Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Cloisters by Katy Hays

On the wheel of fortune, who will emerge on top... and who will die?

When Ann Stilwell arrives in New York City, she hopes to spend her summer working as a curatorial associate at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Instead, she finds herself assigned to The Cloisters, a gothic museum and garden renowned for its collection of medieval and Renaissance art.

There she is drawn into a small circle of charismatic but enigmatic researchers, including Patrick Roland, the museum's mercurial curator who specializes in the history of tarot; Rachel Mondray, Patrick's beautiful curatorial associate and sometime muse; and Leo Bitburg, the gardener who nurtures the museum's precious collection of medicinal and poison plants.

Relieved to have left her troubled past in rural Washington behind her, Ann longs for the approbation of her colleagues and peers and is happy to indulge their more outlandish theories, only to find that their fascination with fortune-telling runs deeper than academic obsession. Patrick is determined to prove that ancient divination holds the key to the foretelling of the future. And when Ann stumbles across a breakthrough in the form of a mysterious and previously-believed lost deck of 15th-century Italian tarot cards, she finds herself at the centre of a dangerous game of power, toxic friendship and ambition.

Then there is an unexpected and devastating death, and suddenly everyone becomes a suspect. As the game being played within the Cloisters spirals out of control, Ann must decide if the tarot cards can not only teach her about the past, but also about her future.

Publisher: Atria | Genre: Suspense/Dark Academia/Mystery | Source: Purchased | Rating: 2

Power, toxic friendships, secrets, and lies roam the halls of the Cloisters in this tale that makes you ask, “What are you willing to give up for the work?”

Assigned to the Cloisters by a twist of fate, Ann Stilwell soon finds herself immersed in the world of tarot and the history behind the first known deck. Working closely with Patrick (the curator) and Rachel (associate curator), Ann soon grows close to Rachel who seems to be harboring her own dark secrets. As Ann starts developing a relationship with Leo, the gardener of the Cloisters’ poison gardens, she starts to discover there’s more mysteries than just the artifacts housed inside the museum. When an unexpected death rocks the Cloisters, Ann starts wondering if she truly knows the people she calls friends.

I pre-ordered this one from my local indie bookshop under the impression this would deal with more of a medieval-themed mystery due to it taking place in the Cloisters, a division of the MET that focuses on medieval art. I didn’t realize that it was centered around tarot, I really should have read the full blurb before I pre-ordered it. I ended up sticking this on my shelf and forgetting about it until I pulled the title from my TBR jar in January.

This one wasn’t my favorite and I’m a little embarrassed to say I started reading it on January 28th and didn’t’ finish it until February 19th. It was exceedingly slow and unbearably boring.

The characters were horrible people. I couldn’t force myself to care about any of them. They had no redeeming qualities and each time something else was revealed it was worse than the last. They were selfish, greedy, and needed to grow up and take responsibility for their actions, which never happened. Even more annoying was the fact they were rewarded for their horrific behavior.

The mystery was lackluster due to the amount of foreshadowing. There was so much buildup that when it was finally revealed, there was nothing to be surprised about because the author practically outlined it from the start. I also found myself questioning the logistics of certain scenes due to the amount of cameras in the Cloisters.

Overall, I found this book to be boring. Tarot doesn’t interest me and it was almost another character in the book. I didn’t care about the characters and the plot fell flat.  

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Some Like It Plaid by Angela Quarles

When Ashley Miller sees a Craigslist ad for an all-expense paid vacation to Scotland with a handsome Highland “escort”, she’s all over it. Worn out from working two jobs to pay off the debts her scam artist ex-husband left her with, she just needs a friggin’ break already. Rolling, misty mountains of the Scottish Highlands, here she comes!

 

But one minute she’s sipping a latte and the next she’s zapped to the 2nd century and promptly informed she’s managed to wed her handsome Highlander without even an “I do.” Oh, hell no.

After a devastating tragedy, Connall’s tribe is left with few marriageable women. When his Druid priest suggests a place filled with bonnie lasses, he of course agrees to go fetch one for himself. But nothing prepared Connall for his sassy new wife, nor his tribe for a woman determined to see equal rights for all women.

Now the men are threatening revolt if he can’t rein his young wife in, but it might be too late. The women are demanding the men get “woke”—which of course makes no sense because they already woke that morn—and give women “the vote,” whatever the bloody hell that is. Despite all that, Connall can’t stop wanting to convince his wife to get naked, and he’s starting to wonder if he’s been bewitched.

