pickBeautifully descriptive vignettes of summer time on an island. While Sophia drove me crazy with her frequent crying and protestations, this shows a loving bond between grandmother and granddaughter. A nice escape and perfect for #MidsummerSolace #Naturalitsy #LitSolace #192025 #1972
Sorry…couldn‘t help myself. If you‘re part of this horrible heatwave, you can understand this…
“Man, it‘s a hot one
Like seven inches from the midday sun…”
My area is at a 100+ degree heat index today, and communities I used to work in are without power until at least mid-week, according to the electrical company. I lost power for about 20 minutes last night, and that worried me. #TuesdayTunes
https://youtu.be/6Whgn_iE5uc
pickI‘ve seen mixed reviews of this one throughout the Internet, but I absolutely loved this! Perhaps another “right book at the right time” choice for me…
Told from multiple perspectives, the story begins with a near-disastrous incident and a choice made that shows the cracks in a family. Littlewood beautifully layers each perspective, and as the narrative unfolds, the reader really sees what is behind the behaviors and attitudes of each family ⬇️⬇️
pickThis was the exact book I needed right now, full of snarky humor with so many mentions of mystery and crime characters. I loved every minute of it. Two sleuths, a granddaughter and her grandmother, have an IRL locked room-style murder on their hands, when a snowstorm isolates their hostess‘s house from the outside world, leaving a killer to target the guests one by one. While there is a lot of humor, there are somber moments, and you can see ⬇️⬇️
We‘re a week away from our next #ChristiesCapers discussion! I‘ve seen some good reviews posted so far; this one does get mixed reviews by Christie lovers. I like this one and plan to reread it this week to have it fresh in my mind for next Sunday.
Discussion questions will be posted by 12pm US East Coast time on the 29th! #AgathaChristieClubR3
janeycanuck, suvata, Aims42, MallenNC, Soscha, Cuilin, kspenmoll, BarbaraJean, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, Lizpixie, MariaW, elkeOriginal, AnneCecilie, Gissy, OutsmartYourShelf, mrp27, Larkken, Suet624, Cailey_Mac, Deblovestoread, ferskner, Marmie7, MaleficentBookDragon, majkia, Bookwormjillk, StayCurious, Teresereading, Laughterhp, Sace, RainyDayReading, Skygoddess1, Morr_Books, PathfinderNicole, dabbe, tdrosebud, MaGoose, kelli7990, TheAromaofBooks, Tineke, PageShifter, willaful, kimrenee, AnishaInkspill
As we approach our June 30th discussion of The Chelsea Girls for #LiteraryCrew , July‘s #BuddyRead is right around the corner!
Burial Rites is one of my favorite books, and I thrilled the group voted to read this one this year. It‘s dark, compassionate, slow burning, and hauntingly beautiful.
Read at your own pace. Discussion July 31st. All are welcome to join. Let me know if you would like to be added or removed from the tag list!
mcctrish, mjdowens, melissajayne, Jerdencon, tpixie, LapReader, Cuilin, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, Prairiegirl_reading, Deblovestoread, Sace, CatLass007, Mollyanna, BookwormAHN, Pogue, dabbe, Sargar114, Karisa, bumpinthenight, Singout, julieclair, AllDebooks, Lkempf
pickLight pick. This retelling of Cinderella combines folk/fairy tales from different cultures, and I enjoyed reading the intro from this 10th anniversary edition to hear the reasons for Lo‘s decisions on the structure of the novel. I didn‘t quite click with the writing style, but the last few chapters flew by for me, so worthy of a pick rating. #SundayBuddyRead #LitsyAToZ #LetterA #52BookClub25 #AFairyTaleRetelling
so-soThe first in a series set on Cape Cod, this one had a lot going on…and not all in a good way. Lots of nonessential info that could not even be described as red herrings. I‘d say more, but it may be considered spoilerish. Let‘s just say it‘s confusing. #Xander #CatsOfLitsy
What is the secret in the old attic? Never fear…Nancy will figure it out! Discussion of this 21st in the series will take place July 15th.
