This is such a sad book. It starts with Max in an afterlife, after his death. He watches his girlfriend Hannah grieving in their London apartment. She‘s grieving for him but also for the echoes of the past, her growing up in rural Australia and all the secrets she left behind when coming to England.

Evie Wyld is a great storyteller and all pov‘s of the story are build up so well. An impressive book about love and grief and heritage.

#WhereAreYouMonday

The Echoes is set between rural Australia and London. So I‘m traveling a lot today 😎 and enjoying it a lot!

#WeeklyForecast 45/24

Somehow I haven‘t read as much lately so I think these two books might me ambitious already. I have started The Echoes already and am enjoying it.
The tagged one (by the author of Life of Pi) has been sitting on my shelves for ages so I am glad to pick it up for #FoodAndLit 🇨🇦

I did it, I included all #Pantone24 colors in the covers of my books! Fun challenge!

#OctoberStats #OctoberWrapUp

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Prima Facie
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Earth
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tell Me Everything
I Who Have Never Known Men
For Reasons Unknown
Annie Bot
⭐️⭐️⭐️
American Psycho
Rejection
Blood like mine
Someone at a distance
Keep it in the family
City of the Lost
The Book Censor‘s Library
⭐️⭐️✨
Beautyland
⭐️⭐️
The extinction of Irena Rey

DNF
Victory City
Dead in Long Beach, California

You can ban books but you can‘t ban people‘s imagination. That‘s the takeaway for me from this super original novel. It‘s the story of a book censor in a dystopian future who can‘t resist the books he has to read - and ban. Distracted by rabbits with watches the book turns into a kind of Alice in Wonderland like story. The censor and I as a reader had no idea what was real or what wasn‘t. A good book from this Kuwait author.

#TOBwaiting

In a recent post of @BkClubCare we‘ve been guessing about the ToB longlist, which will be published sometime in November. I thought why not make the most of our anticipation and share the six books we hope to see on that longlist?

It‘ll definitely give us some inspiration for books to check out - whether they make the longlist or not.

These are mine, I hope you‘ll share yours!

(Tagging the #CampLitsy24 participants for a start)

#weeklyfavorites

Adding Annie Bot after a short week in which I read little, completes October. These five are all so good but my favorite this month has been Prima Facie.

I have no clue what this book is about and frankly, I don‘t give a damn 🤷🏻‍♀️😉

I received (and opened ??) your b-day gift already @TrishB …. So sorry but it was an Amazon parcel, I had no idea. However I am super happy with the book that I‘ve meant to read ever since @Tamra ‘s review. And of course, because Piñeiro has become a favorite author! Thank you so much!!

#WhereAreYouMonday

Pretty obvious 😂

Such an original and interesting concept about what it means to be human. Annie is a bot, developed to please her owner. She is really intelligent though, although human emotions confuse her. Her owner is a 34 years old man who in his way cares for her but also wants to control her and is not pleased with her sharpness. A quick and fun read that leaves me thinking. Which is good!

#weeklyforecast 44/24

I am reading and enjoying Annie Bot. I am about to start People in the Trees for #ReadingOceania24. The tagged one is on my to read list for this week too.

Adina is an undercover, asexual alien reporting on human behavior on Earth. Quite the blurb and so many people raved about it that I was sure I would too but I didn‘t. I didn‘t like the writing and thought the story was a bit boring. Glad I finished it. #unpopularopinion.

Another detective series I started but this one I won't continue. An interesting concept (it follows homicide detective Casey Duncan in the hidden Rockton, a small, off-the-grid town in the wilderness of the Canadian Yukon where people go when they wish to disappear) but I didn't care much for the characters (as compared to those in For Reasons Unknown that I reviewed yesterday).

And of course there are only so many thriller series I can handle!

By finishing today‘s book I can add # four more #Pantone24 colors. Just two left to complete the challenge. Here are Baritone Blue, Starlight Blue, Raw Umber and Iguana!

I started a new detective series. In this one the main character is DCI Matilda Darke and she‘s a great person, well worked out by Michael Wood. Also I enjoyed the plot a lot, even though I saw some of it coming. I am definitely going to read the second book!

