A year of dirt, dreams, and 111+ books.

It’s been about a year since I last posted here, and life looks… completely different.

​I spent 10 years in the marketing world, but the 27 acres at Modern Hippie Life Farm called me home. Since I’ve been gone:

🧺 We scaled to 200+ chickens.

🍉 I became a first-gen farmer managing 5 acres of heirloom melons.

🍯 We started harvesting our own raw honey.

📚 I read roughly 150 books (mostly Romantasy & Dark Romance—oops).

​I’m relaunching this page as a space for the Modern Hippie. Expect a mix of muddy farm boots and aesthetic bookshelves, scratch-made tortillas and spicy book reviews.

​If you’ve been here since the beginning, thank you for staying. If you’re new here, I’m Anna Michelle—your favorite farm-managing book influencer. 🌿✨

#embracevulnerability #books #unfiltered #fyp #womenempowerment /Waco

4/27 Edited to

... Read moreTransitioning from a corporate marketing career to managing a 27-acre farm is undoubtedly a significant change, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. One of the most fascinating aspects of this journey is how the lifestyle brings together hands-on farming with personal passions like reading and reviewing books, creating a rich and balanced life. Starting with organic practices and managing over 200 chickens demands daily dedication and learning. For example, raising heirloom melons on 5 acres requires an understanding of soil health, pest management, and sustainable cultivation techniques. It's a learning curve that combines scientific knowledge with intuition gained from spending time outdoors and observing the land’s rhythms. Harvesting raw honey adds another layer of complexity and satisfaction. It involves not only caring for the bees but also mastering the delicate process of extraction and storage to maintain quality and freshness, as highlighted by the farm’s focus on hand gathering and organic methods. Reading roughly 150 books, mostly Romantasy and Dark Romance, might seem unrelated to farming, but it offers a mental escape and creative stimulation. Sharing book reviews alongside farm updates invites a diverse audience, blending literary culture with farm aesthetics. This mix resonates particularly well with modern hippies who appreciate authenticity, vulnerability, and a connection to both nature and art. Maintaining such a lifestyle also brings a strong message of women empowerment and embracing vulnerability, which are important themes in Anna’s community. It’s about celebrating the ruggedness of farm life while also appreciating moments of quiet reflection with a good book. Overall, this blend of farming life, sustainability, personal growth, and literary passion creates a multidimensional space that invites others to explore and embrace their own paths more openly and creatively. Whether you're a fellow farmer, reader, or someone longing for a fresh start, the journey exemplifies how following your true calling can lead to unexpected and fulfilling discoveries.

2 comments

Grow And Glow's images
Grow And Glow

I love this! 💖 150 books on top of all that though? 😳 phew!

See more(1)

Related posts

Horror Books Out This Year 🧛🏻‍♀️
I am looking forward to every single one of these 🙂‍↕️ I’m so excited they all look so good 🤭 #horrorbookrecommendations #bookwormsoflemon8 #lemon8bookclub #scarybooks #horrorbooks
Bekah ☆

Bekah ☆

2308 likes

Stand Alone Fantasy Books That Are Worth Reading
I love a solid stand-alone and these are some of my favorite atmospheric fantasy reads. #fantasybookshelf #fantasybooks #fantasybookrecommendation #standalonebooks #booksoflemon8
Allie 📚💙

Allie 📚💙

2493 likes

A book titled 'A Court of Wings' is open, displaying colorful annotation tabs with categories like 'Quotes/Romance' and 'Foreshadowing'. A pen and highlighter are beside it, illustrating how to annotate books.
An open book is surrounded by various pastel highlighters, pens, and sticky tabs. The image emphasizes choosing annotation supplies that complement the book's aesthetic or cover.
An open book titled 'A Court of Mist' shows colorful annotation tabs, each labeled with a specific theme such as 'favorite moments', 'feyre/quotes', and 'romance/hot', guiding theme selection for tabs.
how I annotate my books
Here are some places you can get your annotate supplies: -amazon -michaels -hobby lobby #lemon8bookchallenge #lemon8bookclub #lemon8bookworm #book #booktok #bookaesthetic #booksoflemon8 #bookrecommendations #bookrecs
Readers.archive

