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Centique

Centique

Joined September 2016

Is it a book? I‘ll probably like it then. NZ 🇳🇿
review
Centique
Freshwater | Akwaeke Emezi
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Finally getting to this debut novel from 2018. It was fascinating to view the protagonist from the internal view of the spirits that occupy her body. I had read reviews where people found this bizarre and confronting. I guess my worldview has been widened by my other reading because it didnt seem so strange - very interesting and engaging. Have you read this @Reggie ?

Billypar I loved this one, especially how convincing the different narrative voices sounded. Not overly weird but unique enough to be memorable. 5h
Centique @Billypar yes! Unique is a much better word for it i think. 4h
39 likes2 comments
review
Centique
Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles
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Thanks to reviews from @Ruthiella @batsy and @erzascarletbookgasm for putting this on my TBR 😘

Scratch beneath the surface of a pretty little English village and you get a variety of small minded self centred people being nasty to each other. But could one of them go as far as murder? We know right from the first sentence who has murder on his mind but the delight of this book is the dark humour as the plot unfolds ⬇️

Centique Photo is unrelated to book. Sculpture outside Wellington Art Gallery. 4d
batsy So glad you liked it. The humour and the stoic creepiness really made it stand out. Also: that's a fab photo 4d
erzascarletbookgasm And the ending was great wasn‘t it? Gorgeous photo ! 📸 4d
See All 6 Comments
Ruthiella Glad you liked it! Such a small, uncomfortable mystery but fascinating. And yes, the end is gold. 4d
LeahBergen This book really surprised me. Loved it! 4d
Centique @erzascarletbookgasm the best ending!! 3d
53 likes2 stack adds6 comments
blurb
Centique
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I was checking out my family tree on Ancestry (its been years since i worked on it!) and got excited when i found records for one of the ships my ancestors came to NZ on - the Roman Emperor in 1860. When i googled that i found one of the men onboard was Samuel Butler who wrote this book. So i get to read a few chapters about what the crossing was like for them! Thank you internet, youve been very helpful today ☺️

Aimeesue Shark! 🦈 1w
Centique @Aimeesue theres a shark ahead somewhere! 1w
CarolynM How wonderful! Family history research can throw up some great stories🙂 1w
Reggie This is awesome. 1w
Clare-Dragonfly Wow, how cool that someone wrote a book about the same ship your ancestors arrived on! 1w
43 likes5 comments
review
Centique
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I was looking for a book about women‘s lives in 18th century England and found this one which led me down so many fascinating rabbit holes. The 4 Lennox sisters are unique in that they had a huge correspondence with a lot of intimate detail from the 1750s to 1830. By telling the story of each family Tillyard covers important historical events as well as the social context. We have elopements, adultery, ⬇️

Centique a near liaison with George III, so many births and deaths! Completely fascinating if you are a history buff. I would love to know more about the servants and working class women but unfortunately we dont have the written records to record their experiences 1w
Librarybelle This sounds so fascinating! Stacking! 1w
Deblovestoread Great review! Echoing @Librarybelle 1w
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LeahBergen I‘ve had this on my shelves forever! Great review. 1w
Centique @LeahBergen i think you will love it Leah! 1w
Centique @Librarybelle @Deblovestoread there was one section in the beginning where i got a little lost in the politics of the day, but the rest of the time I was completely transfixed. 1w
55 likes2 stack adds6 comments
blurb
Centique
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A wee #bookhaul from Wellington. I found three Secret Seven hardbacks from the 1960s with paper dustjackets in a great condition. A Nesbit book I‘d been looking for and a Borrowers hardback that is in much better condition than the old paperback on my shelf. And an Angela Thirkell i have been eyeing up online 😍 There would have been more but i was sharing one suitcase with my husband 🤪!

LeahBergen Oh, look at those wonderful old Blytons! ❤️ I really enjoyed High Rising. 2w
Centique @LeahBergen im looking forward to it! 2w
CarolynM Angela Thirkell ❤️ (edited) 2w
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erzascarletbookgasm I had so much fun reading those Secret Seven stories! 2w
batsy How lovely! Those Blyton covers 😍 I was so obsessed with the Secret Seven as a kid. 2w
Ruthiella Awesome haul! 2w
TheLudicReader I loved Enid Blyton as a kid! 2w
59 likes1 stack add7 comments
review
Centique
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Finished listening to this audiobook in such a cute little cafe.
This is definitely a memoir for foodies to enjoy. Tucci adores food and his descriptions of food and cooking are SO mouth watering. He shares memories around food from times spent with family, friends and on movie sets. He briefly covers his first wife‘s death and his own cancer diagnosis but this is not a memoir for sharing every emotion - and I appreciated his restraint. ⬇️

Centique Its a memoir his kids can read and enjoy too. His humour is wonderful; i loved his reenactments of little moments in a big Italian family. Im going to listen to this again just for his voice and the FOOD! 2w
MicheleinPhilly Have you watched his travel show? It‘s delightful. 2w
Centique @MicheleinPhilly no i havent! I have to try and find it 😍 2w
70 likes3 comments
blurb
Centique
Pollyanna of the Orange Blossoms | Harriet Lummis Smith
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In Wellington ostensibly for work. May have wandered into a bookshop. May have issues getting my suitcase closed. 😝😝😝 Unfortunately did not have room for all these Pollyannas!

Jeg Wow. I don‘t think I got to read all the Pollyanna books when I was young. Just looked to see if I had kept any but I haven‘t. 🥲. Those look so good and I bet they smell good too. 😊. 2w
Tamra So pretty! 2w
CarolynM I didn‘t know there were so many Pollyannas! Hope your bag‘s not too heavy to carry🤣 2w
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LeahBergen 😆😆 I can‘t wait to see your haul! 2w
Daisey I didn‘t realize there was a series of Pollyanna books either! Lovely! 2w
Ruthiella Like @Daisey and @CarolynM , I didn‘t know it was a series! 😮 2w
TheBookHippie How fun! 2w
Bookwormjillk 🤩🤩🤩 2w
Centique @Jeg @CarolynM @Daisey @Ruthiella i have about 5 myself which i inherited from my mother but apparently there are 13 altogether. The original author wrote the first two and then two other authors carried on after that. 2w
72 likes9 comments
review
Centique
Yellowface | R F Kuang
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Thank you for the gift of this book @CarolynM It was such a wild ride and kept me horrified in the best kind of way.. This book is a vehicle for Kuang to explore a variety of terrible behaviors. Beyond the protagonist‘s actions to the way in which an industry can pay lip service to and build PR around diversity while the real power and money still funnels through the existing channels. (The meeting with the Hollywood guys 🤯) ⬇️

Centique Spoiler comment below! 3w
Centique The one honest moment in the book was when June met the labour camp survivor. There is the story that never got told and the voice that didnt get heard - and even June felt the power of the truth. Its great to have a book that captures so much of the current reality of online bullying and the rewriting of events to appease twitter etc. The new manuscript that June starts writing which will change the accepted narrative - could even be this one? 3w
Reggie Ohhh June, crazy, you want to feel bad for her but can‘t, crazy, crazy, June. Great review! And every time I eat pancakes, I think of this book. 3w
Ruthiella @Reggie Make sure you chew thoroughly before swallowing! 🫣😂 3w
Centique @Reggie thank you Reggie! Yes, she kept trying to get my sympathy and failing because she was TERRIBLE 😱😂😂 3w
66 likes1 stack add5 comments
review
Centique
Other People Manage | Ellen Hawley
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I read this book after watching @shawnmooney interview the author and finding her very interesting. I picked it up thinking ill read a few pages - and didnt stop until i was halfway!
We spend the book in Marge‘s head - she is a bus driver, a strong, self reliant woman who falls in love with Peg, a bundle of thought and energy. Marge‘s examination of their relationship and it‘s ups and downs is unfailingly honest ⬇️

Centique and straight forward. It shows how closely she observes others. There are moments of such clear insight into relationships in here and a depiction of the aftermath of grief that is the most accurate ive ever read. 3w
Reggie Great review! 3w
LeahBergen What @Reggie said! 👏 3w
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sarahbarnes This sounds very intriguing! 3w
Centique @Reggie @LeahBergen thank you lovely people 😘 3w
shawnmooney I‘m delighted that you enjoyed it so much! Just in case you didn‘t know, I did a full length interview with Ellen Hawley about this novel: https://youtu.be/2nVa-KvfbTs?si=_K8yycA2bYGAlS-n 3w
Cathythoughts Great review ❤️ 3w
69 likes4 stack adds7 comments
blurb
Centique
I Don't Want to Go Home | Sinead Poznanski
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Had to jump in for #TuesdayTunes thanks to @TieDyeDude for thinking of it!

