Tag: reading

Books, Screens, and In-Betweens

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized31 Comments

I am linking up with Deb at Readerbuzz,  Kathryn at Book Date, and  Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Hello everyone!! I hope that the past week has been good to you! It’s been a whirlwind of course around here, but a very fun whirlwind filled with family.

Books:

I found that I couldn’t read before Christmas. I think there was just too much happening, and I couldn’t relax. However, the day after Christmas I picked up a book and immediately just had that comforting feeling that you get when you sink into a good book. I am loving this one so far!

I also started listening to an audiobook as well. I was scrolling through Libby for a nonfiction book to listen to when I wanted to listen to something quiet, and ran into Dinner for Vampires written and read by Bethany Joy Lenz. I just saw her in A Biltmore Christmas, which is fresh in my mind, so I ended up starting that one last night. It is interesting so far. When we were younger, Billy and I really liked One Tree Hill for a season or two, so I remember this show as well.

Screens:

We spent some time over the past week watching Christmas movies, our old favorites, with the grand finale favorite of A Muppet Christmas Carol. That movie never fails to make me smile. We haven’t watched much post-Christmas Eve, but I am hoping to watch a movie tonight.

Wyatt and I finished up YouTuber Morgan Long’s Vlogmas series, which was a nice little bit of Christmas Cheer as well.

I posted a few times last week too.

Comfy Cozy Christmas: A Christmas Surprise
Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Wishlist
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Thank You!
My Favorite Quotes From Every Book I Read This Year: Part 4

In-Betweens:

The in-betweens today are all holiday related! I will probably do another Christmas post, one last Comfy Cozy Christmas post, but mainly last week I did a lot of baking and wrapping, like a lot of people I am sure. Wyatt and I also spent some time on Friday just sitting at the table, working on our own projects. He was painting and playing with stickers while I worked on my planner. I got a new planner this year, a Hemlock and Oak planner, and I am loving it.

I feel like I have so much to tell you guys, way too much for this post. Plans for next year, projects, everything we have done. I feel like I am bubbling over with stuff to talk about but I try to keep this post less chatty! I will be posting soon, I can tell.

Hosting:

Just a reminder, Lisa at Boondock Ramblings and I co-host a few linkups and a Zoom Crafternoon together!

We have our Comfy Cozy Christmas for all things December and holidays (not just Christmas) that will be closing soon.

We also have A Good Book and a Cup of Tea which is for all things bookish, and is a monthly linkup.

We had paused our Crafternoons for the holiday months, but will be resuming them in January. Be on the lookout for an update post with dates!

Finally, I also have a link up for Soup and Story Saturday. That is also on hiatus until after the New Year but will resume in 2026!

And with that, I hope that you are all find a warm (or cold) drink to enjoy today and do something that makes you smile!

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Wishlist

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized40 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl!

Prompt: Books I hope Santa Brings/Bookish Wishes

Hello everyone, and happy holidays!

Today’s post is all about posting the books we would most like to add to our collection. My list is usually comprised of books I have already and loved, because I tend to read most books from the library first. Then if I love them, I want to have my own copy. But some books are on my list because I can’t get them from the library.

The other aspect of this prompt is the chance to gift another blogger a book from their list. I do love to pick a blogger or two (by putting all the names of people with posted lists in a hat and having Wyatt pick) to gift a book. As Jana says, “This week’s topic, Bookish Wishes, is a popular one and one I host twice a year (around Christmas and again in June)! List the top 10 books you’d love to own and include a link to your wishlist so that people can grant your wishes. Make sure you link your wishlist to your mailing address or include the email address associated with your e-reader in the list description so people know how to get the book to you. After you post, jump around the Linky and grant a wish or two if you’d like. Please don’t feel obligated to send anything to anyone!”

My list link is here and I am sharing with no expectations at all.

And that is it for me! I am excited to go read everyone’s posts today, and hopefully grant a wish or two!

I wish you all happy holidays and a happy December!

My Favorite Quotes From Every Book I Read This Year: Part 3

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized8 Comments

In case you missed Part 1 and Part 2: So, on November 22, 2024 I started a little book book, as I call it, but it is a journal of the books I have read with a few jotted thoughts, quotes I like, and stickers. I am an archivist and chronicler at heart, and I have been having so much fun journaling my reading experience this way. I thought it would be neat to share my favorite quotes from all the books I have read – in different parts of course.

We have made it into May!

“Life, I know is written on our faces. I lifted my right hand and involuntarily stroked my own cheek, wondering what stories life would have written there when I reached the end of my days.”

“One belief does not negate the other. They can exist at the same time.”

‘Every time someone wants to throw away a book, a little bit of my soul dies.’

“The girl knows, though, that remembering can be difficult. She always has so much inside her head: songs, stories, things she has to learn, things she wants to forget but that keep coming back. When she needs to remember something, she often forgets it, but she always remembers whatever she wants to forget.”

