Tag: reading

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!

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! Our week was pretty good. We had some ups and downs but overall, pretty good. Wyatt and I had a nice routine week, we had some fun moments, we refreshed some of our fish tanks, we saw some cousins – those were all good. I had some news about my mom that was not so great, and is causing me some anxiety, but I am hoping and praying for a solution.

What I am Reading:

I didn’t finish anything last week, but I did start reading two books. Then Friday the book I was waiting for came in, so I am going to start that one too. So I guess I am reading a few books this week.

Version 1.0.0

I hope to finish A Prayer for the Crown Shy today at some point. I am also enjoying Budde’s book How We Learn to Be Brave.

Posted Last Week:

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Featuring the word “Night” in the Title

Springtime in Paris: The Intouchables

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

What We Are Watching:

We have been pretty much collapsing into bed after full days over here, so not much television has been happening. We did watch The Brokenwood Mysteries, Beyond Paradise, and The Wheel of Time.

In addition we have been watching our Springtime in Paris movies! Last week was The Intouchables, which was such a feel good movie. If you need a pick me up, watch this one.

This week we will watch our final movie in our six week Springtime in Paris journey. I will be sad to say goodbye! It was such a fun little movie watching challenge. We are ending things with Charade with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant, and I am very excited to watch it.

Online Things Happening:

While we are wrapping up Springtime in Paris, 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 have also started adding downloadable, printable children’s birthday invitations to my Etsy store, Fox and Firth. I have been trying to create three a day and adding them, so keep checking back as the inventory is constantly growing!

And that is about it from me today! I hope that you are all are feeling happy and loved, and do something today that makes you smile!

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized28 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! Last week Wyatt and I took a break for spring and it was a very busy, very full, very fun week. I might still be recovering from all the activity! Today is my mom’s birthday party, and then I am not making anymore plans for this week. We need a break from our break, and by break I mean getting back to our routine!

Read Last Week:

I started two nonfiction books last week, and have been reading through them slowly. They are very different, and I am enjoying them both. One thing they have in common though, is that they both focus on how we view ourselves and our bodies and even how we keep house, and how we have been influenced to always regard ourselves as coming up short, how wrinkles or a few extra pounds or dishes in the sink can sometimes trigger negative thoughts about ourselves. I actually really didn’t know what either of them were about when I got them – I loved the cover of Women Living Deliciously so I picked it up, and then I’ve seen the book about keeping house around and thought I would read through it, since Wyatt’s surgery is coming up soon. I will be very busy for at least a month afterward caring for him and I thought this book might be a good read in preparation for that time.

Reading This Week:

This week I will still be reading my two nonfiction books, but adding in a fiction book too.

I am behind on this series. It seems like a good time to catch up!

Posted Last Week:

Springtime in Paris: Hugo

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Watching:

We are watching a few different things. We recently finished up Our Flag Means Death, which we both enjoyed for its silliness, and we are also watching The Wheel of Time S3. We also started the new Brokenwood Mysteries. I wait so long for each season and I really love it.

Wyatt and I also are watching our YouTubers at night. We watch a video, read a book, then he goes to bed. Wyatt would love to have his own booktube channel, but that feels weird to me, for many reasons. However, I do wonder if it would help him to use his words more, because they are in there and we need to just encourage him to use them. Lisa at Boondock Ramblings mentioned that I could make a private channel or just share with specific people, so I am considering that. Maybe as his surprise after surgery, we can try one.

Anyway. Lately we have been watching a few different people, in addition to book people as he calls them.

In order, left to right: Real Vintage Doll House, Jay Lee Painting, and Plant Based Bride.

Real Vintage Doll House is a fun, realistic look at someone who enjoys vintage but also does not live it constantly. She has a job in the medical field, so her love of a vintage life is only part of her life, and I like that. She has a house that is circa 1940s and is so cute and apparently very small. She dresses vintage, keeps pigeons which I love, and has very interesting videos about British history mixed in.

Jay Lee Painting is just what you think – he shares different painting techniques and they are just calming and inspiring to watch.

Plant Based Bride is a booktuber. I love her videos, she has very in depth reviews, that are well thought out. I think she is interesting because she often does not like books that are getting a lot of love on YouTube or TikTok, and I like hearing another perspective.

And of course, we are watching our Springtime in Paris movies! We just watched Hugo, which I thought led to some great discussions and reviews. Next up we are watching The Intouchables!

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

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized20 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 that you are all doing well! We are doing ok over here, just keeping on keeping on. We had a pretty busy weekend that was full of family!

Read Last Week:

I’ve been reading monstery books this spring. Not sure how that happened, but it did. I absolutely loved Wormwood Abbey, and I can’t wait to read book two in the series. Greenteeth… I had higher hopes for it. I love this cover, I loved parts of the book, but it was a bit slow maybe? There was something about that I didn’t love. Maybe I was just too excited to read it; I grew up reading about fairies and loving faery lore and Jenny Greenteeth was one of my favorites so maybe I had too high of expectations. It still was a pretty good read.

Reading This Week:

This week I am stepping away from my monster books and starting my yearly reread of Watership Down. I can’t wait to get back to this little world again!

Posted Last Week:

Top Ten Tuesday: Books with Springy Covers

Springtime in Paris: How to Steal a Million

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Watching:

We have been hopscotching about, and doing less binge watching lately! This is unlike us. Lol. However, we are enjoying all of our shows that we are watching. Lately, that list has included Poldark (why did it take us so long to watch this!), Our Flag Means Death, Wheel of Time, Murdoch Mysteries, and Beyond Paradise.

We are also three movies into our Springtime in Paris movie watch! This week is Paris Blues with Paul Newman and Sidney Poitier.

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

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized40 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 all! Last week was a pretty big week around here. Wyatt had multiple doctor’s appointments, and some of them were not the best. But, we are doing our best to be positive, as hard as it is at times. And for those times that are hard, I do have a good community around to help out.

Anyway. I didn’t get any time to read last week, until yesterday. So I didn’t make it too far into my books! I will be reading the same books that I posted last week.

I am halfway through Wormwood Abbey though now and I am really enjoying it.

Posted Last Week:

Hello April!

Springtime in Paris: Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Watched Last Week:

Last week we watched a lot of Murdoch Mysteries, then when we caught up, we switched to Our Flag Means Death.

I also watched Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris as part of our Springtime in Paris movie event. I absolutely loved it. It was such a joy filled movie, which was something I really needed.

In My Blogging World:

 Lisa at Boondock Ramblings and I are hosting another film watching event for springtime. It is six weeks, six movies, and very easy going! If you want to watch one or all or a few, we would love to have you join in. Just watch along and comment on our posts or post your own thoughts and link up!

If you are interested, this is the schedule of movies! Our second post will be up this week!

Also, in January and February, Lisa and I were hosting Crafternoons and they turned out to be so much fun that we are continuing them on through the year. People craft, color, sometimes just chat, and we just have a lot of fun. They are drop in style, so no time commitment, just if you have some time to just craft or hang out one scheduled afternoon, drop on in! We will have our schedule up for spring this week!

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