Xander approves of September‘s #BookSpinBingo list! #Xander #CatsOfLitsy
The September #ChristiesCapers is the sixth book featuring Hercule Poirot. Let‘s hop on the blue train and solve the mystery using our little gray cells.
Discussion on September 28th. All are welcome! Please let me know if you wish to be added/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, RainyDayReading, Skygoddess1, Morr_Books, PathfinderNicole, dabbe, tdrosebud, MaGoose, ElizaMarie, bcncookbookclub, kelli7990, TheAromaofBooks, Tineke, PageShifter, willaful, kimrenee, AnishaInkspill
We‘re two weeks away from our next #NancyDrewBR discussion! What special talent will Nancy show off this time??? Can she discover the mystery of the tolling bell? Discussion on the 15th!
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, KristiAhlers, PageShifter, AmandaBlaze
Named by the Modern Library as one of the top 100 published of all time, Ragtime is the #LiteraryCrew ‘s selection for September.
We‘re a low key #BuddyRead . Read at your own pace throughout the month. I‘ll post periodic check-ins. Discussion on the 30th!
All are welcome to join. If you would like to be added/removed from the tag list, let me know!
mcctrish, mjdowens, melissajayne, Jerdencon, tpixie, LapReader, Cuilin, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, Prairiegirl_reading, Deblovestoread, Sace, CatLass007, Mollyanna, BookwormAHN, Pogue, dabbe, Sargar114, Karisa, bumpinthenight, Singout, julieclair, AllDebooks, IriDas, Lkempf
so-soI really enjoyed a different series by this author and though to try this. It was okay…parts of the story are slow going, and I was not very engaged with 16 year old Christopher as the narrator. The reveal is interesting, but not quite enough to move this up from a so-so. I do recommend a tissue nearby for the author‘s note—it‘s very moving.
It‘s time for our #ChristiesCapers discussion! I have five questions posted as spoilers; you can find them on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtags.
Next month is another Poirot novel; this time, we‘re traveling on the Blue Train! 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, RainyDayReading, Skygoddess1, Morr_Books, PathfinderNicole, dabbe, tdrosebud, MaGoose, ElizaMarie, bcncookbookclub, kelli7990, TheAromaofBooks, Tineke, PageShifter, willaful, kimrenee, AnishaInkspill5. The ending...Poirot faking his own death to unmask the rest of the Numbers! We of course know that Poirot cannot possibly die at the end of this book, but imagine being a reader in 1927. Would you believe that Poirot was dead?
Incidentally, critics do say that this aspect was a good Poirot move...the book is not great, but at least there is a glimmer of the real Poirot in this move. #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
4. Let's think about the characters beyond Poirot. We have Hastings back in this novel, and we fall into the conspiracy rabbit hole with this group of individuals who wish to control the world. Any thoughts on the Numbers? Any other characters worthy of discussion? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
3. Poirot the action hero?!? Poirot's portrayal in this novel differs a bit from our prior reads. We still see Poirot putting together the pieces to the international crime cartel, but it just feels...well, different. Think back to our prior Poirot reads. Compare and contrast Poirot's methods in The Big Four versus his prior cases. Can the Poirot we know really be an action hero??? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
2. The Big Four was actually a number of short stories thrown together into a novel. The stories first appeared in 1924 as a serial in magazines. In 1926 Christie decided to adapt the short stories into The Big Four. Critics cite the mishmash of stories, somewhat quickly put together to try and present a full length novel. Do you agree? Would this book have worked better as a collection of short stories? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
1. The Big Four did not receive many positive reviews upon its publication in 1927; in fact, Christie called it “that rotten book,“ and critics rate it as one of their least favorite works by Christie.
What was your impression of this novel? How does it compare to other Poirot novels we read? If this was your first time ever reading a Christie mystery, would you pick up another one? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
It‘s time for our #LiteraryCrew discussion! I have 7 questions posted as spoilers; you can find them on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtags.
