Woohoo!! My #muglove23 parcel has arrived 🥰 ☕️ 😍 And I‘ve also got a second parcel in very pretty paper which I‘m assuming is from you @Cinfhen ☺️ @jenniferw88 You should have an Amazon parcel arriving today DO NOT OPEN UNTIL THE 14th 😁 and then I am also sending something separately. I had planned to get the parcel sent to me and then wrapped to send to you but my little one having scarlet fever has scuppered my plans!

I was excited to see this book for 99p although I‘m a bit disappointed it means I won‘t have the physical copy on my bookshelf, I love the cover 🍑

Me to my kids- “right kids, we are dropping books back to the library. But we are NOT getting any more books, we‘ve got enough to read at home at the moment”

Me and my kids 10 minutes later… 🤦🏻‍♀️ Like mummy like sons I guess!

I picked up the tagged book after listening to this weeks A Good Read on BBC Sounds and then reading all the rave reviews on Litsy. Even though I am supposed to be reading my shelves 😬

8/23 What I learnt from this book of short stories is that I prefer Christie‘s full length mysteries. Not because she isn‘t skillful in the short stories but because I get less time to guess what‘s happened! My favorite story was the last. Great for #192925 #1960 & #booked2023 #ashortstorycollection though.

It‘s February and I‘m finally getting to some of my #booked2023 prompts. I‘m listening to this one for #shortstorycollection and I‘m also ready Whisper Network for #titlebeginswithavorw

Why is it that every now and then a load of my kindle wish list is suddenly 99p?? It‘s never one it‘s always lots or none. These are todays purchases #blameitonlitsy

My first book of the month for 2023 reading bracket was a very easy choice. Thanks again to @chasjjlee for making this 😊

7/23 In hindsight I should of read this book 1 because as I listened to the audio I found myself wishing I could see pictures and 2. Because it was narrated by the author and his voice was so dry and monotone it took a lot of the wonder of the subject away. But I loved learning about life underground both modern and ancient civilizations pull to go below. I especially liked hearing about the Parisian catacombs.

6/23 I had a run of slow audiobooks that didn‘t grip me and this is the book that broke that. I‘m not saying it‘s fantastic, but I did find it gripping. This is one for you if you like unlikable characters. It wasn‘t what I expected going in and I don‘t want to give any spoilers but I found it intriguing 🧐

5/23 this was a heart warming, light book. Even though it was set during the pandemic. Nothing too challenging. My favourite things about the book were definitely the fact it is set where I live, the fact it‘s about my hobby (sea swimming) which is very well describe and Terry the seagull. Here‘s me and some of my book club looking glamorous on our walk out of the sea! 😂

Finishing this one tonight ahead of tomorrow‘s bookclub with the author. I‘m a bit nervous. I lead the discussion and haven‘t had an author to question before!!

4/23 This book, although well researched, is over written. The author has obviously done a lot of research and wants to make sure we know all about it. Usually I enjoy being drawn in by details but I found my mind wondering during this one. It just couldn‘t keep my interest and by the end I didn‘t really care about the answers to the mystery. 2.5⭐️

Early morning listening whilst I hide in bed and pretend I‘m not awake. (Shhh don‘t tell my hubby, he‘s up with the kids 😉)

💕🐕🐶🥰

Starting my bookclub book whilst at my little ones swimming lesson. The author is coming to talk to us… I hope I like it 😬😁

3/23 This is a short sharp funny look at one man‘s journey to self acceptance. The fact that that man is someone I grew up loving to watch of TV made this even more enjoyable. I helped make this car circle with my little boy whilst I had one ear listening to the book today 😂 4⭐️

2/23 Not only is this book set where I live (so much so that the detective gets his coffee from the same cafe as me) but is is also based around the theatre so as an ex stage manager I also loved the details. It was a good mystery, with some likable characters (and some not so) and I think I would of enjoyed it even if it wasn‘t so full of my personal interests! Photo of the cafe! #nobuy2023 #fromthelibrary

1/23 oh boy did I love this book. Not only was it magical & wonderful & queer but it was also one of a small number of books that I in some way connect to as the parent of a child with complex needs. A child who is beautiful & clever and funny but also challenging and violent. These books have a special place in my heart for showing how multifaceted people are and love is. 5⭐️ Also when Klune wrote his thanks I was in hospital with a 3 day old 😍

Mysterious - yes! Sad - not so much. Yep not suprises on this years storygraphs but I still like looking at all the pretty colours.

I don‘t know what you guys do to entertain yourselves in winter. But in Saltdean we play chicken with the waves 🌊 back home now and snuggled up with a good book!

I have had ENOUGH of my children today. So I‘ve told my hubby I need 10 minutes alone and I‘m spending it with these children instead. Because sprites, wyverns and Antichrist‘s are much nicer to be with then my kids right now!!

This one knocked everything else out of the park this month. And that‘s really saying something as I also read The House in the Cerulean Sea. Just a fantastic amount of skill in the way Makkai built the story, it will definitely stay with me.

So in the end my first book come up against my last! But The Night Circus had to take it for the pure amount of pleasure it gave me reading it and for opening up a new genre to me. Thanks to @chasjjlee

I listened to most of this book on a journey to visit my best friend at the end of last year. And I have what may be a controversial opinion- the change in narration really effected my enjoyment of the book. I loved the first two so much and the whole way through this one I just felt a bit sad it wasn‘t the same. However another great adventure for this awesome gang! As always I look forward to the next!

