Birthday Party

The birthday fairies are thrilled to be wishing @SconsinBookyBadger a very happy birthday today! We hope your day is extra special!

🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁📚📚📚📚📚📚

KarenUK, Crazeedi, CarolynM, julesG, robinb, squirrelbrain

CarolynM Happy birthday @SconsinBookyBadger 🎂🎈🥳 5d

Librarybelle Happy Birthday @SconsinBookyBadger ! 5d

squirrelbrain Happy Birthday @SconsinBookyBadger -have a lovely day! 🍰📚🎉🍰📚🎉 5d

See All 14 Comments

julesG Happy Birthday @SconsinBookyBadger 🎉🎂📚🎈 5d

SconsinBookyBadger Thank you! @CarolynM @Librarybelle @squirrelbrain @julesG @LitsyBirthdays (edited) 5d

robinb Happy Birthday @SconsinBookyBadger !! 🥳🥳🥳 Wishing you a wonderful day! 5d

Yuki_Onna Happy Birthday, dear @SconsinBookyBadger 🥳👏🥂🎂 5d

JessClark78 Happy Birthday! @SconsinBookyBadger 🎊🎂🎉✨ 5d

dabbe HB! 🤩🤩🤩 5d

Ddzmini Happy birthday 🎊🎉🎈🎁🎂 🥳📚 5d

BookmarkTavern Happy birthday!🎈🎁🎉 5d

SconsinBookyBadger Thank you! @robinb @Yuki_Onna @JessClark78 @dabbe @Ddzmini @BookmarkTavern 5d

NatalieR Happy Birthday @SconsinBookyBadger 🎂🎉📚💐 5d

SconsinBookyBadger Thank you! @NatalieR 4d

28 likes14 comments

squirrelbrain

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

These were the two #litsyToB24 books that were left over when our matching fairy (aka Meg!) had finished her magic. Therefore we don‘t have a common theme for these two - unless anyone has any bright ideas?! 💡

Also, we had another draw today, with 7 votes each. (The lowest voter turnout of any bracket!)

This time, we chose The Birthday Party to continue on because it gained more Zombie votes than Julia. Do you agree with our decision?

Megabooks, BarbaraBB

squirrelbrain @Jas16 @Bookpearl @Bookwormjillk @AmyG @Deblovestoread @kwmg40 @Sarahbarnes @Hooked_on_Books @suet624 @BkClubCare @decalino @Ruthiella @Karisimo 12mo

squirrelbrain @Chelsea.Poole @Well-readNeck @cariashley @KarenUK @merelybookish @kitta @Kristy_K @MicheleinPhilly @leniverse @ReaderAnn @Catlass007 @fredthemoose @larkken 12mo

Bookwormjillk I bailed on Julia but never got to the other one. So I think I agree but will have to read it first 🤪 12mo

See All 23 Comments

Megabooks Julia was my favorite of the two. The birthday party was an incredibly frustrating read for me both because of the binding and how he structured the story. It was the only one I strongly considered bailing on. I liked Julia herself and the inner life Newman gave her. Plus the ending was good, too! 12mo

Chelsea.Poole The Birthday Party was such a singular reading experience for me! I can see how it would be frustrating for some but also, it is likely to stick with me…it‘s as if I lived those characters‘ experiences in the novel myself! Slow going thriller, I suppose? Anyway, Julia was a pleasant surprise for me as well. I‘m trying to think of a connection with these two. They‘re both “menacing”, full of dread…? 12mo

BkClubCare I support your decision! 🧟‍♀️ 🗳️ I did not get to either 😔 but was able to sample The Birthday Party and can‘t recall why exactly it didn‘t light a fire 🔥 before it went back to the library. I was looking forward to Julia but . . . 12mo

BkClubCare @Chelsea.Poole - Hmmm, “menacing and full-of-dread” might be THE genre I am glad not to read. (American politics gives me enough of that.) 12mo

Chelsea.Poole @BkClubCare oh for sure. I can‘t believe we are back at the same place again 😩 12mo

