Today’s prompt is a freebie! Last year I did gingerbread and I absolutely loved that post. Lol. I love gingerbread though, so it makes sense I would like books about it. This morning I was feeling uninspired and asked Wyatt, my ten year old what I should do. And his answer was dragons. So Christmas dragons it is! Wish me luck! (I am doing this on the fly, no planning, eek! And that pun was unintentional)
Now I don’t know much about the first one and second books, but Wyatt LOVED the Dav Pilkey Dragon books. He does have one Dragon Girls book, but not this one. It is really pretty though, isn’t it?
The first two are apparently very spicy, according to the reviews. And if you like A Gift for the Christmas Dragon, there is a whole series of them!
This one was a big stretch – there is not a dragon in this book. But the the Inn is called The Weary Dragon Inn so I am going with it. If you like cozy fantasy, I have heard this is an awesome series, compared at times to Legends and Lattes. It has been on my list for ages. I need to get to it!
These are both listed as cozy fantasy and they sound it. I am adding them both to my TBR, and if I can, I am going to read one this December. However, my December TBR is already mammoth, too big honestly for a hectic month. I am not letting that stop me from hoping though!
I hope you all have a magical day today, and do something that makes you smile!
And, I want to add that Lisa at Boondock Ramblings and I co-host two link ups together. This month we are hosting Comfy Cozy Christmas, which despite the name is for any December holiday, wintery post, and A Good Book and a Cup of Tea, which is a monthly bookish link up for any and all book posts.
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
Today’s Prompt: Books Outside of My Comfort Zone
Hello everyone! Today I want to write about books I want to read outside my comfort zone. I actually had a goal to read some different authors and books next year, so my list of goal books are the books (plus a few more) that I will be including today. I don’t know if I will have ten, but I am excited about this goal! I like to push my boundaries sometimes as I think it is really good for our brains to be exposed to different type materials and different things.
First up, Terry Prachett. I have been toying around with wanting to read the Discworld series and next year I am going to start. I am not a binge series reader, so it will probably take a million years for me to read them all, if I even ever do. These are the ones I am planning on starting with. Let me know your thoughts about my choices!
I am hoping to read Hogfather in December, and The Wee Free Men in January. I feel like these are not too far from what I normally read, since I do like fantasy, but I honestly don’t read much comedy.
Next, science fiction and Becky Chambers and her Wayfarer series. Or at least the first book. I don’t mind fantasy but I am not usually a fan of science fiction or anything that takes place in space. And has spaceships. So, this will be interesting!
And following that, I promised Billy that I would read Dungeon Crawler Carl. Not usually my type of book at all, but I will read it for him. He has read so many of mine that I owe him. He is fairly confident that I will love Princess Doughnut. (Donut?)
Dungeon Crawler Carl
This next one is one that I have had on my TBR for a bit but I keep putting it off because the whole novel in verse is intimidating. However I do think it is sounds absolutely fascinating and like it would be a really good read!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date
Hello everyone! That last week was a whirlwind, but we are taking it easy this weekend, and it has been a nice restful few days.
Read Last Week:
I finished up The Late-Night Witches and I really enjoyed it. It sort of reminded me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but with a suburban mom of three as the chosen one. It cracked me up, and it was not too scary or gory either, in my opinion. Sort of Buffy-like even there, I guess! The main character Cassie is a witch from a family of witches for generations – although she didn’t know it until the big baddie vampire woke up from his quarter century of slumber. It was a fun read!
Reading This Week:
I am hoping to read these two this week. I am starting with Falling Like Leaves, which is a YA romance so it should be pretty light and breezy and full of fall ambience. Then I am moving on to Uncharmed, which just sounds so cute and pink!
I really need to do a tally of how many books I have read this year with cats on the cover.
