My nephew passed in April, & I now seem to live in a state of constant overstimulation. The neverending city noise of people arguing, car stereos blaring, firecrackers, and jerks on dirtbikes riding down the cement creek bed outside our bedroom window at 2 AM has been rough. Natural settings help clear my head. My bestie snapped this on a recent much-needed hike, unwittingly catching me communing with my goddess. 🌿 🌳 🌞 ❤

Just wanted to let @bookgoil know that I received your package. It came the same day as the card & bookmark from @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks. Thank you both. I'm not ashamed to say that I cried over your kindness when I got the mail that day. Things are difficult, but the outpouring of love my family has received has been truly awe-inspiring, and to have that extend to people who never met myself or my nephew... thank you so much.

The last 2 years have been a battle. I've had to give up much of my mobility, a career I loved, and I've had to constantly fight the awful local medical system to try to get answers. Now I'm trying to build a new online business while also facing the anniversary of a beloved friend's death. I'm struggling. I would love to correspond but I just don't have the energy for snail mail. #LitsyLove family, please reach out to me by email. Thank you!🌻💌

Got this book from my Creepy Christmas swap partner (thank you so much!). A unique twist on the old damsel in distress version of Sleeping Beauty, I give this high marks for friendship over romance, LGBTQ+ friendly, fatal/chronic illness visibility, and female characters who find the strength to make their story their own. I recommend to any woman who struggles & feels like her life is not within her control. Take your story back! 💓

Template not from Litsy, but curious to see everyone's answers. What books make your list?
Have a great Monday, everybody! 😊

@kamoorephoto Okay, so my elderly gal has decided she'd rather hide away somewhere warm to sleep all day with the onset of really cold weather, so I haven't been able to get a photo of her with the mousie you sent as requested. I'm hoping I can appease you with a picture of Miss cranky puss's ridiculous belly floof instead. Lol. ❄🐱 ❤ Hope you're staying warm. 🌞🙂

@somedayalmost Since you were out of town until New Year's, I placed the order for your gifts early this morning. They'll be shipping directly from Target with no middleman, so be on the lookout. Looks like the smallest item is shipping first, then the other 3 will ship this coming week. I passed the tracking info for the first item to @teebe through email. I'll do the same with #2. Let me know if they don't arrive! A very #creepychristmas to you!

Thanks @kamoorephoto. Late with my #weekendreads - holiday week was busy af 😅
Reading: Fan Fiction: a Mem-noir by Brent Spiner that I got for Christmas ❤
Favorites: Christmas Vacation, Charlie Brown, Scrooged, Mixed Nuts, Planes Trains & Automobiles, horror Jack Frost & sequel, Krampus, & Muppets Christmas Carol 😋
Tagged: Easily bored by romance, but this was ridiculously funny. Kept reading the best lines out loud, so gf read & loved it too 😊

❤ 🎫 💚 I wanted to reach out and say thank you to my #LitsyLove sisters. It's been a tough few months, and the joy that finding cards and letters in my mailbox brings me means so much, even if I haven't responded. I hope you all have had the happiest of holiday seasons, and I hope to send letters soon.

@kamoorephoto My camera stinks, but the #creepychristmas package was amazing & so much more than I expected! The number of books in this box was astounding; as was the fact that there was only 1 included I had actually read (but Nicole hadn't, so I passed it to her)! Add in the candy, the scarf, the Krampus details, the tarot, the pet items, etc., & I'm speechless. I opened it early to cheer a bad week, & it went above & beyond. Thank you! 😱 😻

Not part of the #HauntedHollowSwap #HHS this year, but this #ThisOrThat looked like fun, so here goes:

Treat
Can't I have both?
Pumpkin
Equal opportunity horror fan, be it books, movies, or TV
Caramel apple (bobbing for apples as a kid always felt like drowning 😅)
Dracula
Real life haunted location, not Halloween jump scares. Otherwise, costume party.
Chocolate
Skeleton
Pumpkin Spice
I own a mini house panther, but also love sky puppies 💜

I got this novel in a box of YA books chosen by Literati. I'd never heard of it and the blurb on the back sounded generic, so I wasn't expecting much. Decided to read the prologue to see if it was worth keeping... and then just kept reading. The story and characters hooked me within the first couple of pages. Witty, smart, and funny, the book tackles high school tropes in a unique way that allows readers of any age to connect with the characters.

