I‘ve had this on the shelf for ages and was inspired to pick it up …. Having recently seen the movie Small Things ( and read the book with Bookclub). I think this woman writes about what she knows in an authentic fearless way , and I love how she does it. … these short stories are startling , I couldn‘t put the book down.

Oh what a tangled web we weave … another bizarre tale from Celia. I found myself very moved by the plight of the young main character.

We read The Spinning Heart years ago for Bookclub, and we are going to see Donal Ryan speak about this tagged new book of his on Wednesday next. I was afraid I wouldn‘t remember The Spinning H, as this is a companion, follow up book ( that can be read as a stand-alone too) But the characters came back to me ( mostly). This is a brilliant book. Great characters again. Love his writing.

Another island story. Orkney. I saw that Saoirse Ronan will play the lead in the movie of The Outrun, so I wanted to read the book. I loved the island setting, the wild unforgiving and beautiful landscape, the cliffs , and the basic close to the earth lives the islanders live.
I‘m looking so forward to the movie now.

I really enjoyed this one. Set on an island off of Galway. Where the water is all around and healing. I loved the descriptions of island life. I have Earth ready to go now too.

‘Water has been the undoing of me. It has been the undoing of my family. We swim in it in the womb. We are composed of it. We drink it. We are drawn to it throughout our lives , more than mountains deserts or canyons. But it is terrible. Water kills. ‘

Set in England, 1960‘s. I loved all the details of the time, marmalade sauce and baked ham , dressing up in old fur coats to play ping-pong. This is Marianne‘s story, she‘s a wild dreamer , she‘s in love. Such an enjoyable book. I would highly recommend and I must look up more by Rose Tremain … any recommendations Littens ?

What a beautiful book, Sally Rooney gets right into the characters minds and hearts. She writes relationships and life with such intimacy and insight. I could relate to all of it and was moved to tears. I loved it. A page turner for me.

West, by Carys Davies is a wonderful book. I loved Clear .. it‘s my favourite of the two. But West was similar, a story of isolation, of dreams , of what might be and might have been.. of chance. I love the natural settings of her books. Nature in all its stark beauty.

Now on to Sally Rooney, (totally opposite territory to Davies ) Loving it too.

Also a few bails along the way sinse I posted last.

This is a creepy one. Complete with scary churches and fairs and woods. Two young girls, and the Tsar , what is everyone up to in this book ! I see one reviewer saying it is based on a true story. This is the first novel she wrote. My third book by Beryl, a fascinating and unsettling read, I‘m off to look up my next one.
Thank you Leah, I look forward to your thoughts when you get to it.

Starting this one on a lovely September morning.. A gift from @LeahBergen I‘m gripped already 👍🏻

Clear. By Carys Davies. Set in 1843, Minister John Ferguson travels from Scotland towards Norway to a tiny island, where one man lives alone. A beautiful wild setting , a story about loneliness and human connection. I loved it.

I‘ve started this one. Nothing has really happened yet , but I feel very uneasy… so far so good 👍🏻

We read this for Bookclub. I liked it but didn‘t love it. There was some lovely wisdom and I did shed a tear at the end.

I did enjoy Fresh Water, and I enjoyed this one too. The lives of three childhood friends as they move into their fates and fortunes. Good storytelling , it was a page turner for me , until about two thirds of the way …. Then I got impatient to know what would happen and I was ready to finish the story. I can‘t fault it otherwise, maybe just a bit too long. But I loved the mystery and the surprises along the way.

I thought this was brilliant. Set in 1961.
Described as “ A world as carefully calibrated as a Dutch still life “
I loved it. I‘m saying no more because the less you know going into it the better , this was one reviewer‘s advice and I‘m so glad I took it.

Just picked up this one in town. 👍🏻♥️

A well told story of two small time Mayo crooks, and a few other brilliantly written characters. Engaging from beginning to the very end , with some beautiful writing too. Colin Barrett creates a great sense of place , of small town Ireland. It reads like a thriller, I loved it.

I was only going to have a look … now I can‘t put it down. It‘s the writing that has caught me.

This was a good thriller set mostly in Paris. A little repetitive at times, but I kept turning the pages. I‘ve ordered two more by LeMaitre… easy reading. Thanks @Tamra for recommending ❤️

Next up. Another Litsy inspired choice 😁

I really enjoyed the start of this one , but it didn‘t hold my interest. The ending , which was mentioned in Litsy posts , was the only reason I read on. I didn‘t like the ending either. It just didn‘t make sense to me. Not a pick for me , definitely a so-so.

I listened to this one on my walks , and it was a lovely easy listen. A retelling of Huckleberry Finn from Jim‘s POV. It flowed along just the river. An engaging listen. ♥️

This is my third by Higashino. So far , so good 👏🏻❤️

I‘m very glad to finish this book. It was a page turner of sorts. But , I found it way too sad and hopeless , a frightening vision. I read this randomly because it popped up on the recent 100 Best Books list. I would have bailed at times , but wanted to see how it all turned out. A strange one.

This is a story about Arnold Walker who decides on early retirement and a caretaking job at a Tudor mansion. Another entertaining read from Celia , with opinionated characters 😂, and an interesting turn of events and ending.

“A sucker-punch of a novel, set in Cumbria, shot through with moments of startling beauty, but little hope”.
A story of sheep farming,of the foot-and-mouth disease in 2001.
It‘s hard to say why I loved this so much …authentic …
the writers bond with the land. He takes you there , in all its beauty and terror and violence.
I never thought I could get so engrossed in a book about shepherds and sheep.

Stunning writing. Brilliant.

