We’re back with the third installment of our Featured Reader Series! This time I interviewed Ali + Kate, both moms who got to escape to book·cation for a weekend of time for themselves! 👏 Connecting and cultivating relationships with fellow readers is one of the main reasons I started book·cation and it’s been so fun to continue to do so thru these interviews. I hope you enjoy getting to know these ladies, too!

Ali and I met through my friend Dani a year before book·cation when my family crashed her son’s birthday party, LOL! 😂 But I’m so glad we got to connect for real at our second book·cation and that we started our group IG chat with Madison and Dani for all romantasy, rugby, and bookish reels. (Our ‘for you pages’ went thru a rugby phase around the Olympics and we weren’t mad 😉)
What is your favorite genre?
Well it used to be psychological thriller, but ever since ACOTAR I’ve been on a heavy romantasy kick… I can’t stop. I’m addicted. It’s true!
What is your favorite book you’ve read in the past year?
That is basically impossible to answer. I read most of the Maasverse so I’d say SJM and all of her universes… like I need to know more, I can’t stop thinking about it! It’s engrained in my brain. I also just did my Fourth Wing reread ahead of Onyx Storm and the reread really hit for me so that’s also top of my list. Runner ups would include:
Kindreds Curse series by Penn Cole
Broken Kingdoms series by L.J. Andrews
From Blood and Ash series by Jennifer Armentrout
Crowns of Nyaxia series by Carissa Broadbent
Why did you come to book·cation?
I came to bookcation because in 2024 my new years resolution was to read for at least 20 mins when I got into bed. So instead of turning on the TV and getting sucked into a show and binging, I’d read for 20 minutes and at that point, if I wanted to watch TV I could, but if I got sucked into my book even better! That resolution carried through the entire year. I surpassed my reading goal, my sleeping habits were more improved, and I was entrenched in my books which felt like a lot better use of my time once the kids went to bed.
So when my girlfriend Dani told me about book·cation -2 nights, almost 3 days to have quiet time to just immerse myself in my books without my kids coming in and sneaking into my room – I jumped at the opportunity. I was so excited and happy to be with like minded people who enjoy reading as much as me. It felt like such an escape, such a retreat, a getaway that I could lean into. It was just such an amazing experience to be surrounded by people who are so excited about the same things you are. Everyone is chatting and then they’re reading and focused and the energy is exactly what you want if you’re a reader!
What is your favorite book·cation memory?
Gosh, this is a hard one! With one of the friends I made on book·cation, we decided, out of nowhere, we need to Amazon Prime a book puzzle. That way, when we wanted to take a break from reading we could stand up, stretch our legs, put our brains to work in a different way. We powered thru that puzzle in a couple hours and it was just so much fun! Again, you’re just surrounded by like minded people who are excited about the same kinds of things and it’s such an engaging community that I love to be apart of! That tiny puzzle was the start of some amazing friendships that I’m so grateful for!
Describe book·cation in 5 words.
Do not sleep on this.
Go period, period, period, period.
You will not regret this.
Read, relax, bond, repeat, period.
Need to be back immediately.
What is your unpopular book opinion?
ACOTAR beats Fourth Wing. That might just be unpopular with my group of readers, but for me ACOTAR wins. Go Rhysand, always. And I also loved Crescent City which was another one that didn’t hit as big with my group of readers.

Kate and I met when she won a free Mary Kay skincare session with me about 8 years ago! (Fun fact: I have a Mary Kay business!💄) We’ve been cultivating a friendship since then that consists of bonding over our mutual love of White Christmas, commiserating over the ups and downs of having a 3 year old daughter, and the fact that we love giving books 5 stars. (We just love reading, okay? LOL! Every book is great!)
What is your favorite genre?
According to my StoryGraph, it’s ‘contemporary’ which is just like realistic fiction. I like books that could be in today’s world; I could see myself in the story or I could meet the characters on the street. I’m also trying to read more non-fiction, but ultimately I love romance and fiction.
What is your favorite book you’ve read in the past year?
That’s really hard to decide so I’m going to split it into 2 favorites. My absolute favorite is ‘Thank You For Listening’ by Julia Whelan. I listened to it which was so fun because it was narrated by her. She is the narrator for all of Emily Henry books and a lot of Kristin Hannah books so most people know her voice. Her book is about audiobook narrators so it’s very meta and so so good! My other favorite book that I really loved was ‘Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books’ by Kirsten Miller. They both have a thread of books running thru them, but I really liked ‘Lula Dean’s’ because it shows the impact that books can have on people.
Why did you come to book·cation?
I saw your post about this idea when you first had it and were asking people if they’d be interested and I definitely was. Then you asked me to come and of course I said, yes please! I was excited about a weekend away without any responsibilities whatsoever. I’m a mom, I work full time, I work part time at the yarn shop so there’s so much going on all the time! To cuddle up with my book uninterrupted, not having to worry about anything, wake up when I want, read when I want… I’m in!
Also, since I’m a mom, I’m often times cuddled up with my daughter reading a book together or next to each other. Obviously, I love that and love being cuddled up with her and her books, but book·cation is a time for me to be cuddled up with books that I want to read! I don’t have to read a book my daughter has demanded me to read a million times. I think it’s great, and important, to show prioritizing reading and hobbies to our kids!
What’s your favorite book·cation memory?
That’s hard to choose, but I think it goes along the lines of being cuddled up with a book in different settings throughout the day. On Saturday morning, Sara and I perched ourselves in the sun room so it was like we were outside, but not really. We got the feeling of it. We had our coffee and books and looked out at the lake and it was beautiful and so relaxing! Just cuddled up with our blankets and books- nothing better. Fast forward to a few hours after book club in the afternoon, we were cuddled up in a different spot in different cozy chairs and everything was still so beautiful. Everyone was just chilling in their own cozy spots… I don’t think we do that enough. Maybe other people do, but I don’t! I totally got what I was craving from this trip.
Also, I brought a stack of books because I’m such a mood reader and I choose a book based on my feeling, but I was also so close to finishing an audiobook. So on Friday night I listened to my book (‘The Heiress‘ by Rachel Hawkins) as I sat there knitting. I love that it was judgement free- whatever you’re reading, great! However you’re reading, great!
Describe book·cation in 5 words:
Cuddled up with a book.
What is your unpopular book opinion?
I referenced this in my first answer; I’m not a fantasy person and I never have been. My uncle gifted me Harry Potter back in 4th grade and I read it and I’ve read most of them (as a family), but didn’t particularly enjoy them. I tried to pick them up again a few years ago and it wasn’t for me. I have read a few books with little hints of fantasy, but it’s not overpowering, in your face kind of fantasy. It’s just sprinkled in. (EX: ‘A Wizards Guide to Defensive Baking‘ and ‘The Spellshop‘). I’ll take the ‘real life’ books!
No matter if you’re a mom or not, every woman deserves time away for themselves! Book·cation could be the perfect place for you to fill your cup with relaxation and connection with other readers. If you’d like to join one of our retreats, let’s go! I’d love to read with you and talk about what we’re reading 😘
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