I almost did it last year… just 4 letters between me and finally completing #litsyatoz (K, Q, X & Z ). This year I am even more determined! I‘ve got my eye on you X! 👀

A slightly belated Happy Nee Year to my wonderful Litsy friends. 2022 was another year of love, encouragement and fantastic recommendations from you all. Yesterday I went for a New Year‘s Day swim with my bookclub. We have become firm friends over the past year and even those who didn‘t swim came down to cheer us on and join us for a post swim coffee. And it worked perfectly with January‘s book choice (tagged) which is all about sea swimming.

@tpixie here you go- invisible bookshelves 😁 I haven‘t finished stacking them yet. But the idea is that the bottom book has a metal L plate inside the cover to hold the rest up. 📚

This will be my final physical book of 2022. I‘m very much hoping to get it finished for #booked2022 #hopepunk by tonight! So far I‘m absolutely in love with it and I think it will make my top books of the year list!

Wow what a beautiful and devastating book. I picked it up for #Booked2022 #abouttheaidsepedemic and I‘m so glad (again) that this challenge made me read outside my comfort zone. Extremely well written and truly heartbreaking it is a dual timeline portrait of generational trauma, love, regret, grief. I highly recommend it but save it for a time when you have the emotional strength.

Merry Christmas from me and these little monsters. I hope all my litten friends have had a wonderful Christmas full of fun and books. My hubby got me invisible book shelves for Christmas. I‘m very excited to put them up! 🎄❄️❤️

I definitely didn‘t read as much in November but I think this is a deserving choice for book of the month. I‘m looking forward to getting to the end of December and finishing this off. I think I know what will win right now - unless something sneaks in this week!

I was just looking back at my November reads and realised I didn‘t review this one. November had me all upside down and I didn‘t actually get much reading done. But this one was perfect for a not totally focused brain. Fun, Agatha Christie inspired YA mystery. Nothing to heavy but also enough to keep me engaged and wondering.

Catching up on this! Green beat St. James now I‘m off to remind myself what I read in November!

I forgot to review this one back in October! I really enjoyed it, in all it‘s high school witchy glory. A great, easy read for the spooky season!

What a complicated internal life McCurdy has to this day and what a great job she did getting that onto the page. It is very brave to show so much of yourself. And although this book is about the relationship with her mum, what I am left with is who McCurdy is now. A quick memoir and definitely worth a read (listen).

I whizzed through the first part of this book on a long car journey but then came to a complete stop. I just couldn‘t get into it and the cosy criminal world as I had with the first two. I finally forced myself to finish it and I think the issue has two parts 1. The narrator has changed and it really has changed the listening experience (not for the good) and also the story just wasn‘t gripping for me this time. I‘ll still read no.4 though!

I read this one for my bookclub this month and it‘s left me with complicated feelings. I haven‘t looked it up yet but I suspect the author either has a background in psychotherapy or has had a lot of therapy. The end suddenly made the book feel like a means to an end. And whilst it was one I could appreciate (as a therapist) I felt about … huh… Anyway this story of open marriage will give a lot to talk about with the group I‘m sure!

It‘s that time of year when all becomes sparkly chaos in my house. But in moments between the cookie decorating and ice skating I am listening to this book for #booked2022 #abouttheaidsepedemic . Not that festive, but so far very good. And as usual I am squeezing my last couple of prompts in before the end of the year!

I read this book for #booked2022 #titlerepeatsitself and it took me a long time. I started it months ago and for whatever reason I couldn‘t get into it then. But I‘ve wizzed through the last two thirds. The characters were complicated and felt real and it was the ending that absolutely made it for me. It drew me back around to look at the whole story again and the choices we choose to make.

It has been a really REALLY rough time lately. It still is. But I have one ill kiddo at home (a luxury compared to 3!) and he wants me to sit with him whilst he watches a Christmas film. So instead of saying my normal “I would love to but I just have to… (fill in with any of the 1000 jobs mums do) I thought screw it. I‘m taking an hour out. I‘ve done no reading for ages which means I‘ve done no self care. Changing that now with the tagged book.

Well I‘m feeling rather pleased with myself. I am planning to read mainly from shelf/kindle next year. This is my #booked2023 physical TBR - I had so many that fit the brief! And I also have a couple on my kindle. I‘m just filling out my StoryGraph prompts so I don‘t forget what‘s what! Very excited to get going but first I need to finish up #booked2022 😂

I started this today, continuing the witchy theme, for week four of #scarathlon And so far I‘m enjoying it. And I totally agree, you should never mix vodka and witchcraft witch 🧙🏻 😁 #teammonstermash

#outstandingoctober readathon total hours 🟰 39 hours 🍂 🍁 🎃 Thank you for hosting @Andrew65

My grand total for #scarathlon weeks 2 & 3 because I forgot to post my total last week - 5597 pts 👻🎃#teammonstermash

55/22 Although this was a quick read (a one sit wonder) the best thing about this compilation of 4 short stories was the cover. Although each one had potential I didn‘t feel like any of them delivered in the end. Although Hannah is obviously skilled in building tension for me there was nothing very clever about these stories because at the end I was left with lots of reasons why it just didn‘t work #scarathlon #teammonstermash wordsearch- 80 pts

So pleased that my favorite spooky podcaster, Danny Robins, was back this week with his new podcast The Witch Farm. If you fancy a spooky podcast I highly recommend you check out some of his. #scarathlon #teammonstermash podcast- 5 pts

Whilst the kids are in the bath I‘m attempting to squeeze in one last book of short stories for #scarathlon before the end of week 3 👻

54/22 It was interesting listening to this straight after The Haunting of Hill House. I would be very surprised if one was not a homage to the other, there were so many similarities. I seem to be reading a lot surrounding the war years for #scarathlon. I suppose that setting only adds to the darkness of the atmosphere. I quite enjoyed this and the ending left me thinking… I can‘t say more then that. #teammonstermash wordsearch- 540 pts

#scarathlondailyprompts #scared #teammonstermash