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The Perpetual Page-Turner

The Perpetual Page-Turner

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Home | Retail Therapy | Retail Therapy: In Need Of Cute Mugs/Tea Cups

Retail Therapy: In Need Of Cute Mugs/Tea Cups

August 12, 2015 - Updated May 7, 2019 // 30 Comments

So a long time ago (circa 2011-2012) I used to have this series on here called Retail Therapy but I let it fall to the wayside like many other reoccurring posts I used to do. I reevaluated for a while and I tried to save it again in 2014 and did it a whopping ONE TIME then and so far in 2015. So, let’s maybe go for more than once in 2015…okay self? Because I genuinely love doing these posts…I just am bad at remembering to do them.

 

Since getting married I’ve had to start a new collection of mugs because all the mugs I used in my life were ones from home and I’m pretty sure my stepdad wouldn’t have been happy if I took them all with me. We got a small set that came with our plate set and my sweet friend Ginger got us cute Mr. & Mrs. mugs and I had maybe one or two assorted ones from the years or as gifts. We need more — especially with how much we go through them with my tea habit and Will’s coffee habit. I miss the eclectic mix of mugs from my childhood — The Beatles mug I got my stepdad one Christmas, some of my mom’s old mugs or even the ones that were her and my dad’s from when they were still married, or the mugs from various travel destinations went to. I miss all my mugs that all have these great stories to them!

However, I’m ready to start my own collection and I’m on the prowl. Please share with me your favorite mugs or places to buy mugs! PS. How are Target’s mugs?? I feel like they are always cute but how is the quality?

 

Throne of glass merchandiseFind it here!

I love this mug from Gillian’s Society 6 shop! My Throne of Glass series feels are all amped up just looking at it!!! I tried to hint to Will that I wanted this but picking up on my hints is something he needs work on.

bookish mugFind it here!

 This one is from Bookworm Boutique on Society 6 which has allll sorts of cute bookish mugs and I had a hard time just featuring just one because I wanted lots of them. But I like this one because reading past my bedtime is likely why I am in need of caffeine.

 Sherlock mug fandomFind it here!

 I found so many Sherlock related mugs I wanted but I really loved this one. A Sherlock mug is a must for my mug collection because that show is the best.

 

il_570xN.745835508_rzohFind it here!

 

As a huge Gilmore Girls fan I need a Luke’s Diner mug. Maybe there’s something in that coffee that made Rory and Lorelai so witty and banter about like they did. MAYBE IT IS ALL IN THE LUKE’S DINER COFFEE.

il_570xN.691550708_36mm

Find it here!

I’m typically so miserable in the morning that I’ve been trying to surround myself with positive things and WILL myself to start the day out on a good foot rather than grumbling about the fact I have to be up and out of my pjs. UGH LIFE IS SO HARD. This shop has sooo many other ones that I love and that I had favorited on Etsy! Like so many. I could buy my whole collection from her shop.

 

29416849_002_bFind it here.

I love this floral tea cup and the fact it says one classy bitch on the inside. This is tea cup is so me.

30446942_000_bFind it here.

As a Friends fanatic, UM YEAH. Favorite fictional coffee shop ever.

33454042_042_bFind it here.

NEED. Although I’ll probably be sipping my tea and dreaming of faraway places only to look up and realize that I’m late for work.

il_570xN.779649440_31u3

Find it here.

Always loved this Tolkien quote!

il_570xN.785806734_bdksFind it here.

Because I’m like 12 at heart.

Okay so are you rushing off to find any of these? Do you have any recs for where I can get awesome mugs? Tell me about your favorite mug!!!

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Filed Under: Retail Therapy Tagged With: bookish mugs, cute mugs, retail therapy

About Jamie

Jamie is a 32 year old married lady (with a new baby!!) who is in denial that she's actually that old to be a married lady and a mom. When she's not reading you can find her doing Pilates followed by eating ice cream, belting out Hamilton (loud and offkey) and having adventures with her husband, daughter and rescue dog.