Readers.archive

10.6K likes

buying any books today?
put some of these on your shopping list ✨ Books mentioned: YA FICTION: Honeysuckle & Bone by Trisha Tobias ADULT FICTION: On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah Yah Scholfield Just a Little Snack by Yah Yah Scholfield Devils Kill Devils by Johnny Compton House of Hunger by Alexis Hende
ireadblackbooks

ireadblackbooks

3247 likes

A red race car with text overlaying it that reads 'HOW TO READ BOOKS FOR FREE: (E-BOOKS)', indicating the topic of the post.
A screenshot of the Anna's Archive website homepage, showing the search bar and a section for SciDB, with an overlay instructing to 'First! Go to Annas Archive!'.
A screenshot of Anna's Archive search results for 'Promises and pomegranates', displaying multiple book entries, with an overlay instructing to 'Second! Type in the book you want'.
Books For Free!
How to read books for free! I’ve downloaded almost 20 books already and it’s the whole book not just a preview! #books #free #reading
dawns101

dawns101

2962 likes

Books I ignored in college & regret now
Remember those dusty books on my college bookshelf? The ones I swore I'd read “someday”? Yeah, well, “someday” is here, and I'm kicking myself for not cracking them open sooner. Turns out, those pages held insights I desperately needed back then - about history, the human spirit, dreams,
Meredith Jao

Meredith Jao

11.4K likes

Do not read these books!! 🚫
You should definitely listen to them instead!! Or while you read because the narrators for each one of these were top tier!! Highly recommend listening to them if you love a good audiobook! #audiobookrecommendations #audiobooks #audible #spotifyaudiobooks
Lucy | Books & Beauty

Lucy | Books & Beauty

75 likes

A stack of spiritual books on a wooden surface, with text overlay 'Books that helped me during my Spiritual Awakening'. Titles include 'Soul Guide on Planet Earth', 'You Are More Than You Think You Are', 'How to Love Yourself', 'Astral Projection and Lucid Dreaming', '10 Secrets of Awakening', and 'Crystals for Healing'.
A hand with red nail polish holds the book 'Soul Guide on Planet Earth' by Ivan Antic, featuring a cosmic design with a glowing Earth symbol.
A hand with red nail polish holds the book 'You Are More Than You Think You Are' by Kimberly Snyder, with a light pink cover featuring a butterfly design.
Spiritual awakening books! 📚💡💫👁️
#spiritualbooks #spiritualgrowthjourney✨ #spiritualawakening #starseeds #LoveYourself
CrystalWoman111

CrystalWoman111

201 likes

A person in a fur coat and sunglasses sits between two tall stacks of books, holding a drink. The image has a text overlay 'Romance Books by Nigerian Authors' with a Nigerian flag and book icons.
A hand holds the book 'Broken: Not a Halal Love Story' by Fatima Bala, featuring an illustrated couple in a city skyline with the CN Tower. Quotes from London Post and New York Weekly are visible.
A hand holds the book 'Where We End & Begin' by Jane Igharo, showing an illustrated couple with a bridge and sunset background. A quote from Farrah Rochon is also visible on the cover.
Romance Books by Nigerian 🇳🇬 Authors that I highly recommend
Here are my favorite romance books by Nigerian authors #nemereads #romancebooks #nigerianauthors #nigerianromancebooks #janeigharo @Chineme
Certifiedchi

