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TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks

Joined May 2019

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TheAromaofBooks
January | Sara Gallardo
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Believe it or not, we are less than a week away from not just a new month, but an entirely brand new year!! Since all my efforts to stop time have been to no avail, I guess I have to accept the inevitable and start planning my 2025 #BookSpin list!! I am super excited to Spin along with all of you this year, even if creating this post does give me a mini-existential crisis every month 😂

As always, a reminder to make your lists work for you!! ⬇

TheAromaofBooks I love seeing the creativity of everyone‘s lists. Some people stick with specific titles, but many of you have switched to categories to help accommodate mood reading (and life!), and I have seen some super fun ideas. Things like: published in the 1990s; on the living room shelf; such-and-such challenge; red cover; mystery; library book; author‘s backlist; etc etc. There are no wrong answers for your list. Feel free to experiment ⬇ 23h
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) and find a system that works for you. Personally, I have started a two-list approach. I create one list that lasts the whole year and is comprised of books that I call “hard” books (usually nonfiction) and that is my actual BookSpin book each month. My second list I make is my monthly TBR and that‘s my BookSpinBingo list – and that month‘s BookSpin book gets added to that list!! This is a loosey-goosey challenge ⬇ 23h
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) whose primary goal is to get books off your TBR, whatever that looks like for you.

There is a giveaway associated with this challenge!! Every BookSpin and DoubleSpin book that you finish counts as an entry!! In January I will post a Google Form that you can fill out to track these entries, and that form will have more details on the “rules” of the giveaway. Right now, there is still time to enter the 2024 giveaway!! ⬇
23h
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TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) This is my first time using the brand new 2025 tag list!! So if you do not get tagged today and wish to be added, please let me know!! If you get skipped, it‘s also possible that I just misspelled your username lol Anyone is welcome to join, and remember that you are also welcome to dip in and out of this challenge throughout the year. ⬇ 23h
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) Thank you all again for joining me on this adventure and listening to all my rambling!! 😂 I spontaneously created this challenge on January 1, 2020, with no idea that it would still be going strong five years later!! I‘ve had so much fun Spinning with all of you and can‘t wait to see what we read this year!! 23h
Yuki_Onna @TheAromaofBooks Thank YOU for creating and hosting #Bookspin and #Bookspinbingo and for all the work you put into this! It's my favourite reading challenge and adds so much fun to my reading year!❣️ 23h
TheAromaofBooks @Yuki_Onna - Thank you!!! 💕 💕 💕 23h
AmyG And so begins another year. Thank you so very much! 23h
Bookwormjillk Making a list today! 23h
PuddleJumper Too soon! 🤣 22h
Librarybelle Yay! I‘ve been thinking about my list the past few days! 22h
BarkingMadRead I‘m planning on making my list later today! 22h
Soubhiville I‘ve been considering my first list of the year as well 🙂📚 22h
TheSpineView I'm in, but that doesn't mean I am ready! 22h
peanutnine I'm never ready for the next month but I'm always excited to make my list! 22h
DGRachel 😭😭 How can it be a new year already (although I‘m definitely okay with kissing 2024 goodbye)? I‘ve actually started outlining my bookspin list though, so I‘m not totally behind. 22h
JackOBotts Let‘s goooooooooooooo! 🙌🏼 22h
Daisey Thank you again for hosting! I‘m going to be working on reading stats for this year and preparing my list for next year today as well. 22h
Suet624 Thank you!!! Best wishes to you on the year ahead. 22h
CoffeeNBooks Thank you for hosting again this year! 21h
Lcsmcat I‘m excited to start thinking about next year‘s lists! Thank you for keeping me reading from my shelves! 21h
Sace I‘m still planning to do my usual perpetual list, but I‘ve got something a little different in mind for 2025. I can‘t wait! 21h
ImperfectCJ I always feel more pressure to make the first list of the year really great...but I don't ever really know what I mean by "great," which makes it a pretty slippery goal. Thanks again for hosting this awesome---dare I say great?---challenge! 21h
claudiuo Still trying hard to finish a couple books, I'll probably again do my list the last day of the month as always; I will not say the last day of the year, because I am still in denial as to time flying by so fast: only a few days left in 2024? No way! 😲 20h
Julies_Bookshelf_Adventures Ready to go this year!! Now that my life has calmed down a bit, I‘m hoping to have more reading time! 19h
BookwormAHN To another year, cheers 🍻 18h
CoffeeK8 January is really sneaking up on me! 18h
bookandbedandtea My perpetual list is ready; bring on 2025! Thanks so much for still doing this, Sarah! 🩷 18h
kelli7990 I haven‘t decided if I want to continue mood reading in January or try to tackle my Netgalley TBR. Maybe I‘ll have some Netgalley prompts, mood reading prompts and then #readyourkindle prompts as well as the short stories I‘ll be reading for #noplacelikeholmes. I also have my #roll100 list and #readyourkindle list to make too. 18h
BookmarkTavern Ahhhh! I‘m not ready! 🤣🤣🤣 15h
Sarahreadstoomuch Tomorrow: I set up my 2025 reading journal, including my bookspin pages!! 14h
Singout That makes me wonder if there‘s going to be a NF challenge in 2025, @Riveted_Reader_Melissa ? If not, I totally understand, but I‘ve really been enjoying it! 11h
104 likes40 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
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A spontaneous readathon that starts today 😂 Join me as I #ReadOuttheOld and get ready for 2025!!! Even though there is less than a week left of 2024, there is still time to wrap up a book or challenge, or maybe just pretend you had zero reading goals for 2024 and read whatever you want! 😆 Feel free to tag me and let me know what you're reading!!

I'm tagging my WinterGames team, but anyone is welcome to join!!

See All 21 Comments
Librarybelle What fun! This is the time of year I try to finish as many books as I can that are currently sitting on my nightstand. There are so many! 😂 23h
TheAromaofBooks @Librarybelle - Right?? I have a windowsill where all my “short list“ TBR books live... those definitely aren't all getting finished by the end of the year 😂 23h
OriginalCyn620 I am in! 23h
ChasingOm I love this! 22h
PuddleJumper I've got several KU books to read before my subscription runs out 22h
TheSpineView I'm in! 22h
peanutnine Love this! Count me in ☺️ 22h
BookNAround I need to finish a book I didn‘t end up putting in my mom‘s stocking because I was still in the middle of it. Whoops! 😂 22h
Cuilin Only need to finish 1 book to complete my goal!!! 21h
PaperbackPirate Great idea! 📚 21h
AmandaBlaze I have tons of NetGalley to read. Thanks! 21h
Born.A.Reader This is great! I have several I want to finish so I can start the year off fresh! 21h
BookmarkTavern What a great idea! 💕💕 20h
dabbe 💙🩵💙 17h
willaful Got a bunch of holiday reads to polish off! 16h
charl08 Trying to do this too: hoping to finish a couple of the (several) hanging around half read... 12h
Gissy I‘m reading a big one, trying to finish it on time😳 8h
yourfavouritemixtape Great idea, I‘m in! I have 3 to go… 3h
81 likes21 comments
review
TheAromaofBooks
Let It Snow: A Novel | Nancy Thayer
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Pickpick

Borderline so-so, but hey, it's the season of generosity 😂 This one kind of felt like someone was trying to write a book based on a Hallmark movie screenplay, but not in a good way. The writing was kind of clunky and character development was abrupt. And who names a human character “Wink“?? There were a lot of scenes like this: Person A: “Please go out to supper with me.“ Person B:“I don't want to date you while things are so complicated“ ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) A: “Okay, I'll just bring supper to your house instead.“ B: “Oh, that sounds lovely!!“ !?!?! That's right, dates only count if you go out???

Anyway, it was fine, the characters just honestly didn't make a lot of sense haha

#WinterGames #HolidayBookDragons @LiseWorks
#ReadorDonate (donate!) @julieclair
#WinterCosy #GottaCatchEmAllWinterEdition - Cosy @PuddleJumper
#SnickerdoodleSpirit @Bookwormjillk
#Adventathon @BookmarkTavern
23h
48 likes1 comment
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TheAromaofBooks
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Pickpick

After a while, the FMC's unforgiving attitude towards people in her past/tendency to blame them for all her life problems did start to grate on me. At some point, you have to acknowledge that you are an adult and have been for over a decade. YOU are in charge of your life/actions now. But on the whole, a perfectly pleasant if most-forgettable kind of read. I'm not sure I'll reread it, but I'll probably pick up the sequel.

42 likes1 stack add1 comment
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TheAromaofBooks
Romantic Comedy | Curtis Sittenfeld
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I spaced and forgot to post my #JolabokaflodSwap yesterday!! Thank you so much @plemmdog !! Also, I love that wrapping paper 😂 Thanks for hosting @MaleficentBookDragon !!! I look forward to this one every year!!