BarbaraBB I am very happy with this outcome since I loved The Birthday Party (I know what you mean @Chelsea.Poole i feel like I lived on that farm!) and was annoyed and underwhelmed by Julia though I must admit I didn‘t reread

1984

12mo

Karisimo I didn‘t get around to reading to either of these 🙁 12mo

merelybookish I havent read Julia but absolutely loved The Birthday Party and so I wholeheartedly approve this decision. 🤓 12mo

Ruthiella I haven‘t read either. I DNFed The Birthday Party. I don‘t want to read 500 pages of a home invasion, regardless of the motives or beautiful writing. I skipped and skimmed, got the revelations and was glad to return it to the library. Funny since in some ways it is not too different from Ducks Newburyport, which I loved. I haven‘t got to Julia yet. I only just finished my reread of 1984. 12mo

AmyG Haven‘t read either book. 12mo

squirrelbrain @Chelsea.Poole - perhaps we could have matched them up as ‘people being held captive‘ - also not a genre I would rush to read @BkClubCare 😬 12mo

squirrelbrain @BkClubCare - I tried The Birthday Party in September last year and didn‘t get past the first few pages. Once I tried again and pushed through I was hooked. 12mo

Hooked_on_books I liked both of these books, but felt TBP was better, even though it‘s a more challenging book. Which for me ultimately made it more satisfying and impactful, so I‘m glad it won! And maybe “people in peril” for the theme? 12mo

sarahbarnes I‘ll admit I didn‘t read Julia, but I absolutely loved The Birthday Party and so like @BarbaraBB and @merelybookish I am very happy with this outcome! 😁 12mo

kwmg40 I've not read The Birthday Party and I stalled on Julia. Not sure I will continue with it, especially now that it's out of our tournament. 12mo

Tamra LOVED The Birthday Party, though it drove me nuts! 12mo

fredthemoose Late to the party. These were my 2 DNFs. I got halfway through Julia and felt it going in a direction I wasn‘t up for, I kept meaning to get back to it but haven‘t. I‘m an audiobook person and couldn‘t find The Birthday Party on audio. I just got a hard copy but haven‘t read it yet, but based on some of the comments here, I‘m more excited to get into it! 12mo

BarbaraBB @fredthemoose I hope you will. It‘s worth it! 12mo

squirrelbrain Good choice for the theme Holly! @Hooked_on_books 12mo

squirrelbrain Birthday Party was sooo good, although very stressful, wasn‘t it? @sarahbarnes @Tamra Definitely give it a go @fredthemoose 12mo

60 likes23 comments

TheKidUpstairs

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

🎵 Look what you just made me do, Look what you made me do 🎶

Total #BlameItOnLitsy stack from the bookstore today!

AmyG Oooooo North Woods! 🙌🏻 13mo

ChaoticMissAdventures I hope you enjoy Greta and Valdin! It has been my favorite read so far this year. 13mo

Liz_M I just bought The Birthday Party a few days ago. 13mo

See All 11 Comments

sarahbarnes That‘s a great haul! 😍 13mo

BarbaraBB Such a great haul! 13mo

Tamra I hope you love Birthday Party - it is agonizingly good! 13mo

Chelsea.Poole Oh wow! Great haul!! Currently reading Greta. So good so far! 13mo

TheKidUpstairs @AmyG Every review I've seen has been absolutely glowing, and my library doesn't have it! So I just had to get myself a copy :) 13mo

TheKidUpstairs @ChaoticMissAdventures @Chelsea.Poole Greta sounds sooo up my alley. I'm very excited for it. I think it's going to be my next read! 13mo

TheKidUpstairs @Liz_M @Tamra I've been so intrigued by the Litsy response to that one, I just had to check it out for myself! 13mo

TheKidUpstairs @sarahbarnes @BarbaraBB Thanks! It was a happy bookstore day :) I have a friend who works there who let me into their ARC shelves as well, so I brought home a couple that I may have to start with before I can get to these so I can bring them back, but North Woods and Greta and Valdin are definitely priority reads. 13mo

74 likes11 comments

Megabooks

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

pan

Oh how I struggled with my final #LitsyToB24 book!! The type was too small, the book was too stiff, the plot was too slow, the overly descriptive writing was annoying, and the twist was obvious. Hard pass!! Only because I‘m a completist and I‘m in charge of this event did I finish this. Yuck!! 😡🙄

