I love the trend of illustrating books - this one is an easy read (perfect for a reader who is ready for chapter books) but I‘m always happy to find a book with illustrations. Kitty is a little afraid of the dark, her Mum, a superhero who goes out every night on adventures, tells her that she is braver than she thinks… and before you know it - a midnight adventure is progress! Stunning illustrations, cats and wholesome family dynamics abound!

No, this holiday was going to be different. And besides, she‘s watched enough romantic movies (her favourite) to know that a chalet in the mountains was always cosy and cute and filled with lots of delicious snacks.

Hooked from the moment, Patti said - quiet please, I‘m reading & it‘s a good bit 😂 if that‘s not relatable!

I loved the mystery that centred around a slightly run down hotel - all painted pink - with a 💔 backstory went perfectly with a series of strange occurrences, stolen pink dresses, the hotel sign catching fire, threatening notes…

Hannah‘s fashion obsession reminded me of Claudia (Baby Sitters Club) - they would be kindred spirits!

34 days til Christmas? 🤩🥳😜

I know a couple of legends have already wrapped their #AussieSecretSanta gifts up & taken them to the post office… but how is everyone else going?

I‘m mentally preparing myself to do a deep dive into my wardrobe to find my wrapping paper (could end up in Narnia! who knows?)

Please reach out if you need any help or book picking advice and keep posting pics! It‘s a little shot of serotonin every time I get tagged 🥰

This is the second one (and the one that caught my eye and made me go and have a proper look at the stall)

Artist : Cendrine Rodriguez aka ZenMosaic

https://instagram.com/zenmosaic?utm_medium=copy_link

I ventured outside my apartment this weekend - because it was sunny & because there were outdoor markets to go to 😊

I bought quite a few things - almost exclusively for myself because my Christmas shopping is done.

I bought two framed works from the same artist - I really couldn‘t chose… the figure is made out of painted, shrink plastic…

The artist is Cendrine Rodriquez aka ZenMosaic

https://instagram.com/zenmosaic?utm_medium=copy_link

Thinking about all the series‘ that I haven‘t finished today.

I started this series when I was in high school and devoured everything the author wrote - but she had many series‘ on the go and would often come out with a random stand alone - and don‘t get me wrong - all excellent reads - but 🥺 I‘m still waiting on the last book in the series I was most invested in - and it‘s been like 18 years.

Went to my favourite local bookshop - and ended up with a cupcake because it was their 5th birthday!

In her hand was a very serious-looking book called The Case of the Menacing Mansion. ‘How‘s the book?‘ Hannah asked brightly.
‘Interesting and mysterious.‘ Patti flicked a page. ‘Unlike this holiday. Now leave me alone, I‘m up to the good part where the guy gets strangled.‘

Just a cheeky sunny Saturday library haul!

Some of these are for the grandparents (very excited to resume my home library service duties now that travel/distance restrictions are a thing of the past)

I‘m awake and unhappy about it

I‘ve been meaning to post these for over a week 😩

Since I‘m already late, why not collect my library books?

Did I peruse the new book trolley even though I know I probably won‘t get around to reading what I borrow? Yes, yes I did…

My favourite part of the whole experience was not seeing the covid marshal / security guard and almost having a heart attack when he said hello 😳 (happily I had already seen the QR code so was already correctly checked in)

Unexpected reward for not getting out of bed when my alarm went off - being home when the postie came with books! (Can only show you one - as the other is for a secret Santa swap 😉)

I‘m going to be late for work…

I really want the cake is one of my favourite picture books - so when this came through returns today (it was a slow Sunday shift) i read it 🤫

I was delighted to see that the series had another instalment. Delightful illustrations and an amusing story about alternatives to yelling.

Saw this when shelving today - was very tempted to borrow it but will resist (for now)

Ahh, hello preorder!

I can‘t believe we‘ve reached the end of Lumberjanes 🥺

Might save this one for summer (which isn‘t far 😅😂)

This cover makes me smile every time I see it ☺️
The expression on both of their faces is 👌🏼

Me trying to cram all my decorations onto one small tree…

How‘s everyone going? Braved the shops yet?

I‘m excited to report that I‘ve finished my Christmas shopping, it‘s a new personal best.

Putting my tree up this weekend because it sparks joy! I impulse bought this pot last year and it deserves to be admired for more than the month of December! #AussieSecretSanta

Today‘s mail! Things I had forgotten about because they took so long to arrive…

Destiny with a dash of magic is a BBC Merlin fan comic I discovered at some point last year during lockdown, it released a panel a day… & I thought I‘d treat myself to the print version (& read it all in one go)

And I just liked the “run with scissors” logo on the anti craft wire headband I bought (hopefully I work out how to style it sooner rather than later)

I read the author enewsletter that I‘d forgotten I‘d signed up for… and the vibe is it‘s going to be awhile.

She has started it tho but other *secret* projects were mentioned so high chance it‘s not her top priority.