#WhereAreYouMonday

I am in Sheffield with DCI Matilda Darke. It is the first book in a series and I am enjoying it so far so maybe I‘ll spend more time here in the future!

#WeeklyForecast 43/24

I am looking forward to all of these three books although I probably won‘t be able to read them all this week. I have just started For Reasons Unknown.

“I have understood nothing about the world in which I live “.

The narrator is a young girl locked up in a cabin with 39 other women. No one knows how or why they are there and who the men are who guard them. One day they can escape and what follows is what is described as “a hollow freedom”. A poignant story that leaves me with many questions and that will stuck with me.

I used to be such a Rushdie fan but I can‘t finish this one. I just can‘t concentrate on this fairytale-like story. It‘s not him, I knew what to expect. It‘s me 🤷🏻‍♀️

#pop24 visually impaired author

A brilliant and extremely painful book that touches me deeply. It‘s short, it‘s a play for a solo actor.
It‘s the story of Tessa, a successful barrister who is one day confronted with the patriarchal power of the law.
I can‘t believe law still works like that. And I do believe Tessa‘s story. Every man should read this book or see this play.

TW: rape

So in your face and so true.

A lot of twists make this a dark and entertaining read but the plot is so unrealistic and the main characters make such stupid decisions that my annoyance is as big as the entertainment. So. A so-so. My least favorite John Marrs so far.

(Photo: Manchester)

#WhereAreYouMonday

Somewhere in wilderness of the Canadian Yukon is Rockton, a small, off-the-grid town where people go when they want to disappear.

At least that‘s the setting of this book which I am reading as an audiobook.

#WeeklyForecast 42/23

I am reading Keep it in the Family, which is super scary. Next will be the tagged, of which I‘ve heard such good things. Only I think I maybe grabbed the wrong version, as this is not the novel but the play?
Last but not least a Salman Rushdie, who I haven‘t read for years even though he used to be my favorite author.

I spent a few hours in Manchester and completely lost it in this “House of Books and Friends”. No friends but the books made up for that 😅 #bookhaul

I‘ve had a wonderful three days at #Gladstone24! Meeting so many wonderful Littens and spending time just reading in one of the beautiful reading rooms, surrounded by green hills, sheep and graveyards. So indeed, North Wales is always a good idea!

#10beforetheend

I have planned to read these ten at least to get rid of the last and most difficult reading challenges‘ prompts. There are some books among them that I probably wouldn‘t have read otherwise so I have this challenges to thank for that!

A Persephone book really fits my current #Gladstones24 setting. I thought I‘d love this one but was a bit underwhelmed. A man gives up his happy marriage of twenty years for a fling with a younger woman. His wife and their kids are furious - of course. So it‘s all a bit predictable. An okay-ish book for me, except for the ending. I kind of loved that. A light pick.

I needed a vampire book for one of the reading challenges and this one absolutely firs that prompt. It starts out as a thriller but halfway through the vampire part takes over. I did enjoy the first half better yet wasn‘t disappointed in the vampire parts, even though it‘s not my usual choice of books.

Photo: The reading lounge at #Gladstones24

I already finished it thanks to some undisturbed reading time at #gladstones24 🥰

I loved this book just as much as the first in the series, maybe even more. It‘s dark and sad. Evan is a professional football player. He‘s gay and would‘ve have preferred to be a painter. Life just doesn‘t go according to plan. And now he‘s standing trial for his part in the rape of a girl.

So good. I have to preorder Fire!

I love John Boyne and I already love this book after barely 10 pages. “…. films that didn‘t have explosions in it.” 😂

On the photo is my room at Gladstone‘s! And that‘s where I just finished this book. I loved being in Lucy‘s company again and I was happy to reconnect with Bob and Olive. Strout writes as beautiful as ever and yet it‘s not my favorite of hers (you were right @squirrelbrain !). It felt as if she had so much to say that she had to put a dozen different stories in just this small book. #gladstones24

I have chosen my books, packed my small suitcase and am ready to go to Gladstone in the morning. Very excited!
All week I have read little, too busy with life and stuff. Hopefully I‘ll make up for that in that famous library reading room!
For now I am only able to add four more #Pantone24 colors for the challenge. Only five left!

