@Jess861 on Litsy

Corsair | Tim Severin

I am really enjoying this book. I wasn't sure I would as I had it in my brain that it would be filled with too much gore (no reason why I had this in my head). But this book is just like many other historical fictions books I read with many accurate description and scenes of the time. 1600s are such an interesting part of history! It is well written and makes you want to keep reading. I'm hope to finish this weekend and really enjoying the author.

4 likes

Jess861

The Girls | Lori Lansens

The second pick of the #OhCanada Book Club is underway and it is The Girls by Lori Lansens. This is a bi-monthly read so feel free to read at your leisure over the months of March and April. Will post some discussion points at the end of April for those that wish to participate. All are welcome to join this very relaxed book club! Enjoy everyone!!

#BuddyRead @LitsyEvents

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten @JuniperWilde 1d

Ruthiella Looking forward to it! 😊 23h

CarolynM I‘m looking forward to it too🙂 17h

38 likes3 comments

Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

No surprise that Indian Horse was the best book I read in February and that it topped West with Giraffes. The rest of the books I read in February were just ok and while West with Giraffes is good - Indian Horse is in a class of it's own.

Note: Not my template - off Pinterest.

#ReadingBracket #ReadingBracket2025 #BookBracket2025 #BookBracket

40 likes

Jess861

Corsair | Tim Severin

A book, a blanket and a grilled cheese is how I'm going to spend a #hyggehour tonight. Need to escape to another time before the chaos of the week takes over. Not sure how many pages I'll read because I could fall asleep at any minute but I'm going to try amd get through the entire hour.

#HyggeHourReadathon @TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit @AllDebooks

Aims42 Grilled cheeses and PB&J‘s are still my dinner go-tos 😋 4d

Chrissyreadit ❤️❤️❤️❤️ 4d

AllDebooks ❤️ 3d

Jess861 @Aims42 So good - I could eat grilled cheese for every meal and be perfectly fine with it! 3d

49 likes4 comments

Jess861

The Lost Bookshop | Evie Woods

I didn't post my colour list as I'm using the same one each month - probably boring to see it posted each month, lol. Here are my March #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin picks. I had quite a few books I could pick from with both these prompts which was a nice change from some of the previous colours. It's been really fun doing colours of covers - allows for more freedom in selections which is working well for me.

@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Enjoy!! 4d

34 likes1 comment

Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

This post contains spoilers

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Saul is such a strong character. I don't think many would make it through what he goes through at such a young age and then all through childhood. To have such focus on a sport while he is being abused and his culture and way of life have been completely ripped away from him shows a strong will to survive.

Thoughts on Saul?

Pictured is a Birch Bark Canoe - one of the main forms of transportation for the Ojibwe.

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten #OhCanada 5d

Ruthiella My heart broke for him. I did like, however how the book opens with him already on a healing journey because reading the rest and not knowing if he‘d make it through would have been tough. 5d

Jess861 @Ruthiella I agree. I also like how Wagamese subtly hinted at the abuse but didn't confirm it until closer to the end. It really made you think again at the end of the book about everything he'd been through. 5d

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Jess861 Birch was critical to the Ojibwe lifestyle. It is interesting to read about if you are interested. Another interesting fact is that Birch Bark Canoes were a great transportation form for the inland waterways. It is thought that the Europeans would not have been able to discover and explore much of the land without this type of transportation. The boats they had weren't made for inland waterways. 5d

Tamra The revelation was startling, even though there were hints, but they were easily dismissed. 😔 Speaks to the survival strategy of victims and craft of Wagamese‘ writing! (edited) 5d

Kitta @Ruthiella agreed, I liked having the certainty that he would pull through. I missed or dismissed quite of few of the hints that abuse was occurring tbh. I even thought partway through the novel that it was strange other kids were being abused but not Saul 😆 5d

DogMomIrene Saul was so real. Agree that the opening pages help me cope with the set up that this character will survive. I had the same thought “strange he‘s not abused” and dismissed it. Makes me think that may be Wagamese‘s point in hinting at abuse. I think people, me included, tend to not see abuse and dismiss the hints, even when we shouldn‘t. I want a sequel, even just a short story, to know that Saul‘s okay. 4d

Jess861 @DogMomIrene Sadly, Wagamese passed away in 2017 so we will never get a sequel. 3d

kwmg40 Saul was a great character. I love how Wagamese makes us care so much about characters who are usually marginalized or disdained by society. I loved his novel Ragged Company about four homeless people. 3d

10 likes9 comments

Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

This post contains spoilers

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Another major part of the book is hockey. Saul manages to find an escape through hockey although it only masks the suffering he is going through. It isn't until much later in life that he digs deep into that past so that he can truly heal.

Thoughts on the hockey portion of the book? Did you know this book was originally only supposed to be about hockey?

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten #OhCanada 5d

Ruthiella I have to say, as beautiful as the writing was, it lost me with hockey ! 😂 I‘m not a sports person at all. 5d

Jess861 I enjoyed the hockey portion of the book as I find Wagamese can write about anything and it's still magical. I think a bit less hockey would have been ok with me though.

The fact that Saul finds an escape through hockey and then manages to bottle away his abuses for years is quite something. Sad that he didn't realize he was using hockey for something else as he did seem to love the sport. 5d

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Jess861 @Ruthiella I agree, a bit less hockey would have been ok with me! 5d

Tamra I was surprised at the hockey middle section. I‘d didn‘t mind too much because it was well written and personable. Had it not moved on to post hockey life, I would have been disappointed. 5d

Jess861 @Tamra I agree, the book wouldn't have been as complete if it had ended with hockey. I really felt like we went on the journey of Saul's life in this book. 5d

CarolynM I loved the hockey part of the book, but I wondered how much it would alienate people who weren‘t familiar with the sport. I can imagine some readers outside Canada just switching off from it, which would be a shame as I think the way it makes Saul feel, in both positive and negative ways, is really important to his journey. It‘s a reminder that, although similar in some ways, our countries each have cultures of their own. 5d

Kitta I am not a sports person except for gymnastics and I actually loved the hockey part of this, I am Canadian though and familiar with the rules and gameplay which must have helped. I think the intricate detail spent on discussing the hockey was a way for Saul‘s mind to switch off from the abuse and purposely forget about it or ignore it as much as possible. He had to dive into a passion to distract himself. 5d

lauraisntwilder I loved the hockey parts. My son played hockey for years. We're originally from TN and follow the Nashville Predators. This book made me think about former-Pred Jordin Tootoo, the first Inuk player in the NHL, and how he also played for the Blackhawks. (Imagine wearing that jersey.) I also remember watching a game on TV where Boston fans were yelling the n-word at PK Subban. There are still people who think of it as a white man's game. 5d

