#NaturaLitsy

Well, this short book is such a revelation about the enigmatic and intriguing European eel, Anguilla Anguilla. Svensson disperses the science, culture and myth of the eel through the centuries with short chapters detailing his experiences of eel fishing with his father in Sweden. Some of the science stories are absolutely mindblowing. I knew nothing of eels before.
⬇

#20in4

Goals
Finish the tagged for my #AAM choice @Soubhiville

Read 20 chapters of Middlemarch cos I'm seriously behind #Pemberlittens @BarkingMadRead

Start Peach blossom spring for #literarycrew #buddyread @Librarybelle

Thank you for hosting another #20in4 @Andrew65

#Netgalley
North Atlantic books Pub 16/05/23

This collection of essays, poems and prompts gives the reader encouragement to extend their own creative prowess. Be this, in an attempt to help themselves or communities, it is an empowering read. Each section starts with a poem and ends with a suggested ritual.

#NaturaLitsy

The voting form is open for our Sky-themed Feb/March read. I will close voting at 8pm (GMT) on the 27th of January. All are welcome to join us. Please do let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the tag list.

https://forms.gle/UwkZbPYrZG6tVKds6

@LitsyEvents

#Naturalitsy

I've closed suggestions early as we have 30+ recommendations!! I'm putting together the voting form now. All those who offered more than 1 book 🙈, me included... I'm going to put forward the shortest book you suggested, as it may take a while for us all to source the winning book.
I will tag everyone in the voting form, so keep em peeled 👀

I really enjoyed this exploration of nature, time and the changing of the seasons. For a short volume, it offers a plethora of wisdom, folklore and suggestions on connecting with nature by being more in tune with the cyclical changes of the year.
Recommended

#JoyousJanuary

I completely forgot to update on Monday. I finished Demon Copperhead and David Copperfield, a result in itself #chunksters
Bailed on An intro to English poetry 😴
Still dipping into Holly McNish's delicious anthology and the tagged.
I did get distracted by 2 excellent #Netgalley reads Weyward and The wheel of the year.

All on all, a success. Although the journal still awaits 🙈

@Andrew65

#Naturalitsy

Our last week with the eels!

Discussion thread will be posted on Saturday. Have a great week.

#Naturalitsy Post 2

We'll start with Poseiden's steed over weeks 1 - 3 before moving onto the biography of Rachel Carson (tagged) over weeks 4 - 8. I'm going to keep separate tag lists for both reads so please comment which ones you'd like to be tagged in. I don't want to be annoying 🙈

Please see my previous post for details of our other #buddyread

All welcome to join us

@LitsyEvents

#Naturalitsy

Phew, done! 😅 Go for it. Please post all your suggestions for our sky themed book below.

Also, please look out for #Naturalitsy for 2nd post re Poseiden's steed and Rachel Carson.

All welcome to join in.

@LitsyEvents

#Naturalitsy

Here's my thoughts on our February/March read. Please do let me know yours.

A - I did say I would read our January runner-up (tagged) as a short #buddyread
As Rachel Carson struck a chord with so many of us in our current read, I suggest a biography.

B - For those not interested in A, I suggest we have a vote for Sky themed books. I'm using the #NaturaLitsyBingo2023 board for theme inspiration.

All welcome to join us.

⬇️⬇️⬇️

#Yearoftherabbit

This illustration is ao beautiful. Happy Lunar New Year

#Naturalitsy

I'm really enjoying revisiting this amazing book, the last in Macfarlane's trilogy on landscape.

A free choice for #NaturaLitsyBingo2023
One of a non-fiction trilogy for #Serieslove2023 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView

https://www.themarginalian.org/2023/01/19/robert-macfarlane-paths/

#Naturalitsy

Week 3 - discussion thread for chapters 11 - 14. What stood out for you this week?

I have to say Rachel Carson is one of my heroes, so I loved this segment.

Please do let me know if you wish to be added/removed from the tag list.

I will be posting re Feb/March reads tomorrow 😊

#Naturalitsy

Some very positive rewilding stories from #RewildingBritain

https://us10.campaign-archive.com/?e=1b5510ccd0&u=0e536fd9cf797106c905024e6&id=e...