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Comments

  1. Nikoel says

    August 12, 2015 at 2:37 am

    Always. I always find amazing mugs that I want. I know BuzzFeed has a few “articles” featuring cool bookish or nerdy mugs.

    Reply
  2. Emmah says

    August 12, 2015 at 2:42 am

    Christmas Tree Shop!! If you have one around you, gooooo. Their mug section is so good! And their stationery section is good too 🙂

    Also, I don’t know how you feel about used ones, but you can find really good ones at thrift stores!!
    Or you can also design your own on Shutterfly 🙂 If you check out my instagram (likewhoaaemmy), you can see the mug I just got from them 🙂

    Reply
  3. Caryn says

    August 12, 2015 at 9:00 am

    My favorite mugs come from the Disney store, and you can also find them online. They are cute (because Disney!), and they hold the heat well since they are ceramic. I just love them 🙂

    Reply
  4. Kat says

    August 12, 2015 at 9:08 am

    I love mugs! Of course, I don’t always buy them but I love looking at them and finding witty ones. Oh gosh, I love all of the ones you’ve posted. I found this one that says, “Paris is always a good idea” and it reminded me of “Just One Day” by Gayle Forman.

    Reply
  5. Ashley says

    August 12, 2015 at 9:19 am

    One of my all time favourite mugs is my Harry Potter mug: https://www.nosegraze.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/hot-chocolate-hp-mug.jpg

    I like mugs a lot, but they’re kind of hard to store. They don’t exactly stack well, so they take up a lot of room!

    Reply
  6. Stormy says

    August 12, 2015 at 9:26 am

    Wow, you found some really great ones! I have an “official” Luke Diner’s mug–from the WB store–but I really want the one you featured too. Coffee mugs are one of my favorite things! I try not to collect many things because having too much stuff gets overwhelming, but I make exceptions for a)books, and b)coffee mugs.

    Reply
  7. Leandra Wallace says

    August 12, 2015 at 9:45 am

    Ooh, I really like the Today is Going to be Amazing one, I’ll have to check out her shop. I always like to look at the mugs in the cafe at Barnes and Noble. They have some neat literary ones, plus pretty florals, and usually some pop culture ones. Also TJ Maxx, they have cute mugs. I have one of theirs that is yellow chevron w/a bicycle on it and two birds that says Together is the best place to be. =)

    Reply
  8. Kristin says

    August 12, 2015 at 10:15 am

    My absolute favorite mugs that I own are the ones from the Disney Fairytale collection! They’re such a beautiful shape and the art on them is so so beautiful! I feel like an actual princess when I drink tea out of them 😀

    Reply
  9. Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit says

    August 12, 2015 at 10:17 am

    Gillian’s stuff is amazing. I just ordered her Anna-Lola-Isla one for a friend! =)

    This is pretty corporate, but I actually love the mugs that the big bookstore in Canada, Chapters/Indigo, sells – I rarely recommend anything corporate, but they do a good job and they’re inexpensive! I have a Reading is Sexy Mug and a few others.

    Also, I love this mug (and a lot of the work by this artist) on Society 6

    Reply
  10. Kate @ Mom's Radius says

    August 12, 2015 at 12:20 pm

    My husband got me this mug for Christmas. I like it even though I don’t recognize many of the quotes. It just makes me happy that he bought me something bookish. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009DJKCD4

    Reply
  11. Amanda says

    August 12, 2015 at 12:34 pm

    LOVE all of these! My favorite place to get mugs in Anthropologie’s sale section. I can get them for around $4 and no matter what pattern I choose, I feel like the style all goes together and I’m recreating the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

    Reply
  12. Lisa @ Reading, Writing, and Random Musings says

    August 12, 2015 at 12:41 pm

    I am generally not a mug girl (I have a serious Starbucks problem), but this post is inspiring me to rethink this! I sooooooooooo love so many of the mugs that you have shown us! I’ve actually found some cute ones on Etsy if you are ever in the mood to do some browsing!