Jess861 @CarolynM Agree - I can see how the hockey portion could turn off a reader who isn't into hockey or sports because there are so many chapters that are just hockey. But it was critical to the book so hopefully most aren't turned off by it. 4d

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder I remember Jordin Tootoo as well and got to see him play a time or two in Canada. Even though he was a 'fighter' he was quite skilled at the game. 4d

lauraisntwilder @Jess861 In Nashville, fans loved Tootoo. They would bring train whistles to the games, a play on Tootoo rhyming with "choo choo" that I sincerely hope didn't bug him, and they'd blow them whenever he was on the ice. It was a special cheer, just for him. And they continued to do it after he was traded, but came back to play on opposing teams. 4d

DogMomIrene I‘m not a sports person, but I loved the hockey section because it was serving as his escape. I wondered if Fr. Hockey Coach had been abusing him, but thought “why would he let him go?” But when Saul refused to fight, then blew his chance at a pro-career, I knew. That was the most heart-breaking part for me. This beautiful skater who played the game with skill & grace who should have had every hockey success had that ripped from him bc of abuse. 4d

kwmg40 I loved the hockey part. I grew up in Montreal, and my father, a Chinese immigrant, completely embraced the hockey culture (as a spectator if not a player). I grew up watching Hockey Night in Canada every week. In Quebec, it was really a sport for everybody, rich or poor. 3d

11 likes14 comments

Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

This post contains spoilers

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A Residential School is a big part of this book. Saul is sent to one after losing both his siblings to them, his parents to grief and his grandmother to the cold. Due to his hard work and skills in hockey he manages to find a way out but not until he has suffered from many abuses. This will require him to take his own healing journey.

Thoughts on Residential Schools and/or that aspect of the book? Crazy that 1996 was when the last one was closed!

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten #OhCanada 5d

Ruthiella Crazy that they closed so late and yet, not. They still exist in the US though attendance is not compulsory as far as I know. 5d

Jess861 I can't even begin to imagine having my kids ripped away from me and never seeing them again. These were babies! I also feel that this portion of the book shows exactly what happens when the Church is put in charge of schools. Absolutely disgusting! 5d

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Jess861 @Ruthiella Really? I'm surprised they still exist at all. That is sad. 5d

Ruthiella @Jess861 I think it‘s now more a case that reservations don‘t have local schools so children go to boarding schools run by the BIA more than forced assimilation but I don‘t really know. 5d

Tamra Isn‘t Canada still struggling with how to deliver education to rural First Nations people? 5d

Jess861 @Tamra Yes, it is a huge struggle. While the Residential Schools are gone the government still lacks in understanding that the First Nations deserve a curriculum more in line with their culture and identity (just my opinion). In general, I also don't think kids education should just be about sitting at a desk all day and there should be more hands on learning. 5d

CarolynM It is horrifying to me that both Canada and Australia engaged in the shameful practice of taking indigenous children from their families until so very recently. In Australia we call them the “stolen generations” and some (inadequate) effort has been in the last decade or so to redress the harm done. The callousness of the system is heartbreaking and so well illustrated in this book. 5d

Kitta @Ruthiella wow they still exist in the US? I don‘t know what the answer is in terms of education for First Nations children, but the system we have currently isn‘t working. 5d

lauraisntwilder What I find especially sad is how few non-Indigenous people seem to know about residential schools. As a Caucasian of mostly European descent, living in the US, I only know about them because of specifically seeking out diverse books, movies, and TV shows. I was never formally educated that they exist -- and they did (and still do??) while I still in public school. 5d

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder I could be wrong but I think now most Canadians understand these existed. That is only because of a recent movement which brought the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. I was not taught anything about them in school but they do talk about it in schools now days. Our son is in grade 3 and has learned about the Residential Schools the last few years. Last year was the year he really understood. 5d

lauraisntwilder @Jess861 Yeah, definitely a different situation in Canada! I don't think the US has ever been good at owning up to its mistakes. 4d

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder I wouldn't say Canada has been good at owning up to their mistakes but it is progress. Many issues still exist today. But the fact that it is being taught in schools brings me hope that the younger generation will know and understand the history and hopefully learn from it. 4d

lauraisntwilder @Jess861 I hope that's the case, too! 4d

DogMomIrene The National Day for Truth & Reconciliation brought awareness to me as a PR. I looked up the Truth & Reconciliation Commission to see what data they had. There‘s several reports. I read the summaries and they‘re horrific. Not sure I could make it through the reports. Saul escaping the school through hockey is a great plot device, but I‘d guess most kids didn‘t have a way out until they aged out. 4d

DogMomIrene We moved from BC (progressive) to PEI (conservative) for slower pace, but sometimes I question our decision. There‘s a local councilor who posted a sign on his personal property “Truth: mass grave hoax”. He was suspended, fined, and told to apologize. He refused. He applied for judicial review (late). Case may go before the PEI Supreme Court as a freedom of expression case. https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7452388 Curious if judge will allow case to move 4d

Jess861 @DogMomIrene I agree, the government only recognized this day because there was enough pressure. However, even though I don't believe the government necessarily had true intentions with this day - I believe it has brought more awareness about Residential Schools. When our son came home from grade 2 last year he truly understood what a Residential School was. He does not necessarily know about the full abuse but understands kids died because ofthem 3d

kwmg40 @Jess861 @DogMomIrene I too had wondered about the effectiveness of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission and National Day for Truth & Reconciliation. However, I'd recently finished a memoir by Marie Wilson, one of the commissioners and feel more optimistic about these efforts.

North of Nowhere: Song of a Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner

Jess861 @kwmg40 Thank you so much for the recommendation - I'll have to pick that book up! 3d

kwmg40 You're welcome. I hope you will find it interesting. 3d

DogMomIrene @Jess861 I love that your son is learning a more complete history. That‘s tricky to navigate too. When I taught the Holocaust in the States, we had to adjust curriculum to student age. And the awareness is a good first step. As a PR, I see much more education aimed at adults, like books and documentaries, than I think I would see in 🇺🇸 3d

DogMomIrene @kwmg40 That one‘s on my list with Murray Sinclair‘s book. 3d

Jess861 @DogMomIrene So tricky, I was kind of surprised that at the age of 7 he understood that the kids were taken from their families and that some died. I would have waited until he was a little older but he handled it well and asked smart questions about it. I'm not sure every 7 yo would be ready to learn about this topic and I'm not sure that every kid in his class understood in the same way he did. Still, I was impressed that school taught it though 3d

DogMomIrene @Jess861 Smart boy! Whenever students ask those really good clarifying questions, it gets even trickier. I‘m not going to lie to a student, but there were times when I would say that those details would be covered in HS curriculum, and encourage the student to ask parents if they wanted more info earlier. Found I had to be more careful closer to my last years of teaching than earlier years in conservative Arizona. 3d

kwmg40 @DogMomIrene Thanks for bringing to my notice Murray Sinclair's book. Adding that to my TBR list! 2d

10 likes25 comments

Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

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Constantly moving to try and keep your kids from being kidnapped - all while trying to preserve your culture, faith and beliefs. Multiple generations damaged by stealing and abusing kids, trying to destroy an entire peoples and pushing them to live on a Reserve. Many battling addictions due to their suffering.

