*Stacking the Shelves* November 23, 2024

(Titles link to Amazon via Amazon Affiliate links)

Stacking The Shelves is a feature/weekly meme run by Reading Reality in which you share the books you are adding to your shelves, both physical and virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Now, I already have a monthly post I do featuring the books I get in the mail (and it's a lot because I have a serious Goodreads First Reads giveaway addiction), and I'm posting my monthly Read-A-Thon posts again too, which covers the books I receive through Netgalley. So my STS post will feature all the books I've been one-clicking on Amazon, winning through Goodreads, and the rare books that I buy at the store. 

Since I've been one-clicking a lot of freebies, I'm only going to be featuring a few of those and will continue separating these books based on how I got them. Let's go. 

Purchased

Christmas at a Highland Castle by Rachel Barnett - I snagged this holiday novel for just $0.99. 

Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives it Changed by Dashka Slater - I got this on sale for just $2.99. 

Unredacted: Russia, Trump, and the Fight for Democracy by Christopher Steele - I grabbed this on sale for just $2.99.

Europe Against the Jews, 1880-1945 by Gotz Aly - I grabbed this for just $2.99 (maybe still on sale). 

The Anatomy of Fascism by Robert O. Paxton - I grabbed this on sale for just $1.99.

Slavery by Another Name by Douglas A. Blackmon - Got this on sale for just $1.99.

One Nation Under Guns by Dominic Erdozain - I grabbed this on sale for just $2.99.

Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman by Alan Rickman - I grabbed this on sale for just $3.99.

End of a Berlin Diary by William L. Shirer - I grabbed this on sale for just $2.99 (maybe still on sale).

Can it Happen Here? Authoritarianism in America by Cass R. Sunstein - I got this one on sale for just $2.99.

Vlad III Dracula: The Life and Times of the Historical Dracula by Kurt Treptow - I got this for just $3.99.

The Festival by H.P. Lovecraft - I grabbed this audiobook for just $1.00. I figured it would be a great holiday read when I get tired of Hallmark style cheese. 

After the People Lights Have Gone Off by Stephen Graham Jones - I grabbed this book for just $1.49 (may still be on sale). 

It All Makes Sense Now: Embrace Your ADHD Brain to Live a Creative and Colorful Life by Meredith Carder - Grabbed this book on sale for just $2.99.

Frogkisser! by Garth Nix - Grabbed this on sale for just $2.99.

Sistersong by Lucy Holland - Got this beauty for sale for just $2.99.

The November Girl by Lydia Kang - I got this for just $0.99.

The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith - I paid full price for this one $4.99 because it's the book for one of my book clubs next month. 

A Treason of Thorns by Laura E. Weymouth - I grabbed this on sale for just $2.99 (may still be on sale). 

Destined to Witness: Growing up Black in Nazi Germany by Hans Massaquoi - Got this one for just $3.99.

The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook by Bridget Thoreson - I grabbed this on sale for just $2.99 (may still be on sale).

The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers - I grabbed this beauty on sale for just $2.99.

Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams by Philip K. Dick - I grabbed this on sale for just $2.99.

Feliz Navidead by Ann Myers - Got this one on sale for just $1.99.

Herc by Phoenicia Rogerson - I got this audiobook during a 2 for 1 credit sale. 

ADHD Is Awesome by Penn and Kim Holderness - I got this as my second book during the 2 for 1 credit sale. 

Goodreads Wins

Thickafog by Caleb Mason

Guilt and Ginataan by Mia P. Manansala

Like Mother, Like Son by Stephen Bryant Biles

The Death at the Vineyard by Emylia Hall

The Intra-Earth Chronicles: The Aswan Device by Kara Jacobson

The Fear of Fire by S.C. Sterling (StoryGraph win)

52 Weeks a Party of One by Bianca Pensy Aba (StoryGraph win)

Under a Poacher's Moon by W. Aaron Vandiver

Blooming Through the Cracks by Jagbir Kaur Kang

Freebies

Kissing Kristmas by Megyn Ward

North's Pole by Leta Blake

Of Curses and Beauty by Elle Backenstoe

Chestnuts Roasting Over Dragon Fire by Julie Mills

Spark: A Short Chanukah Romance by Allie Lasky

A Forbidden Christmas Kiss by Ebony Snow

Frosty Cheer by Kristen Fray - May still be free.

