Low pick since I was intrigued, but 150 pages less would have been a more powerful story.
The portrait of the difficulties of establishing democracy is superb, covering everything from true believers, hope, trust and ideology to corruption, doubt, violence and deceit.

Great look at traditional values and how they can make people both happy and miserable.

#foodandlit @Texreader @Catsandbooks

Nepali potatoes are a favourite side at home!
🇳🇵

Since we finally had the first touches of spring this weekend, it always makes me think of this amazing poem. Here's the first stanza:

Vorfrühling (Early Spring)

"Es läuft der Frühlingswind
Durch kahle Alleen,
Seltsame Dinge sind
In seinem Wehn"

Roughly: The Spring wind runs/through bare-branched alleys/strange things are/in its blowing

It rhymes in the German original?

#classicschallenge2025
#poetry

"Only when every politician mastered his stomach would the country be liberated from corruption. Om."

Quote by a former politician-turned-ascetic and definitely some interesting food for thought from my pick for #foodandlit Nepal ??

@Catsandbooks @Texreader

Happy Valentine's Day, dear Littens!

Since the Q1 theme is poetry, what better day to enjoy some sonnets or love poems! ❤️

How are the classics going for #classicschallenge 2025?

💖💖💖

Started #foodandlit Nepal🇳🇵 with some momos😍, the tagged book, and a Nepali movie, which I loved. It just aired internationally:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34498407/

@Texreader @Catsandbooks

Final read for #foodandlit Netherlands 🇳🇱!
That was tough going, the author chose to focus a lot on the Dutch-German relationship but in the most boring way possible (a whole chapter on football 🫠) Of course I still learned a lot, but reading this was not exactly fun.

Favourite fun fact: The distinctive Berlin dialect comes from a huge number of Dutch people settling in the area at one point in history.

@Catsandbooks @Texreader

That was...underwhelming. So little was actually revealed that I might even pick up the sequel in hope of getting some closure. The ending feels extremely open and after 400 pages I'd like something with more substance to it. On the bright side, there was a lot of Dutch history, food and culture depicted.

Have been eating Vla pudding all of last week since they come in 1l packs😂

#foodandlit
@Catsandbooks @Texreader

#foodandlit basically told me to go check on the neighbours, so that's what I did!😉
I enjoyed some Poffertjes (tiny sweet pancakes), traditional green pea stew and some more pancakes!
I really liked the tagged book, where a pregnant woman thinks twice before naming her son after a family hero. She starts researching the past and goes on a journey where the terms villain, hero or just a man caught in history become a whole new narrative.

Happy New Year, Littens!✨️🎉
New year, new reads!

For this rather relaxed challenge, we focus on different classic works of literature, starting with some poetry in the first months of the year while waiting for spring!

To participate, read poems from collections, a novel in verse, or maybe focus on one poet - anything from your classics shelf goes!

Share your reads and tag me!🤗

#classicschallenge2025

My Finland reading list for #foodandlit!
As usual, I enjoyed Paasilinna. Although this book is not my favourite, I got really emotional with the Christmas themed ending. The story is about a recently deceased man who learns how to be a ghost in the afterlife.👻

The Xenophobe's guide to Finland was a quick and fun read about some of the cultural particularities that are unique to this country.

@Catsandbooks @Texreader

Let's do it! For the #classicschallenge 2025, in the first quarter, we focus on poetry! To participate, you can read through poetry collections, a poem a day, or just browse through the classics. Anything that is on your tbr in this department, from Pushkin to Shakespeare to the Romantics, who will make you think of spring in March!

Share your reads and tag me!

Let me know if you would like to be tagged or untagged🤗

Storygraph challenge ⬇️

Canada month: Read the "Country portrait" (it's a series of non-fiction books written by German people who have long lived in other countries and therefore provide views and explanations from their unique perspective) and had some Montreal style Poutine which was quite delicious! I'm a fan!?
I learned a lot about Canada and what makes it such a special place and how many celebs are actually Canadian! ???
#foodandlit
@Catsandbooks @Texreader

Dear Littens, I think we all have some classics we would like to read, but somehow new amazing books are released all the time, then some of these classics are, well, a bit on the chunky side and therefore a bit intimidating and in general there is too much to read and too little time!

So, who would be interested in joining in on a quarterly challenge?

Let's tackle those oldies!😊

#classicschallenge

Very nice and original detective stories while giving lots of interesting insights into everyday life in Botswana 🇧🇼 #foodandlit
Very enjoyable and easy read for my holiday (not in Botswana, though ;))

I'm totally hooked and will definitely follow this series in future!

@Texreader @Catsandbooks

Made it! "Took 6 months" for under 200 pages?
This was for #foodandlit Venezuela ?? and it's weird, hard to follow, full of vulgar language and very little explanation for why characters actually act the way they do. I think it's tough to follow if you're not familiar with Venezuela and the challenges that especially young people are facing. So unfortunately, I didn't learn much about the country and its culture.?