Certifiedchi

98 likes

An overhead view of a multi-level bookstore with numerous bookshelves and people browsing, featuring the text "Books I'm scared To buy and read" overlaid.
A hand holds "The Never King" by Nikki St. Crowe, featuring a skull with red eyes on the cover and the text "NEVER, NEVER LET HIM TAKE YOU".
A hand holds "How To Survive Your Murder" by Danielle Valentine, with a cover showing a knife, box cutter, blood splatters, and cat ears.
Books I’m scared To buy and read
#books 🫶🏼 #reading 📖 #readreadread #booktoker #booktok #booksimscaredtobuy
Marylyn✨🤍

Marylyn✨🤍

1039 likes

Three dark romance books titled "Dark Enemies" and "Dark Sessions" by Effie Campbell, featuring skull and rose designs on their covers in blue, pink, and brown color schemes.
An open book displaying text from a dark romance novel, detailing a complex relationship with "Cameron" and a plan to "destroy his father," alongside themes of avoidance and growing tension.
An open book showing text from a dark romance novel, depicting an intense and explicit scene with suggestive dialogue and actions between characters.
Dark romance books📚
Books with pretty pages is an automatic buy! #sprayededges #darkromancebooks #booklover #darkromancebookscenes #lemon8bookclub
Destiny|Books📚

Destiny|Books📚

200 likes

An image titled 'HOW TO DOWNLOAD ANY BOOK FOR FREE (INCLUDING TEXTBOOKS)' shows three books by Tracy Wolff, 'Crave,' 'Crush,' and 'Covet,' arranged on a bed with knitted blankets and decorative items. It also notes that part 2 includes audiobooks.
A screenshot of annas-archive.org shows a search bar with 'a court of mist and fury' entered. Instructions indicate to 'go to this website' and 'search the book you're looking for,' highlighting the site's extensive database.
A screenshot of annas-archive.org displays search results for 'a court of mist and fury.' The image instructs users to 'then choose your filters' from options like 'Download,' 'Journal articles,' 'Digital Lending,' and 'Metadata.'
how to download free books pt1
u can find pretty much every book on here and textbooks! #freebooks #booktok #reading #readers #acotar
ickyyvicky1

ickyyvicky1

1432 likes

Fiction Books by Black Authors You Should Read
If you’re looking to add more powerful and beautifully written stories to your shelf, these books by Black authors are a must-read. From emotional dramas to unputdownable contemporary fiction, each one offers something special. 🌿 #bookrecommendations #blackauthor #fictionbooks #booktok #
Rose_blossom88

Rose_blossom88

386 likes

Spooky Books ✨
Here’s a list of some of my favorite thriller/horror books I’ve read this year! #horrorbookrecommendations #spookybookreview #spookybooks #spookybooksforfall #horrorbookcommunity #scarybooks
CrystalWoman111

CrystalWoman111

91 likes

Books I 1000% recommend reading 😌
#📚books #darkromance #fantasybooks
HomeGirlAlicia🫡🫶🏻

HomeGirlAlicia🫡🫶🏻

763 likes

Favorite books???
Which books are your favorite??? #lemon8challenge #lemon8badgehunt #booksforlife📖 #reading #physicalmedia
queenofthedead111

queenofthedead111

3 likes

Books I Want to Read This Summer ❤️☀️⛱️🌊🌺
I’m such a slow reader so it’s delusional of me to think I’ll be able to read all of these this summer but a girl can only dream 🫠 Have you read any of these books, if you did then what’d you think of them? #booktbr #summerbooks #bookishgirlie #summertbr #booksoflemon8
Diana

Diana

7 likes

Black Romance Books On My TBR 🫶🏾
Serving all the Black love vibes! 🖤✨ Here are the Black romance books on my TBR because we deserve love stories that feel like home. 📚💕 #RomanceReads #blackromancebooks #booktok #bookrecs #lemon8bookclubchallenege
Book Bestie ✨📚