These are all topics throughout the book - general thoughts on the book?

Ruthiella Books like this are important because they show that genocide is not only extermination camps but also an accretion of unfair policies and actions taken by those in power. 5d

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten #OhCanada 5d

Jess861 This books is such an important book for Canadian history. What happened and in my opinion continues to happen is absolutely disgusting. I can't even begin to imagine as to what it feels like to have entire generations destroyed by such horrendous actions. Every country seems to have a story like this - just enacted in different ways. May we learn to be better people from this book! 5d

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Jess861 @Ruthiella - That is such a great way to put it. This comment is so accurate. Canada has a dark history that is hidden behind policies and red tape. Sadly, it still goes on today and I can only see it getting worse with the current political climate. 5d

Jess861 Pictured is an Ojibwe Spirit Horse - they are endangered and Canada's only Indigenous horse breed. 5d

CarolynM @Ruthiella Hear, Hear! 5d

Kitta @Ruthiella absolutely!!! @Jess861 Agreed this type of novel should be required reading in school (books selected age appropriate of course) in my opinion 5d

lauraisntwilder @Ruthiella That is it exactly. 5d

Jess861 @Kitta When reading books in English in middle school and high school - I wish it was more about reading books that teach us histories or lessons and less about what does the colour yellow symbolize in a particular book. Not every book because I feel it's important to read a variety of texts but there wasn't enough of it. That was my experience in English class anyways. It may have changed though, that was a long time ago! 5d

DogMomIrene @Ruthiella 100% And as a former MS English teacher who taught in 🇺🇸, I remember dozens of HF books about the Holocaust. I‘m sure that took years to get to that point. Authors see schools building curriculum. Museums are curated. Guest speakers sharing their stories. I hope more people start listening to more voices to recognize that suppression & extermination happen under unfair policies. Build a new momentum that‘s more inclusive. 4d

kwmg40 I found it impressive that Wagamese could cover all the themes that you'd listed and interweave them into a really compelling story in such a short novel. He really was a very gifted writer. 3d

Kitta @Jess861 agreed! And school was a long time ago for me too - maybe things are changing? I was at school in Canada and I felt we didn‘t learn about this at all. We did symbolism to death for 1984 when I was in school and it almost ruined it for me. 3d

11 likes12 comments

Jess861

Corsair | Tim Severin

Continuing this read while the car is in for an oil change. Nice little morning break from work! I'm enjoying it so far but I'm not that far in yet. Won't get it finished today for #bookedintime but I'm glad I was led to this book by the prompt!

@Cuilin

Cuilin How amazing, I read The Brendan Voyage by Severin years ago. This also seems a good choice for September‘s prompt

Odinn's Child

LeeRHarry @Cuilin I read this this month, definitely enjoyed it and will be continuing the series. 6d

Jess861 @Cuilin Thank you for the suggestion - I just might have to pick that book up for September! 6d

Jess861 @LeeRHarry Good to know - I'm about 100 pages in and I like it so far. 6d

37 likes4 comments

Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

pick

This book is just as good as a reread. Wagamese is masterful when it comes to writing - you are truly transported into the time and place of the book. He even makes hockey sound magical. I could have done with a little bit less hockey - but that's not a big deal. Truly terrible that any of this was allowed to happen but I'm so glad he wrote about it as it is important to remember and know this part of history.

#DoubleBookSpin @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 1w

46 likes1 comment

Jess861

Afternoon on the Amazon Graphic Novel | Mary Pope Osborne

For our 'special reading time' our 8 yo and Fire Raptor went with a Magic Tree House comic. It's too bad only 7 of the Magic Tree House books have been made into comics. He is capable of reading chapter books but his confidence isn't quite there yet so he much prefers to read comics. It's safe to say he'd enjoy many of these books because of the nonfiction blend. Hoping he gets into the chapter books eventually for this reason.

#RaisingReaders

Texreader Awwww! He‘ll get there! 1w

DogMomIrene Oh he will with help from Fire Raptor! Please tell me you have other elemental raptors… 1w

Jess861 @DogMomIrene @Texreader - Thanks! We know he will - just wish they had a few more comics out right now for him! 1w

Jess861 @DogMomIrene I believe he has an Ice Indominous Rex as well, lol. 1w

DogMomIrene @Jess861 Going to need visual confirmation of that species of reading buddy😂 1w

52 likes5 comments

Jess861

The Blue Fox: A Novel | Sj�n

so-so

I debated between giving this book a pick or a so-so. It is an extremely quick read and I did enjoy the end and how it brought everything together. I also enjoyed the setting of a wintry, 19th century Iceland. I was a bit confused by all the characters but the end wrapped it up nicely and the pieces all fall into place. I'm glad I read this book but just feel a little underwhelmed by it. Probably won't stick with me, but it was worth the read.

42 likes

Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

Just over a week left and I'm excited to discuss with those who are interested. I'll post a few discussion points in the afternoon of Saturday, March 1st. I'm thinking I'll post one overall discussion about the book and then a couple more specific questions about topics in the book or the book itself. If there is anything specific you are interested in discussing please feel free to comment here. #OhCanada

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten @JuniperWilde 2w

Ruthiella I just want to thank you for the introduction to Wagamese! This is why I wanted to take part. There‘s so much out there that I don‘t know about. 2w

Jess861 @Ruthiella Oh, you are too kind. I'm so glad you enjoyed Wagamese! He is such an amazing author! I'm not sure other books will quite live up to his writing but so glad we got to kick off with one of his books! 2w

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CarolynM Echoing @Ruthiella I just finished the book last night - so good. I‘ll post a review later. Looking forward to the discussion. 2w

JenlovesJT47 I am behind on everything this month but will try to start this tomorrow! 2w

DogMomIrene I‘ve been on and off Litsy randomly for a couple weeks now, so if I‘m not on here March 1, I‘ll definitely read the conversation and see if I have anything of quality to add… because this book was so good. 2w

Jess861 @JenlovesJT47 I hear you, such a busy month! 1w

Jess861 @DogMomIrene Of course - the only reason I'm posting Saturday afternoon is because I figure it is the only time that I can get a bit of time away from the kiddos 😆. 1w

45 likes8 comments

Jess861

All of Us in Our Own Lives | Manjushree Thapa

so-so

This book was ok bordering a thumbs down for me. While there are many important issues touched on, none are fleshed out. International aid, gender inequality, human trafficking, and classes are just a few that come up - but only on the surface. The story could have focused on fewer issues and gone deeper into those. Too many characters and the stories feel disjointed - although they did tie together in the last few chapters.

