My Friday Five...

1. Chatted with an old friend about books, anxiety, and life in general. Felt great to catch up. Definitely brightened my day.

2. I went to sleep and woke up with shoulder pain. How did I pull something in my sleep? Yikes! 

3. I watched the first episode of season two of The Marlow Murder Club - I loved it! So fun to be back with familiar characters and a new case to solve. 

4. I think I am going to quit watching Bravo TV shows - they are just way too toxic. On OC, they are all acting like 'mean girls' against one of the women in an attempt to oust her from the show. It's awful. So, yeah, no more negative TV shows.

5. I finished the new Miriam Toews book, A Truce That Is Not Peace. I loved it. I wrote down so many quotes from the book - I had to find the perfect notebook to use. I just love her work so much. I think it's because I normally feel disconnected and when I read her writing I feel a connection. She writes so honestly about depression and suicide that it tugs so hard at my heart and soul - that is the connection. Plus, her dark humor cracks me up. 

And now, I'm off to figure out what my weekend will look like. Wishing you all lovely holiday weekend (here in the US). Happy reading!

Monday Musings...

Rain, rain go away. Or at least the awful thunderstorms that are knocking down trees and fences. Ugh! It's exhausting. 

I bought a new book to read at TJ Maxx - I had no idea they carried books now. How fun! This is the one I bought:

2026 planners. They are popping up everywhere now. Or at least they are online and it is overwhelming. What is with the rush? We still have several months left in 2025 - can't 2026 wait?

Now that I am feeling loads better - good riddance Covid - I'm getting back to decluttering. I've let the piles of books, papers, magazines, and stationery grow way too much - it's beyond overwhelming. So, now is the time to tackle it all. Wish me luck!

The Thursday Murder Club film premieres this week on Netflix - I can't wait! I love the book series, so I'm excited to see the movie version of it - hurrah! Oh, and The Marlow Murder Club finally premiered on Sunday over on PBS. I love that show! The books are cozy reads and the series is such a treat to watch. 

And now, I'm off to read over my to-do list. It seems to get longer every day. Yikes!

Hope you all have a terrific week. Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1. Reality TV is still my go-to at the moment. I just caught up with Real Housewives of Orange County. Not gonna lie, but Miami is way better than OC. 

2. The Cranberries. I keep hearing their music in my head lately. It's giving me nostalgia- I loved them in college and still do. 

3. Hurricane season is getting old real fast. How many storms are out there now? Ugh!

4. Ranier cherries. I feel like I barely ate any this summer. I missed out. 

5. Bacon. What is up with bacon lately? I bought a rasher of bacon and it had not flavor. This is the second time this has happened. What is going on? 

And now, I'm off to finish the Freida McFadden book - I need to move on already. I want something new to read. 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend. Happy reading!

Monday Musings...

Covid is clinging to me and I am tired of it. Ugh. So, I am trying to push myself to get up and tackle a few of my to-dos. Wish me luck!

My reading has hit a bump. I'm currently kindling 

and I find myself stalling with the book. Hmm...maybe I need something with substance?

I've been watching Hallmark Christmas movies to cheer me up and they've been fun, but I wanted something a bit more dramatic. So, I caught up with Next Gen NYC and Real Housewives of Miami. Whoa! The antics on these shows are beyond ridiculous - I'm loving it! 

I'm also keeping an eye on Hurricane Erin and the potential storm following it. Ugh. Hurricane season really is the worst. 

And now I'm off to cross something off my to-do list. Wishing you all a lovely Monday! Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1. Still sick. Ugh. 

2. Still reading up a storm and loving it!

3. Keeping an eye on the weather, because of Erin. Hurricane season is the worst!

4. Taylor Swift talked about her new album on her boyfriend's podcast. I'm excited to hear her new songs.

5. Annoyed that every TV show streams on a different streaming service. I want to watch The Institute, but don't have MGM+. Ugh. 

