Tag: reading

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Set in Japan

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized57 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

This week’s prompt:  Books Set in/Take Place During X (Pick a place, time, era, etc. Examples: Books set in Europe/Italy/Australia/Chicago, books set in Regency England, books that take place during the 1900s, books set in imaginary worlds/post-apocalyptic/dystopian worlds, books set on the ocean, books set it castles, books that take place during WW2, etc.)

So, a few years ago I read a book that changed my reading. I picked up the book, What You Are Looking for is in the Library, and I loved it. I was hooked. I needed all the cozy fiction/translated/healing fiction. I am so happy that I read a book outside my comfort zone because now it is a favorite genre for me. These titles are a mix of books I have read and books on my TBR for this year. These are all set in Japan, but some of the others that I have read were set in Korea. It was hard to choose the setting for this post!

The Kamogawa Food Detectives || What You Are Looking For is in the Library || The Full Moon Coffee Shop

The Kamogowa Food Detectives made me so hungry. The descriptions of the food, the memories that accompanied these dishes, made this book such a delight to read.

What You Are Looking for is in the Library is still one of my favorites. I could revisit this one over and over again.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop was… interesting. It was not my favorite of these but it was definitely unique!

The Easy Life in Kamusari || Butter || Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

The Easy Life in Kamusari is a gentle easy read set in the mountains. I loved this little mountain village and its inhabitants.

Butter is completely different and I still haven’t read it. It sounds crazy and is based on a true story! It is “about a female gourmet cook and serial killer and the journalist intent on cracking her case”. It is on my fall TBR list.

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop was another slow, gentle read. And I learned there is a whole area of Tokyo that is known as Book Town that has hundreds of bookstores!

Letters from the Ginza Shihodo Stationery Shop || The Convenience Store by the Sea || Dinner at the Night Library || The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop

These four are the tops of my list for this genre right now, with The Convenience Store by the Sea as the next up. I have a hold request in for it and I am waiting – hopefully this week! After that Dinner at the Night Library sounds fantastic for fall.

And that is it from me today! I look forward to visiting your posts all week and seeing what you all chose!

Top Ten Tuesday: Feeling Salty

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized24 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

This week’s prompt: Freebie!

I decided on doing books with a salty, watery theme for this post. I am feeling the coastal vibes and this spring and summer I have been picking up books here and there that are in that vein. This list will be both books I have read and books on my TBR.

House of Salt and Sorrows || The Wicked Deep || All the Murmuring Bones

I loved both House of Salt and Sorrows and The Wicked Deep! They were excellent and I would read them again if my TBR wasn’t so long. All the Murmuring Bones is one I have not read but looks fantastic.

The Amalfi Curse || Saltwater || Wild Dark Shore

I have all three of these on my hopefuls for summer but I will only get to one of these. I am not sure which one will be the winner! If you have read these, let me know your vote!

The Lamplighter || Wait for What Will Come || Tidepool || Malamander

I got to ten way too fast. I have so many more!! For my last few though, I chose two that I have read, and two on my list. The Lamplighter and Tidepool are lingering on my TBR, waiting for their time to be read.

Wait for What Will Come is one of my very favorite Barbara Michaels books! It takes place in a crumbling old home on the cliffs of Cornwall, and I reread it at least once a year. Barbara Michaels is one of my comfort authors.

Malamander is a middle grade I read for the first time this year, and it was so atmospheric. I felt like I was in a Scooby Doo episode, or in Innsmuth, or somewhere equally creepy and coastal. I absolutely loved it.

And I still can’t believe how quickly this post went together. I may have to do a part two!

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized36 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! I hope you had a good week! We took it pretty easy around here last week, between the heat wave and just needing a slow down. It was nice to be summertime lazy with Wyatt.

We have been amassing books for his post-surgery recovery, and I feel like we have a good start! Wyatt is pretty into dragons now and his reading material reflects that… lol.

What I Am Reading:

This is my current slow read. I am reading it now, but I read nonfiction sooo slowly for some reason. So I am going to have to add in some fiction while I am reading it. I am really enjoying it, and learning a lot more about British books about Otters than I could have imagined, specifically Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell. I had never heard of this book or movie, but it is one of the books that Darlington read that formed her lifelong love of otters.

It also seems like the perfect time to start Pat of Silver Bush. I am looking forward to retreating into the world of L.M. Montgomery again.

Posted Last Week:

Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag

Books That Feel Like a Heat Wave

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in 2025

Watching:

Billy and I finished season 1 of Yellowjackets and are pressing pause on it until fall. We are loving it though.

