This was a nice little palate cleanser when I was being indecisive about what to read next.

#firstlinefridays

Well, at least this is a fiction book, so I‘m not as frustrated by basic historical facts being wrong. Still not loving the re-writing of Irish history in this sentence, but I think I can continue.

My sister surprised me recently with this super-cute Hufflepuff badger!

#firstlinefridays #taketwo

I love interesting end papers and maps! Two for one here:)

#firstlinefridays

#firstlinefridays
#churchlibrarysummer

#bookhaul number 3! This time two of them aren‘t for me, at least. From Munro‘s and Russell Books.

#churchlibrarysummer

#bookhaul … for the second day in a row. In my defence, I have more time to shop and stock up over the Summer. Winter is long, and needs lots of books.

#bookhaul

An apt description
#churchlibrarysummer

Today in phrases I never thought I‘d read…

#firstlinefridays

#firstlinefridays #taketwo
#churchlibrarysummer

#firstlinefridays

#firstlinefridays

#bookhaul

It took me a second to figure out why you would name a cat Sudoku.

9 lives. It has 9 lives.🤦‍♀️
#churchlibrarysummer

#firstlinefridays

I like sermons. I like novels. I did not like this.
I was going to give this a so-so rather than a pan, because I acknowledge that this is not my normal genre, but I have read enough Christian fiction to know that this is not a good example of it. Between some problematic views, the preachiness, the two-dimensional characters, the tell-don‘t-show writing style, and more, this is one of the most irritating books I‘ve read in a while.

#churchlibrarysummer

As you can tell from my recent blast of quotes, I really liked this one. The author is a British Sikh journalist thoughtfully exploring the effects of imperialism on Britain after realising how little he was taught about the British Empire. Looking forward to reading the follow-up, Empireworld, soon.

Sorry for the angle of the photo; I‘m in that section of the book where it is hard to get the page to lie flat(ish) without cracking the spine of this borrowed book.

#firstlinefridays

“I am as much evidence of the fact that Britain once had an empire as the Maqdala Crown in the V&A, and if I have rather overemphasized my point here, it‘s because it needs to be. Britain has long struggled to accept the imperial explanation for its racial diversity. The idea that black and brown people are aliens who arrived without permission, and with no link to Britain, to abuse British hospitality is the defining political narrative…

This quote is from a section that is discussing looted artifacts, many of which aren‘t even displayed in the museums that ended up with them, but are strongly valued by the communities from which they came.

“But it takes greater courage to faithfully accomplish the daily, thankless tasks of everyday life for Him” #churchlibrarysummer

Apparently one of my students sees me as a super hero:)