    Reply
  13. Megan @ Semi-Charmed Kind of Life says

    August 12, 2015 at 1:27 pm

    Love them! World Market always has cute mugs. 🙂 I also like getting them as souvenirs when I travel. (Right now I’m drinking out of a mug from Portugal!) I really want to get some cute bookish mugs – they seem perfect for #bookstagrams. 😉

    Reply
  14. Morgan @ Gone with the Words says

    August 12, 2015 at 2:07 pm

    These are so cute!! I love Gillian’s mugs, I have two 🙂 I collect mugs also, starting to run out of space! A lot of mine are Disney and their online store has them for pretty cheap, around $12 each. They are always adding new styles too, some are more abstract and not just characters. I love them. I also have quite a few of those Starbucks “You Are Here” mugs i.e. the ones with city skylines on them. So fun to collect and they hold so much! I’ve also found cute ones at Crate & Barrel and Pier One, including a Christmas mug that reminds me of my grandma’s mugs 🙂 Happy hunting! Love this post!

    Reply
  15. Megan says

    August 12, 2015 at 5:36 pm

    My favorite mug is a ridiculous,oversized, camp rock mug from the Disney store (?) with a picture of an unidentified Jonas brother on it (not knowing which one is part of the fun). It has a huge handle on it and was given to me by a dear friend as a joke. I love it so much. The handle is perfect and it still makes me smile after many years.
    I’ve collected my mugs slowly whenever I see a super cool one or am traveling and there’s a fun souvenir. Modcloth sometimes has fun ones.

    Reply
  16. Danielle says

    August 12, 2015 at 7:41 pm

    I love to collect the Starbucks “You Are Here” collection from everywhere I visit. Theyre only 10 bucks each and a fun thing to grab every time I go out of state, or just to another city.

    Reply
  17. Alex @ Booksy Daisy says

    August 12, 2015 at 9:55 pm

    These are awesome! I just found this one and I NEED IT: https://society6.com/product/book-queen_print#1=45.

    Reply
  18. Mel@thedailyprophecy says

    August 13, 2015 at 4:31 am

    I own two bookish mugs and I’m addicted to them. I definitely want to add more to my collection: I’m in love with the Throne of glass mug <3

    Reply
  19. Stephanie Volkmer says

    August 13, 2015 at 8:55 am

    Some of my favorite ones are from cafepress (I have 2 from there a read sleep eat repeat and a keep calm and read Jane Austen) a few from Barnes and Noble and also I love bookworm boutiques stuff I have one mug already from her and am getting another one soon! 😊 also Cracker Barrel has some really cute ones around the winter months. That’s where I found a few for my mom and dad last year. 😊☕️

    Reply
  20. Tiffany (About to Read) says

    August 13, 2015 at 10:57 am

    Love the “I Read Past My Bedtime” mug. The colors are so cute.

    Reply
  21. threegoodrats says

    August 13, 2015 at 9:18 pm

    I feel like I always have a million mugs (where do they come from?) so I can’t ever buy cool ones that I see. But I did buy some for my coworkers one time, and I got them from The Unemployed Philosopher’s Guild: http://www.philosophersguild.com/Mugs-and-Glass/ They have one with first lines of famous literature, one with Shakespearean insults, one with a TARDIS that disappears and reappears on the other side – so many awesome mugs!

    Reply
  22. Cynthia @ Bingeing On Books says

    August 14, 2015 at 9:52 am

    Ahhh, I love the Central perk mug so much! I love mugs period. There is a Shakespeare insults mug that I would love (http://www.amazon.com/The-Unemployed-Philosophers-Guild-Shakespeare/dp/B0038TYV7I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1439560271&sr=8-3&keywords=banned+books+mug) or a Banned Books mug (http://www.amazon.com/The-Unemployed-Philosophers-Guild-2480/dp/B007MOLSXK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1439560271&sr=8-1&keywords=banned+books+mug). Both of those are on my wish list. 🙂

    Reply
  23. Stacie says

    August 15, 2015 at 9:29 pm

    Oh my gosh. I have a coffee mug obsession! Over the years though I’ve finally realized I can’t just buy any mug. It has to be one I like to use, which means it has to be the right size and have the right type of handle…I know. So picky! Anyway…you should search “literary coffee mug” on Amazon. My favorites are the Jane Austen and first lines of literature. So fun and functional. My recent favorite fines are mugs by “life is good”. They’re perfect size and have such sweet uplifting sayings <3

    Reply
  24. Chrystal says

    August 16, 2015 at 4:03 pm

    I’m digging the Luke’s Diner mug!