All are welcome to join. Please comment if you wish to be added to or removed from the tag list. #NancyDrewBR
rubyslippersreads, DebinHawaii, DGRachel, BarkingMadRead, Jennifer3, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, MariaW, CogsOfEncouragement, AnneCecilie, Born.A.Reader, Bookwormjillk, Read4life, StayCurious, bookandbedandtea, Laughterhp, Sace, Bren912, kwmg40, CSeydel, Ruthiella, dabbe, Julies_Bookshelf_Adventures, Enchanted_Bibliophile, Allylu, TheAromaofBooks, Charityann, Roary47, Pageturner1, KristiAhlers, peanutnine, PageShifter, AmandaBlaze
I was able to post the #NancyDrewBR discussion points earlier than I anticipated! You can find them on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtag.
Next month, we find out The Secret in the Old Attic, which has slightly different story lines depending upon the version you read, but nothing drastic. Official post tomorrow!
rubyslippersreads, DebinHawaii, DGRachel, BarkingMadRead, Jennifer3, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, MariaW, CogsOfEncouragement, AnneCecilie, Born.A.Reader, Bookwormjillk, Read4life, StayCurious, bookandbedandtea, Laughterhp, Sace, Bren912, kwmg40, CSeydel, Ruthiella, dabbe, Julies_Bookshelf_Adventures, Enchanted_Bibliophile, Allylu, TheAromaofBooks, Charityann, Roary47, Pageturner1, KristiAhlers, peanutnine, PageShifter, AmandaBlaze5. I have to bring up Ned for his own discussion point; Ned seemed to me to be a little tired of Nancy always having a mystery. He seems game to help, but I kinda feel like he would also just like to have a regular date without Nancy sleuthing... 😂
Thinking of our other regulars, it did not seem like we saw a lot of George and Bess this time, and Hannah and Carson did not appear as much, or at least in the 1972 edition. #NancyDrewBR
4. Nancy's adventurous episodes are not as dramatic as in prior stories, but she still has troubles! I would have been so upset over the stealing of the hair piece, even if it was fake! Any thoughts on the “dangers“ this time around? #NancyDrewBR
3. The other piece to this story line involved finding a missing prince...who happened to be in River Heights! This leads me to think of the secondary characters in this one. Any standouts, for good or bad? Personally, I'm glad the gang left Francis/Michael/fake prince to find his own way off the island. What a horrible person! #NancyDrewBR
2. Did you have a jewel box with a secret compartment? What would you hide in it?
I found this interesting talk about the history of jewelry boxes. Link in the comments! #NancyDrewBR
1. Here we go! Once again, the 1943 and the 1972 editions are fairly similar, so everyone read the same story line. Yay!
Mildred Benson wrote the original 1943 story, and Priscilla Baker-Carr wrote the 1972 revision.
Overall, what did you think of the story? Thinking of a few of our more recent adventures with Nancy, how did this compare? #NancyDrewBR
so-soI actually finished a #RiseUpReads before the end of the month!
I listened to this one, and I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I had read it. The voice actress made the main character sound very immature at times, or else I am way too old to appreciate the tone used. However, I enjoyed the family story, the growth of the MC, and the relationship side of the story. It also made me really hungry for falafel!
Another stress-filled and at times horrifying week, but a moment to recognize joys:
1. My boys…always! They so hate me taking photos of them! 😂
2. Author event last Saturday and a signed book. Craig Johnson is a hoot!
3. Air conditioning, and it‘s not even sultry yet here!
4. Zeke has more good days than bad…hooray!
5. Litsy
#5JoysFriday
pickNot as many nail biting moments in this one, and thankfully no really odd episodes that make no sense. Nancy is charged with identifying the clue in the jewel box (hello title) and finding a lost prince. I really disliked the character Francis, and Ned continues to show a tad impatience with Nancy‘s sleuthing…
#NancyDrewBR
I‘m starting my library copy tonight, so here‘s a quick reminder that our next #NancyDrewBR discussion will be Sunday! Questions will be posted by lunchtime US East Coast time.
