Woke up and before I could even get out my PJs and make a cup of coffee, I picked this book up again. It‘s seriously good - I can‘t put it down!

Starting this one today 🤓 Paired with Dunkin‘ because.. it‘s what America runs on ☕️

This one is so hard to rate and review - the subject matter is of immense interest to me, but I found it hard to stay engaged. The book was long, dense, and over written. A few parts stand out to me, but it felt like my mind was drifting for most of it. I learned a lot, but it also took me 3 months to read so I am glad to be finished with it!

🎧 - I am obsessed with this one! It was so good to listen to on audio (headphones must be worn at all times and prepare to blush) and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire thing. It was one of those romances where it just makes your chest ache. There was a moment at the end which kind of shook me, but besides that, I loved the story, the characters, all of it. So well done. 💕

Another rainy morning here in England ☔️ I don‘t mind because it‘s giving me PNW vibes and I. LOVE. IT.

I just started Finding Dorothy last night and am thoroughly intrigued by it. The Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite movies, so I‘m looking forward to diving into it further! 🌀💚

A really great account of the creation of Disneyland but also it‘s influence on American culture, both home and abroad. I loved all of the little details - it gave me the same feeling I get whenever I visit Disneyland.. excitement and nostalgia all mixed into one. It did drag at parts, but mostly I found it utterly fascinating.

Today‘s #QuarantineRead 🦠📚

I‘ve lost all concept of time. A cup of coffee in the bath at 9:30pm.. no problem! ☕️

I‘m also on a bit of a Disneyland kick! I‘m just adoring Disney‘s Land, which dives in deep to the history of the park and all the people who made it happen. I‘m loving all of the background stories about all of the rides and attractions. It‘s so much fun! 🏰💗

Rereading these for... reasons. 😉

(One of them being that #BingeMode will be covering the entire series soon!) 💚

Today‘s #QuarantineRead 🦠📚

I am OBSESSED with this adorable romance - particularly the fact that Chloe has fibromyalgia but the plot doesn‘t revolve around it; it‘s a beautiful representation. I love the banter, as well as Talia Hibbert‘s writing. Just amazing. Paired with last night‘s prawn crackers because I have no standards anymore. 🤷🏽‍♀️✌🏼

Today‘s #QuarantineRead 🦠📚

I‘m finally tackling my never ending #TBR pile. First up, Hannibal Lecter. The Silence of the Lambs is one of my favorite movies so I‘m super excited for this! I sat down with it about an hour ago and I‘m already 100 pages in 😬 I‘m loving all of the suspense and the anxiety. 💀

Next up on audio 🎧

I lovedddd Meg Cabot when I was young, but have never read any of her adult stuff - I‘m looking forward to this and hoping it will take my mind off of being stuck inside! 💖

🎧- A super cute and light listen. I loved the characters, the setting, and all of the banter. I was actively rooting for the main characters to get together, but also for all of the friendships that were forming on the side. Great character development and plenty of romance. An excellent #QuarantineRead ❤️

Today‘s #QuarantineRead 🦠📚

I‘m finally working from home - bless the British Museum for taking this long - but it‘s a bit hard to be a librarian without a library!

Hope everyone is staying sane and healthy 💓

When the book you‘re reading matches where you work 😍🏛 #BritishMuseum

I first read Lady Chatterley‘s Lover when I was 20 - to me, it was one of those Very Important Books. I felt like it really changed my life. Since then, I‘ve held it in such high regard & have always been afraid to pick it up again lest it doesn‘t hold up. A whole decade later I finally did & thank goodness for that - I found it just as intense, powerful, & emotional as I did then. Life has changed, & so have I, but I‘m glad this book didn‘t.

Yikes.

When I was growing up, Janis was always on in our house. She is still my favorite to listen to. I am so happy to be starting this 💜

It‘s been a weird, long, and exhausting week. Is winter almost over yet? 😭

Spending my Sunday morning with some yummy coffee I brought back from Washington and one of my favorite comfort reads 💕

JVN is a gorgeous human being - in his memoir, he tries to clarify the differences between his public persona and who he is. He uncovers his past and how that has made him who he is today. After reading, I found myself loving him even more. He‘s a bright light, we don‘t deserve him.