Only the more he gets to know her, the more he starts to think she’s just what they needed. If only he survives her next demand...

Publisher: Entangled  |  Genre: Time Travel Romance  | Source: Author | Rating: 2.5

The author kindly sent me this book when it released back in 2019 and, sadly, I just could not get into it. I ended up putting the title in my TBR jar and it ended up being the book I pulled for February.  

Here’s what’s going on. After a raid left his tribe devoid of marriageable women, Connall, the chief’s son, seeks help from the tribe’s spell caster to travel to the future in hopes of finding a wife. Once in present day, Connall places an ad on Craig’s List, which Ashley, eager to escape the chaos her ex-husband has caused her, answers believing that she is accepting the job as maid in some type of Scottish estate. Realizing she’s in the past, Ashley has a thing or two she’s determined to change and Connall’s determined to convince Ashley to be his wife in more than just name. Not only does Ashley have to navigate her way through a strange time and place, she has to figure out what her feelings for Connall are and if she’s willing to give up her old life.

This one was a bit slow to start but I did enjoy the direction it was heading. I found the concept of Connall traveling from 156 Scotland to present day San Francisco in search of a wife intriguing but the book didn’t live up to its full potential.

I struggled with the characters a bit. Connall was interesting to a point—it’s all about his duty to his tribe—but I don’t feel as though I was able to figure out who Connell was. I needed more about his character. Ashley wasn’t one of my favorites. She’s okay at the start then gets a little annoying as the book on. What bothered me with Ashley was the fact she wanted to bring her ‘wokeness’ to the tribe (more about that later).

The romance was just lacking in connection. There’s no chemistry between Connall and Ashley. I was waiting for some connection to develop and it never happened. There were a few spicy scenes but those even lacked chemistry. The majority of the plot focused on the workings of the tribe and while I have no problem with that, and do like seeing it when it’s done correctly, I don’t want it to crowd out the romance in a book that’s labeled ‘romance’.

There is a magic system in this book. Mungan, the spell caster, performs several spells in the book and, while I did find this approach interesting, I don’t feel as though it was explained enough. It would have been interesting to learn more about this magic system as it gave both Connall and Ashley interesting abilities. Since Ashley had her phone and laptop with her when she traveled to the past, she ended up with the ability of a search engine, which made the tribe view her as a seer. There was also a difference in which the way time passed. In the past, it’s faster than in the future, it would have been nice to have an explanation.  

I did like the nod to history in this one. It’s does show the turbulent relationship between the Roman’s and the Celtic tribes during this time but, again, there’s no balance. It goes from romance straight into historical fiction.

I’m struggling with the rating for his one. I originally gave this a 3 because it was okay and I don’t think most readers will have the issues that I have but I ended up changing my rating to a 2.5 (and I do feel that .5 is being generous).

What I didn’t like about the book was the lack of research and this will probably be a me thing, something that the historian in me found irksome. Here’s a few of the things that irked me.

Ashley wants the tribe to get ‘woke’, she wants the women to have more of a say in the way the tribe functions. The book is set in 156 A.D., this was a little over 100 years after the death of Boudicca, and Connall’s tribe is the Horse People or the Epidii. They were a Pictish tribe from the Kintyre region of Scotland. Women had power within Pictish tribes. They held leadership positions, they were warriors, they were diplomats, they held positions in council, and so much more. They were not sitting around waiting for the men in the tribe to tell them what to do.

Connall wears a great kilt. The great kilt wasn’t invented until the end of the 16th century. The lèine, which was a woolen tunic and the precursor to the great kilt, wasn’t invented until the end of the 3rd century or the beginning of the 4th. Connall would have worn a braccae, which is a pair of loose fitting woolen trousers that was belted at the waist. It’s possible that they also wore a shorter type of tunic.

The last thing that irks me is the lack of Scottish Gaelic used. In her author notes, she states that, “it wouldn’t have been smart or possible” to use Scottish Gaelic when writing from Connall’s perspective. While I don’t think everything Connall said should have been in Gaelic, I do think the author should have included more than just a handful of popular sayings or stopped using the phrase, ‘he said in Gaelic’.  I find it both insulting as a reader and lazy for the author.

Overall, I feel like this was an attempt to jump on the Outlander bandwagon and it fell flat. It needed a bit more chemistry, world building, and balance. While I would struggle to recommend this book, I do recommend the author’s Must Love series. 