Every Day is Christmas by Karen Schaler

A Green Valley Christmoose Disaster! by Elva Birch and Zoe Chant

A Lot Like Christmas by Kait Nolan

A Holly Jolly Grumpy Christmas by Addison Moore

Grumpy Little Christmas by Marika Ray

A Special Kind of Advent by SJ Crabb - May still be free.

The Christmas Contest by Theresa Sederholt

Snowed in With the Billionaire by Lila Monroe - May still be free. 

Miss Kane's Christmas by Caroline Mickelson - May still be free.

Lumberjack Under the Tree by Keira Andrews - May still be free. 

A Christmas Gift for Kate by Tess Brennan - May still be free. 

A Bent Creek Christmas by Catie Cahill - May still be free. 

One Elfed Up Christmas by Claire Raye - May still be free. 

Doctor for Christmas by Patricia W. Fischer

I got an awful lot of free ebooks that would be fabulous reads for my 12 Books of Christmas reading challenge this year, and I may just read some of them even though I already have loads of holiday reads on my shelves, both physical and virtual. It's just that time of year when I get obsessed with Christmas things. 

Have you read any of the books on my list? Any you'd recommend I read sooner rather than later? What new books have you added to your shelves lately?

If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can be sure to stop by and see all your new pretties. - Katie 

Join the 12 Books of Christmas Challenge Here

*Book Blogger Hop* Thanksgiving Books (November 22, 2024)

We are on to a new week for the Book Blogger Hop hosted by the lovely folks over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. This weeks questions is: 

Are there any novels set on or near Thanksgiving that you love rereading or recommend as a heartwarming November read? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

There are not any books I can think of off the top of my head that are set around Thanksgiving, and honestly, I've never sought them out as I don't find myself seeking out holiday themed books until just after Thanksgiving when I want all of the Christmas cheesy romances I can get. This doesn't mean I've never read a book set around Thanksgiving, and if I could remember it, I would likely recommend it as a nice heart-warming read for November, but sadly, my memory has failed me. 

What about you? Have you read any heartwarming Thanksgiving tales that I should check out? Or are you like me and all about the Christmas cheese? 

If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can make sure I pay you a visit to see your answer. - Katie 

Join the 12 Books of Christmas Challenge Here

*Top Ten Tuesday* The Oldest Books on My TBR (Nov. 19)

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Joood - Hooligan of Platypire reviews bossed me into doing this, so I guess this is a thing I do now. 

This week’s theme is Oldest (aka Earliest Published) Books on my TBR. Now I suck at sticking to a traditional TBR at the best of times, so I largely consider my Netgalley hole to be my TBR list for these purposes. Which poses a problem since I used this prompt (unintentionally) with my Netgalley approvals just a few weeks ago when I went rogue on the topic chosen for us. So this week I'm taking to my physical shelves to feature some classics that I've yet to read (they're older than anything I have on Netgalley anyway). Let's go!

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

Shirley by Charlotte Bronte

Middlemarch by George Eliot

Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin

Have you read any of these classics? Any of them you think I absolutely must read sooner rather than later (or not at all because people won't stop writing books so I can get my to be read possibility pile under control)? What are the oldest published books on your TBR? 

If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below. I have book club tonight and tomorrow night, so I don't want to miss visiting anyone who visits me if I don't manage to find the time to hop through the whole official list. - Katie 

 

Join the 12 Books of Christmas Challenge Here

*Book Blogger Hop* Annotated Books (November 15, 2024)

We are on to a new week for the Book Blogger Hop hosted by the lovely folks over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. This weeks questions is: 

Do you like to annotate your books or leave them untouched? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

You would think this would be a simple yes or no answer, but in my case, it is not. Annotating books is something that I've very recently started trying to do while I'm reading, and I do a piss-poor job of it. I think that's partially because I spent a lot of years feeling like writing in my books is sacrilege. And it takes time to break those habits and remind myself that writing in my books is okay. 

The other part of that is that I buy a lot of my physical books at thrift stores, and I absolutely love finding books that other people have annotated. Even before I started trying to annotate myself, it was kind of one of my favorite things about thrifted books. Knowing that, you'd think that I wouldn't have felt like annotating my own books was sacrilege, right? Except other people are so smart and I'm just a big dumb dumb and don't know how to annotate correctly (as if there's actually a correct way to do it). And yes, I realize that makes no logical sense, but it's definitely what my brain tells me. 

So I don't really annotate my books (because I'm not consistent), but I like the idea of annotated books. 