MaleficentBookDragon Happy Jólabókaflóð! I need that wrappoing paper. 2d
59 likes1 comment
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TheAromaofBooks
The Book Club Hotel | Sarah Morgan
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Pickpick

This was definitely my favorite book I've read so far this month, and one of my favorites for the year. Even though Hattie is only 28, she's been widowed for 2 years and is struggling to run the Vermont inn that was her husband's dream, all while taking care of their young daughter. Meanwhile, 3 women (Erica, Claudia, and Anna) have been friends since college and always get together for a week every year. Now that they are all at or close to 40 ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) they're each experiencing that mid-life crisis of realizing you've done something for a couple decades and is that really what life is all about? Erica's the classic workaholic, Claudia's 10-yr relationship ended earlier that year, and Anna is about to become an empty-nester after her children being her driving focus for 18 years. When they come to stay at Hattie's inn, things all come into focus. This isn't a high-energy story, and ⬇ 5d
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) while there is a little bit of romance, this book is really just about these four women finding some new direction as they approach new seasons of life. It's done so well!! Sometimes I find Morgan's stories to feel a little thin because she always takes on multiple characters, but because there wasn't as much romance in this one, I felt like I got to spend a balanced time with all four of these characters and loved each of them! 5d
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julieclair This sounds so good! Stacked! 5d
bookandbedandtea I loved this one too! And you've reminded me that I meant to read more of her books as this was my first one. 5d
TheAromaofBooks @julieclair @bookandbedandtea - I think you would both really like this one!! I love Sarah Morgan's Christmas books because while there is always a splash of romance, it's always way more about family relationships, especially mothers/daughters/sisters. And so far, any book I've read where there is a married couple having issues, they actually talk and work through them like adults instead of realizing the other person was “holding them back“ or⬇ 4d
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) whatever. I especially enjoyed The Christmas Sisters, The Christmas Escape, and A Wedding in December, but honestly every book I've read by her has been a 4* or better for me. I've only read two of her not-Christmas books, and particularly enjoyed Family for Beginners. 4d
julieclair @TheAromaofBooks @bookandbedandtea Just found The Book Club Hotel on Kindle Unlimited! Woo hoo! 4d
57 likes2 stack adds8 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Swapsies | Fiona Roberton

This is a lil update post!!

@MaleficentBookDragon - I received my #JolabokaflodSwap package from @plemmdog safely!! Thank you!!

@bookish_wookish - I received my #LittleChristmasSwap package but it came directly from Amazon and despite someone on here saying to me, “I'm your match and it's coming from Amazon“ I've spaced and can't remember who that is 😂 But it's here safely!!

@julieclair I'm your #LCS match and your book still isn't here!! ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) I'm still hoping that it will arrive in time for me to mail it to you before the January 6 opening date, but in the meantime I didn't want you to think that you were forgotten 😆 I don't know where this book started, but it's taking its sweet time to get here!! But FEAR NOT I already have your chocolate!! 😂 6d
TheAromaofBooks @bookish_wookish - Thank you!! And thank you @actualdisneyprincess !!! I *may* have already opened the package because I didn't realize it was from you 😂 But rest assured I was VERY excited about its contents!!!! 6d
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actualdisneyprincess It was in fact me! 😂💖 6d
actualdisneyprincess @TheAromaofBooks as I am also a tiny Italian lady who occasionally wanders into friends‘ houses to leave surprise presents myself, I feel like La Befana would not mind an early open ;) 💖🥰 4d
TheAromaofBooks @actualdisneyprincess - I've compromised by not being allowed to READ it until January 6 😂 Thank you SO much!!! 4d
actualdisneyprincess 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖 4d
julieclair @TheAromaofBooks How fun that you‘re my match!! 😃 No worries about timing… I will be out of town 12/29 to 1/9, so I‘ll be opening it late anyway. 💚❤️💚 4d
39 likes8 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
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Cannot BELIEVE I am working on a reading journal for ***2025*** That's not a real date!!!! @PuddleJumper is responsible for most of my challenges this year, although @lauredhel is also doing some work 😂 This year: #ISpyBingo #100YearsofBooks (and finishing @Librarybelle 's #192025 ), #Pantone2025 #Roll100 #GottaCatchEmAll and #BookChain

Not pictured - #ReadtheUSA #WickedWords @AsYouWish #FourFoursin25 @lauredhel #FictionalTraveler @julieclair

BookishMadHatter I've started on my 2025 book journal too, but I'm scaling it back a little this year. I find I have to use a bunder because if I run out of space and need to split a section in a bound journal my poor brain has a meltdown and I end up having to start all over. 1w
TheAromaofBooks @BookishMadHatter - I feel that!! For the last couple of years I've used a quad-lined composition book. Because it's sewn, I can add lots of washi tape and other pieces of paper taped in and it just gets fatter without falling apart 😂 All my ongoing, year-long challenges are in the front. Then I skip to the second half of the notebook and create my monthly #BookSpinBingo lists as I go along, plus any short-term readathons or challenges. 1w
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PuddleJumper I like organizing things! Looks amazing 1w
BarkingMadRead So honored to be on the list 🤣🤣🤣 1w
Librarybelle This looks so amazing! Good luck on all of your challenges and buddy reads! 1w
julieclair This looks great! 👍😃 1w
Gissy Amazing🤩👌 Well I can say I also started to organize my reading goals…🤔I chose which journal and reading Planner I‘m going to use😜it is a start😂😂😂 5d
TheAromaofBooks @Gissy - It's all about finding a system that works for you!!! I loooooove tracking things 😂 So I use a spreadsheet plus my notebook!!! I also get these really inexpensive book logs from Amazon that I love because it means every book I read ends up with a reference number. I started using them several years ago and I'm almost done with my 14th volume!! https://www.amazon.com/dp/1695365623 5d
65 likes9 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
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I've been using a random number generator to decide which of my holiday books I'll read next, and weirdly ended up reading Wrapped up FOR Christmas and Wrapped Up IN Christmas back to back 😂

Soft pick for this one; it's just a little too cutesy for me. Bodie was seriously injured on his last tour of duty and almost died. While recovering, he received a handmade quilt from the Quilts of Valor program, and that along with the letter that came ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) with it helped pull him out of the depression he was experiencing. So when he gets out of hospital he heads to Kentucky to find the presumably sweet grandmotherly lady who made the quilt so he can thank her in person. Except it turns out that she's actually quite young and needs a handyman to help her finish renovating the house she's turning into a B&B. This is basically just happy Christmas girl wins over grumpy Scrooge man, but it ⬇ 1w
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) mostly worked. The only weird part was that all of the girl's best friends were these elderly ladies from church, like apparently she doesn't know anyone under the age of like 65, which felt a little strange lol This was a perfectly nice one-off read, but I don't feel inspired to finish the series.

#WinterGames #HolidayBookDragons @LiseWorks
1w
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TheSpineView Awesome! 1w
BookmarkTavern Honestly, I get that a little. I‘m in a book club of 14 people, and I‘m the youngest by at least 20 years. 🤣🤣🤣 1w
julieclair 💚🎄💚 1w
Andrew65 What a strange coincidence. Well done 🎄🎄🎄 1w
TheAromaofBooks @BookmarkTavern - It's true, and my best friend is 20 years older than me, and there is a lot of joy and sharing to be found in those cross-generational friendships. It was more that there didn't seem to be ANY other romantic options for her in this small town, so it kind of felt like she just jumped on the first guy under the age of 67 who showed up 😂 7d
54 likes8 comments
review
TheAromaofBooks
Wrapped Up for Christmas | Katlyn Duncan
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Mehso-so

When I'm reading nonstop holiday fluff in December, I really lower my standards when it comes to plot points like instalove, but this one was a stretch even for my relaxed attitude. Angie is coming off of a really bad relationship and even says things like, “I've never been single more than a month and should probably take some time to find out who I am as a person“ and then immediately falls in love with a random dude and after knowing each ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) each other for literally two weeks, they both act like not being together would be the most emotionally devastating event of their lives. 🙄 It was okay, but honestly it just felt like both these people needed to learn how to be single before getting into a relationship. Which to be fair is how I feel about a lot of irl couples haha

#WinterGames #HolidayBookDragons @LiseWorks
1w
BookmarkTavern I started reading your review, and my immediate thought was “I know that girl in real life.” 😅😅 1w
50 likes3 comments
review
TheAromaofBooks
Christy | Catherine Marshall
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Pickpick

My cover isn't super exciting, so I give you Kitty as compensation 😂

I remember enjoying this book as a teen but wasn't sure how it would hold up as an adult - but I found it completely engaging. Christy is just a likable character, so it makes the whole story work. She's genuine in her efforts to understand the world around, and I related so much to her desire to make her childhood faith something tangible and real. This is definitely a ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) Christian-y book, but there is plenty of story beyond that. This is a fascinating look at the backwoods in the early 20th century loosely based on the author's mother's experiences. I did feel like the story lost some momentum when it veered from the classroom/school experiences into the epidemic, and the ending felt rather abrupt, but on the whole I really enjoyed this one.

