Welcome to Litsy!

A “Pick” only for the ending. I kind of saw it all coming and this time, I felt none of the usual disappointment.
In the middle of the book there were ~100 pages that felt lengthy. Additionally, I for the first time felt that all the violence served no purpose. Until the end I had problems keeping some of the minor characters apart.

But still … I am fascinated by the topic, even though it‘s exaggerated. And I loved the “guilt angels”.

?? “You call people like me candidates? Like in a game show?”

“Would you prefer the term victim?”

No, Milan thought, wondering when it had come to the point where »victim« became a curse word and perpetrators got a Netflix series. (p. 329)

?? „Ihr nennt Menschen wie mich Kandidaten? Wie in einer Gameshow?“

„Wäre dir der Begriff Opfer lieber?“

Nein, dachte Milan und fragte sich, wann es soweit gekommen war, dass »Opfer« zum Schimpfwort wurde und Täter eine Netflix-Serie bekamen. (Seite 329)

I wasn‘t too successful reading yesterday. In fact, I didn‘t read in any book at all. 😂 You know that, when life comes in your way❓
Instead, I had two nice conversations during “distance meetings” (phone, chat) with friends. I might, or might not, have had more vodka lemon 🍸 than actually planned.

Oh, it was entertaining. 😃 I now have new daytrip-, wine- and vacation-recommendations. 🧡

But now let #slumpathon and #JoyousJanuary begin‼️🥁

Finding goals for #JoyousJanuary was a bit harder than I thought.

1️⃣ Finish 🇩🇪 „Das Geschenk“; tagged

2️⃣ Start 🇬🇧 “Tender is the Night”
3️⃣ Start 🇬🇧 “Olive Kitteridge” / 🇩🇪„Mit Blick aufs Meer“

4️⃣ Finish my current audiobook 🇩🇪 „Unter Haien“

5️⃣ Have a nice Sunday breakfast with a thick weekend edition news 📰

6️⃣ Read 7 hrs in total on weekends (Sat, 16; Sun, 17; Sat, 23; Sun 24)
7️⃣ Read 30 minutes in total each working day

I actually really like my current book, but nevertheless I don‘t seem to be able to really progress in there since three days. So it seems the #slumpathon hosted by @Hestapleton which I first saw it in @RamsFan1963 ‘s post comes in handy for me. 😃

*️⃣ [continued in comments]

My tiny goals:

1️⃣ Finish the tagged book 🇩🇪 „Das Geschenk“

2️⃣ Start “Tender is the Night”

3️⃣ Put all my unread but still meant-to-be-read books on one stack

🤩 As @JacqMac said: I really need this #JoyousJanuary. 😁 Can‘t put my finger on why. So far, this week was really good. Really good. Better than anything related with work slavery since November. But maybe I need it because of the that: To not break the lucky streak.
So, @Andrew65 definitely count me in.

I need one or two days to ponder over my goals. 🤔 Would “Have a nice Sunday breakfast with a thick weekend edition” also be valid, Andrew❓

Littens,

who knows that❓ You‘re unexpectedly meeting an acquaintance (?) – someone you do know, but not good enough to be your “friend” – and suddenly you‘re having a lovely chitchat and everything is nice. Time flies by.

Then you return home, see your book and repent: “I would have preferred reading” because it‘s already kind of late and you know there‘s hardly time left to read.

And you haven‘t read a single page since 2 days.

One of my personal rules for Fitzek‘s books is: One book has me hooked, the next is okay but with some issues, the next then will be thrilling again, and so on …

His last book was only mediocre to me, which means: This one has me all immersed.
Yepp, it‘s good. Interesting personnel. An illiterate. And, of course, the usual net/set of entanglement. So far, they‘re nicely intransparent.

Can hardly wait to continue tomorrow. 🤩

This is a psychological thriller, I know this very well, but this quote is really worth printing it out and hanging it where ever it catches your Rhine. At least doing so would be true – and hopefully helpful – for me.

