It‘s still Friday for a few more hours here so I‘m on time for my #5JoysFriday post. I‘ve mostly been working long hours at home this week so not a lot of joyful experiences but here goes:

1. I saw this art journal online & wanted it. My Target happened to have it for $8.49. It‘s got lots of fun & creative prompts. 🎨🖌️

2. A bowl of ramen, gyoza 😋& my first book from 3. @JacqMac ‘s #AuldLangSpine list. It‘s joyful finding great new books!📚⬇️

#25Alive!

This foodie #Friendship book has been in my TBR for ages. I remember my mom getting Amish friendship bread, the recipe & starter from a neighbor once & she went through a phase of sharing it with friends & family.💙🍞💙

Thanks @dabbe for the #ThreeListThursday #TLT tag sorry I‘m a little late! 🤗

I did okay I think for being old & child-less! 😉😂

My top 5 (can‘t do 3) favorites on the are:
-Daddy-Long-Legs & Pippi Longstocking (favorites from my dad!)
-Little House (all the books) & Little Women (favorites from my mom)
-The Snowy Day—I LOVED this book! ❤️

Missing sadly are The Borrowers (how do you not include it?!?!), Are You My Mother?, Green Eggs & Ham ⬇️

I blink & it‘s Friday once more (or it will be in an hour here). That means it‘s time for #5JoysFriday again!

Make your list of 5 things big or small that gave you joy this week. Add the #5JoysFriday hashtag to your post & tag me. You can also tag others to join in finding some January joys! Use the background graphic as you like or use your own.

Tagging a few regulars to get things started, but as always, everyone is welcome to take part!💛🤗

#25Alive!

Today‘s #FreshStart prompt made me think of some cookbooks I have with fresh &/or start in the titles. 🍽️📚

#25Alive!

The last 2 years my Goodreads #ReadingGoal has been 150 books & I read 172 in 2023 & 178 in 2024. I decided to up my 2025 goal to 155 just because of not knowing how crazy work will be.

Honestly Goodreads works well for me because I read so much on Kindle, it updates my read books easily but I am trying to track my goals better on StoryGraph this year since I‘m in some challenges on there. 📚🤷🏻‍♀️📚

Thanks for the #Two4Tuesday tag @TheSpineView 🤗

1️⃣ Overall yes. It does depend on the situation though.

2️⃣ Persuasion is one of my favorite books & in it, Anne Elliot gets a second chance at love.❤️

If you haven‘t played & want to, consider yourself tagged!

#25Alive!

I have a view of Julia Cameron‘s books on my shelves starting with The Artist‘s Way & including this #Prosperous one.

#25Alive!

Good foodie book of essays & recipes for comfort food when #Joy is needed. 💛😋

#Naturalitsy #MidWinterSolace #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending #HyggeHour with Trixie & the Bob-Whites, herbal tea & some peely gummy mangoes to snack on. Also, how cute is this Bob-Whites of the Glen sticker from @TheAromaofBooks ? (Thank you, Sarah!) 🤗

Mood is sad that Monday is tomorrow & it‘s a whole long week of work. I may have the January blues. 😨

#Read2025 #JumpStart2025 #SeriesLove2025

I finished this Friday for #FictionalTraveler January #SomeplaceCold 🧊❄️While it wasn‘t winter in Alaska, there were storms, caves, mine shafts & icehouses that were pretty chilly. This is Book 6 in the Alaska Wild series & while a big plot point was settled & the end was left a bit ambiguous, I‘m hoping the author will continue with this series as I love the characters & the small-town Alaska setting.

#25Alive!

For today‘s #NewYrQuote I‘m going with Eleanor Roosevelt for New Year inspiration.

I don‘t know if it was in the tagged book but it seems like a good one.

#25Alive!

Placing catch up with prompts. For yesterday, I definitely count cheese (& cheesemakers) among my #Blessings. 😋🧀💛 This is a quirky & fun foodie book.

#25Alive!