We have been watching Sirens with Kevin Bacon and Julianne Moore, and it is really good! I also love seeing the shots of the interior design in this show. Everything is like a visual feast. I loooove Simone’s bedroom, and I love Peter’s study. The interior also serves to reflect the secrets of the show, the tone, the weirdness. This article explains it a bit. Anyway, the cool coastal interiors are perfect for summer tv watching.

When we finish this up, I think we are going to start the new season of Dark Winds.

Wyatt’s been watching a lot of cartoons on Apple TV+ mainly Frog and Toad and Camp Snoopy. I have to admit I like when he watches these because I enjoy them too.

Online Things Happening:

Lisa from Boondock Ramblings and I are still hosting our Drop In Crafternoons once a month. Lisa and I have been hosting crafternoons for fellow bloggers on Zoom since January, and it has been so fun. It is nice to meet the person behind the blog, hear their voices, and share more stories – all while we work on whatever craft we choose! There is no right or wrong activity, you don’t even need to craft if you don’t want to. Just hang out, that is fine too! I need to update the dates for this – hopefully I get to that today.

I am also participating in 10, 15, 20 Books of Summer which is hosted by Emma over at Words and Peace, and Annabel at Annabookbel. I am glad that one of the “rules” is that we are allowed to switch up the books from our list at anytime, because I have already done that a few times since the beginning of June. I hope to post a few reviews this week! I went with 10 books but who knows? Maybe I will hit 15!

And that is it for me today! I hope that whatever you do today, that you do something that makes you smile!

Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag!

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized14 Comments

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 Woods by 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!

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2025

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized48 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

This week’s prompt: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2025

Hello everyone! Wow, here we are already, looking at the second half of the year. I had to go look books up to get up to ten; the first few are books I have been anxiously awaiting, the others are books I read about on NetGalley that I am definitely putting on my TBR.

The Lady on Esplanade: I love this series by Karen White and I have been waiting and waiting for the next book to come out. It felt like a super long wait! It is the third in the Royal Street series, which is all about fixing up historical old houses – and some that have ghosts…. (Nov. 4)

The Enchanted Greenhouse: I LOVED The Spellshop so I am super excited about The Enchanted Greenhouse! (July 15)

We Love You, Bunny: This is a sequel to the 2019 book Bunny by Awad. That book was a crazy fever dream of a book, and I am super excited to read this one. (Sept. 23)

Legendary Frybread Drive-In: This is another one I had on my list. I really enjoyed Ancestor Approved, which is another compilation of stories by Indigenous authors. (Aug. 26)

A Ghost Hunter’s Guide to Solving a Murder: This is one I found on NetGalley that is immediately going on my TBR! A cozy mystery with ghosts! That has my name written all over it. (Oct. 2)

The French Bookshop Murder: Another cozy on my radar! (Sept. 18)

A Land So Wide: I love Erin Craig’s worlds! This one sounds like it will be fantastic. (Sept. 9)

The Keeper of Magical Things: I love love loved The Teller of Small Fortunes and I am excited to read this new book by Leong. (Oct. 14)

The Whistler: I read a Medina last fall, Sisters of the Lost Nation, and I loved it. I am looking forward to this new book! (Sep. 16)

Brigands and Breadknives: Because, Baldree. Buy all the Baldree is my mantra. (ok it’s not but you get the idea, I really like his work) (Nov. 11)

And I can’t wait to see what you all are looking forward to!

I hope that whatever you do today, that you do one thing that makes you smile!

Mini Book Reviews: Of Salt and Shore, The Jewel of the Isle, Little Pieces of Hope, Anywhere You Go

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized14 Comments

Hello everyone!! I decided that this year I am going to be doing book reviews in groups of three, and just little short mini reviews. And it is finally time for me to do three more, plus a sad little DNF.

First up is Of Salt and Shore!

Of Salt and Shore however, was amazing. It is a middle grade but wow, it was fantastic. It is translated from Dutch (the OG title is Lampje) At first, I didn’t know if I was going to like it. It has some darkness swirling around in it, but the story that evolved was a beautiful tale of friendship and found family and loyalty. I just loved this one, and so far it is one of the best books I have read all year.

It was much more emotional for me than I had anticipated from a middle grade. It touches on child abuse, neglect, alcoholism, otherism, prejudice, and there were moments that made me feel the pain of these characters so profoundly. But little Lampie marches through in her practical way, setting things right, shaking things up, helping to heal the people around her just by being her own steadfast self, a little girl who won’t be swayed from her purpose and goals. She stares headlong into challenges and despite any fear, keeps going. The daughter of a lighthouse keeper, she herself is like a beacon and a lighthouse for those around her.

It has vibes of The Secret Garden, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid. There is found family and friendship, and I highly recommend this book to everyone.