1w
BarkingMadRead I really liked it, the series is really good if you can find it on tv anywhere, as well. Just a really sweet book! 1w
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KadaGul Kitty 😺Covers are the best 💚🫶❤️🥰 1w
kspenmoll I remember loving this when I read it as a teen! Kitty is the best! (edited) 1w
Julsmarshall I loved this too as a young teen! Read it over and over 😍 1w
TheSpineView Awww... 1w
Ruthiella 😻😻😻 1w
julieclair I loved this book. So glad to have found it through #RandomClassics! Now I‘d like to hunt down the tv series. 1w
Clare-Dragonfly Kitty is gorgeous 😻 1w
Librarybelle Kitty! I‘m still reading and am enjoying my reread of this one! 1w
Sace I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I first read it in my early 20s and it didn‘t make much of an impression (all I could remember was that everyone had eye infections). I think I got a lot more out of it this time. I can see this being one I reread. 1w
AnnCrystal 💕😻💝. 1w
Leftcoastzen 👏😻 1w
Teresereading I finished it yesterday. A fascinating read, and I loved the Dr Neil storyline. Slightly disappointed to read that was 'faction'. It's based on Marshall 2d
Teresereading Question- if it's based on Marshall' grandmother's stories are all the characters fictional (or composites)? The Disclaimer says ' any resemblance to ...etc' but the opening chapter when 'Christy' revisits Cutters Gap was so evocative. 2d
TheAromaofBooks @Teresereading - This article has some details of the differences between Marshall's real-life grandma and fictional Christy - https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2011/11/christy-and-leonora-city-girl-country... - I think what she did was take many of the stories her grandma shared from working at the mission and then made up parts to make a more dramatic narrative. MacNeil and Miss Alice are both fictional, but both are important characters⬇ 1d
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) to help Christy learn and grow. Probably the biggest difference is that Christy is much more “citified“ than Marshall's grandma, who also grew up somewhat impoverished and in the country. 24h
72 likes18 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Swapsies | Fiona Roberton
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Yay!!! @MaleficentBookDragon thank you SO MUCH for this fabulous #StuffedStockingSwap box!!! I love everything and am so impressed by how you made the tiny stocking and the scarf yourself!! (Love the colors btw!!) Thank you for your thoughtful gifts. Merry Christmas!!!

Thank you for hosting this swap @Avanders !!

*Not all candy is pictured because I may or may not have housed two mini Reese trees immediately 😂

Avanders 😍😍🎄♥️☃️ 1w
MaleficentBookDragon Yay! I‘m so glad you liked everything. It was fun shopping and knitting for you. 1w
54 likes2 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
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Okay, first big stress-event has been hurdled - the realtor came and looked at our house and told us she thinks it will sell for more than we thought WHEW. We have lived here ten years and COMPLETELY remodeled this place and tbh it's a weird little house but we love it and having someone come and tell us how much it was worth kind of felt like we were taking a final test 😂 Next step is waiting to hear from the bank!! Lots of feelings right now. ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) ANYWAY hoping to read these two books this week. And tomorrow I have to get the oil changed on my car, so that's always good reading time!! Wrapped Up in Christmas is one of my #CasttheDie reads and The Book Club Hotel is one of my #SnowedIn picks - I really enjoy Sarah Morgan's Christmas stories, so I'm excited about that one. Time to start plowing through the #MidweekMuddle !!! Christmas next week already! How! 😆 1w
dabbe Fab news! 🤩🤩🤩 1w
52 likes2 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
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This background is an accurate portrayal of my windows right now 😂 We've having the Ohio December special of cold rain all week, and I have a lot of stress going on!! To inspire me to read a little more, I thought I'd host a little bonus readathon this week, so feel free to join me in the #MidweekMuddle Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday this week!!

I'm tagging the #HolidayBookDragons but anyone is welcome to participate whether you're playing ⬇

LiseWorks Oh how lovely 😍 I love readathons. 2w
Avanders Has your sss pkg not arrived yet?? I know there were some PO issues this year w a couple people 🙁 2w
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Bookwormjillk Great idea! 2w
Roary47 I‘m sorry it‘s a stressful time. I hear you on stress right now. This will help me with my last week of school. Thank you for the opportunity. 🥰💛 2w
OriginalCyn620 Sorry you‘re stressing…Hope more reading helps! I am in for the readathon! 😊 2w
ShananigansReads This weather is closely replicated in central Virginia this morning but I think it is supposed to clear up. 2w
PaperbackPirate Let‘s take a deep breath together! Thanks for the Readathon, a nice distraction this week. 2w
TheAromaofBooks @Avanders - It has not arrived, and I kind of forgot about it until Krysta posted the package I had sent her 😂 However, I have a PO box, and didn't get to the post office during Saturday hours, and I had a “you have a package waiting“ slip in my box - so I am hoping that it may be my SSS package!! I will let you know when I check the mail this afternoon!! 2w
BarkingMadRead So sorry you‘re stressing! It‘s very dreary in SC this week, hopefully a fun book will help! I‘m reading 2w
Avanders Ooh hope it‘s the package in your box!! 🤞🏼🤞🏼 2w
AmandaBlaze I'll Be Home for Mischief, but I also have Midwinter Murder checked out, so I'll probably read along. 2w
BookmarkTavern I feel you on the weather! I just want to stay in and read! 👍🏻👍🏻 2w
TheSpineView Count me in! 2w
dabbe I love me some good #mmm! Thanks, m'dear! 💚❣️💚 2w
MaleficentBookDragon Did you get your stuffed stocking swap gift? You should have received it last week. 2w
kezzlou85 Ooh fun I'm in 1w
MaleficentBookDragon @Avanders @TheAromaofBooks I found the tracking number. It was supposed to arrive on the 9th but only got to Columbus on the 9th; then it took 5 more days to get from Columbus to your post office. 😖 It says it was delivered on the 14th instead. I‘m so sorry it got delayed. 1w
TheAromaofBooks @Avanders @MaleficentBookDragon - It came!!! I think it came on Saturday but I didn't get to the post office in time. I'll post the picture tomorrow, but Michelle I love everything!!!! Did you make that tiny stocking yourself, too?? I loved how everything was wrapped - I'm so terrible at wrapping myself 😂 Thank you so much and I will make a full post tomorrow displaying all the goodies in all their glory!!! 1w
TheAromaofBooks @MaleficentBookDragon - I think we were posting comments at the same time!! No worries, I have no idea why sometimes things take so long to get here from Columbus. Like... my husband drives there every day for work, but the post office somehow takes DAYS to get a package here 😂 I have a PO box so I had to get there during lobby hours to pick it up and missed Saturday's window!!! But it has all worked out in the end and I love everything!!! 1w
MaleficentBookDragon @TheAromaofBooks yay! I‘m so glad you liked everything. Yes I made the tiny stocking ornament too. I‘ve been too afraid to try socks but I‘ve now made the tiny one and one really big stocking. I‘ll just have to try making one that will fit on someone‘s feet. 😹 🧦 1w
TheAromaofBooks @MaleficentBookDragon - That's so fun!! I am an ambivalent crocheter although I go on kicks haha With socks it seems like the tricky part is getting them both same size!!! 😂 1w
50 likes22 comments
review
TheAromaofBooks
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Pickpick

This is a fun little Poirot short (the actual book includes several other short stories, but they aren't particularly Christmasy, so I only read the title story this time around). Poirot reluctantly heads off to a country estate for an “old-fashioned Christmas“ - and a bit of undercover sleuthing. Poirot is very Poiroty in this one, and I quite enjoyed rereading it.

#WinterGames #HolidayBookDragons @LiseWorks

52 likes4 comments
review
TheAromaofBooks
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Pickpick

Definitely the best Nancy Drew we've had in a minute. This one had more of the regular level of ridiculousness 😂 Favorite parts included the police acting very clever because they determined that two masked men who attempted to break into the house at the same time were working together; the girls acting like sitting behind empty picture frames was a brilliant hiding spot; literally everyone not only knowing how to sail but being really great ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) at it; and Nancy's magical disguise-wig that seemed to stay on no matter what! This one reminded me of why I enjoyed these books so much when I was growing up - there were also some scary moments and the chapter cliffhangers always have me wanting to read more.