Two years ago my daughter introduced me to Kpop and now it is most of what i listen to. Amazing dance tracks, beautiful ballads, the most incredible dance moves … whats not to love??? This is NMIXX and a current fave song is Home. On Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/0nYtg6MqCDmolLI5vsSAy1?si=ql4DaQPdRnmrrf-GzWCPWQ&...

Librariana I adore K-Pop and am a big BTS fan (although by most people's standards, I'd say I'm a baby ARMY ?) I am in complete agreement with you that most acts have beautiful ballads and amazing choreography. Gosh, I could watch the "Run BTS" dance practice on a loop! ? Have you by chance listened to TxT (Tomorrow by Together) or NewJeans? Love them both! 4w
LeahBergen I haven‘t listened to much K-pop but have you watched Singles Inferno? I‘m obsessed (in a really lame way 😂). 4w
Centique @Librariana oh i love TXT and NewJeans! Also Ateez, Stray Kids, Enhyphen, Xdinary Heroes, Seventeen…. (I describe myself as Mother of a Stay 😝) I only know a little about BTS but i have Run on my playlist so i listen to that a lot. And i love watching the dance practices too! 4w
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Centique @LeahBergen i didnt know about Singles Inferno! I probably shouldnt watch it because im obsessed enough with watching my favourite groups - and then when would i read? 😂😂 4w
Librariana @Centique ☺️🥰 I introduced Stray Kids to my boss, and she is now *obsessed*. She got a license plate frame for her car and covered her water bottle in their stickers! I think they're energetic, talented boys, and I could listen to Felix read ANYTHING out loud 😊 I've listened to a few tracks by Seventeen and Enhyphen, but c 4w
Librariana Hit SEND too soon! But my heart belongs to BTS 😁🥰🥰💜 4w
Librariana @Centique Forgot to add that I feel a lot of Auntie energy towards them... wanna just put 'em inside a bubble and keep 'em safe. But it's also safe to say my husband knows they (BTS) are my Roman Empire - Lol! 4w
Centique @Librariana yes! Ive got the auntie energy too - thats a great description. Especially towards Felix - such an angel 😍 Its so good you have one group to really belong with like BTS. When ive watched their videos, theyre SO polished, absolute masters. 🏆🏆🏆 4w
Centique @Librariana i bought my daughter and i the Stray Kids sleep masks. 😂😂 4w
batsy Not really well-versed in kpop but there's certain songs and albums that I love, by the likes of NewJeans, Twice, and Blackpink's earlier stuff 😁 4w
TieDyeDude K-Pop is one genre I have not had any exposure to. Thanks for the recommendation. 4w
Reggie I come to KPop from choreography not because I‘m a dancer but I love watching it and they have some of the most intricate stuff out there. I do love me some New Jeans-ETA and Supershy. 4w
Centique @Reggie yes! The choreography was the first thing that appealed to me too. This is a relay dance version of one of my favourites (they stand in a line and each take a turn rather than spread out - its like a fun relaxed version) https://youtu.be/UZMAIH7AdeQ?si=xVMIpGnRu6X-YLXn 4w
54 likes13 comments
review
Centique
Remote Sympathy | Catherine Chidgey
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Finally getting around to reading this Kiwi author. And it was a masterpiece IMO. Yes the subject matter is harrowing (the wife of a Nazi officer living next door to the Buchenwald work camp meets a doctor who is an inmate) but seeing these horrors from the perspectives of some of those who were nearby asks fresh questions. The format is also clever - we have the perspective of the wife and doctor but also the Nazi husband and the villagers nearby

Centique Its a chunkster of a book but i flew through it in just a few days. 1mo
Tamra I‘ve been wanting to read this one, so I‘m happy to read your positive review! 1mo
LeahBergen Great review! I‘m intrigued by the sound of this one (I have Pet waiting on my shelves). 1mo
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squirrelbrain Yes, I agree, such a good book, with a quite different perspective from the villagers etc 1mo
batsy Sounds fascinating. Pet is on the list and looks like I'll add this to the TBR, too! 1mo
BarbaraBB Great review. I really want to read this too. 1mo
sarahbarnes Agreed - this was so good. Great review! 1mo
Cathythoughts Great review, Paula. I just finished Pet by this author and really enjoyed it. Maybe I‘ll try this one next 👍🏻❤️ She‘s a lovely writer. 4w
Centique @Cathythoughts thank you Cathy - i think youd love this! I have put Pet on my TBR 😍 3w
69 likes2 stack adds9 comments
review
Centique
Lucky Man: A Memoir | Michael J. Fox
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Published in 2002, its taken me over 21 years to get to this book! You get a taste of the 80s and 90s, Michael‘s childhood and time in Hollywood - but of course so much of this is about his Parkinsons diagnosis and dealing both with that and his turbulent “young Hollywood star” lifestyle. I was amazed at the perspective he had for 2002, not just in considering illness and his life purpose but also understanding ⬇️

Centique … his privilege compared to working class people etc with the same diagnosis. His insight into the artificiality of Hollywood and fame was also clear. Thought provoking and im keen to read his further memoirs. 1mo
squirrelbrain I have this on my physical TBR shelf -I *will* get to it one day…. 1mo
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review
Centique
Cantoras: A Novel | Carolina De Robertis
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1970s Uruguay in the midst of a dictatorship where family members disappear, where curfews keep people indoors and where secrets could get you killed - five queer women take a huge chance to escape to a deserted seaside village for a week where they can be free to speak and love openly. But can one week change anything? This novel is filled with heat - both passion and rage. All five characters are unforgettable I ADORED this book!

Ruthiella I‘ve had this on my list for forever. I even checked it out once but didn‘t get to it. I think I originally wanted to read it because of Jenny @ReadinEnvy ❤️ 1mo
sarahbarnes Yes! I loved this one too!! 1mo
Centique @Ruthiella i didnt know about her review until after i read it. Always bittersweet to read her reviews 💕 1mo
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Centique @sarahbarnes it was a joy to read 😍 1mo
Hooked_on_books Yes, I loved this one! 1mo
Reggie Malena💔 1mo
Centique @Reggie ALL the love for Malena 💔 1mo
Rissreads There is a lot of Litsy love for this book. I can‘t believe I haven‘t heard of it! Stacked! 1mo
CarolynM Stacked for sure🙂 1mo
Centique @Rissreads @CarolynM i think you would both love this! 1mo
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review
Centique
Tom Lake: A Novel | Ann Patchett
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Listened to this read by Meryl Streep which was fantastic. The set up here is a mother telling her grown children about her past as a young actress. There was so much i could recognise in having an adult child and talking to them about your past - Patchett made me laugh so much and feel so much for the joys and frustrations in those relationships. Its a contemplative book with a lot of heart. Image is a river rather than a lake! Waipapa River

