pickA low pick. A bit slow at times, but has loads of interesting facts about sheep. The author provides many historical details related to the raising of sheep for food and wool, and discusses environmental and political issues that are relevant today.
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 52. Farfetch'd: Set in the countryside)
pickI loved this story about a 4-year-old Indigenous girl who goes missing. The story that evolves is both intriguing and moving. Highly recommended!
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 21. Karrablast Blue cover)
pickStill catching up with reviews from the past weeks. I really enjoyed rereading this book, one of my favourites, with commentary from @BarkingMadRun and the #HashTagBrigade.
I also rewatched the classic Hitchcock adaptation recently and it was interesting comparing the book and movie.
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 59. Mimiky: Re-read a favourite book)
pickCatching up with reviews. I'd finished this a couple of weeks ago with #ClassicLSFBC and enjoyed it very much. It's a well-paced and thought-provoking read with themes typical of sci-fi from the Cold War era.
@RamsFan1963 @Ruthiella
pickI really enjoyed this story and loved the characters. I told my daughter, “When your Dad and I can't live independently anymore, can you find me a luxury senior's home where the residents solve mysteries and drink lots of wine?“
#AwesomeApril @Andrew65
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 47: Polteageist, Cosy mystery)
pickA low pick for me. The story was so-so but I liked the 18th-century London setting of this historical mystery and its references to real-life characters.
I'm using this for prompt 2 (Bibliosmia: A smelly book) of #52bookclub24. My daughter, who knows I love Penguin green mysteries, found this old musty copy. I'm sure it smells just like the London bookshop where she got it!
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 56. Sirfetch'd: Historical)
so-soI finished this second Laundry Files book because the entire series was nominated for a Hugo award, and I'm working through the nominees. This one is a mix of Lovecraftian horror and James Bond spy thriller. It's a decent story but the humour is not really my cup of tea, so I don't think I'll be continuing the series, at least not for now.
#hugoawards #hugo2024
pickAnother good installment in the October Daye series, but I did find one thing disappointing. I was excited that this book was set in Toronto (close to where I live) but almost all the action happened in the hidden faerie realm. The only Toronto references were the overused Tim Hortons jokes. We really do have more than Tim Hortons here in Canada! 😄
pickAn excellent book describing the science, history and politics surrounding forest fires. Vaillant gives a gripping account of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire in Canada, and explains how climate change has led to an increase of such fires.
I highly recommend the audiobook version.
#AwesomeApril @Andrew65
April was a good #BookSpinBingo month – finished my #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin books and also got 2 bingos.! Thanks to @TheAromaofBooks for hosting!
The view from Crescent Street in Montreal.
so-soThis is the first part of Richardson's Pilgrimage series. The writing is beautiful but it takes some effort to appreciate the stream-of-consciousness style and accept the lack of a structured plot.
I used this for prompt 47 of the #52bookclub24, “Self-insert by an author“, as the book supposedly follows the real-life experiences of Richardson.
pickThe memoirs of a journalist who fled Eritrea after speaking out against the government, this is one of my favourite books of 2024 so far. It's an exciting and inspiring story.
Sadly, the author died of COVID in 2021, but he did manage to reunite with his family in Canada. I highly recommend the audiobook narrated by his son.
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 49, Mr. Rime: Reccommended by friends or family)
I just came back from a gigantic book sale for charity that happens in my community every year. I picked up the Nancy Drew books, as they'll be coming up soon in the #NancyDrewBR hosted by @Librarybelle.
Reading the ND books these past months has made me nostalgic for the childhood mystery series I loved, so when I saw these Vicki Barr books, I had to bring them home too!
pickGood storytelling in this YA fantasy containing elements of East Asian folklore.
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 46, Polteageist: Possessive or posessed character)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 15, Part of a duology)
pickI really enjoyed this latest installment of the #NancyDrewBR. It featured some interesting elements: a secret code, a mysterious perfume and even a cult!
@Librarybelle
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 7, Wooloo: Farm or farmer)
pickAn excellent collection of interconnected short stories set in the Filipino-Canadian community. The author explores both the joyous and painful experiences of reuniting with family members after many years apart.
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 68, Lapras: There is a journey)
pickThis book is a low pick for me. It's a somewhat random collection of thoughts on silence, some insightful and others that were less interesting. Either way, it has definitely made me appreciate silence more.