I  just want to say that this book made me smile and laugh and just get all feet kicky over some parts. I love a good adventure theme, I guess, and this one is even set in my very own home state of Michigan! This book was just campy goodness, with inept but earnest characters, a total cinnamon roll of a MMC, crazy situations, danger, shipwrecks, a missing diamond… It was just absolutely perfect. It did also have some more serious moments, that explored grief, that were so very true and touching. We have all lost people we love, and know what it is like to be hit out of the blue with a memory that just reminds you of how much you miss that person to your core.

The romance is a slow burn which I also enjoyed, and the spice level was probably like, 2 jalapenos if that? Open door, but not like super detailed or graphic. LOL. I never know how to describe this for people!

This book is just charming and adorable and touching and hilarious, and I absolutely loved it.

Little Pieces of Hope began when WHO declared COVID a pandemic, and the author Todd Doughty realized that in order to keep going through such an unprecedented, scary time, he needed to do something. And what he did was create lists, something I can totally understand, of things that made him happy. Anything and everything. Feelings and moments and sounds and smells and memories. It is not really a book to read straight through, but one to pick up here and there, when you might need a reminder of good things in life. It inspired me to start my own list of happy making things as well, those glimmers that just tickle our souls and make us smile.

And now my DNF. I am so bummed about this one! I was pretty excited about it – this cover is gorgeous, and the premise sounded interesting, a LGBTQ+ version of The Holiday. And there were parts of it I did enjoy! However, I felt like Goldilocks reading this book that had dual relationships happening, and one moved way way too fast for me, while the other was way too slow. However, the writing itself was wonderful.

And that is it my friends! I hope today you do or read or see something that makes you smile!

Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized24 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! We had a pretty busy but good week last week. Wyatt had a good EEG, he had a blast at Dream Night at the Detroit Zoo, we have seen a lot of family… it’s been fun.

Ok, so what did I read? I read the best romance book. Like, seriously, it is probably my favorite one I have ever read. I don’t read a lot of romance. There is no real reason I don’t, it is just not a genre I gravitate to much. But Wyatt and I were at the library last week and I was looking for something that would be easy to pick up and put down as needed in the hospital, and I spotted this book on the shelf, and it just sounded so me.

I guess I should have heeded the blurb that says it is impossible to put down, because I really loved it. I am planning on posting some reviews this week, and this one is on the list to review.

And now what is on the list for this week? It’s hard to say! I really enjoyed The Jewel of the Isle, and now I don’t know which way to bounce. Do I want scary? Or something classic and cool like L.M. Montgomery and Jane of Lantern Hill? Do I want nature nonfiction? I really don’t know. I will have to see which way the wind blows (hopefully blowing this smoke and dust out of the Detroit area!) this week. So, I will list all the possibles here.

I just bought Otter Country off of Pango! Does anyone else use that? I love it! Books are very reasonably priced, you can list books to sell super easily, and you can earn money to either send to your actual bank account, or you can use the money as Pangobucks and spend it on … more books!! Anyway, it is a super easy site to use and I find a lot of books on there that I have a hard time finding elsewhere.

What I posted last week:

Hello June!

Top Ten Tuesday: Summer Camp!

Saturday Morning Coffee Catch Up

What We Have Been Watching:

Not much. When we get a chance we watch Yellowjackets, which we are obsessed with. It is so freaking good!

Online Things Happening:

Not much on my own end here, at least through the summer. I do plan to host an autumn fun thing with Lisa, but that won’t be until October.

We are still having our crafternoons once a month or so! My last one for a month or two is coming up June 21st but Lisa will be holding the doors open for us throughout the summer. Please email me if you are interested in joining our zoom and I will add you to the group email. I am thinking I might pop in to July and August though, even if it is just for a short time, since the crafternoons are light and easy, drop in style. Come and go as you please!

And that is that from my end today! I hope that whatever you do today you do something that makes you smile.

“I tell you this/ to break your heart, /by which I mean only/ that it break open and never close again/ to the rest of the world.” – Mary Oliver

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized35 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! We have been working on projects around here like maniacs, but we are getting things done. Billy has been working outside on the yard, while I have been neglecting the house while I work on school and scout stuff for next fall (I don’t want to be planning after Wyatt’s surgery), handling Wyatt’s prehab exercises, and finishing up the bit of school we have left. I need to clean today…..

What I have read lately:

Let me start with Anywhere You Go. I wanted to like this one so much, but I didn’t. It is a LGBTQ retelling of The Holiday, which is such a fun premise. However, I felt like Goldilocks. One of the relationships moved way too fast for me – I don’t like the trope of insta-love – and the other was way too slow! Lol. I ended up DNFing it.

Beaches, Bungalows, and Burglaries was another one that I didn’t love, but I did enjoy it. Like, not love. I am going to read the next one though, because I am curious about where this series goes. So I guess that says something.

