Gina Rae Mitchell

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❄️ Friday Finds | Winter Adventures – January 2, 2026

Welcome back, friends! This week has been a battle of ups and downs in my personal life, and today's Friday Finds feels like the perfect pause for me to regroup before the weekend officially begins.

If you're new here, Friday Finds is where I share books I love, cozy recipes worth bookmarking, simple crafts, and a fun giveaway question to spark conversation.

Grab a drink, get comfortable, and let's jump into this week's finds.

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📚 Featured This Week on the Blog

Since I took a bit of a vacation from writing Friday Finds over the holidays, there are a lot of posts to catch up on. I'm highlighting some of the most popular from the last couple of weeks. Click any image or title to read more. This link will also take you to the post list on the blog to help you navigate.

>Zoom Loom Weaving Tutorial – Beginner Level Pin-loom weaving is soothing, great for a quick gratification project, extremely portable, and endlessly useful.	Denied Crimes by Daniela Alibrandi  If you enjoy dark emotional undertones wrapped in a steadily unraveling mystery, this one will absolutely keep you turning pages.
The Olympus Trinity by Brian Coggins, Jr An epic retelling where Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon confront destiny, betrayal, and the one thing even gods cannot control: family.	1833 Brothers and Sisters by J.A. Boulet (The Eastman Saga) Blood binds them—but greed may tear them apart.

Click here to go to the complete list of recent reviews, spotlights, and giveaways!

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🌟 Indie Author of the Week

David Cylex David Cylex writes fierce, fast-paced fantasy where misfits bond with monsters and become something more. His books are known for cinematic action, emotionally driven heroes and world-shattering stakes wrapped in vivid, lyrical prose. 📚 Featured Book: Arcbeasts: The Arcane Bond This epic fantasy is a strong series opener with rich world-building, a forbidden bond, and rebellion simmering beneath the surface. 🔗 Website | Amazon | Goodreads

✨ Indie Author of the Week is a recurring Friday Finds feature highlighting independent authors I think deserve a little extra spotlight.

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⭐ Gina's Friday Finds Recommends

Some of these links are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!

📖 Bookish Finds Personalized Book Tracker Sign Track Your Reading: Upgrade your reading corner with this “Books Read This Year” bookshelf counter, beautifully designed with a lantern symbolizing the light of knowledge. 🍽️ Foodie Finds Stoneware Soup Bowls with Large Handles and Lids, Set of 4 Winter is the perfect time for soups and a beautiful set of stoneware bowls make a wonderful gift for a friend or yourself. Don't miss the soup recipe below.

🏡 Cozy & Home Finds Essential Oil Diffuser with multi-color LED lights The aroma diffuser is using upgraded quiet fan with noise reduction technology. The noise level is lower than 25 dB. It creates a peaceful and soothing environment for learning, working, and sleeping. 🧶 Crafts & Creative Finds Schacht Zoom Loom - 4" x 4" Pin Loom Kit Small and compact at 4″ x 4″, the Zoom Loom is easy to take with you. Weave anywhere, any time. Check out this beautiful wall hanging. Pin looms are always popular!

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🎉 Friday Finds Giveaway Question

This week's question:
👉Do you eat soup year-round or just in the winter? What is your favorite soup?

💬 Reply in the comments to enter!
🗓️ Entries close February 1, 2026 at noon CST.

The December winner is Theresa N. The November winner, Gary K. chose to have me review his latest book as his prize. Keep an eye out for it!

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🍲 Your Friday Finds Recipe of the Week

Winter Dumpling Soup

On nights when you barely have time to chop an onion, this dumpling soup comes swooping in to save the day. Why? Because it's a filling, comforting, soul-enriching meal that is on the table in under 20 minutes!

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💙 Closing Notes

Thanks for spending part of your Friday with me. If you found something helpful today, sharing the post or clicking through truly supports the blog more than you know.

Have a cozy, creative weekend, and I'll see you back here next Friday!

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