What about you? Do you annotate your books? If so, do you have a process for it, or certain things you look for (so I can get better at annotating right)? 

If you're stopping by from the link-up, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can make sure to return the visit. - Katie 

Join the 12 Books of Christmas Challenge Here

*Review* Avocado Magic by Taltal Levi

 Genre: Children's 4-8 years

Published: March 5, 2024

Pages: 48

Avocado seeds and slow growing! A young girl’s impatience turns to wonder as she and her avocado tree gradually change and grow in this story inspired by Israeli artist Taltal Levi’s childhood.

Ellie is sulking—she celebrated her birthday yesterday under the old avocado tree. But she’s not even a little bit taller today! Dad tells Ellie a secret. She is like the pit of an avocado, he explains, small and full of magic. Together they put an avocado seed in a glass of water by the window and watch as both Ellie and her avocado plant grow, take root, and eventually bring new life.

In Taltal Levi’s native country Israel, avocados are ubiquitous and plucked straight from the tree. In her third book, Taltal Levi uses warm, earthy colors to tell a personal yet universal story about the magic of growth.

Includes instructions for growing your own avocado tree!

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This is a fun story about a girl who expects to almost magically and instantaneously grow on her birthday, as if being a "whole" year older makes her a very different person. Her father uses an avocado seed to show her that growing doesn't happen over night, but instead takes time. 

I'm not sure how relevant the message of the story is (neither of my children ever seemed to think that their growth would happen quickly, but just because I didn't experience it doesn't mean it doesn't happen somewhat regularly). But the care with which the father explains things to his daughter is something every child should experience. And I liked how there were detailed instructions for growing your own avocado see in the back of the book. The illustrations felt rather wispy. 

Overall I give Avocado Magic 3.7945 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Taltal Levi was born in the Galilee, Israel. She graduated from Lucerne University of Arts and Design with a degree in illustration fiction and has worked as a freelance illustrator since. In 2019 she was nominated for the Serafina Young Talent Award with her picture book debut A Little Courage. Taltal Levi works and lives in Basel, Switzerland.

*Top Ten Tuesday* Destination Titles

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Joood - Hooligan of Platypire reviews bossed me into doing this, so I guess this is a thing I do now. 

This week’s theme is destination titles. These destinations can be real or fictional, but the title has to include a location. So let's see what I can find on my bookshelves to meet this theme. 

The Devil in Massachusetts by Marion L. Starkey

Strawberry Lane by Jodi Thomas

Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham

The Munich Girl by Phyllis Edgerly Ring

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley

The Masterharper of Pern by Anne McCaffrey

Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

In the Woods by Tana French

Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult

So there you go. Ten books off my bookshelves with locations in the title. The only one of these that I've read at this point is The Masterharper of Pern, because I read it from my parents personal library when I was in middle school. Which book do you think I ought to make more of an effort to read soon? 

If you're stopping by from the link-up, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can be sure to return your visit and see what books and locations you featured this week. - Katie 

Join the 12 Books of Christmas Challenge Here

*Stacking the Shelves* November 9, 2024

(Titles link to Amazon via Amazon Affiliate links)

Stacking The Shelves is a feature/weekly meme run by Reading Reality in which you share the books you are adding to your shelves, both physical and virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Now, I already have a monthly post I do featuring the books I get in the mail (and it's a lot because I have a serious Goodreads First Reads giveaway addiction), and I'm posting my monthly Read-A-Thon posts again too, which covers the books I receive through Netgalley. So my STS post will feature all the books I've been one-clicking on Amazon, ebook Goodreads wins, and the rare physical book I buy at the store.

Because I missed posting this last week (I was just way too busy with starting a new job and having 5 book club meetings in a single week, plus a silent read get-together), here are the last two weeks worth of books. I will only be featuring a few of the freebies I've been one-clicking, because I'm still on my shit where free ebooks are concerned. 

Purchased

Anno Dracula by Kim Newman - I grabbed this book on sale for just $2.99, specifically because I saw it mentioned on another bloggers Top Ten Tuesday post last week. 

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi - I grabbed this beauty on sale for just $1.99.

The Witch of Shadowmarsh by Sara C. Roethle - I got this pretty for just $0.99.

Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare - I grabbed this beauty for just $2.99. 

Psycho by Robert Bloch - I got this classic horror story for a mere $2.99.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi - I got this for just $1.99.

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon - I got this beast of a book for just $3.99. 

