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BarbaraJean
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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#BookSpinBingo wrap-up for March: 12 books, no bingos, no spins completed 😕 I do plan to get to those missed spins in April, though!

Favorites:
💰Making Money
🙏🏼Queering Contemplation
🪦The Woman in White (re-read)
🤖Artificial Condition (re-read)

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fantastic month!! 2h
28 likes1 comment
blurb
BarbaraJean
The Library at Night | Alberto Manguel
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My birthday is tomorrow, which means my #50x50 reading challenge kicks off tomorrow! I‘m planning to read 50 books from my TBR before my 50th birthday (which is in 2028). I‘m planning to start with one of these:

Raybearer—30: gifted w/in last 5 years
Bird by Bird—9: about writing
Anam Cara—44: related to my vocation
The Library at Night—7: about books/reading

If you‘d like to join in, the link to the StoryGraph challenge is in the comments. ⤵️

CSeydel Happy birthday! 3d
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Bookwormjillk Thanks for the tag! I need to make my list. 3d
TheBookHippie Working on my list!!! I‘m excited! 3d
TheBookHippie Happiest of birthdays to you!! 3d
Booksblanketsandahotbeverage Happy birthday! I read bird by bird in college and liked it 🐦‍⬛ 3d
Butterfinger Happy birthday!!!! 3d
Librarybelle I was thinking about this challenge this morning! I have to do my #bookspinbingo list today, so maybe I‘ll start strategizing this as well! Happy birthday! 3d
julesG I'll probably put my list together tomorrow. 3d
BarbaraJean @CSeydel @TheBookHippie @Booksblanketsandahotbeverage @Butterfinger Thank you!! @Bookwormjillk @Librarybelle @julesG It‘s been fun seeing what others have added to the challenge on SG! 3d
kspenmoll Thanks! Just joined your challenge! Happy birthday! 3d
Deblovestoread Joined! Happy birthday 🎂🎈📚🎉 2d
BarbaraJean @kspenmoll @Deblovestoread Thank you! Yay!! Glad to have you along for the ride! 2d
MemoirsForMe Happy Birthday! You‘ll love Bird by Bird! 🥳🎉🎂📚 2d
BarbaraJean @MemoirsForMe Thank you! I‘m sure I will! 2d
43 likes16 comments
review
BarbaraJean
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Pickpick

Years ago, I came across the poem “The Taxi” by Amy Lowell, and its final line has lived in my brain ever since: “Why should I leave you, / To wound myself upon the sharp edges of the night?” I‘ve meant to read a collection of her poetry ever since, but we all know how the TBR intentions sometimes go. So when it became apparent that in spite of my best intentions in January, I definitely wasn‘t going to get around to reading any (let alone all ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …three volumes) of Dante‘s Divine Comedy by the end of March for the #ClassicsChallenge2025, I decided to read some Amy Lowell instead.

This collection, published in 1919, is made up of two halves. The first is filled with tiny, exquisite poems that play with Chinese and Japanese forms, creating gorgeous crystal-clear images in word pictures. I had a hard time putting it down, savoring bite-sized poem after poem. ⤵️
4d
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) The second half is more lyrical, moving away from the Asian-inspired images and into English cities and the countryside. While I preferred the imagery of the first half, there were still some gems in the second half. I‘m glad I finally immersed myself in Amy Lowell‘s poetry, and I‘ll definitely be seeking out more of it!

Link to her poem “The Taxi” (which isn‘t in this collection): https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42984/the-taxi
4d
MommyWantsToReadHerBook Such a beautiful poem. Lovely post 💙 4d
36 likes4 comments
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BarbaraJean
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It‘s been an over-full reading week and I‘m only just now sitting down to read this week‘s section of Last of the Mohicans for #LMMAdjacent #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead. 🙃 How‘s everyone else‘s reading coming along? Are you enjoying the book so far?

Bookwomble Nice bookmark 🔖🙂 4d
DieAReader Behind in all my readings this week🤦🏻‍♀️ 3d
lauraisntwilder I've read this week's chapters, but I'm finding it easy to zone out on this one and not realize it. 3d
See All 9 Comments
TheAromaofBooks I'm finding this one interesting, but a chapter a day is definitely easier for me than large chunks, especially when there is fighting. 3d
Daisey I‘m with @lauraisntwilder on this one. I find some parts interesting, but then I‘ll completely lose the thread. Maybe it would be better if I was focused on print instead of listening, but there‘s no way I can currently fit that in my schedule. 3d
BarbaraJean @Bookwomble Thanks! I like to use a bookmark that matches the book. In this case I love the red leather with the vintage book—even though the Fitzwilliam Museum doesn‘t match thematically😆 3d
BarbaraJean @DieAReader I know the feeling!! This was one of those weeks for me. 3d
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder @Daisey Similar for me—I find my attention wandering. @TheAromaofBooks I‘m too behind to parcel it out in short chunks now ☹️ 3d
julieclair Need to catch up… it‘s been a crazy week. 3d
38 likes9 comments
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BarbaraJean
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#5JoysFriday!

My first three are more treasures unearthed from the garage:
1. Beautiful blue glass vases which I have filled with larkspur from the garden
2. My brother‘s soccer shirt from when he was a kid in the early 80s, featuring the name of their sponsor: “Drugs-N-Such” 🤣
3. My summer library reading program certificates from childhood, one of which proclaims: “The Sizzler Proudly Salutes You”
Continued ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d)
More joys (unrelated to organizing the garage 😆):
4. Finally getting my music library (~100GB) back from a failed hard drive
5. Dinner with one of my best friends last night + an early birthday gift of a book, a bookish game, and an Emotional Support Dumpster Fire (gifted in the book-themed gift bag we‘ve been trading back and forth since college)
4d
Bookwormjillk The Sizzler proudly salutes you 😂😂😂 4d
kspenmoll What fun joys!!!‘ 3d
31 likes3 comments
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BarbaraJean
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SEPTEMBER, 1918

This afternoon was the colour of water falling through sunlight;
The trees glittered with the tumbling of leaves;
The sidewalks shone like alleys of dropped maple leaves,
And the houses ran along them laughing out of square, open windows.
Under a tree in the park,
Two little boys, lying flat on their faces,
Were carefully gathering red berries
To put in a pasteboard box.
⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d)
Some day there will be no war
Then I shall take out this afternoon
And turn it in my fingers
And remark the sweet taste of it upon my palate
And note the crisp variety of its flights of leaves
Today I can only gather it
And put it into my lunch-box
For I have time for nothing
But the endeavour to balance myself
Upon a broken world.
5d
25 likes1 comment
review
BarbaraJean
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Pickpick

I love the Wayward Children series so much, and this latest book didn‘t disappoint. I ached over Nadya‘s our-world story and loved her underwater portal world (and ached again over the ending). I‘m constantly impressed by how deftly McGuire weaves into her fantasy worlds huge topics like adoption and ableism, in ways that illuminate and universalize the experiences of diverse characters.

This was my 2025 pick for #192025.

Librarybelle Yay!! 6d
45 likes1 comment
review
BarbaraJean
Going Postal | Terry Pratchett
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Pickpick

Still working my way through belated reviews…this goes back to early February for the #OokBOokClub.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, from the characters to the satire to the fact that it had CHAPTERS.* And the reappearance of characters from The Truth. And golems! There‘s so much more substance to the characters here (I‘m looking at you, Rincewind), which gave more depth to the story overall—and its satire of government was maybe a little too ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …relatable right now, with quotes like:

“Steal five dollars and you‘re a common thief. Steal thousands and you‘re either the government or a hero.”
“Sometimes the truth is arrived at by adding all the little lies together and deducting them from the totality of what is known.”
“What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.” ⤵️
7d
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d):
*I love Terry Pratchett, but his aversion to chapters has been a mild annoyance thus far. The lack of chapters somehow has the opposite effect from what I assume Pratchett was aiming at—it‘s harder for me to sink into the book when I don‘t have clear units of content to anticipate. My brain wants those clear divisions.