For the first time in ages, I finished 2 books in a single week, and this weighty tome was over 700 pages, so that was no small feat. I really wanted to like this book. I was expecting a horror novel that spoke to the human experience, and was stoked when I noticed metaphor within the story, thinking it would cover spiritual issues as a whole. Sadly, it turned into a thinly veiled Christian-only allegory, which really isn't my thing.

So, someone posted a fun challenge in one of the FB book groups I'm in, asking people to recommend 3 books they own that they think no one else in the group owns. These are my 3. My my favorite grownup twisted funny fantasy novel, my favorite dystopian novel, and my favorite novel from my childhood. Would love to find out if anyone I know on Litsy owns any of these too. :)
#bookrecommendations

For my #LitsyLove family: I've been extremely inactive recently due to illness. Thank you to those who have offered kind words & a sympathetic ear. Surgery on 9/21 that I'm hoping will create large improvements so I can get back to responding & sending love & friendship through snail mail. Much love to everyone in this awesome community.

@eggs #wonderfulwednesday

1.Rochester Vampire Ball. I later fell off my heels, breaking the shoe and my toe in the process. 🙃
2. 3 things: intelligence, honesty, twisted sense of humor. 😁
3.Spiders & heights. Can barely use a stepstool & have jumped on furniture & screamed over spiders like a faceless Looney Tunes woman. 😂
4.Planning a weekend trip to a very haunted B&B. Super excited. 😀

Everyone & anyone welcome to play.

“Joost had two problems: the moon and his mustache.“

Just started this one yesterday. Hoping I'm in for a fun adventure. 😃

#firstlinefridays
@shybookowl

A HUGE thank you to my #bookcupidswap partner @rachelm for this amazing book and large bag of dark chocolate truffles. Full disclosure, I opened the box early because I needed a new book to read while I wasn't feeling well. I finished Bunny within 24 hours. Loved it so much! And thank you to @candority for running this swap. So much fun!

This story is powerful and beautifully told. The manipulation of abuse and the repercussions it can have on a life. I rejoined a local book club online and when I saw this as January's pick, I knew it would be a struggle due to my own troubled history with men. I ended up reading it over the course of 24 hrs because I was desperate to find some hope at the end. Bravo to women making a point to speak out about abuse and mental health. #metoo

#strangersonatrain giveaway asks how you found Litsy. For me, books have always been their own fandom - I'm always on the hunt for other readers & bookish online communities. I'm in a number of bookish groups on Facebook and someone posted that Litsy was like Instagram but exclusively for books, which sounded amazing to me. Unfortunately, it was only available on iOS at the time, but I kept stalking the website until it hit Android. Lol.

So, I am a HUGE Buffy fan. I adore the show, but I also must've watched the movie a million times as a teen. I've been slowly working my way through related written works in the last 6 months or so. I'm always afraid that authors will butcher my beloved world. White did a decent job of adding to the canon. Not my favorite addition, but a solid 3.75 stars. I definitely enjoyed it enough to read the next one. Two reads down! 😃 #seriesread2021

Put this together today just for fun. Figured this would be a good place to share it. ❤ #bookaddict #IcanquitanytimeIwantto #OhThisbooklooksamazing #neverendingTBR 😁

So, only 131 pages in so far, but it's scenes like this that convince me that the main character is just me in an alternate universe. 😅

Charlaine Harris is an author whose books I will pick up without knowing what they're about. That being said, I am not a fan of Westerns, so I was wary of this series going in. But the mix of alternate history, magic, & a fast paced plot in the 1st book enthralled me, & I loved A Longer Fall just as much. Does anyone know if this series will be longer than 3 books? First book finished in 2021. Woo-hoo! #seriesread2021

Litsy is my safe space, where we lift each other up instead of tearing each other down, so I won't get political. I just want to say that the division in my country scares me, & I had to get off social media yesterday due to the hate being spewed. I picked up my book to calm myself & it happened to be a scene with a peaceful resolution to a riot & people finding unity. It was exactly what I needed in that moment. Thank you, Charlaine Harris.💓

Today was opening day for the #LittleChristmasSwap #LCS. Thank you so much to my swap partner. I have been dying to read this book since it came out and I never say no to dark chocolate truffles. 😉 And full disclosure, I had to create a collage using stock photos because I have already torn open and scarfed the bag of snack mix. 😂 Happy holidays, everyone!