The Dead Guy Next Door by Lucy Score - I bought the audiobook of this for $4.88 (because I already owned the ebook) so that I could finish the book in time for my book club meeting last Wednesday. 

The Cursed Sea by Lauren DeStefano - I grabbed this book for just $2.99 (still listed at that price). 

The Girl From The Well by Rin Chupeco - I got this beauty for just $1.99.

My Dark Beast by Olivia Wildenstein - I grabbed this on sale for just $0.99.

Hell House by Richard Matheson - I got this on sale for a mere $2.99.

Malorie: A Bird Box Novel by Josh Malerman - I was able to get this sequel to Bird Box for just $1.99.

Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomikas Adeyemi - I grabbed this on sale for just $1.99 (may still be on sale). 

I'm Not Dying With You Tonight by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal - I got this beauty on sale for just $1.99.

Citadel by Kate Mosse - I grabbed this on sale for just $2.99 because I have the first two books in this trilogy on my shelves. 

Lock the Doors by Vincent Ralph - I grabbed this on sale for just $1.99 because I really enjoyed another book I read by this author. 

Daydreamer by Susie Tate - I paid full price for this book, because it's the November book for my smutty book club. 

Inheritance by Nora Roberts - I grabbed this on sale for just $2.99, because I got the second book in this series through Netgalley, and ideally I will read this one first. 

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins - I got this on sale for just $2.99. I think it may have been a suggestion at my Thrills and Chills book club recently, so now I'm prepared if it comes back up. 

Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland - I grabbed this on sale for just $2.99. 

Fatal Throne: The Wives of King Henry VIII Tell All by various authors - I grabbed this on sale for just $1.99. I've been a wee bit obsessed with Six the Musical lately, and this is absolutely in line with that obsession. 

The Ludwig Conspiracy by Oliver Potzsch - I grabbed this on sale for just $3.99. I've toured two of Ludwig's famous castles (Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau) and like this author, so this was a no-brainer when I saw it on sale. 

My Lady of Cleves by Margaret Campbell Barnes - I got this on sale for just $2.51 (which is a super weird ebook price, but here we are). This is another book about one of King Henry VIII's wives. 

Feel the Bern by Andrew Schaffer - I grabbed this on sale for just $1.99. 

How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn - I grabbed this one on a whim at Walmart. I know I want to read it this holiday season though. 

Goodreads Wins

Broccoli and Cauliflower Best Friends Forever by Romilda Byrd

The Storm that Grew My Faith by Andrew Golden

Christmastime 1939 by Linda Mahkovec

A Southern Christmas by Susan Sands, Sinclair Jayne, and Laurie Beach

From the Farm to the Table Alpaca by Kathy Coatney

The Touchstones of Leadership by Joseph Carleone

Predestined by Rachel Byrne

Running in the Shadows by Skye Alexander

Eyes of Inhumanity by Jacob Russell Dring

They That Fell by Jerry Zak

The CEO's Competitive Advantage by Marcela Manjarrez

The Mystery of the Vanishing Pets by Janis Hennessey

Shellhorn Legacy by Brian Kerr

Better to Cry Now by Geoffrey Newman

Nothing Happens by Chance by Vanessa Lafleur

Curious Gracie Learns About Giraffes by Mirabelle Hill

Chasing Her Heart by M.L. Taylor

What Winds Assail Us by Nox Zephyrus

Told You So by Sarah Asermily

Freebies

Sprinkles and Sea Serpents by Danielle Garrett - No longer free.

Rue the Slay by ReGina Welling - No longer free.

Bewitched Before Christmas by Nina Croft - No longer free. 

Montana Christmas Magic by Kaylie Newell - Possibly still free.

Blessings on State Street by Rachael Bloome - No longer free. 

The Midnight Village by Holly Martin - No longer free.

Nerdelicious by Mary Frame - May still be free.

So I got a lot of new books in the past two weeks, especially since I didn't list hardly any of the freebies I was one-clicking. But this is also two weeks worth of books, so like, I feel like I really tempered myself, because the list could have been way longer. 

Which of these books looks the most interesting to you? 