I got a little behind since Friday so catching up on prompts. After reading Enchantment by Katherine May last year with #Naturalitsy I am meandering my way through Wintering now & it fits Friday‘s #Winter prompt well. ❄️💙❄️

I realized I hadn‘t posted my January TBR so here we go: lots of readalongs & challenges: #SundayBuddyRead #ChloeGongReadAlong #ChildrensClassicRead2025 #NancyDrewBR #BobWhiteBuddies #Naturalitsy #Pemberlittens #JaneAustenThenAndNow #ThematicCozies #FictionalTraveler #AuthorAMonth #AuldLangSpine #Roll100 #FoodAndLit #SeriesLove2025

It may not all happen & other holds might jump in but I‘ve finished 2 & have another 5 in process so we‘ll see.🤞🏼

Some great books read in December but The Collected Regrets of Clover really stole my heart & is my final pick for #12BooksOf2024 Had I not read it after, it would have made my #AuldLangSpine list.

Honorable Mentions: A Wizard‘s Guide to Defensive Baking, The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, The Rivals, The Bones Beneath My Skin, A Botanist‘s Guide to Society and Secrets & Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You

Thanks @Andrew65 for hosting! 🤗

#SaturdayChatterday

The usual Saturday running errands & hanging out at the coffeeshop having lunch & some “replenishment” time with my new-ish magazine & paper book & starting the tagged book for #SundayBuddyRead discussion tomorrow.

It was a tough week that felt long, even being shortened by holidays. Yesterday I flew to Hilo to let someone go which always sucks & then came home & slept so I‘m late as usual with my #5JoysFriday post but here goes:

1. My travel was the best part of going to Hilo yesterday. I had the exit row to myself & of course, a beautiful sunrise.

2. Due to all the work travel I hit Platinum status which means an upgrade to First Class when available ⬇️

November was probably my best reading month & it was so hard to pick just one #12BooksOf2024 but I‘m going to go with *We Solve Murders. The Thursday Murder Club is a favorite series & while this one isn‘t quite there (yet), it was still delightful.

Honorable Mentions are: *Neighbors and Other Stories, *Annie Bot, *Shark Heart, Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Dinner for Vampires & The Age of Magical Overthinking

*All on my #AuldLangSpine list.

October had some good but not great books & so my #12BooksOf2024 ended up being this 7th book in a paranormal romance series I enjoy.🤷🏻‍♀️ Now November was a great reading month & it will be a struggle to pick a favorite.

Honorable Mentions include: Vampires of El Norte (audiobook), So Hungry

Waiting to board for Hilo. Breakfast, coffee & a book.
Happy Friday, everyone. 🤗

I almost forgot to post my #OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew #20in4 #readathon results. I‘m too lazy to add up my reading time tonight & my goals were more about what I could finish. I completed 6 books & made progress in 2 others. I also kept up with readalongs of A Tree A Day & Sense and Sensibility, so all-in-all, I‘ll call it a success. Thanks @Andrew65 for hosting! 🤗

Can you believe it‘s already Friday (or almost Friday)? The holidays have me turned around. I fly to Hilo tomorrow for what will be a not joyful meeting, so I‘m going to need some good joys to read.💛

So make your list of the 5 things (big or small) that brought you joy this week. Tag your post with #5JoysFriday & tag me (& others to spread the joy if you want to).

Tagging some regulars to get the party started & of course, all are welcome!🤗

##25Alive

Probably not the kind of #Toast meant by today‘s prompt but here‘s two good toast-titled foodie memoirs. 🍞🧈😋💛

September was another great reading month but A Sweet Sting of Salt stands out the most—beautiful & evocative, it‘s my #12BooksOf2024 pick.

Honorable Mentions include: The Flight Portfolio, A Prayer for the Crown-Shy & A Sorceress Comes to Call.

#OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew #20in4 #JumpStart2025 #Read2025

My first finished book of 2025, I‘ve not read any Haig before but it was the book pick for the #OnceUponABookClub “Up All Night” box & came with a champagne glass, the #OUABC 2025 40 Book Challenge poster & 3 gifts that correspond to the story. I have some mixed thoughts about the book—I liked it but it took a while to get into & the magical realism was too heavy-handed for my taste. ⬇️

My year in books: 178/150. 🎉📚🎉
I upped my goal from 150 to 155 books in 2025-just in case work gets too crazy, it‘s still achievable.😉

Goodreads said my top genres were Mystery, Romance & Non-Fiction. Mystery was no surprise but I was a little surprised at Romance making the top 3. I guess I did go on a bit of an Abby Jimenez binge this year & snuck some others in there too.