I am starting this today for my first #AuthorAMonth selection , Louise Erdrich. It fills the prompt new to me author for #ReadySetRead

I'm expecting great things from a Pulitzer prize winner 😊
@Soubhiville @Clwojick

This is on my bucket list 📚📚👻📚📚

Happy Friday 😊

#Weyward

This blistering debut by Emilia Hart delves into the history of three Weyward women over three different time periods. Altha in 1619; Violet in 1942 and finally Kate in 2019. The narrative flits between each woman's story with glimpses back to the past and the echos the previous Weyward women leave on the next generation. An utterly spellbinding, captivating story with exceptional characters.
*TW below*
⬇️⬇️

#AuldLangSpine @monalyisha @jenniferw88

I'm not sure what I was expecting reading this lonely book that has been sat on my bookshelf for far too long. It certainly wasn't to be so moved, entertained or enthralled by Count Roskov and his Gatsby-like lifestyle as he's confined to house arrest at the Metropol, for being a Former Person. The story moves elegantly through the different stages of his life with great aplomb.
⬇️⬇️

3.75⭐ #Netgalley

An absolute delight to read and travel with these writers through an anthology of stories.
I will be seeking out other volumes of Monkey - New writing from Japan.

⬇ ⬇#Copperheads @Cinfhen 5⭐

This is a phenomenal retelling of Dickens David Copperfield masterfully brought into the 21st century. Kingsolver uses the framework of Copperfield's story set to the problems of our society. Her story is set in the Appalachian mountains and surrounding areas. Her hero, Demon Copperhead, is followed through childhood towards adulthood as he handles all manner of difficulties and triumphs.
⬇ ⬇

#Naturalitsy

Week 3 reading schedule- Chapters 11 - 14.

A discussion thread will be posted on Saturday. Happy reading & have a great week. 📚 😊

It's my 1st bail of the year. I'm so disappointed to hate this book, I found it dull, dry and uninspiring. I learnt so much more from Paul Tran discussing how poetry works through form in 10 minutes, than over an hour reading this book.

https://youtu.be/up0zfVyVvYs

#Naturalitsy #activism #righttoroam

Yesterday the High Court banned the right to wild camp on Dartmoor, favouring the landowner. Support #therighttoroam learn about the damage private land ownership has brought to our countryside. We need to fight back for our right to roam.

Illustration by #nickhayesillustration

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnW6KA4IJzz/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

#Naturalitsy #Climatechange

The Guardian's long read article by Rebecca Solnit is very concise, calling for more good news stories to combat despair & indifference.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2023/jan/12/rebecca-solnit-climate-crisis-popul...

Naturalitsy

Here's our 2nd discussion thread. Are you still enjoying it? Has anything stood out for you?

What are your thoughts on the chapters 6 - 10.

Please do let me know if you wish to be removed/added from the tag list.

A bit of an eclectic reading pile for #JoyousJanuary hosted by @Andrew65
I also have reams of notes on my challenges to kick-start my book journal.
Here's hoping for a productive week!!

#Netgalley #Viperpublishing

I cannot recommend this highly enough. On general release next week

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-mysterious-case-of-the-alperton-angels/jani...

#Poetry2023 #Poetrymatters

I'll be starting Slug today. Thank you for all your amazing recommendations on my earlier post. I now have a reading list as long as my arm of poetry collections, anthologies, poet biographies & literary guides.
Fyi, just noted this article in the Guardian for new poetry collections in 2023. 😍

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jan/06/the-best-recent-poetry-review-roun...

Hey, at least it's Friday, right?

Of course I'm taking part in #JoyousJanuary hosted by @Andrew65 are you?
Goals - 1) Finish tagged and start David Copperfield
2) Start reading a poetry collection
3) Start a non-fiction pick for #NaturaLitsyBingo2023
4) Finish planning and organising my reading journal, cos I still have notes everywhere 😅🙈

VOL 3 #Netgalley #NaturaLitsy

"My son and I took a walk ... for the first time in a long while. The sunset was so vivid we could almost touch it. I thought to myself—there‘s never been a world without a sky. The same was true of the ground, the sea, the light. No matter what happens on this earth, no matter how foolishly human beings act, the sky will always be there."
Cont. ⬇️⬇️

#Copperheads

Oh my, the Christmas with Angus, their tree & THAT meeting with coach 😍 Talk about the agony and the ecstasy!!! I'm not crying, you're crying 😢

@Cinfhen

#Naturalitsy

Week 2 reading schedule. The discussion thread will be posted on Saturday.