Also also: this was my 2004 pick for the #192025 challenge with @librarybelle!
(edited) 7d
Librarybelle Excellent!! 6d
willaful I also noticed the wonderful CHAPTERS and was wondering if they're part of why this book is so popular! 6d
julesG I think Rob wrote something about the chapters in his biography of Terry. I'll check and come back (though later, just got out of bed it's 6am here) 6d
36 likes1 stack add5 comments
blurb
BarbaraJean
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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#BookSpin list for April (even though I haven‘t even started my BookSpin or #DoubleSpin from March yet 😬)

Lots of challenge/buddy read picks on this list, with #192025, #ChristiesCapers, #OokBOokClub, and my own #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead and #50x50. But it also stays pretty close to my physical TBR—which is ostensibly my goal with BookSpin! Looking forward to the numbers next week!

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! The Man in the Brown Suit is one of my favorite Christie books, even though (because??) it's completely ridiculous 😂 Is All Creatures Great and Small a buddy read? I love those books so much!! 7d
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks All Creatures is on my list for #192025, and so is The Man in the Brown Suit, for that matter (with a nice #ChristiesCapers overlap)! I've never read either and both feel like fun & cozy reads, which I need more and more these days. 7d
29 likes2 comments
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BarbaraJean
Crazy Rich Asians | Kevin Kwan
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Um… you‘d think that by the time the movie tie-in edition was published, they‘d have corrected stuff like this. TBH, I‘ve already been low-key annoyed reading this—reading about the massively rich just doesn‘t land well right now—and dumb errors like this aren‘t helping. Can‘t guarantee I‘ll be in a good mood about this one at book club on Sunday. 😬 At least it‘s a quick read!

Vansa The book/series start off satirising the clueless uber-rich but then ends up saying they're the good people, it really irritated me. Reflective of the massive privilege the author comes from🤷🏾‍♀️ 1w
JamieArc What is this even supposed to say??? 7d
BarbaraJean @JamieArc I‘m assuming it‘s supposed to be “A melodious peal rang through the room.” I think it should be a peal of something (laughter, bells, whatever)—and personally, I think “chime” would be more appropriate for the context—but at least “peal” wouldn‘t suggest that there‘s some kind of giant ringing orange rind rolling around. 7d
JamieArc @BarbaraJean 😂😂 Exactly was I was imagining! 7d
42 likes4 comments
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BarbaraJean
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Yep.

Leftcoastzen Funny / Not Funny 1w
BarbaraJean @Leftcoastzen My sentiments exactly! 1w
TheBookHippie Right?! WTAF 😵‍💫😝 1w
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BookmarkTavern Do I laugh? Do I cry? Both. 1w
lil1inblue 😂 😂 😂 😭 😭 😭 7d
CarolynM 🥴 7d
49 likes6 comments
review
BarbaraJean
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Pickpick

Another text for my spiritual direction course—this is a gorgeous, interactive book that I had a hard time bringing myself to write in! It explores the basics of spiritual direction from a number of religious traditions—from Christianity and Judaism to Islam and Buddhism. It was instructive to see both the differences and the deep connections between different spiritual traditions when it comes to spiritual guidance. ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) There were lots of new-to-me perspectives here that enriched my approach to spiritual direction. With gorgeous artwork and prompts for journaling and reflection, this was brief but not shallow—a solid, thorough intro to the concept of spiritual direction. 1w
BethM What are you working toward? 1w
BarbaraJean @BethM I‘m working towards becoming a spiritual director—I‘m about halfway through a 2-year formation program/internship. It‘s been so rewarding! 1w
38 likes2 stack adds3 comments
review
BarbaraJean
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Pickpick

I read this in Jan/Feb for my spiritual direction course, and it was excellent. It both broadened my definition of contemplation and challenged me to see contemplative practices in a new way. Holmes explores contemplative practices of the Black church, bringing in the historical context within which new forms of contemplation necessarily emerged. Viewing community and social activism through the lens of contemplation was illuminating. ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) Holmes also highlights Howard Thurman, MLK, and others as Black contemplatives, and the 2nd edition includes new chapters on Obama‘s presidency, the BLM movement, and explorations of the work of Black artists including Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar. 1w
Kristin_Reads I love Barbara Holmes and loved this book! I read it several years ago. 1w
BarbaraJean @Kristin_Reads This was the first book I‘ve read by her, and I definitely want to seek out more. 1w
35 likes3 comments
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BarbaraJean
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So, what had happened was…😆

When making our reading schedule, I mistakenly consulted the table of contents for a retold/abridged version of the book, which only had 19 chapters. The actual book has 33 chapters. SO—I have adjusted the schedule accordingly! I divided the remaining number of chapters by 3 weeks, so now the pace is about 9 chapters per week instead of 5 —but it should still be really doable. ⤵️ #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) (I was surprised by how short this week‘s section was—now I know why 😂) I‘m so sorry for the mistake—hope this still works for everyone! 1w
JenlovesJT47 Going to try to catch up today. I know, I‘m the worst 😬 always behind on everything, sorry! 1w
TheAromaofBooks Looks good!! When I started reading, I couldn't find the schedule (Litsy was being obnoxious lol) so I just read 2 chapters a day, so I'm a little ahead of the original schedule anyway!! 1w
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Daisey I haven‘t been very good at listening to my audiobooks during the week, so I‘m catching up on a book club read today and then getting back to this. 1w
BarbaraJean @JenlovesJT47 No worries—the discussions will be here whenever you‘re caught up! 1w
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Haha—one small benefit of Litsy‘s issues last week! 1w
BarbaraJean @Daisey I‘ve had to do a lot of catch-up lately, too—so many (good) bookish commitments! 1w
34 likes7 comments
review
BarbaraJean
The Fall of Arthur | J.R.R. Tolkien
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this unfinished piece of Arthurian poetry by Tolkien, along with the accompanying essays by Christopher Tolkien (that make up most of the book). Overall, though, it was a bit unsatisfying—I wanted a little bit more from all of it (but that‘s my own issue, not an actual problem with the book). “The Poem in Arthurian Tradition” made me want to study the poem in the context of an Arthurian Literature course, to go deeper into the sources ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …Tolkien drew from. With “The Unwritten Poem & its Relation to The Silmarillion,” I wanted more analysis of the connections & parallels (and character comparisons) not only with the Silmarillion, but also the rest of Tolkien‘s work. (I realize literary interpretation/analysis wasn‘t Christopher Tolkien‘s purpose, and I understand why, but that‘s what I wanted!) My favorite part of the book, though, was the appendix on Old English Verse.⤵️ (edited) 1w
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) I loved reading more about the alliterative form—it enriched my reading of the poem to go back and examine the form Tolkien was using, and it made me wish even more for a completed version of the poem. I‘m glad I read this #MedievalTolkien pick with the #FellowshipofTolkien! 1w
kspenmoll Wonderful review! 1w
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Daisey Great review and I completely agree! I also really enjoyed the section on the verse form. 1w
JazzFeathers What a great review, Barbara 🤩 l found it more difficult than others we read, but l still enjoyed it a lot. Especially the chapter about the Silmarillion, though l, too, would have liked a lot more from it. 'Cause I'm sure there's more, there. 1w
BarbaraJean @kspenmoll @Daisey Thank you! @JazzFeathers I agree, I found the essays in this one more difficult than some of our other reading—especially when Christopher Tolkien got so detailed about the various drafts of the poem. I wanted less of that and more analysis—I understand why CT‘s focus is where it is, but I guess my preference/interest is sometimes different than his goals! 1w
40 likes6 comments
review
BarbaraJean
The Secret Adversary | Agatha Christie
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Pickpick

Another belated review… this was the #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3 pick for February.