“Loaded phrases slamming into each other with sufficient force could detonate into real violence; slogans are not mere words when they create political realities.“

Behold, America covers the history of the terms 'America First' and the 'American Dream' and how they often encourage toxic patriotism and violence and suppression against people deemed 'un-American'.

I thought this quote was particularly timely and relevant.

Storm Brendan is picking up here in the UK, and I thought it was a good idea to pick this up 😭 All I can say is.. WTF?! Sooo good, but also so wrong. It was deliciously creepy with well timed suspense and a killer twist at the end. I haven‘t quite been able to wrap my mind around it, but it‘s definitely affected me. A great reading experience!

Another hefty #weeklyforecast 😂

📚 Little Women - start
📖 The Moon - reach halfway
📚 Over the Top - start and finish
📖 Behold America - start and finish
📚 The Fiery across - reach ch. 30
📖 The Fellowship of the Ring - keep up with #FellowshipofTolkien schedule
📚 I‘m Thinking of Ending Things - start

Good thing about Dry and No-Spend January is there‘s lots of time for reading! 🤓

#FellowshipOfTolkien #LotRChapterADay

I‘m thinking about transitions as I read this next chapter. The hobbits have now transitioned into a new part of their journey - they have left the Shire and entered the realm of the Big People, while also making a physical transition as they enter through the gate to Bree.

We‘re coming up on some of my favorite parts of this book; I‘m ready for my fictional man love to make his appearance! 😍

My first #bookreport ☺️

📚 I finished AND started all the books I wanted to;
📖 Made progress on that chonky Outlander book;
📚 Kept up with #FellowshipOfTolkien !

I‘m pretty lucky that commuting into London gives me loads of time to read 🍀

I love Lindy West - we are so lucky to have her. The Witches Are Coming is full of anger and yet, Lindy still find space to be funny and relatable. There were a few essays which didn‘t resonate with me as much but the vast majority did. I love her writing style, which feels more like I‘m having coffee and ranting with an old friend. She‘s talented and so inspiring - I can‘t wait to see what she does next.

Not my favorite of Christina Lauren‘s but still incredibly sweet and funny. I loved the characters and their banter, but like her (their?) other books, the ending felt a bit rushed. The love story still made me swoon, though, and I devoured the entire book in 2 days. ❤️

Inspired by @monalyisha ☺️

Can‘t think of a better author to read in the tub, to be honest 😉

#FellowshipOfTolkien #LotRChapterADay - A Conspiracy Unmasked

As I read today‘s chapter, I put on the LOTR soundtrack in the background & it got me thinking about how the books were adapted for the screen.

It‘s chapters like this one (& other ones to come 🙃) which I would have loved to have seen in the films. I want to see Buckland and get creeped out by the Black Riders crawling and sniffing. I always forget how much is left out!

As if I wasn‘t already mad at the world, I had to go and read this book - now I‘m even more mad. Mad as hell! 😡 Seriously, Perez has done some serious research and the result is an amazingly well written and powerful book that will make you question the entire world around you. Or, if you‘re like me it will confirm everything you felt to begin with. 🤷🏽‍♀️ A must read!

#FellowshipOfTolkien #LotRChapterADay - Three is Company

I loved this chapter - it expertly weaves together the tension & fear caused by the Black Riders with the meandering beauty of the Shire & the ethereal mysticism of the Elves. You feel both at home as you explore the Shire, but also nervous about every sound & shadow.

Today was a rough day for me (first day back at work), so it was a delight to come home & fall back into Middle Earth 💚

This is a great introduction into astronomy and an awesome look into our own solar system. 🌎 It made me feel small in the best kind of way! I was surprised at how much I knew and how much I *didn‘t* know. The universe is crazy! ☄️💫 I love that it‘s written simply but still includes science. Definitely not a fan of all the Pluto bashing though, and I‘m not sure I can get over the author voting to take away its planetary status! 😡

A very ambitious #WeeklyForecast:

📚 The Fiery Cross - finish pt. 1
📖 The Fellowship of the Ring - keep up with #FellowshipOfTolkien schedule
📚 The Witches are Coming - finish
📖 The Secret Lives of Planets - finish
📚 Invisible Women - finish
📖 My Favorite Half-Night Stand - start
📚 The Moon - start

