Was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel in verse. About 2 sisters - one in New York and the other in the #dominicanrepublic ,who find out about each other when their father dies in a plane crash.
Emotional and impactful in audio as well as on paper.

A novel that charts some historical events in the #Philippines - from the Spanish occupation to the American one. Theme is strongly about nationalism and imperialism. I had planned to read this last year for #readingasia2021 but #bookspin has helped me tick it off my TBR. 🎉🎉

Gives a good overview of how the British via Robert Fortune managed to obtain the valuable tea seedlings from the wuyi mountains in China to improve on the tea plantations in their other territories and therefore eat into the Chinese monopoly on good tea.

A quick audiobook with some good points to help one stop overthinking.

I generally don't read the synopsis of a book when I pick it up and go in quite blind. Got through about one third of this. It was dark ( I could deal- ish... ), the language was lyrical (great), but then there was that graphic animal cruelty scene and I don't think this book will be for me - what with me being on the fence about "dark".
Was hoping to read this as a nautical book for #booked2022. Will have to pick another.

A collection on essays from journalists based in the #middleeast . They were grouped into similar themes but it was a good intro into some translated journalism and different view points.
A #bookspin read as well as #booked2022 #writtenbyajournalist

In the vein of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. This book is about a group of ladies in chilbury who like other women around the country supported their country during world war 2. Surprising little twists here and there in the plot kept me engaged. Loved the humour in the journals and letters written.
Read for one of my #roll100

Lyrically written book about love lost and found.
Read for my March #bookspin.

The author decides to try and find the ancient road that leads from the vietnamese coast to Angkor. He was not successful in trekking according to the road but he managed to make it from point to point through some pretty overgrown jungle areas.
Read for #roll100 and realised that this can be used for #booked2022 #involvesanexploration .
Overall - an interesting but not the most riveting read.

A little draggy in parts but overall a pleasant read.
I loved joining the author on this book of the overlooked Bennet sister.
Read for #pemberlittens but also considering this for #aboutsisters for #booked2022

Started off promising but veered off a little into predictable and perhaps a bit too much swooning from the hero. 😂😂
Read for #roll100

A simple book about the healing qualities of a dog that comes into the life of a lonely child.

I did not expect this book to be as humorous as it was.
Read for #booked2022 #titlerepeatsitself
@Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage @4thhouseontheleft

A soft pick for me as I enjoyed the originality - it definitely catches you in the beginning. However, it tried a little too much to be clever for me and I felt at times that I was being "lectured" to. However, there were definitely twists on top of twists.
Read for #amurdermystery for #booked2022
@Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage @4thhouseontheleft

Part of the Castle Glower series. A griffin is born in the tower and the castle unveils the secrets it has been holding for so long.
This one ends on a cliffhanger, so it's a good thing I have the next book on hand.
#booked2022
#aboutarealorfictionalroyal

Another book in the Peculiar Crimes Unit. These books also delve into aspects of London which I am not familiar with - in this case the lost rivers which are now underground. A little meandering at times but the dry wit does help me through.

A little disorienting at first, but overall an enjoyable read about the narrator's family life in #iran and #france. I loved the way the stories flowed and intertwined, weaving towards what the narrator dubs as THE EVENT.
Realised that I could use this for #acomingoutstory for #booked2022
@Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage @4thhouseontheleft

The rating on this is not so much the book but basically my relationship to short stories.
Read for #roll100

Told from the point of view of Ariadne and her sister, Phaedra, this retelling helped to ground some of these stories for me and to give more emphasis to the women in the stories.
Read for #booked2022 #thinkgreek #greece
@Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage @4thhouseontheleft

Love the IG comics. So had to pick this up when I saw it at the bookshop.😁

Enjoyable read as usual. I have a deep love for this Amelia Peabody series. Especially love the narrator for this series as well.

One woman's journey to finding something more to believe in. Tackled with alot of humour as she works her way through laughing yoga, burning man, shamans, soul cycle etc.
If you are looking for something serious, this is not it - but it definitely suited my mood and entertained me.
Read for #aboutacultorreligion for #booked2022 as well as #bookspin
@Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage

It has taken me a while to get to (and through) Volume 2 of this family saga. I do enjoy the goings on of this privileged Chinese family when I do get stuck in but sometimes other more fast paced books do take precedence.
Finally finished this for #setinchina for #booked2022
In this volume the unraveling of the family's finances are hinted of.
@Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage @4thhouseontheleft

Something a little lighter to balance out my heavier reads this year. Definitely hit that spot.
Also part of the #roll100 for this month.

A surprisingly raw book. I have not watched the movie but from what I read that has more romance than the book portrayed.
#mentalhealth #mentalillness
Picked this book up because of #bookspin

This was a hard book to get through because of the subject matter - I see aging in myself and those I love around me. But it is a very important book to read regarding the subject matter.
A definite pick for me.

