Two cold winter books down that have been sitting on my #TBR for a while. This thriller was okay. Not great.

I don‘t know what I want to read next.
#netgalley #readordonate

Next up, a winter weather thriller.

A day late #majicmonday of my top 3 books of 2025.
1) what you are looking for is in the library (my book of the year)
2) Crafting For Sinners (so fun)
3) A tie between Discontent and We‘ll Prescribe You a Cat (VERY different books)

I finished my first book of the year. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
While I figured out the killer very early on, I still enjoyed this winter slasher a lot.
I will read whatever Coates writes. They are always fun.

This was a backlog #netgalley read, a #ReadOrDonate (as I also have a paperback copy), a square on my #BookSpinBingo card, and the book chosen for me in #GoodReads #DustyBookShelfChallenge for this month as well.
@TheAromaOfBooks @julieclair

A thing I do love about #Storygraph is the graphs. 😁

https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/chelle_rydz

I‘m new to #Storygraph and have joined three challenges already. I‘m hoping to remember to go there more often and maybe transition away from #Goodreads (except for the Dusty Bookshelf Challenge; I love making that list each month)😁.
I‘m also thinking of changing my name here to match there and IG, or maybe make up a whole new one for all four. 😜🤦🏼‍♀️

https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/chelle_rydz

Any Embroiderers out there? This year I am thinking about a #Booksweatshirt. I had so much fun with Rebecca the #booksnake and my #readingblanket (both of which I need to finish up and post soon-ish) and I want to try something new this year.
But... I don't know how to embroider. I'd love advice, help, or tutorial links. If you haven‘t seen the sweatshirts on IG https://www.instagram.com/explore/search/keyword/?q=book%20embroidery%20sweatshi...

I will attempt bingos this year but have no expectations of getting any. Ever. 😹 📕
I just like making lists and graphics. Plus I have to justify my Adobe subscription somehow. 😜
#BookspinBingo @TheAromaOfBooks

Starting the day with an iced (though I forgot the ice) cannoli latte and some cold weather horror.
Then perhaps some Tomb Raider. I‘m having a Stranger Things hangover today.
#bookspinbingo #GoodReads #DustyBookshelfChallenge #ReadOrDonate

And yes, I did forget I had gotten this from #netgalley and had also bought a paperback of it. 😔

The year's first #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin picks.
Both are #NetGalley reads and that is good because they are both WAAAAAAY overdue for review.
@TheAromaofBooks

Edited: I changed my #bookspin mood read to be Lolly Willowes since I'm going to “try“ and do #BookSpinBingo this year (yeah right) And Dead of Winter will be another square.

I love to make plans, set goals, do book challenges (mostly to just make the graphics and lists) and participate in book clubs and #TBR shrinking activities. I do not let them stress me out because I subscribe to Captain Cold‘s 4 rules.
Follow my lead and you‘ll be fine.

https://youtu.be/00RIkdLPqAs?si=Oy8H-Lg7AJ4PiiQa

My #ReadOrDonate choices for January.
@JulieClair

This turned out to be a interesting year for my #2025ReadingBracket.
There were some isurprising matchups, but it ended with a desicive winner.
#BOTY #BOTY2025 #ReadingBracket #wrapup
I guess these could also be considered my #12booksof2025

Jan rolls. #Roll100
@puddlejumper

One credit left. Plus my birthday month. Plus a new Feeney add on. Equals one last #BOTM order.
(Unless I cave and renew later this month.🤷‍♀️)

To fill out the last row of my #readingblanket I‘m trying to get in a few more short reads before the new year.
This snowy cozy is up next as soon as I charge my #kobo.
It has 50/50 reviews so it could potentially be my first #DNF of the year.

Thanks to selling some of my books on #PangoBooks I was able to get myself a few post- Xmas gifts for myself off of my wish list yesterday. 😁

I've joined #Roll100 for 2026. I'm using this list to focus on working down series that I need to continue or abandon, #AardvarkBookClub and #BOTM books that need to be read or passed on, and my #Netgalley backlog of books that need to be read and reviewed.

