Category: Conversations with Kav

Have you heard about ’26 in 26′? It’s been making the rounds on booktube and bookstagram. The challenge is to select 26 books you want to read in 2026. Easy peasy, right? Ha! I thought so, until I tried to pare down all my potential candidates. I was well over a hundred titles and the list kept growing…basically everything on my wishlists past and present made it onto the list!

Obviously, I needed a new selection strategy (and the ability not to take myself so seriously!) So I eliminated all the 2026 releases and targeted books already on my physical TBR, or on my audible wishlist, or library holds shelf. Still way too many books, so I added all the titles to a random generator wheel and let the fates decide the 26 books I will for sure read in 2026! And here they are :

1. The Seaside Homecoming by Julie Klassen (this has been on my physical TBR for forever!!!)
2. There Goes the Groom by Esther Hatch (same…been on my TBR for a couple of years.)
3. The Highland Heist by Pepper Basham (have to get current before the final Freddie & Grace book releases later this year!)
4. No Stone Unturned by Jennelle Hovde (debut novel with rave reviews…what is taking me so long?)
5. Loving Lieutenant Lancaster by Sarah M. Eden (finishing this series has been in my goals for the past three years!)
6. Garden of the Midnights by Hannah Linder (she’s a read-to-zero author this year)
7. Charming Artemis by Sarah M. Eden
8. Where Stillness Speaks by Cheryl Sterkenberg

1. The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh (this has been my most checked out library book and yet I haven’t read it yet!)
2. An Irish Kiss by Carolyn Miller (going to be a St. Patrick’s Day read this year!)
3. Wedding at Sea by Melissa Tagg (I have to finish this series!!!!!)
4. Planning for Nick by Tasha Hackett (I’m waiting for the audio book)
5. Honeysuckle Breeze by B.R. Goodwin (loved the first book in this series and now all the books are out.)
6. Meet Me in Virginia by Elizabeth Camden
7. But He’s My One Regret by Gracie Ruth Mitchell (the last book I need to read in order to finish the series!)
8. The Tangled Tale of the Woolgathering Castoffs by Sharon J. Mondragon (loved the first book!)

1. Daniel’s Oil by Urcelia Teixeira (this whole series beguiles me and I’ve only read the first book.)
2. On the Edge of Trust by Patricia Bradley (to finish the series!)
3. Through Water and Stone by Karen Barnett
4. Crossed Off by C.C. Warrens (the content in this one scares me!)
5. The Glass-Bottom Boat by Laura Thomas
6. Burying the Evidence by K.T. Lee (and a series will be complete!)
7. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Peggy Rothschild
8. Hearts Aweigh by Shannon Sue Dunlap

1. Nightfall in the Garden of Time by Tracy Higley (look at me being brave with a speculative fiction on my list!)
2. Wishtress by Nadine Brandes (I have earnestly engaged in not reading this book for two years now! It’s time!!!!)

Now it’s your turn: (and the Giveaway)

Let’s talk. Are you interested in creating your own ’26 in 26′ TBR list? What books would wind up on it? Share the title and author of one book that you would like to read in 2026 (must be Christian Fiction and already published) in a comment, and, if your name is drawn, that’s the book you will win.

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday February 7 2026.

Eeeepp!!! I’m so excited! ‘Tis the season for this decidedly non sports fan to get a little addlepated over the Olympics. I know, it makes no sense, but I’m all in when it comes to Olympic sports. Figure Skating is my favourite but I become a bit obsessed with all the Olympics coverage and willingly watch anything (well, except hockey …gasp, I know, and me a Canadian, but we just won’t talk about that. Shhhhh!)

So, anyway, I thought it would be fun to get into the spirit of the Games with a Reading Challenge. This one will last from January 26 2026 – February 26 2026. Prizes awarded – Gold, Silver and Bronze (of course) See the end of this post for those details. First off, here’s the Olympics Readathon Board:

And just for fun, I’m adding in two BONUS categories, each worth 5 extra points. They are:

• Ice Hockey – read a book with a hockey theme, or at least one hockey scene (as spectator or player.)
• Italy – read a book set in Italy (at least part of the time) to celebrate the location of the 2026 Winter Olympics!

