It is grey and cold here. Love Fridays to remind me of all the good things.

1) A warm house and a lap full of puppy.
2) Sunday dinner at Mongolian grill with both my kids.
3) A stop at B & N where some books found a new home.
4) Hubby descaled my Kuerig. Since he doesn‘t drink coffee it‘s a labor of love and maybe self preservation. 😂
5) In a bit of a slump but staying on task with daily reading with groups and journaling.

Thanks Deb!

I LOVED this book! My first 5 🌟 read of 2025. Thank you Allissa @LapReader for putting this on your #AuldLangSpine list. I might never have heard about it otherwise. Thanks @CarolynM and @LeeRHarry for letting me know it‘s not to be missed. Quiet Francis reflects back on her life as a first year art student who falls for her charismatic art teacher.

Thanks for the giveaway opportunity @wanderinglynn Hope your birthday is filled with delight 🎂

The tagged book has lots of great reviews and is one I‘m looking forward to reading.

#49bdaygiveaway

#WeeklyForecast

I‘ve managed to keep up with all my daily reading so far. Lark Rise isn‘t what I thought it would be. Glad it‘s a chapter a day only. Loving all the other buddy reads.

Just started the Connolly (my first of his) so far I like where I think it‘s going. Also not too far into Girl in a Pink Dress but liking it. Still need to start The Fox Wife.

#WeeklyFavorite

Couldn‘t put it down.

@Read4life

The 4th in the Matthew Shardlake series and my favorite so far. I intended to only read the January section but was drawn in and couldn‘t stop. I have lots of thoughts and hope I can remember them when time to discuss. 4.5 🌟. @dabbe

#BookedinTime #TheTudors @Cuilin

#5JoysFriday

1) Pippin‘s leg is healed!
2) We‘ve had a few afternoons of blue sky and sunshine this week, almost Spring like. And a beautiful sunset.
3) NetGalley approved me for the new Donoghue 🎉
4) Lunch and a new to me quilt store with my friend on Tuesday
5) Grocery order is in for pick up so I can have a coffee & stitching date this afternoon with another friend.

Share your joy! Taking the time to reflect on my week is 🥰

A nice addition to Molly‘s story as she navigates her relationship with Juan Manuel and her job at the Regency Grand Hotel. 3 🌟

#NetGalley

Book 2/175

I really liked this short audio book and the messages portrayed. I think it would be an excellent book for a family to read together. I‘m rarely a fan of short stories but these worked for me. Read for #LiteraryCrew discussion 1/20. #52Bookclub25 #MultipleNarratorsAudiobook 3 squares #JanuaryISpy

@Read4life @Librarybelle @TheAromaofBooks

Thank you Kerri! So excited for the book and chocolates. I may be having a piece now with my morning coffee. Yum! @Kshakal

Thank you @bookish_wookish for hosting this swap. ❤️

#WeeklyForecast

I have missed posting a weekly forecast so decided to start again with the new year. Hoping it helps keep me on track a bit with so many things going on.

#12DaysofChristmas

Tagged was my favorite of December. Highly recommend this fun holiday read.

@Andrew65

#ChristieCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

It‘s been a while since I‘ve read Agatha and this first outing has reminded me how much I loved her books.

#52BookClub25 #TitleStartswithM
#192025 #1920
#ISpyBingo 8 squares

@Librarybelle @TheAromaofBooks

#ReadYourKindle

I‘ll definitely be reading the tagged book as it works for #AuthorAMonth as well.

Thanks @CBee

2024 #BookSpinWrap Up

Not my best year but 21 out of 24 and 34 bingos isn‘t too bad.

Thanks to @TheAromaofBooks for continuing to host one of my favorite challenges. 🩵💙🩵

#5JoysFriday

1) Pippin wasn‘t fazed by the fireworks!
2) My son with my niece‘s dog Asoka
3) My dad shared his diary entry of the day I was born yesterday.
4) Started my journaling journey on the first.
5) Litsy always! 💙🩵💙

@DebinHawaii

Some final 2024 stats for challenges.