Wishing everyone a lovely weekend! Happy reading!

Three Things...

1. I'm still sick. Ugh. I never had COVID until now and it has been kicking my arse.

2. I am a reading machine when I'm sick. I've been reading 2 books a day and it is bliss. Well, except when the fever is high and I'm coughing like crazy that is. 

3. Wednesday was fun. I can't wait until the next part of the season. Woo hoo!

Hope you all are having a wonderful week so far. Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1.  I'm sick. Ugh. And on my birthday week, too. 

2.  NetGalley. So thankful to have received an ARC of:

I love this series and can't wait to read the latest installment - woo hoo!

3.  Wednesday season 2 is available to watch. Finally! Well, the first half of the new season. The second half will be released next month. I've only been able to watch two episodes so far, I'm hoping to watch the next two tonight. 

4.  I was not going to buy any Hobonichi planners for 2026 and then they released this announcement:

I found this photo on their website and it shows all the products they have collaborated on with Moomin characters for their upcoming 2026 planner release. How fun is that? Now I'm going to have to make a purchase or three.  Oh, my!

5.  I'm planning on resting all weekend. Fingers crossed I actually do rest. 

Wishing you all a lovely weekend. Happy reading!

Monday Musings...

Hello. It's been awhile and if I'm honest I needed the break. My dad recently passed away and grief has been hitting me hard. It still is. So, yeah, a break was much needed. And now, I'm choosing to do the things that bring me joy - I need to, or else I'll sink deeper in my grief. Depression doesn't help, so that is why I am making myself pick up a book to read, write a blog post, decorate a new journal for August, and so on. 

My reading has been non-existent. The fact that it took me one month to read Never Flinch by Stephen King speaks volumes to me. So, I thought reading the new Ruth Ware book, The Woman in Suite 11, along with rereading the first book, The Woman in Cabin 10, I would be in for a fun time. Well, turns out I was wrong. I wound up skim-reading the first book and DNFing the second book. They were just not my cup of tea. The characters were so annoying and unlikeable - I didn't care what happened to them. I got rid of the two books and sat in front of my nearest bookshelf to see what I had to read. And, I picked up this:

I bought it ages ago and only read the introduction. I'm not sure why I didn't read it then. Anyhow, I decided short stories would be a good way to fall back in with reading, and it seems to be working. I've been gobbling up a short story or two a night and LOVING it. King's books always seem to help me get my reading mojo back. 

I'm not sure what I'll read next, but I do have that new Riley Sager book, With A Vengeance. Hmm...

Alright, I just wanted to say hi and let you all know that I'm back to blogging. I'm excited to read your blog posts and catch up. I'm also looking forward to all the new books coming out this fall season - should be a great reading season for us all. And now, I'm off to celebrate my birthday. To be honest, I'm not really feeling celebratory, but my family is excited, so I'll enjoy their excitement. 

Wishing you all a lovely week. Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1. August is here. My birthday month. Leo season. And the start of Halloween decor popping in up stores. 

2. Reading. It took me one month to read the new King book, Never Flinch. So, yeah, my reading is nil at the moment. In fact, I returned two books I had recently purchased and I never return books. Ugh. 

3. Journaling. I bought a cheap Hobonichi A6 sized planner a few weeks ago and have been using it to jot down tidbits about my days. I'm loving the simplicity- no stickers, no ephemera, nothing. Just writing. 

4. Bible study. I'm back at it. I always seem to reach for bible devotionals when my anxiety and depression overwhelm me. And, I have been majorly bogged down lately, so reading these books has been helping. 

5. Better Than Ezra. I have their music on repeat lately. I'm thinking of buying Deluxe on vinyl for my birthday. I love that album. 

Wishing you all a lovely weekend. Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1. The simple act of kindness. A quick hello with a smile. Holding the door. A slice of homemade pistachio cake from the neighbor. Hand-sewn stuffed rabbits for Easter that my mom made for surprise gifts. Listening instead of talking.