How to play (and have a chance to win):

• Bingo runs from Monday January 26 2026 Thursday February 26 2026 (midnight EST)
• Read a book that fits a prompt (or prompts) to fill in a square (or squares)
• So yes, that means, one book could fit multiple prompts.
• 8 chances at a Bingo – 3 rows across, 3 rows down, 2 diagonal rows
• Your name will be entered into a draw every time you get a Bingo (so the potential for 8 times)
• Bonus round: Fill your entire card to have your name entered 5 more times 
• EXTRA BONUS PROMPTS: Ice Hockey and Italy, both are worth 5 extra points
• Once you’ve achieved a Bingo, submit the prompts and corresponding books to me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. using BINGO in the subject field
• Technically, you have until midnight EST February 26 to submit all your entries, but it would be easier on me to have them trickling in throughout the month.
• Winner will be announced on Saturday February 28 2026

Gold Medal – US – $20 Baker Book House gift card, Canada – $20 Amazon gift card – Medalist will be chosen from all Blackout entries. Names will be added to the Random Wheel of Names Spinner (one entry for every point earned) in the order I receive the entries. Then the spinner does the hard work of choosing the winner.

Silver Medal – US – $15 Baker Book House gift card, Canada – $15 Amazon gift card – Names will be added to the Random Wheel of Names Spinner (one entry for every point earned) in the order I receive the entries. Then the spinner does the hard work of choosing the winner.

Bronze Medal – US – $10 Baker Book House gift card, Canada – $10 Amazon gift card. Names will be added to the Random Wheel of Names Spinner (one entry for every point earned) in the order I receive the entries. Then the spinner does the hard work of choosing the winner.

• Nordic Combined – a book featuring mixed genres (like history and mystery) OR a dual timeline novel
• Speed Short Track Skating – a novella (can be just one in a collection) OR a short novel (under 300 pages.)
• Luge – ‘Luge’ yourself in a good book 🙂 – a novel that carries you away from reality for awhile.
• Biathlon – 2nd book in a series – this could literally be the second book in a series OR the second book you have read in a series (even if it’s #4) Hope that makes sense.
• Curling – Curl up with a book that has been on your TBR since last year. This should be a book you actually own either in physical form or audio or Kindle, but just haven’t gotten around to read it yet.
• Skeleton – Read a Mystery, Suspense or Thriller. For those of you who don’t read suspense, another genre that features a mystery as part of the plot would work as well.
• Snowboard – a book that has snow on the cover or features at least one snowy scene
• Cross-Country Skiing – a book that includes a journey, the physical kind. It could be a cross-country adventure or just one trip in the middle of the book or even a hero or heroine who is travelling somewhere else to start over (as long as there’s a travelling scene at the beginning of the story.)
• Ski-Jumping – A book that gets your heart racing – could involve a swoon worthy hero or a high-speed chase or romance with a Gothic vibe etc.
• And don’t forget the two BONUS PROMPTS (see above, just under the Bingo card.)

Phew! I think that’s everything. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments. Let the Games Begin!

I think it’s fair to say we all have strong preferences when it comes to the kind of books we read. Likes and dislikes vary with every reader but occasionally some topics can actually do emotional harm to a vulnerable reader. Triggering subject matter like grief, addiction, abuse, cancer, violence, darker themes in suspense novels to name just a few. Triggers are as unique and numerous as there are readers!

Lately I’ve noticed an increase in trigger warnings offered by both authors and reviewers which seems like a kind, helpful thing to do. Warning off sensitive readers can be beneficial…except those same triggers often become spoilers which can actually ruin the reading experience by revealing too many plot points. Such a conundrum!