I was excited to read this because I hadn‘t read any of the Tommy & Tuppence books before, and it was such fun—in spite of the more improbable & unrealistic aspects of the plot! Both Tommy & Tuppence annoyed me a little at times, but I did enjoy their youthful energy and banter—as well as seeing Agatha Christie write younger protagonists. ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) I loved their ingenuity as they navigated various predicaments independently of each other. Tuppence had her own strengths and contributions in unraveling the mystery, instead of just being a throwaway token female in the duo. I look forward to reading more Tommy & Tuppence in the future!

This was also my 1922 pick for the #192025 challenge.
1w
Librarybelle Yay!! 1w
dabbe You old bean! 🤩🤣🤩 1w
BarbaraJean @dabbe 😂 I love that expression so much—really need to find ways to work it into my daily life 😆 1w
dabbe @BarbaraJean IKR? I adored this book! 🤩🤣🤗 1w
41 likes1 stack add5 comments
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BarbaraJean
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#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead check-in, 5 chapters in! I‘m reading this Book League of America edition from the 1940s & the print is TINY. 😵‍💫

I‘m having trouble keeping track of the various players & alliances in the conflict, but I‘m interested to see where things go with our travelers. I‘ve also been on edge about how this is going to go as far as racism & stereotypes.

What do you think of our main characters and of the book so far? #LMMAdjacent

tpixie How many pages does this book? I have a kids version that I suspect as an abridged. 2w
tpixie This was a family favorite movie. 2w
BarbaraJean @tpixie My copy has 269 pages--I was wondering about the length, because when I originally put together the schedule I was seeing much longer page counts on other editions. And just now when checking for the page count, I discovered that my copy has 33 chapters, but the online table of contents I found, on which I based the reading schedule, has 19 chapters. 😫 This is going to require further research... 2w
See All 14 Comments
BarbaraJean @Daisey @TheAromaofBooks @julieclair @lauraisntwilder @rubyslippersreads @JenLovesJT47 @DieAReader Important question: how many chapters are there in the editions you're reading? And do those chapters have names? When I did the reading schedule, I used an online table of contents from the Library of Congress, and it had 19 chapters, all named. Mine has 33 chapters, none are named, but each one opens with a quotation. Trying to figure this out...😩 (edited) 2w
tpixie @BarbaraJean 🩷🩷🩷 Well, at least it‘s not 490!? 😀 2w
BarbaraJean @tpixie The print is pretty small, but it does seem like an awfully low page count!! 2w
tpixie @BarbaraJean oh well maybe it is a 400 page book with small print. Small print is so hard…. But the edition looks cool in the photo! (edited) 2w
TheAromaofBooks I have 33 chapters, and like yours no titles but quotations at the beginning of each chapter. 413 pages + footnotes. I have definitely run into problems with some of the classics I've hosted!! It annoys me that it's so difficult to get a straight answer as to whether a book is abridged and/or “updated.“ 1w
TheAromaofBooks Also I literally had to go to SparkNotes and write down who some of the characters are 😂 1w
lauraisntwilder There are 33 chapters in mine, too. 350 pages. My impression so far is surprise that there's even a discussion of prejudice. 1w
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks @lauraisntwilder Thank you for the confirmation of 33 chapters!! Also I found my error—the table of contents I found was a “retold” and abridged edition. That‘s what I get for being too lazy to walk across the room and grab my copy 🙄 I‘ll post an updated schedule based on the actual number of chapters! 1w
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks A character list is a great idea! I still can‘t remember which sister is which! Or which fort is which. Or which tribes are allied with whom. 😆 @lauraisntwilder Yes—I was impressed by the one sister‘s comment saying they shouldn‘t distrust their guide just because his skin is dark. I‘m interested to see how these dynamics play out. 1w
DieAReader Also quotes & 33 chapters in my Kindle Amazon Classics Edition. Some confusion on characters & alliances but it‘s still early🤭 1w
BarbaraJean @DieAReader 33 chapters (and my mistake) confirmed! 😆 It really is hard to keep track of all the pieces at this point… no doubt it will all settle into my brain soon! 1w
41 likes14 comments
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BarbaraJean
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#5JoysFriday!

1. Sunday jazz with my husband‘s combo
2. Lunch on St. Patrick‘s Day with dear friends
3. Last-minute cheap tickets to see HP & the Cursed Child at the Pantages in LA
4. Unearthed some “treasures” from the garage—including a little ceramic alien my sister made at age 12
5. Phone call from one of my regular editing clients thanking me for my work—helping him craft a eulogy for a mentor of his 💜

dabbe 🩵💙🩵 2w
TheBookHippie Treasures!! ♥️ 2w
37 likes2 comments
review
BarbaraJean
Woman in White | Wilkie COLLINS
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Pickpick

I had so much fun reading this with the #HashtagBrigade, although I still question my judgment in deciding to read both this and Nicholas Nickleby simultaneously. This was a re-read for me, but I remembered little about the twists and turns of the narrative, so the unveiling of the various secrets and plots was still largely a surprise. 😆 Also, I‘m happy to report that my review from August 2011 still holds up! ⤵️

BarbaraJean I loved this. It‘s deliciously Victorian (oh, the melodrama!), and reminded me both of why I love Victorian lit so much, as well as of its quirks which thoroughly annoy me. Of course, the most capable woman is ugly... and her energy, intelligence, and presence of mind are continually referred to as being “like a man‘s.” Although, Marian herself seems to mock and poke fun at these conventions throughout, which was great fun. ⤵️ 2w
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) What more could you ask: A despicable villain, a conniving husband, a convoluted conspiracy complete with uncanny likenesses and mistaken identity, “horrifying” secrets of the past finally uncovered, a lovely fainting heroine (contrasted drastically with her capable and ugly half-sister), and, of course, the entirely annoying invalid uncle, whose parentheticals just killed me: ⤵️ 2w
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) The date was towards the end of June, or the beginning of July, and the name (in my opinion a remarkably vulgar one) was Fanny.”
“She had carefully put the two letters into her bosom. (What have I to do with her bosom?)”
“...she had thought she should like a cup of tea. (Am I responsible for any of these vulgar fluctuations, which begin with unhappiness and end with tea?)”

Hilarious.
2w
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Bookwormjillk A great read for sure 2w
ferskner Ooooof! That's a lot of Victorians at once. 2w
BarbaraJean @ferskner Soooo many Victorians. At least Dickens and Collins have very different vibes! 2w
45 likes1 stack add6 comments
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BarbaraJean
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“There are many pleasant fictions of the law in constant operation, but there is not one so pleasant or practically humorous as that which supposes every man to be of equal value in its impartial eye, and the benefits of all laws to be equally attainable by all men, without the smallest reference to the furniture of their pockets.”

#WhattheDickens

Texreader Great quote!! 2w
kspenmoll Love this! 2w
36 likes2 comments
review
BarbaraJean
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Pickpick

Soooo far behind on reviews! The #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead read & discussed this over a month ago. But, my viable excuse for this late review is that I only just finished the four related stories!

