AJ Reardon (she/her)
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ajbeingcreative.bsky.social
AJ Reardon (she/her)
@ajbeingcreative.bsky.social
I read and review lots of books with an emphasis on queer fiction and nature-themed non-fiction. I also craft, dance, and talk about my corgi. Find my reviews at ajreardon.com
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Hello Bluesky! The most important thing you need to know about me is that I have a corgi. Her name is Emma Griddlecakes, and she turned three yesterday. She is very soft, very friendly, and while you can't tell in this photo, she has a glorious curly tail.
It's important to recognize that sometimes there's nothing wrong with a book, you're just not the target audience. My review of The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline doesn't go into too much depth because of this.
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ajreardon.com/book-review-...
Book Review: The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline - AJ Reardon - Book Blogger
I promise there are enthusiastic book reviews coming, but first we have to get through one more book that I just didn't enjoy very much.
ajreardon.com
November 29, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Considering the fact that I get more "Black Friday" emails for sales that start well before the Friday after Thanksgiving than ones that start on Friday, can we please just admit that Black Friday isn't a thing?
November 26, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Reposted by AJ Reardon (she/her)
Device…hoarding. Because you don’t go get a new one while yours is still fine.

Apparently I am also practicing car hoarding, house hoarding, husband hoarding, dog hoarding, computer hoarding, furniture hoarding and art hoarding.
stupid young people, stop buying a new phone every year if you don't want to be broke. wait no, not like that.
November 25, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Reposted by AJ Reardon (she/her)
95% of authors are not making a living through book publishing. The public needs to understand this.
November 25, 2025 at 2:24 AM
Reposted by AJ Reardon (she/her)
Just a friendly reminder as we go into the holidays:

Folks don't have to explain to you why they don't drink.

If you offer them a drink and they decline, don't ask them why. It's not your business.

Just offer them something without alcohol to drink instead. And move on.
November 23, 2025 at 8:04 PM
I Want to Burn This Place Down by Maris Kreizman is a collection of essays that is so close to being as 🔥as its title and cover. The author just needed to dig a little deeper.
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Book Review: I Want to Burn This Place Down by Maris Kreizman - AJ Reardon - Book Blogger
Like a lot of middle class white Americans in their 40s, Kreizman grew up believing that if you just followed the rules and did all the right things, you'd grow up, get a job with security and good he...
ajreardon.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Reposted by AJ Reardon (she/her)
Last call for the Bookmark Book for charity! 30 cross stitch designs with a $15 (or more) donation to a humanitarian aid org!
sites.google.com/view/spellbo...

#CrossStitch #StitchSky #BookSky #Craftivism
November 22, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Reposted by AJ Reardon (she/her)
Spellbound Stitches The Bookmark Book

Here are the bookmarks from the SciFi chapter by Gunnhild the Good, @manda-infinitybear.bsky.social, @theretrostitcher.bsky.social, & Yellow Birdie Stitches.
30 patterns for $15 to charity!
Details: sites.google.com/view/spellbo...
#CrossStitch #Craftivism
November 20, 2025 at 2:56 PM
A pox on Amazon dropshippers. If I wanted to give money to Amazon, I would buy it from Amazon.
November 20, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Reposted by AJ Reardon (she/her)
And, also, if you run a business that regularly purchases shipping supplies: ULINE is run by some of the worst people on Earth. Get your boxes and tape elsewhere.
Remember: don't eat the mid tier fast food chicken, don't play the wizard game, don't shop at the hobby store run by the bad guys from Indiana Jones, and don't donate to the bigot bucket.
I know it's a tad early but I know those bitches with the buckets will be out soon. Don't gove them a penny. The volunteers may not know but the salvation army is no ally and actively combative and harmful to many queer minorities especially during the holiday season
November 19, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Reposted by AJ Reardon (she/her)
And craft books. Mine are in there.
Remember: they used thousands of academic books too! If you’re a scholar, check for your books too. This isn’t just novelists and pop writers, it’s academic books too!
AI advocates have warned that if every author in the class action filed a claim, it would "financially ruin" the entire industry.
November 19, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Reposted by AJ Reardon (she/her)
Hi, it's me again

I have these calendars. They are so pretty. @megstampede.bsky.social made them. They have a bunch of animals on them, like crows and humpbacks and cuttlefish and salamanders.

Each month has facts about the animals AND actions you can take to help them

Get one at Squidfacts.net!
November 18, 2025 at 7:16 PM
TEEF.
November 18, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Fall leaves make for good sniffing!
November 17, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Reposted by AJ Reardon (she/her)
"What if one of YOUR favorite politicians/celebrities/etc is on the list?" Did you all not notice how quickly we dropped Neil Gaiman when we found out about the things he did? Do you know how beloved that guy used to be and how loathed he is now? I think that right there should answer your question.
November 13, 2025 at 5:58 AM
Reposted by AJ Reardon (she/her)
here is that Mexican ceramic chonky dog from 200–400 BCE that you needed
November 12, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Your timeline has been blessed by the sleepy corgi blep.
November 12, 2025 at 6:12 AM
If only we could all convince the AI-lovers in our lives to read Empire of AI by Karen Hao! This is a book that will make you mad and give you so much more ammo to try to convince people to stop using genAI tools for everything.
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ajreardon.com/book-review-...
Book Review: Empire of AI by Karen Hao - AJ Reardon - Book Blogger
If I could make everyone in my life read any one book, it would be Empire of AI by Karen Hao. Maybe then they'd stop suggesting I use AI for things.
ajreardon.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:46 AM
It's really annoying to look at a cute cross-stitch pattern that appears to be designed by a real person, complete with actual stitched-up examples, and have all of Etsy's recommended related listings be much-cheaper AI slop. No thanks I'll support the actual artist.
November 11, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Reposted by AJ Reardon (she/her)
Ballet [1/4]
November 10, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Need a break from doomscrolling? Please enjoy this review of one of my favorite things I've read so far this year, Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed.
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ajreardon.com/book-review-...
Book Review: Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed - AJ Reardon - Book Blogger
Shubeik Lubeik takes place in an alternate version of Earth where wishes can be mined, packaged, and of course, commodified.
ajreardon.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Reposted by AJ Reardon (she/her)
look I know being an engaged citizen IS the work of democracy but it is also the work of elected officials not to create situations where everyone has to be mobilized all the time to prevent them from allowing some kind of Dickensian horror on a Sunday night while you're in between loads of laundry
November 9, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Reposted by AJ Reardon (she/her)
The Bookmark Book Fundraiser is now live! 📚

Get 30 Bookmark cross stitch patterns with a donation to a great cause!

Full details here:

sites.google.com/view/spellbo...

#StitchSky #books #crossstitch #fiberart #Crafts
November 8, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Reposted by AJ Reardon (she/her)
Good morning! AI is being force-fed to you by a handful of billionaires who will lose a bunch of money if they fail to convince you that you need it. You do not need it 🫶
November 6, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Got off work early today and went to the bookstore. Picked up some books for myself and some gifts, and added a couple more to my TBR for later. Then wandered around an art gallery that had a raven and crow themed show going on. Make sure to take time for things that bring you joy!
November 8, 2025 at 1:24 AM