Good morning, my darlings,
I think the chill in the air means that it’s officially hot chocolate season, at least where I live! I don’t know about you, but the early sunset and lower temperatures make me want to do nothing but curl up in a nest of fuzzy blankets and read all day.
I’m not talking about a theoretical nest, either: there’s a reason all of my throw pillows have velvet pillowcases. From November to February, all I want is soft fabrics and warm drinks.
How do you react to the change in seasons this time of year? Do I have fellow hibernators out there, or are you all energetic in the winter?
xoxo,
Becky
What I’m reading:
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman. I love love love love love this book. It’s one of my favorites from recent years. It came out in 2014 and I’ve read it 4 or 5 times already.
Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman. This is the companion novel to Seraphina. I’ve put off reading it for ages because I loved Seraphina so much that I was worried Shadow Scale would be disappointing….and it was. Sigh. Don’t get me wrong, it was still a pretty good book, as books go – but Seraphina was vivid magic and Shadow Scale is not. I know I’ll keep rereding Seraphina but I can’t imagine having a particularly strong desire to revisit Shadow Scale.
Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman. This is the NEW companion novel to Serpahina, and it is once again vivid magic. This book follows an extremely minor character from the first novel – one of Seraphina’s stepsisters – as she lives her own adventure. It’s a creative world with fascinating characters and an engaging plot. My one complaint is that the characters from Seraphina feel a bit different in Tess of the Road, but I suppose that’s because it’s written from Tess’s perspective rather than Seraphina’s.*
* Please note that Tess of the Road will not be published until February, so you can’t read it yet. If you like good YA fantasy, pick up Seraphina now and put Tess on your wishlist. You might want Shadow Scale for context…but you don’t need to own it.
Internets:
Jewelry photography blog Jewelry Shoot made a list of his favorite jewelry bloggers and included Diamonds in the Library. Thank you, Jewelry Shoot!
The world’s primary source for red, pink, and blue diamonds is nearly all tapped out.
The wedding ring that Alexander Hamilton gave to Elizabeth Schuyler.
Conch pearls: what are they and why are they so rare?
Archeologists Discover 2,600-Year-Old Request for More Wine from Extremely Relatable Ancient.
What you need to know about the Harry Potter illustrated editions.
Common Venmo charges, decoded. This is surprisingly heartwarming. It’s really a short story told through Venmo.
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I also like the noble “Serpahina”.Also still reading it.
Yay!! Such a fantastic book. I’m so glad you’re enjoying it!
I’m a little bit of both in the winter. Energetic indoors when it’s too cold. I move around to stay warm. And when it’s warm and the fireplace is roaring and the cocoa is bubbling, I’m a blanket slug.
That makes sense! It’s probably healthier to alternate between energetic and sluggish – keeps that blood flowing!
I love a good blanket nest too! I just pile all my throw pillows, minky blankets, and Fuzzums (the cat) into the papasan chair in my library for a good read.
That sounds delightful!! Papasan chairs are reading nests waiting to happen.