This book contains loosely connected stories, all of them about people who‘ve been rejected in one way or another.
I enjoyed some a lot, some less. Be prepared for very explicit sex, going on for pages and pages, and some extreme bullying.
So it‘s not an easy or very pleasant book but it‘s written very well. I hope it‘s fiction - as it states on the cover.

#WeeklyForecast 41/24

This will be the week of my traveling to Gladstone for the very first time and meeting up with a lot of Littens! Very excited about this and about the books I‘ll be bringing. I think, because everything can change of course. 🤦🏻‍♀️

A Persephone seems fit to read in an old library, Keep it in the Family and Blood like Mine are comfort reads and Earth and Tell me Everything are favorite authors so I can‘t go wrong!

I listened to half of this one because I hadn‘t read it yet, it‘s a #1001books book & I needed it for a challenge prompt.
The story is made up of sterotypes: all women narrator Patrick Bateman meets are “hardbodies”, the repetitive naming of designer brands, the drugs, the booze, the wealth, the boredom, the killings. I despised it and enjoyed it and appreciate what Easton Ellis does.
I totally get it, I don‘t need the second half of the book!

To be honest I have no clue what I just read. The story is pretty clear but there‘s so much going on around it. In linguistics, in plot, in characters, in layers. Maybe it‘s good but it was hard to keep track and I lacked motivation towards the end.

#SeptemberStats #SeptemberWrapUp

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Water
The most
The frozen river
Assumption

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Greta & Valdin
All yours
The laughter
Japan in honderd kleine stukjes (Dutch)
What lies between us

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Wild houses
American war
Brief lives

⭐️⭐️⭐️
The missing word
Free

⭐️⭐️✨
Lost & found

⭐️⭐️
A long way from Verona
Penance

DNF
True history of the Kelly gang

#WhereAreYouMonday

I am in Bialowieza, a Polish village at the edge of the primeval forest and five miles from the Belarusian border.
I‘ve come here looking for Irena Rey!

The title of this book couldn‘t have been better. This is one of Percival Everett‘s earlier novels and it reads like a literary thriller. Protagonist Ogden Walker is deputy sheriff in a small town, solving crimes and driving around. I knew there had to be more to it - this is Everett after all. So I started making assumptions.
What a clever book. Read it!

#WeeklyForecast 40/24

I just started a book from Percival Everett‘s backlist and it has drawn me in immediately, as usual.
Next will be either the tagged one, from the NBA longlist, or Irena Rey, which I have been interested in ever since it was longlisted for #CampLitsy24.

#WeeklyFavorites

This week favorite must be The Frozen River, very well written and engaging historical fiction.
Looking back at September, I think Water is my favorite for the month.

In this memoir writes about the father she lost and the love she found. I was especially interested in the first part, but for me that turned out disappointing. It read almost like a scientific article and I couldn‘t relate to it. I did enjoy the second part though, which makes the book a so-so I guess.

This is a hard book to read. Unlikeable characters, dealing with life and each other. Anita Brookner is such a good writer of characters, I felt like a fly on the wall, observing their lives closely, feeling their solitude and aging. Thanks for the recommendation Sarah 🤍

#Albania has always been Europe's most closed country, until recently very little was known about this small country in the Balkan, surrounded by popular tourist destinations like Greece and Croatia. So I was interested in learning about it. Lea grows up in the 90s when the Soviet Union falls apart and the Berlin Wall has come down. ⬇️⬇️

From the first page I was drawn into the lives of midwife Martha, her (perfect) family and the not so perfect community of Hallowell in which she lives and works. There is murder and rape, gossip and fraud. While the winter freezes the river, Martha seeks justice for women who have traditionally been the underdog in the community. She‘s such an admirable woman and I loved spending time with her.

#WhereAreYouMonday

It‘s 1790 and I am in Hallowell, Maine, in the midst of winter. It is freezing and I am accompanying Martha, a midwife, in her quest for justice for women and mothers. It is time well spent, I am enjoying the book very much.

#WeeklyForecast 39/24

I am reading and thoroughly enjoying The Frozen River. Next will be Brief Lives which I didn‘t get to last week. Hopefully there‘ll be time to start the tagged one as well.