I‘ll be starting this audiobook tomorrow for #whattheDickens @Cuilin

I just finished the tagged book and I‘ve set a new record for books read in January—17! Review to come.

Free ebooks set in #Italy for December #foodandlit or for #Jubilee all year

@Catsandbooks

No murder but Lord Wimsey trusts his gut and investigates anyway. He finds motive and countless suspicious circumstances but no evidence of murder, until another person dies. And no evidence that it was murder. The hint of racism appears again and that turned me off quite a bit so that I won‘t continue the series. Saved, just barely, by some instances of lol humor and a nice analysis of how changes in laws create motives for murder. #authoramonth

I‘ve started this book for February #foodandlit. It works for #Nepal and #Italy #Jubilee @Catsandbooks #litsyatoz #letterE

Commissario Brunetti, a chief detective in Venice, is a splendid character. He feels so very human working through each day trying to solve who murdered a world-famous conductor in the middle of the opera. I suspect I relate to him as we work through work problems in similar ways. I appreciated how the author described his interactions at home, his boss, the witnesses all in relation to his workaday issues. Excellent descriptions of Venice as ⬇️

Audiobook on sale today only

#Netherlands #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

February is close enough so I‘m starting this book for #foodandlit #Nepal @Catsandbooks #litsyatoz #letterA

Chevalier imagines the “girl with the pearl earring” is the Vermeer family maid and this is her story. Griet is fascinated by Vermeer‘s paintings especially when he gets her to help him prepare the color paints. She develops an eye for his paintings, but she‘s just a maid and must keep her place while also being his model. And she must be especially careful around his jealous wife and her cunning daughter. A slow but still interesting read. ⬇️

The only diary actually written in Auschwitz

https://www.instagram.com/p/DFN9HqisgDH/?img_index=5&igsh=ZjU4ZHpjOHQ5Y2Yx

#Netherlands #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

The search for the killer of Jenny, the resident ghost murdered 10 years ago, takes Jackaby and Abby to new and scary depths. In undertaking the task, they learn that something evil has been collecting the best scientists of their time (late 1800s) to build the future—without humans. Ending in a cliffhanger, be prepared to read the last book in the series as soon as this one‘s finished. #serieslove @TheSpineView @Andrew65 #litsyatoz #letterG

I‘m really enjoying this book, first in a series set in Venice, recommended by my father-in-law. Reading it tonight for #hyggehourReadathon @AllDebooks @Chrissyreadit @TheBookHippie

#5joysFriday

1) crafting last weekend with girlfriends, making a scrapbook of my parents‘ cat who recently crossed the rainbow bridge 😢
2) bringing home dinner of burritos of enormous proportions (texmex in San Antonio is the best!!)
3) a little bit of snow at our lake house
4) making snert—split pea soup for #Netherlands #foodandlit
5) getting ready for #Nepal!!

Thank you @DebinHawaii for the tag!!

Me this weekend!!

“He rooted around in the top drawer of his desk and found half a package of bussolai, the salty Venetian pretzels he loved so much.”

I love it when my #foodandlit read mentions food. So I looked up buying bussolai pretzels on Amazon. Nope. 😕

#Italy #Jubilee @Catsandbooks

Time for another fun short story

https://www.instagram.com/p/DFTE5q7xHev/?igsh=MTg5dHF1bHB2MnFqbw==

I‘m finishing this series, the third book ending in quite a cliffhanger. #serieslove @TheSpineView @Andrew65 #litsyatoz #letterD

Ebook on sale today. It works for #Algeria in November (plan ahead!) for #foodandlit. I for one am looking forward to finally reading this one that‘s been on my tbr list a long time!

@Catsandbooks

Tonight we had snert (split pea soup) for #Netherlands #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Husband and I‘ve long liked split pea soup. Little did we know it‘s snert! We made the honey-baked ham version using the frozen bone from our Christmas ham.

Hmmm what could be in Amsterdam‘s canals? #Netherlands #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFPH7sZMNwP/?igsh=ZjFudW8zdTd6b3V1

I‘m starting this audiobook today. #litsyatoz #letterG #serieslove @TheSpineView @Andrew65

Almost a bail: for the first 2 parts very little happened (except for some very steamy scenes) with characters I disliked. But then, the house! If you‘ve read the blurb about the book, you know it‘s the house that is the story. Just keep that in mind if you read the book and that it‘s set in 1961. It took my breath away when it all comes together—such a tearjerker. The house, the house, the house. #Netherlands #foodandlit

Abby has run away from college seeking adventure. Her dad, a paleontologist, has left her out of his own adventures digging up dinosaurs. So when she and private detective learn that dinosaur bones have been found, Abby practically forces Jackaby to investigate. Meanwhile Jackaby has taken on the task of caring for kittens. Sadly, neither the bones nor the kittens are what they appear to be, and neither is the handsome young cop who has caught ⬇️

Abby, new in town and clueless about magic and the supernatural, finds work immediately with private detective Jackaby. Jackaby can see things no one else can, and thus can solve mysteries involving the bizarre and wondrous. Abby moves into his guestroom and befriends the house‘s previous owner, now a ghost. Abby and Jackaby, with the help of a young cop who is more than he appears, help to solve murders that are preceded by the noise of ⬇️

Imagine spending days on end interpreting back and forth to and for a dictator accused of genocide, and the worst conceivable crimes against humanity. I‘d never thought of that but this book drops you into that world at the international court in The Hague. I really appreciated this unique perspective. I wish this were the main subject of the book but it consumed only part of the story. The rest focused on the main character‘s difficult ⬇️

“The crime rate in Venice was one of the lowest in Europe and certainly the lowest in Italy—because the criminals… simply didn‘t know how to get away. Only a resident could navigate the spiderweb of narrow calles, could know in advance that this one was a dead end or that one ended in a canal.”

