It‘s that time! So I‘m listening to the above to finish the trilogy and cross off #atleastfourdifferentPOV for #52in522024

More puppy spam because this is my life right now! (They are 4 weeks old and were complete surprises but I am currently mum to 3 boys and 7 dogs 😵‍💫) One thing about the little fur babies is that they give you a lot of audio book cleaning time. A LOT. I listened to this because I was intrigued and it made me very sad. It must feel very good to have her voice heard finally. It won‘t make it to my top 10 this year but it passed the time.

Just me and some sleepy pups in bed with Murdle. That‘s the way to start 2024! A belated Happy New Year! I hope every one of you reads wonderful books and laughs often this year ❤️

Does life get better than good coffee, a great Christmas book and puppy snuggles on a rainy morning? Probably not. #jollyhollyreaders #wintergames

My #jolabokaflod parcel is on its way! Hohoho! 📚 🎅🏻

Early morning bed Christmas film watching with 3 little boys, 1 dog and 6 pups. #wintergames @Laughterhp I‘ve somehow missed the post about the first weeks game and now would be the perfect time to do it! Can you tag me in the post about it please. I need to get those points for team #hollyjollyreaders

A Short and interesting look at Christmas traditions and where they started with a healthy dose of Brysons trademark humor. And a great one for #WGwordsearch #wintergames #jollyhollyreaders . It didn‘t talk about these guys and their origins though- spotted at Westfield‘s today.

Is it a Christmas film… my husband thinks so. #wintergames #jollyhollyreaders #christmasmovie

Today I took my kids to visit Father Christmas at Hever Castle (home of Anne Boleyn). Definitely one of my favorite traditions, but as my oldest is nearly 11 one that might be coming to an end! On the way there we started listening to the tagged book because my kids love facts. Until I realised to my horror Bill was about to start debunking Santa!! I made an excuse and put on the radio 😂 🎅🏻 #selfiescavangerhunt #wintergames #hollyjollyreaders

Ooh I loved this one! Set in a 1980s publishing house this was a comic horror that kept me smirking the whole way through. Witty and creepy with a Christmasy edge, What a combo! Not that many words for #wintergames #wgwordsearch but a lot of fun none the less! Currently free with audible plus.

Heads up #hollyjollyreaders if you are looking for the perfect #wintergames #wgwordsearch book this is it! A cosy mystery set at CHRISTMAS in a town called MISTLETOE about a girl who moves back home to her FAMILY and helps them put on their annual Christmas GAMES. Oh yes and there‘s a murder. I‘m hit or miss on cosies and I loved this one. Full of warmth, mystery, snow and a little romance.

It‘s here! My #jolabokaflodswap parcel has arrived! I‘m so excited!! It‘s gone straight under the tree 🎄

5 weeks ago we adopted a gorgeous doggy called pumpkin. She was very skinny. She started putting on weight- great! She got a bit nippley so I took her to the vets. He said- phantom pregnancy, will be over in a few weeks. Today Pumpkin had 6 puppies… 😑🤦🏻‍♀️🤪 🐶 So there goes my December.

I heard about this one on the Currently Reading podcast and I had my hold in at the library before they had finished talking about it! I love me some mixed media! I also love me some bubble bath!

1 snuggle up somewhere, preferably with a smaller human, dog or hot water bottle to keep me warm and read. Before we moved to the coast I would have said snowy walks but we don‘t get snow on the south coast and I really miss it.

2. Favorite bookish tradition- compiling my Bookclub‘s “best book of the year” list. Favorite non bookish tradition. Going to see HoHo (what we call Father Christmas) with my kids - the oldest is 10 so it precious!

My first festive book of the season… hopefully it‘s only up from here 😬 My main issues with this one we‘re the terrible, completely unrealistic dialogue, the very predictable conclusion, and also other predictable bits, and (one of my pet hates) the rushed ending. All round no from me! But I had some very enjoyable walks listening to it. Including seeing the most incredible halo moon last night.

Starting a little early with Christmas reads this year because I have so many I want to get too! Even though it means I will miss out on #wintergames points for them. I‘m covering a lot of genres this Christmas. Starting with horror!

I loved this book. And after 3 books St. James is now definitely one I will make an auto read. I would say this is the one that kept me most gripped so far but she is the master of creepy suspense and I‘m always drawn in to her books. Highly recommended if you like to be a little scared but not terrified.

I am so ready for the #wintergames ❄️ Here is my physical TBR but I also have a kindle and audio TBR. I also need to pick up The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey which is my December bookclub pick. Can‘t wait to start earning points for the #hollyjollyreaders 💚❤️💚

Tonight was Pumpkins first time at bookclub. Here she is with a couple of my bookclub pals looking very at home! She snored so loudly she actually disrupted the discussion (so rude!)t

I‘m REALLY enjoying this book so far, it‘s a mix of mystery and supernatural that‘s just right for my tastes. Enjoying this pumpkin snuggle too 🥰

This was a great book, I listened to it and it came with extra commentary which was nice. If you are interested in all the weird and wonderful stuff human beings have believed ( @Texreader the Bermuda Triangle gets a mention) then this book is for you. My only complaint we be if you already listed to the authors podcasts you have probably heard quite a lot of what‘s in the book. A great listen for walks with my fur buddy.

I‘ve decided that next year I am taking a break from reading challenges and only reading my shelves. However, my good intentions have backfired and I‘m buying more books than ever in preparation! Todays purchase- a book about more books… well that‘s not going to help is it! 🤦🏻‍♀️ 📚 (tagged book by same author as this one isn‘t in the Litsy catalogue)

This is a very well written homage to gothic horror. But it did feel formulaic at times. Also I don‘t do well with child harm in books. It created a great discussion at bookclub and on the whole we decided we preferred the theatre show but liked it more than the film.

