literarycrew

Aprilly | Jane Abbott

April Recap: A great reading month where I finished 20 books thanks to lots of commuter flights & airport reading.

I read books for: #SundayBuddyRead #SheSaid #NancyDrewBR #BobWhiteBuddies #EBBR #LiteraryCrew
#AuthorAMonth #ChildrensClassicRead2025
#RiseUpReads #Roll100 #FictionalTraveler #ThematicCozies #MonthlyNonFiction
#JaneAustenThenAndNow #Naturalitsy & 2 from #AuldLangSpine ⬇️

I didn‘t finish Rabbits for LSFBC but hope to finish in May

Riveted_Reader_Melissa, Soubhiville, TheBookHippie, JacqMac, Librarybelle, monalyisha, Ruthiella, TheSpineView, Catsandbooks, TheAromaofBooks, PuddleJumper, julieclair, AllDebooks

DebinHawaii Favorites were: The Briar Club, The Spellshop, Challenger Where They Last Saw Her & The Land of Little Rain. I read 3 audiobooks, 4 non-fiction & 12 were library books. (edited) 14h

Ruthiella Nice work! 👍 13h

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fantastic month!! 8h

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Librarybelle You did so well! 8h

TheSpineView Great job! 8h

PuddleJumper Amazing! 🎉🎉 7h

AllDebooks Wow, well done. That's a very broad range of reads x 6h

Crinoline_Laphroaig 👏🏻 1h

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DebinHawaii

The Briar Club | Kate Quinn

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#Read2025

I‘m catching up on my April reviews this weekend & I loved this book! A good thing as it was a trifecta of challenge prompts: #AuthorAMonth #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead & one of the books from @JacqMac ‘s #AuldLangSpine list. This is my third Kate Quinn book & maybe my favorite. The audiobook was stellar & I finished & listened to the author notes twice + an interview with the author & narrator who really brought the characters to life. ⬇️

Soubhiville, DieAReader, Librarybelle, monalyisha

DebinHawaii … I learned a lot about the Red Scare, McCarthy & Washington DC in the era. The mystery was good as was the ways the characters were introduced & their layers uncovered. I also enjoyed the sentient Briar House & the communal dinners with recipes & music selection of the times included. It kept me engrossed during lots of airport commutes in April & will likely be a favorite of the year for me. 2d

DieAReader 🎉🥳Awesome!! 2d

JacqMac Kaye Quinn never disappoints. 1d

Librarybelle Yay!! 1d

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mcctrish

The Briar Club | Kate Quinn

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I‘m a day late for #literarycrew it started with a murder and a cast of characters I mainly abhorrd. 100 pages in and I wondered if I‘d keep going. Almost immediately I started liking it more and cared who died and what was going to happen to them all. The politics of the day aren‘t too far off today‘s

Librarybelle Yay!! 4d

41 likes1 comment

CBee

Tarot Card Killer | Greg Strandberg

I‘m making this super easy for y‘all this month 😊 Have fun and don‘t forget to tag me in your posts! Also please let me know if you want to be added or removed from my tag list. #TBRtarot

CBee @Allylu @AmyG @AshleyHoss820 @BarbaraBB @batsy @BeeCurious @Bklover @BookwormAHN @britt_brooke @candc320 @CatLass007 @ChelseaM6010 @Deblovestoread @erzascarletbookgasm @majkia @Balibee146 4d

CBee @InkedBookworm13 @jenniferw88 @julieclair @Librariana @MatchlessMarie @Meshell1313 @OriginalCyn620 @PageShifter @RaeLovesToRead @Read4life @Ruthiella @Sace @TheKidUpstairs @youneverarrived @willaful @Lizpixie @LitsyEvents 4d

RaeLovesToRead This month's prompt: READ ALL TEH BOOKS! 4d

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willaful That's perfect, because I'm really stressed and burnt out and need to free myself from reading obligations and just figure out what I *want* to read this month. 4d

Meshell1313 Oh what a twist! Lol. I‘ll make my prompt the one I‘ve been saving this book for: read a book with a place in the title!

Olympus, Texas

CatLass007 So many books, so little time. I believe I will read

The Lions of Fifth Avenue: A Novel

OriginalCyn620 One of my favorite prompts is a book with a movie/tv series adaptation, so I shall read this one!