“…’ the guy wears a tweed coat, Edwards! Willingly! That’s super shady in my book. And he says he’s an archaeologist but I don’t think that’s even a real job. It’s a job that people have in movies, like pumpkin farmer or professional Christmas tree stylist.”

“How many times in her life has she said yes to a boy or a man just because it was the easiest thing to do? How many times has she let a man take what he wanted, instead of taking something for herself?”

“I’m not good at staying mad at people.”

I read this right after Wyatt’s surgery and I wasn’t working on my book book. I will tell you that I wrote down in my two lines of notes that my favorite part was Fifi.

Same as above. I wrote that my favorite part was the descriptions of fall in the Daniel Boone National Forest.

Same. Lol. My favorite parts were the reunion she had with someone special and the cozy snowy vibes.

Same, and last of the survival reading mode. I also decided after this one I wasn’t reading anymore in this series. I didn’t really enjoy it.

“Outside it was the coldest of winters. Cold stars shone over the icy bay and the cold hit you as you turned the corners. Then it was delicious to settle down in a warm kitchen. Pelle beamed and filled the stove with wood; this was all just as it should be, with everyone sitting together, warm and cosy, singing and talking.”

And that is it for today! Have you read any of these?

Top Ten Tuesday: My Winter TBR

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized37 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl!

Today’s Prompt is all about that Winter TBR. I have not quite finalized mine yet, but these are the titles that are in contention. I am feeling like I need a bit of middle grade, a little historical fictions, some nonfiction, some peaceful reads this winter. And maybe one horror. Also, one of these is a book I told my husband I would read. I bet you can guess which one!

On the list for potential nonfiction reads, I have The Indifferent Stars Above, about the Donner party. In contrast, I have While The Earth Holds Its Breath on my list as well, which is a much more peaceful look at winter. I also stumbled upon the Tip of the Iceberg, which sounds fantastic too!

I also think I want to reread Winter Cottage by Carol Ryrie Brink. I simply loved this heartwarming book. I am also hoping to read Ghosts of Greenglass House, as I really loved Greenglass House when I read it. And then for of course for some more lightheartedness, Secret Nights and Northern Lights. I am obsessed with the aurora borealis and traveling to Iceland (a top five on my bucket list!) so I am looking forward to this one.

I keep running across this series, the Highland Bookshop Mystery series, and I feel like I need to try it. Plus this cover is beautiful.

And you may have guessed it. Dungeon Crawler Carl is the book I am reading for my husband. Who knows, I may love it!

And I have heard the best things about The Frozen River. I don’t read too much historical fiction anymore, but this one sounds like I need to at least try it!

Moon of the Crusted Snow is one I have had on my TBR for YEARS. Maybe this will be the year I actually read the whole thing.

I want to say, I know next week is wish list week, and I know a lot people feel weird about posting their lists. I am not here to change anyone’s mind, but I am really excited about buying a gift for a blogger or two that posts. I am just going to throw everyone in a hat and have Wyatt pick two. I feel like this is such a great community, the TTT crew, and I want to just spread some Christmas cheer.

And, I can’t wait to see what you all are planning! Who knows, my list might change after I see what is on your plate!

Books, Screens, and In-Betweens (Including Soup and Story Saturday)

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized11 Comments

Hello everyone! I am linking up with Deb at Readerbuzz,  Kathryn at Book Date, and  Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

I have a little cold that I have been nursing my way through and spent the weekend being cozy and warm and watching movies. I fully intended to write my Soup and Story Saturday post last night, but I ate my soup, took a shower, crawled under the covers, and that was it. Game over. All productivity was lost after that.

So I am just combining it today, sort of, with this post.

First off, what I am reading. I didn’t do much reading last week, unfortunately. Before I got the ick from Billy and Wyatt, Wyatt and I finished up his book, The Celery Stalks at Midnight. I didn’t get a chance to grab my library book at all, and in fact, Billy ended up picking up my holds Friday night, with all the books I wanted to read in that stack. So I finally got to start the book I had been waiting for.

It is literally everything I need right now. I am reading slowly but I am really enjoying it. This series is such a light fluffy series and that is precisely why I like it.

Posted Last Week:

Comfy Cozy Christmas: Making Christmas

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Set in Snowy Places

My Favorite Quotes From Every Book I Read This Year: Part 2

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Watching:

I spent a lot of time curled up watching shows with Wyatt, YouTube, movies. This is not usually me but I will say I am feeling pretty rested. Wyatt and I watched lots of Frog and Toad. He will watch them over and over, and we both really enjoyed the Christmas Eve episode a lot.

I have also been watching some Christmasy YouTubes. I have been watching Morgan Long’s Vlogmas, Shelby’s Cottage, and Real Vintage Dollhouse.