Anyway, a good year with some great books. Here‘s to 2025! 🎉📚🎉

#25Alive!

Three #Peace titled cookbooks for today‘s prompt. I own Peace & Parsnips & Peace, Love, and Parsnips & Peaceful Kitchen came out this year & is on my cookbook wishlist.

I‘m waiting on a few holds from @JacqMac ‘s #AuldLangSpine list so the tagged will be my first pick, along with the Backman short story. Finally, if I can fit it into January, The Briar Club, otherwise it will move to February.

I‘m excited about all of these & the others I‘m waiting for holds on! ⭐️📚⭐️

My December reading results were good for a busy month. I finished 16 books & started 2. I didn‘t quite get to everything I wanted but I read 3 books & a story for #SeasonalCozies & joined in #NancyDrewBR #SundayBuddyRead #Naturalitsy #MidWinterSolace & read all of my #Roll100 picks as well as completed my #BOTM challenge & #OUABC 40 book challenge.

I‘m midway through my #JolabokaflodSwap book & started the book from my #OUABC Up All Night Box.

Joining in #FictionalTraveler with @julieclair & my January #SomeplaceCold pick is set in Alaska. It‘s book #6 in the Alaska Wild mystery series so it will also be a #SeriesLove2025 read too. ❄️ 💙❄️

August was another great reading month for me & I struggled to pick a favorite between the tagged book (read with #SundayBuddyRead ) & Chain-Gang All-Stars but ultimately this fascinating historical fiction novel won out as my #12BooksOf2024 pick.

A close second: Chain-Gang All-Stars (the audio book) Honorable Mentions: Hello Stranger, Black Sheep, The Undermining of Twyla and Frank, Bear, Unwell Women & Incidents Around the House

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024 #20in4 #Readathon
#OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew

Book 3 of the Saffron Everleigh series, my third & final #Roll100 book for December & probably my last finished book of 2024 since it‘s 10:30 PM. I struggled a bit with this one & all the characters, but I really enjoy Saffron, her roommate & her colleague/love interest. The science & the 1920s London setting are great too. I find I really enjoy historical mysteries, ⬇️

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024 #20In4 #readathon #OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew

The Verifiers was one of my favorite books of 2022 so I was happy to see a Book 2 in the Claudia Lim series. I got notified that my library Libby had the ebook & audiobook & I got them both & traded off. While I didn‘t love this one as much as the first book (as it seemed a bit more muddled), I love Claudia the MC & enjoyed the smart & dry humor & will read the next one.

Thanks @TheSpineView for the #Two4Tuesday tag. 🤗

1️⃣ I think I will set my GoodReads goal for 150 books again this year. I‘ve averaged 170+ the last couple of years so it‘s achievable but still a push.

2️⃣ So many! Vilest Things for the #ChloeGongReadalong The new Grady Hendrix, Abby Jimenez & A Witch‘s Guide to Magical Innkeeping to name a few! 📚📚📚

Anyone want to play along? Consider yourself tagged! 🤗

#OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew #20in4 #readathon

Doing some breakfast & coffeeshop reading before running errands on this NYE day. Tonight I‘ll be shutting myself in the house away from fireworks smoke as all good asthmatics with a sinus thing should do. 😷😮‍💨🤧😉

I‘m starting this one, my third #Roll100 pick but doubt I‘ll get it done before tomorrow.

July was a great reading month for me but I have to give my #12BooksOf2024 pick to James, read for #CampLitsy24 & one of my favorites of the year. The audiobook narration quality added to my rating of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Honorable Mentions included: The Art Thief, Stone Blind, Murder Road, Just For the Summer & A Novel Love Story (I told you it was great month!) 📚📚📚

#ReadAway2024 #OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew #20in4 #readathon

I read an article on online romance fraud a few years ago & was fascinated & was excited to find this book at the library. Sometimes funny, often sad, the author shared her own trolling of romance fraudsters on line, woven in with compassionate stories about women who were scammed by men pretending to be oil rig workers, Keanu Reeves & other potential suitors. An interesting & easy read.

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024 #20in4 #OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew #readathon

My second out of three #Roll100 Dec. picks. I really wanted to love this one but it was just OK. I didn‘t actually like any of the friend group, including the one with memory loss after being attacked. The back & forth of time/memories/movie scenes/movie scenes mixed in with memories make it more convoluted than it needed to be & I just sped through the end. There‘s a ⬇️

My June #12Booksof2024 pick was our first book for #CampLitsy24 & a clear (pun intended) favorite. Very atmospheric & absorbing.

