My First Book Haul of 2025 & Some Personal Oversharing Yada Yada…

As I always say, reading books and buying books are two different hobbies.

Typically, I read as much as I buy. That doesn’t necessarily mean I’m reading owned books; in fact, I’m definitely not, but it’s the spirit of reading that counts, not where the books come from. But for the last year or so, I’ve been reading less and buying more. Like, way more. I was using book purchases for jolts of serotonin, my only source of happiness during the most stressful year of my life.

If life has taught me anything, it’s that shit can always get worse, so I need to maintain a high level of anxiety at all times, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Yes, I am in therapy.

But certainly my response to 2024 could have been way worse. I could have gotten into heavy drugs. Maybe considered alcoholism, but I try to avoid swallowing as a general rule. That’s a weird thing to say, so more on that in a minute.

I guess there’s always a chance I totally lose it in 2025 with the way things are currently shaping up globally.

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My Top 24 Most Anticipated 2024 New Releases | July to December!

It’s like I always say, “Sorry, I’m late!”

I intended to get this out for the beginning of July, but then my cat died and everything felt terrible for a while. Then my in-laws visited for a month and, you know, I mentally shut down when my routine is threatened. And not to complain, though I love to, it doesn’t help that we went from July 1st to September in like five minutes?? The passage of time is nonsense.

I have been reading, even if I’m not talking about it. And actually focusing on books I already own! So that’s a positive. The physical TBR must have gotten smaller by now? Maybe? The problem is, to read books I own instead of chasing down the shiniest new thing, I obviously have to buy books. Right? Right. This is just basic logic. Math. You can’t argue with math.

So here are my top picks for new releases coming out in the second half of 2024.

You can find my list for the first half of the year here.

Get ready to add to cart, pre-order and plan a bookstore date!

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🌈#PrideMonth Book Recs from LGBTQ+ Bookstagrammers!

Happy Pride! Usually, for this most colourful and joyous time of the year, I would put up a list of queer-centred books or queer authors curated to help us all expand our TBRs just a bit more…

But this year I thought, let’s hear it straight (no pun intended) from the gay horse’s mouth (you know what I mean.) So I put out some totally nonsexual feelers to my bookish friends celebrating Pride to get their can’t-fail book recs, and they totally came through in spades. The queerest of spades!

So if you’re looking to add some rainbow colours to your June reading, this is the list for you!

Check them out — the books and the friends — and get that library card or your “add to cart” finger ready!

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My Top 24 Most Anticipated 2024 New Releases | January to June!

Look, I know I just posted about my Owned Books Challenge and how my physical TBR is out of control, and I should really just focus on reading books I already have instead of buying or borrowing more… but you know what? If I buy these books and then read them within the same year (LOL please) then what’s the problem? Right? RIGHT?

Get your “add to cart” finger ready! Here are my top picks for new releases for the first half of 2024!

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Ins and Outs for 2024, plus The Fucking Owned Books Challenge!

Happy New ~~Fears~~ Years, everybody!🎉

I hope ringing in 2024 was everything you wanted it to be. I’m not really into partying anymore in my old age. That was 20-something Krystin’s vibe. Mid-to-late-early-late 30’s Krystin has a stay-at-home with her dog and husband vibe.

We watched Die Hard 3 and 4, ate junk food, smoked weed and played Scrabble (I won, and it’s important to me that you know that.) My husband was asleep by 12:05AM, while I was up well passed 5AM dealing with my diarrhea-stricken doggo.

That is the circle of life, friends! One day you’re a youth drinking and partying for New Year’s, and the next you’re spending it at home with a heating pad on your back because that morning you only wanted to make one trip up the stairs with the laundry, and now every time you get up to let the dog out you make noises.

And honestly, I’m fine with that.

With that said, we made it to 2024! Can you even believe? I have my fingers crossed for a better year. 2023 really took it out of me, but I’m staying optimistic for this new year… while also remaining vigilant as to not be caught off guard. Do I want my last remaining grandparent to die? Of course not! Will I be surprised if that’s what 2024 hands my family? Can’t say I will be. My therapist should have a good time with this new coping mechanism. See you next week, Christine!

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🎄Merry Everything and Happy Whatever!

*heaves a deep, existential sigh before I start writing* Oh, hi, yes it’s me. Yes, I am still alive. But, shit, what a year. I can hardly believe it’s almost over.

I mean, I can believe it because I’ve been alive long enough to understand how time works, but after the year I’ve had I’m not feeling so merry and bright. More like wary and ready to fight.

(You have no idea how long it took me to come up with that rhyme.)

Anyway, I’m working on my attitude. We’ll see where it ends up by the time I finish writing this post.

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All the Books I Hated in 2022!

Oh hey, it’s me. It’s been a while.

Traditionally, I would have posted this list way back in January with a “Happy New Year” message, but it feels kind of awkward now since it’s so late and I have essentially been MIA for the last six months. All I can say is, shit on a cracker, what a fucking year 2023 has been so far, book friends!

I won’t get into it deeply, but there was a death in my family and I just wasn’t able to find the motivation to read, let alone write about reading. But I think I’m coming around and getting my shit together. And also, fuck cancer!

Anyway, hi!…

What can I say about 2022 now that it’s April and I smoke a lot of weed so my memory is questionable at best? Really nothing, I’ve moved on and forgotten almost everything. 2023 has been so emotionally fraught so far, that 2022 is like a distant, hazy dream. To be fair, that haze might be weed smoke.

It’s a good thing I keep my book logs organized even in the worst of times or this list may not even be happening, honestly.

I managed to read 80 books last year, which is a record for me, but it was all very so-so, very meh, very “why is everything I’m reading so average?” There actually isn’t a lot that I totally HATED. I think that’s a sign of improvement… Unfortunately.

So, while this list has traditionally been reserved for all the utterly disappointing, rage-inducing or straight-up garbage reads that passed by my eyeballs, for 2022 it looks like it’s going be a little less of that and a little more borderline garbage.

Of course, I have my favourite reads, but that’s a different post. Dark and light. Ebb and flow. Good and bad. If I’ve learned anything lately, it’s that everything can’t be good all the time. The universe just doesn’t let it happen. Give and take. It’s all about keeping that fucking balance.

Let’s check the scale, shall we?

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📌Blog Update – The End of True Crime Tuesday

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Fucking Notable Mystery/Thriller New Releases | April to June 2022

You may have noticed – and you may not have, which is totally valid – but I took an unplanned break from this space. What it came down to was just energy and my lack of it. Mostly mental. I won’t get into details but between a cancer diagnosis in my family and my basement flooding (for a second time,) March was a HELL of a month and I needed to get my shit together before I could be creative with shit reviews again.

With that, I know this new release list is late like a period after prom night, but I have some fresh wind under my ~~butt~~ wings and I’m ready to pop a Plan B and get caught up. (Better stock up on those Plan Bs while you can ladies, because the conservatives are coming for us yet again!)

I might not have read very much in the last few weeks, but I was still buying books like my very life depended on hitting “add to cart.” And in some ways it did. A therapist might call impulse buying books compensating for the emotions I’m not ready to deal with yet, but I’m calling it self-care.

What other books can I buy in the coming months to avoid the horrors of real life? Let’s find out!

As always this is not a comprehensive list, but it’s definitely a highlight.

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