pickThis was a perfect combo of creepy and suspense (too much creepy, and I have nightmares, so this worked well). I never quite warmed to Alice, and I‘d be petrified of some things happening to her, but the suspense and surprises kept the narrative quickly moving, and I gasped at a few of the reveals. The audio narration was good and enjoyable. I‘d read another by Paris!
pickCallaway has a great way of describing the Greenbrier and its landscape—I‘ve never been there, yet I could envision everything. Dorothy Draper and her talent comes to life in this novel. I loved the language, the writing style, and the story. Won‘t say more until the #SundayBuddyRead discussion! #52BookClub25 #300To400PagesLong
Thanks for the tag, @DebinHawaii !
#5JoysFriday
1. My boys…always!
2. Zeke was above the kitchen cabinets for the first time in weeks (a sign he was feeling perky thanks to medicine)
3. Opening Day for baseball!
4. Book mail, especially Jane Austen-related book mail
5. Litsy
Several of you have asked me about Zeke and how he is doing. Lots has happened this week, and the news could be better…
Zeke had an ultrasound on Wednesday. The results came back today. No large tumors, which is good news. However, he shows signs of chronic pancreatitis or inflammatory bowel. The most concerning are his lymph nodes around the stomach and intestine. They are enlarged—these could be related to his GI issues or ⬇️⬇️⬇️
So excited my copy arrived!!! I‘ve paged through, and it is gorgeous.
If you are unaware, this year marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen‘s birth. Jane Austen‘s House in Chawton put together a book that chronicles everything Austen each month of the year. Perfect for any Austen fan!
I apologize—I should have posted this sooner! Zeke is going through another rough patch & has an ultrasound scheduled for Wednesday. I picked up more meds for him from the vet today. I‘m not as consistent keeping up with everything else. 😂
April‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead is by the amazing Kate Quinn! Read at your own pace; discussion on April 30th. All are welcome to join. Let me know if you wish to be added to or removed from the tag list!
mcctrish, mjdowens, melissajayne, Jerdencon, tpixie, LapReader, Cuilin, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, Prairiegirl_reading, Deblovestoread, Sace, CatLass007, Mollyanna, BookwormAHN, Pogue, dabbe, Sargar114, Karisa, bumpinthenight, Singout, julieclair, AllDebooks, Lkempf
Thanks for the tag, @DebinHawaii and @TheSpineView !
#5JoysFriday
1. My boys…always. Pictures from this week.
2. Xander‘s bloodwork came back normal.
3. Zeke finished his medication, but he‘s having some GI issues again. He goes for an ultrasound next week. Partial joy for a few days without meds!
4. IRL book club was hilarious this week!
5. So many library holds arrived! #SoManyBooksSoLittleTime
We have less than two weeks to go before our next #ChristiesCapers discussion! I‘ve seen some good reviews and comments on rereading so far on Litsy, so this should make a good discussion on the 30th! Anything to share with the others? #AgathaChristieClubR3
janeycanuck, Aims42, MallenNC, Soscha, Cuilin, kspenmoll, BarbaraJean, JenlovesJT47, Lizpixie, MariaW, elkeOriginal, AnneCecilie, Gissy, OutsmartYourShelf, mrp27, Larkken, Suet624, Cailey_Mac, Deblovestoread, ferskner, Marmie7, MaleficentBookDragon, majkia, Bookwormjillk, StayCurious, Laughterhp, Sace, RainyDayReading, Skygoddess1, Morr_Books, PathfinderNicole, dabbe, tdrosebud, MaGoose, kelli7990, TheAromaofBooks, Tineke, PageShifter, willaful, AnishaInkspill
Check in time for #LiteraryCrew ! We‘re less than two weeks away from our next #BuddyRead discussion. Any comments to share?
mcctrish, mjdowens, melissajayne, tpixie, LapReader, Cuilin, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, Prairiegirl_reading, Deblovestoread, Sace, CatLass007, Mollyanna, BookwormAHN, Pogue, dabbe, Karisa, bumpinthenight, julieclair, AllDebooks, Lkempf
#RantTime
It was not really reported in the news today, but DOGE made its way to the IMLS office this morning. Changes in leadership this morning has also greatly concerned libraries and museums, given the rhetoric used by the newly appointed director.
