LET"S TALK ABOUT IT - JANUARY 2026

Who said that we can't talk? Go ahead...say what you want and we'll at least listen:)

Here's hoping this new year strengthens the bond we share as book-loving friends, and every day bring happiness to your hearts and homes.

So, reminder to self: when heading to my nearest coffee shop for, I dunno, some reading time? away from home? I need to remember to bring a set of ear plugs. Cuz sometimes the barristas have different tastes in music than I do.

But with that as my only gripe, >2 Carol420: thank you Carol! Added all of my new books from this year's Christmas haul. Cuz, you know, Wishlist is one of my favorite tags on LT and I love using it when I see a book that my LT friends has reviewed.

>3 threadnsong: Wish lists are our gifts to ourselves...and you now have a whole new year to collect on it:)

Good morning Friends. It's a brisk -14 degrees in Battle Creek and -45 in the Upper Peninsular. I'm ready for summer now. At least my books are warm.

Stay warm, Carol! We're hitting 0(F) but will mostly get ice instead of snow. But I am happy for the extra time to read. :)

>6 genesisdiem: I'd rather have snow that ice any day! At least I don't have to go out if I don't want to...and I certainly DON'T.

Here in North Texas it's 27(F) but feels like 13(F) with sleet and snow. Off work today, Sunday, and Monday. Happily, I have plenty of books to read. Everyone stay warm and safe!

>8 craso: My grandparents lived in Dallas for about ten years before going back to Florida. She said that she did like it there, but they had so many friends and family in Florida, that was where they decided they wanted to be. I think she was fascinated with both Texas and Florida because both were so different from her native Ireland.

>9 Carol420: I know quite a few people here in Texas that have family in Florida. I have an aunt and uncle that live in Coral Gables.

>10 craso: I have an aunt and two cousins in Coral Gables. My husband and I and our 3 kids came to Michigan from Plant City, Florida: 15 miles from Tampa, in 1980. I love Michigan but right now I'm not loving the minus degrees temperatures:) My husband was born in Michigan and came to Florida with his parents when his dad who worked at Kellogg, got an on-the-job back injury and the doctors said he needed a warmer, drier climate than Michigan offered. My husband was in his last year of high school, so he was overjoyed...but he met me, we got married and had our three kids...who have all left Michigan to make lives for themselves... one in Louisianna, one in Arizona and one in Oregon.

>11 Carol420: My husband and I moved from Arizona to North Texas 3 years ago. I was born and raised in the Phoenix metro area. Today, I am looking outside my house at 2 or 3 inches of snow. I love it! I am finally living someplace where we have four seasons.

>12 craso: Our daughter is in Mesa. We have a good 14-inches of snow that has arrived in the last two days. The snow isn't so bad, but the temperatures are below zero and that is unusual for the southwest Michigan area. 6 below this morning so maybe we're going to get lucky??? :)

Carol ... I didn't realize you were just "across the pond" ... I'm in a suburb of Milwaukee WI.

Yes, bitter cold. And we did have a little lake-effect snow (about 4 inches here). Didn't stop me and some friends from going to the theatre and then dinner on Sunday. But lordy the car was C*O*L*D when we finally were ready to go home. I don't think it fully warmed up until I was maybe a block from home. (25 min drive)

>14 BookConcierge: It's a BIG POND, Tessa! Don't think we should try to swim. Right now, we'd do better ice skating:) This below zero stuff can go away now.

Well, we in ATL escaped the worst of the ice storm (last weekend) and the snow-and-ice (this weekend). But whew was it cold these past two weekends!

I went to a local theater to see the re-showing of the Lord of the Rings movies (only got to see "Return of the King" due to the timing and ice and all this weekend), and the theater where it was showing had no heat. Zowie!

>14 BookConcierge: Could sympathize with you also and your car. When I left the theater my car was almost warmer than the theater had been. Glad to get in and turn that heater on 🥶