In case anyone was wondering with my last post, the reason there were no novels in my library returns this week is that I actually own the two books I read this week.

Wooing the Witch Queen was everything I hoped it would be when I pre-ordered it. Funny, sweet, fierce. The shy librarian/supposed dark wizard with a big secret, the witch queen, her ex-girlfriend advisor, the crows, the castle staff, the other queens of villainy... Can't wait for the next book!

I Think They Love You was the #HappyEndingsBookClub pick for this month. Sweet second chance romance/fake dating young men with the family business at stake. Some of those are not my tropes but somehow this one came together to be delightful. Perfect blend of sweet and funny with quite the cast of characters in his family.

I also tried to read The 7-10 Split, an old #HappyEndingsBookClub pick but the second chance + bowling sports romance wasn't grabbing me. Again, not my tropes but I think the bigger problem was post-illness exhaustion because I'm normally down for a contemporary sapphic. I wasn't able to concentrate on much during the time I tried to read this. May try again later.

I also read a bunch of the #FaRoFeb books for this month, and a bunch of Zelda fanfic. Plus a librarything book that needs a longer review. Maybe later.

https://social.afront.org/@terri/114055826399581470

#BookReview #Books #bookstodon #QueerRomanceClub

My rainbow lace gets pulled out once again now that the more urgent mitts are done. Will I actually finish it this time or will I be still knitting it in #FinishOrFrogAlong 2025?

Also, happy endings book club sent me a regency hockey romance with time travel. None of these things are my favorite (my husband's the Pride and Prejudice fan), but I trust the team that picks the books so I'm giving it a shot anyhow! Hockey pun not intended but I'm not going to change my wording now that I've typed it. 😂

#knitting #books @knitting #HappyEndingsBookClub

Library books to be returned Dec 10 (today!) plus a couple others I own and finished this week.

My books:

My Roommate is a Vampire - a #HappyEndingsBookClub pick. I wasn't that interested in the concept but I trust the folk who pick the books for this book club and it turned out really sweet.

The Bone Shard Daughter - I wanted to love this one but I read it while sick and the changing viewpoints causing constant cliffhangers drove me nuts so I had to put it down and finish it later. This was a #FantasticStrangelings pick ages ago (before I realized a lot of the books were giving me nightmares in the pandemic and I switched to the happy endings club instead). The magic in this definitely *could* have given me nightmares so probably just as well I waited to read it. I liked the concepts and characters but I don't know that I'd recommend it and it's gonna be a while before I want to look up the rest of the series.
(Also, this was supposed to have an animated cover but apparently Google Lens has already broken this feature.)

Turtle Bread - really sweet story about a baking club and finding your people. And also recipes!

Kid books :
Wag - a cute story about why a dog wags his tail. I think it was a repeat?

Pumpkin Trouble - a funny story of pumpkin vs duck. Kid enjoyed it.

999 frogs wake up - lots of animals waking up. a hit with my kid!

Exclamation point - this one was a hoot. We had such fun reading it.

#books #library #BookReview #bookstodon

Misc books that are moving to the library downstairs. Most read in the past month or so?

Patty Lyon's Knitting Book of Tricks - I pretty much recommend this one to any knitter, but especially those of you who think like scientists about why and how and couldn't it be a bit better?

Do Your Worst - enemies to lovers with a curse breaker and an archeologist and and ancient fae curse. Delightful but more sex scenes than I wanted when I read it last week while constantly distracted.

The Takedown - A ridiculous spy romcom, almost too ridiculous but fun anyhow. The minute the love interest said he was from Ottawa I figured out the mid-novel twist but I think it was meant to be a bit predictable so you could enjoy the anticipation of her figuring it out.

The Beautiful Decay - a Kickstarter I backed. Fungus, friendships, forgiveness and saving a town full of necromancers? It somehow manages to be both cozy and scary and delightful. And also it was a real delight, after the many books I've read through #HappyEndingsBookClub to have something written with more of an asexual lens. They have a new Kickstarter up and you should back it too: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/veocorva/the-old-goat-and-the-alien

Love Not Found vol 3 - another Kickstarter, a comic set in a future where people don't touch, and exploring the many ways one can love. I think towards the end of this volume is when I stopped reading webcomics as much for a while when my kid was tiny, so it was nice to read the collected work and then catch up.

Always Human and Love and Gravity - another beautiful sci fi comic about love and identity. I read this online but decided I wanted a physical copy and it's beautiful. Lots of neat body tech mods, thoughts on society and tech and love.

#books #BookReview #knitting

After a whole day of just barely coping and making do thanks to migraine+ solo parenting, it was weirdly cathartic to rip this back to where I'd made a mistake and Do One Thing Properly Today. (Just pretend I'm not still working on yesterday's bauble...)

#knitting #book #HappyEndingsBookClub @knitting

Books returned July 9 (today!) + #SocksOnVacay at the library.