Note: this is definitely an #unpopularopinion!

squirrelbrain, BarbaraBB

squirrelbrain Oh no, sorry you struggled so much, but I understand why! 13mo

dabbe #hailthebail! 🖤🩶🖤 13mo

Tamra Oh shoot - onwards & upwards! 13mo

See All 14 Comments

BarbaraBB We hardly disagree on books, yet I really loved this one. Despite the font… too small indeed. On the bright side: you completed our shortlist 🙌🏽❤️ 13mo

Megabooks @squirrelbrain yeah, not for me! 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ 13mo

Megabooks @Tamra right?! My next book, The Wonder, was so much better! 13mo

Megabooks @BarbaraBB so excited I finished it!! I‘m glad you enjoyed it. I‘m definitely in the minority as far as other readers of it. 13mo

Megabooks Oh yes, and this was my #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks !! Glad it‘s done!! 👍🏻 13mo

TheAromaofBooks Oh dear, well congrats are completing the list! I will say that small print immediately prejudices me against a book. WHY. 13mo

Chelsea.Poole Great job on finishing it all! I was frustrated with this too, at times, but ultimately ended up liking it. Though I must admit, it was a relief to finally be done! lol 13mo

Hooked_on_books Totally agree about the font. It made me feel old! 👵🏻 13mo

Megabooks @Hooked_on_books yes! Such a poor choice! 13mo

Megabooks @Chelsea.Poole yes, such an odd little (big) book. If I‘m initially frustrated, it‘s hard to climb out of that hole as far as my feelings towards the book. I think that was the problem here. 13mo

Megabooks @TheAromaofBooks why is the question!! Evil perpetrated on readers!! 😜 13mo

82 likes14 comments

Chelsea.Poole

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

pick

Wow, this is the book that never ends, though the action takes place over the course of just 36 hours, in a French hamlet, focusing on the inner lives of the four people who live side by side, down a country road. This story and the characters‘ backgrounds are presented in such an interesting way, switching perspectives quickly and taking readers into their innermost thoughts. Such a different take on a “thriller”. #litsyToB24

Tamra It‘s amazing! 13mo

squirrelbrain Such an unusual style, but it totally worked. 13mo

BarbaraBB Glad you liked it! Great review! 13mo

Megabooks I need to start this but the font size is giving my middle-aged eyes a hard time! 😂😂 13mo

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JamieArc

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

Tonight‘s #hyggehour features a cozy night candle, my favorite wine from upstate New York, and the tagged book. What better book to start on your birthday than one of that title? It was absolutely lovely. Except now, the jets keep coming on every 10 minutes and I can‘t figure out how to turn them off 🤦🏻‍♀️

ravenlee Happy birthday! 14mo

Tamra Yay!! That novel is a RIDE! Happy Birthday 🎈 14mo

AnnR 🧁🕯️🥳 14mo

See All 17 Comments

quietjenn Happy birthday! Sounds like a perfect end to the day. 14mo

DebinHawaii Happy Birthday! 🎉📚🎂🎈Enjoy! 14mo

Amiable Happy birthday! 🎉🎁🎂 14mo

IndoorDame Happy birthday! 🎂🍰📚 14mo

Graciouswarriorprincess Happy birthday!🎈🎊🎂🎁 14mo

catiewithac Happy birthday!!!!! 📚💜 14mo

sarahbarnes Happy Birthday! And a fantastic book! 📖🎉 14mo

Ruthiella Happy birthday to you! 🥳 14mo

Texreader Happy birthday!! 🎂🎈🎊🎉🎁 14mo

yourfavouritemixtape Happy Birthday!! 🥳 14mo

vivastory Happy Birthday 🎂 🎈 14mo

maich Happy birthday🥰 14mo

BarbaraBB Happy birthday 🎈 ❤️ 14mo

jlhammar Hope you had a wonderful birthday! Hoping to get to this one soon. Can‘t wait! 14mo

