Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Jillsmith

Jillsmith

Joined June 2016

Being a librarian is a cruel cheat - surrounded by all the new books that I want to read but too many other tasks to complete!
review
Jillsmith
Possession | A. S. Byatt
post image
Pickpick

One of my favorite books! A comforting, escapist read in these times!

writerlibrarian I so loved this book. 4y
SamAnne That's one I'd like to reread. 4y
4 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
Jillsmith
Mehso-so

This is really short if you want a quick read.

review
Jillsmith
Nothing to See Here | Kevin Wilson
Pickpick

So good! Read this is you like quirky characters and kids!

review
Jillsmith
Reticence | Gail Carriger
post image
Pickpick

Highly recommended, especially on audio, and I would suggest using Libro.fm to support your local independent bookstore! Love this series/universe/author!!!

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

I quite enjoyed this! Victorian murder/gothic, reminded me a bit of Affinity by Sarah Waters - do-gooder Victorian lady visiting a prison and finding more than she bargained for.

review
Jillsmith
Normal People | Sally Rooney
post image
Mehso-so

Mixed feelings - I didn‘t like most of this; liked the last quarter or so; sometimes brilliant writing. I did adore Connell‘s mom Lorraine. The book does a good job of describing that indescribable feeling of not fitting in/not being loved, if that makes sense.

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

I really enjoy this middle grade series. It‘s funny and cones from such an obvious place of love for books, libraries and learning! Listened to about half and then read the book.

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

Enjoyed this! Cute if predictable!!

review
Jillsmith
Washington Black | Esi Edugyan
post image
Pickpick

This was hard to read in some parts, but a really good book!

review
Jillsmith
Chemistry | Weike Wang
post image
Pickpick

On my TBR list for way too long - really enjoyed this, it‘s kind of sad though!

review
Jillsmith
Women Talking: A Novel | Miriam Toews
post image
Pickpick

I‘ve neglected my Litsy posts for too long - back to recommend this beautiful, heartbreaking book. And the mosaic shawl knit while reading it, interweaving the voices of the women as they decide what comes next.

Dolly Heard good things about this book that‘s now on my TBR. This knitter thinks that shawl looks beautiful. 6y
Jillsmith Thanks! It‘s the Emiliana Shawl by maliha designs. 6y
6 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
Jillsmith
Vanishing Stair | Maureen Johnson
post image
Pickpick

Loved this & love this series!! Read Truly Devious now and then read this!!! I wanted to read this so much, I actually bought it and read it right away which never happens! Can‘t wait for the next book!!!!

review
Jillsmith
A Ladder to the Sky | John Boyne
post image
Pickpick

Loved this!!

3 likes1 comment
review
Jillsmith
Milkman | Anna Burns
post image
Pickpick

I absolutely loved this!! I can see why people might not - it‘s definitely different than most books and not very plot driven. But, ah, Middle Sister and the Wee Sisters and Maybe Boyfriend and Ma and of course, the Milkman. Great characters and language.

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

Enjoyed this- totally guessed the killer early - looking forward to more in this series.

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

Just a delight!! I love the sweet/evil old lady!!

review
Jillsmith
Proposal | Jasmine Guillory
post image
Pickpick

I thought this was just a delight!! Very quick read, a nice little escape on a snowy day!!

review
Jillsmith
Only Child | Rhiannon Navin
Panpan

Only finished because it was for book club.

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

One of my favorite books this year!!! Enjoyed listening to it so much!!! I love Cyril, but Charles and Maude are my secret favorites!! Read it,it will not disappoint!!

review
Jillsmith
The Secret History | Donna Tartt
post image
Pickpick

While I enjoyed this, it‘s not one of my favorite books of all time - shaded perhaps by the absolute love I have for Donna Tartt‘s The Little Friend.

HeathHof I agree. Loved the Little friend! Have you read Goldfinch? And your knitting is absolutely lovely by the way! I wish I were that talented! 6y
4 likes1 comment
review
Jillsmith
4:50 from Paddington | Agatha Christie
post image
Pickpick

I read this ages ago as a teen and I honestly couldn‘t remember who the murderer was! I really liked this one, Miss Marple was great and Lucy was fabulous!!

review
Jillsmith
post image
Mehso-so

I liked Auntie Poldi, but having the story told by her nephew annoyed me!! Not sure I want to read more in the series.

review
Jillsmith
Bright Ruin | Vic James
post image
Pickpick

I really enjoyed this series!!! Lots to think about, but lots of action and adventure, too. You should start with the first, Gilded Cage.

review
Jillsmith
Becoming | Michelle Obama
post image
Pickpick

Loved it!!!! She is so gracious and classy and has lived an amazing life! May have to listen to it on audio, too!!

review
Jillsmith
Read Herring Hunt | V.M. Burns
post image
Pickpick

Really enjoying this cozy series!! It makes me really want my own mystery bookshop!

review
Jillsmith
The Plot Is Murder | V.M. Burns
post image
Pickpick

A nice cozy - not sure what I was going to think of the book within a book, I ended up really liking it! Great start for a series, looking forward to the next!

