I've had this for years and finally got around to reading it. Maybe I shouldn't have. It's the most depressing thing I've ever read. At times it felt unreal that someone could survive such inhumanity. Sometimes it felt like it was from a long gone era; surely this did not happen less than a decade ago. This is a story that needs to be read by everyone.

A little over hundred pages, this story about the Israeli occupation of Palestine was written over a decade. This explains why it reads like a perfectly measured yet brilliantly written piece of political fiction with not a single word out of place. Beginning in 1948 and ending a few decades later, we are shown in immaculate language the effect of war and the importance of memory. Highly recommend.

If you have to read only one book this year, let it be this masterpiece. It's rare to come across a piece of literature that says so much in perfectly measured, yet hard-hitting, evocative prose. From the writing, to the characters, to the story... everything about this book is sheer perfection. I hated having to put it down because life got in the way. This one demands to be devoured in one reading and savored long after.

5/5 ⭐

This was fantastic and so different from the movie. Loved all the additional science bits. The writing style was compelling, kept up the tension. Overall, a fun page turner. Will probably pick this up again in a few years. Would highly recommend reading this if you liked the movie. This is better!

4.5/5 🌟

Quarter of the way through, I was sure this book would become an all time favorite and I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it. It was broody, atmospheric, a little mysterious. And then things went downhill. There were hundreds of pages with people just drinking, smoking, rambling about stuff which had nothing to do with anything. All the mystery and atmosphere gave way to utter tediousness and boredom. I hate to do this but it's 2/5 🌟

#7days7covers #covercrush Day 7

This was such a great tag! Thanks again @ShelfRighteous for tagging me ❤

Anyone who wants to do this and hasn't been tagged yet, feel free to join. Post seven of your favorite book covers, one each for seven days. No explanations required. Tag someone new each day.

#7days7covers #covercrush Day 6

@NeedsMoreBooks want to join? Post seven book covers you love each day for seven days, no explanations needed, and invite someone new each day.

#7days7covers #covercrush Day 5

@OnlyYoo want to join? Post seven covers you love, one each for seven days. No need for any explanations. Tag a new litten everyday.

#7days7covers #covercrush Day 4

@cjk would you like to play? Post a book cover you love each day for seven days, no explanations needed, and tag a new litten everyday.

#7days7covers #covercrush Day 3

@Marilyncjackson want to join?

#7days7covers
#covercrush Day 2 : I'm tagging another book by the same author which also has a great cover.

@mreads care to join? Post seven book covers you love over seven days and tag a new person every day.

#7days7covers #covercrush Day 1

Thanks for tagging me @ShelfRighteous

If you wish to play along, post a favorite book cover each day for seven days, and tag a new person every day.
I tag @Erofan , do join in if you can ❤

"Just because this is a novel set in rural India, do not expect a herd of buffalo to walk across every page for the sake of authenticity. Eager mothers who hold salt and dried red chillies and circle their hands over your head before asking you to spit into their palms three times to trick spirits of the evil eye into abandoning you have been held back at my behest because I do not want to lose you to nostalgia or exotica."

There wasn't one dull moment in this breathtaking novel of love, grief, grace, and one amazing woman who'll stay in my heart probably forever. Everything from the writing to the story, setting, characters was brilliant. This book has become an all-time favorite and I can't wait to re-read it. Can't recommend enough.
5/5 🌟

1. Shame by Salman Rushdie
2. Time travel
3. Capricorn
4. I injured my arm yesterday so I'll just be reading in bed.

#FriyayIntro @howjessreads

This is the best worst book I've ever read. A zombie murder mystery with witches and a good first half, but then things start progressing from absurd to downright hilarious. I actually laughed out loud during the last seven-ish chapters which were so comical I thought I was reading a parody. I'm not even pissed for wasting my time on this because it was comedy gold, though none of the author's intentional attempts at humor worked.

1/5 🌟

What a weird little book. It packs quite a bit of philosophical musings for its size. Had a great time reading all the stories except for White Nights which I found to be trite. Adored The Dream of a Ridiculous Man! The only other thing of Dostoevsky I've read is Brothers Karamazov, which was years ago. Anyone have any other favourites by him?