Ok, late posting this, but I opened my #creepychristmas package from @charlene1321 and can I just say that I. LOVED. Everything! I forgot to take a photo and have already gobbled down all of the chocolate, so forgive my collage! I immediately read the Buffy GN & mini booklet cover to cover too. I'm also floored that I haven't heard of Angela Carter before now 'cuz this book looks awesome! Thank you so much for everything! 💜

Thank you, Misty! Got the package you sent me today. I've been meaning to try out a Jodi Picoult novel for some time now and this one looks interesting. I also love the little book of dream-based quotes. I'll pull it out for a boost when things feel difficult. I hope you and your family are having a joyous holiday season. #happyholidays #litsylove #bookmail

A Gatsby sequel focusing on Nick Carraway? Ummm.... yes, please! Immediately added to my Amazon wishlist to be purchased when it comes out.

Super excited about everything in my #jolabokaflodswap package from @coveredinrust! Thank you so much! I tried a bite of the honey dark chocolate bar and it was absolutely amazing. I can't wait to try the other one and the book is getting bumped ahead of several others on my reading list. :) Happy holidays!

It's been a hell of a year. I've watched front-line friends fall apart from daily strain, seen other friends battle cancer & life-changing illnesses, fought my own battle with a mystery illness, & I haven't hugged my family since February. But I'm still here, and I consider that a victory. Be kind to yourself (and others) this holiday season. Find time for self-care, try not to worry so much about the little things, & get help if you need it. ❤

Just opened my #litsylovewinterswap package from @moonprismpower.
Thank you so much! I had never heard of the Gimble, but it will make holding books open so much easier. And the size/weight will make it easy to throw into a purse and go! Super excited to read the books & I love the infinity scarf. Told my fiancee I would be nice and let her steal the vanilla hot cocoa, but there was no way she was getting my mint packet! Lol. Happy holidays!

#JolabokaflodSwap

I've had one health issue after another going on recently, so I'm having my swap match's items shipped directly from Amazon to be on the safe side. Delivery date is saying December 21 at the latest. I'll email @coveredinrust once I have a tracking number for the package so she can be on the lookout. Sorry for the delay. My health issues caused me to lose my work client & I had to wait until I found another.

Currently working without a phone and my Chromebook takes terrible pics, so just putting a generic package photo on this, but I received my #creepychristmas #litsyswap package yesterday, although it took some serious digging on Litsy to figure out who sent it so I could let you know. No username on the package and no first name! Lol. Anyway, I am very intrigued by the Fragile stickers and can't wait to see what's inside! 😍

Just because it's that kind of year, I'm feeling like I have the flu. I didn't think @moonprismpower needed to get hit with it for the holidays, so I'm doing the safe thing and using my powers of Amazon Prime to ship her gifts straight from the warehouse. I contacted customer service and they guaranteed that they'd be delivered before the 19th. There are 3 items - not sure if they'll ship separately. ❤ ❄#llws #litsylove #litsylovewinterswap

Nicole texted me this morning that she had noticed a package for me downstairs on her way out. I had no idea what it was. I didn't recognize the company name, it wasn't marked as a #LitsySwap. I opened it up and apparently I won a contest at YallWrite! in November! Woo-hoo! My prizes were Blood Countess, Bookish Boyfriends: A Date With Darcy, In the Hall With the Knife, and an art print from Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Shadow of Kyoshi. 😍

Just a shout out to my #LitsyLoveWinterSwap partner. I don't have access to my camera right now, but I received my package from her. Had a bit of a financial hiccup this past week, but I will be paying extra to rush her package out to her in the next couple of days to make sure it gets to her in time. Thank you for being so patient!
#LitsyLove #llws

