Building on my previous post: My 2009 photos. Bearing in mind they‘re from an old digital camera. 😅 Jim Morrison (bottom left), Oscar Wilde (middle), Victor Noir (top right). The rest are random.
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Building on my previous post: My 2009 photos. Bearing in mind they‘re from an old digital camera. 😅 Jim Morrison (bottom left), Oscar Wilde (middle), Victor Noir (top right). The rest are random.
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Gallot, the current curator of Père-Lachaise, shares pieces of his life while focusing mainly on the history, development, flora, fauna, and processes of the most visited cemetery in the world. This is likely for a pretty niche reader. Rob and I visited this stunning cemetery in 2009. What was a random addition to our trip became one of the highlights. It‘s so peaceful and gorgeous! Really enjoyed this rec from a trusted friend.
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Hatmaker‘s previous books never appealed to me, nor do I follow her on any platforms, but a memoir? I‘m pretty much always down. This is a very raw account of the dissolution of her 26-year marriage. Anger, fear, sadness, and a lot of reflection. It takes courage, and perhaps a slice of vengefulness, to display something so personal, but when you live in the public space, why not? Enjoyed her tone. A solid memoir!
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Out the gate, this bored me to tears, but I didn‘t want to bail on my first read of 2026. The mystery could not sustain the glacial pace, but my biggest gripe was the dialogue. It does not convey 1700s which took away historical authenticity for me. The Author‘s Note was really needed at the front, not the end. I could‘ve grabbed a Martha Ballard biography instead. I used to love historical fiction, but it has become my least fave genre.
Nowadays, with the league my 13yr old‘s team plays in, we play outdoor soccer through winter! Today is warm, though: 63°F in middle Tennessee. I‘m still in my toasty car with my heated seats … and book. ?
Peaceful, until I sat down with my book. Now barking nonstop in my face. Thanks, Champ!
#dogsoflitsy
It was a satisfying reading year! (Top reads in a separate post)
A few things I like to track:
Nonfiction - 73
Fiction - 112
Library Books - 112
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Delight and regret. Pain and joy. Melancholy and promise. This epistolary novel penned primarily by a very complicated woman, unveils layers, secrets, torments. Absolute top-notch story telling. A reminder to be precious with communication; that people are just people. The literary references were icing. How this is a debut blows my mind! One of my top reads of 2025, just under the wire!
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Truly Brilliant storytelling. No one circles back as thoughtfully as Boyne. I first read these as four separate novellas published in the UK, and haven‘t been able get them off my mind, so decided to revisit on audio now that the collected version has been published in the US. Incredibly difficult themes of abuse, but these stories are so worth the anguish.
The best kind of NYE. Cheers, book friends! Wrapping up my last read of 2025. Pretty sure it‘ll land close to the top! 🥂📖🎊
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I‘m not a series person, but this kept popping up in my bookish spaces, and the concept and cover finally got me. Entertaining, and often very funny. I enjoyed, but probably not enough to read seven more books, though. That‘s way too much reading commitment for this mood reader.
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Treated myself to a new Vonnegut shirt from the KVML website. 💛
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A 70°F Christmas Eve in Tennessee calls for a special greenway walk for this good boy! Also started the tagged book on audio and enjoying very much so far. Happy Holidays, book lovers!
#dogsoflitsy
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This simultaneously tried too hard and not enough.
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Quinn was SO DAMNED FUNNY in person, I was excited to read this after not loving last year‘s Christmas romance, but while I liked this more, I need her to LAND THE FREAKING PLANE. These books do not need to be nearly 500 pages. Still fun, though. 🍿
IRL #bookclub holiday party and Nov/Dec meeting. Adore this small, but mighty, group we‘ve built! We usually choose one fiction and one nonfiction each month; members can choose one, read both, or none. We aren‘t strict.
Nov Fiction: I Who Have Never Known Men
Dec Fiction: The Book Club Hotel
Nov/Dec NF: Finding My Way
Due to the chaos of year‘s end, we combined for one nonfiction this time. We loved all of the above! ♥️ A rarity. 😂😂
Love this LFL in my hometown. ♥️
At my parents‘ house, my childhood home, in Kentucky for a few days. Got away for a little bit to BAM. 😂 Now, I‘m recharged for Christmas dinner with the family later.
My bookish tree is a work in progress. I already had this silver tree (it was a midcentury/retro tree … then a Disney tree) on hand. I love the ornaments I‘ve accumulated, but I‘ll be tweaking it next year. Maybe a green tree? Maybe colorful lights? A pretty garland, too. What do you all think? 💡 I need help.
PS. The star on top is legit vintage, purchased at an estate sale a few years ago. 🤩
Peak reading conditions. ♥️
My Secret Santa gift (it‘s a bookish puzzle 🤫) for my IRL book club‘s holiday party. I love how the wrapping turned out. So lucky I found a “book club” ornament!
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Actually wasn‘t planning to read this but received it last month for my birthday. I liked it!
This view never gets old. Love reading by Christmas tree light! ♥️
KU + afternoon coffee getting me through my Wednesday “mom uber” shift. 🚙 13 year old to strength training then 11 year old (almost 12!) to basketball practice. It‘s a lot, but I wouldn‘t trade it. ♥️♥️
A fun, quick puzzle from Pippi Post! #audiopuzzling
Enjoying my tree / books / pup while listening to the tagged book. A chill evening is exactly what I needed. ♥️
#dogsoflitsy #shelfie
(Post 1 of 2) 8th Annual Holiday Extravaganza! Love these ladies so much. Insane amounts of food and gifts. Always one of our favorite days of the year! #NashvilleLittens
Big crowd for Meghan Quinn in Nashville. Such a fun night! Photo from her IG. ♥️
A dear friend invited me to see Meghan Quinn tonight and we had so much fun! She is HILARIOUS.
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Recommended by a friend who is mainstream LDS. That fascinated me. We had an interesting chat.
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Happy Holidays from Champ! ♥️
#dogsoflitsy
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![[tagged book]](https://image.librarything.com/pics/litsy_webpics/icon_taggedBook@3x.png){kind=icon}