As always, thanks for hosting @Librarybelle !!!
2w
Librarybelle This was a good one! 2w
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BookmarkTavern Nicely done! 2w
TheSpineView Well done!🤩📖📚 2w
dabbe Excellent review! #nailedit 💚❣️💚 2w
Andrew65 Brilliant 🎄🎄🎄 1w
54 likes7 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Penguin on Vacation | Salina Yoon
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Hey friends!! So I've been looking at my life and my upcoming schedule, and I am going to pause #RandomClassics definitely for January, and maybe longer, kind of depending. We're thinking about moving (!!!!!) plus we are going out of town in January, so there is a lot going on 😂 I still have a huge list of classics I would like to read, and I have really enjoyed reading these with you all, but for now I need to skip a month!! I'll let everyone ⬇

Librarybelle Sounds good to me! 2w
Lcsmcat Wow, you do have a lot going on! The great thing about the classics is they‘ll be there when you‘re ready. 2w
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TheBookHippie Wow!!! Sounds fine to me! 2w
BarkingMadRead Sounds like a plan! 2w
CatLass007 Everybody needs a break now and then. So now seems as good a time as any. Enjoy! 2w
Bookwormjillk Enjoy your travels! 2w
Read4life Sounds good to me. 💙 2w
Cuilin Take care of yourself 🩵💜 2w
Cuilin #WhatTheDickens is reading Nicholas Nickleby next. We can wait until February too. 2w
TheAromaofBooks @Cuilin - There is no telling when I will be back on track 😂 Especially if we actually move out of this house we've lived in for 10 years. Sooooo many barnacles to sort through and pack! 😆 So please don't wait for me - I may still read along in January, I just know that hosting is beyond my commitment parameters right now haha 2w
wordslinger42 Sounds good to me! 2w
ChaoticMissAdventures That is a lot!! Hope everything goes smoothly, and just let us know when you are ready! Moving is always too much. And a break is always a great idea especially this time of year. 2w
BarbaraJean Moving and travels is a LOT—and my January is packed as well, so I‘m happy for a pause on my side, too!! Happy to jump back in whenever you have the space to host again 😊 (edited) 2w
AnneCecilie Sounds good to me 2w
ChelseaM6010 Sounds good to me! 💜 2w
julieclair Travels and a possible move! Fun stuff! Enjoy. And when and if you‘re ready to pick back up again, we‘ll be here. 🥰 2w
Sace That‘s a lot to deal with! Enjoy your travels and I hope the move is a smooth one. I‘m ready to lurk/read whenever you start back. 1w
52 likes19 comments
review
TheAromaofBooks
The Three Musketeers | Alexandre Dumas
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Pickpick

Okay, I know it's not the right kind of sword, but it's the best I could come up with 😂 Well this book was quite the rollercoaster ride. On the whole, I enjoyed it, but don't think I would reread it. However, I can see myself reading something else by Dumas. Pevear's translation was super readable. The ending did feel a little abrupt, though. I'm not sure I would want to be friends with these guys in real life (especially considering how they ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) treat women!) but I found them pretty entertaining for the most part. And some scenes were absolutely hilarious. This was quite the romp, but I'm also kind of glad it's over 😂

As usual, I totally fell off the bandwagon with leading any kind of discussion on this, but did you all finish/enjoy/hate/meh this one?

2w
Librarybelle Still reading! 2w
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TheBookHippie I did finish awhile back, like you I‘m glad I finally read it. I would read another book by this author, but I don‘t need to reread this I have to say I preferred the opera of it 🤣🫠. I did hear this one was a better book? 2w
TheAromaofBooks @TheBookHippie - What. I haven't even heard of this one and it sounds fantastic! I read a nonfiction book about tulips several years ago and was completely blown away by the madness that was Tulipomania! This one is definitely going on my list!! 2w
TheBookHippie @TheAromaofBooks I added it too 🙃🤣 Tulipmania happens here every spring 🫠🫣 2w
TheAromaofBooks @TheBookHippie - I do not live that far from Michigan (and only like 6hrs from Holland) yet have never gone to the tulip shenanigans despite thinking every year that I should 😂 2w
TheBookHippie @TheAromaofBooks I avoid it like the plague. I‘m 20 minutes north of the madness … 2w
AlaMich I recommend The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas. I read it during lockdown and it was a great experience. The book, not lockdown, that is. 2w
ChaoticMissAdventures I got through it. I agree I don't need to ever reread it, but I also found it easy to read - just long. I thought the humor at the beginning was sharper and then fell off a bit but maybe I was seeing more of the misogyny and that made it harder for me to find them funny. Definitely not a group I would want to hang out with IRL. Overall I enjoyed it so thank for pulling me in! 2w
curiouserandcurioser @TheAromaofBooks i enjoyed my reread:) there is a sequel to it called The Red Sphinx, i believe:) 2w
julieclair I didn‘t read it. My fear of Chunksters appears to be a real thing. I need chunkster therapy… 2w
49 likes12 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
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Pickpick

A soft pick for these two loosely-connected stories that take place on Nantucket a year apart. These were super Hallmarky and perfectly pleasant. I enjoyed the first more than the second, because the mom in the second story drove me kind of crazy. But the greatest tragedy is that I was 160 pages in and all of the sudden the book skipped to page 216!! Right at the big finale of chaos (you know, where the kid ran away with the puppy and supper is ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) getting ready to burn and the baby is coming early and someone's ex showed up unexpectedly... the usual Christmas stuff 😂) SO I caved and purchased this book for a SECOND time except in Kindle version! All in all I was missing about 40 pages, which is a lot when the story is only 195pgs long. But it all worked out because then I was able to search the Kindle version for word search words and found 674!!!!!

So yeah, not groundbreaking ⬇
2w
PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2w
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TheSpineView Great job! 2w
AnnCrystal 😳yikes👀📚💝. 2w
Andrew65 Excellent 🎄🎄🎄 2w
BookmarkTavern Wow! But an excellent number for the word search! 2w
julieclair How bizarre! You can now have your own personalized hashtag, #ReadOrTrash 🤪 2w
49 likes8 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Across the Miles | Lucy Maud Montgomery
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@Scochrane26 - I'm your #JolabokaflodSwap match this year!!! I mailed your package earlier this week, but in typical Sarah-Style did not actually notate on the envelope anywhere that it was a Litsy package or who it was from 😂 So be on the lookout for a blue padded envelope from Ohio - that's your Swap gift!!! Merry Christmas!!

@MaleficentBookDragon thanks so much for hosting - I love this simple swap!!

dabbe ❣️🎄❣️ 2w
AnnCrystal 😍🎄🤩💝. 2w
Scochrane26 Thanks for letting me know, Sarah! 2w
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TheAromaofBooks
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Pickpick

This is the (loose) sequel to I'll Be Married for Christmas, which I enjoyed so much I immediately ordered this one 😂 This is another marriage of convenience romance (MY JAM) and is somehow even cuter than the first book, maybe because it has the only missing ingredient from book one (i.e. CATS!!)? Super cute, likable characters, (mostly) believable situation, and adults who communicate!! 🎉 I'll definitely be checking out more of Cain's books.

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) This book also has something I love - the guy's POV. When you have a strong, silent type it really helps to get in his head a little so his motivations make his actions make more sense. Cain does a great job with this, and it really made both of these books so much more enjoyable than ones where you just get a straight female POV.

Also, yes, those are the Christmas decorations I'm still putting up even though Christmas is only two ⬇
2w
TheSpineView Fantastic! 2w
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BookmarkTavern Sounds cute! 2w
AnnCrystal 👏🎅🦌🤶📚. 2w
Andrew65 Excellent 🎄🎄🎄 2w
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TheAromaofBooks
Merry and Bright | Jill Shalvis
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Mehso-so

Three shorts in this one. They were all okay, but more about the characters shagging than anything Christmasy. Sometimes I enjoy Shalvis, but it feels like whenever she has shorter stories, she focuses on spice over story, which just isn't my personal preference lol

But lots of prompts checked off, and another book off my shelf!!

#WinterGames #HolidayBookDragons @LiseWorks

Bookwormjillk 🌲🌲🌲 2w
julieclair Congrats for clearing it! And, after reading your review, I‘ll know never to add it to my TBR. 😂 2w
BookmarkTavern Good job! 🎉 2w
50 likes4 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Reminder!! Each #BookSpin or #DoubleSpin book you have completed (or DNFd and removed from your TBR) this year counts as an entry for the 2024 Giveaway!! Sadly, the giveaway will NOT be a trip to a lovely beach like this one, but five lucky winners WILL receive ONE book from either their Litsy TBR or a list of five books they can provide to me!!

To be considered for the giveaway you MUST fill out the Google Form linked below!! Because I LOVE ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) overexplaining things, there is plenty of information when you click on the link. But basically, you fill in your info, including your Spins, and in January I will close that form and download all the information, then use a random number generator to pick the winners!! (However, if you were already a winner within the last three years, you won't get picked this year.)

There are more details when you click on the form, but please feel ⬇
2w
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) to ask if you have any questions or concerns!!

