This is a good book of interconnected short stories. The first one is about Julia becoming a sous chef in a fancy restaurant (I liked that one a lot), the last one is Julia FaceTiming with her ex during lockdown. In between are stories about them and their friends. It‘s all very millennial, our smartphones might be the main character throughout the book, and I liked it a lot.

This is interesting. In today‘s bracket Martyr! beats Beautyland in the #ToB25 while in the #LitsyToB25 Beautyland advances. The book is this year's favorite for five of us, while Martyr! is just two people's favorite: Sue and Anne Cecilie‘s Zombies are approaching quickly so we'll soon know if Martyr! wil be able to return from the grave!

Our first #LitsyToB25 quarter final is James against The Book of Love. A nobrainer. Even though not everyone has voted yet: it is 17 votes for James against 0 for TBoL.
In the #ToB25 James was up to Headschot and there too, it came out as a winner loud and clear.
Tomorrow will be more exciting I suppose. In both tournaments it is Martyr! against Beautyland. If you haven't voted yet please do so: https://forms.gle/wLZ3vkQuYwU77wom6

So much love for this book but I can‘t see why. Too sweet, too polished, too cheesy. Lost love, grief, children, secrets: all ingredients are there for an emotional lovestory and it is. How convenient.
I enjoyed it but it felt as if the writer dictated some characteristics and ChatGPT came up with the story.

I am a snob, I know, this book is promoted everywhere, and that‘s mostly a reason for me to not read it. That would have been better.

#LitsyToB25 We mostly were in agreement again. Jill, Katherine and Myra voted for Someone Like us but couldn‘t prevent Margot winning with a large majority. Chelsea and Carolyn are even rooting for Margo to win this year‘s tournament! In the #ToB25 too Margo in the end stole the heart of the judge.
So we‘re all set for the Quarterfinals, starting tomorrow!

🚨 Please vote today for your favorites:
https://forms.gle/wLZ3vkQuYwU77wom6 🚨

Thanks to @Bookwormjillk George got a vote, the rest of us, without knowing which book it would be, all voted for the winner of the Play In round. Three strong containers and yes, many of us despised George. So we‘ll see The Wedding People again in the next round of the #LitsyToB25. George leaves our tournament because he didn't get any Zombie votes.
In the #ToB25 too the play-in winner advances, which means Liars in their case!

⬇️read further⬇️

#WP25 Book 4

This was a delightful read despite the heavy subject: the rehabilitation of ISIS women in a camp in Iraq.
It‘s a perfect job for Nadia, who‘s escaping a life of partying hard in London. She used to be Muslim but doesn‘t believe any longer. She feels like she should safe Sara, one of the ISIS brides, and needs the help of her UN colleagues. I can‘t really explain what makes this book funny yet poignant but it certainly is.

#WeeklyForecast 12/25

I am reading the tagged book (not that impressed yet) and Fundamentally.The latter is my first #WP25 read since the longlist was announced and I am enjoying it a lot. Next will be A Leopard-Skin Hat from the #InternationalBooker longlist (can you feel the stress with all those longlists?!) and I also haven‘t got to my #Roll100 read, Reward System!

#WeeklyFavorites

Help Wanted is this week‘s favorite but that‘s because I had to choose one. Not my best reading week or maybe a hangover from last week‘s favorite!

#LitsyToB25 Our winner is Colored Television with 75% of the votes. That means Irena Rey still got quite a few votes among us.

In the #ToB25 Irena continues. This doesn‘t surprise me. It‘s a typical ToB book and I liked the judgment. Personally I am happy with this outcome because I liked it better than CT. What do you think?

A middle aged son drives his old and ill mother across Switzerland. They argue and confront the past. They‘re rich. Her father never stopped being an Nazi. The story is a mix of stream of consciousness, name dropping and little plot.
Not my favorite of the #InternationalBooker25 longlist but it has some good parts.