This is the year to get my TBR and physical books down to less overwhelming levels.

@PuddleJumper

@AmyG what an amazing #Jolabokaflodswap package! This book looks like such fun. I definitely want to snuggle up on the couch with Harpy to read this while drinking some of the hot cocoa. (I already hid it and the Junior Mints from the manpanion). Thank you!!!!

Thank you so much @tdrosebud for this book. I now have the whole series. And if you can believe it, I had never had Dove until recently because I thought they only did dark chocolate. I was missing out. It is delicious! I love everything in this #Jolabokaflodswap package. And I had to show the wrapping paper. It was so pretty I almost didn‘t want to rip it open. Happy Holidays.

I‘ve been wanting this book for SO LONG. And signed too!
Thank you so much @Laughterhp for this fantastic #Jolabokaflodswap package. I love it!

Sorry to all the #Jolabokaflodswap participants. Today got crazy here and I have not been able to get online. I did open my packages and will post those shortly. I will not be able to see and respond to everyone else‘s posts until probably tomorrow though.
I hope 🤞 everyone‘s gifts made it; the post seemed extra flaky this year.☹️
I‘ll see everyone tomorrow.
Merry Christmas!!!!

The first batch of 2026 hopefuls.
January #Bookspin and #DoubleSpin list.
#BookspinBingo
@thearomaofbooks

If anyone is looking for another challenge for cleaning out their TBR, and is on #GoodReads, the January #DustyBookShelfChallenge is up.
You post 5-10 books (ones you OWN prior to 2026) that you'd like to read the next month. Decide if you'll read 1 (turtle) or 2 (hare) books, plus an optional bonus book.
Here's January's post to add your list-
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_folder/510072
⬇ (con't in first comment)

@guinsgirlreads I can‘t tell you how happy this #winterwitchswap 📦 made me! The books! The colors! The candy! The crystals! And that book sleeve! Everything is so perfect and amazing. I love it all so much. You have made day. Thank you so much. I‘m looking forward to exploring the beautifully illustrated Yule oracle deck.
And thank you @BookwormAHN for hosting this great swap.

Did I possibly squeal out loud when I got the approval email for this one?
Yes. Yes I did.
This will be my first read of 2026 for sure.
#netgalley

I‘m bound and determined to learn to sew.
Here are a few book sleeves I made in varying degrees of successfulness/failure. 🫤
Only one of these was good enough for a gift. One I‘m keeping (I don‘t mind crooked lines). And the third? Well…..

Sorry for the late post (I finally got a new job! I started last week and I‘ve been super busy and exhausted).

I‘m working my way through all the #jolabokaflodswap posts.

Harpy is guarding the #winterwitchswap and Jolabokaflod packages I have received.
Mine all have gone out. If my recipients haven‘t gotten them yet, they will any day now.

With this clever little novella finished today I have finished all but 2 of my #bookspin and #doublespin books for the year.
@TheAromaOfBooks

When I went to pick up a couple baking holds at the library I was able to find these two books for 50 cents each on their book-sale shelf. They look practically new.😍

#Goodreads Challenge met. This will give me 7 rows of 9 squares for my #2025readingblanket. Now I need to read either 3, 5, 7, 9, 13, or 17 (😹) more by the end of the new year for my #bookblanket to be even rows of 9 or 10 or have rows with 4 end squares that would have the year crocheted on them. Considering I can never time out my dishes to come out at the same time when cooking this should be interesting. 😜😁 3 or 5 seem doable.