That should keep me busy, should it not?! 😂

I got the Sunday blues ☔️ It‘s been dark over here in England all. day. long. On my 4th cup of coffee, but not feeling any perkier! So I‘m spending my afternoon in bed, catching up on #FellowshipOfTolkien 💙

I‘m super excited to join in on the Lord of the Rings readalong! 🥰 It‘ll be awesome company as I trudge through Dry (and Broke As Hell) January. 😭 Starting with my favorite prologue of any book 🙃
#FellowshipOfTolkien #JRRTolkien #YearsOfTolkien

Wow.. I‘m feeling uncomfortable with how much I liked this book. The writing is beautiful, but it‘s the story and the characters that really punch you in the gut. It‘s been several hours since finishing it, but it‘s still on my mind. 100%, a must read.

Happy New Year, fellow littens! 🥳 I smashed my reading goal in 2019 and am looking forward to all. the. books. in 2020! 📚 Starting with this one, which was highly recommended by my sister in law.

What are you reading goals this year? 📖 I have a goal of 70 books but am also wanting to read more nonfiction and be more active on here. 🤞🏼

Back home in California 🥰 I woke up feeling relaxed and refreshed and ready to take on this massive story! Let‘s go ✌🏼

In 2012, I left California to study in Italy for a year - I came home with two of the best friends I‘d ever met. Since then, we‘ve scattered across Europe - London, Berlin, Madrid - but their love has always remained constant. Almost Adults went straight to my heart as a remainder of how important they are to me. It was fresh, funny, sad, and hopeful. I saw myself and my girlfriends in it and enjoyed every minute. A true testament to friendship.❤️

I really, really enjoyed this epic romance! Similar to Outlander, it‘s sprawling, rich, and dramatic with a strong love story. Sara Donati has created amazing and well written characters, within a beautiful setting. I savored this story. I‘m excited for the second book!

Next up in nonfiction 🤓📚

A beautiful and dazzling novella that I know will stick with me for awhile. I was in constant awe as I meandered my way through this book. It‘s one of those delicious stories that you‘re afraid to read too quickly for fear of finishing. It‘s definitely given me a book hangover! I had never heard of Becky Chambers before this so I‘m anxious to read more of her work! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me 🌎💫

Good morning, Cornwall ☀️🌊

Hands down, one of the best memoirs I‘ve ever read. The Honey Bus takes place in the 70s in Big Sur, CA and focuses on a young girl‘s turbulent childhood, and how the guidance of her beekeeper grandfather healed her. Reading this, I learned so much about bees but I also found myself completely entranced by Meredith‘s story and her relationship with her grandpa. I laughed, smiled, and cried my way through - it was incredibly touching and beautiful.

Is anything better than sitting in a cozy conservatory with coffee and a book while it rains outside?! Honestly. Loving Wales!!

Feeling out of this world ✌🏼👽☄️💫

100 pages in and I‘m in love with this stunning memoir and it‘s beautiful cover 🥰

I honestly can‘t believe I‘ve never picked up anything by Colson Whitehead before this; amazing writing! This book was tough to get through - it was brutal and tragic. The ending made me cry like a baby. But the story is such an important and necessary one.. I think Whitehead did it justice.

Very complicated feelings with this one - it brought up a lot of memories of my sister who was a single mom, and how difficult it was for her, and for us also. Reading this, I felt the same frustrations I felt then. I‘m not sure what I would rate it, to be honest. Stephanie Land is a good writer, no doubt, but her story lacked something. Was worth a read regardless.

Incredibly fascinating and suspenseful, but also sooo tragic. Higginbotham did his research and presented it in a way that‘s easy to read but also overwhelming in its scope. It was worth the time - a must read.

Music pairing: (of course) https://open.spotify.com/album/5q53mBxAsq77kK9aCHcAtZ?si=CvzHYbg8SnSus7NxdWw48A

Great book. Truly ahead of its time, with so many parallels to life and society today. For some reason, it took me awhile to get through it, but I loved it all the same. Is it worth carrying on with the rest of the series?