Crazeedi Great book, I heard the audio was great 1mo
Centique @Crazeedi yes! And its so funny to hear Meryl Streep‘s voice saying things about giving up acting like she was never THAT good. 😂 1mo
Crazeedi @Centique o my gosh that would be hilarious 1mo
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CarolynM Lovely review! I keep picking this up then deciding to keep it for later. I think I should just dive in. 1mo
Centique @CarolynM oh yes do! Its hard to compare audio to the physical reading experience but i would think its a lovely read either way. 💕 1mo
LeahBergen What a beautiful photo (and great review)! 1mo
batsy That scene looks serene and beautiful! (and such a blessed contrast to the horrific heat we're having here) 1mo
Tamra Makes me long for greenery! 1mo
Hooked_on_books I think this is my favorite book of hers that I‘ve read. And the Streep pairing is absolute perfection. 1mo
charl08 Gorgeous picture. This book is making me miss my mum. But also a bit of a kind hug. 1mo
Reggie I loved this book. And I loved Emily and how complicated her role in the family was. And then when they break the news why they don‘t want to have kids. I have to say this is my favorite book of the year so far. 1mo
Centique @Reggie that complicated relationship, yes! Its so good at portraying that. The way certain people you love, still have to be handled carefully, you know where the cracks are in your favourite mug. And how you treat your children differently - but careful to treat them equally - because they are so different. God when they said why theyre not having children it sucked the air out of the room for me - it was like a moment of horror &realisation 🤯 1mo
Centique @Reggie i am reading Cantoras at the moment and absolutely loving it. I saw that you loved it when you read it too 💕 1mo
rockpools You‘re reading some fabulous books this year. Think I‘ll just go through, stacking… 1mo
Centique @rockpools i have had a string of good ones - i was so burnt out with reading at the end of last year, i think i brought a lot of strong all round faves (from friends reviews) to the top of my TBR. 1mo
77 likes1 stack add15 comments
review
Centique
Babbacombe's | SUSAN. SCARLETT
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Felt like something sweet and picked this based on the reviews from the #furrowedmiddlebrowclub It was so sweet and i really enjoyed the insight into the way department stores used to work and the jolly antics of this spry little family. Of course being a “good girl” is the idea being celebrated here and its all a bit of a fairytale - but lightly done and with plenty of humour. ⬇️

Centique I loved Beth‘s straightforward common sense contrasted to Dulcie‘s committed manipulating. A little gem of a book that made me smile 😍 2mo
Ruthiella Glad you enjoyed it! It was a cute story. 2mo
elkeOriginal Nice to see the group read inspired you too! 2mo
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batsy Oh, Dulcie! She was a handful 😆 Happy that you liked it, too. 2mo
CarolynM Absolutely a fairy tale and all the better for it😀 2mo
jlhammar Nice review! Glad you enjoyed it. 2mo
LeahBergen We all need a little fairy tale once in a while, don‘t we? ❤️ 2mo
Centique @LeahBergen @CarolynM thank god for fairytales - a sweet escape! 2mo
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review
Centique
Afterparties: Stories | Anthony Veasna So
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A random selection from my TBR - probably inspired by your review @vivastory 🙌 Ive been reading this slowly since Christmas. It is tumultuous, vibrant, both sweet and sickening, opening glimpses into lives that can be in turmoil or at a crossroads or just surviving. These are stories of second generation Cambodian Americans for the most part. Living with their parents‘ generation of survivors and their unfathomable trauma. ⬇️

Centique Anthony Veasna So died before this, his first book, was published. It is a tremendous loss because his voice and point of view is unique i think. Its thought provoking, its real even in showing the mundane moments, the smallness amongst large problems and pain. @Reggie i think you would like this. 2mo
shawnmooney I loved this too! 2mo
vivastory I'm glad you liked this one! It's terrible to have lost such a great talent at such a young age. 2mo
Reggie I will check it out. 😁 2mo
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review
Centique
Greek Lessons | Han Kang
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This is so hard to review - there is so much space in here for the reader to create their own understanding - or to get hopelessly lost! I did feel lost at points but also extremely moved by the beauty of the writing, the incredible imagery used to experience one person losing language while another loses vision. Perhaps it is exploring the separateness of human existence, of individual grief and pain, the importance of being seen or heard. 😢

Reggie Oof. Have you ever seen Biutiful with my ex celebrity husband, Javier Bardem? This review‘s sadness reminded me of that movie. 2mo
BarbaraBB What a poignant review 🤍 2mo
CarolynM Why ex, @Reggie? What did the swine do to you?😠😆 Lovely review, by the way Paula😘 (edited) 2mo
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Reggie @CarolynM lol, do you remember those ‘20 things about us‘ to better get to know us posts here on Litsy? In the 1st one I said Javier was my celebrity husband and in my 2nd one I said it was Seth Rogan, because sometime I need to laugh-(I can‘t be sad all the time Javier!!!) and I said that because of this movie. But now I‘m single again. And I don‘t watch enough movies to have a celebrity husband. Who‘s yours? 2mo
CarolynM @Reggie I don‘t know about husband - I‘m going for a reverse harem 😉 2mo
Reggie @CarolynM I‘m so glad you said that cause I was about to say that I would settle for affairs/dalliances at my age. Cue-Michael Fasbender, Gael Garcia Bernal, Ryan Gosling, and Gong Yoo. 2mo
batsy @Reggie Yes to Gael Garcia Bernal and Gong Yoo!! Did you watch Squid Game? I've become obsessed with the actor who plays the cop in it (looking for his brother) 😆💘 2mo
batsy Lovely review! I felt the "spareness" of the book, too. Those gaps and the silence of the characters. I love that with reading if it's the right book at the right time, it just makes sense and I think for when I read it, it fit. 2mo
Reggie @batsy I did watch Squid Game, but I came across Gong Yoo in Train to Busan. And yes that detective was handsome. Gael I first saw in Y Tú Mama Tambien and my love solidified for him in La Mala Educacion by Pedro Almodovar. 2mo
batsy @Reggie I love Train to Busan and he was great in it. Y tu mamá también was my intro to Gael, as well. Loved him in Bad Education and also in Amores Perros. 2mo
CarolynM @Reggie 🙌 Go you! 2mo
Megabooks Yes, agree that this was a difficult read. 💜💜 2mo
Centique @Reggie @CarolynM @batsy i am 100% committed to Ryan Gosling as a celebrity husband 😂 (pre the Barbie abs!!) 2mo
Reggie @Centique there was a kid who used to make vines where he‘d try to feed Ryan Gosling cereal. And they were hilarious. Sadly, that kid got bone cancer and died. When Ryan Gosling heard, he filmed himself finally eating cereal in memory of that kid. It was very endearing. 2mo
Centique @Reggie aww i went and looked that up - the vines were great. The poor guy! Did you ever see Gosling in Lars and the Real Girl? I love that movie. 2mo
Reggie I have! I love the part near the end where the mannequins getting her nails done and he talks rude to her so the ladies at the salon hang up for her. And then how he kills get in an accident. lol, loved that movie. 2mo
70 likes16 comments
blurb
Centique
Untitled | Untitled
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#bookerdozen
Oh wow @vivastory this is such a great idea but its SO hard to choose between favourites 😬

Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont
Midnights Children
The Bone People
The Remains of the Day
The God of Small Things
Atonement
Wolf Hall
The Childrens Book
The garden of evening mists
The Luminaries
Underground Railroad
Shuggie Bain

Cant believe i couldnt fit in Brookner or Lively or Strout or Toibin or Waters!