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

A more modern Poirot...with young people and drugs and all! Loved finding out more about Miss Lemon! all the ebooks were checked out from the library, so I dug our my old paperback copy from the 80s! It may have triggered an allergy attack!

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

Really good!

review
Jillsmith
Pickpick

A moving memoir. Definitely read it!!

review
Jillsmith
The Miniaturist | Jessie Burton
post image
Pickpick

Read this after watching the pbs miniseries, which had fabulous costumes and miniatures! I enjoyed the book more.

review
Jillsmith
The Queen's Gambit | Walter Tevis
Pickpick

Fascinating book!

review
Jillsmith
Pocket Full of Rye | Agatha Christie
Pickpick

An enjoyable Marple.

RaimeyGallant I'm audiobooking 4:50 from Paddington at the moment. :) 6y
Jillsmith I‘m re-reading all the Agatha Christie novels in publication order - I mostly read them as a teen about 30 years ago, so I remember bits but a lot feels new! Haven‘t really tried them on audio - I should!! 6y
3 likes2 comments
review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

Loved this book! Thrilled that they chose my nominating quote for the Library Reads October list:
Set in the weeks after JFK‘s assassination, a mob hit man on the run meets a woman who has just impulsively left her alcoholic husband. A beautifully written suspense novel that‘s hard to put down, with well-developed, sympathetic characters, and plenty of intrigue.
It‘s a definite pick, read it!!

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

So this was a recommendation from my husband...not sure what I should think about that! I absolutely loved how this was written and the way it ends. Disturbing in a good way?

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

Murderbot is the best!!! Seriously, read this series!!!!

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

If you like old mysteries and you live in Minnesota, you will love this book! Loved the main character‘s voice, and I thoroughly enjoyed this! Luckily, my library has more of her books!

rather_be_reading how adorable!! 6y
Jillsmith Thank you! I try to post the cutest stuff for books I really like! 6y
3 likes2 comments
review
Jillsmith
Dinner List | Rebecca Serle
post image
Mehso-so

I wanted to like this more than I did. Just OK.

review
Jillsmith
Bel Canto | Ann Patchett
post image
Pickpick

Reread for book club - looooooooved it as much as the first time I read it. Not sure about the movie...

review
Jillsmith
Rogue Protocol | Martha Wells
post image
Pickpick

This series just keeps getting better! Can‘t wait for book 4 next week! Murderbot is awesome!!

review
Jillsmith
Artificial Condition | Martha Wells
post image
Pickpick

Murderbot #2, awwww Murderbot, you‘re really growing on me! Love this series!!

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

Listened to this and Michael Sheen is an amazing narrator! The ending, though! Looking forward to the next book!

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

I enjoyed reading about this era from the perspective of Empress Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar), even if it was a little romanticized! Would have liked to read more about fashion and how she kept that tiny waist! Crazy how they all just kept marrying their cousins!

review
Jillsmith
All Systems Red | Martha Wells
post image
Pickpick

Murderbot is awesome!! Really enjoyed listening to this - so mad the waiting list at the library is so long for the next one!! If you like snarky funny, you‘ll enjoy it.

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

I do not know much about the 1600s and the Thirty Years War - this was a good introduction! Interesting to read about their relationships with Descartes and Leibniz. And interesting to read about how Sophia‘s line became the rulers of England!

review
Jillsmith
His Favorites: A Novel | Kate Walbert
post image
Pickpick

Very quick read. I liked the style, would have liked more!

review
Jillsmith
Eden | Andrea Kleine
Mehso-so

Just ok for me.

review
Jillsmith
The Keepers of the House | Shirley Ann Grau
post image
Pickpick

I can‘t believe I hadn‘t read this before! It was really good, I love her writing! Definitely going to read more!

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

I didn‘t love love love this, but it was worth a read and pretty short.

review
Jillsmith
post image
Pickpick

Continuing with my Agatha Christie reading - to get the last one out of my head - early Poirot and Hastings stories. Good and quick read, so interesting how she uses similar plots in some of her novels.

review
Jillsmith
They Came to Baghdad | Agatha Christie
post image
Panpan

On my list on re-reading Agatha Christie books in publication order - definitely one of my least favorites. Stick with the Poirots and Marples and skip this one.