TBR Autumn 2024

I can't recall the last time I read a book purely for fun. Growing up, I loved to read and often would write my own stories. It's been a long time dream of mine to become a published author someday; surely one of the stories in my head will make it to print. I was recently inspired by Darling Desi to become a reader again after watching her latest book review vlog. I also want to become more intentional about what I am consuming in my mind. Last October I went on a social media fast and I think it helped reduce my mental load a ton. I also don't want to waste time watching movies or shows — unless it's BBC murder mystery date night with Daniel, of course. The truth of the matter is, I do need some type of escapism to keep me sane. Reading appears to be the perfect prescription to give me the break from reality I will need.

I started by downloading eBooks to my Libby app. Unfortunately, it felt too much like what I was used to and decided to opt for physical books instead. During my solo Saturday, I visited my local library to browse the shelves for the perfect story to get lost in. There's nothing like the crinkle of a plastic book cover, am I right? While reading for pleasure I have not been doing, reading to learn or for inspiration I do some of. I usually only visit the non-fiction section at the library, but this trip was devoted completely to the aisle of fictional reads. I read the titles on every shelf until I read one that sparked intrigue. A few were duds, some were too intimidating to start with, and some just fell flat with what I had imagined reading. I was honestly afraid I wasn't going to find anything when one finally stood out to me. It was called "Wildwood Whispers" by Willa Reece. It took place in the Appalachian mountains, which I am quite fond of. The synopsis didn't sell, but the next installment "Wildwood Magic" was just what I was looking for! It's a standalone book, so I'm not reading out of order, and if I enjoy it I just may pick up the other another time.

The next two books were recommendations from Desi, who seems to enjoy the same kind of stories I am drawn in to. The first is "A Feather So Black" by Lyra Selene. It's about magic, adventure, a curse — what's not to love? This book is part of a series, so if I can't get enough I can continue the journey in "A Crown So Silver." The second is "The Spellbook of Katrina Van-Tassel: A Story of Sleepy Hollow" by Alyssa Palombo. I enjoyed the original story of Sleepy Hollow and Ichabod Crane, as well as the film starring Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci. This is the story from Katrina's POV and includes "all that Washington Irving got wrong." I'm looking forward to finding my main character energy in these books and vow to have read them cover-to-cover by the first day of Blogmas this year!

Lastly, I lied about not visiting to non-fiction section, and I'm glad I browsed those shelves, too, because I found Kayla Lobermeier's "Prairie Kitchen Cookbook" and a few cookbooks to serve as inspiration for the upcoming holiday season that I'm already planning out.

I am so excited to become a reader again. If you know of any titles, fiction or nonfiction, that I should add to my TBR list drop a comment below!