 😴 Setting an alarm and will resume in the morning. Made a dent in, ‘The Gown, about 200 pages left and in between (multi-tasking) I listened to my current audiobook, ‘Princess Elizabeth‘s Spy‘. I have a WWII/Elizabeth II theme at the moment! #24in48 #24in48readathon

This was a really busy week, so I‘ve been looking forward to the @24in48 readathon taking place this weekend. Deadlines, meetings & major projects are now wrapped up & the weekend has been set aside for reading, puzzles, baking treats, cosy vibes & staying out of the heat (almost 100° ?). Really looking forward to the books I‘ve set aside for the #readathon, some may change, but right now, I want fun, light & enjoyable! #24in48 #24in48readathon

#BookFitnessChallenge Week 3 Check-in: This week I‘ve focused on nutrition. I cook balanced meals regularly, but I‘m always looking for fresh ideas. This week I made green curry, coconut quinoa porridge, sheet pan honey lime chicken w/ veggies & a veggie frittata & loved each dish! And this delightful book just showed up in the post. 📦📮I follow Mairlyn‘s blog & IG account, she‘s hilarious & all that I hope to be when I grow up! #BFC #BFCR2

I love a good memoir, especially if it is full of adventure & about women with gumption. I‘ve been absorbed in this book & Beryl‘s life as an aviatrix, horse trainer & elephant scout during the early 20th century in Kenya. The introduction mentioned this memoir is madly selective & slightly embellished, but like any great story or storyteller, sometimes the telling is what makes it extra special & Beryl definitely has a way with words & emotions.

Late lunch today, a noon appointment, pushed things back a bit. I‘m enjoying a quiet moment with my current read (I‘ve been flipping back & forth between audio & physical, anyone else do the same?) & leftover green chicken curry. It‘s even better now that the flavours have marinated together. I have just enough leftover rice, to make a favourite breakfast tomorrow, rice cereal w/ nutmeg, cinnamon & allspice - it reminds me of my childhood!

I‘d recommend this if you enjoy historical fiction, strong female characters, espionage, WWII stories & characters who are complicated & true to themselves. I enjoyed this heartfelt story of bravery, betrayal and love set in the lavish Hotel Ritz in Paris. The author‘s note at the end, especially added a final depth to the entire story.

Final Rating: 3.5 Stars

Here‘s to accountability! This week wasn‘t the best: schedules didn‘t quite work, a holiday, time off, being hit w/ a migraine, & just one of those blah weeks. One thing about being healthy & happy is acknowledging some weeks just aren‘t going to be met w/ your A game. I did do well w/ food & water & was active every day. I also want to start doing something nice for myself each week, I think that‘s important! #BookFitnessChallenge #BFCR2 #BFC

Homemade pizza (brushed olive oil, crispy bacon, caramelised onions, creamy goat cheese, arugula tossed in olive oil, lemon juice, a twist of salt & pepper, topped w/ balsamic glaze made from scratch), it‘s one of my favourite things to make for a laid back Friday evening. I‘m starting this delightful book, and Mr. S & I are finishing up the 2nd season of Stranger Things, so we can start the new season. Happy weekend!

My #Top6Reads so far! Based upon my choices, it would appear I have a bit of a theme - largely backlist, all female authors and mostly feel good, nostalgic reads. As I went through my Goodreads challenge to pick these, it surprised me that 1/2 were five stars, and the other three were rated a high 4 stars. Out of the 54 books I‘ve read so far this year, only four, five star reads total. I‘m stingy with five stars apparently!

I‘m starting out the month of July with a new teacup and a new book! The 4th of July holiday is this week, and it always signifies the midpoint of summer to me, eek! I‘ll be madly dashing to mark off a few more items on my summer bucket list. A camping trip, s‘mores, star gazing, wild swimming and watching fireworks are just a few I hope to complete this month. Do you keep a seasonal bucket list?

Started out the week super strong, my gym buddy had to cancel on Friday, so did three days of cardio and two days of weightlifting this week. The weekend ended up being a little more laid back than planned due to a heat wave (Mr. S and I stayed indoors and attempted to stay cool 😅) Overall I‘m happy with completing each of the goals above! Next week will be even better!

#BookFitnessChallenge #BFCR2 #BFC

I always love when the end of the month falls on a weekend. It gives me a chance to wrap up a few projects, to do‘s and books that have lingered to the end of the month. The last few months I‘ve been carrying over into the new month, which has thrown me off a bit. So, this June, I‘ve been committed to completing and marking off, so I can start July with a clean slate. Any one else like to do the same?

#readingweekend #weekendplans

”It always seemed to me that the peony is the very epitome of June. Larger than any rose, it has something of the cabbage rose's voluminous quality; & when it finally drops from the vase, it sheds its petticoats w/ a bump on the table, all in an intact heap, much as a rose will suddenly fall, making us look up from our book or conversation, to notice for one moment the death of what had still appeared to be a living beauty.” -Vita Sackville-West