As a former public librarian, and one with a library degree, I am absolutely devastated. Libraries are for everyone. Librarians are not to censor, pass judgment, or hide truths. We have a code ⬇️
pickOMG…this was good! Hilary Huber as the voice narrator for the audio edition is superb. Told in parallel narratives in the form of flashbacks, two best friends are invoked in a fatal accident in 1999. Over twenty years later, what really happened that night is finally coming to light. Great twists and surprises that found me making excuses to keep the audio running. I‘d definitely read more by Hendricks! #LitsyAToZ #LetterL
This was a reread for me, and I forgot how much I enjoyed this when I read it several years ago—I reread it for my IRL book club, and the other members were not as enthusiastic. Still a pick for me!
Hopefully this propels me to continue with the series. #LitsyAToZ #LetterH #52BookClub25 #HasAnEpigraph
pickI had to set every book aside to devour this one in 24 hours! The latest Hamish Macbeth, this one looks at smuggling of whisky and sex trafficking in Scotland. As always with a Hamish Macbeth, the quirky characters of Lochdubh help Hamish investigate. The reader pretty much guesses the culprit early on, but it‘s fun to see the twists Hamish‘s investigation takes. I read these purely for escape, and this did not disappoint!
The April #NancyDrewBR book takes us to a moss-covered mansion (who knew?!?). The versions vary—the 1971 version starts with explosive oranges!
Discussion takes place on April 15th. All are welcome to join. Please let me know if you wish to added or removed from the tag list!
rubyslippersreads, DebinHawaii, DGRachel, BarkingMadRead, Jennifer3, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, MariaW, CogsOfEncouragement, AnneCecilie, Born.A.Reader, lauraisntwilder, Bookwormjillk, Read4life, StayCurious, bookandbedandtea, Laughterhp, Sace, Bren912, kwmg40, CSeydel, Ruthiella, dabbe, Julies_Bookshelf_Adventures, Enchanted_Bibliophile, Allylu, TheAromaofBooks, Charityann, Roary47, Pageturner1, KristiAhlers, peanutnine, PageShifter, AmandaBlaze, julieclair
Good morning #LittenDetectives ! I have 6 questions/comments posted as spoilers for today‘s #NancyDrewBR discussion; you can find them on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtag.
Different plot lines between the story versions! It‘ll be interesting to see how they compare!
Our next books, also with different plot lines, is The Mystery of the Moss-Covered Mansion. Official post tomorrow!
rubyslippersreads, DebinHawaii, DGRachel, BarkingMadRead, Jennifer3, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, MariaW, CogsOfEncouragement, AnneCecilie, Born.A.Reader, lauraisntwilder, Bookwormjillk, Read4life, StayCurious, bookandbedandtea, Laughterhp, Sace, Bren912, kwmg40, CSeydel, Ruthiella, dabbe, Julies_Bookshelf_Adventures, Enchanted_Bibliophile, Allylu, TheAromaofBooks, Charityann, Roary47, Pageturner1, KristiAhlers, peanutnine, PageShifter, AmandaBlaze, julieclair6. I almost forgot to ask about the mystery! We thought about the setting and the characters, but let's now think about the mystery or the mysteries.
I thought it was pretty ingenious how the crooks hid all of the stones and gems throughout the brass-bound trunk, including behind the lettering on the trunk (1976).
It did seem implausible that the FBI would completely believe Nancy in the 1976 version. #NancyDrewBR
5. Each version introduces its own slate of secondary characters. Personally, the two guys who throw Nancy and Nelda overboard in the 1976 version were awful!
Think about the secondary characters you meet in this book. Any standouts? #NancyDrewBR
4. Nancy faints in this one (I think in both 1940 and 1976)! We also find George in the infirmary (at least in 1976) and a meteor (also 1976) rocks the ship. I read the 1976, and it just seemed more convoluted than other story lines (but I am still secretly miffed we don't know why Nancy visited the Netherlands).
What did you think of the adventures in this book? Any standouts? #NancyDrewBR
3. In the 1940 edition, Nancy travels to South America. She has to travel somewhere, and with World War II happening, I suppose South America it is!
1940s South America not only became a refuge to Jews fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe, it later became a refuge for former Nazis fleeing captivity.
And, nations like the US saw an opportunity to capitalize on partnerships. Link in comments to a documentary from the 1940s! #NancyDrewBR
2. In the 1976 edition, Nancy uncovers part of the mystery by observing suspects use sign language. She refers to this as “finger language,“ and the casualness of this speaks to the struggles the deaf community have faced to fully recognize sign language as a legitimate form of communication. It was not until 1965 that American Sign Language garnered recognition!