There was no Hastings and that's always a good start for me. The mystery itself was engaging with a plot twist at the end which I'm guessing would've been picked by seasoned mystery readers. More than anything else, I loved all the characters and how real they felt, without the focus being on just the murder. Loved Katherine and Lenox, and their friendship with Poirot. The little touch of romance was also well done. Overall, a fun read.
4/5 🌟

I appreciate how radical and groundbreaking this book was when it was published, and I enjoyed it for the most part, but it dragged on and on. Things got predictable pretty soon with no end in sight. I skimmed through the last five chapters. Having said that, Helen Hutingdon is one of my new favorite literary heroines.

Meh. What a disappointment after the brilliant first book which is one of the best books I've read this year. Predictable, boring, long winded. And all of this despite the plot involving two murders and a royal scandal. I'll read the next one only because I love Perveen's character.
2/5 🌟

Hi, Littens! Need recommendations for books where trans characters fall in love. Can be corny as well. Any genre. Thanks 🤗💜

Vacation #bookhaul !!! 🙈

I may have gone a bit overboard 😂. Please tell me this is not an insane amount of books to buy while traveling (in my defense I was on the road for over a month). Also suggest which one of these should I read first. 💙💙

P. S. @gradcat I'm so sorry for not being able to do your tag. Hopefully this makes up for the lack of posts.

To say this book is sexist would be an understatement and there are some really disturbing thoughts on rape from some of the characters, even for 1975. Coming to the mystery itself, it was good, even if the writing was shoddy in some places. I've read one more book in the series, so I know that the writing gets better. Will read the next one and I hope that Morse stops objectifying every living and dead woman he looks at.

3/5 🌟

What the actual hell did I just read?!

Awful novel. This was the third and final book in the series and everything from the writing to the plot was a snoozefest. The most I've rolled my eyes while reading a book after Da Vinci Code. The first book is interesting enough to keep going, second is amazing, but this one is the worst ending a series can get. Anyway, I'm back into reading again so that's something good. On to the next one.

Okay, so I haven't read a word in almost a month, my mental health has been the worst in two years (I'm better now), and I currently have the attention span of a gnat. Please, please recommend me SHORT, engaging books I can get lost in. Any genre will do except for YA. Thanks! 😊

Not book related but just saw this on twitter and couldn't help sharing. 😂😂😂😂👏🏾👏🏾🙌🏾

4.5/5 🌟
Queen Ali Smith has done it again! Spoken the truth loud and clear. Gone are the metaphors of 'Autumn' and the politeness of 'Winter'. This book is ringing with the truth the world needs to hear in these fucked up times. I felt Smith was more optimistic here than in the other books in the quartet, until the very end which was a punch to the gut. 👇

1. Literary fiction, magical realism, gothic/horror.
2. Science fiction and fantasy. Both genres that I used to read a lot of when I was a teenager.
3. Romance.
4. Historical fiction or *good* horror movies.
5. The Star Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi (YA fantasy)
6. Tagged. This book was insufferable.
7. Some new followers 😘 @NeamhainHughes @looking_for_mikaela @CaliforniaCay

#bookishquestions. @Clwojick
Thanks for the tag @gradcat 💕

It was fun, reasonably complex in the plot, fast-paced and compelling. Just needs a few hours of your time and the pages keep turning themselves, largely due to Crouch's writing style of using short paragraphs and chapters. I couldn't read the last couple of chapters fast enough! The ending left me wondering about a possible sequel. Is there one? Overall a fun, entertaining read which I can see being turned into a movie I'd watch.

@Eggs has this fun challenged planned for May. Please join and share this post. 💜🙏

2.5/5 ?
Started well, ending was heartbreaking but nothing much happened in the middle, apart from sermonising on "fair value". The whole thing was half-assed and the ending, though impactful, didn't really make up for the dullness of the rest of the book.
I'm starting to think that probably nothing will top the first two books in the series.

Um, so this exists?! Not a very encouraging response on Litsy but I HAVE to find out wtf is this. Hope it's fun even if it's not very good.

2/5 🌟
I flew through the first half but then things got boring, repetitive and I started getting annoyed by the author's various disguises. It started following a predictable pattern of disguise - restaurant experience - self discovery, repeated ad nauseam to the point where I had to force myself to read more. The only silver lining was the food. I wish there was more food, less backstory of the disguises, and a shorter book.