Another cocoa morning with the pups in snowy Virginia. ☕️ 🐕 🔥 📖 🎄

With just a couple weeks left, I wonder what book will emerge to challenge the tagged book (which narrowly beat out We'll Prescribe You a Cat) to be my #2025BookOfTheYear
All in all, this wasn't the most exciting year for my reading, with this as my only ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ book. I enjoyed a lot of what I read, but not many amazed me.
#2025ReadingBracket

My December #Bookspin (20) is a seasonal #MoodRead from books that I already own and my #DoubleSpin (10) is The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson. I've been wanting to try something by him, so this little seasonal novella might be a good intro into his work.
@TheAromaofBooks

The #aardvarkbookclub picks are up! This one looks really interesting, with the potential to be heartbreaking.
What did you all get, or did you pass on the last box of the year? #aardvark.

Random colorful yet horrific #shelfie

Hoping to finish my #BookSpin #DoubleSpin books this weekend.🤞I've been in a reading slump the past 2 months. This year I added a new “rule“ to help me finish more books for the challenge & scale down my #TBR. Once a quarter I allow myself a swap of the picks with another one from my list that month if I am really not feeling the chosen one. That way I'm still reading off my planned TBR list. I've used ALL 4. 😂 #bookspintracker
@TheAromaofBooks

Here are my holiday themed December #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin hopefuls.
@TheAromaofBooks

All #JolabokaflodSwap matches have been sent out!
We have almost 100 people participating this year, and I see a couple of new faces (Welcome!!!) along with lots of old friends who have been with me for this swap since the beginning.

I'm off to bed now. 😴

I‘ve been in a funk/slump lately and just not reading very much even though both of these are enjoyable. I need to snap out of it soon.

#weekendreads

Last chance to sign up for this year‘s #JolabokaflodSwap
At last count we had 89 participants!

I‘ll be working on the matches this weekend.

This is a simple, budget friendly swap. You will send ONE book to your recipient AND some chocolate. Opening day is December 24th.

Sign up here-
https://forms.gle/AVnqdj6quby9jLyZ6

I can't believe it is November already. I‘m thrilled to host my 6th Jólabókaflóð Inspired swap. I just love the idea of giving and receiving a new book and chocolate on Christmas Eve. But you do not have to celebrate Christmas to participate.

This is a simple, budget friendly swap. You will send ONE book to your recipient AND some chocolate. Opening day is December 24th.

Sign up here-
https://forms.gle/AVnqdj6quby9jLyZ6

#JolabokaflodSwap

November #bookspin and #doublespin
@thearomaofbooks

I'm doing so-so this year on my #bookspin #doublespin progress.
@thearomaofbooks

November 2025 #bookspin and #doublespin hopefuls
@thearomaofbooks

Thank you @bookish_wookish for this wonderful #modernwitchswap 📦! #MWS
I love it all! And it is Harpy approved. She was especially thrilled by the colorful book sleeve and the little cat crystal figurine. Thank you so much. Everything is perfect.
And thank you @BookwormAHN for hosting one of my favorite swaps. Now I‘m looking forward to your #winterwitchswap

@mcipher I adore everything about this #AllHallowsReadSwap package! The sprayed edges on the tagged book are fantastic. I‘m very intrigued by the brown butter chocolate bar. The apple candle smells like a fall afternoon and Pennywise has a spot on my shelf right next to my Michael Myers candle. Thank you so much!

My final #BOTM pick. It looks super cute and I think I need that right now.
I have one more credit to burn but I couldn‘t fine anything else I really wanted that I don‘t already own, and I‘m due to renew in November, so I have to pause or cancel.
I am very excited about this hat however.
What did you all get?

Sorry I‘ve been offline for a bit (out of town, a couple days of technical difficulties, job hunting, interviews, ADHD hyper focused obsessive crafting, flu shot reaction, puppy nannying, READING, yada yada yada) but I swear I will get to ALL of my notifications today.

I have received AND sent out both my #modernwitchswap and #allhallowsreadswap #ahrs2025 packages (my recipients should have gotten theirs already).
Can‘t wait for opening day!!!

i picked up three new-to-me titles at the local book door in Lititz PA on my annual Chocolate Walk trip with my sister and my past TV coworkers. I had not heard of any of these books or authors so these were interesting finds. They look spooky, twisty, and fun.