Book Bestie ✨📚

897 likes

A stack of books with a gold chain draped over them, featuring the title 'how I annotate my books' in white text with a black outline. The books have various colored page edges, suggesting previous annotations.
An open book is surrounded by pastel highlighters, pens, sticky notes, and page tabs. The text advises to 'make sure to grab markers/tabs that match the cover of your book' for annotation.
An open book displays a color-coded system for annotating, with different colored tabs assigned to themes like 'favorite quotes,' 'happy,' 'relatable,' and 'emotional moments.' The text says 'correlate the tabs with themes'.
how I annotate my books
here are some simple ways i annotate my books #lemon8bookchallenge #lemon8bookclub #lemon8bookworm #book #booktok #bookaesthetic #booksoflemon8 #bookrecommendations #bookrecs
Readers.archive

Readers.archive

5920 likes

A dark, atmospheric image featuring old books, a plant, and a skull, with mist, overlaid with the title "MY FAVORITE WITCHY BOOKS" in white text.
The cover of "Weyward" by Emilia Hart, featuring a black bird on a branch, held by stylized hands. Tags highlight it as a "NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER" with "multiple POV," "magical realism," and "strong fmc's."
The cover of "Practical Magic" by Alice Hoffman, showing a black boot with a crescent moon on a golden background, held by stylized hands. Tags describe it as a "25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION" with "cozy vibes," "power of sisterhood," and "magical realism."
Books with Witchy Vibes!
My sister in law asked me for some witchy books in anticipation of spooky season and I made this list and figured I should share it here! Weyward: read this recently and it immediately spoiled the book I read after it because it was so good! An engaging tale of strong women told through 3 POV&#
Raquel N

Raquel N

4595 likes

A person walks through a narrow aisle of a bookstore, surrounded by tall wooden bookshelves filled with books. The image has a text overlay "Books with the best opening lines".
The book "Shatter Me" by Tahereh Mafi is displayed open, with its cover showing a dark eye and branches. An overlay quotes, "I have been locked up for 264 days."
The book "Kiss of the Selkie" by Tessoja Odette features a dark cover with a selkie, waves, and coral. An overlay quotes, "I killed the first boy I kissed, and if I ever press my lips to another's, he won't be the last."
Books with the best opening lines
This opening lines are exactly what you want when you want to suck in a reader #bookish #booktok #books #bookwormoflemon8 #bookreccomendation
Fatuma’s 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕜

Fatuma’s 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕜

263 likes

A collection of popular BookTok books, including 'Beach Read', 'Bad Girl Reputation', 'King of Pride', 'The Final Gambit', 'The Darkest Forest', and 'The Song of Achilles', are stacked on a bed, accompanied by heart emojis.
The book 'Six of Crows' by Leigh Bardugo is rated 5/5, with reactions describing confusion, appreciation for characters like Nina, and intense plot developments, including a Netflix adaptation mention.
The book 'Icebreaker' by Hannah Grace is rated 5/5, featuring reactions praising the chemistry, banter, and romance, with comments like 'I WANT WHAT THEY HAVE PLEASE' and 'Oh we love therapy'.
How I felt while reading popular Booktok books
#boktok #books🫶🏼 #review #lemon8bookclub #myopps
Torre

Torre

900 likes

A Dollar Tree store aisle filled with various books, with text overlays promoting 'Dollar Tree Books' and 'New Items Weekly!'. The shelves are stocked with diverse titles, encouraging shoppers to grab them before they're gone.
A hand holds 'The Wedding Ringer' by Kerry Rea, featuring a purple cover with silhouettes of people and a woman's face adorned with flowers, displayed in a store aisle.
The back cover of 'The Wedding Ringer' by Kerry Rea, showing a synopsis about a woman finding love and friendship, along with author details and a barcode.
Dollar Tree Books
i couldn’t believe i found the second one!! #dollartreebooks #book haul 📚 #dollartreebookhaul #lemon8challenge #shopwithme
isabellepw

isabellepw

759 likes

A vision board titled 'VISION BOARD MAKE IT HAPPEN' displays book recommendations across nine life categories: Health, Career, Wealth, Travel, Family, Lifestyle, Hobbies, Knowledge, and Love. Each section lists several book titles to guide personal development and goal achievement.
Transform Your Life:Must-Read Books for Success🔑ℹ️⬇️
Vision boards are more than just a collage of dreams—they’re actionable roadmaps to achieving your goals. Each section of your vision board should represent different areas of your life you want to improve. From health to career, wealth to travel, family to lifestyle, hobbies, and knowledge, each b
RoadToRiches