The Housemaid

Ruthiella I‘m going to make my prompt “read a nonfiction book”. I have two possibilities for May. 4d

MatchlessMarie The prompt I made was “a book you have delivered later 3 or more times” 💀 I am still deciding because sadly I have a lot to choose from lol 4d

ChelseaM6010 I‘ll be reading

Fourth Wing

CBee @Meshell1313 that‘s a good one! Would‘ve worked for a retelling as well 😊 4d

CBee @willaful I really feel this - hope we can both get some relief soon!! 4d

CBee @RaeLovesToRead perfect 😂😂👏🏻👏🏻 4d

CBee @MatchlessMarie look forward to seeing what you pick! 4d

CBee @ChelseaM6010 great! 4d

CBee @OriginalCyn620 oh yay! Don‘t know why I haven‘t thought of that prompt. Mind if I use it for a future #TBRtarot? 4d

CBee @Ruthiella look forward to seeing what you choose! 4d

CBee @CatLass007 I‘ve heard good things about that one! 4d

CatLass007 I really enjoyed The Spectacular when we read it last year for #LiteraryCrew. All of Fiona Davis‘s historical fiction novels have as a home base New York City landmarks. If someone only has the time to visit one museum in New York City, the New York City Public Library would be my recommendation. And of course, books! 4d

OriginalCyn620 @CBee I do not mind at all! Have at it! 😉 4d

CBee @CatLass007 I got to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Amazing! 4d

CBee @OriginalCyn620 thank you 😊 4d

CatLass007 The Met is also amazing. Years ago a friend of mine and I went to an Impressionist exhibition and I fell in love with a portrait by Van Gogh. I can‘t remember who the subject was, but I don‘t really like portraits. I saw the Mona Lisa in the Louvre and I just shrugged. But the Louvre is where I first fell in love with Pointalism and Impressionism. But next time you go to the City, go to the Library. You will be in awe. 4d

CBee @CatLass007 I don‘t know if I‘ll ever get back there, but if I do, the library will be first on my list! 4d

Read4life I went with “Let someone else pick your next read”. Told him he could pick from any bookcase & Brian picked

Stuart Woods' Golden Hour

CatLass007 Excellent! 4d

ChelseaM6010 Oops, forgot to add that my prompt is to read a new(ish)-to-me-genre. Romantasy it is! 3d

CBee @Read4life great idea! 3d

CBee @ChelseaM6010 sounds great! 3d

julieclair My prompt is to read a book that I meant to read last year. I‘ll be reading

The Other's Gold

CBee @julieclair great! 😊 3d

Meshell1313 @CBee OMG I had no idea it was based on the Greek Gods! 🤣 2d

Meshell1313 @Read4life oh that‘s such a fun prompt! 2d

Read4life @Meshell1313 @CBee Thanks!! It was fun watching him come to a decision. 😊 2d

CBee @Meshell1313 yep! And it‘s super good! 2d

51 likes35 comments

Zuhkeeyah

The Briar Club | Kate Quinn

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It's been years since I've read Kate Quinn, so I'm very glad #authoramonth had her listed for April. This book had me hooked from the first chapter. I couldn't stop reading. Pixel and I went on extra long dog walks all to give me more time with this audiobook. The ending did not disappoint. Highly recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction.

Texreader On my tbr! I can‘t wait!! 5d

Karisa I read it with #LiteraryCrew and loved it too! I swear the people around me are tired of me trying to get them to read it. 😅 5d

Zuhkeeyah I have also been recommending it to all my reading friends lol @Karisa (edited) 4d

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Librarybelle

The Briar Club | Kate Quinn

It‘s time for the #LiteraryCrew monthly book discussion! I have 7 questions posted. You can find them on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtag. Stop by and answer whenever!

May‘s book is Morgan Is My Name by Sophie Keetch!

mcctrish, DebinHawaii, mjdowens, melissajayne, Jerdencon, tpixie, LapReader, Cuilin, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, Prairiegirl_reading, BethM, Deblovestoread, Sace, CatLass007, Mollyanna, BookwormAHN, Pogue, dabbe, Sargar114, Karisa, bumpinthenight, Singout, julieclair, AllDebooks, Lkempf

tpixie Thanks! 5d

Karisa Thank you! I loved this book 😊 5d

Librarybelle Of course, @tpixie ! 4d

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Librarybelle So glad you loved this, @Karisa ! 4d