ShyBookOwl Is the concept your 12 favourite books of the year? Wild guess with little context lol 2mo
Ruthiella It‘s absolutely impossible to really narrow it down. I missed Mrs. Palfrey because I think I‘d have included it. I loved it and was also impressed by it (not every book elicits both). But what would I take away if I had included it? 🤔😬😂 2mo
Centique @ShyBookOwl Check the tag to get the context or read the original post by @vivastory Its about books nominated for the Booker Prize 2mo
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Centique @Ruthiella i know right? It was on the shortlist in 1971. I started with a list of 22 absolute favourites - most i didnt realise were ever nominated! 2mo
BarbaraBB Fantastic choices! Some of my favorites too. I need to make my list! 2mo
vivastory Great list, Paula! I nearly included Shuggie Bain on mine. I love seeing Midnight's Children pop up over & over again. I have the feeling that I would have def included Wolf Hall if I had read it. Several others on your list are def on my TBR 2mo
Centique @vivastory thanks for thinking of this challenge Scott. Its brought so many backlist titles to my attention - things that had fallen off my radar like A Month in the Country. 2mo
vivastory @Centique I think that you would absolutely adore A Month In The Country! It is one of my favorite short works. It is easy to get caught up in the new & shiny (lord knows I certainly can), so it has been wonderful to see fellow Littens post their favorite books published years & years ago that have impacted them 💙 2mo
CarolynM Nice list. I will have to give this some thought🙂 2mo
64 likes9 comments
review
Centique
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Thank you to @CarolynM for gifting me this book! It took me a little while to get into this (i think just because the pov changes interrupted my reading flow at first) but then the plot started to wind up and it was GRIPPING! Walter can really write and while there are many agreeable characters to connect with here, i really adored his villains and ne‘er-do-wells. 4.5 stars for me 😍 ⬇️

Centique And the extraneous summer shot is a waterfall we found where the kids spent hours diving and swimming. 2mo
Suet624 I read Beautiful Ruins and liked it a lot. I keep forgetting to find some of her other books. 2mo
DocBrown I used to be Jess Walter's UPS driver and he's just so awesome. If you scroll back & back & back (& back & back) through my feed you can see a picture of me at his Little Free Library in front of his house. A great writer and a great asset to our local community, not to mention the wider literary community! 2mo
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DocBrown @Suet624 I recommend Financial Lives of the Poets and We Live in Water. But everything he's written is pretty great. I went years thinking he was a she, too! 2mo
Reggie That is a beautiful pic! Your own little secret lagoon. 2mo
Suet624 @DocBrown funny, I thought Jess was a woman! 2mo
Centique @Suet624 @DocBrown thats amazing that you used to be his driver! I used to listen to his podcast with Sherman Alexie for years and thought Jess was a very cool guy 🙂 2mo
Centique @Reggie yes! I didnt go in cos didnt have my togs with me but next time i will. 2mo
Centique @Reggie and this picture was taken after a dozen teenagers left - so not entirely secret! 2mo
CarolynM I‘m glad you enjoyed it🙂 I was just thinking about this book today. We‘re in Sydney and went to the art gallery. I was looking at the painting Shearing the Rams and thinking about the different attitudes to itinerant workers. Bad luck you missed out on a swim in that lovely waterhole. 2mo
Rissreads Stunning! 💙 1mo
62 likes2 stack adds11 comments
review
Centique
Providence | Anita Brookner
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A lovely little bittersweet novel from Brookner - which I‘m pairing with a teeny village hall in the Bay of Islands.
If you already know you like Brookner you‘ll like this! If you‘re new to Brookner, its a slow unravelling of the life of Kitty - a quiet, elegant, intellectual, almost “out of time” woman in her late twenties. Kitty is an English literature lecturer; we see her analysis of a 19th c novel as well as her academic life. Quite lovely.

LeahBergen I loved this one! 👍 2mo
TrishB Great review 👍🏻 2mo
Reggie Ooooh, I can‘t. I tried Brookner once and it was a no. But I‘ve heard such wonderful things about her books. 2mo
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CarolynM I read a few Brookner years ago. I appreciated her writing but I found her heroines incredibly frustrating @Reggie 2mo
Centique @CarolynM yes you would find this one frustrating too! I think if it was longer id get frustrated with Kitty, but theres something about being in a setting alongside Brookner‘s point of view that is quite addictive to me regardless of the characters. 2mo
Centique @Reggie I understand! Its just a flavour i like - quiet genteel desperation with a side of misogyny 😂😂 2mo
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Centique
Birnam Wood | Eleanor Catton
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(More gratuitous summer holiday photos!)
I had low expectations for this book. I loved The Luminaries and the idea this was a thriller didnt thrill me. Well gosh darn and blimey, i loved this too!
Catton skewers and dissects a number of people‘s ideologies and political discourse as she builds her characters backgrounds - not in a dismissive “theyre totally wrong” way i felt - more as if challenging everyone to go deeper, to debate ⬇️

Centique & to be unafraid to disagree. And then the thriller takes off and personality/belief differences are thrown into stark relief by something much larger & darker. It was a wild ride towards the end! 2mo
Ruthiella Great review. This book was a wild ride for sure! 2mo
BarbaraBB Fantastic review! I was afraid too after The Luminaries but man, did she deliver again ❤️ 2mo
batsy Nice review! It's a book that remains pretty vivid in my mind. 2mo
Centique @Ruthiella @BarbaraBB @batsy thanks everyone - im sure it was your positive reviews that made me try this one 💕 2mo
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Centique
Pet | Catherine Chidgey
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A little fangirling moment that i thought bookish people would appreciate - also shows how small NZ is! @CarolynM @Rissreads
My brother returned from camping and says “the guy at the next campsite was a really nice Dad. He takes his kids away by himself so his wife can have alone time to write novels. She's on her 10th one, & won NZ author of the year”
So guess who the wife was - Catherine Chidgey! I must hurry up and read this novel now!

jlhammar Wow, love that! Can‘t wait to read this. It‘s in my stack for this month. 2mo
LeahBergen So cool! I have this book waiting on my shelves. 👍 2mo
squirrelbrain Amazing! And I loved Pen! 2mo
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JamieArc Great story! 2mo
TrishB Brilliant! 2mo
BarbaraBB That is so cool!! And I have Pet lined up too. 2mo
Crazeedi Wow! Very cool! And gorgeous photo! I'd love to visit your country 2mo
merelybookish Amazing! 2mo
Bookwormjillk Wow! Small world! 2mo
Rissreads What a gorgeous photo. So I have not read a single book of hers! I‘ll have to start with this one and see what I think! Have you read many @Centique? 2mo
Reggie lol, how awesome! 2mo
CarolynM Great story! That looks like a lovely place to be - very tranquil. I haven‘t read any either @Rissreads I‘ll have to try one soon🙂 2mo
Centique @Rissreads @CarolynM i think i read one of her early ones ages ago - maybe The Fishbone Church - but i have a couple on my shelf i need to get to. 2mo
Centique @Crazeedi come visit! We‘d love to see you! 2mo
Suet624 My son is in NZ for the next 6 weeks. I always love getting his photos. He works for Backroads. 2mo
Centique @Suet624 what a great job! I hope the weather is sunny where he is too 😁 2mo
Suet624 After finishing Pet I was shocked to see how many books she‘d written! 3w
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Centique
North Woods | Daniel Mason
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As expected after @Megabooks review i totally loved this! The premise and structure of following one location over multiple generations (each chapter moves ahead to a new protagonist) really appealed to me. Mason does some really interesting things with the natural & the supernatural too and i loved the way future chapters were touched by themes and objects/actions from the past. I would like more books to try this & go even deeper & more complex.