#AtoZ : missed X and Y.

#AuldLangSpine: 8 read with a few more I hope to get tackle this year

#Booked in Time: 5 out of 12 is not great. Hope to do better this year.

#ReadYourKindle: 28 read which is great. We won‘t talk about how many took their place.

#SeriesLove24 86! Finished a couple, caught up on a couple and made progress/started others.

Thanks to all the hosts for the work they do!

#12DaysofChristmas

I really enjoyed this novel of when Christmas, Hanukkah and Ramadan collided.

@Andrew65

My final #WeeklyFavorites for 2024.

Fourth Wing and the tagged book were both a great way to wrap up a reading year.

@Read4life

#12DaysofChristmas

Another good book I might have missed out on if not for Litsy. This one was a #SundayBuddyRead with @TheBookHippie

@Andrew65

Thanks for a FANTASTIC #Wintergames @StayCurious @LiseWorks #TeamXmasChaCha and team #HolidayBookDragons.

#12DaysofChristmas #September

Thanks to #ClassicLSFBC this was a favorite of September.

 @Andrew65

And 2024 is in the books! Thank you Litsy for all you do to enhance my reading life. From every challenge and buddy read, like and comment, my life has been filled with light and joy because of this marvelous community. I wish each and every one of you a fantastic 2025! Happy New Year! 🥳😘

December Wrap up. Both 5 🌟 books are favorite seasonal rereads. And like so many others I think The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year was just delightful. It may become a seasonal reread as well.

#12DaysofChristmas

Read during #CampLitsy which added to the enjoyment of this book that didn‘t quite make my #Top24in24.

@Andrew65

I hope to finish the book I‘m in the middle of before midnight however it won‘t change my favorite book of the year. Really loved Brotherless Night and still think about it. Thankful for the Women‘s Prize for bringing it to my attention ❤️

Thanks @CSeydel for the bracket.

#Two4Tuesday

1) I‘ll set my book goal at 150.
2) These are my most anticipated 2025 new releases. I also keep hoping for a new Madeline Miller.

Want to play? @TieDyeDude @WildAlaskaBibliophile @CBee

@TheSpineView

#ReadYourKindle. Still using this challenge to not only clear my kindle but continue clearing my series backlog with #SeriesLove2025

@CBee @TheSpineView @Andrew65

#12DaysofChristmas

Honorable mentions that didn‘t make my #Top24in24

The reading experience with the tagged book was enhanced by the comments and observations of the buddy read participants led by @Graywacke

@Andrew65

#Roll100 #NonfictionEdition

I have 100+ unread nonfiction books so hopefully this helps lessen that number while reminding me to get more nonfic into my reading diet.

@PuddleJumper

#Roll100 #BOTMedition

In keeping to my resolve to read from my shelves I‘m trying to focus all 2025 Litsy challenges to my personal challenge. I don‘t quite have 100 BOTM books but have spots open for what is added this year. Because let‘s be real, books will be added 😂

@PuddleJumper

Completed the #ChunksterChallenge for 2024. 🎉 My first year to hit all four chunkster categories.

@Amiable Thanks for hosting and the motivation to get to the larger books on my shelf.

#12DaysofChristmas

My favorite of June that didn‘t make my #Top24in24. Read for #AuthorAMonth. Not his best but still fantastic.

@Andrew65

#12DaysofChristmas

Books that I loved that didn‘t make my #Top24in24. I was surprised at how much I liked this short book imagining of Mary.

@Andrew65

#BookspinBingo

Going to stick with a fairly loosy goosy #Bookspin list for 2025. Here‘s January.

@TheAromaofBooks

#The52BookClub

Thank goodness the tagged book happened to be a locked room mystery for my final spot. Feeling good that I managed to finish and am looking forward to 2025.