As for movies, we have watched Emmet Otter’s Jug- Band Christmas, Christmas at the Catnip Cafe (which was soo cheesy but I 100% loved it), Bramble House Christmas, and Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas. Tonight, we are going to watch another Hallmark Christmas movie. I am excited!

Soup and Story:

I won’t make this post super long with a story, but I was so grateful for this ramen last night. I absolutely love it. The restaurant is at the back of a gaming center, where people go to play tabletop games like DnD and Warhammer. It is pretty smart for them, because people will sit and play all day and they are probably just making so much money off the gamers which good for them. This food is amazing too. I could eat it everyday.

Around the Interwebs:

So I cohost a few different things with Lisa at Boondock Ramblings, although I have been doing poorly the past 10 days or so. I am just going to quote her here:

Lisa at Boondock Ramblings and I host a monthly bookish link party called A Good Book and A Cup of Tea.  This link-up is for book and reading posts or anything related to books and reading (even movies based on books!). Each link party will be open for a month. You can find that link up for this month here.

We are also hosting Comfy Cozy Christmas! Anything holiday related – any December holiday – at all that strikes your fancy and you write about, please think about sharing on our linky. You can find the link for that at the top of my page in the menu or here.

We also will be starting Crafternoons back up in January and we hope to post the dates soon!

And that is it from me today! Stay safe and take care of yourselves my friends!

My Favorite Quotes From Every Book I Read This Year: Part 2

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized15 Comments

In case you missed Part 1: So, on November 22, 2024 I started a little book book, as I call it, but it is a journal of the books I have read with a few jotted thoughts, quotes I like, and stickers. I am an archivist and chronicler at heart, and I have been having so much fun journaling my reading experience this way. I thought it would be neat to share my favorite quotes from all the books I have read – in different parts of course.

“What any woman wants is not for you to decide. You would do well to remember that.”

This is actually a quote from the translator’s note.

“This book catalogs the many pleasures of reading: the joy of discovering a new author; the hedonism of staying up too late to finish a book; the surreptitious thrill of getting to know someone by reading their favorite book; and the freedom of walking into a bookstore and scanning the titles, waiting for something to catch your eye..”

“Emily had inherited certain things from her fine old ancestors – the power to fight – to suffer – to pity – to love very deeply – to rejoice – to endure.”

“Daisy had begun to feel like a seed taking root. She was insect-nibbled and wind-ruffled and elbow-skinned. Her hair was full of twigs, her fingernails were filthy – and every part of her felt hungry and alive.”

“There was something so special about a notebook without a single note in it. It felt like touching pure potential.”

“Tea doesn’t wake me up like coffee does. It doesn’t hug me and tell me everything is going to be ok if I just drink it.”

“He was all dreams and wild ideas, and she was more….sciency.”

“I looked at Francis and began to wonder why I had ever thought I had lived in a world without dragons.”

“You are amusingly soft-hearted for a villainous swamp creature.”

“Being a good neighbor is all about making sure that the people you share land and air and water with don’t need anything either.”

Phew. Part two done, and we have made it to May in my journal. I did skip over Watership Down, which I read in-between Greenteeth and A Prayer for the Crown Shy.

I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Set in Snowy Places

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized38 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl!

Today’s Prompt: Books Set in Snowy Places. Today, that could be Michigan!

A Fellowship of Games and Fables: My book for the week! It takes place in snowy Adenashire.

Greenglass House is one of my favorite MG reads. I just love everything about it.

The Enchanted Greenhouse may sound like it should be a spring or summer book, but it really takes place in the snowy winter. One of my favorite things during snowy season is to visit greenhouses and conservatories, and be reminded of heat and green growing things, so I think that contributed to my love of this book.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden is all about the winter and snow. I read it during a snowstorm and it was perfect.

Fox Crossing is just a cute little read – I loved this whole series!

A Blizzard of Polar Bears was not my favorite honestly. I wanted to love this series and I will probably give it another chance now that I have reminded myself of it, but there is no denying that this book that takes place in the Canadian Arctic is a snowy book. It wasn’t bad, from the scientific pov but the character herself is a bit too..action hero sometimes.

The Frozen River is actually on my TBR. I never got to it when everyone else was reading it! Maybe this winter.

The Shining. Seriously, there is no way I could have made this list without this book.

I was obsessed by Goolrick’s writing years ago, and A Reliable Wife is phenomenal in my opinion.

While the Earth Holds Its Breath. This book sounds absolutely lovely, and I have it on my TBR for winter. So I guess you guys got a tiny preview of my next week’s post this week! Lol.

I am excited to see everyone’s choices today!

I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!