This was a slow-paced description of life in a small, coastal Maine town in the late 1800s. The semi-autobiographical slice-of-life plot is narrated through the eyes of a writer boarding there for the summer. Through small vignettes, Jewett‘s writing ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …brings to life both her characters and the landscape they belong to. The book is slow and reflective, and the four related stories were a delight (although I do wish those stories had been woven into the book proper—they‘re closely linked and feel like they‘re necessary to continue/wrap up a couple of storylines). I loved the way the landscape and the characters echoed Anne‘s House of Dreams, but with a very different flavor. 2w
Tamra This is right up my alley - I loved it. 😊 2w
BarbaraJean @Tamra It's just lovely, isn't it? 2w
39 likes3 comments
review
BarbaraJean
Hamlet is Not OK | R.A. Spratt
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Mehso-so

This was…OK. I‘ve seen the “real world characters enter a fictional world” premise executed better elsewhere, and this felt a bit lacking. Selby & Dan felt under-developed, and their interactions with Hamlet and the play‘s other characters were handled a bit awkwardly (really? Hamlet has few-to-no problems/misunderstandings of modern culture or language?). The book explores concepts of mental health (naturally, encountering Hamlet & Ophelia ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …leads to discussions of depression), but without much depth. BUT, this could be a nice entry point for someone who‘s struggling to get into Shakespeare or find it relatable, and I could see it being a springboard for a really worthwhile discussion of the play. 2w
41 likes1 comment
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BarbaraJean
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We start reading The Last of the Mohicans tomorrow! The weekly schedule is above (we‘ll be reading about 5 chapters per week). I‘ll post a check-in on Saturdays, and we‘ll have a wrap-up discussion of the whole book on Saturday, April 12. Looking forward to reading along with all of you!

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

Suet624 Oh boy. What a great book to read. Can‘t add this to my list to read now but I‘ve stacked it because I definitely want to read it. 3w
DieAReader 💖Happy I came across the #LMMAdjacent post a few weeks ago. 📖I‘ll be reading along with everyone🤓 2w
BarbaraJean @Suet624 Too many great books to read, right?! @DieAReader Glad to have you reading along! I‘ll add you to the tag list! 2w
DieAReader @BarbaraJean 🤓💖Thanks! 2w
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BarbaraJean
Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery
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LMM dedicates Rainbow Valley to three young men who were killed in WWI, and the ending of the novel, with its references to the Piper, foreshadows the war to come. Did you notice anything else in the book that echoes or explores these bookend references to the war?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

lauraisntwilder Ellen West seems pretty convinced there's something rotten in the state of Germany. 2w
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder And she wasn't wrong! I loved seeing LMM's interest in politics come out in that way. I felt like the Piper stuff was a little heavy-handed, but I liked that little foreshadowing with Ellen. 2w
kwmg40 There were definitely instances of foreshadowing -- references to the politics but also suggestions that the world will change and the current times will be gone forever. 1w
BarbaraJean @kwmg40 Yes! I think that‘s what I had a hard time putting my finger on. There‘s a whole mood of “all this is about to change.” It makes the childhood games and antics that much more nostalgic. 1w
27 likes4 comments
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BarbaraJean
Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery
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It was heartbreaking to read the above in LMM‘s journals and to see LMM‘s loss of her cousin and dear friend overshadowing the publication of Rainbow Valley. But I loved hearing the source for both of these Rainbow Valley moments.

What are some of your favorite parts of Rainbow Valley? Favorite episodes or quotes?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

JenlovesJT47 I can‘t wait to actually sit down and read her journals. Hoping to get to it this week. 💚 She was such an interesting person. 3w
CogsOfEncouragement Throughout the book, it was interesting to me how gossip in the small community played such a role in nearly everything. Sometimes the gossip caused great harm, and sometimes it was the gossip of others that prompted someone to act to everyone's betterment. 3w
BarbaraJean @JenlovesJT47 I hope you end up being able to get to them—I‘ve really loved reading the journals! 2w
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BarbaraJean @CogsOfEncouragement I got so mad at the gossips! Yes, there were times the Meredith kids (AND the Blythes, if we‘re being fair—which the gossips were not) really got up to mischief—like the pig-riding 😂 But it seemed like the things that set off the worst gossip were often innocent mistakes (like cleaning the house on Sunday!) or situations the kids should/would never have been in—if a responsible adult had provided some guidance and care. 2w
BarbaraJean In spite of how much John Meredith (as a father) frustrated me, I really enjoyed the Rosemary + John love story. I was rooting for the kids to have her in their life. I loved her friendship with Faith, and how Una finally brought everything together so sweetly & selflessly. I also loved basically all of the scenes that centered on Faith. Her explanation in front of the church, her letter to the Journal, and the pig-riding!! ⤵️ 2w
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) And I loved Faith‘s response to seeing that condescending minister catch his coat-tails on fire, vindicating poor Adam just a little bit! 2w
kwmg40 I enjoyed the antics of the Meredith kids, and seeing how their “bad behaviour“ usually stemmed from childish impulsiveness, kindheartedness or good intentions. 1w
BarbaraJean @kwmg40 I really loved those kids! It bothered me that the gossips labeled them as such “bad” kids, because they all had such good intentions. 1w
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BarbaraJean
Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery
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For those who are re-reading the series: How was it reading Rainbow Valley right after House of Dreams instead of after Anne of Ingleside?

Does this book feel like an “Anne” book to you? What do you think of the glimpses we do get of Anne and Gilbert?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

lauraisntwilder I think it makes more sense coming right after House of Dreams. Well, actually, I think it's that Anne of Ingleside makes more sense if you read this one first. LMM introduces all the children in this one, but on my first read through, I read Ingleside first and was a little lost. I think I'll enjoy that one more this time through. 2w
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder Oh, I hadn‘t even thought about that with Ingleside! Even though we get very little development of the Blythe kids here, at least we do get the general introductions. I‘ll definitely be paying attention to how that affects my reading of Ingleside this time. 2w
BarbaraJean Although this doesn‘t feel like an Anne book to me, doing kind of a fast-forward to the next generation made sense to me. And I loved getting to see glimpses of Anne and Gilbert at this stage of their lives. The few moments we get of Anne as a parent (both to her own kids and to the Meredith kids at times) were just lovely. 2w
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BarbaraJean
Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery
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What worked or didn‘t work for you in this book? What did you most enjoy? What did you dislike or find problematic?

We get a bunch of new characters: Anne‘s children and the Meredith family, and various members of the community including the West sisters. Which were your favorites or least favorites? Who would you have liked to read more (or less!) about?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

CogsOfEncouragement I of course like Rosemary. I was very much frustrated by Ellen not allowing Rosemary out of a promise no one should make, and then again when Ellen was keeping herself and three other people from easy happiness. I enjoyed Norman's character and any scene he was mentioned.