    Reply
  25. DesMarie says

    August 21, 2015 at 2:49 pm

    Love them all! Mugs makes me happy! ^_^ My friend and I just launched out own bookish Etsy shop of mugs
    (and more to come). As a mug connoisseur, if you get a chance to check them out (we currently have three designs up), and if you have any ideas for designs, let us know! http://www.CoffeeReadingWriting.com

    Reply
  26. Jenna @ JMill Wanders says

    August 21, 2015 at 3:04 pm

    These are all wonderful and I want them. Here are some of my favorite mugs that I own:

    https://www.universalorlando.com/Merchandise/Gift/Ravenclaw-Wise-Mug.html
    http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/e5c5/
    http://www.amazon.com/The-Unemployed-Philosophers-Guild-2480/dp/B007MOLSXK
    http://www.amazon.com/Dreamy-Paris-Eiffel-Tower-Latte/dp/B00GKXFZG0

    Reply
  27. Nicole @ Nicole's Novel Reads says

    August 31, 2015 at 12:17 am

    I love the mugs you’ve listed in the post especially the map one! My favorite mug that I own is a Books Turn Muggles Into Wizards one: http://store.dftba.com/products/books-turn-muggles-into-wizards-mug.

    Reply
  28. Shannelle says

    November 4, 2015 at 4:50 am

    My weakness for cups depends on how tiny they are. I prefer short cups, and they’re just my favorite. When it comes to coffee, though, I’ll take a coffee pun please, or something about how tired I am. Death by university, anyone?

    And if you like Pablo Neruda, then there’s this Pablo Neruda mug that I made (and S6 has free shipping and $5 off of it right now!), as well as a “Love is an Open Bookstore” mug.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      November 10, 2015 at 4:46 pm

      Oh that mug is so lovely!!

      Reply

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Elder millennial. Cries a lot, always down a rabbit hole.
Blogger since 2010👇

A book recommendation for all my historical fictio A book recommendation for all my historical fiction readers - The Briar Club by Kate Quinn. My holy grail historical author came through for me again. I can’t express how much I cared for and was pulled into the lives of these women living in a boardinghouse in DC during the McCarthy era just as much as I was racing to find out what happened in this house. The tension mounted as we got to what actually happened?? Masterful. Truly. #historicalfiction #bookrec #bookrecommendation #historicalfictionbooks @williammorrowbooks
Made a fun family day out of Independent Bookstore Made a fun family day out of Independent Bookstore Day and hit up new faves @maveybooks and what used to be my second home when I lived closer @childrensbookworld which was so nice to be back home 🥹🥹

Book shopping is great but I can’t express how incredible building community is and indie bookshops do just that. I always wanted my own version of Cheers and, while not a bar where everybody knows my name, CBW was that place for me for almost a decade when I built community by going to YA book events there and moderating events. And while I am not able to get there as often as I was before I became a mom and we moved further away, It’s been so special to be able to share this beloved space with Riley.

These indie bookshops are so vital to our communities and I know everyone’s situation is different so this isn’t to shame but That Website can’t replace what can be created in these book spaces. Shop local when you are able! #indiebookshop #bookshop #bookshopping #independentbookstore
Ok technically I’m lying. My last read was technic Ok technically I’m lying. My last read was technically ATMOSPHERE but I feel like between my stories and my dedicated post to it, I’d rather talk about the book I read before it but didn’t update y’all on.

The Trouble With Anna — I enjoyed this delightful little historical romance about a heroine who is carving out her independence only to find out, when her grandfather dies, that he tied her inheritance/future to marrying her best friend’s brother — a not-so-happy surprise for both of them. I could understand why they both had some guardness/walls up and I enjoyed watching them slowly start to lower them.