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Megabooks

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

I finally got to go to the library!!!! After staying away all December due to my poinsettia allergy, it was SO GOOD to be back!! I checked out the seven horizontal books that are on my up next shelf. 📚

My #bookspin will complete the #LitsyToB24 shortlist for me when I finish it. My #doublespin Hot Milk was a used bookstore find that just spoke to me.

squirrelbrain, BarbaraBB, TheAromaofBooks

CBee Oooo, I spy Betty - that one is AMAZING but brutal 🫣🙁 14mo

JamieArc I‘m excited to get to The Birthday Party! 14mo

RebelReader The Birthday Party was delivered to me today. I bought it because my library didn‘t have it. 14mo

See All 11 Comments

Tamra The Birthday Party is a masterpiece of suspense! 14mo

BarbaraBB I notice a theme! Day, Late in the Day and The Birthday Party 😉. I enjoyed them all! 14mo

youneverarrived Intrigued what you‘ll think of Hot Milk! It was my first by Levy and I loved it 🤍 14mo

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 14mo

squirrelbrain My first Levy too! @youneverarrived - rather spookily, I just picked this one off my shelf to read, which you sent to me.

Swimming Home: A Novel

14mo

squirrelbrain Glad you got to go back to the library again Meg! 14mo

sarahbarnes I loved both of those books! 14mo

youneverarrived Let me know what you think @squirrelbrain 💕 I haven‘t read it yet. I‘m planning on reading her autobiography‘s this year. 14mo

78 likes11 comments

merelybookish

BIRTHDAY PARTY. | LAURENT. MAUVIGNIER

My pick for February (and one of my top books of 2023) is Laurent Mauvignier's The Birthday Party. I listened to it on the indie audio platform Spiracle. And it was FABULOUS. It's a master class in building suspense.
#12daysof2023
@Andrew65

Andrew65 Sounds excellent. 1y

sarahbarnes Yess!! 👏 On my top 2023 list as well! 1y

BarbaraBB And on mine! 1y

41 likes3 comments

Tamra

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

pick

This is one hell of a birthday party! 🎈🎁

What amazing literary suspense writing. It was maddening, infuriating, and enthralling. The narrative has shifting interior and exterior voices that tell the story in absolute slow motion at times. In the end I could only read a few pages at a time it‘s so dense.

I‘ve had a banner year for excellent reads and this is one of them. Yay!

Ruthiella Sounds both fantastic and ominous ! 😆 1y

Tamra @Ruthiella it is! It requires patience, but it pays off. It‘s a literary thriller, but not a page turner in the usual sense. You can‘t turn the pages quickly even though you want to. 😜 1y

squirrelbrain Fabulous review - you captured it perfectly! ❤️ 1y

See All 14 Comments

jlhammar Awesome! Hoping to get to this in January. 1y

Tamra @jlhammar I hope you have agonizing love for it too. 😜 1y

merelybookish I read this back in January and it remains one of my favorite books of the year! 1y

merelybookish And it absolutely remains patience. The pacing is slow but that is also what makes it works so well imo. 1y

Tamra @merelybookish totally agree! 😃 1y

BarbaraBB Fantastic review, it really brings the story and the feelings that f reading the book back to me! 1y

Tamra @BarbaraBB 😁 it was not a forgettable reading experience. 1y

Hooked_on_books I completely agree! I thought this one was brilliantly done! 1y

Tamra @Hooked_on_books indeed! 😁 1y

batsy Great review! I feel like I need to devote some time to this when I'm in the mood for a dense, ominous read... Hopefully early next year 😁 1y

Tamra @batsy yes, you need to be in the mood for a dense read. The suspense is both agonizing and thrilling! 😄 1y

62 likes14 comments

Jas16

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

pick

I honestly wanted to bail in the beginning. The overly detailed writing style was just not doing it for me but the Litsy praise made me persevere. The writing never got less verbose but there was no way I could have bailed once the birthday party planning took a turn. I needed to know who the unexpected attendees were and what their plan was. This book does such a great job amping up your anxiety. #litsytob24

Bren912 I‘m in!!! Stacking! 1y

Tamra Isn‘t it crazy?! I am about 2/3rds in. 1y

squirrelbrain My thoughts entirely…in fact I did bail the first time I tried it! 1y