Megabooks Yes!! Great review!! Love the NZ cover, too! 2mo
Soubhiville I keep seeing great reviews of this! I can‘t wait to read it. And agree, beautiful cover. 2mo
Tamra I read nothing but great things about this one! 2mo
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BarbaraBB Looking forward to it!! 2mo
Reggie I want to read this but sadly I‘m 13th in line. lol It‘s gonna come in with the other 8 holds right? 2mo
AmyG @Reggie if it come in with other books….read it first. It‘s that good. Love this cover. (edited) 2mo
sarahbarnes Yes, looking forward to this one like @BarbaraBB! 2mo
sarahbarnes @Reggie that is literally always what happens. You are sitting in a better position than I am for this book though - I‘m 244 in line 😆 2mo
Centique @Reggie it sure is! 😂😂 2mo
jlhammar Another book I hope to get to very soon. I have a feeling I‘m going to love it! 2mo
Suet624 @reggie, I agree with @AmyG. 2mo
monalyisha Stellar review! 7h
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Centique
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Oh my goodness @LeahBergen have you read this book? It is Noel Streatfeild examining (fangirling over?) the life and works of E Nesbit. It is just SO delightful. I think 2024 might be the year to revisit my favourite classic childrens literature - this is enticing me in that direction as surely as the smell of fresh cookies. 😍😂 (library copy - i need to find my own copy)

Ruthiella What‘s your top 10 children‘s books? 🤔 2mo
TEArificbooks There is a group reading a children‘s classic every month. I don‘t know the hashtag for it but the January book is 2mo
LeahBergen I haven‘t but I‘ve heard about it! Now you‘re going to make me hunt down a copy FOR SURE. 😂 And I‘ve been consciously adding a vintage children‘s book or two to my monthly reads for the last couple of years. I love it! 2mo
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Centique @Ruthiella oh wow thats a good question! I will figure it out and make a post and perhaps you and @LeahBergen can do one too 😘 2mo
Centique @LeahBergen thanks for letting me know! I did join in on something like that once. Ill go see if that one is still going. 2mo
Centique @LeahBergen those reads feel so comforting i think! And you NEED this book! 😂 2mo
LeahBergen Oh no! Top ten?? It‘s too hard! 😂 2mo
batsy Oh goodness, this sounds incredible. I had no idea this is a thing that exists 😍 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Oooo I love E. Nesbit!!! Definitely need to find a copy of this. Also the buddy read @TEArificbooks mentioned is led by @TheBookHippie 2mo
merelybookish I was thinking of rereading some Nesbit this year. I didn't discover her until adulthood (and even wrote a chapter in my diss on her 🤪) but feel it would be good to re-read her for fun. 2mo
Centique @batsy I know right? I stumbled across it when i was looking for a nesbit biography. 2mo
Centique @TheAromaofBooks thanks Sarah! 2mo
Centique @merelybookish wow - that sounds like the coolest dissertation ever! Streatfeild has convinced me i need to read The Bastable Series so im going to try that. 2mo
TheBookHippie @tpixie 💕💕💕 1mo
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Centique
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Finally some great summer weather! (Gratuitous boat pic)
This YA thriller was my 1st read of the year - a random selection from TBR. Steph is a young woman whose only friends are those she‘s made online - because her Mom keeps shifting town every few months to escape her ex. This is a fun read if youre prepared to suspend your disbelief and if the concepts of “found family” and “sentient AI” appeal to you. Ie maybe just me and @Ruthiella 😂😂⬇️

Centique Good queer rep and if youre looking for YA with minimal romance this would also suit. Has a lot about finding friends & growing those relationships when you struggle to fit in. 2mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Gorgeous 💙 2mo
Ruthiella You had me at “sentient AI”! 😂 Makes me want to re-read this so I can cry happy tears again! 2mo
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Centique @Ruthiella i know what you mean! I have bought the audio book so i can listen to it again. Such joy those books 😍 2mo
Reggie How funny, that pic looks like gorgeous weather and we‘re about to get 2 days of snow. 2mo
Centique @Reggie eeek! Hope you dont get snowed in or anything Reggie. (Or attacked by zombie snowmen!) This lovely weather is making up for the floods we had last year - everyone says we didnt get a summer at all in 2023. 2mo
Rissreads Gorgeous picture! The clouds ☁️ ! 🤍🩵💙 2mo
58 likes7 comments
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Centique
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I stayed up reading past midnight (happy new year!) so i could finish my 90th book for 2023. This is not a genre i typically read so it was a nice change, and i was completely engaged - but I had to gloss over things i thought were heavy handed. In the police/detective novels i read theres more logic perhaps, & not as much emotional investment btw investigator/victim/suspect - it is quite fun to have more personal “secrets” in this genre. ⬇️

Centique In the end ill probably stick to my detective novels but a good 3.5 star fun read 3mo
Bookzombie Happy New Year! 3mo
Ruthiella Happy New Year to you! 🥳 3mo
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batsy Happy New Year, Paula! 💫 3mo
Centique Happy new year all you lovely littens 😘 @Bookzombie @Ruthiella @batsy 3mo
Reggie Happy New Year, Paula! 3mo
RohitSawant Happy New Year! 🎆🥂 3mo
Rissreads Happy 2024! 🎆 2mo
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Centique
Just Ignore Him | Alan Davies
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Alan Davies is a British actor and comedian that i have watched for many years. He wrote this book in his fifties, finally unpacking the child abuse from his past. Its a hard read but also enlightening in terms of the way his abuser ensures he is isolated from any support or nurturing. Incredibly brave of him to put this out into the world and hopefully it helps others.

Jeg As hard as this was to read I really liked/loved this book. Very brave of him. 3mo
Centique @Jeg i think it was probably your review that put this on my radar! Hope youve had a good Christmas Joy 💕 3mo
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Centique
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Although the pretext for two characters being thrown together in this romance is ridiculous (feigning amnesia) - it doesnt matter AT ALL because Alexis Hall writes such wonderful characters with realistic and funny banter. I loved the side characters too, who had some of the best lines. Made me laugh out loud a couple times! I love that her characters have imperfections and baggage that makes them more rounded too 💕

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Centique
The Vaster Wilds | Lauren Groff
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Boxing Day is a great time to read a book in a day - which is a rare event for me! And this tale went so fast.

Enormous skill on Groff‘s behalf to instil so much grief and joy into so few chapters, the hardship, visceral fear and relief of escape and survival told predominantly through our protagonist‘s solitary journey in nature. This is a real feat of writing that probably should have made my #top23of23 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TrishB Looking forward to this one 👍🏻 got in my Christmas pressies. 3mo
AmyG I loved this one. Groff has become a huge favorite. 3mo
jlhammar This will definitely be in my top 23 - so good! 3mo
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Rissreads Just what I need Paula, another bloody book for my stack! 🤣 Merry Christmas my NZ friend. X 3mo
Chelsea.Poole Love this one! 3mo
Megabooks This was my favorite book of the year! Glad you enjoyed it! 3mo
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Centique
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My #top23of23 is actually 15 5 star books. Each of these i really enjoyed reading at the time and am still thinking about much later.
Im enjoying seeing everyone‘s lists and i know there will be some great ones waiting tight till NYE!
Happy holidays to all and wishing peace and love to our friend @Cinfhen

BarbaraBB I loved the whole of your upper row too 🩷🩷 3mo
batsy What a great list! Middlemarch 🙌🏽 3mo
Reggie Heyyy, The Revelator made it! 3mo
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squirrelbrain Great picks! ❤️ 3mo
TrishB Screenshot 👍🏻♥️ 3mo
LeahBergen Great list! 👏👏 3mo
Centique @batsy Middlemarch is The Best 😍 3mo
Centique @Reggie i loved that book so hard! Also its seared in my mind now 😂😂 3mo
Chelsea.Poole LOVE Klara ♥️ and I really need to get to Shuggie Bain. 3mo
CarolynM Shuggie Bain and Run were on my best of lists in the years I read them. Both wonderful books. Hope you've had a lovely Christmas Day, Paula💕 3mo
Centique @CarolynM its been so nice thank you C! Hope your day has been a lovely one too 💕 3mo
Megabooks Very nice list! Interested in this since it was on both yours and @Cinfhen ‘s! 3mo
Centique @Megabooks that book just came along at the right time for me in terms of the content. It was a very emotional read for me! 3mo
71 likes14 comments
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Centique
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Very much enjoyed this mystery set in WW2 London. Its probably a common trope to have a pair of detectives, one sensible and one eccentric and misunderstood but the setting made it more interesting. There was a little sexism, some of which was due to the setting, but hopefully thats handled better in the rest of the series because I‘m keen to try more.

Jeg I‘ve read them all and enjoyed them. I loved all the interesting information about London he weaves into the stories. I‘ve always thought they would make a good tv series. His memoir/ biography is very good. He died recently. He wasn‘t that old. Sad. (edited) 3mo
Centique @Jeg that is so sad to hear! I will have to look up his memoir. Merry christmas for tomorrow Joy! 3mo
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Centique
The House of Doors | Tan Twan Eng
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Thoroughly enjoyed this book - a quiet and clever novel, using actual events as a starting point to tell a story of gendered roles, homophobia and the ways we conceal our true selves in a repressive social structure.
It is subtle and slow moving with a great sense of setting.
I can imagine this being turned into a really beautiful film.