Honorable Mentions include: Run Towards the Danger, Doppelgänger & A Scatter of Light.

#Naturalitsy #MidWinterSolace #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending my #HyggeHour filling in my poster for the #OnceUponABookClub 2024 40 Book Challenge from StoryGraph so I can take a photo tomorrow to get my free book (Procrastination is my middle name). No snack tonight, but drinking tea & listening to the tagged book while I write titles/dates in. If I finish in time, I‘ll read some more on my Kindle.

Back to work tomorrow but off Tuesday/Wed.

I had such a good time with #SeasonalCozies this year, of course I‘m going to join #ThematicCozies in 2025. Tagged is my pick for January‘s #Animal theme. First in the series & free to listen to on Audible.

I also found I‘d skipped a short story for the Shady Hollow series so I‘m going to read it as a bonus even if it‘s Halloween based. The SH series became a favorite this year & features a community of animals. I‘ll tag the first book ⬇️

My January #Roll100 picks. This year I wrote my 100 books as general “Any ARC, Any Mystery, Any Non-Fiction, Any Audiobook”etc. which I‘m excited about as I can pick each month. 📚

#96 Any Retelling: the tagged book (also for #ChloeGongReadAlong) is a reworking of Antony & Cleopatra

#57 Any BOTM -The Teller of Small Fortunes- been trying to read this one for a few months now.

#62 Any Library Book: The Night Guest (it‘s short & looks good)

May was a light reading month for me due to work & work travel but I quite enjoyed this foodie mystery set in post WWII Paris with Julia Child the best friend of the MC so it‘s my May #12BooksOf2024 pick. I need to read the second book in the series one of these days.

Honorable mentions were The Seventh Power & A Tempest at Sea.

#ReadAway2024

I actually finished this one earlier in the week & forgot to post my review. Read for #Naturalitsy #MidWinterSolace & it‘s a nice little book about having mindful holidays & finding joy in a stressful season. I got some great tips & ideas for a simpler Christmas & I know I‘ll pull it out again next year. Part 3 on after Christmas & planning for the new year was especially helpful & I used many of the questions for journal prompts.❄️

#ReadAway2024 #20in4 #readathon

First book finished for the #OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew readathon. One of my #Roll100 picks for December & part of my attempt to make my way through the books of T. Kingfisher. I really enjoyed this story of a 14-year-old wizard (Mona) who bakes & needs to use her bread magic to save her city. It was fun & while YA, has adult enough humor & good messages about power & heroes & the need to act to right wrongs.💜

Thanks for the #SaturdayChatterday tag @AllDebooks

I slept in a bit & needed to run to the grocery store & pharmacy & stopped for coffee & a sandwich in between. Next it‘s probably home for a recovery nap & more reading.

Started the tagged book which is one of my #Roll100 December picks.

Anyone else want to share about their Saturday?

I‘m kind of making the late #5JoysFriday list a habit lately, but better late than never. Here‘s my list:

1. My Christmas Eve brunch of Mexican Street Avocado Toast was a joy but even better they finished it with a free warm chocolate chip kakimochi cookie with cereal milk.🍪🥛😋💛

2. Da Painted Tree by my house finally got its Christmas paint job- it‘s always a joy to see what‘s on it.❤️💚

3. My library e-book holds for the next books in 2 ⬇️

#OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew #YearEnd #20in4

I‘m more out with the old for this #readathon I‘d like to finish my #Roll100 books for Dec, as well as books in progress & #SeriesLove new library e-book holds that just came in. For the new, I have a #OUABC #UpAllNight box with the Haig book that I‘ll read NYE & Day & my tree-a-day book for #Naturalitsy

Ambitious, but I just have one workday on Monday, I‘m still laying low🤧& several are in progress.

My pick for April‘s #12BooksOf2024 seems to be a popular one. 😉 Zorrie was an unexpected pleasure, a quiet story of resilience & a book I wouldn‘t have found without #SundayBuddyRead. It got a rare ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me.

Honorable Mentions were: A Psalm for the Wild-Built, The Second, Escaping Mr. Rochester & A First Time For Everything.