Megabooks Excited for this! Great review! 1y

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Tamra

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

The suspense building is agonizingly slow. It‘s nearly maddening!
😅🥹😳

squirrelbrain But you can‘t stop reading can you?! 1y

Tamra @squirrelbrain nooooooo! 🫣🫣 1y

Hooked_on_books I was reading this almost yelling, “c‘mon, c‘mon, what‘s going to happen?!?” 1y

Tamra @Hooked_on_books oh yes! I‘m there at the table with them. Sitting…..sitting…..sitting 1y

63 likes1 stack add4 comments

Hooked_on_books

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

pick

Eschewing the typical fast pace of a thriller, this book takes its time setting the scene and letting us know some of the characters, then moves the action forward with the creeping dread and the agonizing slowness one would feel in this actual situation. I thought it was absolutely brilliant. #LitsyTOB24

BarbaraBB Great review. I felt the same 1y

AmyG I love a good slow burn of a book. 1y

squirrelbrain It took a while to get into this but then it was 🤯 1y

See All 7 Comments

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 1y

Ruthiella I hope the dread isn‘t too much for me, but I‘m definitely going to try it! 1y

Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain I saw your review and kept it in mind as I got started. I have no doubt it helped me know what to expect! 1y

Megabooks Looking g forward to this! 1y

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Tamra

BIRTHDAY PARTY. | LAURENT. MAUVIGNIER

Looking like a deeeeelightful Saturday morning. 😁

Despite the fact the weather is more akin to rainy April. Crazy!

Soubhiville You seem to like your toast the same as me- crispy and as-close-to-burned-as-possible-without-being-burned. 😆 1y

Tamra @Soubhiville yes! Mmmmmmmm toasty 1y

batsy That's pretty perfect as far as mornings go! 😀 1y

See All 8 Comments

Tamra @batsy ☺️ 1y

BarbaraBB That looks so good and I think you‘ll enjoy the book too although enjoy is definitely not the right word to describe it. 1y

Tamra @BarbaraBB I can tell! 🥹 1y

LeahBergen I love your Santa plate. 1y

Tamra @LeahBergen Target last year! 🎅🏾 1y

50 likes8 comments

squirrelbrain

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

pick

I tried this a few months ago and couldn‘t get past the first few pages, as the first sentence was as long as the first page!

It still took me a while to get into and was quite slow to start with, but once the action started…phew, it left me breathless.

A very unusual style, with lots of different perspectives and a fractured timeline, but often only jumping about by a few minutes each time.

In the end, I really liked it.

#ToB

Velvetfur I have to admit I like the idea of that first sentence being so long! 1y

Tamra I started this and had to set it aside for others. I‘m anxious to get back! But I agree, looonnggggg sentences. 🫨 1y

Hooked_on_books Interesting! I have this out from the library but haven‘t been inspired to pick it up yet. You‘re helping nudge me closer. 1y

62 likes3 comments

Tamra

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

Happy Mail! 😄 I‘m in the mood for suspense.

LeahBergen That‘s a great cover! 1y

BarbaraBB It‘s dark 🖤 1y

batsy Nice! 1y

jlhammar Oooh, I've got this waiting! Excited to hear what you think. 1y

52 likes4 comments

LitsyEvents

BIRTHDAY PARTY. | LAURENT. MAUVIGNIER

Repost for @TheAromaofBooks

My birthday is tomorrow, and even though this weekend is looking a little crazy, I'm still hoping to read a bunch!!! Feel free to tag me this weekend for my spontaneous #BirthdayBashReadathon It can be extra Scarathlon points, but you don't have to be participating in Scarathlon to join me!!

See the original post at https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2652190

bthegood Happy Birthday @TheAromaofBooks - 🎉 1y

TheAromaofBooks Thank you for the repost!! 1y

TheAromaofBooks @bthegood - Thank you so much!! 1y

45 likes3 comments

TheAromaofBooks

BIRTHDAY PARTY. | LAURENT. MAUVIGNIER

My birthday is tomorrow, and even though this weekend is looking a little crazy, I'm still hoping to read a bunch!!! Feel free to tag me this weekend for my spontaneous #BirthdayBashReadathon It can be extra Scarathlon points, but you don't have to be participating in Scarathlon to join me!!