Having gotten a bit lost in Venice and quite a bit of time walking around it, I quite agree!

#foodandlit #Italy #Jubilee @Catsandbooks

It‘s not long till February! Get ready with your #Nepal books and recipes for #foodandlit ! @Catsandbooks

See some options on StoryGraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/f76211fc-e35f-4b01-81da-e414d74...

I also recommend The Eight Mountains (link in the comments), which is set in Italy (for #ItalyJubilee) and partially in Nepal.

Ebook on sale. Reminder Vonnegut is our #authoramonth in September

@Soubhiville

#two4Tuesday

1) As an attorney, I routinely have to deal with attorneys on the opposite side of my case. I hate it when I lose my temper with them because they are rude or lie or speak down to me because I‘m a woman. I wish I could keep my cool and often I can. But sometimes I just lose it. 🤬

2) Griet is 16 and a new maid to artist Vermeer‘s family. She‘s struggling with the job and wants to go home even though she does the same work there.

I‘m spending a very quiet night reading this book, book 1 of a series set in Venice, recommended by my father-in-law. I really like the author‘s writing style. I‘m hoping it will be the start of a love affair with a new series! #serieslove #foodandlit #ItalyJubilee @Catsandbooks @TheSpineView @Andrew65

A reminder that we are celebrating #Italy all year long with #foodandlit thanks to it being “Jubilee,“ a Holy Year celebrated by the Catholic Church, a year of hope and a time for reflection and forgiveness. Religious or not, every time you read about Italy or eat Italian food, we want you to celebrate it here! Post what you learn about Jubilee, Italy, the Roman Empire, etc! All other planned countries are still going forward.

One of the few interviews by Anne Frank‘s father.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DE75yzjM0Mp/?igsh=Zjg2MGg4Z3F0bXdk

#foodandlit #Netherlands @Catsandbooks

Here‘s my next audiobook! #foodandlit #Netherlands @Catsandbooks

Amateur detective Wimsey‘s brother the Duke has been arrested for the murder of their sister‘s fiancée. The duke, the sister, the fiancée, some couples, the hired help are all at a hunting lodge when a gunshot is heard in the middle of the night. It turns out all the suspicious parties, including the deceased, have very big secrets. An excellent detailed investigation but I wasn‘t too pleased with the resolution. It felt contrived so the ⬇️

Book one in the Jackaby series was quite fun so I‘m starting book 2. #litsyatoz #letterB #serieslove @TheSpineView @Andrew65

An excellent short story

https://www.instagram.com/p/DFBDW_ryf62/?igsh=MWFjbm5hZmM4emZ6MA==

While waiting for my library hold for my next audiobook to be released, I decided to start this one for #litsyAtoZ #letterJ

I‘m also starting this book tonight. It‘s a good reminder that #foodandlit is celebrating #Italy all year because it‘s the year of the Jubilee! I‘ll be trying to read at least one book a month for Italy. @Catsandbooks

I‘ve started this book, another one for #foodandlit #Netherlands @Catsandbooks

https://www.instagram.com/p/DE5i55nNVWj/?igsh=MXM4MmtuOWo5ZHd5dQ==

#Netherlands #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Happy National Tulip Day in the #Netherlands! Will you be doing anything special? #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

https://www.bookbub.com/blog/best-historical-fiction-2025

https://www.bookbub.com/blog/most-anticipated-book-of-2025-editors-share

#5joysFriday

1) Spending last weekend with my sister & visiting a small art gallery with this adorable painting of a cat
2) Trying poffertjes for #Netherlands #foodandlit
3) Making a scrapbook with photos of my parents‘ cat who passed at 17 years old
4) Reminiscing with old photos and found husband and me on the side of a mountain in Norway about 1992 waiting for an avalanche to be cleared on a road
5) Trying a Thai restaurant with my daughter

I‘m moving on to the third book in the series for #authoramonth @Soubhiville

Also #serieslove @TheSpineView @Andrew65 and #LitsyAtoZ #letterU

Two sisters marry medical school buddies, one now a zoo veterinarian and the other a pharmacist. When the Nazis invade the #Netherlands the buddies take opposing sides and the sisters find themselves growing ever distant. Joanna joins the Resistance finding ways to help the Jews survive, while her sister-opposing the occupation—hopes merely to get through the hardships with the perks her husband gets from the Germans. When Joanna takes a ⬇️

Last weekend my sister and I went to this small art gallery where the owner makes art out of found items, including this clog. This week, reading this book there was a reference to wooden Dutch clogs and I thought of this photo I took. Seems perfect for #Netherlands #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

I‘m reading this book next for #foodandlit #Netherlands @Catsandbooks

#litsyatoz #letterI