Thank you again for reading with me this year. I've had a fabulous time seeing everyone's lists and progress!!

https://forms.gle/Cb63LhTodq5CoRhHA

OH also this giveaway is international if Amazon or Blackwell's will ship to your country. 😁
2w
TheAromaofBooks Tagging the 2024 Tag List by the way, not my new sparkly 2025 Tag List that I've just started 😁 2w
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PuddleJumper I've completly lost track and I'm not going scrolling through the guess the book madness 😅 2w
TheAromaofBooks @PuddleJumper - Right? I need to create a separate Litsy account where all I do is post Guess the Book 😂 2w
robinb @TheAromaofBooks I filled out a form a few days ago, but I think it was from a previous post. Hopefully it was the correct one. 😂 2w
TheAromaofBooks @robinb - Yes!! It has been the same form all year, and all my old forms are disabled. So theoretically you should ONLY be able to access the 2024 version 😂 2w
Deblovestoread Yay! I do need to update my form. 💙 2w
robinb @TheAromaofBooks Great! Thanks! 2w
Sargar114 @TheAromaofBooks thank you for all your hard work! 2w
Allylu Thanks for all you do, but the thrill of discovering the #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin numbers each month is enough for me. I don‘t need any more books. Merry Christmas! 🎄🎁❤️📚 2w
michellelav Thanks Sarah!! You‘re the best 🥰 2w
Deblovestoread Hi Sarah, I thought I had started the 2024 form earlier this year but could not find my saved copy. I have started a new one which I hope doesn‘t mess you up. If so, please accept my apologies. You do so much I would hate making extra work for you. If I need to do something different just let me know and I‘ll get it done. 😊 1w
TheAromaofBooks @Deblovestoread - No worries!!! When I download all the information into the spreadsheet, I'm able to see/delete double entries, so it is not a big deal at all!! 1w
101 likes26 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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TheAromaofBooks @PuddleJumper - No, but it is a mystery!! 2w
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TheAromaofBooks @PuddleJumper - Sadly, not that one either!! 2w
mabell I‘m not playing, but I knew that cover! 😄 Mystery in White 2w
TheAromaofBooks @mabell - Yes!!! I haven't read it yet, but it's languishing on my shelf 😂 2w
mabell Well I wouldn‘t rush it to the top 🤣 It was … different 2w
25 likes7 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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dabbe It it CHRISTMAS WITH HAMISH? Couldn't tag; not on Litsy. 2w
dabbe @TheAromaofBooks 💙❄️💙 2w
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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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JenReadsAlot Finding love at the Christmas Market? 2w
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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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#GuesstheBook24

(this one is also my current read and it's SO cute!)

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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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JenReadsAlot So this is Christmas? 2w
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TheAromaofBooks
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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17 likes2 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Link by Link: An Anthology of Haunted Holidays | Candace Robinson, Lauren Emily Whalen, Elle Beaumont
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We all know I have a reading challenge problem 😂 Here's the StoryGraph link to the 2025 #BooKChain prompts if anyone is interested. I have a random paragraph of people in my Tagging Document that says BookChain, so I don't know when I put you all on the list, but I'm tagging you anyway 😆

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/596e8385-7086-478f-9f02-0378f52...

TheAromaofBooks PS I also have a Word Document of these prompts, so if anyone wants a printable version, let me know!! 3w
peanutnine Nice! Loved this challenge 3w
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Deblovestoread Yay! And yes please to the printable version 3w
PuddleJumper 🙌🙌 3w
Librarybelle Great! I stopped tracking for this year for some reason, but I‘m going to try it again! 3w
Kristy_K Excited to get started! 3w
Laughterhp Oh, I‘d be interested in doing this in 2025! 3w
thebacklistbook Signed up 3w
Nelnjali Oh, this is fun :) 3w
Lauredhel @TheAromaofBooks you can go ahead and include me on your tag list, I'm back for 2025! 2w
Lauredhel @TheAromaofBooks also yes please on the document. lauredhelhoyden at gmail dot com 2w
TheAromaofBooks @Lauredhel - I emailed it to you!! 2w
TheAromaofBooks @Deblovestoread - I just need your email address or you can email me at itsthegoodlife15 at gmail and I will send it your way!! 2w
Deblovestoread @TheAromaofBooks That would help 🤦🏻‍♀️ kdgordon88 @ gmail . Thanks Sarah! 2w
RainyDayReading Yes! I fell off this year but excited to give it another try this year! 2w
Read4life I completed this year‘s challenge and would like to be tagged for 2025. ☺️ Can you please send me the printable version, too? faas2202 at gmail Thank you!! 2w
claudiuo Thanks for doing this challenge again next year! I just signed up. This year I didn't do too well, I got stuck back in September in a bonus prompt and had no way to get it done. I'll do better next year, though 😃 1w
Zuhkeeyah Ooo this sounds like a fun challenge. Please add me to the tag list. May I please have the printable version as well? zkelley3829 @ gmail. Thank you! 1w
Sarahreadstoomuch I‘m in! This seems like fun!! 5d
42 likes20 comments
review
TheAromaofBooks
Making Spirits Bright | Nan Rossiter, Fern Michaels, Rosalind Noonan, Elizabeth Bass
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Mehso-so

Four novellas in one by four different authors.
Making Spirits Bright - 1*, absolutely dreadful. Besides the story making 0% sense, the entire plot of a rich woman just deciding she wishes she had a kid or two and immediately just running out to try and rush through an adoption felt honestly icky, like kids were a commodity that she could just go out and buy on a whim like a puppy. It was weird. But maybe I'm sensitive to it because my youngest ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) sister was adopted out of foster care, so I kept saying, “that isn't how any of this works?!“
Runaway Christmas - 3.5*, best of the bunch. Fun story where a teen runs away to visit her aunt in NYC for Christmas. However, the aunt is having a rough couple of days where things keep going wrong and she keeps getting saddled with more random responsibilities (starting with the neighbor's dog and escalating from there). Super fun and cute. ⬇
3w
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) Home for Christmas - 3*, the FMC is a single mom and once read ONE book by ONE person saying that single moms shouldn't date because it can make your kid feel insecure and unloved (or something) so she literally spends the story snogging her crush in a garage at night after the kid has gone to bed. I just. The rest of the story about saving the inn was fun, but the romance was dumb.

Christmas on Cape Cod - 2*, Would have been higher if ⬇
3w
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) the author could have been bothered to take two paragraphs to explain to me how these characters are related/how they ended up where they are. I don't know if these characters are from other books by this author so she just assumed I already knew everyone, but I THINK what happened is is Guy A was dating Girl and she got pregnant and they broke up and Girl married Guy B and then a few years later Guy B died so the kid went back to Guy A ⬇ 3w
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TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) who is the actual birth dad?? Or something?? This was actually a perfectly pleasant little story about a single dad and his son getting a puppy for Christmas and realizing the girl next door is hot stepmom material, but I couldn't enjoy it because I spent the entire 80 pages in detective mode trying to figure out what the heck was going on with these people based on vague hints from the author. SO annoying. 3w
Bookwormjillk Story #1 yikes 3w
TheAromaofBooks @Bookwormjillk - It was extra weird because I've read other books by Fern Michaels and enjoyed them, but this one was just bizarre. 3w
PuddleJumper ❄️💙❄️ 3w
julieclair Very entertaining review! I‘d say donate is definitely the right move here. 😂 3w
BookmarkTavern Oof, yeah that first one feels icky to me too! Hope the next read is better! 3w
37 likes10 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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#BookSpin #DoubleSpin #BookSpinBingo will be BACK for 2025!!! Believe it or not, this will be our FIFTH YEAR spinning together!! I spontaneously created this challenge on January 1, 2020 - the reason I draw the numbers on the 2nd of the month is literally because it was too late to draw them on the 1st when I first came up with this 😂 Since then we've added #DoubleSpin and #BookSpinBingo to keep things lively.

⬇ ⬇

TheAromaofBooks Thank you all SO MUCH for participating. It really does mean so much to me to see how much everyone enjoys this challenge and makes it work for them. It‘s been pretty fun to see so many creative and interesting lists, to watch titles get checked off of TBRs, and to see just how many times the same book can show up on a list yet never actually get read! 😂 Thank you all so much for reading all my rambly posts every month, too!! 😁

⬇ ⬇
3w
TheAromaofBooks I start a new tag list every year, which is my way to making sure I‘m not tagging inactive accounts, or people who don‘t really want to be tagged any more, or people who have changed their usernames without me noticing lol I created ONE tag list for this challenge – I no longer create a separate Bingo tag list. So if you want to be tagged in 2025, please comment below and let me know!!

⬇ ⬇
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TheAromaofBooks I will be using the 2024 tag list twice more after this – to remind everyone about the upcoming 2024 giveaway (remember, any Spins you‘ve read this year count as entries!!) and then to notify everyone of the 2024 winners!! The giveaway reminder post will be sometime later this week.