Jess861 #FoodAndLit #Nepal @Texreader @Catsandbooks 3w

Catsandbooks 🇳🇵❤️ 3w

55 likes2 comments

Jess861

All of Us in Our Own Lives | Manjushree Thapa

It is slow goings to get through this book. I don't hate it and still glad I picked it up but I'm finding too many characters with stories that only kind of intertwine. Alot of acronyms for aid in Nepal being thrown around and I'm struggling to see where this story is going. It's a short book and just over 100 pages to go. We'll see how the rest is.

41 likes

Jess861

The Girls | Lori Lansens

Excited to announce that our second pick for the Oh Canada Book Club will be The Girls by Lori Lansens - a fictional book about conjoined twins. I flipped a coin because the vote was tied. This book club will run every two months, so this will be the March/April book. Excited to continue the Canadian book journey!

All are welcome to join! Let me know if you want to be added to the tag list!

#OhCanada #BuddyRead #BookClub #Canada @LitsyEvents

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten @JuniperWilde (edited) 1mo

kwmg40 Looking forward to this one! 1mo

Ruthiella Awesome. Another totally new author for me! Exciting! 4w

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cjk One of my favorite books. 😍 4w

CarolynM New author to me too. I‘m enjoying Indian Horse so far 🙂 4w

DogMomIrene 👏🏼 New author to me too! 4w

Jess861 @kwmg40 @Ruthiella @CarolynM @DogMomIrene - I'm so happy that new Canadian authors are being discovered! I am truly surprised that Lori Lansens isn't more well known. I can't wait to see what everyone thinks of The Girls!! 4w

Jess861 @cjk Right?! Such a good book! 4w

JuniperWilde Pls add me. Thanks 🇨🇦 2w

Jess861 @JuniperWilde Added and welcome 😊 2w

41 likes10 comments

Jess861

All of Us in Our Own Lives | Manjushree Thapa

Reading the tagged book for #FoodAndLit #Nepal. I've realized I'm awful at taking food pictures so I will probably just grab pictures of the recipes I try off the internet 😆. Nepal Cucumber Salad (Kakra ko Achar) is what I am eating tonight while I continue this book. I left the cucumber skin on because I like it - and it was good. I also didn't put much Chilli on as I'm not big into spicy food.

@Texreader @Catsandbooks

Texreader I had to look it up because yum! I don‘t do spicy so I‘ll leave off the chilli peppers 1mo

Jess861 @Texreader And by 'big into spicy food' I meant 'not big into spicy food' lol....it was still good with a lot less spice (chilli)! (edited) 1mo

Catsandbooks That's great! 👍🏼🇳🇵 1mo

50 likes3 comments

Jess861

Mistborn: The Final Empire | Brandon Sanderson

pick

I read this book 4 years ago and just read it for a second time for the #CosmereBuddyRead. If anyone knows me, you know that I don't remember anything about it if it was longer than a few months ago, 😆! I loved it just as much as the first. The descriptive world, using metals as powers and even though it's fantasy, it feels like this world could exist. It is easy to follow for those of us that aren't as much into fantasy as others.

Elizabeth2 My memory is the same. 😂 This is one of my bonus daughter‘s favorites - fav author and fav series. She loaned me her copy and it was so well-worn. It‘s her comfort re-read. ❤️ 1mo

DogMomIrene Feeling like this world could really exist - so true! I kept wondering if they were on Earth, but then I was nah, it‘s a planet similar to ours, but not actually Earth…unless I‘m wrong. Sanderson actually has an FAQ about the Earth question on his website. I guess that‘s a downside of writing a world that feels so real! 1mo

Jess861 @Elizabeth2 Hopefully it sticks with her as a comfort read into adulthood! I still have the books I enjoyed when I was younger that I comfort read. 1mo

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Jess861 @DogMomIrene - Not yet, definitely could be a world full of ash and mist down the line though - we just won't have any powers to survive it 😆! 1mo

DogMomIrene @Jess861 True! 4w

CozyBookworm I‘m not (typically) into fantasy, but one of my students talked me into reading this and I‘m hooked! 3w

62 likes6 comments

Jess861

West with Giraffes | Lynda Rutledge

I'm trying hard to read multiple books a month this year and hopefully I'll be able to follow through so I can complete a book bracket. It will be a small amount of books to pick from a month but still fun none the less. West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge was my favourite read in January. I will never forget the characters from this book.

Note: Not my template - off pintrest.

#ReadingBracket #ReadingBracket2025 #BookBracket2025 #BookBracket

55 likes

Jess861

What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds | Jennifer Ackerman

Here are my February #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin picks. It's been a while since I read a non-fiction book so I'm going with What An Owl Knows for brown on the cover. Definitely had to look through some book covers to find one with brown on it - funny enough both from last month had brown. I am reading Indian Horse for OhCanada anyways and it has green on the cover.

@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Enjoy!! 1mo

BookNAround Indian Horse is so good! 1mo

44 likes2 comments

Jess861

Colors | George Siede

I'm going to have the same bookspin each month as I'm doing it by colours on the cover this year. I really enjoyed this in January and it will be neat to see how many of the colours I actually end up doing by end of year!

#bookspin #February #2025

@TheAromaofBooks

willaful Cool! 1mo

TheAromaofBooks Love it!!! 1mo

34 likes2 comments

Jess861

All of Us in Our Own Lives | Manjushree Thapa

My first interlibrary loan came in. I had no idea that it includes books from across the province and not just the nearest city. Why they get them from libraries nowhere near here instead of a library close by when they have them in stock seems odd. Only allowed to request two at a time so I went with a Nepal read for #FoodAndLit and a short book set in Iceland.