For example, let’s say you’re reading a contemporary romance and the author skillfully, slowly and deliberately reveals what’s behind the hero’s grumpy attitude. We won’t know his whole story until we’re well into the book….unless ‘grief’ has been listed as a trigger warning. That would be a spoiler for me.

Or how about a woman’s fiction novel about estranged sisters coming together to clear out the family cottage after their parents’ death. The author digs deep into the emotional dynamics of these adult women and the reasons they grew apart. It will take the whole novel to come to grips with everything each sister has dealt with on their own and that’s the thrill of the read….except if you read the list of triggers ‘miscarriage, addiction, domestic violence’ before you open the book!

So, I’m curious about your thoughts on trigger warnings vs spoilers. Do you post triggers in your reviews? Can you think of a way to include triggers without giving away spoilers? Or are there times you think it’s more important to post a trigger warning even if it gives away key plot points? Do you look for triggers before choosing a book?

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Let’s get the discussion started. Share your thoughts in a comment below to be entered in a draw to win a $10 Baker Book House gift e-card (US) OR a $10 Amazon gift e-card (Canada). Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 24 2026.

The start of the year is the perfect time to cozy up for a nice bookish chat, don’t you think? Okay, I know some of you are way farther south than I am, or in another hemisphere entirely and are experiencing record heat levels, but, for today, let’s pretend you’re up here with me in the chilly, very snowy North. That way we can gather around an enchanting fire and sip some hot cocoa (or lemon ginger tea with a splash of honey if you prefer) and talk bookish hot topics.

Books vs Audio Books

Who knew that my social media feed would be rampant with controversial bookish chats in January? It started with the heated debate over whether audio books should count as reading. I’m still gobsmacked that there is a very opinionated faction among the larger reading community who are adamantly opposed to considering audiobooks as actual reads! I mean…whhaaaattttt?

I was encouraged by the pushback these naysayers received and moved by the myriad of heartfelt stories about the difference listening to audiobooks made in readers’ lives. I know first hand how audio books have provided distraction and encouragement in my battle with chronic pain. And isn’t listening to a book while engaged in other activities a mood boost? I’ll never do housework without audio accompaniment again! Or tedious garden tasks like weeding! Don’t know how I survived before audio books!

So, what do you think? Audio books – yay or nay? And do you think they should be counted as books read in a Good Reads Challenge?

Category Romances don’t count

Think Love Inspired or Love Inspired Suspense or Harlequin Heartwarming. Again, there are well, literature snobs I guess, who don’t consider these novels to be legitimate reading material. Critics can be quite scornful not only of the books, but of their readers. I’m like, seriously, aren’t there more important things in this world to worry about than whether folks are spending their time reading a category romance as opposed to a 600 page literary tome?!

Opinions? I know my Love Inspired Suspense giveaways aren’t as popular as other books but I’m hoping just because this genre niche isn’t your cup of tea that you don’t look down on those of us who do enjoy them?

Books under 400 pages don’t count either

Seriously, the same literature snobs think that longer somehow makes a book more valid! Most of the books I read are in the 300 – 400 page range. I find that’s the perfect pacing for me, though, of course, I’ll read longer books if the story warrants those extra words. I don’t have patience for authors who extend their word count with excessive flowery descriptions, or copious unnecessary scenes that don’t propel the plot forward. Maybe it’s because I mostly read romance and I figure if a hero and heroine can’t get their act together within 400 pages then they need to go to therapy and try again later! Bwahahaha!

How about you? Do you worry about word count? Make specific goals to read very looonnnggggg books? (That’s a thing on booktube.)

If you read over a hundred books in a year, you aren’t a serious reader!?

Seriously, I had no idea reading could be so controversial! But yes, those same literature snobs maintain that people who read over one hundred books in a year can’t possibly comprehend, retain or appreciate what they read. I can only speak to my experiences so here we go:

I read a lot (and I include audiobooks in my book count) and I feel that it’s been reading time well spent. Do I remember every detail of every story? Not always…but, hey, that’s what rereads are for, right? And I’d challenge any reader to give a detailed accurate recall of a book they read ten years ago.