I realized I never posted the graphic for next month‘s Ragtime, so I will get that posted today.
7. O'Connor mentions a few islands that inspired this story, including St. Kilda. To get a perspective of the islands and the harshness of life, not to mention the village remains, I have a Mirror article link in the comments. #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
6. We have to talk about the whale! Do you think the whale was a good omen or a bad omen? O'Connor uses the arrival and departure of the whale's remains as an arc for the story. Why do you think she did this? What does the whale symbolize? #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
5. How do you think Edward and Joan's work will affect the island? We already know that the “writings“ they did reflect a different perspective of the island and the community?
On a bigger scale, how will World War II affect the community? #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
4. Edward and Joan arrive on the island to write a book, allegedly. Did you opinion of Edward and Joan change throughout the novel? Why do you think they came to the island, chose this island? #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
3. Let's talk about the islanders (we'll save Edward and Joan for our next question). What were your impressions of Monad? Of Llinos? Of the community? Why do you think those still living on the island chose to stay? #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
2. For me, the setting was a powerful aspect of the novel--I could feel the dampness mentioned throughout the novel. How did the setting contribute to the storytelling? Could this story be set in a different location or time? #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
1. Overall, what did you think of the novel? Think about the flow of the story and O'Connor's use of vignettes to power the narration. Did this style work? #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
pickI devoured this book! O‘Connor writes a descriptive and cautionary tale of declining island life on a fictitious island off the coast of Britain in 1938. Does a deceased whale washed up on shore bring good or bad tidings? Manod, the MC, narrates a few months of life on the island, when the whale and soon after two British strangers arrive. Beautifully written. #LiteraryCrew
#Xander #CatsOfLitsy
#NotBookRelated , but I have some positive news to share. And, let‘s face it, we all need some good news at this point! Don‘t get me started…😡
Zeke had his follow up appointment with the specialist today, and the specialist is pleased with his progress, his weight gain, and his overall physical health. We‘re waiting for blood test results to make sure his body is responding well to the chemo.
Littens, it‘s been exhausting! ⬇️⬇️⬇️
panOof. I had high expectations for this one—female serial killer who chooses a victim while she works at a beach resort every July—but it fell flat. The writing never fully engaged me, and it took a really, really long time before MC Lily acknowledges what she does every summer (if you did not read the cover nor any book summaries, you‘d be very confused with the aside comments she makes up until this point). There are other things that confuse ⬇️⬇️
so-soI liked but didn‘t love this one. A cast of diverse characters set in a world of magicians and illusionists, this mystery also features secret rooms and stairs and misdirection. The story had a bit of repetition to it, but it sets up well for Tempest to continue solving mysteries. I love Grandpa Ash! I‘ll read the second one, eventually. #Zeke #CatsOfLitsy
A little late reporting back but this past weekend‘s #NetGalleyReadathon helped me organize my “to do” list for #NetGalley and focus on my next plan of attack.
I did not submit any reviews on NetGalley, but I identified 7 books I need to review and will hopefully trickle them into the system before our next readathon.
I have 17 in progress books! Yikes! But, now I have a list and can determine which to finish reading. Life always seems to ⬇️⬇️⬇️
We are a little less than 1.5 weeks away from our next #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead discussion! I‘ve seen some positive reviews already from group members, so I hope this sparks some great discussion on the 31st.
As a heads up, our next book is Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow. I‘ll post the official graphic either today or tomorrow, when I have a free moment and remember (!), but wanted to make sure everyone was aware now.
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
We‘re a little less than 1.5 weeks away from our next #ChristiesCapers discussion!
This will be the third time reading this one for me, and I fully admit it‘s not a favorite of mine. I‘ve seen posts already that others may agree; the discussion will be interesting!