Looking forward to the discussion, #LittenDetectives !
rubyslippersreads, DebinHawaii, DGRachel, BarkingMadRead, Jennifer3, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, MariaW, CogsOfEncouragement, AnneCecilie, Born.A.Reader, Bookwormjillk, Read4life, StayCurious, bookandbedandtea, Laughterhp, Sace, Bren912, kwmg40, CSeydel, Ruthiella, dabbe, Julies_Bookshelf_Adventures, Enchanted_Bibliophile, Allylu, TheAromaofBooks, Charityann, Roary47, Pageturner1, KristiAhlers, peanutnine, PageShifter, AmandaBlaze, julieclair
“The place looked like a vampire‘s lair designed by Henry VIII.”
I‘m inhaling this book—with gem statements like the quote above, I think this is going to be an absolutely fun read. And, I adore Mimi.
This is also giving me Richard Osman vibes for character, wit, and fun back stories.
pickLaced with suspense, this is based on a true story…the photo at the back of the book shows the aftermath of the event described. Donoghue tells the story from the perspective of multiple characters, before real and fictional characters, including an anarchist with a deadly plot in mind. And, the train engine is a character—don‘t worry, the train‘s perspective actually adds depth to the story. Fast read! #SebastianKitty #Zeke #Xander #CatsOfLitsy
panCannell is not the author for me. Years ago, I tried reading one of her mysteries and had to bail because I did not connect with it. For this one, I probably should have bailed after the first half hour, but yet I persevered.
Cannell uses really long passages of dialogue and character‘s internal thoughts to convey the story. But, though set in the early 1900s, the language felt at times anachronistic. And, much of the forward motion had…
@Bookwormjillk , your post inspired me to pick up some Milano cookies at the grocery store this morning. My grocery store had them on a super buy, so I bought three kinds.
Perfect cookie for reading! 😂
Thanks for the inspiration, Jill!
so-soI really struggled with this one (and so did my IRL book club). The characters, especially Sarah‘s twin sister Emily, are unlikeable. Cozy mysteries are not typically known for strong plot lines, but this one seemed even more scattered than most. I liked RahRah the cat! I don‘t plan to continue with the series. #Vladimir #CatsOfLitsy #LitsyAToZ #LetterO #HasShortChapters #52BookClub25
#5JoysFriday
1. My boys…always!
2. Zeke continues to show no adverse reactions to chemo.
3. Last weekend‘s birthday weekend, filled with books and my parents, who made my day feel special.
4. IRL book club
5. Catching up on the drama in Virgin River on Netflix.
so-soSadly, I was a bit underwhelmed with this one. The premise is interesting—female journalist in WWI era stumbles upon a dead body, and she is determined to find out whodunit. While I appreciate the historical facts placed into the narrative, it leaves the flow of the story a bit disjointed. I may consider reading book two at some point, but am not in a hurry to pick it up.
Thank you for the lovely birthday wishes! Special thanks to @MemoirsForMe , @TheSpineView , and @dabbe for the lovely cards! And Donna, I laughed so hard when I saw the change purse! It‘s so true!! 😂
My #birthdayhaul yesterday consists of books in series I‘m currently reading, new to me authors, and an ARC that the bookstore employees gave me since it was my birthday shopping day.
I am so happy to be part of such a wonderful community! ❤️
To say my reading has been erratic and at times nonexistent the last few months is an understatement, and yet I persevere and start more books! 😂
Gaskell‘s writing is amazing, and thanks to #HashtagBrigade I can finally move Wives and Daughters to the “currently reading” stack.
#Zeke , #SebastianKitty , and #Xander are resting after food (and the first pill of the day for Zeke). #CatsOfLitsy
#LiteraryCrew : I am so sorry I fizzled on my hostess duties this month! My priories were caring for Zeke, so lots of things fell through the cracks.
