I did not expect to like this one as much as I finally did. I liked seeing Kenzie & Gennaro as parents. Even though the 16 years-old doesn't much act like that, I think after what she went through we all would age faster. That said, it's still a Dennis Lehane book. It's still dark, messy and sometimes uncomfortable.

Happy #5JoysFriday on a Saturday! Why am I so busy right now? Well, I've had some joys too:

1. Visit from an old friend and some nice talks with her 💖
2. Happy days at work 📚
3. A day just sleeping in and resting 💤
4. Celebrating @VaniBarelyReads birthday 🎂
5. Those cutie pies that visited our shop 🐶

@DebinHawaii

I loved this one just as much as I loved the other book in the series. They're so different, how does Cipri manage that? And they're still sort of the same. It's amazing. And I do get the appeal of that one, and why many people prefer “Finna“. Well, I hope that there are going to be more books in the series. Or more anti-capitalist sci-fi novellas by Cipri.

@TheAromaofBooks #DoubleSpin

Well, it's Terry Pratchett - what's more to say? We get Discworld, we get a glimpse into private Terry, we get speeches and short stories from young Pratchett. Including the great illustrations by Josh Kirby. What's not to love?

(I did skip the texts about Neil Gaiman and JK, though)

My next roll in #bookishmonopoly bought me to my TBR at work, and believe me or not - the newest book by my dearest Amélie Nothomb is still waiting to be read! Shame on me.

@AkashaVampie

JK being feminist again. So let's show her some real women doing amazing stuff.
Oh yeah, my brain is hyper focusing on Hyun-ju right now 😍🤩🏳️‍⚧️

#mondaymood @Deblovestoread

So, I guess my Dune journey ends with this volume. The next book is more for hardcore fans, I think, and I am quite alright with the ending we're getting here. Sure, I'm not alright with some parts, just as I didn't agree with other things in the previous books. But the story held my interest for eight long novels, and that counts for something, right?

This was my #bookspin for July and finished it 7/31/25 @TheAromaOfBooks

Not the tagged book, but a collection of short stories from the same universe

These stories are all written by different authors, so they all differ from each other. We got some typical Sci-Fi, we've got a heist, we've a troubled author and someone searching for answers.

I would've wished for more female rep in this book, because this future does seem rather equal. A missed opportunity maybe?

#bookishmonopoly @AkashaVampie

This was such a good read! I immediately put the first book on my To Read-List. It was spooky, with a lot of spookiness coming from how people are treated (e.g. reality). I never knew where the story was really going and yes, I had a soft spot for Derek. I think I'm into anti-capitalist satire.

#QueerBC @PuddleJumper

Happy #5JoysFriday 💛💛💛

My joys this week:

1) Berne Pride 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈
2) Rossa being her adorable self 😸😸
3) Pokémon Trading Card App (very addictive)
4) Cute kid in the store who got very excited about a tote bag
5) @VaniBarelyReads made me a delicious spaghetti dinner 💖💖

@DebinHawaii

How luck I got being able to read this book during the European Championship this year. In this book the authors show us the history of Women's soccer in Switzerland. From the time women weren't allowed to play (by law!), how they played anyway, to the first matches, first games and how it is today. Great pictures, interview with inspiring people and well-researched facts make this book a highlight in my reading year.

After the European Championship was over, I wasn't quite ready to let soccer playing women go. So I got this audiobook and could enjoy some more of those. Spicy scenes inclusive. The story works just like any other romance, so no surprises on this side, but that's okay. I enjoyed the ADHD and autism rep, those two always seem to find each other 😄

While not being my favourite book by Olga Tokarczuk, it shows again what a talented writer she is. Every word, every sentence is the way it should be. Every scene is crafted and polished. These three stories are interconnected, we're entering three connected lifes. Or rather, three connected deaths. This book is a kind of Bardo, escpecially the first story is one. The last one is so different, it almost hurts.

A beautiful story of a life between worlds. Etsuko, the narrator of her I-Story, is also trying to capture the people around her, how they might see her or a certain situation. How goes through their head. She writes about living in Japan and living in the US. We follow her through years and changes, countries and social structures. A calm book, written in a charming and unique way.

Took a little longer than her first book to take up speed, but when it did it was just as good as “Kanak Kids“. I love sleeping, so if I stay up longer because I don't want to stop reading, that has to mean something. It made me laugh, it made me cry. Sure, as a grown-up we already see a lot of red flags, but weren't we all struggling like that when we were 17?
I was also happy to meet some of the characters from KK again. I missed them.

Some hours late here in Switzerland, but I'm sure it's still Monday somewhere. I'm trying to focus more on the good things happening, because joy is resistance 💪

There were over 12 000 people on the Berne Pride last Saturday (including me) and 14 000 people signed against a right wing idea of forbidding gender affirming treatments for under 25 olds. Ha!