#MeetTheLittens
1. Born in PA, but grew up in the Southern Tier of NY state
2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
3. Any series by Charlaine Harris
4. Reality Bites or Dan in Real Life
5. Schitt's Creek, The Vampire Diaries/Originals, Stranger Things
6. Ani Difranco & Brian Molko
7. Deep Purple
8. Urban fantasy
9. I'm a freelance content marketer
10. My 10-year-old black “kitten“ Persephone, and my fiancee's rattie boys Norbert & Daggett

@mommamanzi #greatchristmasgiveaway

So, I know she already nominated me, but I'd like to nominate my bestie @milesnmelodies

Between the anxiety of the pandemic and a deluge of health issues, it's been a really tough year for both of us. She argues this when I tell her, but she's one of the toughest chicks I know. She lives alone and it would be easy to just give up and hide, but she keeps moving forward and makes sure I'm doing the same. ❤ you!

Using books instead of movies this year, but had enough tropes already to complete the top row for +20. Added to the +1 for this post, it's +21 points for team #MerryReaders #WinterGames2020

Using books instead of movies this year, but had enough tropes already to complete the top row for +20. Added to the +1 for this post, it's +21 points for team #MerryReaders #WinterGames2020

Read my Lemony Snicket Christmas picture book on 12/4. IMO, it wasn't as good as the Series of Unfortunate Events books, but still fun. +25 for a Holiday Read, +1 for this post, for a total of +26 points for team #MerryReaders #WinterGames2020

Finished this book on 12/4. It's +25 for a Holiday Read, +5 for Book to Movie (Hallmark), and +1 for my post for a grand total of +31 points for team #MerryReaders #WinterGames2020

#wintergames2020 #merryreaders +26 pts
I found a jar of M&M cookie mix from my fiancee's cousins. With my hand pain, I didn't want to scoop & drop 24 individual balls. I converted the recipe to bar cookies. You can do this for recipes with a similar texture & 350 temp. Add up the ingredients for # of cups. 6-8 goes in 9x13 pan. Less than 6 goes in 8x8 or 9x9. Dough less than 1“ thick. Then multiply bake time by 2.5. If not done, add 5 min.

#wintergames2020 #MerryReaders
Ok, so some may call starting with a box mix cheating, but I've been trying to find ways that I can still bake despite my hand pain caused by health issues. Cinnamon is festive for me and I love dark chocolate, so I pulled out a Duncan Hines dark chocolate brownie mix and doctored it up to make Mexican chocolate brownies. Follow box directions, add 3tsp cinnamon & 1tsp chili or chipotle powder, & bake. +26 pts.

Edit: +26 points to team #MerryReaders #WinterGames2020

Ok, I'm still fuzzy on how points work. Can one book be counted in multiple categories to total up the points from all of them? I finished this book yesterday and it is a holiday read, a TBR read, as well as marking off my first square for A Very Merry Bingo. So, how many points does it count as? Sorry, this is my first time participating in any games on Litsy!

So, yesterday I discovered that I had received quite a haul of holiday cards already from this year's #cardswaps and a couple of #litsylove pals. Thank you all so much! It's been a really tough year and having so much happy mail to look forward to is wonderful.

Set up a Fantasy Reading Challenge on Storygraph. Doesn't start til Jan., but it's Live to join early & look at the prompts. It focuses on expanding reading horizons - marginalized characters, POC/queer authors, feminist leanings, classics, indies, series by authors you haven't tried, books on your TBR for WAY too long, etc. If you're interested, check out this link: https://bit.ly/3nEL0qC
#ReadingChallenge #buddyreads #ReadingChallenges

Ok, I have a question for all my fellow littens who use Litsy for book swaps and book clubs throughout the year. How the hell do you find them? 😂 I use the Android and browser versions of Litsy and they make it so hard to discover this stuff! Are there specific hashtags I should be looking out for? In return for your help, I have enclosed a pic of the ridiculous potholders I have asked my fiancee to get me for Christmas. 😁

#kindnessandpositivityweek #littenappreciation
Is there a Litten you appreciate? Who is it and why?
Everyone in the #litsylove group is incredibly supportive, but these littens went above and beyond in lifting my spirits & making me feel cared for during this long year of health issues, even while going through tough stuff themselves. I appreciate you all so much! Shout-out to my bestie @milesnmelodies for being awesome. Welcome to the group!