#ReadTheWorld2025 book 8 #Switzerland

Another convincing winner today in the #ToB25 as well as the #LitsyToB25. Orbital didn‘t stand a chance against The History of Sound, which is this year‘s favorite for many of us. Only Amy and Soscha voted for Orbital and so we see the winner of the #BookerPrize24 leave our tournament!

#LitsyToB25 We are in sync again with #ToB25 and we were almost unanimous on this prompt. Great Expectations was only voted for by Katherine and AnneCecilie.
So Beautyland is the big winner.
It‘s this year‘s favorite of Jen, Jill, Amy and Debra and I remember that Charity has discussed the book somewhere too? So let us know what you think of this outcome!

Great subject, great setting. The people of Movement (the ones who offload and unpack boxes) in a big store will get a new manager. Anyone has a say before Corporate decides and we learn a lot about the team members before they have their interview.
It took a bit too long to pickup pace but once it did it was a good read. Thanks for the recommendation Helen! #ToB25longlist

#LitsyToB25 Martyr! is our winner today. Only Tracy, Holly and Theresa voted for Rejection. Short stories and the tournament aren‘t always a good match.
And we do agree with the #ToB25 judgment today so in both tournaments we‘ll see Martyr! continue.

This is so not my kind of book but Meg convinced me with her review and I spent a lovely day with it. Shiloh and Carey were best friends in high school but love was always in the air - except that Shiloh didn‘t dare believing it. Years later they reconnect and pick up where they left it in their teens. A very convincing lovestory and great dialogues. For who wants a break from reality ❤️

#LitsyToB25
A new week with opening round matches!

Headshot versus The Book of Love is the prompt of which we were most divided. The Book of Love has won with just one vote more than Headshot.
In the #ToB25 Headshot did make it to the next round so all of us can be happy!

#WeeklyForecast 11/25

I am almost finished with Slow Dance, which is a cute romance and palette cleanser. I also started Help Wanted (#ToB25 longlist). Next will be the tagged (#InternationalBooker) and maybe Reward System (#Roll100). Lots of plans but less time!

Another unsurprising win in the first real bracket. In the #ToB as well as our #LitsyToB25. James it is.
The Book Censor was voted for by Meg, Holly, Jill & Kristy. Holly has been a big promotor of it on Litsy, she and Kristy even think it should win the tournament!
For now chances seem small, although the zombies can be surprising. James is this year‘s favorite for 5 of us: Shawna, Tammy, Katherine, Leslie and Cari. They‘re having a good day!

I‘d never thought I‘d bail on a Niall Williams but there you are. I am a hundred pages in and have read about dozens of people whose names and background I can‘t remember. The book is so slow, the sentences so long and the promised child hasn‘t even showed up yet! It‘s probably me but I feel too impatient to stick with it. #FoodAndLit 🇮🇪

#LitsyToB25 We have started and it won‘t come as a surprise that The Wedding People is our winner in the play-in round. There has been so much love for this book on Litsy!
Not in the real #ToB though, where Liars wins!
Among us Liars got only 4 votes (by Charity, Chelsea, Helen and Kristy) and is definitely out: it has no zombie votes.
All Fours got 4 votes too (by Sarah, Sue, AnneCecilie and Barbara), but will it be enough? We‘ll soon find out!

Look at all those unread books. And yet I can't imagine that I haven't read my favorite book of the year already. Charlotte McConaghy did it again.
Dom and his kids live on a remote island and look after a seed vault with all kinds of species in it for when the world needs them. But the water rises and then a woman washes up.
Again, nature is the main, awesome character. But the human characters, dialogues and the plot are fabulous too ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Megan wants to leave her home in Canada, where she is responsible for taking care of her many siblings and her parents. She‘s young and London is calling.
This books follows her in her new life, as well as her brother and father. Nothing much happens but it all feels very true and Mary Lawson is a gifted writer.

#WeeklyForecast 10/25

I am completely absorbed by Wild Dark Shore. I am reading it slowly because I don‘t want it to end. It‘s so good again!
The tagged is my choice for #FoodAndLit 🇮🇪 and Help Wanted is from the #ToB longlist. Road Ends I am mixing audio with print.
In the mean time I am waiting for the ordered #InternationalBooker longlisted books, for the #WP #fiction longlist and for the start of the #LitsyToB25.