Monday, March 25, 2024

This Spells Love by Kate Robb

What if one little wish changed everything?

When Gemma gets dumped by her long-term boyfriend, she reacts the way any reasonable twenty-eight-year-old would: by getting drunk with her sister, kooky aunt, and best friend, Dax. After one too many margaritas, they decide to perform a love- cleansing spell, which promises to erase Gemma’s ex from her memory. They follow all the instructions, including a platonic kiss from Dax to seal the deal.

When Gemma wakes up, she realizes that this silly spell has worked. Not only does it seem that she never dated her ex, but the rest of her life is completely unrecognizable. The worst part: Dax has no idea who she is.

 

To reverse the spell and get back to her old life, Gemma must convince her once-best-friend-now-near-stranger to kiss her. But as she carries out her plans, she finds herself falling for him—hard. Soon, Gemma begins to wonder whether she even wants to go back to the way things once were. What if Dax was The One all along?

Publisher: The Dial Press |  Genre: Magical Realism/Romance  | Source: BOTM | Rating: 3.5 

It’s been a minute since I’ve picked up a romance book so when this popped up as one of the selections for Book of the Month, I thought I would give it a go.

 

After getting drunk and performing a love-cleansing spell with the help of her aunt, sister, and best friend, Gemma wakes up in a completely new version of her life, one where her best friend doesn’t remember her. While Gemma is okay with this version of her life—all of her dreams have come true—she’s not okay with Dax not knowing her and she’s willing to do anything to make sure she gets back to her old life. Although to do so, she must make Dax kiss her to reverse the spell. First, she has to get to know this new version of her best friend and soon she starts wondering if Dax has had her heart all along.

 

This was a quick read and I did have fun with it but I had a bit of trouble believing the romance. I was also a little disappointed because I was expecting more ‘witchy vibes’ and sadly, they were lacking.

 

Pre-spell, Gemma and Dax were the best of friends. They were extremely close and shared everything. Post-spell, they knew nothing about each other. While Gemma remembers the original version of Dax and their closeness, she doesn’t know this new, down-on-his-luck Dax and he knows nothing about Gemma. While they develop a relationship, Gemma is forming a majority of this new relationship based on the old version of Dax.

 

I struggled with the fact that 90% of this book took place in the alternate version of Gemma’s life. The romance between Dax and Gemma started in this new version of their lives then continued once they were back in their real lives. I needed to see more development of the romance in their actual lives. I feel like half the book should have been in this alternate version and the other half in real life. This book would have benefited from being a bit more balanced because I did enjoy watching the antics of the alternate version of Dax and Gemma.

 

What I really enjoyed was Kate Robb’s cozy writing style. While some attention to detail was lacking, she has this incredible ability to make her writing feel like the softest, coziest blanket you want to curl up with and it made for a fun, quick read. For a debut novel, it wasn’t the worst that I’ve read and I’m eager to read more from this author.

 

Overall, this suffered from a balance issue. The author should have either kept the characters in the alternate world or split the time evenly between the two. While I struggled with the believability of the romance in their ‘real’ world, I did enjoy the way the characters and the romance developed in their alternate world and the way they had fun together. 

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Housebroke by Jaci Burton

After her ex took all their money and bailed, Hazel Bristow is left broke and homeless. A friend whose home is on the market lets Hazel and her foster dogs stay there until it sells. It's the perfect setup, until her friend forgets to tell Hazel she's sold the house!

 

Linc Kennedy is shocked to find Hazel squatting in the house he just bought, but after some negotiating, he agrees she can stay while he's renovating the place. Linc tells Hazel he's an investor who renovates homes for fun-but having been burned in the past by women who have only wanted his money, he leaves out that he's also extremely wealthy...

 

Hazel's intrigued by sweet, funny Linc. But her track record with men isn't great, and trust doesn't come easy. Linc's never met anyone like the quirky beauty who puts everyone's needs before her own. But can he figure out how to tell Hazel the truth without losing her?

Publisher: Berkley |Genre: Contemporary Romance  | Source: Publisher  | Rating: 3.5

After her ex took all their money and bailed, Hazel Bristow is left broke and homeless. A friend whose home is on the market lets Hazel and her foster dogs stay there until it sells. It's the perfect setup, until her friend forgets to tell Hazel she's sold the house!