⬇ ⬇
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TheAromaofBooks If you‘d like a refresh on the BookSpin “rules” (we‘re pretty loosey goosey around here lol), feel free to check out my blog post (this link is also always available on my profile) - https://thearomaofbooks.wordpress.com/bookspin-bookspinbingo-litsy-challenge/

As always, let me know if you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns. Looking forward to spinning with everyone for another year!!!
3w
Lcsmcat Thank you for helping me read down my shelves, and sometimes discover surprises. I‘m in for 2025! 3w
AllDebooks Yay, count me in. x 3w
PuddleJumper I'm in! 3w
ChelseaM6010 I‘m in for 2025! 🙂 3w
guinsgirlreads I‘m in! Thank you! ☺️ 3w
OriginalCyn620 So glad it‘s back for another year! Please count me in for 2025. And thank you so much for hosting this great challenge! 😊 3w
TheSpineView Lookin' forward to 2025! 3w
julieclair Absolutely! 😘 3w
Jess861 Please tag me - I'm in 😊 3w
BookNAround Yes please!!! 3w
Megabooks In again!!! 💯💯💯💯💯 3w
AmyG Thank you so much. I will be continuing in 2025….as this is my favorite Litsy challenge! 3w
Suet624 Yes please 3w
PathfinderNicole I think I‘d like to try this in 2025! 3w
SusanLee Me please!!! 3w
JoeMo Yes please! I haven‘t had bingo in forever, but I still completely love }bookspinbingo! 3w
Librarybelle Yes please! I plan to continue in 2025! 3w
ElizaMarie Me please!!!! 3w
Sace Yes please! I plan to continue too. 3w
Elizabeth2 Yes please! I fell off doing it this year and I miss it. I want to add this challenge back in to my reading life in 2025. ❤️📚 3w
JackOBotts Yes, please! @TheAromaofBooks ~ a favorite Litsy challenge! 🥰 Thank you for taking us into Year 5! 🙌🏼💜 3w
Enchanted_Bibliophile I'm in for 2025! Didn't do it this year and realised I missed it. 3w
Zuhkeeyah Keep me on the list please! I love this challenge. Thank you for hosting another year 🥰 3w
Jadams89 Yes please! 3w
wordslinger42 I‘m in for next year! 3w
LeafingThroughLife Book spin is my favorite! Please keep tagging me 😀 3w
vlwelser I'm in. Please keep me on your list. And thank you for doing this! Xoxo! 3w
Bookworm54 Keep me on please :) 3w
peanutnine I'm in! Thanks for organizing Sarah! 3w
Mollyanna I‘m in for another fabulous year! Thank you so much for hosting. 3w
BarkingMadRead I‘m in!! 🎉🎉🎉 3w
Daisey I‘m in! Thanks again for hosting such a fun and flexible challenge. 3w
AnneCecilie Please keep me in your list 3w
Bookwormjillk Me me me!!! 3w
JenReadsAlot I'm in! Thanks! 3w
lauraisntwilder Please keep tagging me, thank you!! 3w
sherrisilvera Please keep me in. Love it, thank you! 3w
staci.reads Yes, yes, yes! Please keep me on the list! This challenge rescues so many books that have been languishing on my shelves 😂. Thank you so much for continuing yo put in the time to organize this 💕 3w
zezeki I wasn't very consistent this year with partcipating, but this year I also got the most bingos when I did play, so count me in! 3w
behudd Please keep in me 💜 3w
JamieArc I would like to continue! Thanks for hosting this 😊 3w
AudiobookingWithLeah Yes, I would like to be included, please! 3w
sebrittainclark I would like to continue! This has really helped me read the books I already own. 3w
Maggie4483 Yes, please! I love this challenge!!! (edited) 3w
BookmarkTavern Yes please sign me up for another year! I‘ve made such progress on my TBR with this challenge! 3w
Jari-chan Sign me up! 3w
bookandbedandtea Yes, please keep me signed up! ❤️ 3w
Laughterhp I‘m in for another year! 3w
Chelsea.Poole I‘m in! 3w
ShananigansReads I‘m in! 3w
vonnie862 Tag me! 3w
Yuki_Onna Please tag me - I'm excited to continue on next year! 3w
Eggs Always in, since its inception many years ago! 3w
Read4life I‘m in! Thank you. 💙 3w
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Absolutely tag me! Looking forward to another year of it!! ❤️ 3w
CBee I haven‘t done great with it this year, but please keep tagging me next year 🤦‍♀️😂 3w
merelybookish Yes. I am inconsistent but appreciate the tag. :)
3w
TheBookgeekFrau I'm in! And thank you for being the fire under my butt to read things that have been sitting on my TBR shelves for way too long!! ❤️ 3w
Clare-Dragonfly I‘m absolutely in! (edited) 3w
CoffeeNBooks Thanks so much for hosting this again in 2025! I'm in! 3w
BacklistReader I‘m in. Maybe I‘ll do better posting in 2025 too. 3w
Karisimo Count me in! 3w
Sarahreadstoomuch Definitely in! Thank you for continuing year after year!! 3w
Allylu I‘m in, too! I look forward to the numbers every month. 3w
MatchlessMarie I‘m in!! 3w
ChaoticMissAdventures I am in for 2025! Thank you Sarah for all the hard work that brings so many of us so much joy!! 3w
rachelsbrittain I'm excited to participate for a full year since I started half way through this year! It's been so fun to add the boards in my planner / journal! 3w
RaeLovesToRead I'm in for 2025! 😊💕 3w
Bklover Yes please and thank you. 😊 🩷 3w
Sargar114 Woohoo! I‘ll be in. Thank you so much for your hard work and dedication to this. It‘s so much fun and helps keep me motivated! 3w
MemoirsForMe Wow! 5 years already! Thanks, Sarah, for all the work you do for this coolest challenge. Of course I‘m in! 🤗🤗🤗 3w
BarbaraJean Yes, please! I‘m in for 2025! 3w
michellelav Hi, I‘d like to be added please 🥰 You‘re the best! 3w
tdrosebud I'd like to stay on the list please. 3w
Larkken I'm in for 2025 🎉🎆🥰 3w
ImperfectCJ I'm in for next year, please! Thank you so much for hosting this each month! 3w
CSeydel I didn‘t do so well this year, but I‘m still interested in playing next year 😝 Thank you for hosting this fun monthly event! 3w
HeyT Count me in for 2025! 3w
Deblovestoread Yes, please! 💃🏻 (happy dance) 3w
Prairiegirl_reading I haven‘t been doing well this year but I‘m already planning for January so I‘m definitely in! Thanks for doing this!! 3w
Caryl I love this challenge! I‘m in again for 2025. Thanks so much! 3w
Nessavamusic Love it, yes include me! 3w
BookwormAHN I'm in 😺 3w
AsYouWish I‘m in!!! 3w
Caterina I'm hoping to read more next year, and I'm definitely in! Thank you for hosting again! 😊 3w
Fortifiedbybooks Count me in! 😁 3w
Singout Please and thank you! 3w
AshleyHoss820 Sarah, it means so much to this community that, every year, you put the time and effort into organizing such a fun reading challenge that actually gets us excited about reading and doesn‘t put stress on us. Please count me in for 2025! Here‘s to year 5!! Happy everything this season! 🧡 3w
DGRachel Please keep me on the list for 2025. This is one of my favorite things and I‘ve already started planning categories for next year‘s lists! Thank you so much for creating and hosting this! 3w
willaful This challenge has been such a huge help! Thank you for doing all this work for us and count me in! 3w
kelli7990 Yay! It will be my second year participating. 3w
CoffeeK8 Yes, please keep me on. And thanks for doing this! 3w
majkia I'm in. Thanks for this great challenge 3w
BookKenz I've been here since the start and can't wait for another year! Thanks for always having this. 3w
BookishMadHatter Please keep tagging me, and thank you for hosting. This is so fun 3w
VeganCleopatra Please keep me tagged. Thanks! 3w
Soubhiville Yes please! I‘m going to keep bookspinning! 3w
MallenNC I want to keep going in 2025! Thanks for doing this for us. 3w
brittanyreads Thank you so much for hosting this! It's been so fun! Please, remove me from the list going forward, though, as 2025 will be my year of mood reading without goals or challenges! Thanks!! 3w
mrp27 Yes! Please keep tagging me. 3w
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Yes, please continue to tag me! 3w
kwmg40 Please continue to tag me and thanks for keeping this going for 2025! 3w
aperfectmjk Add me to the list. I've been a bit quiet on Litsy this year, but still do this challenge every month even if I don't post. 😉 3w
Marmie7 Add me, please! Thank you! 3w
janeycanuck Thank for for running this each year! Please keep tagging me. I‘m in for another year of wondering where the hell the month went when I see you post to get our lists together for the next month 🤣 (edited) 3w
TheAromaofBooks @janeycanuck - Changing the name of this challenge to #existentialcrisisbingo 😂 3w
bekakins Please keep me on the list! And thanks so much for running again I cannot tell you how much this helps me get through my TBR (not getting any smaller though 👀😆) 3w
The.Great.Catsby Please tag me!! 3w
Pigpen_Reads Please continue to tag me :) 3w
janeycanuck @TheAromaofBooks OMG, I‘m dying. Best tag ever 😂😂😂 3w
lil1inblue You can continue to tag me! It's such a motivation! 3w
Coffeymuse Love this challenge-please continue tagging me! Thanks! 3w
robinb Count me in, please! Thanks! 3w
DieAReader Yes plz! I absolutely LOVE❤️‍🔥 this challenge! 3w
DogMomIrene Count me in for 2025🙌🏼 3w
rabbitprincess Yes please!!! My reading habits might change again for the second year of my Master‘s program but I love making the bingo cards anyway 😂 3w
hissingpotatoes Please keep me on the list! 2w
LeslieO Yes! I definitely want to be on the list! Thanks! 2w
katiekat311 I‘m SO glad you decided to create this and keep up with it. I love it! Count me in and as always, a big thank you! 2w
RainyDayReading Please keep me on the list! 2w
TieDyeDude Please keep me on the list! Thanks. 2w
ferskner Yes please! Somehow I'm not getting Litsy notifications but I'll try to figure that out so I can participate this year. Thanks for doing this! 2w
Kristelh Yes please. Keep me on the list. 2w
Chrissyreadit Tag me please! 2w
KatieB Yes please! Would love to continue to be tagged in 2025! 2w
llwheeler Yes please tag me, and thank you for all your work with this challenge! 🙂 2w
hes7 Yes please! 2w
Bookbuyingaddict Yes 👍 please 🙏 love ❤️ it x x x. Thank you 🤩 2w
Scochrane26 Please continue to tag me! 2w
triplem80 Please keep me for next year! This is seriously one of my highlights of every month...not just in my reading life, but in life period! Even when I continue to ignore my TBR and finish with more "free" picks than there are spaces for them! ? 2w
MaleficentBookDragon I‘m in for 2025! (edited) 2w
candc320 Yes please!! I love this challenge! 2w
claudiuo I love this challenge, thank you so much for continuing it! I'm in for 2025. 1w
Booksblanketsandahotbeverage Please add me again! 📚 1w
kstadt929 Add me please! 6d
Jess861 If I could be tagged again please and thank you. 2d
Librariana Despite my silence and inconsistency, I'd like to be kept on the tag list, please ☺️ Thank you kindly 💜 6h
Lizpixie I‘m back from my SM break and will be in again next year!🙌 3h
113 likes155 comments
review
TheAromaofBooks
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Pickpick