See you August 31st! #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, RainyDayReading, Skygoddess1, Morr_Books, PathfinderNicole, dabbe, tdrosebud, MaGoose, ElizaMarie, bcncookbookclub, kelli7990, TheAromaofBooks, Tineke, PageShifter, willaful, kimrenee, AnishaInkspill
A huge thank you to Cuilin and Denise for not only hosting #NoPlaceLikeHolmes but also for the surprise goodies for participating in the group‘s discussions. I love everything, and I‘ve yet to read Moriarty, so this is perfect.
It was so odd to not have a Holmes story this past weekend! 😂
Your kindness is so appreciated, and thank you again for all of the work of hosting and posting!
pickThis is like watching a train wreck involving a bunch of shady people—a real show that pits 5 people against each other, but a really sick, twisted reality show with people who have done some pretty bad things in their past. I gasped a couple of times while listening to this, and I just had to keep listening. A bit banana pants, but it also shows how bloodthirsty people can be. I‘ll have to check out more by Gudenkauf; good distraction listen.
September‘s #NancyDrewBR takes us away from River Heights and into another mystery that includes the kidnapping of Carson Drew! Oh my!
Discussion on September 15th. All are welcome to join. Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the tag list!
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, KristiAhlers, peanutnine, PageShifter, AmandaBlaze
Better late than never! My weekend goals for the #NetGalley #Readathon #NGG .
I will probably not make it to actually completing a book this weekend, but my account and pending reviews definitely need a thorough examination and update. I think I owe at least 4 reviews to NetGalley of books I completed the last few months, but I always find others that I read and forgot I also got from NetGalley (I have way too many books to read in my account).
Let‘s discuss Heath Castle and a missing heiress! I have five questions posted as spoilers. You can find them on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching #NancyDrewBR .
Next month, Nancy has to uncover The Mystery of the Tolling Bell, which now makes me think of Hemingway and For Whom the Bell Tolls. 😂
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, KristiAhlers, peanutnine, PageShifter, AmandaBlaze5. A Chaucer reference! Nancy makes note that she learned to read Middle English, as she read Chaucer. I was amazed at this.
The other quirky element I wanted to mention was Salty, who I dearly wish we see again, and his clam song. I think I actually giggled when I read his lyrics. Something about a door-to-door clam salesman does make me wonder about product safety...
Were there any elements that surprised you or made you giggle? #NancyDrewBR
4. Think about the adventures in this one. It almost seemed like a comedic adventure when Bess was trapped because of the dogs, George was without clothes in the outbuilding, and Nancy, who decided sleuthing was better than helping George, gets locked in the tower. But, there were some creepy adventures too--bet me I'd lay on the ground of an abandoned garden!
What did you think of the adventures in this one? #NancyDrewBR
3. Did anyone else have an issue with Julianna not letting her sister know she was alive? I had hoped her accident left her with amnesia, preventing her from remembering her past. Alas, no. So crazy!
But, Nancy and friends (no Ned, who's in South America!) must find Julianna and also uncover the secrets of the castle. They meet some shady people along the way. Thoughts on the characters in this book? #NancyDrewBR
2. Now on to the story! There are not really any reported changes between the 1945 and the 1973 editions, so no matter which edition you read, we've all had pretty much the same story.
What are your overall thoughts? How does this compare to the prior books? We're up to book 22 in the series, which is so hard to believe!
1. Let's start with the setting first this time. A spooky castle with crumbling walls and secret passages would have spooked me out a bit as a kid! But, to get us into the setting, there is an older article with abandoned castles from around the world.
Maybe it was just me, but I felt the setting of the castle really added to the story this time, almost as a character. What do you think? Have you visited a castle? #NancyDrewBR
pickNancy, Nancy, Nancy…she‘s on a mission this time to find info on the rightful owner of a crumbling castle. This one has a lot of adventures and nail biting moments, plus a moment where Nancy finally gets back at Bess and George for hurting her feelings several books ago. 😂
Personally, I love Salty‘s song. It‘s a cute balm for a crappy day. 😂
Discussion tomorrow in the AM for #NancyDrewBR !
pickI feel like I‘m gravitating toward some seriously dark books in 2025—maybe my coping mechanism for the dumpster fire that is life right now?!?