Faith was a favorite, I chuckled as she tried to fix messes she made, only to make things worse in some ways. Her letter to The Journal was a hoot!
3w
lauraisntwilder I was a little confused about when Mrs. Meredith died. I haven't taken the time to look back, but I swear Mr. Meredith has a memory of his wife holding little Una and it sounded like Una was a baby, or a very young toddler, at least. But later Una remembers a speech her father gives them shortly after her mother's death. I wouldn't have thought she be old enough to remember. 2w
lauraisntwilder *she'd be old enough 2w
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TheAromaofBooks We'll see if Litsy lets me comment😑 RV has always been my least favorite of the Anne books, and I think it's because I don't like John Meredith. Can anyone really be this self-absorbed and neglectful? How can you still consider him a “good“ person? I have no patience with his whole “guilt-stricken“ moments that are immediately followed by him pursuing his own interests again. While I love the children, I find John impossible to root for. 2w
BarbaraJean I really like the characters in Rainbow Valley—I love the Meredith kids. But it frustrates me that the Blythe kids are just side characters. And it‘s way too darn hard to remember which Blythe is which, because they‘re not at all fleshed out, and then Nan and Di are named after Anne and Diana, which confuses me! 2w
BarbaraJean @CogsOfEncouragement Faith was my favorite! I loved her boldness to stand up to the gossips, both with her church announcement and her letter to the Journal. My jaw literally dropped with some of her comments in her letter—but most of what came across so harshly was said truthfully and without malice. Like her comment about the yarn!! I love Rosemary, too—and Ellen‘s stubbornness and hypocrisy infuriate me. 2w
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder I found that memory of Cecilia and Una—it‘s halfway through Ch. 14: “the child whom the dying mother had clasped to her heart… Cecilia had clung to her baby until the gates of death had shut between them.” I was confused, too—“her baby” sounds like Una was either an infant or the youngest, but we know Carl is younger than Una. The AoGG fandom wiki says Jerry was 8 when his mother died, which would make Una 6 at that point. 2w
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks YES about John Meredith. I liked Rainbow Valley more on this reading than before, partly because it reminded me so much of the little gang of friends in Story Girl/Golden Road. But John Meredith bothered me SO much more. No matter how much he supposedly cares for his children emotionally, he‘s a crappy father. But I was equally infuriated by the community, who gossip & judge those poor good-hearted, well-meaning kids who have ⬇ 2w
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …absolutely no support or guidance at home. I wanted to cheer at Anne‘s speech about what she‘d say about the Meredith kids, and the way Miss Cornelia took it to heart. But those kids needed more than adults defending them and their father‘s love for them. I think I was rooting for Rosemary & John in part because those kids needed her so badly!! But it also made me really angry that John finding a wife was presented as the best solution ⬇ 2w
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …for his failures as a father. Because guess what? If he can‘t remember that he has kids that need caring for, odds are he‘s going to neglect his wife, too. And that‘s going to be a crap marriage if her primary role as a wife is getting him to pull his nose out of tomes of German theology in order to remember he has a wife and kids. (Also UGH to commenting on Litsy via the web right now...) 2w
kwmg40 I enjoyed this book, though not as much as the earlier ones. I agree with others that John Meredith was an infuriating character but I liked all the other characters, even Ellen. One complaint I had about the subplots is that I felt I had seen them all before in earlier books -- the rescued child, the long-separated lovers, etc. 1w
BarbaraJean @kwmg40 Yes, LMM does have certain tropes she uses a LOT! 1w
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BarbaraJean
The Book of Joy | Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu
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Belated #5JoysFriday!
1. My dad & I are making progress in getting rid of unnecessary stuff—someone took the dresser we left at the curb, and we gave a bunch of vintage clothes & hats to a local youth theater org for costumes
2. During the above, I found a sweet “Thank You Grandpa” booklet my nieces gave my dad almost 20 years ago (we kept that!!)
3. Between rainstorms we had some glorious clear days where I could see snow on the mountains ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d)
4. One of my college professors (Bible professor at a conservative Christian university) is posting thoughtful critiques of Trump/Christian nationalism & related topics on social media. Today: “The Christian virtues are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I‘ve yet to figure out where contempt for transgender people fits in this list.”
5. And, that misprint from Sunday‘s bulletin! 😆
3w
TheKidUpstairs I love all of these! 3w
dabbe 🩵💙🩵 3w
DebinHawaii Lovely list of joys! 💛💛💛 That thank you book & messages are so sweet! 2w
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BarbaraJean
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“…they're all called monks or monastics, as ‘monk‘ comes from the Greek monos, meaning ‘alone.‘ But as we know, society likes to create separations and binaries of everything, so the word for nuns comes from the Latin nonnus, meaning ‘monk.‘”

😂

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BarbaraJean
Lark Rise to Candleford | Flora Thompson, H. J. Massingham
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Pickpick

It‘s super hard to review all three books together, because my enjoyment varied greatly from book one to book three! This had been on my list for a while, since my MIL recommended the series to me. And initially my question was WHY did anyone ever think this would make a good series?!?! This question persisted for me throughout the first book and a half, which read like a mildly interesting description of rural village life in the late 1800s. ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) Very little plot, very little character development—very few characters even to speak of. But by the second half of the second book, Laura begins to emerge as a character, and her thoughts and dreams and observations began to endear me to the book. And the last book was a delight. I don‘t know if I‘d have persisted if it weren‘t for the short chapters & the hilarious daily commentary from the #HashtagBrigade. So, in the end: a pick? 3w
dabbe 🎯🎯🎯 3w
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BarbaraJean
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Pickpick

Another belated review—I read this in January for #AuldLangSpine!

This was so much fun. Set in Regency-era England, it follows “Gus” and Julia, spinster twin sisters who set out to rescue a friend‘s goddaughter and join forces with a charming rogue along the way. It‘s full of humor, adventure, and female empowerment, as well as more serious issues and higher stakes than I imagined there‘d be. I was so glad to see there‘ll be a book 2!

Librarybelle I‘m so excited for book two! 3w
quietjenn Oh, I just checked this out from the library yesterday! 3w
BarbaraJean @quietjenn Yay! Hope you enjoy! 3w
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BarbaraJean
Monstrous Regiment | Terry Pratchett
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Pickpick

A much-belated review of the #OokBOokClub read from January (I‘m working through my backlog of completed-but-not-yet-reviewed books!)

I‘m torn over this. I loved its examination of political/religious propaganda (especially in wartime/in service of conflict), and I loved the way it pokes fun at and takes down gender stereotypes. I loved its diverse characters and the little cultural glimpses each one gives us, from trolls to Igors to vampires.⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …And I loved the slow reveal of each character. But the middle of the book draaaagggged for me. I felt like it needlessly meandered on its way to the ending and the various reveals I loved so much. And yet I gave it 4.5 stars, so… 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3w
julesG You're right, the middle dragged. I wonder whether I thought so too when I read it the first time ages ago. 🤔 3w
40 likes2 comments
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BarbaraJean
Darwin: Texts, Commentary | Charles Darwin
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I've seen this quote before, and I love it, but I love this framing of it even more!

Also, I think I need this quote on a t-shirt. For those non-great days.

CSeydel Absolutely! 3w
Deblovestoread Love this! 3w
lil1inblue Well, I'm gonna save this for the next non-great day. 😍 3w
40 likes3 comments
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BarbaraJean
Birthdays Happen | Herbert Kavet
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My birthday is in just under 3 weeks & I‘ve been putting together a multi-year reading challenge to complete before 3/31/28 (my 50th birthday 😱). I went through my physical shelves & TBR lists and chose 50 books I‘d really like to finish before I turn 50. Then, I wrote prompts for each—so anyone who‘d like to join me can choose their own books for the challenge. Who wants to read #50x50 along with me? Link to StoryGraph challenge in the comments!

CSeydel 🎂🎈🎉📚 3w
Librarybelle Oh! This sounds like fun! 3w
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TheBookHippie Well I‘m past 50 - however my 50th birthday was so much fun. 😂 I loved my 40s -enjoy the last of yours!!! (Also I had a baby then instead of menopause) I‘m in for the challenge 🙃 3w
BookmarkTavern Happy birthday in three weeks! 🎉🎉🎉 3w
daena Love this! 3w
julesG Cool idea!! I'll have a look at it. (my 50th is in 2030, that's close to yours) 3w
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BarbaraJean
Woman in White | Wilkie COLLINS
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“(Am I responsible for any of these vulgar fluctuations, which begin with unhappiness and end with tea?)”