I really want to finish at least two books this weekend. I just started The Book of Cold Cases and I already don't want to do anything but read it! 😂

TheAromaofBooks Tagging a few of my fellow readathon addicts 😂 @LitsyEvents @Clwojick @Andrew65 @TheSpineView @DieAReader @PuddleJumper 1y

PuddleJumper Happy birthday for tomorrow! 1y

kwmg40 I hope you have a great birthday tomorrow! 1y

See All 27 Comments

Bookwormjillk Happy birthday 🎂 1y

vonnie862 Happy early birthday!!! 1y

Librarybelle What a great way to celebrate your birthday! ❤️ 1y

TheSpineView Happy Birthday and many more! 🥳🥳🥳 1y

AnnR Happy Birthday and thanks for hosting! 🎈📚🎉
#Readathon alert: #MagicalMonsters
@Laughterhp @Bookworm54 @DieAReader @BethM @Andrew65 @RainyDayReading @julieclair @BrandedKristen
@Christie2318 @GHABI4ROSES @eri.reads 1y

Bookworm54 Happy early birthday! 🎂 1y

JenReadsAlot Hope you have a wonderful birthday!! 🎉🥳🎈 1y

wanderinglynn Happy, happy (early) birthday! I hope you have an amazing birthday long weekend! 🎉🎂🥳 1y

Larkken Happy early birthday! I hope it goes better than the one in the tagged book lol 1y

julesG Happy early Birthday!!! 🥳🎂 1y

MaidaMalby Advance happy birthday! 🥳🎈🎂📚🎊🎉 1y

DieAReader Happy Birthday weekend!!! 1y

DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @CoverToCoverGirl 1y

mabell Happy Early Birthday! 🎂🎉 1y

julieclair Happy Birthday Weekend, Sarah! I hope you get many happy hours of reading in. 📚📚📚📚📚 Thanks for hosting this fun chance to gain extra Scarathlon points. 😀🎉🎉🎉 1y

TheAromaofBooks Thank you all so much!!!! All of you make Litsy such a special place to be!! ❤❤ ❤ @PuddleJumper @kwmg40 @Bookwormjillk @vonnie862 @Librarybelle @TheSpineView @AnnR @Bookworm54 @JenReadsAlot @wanderinglynn @Larkken @julesG @MaidaMalby @DieAReader @mabell @julieclair 1y

TheAromaofBooks @MaidaMalby - Thank you, too!! Somehow I missed you when I was typing in the reply tags!! 😂 1y

MaidaMalby @TheAromaofBooks you tagged me twice! I feel so special. 🤩 1y

LeahBergen Happy Birthday! ❤️📚❤️📚 1y

curiouserandcurioser @TheAromaofBooks Hope you have a wonderfully happy birthday!:) 1y

peanutnine Happy birthday!!! Reading as much as possible is a lovely way to celebrate ☺️📚🥳 1y

GHABI4ROSES And her actual birthday weekend is in a month- do not let her get away with just this one hahahah @Andrew65 @DieAReader AND HAPPY FRIDAYYYY 🙌 1y

TheAromaofBooks Thank you so much, friends!!! I am having a fabulous birthday weekend so far!! @LeahBergen @curiouserandcurioser @peanutnine 1y

Jari-chan Happy happy birthday!!! 🎉❤️ 1y

62 likes27 comments

sarahbarnes

BIRTHDAY PARTY. | LAURENT. MAUVIGNIER

I can‘t find the time to make a collage of my favorite summer reads @Cinfhen but here is a list! My favorite is tagged along with one of my favorite photos of the summer. 😊

The Birthday Party - Mauvignier
Cassandra at the Wedding - Baker
Malice - Higashino
Mrs. S - Patrick
Yellowface - Kuang
August Blue - Levy

Megabooks, TrishB, Suet624, batsy, squirrelbrain, Cathythoughts, BarbaraBB

Cathythoughts I forgot to put Yellowface on my list ! Another favorite of the last few months 1y