Not my favourite Discworld book but it definitely still had a ton of humour. It was just a little too choppy for me. Maybe if I had read Faust I would have appreciated this more?
1st book off the list for #roll100 @PuddleJumper 😁

I enjoyed this second book in the series more than the first. The numerous nomes have seemed to grow on me. 😂
Read this as my #doublespin for January!
@thearomaofbooks

I enjoyed the first 2 books more. 😞
Valente does have a flowery writing style which carries on to this book. As usual she draws from classic children books but the plot in this was a bit convoluted and September seemed to lack some agency in her choices.

Thank you @erzascarletbookgasm for this #jolabokaflodswap 🤗🤗
Love the chocolate choice too!
Thank you @MaleficentBookDragon for organising this swap.

The story follows the life of two siblings after the partition of #Bangladesh - the repercussions of the war as well as the rise of radical Islamisation.
Read for #readingasia2021 and also my December #bookspin

@thearomaofbooks

An short odd one. The story is of a friendship that blossoms into something real. But I did not get a handle on Jennifer's motivations for acting the way she did.

Another witty book by the author. Lord Peter Wimsey is just so droll. 😁
The mystery itself was not the most riveting but the humour made up for it.

Churchill's thoughts on painting as a hobby. Picked this up after reading a biography on him earlier this year.
Read for #doublespin for December @TheAromaofBooks

I was not sure what I was getting into with this book. The story took a while to gel together and at times I kept wanting it to move along a little bit faster. But all in all a fairly enjoyable read.
Read for #bookspin for November.
@TheAromaofBooks

Received this parcel! Looking forward to opening it for #jolabokaflodswap @erzascarletbookgasm
@MaleficentBookDragon

November was a slow reading month but I am trying to slowly ease into year end and try and finish up some of the books that I have on my nightstand.
Have lightened my #bookspinbingo list for December a little in light of that. Let's see how that will work out.
@thearomaofbooks

Captures a time and place that has gone / been destroyed. Enjoyed reading of this time in history through the author's eyes.
Read for #readingasia2021 #tibet
Highly recommended.

A humourous witty take of finding out your husband is having an affair.
The introduction to this edition is written by Ephron - in which she sets the backstory of the book and how it is "thinly veiled"
Read for #blackjack21 for #booked2021

I found this book to be a frank discussion on the Jewish view point whilst still acknowledging the Palestinian one. There are some replies from the Arab / Palestine viewpoint online which were enlightening as well.
Read for #palestine #readingasia2021
Read also for November's #bookspin
@TheAromaofBooks

Am in again for November's #bookspinbingo
Am slowing my reading down as we approach the year end so in these 2 months am going to try and complete some challenge reads and then call it a year well read.
@thearomaofbooks

Walking across North West #Nepal , the not so well trodden part of the Himalayas, the author braved gorges, blizzards, river crossings. Armed with a map that turned out to be wrong (owing to not well trodden issue) he managed to make it to the Indian frontier.
A slim book read for #readingasia2021

A middle grade book about living in a blended family when a grandparent suffering for dementia is absorbed into the family. Between a pick and a soso as I found that the story dragged on a bit in the middle.

An interesting quirky premise - an alternative timeline where literature crime is a lucrative business. However (and it could be my current headspace), I found the book a bit too meta and unfocused for my reading space right now.

A fun middle grade read about a princess and her family who live in a magical castle. Lots of hijinks ensue when there is an attempted coup.
Definitely picking up the second book in the series.
Read this as part of my #doublespin
@TheAromaofBooks

A memoir that intertwines with nature. Jessica Lee tells us the history of her mother's family after she finds some documentation her grandfather left behind. She journeys to Taiwan to delve into her roots and realises how she has been skirting her heritage.
I also enjoyed the narrator of this audiobook but this book was a soft pick as the story itself was a bit flat.
Read this for #bookspin and #readingasia2021 for #taiwan
@TheAromaofBooks

A YA fun read for #charactersarefrenemies for #booked2021. This book is the third in the Dimple and Rishi series but they can be read separately.

A quiet love story - the one that approaches quietly. The short novella was a good read and my heart was twisted by the emotional way the central Asia landscape was described.
Read for #readingasia2021 for #Kyrgyzstan

I can't believe I have read 2 books about Genghis Khan this year (when I knew next to nothing about him prior to this year 😂)! This one also covers Genghis Khan's descendants and how they helped shape China and the rest of the world.
Read this for #readingasia2021 . It covers alot of countries but I think I will be using it for #Uzbekistan as this was one of the places that Genghis conquered

It may be the case of the author preaching to someone who already believes in the idea - but I really enjoyed the book and strongly believe in the point he puts forward - Eat Food. Not too much.Mostly Plants.
Definitely recommended if you are interested in understanding food vs nutrients.