Plus, I think we have to look at lifestyle as well. I live alone and have a medical condition that restricts how much I can do. I have a three hour daily activity threshold before my pain levels spike to a point that will take hours to bring back down, so I spend a lot of time at home. Alone. Not a huge TV or movie fan (though I am dedicated to some British murder mystery series) so what’s a reader to do but read? 🙂 Then I share what I read on this blog (or Good Reads if it’s a cozy mystery) so in away, my reading is my job too. Love the motivation blogging gives me and the readerly fellowship here so that’s a huge mood booster for this not-quite-shut-in. Talk about appreciating books and reading!

Any thoughts on this controversial subject (at least, I think it’s controversial!)

New Year, New Reads Giveaway

Share a thought or two in the comments below and you’ll be entered in a draw to win a:

US – $10 Baker Book House ecard

Canada – $10 Amazon ecard

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 17, 2026

I belonged to a tight-knit group of school librarians and we always gathered together for a little festive party close to Christmas. We were an eclectic group with rather bookish ideas about what made a great party entertainment. Things like gathering at someone’s house and watching a book adaptation, reading snippets of Christmas scenes from favourite books, sharing holiday picture books and sourcing all kinds of word games to bring out our competitive natures. Two industrious librarians even created a kid’s lit trivial pursuit game. Oh…and I can’t forget the year we played Family Feud with the participants acting as fictional families from actual novels. Sigh. I can’t believe I am admitting all this in public. So yes, we were all book nerds and proud of it. 🙂

So, today I thought it would be fun to share one of those word games. It’s a simple matter of identifying the Christmas Carol / Song by the rather unorthodox wordy clue. Some are pretty easy and others are head scratchers. Of course, there will be a giveaway, so check for details at the end of this post. 🙂

If you’d like to play – note the number and your translation in a comment below. As people guess correctly, I’ll add those answers to this list so we will all be enlightened by the end of the day (hopefully)

GUESS THE CHRISTMAS CAROLS!

1. Approach Everyone Who Is Steadfast – O Come All Ye Faithful
2. Ecstasy Toward the Orb – Joy to the World
3. Listen, the Foretelling Spirits Harmonize – Hark the Herald Angels Sing
4. Hey, Minuscule Urban Area Southwest of Jerusalem – O Little Town of Bethlehem
5. Quiescent Nocturnal Period – Silent Night
6. The Autocratic Troika Originating Near the Accent of Apollo – We Three Kings of Orient Are
7. The Primary Carol – The First Noel
8. Embellish the Corridors – Deck the Halls
9. I Apprehended My Maternal Parent Osculating with a Corpulen, Unshaven Male in Crimson Disguise – I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
10. I’m Fantasizing Concerning a Blanched Yuletide – I‘m Dreaming of a White Christmas
11. My Singular Desire For the Impending Yuletide Season is Receipt of a Pair of Central Incisors – All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth
12. During the Time Ovine Caretakers Supervised Their Charges Past Twilight – While Shepherds Watch Their Flock by Night
13. Celestial Messengers From Splendid Empires – Angels from the Realms of Glory
14. The Event Occurred at One Minute aFter 11:59 – Visibility Unlimited – It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
15. The Coniferous Nativity – O Christmas Tree
16. What Offspring Abides Thus? – What Child is This?
17. Removed in a Bovine Feeding Trough – Away in a Manger
18. Creator Cool It Ya Kooky Cats – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
19. Seraphim We Aurally Detect in the Stratosphere – Angels We Have Heart On High
20. Valentino, the Roseate Proboscissed Wapati – Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
21. Father Christmas Approaches the Metropolis – Santa Claus is Coming to Town
22. Ag Glockenspiels – Silver Bells
23. The Slight Percussionist Lad – The Little Drummer Boy
24. Ornament the Enclosure With Large Sprigs of a Berry Bearing Evergreen – Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly
25. Anticipation of this Noel’s Memento’s; Nil – I’m Getting nothin’ for Christmas
26. The Approach of the Holiday Commemorating the Birth of Christ is Becoming Evident – It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
27. A Meterological Melody is Manifest – There’s a Song in the Air
28. The Yuletide’s Diurnal Dozen – The 12 Days of Christmas
29. Please Permit Pristine Precipitation – Let it Snow
30. ‘Rimey’, the Mannequin of Crystalline H2O – Frosty the Snowman
31. Our Desire is Your Yuletide Cheer – We Wish You a Merry Christmas
32. Aged Matriarch Plowed Under by Precipitous Darlings – Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
33. Are You Experiencing Parallel Auditory Input? – Do You Hear What I Hear?
34. Endeavor to personally experience singular, minuscule Yule! – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY

Participate in the name the Christmas Carol game OR share a Christma tradition you enjoy during this festive season in a comment and you’ll be entered in a draw for a:

$15 gift card – Baker Book House for US winner, Amazon or Indigo for Canadian winner

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 20 2025

We all know that I am a self-confessed cover snob, but did you know that I am just as opinionated about book titles? It makes sense, in a way, since both title and cover make up a reader’s first impression. Some titles entice me immediately, while others leave me indifferent, confused, even cringing. So I thought it would be fun to chat about our title preferences because I’m sure I’m not the only reader with opinions! 🙂 And stick around to the end for the giveaway announcement.

My Title Dislikes

(Titles used as examples are made up by me, any similarities to real titles of published works is completely coincidental)

Titles that list every trope in the book:

The Billionaire’s Second Chance at Love : Fake Dating His Secret Baby’s Mama

I get that the author/publisher is trying to grab a reader’s attention to make a sale BUT surely they understand that we know how to read a synopsis on the back of the book or online? If you want to emphasize tropes, make them a tag line at the beginning or end of the synopsis and get more creative with the title!

Titles that read like a review:

Millicent Finally Gets Her Man : a well-written, emotionally gripping love story featuring an enemies to more romance guaranteed to stir your heart and curl your toes.

Talk about oversell! If an author has to 5 star review a book in the title, it’s immediately downgraded in my mind. I’m assuming the intention is to make a sale, but it has the opposite effect on me. I wouldn’t even give the back book blurb a chance! ( I know, I’m such a title snob!)

Titles that read like a synopsis:

Lad, a stray dog searches for a family all his own and along the way helps a mother cat find her lost kitten only to discover that her humans might be the right furever family for him as well.

Bwahahaha! My example is a bit (!) extreme, but I’m sure you’ve all seen titles that tell way too much. This would be an automatic no go for me even though I love dogs and the premise of the story is appealing…just not as a title!

Series that have books will similar titles.

Book One: Heat, Book Two: Scorch, Book Three: Burn

I can totally accept that this is unique to Kav issue, but when a series has similar titles, especially when paired with similar cover art, I always get confused and can’t remember which one I’ve read. So, when I’m browsing online or at the library I’ll often bypass these books, promising myself I’ll check my records later but I usually forget. 🙂

My Title Likes

Pun-y titles

Owl’s Well That Ends Well (actual title in the Meg Langslow series)

One of the delights of cozy mystery reading are all the pun-y titles. So many wonderful options and I’m amazed that authors/publishers are still creating new ones!

Along that line – titles that play on words, especially when they are a twist on classic literature

Sense and Suitability (actual title!)

So clever! It immediately draws me in and I start to wonder how the author is going to reimagine elements from a well-loved story.

A title that’s intriguing on it’s own but once you’ve read the book, you realize how aptly it suits the story.

Hearts in Circulation (actual title!)

Librarian heroine with a bookmobile finds romance on the road. 🙂 This is one of my favourite titles because it matches the story perfectly and there’s hidden layers that fit too!