Mayhem and the Mortal - I’m not too far into this romantic fantasy but it is one of my most anticipated that came out last month and I’m excited to dig in more.

Hamnet — I know, I know. For April I decided not to make a traditional TBR list of books I wanted to read but instead give myself some prompts to guide my reading (bc I’m overwhelmed with all my choices at hand) without feeling rigid. One of the prompts was to read a book I HAD TO BUY but is still unread. So going to finally get to it. Have you read this one or watched the movie?

What are you currently reading?
I had been waiting for the perfect time to read th I had been waiting for the perfect time to read this one after Random House sent me a finished copy as TJR is a longtime auto-buy author.  I found myself caught up in all the space joy and wonder and feeling quite parasocial about the Artemis crew...I decided now was the time.

I had no idea what I was getting into.

I hadn’t really known what it was about but I didn’t really need to given its TJR & the fact it was 1980s NASA & astronauts.

But this book was about love to me - romantic love, platonic love, familial love, love for something bigger than yourself, love for the person you are & are becoming, love in the face of obstacles, love for what lights you up.

Having been invested in real life astronauts & their journey lately really made this book even more vivid to me — seeing the bonds of the crew so deeply, feeling the fragility that exists while they are doing this wondrous & crazy thing that often still boggles my mind that we can do.

And, hardest to put into words, that feeling of awe in the expansive nature & capabilities of love & the universe that I felt when a husband named a crater after his late wife which doubly helped me understand how Joan & Vanessa felt looking back at earth.

It made me sob & feel everything about being a human so deeply basically from that Frances/Joan phone call at 86% of the way through until the final words. Like could not breathe.

*might be a tiny bit spoilery so beware:

I think the way she wrote this was so impactful bc we start out knowing something bad happens &it’s not even that far when we know that some of them def won’t make it back & some are alive in peril.

I was like “oof” when *it* happens early on. But each and every chapter where we learn more about these ppl & their relationships felt agonizing & I was retroactively grieving for them more deeply every turn of the page.

The hurt and grief just compounds from a moment that was sad from the jump to something that had dug in deep to me.

To know what happens right before this mission makes the mission control bits even more excruciating. Makes the peril a character is in hit even harder than just “oh that must be scary!”. 

I loved it. I needed it bad.
The theme of Q1 was “just go with it” — it being m The theme of Q1 was “just go with it” — it being my reading whims, quirks and troubles.

Interesting things:

1. January started out rough. I only read 1 physical book and leaned very heavy into audiobooks only. At first it was distressing that my brain -thanks to current events and their effect on my mind - couldn’t work out how to sit down and read with my eyeballs but I was like…let’s just roll with it and wait for it to pass. So I waited and enjoyed a ton of audiobooks.

2. I don’t think I’ve ever read so many thrillers and mysteries in a quarter. It’s a genre I love but I’m normally quite more balanced. However, it’s what I was craving and what my brain was tolerating so…I just went with it.

3. I have always been a reader led by my moods (both how I feel reading wise and personally). This quarter was FERAL. Like the most feral mood reading ever. I couldn’t even categorize it. I’d decide on one book enthusiastically and suddenly I was like…absolutely not that.

4. I read way less fantasy than normal which was WEIRD but I felt like I also wasn’t surprised given my brain space.

5. I really started to resent people even more who said “it’s a book account stop talking about politics etc”. Babe, I’m a human who gives a shit but ALSO this has and always been an account of MY reading life. And my reading life was profoundly affected by the things that were going on in this country. Like they have been before - whether it’s been current events or things like having a kid, being depressed, slumps, etc.

6. I return to the fact that, for me, I am happiest when I pay attention to my reading whims. The end of the month I had a very specific reading mood (wanted time travel element but not a heavy time travel book) and I decided to pick up A Rip Through Time at the end of the month and I’m now halfway through book 4. Having the best time ever!!! 

