My boss gifted me with this super cute monogrammed journal, so figured it was finally time to start a book journal.

A little Atwood + two sleepy pups = a great way to spend a Sunday. #dogsoflitsy

I‘ve been meaning to read this for what feels like forever. Can‘t believe it took me so long! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Knocked me out. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The return of Starbucks red cups and a chance to finally wear my book pin—there are worse ways to start a Wednesday. 😝

Thank you so much @EmilyM for the amazing #halloweengoespostal box! Everything in it is so thoughtful—the books are all on my TBR and I don‘t own any of them, so I‘m so so excited to dive in. And the fall items are so fun! I just moved into a new condo and I‘m starting to accumulate seasonal decorations,so the decorations are perfect. And the socks, mug sleeve, and tea arrived at just the right time for the weather here. You‘re the best!

Taking a moment to appreciate how adorable this box is! #halloweengoespostal

My #halloweengoespostal package has arrived!

Thank you so much @EmilyM and I‘m so sorry for the false alarm!

Feeling less than optimistic, but keeping my fingers crossed that my #halloweengoespostal package arrives today! 🤞🏼

Edit: It has arrived! Definitely a lesson in being more patient 😂

In no particular order, my #10authorrecommendations!

Such a wonderful nostalgia read! It took me right back to reading the Little House books over and over and over as a little kid.

Is it even a trip if you don‘t hit up independent bookstores? My luggage was almost over the limit after my work trip...whoops! 📚

Continuing the adventure—just found a signed copy of The Stone Sky at Housing Works!

An amazing birthday gift from my best friend! 💪

Spending the day exploring NYC bookstores!

Thanks to @mrozzz for the recs!

Michael Chabon AND Emma Straub!

In NYC for a very long work trip (2 weeks!), but it does mean that I got to go to Straub's bookstore Books are Magic to see the two of them in conversation! An excellent way to spend a Tuesday night.

Finished this one last night--it was so amazingly good! I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the trilogy.

1. Cooler temperatures and a weekend away with my best friends!
2. Any season, but winter's particularly nice
3. I've always had a fondness for books set in the Jazz Age--I'm a big Fitzgerald and Hemingway fan
4. $50-100
5. I love reading about mountain climbing even though I don't do it 🤷🏻‍♀️I also love books set in Ireland 🇮🇪
6. Not enough time in the day!
7. About 15, but slowly whittling that down

#litsyquestions

I love Ruth Reichl's writing and this book was no exception! I picked it up this morning and haven't put it down. It covers her childhood through early adulthood and all of her early food experiences. My only regret is that I read this after reading Comfort Me With Apples--I need to remember my own rules about reading things in order! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm starting a new job on Monday, so I have a couple days off to relax! Definitely time for a book + bath bomb type of morning.

Thrillers aren't usually my preferred genre, but this one was so good! I won this ARC, so I picked it up two days ago and haven't been able to put it down. It definitely falls into the unreliable narrator category--it's about a recluse in NYC who spends her days watching her neighbors and drinking too much.

It comes out in January and I'd definitely recommend picking it up! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When I was growing up, I loved the Royal Diaries series, especially the one about Cleopatra. So it's no surprise that I really enjoyed this book! In particular, I appreciate that Schiff points out where her story has been obviously influenced by sexism on the part of historians and all of the places where Cleopatra isn't given proper credit for her accomplishments.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

P.S. The endpapers are also gorgeous!

If anyone happens to be stalking my feed, I've cleaned up my Litsy and Goodreads TBRs to remove any books I've read or own!

#halloweeengoespostal

I had high hopes for this one--it's a collection of essays written by chefs about their mistakes in the kitchen. But (unsurprisingly, I suppose) it's a really uneven collection with some truly funny catastrophes and some that read more like thinly veiled humblebrags. A disappointing read.

It's definitely felt like fall in Chicago this past week and I am ready for it.