 

Linc Kennedy is shocked to find Hazel squatting in the house he just bought, but after some negotiating, he agrees she can stay while he's renovating the place. Linc tells Hazel he's an investor who renovates homes for fun-but having been burned in the past by women who have only wanted his money, he leaves out that he's also extremely wealthy...

 

Hazel's intrigued by sweet, funny Linc. But her track record with men isn't great, and trust doesn't come easy. Linc's never met anyone like the quirky beauty who puts everyone's needs before her own. But can he figure out how to tell Hazel the truth without losing her?

 

It’s been a minute since I read a Jaci Burton romance and I completely forgot how much fun I have with them. This one was cute, fast, and filled with the most adorable little rescue dogs.

 

Here’s a quick recap: Hazel’s a bit down on her luck and staying at a friend’s house while it’s on the market although unbeknownst to her, the house sold and she accosted the new owner, Linc, with a cast iron skillet. While Linc doesn’t want a houseguest, or her pups, staying with him in the house he’s fixing up he finds himself asking her to stay. While there’s an attraction, there’s also hesitation as they’ve been hurt before. Now they have to decide if it’s worth the risk.

 

Let me just tell you, the cute rescue dogs will steal your heart. Linc and Hazel do a pretty good job at that as well. I liked both Hazel and Linc. They’ve both been hurt, they have some issues they need to work through, and they need to learn to let people in instead of keeping them at arm’s length. While I liked both, they both had their trying moments. Hazel was rude at times, lashing out at Linc for no real reason. Linc held on to something that he should have shared early in their messing about.

 

I’m a little on the fence about what to rate this. I’ve been bouncing between a 3.5 and 4 since I read finished the book and, I think I’m settling on a 3.5. There were a few issues. The fact that the blowup could have been avoided if they just sat down and had a conversation. I’m not a fan of that type of catalyst for the conflict. I also wasn’t a fan of the ending. I would have liked to have had more of Linc and Hazel’s relationship on the page.

 

Overall, I did enjoy this one. Linc and Hazel made a fun pair, there was healing both personal and familial, and it was just a fun time. I highly recommend this one. 










 

Tuesday, January 2, 2024

2024 Reading Challenges


I wasn’t sure what reading challenges I wanted to do for 2024 but I decided I wanted to keep it simple this year with my public challenges. I decided to do the Agatha Christie Decades Challenge and the StoryGraph Onboarding Reading Challenge. There’s probably a few mini challenges I’ll join through the year but these are the only yearlong challenges I’ll be joining.

 

I tried, and failed, with the 23 books in 2023 challenge that I set for myself. I did pick up a few books from the ones I selected but I ended up DNFing the majority of those. While the challenge did help me clear my shelf, reading-wise it was a bit of a bust. My goal is still to clear off my TBR pile; I just need a more relaxed way to do it as I’m more of a mood reader.

 

2024 Agatha Christie The Decades Challenge

Host: Agatha Christie Estate

Goal: To read 12 Agatha Christie books from the themed decades.

 

Books Read

1920s

1

2

3

1930s

1

2

3

1940s-1950s

1

2

3

1950s-1960s

1

2

3

4

 

StoryGraph’s 2024 Onboarding Reading Challenge

Host: StoryGraph

Goal: Complete the 6 reading prompts before the end of 2024

1.Prompt: Read a book from the five-star section of one of your similar users.

Book Selected: Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

 

2.Prompt: Read a StoryGraph recommendation from “Out of your comfort zone…”

Book Selected: Orkney by Amy Sackville

 

3.Prompt: Reading Challenge random number game. (pick a number from 1-12, go to reading challenges, open the category that corresponds to the number, select the challenge that catches your eye, read a book that would fit the prompt)

Random Generated Number: 2

Category:  Tackle Your TBR

Challenge: Bibliophile’s Speakeasy hosted by karlsmariels

Challenge Prompt: Wine (a classic novel that you have been wanting to read for a while)

Book Selected: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

 

4. Prompt: Read a book from your To-Read Pile starting with the first letter of your name. (If you don’t have a book on your TBR beginning with the first letter of your name, go through the letters of your name until you find one. ‘A’ and ‘The’ don’t can’t.)

Name: Angela

Letter Used: E (apparently, I don’t have books added to StoryGraph that start with ‘A’, ‘N’, or ‘G’.

Book Selected: Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson

 

5.Prompt: Read a book discovered via Buddy Reads or Readalongs page.