Hmm, it‘s rather a lot when you look at them all together 😳😅

(Technically I didn‘t buy the All For The Game trilogy this month - I bought alternate dust jackets for them - but they cost as much as the books - so they‘re included.)

I‘m pleased to have squeezed another witchy read into October. I enjoyed this one - and I enjoyed the autumnal palette used.

I can‘t recall reading a book with a more passive main character…

Didn‘t live up to the cover.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

(This is what I get for borrowing a book based on its title)

I loved this! Can see it becoming an October tradition. It‘s a gentle ode to leaving childhood behind but also to embracing the quirky bits of yourself and not losing sight of magic and wonder.

(I‘m also having Southern Hemisphere feels about being in the opposite season as pretty much any book set in the month of October 🥺)

Still thinking about a “social party” work Christmas party where I didn‘t know anyone - where I filled an awkward silence with - “do you know how Trotsky died? ice pick through the eye.”

Anyway (I‘m not in the social club anymore 😜)

Mmhmm

“Rival siblings running a funeral home for monsters” I saw this on Instagram and purchased it seconds later 🙄😂

Is it a sleepy puppy or is it a soft toy on the rug?

😍 it‘s a sleepy Hugo!

I did zero reading today but I did see a whole bunch of family, helped my grandpa navigate the myGov website, and ordered some Christmas presents with the power of the internet, enjoyed a bit of thunder and lightning…

Another day, another (book) parcel 😅

I‘m in the last days of my time off from work so it seemed like a good time to break out these (not suitable for work) wedges.

It‘s my sisters birthday today - so I‘m off to visit! No time to peek inside this parcel yet.

🧡 I just finished Gayle Foreman‘s The Wickeds and haven‘t decided yet what to read next
🧡 maybe a picnic, if the Melbourne weather gods are feeling kind
🧡 finally being fully vaccinated ✌🏼 just in time for everything to reopen 😅

Play if you feel so inclined! #wonderouswednesday

Nothing about the Litsy blurb speaks to me 😂 but I was excited about this one (so I must have seen it on IG?)

This is the last of my bookmail, from the other day (more is definitely coming 😅)

Will I squeeze this into October?
Probably not - but you never know 😉

It‘s arrived before Halloween! I‘m so excited… (I got distracted and spent most of the day watching 911 on Disney+ but tomorrow is a new day!)

I am slightly shocked that I didn‘t have to collect these from the post office. Cheers to the postie who said ‘challenge accepted‘ to these parcels and my letter box!

Mustered the effort required to go and post these… once again forgot that sunshine doesn‘t equal not chilly - so am power walking home 🏃‍♀️

2 Karen books in the same day? It‘s almost like I‘m trying to catch up on my goodreads challenge or something?!

Karen still has a broken wrist and she has one of those days were things just don‘t go her way - everyone‘s quite nice about it which only seems to make it worse. Karen is at least self aware enough to realise that she‘s hurt peoples feelings and does apologise before bedtime.

A sweet addition to the growing collection of Baby Sitters graphic novels. I was a BSC obsessed kid - who found Karen super annoying 😂 and that holds true for adult me.

Tim is in his last year at a magic boarding school under a glacier in New Zealand. He‘s emotionally reeling in the aftermath of his parents marriage crumbling & his dad moving away when he‘s dumped by his girlfriend the day before a major life skills (egg baby) assignment begins - and he agrees to instead parter with Elliot - a boy who he‘s disliked for most of his time at school.

Made a spectacle of myself by laughing pretty loudly at a conversation that centred around lube and ghosts.

Unexpected - but good points were raised. 😂😂 👻

(It was quite a glorious day to read at the beach - even if the sand at St Kilda is subpar)

I found this one when I was straight up, aimlessly scrolling through the (low key hilariously designed) website of my local indie bookshop. It gave me Spinning Silver vibes - so obviously I needed it!

Can‘t remember if this one was a Litsy or IG inspired purchase - but I‘m pretty much sold on anything that‘s set in 1888 🤓

This one was ordered after reading a particularly good Instagram review…

I‘m very pro having that many books in a house - so I‘m looking forward to reading this.

I have no idea why I ordered this one? File it under lockdown purchases (the cover is pretty cool - let‘s just say it was a cover buy)

I haven‘t really been in a YA mood lately - so I don‘t know when I‘ll read this one…

How could I not order this after loving The House in the Cerulean Sea last year?

It turned up in my mail box - recently with quite a few friends (oops)

Looking forward to reading this soon!

Does anyone know what this symbol represents?

The circle with the arrow? I noticed it on a few graves - but haven‘t been able to turn anything up online…

Could be a Roman Catholic thing?

Hello #AussieSecretSanta‘s of 2021 - your matches have been sent!

Please let me know if I‘ve done something hilarious like match you with yourself - I haven‘t used my laptop in an age and copy and pasting without a proper mouse while reading notes in my own handwriting was kind of a wild experience.

Have fun!

Closing tomorrow - last chance to join!

See last post for details or just click on the link : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedEf9bhHkIdtER9fVr4QP7ym8HsD5W7kWjKUqX...