This is dark and at times graphic. Dual perspectives power the reader through the book; one is the serial killer, and the other is her best friend. I also have to wonder why I felt the serial killer was more likable than the BF (if I had someone who constantly asked me if I was okay and wouldn‘t stop…
Can you believe we‘re just a few days away from our next #NancyDrewBR discussion?!? I‘m starting the book tonight. Discussion on Friday!
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, KristiAhlers, peanutnine, PageShifter, AmandaBlaze
so-soI don‘t think Day‘s books are for me—this is the second series I tried, and it‘s another meh read for me. My IRL book group agreed. So much repetitive thoughts, and Cece, the MC, just was not a favorite of mine. I did like the wine talk, though!
I have one more series to try by Day. Is third time the charm?
#Zeke #CatsOfLitsy
pickThis was so good! Historical mystery set in Victorian England with a serial killer, an inspector with a troubling past, and a female doctor. Well written and captivating.
Trigger warnings for graphic murder scenes, child abuse and violence, and violence toward women
pickWith today‘s last story in the #NoPlaceLikeHolmes discussion group, I read the entire Holmes canon. Thanks to @dabbe and @Cuilin for leading the group.
This final collection of Holmes stories hints at Conan Doyle‘s almost reluctance to write more. Some are good, and some are not up to the caliber of prior stories. Yet, I liked the collection overall. A good way to spend a half hour reading one story at a time. #CatsOfLitsy #Xander #SebastianKitty
Well…this seems spot on for today‘s climate…
“‘One accusation is off the mark. Foreigners aren‘t the ‘criminal contagion‘ so many claim. As a policeman, I can attest to that. It takes a lot to leave your home. To start life over in a new place requires courage. It takes energy and ambition.‘”
This book takes place in 1866. The MCs fight against a prejudicial society in the UK. Very timely indeed.
so-soAnna returns to her family‘s villa in Italy many years after she was whisked away as a young girl for allegedly killing her mother. Almost immediately, weird stuff happens, and it all appears to be centered around the family necklace that has been missing since the mother‘s death. At first, I thought was a translation, as the writing structure is stilted, but upon a quick search…nope. Not a translation. It is billed as a thriller, but there are ⬇️
July went by way too fast, and I did not create my #BookSpinBingo list before the August numbers were announced! Here‘s a fast work up for August; I did not look at the announcement post yet!
August‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead selection has garnered much praise in the book world—will we agree???
Read at your own pace during the month. I will periodically post check-ins. Discussion on August 31st. All are welcome. Let me know if you wish to be added/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, IriDas, Lkempf
Discussion questions are posted for #LiteraryCrew ! You can find the 7 questions on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtag.
Next month, we dive into Whale Fall by Elizabeth O‘Connor. Reminder will be posted tomorrow.
Also, start thinking about title suggestions for 2026! We‘re approaching voting season!
mcctrish, mjdowens, melissajayne, Jerdencon, tpixie, LapReader, Cuilin, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, Prairiegirl_reading, Deblovestoread, Teresereading, Sace, CatLass007, Mollyanna, BookwormAHN, Pogue, dabbe, Sargar114, Karisa, bumpinthenight, Singout, julieclair, AllDebooks, IriDas, Lkempf7. Hannah Kent calls her novel a ‘dark love letter to Iceland‘ in her Acknowledgements. What does she mean by this? Did you read the novel in this way? ~from publisher reading group guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
6. Death is a major theme in this novel, but it is also about life and living. When
Agnes faces the day of her execution all she wants to do is live, despite the harrowing nature of the life she has endured. Do you agree/disagree? ~from publisher reading group guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
![[tagged book]](https://image.librarything.com/pics/litsy_webpics/icon_taggedBook@3x.png){kind=icon}
