5⭐️ THE RIVER IS WAITING by Wally Lamb. 2025. Literary. A man’s time in prison after causing a tragedy that breaks apart his family. The unexpected ending is what made this a 5⭐️ novel for me. 💙📚

A thank you to all my readers. #comedytragedy #substack barbnatividad.substack.com/p/two-hundre...

Inspector Lynley by Elizabeth George

your rapture name is: Saint+First Pet Name+The furthest South you've been. I’m St. Hopper of the Philippines.

My Rapture Outfit

4⭐️ BURNER (Gray Man #12) by Mark Greaney. 2023. Thriller. Court, the Gray Man, and Zoya, his lover, must escort a Ukrainian-Swiss banker to a forensic accountant in New York because he has data that would compromise the Russians. But professional Russian assassins are close behind. A tense race! 💙📚

Happy #Caturday! #cats #catsofbluesky

My #FridayReads is Burner (Gray Man #12) by Mark Greaney 💙📚

How did you get through imposter syndrome?

Got bruised at martial arts last week learning how to escape from someone grabbing me and my training knife. Going back for more tonight!

New post on Comedy, Tragedy! #comedytragedy #substack barbnatividad.substack.com/p/our-trip-t...

4⭐️ OLGA DIES DREAMING by Xochitl Gonzalez. 2022. Contemporary. Olga Acevedo, a high-end wedding planner, and her brother, a Congressman, face the truth after their activist mother abandoned them when they were children then re-enters their lives in the present. Compelling story. Great characters. 💙📚

My placeholder until my wedding ring comes back from being resized.

I’m reading Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez, the One Book, One Chicago selection this year. #MondayReads 💙📚

I didn’t know it takes weeks to get a ring resized. I feel naked without my wedding band.

4⭐️ LAST SEEN by J.T. Ellison. 2025. Thriller. Halley grew up knowing her mom and sister, Catriona, died in an accident when she was 6, but later learns she was murdered by Cat, who later disappeared. Now Halley is on the hunt for answers but is in danger. Was good, but epilogue was unnecessary. 💙📚

Happy #Caturday! #cats #catsofbluesky

The Roses starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman

My #FridayReads is Last Seen by J.T. Ellison. 💙📚

SONG: Shiny Happy People by R.E.M. FILM: Sicario starring Benicio del Toro BOOK: Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

4⭐️ SIERRA SIX (Gray Man #11) by Mark Greaney. 2022. Thriller. The Gray Man is back, hunting an old enemy, thought to be dead for 12 years. The terrorist has returned and is plotting against India. The dual timeline comes to a head brilliantly. 💙📚

New post on Comedy, Tragedy! #comedytragedy #substack #readingcommunity 💙📚 barbnatividad.substack.com/p/printers-r...

slightly diminishing a book: Mediocre Expectations

Star Wars Apocalypse Now Jaws

5⭐️ CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE (Legacy of Orïsha #1) by Tomi Adeyemi. 2018. YA fantasy. The maji were wiped out by the King, but some diviners remain without their magic. Zélie, a diviner, is suddenly gifted with magic and is on a quest to return it to Orïsha. Now I have to read the series! 💙📚

Happy #Caturday! #cats #catsofbluesky

Junior Mints

Drop an old person you're going to turn into in the future

#LastFourWatched #LetterboxdFriday #Letterboxd #filmsky

Finishing up Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi #FridayReads 💙📚

This never happens! 🧩 Puzzle #772 🤔 6 guesses ⏱️ 47s 🔗 alphaguess.com

Halloween is just around the corner! #dogs #dogsofbluesky

This is the energy I want to project on Bluesky.

Final vacation dispatch: selfies!

New post on Comedy, Tragedy! 💙📚 #comedytragedy #substack barbnatividad.substack.com/p/august-202...

Finest Worksong

Vacation dispatch #12: dairy cows being milked, which in turn is made into cheese.

Vacation dispatch #11: Champ, the Lake Champlain Monster, Vermont

August 2025 Reads

5⭐️: THE DARK MAESTRO by Brendan Slocumb. 2025. Mystery. Classical music virtuoso, Curtis, and his family are placed in witness protection because of his father’s enemies. Curtis has performed since he was 5, and must reconcile his new identity to one without music. Brilliant. 💙📚

Vacation dispatch #10: gondola 🚠 ride, Mount Mansfield, Vermont

Vacation dispatch #9: Minnie, the innkeeper’s 15-year-old Chihuahua

Vacation dispatch #8: sunset dinner cruise, Lake Champlain, Vermont

Happy #Caturday! #cat #catsofbluesky

Vacation dispatch #7: can’t miss the Ohio State game

Post a move from the year you were born.

Vacation dispatch #6: Church Street Marketplace, pedestrian only

Ruin a book by adding Tom Clancy. A Tale of Tom Clancy 💙📚

I’m reading The Sellout by Paul Beatty. #FridayReads 💙📚