Of Salt and Shore however, was amazing. It is a middle grade but wow, it was fantastic. It is translated from Dutch (the OG title is Lampje) At first, I didn’t know if I was going to like it. It has some darkness swirling around in it, but the story that evolved was a beautiful tale of friendship and found family and loyalty. I just loved this one, and so far it is one of the best books I have read all year.

Reading this weekish:

Posted since my last update:

Top Ten Tuesday: Books About Travel

10 Books of Summer

Mini Book Reviews: Two Cozies and a Horror

Top Ten Tuesday: Animal Companions

Wednesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Homeschool Thoughts: A Review of the Year?

What we are watching:

We are still watching Wheel of Time, although it was cancelled. Billy is bummed, but knew it was probably coming.

We also finished up The Brokenwood Mysteries, and I will have to be sad now until more come out. It is my favorite show and it is so short!

We also started Yellowjackets, which I have been wanting to watch for ages, and we are obsessed. However, if you don’t know much about it, it is pretty gory, just wanted to put that out there. Juliette Lewis and Christina Ricci are amazing in it. I love Ricci in anything and I don’t think I appreciated Lewis enough back in the day, but her performance in this is fantastic.

We haven’t had a night where we can watch a movie together (other than movies with Wyatt earlier in the evening, we just watched the OG Lilo and Stitch which he loved!), so we are still waiting to watch the first two on our list, Holland with Nicole Kidman and Wait Until Dark with Hepburn.

And that is it from me today! I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!

10 Books of Summer

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn reading challenge23 Comments

10, 15, 20 Books of Summer is hosted by Emma over at Words and Peace, and Annabel at Annabookbel.

Annabel states the challenge over on her blog as:

  • The #20BooksofSummer2025 challenge runs from Sunday June 1st to Sunday August 31st
  • The first rule of 20 Books is that there are no real rules, other than signing up for 10, 15 or 20 books and trying to read from your TBR.
  • Pick your list in advance, or nominate a bookcase to read from, or pick at whim from your TBR.
  • If you do pick a list, you can change it at any time – swap books in/out.
  • Don’t get panicked at not reaching your target.
  • Just enjoy a summer of great reading and make a bit of space on your shelves!

I have been seeing this around in the blogging world and thought I would add a small list myself! I like the flexibility of this challenge, since I often make a list then change my mind halfway through.

Also, since my son is having a major surgery in July, I am not sure what to expect at all in terms of anything but taking care of him. I figured though I would aim small and see what happens! I will be reading him a few books while he is recovering, so I am including those as well on here.

First, my own reading choices. I am throwing a bunch out here to choose from.

And then for books I am thinking about reading to Wyatt – some are ones he has had on his shelf, a few are some books I am just throwing in there. I wanted to find some quiet gentle type books for when he is home and not feeling that great but not wanting to sleep either. He loves being read to so that is always a win to make him feel comforted and better.

I guess we will see where summer reading takes us this year!

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized34 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a good week. Our week was very quietly busy, if that makes sense. Lots of appointments, lots of being at home. We did have a scare on Friday night. My dad was struck on the head by a baseball at a game and knocked unconscious! They transported him to the hospital by ambulance, where thankfully all his tests came back good!

What I have been reading:

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager. I was late to the party on this author, which I am thankful for on some level because now there are a ton of books I still haven’t read. Every time I pick up one of his books, I end up reading it compulsively until I finish. I can’t put them down! This one is maybe my favorite of the books I have read by him so far.

Death by Beach Read was also a very good read, but not as riveting as Home Before Dark. However, I don’t read them for that same thrill; I read them because they are just more relaxing and chill.

What I am reading this week:

Beaches, Bungalows, and Burglaries is a book I started on audiobook and decided I wanted to finish reading with my actual eyeballs. And Anywhere You Go sounds pretty cute so I am giving it a whirl.

Posted Last Week:

Our Cozy Little Life Update…and a Mystery!

Father’s Day Gift Ideas

Watching:

Billy and I have been watching a mix of things lately. Brokenwood, Beyond Paradise, Wheel of Time, and last night we started The Essex Serpent, which was excellent!

We finished up our Springtime in Paris, and I miss it! It is fun to have a “Movie of the Week”. Lisa and I love doing our movie themed watches, but with our families dealing with some different things, we probably won’t do another one together here on the blog until fall.

Tonight, I think Billy and I might watch the movie Holland starring Nicole Kidman. It takes place in Western Michigan, and while her accent sounds all off in previews, I am curious about it. I love that area of Michigan. It is one of our favorite areas to visit! And now I need to know if that is how I sound to people?

And that is it from around here today! I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!