That being said, I have 6 discussion questions posted as spoilers; they can be found on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtag. I did not get to read this one, but the reviews I read make this sound amazing! Hope you enjoyed!
mcctrish, mjdowens, melissajayne, Jerdencon, tpixie, LapReader, Cuilin, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, Prairiegirl_reading, Deblovestoread, Sace, CatLass007, Mollyanna, BookwormAHN, Pogue, dabbe, Sargar114, Karisa, bumpinthenight, Singout, julieclair, AllDebooks, Lkempf6. This ties into an earlier question regarding the pace of the story and the planned trilogy. Do you plan to continue with the trilogy? Book Two, Le Fay, was recently published. #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
5. One reviewer mentioned the vividness of the landscape and that the strong sense of place and setting could almost be considered a character in the novel. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not? #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
4. Think about the other characters in the novel. One reviewer felt that the female characters all showed strength and growth in the novel. What are your thoughts? Any standout characters to you beyond Morgan? #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
3. Keetch has stated that she set out to retell Morgan's story, but in fact Morgan had so much to say that Keetch realized she needed to expand Morgan's story into three books. One could consider this to be the “origin story“ of Morgan, as she is young and starting out in the world of magic.
Think of the story progression in this novel. Do you agree or disagree with Keetch's assessment? Is this a multiple book story? #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
2. Thinking about the Arthurian legend, and Morgan's portrayal throughout as the villain, this novel (and trilogy) aims to tell Morgan's side of the story, or her story through her eyes. In some reviews, reviewers felt this humanizes Morgan, or at least adds layers to the “villain“ persona of Morgan. Do you agree? Why or why not? #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
1. This first in a planned trilogy is a feminist take on the legendary Morgan le Fay. How familiar were you with her legend before reading this book? Link in comments to some basic info on Morgan. #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
#5JoysFriday
1. My boys…always!
2. Zeke started chemo this week, and so far he has had no adverse reactions.
3. Scoring an ARC of the latest Mona Awad through NetGalley!
4. Receiving my signed copy of the newest Nora Roberts from her bookstore
5. Sebastian‘s continued insistence to sit in the clean water bowl—it makes me laugh (and then rewash it)
My excitement level is through the roof! Bunny was so odd and so fun; I cannot wait to go back to that world! #NetGalley
pickWhile I liked this one, it was not my favorite of Center‘s works (I really loved The Bodyguard and greatly enjoyed Hello Stranger). Parts of it were a bit unbelievable, but as in other books by Center, other aspects are deeply personal. Body positivity is a huge theme, along with loving oneself, and let‘s just say I struggle big time with it like Katie in the book. Yet, Center has this magical way of turning a phrase that makes me want to sit ⬇️⬇️
pickJessica is in Arizona cheering on the foster son of friends when murder happens. Of course it does—she attracts murder wherever she goes! The darker side of baseball is revealed, with sex, drugs, and gambling, not to mention prejudice and power purchased by wealth. Good escape reading. My April choice for #ThematicCozies
June‘s #ChristiesCapers is the first that features Superintendent Battle, who appears in a a few other books/stories. Discussion on June 29th!
All are welcome to join. Please let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the tag list. #AgathaChristieClubR3
janeycanuck, suvata, Aims42, MallenNC, Soscha, Cuilin, kspenmoll, BarbaraJean, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, Lizpixie, MariaW, elkeOriginal, AnneCecilie, Gissy, OutsmartYourShelf, mrp27, Larkken, Suet624, Cailey_Mac, Deblovestoread, ferskner, Marmie7, MaleficentBookDragon, majkia, Bookwormjillk, StayCurious, Teresereading, Laughterhp, Sace, RainyDayReading, Skygoddess1, Morr_Books, PathfinderNicole, dabbe, tdrosebud, MaGoose, kelli7990, TheAromaofBooks, Tineke, PageShifter, willaful, kimrenee, AnishaInkspill
It‘s time to discuss Poirot Investigates for #ChristiesCapers ! I have 5 questions posted as spoilers. They can be found by searching the book‘s feed, my feed, or the group‘s hashtags.