Living the life 😜💕

#WeeklyFavorites

I read a bit disappointing books during my holiday, except for this one that is so original and also made me think about today‘s world a lot.
My favorite of the month however must be Poor Deer.

Tom and Anna are Italian graphic designers, who moved to Berlin because it‘s the place to be. They live a life that confronts me with living in Amsterdam: all the trends, the hip & happening, the urban nomads, the gentrification, the coffee everywhere, the underground raves, the emptiness of it all. A mirror for me of who I used to be not that long ago. A great start of the #InternationalBooker longlist!

#FictionalTraveler #BigCity

#FebruaryStats
Not my most satisfying month.

4.25⭐️
Poor Deer
4⭐️
Point Zero
The Test
3.75⭐️
The Last Murder at the End of the World
3.5⭐️
Daddy‘s Gone A-Hunting
Liars
3.25⭐️
The Miniaturist
Deep Water
3⭐️
The Invisible Hotel
The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories
Wayward
The Book of George
2.75⭐️
Bury Your Gays
2.5⭐️
Weather Underwater
2⭐️
Gliff

DNF
Oroppa

#ReadTheWorld2025

Hi @GatheringBooks here‘s my first update on your challenge. In January and February I read 6 books set in countries and/or written by authors from all over the world. These countries are #Mexico, #Japan, #SouthKorea, #Netherlands, #FrenchPolynesia and #Chile. I hope to read at least six more in March and April!

This book is by the author of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and while it‘s just such a puzzle this book is also very different. Set on an island after the apocalypse a group of scientists tries to hold on to humanity and safe the world. Until there is a murder. An entertaining read that should be turned into a movie. So much scenery and settings that I could not visualize for myself and would love to see!

📸 Beach life Tenerife!

I added all my unread books to the #ISpy overview in Storygraph. In the bingo you see the books that I own for February prompts of which I actually read just four ✅. And I did tick off some more books of my January bingo card. Anyhow, lots to read 🤦🏻‍♀️😉

Very excited about the #InternationalBooker longlist. So many I want to read! Recommendations are very welcome!

I bought this based on @Lesliereadsalot and @Chelsea.Poole review and I was right to. It‘s a very timely book about an Iranian man doing the British Citizenship Test. I can‘t say much more without spoilers. Just read it if you can. It‘s short but packs a punch!

📷La Teida, Tenerife

I am all for dystopian, even in times like these, but I‘m not even sure if this book is dystopian or post apocalyptic- in fact I didn‘t get it at all.
Two sisters, a horse, left by themselves. But why and what happened and what‘s going on?
Beautiful dialogue between the sisters but again I am clueless about the world they‘re living in. If they‘re still alive. There‘ll be a sequel but not for me.

📷 Las Lagunas, Tenerife

#WeeklyForecast 09/25

I am reading Gliff and it‘s so strange! And because I‘m on holidays and busy I have read way less than I want to and it‘s hard to get into the book.
Next will be the tagged (thanks to @Lesliereadsalot !) and the third one is a Belgian author whose work I have enjoyed before.

That husband! He is really the worst, she must have lied to herself a lot to stick with him through all the years. Giving up her career and her freedom and it‘s never gonna be enough. I felt for Jane and for the child and I totally understand her anger.
Very well written and in parts recognizable and uncomfortable. Another light pick. #ToB25

📷 My hotel room 🤩 on Tenerife, Canary Islands

I loved Mr Ripley years ago, and I‘ve wanted to read more by Patricia Highsmith ever since.

This one reminds me of Ripley in its setting: rich ruthless people living a lazy life and hating each other.

Melinda and Vic are married but she‘s having lovers on the side all the time. It‘s a matter of time until Vic is fed up with the situation.
I wanted to know what happened but it wasn‘t such a rewarding read as Ripley. A light pick.