Enjoy 😊

#Weeklyforecast @Cinfhen

These are my next 3 books to start over the next week. Peach Blossom Spring is the monthly read for #Literarycrew #BuddyRead2023 @Librarybelle

The tagged is my 1st selection for my theme of the year - poetry.

Just need to finish Demon Copperhead, cos I need to know Demon is gonna be alright, y'know!! #Copperheads

An outstanding poetry collection that encompasses all manner of human life. At times gentle, others raging. Definitely looking for more of Fagan's poetry.

#Bookreport @Cinfhen

I have already had some incredible reads since the start of the year & we're only going into week 2!
All of my completed books were 3.75 - 4 ⭐️ ratings.

About to start Middlemarch for #Pemberlittens. I'm halfway through Demon Copperhead & The book of eels, enjoying both immensely.

Up next tagged for #ALSpine & The Night Watchman for #AuthorAMonth
@monalyisha @jenniferw88 @Soubhiville

#Naturalitsy

A beautiful, evocative description of mythology/history of the land in Ireland.

#SheSaid
I admire her so much for coping with constant stalking from her ex and dedicating her career to helping others escape and deal with the aftermath of assault/rape. At times, this makes for difficult reading amid the description of her relationship. Her struggle to provide services on campus, her research on older women's experiences, the RMC presentation all reflect who she has become based on her experiences.
A harrowing but worthy read.

My apologies to all Littens who followed #Midwintersolace I've lost my tag list of all those of you who wanted to be tagged in #NaturaLitsy posts .
Please let me know if you wish to be added/removed from the taglist.
@Yuki_Onna @Nelnjali @Catsandbooks @AmandaBlaze @ozma.of.oz @PuddleJumper @Readergrrl @ElizaMarie @IndoorDame

#Naturalitsy

The Guardian's top 10 long read articles have a few with nature themes. Here's the links.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/jun/28/do-we-need-a-new-theory-of-evolu...

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/03/a-deranged-pyroscape-how-fir...

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/04/sewage-sleuths-river-polluti...

#Naturalitsy

Here we are, our 1st discussion thread for our 1st book of 2023. Are you enjoying it? Has anything stood out for you?

What are your thoughts on the chapters 1 - 5.

Please do let me know if you wish to be removed/added from the tag list.

#Naturalitsy
Just nabbed myself this little deal for the #NaturaLitsyBingo2023 fiction prompt. As it's 900+ pages long, I'll probably use a few free choice prompts too.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004GKMUQC?_bbid=112807733&tag=bookbubemail-21

This book #Copperheads ?
"She was scared about leaving Knoxville. I couldn't believe it. I told her there's trees, mountains, rivers, birds singing in your ears, we've got the whole rest of the world over there, other than people, which are only one thing." p.139
@Cinfhen #Buddyread

Anyone else a fan? This short reel of Vincent Van Gogh's sketches is just what I needed today.

Image - The rock of Montmajour with pine trees, Van Gogh, Arles, 1888.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnCE89SqEN7/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

Now we've reached the end of #12booksofChristmas I'll share my books of the year. What a difficult decision it was!!! I have read some truly outstanding books this year. Here's hoping 2023 is as enlightening, educational and entertaining.
A blessed 12th night to you all x

Joining in #12daysofchristmas hosted by @Andrew65
Listing my favourite books of the year over 12 days from my annual fiction and non-fiction reads.

Well, it's a wrap on an absolutely incredible year's reading. Happy 12th night to you all x

#12booksofChristmas

Every year, I set myself a reading theme for the year. It could be something I'm interested in or know nothing about. I've been doing this for around 12 years now & and I do find it very rewarding.
This year I've chosen poetry as it's not my strongest subject. So please, do throw any suggestions my way, poetry collections, biographies, textbooks, fiction. I'm pretty open to anything and everything.
TIA 😊

This autobiography is concise but retains a heartfelt admiration for Agatha. Wolsey manages to delve into the mysteries of Agatha's life a s a child and a young woman with compassion and empathy. An enjoyable, informative read.

Listened to the audiobook narrated by Simon Armitage. Great narrative of a young knight of King Arthur's court, Sir Gawain as he volunteers to challenge the green knight and the ensuing quest and adventures.