Welcome to another TTT! I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving this past week, if you celebrate! This week’s topic is all about nostalgia and reminiscing. I don’t know about you, but the holidays always make me think back to the really good times in my life. So I thought it would be fun to talk about some of my favorite bookish memories today! These memories can be stories of your reading life as a child, events you’ve gone to, books that made an impression on you, noteworthy experiences with books, authors you’ve met, etc. I’m excited to get to know all of you better!

1. I loved reading as a child, but then fell out of love with it in elementary and middle school, when my teachers made me read books I hated (some of them were very upsetting) and then write essays on them. But then when I was in college, Twilight came out. My mom and I bought copies and binged them. And then we went to the New Moon midnight release at our local Borders bookstore (RIP) so we could get the newest one immediately. All of a sudden, I’d fallen in love with reading again! I went hunting for more books like Twilight and discovered YA, a genre I fell in love with and read almost exclusively for about 7 years.

2. From the time I was very little, my mom would buy a couple new Christmas picture books each year for our family collection. Each year, when it was time to decorate for Christmas, I would pull out the box of Christmas books and read my favorites by the Christmas tree. I’ve done this every year, and the only reason I haven’t the last couple of years is because we got two rambunctious cats that chew on everything! We’ve left them in the box in the Christmas closet to keep them safe from kitty teeth.

3. I remember being 4-5 years old laying on a blanket on the floor reading Sherlock Chick books to my baby sister. She couldn’t even talk yet and pretty much just wiggled and pulled my hair, but I was sure she knew exactly what was going on.

4. I remember the very first ARC I requested from a publisher and actually received! It was the most amazing surprise to check my mail and find a shiny envelope with Of Poseidon by Anna Banks in it. A publicist (hi, Ksenia!) had finally taken a chance on me, and you better believed I dropped everything and read it immediately.

5. Probably the most special experience I’ve had with a book was with Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard. I don’t even completely understand it! The heroine, Bria, goes on an off-the-beaten-path backpacking journey through Belize and has some amazing experiences and learns a lot about herself. I connected with Bria so, so much and I guess I read the book at the exact right time for me. It inspired me to really want to take a big trip that took me out of my comfort zone a little. My mom and I finally got to do that when we traveled through Europe for a few weeks and I, too, learned so much about myself and my life. So did she! It was amazing!

6. I went to ALA in Las Vegas, NV (my second time!) and I was in Mary E. Pearson’s signing line for her upcoming release, The Kiss of Deception, which I had already read and LOVED. When I got to the front of the line she saw my name tag and jumped up, screamed my name, and grabbed me for a hug. Everyone started looking at me and my name tag to try and figure out who I was. LOL.

7. Tracey Garvis-Graves was the first author to mention me by name in the acknowledgments of a book! You can find my name in Uncharted (the sequel to On the Island). Several other authors have mentioned me in their books since, and I’m always so, so honored and driven to tears each time. Authors are some of the sweetest people!

8. Tracey was also the first (and only, so far!) author to use me as a subject matter expert while writing a book! It was the coolest experience ever, and I was so flattered that she wanted to chat with me about some things that she ultimately included in her book, The Girl He Used to Know.

9. I loved going to Scholastic book fairs in school soooooo much and I always look back on those times as some of my favorite school memories.

10. After college, I worked in an elementary school as a reading teacher for children who were reading below grade level. We experienced so many amazing victories together and they all helped me realize how much of a gift it is to know how to read.

What are some of your favorite bookish memories?
Have you ever had a really special experience with a book?

Welcome to another TTT, and Happy Halloween this weekend! I love the fall vibes and the spooky atmosphere during this time of year, but I don’t love Halloween for many of the normal reasons most people do. I don’t like orange and black together. I don’t like paranormal or supernatural things. I don’t like blood or spiders or the undead. Instead, I love watching old thrillers, reading gothic novels, eating candy, and seeing the cute kids in costumes when they come trick-or-treating to my house. So for today’s Halloween freebie I thought I’d share with you some totally Halloween things I’ve never done or experienced before.

1. I’ve never seen a Tim Burton movie.
Seriously. No Nightmare Before Christmas. No Corpse Bride. They’re just not my thing!

2. I’ve never gone to a haunted house (or haunted anything).
I’d probably die if a went to a haunted house, haunted corn maze, haunted hay ride, etc. I almost died on the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland, so it’s just never going to happen.

3. I’ve never carved a jack-o’-lantern by myself.
Yeah, this is weird even to me. I’ve just never carved my own pumpkin! I remember carving one with a date a few years ago, but I’ve never been to a pumpkin patch as an adult and when I do end up with pumpkins from the grocery store I just put them by my door uncarved.

4. I’ve never baked Halloween treats.
It’s true. I’ve never made Halloween frosted sugar cookies or hot dogs that look like severed fingers.

5. I’ve never had a pumpkin spice flavored beverage.
So, I don’t drink coffee so it’s not like I’m against the PSL because it’s pumpkin spice. I actually love pumpkin spice, just only in baked goods.

6. I’ve never done themed costumes with friends.
I had friends in college who all dressed as a Spice Girl or a different Power Ranger or a Disney princess. Me? Not interested.

7. I’ve never read a horror novel.
I mean, I’ve read scary books, but my threshold for scary reads is so below average that pretty much nobody I know would think I’ve read a scary book.

8. I’ve never told ghost stories by flashlight.
It will just never happen. Ghost stories keep me up at night no matter how outlandish they might sound.

9. I’ve never participated in a séance or used a Ouija Board.
It’s too scary! I won’t even look in the mirror in the dark because I’m scared Bloody Mary will show up uninvited.

10. I’ve never gone on a ghost hunt or ghost tour.
Pretty sure this comes as no surprise and requires no further explanation.

So basically, I’m a major chicken. I’m scared of my own shadow or if the toast pops up out of the toaster before I’m ready. I’m scared of little noises. I’m scared of no noises. I’m really just here to find out when I can start decorating for Christmas.

Ok, so give it to me. I’m excited to hear who is just like me and who thinks
I haven’t actually lived yet without doing some of these things!

What is your number one favorite thing to do at Halloween?

Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic focuses on reading instead of books, and asks why I love reading! This is going to be EASY.

1. The escape.
I love escaping reality and being engrossed in a completely different time, place, and/or world. And it’s been especially nice to escape the craziness of covid and travel to places where it doesn’t exist.

2. I get to travel to someplace new.
I love visiting places I’ve never been! Books are the cheapest way to see the world.

3. To make friends.
I’ve read about so many characters I’d love to be friends with! And I always miss those friends when a book or series ends. The book community has also brought me many friends, so that’s also cool!

4. To fall in love.
Much like the reason above, I love all my book boyfriends.

5. Reading makes you smarter!
AND it sets off the imagination.

6. Books are pretty.
I love all the pretty covers and putting my favorites on my bookshelves. My room looks beautiful with all my books.

7. It’s the best way to fall asleep.
I love laying in bed in the dark and reading books on my Kindle, all cozied up under the covers. It’s my favorite part of the day.

8. The memories.
Every time I see a book I loved, I smile and remember my reading experience.

9. Sometimes a story will change your life.

10. I love learning.
I love learning about people who are different than I am, places I’ve never visited, cultures I’m not familiar with, and different ways of thinking.

It was hard to narrow this list down to just ten, but that’s part of the challenge of TTT! 
Why do you love reading?