Billy and I have started rewatching Twin Peaks and it is so fun to watch again. It is so different to watch it as an adult, with an adult’s perspective. I still love the music, the styling, the setting, the whole aesthetic, and it’s craziness, and I love just how 90s it feels. But certain scenes are more powerful than they were when I was younger. We watched the episode with Laura’s funeral last night, and Bobby’s anger at the town, chastising them all, struck a note with me. I don’t think I picked up on just how perceptive and mature this was for his character at the time, since when I watched this show I was in high school, and just thought Bobby was very cute and rebellious. But he was so right in this scene.
We are also watching our Comfy Cozy Cinema movies, as well as mixing in other things as well here and there, mostly YouTubers.
Internet Shenanigans:
Lisa and I are co-hosting so many things together! We have our crafternoons, which are just fun get togethers where we hang out and chat and work on whatever projects we want with other bloggers on Zoom for an hour or so. We have one this afternoon actually, at 1!
Then we have our Comfy Cozy Cinema, where we watch movies and post our thoughts about them on Thursdays.
And finally, we have a monthly book link up, where you can post any book related posts throughout the month. Book shopping, book hauls, book whatevers – you can link up there!
If you wish to participate in any of these with us, feel free!! We would love to have you!
And that is it from me today! I hope that whatever you do, you do something that makes you smile!
I have so many fall lists of books! And really, too many books to list here on the blog. I am going to have a full list available next Friday on my Ko-Fi for anyone who will want to see alllll the books I have researched and compiled. Until then, please take this humble offering.
Love’s a Witch || Uncharmed || Rewitched
Love’s a Witch: Witchy cozy romance, set in Scotland. Enemies to lovers.
Ghost Business: I can’t wait to read this one! The second in the Boneyard Key series and the main FMC runs a ghost tour business.
Crazy Spooky Love: Cozy little ghost hunting romance. Also high on my own list to read this fall!
Potions and Prejudice || The Lone Wolf Cafe || Cat Dragon
Potions and Prejudice: Cozy witchy romance, enemies to lovers. And this cover is gorgeous!
Lone Wolf Cafe: Spooky sapphic cozy, with a witch and a werewolf. Also, baked goods!
Cat Dragon: Another that is on my own list. I just don’t have enough time to read all the books that I want to! I have to admit I just want to read this because of the idea of cat dragons. How cute would that be?
I can’t wait to get started with the spooky or spooky adjacent reads!
Ooo villains! We all love to hate them. Or love to love them. It all depends on the villain, right? This is my list of villains I both love and hate.
Dead Witch Walking || Small Spaces || Harry Potter
The first villain to pop into my head was Algaliarept, from The Hollows series by Kim Harrison. I have met this author many times at book signings, as her hometown is near my own, and I once told her how much that I loved Al. He is just a loveable bad guy, and I always picture him like Gary Oldman in Dracula, this version of course.
Next was the Smiling Man from the Small Spaces series by Katherine Arden. This is a more recent villain in my reading which is one reason I thought of him so quickly. He is also super creepy and if I were a kid I would be pretty terrified. He scared me enough as an adult!
And of course Professor Umbridge. What a jerk! She was just awful. I guess I could have said Voldemort but, naw, I am going with Umbridge.
Now let’s talk Stephen King. Because he is the master.
Misery || It || Apt Pupil
Annie Wilkes is crazy pants. Like literally. She has hidden depths of scary!
This list wouldn’t be complete without Pennywise, one of the worst villains ever, in my opinion. He absolutely freaked me out when I was a kid, when I first read it.
Apt Pupil is one of those stories that have stuck with me. Todd Bowden and Dussander are the most bone chilling duo. I still think about this story, and it still scares me, just the evilness of these characters.
Sharp Objects || The Hundred and One Dalmations || We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Sharp Objects had a few villains that were frightening. And if you haven’t read this one, and don’t want a spoiler, then stop reading here. Lol. But both Adora and Amma are just the stuff of nightmares.