This is what I'm looking for in holiday romance!! Cheesy, predictable, but still loads of fun with likable characters and storylines that actually make sense!! 😂 I'm a HUGE sucker for marriage of convenience stories, and this one played out pretty well. Super cute, and I'm planning to read the next book this week!!

#WinterGames #HolidayBookDragons @LiseWorks

PuddleJumper ❄️❄️ 3w
TheSpineView Fantastic! 3w
See All 6 Comments
julieclair Stacked! This is my kind of book! 😃 3w
Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 3w
BookmarkTavern Sounds lovely! 3w
48 likes1 stack add6 comments
blurb
TheAromaofBooks
Across the Miles | Lucy Maud Montgomery
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@BookmarkTavern - I'm your match for the #StuffedStockingSwap !!! I finally got your package in the mail yesterday and USPS says it should be there Friday!! I hope you love it!! 😁

@Avanders thanks so much for hosting this fun swap every year!!!

Avanders 👏🏼👏🏼🎄☃️❤️😘 3w
BookmarkTavern Oh I am so excited! 💖💖💖 3w
43 likes2 comments
review
TheAromaofBooks
Mingle All the Way | J. P. Sterling
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Panpan

If I had to choose one word for how I felt while reading this series of books, I think it would be “baffled.“ These characters constantly made decisions that made no sense. The narrative frequently made no sense. The motivations made pretty much no sense. A few samples: two grown adults have a “cheesecake fight“ in the kitchen ruining the desert and dinner party they're attending (after the FMC starts EATING IT WITH HER BARE HANDS?!); two people ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) can't remember anything from the night before (including whether or not they GOT MARRIED) and apparently it's not because they were drunk, it's because there is some kind of... holiday magic?? That makes you have no memories?! - guy needs to be married to inherit his grandma's house so he convinces girl to go to Vegas to PRETEND to get married and the guy's lawyer dad totally accepts a few photos of them in wedding clothes as proof and ⬇ 3w
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) deeds everything over to them!? I could go on. I read these with a sort of fascinated horror as to how they could be SO BAD. It was disappointing because the concepts were actually fun and the characters likable (except for “I eat from the middle of the cheesecake with my bare hands before we slice it up to serve to other people“ UGH) and I am genuinely always on the lookout for clean holiday romances, but these just honestly made ⬇ 3w
See All 11 Comments
TheAromaofBooks OH And here's another pet peeve!!! Books that say they are a series and then HAVE ZERO CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THEM!!!! Sharing a loose theme is not what makes a series!!!!! 3w
DieAReader @TheAromaofBooks 😤😵‍💫Sounds painful! 🤞🏻better reads ahead! #Next 3w
Texreader Ok one of the best reviews ever!! I‘d say it was worth the read so we all could read this review (edited) 3w
PuddleJumper Ruining food like that is a dumpable reason 😂 3w
TheSpineView Hopefully the next is better! Kudos for finishing 3w
BookmarkTavern Listen, I‘ve been feral about a good cheesecake before, but never ate it with my bare hands. 🤣🤣 Hope your next reads are better! 3w
Andrew65 Oh no, sorry these left you feeling like this. 3w
StayCurious I always love an honest review! 😀 3w
50 likes11 comments
blurb
TheAromaofBooks
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For those of you who like planning ahead - the 2025 #ISpyBingo challenge is now available on Storygraph!!!

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/85a6eb78-a914-4e84-a200-9073f75...

I am going to TRY to be better about posting each month's board a week or two before the month starts, and tagging those who wish to be tagged 😂 If you want to be on that tag list, let me know!!

The Storygraph link has the “rules“ to this challenge ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) which, like most of my challenges, are pretty loosey-goosey haha

But the basics are that items can be found anywhere on the outside of the book (front, back, spine) unless specified otherwise. Any item can be either a picture of that item OR the word (so a candle or the word candle) unless the item is listed in quotation marks, which means you have to find those exact words.

If you would like to see the entire year of bingo boards ⬇
3w
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) here is a Canva link that should let you view/screenshot them -

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGVO4NctsY/-lGsmflP3sUW9FsAung8hg/view?utm_content...

You can do one board a month or work on all 12 the whole year. Or you can be complicated like me and start each month's board on the first of the month, but give yourself an entire year to clear it to keep things fresh 😁 ⬇
3w
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) Literally whatever works for you!! Let me know if you have any questions or if a link doesn't work or if there is a glaring spelling error, etc. Happy searching!!

@BarbaraBB @Faranae @lauredhel @LiseWorks @Read4life @peanutnine @PuddleJumper @willaful
3w
See All 15 Comments
PuddleJumper Yay! I'm excited 3w
BarbaraBB Perfect! Thanks! 3w
LiseWorks Fantastic, I love this 3w
Read4life Thank you!! 💙📚💙 3w
Deblovestoread Joined on Storygraph. Please add me to your tagged list. 3w
PuddleJumper Is there a place with all this year's boards? I've not been keeping up but I'm gonna use them for extra points 😂 3w
willaful What a nice job you did on the boards! I can see the advantage of Canva. 3w
TheAromaofBooks @willaful - Thank you!! I had wayyyy too much fun picking backgrounds, and Canva does a thing when you are picking your font color where it has several colors that are IN the background, so I got to have matching fonts, too 😂 3w
julieclair Thanks for doing all 12 boards at once! I‘ve joined the SG challenge. Please tag me here on Litsy, too. Thanks, Sarah! 😃 3w
jenniferw88 Please tag me for this, please, Sarah! 2w
Sarahreadstoomuch Very excited for this - I‘d love to be on the tag list! 5d
51 likes15 comments
review
TheAromaofBooks
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Pickpick

My first book completed for #WinterGames isn't remotely Christmasy, but it was the book I was halfway through reading when December 1 arrived 😂 I've been working my way through the Kate Daniels series all year and I LOVE IT. I wasn't sure at first because they're a little more violent than my personal tastes, but I've gotten better at skipping what I need to skip haha the characters, the world-building, all the secondary characters, everything ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) is put together so well. I'm completely invested not just in Kate, but in her whole family/friends group. Can't wait to see where this story goes next. 4w
TheSpineView Great series! ❤️📖📚 4w
See All 11 Comments
PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 4w
Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 4w
LiseWorks Love this series 4w
StayCurious I‘ll have to try this series 4w
Texreader Whatever works to get those points!! 4w
robinb One of my first urban fantasy series (it led me to many more) and like you I LOVED IT! I raced through them like potato chips. LOL (edited) 4w
Larkken I love all their books! So glad you're enjoying them 💗 4w
BookmarkTavern Looks like a fun read! 3w
57 likes11 comments
review
TheAromaofBooks
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed November's Trixie mystery. I know I've said it before, but I love how Trixie isn't perfect. In this story, she's biased against Dan from the start just because of how he looks/what he wears, and that comes back to bite her. Were some things in this book a little too tidy/easy? Absolutely, but that's okay because it's fiction 😂

Did you all get to this one? Any thoughts?