My books:

#HappyEndingsBookClub pick - That Summer Feeling. Falling in love at summer camp is such a YA trope, but this is 30 year olds at a camp for adults. Very sweet and gentle, especially nice in mature contrast to actual YA books where there are Big Feelings and Uncontrolled Jealousy.

Martian Ghost Centaur - a grab off the library returns cart because of the name. Cryptids and truth and saving a small town from a terrible start-up. Very fun!

A Little Too Familiar - magic, found family, queer side characters, highly entertaining ferret familiars. I once commented that it was a bit disappointing that werewolf books often lean into the very debunked Alpha tropes, but this one was clearly based on more modern understanding of wolf society (and how it works with found family!). I also loved the pigeons.

Kid books:
Kiddo wanted to reject the constellation book but got caught up in finding the zodiac constellations in his star projector.

Dragonboy, Smash Crash There Goes The Trash, and Interrupting Chicken all got good reviews. The trash book had doggies

Games: Spryo had too many cut scenes according to my kid.

Library of Things : we've had the robot companion dog before, and although it doesn't do that much kiddo still loves it. It had 6 people waiting for it to be returned so I guess he's not the only one?

Bonus picture: knitting at the library while my kid searched for @hillsborolibrary 's bookworm mascot, who is hidden in a new place every week. Wallace is a huge hit with my kid!

#library #books #bookstodon #knitting #SocksAndHatsOnVacay2023 #queer

I'm going "work-in-progress plus a queer book" route for this week's #PrideMakealong prompt, Queer Stories.

Sock: "Progress Pride" colour from Knitted Wit, pattern is Stumptown Socks by Shannon Squire

Book: "Just As You Are" is a queer reimagining of Pride and Prejudice, with the sisters transformed to a queer found family of folk working at a (failing) magazine together. I really enjoyed it but much like the source material it took me a long time to get into the main romance. Since it's pride month I'm gonna say that my lack of love for the beginning of P&P has something to do with my personal flavours of queerness: when you aren't usually attracted to people until you get to know them the "why is this asshole so hot?" vibes are not very relatable. But as the two women get to know each other better it starts to gel, and I really loved Liz's experimenting with clothes and presentation as she slowly figures out the next chapter of herself and her life. Glad I got this one as a book club pick because I might not have picked it out for myself!

#HappyEndingsBookClub @PrideMakealong @knitting #knitting #SockKnitting #BookReview #Book #bookstodon #queer #pride #PrideMonth #Fiberarts

Library books returned May 14 + me catching up on my #HappyEndingsBookClub books.

Kid books: Jo Bright and the Seven Bots is a makery, modern "girl gets agency in her tale" reimagining of Snow White. We liked the others in this series too.

Marley and the Great Easter Egg Hunt has great art and doggy chaos, though I have questions about why he wasn't on a leash. 😅

Stowaway in a Sleigh is a beautifully painted Christmas cat story.

Grumpy Cat was a cute story of wanting to be left alone, in keeping with Grunpy Cat's brand. A nice contrast to the many kids books about making friends.

Bella and Harry Christmas in New York City had great illustrations and text that was like reading a boring tourist guide.

My books:
Unseelie - An adventure story based on the idea that changeling children were based on autistic kids, written by an autistic adult. Based on the classic "mom realises her child has been replaced with a changeling and manages to keep both girls" idea too. And then honestly all of that takes back seat to the adventure the girls find themselves in. Really good, looking forwards to the second book of the duology but it's not out yet.

The Black Witch - sheltered/hidden girl comes of age and gets thrust into life at an integrated magic university where her worldview is challenged over and over as she starts to get to know folk from other races/countries. Meanwhile, we're getting all the Chosen One vibes, but is she going to learn enough empathy before she comes into her power? So good.

The #HappyEndingsBookClub ones:
The Neighbour Favour - Gal emails her favourite, reclusive author and he actually emails her back and they strike up a friendship... And then it gets convoluted, in a fun romance trope kind of way. I wasn't sold on the concept from the blurb but once I started reading the characters were *so* good that I'm hoping for more following up on the side characters.

Ana Maria and the Fox - British society romance with racial diversity and deeper politics. Kind of gave me Bridgerton vibes but with more political depth, in a very good way. Looking forwards to the books about the other sisters!

#BookReview #Library #bookstadon

My February Feather Shawl has reached colour 3, and it kind of matches today's book. 🧡

I'm torn between wanting to steam block the tail so I can see what the final lace shawl will look like and just enjoying the texture as it is a little longer.

The book is another #HappyEndingsBookClub pick and it's great so far.

#Fiberuary #LaceKnitting #knitting

Clue 1 done just in time for clue 2 to come out tomorrow! I'm not loving how the "crochet over the tails" method of weaving in ends looks with these high contrast yarns, and I'm gonna admit this isn't sparking joy yet. But that's the hazard of a mystery crochet! I'm excited to start some more interesting colourwork in the next clue anyhow.

(Also, my #HappyEndingsBookClub book arrived today. Yay!)

#crochet @fiberarts