One of the earliest villains in my memory is Cruella De Ville! I read this book as a child, I distinctly remember my copy was yellow, and I was horrified that this woman wanted to make a coat out of puppies!
So. Let’s talk We Have Always Lived in the Castle. I would like to nominate the town as the villain, and I think Shirley Jackson would agree.
And finally, General Woundwort from Watership Down. I love a rabbit, I love hares, but not General Woundwort. He has no redeeming qualities and is terrifying.
And that is my ten! I am looking forward to reading everyone else’s list!
Hello everyone! I have been seeing this around the interwebs and wanted to play too!
Favorite Book of the Year So Far:
The God of the Woodsby Liz Moore
I became totally enveloped in this world and this mystery. I was sucked in, and once I was finished, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. And this was even after I knocked a star off. Review coming next week!
Biggest Disappointment:
Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates
I really don’t like to criticize books, because it is all so subjective to the reader. It just wasn’t the book for me.
Biggest Surprise:
Of Salt and Shore by Annet Schaap
There was so much emotion hidden in the pages of this middle grade. So many stories. So much love and found family and loyalty. I absolutely loved it – and cried too. So… you will see this book again on this list.
Made Me Laugh:
The Jewel of the Isle by Kerry Rea
This book cracked me up! It was just so silly and cute and the perfect happy fun romantic read. It was full of adventure and goofiness.
Made Me Cry:
Of Salt and Shore by Annet Schaap
And…repeat from above. If I hadn’t read The God of the Woods, this would be my favorite book of the year so far.
Favorite New to Me Author:
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
I loved The Spellshop so much that I need to go find every Durst book out there.
Favorite New To Me Character:
Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery
I love Emily! I loved her sass and her moodiness and that she had a bit of a temper too. She sort of reminded me of Laura Ingalls, and as a kid I loved Laura because she wasn’t perfect and got into mischief – kind of like I did occasionally….
Most Beautiful Book I Have Acquired (Writing):
Nightwalking by John Lewis-Stempel
…all around us the earth had erupted with silver rabbits washing their faces with moon dew.”
New Release I Haven’t Read Yet:
What about you all? I would love to hear how you would answer these questions!
Hello everyone!! I am drinking Cafe Bustelo this morning, which isn’t too bad. It’s new to me and I am still finding the right balance in making it. I need the caffeine today; it has been a busy week!
Last weekend, Billy spent all day Saturday putting up shade for Wyatt and me around the deck. Wyatt loves to be out there – it is a great spot for him that was an unintended byproduct of the ramp building, but I am so thankful for it. It really is the perfect place for him to play outside. And he can go in and out all by himself, which makes him feel so much more independent. However, it was like being on the surface of the sun at times, with the complete lack of shade in our yard. So, Billy did what he does best and fixed the problem! Billy wanted to also make sure that we could wheel Wyatt out there after surgery and have it be a safe place for him to get out of the house and get some fresh air, and that required massive shade. Billy’s plan – he turned canvas dropcloth into curtains by adding grommets and hooks, and hung them on rods he had in the garage leftover from an old pop up gazebo thing. He also ordered an actual sun shade sail for the top, and now it is perfect! I can take Wyatt out there and move the curtains around as needed to keep him safe and not overheated (he doesn’t react to heat well, like a lot of people who have suffered brain injuries) and unburned. I do use an Australian sunscreen on him, Blue Lizard, because I believe Australians probably are the experts on it, but still, you know?
Sunday Billy got to use his new grill, which he got on sale over Memorial Day Weekend. We figured the deck area is going to be where we spend most of our time this year. Billy will be out of vacation time after taking time off for Wyatt’s surgery, so no little trips for us this year. And this is fine, we just want kiddo’s surgery and recovery to do well, and then we will be perfectly content spending our days and evenings in our little DIY oasis.