RoadToRiches

23 likes

A reading journal spread for 'A Good Girl's Guide to Murder,' featuring a corkboard background with a missing person poster, a map, police car image, magnifying glass, and a handwritten review with a star rating.
A bullet journal spread recapping a trip to Canada, specifically Moncton, from August 6-11, 2024. It includes receipts from Tim Hortons and Sobeys, a lemon illustration, and a strip of four photos of a couple.
A bullet journal spread titled 'My Tortured Poets Department Top Ten,' listing song titles like 'THE BOLTER,' 'THE BLACK DOG,' 'THE SMALLEST MAN WHO EVER LIVED,' and 'I HATE IT HERE' on gray, irregular shapes.
JOURNALING - BULLET AND BOOKS
I’ve been loving journaling of all kinds recently and wanted to share some recent spreads! ⭐️ A Good Girls Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson - Reading Journal Spread ⭐️ Trip to Canada Recap - Bullet Journal Spread ⭐️ My TTPD Top 10 - Bullet Journal Spread #journal #readingjournal #b
Meredith

Meredith

8 likes

A full view of white bookshelves filled with colorful books and decorative items, featuring a bright pink rolling ladder. The room has pink walls and a ceiling fan. Text overlays indicate a 'new bookshelf tour'.
A wide shot of white bookshelves displaying books organized by color, along with various decorative items and Lego builds. A pink rolling ladder is positioned on the right, and sunlight casts striped shadows.
A close-up of a white bookshelf section, showcasing books, a retro gaming console, a Piranha Plant Lego, and other small decorative objects. Books are arranged neatly on the shelves.
books & legos & pink ladders 🎀💖🪜✨
told my sweet husband one month ago that i really wanted my own little library with a pink rolling ladder.. & he delivered ✨ he built this out of billy bookcases from ikea, & built the ladder himself. i’m so obsessed & love being able to display my books & some of my favorite le
jess 🎀

jess 🎀

4095 likes

Browsing Books
I love to read!? You all have any recommendations? #books #reading #readingrecommendations #love #fyp
Jasmine Reed

Jasmine Reed

27 likes

used books & thrifting
books for $16…do NOT sleep on your local used book stores! they need your support 🤍 do you have a favorite secondhand find that felt like fate? i once found the seven and a half deaths of evelyn hardcastle at the afterschool america shop the same year it came out! i got it for a dollar i stead
deadpoetspages🌙

deadpoetspages🌙

7 likes

A wide shot of several wooden bookshelves filled with numerous manga volumes, organized by title. A text overlay reads 'half price books manga finds !!' in the center of the image.
A close-up of a bookshelf displaying multiple volumes of the 'Dr. Stone' manga series, with some volumes titled 'EAT' and 'Don't Meddle With My Heroes' also visible. The caption reads 'a TON of dr stone'.
A section of a bookshelf featuring volumes of 'Death Note', 'Demon Slayer', and 'Naruto' manga. A sign above reads 'We Buy Unopened Action Figures'.
half price books manga finds !!
📍 half price books WOW !! this is the first time in EONS i have see. half price books LOADED with manga !! they’re usually bare bones, sad & decrepit, but today i was struggling to put a lot of gold back !! & i haven’t even finished sharing the beautiful finds ! 🥲❤️ hope you all find
astrid 🧸