A link to ASL history from Gallaudet University is in the comments. #NancyDrewBR
1. This month's book has differing plot lines between the original and the revised. In 1940, Nancy and friends travel to South America as part of a tour group and help out a friend of Carson Drew with a mystery. In 1976, Nancy and friends return to NYC from the Netherlands and befriend a young woman recently accused of stealing a diamond bracelet in Johannesburg. Both mysteries, of course, have a brass-bound trunk! Which did you read? #NancyDrewBR
so-soLike @Ruthiella , I want to know why Nancy was on a ship going from the Netherlands to NYC! This one is not a favorite of mine—not only did I catch a few editing errors, but one of the adventure sequences seemed more convoluted than usual.
One thing, though: Nancy does not know how to speak Dutch, so I think there is finally one thing Nancy cannot do!
#LittenDetectives : Discussion on Saturday! #NancyDrewBR
rubyslippersreads, DebinHawaii, DGRachel, BarkingMadRead, Jennifer3, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, MariaW, CogsOfEncouragement, AnneCecilie, Born.A.Reader, lauraisntwilder, Bookwormjillk, Read4life, StayCurious, bookandbedandtea, Laughterhp, Sace, Bren912, kwmg40, CSeydel, dabbe, Julies_Bookshelf_Adventures, Enchanted_Bibliophile, Allylu, TheAromaofBooks, Charityann, Roary47, Pageturner1, KristiAhlers, peanutnine, PageShifter, AmandaBlaze, julieclair
I was a little worried I could not find a reasonably priced used copy of this, but thankfully I could! My library didn‘t have it, but I found a copy for less than 10.00 plus free shipping. Hooray! #SundayBuddyRead
pickThis might be my year to read more Murder, She Wrote books (such good comfort reading). A fitness guy is found dead in his gym, and Jessica has to clear a friend‘s name. My one quibble: I‘m not sure why authors are insistent that librarians will give away library card info (address, books out, etc.). That‘s a privacy issue! And even Jessica Fletcher would not get that from my lips. 😂
pickA super quick fun addition to the series! Good twists in the mystery, with lots of humor and some big red herrings. The audio narration is so good. I cannot say much without giving away the plot line, but this takes place near Christmas, and Ernest has just a few days to solve the murder before his ex-wife has to spend Christmas in jail.
I attended a cozy mystery event sponsored by Kensington publishing and hosted by my local mystery bookshop. It‘s always fabulous hanging out with cozy mystery authors, and I splurged on this hardcover. A cozy mystery with food and ghosts and adult beverages? Ummm…yes please!
Now, to find the time to read it! 😂 #bookhaul
Slowly, so very slowly, catching up on buddy reads and other books. I finished this one tonight, and maybe the third time is the charm—I appreciated Tommy and Tuppence a bit more with this reading than I did the prior two times. Perhaps I needed an off-the-wall pair of unlikely detectives.
It just goes to show how you can have a different reading experience each time you reread a book. #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
#5JoysFriday
1. My boys…always. A Monday night photo that has us hanging on the bed together.
2. Xander is 100% back to normal and had a good annual checkup.
3. Zeke transitioned without issue to his new food sensitivity diet food.
4. We‘re now down to one medication from 5 for Zeke!
5. My library added April releases to the catalog, and I loaded my hold list.
My life has been sick cats and so many medicines! The joys of returning to normalcy!
pickI was not sure what to expect when I started listening to this (thanks to Libro.fm for the ALC opportunity), but this story is more somber than the cover suggests. It‘s very contemplative but yet also offers hope for new beginnings (hence the title). The audio narration is engaging, and I enjoyed listening to this while doing household chores and preparing kitty medicine. #52BookClub25 #AuthorsLastNameIsAlsoAFirstName #LitsyAToZ #LetterN
pickThis has been on my tbr forever, and I am so glad the #HashtagBrigade read it, though I‘m pretty late finishing the book for the group.
This is a hard story to rate, as Esther‘s story is parts disturbing and hard to read. Knowing Plath‘s state of mind too adds to backstory of this mental health novel. It‘s not supposed to make one comfortable. Glad I read it! #192025 #1963 #LitsyAToZ #LetterB
Life has been so difficult lately, even more complicated with the horribleness in the world. But, at least in my tiny little part of my world, things may be getting better. May…every time I think we‘re good, we‘re not.
Thank you to everyone who expressed love and support the last few days for myself and Zeke and Xander.
Xander is back 100%; his not so good blood results are still in the back of my mind.
Zeke is slowly recovering…again. ⬇️⬇️
We‘re two weeks away from our next #NancyDrewBR discussion, #LittenDetectives ! It‘s kind of fun that it takes place on the Ides of March! 😂
Whether you‘re going to South America or The Netherlands with Nancy, the title suggests there‘s a brass-bound trunk, and Nancy has to solve its mystery. What secret does it hold? Will Nancy have to fly a plane or steer an ocean liner? I guess we‘ll find out!
rubyslippersreads, DebinHawaii, DGRachel, BarkingMadRead, Jennifer3, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, MariaW, CogsOfEncouragement, AnneCecilie, Born.A.Reader, lauraisntwilder, Bookwormjillk, Read4life, StayCurious, bookandbedandtea, Laughterhp, Sace, Bren912, kwmg40, CSeydel, Ruthiella, dabbe, Julies_Bookshelf_Adventures, Enchanted_Bibliophile, Allylu, TheAromaofBooks, Charityann, Roary47, Pageturner1, KristiAhlers, peanutnine, PageShifter, AmandaBlaze, julieclair
We‘re going to Ancient Rome in this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead !
All are welcome to join! Please let me know if you wish to be added to or removed from the tag list.
mcctrish, mjdowens, melissajayne, tpixie, LapReader, Cuilin, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, Prairiegirl_reading, Deblovestoread, Sace, CatLass007, Mollyanna, BookwormAHN, Pogue, dabbe, Sargar114, Karisa, bumpinthenight, julieclair, AllDebooks, Lkempf
#5JoysFriday
1. My boys…always!
2. Medications. Between Xander and Zeke, I have a small pet pharmacy at my house.
3. Vet care. I visited the vet 3 times this week (Xander twice and Zeke once). They cut me a break with the most recent visit. And, my vet truly cares.
4. My parents. They brought me a meal and have helped me pick up medications and cover the costs of one of the visits.
5. Litsy. It has been my saving grace this week.
Thanks for your patience, everyone, for the #LiteraryCrew discussion questions! I posted 6 questions as spoilers. You can find them on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtag.
Our next book is I Am Livia by Phyllis T Smith. A reminder will be posted tomorrow!
mcctrish, mjdowens, melissajayne, Jerdencon, tpixie, DrSabrinaMoldenReads, LapReader, Cuilin, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, Deblovestoread, Sace, CatLass007, Mollyanna, BookwormAHN, Pogue, dabbe, Sargar114, Karisa, bumpinthenight, julieclair, willaful, AnishaInkspill, Lkempf6. The conclusion of Villette is famously ambiguous (it was made purposefully so by Brontë). Do you find it a happy ending? A sad one? ~from Penguin Random House Reader's Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
5. Explore the theme of education in Villette: What is the role of education in Lucy Snowe‘s own life? ~from Penguin Random House Reader's Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
4. Virginia Woolf felt that Villette was Brontë‘s “finest novel,” and speaking about Brontë, wrote that “All her force, and it is the more tremendous for being constricted, goes into the assertion, ‘I love,‘ ‘I hate,‘ ‘I suffer.‘ ” What do you think Woolf means? Do you find this observation interesting, appealing, or moving? ~from Penguin Random House Reader's Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
3. Writing to her publisher, Charlotte Brontë had this to say about Villette‘s protagonist: “I consider that [Lucy Snowe] is both morbid and weak at times; her character sets up no pretensions to unmixed strength, and anybody living her life would necessarily become morbid.” What do you think of this appraisal? Do her “unheroic” qualities make her more sympathetic or less? ~from Penguin Random House reader's guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
2. Discuss the character of Lucy Snowe. Do you find her to be an admirable heroine? What qualities do you like in her, or dislike? How do you think you would behave in her circumstances? ~from Penguin Random House Reader's Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
1. Villette is considered Charlotte Bronte's most autobiographical novel. It's said that Lucy Snowe has some of Bronte's characteristics, and Monsieur Paul resembles Monsieur Heger, who one can argue Charlotte Bronte was fascinated by (or perhaps in love with). A link to an article about the Bronte sisters in Brussels is in the comments (hopefully it is not behind a paywall).