I found this book going down a Litsy rabbit hole … I just wanted some unknown, not on my stack book, Get away from all the plans and hype. So, @BarbaraBB and earlier from @Reggie , I said I‘d give this one a go.
I couldn‘t put it down. It‘s a good story with good writing. I loved the setting , the woods , the mythical element and feeling of suspense all the way. I wasn‘t too moved by the twist or ending. But I really enjoyed the journey.

I havnt read much poetry lately.. but this book appeared in our house, and it‘s really lovely ❤️

Reading for Bookclub. Following the lives of five young men , set in Dublin‘s Liberties. So far , so good , immersive 👍🏻❤️🤞🏻

My third D Hugh‘s and I‘m loving her. A real understanding of people, great characters ,nuanced, set on their course in life. Intelligent, street wise, she‘s a natural psychologist/ philosopher.
This story is set on a train ride across America, the landscape outside mirroring at times the minds of the characters. A young actress fears her director will kill her. I found the writing powerful, about life and the human condition.

We read this for our Bookclub , Set in 15th century China. I learned a lot about this time, fascinating and often upsetting , traumatic. I gave this an 8 out of 10. It scored well in the Bookclub… and the discussion was excellent.

This one started off so well. I was loving it. But as the characters took shape , I liked some of them less and less. Usually that wouldn‘t bother me , in this case I bailed, or at least I‘m taking a long pause. I can‘t really see myself returning to it.

Having read and loved Expendable Man , I decided to go for this one by Dorothy Hughs. A different story in many ways , but that brilliant suspense and surprise was there again. Great characters . I couldn‘t put it down. More D Hugh‘s for me 👍🏻♥️

There is something so lovely about this house on Greenery Street and
the endearing young couple and their adventures in their first year of marriage. It‘s left me with a warm feeling, and brought up memories of different houses I‘ve lived in over the years. Another soothing Persephone read. ♥️♥️♥️ #Persephoneclub

Greenery Street #PersephoneClub
I won‘t be reading it for a week or so yet. But it‘s down from the shelf and on my little pile. 👍🏻💚

Just starting for Bookclub 💚💚💚

Final verdict it‘s been a long read. Maybe too long ( a bit of blah blah ) But it‘s worth reading. I couldn‘t put it down. I did skim some passages that were too hard for me to read … I got the gist of these passages , but didn‘t need the details. Some beautiful writing along the way. I‘m going out on a limb here and saying I felt some writing Shakespearean ( definitely out on a limb here 🙈) an immersive story , engaging ,disturbing , awful, real

On holiday with The Bee Sting. Set in modern small town Ireland. It‘s the layers that are built up upon the characters lives. Told with wit and sadness and awe. Paul Murray is bringing me deeper and deeper into these lives. The past and present fading into each other. Ghosts , histories repeating themselves in little details, or in full blown ways. A disturbing brilliant book. Im not half way yet. But I love it so far. Final review soon 👍🏻❤️

Going away for a few days. These are coming too , also kindle. The Bee Sting will be first up. Of course that could all change 😁

From the very beginning I felt tense , had butterflies. I loved the desert setting. I loved the surprises along the way , Thankyou @vivastory for recommending I go in blind… I went in knowing nothing and it made all the difference. I was fascinated as the story unfolded and at the draw , the force , that brought certain characters together. What an excellent book. I‘ll definitely try In A Lonely Place next.

Domestic Pleasures is an absolute pleasure to read. Set in 1980‘s New York , with a wonderful cast of characters. It‘s about relationships and life, falling in and out of love , about bringing up teenagers in this NY setting.
I couldn‘t stop turning the pages. Such an enjoyable book. I‘m not a big romance reader , but I had tears for some of the touching moments in this story♥️♥️♥️

I‘m reading one of the Beth Gutcheon books I bought after reading Still Missing ( which I loved ) with #PersephoneClub. This one doesn‘t have that terrible dark theme, ( not yet , I don‘t think it will ) a softer story of people‘s lives , marriage, divorce, all the complications of love and loss. The writing I do remember ! She‘s a lovely graceful writer.

Just starting this one and I love the whole idea of it, if not a bit worried about the page count. It‘s so long 🤞🏻🙈

Well that was wild. I think I preferred the first half .. and I think I‘m ready for a change of genre. But I‘ll be back to John Marrs again , he‘s tried and trusted now.

One newly washed dog and me ready for an early night … This book is a real page turner. I‘m halfway, not too happy with some of the plot developments… but loving the pure escapism of it all. John Marrs is such a good thriller writer. So glad to have discovered him here on Litsy @BarbaraBB 🙏♥️

Oh dear ! #Unpopularopinion This is a bail for me. I just couldn‘t get into it, and the writing wasn‘t for me. There are some great reviews here on Litsy , but I had to bail out.

An excellent crime book and so much more , great storytelling and substance. This is my favourite book so far this year. @batsy

“Old people say pightle, instead of yard. Isak has recently noticed this, how old people sometimes talk a little different, using words he‘s not used to. He likes the way they sound. Edvard often says that words are one of the links we have to those who are no longer with us. “

I see this as I get older. Words my mother and father used to use , I find myself using them now too.
❤️

On to my next Christoffer Carlsson for a Saturday afternoon relaxing read.

Crime , serial killer , set in Sweden. Good writing and a steady pace all the way through. I guessed the ending , which is most unusual for me 🤣. There‘s a fair bit of philosophising too and nature, which I enjoyed. I thoroughly enjoyed it all. Thanks @batsy for recommending this writer. I‘m off to start another by him now .. Under The Storm. 👍🏻❤️