astrid 🧸

44 likes

What books are you reading??
I strongly recommend feeling great!! #lovestoread📚 #booksforlife📖 #loves to read 📚 #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters
queenofthedead111

queenofthedead111

4 likes

A dark, rainy street scene with a traffic light and pedestrian crossing sign, overlaid with the title "5 Popular Thriller Books on My TBR ✨ Part 2 ✨" and the Lemon8 username.
The book cover for "That's Not My Name" by Megan Lally, showing a house in a dark forest, with text describing a teen waking up with amnesia.
The book cover for "Sometimes I Lie" by Alice Feeney, depicting a person falling, accompanied by text about a paralyzed woman suspecting her husband.
📚 5 Popular Thriller Books on My TBR ✨ Part 2 ✨
Tbh guys I have sooo many books on my home book shelf that I have yet to read 😭 but follow for more thriller book content 📖 Part 3 coming soon ❤️‍🔥 #thrillerbooks #reading #fyp #psychologicalthriller #thrillerbookrecommendations
sweetpea ❤️‍🔥

sweetpea ❤️‍🔥

462 likes

Books that are on repeat in our home📚
#toddlerbookshelf #childrenbookhauls #book #Lemon8Diary #toddlerdevelopment
madi 🤎

madi 🤎

16 likes

Books I Loved Enough to Reread
Every so often, I stumble into a story that sticks with me—characters that won’t leave my head, worlds that feel more like memory than fiction. And when that happens, I find myself going back, chasing the same feeling all over again. For me, those series are: ✨ *The Shepherd King* ✨ *The C
Dani

Dani

206 likes

Reading My TBR [Book 111 of 285]
#bookrecommendations #BookReview #bookish #fantasybooks #acotar
Nicole🌻Eilene

Nicole🌻Eilene

2 likes

🫶Taylor Swift Inspired Books🫶
Calling all Swifties! Here are some books inspired by Taylor. And why you should read them. 🎶🎶🎶 🎤 The Break Up Tour by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka where a singer-songwriter has to bring her college ex boyfriend on tour to prove that her latest hit is not based on her ex-husban
Clara

Clara

276 likes

The cover of 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho, a 25th Anniversary Edition, featuring a red design with a central circular motif of mountains and a sun, symbolizing a journey of self-discovery.
The cover of 'The Magic of Believing' by Claude M. Bristol, a self-help classic, featuring a light background with a star and swirling dots, representing the power of positive thinking.
The cover of 'Feeling is the Secret' by Neville Goddard, an orange-brown book with metallic-looking text, emphasizing the role of emotions in manifesting desires and creating reality.
9 Must-Read Books for Success Brief Bio’s Below🔑ℹ️⬇️
Dive into these powerful books that collectively offer a roadmap to self-improvement and success. From mastering emotions and harnessing the power of belief to understanding money psychology and developing effective habits, each book provides valuable lessons for personal growth. Together, they emp
RoadToRiches

RoadToRiches

4 likes

A stack of Ana Huang's books, including the 'Kings of Sin' series (King of Sloth, Greed, Pride, Wrath) and the 'Twisted' series (Twisted Lies, Hate, Games, Love), arranged on a floor next to a white door.
The cover of Ana Huang's 'Twisted Love' (Twisted Book One), featuring a light blue design with glitter and the quote 'HE HAS A HEART OF ICE...BUT FOR HER, HE'D BURN THE WORLD'.
The cover of Ana Huang's 'Twisted Games' (Twisted Book Two), featuring a gold and white design with a crown and the quote 'HE CAN'T HAVE HER...BUT HE'S TAKING HER ANYWAY'.
All the Ana Huang books in order!💜
Hopefully this helps some people, i remember being so confused when I first started reading! (This doesn’t include Ana Huangs first book series’s) #books #booktok #anahuang #anahuangbooks #spice #bookgirls #girly
Lilly

Lilly

253 likes

See more