#LibraryBooks #Nepal #Iceland

TheKidUpstairs I know at our library, it's all about which library agrees to send it first. We don't really get a say in which library we request a book from, it just goes out as a general request in VDX. I always like seeing the different places books travel to us from, and looking up libraries and towns I've never heard of. 1mo

Jess861 @TheKidUpstairs It's neat to see how it works - doesn't bug me just thought it was odd when the city we live closes to has 7 copies on the shelves, lol. Opens up more options with all the libraries though 😊 - can't believe I've never used this service before! 1mo

KathyWheeler Libraries also have agreements with other libraries about fees and such. My university prioritized requests by those agreements and whether or not we could get a book without having to pay fees. Our interlibrary loan person also had a good feel for which libraries were faster, and we also prioritized asking for books from libraries that were within our consortium. Sometimes the closest libraries don‘t meet the criteria for making the request. 1mo

Jess861 @KathyWheeler @TheKidUpstairs - So interesting to learn about the process! Thank you so much for all the insight!! 1mo

58 likes4 comments

Jess861

Mars | Michelle Lomberg

Tonight we spent our reading time learning about Mars. Simple kids book that had some neat facts. It was easy for an 8 year old to follow along. The fact he enjoyed learning the most was that the North and South Poles have dry ice.

#Mars #RaisingReaders #Space #KidsNonFiction #LibraryBook

BiblioLitten Awesome! Do you have any more recommendations for non-fiction reads? My son is 7, and they are discussing non-fiction books in school. Or any books that your child really enjoyed in the past year. 😊 1mo

dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 1mo

Jess861 @BiblioLitten we have so many...let me go through the bookshelves and I'll post some that he's loved the most. Lately he has been enjoying National Geographic Weird but True (more facts then a book) and who would win (animals) books. What is your guy into? 1mo

See All 12 Comments

Jess861 @BiblioLitten for fiction he isn't the strongest reader so he has been more into comics (dog man, investigators and bad guys). He has also recently gotten into Diary of a Wimpy Kid. He loved me reading him Dragon Masters and I think he's a strong enough reader to start reading those on his own now. (edited) 1mo

BiblioLitten Thank you! I‘ll look into Investigators and Dragon Masters (he also likes Dragon Hunters). 🐉 1mo

Jess861 @BiblioLitten There are a ton of Dragon Masters books in the series and they are fairly cheap to buy off of scholastic or we've always been able to find them at libraries 🙂 1mo

Jess861 @BiblioLitten - Finally had some time to go through the bookshelves. Some of these he needs some help reading but these are some he enjoys most. This year he has become alot more independent reading them although still needs some help.

Eyewitness Books - some can have some pictures that some kids might not like (snakes eating mice) but in general they don't.

Smithsonian books - The Animal Book: Our World in Pictures is one of his favourites..... 1mo

Jess861 @BiblioLitten

Planet Earth for Curious Kids - another book he loves - needs a bit more help reading this one.

Animals Lost & Found - Stories of extinction, conservation and survival
National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs (probably outgrowing soon)
Dinosaurs: 500 Questions and Answers
Discovering Sharks

As you can see our boy really loves Animals....these are some of his favourites for what he is interested in! (edited) 1mo

Jess861 @BiblioLitten -

If your kiddo has any particular interests let me know as I'm sure we have some non-fiction in that subject matter that I can recommend. Our guy enjoys non-fiction more than fiction so we have a ton of books! It was actually quite fun going through the bookshelves and rediscovering some books he hasn't picked up in a while - he's now back into some of them...so thank you!! 1mo

BiblioLitten This is amazing and just made my day! I can completely understand the joy of going through bookshelves. I will check out the books and see if they are in the library. My son likes the Usbourne book for non-fiction. His current favourite is learning about our bodies and about planets. 1mo

BiblioLitten The suggestions are great! I showed him a few pictures of the ones you mentioned and he was interested in Planet Earth for Curious Kids. Thank you so much!! 💙 1mo

Jess861 @BiblioLitten Smithsonian has a Human Body Knowledge Encyclopedia book for kids that he might like. Also on a side note our guy got a science kit for his birthday - Ooze Labs: Visible Human Body with Squishable Organs by Thames & Kosmos.

It comes with a booklet on the body too - very neat if he is into the human body. 1mo

50 likes12 comments

Jess861

Oh, Canada! | Per-Henrik G�rth

I hope everyone who has had a chance to start is enjoying Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese! Just over a month to go and I will post a couple of discussion points on the book.

For our next read, I thought we could pick from two Lori Lansens books. I feel she is a less known Canadian author. These are two of my favourite books by her. Please feel free to look up each book and vote (if you want) on the one you'd like to read.

#OhCanada @LitsyEvents

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten

#Canada #Canadian #BuddyRead (edited) 1mo

kwmg40 I‘m enjoying my reread of Indian Horse and look forward to the discussion. I‘ll vote for

The Girls

1mo

Tamra I am going to sit the next round out only because I am committed to other reads. I‘ll watch for the upcoming selections. Too many books, too little time! 😆 1mo

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Jess861 @Tamra Of course - totally understand 😊...not a bad thing to have too many books to read!! 1mo

Jess861 @kwmg40 Thanks - noted your vote! I'm glad you are enjoying it so far! 1mo

Kitta I enjoyed Indian Horse! Voting for

Rush Home Road

1mo

Jess861 @Kitta Thanks for the vote - noted! 1mo

Ruthiella I‘m so glad for the introduction to Richard Wagamese and look forward to the discussion. Very excited to discover more CanLit! Either Lansens‘ title works for me. My library has both. 👍 1mo

lauraisntwilder Oh, wow, those sound so different! I guess I'll vote for The Girls, but either one would be fine with me. 1mo

LeahBergen The Girls is so good. 👍 1mo

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder That's one of the things I appreciate about her. All her books are so different but they're all just as good as the last one. 1mo

Jess861 @Ruthiella Sounds good!! 1mo

Jess861 @LeahBergen I know...such a neat concept for a book. 1mo

CarolynM My copy of Indian Horse only arrived last week. I‘ll get to it soon. I‘m happy with whatever you choose for the next read🙂 1mo

Jess861 @CarolynM Glad your copy came in! I'll be re reading in Febrary so right there with you 🙂 1mo

DogMomIrene Just got my copy of Indian Horse🙌🏼 I‘m voting for Rush Home Road, but I‘ll read either since they both sound compelling. 1mo

43 likes16 comments

Jess861

The Dutch Orphan | Ellen Keith

pick

The start of this book was slow and the writing wasn't capturing me. But once this book found it's footing, it was great. I could just hear the music at the house parties. I loved learning a bit about what the people of the Netherlands went through in WWII. The book shows both sides - Dutch resistance and the Dutch NSB. This book could have gone so many ways but I liked the ending, although I did find it a bit drawn out.