@Catsandbooks
@Texreader

That was disappointing! It was dragging a lot, MC Jess is seriously missing a personality, and the overall setup didn't make much sense to me (why can't Jess find a job? What did she even study at Harvard? Why can't her father find a new job in the US if he has recovered, since he is described as a well-qualified professional?).
I fought my way through it, but what I liked most is the cover.😅
#foodandlit #Malaysia🇲🇾
@Catsandbooks @Texreader

I have rarely been so misled by reviews and marketing. Absolutely nothing about this book ist funny. It's a rather tragic family story, the family scarred by several conflicts and ideologies of both East and West. The loss of home and connection, the devide between generations as a result and the cost of survival are portrayed realistically without being too explicit. But hilarious? What about this would be? Also super weird bra-seize obsession 😒

"Istanbul was Constantinople, now it's Istanbul not Constantinople..."

#foodandlit #turkey

Cool coming of age story with quirky characters, interesting glimpses into the history of the Ottoman Empire and with some magical realism thrown into the mix. Easy, enjoyable read!

The food was also highly enjoyable and delicious, brilliant opportunity to try the more interesting items from the Turkish store.

????

@Catsandbooks @Texreader

#CoverLove
#Weapon

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove
(not too much in love with this one tbh😅😆)
#white

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove

#multicolor

@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove

#Bowl feat. Lama 🍚 ♥️

@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove
#monster (meaning whatever the scary creature in the back is supposed to be, although the mermaid looks pretty scary, too😅)
On my tbr!

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove
#Angel

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

👼🏻👼🏻👼🏻

Read this recently and absolutely loved it, it's a Grand Hotel setting, there's is a little magic and Kerstin Gier's writing is just hilarious and heart- warming.👒💜🔮

#CoverLove
#lavender

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove feat. Lama

#darkblue 💙💙💙

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove
#lightblue

Did you know...in Russian there are two completely different words for light blue and dark blue and experiments have shown, it takes Russian native speakers a fraction of a second longer to place blue objects into color categories than e.g. red ones, as they have to decide between light or dark blue🥴

I can confirm this, but this book is very easily sorted into the light blue category 💙🤓

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove

I love the work of Gerald Durrell and re-read on a regular basis 🖤 Always recommended🤗

#snake

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove

#hat

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove
#wheel

@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

🚲......❤️

Surprisingly tough prompt, but reminded me I should read this some time😂

Is there a classics challenge/event on Litsy?🧐🤔

#CoverLove
#Chair

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

I still don't get how there is a cat in every cover of the series but never one in the story😂

🪑💖☕

Not an easy review, it has fantastic parts, it has weaker parts, it leaves some plot lines unresolved, which felt a bit frustrating.
Strongly recommend to check TWs, I didn't to avoid spoilers and the usual happend, I got hit by content I would have avoided otherwise, although I am sort of glad I read it.🙈
I loved the magical realism and of course the focus on food, so it was the perfect pick for #foodandlit Turkey 🇹🇷

@Catsandbooks @Texreader

#CoverLove

#purple

@eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove

#gray

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

🌬️🐺🐨🦝🦏

🤍🤍🤍

#CoverLove

#beige #tan

@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

🍦🥂👒

#CoverLove
#orange

This is very likely the cutest item on my bookshelf 🍯🧸😊🎾

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove

Loved this book, I hope there will be more by this author

#lamp

@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

💡💡💡

#CoverLove

#Horse

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove
#silver

🥈🥈🥈

@eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

✨🌟Found more #gold ✨🌟

😂

#CoverLove

@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove

#gold

@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove
#green, also works for #leaves

Looking forward to reading this, it's on the "to-be- read-in-the-not-too-distant-future-shelf" ??

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

?????

Found this at the library sale recently and had a severe case of insta #CoverLove

Day 9: Boots - only one boot but it's super fabulous 👢

@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove

#hearts 💖💖💖

@eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#CoverLove
#brown

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

🪵🍂🤎

#coverlove
#yellow

Actually my next read, it doesn't get more summer cover than this 🌞

@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

The genre is definitely 'weird sci-fi'.
A dystopian novel where a scientific genius from Iceland changes the world with his breakthrough tech. A lot of original ideas in here but they don't form enough of a coherent story line for me.

I liked the idea of becoming a literal shooting star instead of being buried after death.

Skyr has been eaten in honor of Iceland month :D

🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸
#foodandlit
@Catsandbooks

Imagine Spain, but instead of bull-fighting, it's dragon- fighting! Loved how natural the world building felt as it picks up on so many Spanish traditions💃🏻

Only complaint: Would have been quite annoying if I didn't speak Spanish, as there are many sentences and phrases included without translation.

Cheeky contribution to #foodandlit Spain 🇪🇦🍷☀️🍊

@Texreader @Catsandbooks

I loved this one! Cute and different with a small cast of very quirky characters! A middle aged man who is stuck in his ways changes his life by accident, the accident being a little initial small act of love: giving a stray cat a bit of milk. And after that it gets curiouser and curiouser 😄🐱

Also, here is my veggie Paella with veggie Chorizo 🥘 🇪🇦

#foodandlit
@Catsandbooks @Texreader

Bookish problem:
Halfway through this book I love it so much, that I checked what else there is by the same author.

The sequel (there's a sequel😍):

1. The only physical copy available (same publisher!) is 2cm bigger than my copy of part 1 -.-

2. The cover for all other languages is super cute (involves a cat mostly), the one for the Spanish original is so-so.

*grudgingly ordering the Spanish edition*🙄

Anyone else upset by those things?😂