This might be a stretch, but I'm using this book for prompt 30, “Meowth: Treasure“ for #gottacatchemall, since the theme of the book is that silence is to be treasured, and we all know that “Silence is golden“! @PuddleJumper
I bailed on my #BookSpin choice and my library hold for my #DoubleSpin choice didn't come in on time, but it was a pretty good reading month otherwise, with 2 bingo lines.
Thanks @TheAromaofBooks for hosting #BookSpinBingo!
pickA reread of book 2 in the Expanse, one of my favourite sci-fi series. I love this installment for its unlikely friendships: Amos/Prax and Bobbie/Avasarala. The TV adaptation of this novel is even better!
This is the 5th and final book I finished for the #MarvellousMarch readathon. Thanks to @Andrew65 for hosting!
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 17, Vespiquen: Woman in charge)
pickSuch a charming booking, with a lovely peaceful cover! Of course all the answers are found at the library. 😄
#MarvellousMarch @Andrew65
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 43, Sinistea: Tea cup on cover)
pickExcellent space opera, with an interesting array of characters and a lot of unexpected twists in the plot. Nice to see that the book received a Hugo Best Novel nomination this year. #hugoawards #hugo2024
#MarvellousMarch @Andrew65
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 32, Perrserker: Warrior or soldier character)
The Hugo nominees were announced yesterday and these are the Best Novel nominees. The full list of nominees can be found at https://locusmag.com/2024/03/2024-hugo-astounding-and-lodestar-awards-finalists/.
I've read Starter Villain and Some Desperate Glory and liked both very much. Is anyone else planning to read the Hugo nominees?
#hugoawards #hugo2024
pickThis historical novel tells the story of a young Irish immigrant who settles in Quebec in the years leading up to the Lower Canada Rebellion in 1837-1838. I enjoyed the story and the author made the description of the historical events much more interesting than those in the history textbooks I had to read when growing up in Quebec.
#MarvellousMarch @Andrew65
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 33, Perrserker: There is a battle)
pickThis month's #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub book was a very enjoyable read. I liked that the plot wasn't totally predictable (at least not to me), and I thought Mrs. Millard was a great character.
@Aimeesue @batsy @CarolynM @catebutler @Cathythoughts @CatLass007 @elkeOriginal @erzascarletbookgasm @Jess_Read_This @jlhammar @julieclair @Kimzey @LeahBergen @Lizpixie @MrsK @quietjenn @rubyslippersreads @Ruthiella @Tamra @Teresereading @willaful
This was a low pick for me. I really liked the exploration of ideas and the plot was interesting and well paced, but it was a pretty gloomy story overall.
#LitsySciFiBookClub @TheSpineView
#192025 #1963 @Librarybelle
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 61, Ponyta: Fantasy, paranormal, or sci-fi)
pickI enjoyed this account of the early female astronomers at the Harvard Observatory. Not surprising that they didn't get the salary or the respect they deserved at the time!
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 26, Wheezing: Features a positive change)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 6, Women in STEM)
These are the books I'm working on for the #MarvellousMarch readathon hosted by @Andrew65. I hope I can get a few of them finished by the end of the month!
pickI really enjoyed this coming-of-age story. I loved all the characters, the Cork setting, the humour and the unexpected twists. However, I do have to say that there were other #LitsyToB24 picks I found more interesting and thought-provoking, if less enjjoyable. @squirrelbrain @Megabooks @BarbaraBB
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 20, Karrablast: Instant connection)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 38, Published by Hachette)
pickThis is a fun story about a researcher looking into the origins of fads and who ends up falling in love and herding sheep in the process.
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 19, Karrablast: Excitable character)
so-soI'd read the updated 1965 version of this book but some aspects still seemed very outdated and definitely cringey by today's standards. It was fun seeing Nancy and friends at a ranch setting but the plot was weaker than the previous #NancyDrewBR books. @Librarybelle
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 12, Dubwool: Animal on cover)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 48,The word “secret“ in the title)
I made japchae while listening to The Good Son. I had a lot of the ingredients on hand, since Korean dishes and Chinese dishes (which I cook a lot) have many ingredients in common, but this was my first time cooking sweet-potato noodles.
#FoodandLit @Catsandbooks @Texreader
pickThis psychological thriller set in South Korea is a low pick for me. On the one hand, the story was extremely disturbing and the narrator both unreliable and unlikeable. On the other hand, I couldn't stop reading once I started!