Jess861 #FoodAndLit #Netherlands #JumpStart2025 #BookSpin

@Texreader @Catsandbooks @Lizpixie @TheAromaofBooks
1mo

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1mo

Texreader 😁 1mo

Catsandbooks ❤️🇳🇱 1mo

58 likes4 comments

Jess861

The Dutch Orphan | Ellen Keith

Finally starting to feel a bit better...today is my first full day back working after spending the last few days mostly sleeping this bug away. Started reading a bit last night and I'm hoping to get a decent chunk into it tonight. I'm about 50 pages in and nothing has really happened yet, but it's still been an enjoyable read so far. A fellow litten had let me know it was a slow start so I was expecting it.

Texreader Glad you‘re starting to feel better. And stick with the book. It‘ll pick up. 1mo

Jess861 @Texreader It definitely did pick up like you said. I got about half way through last night and it started to feel like it was going somewhere. 1mo

Texreader @Jess861 I‘m glad it‘s picking up for you. It had some real surprises 1mo

Jess861 @Texreader I loved the pharmaceutical side of the book (even though it was small) - I wasn't expecting it. The author could have gone down quite a few different storylines with that if she had wanted. (edited) 1mo

Texreader @Jess861 I know! I agree. That is quite the untold story of the war. 1mo

49 likes5 comments

Jess861

Sickness | Katherine A Applegate

My goodness - I can't remember the last time I was this sick. It feels like a freight train ran me over and backed right back up over me. The worst part of being this sick is not being able to read because your head feels like it's swimming! Here's to hoping for healthier days ahead so I can get back to my books!

Librarybelle Hope you feel better soon! 1mo

Jess861 @Librarybelle Thanks! Don't think I can get any sicker at this point so it's only uphill from here...hopefully! Got to love those kindergarten germs 😆! 1mo

Tamra 😐 blech Always feel like a robbery of time! (edited) 1mo

See All 19 Comments

Jess861 @Tamra Right?! What a waste of a sick day at work if I can't read books😆! (edited) 1mo

Jas16 I hope you get well soon 💐 1mo

Jess861 @Jas16 Thank you! 1mo

Amiable Feel better! 1mo

Jess861 @Amiable Thank you! 1mo

BethM Sending healing thoughts! 1mo

Jess861 @BethM Thank you! 1mo

dabbe Can you watch a movie? Hope you feel better soon. 🩶🖤🩶 1mo

Jess861 @dabbe Thank you! I think I'm happy just scrolling with my phone screen brightness on low right now, lol. 1mo

willaful So sorry. 1mo

DaveGreen7777 Hope you feel much better soon! 1mo

Read-n-Bloom Hope you feel better soon! 1mo

LeahBergen Oh no! 😟 1mo

Jess861 @willaful @DaveGreen7777 @Read-n-Bloom @LeahBergen - Thank you! Feeling a bit better today but still not great. Not sure what the universe has going for me right now as I just missed 2 stairs while walking downstairs and completely smashed up my knee 😂!! 1mo

Read-n-Bloom Omgoodness! Are you okay? 1mo

Jess861 @Read-n-Bloom Oh yes, thanks for asking...just a bruised, sore knee and glad no one actually witnessed it, hahaha. 1mo

47 likes19 comments

Jess861

The Dutch Orphan | Ellen Keith

I am hoping to start reading The Dutch Orphan this weekend while I eat my first Broodje Rookworst. I need to go into the city to buy the rookworst, so I'm not sure if I'll pick up ingredients this weekend or the next but I'm so excited to try this sandwich. I love sauerkraut and to mix it with a sausage on a sandwich - yummm!

#FoodAndLit #Netherlands

@Texreader @Catsandbooks

Aims42 That sandwich picture looks delicious!! Yum!!! Good luck with your ingredient quest! 🤞 2mo

Jess861 @Aims42 Thanks! There is a Dutch grocery store in the city - it's just finding the time to go there 😊. 2mo

Aims42 @Jess861 👍👍👍 2mo

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Texreader Oooh I‘m having a sausage sandwich tonight. I could add some sauerkraut (which I keep on hand because yum) and I‘m in business! I think that‘s what I‘ll do! Oh and I‘m almost finished with the book. It starts kind of slow but is really good. 2mo

Jess861 @Texreader Good to know it's a good read with it starting slow. You'll have to let me know how the sauerkraut on the sandwich is if you try it!! 2mo

Catsandbooks Great! 🇳🇱❤️ 2mo

46 likes6 comments

Jess861

West with Giraffes | Lynda Rutledge

pick

This was a nice coming of age story about a boy who has no one and nowhere to go. It was a lighter, quick read and I felt connected to the characters. Mostly fiction, as the only real historical fiction is the giraffes being driven across the country. But it was nice to see that story become a story. Giraffes humming is probably my favourite fact I learned.

#JumpStart2025 #DoubleSpin @Lizpixie @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo

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Jess861

Dog Man: Mothering Heights: From the Creator of Captain Underpants (Dog Man #10) | Dav Pilkey

One of my favourite things to do each evening - as our son calls it - "Our special reading time". We each read our books together for 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime. It's become part of our bedtime routine and it really is special. Tonight he is reading Dog Man while I continue West with Giraffes.

#RaisingReaders

TEArificbooks I love that time too. We call a reading party 2mo

Jess861 @TEArificbooks I love that! Maybe we will change it to reading party when our daughter is old enough to read with us! 2mo

Leftcoastzen Lovely! 2mo

53 likes3 comments

Jess861

West with Giraffes | Lynda Rutledge

I plan to spend a cozy evening for #hyggehourreadathon by starting West With Giraffes with a hot tea while the cold stays outside. Starting my #DoubleSpin before my BookSpin since it's a library book and I'll have to return it in a couple of weeks. This is a perfect way to end the weekend and reset for the week after the kids are in bed!

@TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit @AllDebooks

Kimzey My Mom‘s been after me to read this! Stacked! 🦒 📚 2mo

Charityann That‘s a fun title! Will have to check this one out.😄 2mo

Jess861 @Kimzey I'm about half way through now and it's been a nice quick, light read so far. I'd recommend it with what I've read so far. 2mo

See All 7 Comments

Jess861 @Charityann I love the title and the cover. 2mo

Prairiegirl_reading Google the vehicle! It‘s pretty interesting to actually see it. 2mo

Chrissyreadit 💙💙💙💙 2mo

Jess861 @Prairiegirl_reading OH wow, so neat to see it in real life. For some reason I was picturing a longer truck bed. I always love researching the topic after reading a book....you learn so many neat things! 2mo

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Jess861

The Wise Woman: A Novel | Philippa Gregory

so-so

I didn't love this book but I didn't hate it either - it was a little long but I'll never forget it. The book seems to be true to it's time. I wish the witchcraft had been dialed down a bit. It seemed overdone at times, making the book less historical fiction. The characters are all awful people and the relationships absolutely toxic - but I feel this works for the time period. This is a dark read.