#hashtagbrigade

BarkingMadRead 😍😍 3w
BarbaraJean @BarkingMadRead SO many quotable sentences in today‘s section!! “What have I to do with her bosom?” 😂😂 3w
BarkingMadRead 🤣🤣🤣 I was laughing so much the whole time. People are actually suffering and he‘s like ugh! #mynerves 3w
julieclair 😂😂😂 3w
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BarbaraJean
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I‘d just like to take a moment to share a lil‘ picture I took of a small misprint in this morning‘s liturgy at my church 😆

I‘m sure it was completely unintentional; our admin likely copy/pasted the first Sunday of Lent liturgy from last year and didn‘t notice there were adjustments needed, but still. It made me chuckle.

marleed Oh, I bet that made some MAGA folks irritable. 3w
Lcsmcat How I wish! 3w
BarbaraJean @marleed The MAGA folks are few and far between at our church! The music director, who was leading this section, just skipped the names, which was probably the best way to handle it. @Lcsmcat I know, right? My husband commented “I'd rather pray for Biden anyway.“ 😆 Although for my own mental and spiritual health, I need to pray for both... 3w
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Lcsmcat @BarbaraJean We quit naming him during Trump 1, just pray for the “leaders of the nation and the world.” 3w
BarbaraJean @Lcsmcat We tend to fluctuate back and forth between using specific names and using the more general “leaders“ language. I have a hard time with hearing his name, especially in prayer. Even more so when I'm on the schedule to lead the Prayers of the People! The specific name is difficult for me, but it also helps me exercise the muscle of compassion, which I need so deeply—especially right now. 3w
Lcsmcat @BarbaraJean Yes, we all need to exercise those right now! But that doesn‘t make it easy. I‘m reading Bishop Budde‘s book right now. 3w
BarbaraJean @Lcsmcat It's needed but SO hard. I need to add her book to my TBR. Maybe by the time I clear some reading space in my schedule, there will be some library copies available!! 3w
mcctrish If only (edited) 3w
BarbaraJean @mcctrish I know, right? 3w
marleed @BarbaraJean That makes me happy! My fear is that so many places of worship have given way to Christian Nationalism that it‘s become harder for those believing in the separation of church and state to find comfort there. 3w
BarbaraJean @marleed The Christian Nationalism that is creeping into so many Christian spaces is heartbreaking to me (and is one of the reasons I don't regret leaving the evangelical spaces I was previously part of). I'm glad to be a member of an Episcopal church that is progressive in its theology and encourages people to THINK for themselves instead of telling them what to think. 3w
marleed @BarbaraJean 💕💕 3w
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BarbaraJean
Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery
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Hello, #KindredSpirits! Checking in halfway through our read of Rainbow Valley!

📚How is your reading going? What are your thoughts so far?
📚What stands out to you from the first half of the book?
📚Any favorite sections or quotes?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

CogsOfEncouragement I'm just to chapter seven at this moment, but plan to finish the whole book in time for next week's discussion. This is a re-read for me. I read it once over ten years ago.

I'm struck by the relationship between Susan and Shirley, that he would not go with the rest of the family to Avonlea but with Susan to visit her brother. I can't imagine.

4w
CogsOfEncouragement Chapter One:

“Speaking of gossip...Mrs. Harrison Miller over harbour tried to hang herself...If I had been in her shoes, Mrs. Dr. dear, I would have gone to work to worry him so that he would try to hang himself instead of me.“
4w
CogsOfEncouragement Chapter Four:

Love was the only law at Glen St. Mary manse.

The world isn't a vale of tears, Mrs. Taylor. It's a world of laughter.

Father said in his sermon...we should love everybody...How could we love Mrs. Alec Davis?...Oh, father only said that from the pulpit...He has more sense than to really think that outside.
(edited) 4w
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CogsOfEncouragement Chapter Five:

Mr. Wiley used to mention hell when he was alive. He was always telling folks to go there. I thought it was some place over in New Brunswick where he come from.
4w
julieclair I‘m behind as usual… 🙄 3w
lauraisntwilder Just like the last time I read this, I can't help feeling like it's strange to be introduced to all Anne's children and then spend most of the book with an entirely different group of children. I like Meredith children, so I'm still enjoying the book, but it's odd. Gilbert only spoke in one scene so far, that I can remember. I miss him--and Diana and Marilla, and, actually, Anne, too! 3w
BarbaraJean @CogsOfEncouragement I thought it was odd as well, to have Susan take Shirley with her to visit her brother instead of him going with all the other siblings to Avonlea. He and Rilla kind of just disappear from the narrative (well, until the codfish episode with Rilla!). (edited) 3w
BarbaraJean @CogsOfEncouragement I love all the quotes you mentioned. Every one of them was one that caught my eye as well. I loved this especially: “The world isn't a vale of tears, Mrs. Taylor. It's a world of laughter.“ I love Faith Meredith so very much!! 3w
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder It IS odd. The first chapter sets up expectations that the book will be about the Blythes, and then the focus completely shifts. Like you, I like the Merediths, but it's such an adjacent-feeling book, rather than an “Anne“ book! Also: I wanted more about Anne and Gilbert's Europe trip! I'd read a whole novel about that! 3w
BarbaraJean @julieclair I get it! Feel free to drop back in when you're able to catch up! 3w
lauraisntwilder @BarbaraJean Yes, would love more on the European trip or the Blythe children with Marilla and Rachel! 3w
TheAromaofBooks I haven't started my reread of this one yet, but I'm planning to read the whole book this week!! We're at the new house with no internet right now, so my Litsy check ins are a little sporadic 😂 Hopefully we'll get things sorted this week!!

It's interesting to read this book directly after House of Dreams instead of after Ingleside. I think that adds to the “why isn't this book about the Blythes“ kind of feeling.
3w
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks You‘ve had just a FEW other things going on in your life… 😆 Looking forward to hearing your thoughts next week, and best wishes on sorting all the things! (Or most of the things… some of the things… a few of the things… 😂) 3w
kwmg40 I've only just started reading this novel so can't say too much yet. It's a reread for me, but I'd first read this so many years ago that it feels like a new experience! 3w
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BarbaraJean
Making Money | Terry Pratchett
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“The dark organ music filled the Department of Postmortem Communications. Moist assumed it was all part of the ambience, although the mood would have been more precisely obtained if the tune it was playing did not appear to be ‘Cantata and Fugue for Someone Who Has Trouble with the Pedals.‘ As the last note died, after a long illness, Dr. Hicks spun around on the stool and raised the mask.”

#OokBOokClub

julesG 🤣🤣 4w
35 likes1 comment
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BarbaraJean
Oathbound | Tracy Deonn
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🎉🎉🎉 So excited!! Even though there is absolutely no room in my current reading lineup! 😆

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BarbaraJean
The Book of Joy | Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu
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#5JoysFriday!