What did you think about the novel? #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
#LiteraryCrew : My apologies, but I‘ll be late posting the discussion questions. Some of you know I have two sick kitties, and Zeke took another turn for the worse overnight. My energy is pretty much focused on administering various medications to cats, probably having to make my third vet visit this week, and trying not to fall asleep (I have not had a sound sleep in a couple of weeks).
Hopefully I‘ll post later today! So sorry! #BuddyRead
mcctrish, mjdowens, melissajayne, Jerdencon, tpixie, DrSabrinaMoldenReads, LapReader, Cuilin, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, Deblovestoread, Sace, CatLass007, Mollyanna, BookwormAHN, Pogue, dabbe, Sargar114, Karisa, bumpinthenight, julieclair, willaful, AnishaInkspill, Lkempf
Get ready to use your little grey cells—our next #ChristiesCapers book is the second Hercule Poirot novel.
Discussion will take place on March 30th! Please let me know if you would like to be added to or removed from the tag list. #AgathaChristieClubR3
janeycanuck, Aims42, MallenNC, Soscha, Cuilin, kspenmoll, BarbaraJean, JenlovesJT47, Lizpixie, MariaW, elkeOriginal, AnneCecilie, Gissy, OutsmartYourShelf, mrp27, Larkken, Suet624, Cailey_Mac, Deblovestoread, ferskner, Marmie7, MaleficentBookDragon, majkia, Bookwormjillk, StayCurious, Laughterhp, Sace, RainyDayReading, Skygoddess1, Morr_Books, PathfinderNicole, dabbe, tdrosebud, TheAromaofBooks, Tineke, PageShifter, willaful, AnishaInkspill
My March #BookSpinBingo list! Lots of buddy read titles, and I‘m hoping to get to my reread of the Jane Austen mystery series.
#NotBookRelated , but I am so over 2025, not only globally but in my own little world. Zeke had a setback of sorts, so I‘m waiting for next care instructions, and beginning last night, Xander has been ill. It was so abrupt! We have a visit soon to the vet. He‘s also not taken his full dose of heart meds, so I‘m worried.
pickWas this a cheesy story? A bit, yes. Was it also a good, fun distraction? Also, yes.
I read a review of this story somewhere and was happy to see it available through the Libby app. Two people meet through a dating app and are both obsessed with a newlywed game show. When the show gets a reboot, they decide to pose as newlyweds to fulfill a dream of being on the show. What could possibly go wrong???
#52BookClub25 #AudiobookHasMultipleNarrators
It‘s time for our #ChristiesCapers discussion! I have 6 questions as spoilers posted; you can find these on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtag.
Next month, we read the second Hercule Poirot novel, Murder on the Links. I‘ll post the official image tomorrow! #AgathaChristieClubR3
janeycanuck, Aims42, MallenNC, Soscha, Cuilin, kspenmoll, BarbaraJean, JenlovesJT47, Lizpixie, MariaW, elkeOriginal, AnneCecilie, Gissy, OutsmartYourShelf, mrp27, Larkken, Suet624, Cailey_Mac, Deblovestoread, ferskner, Marmie7, MaleficentBookDragon, majkia, Bookwormjillk, StayCurious, Laughterhp, Sace, RainyDayReading, Skygoddess1, Morr_Books, PathfinderNicole, dabbe, tdrosebud, TheAromaofBooks, Tineke, PageShifter, willaful, AnishaInkspill6. Christie served as a nurse during World War I, and we'll see her interest in poisons (we saw that in Styles last month) and medical situations throughout her canon of works. How does she bring in her knowledge of medicine into this novel?
More info on her work as a nurse (and will help this discussion point): https://hekint.org/2025/01/30/agatha-christie-nurse/
#ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
5. Did you figure out the identity of Mr. Brown before the big reveal? Were you suspicious as to the motives of some of the characters we meet in the book, thinking specifically of Mr. Carter, Julius, and Lord Edgerton? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
4. Tommy and Tuppence have separate adventures in this novel, and Tommy especially faces a potentially deadly situation. What are your thoughts on the adventures they face? Why do you think they take the risks they do in order to find Jane Finn? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
3. Let's talk about Tommy and Tuppence! What did you think of them as characters and as sleuths? Why do you think Christie created sleuths who were very different than Poirot? Would you hire Tommy and Tuppence to help you solve a crime? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
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