Note: Many trigger warnings in this book.

Jess861 #BookedInTime #BookedInTimeJanuary25 #BookedInTimeTudors #TheTudors #JumpStart2025

@Cuilin @Lizpixie 2mo

Cuilin I understand, magical realism can ruin a book for me. I don‘t mind a sprinkling but too much takes me out of the time period and becomes more of the fantasy genre. 2mo

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Jess861

The Wise Woman: A Novel | Philippa Gregory

I'm going to join in on the #HyggeHourReadathon tonight. I spent the majority of the afternoon getting everything for the family ready for the week. This included making a cream cheese spread for cucumber sandwiches (ingredients listed) I plan to eat at work this week. I am pairing them with some blueberries, oranges and yogurt.

Now I'm going to spend the next hour relaxing with my book!

#HyggeHour @TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit @AllDebooks

AllDebooks ❄️💙❄️ 2mo

51 likes1 comment

Jess861

Dog Man 4: Dog Man and Cat Kid | Dav Pilkey

The kids and I went to the library this morning and got a pretty good haul. Even though our boy struggled and disliked reading for the longest time he is now quite the reader! Once reading started clicking for him he started really enjoying books! He now reads every night for at least an hour.

#LibraryHaul #Library #RaisingReaders #EarlyReaders #KidsComicBooks

bthegood Glad it clicked for him 🙂 2mo

BiblioLitten My son used to love Maisy too! 1mo

54 likes2 comments

Jess861

The Wise Woman: A Novel | Philippa Gregory

Starting this book tonight for #BookedInTime . My goal is to get at least half way through by the end of the weekend. Have a couple of appointments for the kids tomorrow and they have swim class Saturday - but other than that it will be a relaxing weekend before the chaos of real life starts again on Monday!

#BookedInTimeJanuary25 #BookedInTimeTudors #JumpStart2025

@Cuilin @Lizpixie

Cuilin Wonderful, have a lovely weekend and enjoy your reading. 2mo

Lizpixie Hope it‘s a good read👍 2mo

56 likes2 comments

Jess861

The Dutch Orphan | Ellen Keith

#BookSpin and #DoubleSpin picks for the month of January. Not sure I'll get to the DoubleSpin this month as I have probably bit off more than I can chew in the number of books I'm trying to read - but you never know! My BookSpin is also the book I'm reading for #FoodAndLit

@TheAromaofBooks @Catsandbooks @Texreader

TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! Enjoy!! And your spins “count“ if you read them any time this year, so you can keep it on reserve for future months 😁 2mo

Catsandbooks 👏🏼🇳🇱 2mo

43 likes2 comments

Jess861

Mistborn: The Final Empire | Brandon Sanderson

Spent the morning reading and finished part one of Mistborn. It's been four years since I read this book which means I pretty much remember nothing but I thoroughly enjoyed reading part one. Can't wait to discuss and start part two next week!

#CosmereBuddyRead #Jumpstart2025 @Lizpixie

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Jess861

Oh, Canada! | Per-Henrik G�rth

The Oh Canada book club officially kicks off tomorrow with Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese. We will select a book to read every two months and I will post a small discussion at the end of each book for those who wish to participate. I'll probably post a vote for the next book near the end of January. This is about as low key as it gets and everyone is welcome!

I look forward to discovering and exploring Canadian authors and books with you all!

Jess861 @OhCanada #BuddyRead #Canada #Canadian @LitsyEvents

@lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry (edited) 2mo

Tamra 👏🏾👏🏾 Looking forward to it. 2mo

Kitta Just got it from the library! 2mo

See All 8 Comments

Ruthiella Awesome! Looking forward to this exploration of CanLit. 2mo

Readergrrl Fantastic!!! 2mo

CarolynM Hoping to get started soon🙂 2mo

DogMomIrene This book sounds really important. Will you add me to the tag list please? I like your 2 month schedule. 2mo

Jess861 @DogMomIrene - I've added you to the tag list 😊- glad to have you join! 2mo

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Jess861

This Bright Dust | Nina Berkhout

The kids were excited for a sleepover at Ama and Papa's house..and I was excited to go and slowly browse the book store for some more books. Picked up these four books to add to my TBR. Now to spend the rest of my quiet evening reading in bed without kids hanging off of me!

#MomTime #AloneTime #BookStore #TBR

Ruthiella Enjoy! 😊 2mo

56 likes1 comment

Jess861

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries: A Novel | Heather Fawcett

pick

This book was a perfect cozy read on a winter night - although there is a decent amount of darkness in this book when it comes to the faeries. I enjoyed the darker side of certain faeries and was glad it wasn't all rainbows and roses. The book didn't drag on and the epistolary style worked well for this book. The Arctic setting of a remote village in a Scandinavian country was a perfect fit and the banter between the characters was enjoyable.

55 likes

Jess861

Colors | Marcus Pfister

I thought it would be fun to change up how I do bookspin - since I think I'll do better with more flexibility in what I read. I'm going to use this list of reading a book that has a certain colour or colours on the cover. Here is my bookspin list for January.

#bookspin #January #2025

@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Ooooo I love it!!! 2mo

38 likes1 comment

Jess861

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries: A Novel | Heather Fawcett

I'm simply lost in this book and cannot put it down. I'm so glad I chose this book to read next and kick me out of my reading slump. The plan is to finish the book tonight while I munch on some baguette, aged cheddar cheese and green olives. I cannot think of a better way to spend the evening!

Tamra My kinda snack! 2mo

LeafingThroughLife Sounds delightful on all counts! 😋 2mo

Jess861 @LeafingThroughLife @Tamra - it was so delicious!! Maybe too many olives though, hah. 2mo

Tamra @Jess861 never too many olives! 😆 2mo

51 likes4 comments

Jess861

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries: A Novel | Heather Fawcett

Started this book yesterday and I'm hoping it's a nice, cozy winter read. It does seem like it could be the perfect book for a winter read. I'm also absolutely obsessed with this beautiful bookmark I got for Christmas 😍.

#Faeries #Arctic #Norway #Folk #WoodenBookmark #SugarRush #Readathon
@Bookwormjillk

Bookwormjillk 🧚‍♀️🧚🧚‍♂️ 2mo

LeahBergen What a lovely bookmark! 2mo

Jess861 @LeahBergen I'm in love. You can look up Mackenzie Myrick (I only know this because it's on the back of the bookmark) if you're interested - she has some beautiful items. 2mo

41 likes3 comments

Jess861

The Instrumentalist | Harriet Constable

My Christmas book haul for 2024. It was another year of getting very little reading done because it was just so busy. Kind of crazy how a new job combined with kids growing up and joining more activities can take over your life. Now that things have settled a bit, I'm hopeful that I will have more time to read in 2025! I've joined way too many challenges to try and push myself to read more 😆.