Megabooks Great photo! I‘m glad you enjoyed Yellowface, and I can‘t wait to get to August Blue. 👍🏻😁 1y

Suet624 Every time I see Cassandra mentioned I get a bit of a thrill. Such a good book. 1y

See All 9 Comments

Cinfhen Oh wow! That photo is GORGEOUS 😍thanks for sharing your favorite reads 😄 1y

squirrelbrain Gorgeous photo! I need to try The Birthday Party again…. I didn‘t get past the first page or two.☺️ 1y

batsy Love the photo 😍 So happy to see Cassandra on your list. I read Yellowface but the other 4 are all on my TBR! 1y

Liz_M I ❤ and 💔 Cassandra! 1y

BarbaraBB I loved Malice, Birthday Party and of course Cassandra too. Mrs S and August Blue are now must reads for me! (edited) 1y

TrishB Cool 👍🏻 1y

34 likes9 comments

BarbaraBB

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

#BookReport 27/23

It took me almost all week to read The Birthday Party but it was definitely worth it! The. I read the Moore in a day but I was underwhelmed!

Cinfhen

Cinfhen At least you made it through both of them!!! 2y

BarbaraBB @Cinfhen I did! And one was worth it! 2y

63 likes2 comments

BarbaraBB

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

pick

I had no idea what I was getting into when starting this book about 4 people living in an isolated French hamlet, each preparing the birthday of one of them in their own way.
But then two visitors arrive and the novel turns dark and tense. So well written, page-turning even, yet I didn‘t want to get to the end and find out how that would be. I will be thinking of this for a while! Thanks for the encouragement Sarah!
#CampToB #InternationalBooker

sarahbarnes

Cinfhen So glad it picked up! Maybe I should try again too 🤷🏼‍♀️❤️ 2y

Leniverse I really need to find the time for this one! I've been looking forward to reading it for a while, it's just that there's always another book to read first 😅 2y

BarbaraBB @Leniverse I know and it took me quite some time to read it. So sense. But worth it I think! @Cinfhen 2y

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batsy Glad that you liked it! Hope to get to it sooner rather than later 😅 2y

BarbaraBB @batsy I did. It‘s your kind of book too! I hope you‘ll be able to read it soon! 2y

squirrelbrain I tried this on holiday and couldn‘t get past the first couple of pages - sounds like I should try again. 🤔 2y

BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain It‘s not really a holiday read indeed but I‘d give it another try if I were you! 2y

sarahbarnes Ahh, I‘m so glad you ended up liking it too! Great description - I felt the same way reading it. 2y

Suet624 Hmmm… okay, I‘ll bite. 2y

90 likes8 stack adds9 comments

sarahbarnes

BIRTHDAY PARTY. | LAURENT. MAUVIGNIER

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This book is SO GOOD. I was on the edge of my seat until the last sentence. Mauvignier does a phenomenal job of slowly revealing the background details of the characters to build the tension of the story and the events unfold with excruciating slowness. The psychological terror builds to a pressure cooker ending. One of the best books I‘ve read this year.

BarbaraBB Oh wow this is so encouraging!! The book intimidates me somehow so I am glad you loved it so much! 2y

batsy Nice review! I'm super excited to read it. 2y

Liz_M Nice! 2y

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jlhammar Might need to sneak this one into my next book order. Sounds fantastic! 2y

squirrelbrain I was unsure about this one too, now I really want to read it! It‘s difficult to get hold of here though…. 2y

squirrelbrain Ha, except it isn‘t that difficult! Just rechecked on Amazon and it‘s Q9.79 on Kindle, down from (ce.99! 2y

Reggie You had me at psychological terror-stacked. 2y

sarahbarnes @squirrelbrain that is a steal! I would recommend! 2y

sarahbarnes @BarbaraBB it‘s longer, but very readable and once it got going I felt like I was flying through it. I think you would like it! 2y

sarahbarnes @reggie I know you read scarier books than I do, so I‘ll be interested to see what you think of it! 2y

sarahbarnes @batsy I‘ll be very interested to hear your thoughts on it! 2y

sarahbarnes @jlhammar I would recommend! I‘ll be interested to hear what you think if you do. 2y

40 likes4 stack adds12 comments

sarahbarnes

BIRTHDAY PARTY. | LAURENT. MAUVIGNIER

Pretty jazzed about this stack from the library. One more I want to read from the Booker shortlist and two from the TOB camp list. Plus a new Lennon recommended by @vivastory . The Adult was in the weekly Bookshop.org email, which never fails to add to my TBR.