2. A small Nolty planner that has me reaching for it and smiling - it's where I jot down to-dos and I'm enjoying using it so much. 

3. Young Sheldon. 

4. New Books.

5.  CoraCreaCrafts writing desk box. I'm feeling inspired to art journal and that is making me happy.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Happy Easter! 

Monday Musings...

I bought a book on a whim a few week ago and when it arrived I set it aside. Yesterday I picked it up and started flipping through it and now I am feeling so inspired. It's a diary from 2012. The diarist took a sabbatical for the year and moved to England. He set three rules for himself: no phones or internet, he would only use public transportation or walk everywhere, and he would take polaroids every day. His diary has been made into a book and I am loving flipping through it. I'm feeling motivated to journal even more now. I just love the simplicity of his diary - snippets of daily life with photographs. Pen to paper is really all we need. Makes me realize that all the extras (stickers, washi tape, paper ephemera, stamps) that I think I need for my journal entries are completely unnecessary.  I think I'll stick to just writing in my journal and adding a photo now and again. Oh, and I might include the occasional ticket stub or coffee shop sticker if I want to document a moment in time. I think keeping it simple feels more me than the stationery rabbit I fell down. I'm grateful this diary reminded me of that. 

I've also gotten stuck in a new book:

And now, I'm off to start my Monday. Wishing you all a great day! Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1.  The White Lotus. Walton Goggins aka Rick is my fave. 

2.  The Pitt. Whoa! What a great show! Definitely TV at its finest. I'm definitely looking forward to the next season and I'm thinking of rewatching ER - I only watched a few seasons, so it could be fun. 

3.  Popcorn. It's my go-to for dinner some nights. 

4.  Stickers. My anxiety is high, so I've been putting stickers down in planners I bought but haven't been using this year. It's relaxing and mindless, which I need right now. 

5.  $5 sushi. So yummy and affordable. 

Wishing you all a lovely weekend. Happy reading!

TBR Tuesday

 

Can't wait to read this lovely! It's out later this month :)

Monday Musings...

So much to think about and so much to get through this week. I already feel exhausted. And it doesn't help that I wake up tired every day. Thank you anxiety and depression! I'm thinking that going to therapy tomorrow might be a good idea. Hmm...

I've been writing it out lately, which does seem to help. I just need to stick with it. I also need to start art journaling again. I've set up a new journal and I just need to find the time, well, the energy/mood, to start using it. 

I finished reading Mark Edwards' latest story, The Wasp Trap, which I gobbled right up. Definitely didn't see all the twists and turns coming - only a few. It was a quick and fun read. Next I read, Chevy Steven's new book, The Hitchhikers. It comes out later this year. And, it is quite a ride. An American couple traveling through Canada in an RV meets a young couple and offers them a ride...things quickly devolve into mayhem- think hostages, murder, and robbery. Yeah, it's pretty intense. So, of course I devoured the story in one sitting. 

Afterward I picked up All Fours by Miranda July and read another chapter. I just can't seem to fall in with this book and yet I won't give up on it. Instead I read one chapter and then pick up another book to read until the next chapter. It's so weird and not at all like me. Normally if I don't like a book I will DNF it, but I do like the writing so I'm sticking with it a bit longer. We'll see what happens. Anyhow, I've started another book and I can already tell it's going to be a quick one. It's called, This Is Where We Die. 

Anyhow, I need to get back to it, so I'm going to wish you all a great start to the week. Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1. Tom Petty. Love his music. I'm listening to Time To Move On right now :)

2. Coffee with one sugar and two tbsp of Oat Milk. 

3. Journal books that inspire me to journal. I just bought one by a photographer who took a sabbatical for one year in England and his only criteria was that he must take one photo a day. He did this in 2012 and says it changed his life. I'm excited to read his journal and take in his photographs. 

4. Weight Watchers. I joined yesterday and I'm already liking having to be accountable for the foods I'm eating. It's really making me think about what I should eat instead of what I want to eat. Hmm...