One other thing, I wondered how crazy the mountain lion ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) aspect was, so I looked it up - there were still reports of mountain lions in upstate New York through the mid-1900s, although they were considered pretty rare after around 1930, as prior to that there was a bounty on them, so they were hunted excessively. They weren't put on NY's endangered species/protected list until 1973, over ten years after this book was published. So, implausible but not impossible 😂 4w
TheAromaofBooks OH Also we are going to skip December and come back in January with The Happy Valley Mystery!! The overall consensus seemed to be everyone is pretty busy this month so the fewer “assignments“ the better 😆 I'm really looking forward to continuing this series with you all, though, as I am thoroughly enjoying this jaunt down memory lane!! 4w
See All 11 Comments
lauraisntwilder Of course mountain lions were rare, all the Mr. Maypennys of the world were too ready to shoot them! 4w
curiouserandcurioser @TheAromaofBooks im loving reading these again! Trixie isnt perfect, but has a good heart:) i cant wait to get back to reading these in January! 4w
Read4life I‘m still in the VI and my books are home. I had no idea when we quickly traveled to get to my FIL in October that we‘d still be here. 4w
TheAromaofBooks @lauraisntwilder - It's always tough to know how to deal with dangerous animals in populated areas. But at this time the government had decided eliminating them was the way to go 😬 4w
TheAromaofBooks @curiouserandcurioser - She really does, and I love how she is able to admit she's wrong and tries to do better next time. 4w
TheAromaofBooks @Read4life - Family gets crazy sometimes!!! Is your FIL doing okay? 4w
BookmarkTavern That‘s one of my favorite parts of these books! When Trixie (and the others) make mistakes or judge people too harshly, they apologize and change their behavior. 💖 3w
Read4life He‘s still in the hospital but they‘re talking of sending him home for hospice care. 3w
58 likes11 comments
blurb
TheAromaofBooks
The Stranger Diaries | Elly Griffiths

Hey @bookandbedandtea I mailed this book to you last week but never posted because I'm bad about that 😂 @Jerdencon The Nature of Disappearing arrived safe and sound as well!! @robinb just keeping you in the loop haha

Thoughts on another round after this one?

bookandbedandtea I have not yet read The Last Time I Lied. Sorry- I keep pushing it back for library holds coming in but I'll stop doing that now and get it done! As for future rounds: I love this and I'm happy to keep going as long as you both want to. @Jerdencon 4w
Jerdencon Im up for more rounds too! No rush @bookandbedandtea do we want to wait until January to finish this last round since it‘s so busy with the holidays and we can start the new one in February? (edited) 3w
TheAromaofBooks I think giving ourselves until the end of January to wrap up this round sounds like a great idea. I do love indulging in nothing but holiday romances all of December 😂 We can get back in touch in early January about picking books for a February-March-April round? @bookandbedandtea @Jerdencon @robinb 3w
bookandbedandtea All of that works for me as well! 😊 @Jerdencon @robinb 3w
29 likes5 comments
blurb
TheAromaofBooks
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Our final #BookSpinBingo of the year!? What is happening!??! Thank you all SO much for joining me for this challenge this year. I really love hosting this and seeing everyone's lists and reviews and struggles 😂 I'm looking forward to 2025, but for now, I hope you all have a fabulous December, a cozy holiday season, and plenty of time to clear this month's board!!

(Standard monthly text below ⬇ ⬇)

TheAromaofBooks Here's the #BookSpinBingo card! First, I put our official numbers (11 & 8) back in the mix. Then I drew them all out & wrote them down as I went, meaning the official numbers are just mixed into the card with the rest! As you can see, 21-25 are both labeled with their numbers & also as free spaces, so you can use them to match however you wrote your list. To score a bingo, just read books (in any order) that are in any row or column!! MORE INFO ⬇ 4w
TheAromaofBooks 1 - I don't tag anyone on this post except for @LitsyEvents but anyone is welcome to play along!!
2 - Remember – NO PRESSURE!!!! If this starts to stress you out, just take that page right out of your journal and pretend it never existed!! This challenge is to encourage you to read, not to make you feel like reading is a chore!!!
3 - FREE SPACES can be filled with any book that is NOT already on your list!! ⬇
4w
TheAromaofBooks 4 & final - As a reminder, only the “official” BookSpin/DoubleSpin numbers will count towards giveaway entries. I don‘t want the giveaway to be stacked against people who aren‘t able to read lots of books each month. So basically there is still a maximum of 2 entries possible per month no matter how many books you read from your list. This bingo card is just for fun & glory! 😁

Thanks for playing & happy reading!!!
4w
See All 9 Comments
GinaKButler Feeling hopeful for a bingo this month! Thank you for hosting! ❤️ 4w
claudiuo Thank you so much for doing this board every month! ❤ 4w
BookmarkTavern Yay! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 4w
willaful “What is happening?“ Pretty much me every day. 😳 4w
Julsmarshall Thank you for hosting this amazing challenge. I look forward to the 2nd of each month and love seeing what everyone is reading 😍 3w
Bookbuyingaddict Thank you 🙏 so much for doing this for us it is the highlight of our monthly reads and helps so much with a towering TBR and book buying addiction 😂 happy 😃 reading x x x 3w
67 likes9 comments
blurb
TheAromaofBooks
Spinning | Tillie Walden
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Good morning, everyone! The moment you have all been waiting for!! Our official #BookSpin number is ELEVEN! Our official #DoubleSpin number is EIGHT!! I have thoroughly enjoyed looking at everyone‘s lists & am really looking forward to seeing your reviews!!

My next post will be the #BookSpinBingo card. I am NOT tagging anyone on that post!! If you want to bingo, please just check my profile for the card. This saves me having to double tag ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont‘d) everyone/keep track of who wants to bingo and who doesn‘t!!

I use the same tag list for the entire year, so if you would like to be added or removed, please just let me know. It takes me a while to tag everyone (there are over 200 of you!!!) so I will add “FINISHED” to the last tag batch so you know whether or not I missed you. If I did, it was completely inadvertent. Sometimes I just spell someone‘s username wrong. ⬇
4w
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) As always, the link to the masterpost about how this challenge works can be found on my profile or here - https://thearomaofbooks.wordpress.com/bookspin-bookspinbingo-litsy-challenge/ - and the link to the Google Form where you can track your reads for the end-of-the-year-giveaway can be found here - https://forms.gle/4kTBMWAsCa9Cvmqs6

Thanks for playing, everyone!! Please know that I read EVERY comment on this post but don't always ⬇
4w
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) have time to reply to them all!! Thank you all so much for your enthusiasm and for making this challenge SO much fun!!

I'm going to post the Bingo board, and then come back and start the tag list on this post. Happy reading!!!
4w
See All 33 Comments
AmyG Thank you for a wonderful year! 4w
DieAReader 🤓💖Thank you!! 4w
Lcsmcat Thank you! 4w
vlwelser Thank you! 😘 4w
GinaKButler Yay!! Thank you so much for hosting! I got: 4w
Librarybelle Yay! Thanks for hosting!! 4w
BarkingMadRead Can‘t wait to see what books got pulled this month! 4w
Bookwormjillk Yay! Bookspin day! This is my lunch break task. 4w
BookmarkTavern Woohoo! 🎉🎉 4w
claudiuo Thank you so much! 4w
Soubhiville Yay! I love Bookspin day! 4w
dabbe Thanks again for all you do for us! 💙❄️💙 4w
ElizaMarie I have loved doing this! Thanks for Hosting! I am excited for this next year too! 4w
staci.reads Yay! Thank you for the time you put in! #BS is Wandering Stars and #DS is tagged! 4w
Caryl Thank you so much for this wonderful challenge! 💖 3w
CoffeeK8 Yay thank you! 3w
Bookbuyingaddict Thank you so much ☺️ failed 😣 miserably last month so roll on holiday seasonal reading 📖 x. X x 🥰🤶🧑‍🎄🎅 3w
MemoirsForMe Yay! Thx for this coolest challenge! I‘ll be enjoying 2 books about reading this month. Anna Quindlen‘s How Reading Changed My Life and 3w
88 likes33 comments