This was a great book to keep me company on an 11 hour round trip to pick up this pup. It kept me interested, I wanted to know what sort of comeuppance Juniper would get. It had depth and it made me think. If you can handle unlikable lead characters I would recommend this one.

Thank you @TheWolfbehindTheEyes for my #HHS gifts and @wanderinglynn for organizing 😊 I did open this last night but unfortunately one of the candles had smashed in quite a spectacular fashion and it took ages to get all the little glass shards off of everything 😣. I have a little boy who loves Harry Potter so he will love the Fawkes! Happy Halloween 👻 🎃 🧙🏻

My new furry reading partner has arrived! Meet Pumpkin the Staffy 🥰🎃

Book haul! I got a bookshop gift card for my birthday. I finally got to use it today. They didn‘t have either of the books I went in for. Did that stop me buying books?- no. Did it stop me buying more than my gift card amount?- no, no it did not. All of these were in my TBR except the tagged book which I just couldn‘t resist!

I should be concentrating on finishing my reading challenges this month. But this book has been calling to me from the bookshelf so I gave in. Later today I‘m going to pick up my new rescue pup so hopefully there will be lots of snuggles and reading time this month ☺️

Tonight bookclub- we read The Women in Black. There were lots of masks, wigs, ghost stories and giggles.

Hot chocolate and the dead are my bedtime companions tonight

IKEA gets it!

This book… when I picked it up I was really excited, for a large section in the middle it dragged, the Arthurian sections where a step too far for me and felt over written, by the end I was really disappointed. But within 30 minutes of putting it down I was thinking it over, from all the different angles, and now it‘s gone back to being a pick. Not perfectly executed, but an important exploration of true crime. Just don‘t judge it by it‘s cover.

📚 👻 🎃😂

To say this book was not what I expected would be rather an understatement. Why did I think it was about UFO‘s? I don‘t know… yes there is a passing mention but… anyway, it was an interesting read. My lack of knowledge about Mexican politics felt acute whilst reading it. Another book where none of the characters are really likable, I seem to be drawn to them this year. I honestly have no idea how many stars to give it… #litsyAtoZ #Q #Booked23

Okay I‘m going to be honest, I love this series but I did not love this book. I don‘t want to give spoilers so I won‘t mention plot points but it was the first of this series that really dragged for me. However it still served a purpose - this is my #booked23 #featuringneighbours pick. Any in the series would fill the slot really! And the relationship between the three lines characters is definitely what makes the books for me (usually).

When you are at the hospital waiting for a brain scan and you have a lot of your book left to read but you are taking absolutely no chances and grab the kindle too. Waiting times can be llllooooonnnngggg.

You know the British weather has officially gone bananas when you are wearing jumpers with your shorts in August and shorts with Halloween jumpers in October… it doesn‘t feel right but I‘m making the most of this beautiful sunshine. And I‘m starting with this book for #booked2023 #giftedbyalitsyuser and #litsyatoz

I spent some time putting together my October stack this morning. I won‘t get through all of these but these are the spookiest ones on my shelf right now. Recommendations appreciated!

This was a very quick read, perfect to distract me from a horrible cold. Three years ago I would of said I would never be ready to read about the pandemic. But now it feels distant enough. And it did not feel at the forefront of this story. So it was perfect for #booked2023 #setinapandemic There were definitely a couple of moments I didn‘t see coming. But I did start to get bored when parts of the timeline repeated word for word.

This was ok… definitely my list favourite of the three in this series. Unlikable, shallow characters, unsatisfying ending. But it‘s good to see Harbinder happy at the end.

Behold! The best Lego ever! Now to convince my husband this is an essential purchase.

Happy Sunday everyone. I‘m officially ignoring my messy house and chilling out with this book and a hot water bottle. Howe you are having equally chilled and bookish days 📚

It‘s nice to be on the winning side of the pond (for now 😁). And it‘s got me thinking- are there any good novels that involve golf in some way? I don‘t play but I love to watch. I find it very soothing until it‘s the Ryder Cup and then I find it extremely stressful! Come on Europe!

@wanderinglynn @TheWolfbehindTheEyes I got home to a very exciting parcel ☺️👻

Just went for a swim, and now I‘m heading home to read this one before the storm sets in. Chosen for #booked2023 #aboutapandemic

I read this one for #booked2023 #anypartofatrilogy. I had actually already read the middle book - The Postscript Murders- and I didn‘t find this one as enjoyable to read but it is written by an author who lives on my village about my local area so I did enjoy the familiarity of the surroundings.

I have been in such a reading slump for the whole of September and actually in a Litsy slump too. There always seems to be something else I should be doing. Yesterday was this little dudes 8th birthday. The last in a long line of events I needed to get sorted. This morning I woke up feeling excited to pick a new book, catch up with my Litsy friends and lean into my autumn reading 😊🍂 📚

I read this one for my bookclub, and it led to a really interesting discussion last night. I enjoyed it but we mainly agreed that when we put it down it felt an effort to pick it back up. Overall, I would recommend it and I think it‘s a brilliantly written first novel from Mason, I will be reading more from her.

@wanderinglynn asked us to make a mood board for #HHS23. Really I could of just put a picture of Hocus Pocus. That whole film is what I want from Halloween witches, dancing, candles, trick or treating, talking cats… perfect! Ghostbusters is my other favourite film. I take my little pumpkins to the pumpkin patch every year and we spend ages choosing the perfect ones.