5. Rilo Kiley. I'm listening to Jenny Lewis croon Silver Lining and loving it. 

Oh, I actually have a sixth today...

6. Tracy Chapman. Her first album is being rereleased on vinyl and I preordered it. It's getting delivered later today and I can't wait to listen to it on repeat all weekend long. 

Wishing you all lovely weekend filled with great reads and rockin' tunes. Happy reading!

Three Things...

1. Journaling. I miss it. I haven't been writing as much as I need to. So, That's something I need to work on. Plus, I haven't art journaled in ages, which I also miss. Ugh.

2. I'm hooked on The Wasp Trap. I've barely read a few chapters and already I'm trying to figure out what the mystery is and whodunit. Hmmm...

3. Aurora Teagarden marathon starts today on Hallmark Mystery channel and I'm ready for it. It's to kick off the new Aurora Teagarden film that comes out next week - I can't wait! I love this series, so I'm glad they carried on with it in a different way - still so much to watch!

And now, I'm off to do some work so I can relax later in the day. Happy reading!

Monday Musings...

I just finished watching Tracker and LOVED the new episode. It was fun to see him meet up with a friend - yes, Colter has a friend! I'm missing Bobby and hoping he comes back soon. And, I'm glad they renewed for a third season. Anyone else loving Tracker?

I finally started All Fours and I'm taking my time with it. I'm looking forward to finding out what all the fuss is about. I did start a new book, The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens, but I just wasn't in the mood for hitchhiking murderers. So, yeah, I put it aside for another day. 

My office is still a huge mess. I just can't seem to get a handle on it, because mentally I'm just not feeling it. And, that is driving me bonkers. 

I realized something last week when I was chatting with an old friend. I have been taking milk thistle for decades - since I was diagnosed with Autoimmune Hepatitis at 23. My doctor said it was a waste of time to take the supplement, but I disagreed. For some reason I just had faith in milk thistle - that it would help my liver function. And, even though I've had my ups and downs; and I've had to take steroids for years at a time - I've never stopped taking the milk thistle. So, how is it that I can maintain such a strong faith in that pill, but I can't seem to garner faith in/for something that will help with my mental health? What is that about? 

When did I become so easily influenced? I read about a character eating McDonalds and now I want McDonalds. LOL!

Alright, well, I'm off to tackle my to-do list. Hope you have a wonderful week! Happy reading! 

My Friday Five...

 1. I loved this book - made me happy to be reading again. 

2. I finally watched Lady Bird and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. If I had never seen either film I wouldn't have missed out on anything. However, I'm just happy to be watching movies again.

3. Chatting with an old friend for over 2 hours on the phone was a great way to cheer up the week.

4. Homemade breakfast burritos are the best thing ever!

5. Rainy days. 

Sending you all good vibes for the weekend ahead. Happy reading!

Three Things...

1. Listening to Take On Me by A-ha reminds me of The Magicians - they sing it after Quentin dies. Love that show! I always cry when Q meets Penny in the Underworld. It breaks my heart when he questions his motive for sacrificing his life to save his friends. 

2. I talked to an old friend and realized that my idea of needing a new planner ( a daily one ) is a loop I'm on that I need to break. Talk about an a-ha moment. It's a bad habit I have of not feeling so great mentally and convincing myself that I need this thing that is going to help me get better. A planner? Really? Yeah, no, I do not need a new planner. I need to work harder in order to help myself get better. 

3.  I started another book before the Miranda July book. 

I am riveted. And, I'm taking my time with it. I'm thinking I'll be happy to read the July book after this one. 

Wishing you all a lovely Thursday! Happy reading!

Up Next:

 

Looking forward to starting this lovely by Miranda July. Everyone has been raving about it for quite some time, so I'm interested to see what all the fuss is about. 

Wishing you all a lovely Wednesday. Happy reading!