Anyways, tell me how your reading life was in Q1! Fave books? Biggest surprises??
New historical fiction books on my radar for April New historical fiction books on my radar for April and I feel like there is quite a bit of variety. Any of these on your TBR? #historicalfictionbooks #historicalfiction #newbookrelease #newbookreleases
Being someone who reads based on their ever shifti Being someone who reads based on their ever shifting reading moods (sometimes very feral) makes library holds and tbrs very hard. It’s the worst when 5 weeks ago I would have gobbled the library hold up but now when the hold comes in I’m like…I think not. #readersofinstagram #readerproblems #librarylife #librarybooks #moodreader
I love when I just absolutely nail it on the first I love when I just absolutely nail it on the first try when trying to satisfy a super specific reading mood - Kelley Armstrong’s A Rip Through Time definitely nailed what I wanted. Time travel but didn’t really want too time travely…just more of a vibe or catalyst for some fun. If you love a good mystery, some time travel shenanigans and a great cast of characters, I highly recommend this book. #bookrec #bookrecommendation #bookreview #mysterybooks #historicalmystery #kelleyarmstrong
🌸 Some romances on my personal radar for April. 🌸 🌸 Some romances on my personal radar for April. 🌸

Beyond excited for a new Kate Clayborn, Kasie west, rainbow Rowell, Jenn Bennett and Beth O’Leary - I’ve enjoyed these authors in the past.

My historical loving heart is most excited for The Duke and How To Fake It In Society.

I love an emotional romance so The Art of Loving You is high on my list plus I’ve heard great things about this author.

I’m intrigued by Fast Lane especially since it’s being adapted for a tv series. I’m seeing comparisons to Elle Kennedy’s Off Campus series which I did love!

Which new romance books are piquing your interest or are on your TBR? #romancebooks #newbooks #romancebooktok #romancereader
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Jamie is a 32 year old married lady (with a new baby!!) who is in denial that she's actually that old to be a married lady and a mom. When she's not reading you can find her doing Pilates followed by eating ice cream, belting out Hamilton (loud and offkey) and having adventures with her husband, daughter and rescue dog.

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A book recommendation for all my historical fictio A book recommendation for all my historical fiction readers - The Briar Club by Kate Quinn. My holy grail historical author came through for me again. I can’t express how much I cared for and was pulled into the lives of these women living in a boardinghouse in DC during the McCarthy era just as much as I was racing to find out what happened in this house. The tension mounted as we got to what actually happened?? Masterful. Truly. #historicalfiction #bookrec #bookrecommendation #historicalfictionbooks @williammorrowbooks
Made a fun family day out of Independent Bookstore Made a fun family day out of Independent Bookstore Day and hit up new faves @maveybooks and what used to be my second home when I lived closer @childrensbookworld which was so nice to be back home 🥹🥹

Book shopping is great but I can’t express how incredible building community is and indie bookshops do just that. I always wanted my own version of Cheers and, while not a bar where everybody knows my name, CBW was that place for me for almost a decade when I built community by going to YA book events there and moderating events. And while I am not able to get there as often as I was before I became a mom and we moved further away, It’s been so special to be able to share this beloved space with Riley.

These indie bookshops are so vital to our communities and I know everyone’s situation is different so this isn’t to shame but That Website can’t replace what can be created in these book spaces. Shop local when you are able! #indiebookshop #bookshop #bookshopping #independentbookstore
Ok technically I’m lying. My last read was technic Ok technically I’m lying. My last read was technically ATMOSPHERE but I feel like between my stories and my dedicated post to it, I’d rather talk about the book I read before it but didn’t update y’all on.

The Trouble With Anna — I enjoyed this delightful little historical romance about a heroine who is carving out her independence only to find out, when her grandfather dies, that he tied her inheritance/future to marrying her best friend’s brother — a not-so-happy surprise for both of them. I could understand why they both had some guardness/walls up and I enjoyed watching them slowly start to lower them.

Mayhem and the Mortal - I’m not too far into this romantic fantasy but it is one of my most anticipated that came out last month and I’m excited to dig in more.

Hamnet — I know, I know. For April I decided not to make a traditional TBR list of books I wanted to read but instead give myself some prompts to guide my reading (bc I’m overwhelmed with all my choices at hand) without feeling rigid. One of the prompts was to read a book I HAD TO BUY but is still unread. So going to finally get to it. Have you read this one or watched the movie?