🍁 Pumpkin
🍁 Cozy book
🍁 Hayride
🍁 Both! Cocoa feels a little more wintertime to me, though
🍁 Pumpkin patch
🍁 Tailgating
🍁 Football--totally inescapable in my house (my boyfriend is a huge Packers fan and I went to Notre Dame) 🏈

#falltimefavorites

So fun! Hopefully this is helpful for #HalloweenGoesPostal! 🍁🎃🍁

Coffee ☕️
Dogs! (I have 2 🐶🐶)
If I had to pick--vampires 🤣
Jack-o-Lantern 🎃
Thriller 😲
Voldemort ☠️
Either! 💪🏼
Treat 🍩

#litsythisorthat

I also won these two awesome tote bags with the ARCs--can't wait to use them to carry around a ton of books!

I feel like I rarely win things, so it was so exciting to win these ARCs from @RoscoeBooks at their customer appreciation night!

I couldn't put this book down. There were some fairly predictable plot points, but it was still immensely readable even when it was heartbreaking.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Given our current political climate, this really packs a punch.

My first PageHabit box! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was really excited when I unboxed it--so much stuff for the price! I also love that they partner with a charity (this month is a university in Cameroon) to bring books to people who can't afford them.

#bookmail #mypagehabit

This book blew me away. It's the story of a teenage girl who gets caught up in a secret society, and it's full of amazing characters. I thought it was beautifully written and moved incredibly quickly--I couldn't put it down! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Picked this up from the library today!

Whoooo! Thanks to everyone for making this such a fun place to nerd out over books!

One of my best friends also has a #botm subscription, so sometimes we swap books if we didn't get the same thing. It's the perfect way to get more books!

This book was super readable (it took me less than 3 days, just reading on my commute). It was an interesting look at the relationship between the sisters, but was ultimately pretty predictable.

A terrifically fun read. It reminded me of The Secret History and The Likeness, but with (obviously) much more Shakespeare. Like both of those, it wasn't only about the crime, but also about relationships and self-discovery. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

And here's my other mutt--the shelter said she was a purebred lab, but she's almost certainly mixed with something (she's a little too short and her ears are goofy). Like her brother, she's the best dog we could ask for!

Happy #NationalMuttDay! This is one of my two mutts--we think he's some kind of German shepherd, border collie mix. He's the best, fluffiest, most loyal pup we could ask for!

New read + Shakespeare in the Park. A perfect pairing! 📚🎭

Incredibly delightful! I loved Julia's memories of France, the place where she learned to love food. A fun read start-to-finish.

Went a little overboard at the Newberry Library book sale...

Escaping the heat with coffee and a good book. 👍🏼

A day off work means a trip to @RoscoeBooks is in order.

This book does a great job of presenting how interesting Barbara Lynch's life has been and continues to be--and, importantly, how much she has achieved as a woman in a still very much male-dominated world.

That being said, despite Lynch's praise for her ghostwriter, I found the writing and editing to be lacking. The book starts to drag in the second half even though that's where you'd expect it to pick up.

Overall, three and a half stars.

It's pouring in Chicago today--definitely a day I wish I could spend at home with a book! ⛈📚

A fun, engaging read. Definitely funny, but Franken also isn't afraid to address big issues--whether it's mental health, addiction, climate change, or why everyone hates Ted Cruz.

The later chapters were harder to read, as they cover more recent events. But Franken makes the case that we need to stay engaged and fight back against Trump and his politics.

But seriously--worth it for the Ted Cruz chapter alone. 😂

I can't resist a chef memoir.

#BIRTHDAYSPACE

A super quick, compelling true crime story.

The one area I thought was lacking was the fact that the author touches on socioeconomic issues in the county but doesn't fully explore them. It would have been super interesting to hear more about the other people involved, but I understand the focus on the culprits.

The footnotes are definitely one of the highlights of this book! 😂

Today's book haul theme? Politics.