Photo of a proper summer‘s day and a pohutakawa tree.

BarbaraBB Beautiful photo and it somehow fits the book perfectly ❤️ 3mo
batsy What a gorgeous photo 😍 And I'm waiting for my Libby hold on this; it's gotten a lot of Litsy love! 3mo
Crazeedi What a beautiful picture 3mo
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TNbookworm What a gorgeous tree❤️ 3mo
Reggie What a beautiful photo. Also, went to go put this on hold in Libby right now. 3mo
Centique @Reggie i hope you like it 💕 Merry nearly Christmas and i hope that work is not too bananas right now! 3mo
ClairesReads Glad to hear you liked this I thought it was excellent too 3mo
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Centique
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Just a #christmasflowers photo for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere - its peony time here in New Zealand. I put some plastic holly berries in there to make it more Christmassy 😂😂 ( @CarolynM $20 worth of flowers from the local fruit shop - love our fruit shop! 😀)

jlhammar Beautiful! 3mo
Ruthiella Lovely! 🌸🌺🌼 3mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks So pretty 😍 3mo
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LeahBergen Gorgeous! I adore peonies. 3mo
BarbaraBB Gorgeous 🥰 3mo
TheBookgeekFrau 😍😍 3mo
AmyG Beautiful! 3mo
Deblovestoread Lovely! 3mo
Tamra 😭😭😭 so gorgeous!! Jealous! (edited) 3mo
squirrelbrain So pretty! 3mo
TNbookworm Oh so gorgeous ❤️ 3mo
CarolynM Absolutely gorgeous😍🥰 That‘s $20 extremely well spent😆 3mo
LiteraryHoarderPenny I love peonies! Probably my favourite flower. Those are gorgeous! 3mo
Reggie So pretty, but I will take my 14 degree nights. Lol 3mo
Rissreads These flowers are just gorgeous ❤️🤍 3mo
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Centique
Day | Michael Cunningham
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@CarolynM Thank you so much for the Christmas beauties! I couldnt help myself but had to open it straight away. And how well you know me! Day was on my Santa list this year (so i had a word in santa‘s ear this morning just in case 😂). And the desk calendar is gorgeous and the chocolate has already been opened! So appreciate your thoughtfulness and it just brought so many smiles!

CarolynM You are very welcome 😘 I have your parcel, thank you. I am keeping it to open on Christmas Eve with my swaps☺️ 3mo
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Centique
The End of the Affair | Graham Greene
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I enjoyed having Colin Firth‘s voice in my ears for a few hours, but oh, Maurice, you are a self centred jerk. I love Graham Greene and this is a marvellously written novel about a man who is consumed by hatred at the end of an affair. I do hope Greene was purposefully showing us the errors in Maurice‘s possessive “love” ! A very good book but I was cross for such a lot of it!

DrSabrinaMoldenReads I did not get this book. I guess I need to reread @Centique 3mo
Rissreads I think Colin Firth could read the telephone book and I‘d find it interesting! 3mo
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Centique
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@Rissreads Nerissa! Thank you so much! I couldn‘t help myself, i had to open your gift straight away. It really made my day. I love Amy Tan and this book is all about her life - just perfect for a long time fan like me. And the book bag is so CUTE.
I have sent you something from Readings (a couple of my faves that are on your TBR) so fingers crossed it gets there by Christmas.

Rissreads Yay! It got there in such good time! I‘m glad it made your day. My job is done! ✅ 🤣♥️ 3mo
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Centique
The Housekeepers | Alex Hay
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A lovely light romp of a book - a historical heist that doesnt require much thought, but kept me amused - and thats high praise with my scattered thoughts at the moment!

LeahBergen I‘ve been curious about this one! 3mo
Centique @LeahBergen id probably class it as a #borrownotbuy No real mystery to it but the characters and setting are quite fun. (edited) 3mo
LeahBergen Thanks! 👍 3mo
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Centique
Kitchen (Original) | Banana Yoshimoto
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Turns out that this beautiful melancholy book was just the antidote for my inability to read last month. I thoroughly recommend it!
Now back to rereads and detective stories…. 💕

LeahBergen I have had SUCH a slow reading year. It‘s odd. I‘ve been really enjoying everything I read but … 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3mo
Centique @LeahBergen same! Going at a slower pace isnt a bad thing of course 💕 I just exacerbated it by reading a few violent tense books in a row…. 3mo
LeahBergen Oh dear. I know what that‘s like. 😆 3mo
batsy This is one of my favourites! I should do a reread soon 💜 3mo
Centique @batsy it was so good! Im going to buy a copy because i know i will need to reread this. 3mo
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Centique
Lucky Ducklings | Eva Moore
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Look who was visiting the library at the same time as me today? 😍

thegreensofa Adorable! 🤎 3mo
Ruthiella How cute! 🦆 3mo
Aimeesue Awwww! 🤎💛🤎 3mo
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Reggie Cuties! 3mo
Rissreads Omg! So beautiful! 3mo
Centique @Reggie did i tell you your two lovely books for me arrived too?! Thank you so much! I mailed you a long letter so i probably told you in the letter 😂😂 I sent you a book from B&N and something from Etsy too 😘 3mo
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Centique
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens | Shankari Chandran
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Its not you book, its me. I got to 80% and there is a lot to love in you, but life has thrown some curve balls and i havent got the bandwidth to finish you at the moment.

I guess you can take this as a testament to the power in some of the brutal truths on your pages. (Also one character is being despicable right now)

I think im going to need a few cosy mysteries until life calms down a little!

dabbe Bring on the cozy mysteries! 🩵🩶🩵 4mo
Bookwormjillk That was me last month. Sometimes it‘s good to just know everything will work out at the end of the book. Hang in there. 4mo
Leftcoastzen Sometimes life is like that, I‘ve had some I had to abandon this year , bandwidth issues , well put! 4mo
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LeahBergen Good for you! Move on to something comforting. Sending ❤️❤️❤️. 4mo
Centique @Bookwormjillk @Leftcoastzen im glad im in good company! 4mo
Centique @dabbe yes! 🙌 4mo
Centique @LeahBergen thank you Leah 😘 4mo
batsy Hope life gets a bit easier, Paula. Lots of love to you. 4mo
CarolynM That‘s where I‘m at too. Still listening to those favourite romances on repeat and only reading things that are light and undemanding. Sending love and hugs💕🤗 4mo
sarahbarnes 💙💙💙 4mo
Centique @batsy thank you Suba. Most of it should resolve by Christmas i think 💕 much love to you and your family too. 4mo
Centique @CarolynM thank you Carolyn 💕 Its a relief to picture other book friends reading comforting books too 💕 A reread is a good idea i think! 4mo
tpixie Take care of yourself! Reading is for comfort 💚🩵 4mo
Reggie Ughhh the 80% dnf. I hope life calms down for you a lot, Paula. 4mo
Rissreads I‘m sorry to hear that things are rough at the moment. Yes take comfort in easy reads. Thinking of you and sending good vibes 😎🦄🌈 ♥️ 3mo
58 likes15 comments
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Centique
A Maigret Christmas | Georges Simenon
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Im trying to get a bit of Christmas spirit this year as last year was a total failure in that respect! This little book was a good start (if you like the quieter type of detective stories like i do) Three short tales of deaths on Christmas Day and the detective or police drawn in to solve them. Simenon is a French author who wrote a series of detective novels and this was a good introduction (thanks @merelybookish for putting this on my radar!)