Books, Screens, and In-Betweens

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized11 Comments

Hello everyone! I am linking up with Deb at Readerbuzz,  Kathryn at Book Date, and  Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

The Books:

As for reading, I gave it my best, but I was defeated. I had a DNF. The Hogfather. I am going to try again next year, after learning more about Discworld. Lisa’s (at Boondock Ramblings) husband suggested I start with The Color of Magic instead, then read the Death line of books first. So, I will give it another shot!

Sorry Hogfather. We will try again next year.

This week I am reading the next in the J. Penner Adenashire series, A Fellowship of Games of Fables. I love Jez so I am excited to read her story! And, I must like these books because I almost never read past book one in a series!

The Screens:

So, we have been watching all the Christmas and holiday things we can find. We watched all the episodes of the Victorian Farm Christmas, Tudor Farm Christmas, A Garfield Christmas, and Bramble House Christmas, which is a Hallmark Christmas movie. I of course loved it. We also watched Paddington for the first time and realized, Billy is Paddington in person form! Ok, he just has a Paddington style coat, and loves orange marmalade. Everything we watched was perfect.

I also was busy blogging away.

Top Ten Tuesday: December Dragons

My Favorite Quotes From Every Book I Read This Year: Part One

Comfy Cozy Christmas and A Good Book and a Cup of Tea Link Up Post

Soup and Story Saturday

The In-Betweens:

It was a slow week around here. It was not only arctic cold out, but Wyatt was feeling under the weather. So we took it easy, especially since he had a big appointment with the orthopedic surgeon on Friday. The surgeon is very pleased with Wyatt’s healing, and has decided it is now time to schedule the next surgery, this one to remove the hardware they put into Wyatt to hold his hips in place as he healed. I am so not ready for another surgery, but he said springtime, and that it will be an easier recovery.

We also got lots of Christmas shopping done, mainly via the internet but Wyatt and I also took a secret trip to pick up a gift for Billy. I won’t say what it is here but I am excited. Saturday we also masked up and went to something called Echoes of a French Noel at the River Raisin National Battlefield near us, and had such a great time. Then this morning I went to the Potter’s Market with Chrissy and Kelly. I will do a coffee catch up post later this week, but we had so much fun!

Tonight we are having a comfy cozy movie night, with hot chocolate and treats in front of the little fake fireplace tonight, and I am so excited!

And that is it from me for now! I hope that whatever you do, you do something that makes you happy!

My Favorite Quotes From Every Book I Read This Year: Part 1

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized18 Comments

So, on November 22, 2024 I started a little book book, as I call it, but it is a journal of the books I have read with a few jotted thoughts, quotes I like, and stickers. I am an archivist and chronicler at heart, and I have been having so much fun journaling my reading experience this way. I thought it would be neat to share my favorite quotes from all the books I have read. It will be multi-part, because it would be like a crazy wall of text post if I did it all at once.

Jan. 4, 2025 – 1st book of the year!

This is just a snippet of a quote.

“…a little life surrounded by love and hope and magic.”

Jan. 5, 2025

“She and Coco were sitting in the kitchen of the Egg, Ollie’s rambling old farmhouse. They’d gotten themselves mugs of hot chocolate and were seeing who could build the biggest marshmallow pyramid on top.”

Jan. 7, 2025

“Too many men were raised by families that expected them to hide their emotions at all costs.”

Jan. 14, 2025

“…all around us the earth had erupted with silver rabbits washing their faces with moon dew.”

Jan. 26, 2025

“I mourned the loss of older lighthouses like Pottawatomie. There was something magical and romantic about them.”

Feb. 1, 2025

“Matthias gazed upwards, feeling as if he were slowly turning with the silent Earth.”

Feb. 5, 2025

“Either her laugh is starting to sound attractive – or I really am going mental.”

Feb. 8, 2025

“Shooting stars and auroras – things people come to love without the need to interrogate what makes them beautiful.”

Feb. 9, 2025

“Allow yourself to be where you are”

Feb. 16, 2025

“Being content with not being some extraordinary, larger than life badass, and instead loving being me. Sometimes talking too much. Often daydreaming about nothing. Being a good archaeologist, even if it means never being a great one. Telling corny jokes. Being known for always bringing the best snacks. And wearing fanny packs like they are going out of style.”

I think I am going to like this lookback.

I hope that whatever you do today, that you do something that makes you smile!

Top Ten Tuesday: December Dragons

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized36 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy-Reader Girl

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)

Merry Christmas, Dragon || Zora the Snow Dragon || Dragon’s Merry Christmas

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?

We did read Me and My Dragon Christmas Spirit last year and it was super cute. He enjoyed that picture book series in general.

The cover of Dragons Can’t Eat Snow Cones made me giggle. Poor dragon!

Snowed in with a Dragon || A Gift for the Christmas Dragon || Secrets and Snowflakes

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!

Dragons Don’t Do Holidays || Yule Be Sorry

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.