BarbaraBB I want to read all of these too, seriously 🩵 2y

squirrelbrain Me too! @BarbaraBB 2y

sarahbarnes @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain 👯‍♀️💙 2y

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Megabooks Great stack!! 2y

vivastory Glad that you were able to grab the Lennon. These all look fantastic 📚📚📚📚 2y

batsy That's a fun stack! 2y

33 likes6 comments

merelybookish

BIRTHDAY PARTY. | LAURENT. MAUVIGNIER

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I bought this book on a whim. I was curious about the audiobook platform Spiracle & an upcoming trip to Paris has me into French lit.
Then I saw it was psychological thriller/crime/horror & it's 14 hours long. I thought, oh shit.
But it's fantastic.
Marion is turning 40. Her farmer husband Patrice & daughter Ida have planned a party. Neighbor Christine is baking a cake. And then some unexpected visitors show up to their isolated rural home. 👇

merelybookish The writing is deft and careful. Nothing is rushed. The perspectives are constantly shifting, and while you hear what characters have to say, you also hear what they are thinking & what they perceive. It is a thriller, crimes are committed, & there are some horrible moments but it's the psychological insight that makes it riveting. A very slow burn. Spiracle is a clunky platform but the audio narration by actress Lydia Leonard is excellent. 2y

vivastory Your upcoming trip sounds exciting! 2y

merelybookish @vivastory Yes, in April! 🇫🇷🥖🍷🧀 2y

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Tamra Oh, you‘ve piqued my curiosity! 2y

tpixie Great review! I‘ll get the audio! I went to Paris in September and read French - related books leading up to it, using #Paris Have a wonderful trip! You can‘t go wrong! 2y

tpixie Hmm it‘s not on Audible I‘ll have to get the book on Kindle 💘 (edited) 2y

BarbaraBB You make me curious. I have looked up the author and much of her works have been translated in Dutch. I‘ll check the library! How nice that you‘re going to Paris! 2y

batsy Nice review! It sounds like my kind of jam. Also yay upcoming trip to Paris!! 🥐🥖 2y

merelybookish @Tamra It was quite riveting! 2y

merelybookish @tpixie Thanks for the tip! This book is exclusively on Spiracle, a platform for UK indie publishers. NOT as easy as Audiblle. 2y

Tamra @merelybookish you are making it hard to resist ordering it! 2y

merelybookish @BarbaraBB I guess his other books are connected to historical tragedies. And I also thought Laurent was a woman's name. 🙂 2y

merelybookish @batsy Thanks! And yes, I'm excited. 2y

BarbaraBB @merelybookish It‘s a he ☺️😀 2y

sarahbarnes This is next up on my stack and I‘m very excited to see that you liked it so much!! 2y

merelybookish @sarahbarnes I really did! Will be interested to hear what you make of it! 2y

64 likes2 stack adds16 comments

merelybookish

Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier

Trying out Spiracle Audiobooks for the first time, and chose on impulse to start with this French thriller from Fitzcarraldo Books. So far, so good!
Anyone else use Spiracle? Good books (all from indie publishers) but actual player seems clunky compared with more mainstream platforms.

Lindy I haven‘t heard of Spiracle before. Thanks for posting this. 👀 2y

merelybookish @Lindy There's a fee to subscribe but has books from Fitzcarraldo, Persephone, and other publishers I don't have easy access to (unless I buy them.) 2y

batsy Added this to the list recently because of Merve Emre's rave review on twitter. Interested to see what you think! 2y

merelybookish @batsy I really like it but am not far. A deftness to the writing that is enjoyable! 2y

58 likes4 comments

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