Book Selected: The Last Heir to Blackwood Library by Hester Fox

 

6.Prompt: Read a book from your Up-Next Suggestions.

Book Selected: Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young

 Personal Reading Challenges

Finish The Series Personal Challenge—I’m in the middle of more than few that I need to finish. I also a few that I want to start. Here’s the list I want to tackle this year.

In Progress

-The Krewe of Hunters by Heather Graham—I made a decent dent in this series last year but I still have a chunk of the series left to read.

-Shadow Hollow by Juneau Black—I have three books left to finish.

-Outlander by Diana Gabaldon—I have more than a few books to read in this series.

-The Oxford Tearoom Mysteries by HY Hanna—I have three left to read in this series, maybe four because I’m not sure if I remember what happened in The Dough Must Go On (book 9).

-Half Moon Hollow by Molly Harper—somewhere along the line I missed reading A Witch’s Handbook to Kissing and Curses.

 

Want To Start

-All Souls by Deborah Harkness—I have the three books and the prequel (I also have the companion book but I’m not sure I’m going to get it) which I want to finish before the next book, The Black Bird Oracle, is out in July.

Discovery of Witches READ

All Souls

The Book of Life

-Dangerous Damsels by India Holton

-Belladonna Series by Adalyn Grace

Belladonna READ

Foxglove READ 

Wisteria (not released yet)

-The Beautiful by RenĂ©e Ahdieh 

The Beautiful

The Damned

The Righteous 

The Ruined

I have a few challenges left in The Ultimate Reading Challenge book—I received this a few years ago, started it in 2024, and it’s still not finished. I’ve set a rule for myself that the books I read for this has to be solely for this challenge. While I could have combined them with other challenges I completed, I’ve held firm to my rule, which is why the challenge is still in progress. Here’s the five remaining prompts.

 

-Read a book that features an indigenous person

-Read a book about a person with a disability

-Re-read a classic you hated in high school

-Write a letter to someone that’s influenced your reading life

-Write a quote from a beloved book and display it in your house


 

Monday, January 1, 2024

2024 Goals




Another year, another set of goals. While my goals are not that much different from the previous year, they’re a little more focused, which goes along with my main goal for this year, which is to get organized. 

Blog Goals

I want to focus more on the blog this year. I want to be consistent in posts, consistent with replying to comments, stay on top of reviews, post more creative content, and update graphics. I also want to discover more blogs and be consistent with blog visits.

Two things I need to work on this year:

Updating GoodReads—why is it so hard for me to remember to update GoodReads? This year I’m going to try to use the app to update in real time when I start and finish a book.

Social Media Update—I’m horrible at updating my own social media. I need to be more consistent with bookish posts.

 

Reading/Bookish Goals

Tackle My TBR Pile—this is an ongoing operation. I’m still in the process of decluttering and organizing my books. I’m also being a bit more selective in the physical books I’m bringing in for review.

Limit Book Purchases—while I’m not giving up book buying, I am being more selective about the books I’m adding to my collection. I plan to use KU, Audible, and Libby then decide if I want to buy the book.

Read more non-fiction—last year I read a bit more non-fiction and I’d like to continue reading more as I’ve been missing non-fiction.

Return To The Classics—it’s been a minute since I’ve picked up classics and I’m eager to return.

House

Declutter—I’m still in the process of decluttering but this is the year to get it done. I will never be a minimalist but I do want to get a bit more organized and, let’s be honest, no one needs an entire kitchen drawer of random utensils they’ll never use.   

Landscape The Front Yard—there’s a lot to do in the front yard come Spring. The yard is going to have to be dug up (it’s full of cement thanks to the contractors dumping all the extra in the yard), filled in, and new flowers planted. I’d like to add a decorative fence but I’m not sure I want to go through all the drama of filling for a permit again.

Replace Bookshelves—this has been a goal of mine for the last few years but it was a little hard to bring bookshelves into the house with the front porch under construction. Now that the porch is finished, I plan on finally getting my bookshelves.

Personal

Create a Work/Life Balance—this is my number one goal this year. Because I work from, it’s so easy for me to get caught up and work until the wee hours of the morning. For my physical and mental health, I must keep to a set schedule.

Unplug more—this is something I need to do for at least 30 minutes a day. My ultimate goal is to have a device free day once a week.

Get Out More—I need to get outside more and take more walks (weather permitting).