Such an engrossing read! Everything I loved about The Twentieth Wife was amped up and every complaint was done away with. A rich, vivid, fictionalized account of medieval India; full of political intrigue, power games, betrayals, breaking of gender norms, relentless pursuit of the throne, and a bittersweet ending. A perfect book if you're in the mood for something fun and entertaining, but still with enough substance.
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

A murder mystery with amazing female characters and great writing. Immensely entertaining and unputdownable. It's the first book in a series, the second one will come out this year.

#bookvolley
@ShyBookOwl

In love with this poet! A #blameitonlitsy read thanks to @Bertha_Mason 💜
A must read. I think most poems are also available online. Here's the link to my favorite poem (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/57585/dinosaurs-in-the-hood)

Be Prepared
for the hands, wild in your wildless hair
for the darkest toll, your double down to get half
to spread your legs while they search for drugs there
for the drug there, for their mouths to ask that big question
for the man, ecstatic with triggers
for the stampede of tiny lead beasts
for the jury not to flinch.

This was so good! I had forgotten half the things except the essentials of the plot and was surprised to find so many new details. There were so many layers to the plot, characters, just so much going on; the movie was terrible compared to the source material. Had a blast reading this. Definitely my favourite in the series, so far.
#HPBuddyRead

3/5
On the fence about this one but going for a 'pick' because it is well written and thought provoking. Mary here is bitter and sceptic, detached from her son, grieving his death, and not ready to believe that he is the son of God. So look away if you're not comfortable reading that because there really isn't much else in this novella. I liked the idea and the writing in certain parts is vivid and rousing. 👇

😂😂😂 this made me choke on my tea. The author's having dinner with a pretentious lawyer.

5/5🌟
Absolutely brilliant. High up among the best books I've ever read. We meet the MC, Firdaus, in an Egyptian prison, hours before she is to be hanged for murder. She then begins telling the story of her life, her journey to the prison cell. It's not an easy story, there's too much pain, too many betrayals, but she manages to remain compassionate and dignified in everything she does – even murder. This one will stay with me for a long time.

" I was not destined to achieve what I had hoped for. For no matter how hard I tried, or what sacrifices I made like some dreamer sold to a cause, I still remained a poor insignificant employee. My virtue, like the virtue of all those who are poor, could never be considered a quality, or an asset, but rather was looked upon as a kind of stupidity, or simple-mindedness, to be despised even more than depravity or vice. "

What a ride! I hated having to put this down and get back to real life. There were some real scary parts that I wouldn't recommend reading at night and perfect, atmospheric writing. Two minor complaints: the ending dragged out for a couple of extra chapters after the main action was over. The narrator — a 15yo boy —was pretty annoying at times, but I guess that was to be expected. Highly recommend, especially if you like Gothic fiction.

"I asked the dervish sitting on the pavement. How far is the world from here?"
Had to read this one chapter a day because it was too painful, but this gem of a memoir is meant to be read with the same breathtaking intensity with which it was written. Peer has poured his heart into this book, capturing the reality of the most militarized zone in the world. A phenomenal work and a must read for anyone who wants to understand the Kashmir conflict.

1. Tagged
2. Blue Horses by Mary Oliver
3. Spring by Ali Smith

#weekendreads
@rachelsbrittain

The longest 192 pages I have ever read. There's no story at all. Just a series of disjointed anecdotes about life in New York. There would be a paragraph on some journalistic assignment, then the next would talk about a party, abruptly cutting to something about an uncle who said something that one time in a restaurant and on and on Adler would drone. Maybe I'm too dumb to get it, but this was completely meaningless to me. A bit too experimental.

Today is a day like any other: twenty-four hours, a
little sunshine, a little rain.
Listen, says ambition, nervously shifting her weight from
one boot to another—why don't you get going?
For there I am, in the mossy shadows, under the trees.
And to tell the truth I don't want to let go of the wrists
of idleness, I don't want to sell my life for money,
I don't even want to come in out of the rain.

Not book related but it's a glorious spring morning today and I spotted this beauty while walking. Google tells me it's called the common Hoopoe. We call it Satut in kashmiri.

This was published in 1976 and it shows. She also referred to a gay man as "the homosexual" in an earlier passage.