A title that sparks my imagination

Forgotten

When I read a book with a title like this my mind goes all over the place. What is forgotten? Does the heroine feel forgotten? Does a main character have amnesia? Is there a mystery around something that has been forgotten? A character with dementia? A family history that needs to be uncovered? So many directions the story could take and I want to be in at the very start!

Giveaway Opportunity:

US – paperback or ebook

Canada – paperback, ebook or audible (if available)

International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account

Time to put your thinking caps on and share your title likes and dislikes in a comment or email (kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca) but this time, add in the intriguing title of a book you would like to win if your name is drawn. Books must be Christian Fiction and already published.

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 6 2025

We have something special coming up this week and it got me thinking about authors and book signings and conferences and all that great ‘seeing an author out in the wild’ stuff that never happens way up here where I live. But I know many of you have met authors at various events and I thought it would be super fun to hear some of your stories. That way I can live vicariously through your author meet-ups! It’ll be the next best thing to actually being there! So won’t you indulge me, please? 🙂

Oh — and that something special? I’m featuring a new author’s debut book on Tuesday. I haven’t even read it yet (waiting for the paperback to come out here in Canada) but I was so excited when Mark contacted me about his niece, Stephanie Sanders, publishing her first book in December. He’s as proud as proud can be (and rightfully so) and “Hooked” is even endorsed by Colleen Coble! How cool is that? So now I’m all fangirling over authors in general and left with a craving for all the author meet stories you can send my way! Please share. Please. Please. Please. 🙂

First the Catch Up:

Just a reminder that we are closing in on the last day to get Bingo entries in. The closing date is Thursday November 27 – American Thanksgiving (sorry, I said Friday in previous posts but your Thanksgiving is always Thursday, for some strange reason. Can someone explain why? It would make more sense to have it on the Friday so you’d get a long weekend.)

We already have 8 Bingo Blackouts and lots more that are pretty close so woohoo, lots of great reading this autumn! And I’m getting lots of great books to add to my TBR because it clearly wasn’t long enough before! 🙂

Remember that interesting discussion we had about AI and the publishing industry a few months ago? Well, I’ve recently noticed a new disclaimer being added at the end of my audio books now. It says something to the effect of: “No part of this audio book may be used or reproduced for training artificial intelligence technologies or systems.” And I’ve also heard the phrase ‘text data-mining’ which I think refers to using an author’s work to train a AI to write books! Ack! This whole topic gets my dander up and I’m inwardly fuming that publishers need to add this kind of disclaimer at the end of any creative work. It should be obvious – don’t steal anyone’s intellectual property! Gah! But I guess these disclaimers make it easier to pursue legal action if necessary.

Price of ebooks: I was listening to an author chat (cozy mystery) about a month ago. Apparently bestseller lists are only compiled from sales of physical books in brick and mortar stores. So the theory is that publishers match the ebook price to the paperback price for the first few weeks in order to encourage people to buy the print book so that sale can be counted for the bestseller lists. They were talking about how that criteria needs to change and that ebook sales should also be counted but that’s not happening yet. I’d say audiobooks should be counted as well. A sale is a sale no matter the format, right? Anyway, that explains why the ebook price will go down after a couple of weeks to where it should be.

End of the Year Book Tag

Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

This is the book I am reading with a church non-fiction group. We cover a chapter every two weeks so I’m not sure if I’ll finish by the end of the year. But this is the only book unfinished at this time from my TBR. I choose a book, read it all the way through or DNF it and move on. No fictional malingering for me!

Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

This is the second book in the Hometown Hardware Mystery series which has an autumn setting. I keep pushing it aside for Christmas reads but I really need to read this one because the author has just released #3 which is a Christmas book!

Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?

Eeeeppp!!! I have this one on preorder and I’m anxiously awaiting the call from the bookstore to say it’s finally arrived! Just a couple of weeks to go.