Remember to take my vitamins—I’ve been using the habit tracker in my Happy Planner for the last few years and it’s been working to remind me to take my vitamins.

Learn something new—I’d like to learn/do/make something new at least once a week.

Drink more water—I’ve been doing a decent job with this but I this year I aim to do better.

Be More Creative—my goal this year is to draw or paint daily. I’ve also picked up a few daily writing prompts and I plan to complete a prompt each day.


Feel free to share your goals

 so we can root each other on! 







 

Sunday, December 31, 2023

The Sunday Post January 30, 2023

Hello, Lovelies, and happy New Year’s Eve I hope you are all doing fantastic!

I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that today is that last day of 2023. Where did the year go? I feel like I blinked and it was over. And, let me tell you, those end of the year “to-dos” really sneak up on you, especially when you run a small business. I’ve spent most of this week tackling all the things, and I do mean ALL THE THINGS, that I need to check off my list before 2024. I’m writing this a little after 4 pm on the 30th and I still have a few things I need to finish.

2023 was an odd year. I feel like most of the year I spent dealing with the front porch construction. Thankfully, the porch is finished; sadly, some of it became a DIY job. Unfortunately, the contractors caused some damaged (broken sidewalks, massive cement-filled holes in the yard) that has to be fixed come Spring. There’s also a lot of landscaping to be done out front. I’m just glad I don’t have to deal with that company anymore and I have an actual porch.

I’ve also had an odd year health-wise. During the Summer I contracted a mosquito-related illness (Skeeter Syndrome, I know, it’s an odd name) and it has really messed with my immune system so basically if someone sneezes two blocks over, I end up getting sick. December’s just been one long blur of the ick (stomach virus, flu, strep throat, flu again, and horrible sinus infection) and fatigue. I’m currently in the middle of trying to find a vitamin regiment that my body will tolerate.

Reading-wise, this was a pretty good year. I’m currently at 73 books read this year but I’ll end the year with 75. I have a few chapters of Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey and a little over 4 hours of The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz that I plan to finish tonight (the 30th). I’m going to be honest, I’m not having the best time with The Writing Retreat, I’m finding it a little boring so I’ll probably increase the speed to get through the book.

Blog-wise, I didn’t blog, or visit blogs, as much this year as I would have liked. There was just so much going on and, honestly, I didn’t really have the energy to focus on blogging. I have a ton of reviews to catch up on, which I plan to do the first few weeks of January.

One of my family’s Christmas traditions is Jolabokaflod. If you don’t know, Jolabokaflod means Christmas book flood and it’s an Icelandic tradition that started during WWII. Paper wasn’t rationed which made books widely available in a time when so many things were rationed. On Christmas Eve Icelanders would gift books and a small treat, often chocolate or hot cocoa then spend the evening reading and enjoying their treats

On Christmas Eve, we trade books and small bookish/cozy items. Here’s what I received for Jolabokaflod.



-Twilight Falls by Juneau Black

-The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by India Holton

-2 sets of under eye masks

-2 pairs of cozy socks

-a set of hair clips

 


-Ruby Spenser’s Whisky Year by Rochelle Bilow

-Lies We Sing To the Sea by Sarah Underwood

-pair of cozy socks

-bookmark that says, ‘A Well Read Woman Is A Dangerous Creature’

 



-Shakespeare in Autumn with the laser cut cover

-Outlander Planner

-pair of cozy socks

-cat eyemask

 


A dear friend of mine and her daughter gifted me this lovely mug, adorable Hocus Pocus ornament, and The Official Hocus Pocus Cookbook, which I cannot wait to use!


I hope that you had a lovely holiday and here’s to a brilliant 2024

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Kimberly @ 
Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up.

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Ho Ho Ho Readathon Master Post



Hey, Lovelies, I hope you’re all doing fantastic! I decided, last minute, to join the Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer.

 

What is the Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon? It’s a readathon where you read all the winter and holiday reads. This year it lasts from November 16th to November 27th, so there’s 12 days to participate.

 

What am I going to read? I have no idea. I do have the new Tessa Bailey, Wreck the Halls, that I’m excited for. With holiday reads, I’m very much a mood reader and I have so many from the last few years that I need to read. I do have a few wintery/holiday mysteries I want to read because I’m still clingy onto the last few weeks of spooky season.

 

I’m not sure when I’ll post blog updates, I’ll have it sorted by this weekend and post Saturday. I will be posting on Instagram @simplyangelarenee