#ChristmasBookHaul #BookHaul #Gifts #2024

TheBookHippie 🤞🏻 2mo

50 likes1 comment

Jess861

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries: A Novel | Heather Fawcett

Wow, thank you so much for the amazing gifts in the stocking package - I absolutely love everything about it!! Those pretzels will be gone by end of day and I will probably have them with the black tea! Both books are perfect picks for me!! Thank you soooo much for such an amazing package!!

And thank you again @Avanders for hosting and organizing such a fun swap!

#StuffedStockingSwap #SSS

@LeahBergen

Avanders What a pretty stocking!! 🎄♥️😍 3mo

LeahBergen You‘re so welcome! 😘😘 3mo

45 likes2 comments

Jess861

Untitled | Unknown

My package had to be shipped FedEx due to the postal strike in Canada. It was quite the adventure getting it shipped so I have no photos, and I wasn't able to write anything on the outside of the box - but I do have tracking! It should be arriving December 12th!

#StuffedStockingSwap #SSS @Avanders

Avanders 👏🏼👏🏼🎄☃️❤️ ugh, the postal strike sounds like a lot to handle during the holidays! Glad you were able to get it sorted ☺️ 3mo

Jess861 @Avanders The chaos is more due to my work hours and living in a smaller town....and just a bit more pricier to be shipping without Canada Post. But really, hasn't been too much of an impact. Buying a ton more in store this year instead of online though! 3mo

Avanders I‘ve been there! In fact… I‘m kinda there this year though I hadn‘t specifically thought about it until now. 😯 Hope you find some peace this season! ❄️🩵 3mo

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LeahBergen Hello! Your #StuffedStockingSwap is out for delivery with UPS and will arrive this afternoon some time. I‘m not sure how much of my writing they covered with their labels so I just wanted you to know what it is and who it is from. 😆😆 3mo

Jess861 @LeahBergen So exciting!! I thought maybe the ups email I got yesterday was for this as I hadn't ordered anything coming via UPS, lol! But now you've confirmed it 😊!

Funny - I had no idea you were my match when I commented on your post - I was just looking for fellow Canadians to try and figure out best options for the strike, lol. 3mo

LeahBergen Haha! I was trying to drag the “mystery” out a little longer. 😆 3mo

Jess861 @LeahBergen Just got delivered 🙂🙂 3mo

LeahBergen Oh, good!! 👏👏 3mo

37 likes8 comments

Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

Thank you to all for your thoughts on the first book. Excited to announce that our first read for the Oh Canada Book Club will be Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese. This book club will run every two months, so this will be the January/February book. Cannot wait to start diving into some Canadian books!

Very low key, all are welcome to join! Let me know if you want to be added to the tag list!

#OhCanada #BuddyRead #BookClub #2025 @LitsyEvents

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Blueberry (edited) 3mo

Ruthiella Fantastic! Looking forward to reading this new-to-me author next year. 3mo

Tamra This is on my TBR! I‘ll join. 😄 Wagamese is terrific. (edited) 3mo

See All 14 Comments

CarolynM Looking forward to it 3mo

PurpleyPumpkin I‘d love to incorporate more Canadian authors into my tbr. And a two-month schedule is ideal! If you could add me to your list, I‘d appreciate it!😊 3mo

Jess861 @Tamra - Awesome, great to have you join :) 3mo

Jess861 @PurpleyPumpkin Great! I'll add you to the tag list :)! 3mo

Tamra @Jess861 I‘ve ordered a copy. 👍🏾 3mo

Kitta Can I be added to the list? 3mo

Jess861 @Kitta Of course 🙂! Welcome!! 3mo

Blueberry Please add me to your #OhCanada book club tag list. 2mo

Jess861 @Blueberry Added 😊 2mo

BiblioLitten Please add me to the list too. I have almost finished the book. 😊 Thank you! 1mo

Jess861 @BiblioLitten I'll add you to the tag list 🙂. Glad to have you join. 1mo

36 likes14 comments

Jess861

Untitled | Unknown

Just trying to get a sense of what people are thinking or any shipping ideas in Canada for #StuffedStockingSwap? Doesn't sound like the Canada Post strike will be over anytime soon.

@Avanders

Captivatedbybooks Oh no! How awful 3mo

TEArificbooks Email gift cards maybe. 3mo

AmyG I‘m sorry. What an awful time for this to happen. Hoping they come to an agreement soon. 3mo

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Jess861 @AmyG Oh I know! But I don't think they will be coming to an agreement anytime soon. The federally appointed mediator to try and assist them with the talks just stated they will no longer even be meeting because the two sides are so far apart. 3mo

Jess861 @TEArificbooks Great idea...I've already bought the gifts though, lol. 3mo

Jess861 @Captivatedbybooks Definitely at this time of year - which I'm sure is why they picked this time of year, lol! To be fair, the negotiations have been going on over a year now - so I do get it....just a bad time of year for us average folks, lol. 3mo

Captivatedbybooks @Jess861 wow over a year!!!! 3mo

34 likes7 comments

Jess861

Oh, Canada! | Per-Henrik G�rth

Three books that are written by Indigenous authors. Comment on what book you'd like to read if you want.

I feel all three of these books (even though they are fiction), will give some insight into the lives and culture of the Indigenous peoples in Canada as well as how they have been treated. Indian Horse came out a while back so I'm not sure how easy it will be to find outside of Canada.

All our welcome to join - let me know if you want to.

Jess861 #OhCanada #BuddyRead #BookClub #2025 #Vote @LitsyEvents

@lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl 3mo

KathyWheeler I‘m fine with any of them. Just an FYI, my library, in Alabama, has Indian Horse as both a print book and an ebook (through Hoopla). 3mo

Readergrrl Since it‘s heading into the winter months, how about Moon on Crusted Snow? 3mo

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Jess861 @KathyWheeler Thanks, good to know! 3mo

Jess861 @Readergrrl Marked your vote down :). 3mo

lauraisntwilder They all look good! My vote goes to Indian Horse. 3mo

kwmg40 I‘ll vote for Indian Horse. 3mo

Ruthiella I‘m down for any of them. All are available through my library. 👍 3mo

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder and @kwmg40 - Noted down :)

@Ruthiella - sounds good! So happy to hear that they seem to be readily available when people are looking! 3mo

CarolynM I‘m happy to go with any of them. They all look interesting 🙂 3mo

JenlovesJT47 Can you add me to the list please? Thank you! 🤗 3mo

Jess861 @JenlovesJT47 absolutely 🙂 3mo

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Jess861

Joined June 2019