@Kristy_K @LaraReads @KarenUK @Hooked_on_books @BarkingMadRead @brittanyreads @Magpiegem @BookBelle84 @Larkken @jenniferw88 @julesG @MidnightBookGirl @Librarybelle @triplem80 @Tove_Reads @Graciouswarriorprincess @Read4life @Bluebird @eeclayton @hissingpotatoes @Book_Lover95

#12DaysofChristmas

I‘m choosing favorites out of those remaining after compiling my #Top24in24.

I hadn‘t read an Allison Weir in many, many years and read The Passionate Tudor as an ARC. I knew very little about Queen Mary and thought this was excellent.

@Andrew65

#12DaysofChristmas. Playing catch up. Decided to do my favorites reads out of those that didn‘t make my #Top24in24

January: Persuasion because Jane Austen always.
February: Uncle Tom‘s Cabin My first time with this book. So glad to have finally read it.
March: Enter Ghost Why I love the Women‘s Prize list. Books I might not otherwise pick up.

@Andrew65

#Top24in24

Thanks to whoever posted the tip about using this method on pic collage to get 24 books in one post easily.

This was a weird reading year for me looking back. Not as many 5 🌟 reads as last year. A lot more what I consider fluffy or easy reads and about 35 less books in total. A bonus was increased luck on #NetGalley. I am at 191 for the year and might finish one more.

Looking forward to a great year 2025 in books!

#5JoysFriday

1) All the lovely #LitsyLove and #Naturalitsy cards, notes, and goodies. I was filled with joy with each envelope opened.
2) We had 5 dogs in and out over the holiday and Pippin loved the big dog toys so much. My niece gifted him the big boy monkey man toy.
3 & 4) Most of my family was together for the first time in over 10 years and it had its moments, both hard and easy. The joy my dad got from having his 3 kids together was ⬇️

#5JoysFriday

1) Coffee, coffee, coffee
2) Holiday baking shows
3) Christmas music
4) Kelly who picks up my slack willingly
5) Pippin! I‘m reminded why we don‘t have babies at 65 but wouldn‘t change a thing!

Tagging everyone!

@DebinHawaii

Picked this goody up today. So nice to have it to look forward to after the inevitable let down after the holidays. Thank you @Kshakal Merry Christmas 🎄. @bookish_wookish #LittleChristmasSwap.

#333. Today‘s answers as these categories are subject to change on a whim 😂

Auto buy: Nickolas Butler, Valerie Perrin, Willy Vlautin

More of: Percival Everett, Rebecca Wait, Elif Shafak

First time: Rose Tremaine, Rufi Thorpe, Catherine Chidgey

Hard to choose just 3 but fun challenge! Thanks @ChaoticMissAdventures

Want to play @Lesliereadsalot @KadaGul @Christine ?

#ChristmasCheer #Firewood

There‘s a lot going on this cover but there is firewood.

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

#TLT #ThreeListThursday

The only cookie I‘m not a fan of is one with raisins. Favorites are molasses, peanut butter blossoms and oatmeal chocolate chip.

@dabbe

#7of10 #TenBeforetheEnd

#52Bookclub #AcademicThriller

I think this was the right book for the right time. A fast romp of a read that I had put off due to all the hype. Next up Rock Paper Scissors which will likely be my last of this list and the final prompt for 52 Bookclub.

@ChaoticMissAdventures

#DogsofLitsy

Meet Merry Pippin. We have been fostering to adopt Pippin while he was in a splint to heal a broken leg. Today his splint was removed and his adoption finalized. I got my Christmas wish. ❤️🎄❤️

Having a super tired puppy gave me time to prepare my pages for 2025 Roll 100 list using @PuddleJumper ‘s template. I have 89 unread BOTM selections on my shelf and the remaining 11 will be filled with 2025 selections.

Tomorrow is Pippin‘s appointment. We are hoping to get good news of a healed leg, no more splint and finalizing his adoption. 🤞🏼

#ChristmasCheer #Tree

Not your typical holiday tree.

@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#Two4Tuesday

1) picking out my coffee mug and then having my first cup
2) Only a few chapters in but Violet is courageous

Thanks for the tag @kspenmoll 🩵❄️🩵

@TheSpineView