#FoodandLit @Catsandbooks @Texreader
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 76, Corsola: Someone dies)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 9, A character-driven novel)
pickThere was a lot that I liked about this book: the alternative history of the US, the obsessive personalities, the slow revealing of X's secrets, and the exploration of the characteristics of “art“.
I'm surprised that this didn't make the Tournament of Books shortlist (but glad it was included in #LitsyToB24). It seems just the sort of book that makes for good ToB discussion.
@squirrelbrain @Megabooks @BarbaraBB
pickIt took me a while to get into this book but I ended up liking it much more than I thought it would.
I loved the satirical moments when Bunny tries to consider climate change and other momentous issues affecting the world but then gets distracted by a colleague's designer shoes. I'd like to think that I'm not like Bunny but I realize I'm writing this on my computer in my well heated home with my car parked outside the door. 😅
pickNewitz looks at 4 ancient cities, Çatalhöyük, Pompeii, Angkor, and Cahokia, and examines the details of everyday life in these urban centres, instead of the major events that other historians tend to focus on.
I finished this book yesterday to wrap up the #FabulousFebruary readathon. Thank you for hosting @Andrew65!
I finished 10 books in February, including my #DoubleSpin book, but I just could not manage a bingo! Better luck in March ....,
@TheAromaofBooks
pickThis book was left behind by one of my daughters when she moved out years ago, and it was the perfect choice for prompt 29 of #52bookclub24: “Published in a Year of the Dragon“. It was published in 1976 and, as the title suggests, it features dragons! I loved the story! Wish I had read it when I was young.
#FabulousFebruary @Andrew65
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 57, Sirfetch'd: Book you keep meaning to read)
pickI found this novel somewhat messy with all its characters and storylines but I did enjoy reading it. It's a heartwarming story set in a 1970's Pennsylvania neighbourhood with primarily Jewish and Black residents.
#LitsyToB24 @squirrelbrain @Megabooks @BarbaraBB
#FabulousFebruary @Andrew65
pickThis is a biography of model and artist Kiki Man Ray, who was married to artist Man Ray for a time. While Kiki's life story was interesting, I enjoyed even more learning about the development of art in Montparnasse during the 1920's.
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 65: Rapidash: Different genre to the last book you read)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 39, Non-fiction recommended by a friend)
pickThe second book in the Web Shifter's Library series, this SF novel has further adventures of lovable shapeshifter Esen and friends. Biologist Julie Czerneda is great at inventing interesting alien species.
#BacklistReadathon @clwojick @TheAromaofBooks
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 10: “Dubwool: Character has horns“)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 3: “More than 40 chapters“)
pickThis classic SF novel involves a man whose dreams cause the world to be altered. The jumps to different realities makes the reading challenging, but LeGuin poses many thought-provoking questions.
#BacklistReadathon @clwojick @TheAromaofBooks
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 22: “Koffing: Dystopian setting“)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 12: “Title starting with the letter L“)
Time for the #FabulousFebruary readathon! @Andrew65
I'm hoping to finish Dragonsong and Four Lost Cities soon.
I'm also hoping to finish or at least start several more books from #LitsyToB24 before voting starts. I'm currently enjoying Biography of X, stalled with Julia, and have on my radar Mobility, Hello Beautiful, and The Rachel Incident. Suggestions on which to try next from the Litsy crew would be appreciated!
pickI've always been a fan of Jean Plaidy's historical novels but I've not read many that she authored as Victoria Holt. I really enjoyed this gothic romance and murder mystery, even if it did seem to borrow a lot of elements from Jane Eyre and Rebecca.
#BacklistReadathon @clwojick @TheAromaofBooks
#192025 #1960 @Librarybelle
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 50: “Mr. Rime: Character dresses up“)
pickI'm continuing to enjoy #NancyDrewBR hosted by @Librarybelle. This installment, in which Nancy helps a friend whose inn seems to be the target of malicious acts, was full of danger and suspense.
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 14: “Combee: Flowers“)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 21: “Written by a ghostwriter“)
so-soThis classic novella was atmospheric and tense, and it inspired a lot of modern cosmic horror stories. However, I found it slow moving and didn't care for any of the characters.
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 78, Corsola: Isolated person or location)
#DoubleSpin #BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
#52bookclub24 (prompt 23, The “other“ book with the similar plot) This book inspired T. Kingfisher's The Hollow Places
![[tagged book]](https://image.librarything.com/pics/litsy_webpics/icon_taggedBook@3x.png){kind=icon}