1. Saturday was our wedding anniversary and we celebrated with a fancy dinner paid for by a gift card from my husband‘s boss
2. After the fancy dinner, we went to a Radiolab quiz show followed by a musical performance by Julianna Barwick
3. My good friend who‘s not a big fiction reader decided to read Nicholas Nickleby since I‘m reading it right now, and she‘s really enjoying it and texting me about it!
Continued ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d)
4. It seems weird to say Ash Wednesday gave me joy, but it was a deeply meaningful day and I got to connect with some church friends I hadn‘t seen in a while
5. My husband has been all about Murderbot the last week—we read book 1 for book group and he‘s been reading each next book as quickly as I can get them from the library!
(edited) 4w
dabbe 🩶💚🩶 4w
Suet624 💕💕💕 4w
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Deblovestoread Lovely list of joys 🩷 4w
Mimi28 🩷🩷🫶🏽🫶🏽😊😊 4w
Ruthiella Happy Anniversary! 🥂🥳❤️ 4w
mcctrish Buddy reads are the best 4w
CSeydel Happy anniversary! Sounds like a great evening! 💕🥂✨ 4w
julieclair Wonderful joys! Happy Anniversary! 🎉 3w
BarbaraJean @mcctrish And in this case, it's a buddy read within a buddy read, since I'm reading it with #WhattheDickens! So much fun. 3w
DebinHawaii Lovely joys! 💛💛💛 Happy Anniversary! 🎉 I found joy in Murderbot this week too! Waiting for book 2! 3w
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BarbaraJean
Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery
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“It is never quite safe to think we have done with life. When we imagine we have finished our story fate has a trick of turning the page and showing us yet another chapter.”

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

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BarbaraJean
Havenfall | Sara Holland
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I‘m looking at my reading for the month and trying to decide what to pick for my #BookSpin! #DoubleSpin landed on the tagged book, but BookSpin landed on a category for the #192025 challenge: a book from the 1980s—2000s. I‘m trying to decide between the above four. Any recommendations?

Librarybelle The Remains of the Day! It‘s so good! 4w
Lcsmcat I agree with @Librarybelle - The Remains of the Day is wonderful. 4w
TheAromaofBooks I haven't read any of these!!! Havenfall has been on my TBR for quite some time. I've enjoyed several of Levine's other books. And it's short 😂 4w
BarbaraJean @Librarybelle @Lcsmcat Remains of the Day seems to have won the vote 😆 It may come down to what mood I'm in once I finish a few of my in-progress reads, though! Honestly, I will probably end up reading all four before the end of the challenge. @TheAromaofBooks Length and it being an MG read were not unrelated to my pulling the title as a possibility for this month... 😂 3w
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BarbaraJean
Making Money | Terry Pratchett
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“He‘d always wondered what dishabille looked like, but he'd never expected to see so much of it in one go. Even now, some of his memory cells were still trying to die.”

#OokBOokClub

julesG 🤣🤣🤣 Great quote 4w
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BarbaraJean
Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery
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“There are days when he growls at everybody because he thinks he is fore-ordained to eternal punishment… My own opinion is that he is not sound in his intellect, for none of that branch of the Millers were. His grandfather went out of his mind.”

Well, THAT lands differently after reading last week‘s section of LMM‘s journals. 😳😬😢

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMJournals #LMMReread

TheBookHippie 😵‍💫 1mo
TheAromaofBooks For real!! 😥 4w
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BarbaraJean
Hush | Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
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“…It can be so hard sometimes to have hope,
yet even knowing what winter did,
look at all this life.
I am here to remember again how the field
is made of uncountable blades of grass,
and how I, too, am one of many
that make up the whole, all of us growing
together...”
—from “Between Winter and Spring” by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

https://ahundredfallingveils.com/2025/03/03/between-winter-and-spring/

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BarbaraJean
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“Socrates said, ‘The misuse of language induces evil in the soul.‘ He wasn‘t talking about grammar. To misuse language is to use it the way politicians & advertisers do, for profit, without taking responsibility for what the words mean. Language used as a means to get power or make money goes wrong: it lies. Language used as an end in itself, to sing a poem or tell a story, goes right, goes towards the truth. A writer is a person who cares what ⤵️

BarbaraJean ⬆️ …words mean, what they say, how they say it. Writers know words are their way towards truth & freedom, and so they use them with care, with thought, with fear, with delight. By using words well they strengthen their souls. Story-tellers & poets spend their lives learning that skill & art of using words well. And their words make the souls of their readers stronger, brighter, deeper.”
https://www.ursulakleguin.com/a-few-words-to-a-young-writer#
1mo
Bookwomble ❤️ 1mo
MemoirsForMe 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 1mo
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BarbaraJean
Kristin Lavransdatter | Sigrid Undset
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I‘ve had this on my shelf for a long time & I‘d really love to tackle it this year! Is anyone interested in a buddy read?

It‘s a trilogy of historical novels set in 14th-c. Norway, originally published in 1920, 1921, & 1922. These would work well for anyone finishing the #192025 challenge this year! I‘m planning to use the first 2 books for 1920 & 1921.

I was thinking May—July or June—August, one book per month. Comment if you‘re interested!

Ruthiella I would be interested! I have an ebook copy and have been meaning to read it for a while now. 1mo
Deblovestoread I‘d be interested! It is such a chunkster I‘m not sure I could do a book a month but I‘m willing to try 😂 1mo
Andrea313 I'd give it a try starting in June! 1mo
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Daisey I also have this on my TBR and have been thinking I need a readalong to get me started on it. I‘d probably prefer starting in June to work better around some other long reads I hope to fit in. 1mo
quietjenn Yes! I was just thinking of this today, oddly enough. 1mo
Librarybelle I‘d be interested! 1mo
LeahBergen It‘s so good! 1mo
lauraisntwilder Yes! This has literally been on my nightstand for over a year. 1mo
MeganAnn I finished book 1 at the beginning of the year and have plans to eventually tackle the rest of the book before the end of the year. I‘d love to join in for books 2 & 3 when you get to them. Book 1 was very good. 1mo
MaureenMc I‘m interested! Been meaning to read this one for a while. 1mo
Amiable This was my #chunksterchallenge read a few years ago! 1mo
Gleefulreader I‘d be interested! 1mo
AmyG I have read the first 2…and need to read the third. I‘d love to join in. 1mo
BarbaraJean @Ruthiella @Andrea313 @Daisey @quietjenn @Librarybelle @lauraisntwilder @MaureenMc @Gleefulreader 🎉Yay! We‘ll start in June, then! I‘m thinking one general discussion/book & probably a few other posts along the way. @Deblovestoread It should work out to just under 100 pages/week—that sounds maybe doable 😂 @MeganAnn @AmyG Would love to have you join! I can tag you once we get to your non-read books, or for the whole thing, whichever you prefer. (edited) 1mo
Librarybelle Sounds good to me! 1mo
BarbaraJean @LeahBergen @Amiable I‘ve heard such good things about it for so long—it‘s time to finally read it! 1mo
Amiable @BarbaraJean I mean … it‘s better than “Clarissa.” 😖😀 1mo
BarbaraJean @Amiable 😂😂That‘s definitely “damning with faint praise”!! One of my college professors (who‘s a medievalist) highly recommended it and her taste *usually* aligns with mine—we‘ll see! 1mo
Amiable @BarbaraJean There was a long stretch in the middle that I had to push myself through. And some of the main character‘s choices irritated me. But I would definitely recommend it as a worthwhile read. (edited) 1mo
Ruthiella Awesome! 👍 1mo
BarbaraJean @Amiable Makes sense, and it's good to know that the middle might end up being a bit of a slog. Glad to hear you found it worthwhile overall! 1mo
staci.reads I may be interested. It's been on my tbr for a long time. 4w
BarbaraJean @staci.reads I'll tag you when we get closer to June and you can let me know if you want to join! 4w
julieclair I‘d love to join! I read the first book many years ago and loved it, so a reread would be nice. And I‘ve always wanted to read books 2 & 3. 3w
BarbaraJean @julieclair Yay! I'll add you to the list! 3w
TheBookHippie One of my favorite books of all time. I read it with @Lcsmcat 🙃 (edited) 3w
TheBookHippie @AmyG 😂😂😂😂😘😘😘😘 3w
AmyG @TheBookHippie Thank you…I am excited to finally read book 3! @BarbaraJean You can tag me for all. Thank you! (edited) 3w
TheBookHippie @AmyG I think you‘ll like book three. 3w
BarbaraJean @AmyG I'll tag you for all of it. Looking forward to it! @TheBookHippie 💜 💜 3w
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BarbaraJean
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“I am almost worn out and feel as if the only thing that would do me any good would be to get away out in some lonely waste place and shriek at the top of my voice for half an hour.”
—July 22, 1919 (p. 173)

Same, Maud. Same.