What are you currently reading?
I had been waiting for the perfect time to read th I had been waiting for the perfect time to read this one after Random House sent me a finished copy as TJR is a longtime auto-buy author.  I found myself caught up in all the space joy and wonder and feeling quite parasocial about the Artemis crew...I decided now was the time.

I had no idea what I was getting into.

I hadn’t really known what it was about but I didn’t really need to given its TJR & the fact it was 1980s NASA & astronauts.

But this book was about love to me - romantic love, platonic love, familial love, love for something bigger than yourself, love for the person you are & are becoming, love in the face of obstacles, love for what lights you up.

Having been invested in real life astronauts & their journey lately really made this book even more vivid to me — seeing the bonds of the crew so deeply, feeling the fragility that exists while they are doing this wondrous & crazy thing that often still boggles my mind that we can do.

And, hardest to put into words, that feeling of awe in the expansive nature & capabilities of love & the universe that I felt when a husband named a crater after his late wife which doubly helped me understand how Joan & Vanessa felt looking back at earth.

It made me sob & feel everything about being a human so deeply basically from that Frances/Joan phone call at 86% of the way through until the final words. Like could not breathe.

*might be a tiny bit spoilery so beware:

I think the way she wrote this was so impactful bc we start out knowing something bad happens &it’s not even that far when we know that some of them def won’t make it back & some are alive in peril.

I was like “oof” when *it* happens early on. But each and every chapter where we learn more about these ppl & their relationships felt agonizing & I was retroactively grieving for them more deeply every turn of the page.

The hurt and grief just compounds from a moment that was sad from the jump to something that had dug in deep to me.

To know what happens right before this mission makes the mission control bits even more excruciating. Makes the peril a character is in hit even harder than just “oh that must be scary!”. 

I loved it. I needed it bad.
The theme of Q1 was “just go with it” — it being m The theme of Q1 was “just go with it” — it being my reading whims, quirks and troubles.

Interesting things:

1. January started out rough. I only read 1 physical book and leaned very heavy into audiobooks only. At first it was distressing that my brain -thanks to current events and their effect on my mind - couldn’t work out how to sit down and read with my eyeballs but I was like…let’s just roll with it and wait for it to pass. So I waited and enjoyed a ton of audiobooks.

2. I don’t think I’ve ever read so many thrillers and mysteries in a quarter. It’s a genre I love but I’m normally quite more balanced. However, it’s what I was craving and what my brain was tolerating so…I just went with it.

3. I have always been a reader led by my moods (both how I feel reading wise and personally). This quarter was FERAL. Like the most feral mood reading ever. I couldn’t even categorize it. I’d decide on one book enthusiastically and suddenly I was like…absolutely not that.

4. I read way less fantasy than normal which was WEIRD but I felt like I also wasn’t surprised given my brain space.

5. I really started to resent people even more who said “it’s a book account stop talking about politics etc”. Babe, I’m a human who gives a shit but ALSO this has and always been an account of MY reading life. And my reading life was profoundly affected by the things that were going on in this country. Like they have been before - whether it’s been current events or things like having a kid, being depressed, slumps, etc.

6. I return to the fact that, for me, I am happiest when I pay attention to my reading whims. The end of the month I had a very specific reading mood (wanted time travel element but not a heavy time travel book) and I decided to pick up A Rip Through Time at the end of the month and I’m now halfway through book 4. Having the best time ever!!! 

Anyways, tell me how your reading life was in Q1! Fave books? Biggest surprises??
New historical fiction books on my radar for April New historical fiction books on my radar for April and I feel like there is quite a bit of variety. Any of these on your TBR? #historicalfictionbooks #historicalfiction #newbookrelease #newbookreleases
Being someone who reads based on their ever shifti Being someone who reads based on their ever shifting reading moods (sometimes very feral) makes library holds and tbrs very hard. It’s the worst when 5 weeks ago I would have gobbled the library hold up but now when the hold comes in I’m like…I think not. #readersofinstagram #readerproblems #librarylife #librarybooks #moodreader

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