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.
It seems like there are so many good books coming out! Honestly, I found a lot of these through other bloggers on these Tuesday posts!
A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson looks so good!! Bletchley Park, dark academia, dragons… I can’t wait! And do I have to? No, because this came out Jan. 2nd! I just need to get it!
The Baby Dragon Cafe by A.T. Qureshim. I know I have mentioned this one, and I think I actually saw it the first on another Top Ten Tuesday. It just looks so adorable!!
The Green Kingdom: I love the plot of this story, where the main character needs to figure out botanical riddles!
Whale Eyes: This memoir comes out in March, and I am very much excited to read it. It is “told through an experimental mix of intimate anecdotes and interactive visuals, this book immerses readers in James’s point of view, allowing them to see the world through his disabling eye conditions.” I have been trying to read more and more books that give voice to the disabled community, as my son is a part of it. I want him to read and see books that reflect this representation, because books are mirrors as well as windows.
The Secrets of Underhill: This one is a fantasy middle grade, and the main character is the daughter of a traveling arborist who treats magical trees.
Greenteeth by Molly O’Neill: Growing up, I love all books about faeries, and I remember just poring over the Brian Froud books over and over again, and reading the different tales of the magical creatures – like Jenny Greenteeth. I am excited to read this version about Jenny.
And that is it from me today my friends! I can’t wait to read everyone else’s posts and no doubt add a “ton of books” (as my son would say) to my list!
Hello everyone!!! I hope you are all doing well – and finding time to read!
Ok – I am calling it now. It is close enough and I don’t foresee a bunch of reading to happen between now and the new year!
I had a hard time deciding on my favorite reads this year. I feel like this year was all about trying new genres and new authors that I loved; I went through different reading phases and my read list this year is just a hodgepodge of titles and genres. I didn’t read nearly as many books as other people, I am just slower now that my lifestyle is different! Pre-Wyatt I read over 100 books a year – now I read nowhere near that, and that is ok. Wyatt and I are making memories together everyday, and more importantly, I have turned him into a giant bookworm and library lover just like me. The library loves when he comes in (or so they say!) because he is so excited about getting books and reading. His favorite this year was The Phantom Tollbooth.
I tracked my reading in a hand drawn little chart this year!
I also started making these little journal pages.
They are not anything fancy but they are fun to do.
And I have digressed enough! My favorites, in no particular order:
A Dark and Secret Magic || A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking || The Teller of Small Fortunes
A Dark and Secret Magic was just the perfect autumnal spooky season read. It had everything. The atmosphere, the setting, the characters, the traditions – I really loved it and I hope the author writes another one in this world with these characters. I have a feeling that she is going to.
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking really surprised me with how much I absolutely loved it. I loved the message regarding heroes, which was a more serious message hidden within these rather whimsical and magical world. It also touched on intolerance as well, another serious message and theme. However, it was handled in such a way that it didn’t feel heavy – sort of like when people make the perfect bread. I loved the little gingerbread man and of course Bob. I have been telling my husband nearly every day since I read this to read it. So come on Billy, let’s get to it!
The Teller of Small Fortunes is just a small, easy little read but it was so heartwarming to me. I love found family stories, I love adventures, I love magical tales, and this book had it all. It had Wheel of Time vibes but low stakes and cozy instead of huge and world building.
The Blue Castle || Tress of the Emerald Sea || The Berry Pickers
The Blue Castle: Lisa from Boondock Ramblings gifted me this book this year and I absolutely loved it!!! The imagery, the nature writing, Valancy just kicking butt and becoming her own person and taking her life into her own hands. Just all of it. I also learned that there is more to Montgomery than the beloved Anne. (I love Anne too though)
Tress of the Emerald Sea: Another kickbutt heroine. I love Tress so much. Sanderson and his wife watched The Princess Bride on day together, and his wife wondered what the story would have been like had Buttercup just not given up on Wesley after she heard he was dead, and instead which searching for him. And then, this book was born.
The Berry Pickers: This book was not light and fluffy or cozy. In fact, it destroyed me for personal reasons but it was still such an amazing book. I don’t want to say much because I don’t want to give anything away, but I do highly recommend it.
Miracles on Maple Hill || Kildee House
I went through a time in February/March when I just wanted to read some wholesome, old fashioned kids books. So I did. These two were my favorites. Miracles on Maple Hill was a touching story of a family that was struggling through some issues and when they move to the country, find what they needed to make it through to the other side. Kildee House is also about someone moving to the country, and finding a whole new life that suits them much better. This one has wild animals that live in the house which I of course loved, but it also had some parts that made me sob so be prepared for that. I asked Billy if I could have some foxes and a possum for Christmas but he told me no. What a stick in the mud he is. Maybe just a possum then? Think I could sneak one in this new year?
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers || What You are Looking for is in the Library
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers is a cozy little mystery with found family and most of all, hope. I love the love in this book.
What You are Looking for in the Library really started me down the path of translated fiction/Asian fiction/healing fiction. I could read this book over and over again. Instead of a little synopsis, I am just linking my review here.
And that my friends is a wrap! I learned that I love cozy fantasy and translated fiction. I fell down the Riley Sagar and Lucy Foley rabbit holes (if there was an 11 and 12 on this list, they would be The Only One Left by Sagar, and The Midnight Feast by Foley). I gave myself permission to indulge in all the middle grade fiction I want. I also read a lot of books with absurdly long titles, but that is another story. Overall, it’s been a good year of reading!