What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

Argh! I have way more than three but here we go…these ones are on my TBR right now:

Is there a book you think could still shock you and become a favourite of the year?

This one grabbed my attention the second Cindy mentioned it on our Hello November day. Thankfully it came out in paperback closer to the release date and I might have ordered it right away. The tagline is: “Blizzard Outside. Banter Inside. Sparks Inevitable.” Blizzard. City girl with a pampered pet in force proximity with a brooding cowboy. I have high hopes for this one!

Now it’s your turn. Feel like answering one or more of these questions? If so, share in a comment, along with the title and author, of one of the Christian Fiction books you would like to end the year with (that you don’t already have.) If your name is drawn, that is the book you will win! Easy Peasy!

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 15 2025

I’ve always dreamed about owning a bookstore. I think every reader has a variation of that bookish fantasy…at least I hope so, otherwise this is going to be me being weird again. 🙂 I came upon this book tag on Chautona Havig’s Youtube page and thought it was too fun to pass up.

So, today, let’s chat about bookshops…specifically the kind we’d own. Money’s no limit, and, of course all our bookshops will be mega successful so let your imagination run wild. (And remember to check out the giveaway details at the end of this post.)

If I Owned a Bookshop…

Well, of course, I’d be over the moon and I would never want to take a day off! I’d order books and shelve books and make pretty display books ! Oh and I’d get to talk books all day long! Happy sigh. Of course, I’d have to be practical too and that’s where this book tag comes in.

Oh, and I should say what kind of bookstore. I have two dream ideas and they are exact opposites. One is a huge multi-storied bookstore with lots of reading nooks and craft corners and large spaces for book signings. The Hudson’s Bay Company (Canadian department store) has recently gone out of business and whenever I go to the mall and see that huge three storied empty space at one end of the mall I think, “that would make an amazing bookstore!” So that’s one of my bookshop dreams.

But the one I’m going to use to answer the questions for this book tag is my other dream — making over an old school bus into a travelling bookstore that I could take to out of the way places where people are hours away from a bricks and mortar bookstore. So, here we go!

1. Operating Hours – They would vary depending on my destination so I’d have to be very flexible. And the season would play a part as well. Tough to be on the road in the middle of winter (mind you being stranded in a mobile bookshop in a the blizzard might be cozy!)
2. Music Playing – I don’t think I’d do music but it would fun to play ambient sounds to suit the location and time of day. So waves crashing on the beach for a seaside town, a crackling fire and night owls hooting for an evening opening in the mountains…that kind of thing.
3. Coffee and alcohol? – Definite no to the alcohol. Maybe I could have an awning across one side of the bus with a few cafe tables and chairs and I could serve simple coffee or juice. It would depend on how much room I’d be willing to sacrifice from my books!
4. Set up of store – I’ve kind of described this already. A bus outfitted with shelves and a couple of cozy reading nooks. I’d have some clever storage set up so I could pull out a bookshelf and set it up outside on good weather days. OH – just had a brilliant afterthought. A double decker bus bookstore!!!
5. Live entertainment and community events – welllll, that’s kinda hard, though I could partner with small towns and we could host something together. I’d bring the books and they could supply a meeting place for a book club or crafting event. That kind of thing.
6. Store Location: Wherever the road takes me!
7. External appearance: I’d definitely want to paint it with books and characters — kind of like the Magic School bus only book themed. 🙂
8. What kind of books would you sell? – Everything. It would be fun to tailor my collection to the different communities. People could send it requests and interests beforehand so I could stock up. That means I’d need a warehouse in my home base….oh wow, a whole warehouse full of books! Thud!
9. Name of the store:Novel Journeys.

The Giveaway

Now it’s your turn. Share a bit about the kind of bookstore you would like to own in a comment below and I’ll enter you in a draw to win:

US – $10 Baker Book House gift certificate

Canada – $10 Amazon or Indigo gift certificate

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 15 2025.