Then Wednesday, Wyatt and I headed to Motts Children’s Hospital, where he was all hooked up to some electrodes for a 24-48 hour EEG. It’s not necessarily a difficult procedure, just long. He needs to stay in the room the whole time, but he is allowed to play and move around and do whatever, as long as he is in the room. He does well for being stuck in a hospital room with all sorts of wires attached to him. He really is such a good kid guys, seriously. We watched The Wild Robot, read from his library book, drew, colored, and then he just played on his tablet. When Billy got there they played a game while I took a short walk around. And we had a surprise treat! My brother door dashed us delicious goodies from Tous Les Jours bakery! I talked about this place in a previous post, it is an Asian-French bakery and is so good! He sent us so many things, and I was grateful because I was starving!! Wyatt had eaten lunch and had snacks but I hadn’t, so when I grabbed the door dash and brought it up, I demolished the ham and cheese croissant. Lol. It was sooo good!
The next morning when the doctors came by, we had a good report!!! Wyatt had had no seizure activity captured, and the spike waves that he has near constantly at night (called DEE-SWASS) all originate in the same little spot in his brain. DEE-SWASS is continuous spike waves while you sleep, which can disrupt REM and can create issues with memory and also cognitive loss. If they are too frequent, doctors try to treat although DEE-SWASS still doesn’t have a lot known about it yet. However, the doctors felt that since Wyatt’s was located in just one area, that doesn’t cause the same issues and felt comfortable not being aggressive with it. So we were able to go home, and honestly, I was so relieved I could have cried about this report.
Last night, Wyatt got a reprieve from medical appointments! The foundation, A Kid Again, gifted us with tickets to the Detroit Zoo Dream Night! This is an evening for special needs families, where everything is open and free, even the carousel, movie theater, and the special Dragon Forest. They provided dinner and snacks, had zookeepers on hand for animal chats, a silent disco, and sensory friendly activities. The tickets are limited as well, so it is a quiet evening, without too many people. It is just a very special night for the kids and families. I know that my son had a blast. The smile never left his face!
We wandered the whole zoo, saw the wolves, and had to go through the Dragon Forest twice. Wyatt picked out a dragon toy, which he didn’t let go of the rest of the night, and ate chocolate chip cookies. Basically, we just had the best time and laughed so much and had fun. It was the perfect antidote to follow up his overnight stay at the hospital, and I am so grateful that we had that opportunity.
This weekend will be a little more low key, with tacos at my brother’s tonight, and a bowling birthday party tomorrow. Still fun but much more relaxed!
I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile my friends!
Today I am linking up with Lisa, at Boondock Rambings, for her Saturday Afternoon Chats!
Hello all! Welcome back to another edition of mini book reviews! It seems to be the best way for me to write reviews, in these little bite size reviews.
First up! The Sad Ghost Club
The Sad Ghost Club by Lize Meddings: “The universe is most pleased we met.” You guys this book was just so good. I could relate to this so well; I was so shy and awkward in high school and had such anxiety over social things, much like these characters. This graphic novel is a very sweet look at anxiety, loneliness, feeling like you don’t belong anywhere.. it is just wonderful honestly. I am adding the rest of the series to my library holds ASAP!
Two “ghosts” meet at a party, both out of sync with the rest of the party goers, and it is a wonderful conversation between two people who have possibly found a kindred spirit. If you visit The Sad Ghost Club website, and you are in the UK, there are also helplines posted for those who are feeling like thye need a helping hand.
Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura: I’m an adventurer at heart. While in reality I am an introverted stay at home homeschool mom, there was a time I dreamed of discovering lost cities and digging up relics, having all sorts of wild adventures along the way. I am glad I actually pursued that outside of daydreams, because the reality is I much prefer reading about them in climate controlled, bug free spaces. Temple of Swoon is the perfect read for armchair adventuring archaeologists like me – this book has danger, a steamy jungle, a lost city, some crazy shenanigans, and romance. I ate this book up, like Miri eats her snacks. Miri is the main character, who is smart, resilient, a bit of a goofball, and prides herself on always having the best snacks. I thought she was awesome! Rafa wasn’t too bad either…
This book is for you if you like
🥾 Enemies to lovers 🥾 Indiana Jones 🥾 Cinnamon roll MMC 🥾 Smart women
Also if you like this book I highly recommend the old classic movie, African Queen. It was also an adventure story that made me laugh out loud.