Quite the spontaneous idea but tomorrow I‘ll be traveling to Tenerife (one of Spain‘s Canary Islands) with a friend. She‘s in need of some sunshine and I thought why not join her?!

I haven‘t had much time to curate what books to take with me but I hope these will do for the week!

This book had been on my shelves for years and I now finally picked it up. It‘s set in Amsterdam, where I live, in the 17th century, when we sailed the oceans and colonized countries and were a very wealthy trading country. That background is interesting to me, more interesting than the plot to be honest. But all in all a fairly good read and a light pick.

I didn‘t hate this book. At all. It‘s an easy read about an Oblomow kind of guy who fails to make something of his life and just accepts that. That makes him annoying but that‘s what the author aims at I think. At least as annoying are the women who tolerate, facilitate and even justify his behaviour and deeds. A fun read with a deeper message. Just not worth to be shortlisted for the #ToB25.

📷 Groningen, Netherlands

#WeeklyForecast 08/25

I am reading George for the #ToB25. So far so good. On audio I am listening to The Miniaturist, which is set in my city. That‘s always nice. The tagged will be my next read. I‘ve been wanting to read more Highsmith ever since Mr Ripley.

A great crime story for everyone interested in Japan and Japanese culture. Written in 1958 it‘s right after WWII and Japan is dealing with a dark past. A woman marries but within a month her husband goes missing. She travels by train through the country, looking for clues. Everyone is polite, everyone is calm but oh, beneath the surface! Loved it - especially for its atmosphere!
#Roll100 #FictionalTraveler #APlaceYouLove

📷 Vondelpark, Amsterdam

Such a lovely read. After her best friend dies, little Margaret turns inwards and creates her own reality. She is a wonderful unreliable narrator, surrounded by people who have a big impact on who she becomes.

Years later she writes the story of het life, trying to stay close to the truth.
A worthy #ToB25Longlist read!

Another menopause oriented book, a subject I am not really interested in. It‘s an important subject but it mostly isn‘t that interesting to me. I didn‘t like Sandwich much either. All Fours is an exception of course!

Anyhow this one is about a woman who leaves her husband and daughter to get caught up in working out and feminism. And there is the shooting of an innocent black boy of course. And cancer. A lot of subjects. Not much told.

#WeeklyForecast 07/25

I am about to start Poor Deer of which I‘ve heard so many good things. The tagged one is a classic Japanese murder mystery. I‘ve been curious about that one!

It‘s the 1950s and Ruth has a dull and unsatisfying life. Her husband is in town during the weeks and with her sons at boarding school and her daughter in Oxford, she leads an empty and lonely life. On the verge of a breakdown her daughter comes home with a secret. This makes her reflect on her marriage and being a mother. My heart broke for Ruth.

You know I love Japan and Japanese fiction but these short stories often didn‘t work for me.
It took me a long time to read them all and although some stories and authors are super good mostly I am glad I finally finished it.

The speculative tale of Yewon, a young woman adrift, and of the relationship between the Koreas. At first it is rather realistic, with Yewon wondering about her life while driving a North Korean woman to her long lost brother in prison and while worrying about her mom, who keeps and daily washes the bones of family members. Yewon doesn‘t eat and dreams of an invisible hotel. And are the Koreas heading for peace or war?Very weird. #ToB25Longlist

The UK is sinking and to make sure the people who matter stay dry, the government takes far fetching measures against people who are not a 💯 English. In these circumstances two old friends meet again. An interesting premise, well worked out. Good choice, @TrishB!

This book gets high praise in the Netherlands but I didn‘t like it at all. A parade of northern African people travel between Amsterdam and Paris where all of them live and meet and tell stories. Because there are so many of them it all feels kind of disconnected . So after 50%, I bailed.

#WeeklyForecast 06/25

I am reading Oroppa, which is a Dutch book that has gained much praise and I had to find out what‘s it about. Next will be the tagged, gifted to me by @TrishB during #Gladstones24 which seems so long ago already! The Invisible Hotel is another #ToB25Longlist book that did appeal to me when I purchased it but @sarahbarnes review has made me temper my expectations!