In Germany they refused to show the Pride flag, so the people just did it themselves ⬇️

The world of autistic women and girls

Autism, just as any other condition, was for a long time only seen from a male point of view. Finally, we're realising that women and girls show their autism in a different way.

This book addresses late diagnosed autistic women or mothers of autistic girls and shows them that they're not alone and that life can be handled.

This went as smoothly as I hoped it would go. Looking forward to both books for my #Bookspin and #Doublespin

@TheAromaofBooks

It took a lot of time for the second novel to be published, but finally my bestie and I will read vol. 2 this autumn. And because I have forgotten almost all about this book, I did a reread. And was able to fully enjoy the whole thing once again. Now I'm excited to learn what happened to the characters after this book ended.

Ten pages into
My new book and I am googling
Food pictures again

Why are there so many interesting things to eat? 😅

#haikuhive

@itchyfeetreader @kristy_k @debinhawaii @mimi28 @thebookhippie @jenlovesjt47 @reggie

Happy #5JoysFriday - at least I think it's Friday? Because it's Switzerland's national holiday, so this day felt like a Sunday to me. Anyway, here we go!

1. Visiting my friend (or at least her grave) with my dad 💖
2. Finally found a Funko Zoro for my Funko Sanji 💖
3. Ever visited a school at 4am? 🤣
4. The finale of the European Championship 💖
5. A cozy afternoon playing card games with @VaniBarelyReads and a dear friend 💖

@DebinHawaii

I did not intend to read so many books this month, especially since I've spent a lot of evenings watching amazing women rocking the soccer fields. And tbh, it was a bit too much. But all those library holds coming in... What else was I supposed to do?

#botm #bookofthemonth

I'm going off-script for the next month(s). Since I do need to finish some hard challenge tasks, but also want to read my owned books I'm using two lists. One is my #BookSpin and the other one my #DoubleSpin

@TheAromaofBooks

This book is not in the database, so I tagged another of her novellas. Title translates as “Summerloves“, so of course I wanted to read it in summer.

I first had to get to know the narrator a bit better, before I could acknowledge her witt and her self-esteem. At first she seemed mean and snarky, but at the end she made me laugh out loud several times.

Dohm wrote this story when ahe was 80 years old 😎

I went a little bit rough with that one 😎

I haven't written
One of these in a long time
Life is flying by

Also, it's very exhausting

#haikuhive

@itchyfeetreader @kristy_k @debinhawaii @mimi28 @thebookhippie @jenlovesjt47 @reggie

Text top right from Doctors Without Borders: You don't let people starve. End of discussion. Let Gaza live.

But did you that there are also good things happening in the world?

#MondayMood @Deblovestoread

I'm always excited to get the new #roll100 picks! August will be some light summer reading about language and juciste, about Gender Trouble and how Social Media changes how we see our bodies (that one actually fits the season).

@PuddleJumper

Books like these let us expand our own horizons and I love it. Lamya's is so different from mine, even though I could relate to her in many ways. I got to know so much more about the Qur'an and how religion can be something good instead of something disastrous.

#roll100 @PuddleJumper

Happy #5JoysFriday 💛💛💛

My joys this week:

1) finding old childhood memories while browsing a flea market with @VaniBarelyReads 💖
2) going to the cinemas with @VaniBarelyReads and having a lovely lunch afterwards 💖
3) the cats of course 💖
4) El Tony Mate 💖
5) Naming my new HayDay guinea pig after one we used to have (RIP) 💖

@DebinHawaii

Our library now also has Hungarian books! 🇭🇺 So now I can try to read some of those and this one was my first.
A really cute picture book about a penguin fleeing the zoo. With some interesting facts at the end.
Absolutely adorable 🐧🐧

This is such a #BlameItOnLitsy or rather blame it on @JulesG 😉

After reading Sanguen Daemonis I really, really needed something light and funny. And this is exactly that. I had so much fun reading this book, I just kept on laughing. Loved how the authors play with the fantasy stereotypes. It's exactly what I needed and I'm glad there's more of it (because I don't think the world will change any time soon).

#roll100 @PuddleJumper

Yes, the plot is nothing new. Girl meets Girl and they fall in love. But Arlow adds a lot of interesting things to her story: Shani's interested in paleoichthyology - how cool is that? And it's a Christmas story, but from a Jewish point of view. Also, all the love for Raphael the Corgi. Who could resist a corgi?

🎶 The world's on fire, but the sky is blue 🙃

Vinny Marchi - We Are Fucked (unmotivational song)
https://youtu.be/fePZKvySkbI?si=Jlh179z_F6062B5b

#TuesdayTunes @TieDyeDude

Sneaky gay penguins make every day better.

#mondaymood @Deblovestoread

This was so much fun! I had a really good time with that crew. The mix of fun, emotion and action was perfectly balanced, at least for me. I do have a soft spot for heist movies and books, so this was totally up my sleeve anyway. The diversity was so great and it was neat reading the German translation using neopronouns. So, I would totally watch a movie version of this or read a prequel, sequel or whatever. I hope the characters are doing fine.