The spice level: It is explicit open door, but it is almost all the way at the very end of the book. If I compare it to Under Loch and Key, which I reviewed last round, it seems tame. I haven’t read many romances honestly so I am still working out a system. Let’s say if Under Loch and Key is 5 jalapenos, this one is 3.5?
“These are the wild women who run barefoot through the meadow, who teach new songs to birds, who howl at the moon together. Wild women are their own kind of magic.” After all of this snow and being indoors – as cozy and wonderful it has been – I am more than ready to wake up to the songs of the birds in the morning and to run around barefoot again, to see colors again! That is why I decided this long gray February of the snow moon was the perfect time to read The Honey Witch – and it did not disappoint. The imagery was beautiful and conjured up long summer lazy summer days, bees buzzing around the garden, fireflies at night. It had a very cool magic system I thought, of a honey witch and an ash witch, a yin and a yang, balance. But the balance was out of order in this book, and Marigold had to find her place as the new honey witch and overturn the curse .. and that is all I will say!
This book:
🐝 Cozy Fantasy 🐝 Enemies to Lovers 🐝 Sapphic 🐝 Slow Burn Romance 🐝 Cool Magical System
For the spice level, which is sapphic, I would give it the same as Temple of Swoon – 3.5 jalapenos. Explicit open door but it is fairly short as well as near the end.
Thanks for reading! I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!
Today’s Prompt is New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2024! When I went back and looked at the authors I read in 2024, I was surprised to learn that out of the 66 books that I read, 58 books were written by new to me authors. I had a big year of new to me authors! I had no idea honestly, that it was that high of a number.
So for this post, I am picking a few of the 58 that I haven’t talked about as much on here.
Last year I put a lot of effort into reading that had diverse representation. I was especially on the lookout for middle grade books that have casual inclusion of characters who use a wheelchair or have a disability, for my son. He doesn’t need to read about what it is like to have a disability – he already knows that. What he does need are stories that show these characters included in things and part of things.
I was so happy to find The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines! The main character is a wheelchair user, but she also fights monsters. Pretty cool if you ask me!
Sisters of the Lost Nation is a book written by and indigenous author, about indigenous characters. It was a horror story, and it was excellent. It not only has horror elements but also highlighted the invisibility of missing indigenous women in the world – how they disappear and their disappearances are not often as investigated as thoroughly as they should be, if at all.
The Berry Pickers also carries that theme, but in a very different way. Peters wrote such a heartwrenching novel with The Berry Pickers that I found myself tearing up frequently.
Clueless at the Coffee Station is a cozy mystery written by an independent author, who I learned about from Lisa at Boondock Ramblings, another independent author. Clueless was such a good book, and I loved that it is set in my own home state of Michigan! The author, who now lives in Japan, actually is originally from a Michigan town about ten miles away from me.
I love Halloween and this fall I went crazy reading all the fall/ghosts/spooky books I could – but I also wanted them to not be as scary as a straight up horror. DeLuca’s Haunted Ever After was absolutely perfect and I can’t wait to read another book set in Boneyard Key.
Christa Comes Out of Her Shell is a book I picked up because the main character is a scientist (and we need to read about more female scientists!) who studies snails. I love snails! This book made me laugh out loud at times, but also had its more serious moments. It was the first Waxman book I have read and I will be reading more.
My favorite genre (sub-genre?) is cozy fantasy and I loved all three of these.
A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is straight up a fantasy version of the Bake Off. I wanted to eat everything the characters were baking, and I just really enjoyed this cozy book.