Centique Photo is from my friend‘s gift shop which is all set up for Christmas. 🎅🤶 4mo
LeahBergen What a festive pic! I‘ve been meaning to read this one for ages. 4mo
CarolynM What a lovely display 😍 My daughter has been crochet Christmas decorations for her workplace. I‘m trying to persuade her to do some for us too😆 4mo
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TrishB That‘s a gorgeous pic. 4mo
Centique @CarolynM they sound gorgeous! We need a picture i think! 😍 4mo
Centique @LeahBergen @TrishB her shop is so full of christmas wonders; I‘ve taken lots of photos so you‘re bound to see some more 😂😂 4mo
merelybookish Love all those angels! Glad you enjoyed. Something fun about spending Xmas in a seedy part of Paris. 😄 4mo
Reggie That is an awesome pic. I‘m trying to decide if I want to put up a tree. 4mo
Centique @Reggie we had no tree last year because of kittens and general disinterest!! I put it up early this year so i had a quieter space/time to do it in. And i put a Christmas cooking show on in the background to give me some vibes 😂😂 4mo
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Centique
Let Us Descend | Jesmyn Ward
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Salvage the Bones is one of my favourite books of all time and therefore i will read ANYTHING that Jesmyn Ward writes. This story of Annis takes place in the antebellum south. She is born into slavery but is from a line of warrior women. Ward said she wrote this book in response to someone saying that their ancestors didnt resist enough. Annis‘ story is a story of resistance, but slavery has so much power and reach ⬇️

Centique One thing that this book made visceral for me, beyond other books on this topic, is the impact of hunger. The torment of starving and dwindling bodies while serving fat laden food to slave owners 🤯💔 Mind blowing! 4mo
TrishB Great review- I have it on the pile! 4mo
CarolynM Lovely review, Paula💕😘 4mo
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Centique Thank you both 😘 @TrishB @CarolynM 4mo
Reggie Ughh I‘m not sure I‘m ready for this book but I put it on hold because I‘m gonna read it. 4mo
Centique @Reggie it was definitely hard going in parts 😬 i feel a bit battered but it was so good. 💕 4mo
Suet624 I kept thinking how tough this book must have been to write. 3mo
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Centique
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This was my first TJ Klune book & i thoroughly enjoyed it. It reminded me a little of A Psalm for the Wild Built but this is much more plot driven. Gio, an inventor robot, isolates himself deep in the forest to bring up his adopted son, Victor, who is human. Together they create a family from discarded robots. But there is danger afoot that threatens this little family. Nurse Ratched and Rambo really made this book hum for me 🥰

LoverOfLearning Please please please read House in the Cerulean Sea of you haven't. Incredible and insanely beautiful. Book 2 will be out at the end of the year. 1mo
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Centique
Out | Natsuo Kirino
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This was brilliant but brutal. Four women on a factory line agree to cover up a murder. But this step into the darker world will bring unforeseen consequences.
This is a literary crime novel so a lot of time is spent on fleshing out characters & their interactions and back stories - which i like. Youre also a little at arms length from the characters which i prefer in crime novels - you dont identify with them. There is a great sense of setting⬇️

Centique And its interesting to read a much more working class version of city life in Japan. Trigger warnings for gore and for violence towards women. Also a spoiler comment below. 4mo
Centique The idea that a woman might enjoy some part of their assault is problematic. I get how it fits into the story and the characters arc but we just have an existing rape culture in the real world that doesnt need to be bolstered - so that was unfortunate i think. 4mo
sarahbarnes This sounds great - stacking! 4mo
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Ruthiella I‘ve had this book for ages. I even started it once but got sidetracked. Some day… 4mo
BarbaraBB Brilliant and brutal. I totally agree! You both should read it @sarahbarnes @Ruthiella 💕 4mo
Reggie @Ruthiella lol same. I think I‘ve had it for 5 years now. 4mo
Centique @Reggie @Ruthiella i think you will both like it. But then i have dozens of books that have been sitting on my shelf for years too! 4mo
batsy Nice review! It's a great book and lots to ponder in here, for sure. Definitely recommended @sarahbarnes @Ruthiella but yes, brutal and unsparing. 4mo
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Centique
All the Little Bird-Hearts | Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow
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I reserved this book based on your review @TrishB ! Thank you as it was so good! The portrayal of Sunday, a single mum who is (presumably) on the spectrum, and the way she perceives the world, really affected me. I found this more authenticate and compassionate than a book like Eleanor Oliphant. It physically hurt when people misunderstood or manipulated or sidelined Sunday. And ill say one other thing under a spoiler comment!

Centique To see the deterioration of her relationship with Dolly was heart breaking. I have a daughter who is more socially aware and has a much better EQ than me - and she is so fiercely protective of me in social spaces (not that i am on the spectrum, but even so!) The contrast made me feel ill - i wanted Dolly to stand up for her mother so much! 😥 4mo
squirrelbrain Loved this book too! 4mo
squirrelbrain I agree with your comment about Dolly. Although I don‘t have kids, I think her behaviour was more to do with society‘s understanding of autism and being on the spectrum at the time (1990s I think) rather than her not being caring. Sunday was just seen as being weird and Vita definitely took advantage of her and Dolly. 4mo
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Centique @squirrelbrain thats a really good point! Teens especially are going to be more informed by their peers and outsiders as to what is “strange” about their family and there was so little understanding in society. Dolly did seem conflicted at times didnt she? 4mo
BarbaraBB That‘s a real good point @squirrelbrain ! I loved this book so much and my heart ached for Sunday. Funny that you mention Eleanor Olifant Paula, I didn‘t like that book much either. (edited) 4mo
CarolynM Lovely review💕 4mo
Reggie Stacked cause now I wanna come back and read the spoiler comments. 4mo
TrishB I think it was probably @squirrelbrain review because I haven‘t read it yet! But need to. 4mo
Centique @TrishB oh sorry Trish. It must have been @squirrelbrain and @BarbaraBB reviews! 👍😍 4mo
Centique @CarolynM thank you Carolyn 💕 Hope you are doing okay and your folks are stable 🤞💜 4mo
Centique @Reggie oh yes do! I think you will have some interesting opinions 💕 4mo
Rissreads I‘m in! Stacked! I wanna read the spoilers! 🤣 4mo
Suet624 Oh, this book. Loved it. 3mo
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Centique
Oliver Twist | Dickens
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Pickpick

Finally finishing this very long audiobook! It is one of Dickens earlier novels and is more heavy handed (imo) than later novels. Its easy to see that Dickens is playing with reader emotions to create sympathy for social justice issues that were important to him - but this does lead to some two dimensional characters. And of course the appalling caricature of Fagin, embellishing an existing anti semitism. ⬇️

Centique The depiction of the darker side of London and the plight of the poor remains eye opening and fascinating - and, as always, Dickens creates so many colourful secondary characters that are entertaining and unforgettable. 4mo
Ruthiella I agree, it‘s very heavy handed. I love Dickens‘ completed novels, but this one is lower on the list for that reason. 4mo
Centique @Ruthiella yes! Great Expectations and Bleak House remain my favourites… and probably David Copperfield too. 4mo
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Ruthiella Great Expectations and Bleak House are at the top of my list too. For some reason I don‘t love David Copperfield, however. Or rather I think I don‘t like him as an adult. I do love all the side characters, however. “The donkeys Janet!” 😂 (edited) 4mo
Centique @Ruthiella i had to add David Copperfield solely for my love of Miss Betsey and Mr Dick and his never ending memoir that he is trying to write. And you reminded me about the blasted donkey! 😂😂 4mo
Lcsmcat This was my first Dickens and sparked a life-long appreciation of his writing. I was 8, so I didn‘t “get” everything. But I loved his humor, and totally fell in love with little Oliver! 4mo
Centique @Lcsmcat how amazing that you read this at 8! I was probably about that age when i read A Christmas Carol but thats a much easier read. (Probably a condensed version as well) So wonderful to discover his colorful characters when youre young and your mind is wide open and impressionable. Which is your favourite Dickens so far? 4mo
Lcsmcat @Centique A bit like being asked to name your favorite child. 😀 David Copperfield is up there now because I recently reread it before reading Demon Copperhead. Tale of Two Cities will always have a place in my romantic heart, and Pickwick Papers are such fun. I guess it varies with my mood. 4mo
batsy I've been trying to get over my Dickens resistance. It's partly because I've read this twice for school and yes, it's flawed in all the ways you've mentioned. I'm also not a fan of GE. But I do love A Christmas Carol. I read abridged versions of DC and Two Cities as a kid and perhaps I should start with those now. 4mo
Centique @batsy i can understand the resistance! He may not be your cup of tea ultimately - because i know its not the length of his novels - you read the Russians after all! Yes maybe DC or Two Cities - although its been twenty years since i read Two Cities…. 😂 4mo
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Centique
Heat Wave: A Novel | Penelope Lively
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Pickpick