If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below as I'll be out of the house most of the day for a Robotics meet for my son. I want to make sure I stop by and check out your new pretties. - Katie 

Join the 12 Books of Christmas Challenge Here

*Book Blogger Hop* November 8th, 2024

We are on to a new week for the Book Blogger Hop hosted by the lovely folks over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. This weeks questions is: 

Being thankful and reflecting are common themes throughout November. Can you suggest a book that you've found inspiring and that tackles themes of appreciation, thanksgiving, or personal growth? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

Nope. I don't typically read a lot of self-help books, and while this question isn't necessarily asking about self-help books specifically, it's somewhat implied, at least in my opinion. That doesn't mean I haven't read any fiction books that feature those themes, because I'm sure I have, but those themes either didn't really stand out to me at the time, or I've forgotten those aspects of the stories that I've read. 

What about you? Any favorite books featuring the themes of appreciation or personal growth? 

If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can be sure to stop by and check out your answer. - Katie 

Join the 12 Books of Christmas Challenge Here

*Review* Bread Machine Baking for Beginners by Beth Hensperger

 

Genre: Cookbook

Published: January 10, 2023

Pages: 282

Discover how easy it is to make delicious homemade bread in your bread machine.

With this affordable, abridged edition of the best-selling Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook, learn how to make and bake bread in any brand of bread machine by combining the simplest of ingredients—flour, yeast, water, and salt. Offering complete, easy-to-follow instructions on using bread makers as well as a wide range of recipe variations for making all kinds of loaves, Bread Machine Baking for Beginners is the only book you will need to launch your bread-making success.

Filled with step-by-step photographs, this guide to machine bread baking includes recipes and instructions for everything from white sandwich bread to french baguettes to sourdoughs and seeded breads. Instructions on shaping, decorating, kneading, no-knead breads, and enriched breads are also included.

In Bread Machine Baking for Beginners, you will find:
 

• The basics of bread baking
• Tons of recipes, from the basic to more adventurous, all created with the beginner in mind
• Troubleshooting tips for bread machine–baking issues
• Ways to use your bread machine for other baked goods such as muffins and pizza dough

This book provides the perfect introduction for new bread-making enthusiasts and a great refresher for bread-machine veterans who want to dust of their bread machine.

Put an end to tasteless store-bought bread—use this guide and your bread machine to have fresh, tasty homemade bread instead. It’s easy and it’s fun!

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This book has a lot of probably really valuable information for newbie bread machine users, in general. I didn't get the chance to actually test anything out from the book before I lost access to it though. Although I also wasn't in a rush to do so, since my bread machine isn't one of the several brands that this book goes through major features of. That's what I get for having a husband who deeply researched bread machines when I said I wanted one. 

In spite of my specific machine not being mentioned, there was some very useful information in the book about how and why things may go wrong with my bread baking, even using a bread machine that should theoretically be foolproof. Turns out the chemistry can still be affected by the wrong external environment. I'll definitely be buying myself a copy of this book so that I can actually play around with my bread machine with a little more confidence that I'm doing things right. I also really want to try some of the recipes included. 

Overall I give Bread Machine Baking for Beginners 4.753 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Beth Hensperger, a New Jersey native who has lived in California since her teens, has been educating, writing, and demo-lecturing about the art of baking for over 30 years. In the last few years, she has shifted focus to countertop appliance–driven cookbooks that embrace adapting traditional and professional recipes for the home cook: the bread machine, the rice cooker, the microwave, and a four-volume compilation specifically for use with the electric slow cooker, stressing personal creativity in preparation and selection of ingredients.

Hensperger is the author of over 22 cookbooks, including the best-selling Not Your Mother’s series, which includes: Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Recipes for Two,Not Your Mother’s Microwave Cookbook, Not Your Mother’s Fondue, Not Your Mother’s Casseroles Revised and Expanded Edition, and Not Your Mother’s Make-Ahead and Freeze Cookbook Revised and Expanded Edition, along with the blockbuster first volume, Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Cookbook. Her other books include highly-acclaimed titles such as The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook and The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook. She is also the author of The Bread Bible (Chronicle Books), winner of a James Beard Award in 2000. She has twice been nominated for the Julia Child/IACP Cookbook Award.

Hensperger wrote a San Jose Mercury News food column for twelve years, Baking with the Seasons. She is a contributor to dozens of national and online cooking and lifestyle magazines, such as Food & Wine, Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine, Veggie Life, Cooking Light, Working Woman, Victoria, Prevention, and Family Circle, and is a sought-after newspaper and radio interviewee speaking on slow cooking, bread baking, and entertaining. She lives in the San Francisco Bay area. Visit her website at bethhensperger.com and blog at notyourmotherscookbook.com.