The Teller of Small Fortunes is another cozy that is full of found family, one of my favorite tropes. I am hoping for another book from this author about these characters!
Flowerheart was just a fairy tale-esque cozy fantasy, that was the perfect read for spring.
I finally hopped on the Sager train and was so happy that I did. I could not put this book down! I was sucked into this crazy story and when it was over all I wanted to do was talk about it with other people!
A Psalm for the Wild-Built is another book that I devoured and then wanted to talk about with everyone. I wasn’t sure I was going to like it but I really did. I read somewhere that it was “cozy sci-fi” and I agree. No wonder I liked it.
And those are my ten, plus a bonus for good measure!
Hello everyone! Thank goodness for coffee this morning. I am chilled today, with the intense cold that we are having. Next week we have a deep freeze, with temps dipping down into the negative numbers. I hope to get all prepared today and tomorrow so that we barely have to step foot outside unless we have to, like for appointments and therapy. Poor Billy though will still have to leave for work in it.
This week has been another week of focusing on work – although we did throw some fun things in as well!
Wednesday Wyatt had physical therapy, but this week he had therapy, then a two hour wait before math tutoring, which was in the same building. So in between we went to the Henry Ford Museum! It was a fun way to spend a few hours. It was super weird, because it was an odd time and no one was there. Just a few other people but the museum is so big that we felt like it only Wyatt and I walking around.
We are actually going to call off tutoring next week due to the cold, and just go home after therapy.
Yesterday, I decided to shake things up! Instead of our normal day of school, we celebrated Appreciate a Dragon Day. Wyatt has been working so hard that I thought he deserved a fun school day. So, it was all dragons all day! We started with reading books about dragons, then moved on to studying the dragons of Wales. We will be looking at Chinese dragons on Chinese New Year, so I thought we would stick with Western style dragons this week. I bought a unit study on Etsy that was about different dragons of the world, and we combined that with the book Dragonology, and had a blast. It felt like school, but… was all fun. Wyatt had to label cities on a map of Wales for one of the activities, and one of the names of the cities made me do a double take! It is, ahem, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, on the Isle of Anglesey. According to this article written by Rick Steves, it means “St. Mary’s Church in the hollow of white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the red cave”. It had a smaller name until a tailor added to the name to try to attract visitors. I have to admit, I am a person who would definitely make a stop there because of the name!
Then, I had two projects lined up to make – an art project and a STEM project. However, the art project took us so long that we never made it to the STEM project! I will save it for another day. The art project turned out so cool though – it took us like two hours to make it together! We also listened to a dragon book on Spotify while we worked.
After that we took a bit of a break – or rather, Wyatt did. I was getting ready for the final part of Dragon Day- we were having a dragon themed dinner, snack, and then we were watching How to Train Your Dragon. I kept it simple, and it turned out pretty cute!
We all had Dragon’s wings grilled cheese (cheese on Black Rye bread cut into dragon wings), dragon scales (Doritos), and our snack was popcorn with Swedish fish bowls, because Toothless the dragon in the movie loves fish! Unfortunately, my little dragon explorer didn’t make it to the movie! He zonked out ten minutes in. Lol. So we turned it off and we will watch it either Saturday or Sunday instead.
Tonight I will be glad to plop into bed and just chill out, after a long week. I am going to my mom’s first though, to hang out for a bit, then when I get home, I will shower, get in my pajamas, and crawl into bed to watch some television and stitch and read my book! I started Hans Brinker yesterday and it is so good so far, although I am barely into it yet. This weekend we are finishing up some things so that next week we can stay tucked into the house as much as possible.
As for Dragon Day, this is what we read and used!
(This section does contain Affiliate Links from Amazon and Etsy)
Wyatt’s favorite of the group was A Friend for Dragon. It was pretty funny honestly. Dav Pilkey is awesome. I loved The Truth About Dragons, which is about biracial identity, and it was absolutely beautifully written and illustrated.
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 