?? „Welchen Sinn hatte es überhaupt, durch das Leben zu hetzen, wenn am Ende niemand auf einen wartete?“ (Seite 76)

?? “At all, what was the point of rushing through life, when at the end nobody was waiting for you?” (p. 76)

No, let‘s go back to continuing this one. Meaning really reading it not only posting under its database entry. I read 3 tiny chapters last night and then forced myself to bed. So far is really promising. On the cover are some notes written down:

🇩🇪 „wichtig
Donnerstag 08.02.1983
06221/676738”

(🇬🇧 important, Thu, Feb, 8th 1983, 06221/676738)

Before I made out what is standing there I wasn‘t sure if it‘s important. Now I am sure that it is.

Those who read my #10ThingsAboutMe yesterday might remember how crazy I am about lists. That‘s why I thought I post a quick “status” on this week‘s #MotivationalMonday by @Cupcake12 …

Get rid of annoying paperwork ✅
Come up with a nice meal plan for next week ✅
Finish the 📖 “Kakerlaken” (non-official to-do) ✅
Get up early to make the most out of this week‘s time ➕/➖
Stroll around in “Subnautica” to find some spots I earlier missed somehow ✅

#AnywayYouReadathon

Goals: ? Finish “Cryptos” ✅ – ? Finish “Viva la Vagina” ✅ – ? Finish „Eine vorläufige Theorie der Liebe“ ✅

I‘m so surprised that I reached all my goals 7 hours before midnight. Didn‘t expect that. But, who knows, maybe I start learning again how to just do things without constantly feeling pressure to “reach” or to “succeed”.

Thanks to our hosts for the opportunity to learn my lesson.

Happy reading to all participants.

Sunday mornin‘ comin‘ down …

That‘s a Sunday to my taste. A nice late breakfast, with an egg and coffee plus the weekend newspaper. 🥰

Why didn‘t I include that as goal into my #AnyWayYouReadathon❓😂

Okay.
If a book written by Fitzek begins with a quote by Astrid Lindgren, then I know what kind of wild ride this supposedly will turn out to be. ?

?? „Wie die Welt von morgen aussehen wird, hängt in großem Maß von der Einbildungskraft jener ab, die jetzt lesen lernen.“

?? “What the world of tomorrow will look like largely depends on the imagination of those who are now learning to read.”

Now that I unwrapped it (yes, it was still shrink-wrapped), I must admit, that it‘s a shame that it had to wait more than one year on my shelf, unread. You know, the edition my friend gifted to me is a limited edition, so the book itself was “wrapped” in a cardboard-box so that in the end it did look like a present – which is exactly what the book title says: “The Present” 🎁.

5. I‘d love to have a cat 🐈 but that‘s impossible at the moment

6. I‘m a great backseat gamer 🎮

7. I prefer libraries over book buying

8. I love being on my own during the week

9. I span ceak litching swirst fetters

10. I am a night owl 🦉 that‘s forced to be an early bird ☀️

Wanna disclose #10ThingsAboutMe @RamsFan1963 @AmyG @Erofan ❓ Thanks for the tag, @Arvena and the idea, @laurenashley ‼️

Eine spannende Geschichte
Meine Rezension gibt es hier: https://readbooksandfallinlove.com/2019/12/02/das-geschenk-von-sebastian-fitzek-...

A dear friend of mine sent me a package ? some weeks ago, so I stored it on my shelf to keep it for Christmas ? but yesterday she insisted that I open it because it‘s not intended to be seasonal. Above you see what it contained. I love everything ? and was a bit teary ? because of so much love in times that are so straining for me.

#TIL that vanilla crescents in French ?? are “croissants de lune à la vanille”. “Vanilla moon croissants”. ❤️

Good morning Littens!
I'm planning on finishing this book today or maybe tomorrow. Then there is time for one more audiobook and if I can get myself to go to bed with the ducklings one more russian author as well... We will see...

#readingmom #breakfast #morningvibes #wownocow

Did I show you my wonderful calender from @Jari-chan ?
When I put it up last week hubbie went full grinch ? "It's two weeks til 1st of december!" Yeah, he doesn't understand ?

Es wurde wieder mal höchste Zeit für einen #Fitzek! Ich bin sehr auf #DasGeschenk gespannt - hast du es schon gelesen? 🤓📖

Good morning! Getting on track with healthy food again...

#readingmom #favouriteauthor #healthy

Ohhhh yaaaaaasssss!!!!
I had to buy it in the limited edition! It's sooo beautiful! And I can't wait to dive in. But first some pages in Shadowblack ^^

#readingmom #favouriteauthor #covercrush