DebinHawaii I got to the party late (I finished the book on time but got too busy to get to the discussion until today) but I wanted to say I really loved this one! 💛💛💛 2d

Librarybelle No worries, @DebinHawaii ! Thanks for joining us! 1d

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Librarybelle

The Briar Club | Kate Quinn

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7. Discuss the murder mystery. Were you expecting it to play a larger role in the story? Were you surprised by who the victim and who the perpetrator were? ~from Plainfield Area Public Library #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

CatLass007 I definitely didn‘t see any of that coming. Quinn‘s characters often go through all kinds of trauma but in the end things generally work out for the best. The ways in which they all work out are often unexpected. 5d

Sace I was very surprised by the ending! It added to the enjoyment. 5d

Karisa I was relieved that none of my favorite characters had died 😅 It kept the book moving forward but wasn‘t really the most important part. I liked seeing the author pull that off. So clever! 5d

mcctrish The ending was surprising @Karisa I was getting a bit stressed about who was killed and who would kill 4d

DebinHawaii I agree, the end somewhat surprised me. I confess I was having a dark couple of days while listening & I asked Google if any of the women died in the book & AI said two died! I was so mad & upset I had to dig deeper & learned they didn‘t die & it was men & Grace‘s spy partner but Sydney‘s husband was a surprise still. I needed a happy ending! 2d

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Librarybelle

The Briar Club | Kate Quinn

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6. Food plays a significant part in the story. Discuss the symbolic meaning of the Briar Club‘s communal meals and how they foster a sense of belonging. ~from Plainfield Area Public Library #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

Karisa Food does bring people together. Grace was wonderful for realizing it and taking a chance on her housemates. 5d

mcctrish A communal table makes people feel like they belong, eating together nourished their bellies and their souls 4d

DebinHawaii The food was one of my favorite parts. I loved how it brought them together & how it wasn‘t just feeding them, it fed & improved their lives in so many ways. I listened to the audiobook but I‘m going to go back & look up some of the recipes (& I enjoyed the music to eat by for each dish too!) 2d

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Librarybelle

The Briar Club | Kate Quinn

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5. Examine the themes of secrecy, deception, and truth-telling in the novel. How do the characters‘ hidden pasts and double lives affect their relationships? ~from Plainfield Area Public Library Reading Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

Jerdencon I think they all had their own baggage that they brought which affected how they interacted with each other and their views. 5d

CatLass007 I think the saddest example of secret-keeping was Fliss. She had so much negative self talk. When she was finally able to be honest with her husband it was so uplifting. 5d

mcctrish @CatLass007 her mantra of ‘bad mother‘ broke my heart. The secrets all stem from women having no power in a patriarchal society and coming together in their little Briar Club tribe was so positive 4d

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CatLass007 @mcctrish It broke my heart too. But I think the women in her family who didn‘t work outside the home and had baby after baby also contributed to the way she felt about herself. Granted, they too were victims of a patriarchal society but all they passed on to Fliss was their ugly attitudes. The found family of the Briar Club was a powerful force in the lives of these women. They empowered Fliss to actually communicate her needs to her (cont)⬇️ 4d

CatLass007 husband, who turned out to be so understanding and supportive. Here was a man who was not afraid of a strong, intelligent woman. They are still few and far between. 4d

DebinHawaii Yes, we definitely all have a story & a pile of baggage to go with it & I think Quinn did a good job in revealing it & showing the impact. At the end, I still disliked Arlene but I also felt sorry for her, she became more human. And yes, I was happy to see the positive journey of Fliss—I‘d have been mad if she didn‘t get a “happy” & fufilling ending. 2d

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Librarybelle

The Briar Club | Kate Quinn

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3. Briarwood house itself narrates some of the chapters. How does the house‘s perspective shape the reader‘s understanding of the events and characters? Did you enjoy hearing from an inanimate object? ~from Plainfield Area Public Library Reading Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

Jerdencon Honestly when I first read that the house was talking I was a little put off and found it gimmicky but in the end it didn‘t bother me too much. 5d

CatLass007 I love a good fantasy! This slight fantastical aspect gave insight into all the characters effect on one another and their environment. (edited) 5d

Sace I loved the house‘s pov! 5d

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Karisa @Sace I enjoyed it too. Cranky but loveable place 5d

mcctrish The house kept me reading ❤️❤️ 4d

DebinHawaii I thought the house narrating really helped the story along & tied it together. I loved it. 2d

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