This week’s prompt is a Halloween freebie! Since Halloween for me is more about Wyatt these days, my post this week is spooky middle grade books that I want to read. Going to the library with Wyatt I see all these fun looking middle grade books that I want to read too! I usually end up with one for myself every time we go. I grew up reading Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Mary Downing Hahn, and Betty Ren Wright, all of which scared my socks off as a kid and made me sleep with the blankets pulled way up over my head. I haven’t changed too much!
The Vanishing of Aveline Jones – This is the third in the series, and I just read the first two this fall. It is really well done series, with just enough freak out factor even as an adult. I would have definitely loved this series as a kid!
The Legend of the Skeleton Man – I really enjoy Joseph Bruchac, and I think this one would be one that makes you want to sleep with the lights on.
Scary Stories for Young Foxes – Ok, I don’t know much about this one other than I love foxes and there are foxes. Sometimes that is all it takes for me!
Ghost Book had me at its comparison to Studio Ghibli and Coco. ( Can any adult watch Coco without crying?)
Small Spaces is by the author of The Bear and the Nightingale and I feel like I have to know how she writes for middle grade! I loved The Bear and the Nightingale.
Wyatt and I read a picture book a few years ago that was super cute about the jumbies – I don’t think that the middle grade of The Jumbies will be so cute however. It looks pretty scary to me! And I just learned that they were both written by Tracey Baptiste. Well, now I really have to read it!
That cover of Evangeline of the Bayou – it is just so full of rich color and it feels…mossy. And damp. You can feel that cover. And it takes place in New Orleans, one of my favorite cities!
The Secret of Nightingale Wood by Lucy Strange. Honestly, all of Lucy Strange’s books have been on my TBR for ages and ages. I really need to read them.
Doesn’t this name just sound good when you say it? The Clackity. The Clackity.
And then one reread!
The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright. This book scared the heck out of me as a kid, and I sort of think it still might. Dolls scare me in general and the idea that they could move while I was sleeping or something is absolutely horrifying.
Probably 99% of the books I read are from the library, but sometimes, I just want to have my own copy. Usually this is because it looks like a book that will really resonate with me, one that I will reread, and one that I will just be enchanted by for a long time. These are the books that have made that list of books that are currently on my wish list!
The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa || Jane of Lantern Hill by L. M. Montgomery || The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields
The Travelling Cat Chronicles – I have been super into Japanese fiction this year and this one just sounds wonderful.
Jane of Lantern Hill – I have been wanting to branch out into other Montgomery characters and books, besides the beloved Anne. Jane seems like a great place to start!
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters || The Pink Motel by Carol Ryrie Brink || English Pastoral by James Rebanks
The Berry Pickers – I am very intrigued by this book! I feel like it could be a slow read for me, one to really take my time with and digest. Same with English Pastoral, which reminds me of John Lewis-Stempel, who is one of my favorite authors.
The Pink Hotel – I collect Carol Ryrie Brink books and this one just really appeals to me! I love books set in motels and I love the kitschy look of this cover!
The Mermaid in the Millpond by Lucy Strange || A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal || Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date
Hello everyone!! I feel like I am draggin’ wagon today. I blame this weather, all overcast this morning. I have to get ready for church soon but I am procrastinating big time. I’ll have another cup of coffee and finish this post then I will get ready.
We had a pretty good week last week. Not anything exciting or noteworthy, just everyday life things. We did set up a fish tank for my kiddo who has wanted a fish, so that was our big event of the week. Wyatt is loving his fish Moon and his snail Sunny.
Read Last Week:
I had started listening to Tress last summer but then stopped because after listening I realized it was a book that I wanted to read, not listen to. And I am glad that I made that choice, because I loved Tress! Brandon Sanderson was inspired to write it after he and his family watched The Princess Bride (one of my all time favorite movies) during lockdown. His wife brought up a question about Buttercup and he started thinking about what it would be like if Buttercup went in search of Wesley rather than accepting that he was dead. And Tress was born. I absolutely loved it although I did find some parts a bit slow moving.
I started reading You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight as part of the Camp Spooky Readathon hosted by the Midnight Book Club on Instagram, and it was such a fast read that I finished it the same day I started. And it was a very busy day too! It was just one of those books that you could not put down and also was a quick read too. It was so good! Kaylnn Bayron said that she was a fan of those 80s slasher movies as a kid (just like me) and wanted to write her own homage to them. So she did! Very good read, not super gory.
Both of my books were inspired by movies! I just realized that.
Reading This Week:
Version 1.0.0
In keeping with my trend of reading vintage or older middle age books, I picked up Dandelion Cottage from the library the other day. I am excited to read it! The author grew up in Michigan on the shores of Lake Superior, and the Dandelion Cottage is apparently a real cottage that is still there. I think I am also going to start At the Pond this week as well.
Billy and I have been watching a few different things. My favorite that we have been watching is the newest season of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I just love that series so much. We are also watching When Calls the Heart and Palm Royale. I love the way Palm Royale looks and the cast is fire, but ooh it is hard for me to watch sometimes because of secondhand embarrassment and cringe. But the set and the costumes and the colors are just beautiful so that makes it worth it so far. This article is about the costumes if you want to read more.
We also watched The Fall Guy! I had been waiting for this movie to go to streaming and I was so excited. Now, I know this movie was panned but I loved it, and so did Billy. We both loved the tv show with Lee Majors as kids, and there were so many references and throwbacks to the 80s. We were so excited every time we caught one. We also think that the character Tom Ryder based his characters mannerisms and speech pattern after Matthew McConaughey, who I love. We both thought it was a lot of fun. I think people wanted nonstop action and this movie had a bit of a plot and a love story to boot.
And that is it from me today! I hope you all have a wonderful day!