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMJournals

dabbe 🎯🎯🎯 1mo
BarbaraJean Just saw that my tags didn't show up! @TheAromaofBooks @lauraisntwilder @JenlovesJT47 1mo
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BarbaraJean
Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery
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Next up in the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead: our #LMMReread of Rainbow Valley, and our #LMMAdjacent read of The Last of the Mohicans.

I‘ll post check-ins on Saturdays; the full discussion of Rainbow Valley will be March 15, and for Last of the Mohicans it will be on April 12.

All are welcome to join in! I‘ll post my tag lists for each book in the comments. Please let me know if you‘re not tagged and you‘d like to be (or vice versa!)

Daisey Looking forward to Last of the Mohicans! 1mo
julieclair Looking forward to both of these! 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Yay!! I'm in for both of these - or at least I've kept them from getting packed 😂 1mo
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BarbaraJean
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This week‘s section was ROUGH and heartbreaking to read, and I‘m glad we‘re alternating between the journals and other books! A couple questions to get us started:

What stands out to you in LMM‘s description of her grief?
What stands out in her descriptions of Ewan‘s illness and her own response to it?
Are there other sections that you found interesting or meaningful?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMJournals

BarbaraJean This quote (and the preceding passage about their friendship) really struck me:
“I think what hurt me so keenly in these was the fact that there was no one left on earth to understand or note these things. In one letter... written one winter when I was not feeling well she said, ‘I tremble to think of what the world would be to me without you.‘
Oh, Frede, you never had to learn it. It is I who must find that out.”
(p. 131 - Mar. 23, 1919) 😭😭
1mo
BarbaraJean Several times, I was struck (again!) by how judgmental LMM is. I also noticed her own fear of judgment, specifically about Ewan & what others would think if they knew his illness was other than only a physical ailment. It was interesting to see those two things side by side and feel there was likely a parallel there: she assumes judgment in part because of her own judgmental side.

“For Ewan's own sake and the childrens' the impression must not ⬇
(edited) 1mo
BarbaraJean (Cont'd) ...get abroad that his mind was unbalanced. It would ruin his prospects. I talked to the people of his headaches and insomnia but I fenced the world from him as much as I could lest the other deadly thing should be suspected.” (Sept. 1, 1919: p. 149) vs. a comment like: “Flora is a stupid, uncultured, uninteresting woman but she has a heart of gold and she was kindness itself to us this summer.” (Aug. 3, 1919: p. 174) 1mo
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BarbaraJean Also, I CRACKED UP over these two parts:

“I have a long way to go before I can believe that the spirits of the dead can spell out messages on the Ouija board or that they live in an eternal pink twilight on synthetic beef tea.” (March 29, 1919: p. 134)

“The McCombs are nice enough people but their cat is nicer.” (Aug. 3, 1919: p. 173)
1mo
TheAromaofBooks Soooo many feelings in this week's section!! Wow! Can you imagine a worse year!? I think I had either not realized or maybe just forgotten that Frede died of the Spanish flu. So scary and fast. You can feel the shock and devastation on every page - to have just heard from someone and they were fine, and then 24hrs later to be told to come quickly because they're dying...!! It was hard to read. And I felt Maud's lament that she's too old to ⬇ 1mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) make another friend like that - the kind of person you've built a lifetime of memories with, and shared so much. 1mo
TheAromaofBooks The sections about Ewan were in some ways harder to read, because it felt like so much of that grief LMM put on herself. Her obsession with appearances, combined with the lack of knowledge/empathy concerning mental health issues boxed her into a situation that was way worse than I feel like it would have been if it had happened today. I thought it was strange that they went to Massachusetts for the entire summer - was it just to keep Ewan away ⬇ 1mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) from the neighborhood?? It was also so hard to read the beginnings of the usage of various drugs to help with sleeping and getting through the day, knowing how destructive those will be over time. And I also felt bad for Ewan, who honestly seems like a perfectly nice guy (despite all the slagging he got in basically every biography). I think until this point he and LMM have been companionable and work partners, even if they haven't ⬇ 1mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) been passionate lovers. To go into this time of deep, deep depression and basically be told that it's your fault and you're a disgrace and have to be hidden away - ugh, so awful.

When you mentioned about LMM being really judgmental, it made me remember a footnote from the earlier section (pg47), which quoted a later journal entry of LMM's saying that her cousin James had no children and so “the old homestead of Hugh Montgomery will ⬇
1mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) pass into other hands with this generation.“ The footnote points out that James actually had adopted three children. I was immediately struck by how LMM definitely seems like the type of person who would not have remotely considered adopted children inheriting the same as the farm “staying in the family.“ Her high view of the Montgomerys comes through frequently, and she definitely has a lot of feelings about “class“ and who belongs ⬇ 1mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) where.

It's interesting to me how deeply the idea of someone being “insane“ haunted LMM. She says on pg149 “Was my husband going out of his mind? He had every symptom given in the encyclopedia on that type of insanity. It was one of the things I had always had the most deeply rooted horror of.“

I wonder why it horrified her so much??
1mo
lauraisntwilder The week got away from me and I'm behind on my reading, but I'll come back and discuss when I get caught up! 1mo
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Ugh, yes—I felt that lament, too. It‘s hard NOW to form new, deep friendships as an adult, and our circles & connections are so much broader. It wasn‘t just the impossibility of ever finding another kindred spirit like Frede (that‘s there, too), but losing a longtime friend in mid-life—the memories, shared jokes, and depth of knowledge that are GONE, and all the life ahead of her that she had to face without her beloved friend! 1mo
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks The sections about Ewan were harder for me, too—especially because of my own “what ifs” and because so much has changed over the years with attitudes about and available treatment for mental illness. It‘s especially painful to see LMM‘s feelings of shame and helplessness, knowing both would be FAR different today. Then I wonder about how her own mental health might have been different if she hadn‘t married at all, or had married ⬇ 1mo
BarbaraJean (cont‘d) someone different (just NOT Edwin Simpson 😏). That quote I highlighted last week about emotional heights and depths—I think she needed someone stable and grounded to help balance out that part of her emotional life. And I think you‘re right, her feelings about/responses to Ewan‘s depression had to affect his mental health as well! It seems like his depression triggered a vicious cycle that was very unhealthy for both of them. 1mo
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks My guess about her horror of mental illness is that she saw it as deeply shameful, AND she worried it would be passed on to their children. Take her judgmental opinions and high views of her own heritage—not wanting to bring “that“ into the family—add in her deep fear over “what others would think,” plus the stigma at that time about mental health: and her deep horror about it makes a lot of sense to me. 1mo
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder I get it! I look forward to hearing your thoughts when you're caught up! 1mo
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