iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Checking in. Still slowly working through #LonesomeDove I’m also #reading #Thirty-NineSteps on my X3. (I love this tiny reader.) I’ve had some knitting projects come up. Cuts into my reading time. 🧶 💙📚🖋️ #BookSky #AmReading #CurrentlyReading #LitFic #Classics #ClassicLit #Books #xteink #Tiny

A paperback copy of “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry lays in my bedding. A very small, grey eReader lays next to it with a sleep screen on.

The paperback has a terra cotta colored spine that matches my duvet and a black and white image of men on horseback on the front.

The sheets below are a pale sage green with white pinstripe. The eReader screen shows a small line drawing cartoon of the famous “Girl With A Pearl Earring” looking over her shoulder but drink a boba tea through a cup and straw.

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I read this recently, too! I hope you enjoy.

Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Oh this is exciting. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it!!

Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I think you just became my hero.

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Have they started asking when you’re going to give Small Lady a sibling? Might go ahead and put that on the Bingo card now cuz it’s coming.

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I’d love to know how it sits with you after you’ve finished. It was with me a while.

Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Tell me you aren’t actually familiar with the library’s services without telling me you aren’t familiar with the library’s services. 😂 😂 😂

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Spent the morning enthralled by the personals in both the New York Review and London Review of Books. Went through old copies to read each one. 💙📚 #BookSky #Books #LondonReviewOfBooks #LRB #NewYorkReview #personals #ads #reading

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

1. Found a slump buster on my own bookshelf. 2. Having my book match my desert wall mural is extra satisfying. 💙📚🖋️🏜️🌵 #BookSky #LonesomeDove #LitFic #AmReading #ReadingSlump #Books #Love #Mural #Desert #Book #Bookshelf #Home #Library

Holding up a paperback copy of “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry. The book has a cream colored front with a black and white image of cowboys on horses at the bottom.

From my bed, I’m holding the book up to show a wall that has a large mural of a sun setting over a desert canyon. It’s painted in three tones of terra cotta. My bedspread is in the same tone and, unseen, the spine of the book is also that color. Very matchy. Very calming.

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

… you’re saying that I’m missing joy?

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I don’t follow your reference, but I’d like to! Could you explain your meaning?

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Thank you! This is great info. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond so helpfully. I love the idea of loading up classics on it.

Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Hey! I’ve been looking at these readers a lot. For a person who is not savvy with tech, would you recommend? I really only use the library rental on my smiley and my Kobo so I’m wondering if I’d be able to actually put books on here.

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Almost from the first page I had the sense I knew where I’m supposed to end up in terms of experience if not actual plot. Thats really okay sometimes but the writing is pretty clunky, undermined my faith in the author to get there.

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

That’s a great explanation! I suppose, if the book caught me at a different time or mood, I may have felt differently reading it, too.

Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I’m glad I’m not alone then but I’ll be interested to hear what you think when you get to it.

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Three tries and I’m done. #DNF I know a lot of people loved this book so much. Can you tell me what I’m missing? 💙📚🖋️ #BookSky #Books #Popular #AmReading #LitFic #ToRead #NewBook #Wednesday

Holding up a white paperback book. It’s “Theo of Golden” by Allen Levi. Has a simple, gold line motif around the edges and a black pink and line drawing of a feather as it’s only decoration.

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Holy cow. This was gorgeous and also heartbreaking. Definitely a “do read.” 💙📚🖋️📚⏳ #BookSky #Ireland #Weekend #AmReading #LitFic #Review #Books #Read #Love #BookRecs

I’m holding a hardback library book up for the camera while outdoors. The book is “Land” by Maggie O’Farrell. The cover is an image of colorful sheets of paper with a hole torn in the middle of each one. They are stacked upon each other with each hole a bit smaller so you see down into layers to darkness.

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Zinnia from seed do some of the coolest stuff in terms of color. I love this!

Interesting. I don’t usually dislike a book for being depressing. Unless the depressing is a result of poor writing.

Started “Theo of Golden.” I don’t know why but, meh. I’ll pick it up again later. Let’s try some more O’Farrell. 💙📚⏳📚🖋️ #BookSky #Summer #LitFic #Novel #Books #Ireland #AmReading #Dog #Library #BookRecs

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That’s interesting. Why didn’t they like it?

Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

A really cool idea! Some prose got a bit repetitive for me (everything does not need to be said in threes), but it was so well researched I loved it. Already picked up another of her #books from the #library! 💙📚🖋️📚⏳ #BookSky #Read #Shakespeare #LitFic #Historical #Romance #Novel #Review #Love

Holding up a paperback copy of “Hamnet” by Maggie O’Farrell to the light of a window. A green, rainy day behind it. The cover is a royal blue with a large letter “H” surrounded by botanical drawings in gold.

The style is reminiscent of the marginalia in medieval manuscripts.

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Catching up on recent reads. Looking for #novels or #NF set in the Korean War. This book is and isn’t. Nearly all of the book is what happens back at home. Reminded me of the Port William books in tone and its many characters, w/o the poignancy of Wendell Berry. 💙📚🖋️ #BookSky #Korea #Books #Lit

A library hardcover sits at on a round coffee table. The book is “The Caretaker” by Ron Rash. It features the plein air oil painting “Mountain View Cemetery” by Karen Winslow an image of cemetery stones surrounded by trees in autumn foliage.

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Book decision is colliding with the Sunday Scaries!!! Any suggestions on which to read next? 💙📚🖋️ #BookSky #Books #AmReading #BookRecs #Sunday #Reading #Weekend

Sort of dramatic angle of three paperbacks laying, spines forward, on a coffee table with tchotchkes and windows in the background. The books are, from top to bottom:

“The Trial” by Kafka
“The Other Americans” by Laila Lalami
“Theo of Golden” by Allen Levi

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Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

It’s not why I do it, but I def do it!

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Although, during Covid? You must have had both!

I cannot imagine!! One interesting thing we noted: like us, people with younger kids talked about the kids being okay and worrying about them. What older parents have focused on, and we now understand, is that the kids are fine. They’re ready. The strongest feelings are more like grief than worry.

Oh man. That would be. I think we had a great experience compared to some I’ve heard. They moved in early for an orientation program and then we were back down this weekend for the actual family orientation stuff. The kiddo is in heaven. It’s us parents who are feeling it. Wow.

Thank you! It’s definitely the most… most of feelings. Haha

Hard Return @ahardreturn.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Yep. And rearranging to stop that entertaining takes work to do, too. Just a total drain.