I absolutely loved this - its short but i read it very slowly to savour it. Penelope Lively does atmosphere and descriptions of women‘s inner lives so well! Pauline is a divorced woman in late middle age. She is working as a copy editor from one of a pair of rural cottages she owns during a very hot summer. Her daughter and son in law & child are spending the summer in the other cottage. Pauline gets to see tensions rise ⬇️

Centique in their relationship bringing her to recall her own history. There are some perfect sentences in this book. She captures the way events from your past live with you as you age, you can almost reach out and touch the “you” of decades ago, who remains in a pivotal moment, feeling everything afresh. 5mo
Reggie Wow! Stacked. 5mo
Centique @Reggie thank you Reggie! How are you doing? 5mo
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Reggie Good, I got so much reading done last week cause I took off 2 extra days. Also, I deleted Twitter from my phone which helped. Lol. Now I‘m on my weekend again so looking forward to so more reading. How bout you, Paula? 5mo
Centique @Reggie yes you have been reading heaps! All good here. Had some bad news about His Elderliness with something inoperable but hes currently stable - so enjoying the calm before the storm as much as possible 💕 5mo
Reggie Oh, I‘m sorry. 💜I hope he stays as comfortable as he possibly can be. My grandma broke her femur like 2 months ago and the DAY she got home she was taken to the hospital for chest pain and trouble breathing for a blockage in her heart. She‘s currently on her 6th life. She‘s fine now but who knows how long it‘ll last. We‘re all going home for Thanksgiving just in case it‘s her last. (edited) 5mo
Centique @Reggie oh the poor thing! Its so nice that youll all be there to see her at Thanksgiving. 💕 I hope she enjoys it. 5mo
Reggie @Centique btw the guy who wrote Beetlejuice was Michael McDowell and he wrote The Elementals. If you just by chance get an itch for horror, I think you would like it. We did a buddy read on here years ago with Cindy and everyone liked it. He died in 1999. 5mo
andrew61 Great review, Paula. I have this somewhere and love PLs writing, so I will dig it out soon. Best wishes to you and @Reggie. we have elderly family issues at mo, which, when I talk to friends of my age, is a common difficulty of juggling life. I still miss periodically hearing the two of you on jenny podcast. Take care. 5mo
Tamra I have this one stacked - now I‘m anxious to read it! 5mo
batsy Lovely review, Paula. My love to you and @Reggie and your families re: ill family members. My mother was also recently in hospital but is back home now... We seem to be all in the "making the most of the time we have and taking it day by day" stage, it looks like. Never easy ❤️ 5mo
Reggie @andrew61 I miss Jenny a lot. Not many podcasts cover the breadth of reading she did or the variety of readers she talked to. Take care as well. 5mo
Reggie @batsy I‘m sorry about your mom. Hope she stays comfortable and you get all the time you can with her. ❤️ 5mo
batsy @Reggie Thank you, Reggie ❤️ 5mo
Centique @Reggie i will try it! 5mo
Centique @andrew61 thank you Andrew. Yes i miss Jenny so much. Her podcast was just the best 💕 5mo
Centique @andrew61 best wishes with your elderly family members as well 💜 5mo
Centique @batsy oh gosh Suba, i can only imagine how hard that has been. I hope your mother gains strength and has many many good days to come 🙏💜 5mo
Jeg Best wishes to you and hope all goes well with your dad. I fear I'm becoming the aging parent I hope I have someone as caring as you to look out for me. ❤️❤️❤️ 5mo
Centique @Jeg thank you Joy - that is the nicest thing anyone could ever say 💕 🥰 5mo
Rissreads I‘m sorry to hear about your dad being so unwell, such a tough time for you. I lost my Dad in March and miss him everyday. 4mo
Centique @Rissreads oh Nerissa that is so sad! Im so sorry that youve had such sadness. Parents leave such a gap, such a constant missing of someone we were so bonded to 😢 4mo
Reggie Ok, so I‘m listening to this as I drive down south to be with family forThanksgiving and it reminds me of Marguerite Duras. And the narrator Davina Porter is exquisite. She takes the already beautiful language and makes it divine sounding. 4mo
Centique @Reggie oh im so glad! Im going to have to get that audio version so i can bathe in the language like that too😍 I hope your thanksgiving is really good. We‘ve been having a spate of family illnesses (not His Elderliness- hes stable currently) so definitely having family on my heart - which is a thanksgiving thing i guess? Love and peace to you and yours Xxx 4mo
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Centique
Family Meal | Bryan Washington
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Pickpick

For the first time i managed to get a brand new book from the library reserves right on release! I loved Memorial and this was another 5 star read for me. Washington takes us inside the lives of first Cam and then TJ. Two childhood friends, both gay, black/multi race, who became estranged as their choices took them to different places. There is trauma in both lives & Washington reels the reader in to these details once youve started to care ⬇️

Centique This won‘t be everybody‘s cup of tea as you have two almost seperate stories as you do with Memorial - but switching POVs halfway is a format i personally love when its done well. 5mo
Reggie I have this. I also loved Memorial but I won‘t get to this until later. 5mo
Centique @Reggie i think you‘ll like it too. It was a fast read - plenty of white space in the pages and some photos again. 5mo
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Centique
Lucy by the Sea: A Novel | Elizabeth Strout
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Pickpick

Enjoyed this a lot - even though its probably my least favourite of the four Lucy books. I was ready to look back on the pandemic through the eyes of this character i have come to know so well. I really appreciate that writers like Strout have captured the variety of reactions and impacts of this period for future reference. (Albeit just in one family in one city in this book) Quiet and subtle, but with plenty to think about.

Centique This photo is of the sea I get to look at, not the one Lucy was beside! This is Auckland (Tamaki Makaurau) as seen from an island in the Hauraki Gulf. 5mo
CarolynM Lovely photo😍 Are you on the island for the weekend? 5mo
TrishB Fantastic picture 😁 5mo
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batsy Gosh, what a view 😍 5mo
sarahbarnes Great review. I agree! And great pic. 5mo
Centique @CarolynM thank you! No this is from about a month ago. How are you and your folks doing? 5mo
Centique @TrishB thank you guys 😘 @batsy @sarahbarnes 5mo
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Centique
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Pickpick

#nunlitquarterly
Thank you for putting me onto this book @jlhammar Spending time with a feisty 70 year old Nun figuring out a whodunnit in 1920‘s Cork, Ireland, turns out to be just the mood read i needed! Although there are a couple of clunky paragraphs here (may just be the ebook i was reading) it didnt draw me out of the story. An atmospheric mystery - almost cosy in tone - with lots of clues to untangle.

jlhammar So glad you enjoyed! I'm only about a third of the way through. Can't wait to get back to it this evening! 5mo
CarolynM Sounds good🙂 Have you read this one @Cathythoughts ? 5mo
Cathythoughts @CarolynM Sorry Carolyn for my late reply. I havnt been on Litsy as much lately. I hope all is getting easier for you. I havnt read this but it does sound good and it‘s a gorgeous picture of Cobh in Cork… I‘m looking out my window and at Cobh right now , it‘s across the river from us , we can go over by a little ferry. All the more reason to add this to my TBR .. stacked 👍🏻😁 sending warm wishes to you. And to you @Centique Paula 😘 5mo
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