Welcome to Litsy!

Patrick Gale excels in beautifully understated writing with such kindness and gentleness. My heart broke for Charles through his unpopularity at school and awkwardness in life, whilst still being able to dislike his at times acerbic sharpness and intellectual superiority as he tries to find himself. My heart broke again for his mother as he pushes her away then yearns for her when sent to war. Despite some brutal elements this was a lovely read.

Lazy days and nights of Twixmas. I'm spending much of my time by the fire. Tea in the mornings, whisky in the evenings and lots of books.

Tonight I finished reading Christmas with Rosamunde Pilcher. It begins with recollections on RP's Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary Party. Then it's Christmas traditions and recipes. Ends with a short story Miss Cameron at Christmas. Delightful.🥃📖🔥

1. Tie between Jamaica Inn, very atmospheric Gothic romance/adventure/suspense by Grande Dame Daphne du Maurier
and
Spirits Abroad, short mythical/ghostly tales by Malaysian author Zen Cho. Blends contemporary & fantasy with a fresh viewpiont. So surprising, so good!
2. no clue. I'm really excited for the numbers of #Bookspin and #Doublespin to be revealed, as I have a few options for mood picks and Gothic reads on my list that I'm excited for!

#Weekendreads @rachelsbrittain
#Scarathlon @BookwormAHN #blackcatcrew

#haunted #hotels #classics #mystery #daphnedumaurier #Cornwall #weird #eerie #shortstories #Malaysia #death #supernatural

I was delighted to be invited by @shawnmooney to talk about Helen Dunmore's debut Zennor in Darkness on his Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@shawnthebookmaniac6275) this summer. The episode of Bite-Sized Book Chats that I appeared on dropped yesterday and you can watch that here: https://youtu.be/lDu_cUSDY44?si=8nfdoqxoXsrYkcaV. I start at about 7:22, but the whole episode is worth watching.

This was an enjoyable read about three generations of women (one being a child) as they move to Cornwall, England for a new start. They move into White Cove and explore the mysteries that surround it and some Cornish folklore. The book does move at a slower pace but it suited the story. I did find that even though it is set in the 1950s, I kept thinking we were in current time (except when the war was brought up).

Beautiful morning for a little backyard read with an iced coffee from our local coffee shop. I'm enjoying the book so far and I'm curious to see where it leads as I read on.

#IcedCoffee #LocalCoffeeShop #Hare #MorningReading

Going to start the tagged book tonight with some sea salt chips. It was a rainy day but looks like I'm getting a sunny evening to read. I think this book won't be as intense as River Sing Me Home and I need that for my next book.

#BookAndChips #CozyBlanket

Natasha Carthew lifts the lid on what it's like to live in semi-rural Cornwall on a low income. She thrives on her love of nature and close proximity to the sea.
In the background, she dwells on her difficult childhood, raised by her mother with an absent father. At times, this is a moving account of a family holding on, to survive together.
Each chapter raises different issues of living in poverty in a deprived, rural ⬇

I finally got to realize my dream of trying Makkoli, the Korean fermented rice liquor, and I‘m in love. It‘s like sake and kombucha had a delicious baby, with a touch of coconut water in the mix. I‘m definitely getting it again.

I doubt I‘m in LOVE with Jenny Colgan‘s third School By the Sea novel, but it‘s highly readable so far and that‘s just what I need tonight. Bring on the boarding school shenanigans!