Litsy

The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden

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This book was loved by so many friends last year that I didnt think it could live up to the hype. Well it more than did that. I‘ll be surprised if this isnt the best book i read this year. Glorious writing and complex characters, a sprawling old house and a spiralling tension. I thought it was PERFECT.

Ruthiella Great review! 👍 2d

BarbaraBB What a review. I loved it too and am hoping it‘ll win the Women‘s Prize 2d

squirrelbrain Great review for a fabulous book! 2d

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Centique @Ruthiella @squirrelbrain thank you 😘 I feel like im a bit in love with this book now! 2d

Centique @BarbaraBB me too! 🤞🤞🤞 2d

Bookwormjillk I loved it too 2d

CarolynM Great review. And I see it‘s on the a Women‘s Prize shortlist. I will have to bump it up the TBR😊 2d

Cathythoughts Great review ❤️ I really enjoyed it too and I recommended for our Bookclub… great discussion! 2d

Centique @CarolynM its so good! I hope you love it too. Go in without reading blurbs/synopsis if possible 👍 2d

Centique @Bookwormjillk @Cathythoughts 😘 great company to be in! 2d

Billypar This is at the top of my list this year too. It was also the exact right book I needed for the moment: I've been more distracted lately, and this was one of the few recent reading experiences where I felt truly immersed in the action. 1d

Centique @Billypar i feel very much the same! The start of the year i have struggled to finish books. Just hitting a streak of really good books now which i hope will get my reading mojo back 💕 1d

Reggie This review was PERFECT! Stacked! 13h

Reggie lol I had stacked it already, but I would again if I could. 13h

Centique @Reggie thank you! I was going to add in my comments OMG Reggie you have to read this - but i keep saying that lately! Anyway this book has a lot of feelings - love suppressed feelings getting released 😍 3h

54 likes2 stack adds15 comments

Night_Reader

The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden

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4/5 🌟

Atmospheric, intriguing and a solid debut novel.

19 likes

BookishRedhead

Stuff Dutch people like: a celebration of the Lowlands and its peculiar inhabitants | Colleen Geske

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Research.
Cute, little book about the history, culture and food of Amsterdam.
Beautiful pictures
Can't believe I'll be there in 6 weeks

5 likes

MsRadioSilence

My Darling Dreadful Thing: A Novel | Johanna van Veen

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GOD I love a gothic. Lesbian gothic too? Delicious. I liked the two tones, the interviews with Dr Montague and Roosje telling her story between them. I‘m a big fan of books that tell me what‘s happened and help me figure out the how and why.

4 stars | #gothic #horror #ghosts #sapphic

14 likes1 stack add

BookishRedhead

Stuff Dutch people like: a celebration of the Lowlands and its peculiar inhabitants | Colleen Geske

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I'm not Dutch (even though a Dutch person thought I was) but this is pretty interesting on learning about daily life and the locals

6 likes

Gissy

Echo Sneak Peek | Thomas Olde Heuvelt

so-so

January 2025 Book#6
I think the opening of this story was amazing but then it was like forgotten, not well connected with the rest of the story. I liked the characters and the mystery/horror that was hidden in these mountains that seem possessed Nick. But then, the story was dragged to explain all this possession which concluded with an ambiguous open ending. I think the idea was terrific but maybe needed some editing? 3⭐️

Gissy I have another book by this author, let‘s see if I like it. 2w

Gissy #BookSpinBingo #19 (wanted to read it) @TheAromaOfBooks #FoodandLit @Catsandbooks @Texreader Netherlands (January) #GoodReadsAroundTheYear prompt #7 (Author that uses 3 names) 2w

Texreader I thought about reading this book for #Netherlands but I‘m not into horror anymore. Looks like I made a good choice not to read it. I think I would have been disappointed too. 2w

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Gissy #LGBTQJA2025 Bingo (translated work) @Kenyazero 2w

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2w

Gissy @Texreader yeah! It was one of those that you love it or hate it. 🤷🏽‍♀️ 2w

Kenyazero Good pick! 2w

Catsandbooks 👍🏼🇳🇱 2w

42 likes8 comments

Amiable

The Island at the Center of the World | Russell Shorto

A day late (and a dollar short) for #weirdwordwednesday — but wanted to share anyway! I just finished the tagged book about the Dutch colony that first settled NYC. This section mentioned some of the Dutch words that were mutated into the English language and are still part of our lexicon 400 years later. As a word nerd, this type of stuff fascinates me!
@CBee

Ruthiella I nerd out on that kind of thing too! 😅 2w

BarbaraBB So funny to scroll and come upon words in my own language! Two very old fashioned and ordinary names in Dutch are Jan and Kees. That‘s what they called the Americans back in those days. Hence the American word Yankees! Just saying 😀 2w

Amiable @Ruthiella @BarbaraBB I love seeing how languages merge and intermingle! 2w

CBee @BarbaraBB I had NO idea!! How cool is that? 2w

CBee @Amiable thanks for sharing 😊 2w

47 likes5 comments

Amiable

The Island at the Center of the World | Russell Shorto

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Fascinating account of New Netherland, the Dutch colony on the island of Manhattan that predated the Pilgrims. After the English took control of the colony in 1664, the narrative shifted in favor of the “victor” and much of the Dutch history was lost. This book draws on a research project at the New York State Library that included the translation of thousands of original documents from the 17th century.

ferskner Oh wow, I hadn't heard of this book at all! Thanks for the rec. 2w

Amiable @ferskner This book was published 20 years ago. He just came out with a new one that picks up the history of NYC in 1664 after the English take over the colony: