If there is one thing that allows me to embrace the spirit of giving year round it’s my Little Free Library. For anyone who doesn’t know what those are, it’s a nonprofit organization that encourages people to set up outdoor community libraries in their yards. It’s a take book, leave a book set up that aims to help make books accessible to every household. There might even be some right around you! 

I personally use mine a few different ways. First, as an excuse to buy indie books I already have in hopes that I can share my love of them with new people. This month with Christmas in mind I went through my collection and picked out books that I felt deserved a more loving home. These books have been very well received, I just for whatever reason did I not get super into them so instead of hoarding them like a book-ish Grinch I decided to release them into the wild where they hopefully can find someone who truly cherishes them.

Before I get into the books a little more, I also picked up a new accessories for the library itself. The stuffed little elf decoration you see above. Who I believe was recused from the Island of Dollar Store Dog Toys. And a magnetic light with a flip switch since it gets dark so early these days I wanted to make sure if someone drove around at still early hour of five pm they could see see what was inside my Read Box without having to aim their headlights or pull out their cellphone and turn on their own flashlight. But hey, it also will come in handy year round for anyone burning the midnight oil in hopes of a new read.

The library’s collection now contains Daemon and Annihilation. Both are very big science fiction stories. The first doesn’t have a movie is likely among the most known in cyberpunk circles, the second I first heard when it was made into said movie. I don’t do scary movies or even really monster movies but watching Annihilation was like nothing really else so when I saw the book had such a nice binding I picked it up. I hear this series is even better than the movie (no surprise there, right?) but book almost falls open to scream, “Read me!”

The Iron Cast draws the eye. Its one of those that proves covers sells books. I’ll link you to goodreads here so you can see it better. The book is set in 1919 and design really helps you get there. Author Destiny Soria is also a great author who goes the distance to add much needed diversity and I’m always so excited to offer books like that to people who might not otherwise be able to afford them.

Speaking of good authors doing good things. Rick Riordan’s The Sword of Summer won a Stonewall Book award for children’s literature. Named for the historical trans-led history event that’s considered the “start” of the LGBTQ rights movement in America.

That brings us to Heart of Iron. I picked this one up originally because it was sold to me as Anastasia in space and while I hadn’t gotten far in it I definitely see why it was given such a killer comparison.

Plus, the first among the first Santa themed events I can remember was wanting the Anastasia toys as I kid. I think they came from Burger King and I most have had them all. The tiny bat, the bigger dog that you could squeeze and his ears would go up. An Anastasia doll with like hair that you could bring up or down with a wind up or down in her back. And of course, a themed but classic Christmas train. If that toy was big enough to set around my Christmas tree I’d rebuy it for the memories in a heart beat. (In my heart, that Polar Express train has nothing on Anastasia nostalgia.)

As an adult that same excitement over toys is gone, but I think as adults we are often able to recapture that feeling with books and I hope one of my books either personally written or donated to a stranger does that for someone.

No matter what you celebrate, I hope you have a great Holiday!