Oh wow, that was dark. So very dark. But so, so good! Please mind the trigger warnings and don't read if you're in an unstable state of mind!
Oh, my heart lies in pieces. Anna Zabini wrote a masterpiece of some kind. I didn't really get the system behind the human-daemon-connection, but that doesn't really matter. This book still broke me.
I'm also impressed by how Zabini tells her story. We're skipping around in time, so I always needed ⬇

Happy #5JoysFriday 💛💛💛

It was an exhausting week, but still filled with joys.

1. Going to the Natural History Museum with @VaniBarelyReads and a close friend 💖
2. The cats just being the cats 😸
3. My bestie, who's a true ally 🫶
4. New friends for #TinyCarFamily 🚗
5. Learning about the history of women's football ⚽

@DebinHawaii

Nope, I don't think Eisenhorn is a very charismatic or likable character (at least to me), but I still enjoyed this third book about him. Maybe I just like his taste in women? Because I really liked those. The story itself is nothing new in the Warhammer universe and therefore perfect background noise. There were some scenes that really captured me, so it's a Pick.

#BookSpin @TheAromaofBooks

Ogawa writes beautifully and sometimes even dream-like. But I do prefer her newer books to her older ones. I knew that this one wasn't going to my favorite. As a person with dyscalculia I just let the characters go on about maths and how to solve this and that. I would have loved to learn more about the professor's condition and how he deals with it.

I'm trying to deal with a lot of anxiety right now and the consumption of questionable drinks doesn't help. So I'm surrounding myself with people I love, books and funny animal clips.

#mondaymood @Deblovestoread

Please mind the trigger warnings. I had to pause the audio book because it was just too much. Especially the pets. I couldn't do that. Yes, it's dark, it's harsh, it's brutal. It's pure flesh. Sadly, I can totally see humanity acting this way. Just take a look around. How close are we? What does it take? That's even scarier than the book itself.

Even though sport does
Not include trans people
Still, these authors do

Reading a book about the history of Switzerland's Women's football/soccer and did not expect that the authors are inclusive of ALL the girls and women. That made me so happy 🫶

#haikuhive

@itchyfeetreader @kristy_k @debinhawaii @mimi28 @thebookhippie @jenlovesjt47 @reggie @vivastory @eggs @jdiehr @thespineview @cbee @lil1inblue

This comic tells us about famous Swiss soccer star Soumba Sow. How she grew up playing better than they boys, but still not being allowed to play with them. The struggles to find a place where girls and their talents are being supported. We learn about her family, about her harsh training, her even harsher will and how she become who she is now. What an impressive woman! She kept going and going, never giving up.

Happy #5JoysFriday 💛💛💛

My joys this week:
1. Badge for Invisible Disabilities now in use in Switzerland's public transport
2. Glarus Pride with my bestie
3. New books (obviously)
4. Watching a live match of the WEURO 2025 with @VaniBarelyReads
5. And having dinner together with my aunt afterwards

@DebinHawaii

Translation: “Mom, please learn German“

I've never heard about Tahsim Durgun before this book, guess I'm not in his targeted age group on Social Media. However, his book is not only for me, but for everyone.
He talks about growing up as a child of Kurdish immigrants in Germany, how they live and how they are treated.
It is a funny book, that will make you cry. Especially at the end when we learn why Tahsims mom didn't learn German.

One of these books I've heard so much about, but never read it. Until now. And oh, how I loved this eerie atmosphere. I guess Hill House got me too, at least I was reading it while in a stadium waiting for the game to begin. The tension is building up very slowly, but it getting more and more intense. I especially loved how the feelings between the characters are changing and changing and ever changing.

Wow, this is done so well! Some scenes really got me. With all the voices and the sounds this play just gets you differently than reading a text. The voices are clearly distinguishable and the plot goes really fast. A new experience for me, but a really good one.

#StarWarsBuddyRead @BookwormAHN

Do you need to restore your faith in humanity? Do you love cats? Then this is the book for you. Severale people - one cat. And more and more their ways cross and they start to break their shells. But not only the humans open up, so does Cat, who learns that not all humans mean harm. This is an absolute feel-good book, a book to heal your soul after a hard day. A little ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.

I loved this book as soon as I read the dedication. I fell for Syd just as fast as Matts and yes, sometimes it was a tiny bit too cheesy, but I'm all in for E.L. Massey. She doesn't shy away from talking about what's like being trans nowadays, but without overdoing it. The sports part steps back in this part of the series and focusses more on music. So if you're not into sports, but into music - here you go.

T'was the first time Pride
In the city of Glarus
New books for me too

#haikuhaive

@itchyfeetreader @kristy_k @debinhawaii
@mimi28 @thebookhippie @jenlovesjt47
 @reggie @vivastory @eggs @jdiehr