Our next read is The Secret of Chimneys, the first book to feature Inspector Battle. Official post tomorrow! #AgathaChristieClubR3
janeycanuck, suvata, Aims42, MallenNC, Soscha, Cuilin, kspenmoll, BarbaraJean, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, Lizpixie, MariaW, elkeOriginal, AnneCecilie, Gissy, OutsmartYourShelf, mrp27, Larkken, Suet624, Cailey_Mac, Deblovestoread, ferskner, Marmie7, MaleficentBookDragon, majkia, Bookwormjillk, StayCurious, Teresereading, Laughterhp, Sace, RainyDayReading, Skygoddess1, Morr_Books, PathfinderNicole, dabbe, tdrosebud, MaGoose, kelli7990, TheAromaofBooks, Tineke, PageShifter, willaful, kimrenee, AnishaInkspill5. Consider this a free-for-all post! What are some elements you read that you wish to discuss with the group? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
4. Themes. The only overarching theme is Poirot himself. But, what are some thematic elements you found within these shorts?
For instance, spiritualism is mentioned and will play a role in later novels in a variety of forms, from the supernatural and witchcraft to seances and hauntings.
I think there was a mention too regarding Poirot's penchant for only helping the rich??? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
3. Good old Hastings! We experience the Poirot stories through Hastings's voice, and I could not but help think yet again about Watson and Holmes. Hasting shows parts admiration, frustration, anger, and kind of jealousy over Poirot and his methods.
We've talked about Hastings in the past...has your opinion of Hastings changed? What are your impressions of Hastings's character as seen in these shorts? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
2. Think about the short stories in this collection. Any standouts? Favorites? Disappointments? We'll talk about Hastings next! #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
1. Welcome to our first short story collection by Christie! This first collection includes stories featuring Poirot, making this the 3rd Poirot book we've read.
Which do you prefer...the short stories or the novels (thinking specifically about the two other Poirot novels we have read so far)? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
#LiteraryCrew : I apologize for the late post of this, but our June book is all about the Chelsea in NYC, the MacCarthy era, and friendship.
Discussion on June 30th. Read at your own pace throughout the month of June. I‘ll post periodic checkins during the month. All are welcome to join.
Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the tag list! #BuddyRead
mcctrish, mjdowens, melissajayne, Jerdencon, tpixie, LapReader, Cuilin, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, Prairiegirl_reading, Deblovestoread, Sace, CatLass007, Mollyanna, BookwormAHN, Pogue, dabbe, Sargar114, Karisa, bumpinthenight, Singout, julieclair, AllDebooks, Lkempf
I‘ve really fallen behind on my hosting duties, but tomorrow (Sunday) is our next #ChristiesCapers discussion! The first short story collection we‘ll read by Christie, and the third book featuring Hercule Poirot!
Questions will be posted mid- to late-morning US East Coast time! #AgathaChristieClubR3
janeycanuck, suvata, Aims42, MallenNC, Soscha, Cuilin, kspenmoll, BarbaraJean, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, Lizpixie, MariaW, elkeOriginal, AnneCecilie, Gissy, OutsmartYourShelf, mrp27, Larkken, Suet624, Cailey_Mac, Deblovestoread, ferskner, Marmie7, MaleficentBookDragon, majkia, Bookwormjillk, StayCurious, Teresereading, Laughterhp, Sace, RainyDayReading, Skygoddess1, Morr_Books, PathfinderNicole, dabbe, tdrosebud, MaGoose, kelli7990, TheAromaofBooks, Tineke, PageShifter, willaful, kimrenee, AnishaInkspill
This week has been terrible between world/country news and personal news; hooray for joys:
1. My boys, pictured together in a much needed family cuddle
2. Betty Crocker‘s Reese‘s Peanut Butter Coffee Cake mix—so good in cupcake form!
3. IRL book club. Most of us didn‘t like the book and talked about cats instead
4. I made it to the next round for a potential WFH library-related full time job. 🤞
5. Rainbow outside my front door
#5JoysFriday
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