Amid a generous wealth of books, these two gorgeous collector‘s editions were a highlight of my holiday. Feeling very lucky 🥰
#booklove #gifts #christmasreading

I finished The Second History, and many others besides it, but…I seem to have lost the ability to talk about books or even to want to do so. The words that might be right, or at least right for me, have dried up and left me bereft. I can‘t imagine why.

TMW your book, your knitting, and your shirt all go together…totally engrossed in this magical tale picked up for a lecture series.
#heliconian #blue

A loaner from a friend, which looks both very interesting and a titch depressing. I guess I‘ll wait and see…

What a hectic ride of a book! The cover blurb describes it as a mix of Harry Dresden & Kinsey Milhone, and that‘s sharply accurate. I love books that have half a step into the weirder world right beside our own, and Angela Slatter does it seamlessly. And underneath, a clever mystery with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. A vastly entertaining read, and I‘ll definitely keep an eye out for more in the series…

Another TBR pile deep dive — I think I got this four years ago? Or maybe it was five. Yikes. I still love the cover, and I‘m sure it‘ll be worth the wait.

What a mind-bender! I‘m not sure how to qualify this book — philosophical rumination, a fantasy, science fiction, a comfort-of-age story. It‘s all of these and more. Sasha‘s journey is filled with confusion, difficulties, and challenges, but also moments of clarity and joy that are palpable. The whole book reverberates with a sense of otherness that is somehow also intimately familiar. Reading it was a journey in and of itself, one I recommend.

Needed a good Kindle read as I‘m FINALLY getting a haircut today…but I‘ve been looking forward to this one.

Lives uprooted by the sudden death of their mother, (adult) twins Julius & Jeanie are left to cope with the aftermath. The evocative language of the book really contrasted with the harsh poverty of its world, and made both all the more striking. Love and loss are made real as the protagonists face challenge after challenge. “It is hard to rewrite your own history,” Jeanie says, but really, that‘s what the book—and adulthood—is all about.

Looking forward to this one, whose gorgeous cover drew me in just as much as it‘s brief, tantalizing blurb…

Okay, but the GOAT tho😂 This book is like reading a Mel Brooks movie, all spoof. Similarly, I found the conceit wore thin at times, but overall the story hung together well and the characters were so appealingly likeable that I‘ll give it a pick. Extra points for the cutting insights on politics in the last quarter there.

Is there such a thing as being too tired to read? I‘m looking at this book — which is, BTW, an absolute riot — and I just can‘t even summon the strength to pick it up. Blah. I hope this doesn‘t last…

As a remedy for the last tragedy-steeped book, I pick up this delightful looking one, passed on by a friend. Hoping for a cheery outlook!

From the cover copy, I expected a fantasy, a quest, a journey. This isn‘t a fantasy novel at all, but it is a journey, of one young girl‘s search for a place to belong. The writing is strong, and really evokes a sense of place and character, but the situations…it just felt more and more unrealistic that Malin continued to survive as she leapt from horror to horror. Perhaps that was the fantasy that was meant, but it left me unsatisfied.

The suspense was too much and I had to roll right into book three😂 It‘s strange to say an apocalyptic tale is heartwarming, but Lemire manages it. At times frightening, horrific, sad, but also joyful, hopeful, and peaceful this book really packs a hard punch. I‘m not sure if it‘s meant to be a cautionary tale or just a dark prediction, but it works either way. I‘ll be thinking about this one for a while.

Trouble follows our hero whoever he goes—yet he manages to prevail. Mostly. Highly emotional, wracked with tension, and wickedly fast-paced, this saga continues to engage. The art emphasizes how the bleak world stands in contrast to the warmth and steadfastness of Gus‘ character. Also, hell of a cliffhanger! An excellent book.

Keeping up with @sprainedbrain ‘s read-along on Persuasion using the always excellent #serialreader — delivers a chapter a day which is perfect! Thus far, I dislike Elizabeth on principle and admire Lady Russell‘s patience. We shall see what Bath brings…

Did a TBR deep dive this morning and came up with this. Looks magical & perfect for a long weekend day off…

What a beautiful book! Take a sidestep into a world where magic is real, and the trials and tribulations of a Regency romance tale on a whole new dimension. The depth of characters was outstanding — the lead male, Ianthe, was particularly interesting to watch grow and change and mature. The MC, Beatrice was conflicted in authentic & important ways, & there were some real moments on the way to an absolutely satisfying conclusion. Highly recommend!

Okay, I didn‘t *mean* to read two smash-the-patriarchy books in a row, but I‘m not mad about it either…😂

A weekend away meant less reading, but that is no reflection on this ferocious book! A fierce and determined heroine on a voyage of discovery, a world of magics and monsters, a patriarchy that needs overthrowing—it all melds together into a fabulous tale that reads like the birth of a legend. I LOVED it—found it beautiful to read and incisively pertinent to the real world.

Picked this up a while ago and just getting to read it now. I just…LOOK at that cover! 😍

Now, there‘s an end for you… What a fascinating story — fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, and the plague of course hitting close to home. Complex characters with sharp motivations, some apparent, some hidden. The rough, stark quality of the art really added to the apocalyptic feel. Things aren‘t going well for our titular character, and I hope things change for him soon. I can‘t wait to see what happens next!

A joyous, egregiously excessive book haul on a beautiful, sunny vacation day, after hoarding gift cards for 18 months😊 My summer is set up!

In a continuation of reading before watching, I picked up Sweet Tooth, which is more violent than I expected but a gripping read so far…

What an excellent caper! The kids were charming and complex, the mystery was just the right amount of twisty, and the language was a delight. The most sinister part was, of course, that the idea of subliminal messaging is completely believable and something we already live with in advertising and media. I would have loved this book as a kid and enjoyed it as an adult. I‘ll be interested to see how the televised version holds up…

Dug this out of deep TBR territory so I could read before checking out the Netflix series. And I do love a good mystery…

Okay, this was a cute read — rolled out like your favourite rom-com, complete with slow-burn attraction, tragic misunderstanding, and hea. Likeable, believable characters, and just enough conflict to keep things interesting. Perfect for a lazy summer day…

A good read for a pretty cottage morning…

What fun! The art added a lot of texture and depth to this classic tale, as well as a hint of silliness. This detracted a bit from the heavy gothic atmosphere of the story, but all the key plot points were there, as well as the sweeping emotion that carries the book. I really enjoyed reading it this way!

Thoroughly enjoying this incarnation of a classic favourite of mine…

As an anecdote to my lingering book sadness, I‘ll try this, picked up on the weekend with great delight…

I just found this book so overwhelmingly sad I could barely stand it. It may be unfair to so-so it when obviously the writing was powerful enough to strongly affect me, but there it is. Even though the final chapters were clearly meant to portray hope and a sense of peace, it didn‘t work for me. I‘ll put it in the LFL and try not to think about it.

I picked this up for the LFL, but thought I‘d give it a read first…

This was a fun read, with enough inventiveness to keep it going and likeable characters. The language was a bit repetitive and it was trying a little too hard to be cinematic, if that makes sense. Jay says: I liked it; it was fun and exciting. Jay is a lot less chatty at 13😂 But I know he really liked it because he kept wanting to read more!

An angry book, full of grief and love — but love resentful and controlling and twisted. The words tumble against each other and make an atmosphere of quiet, shifting ghostliness where nothing is quite real, maybe not even the reader. The twist was relatively obvious, but somehow no less wrenching for it. I‘m honestly not sure if I liked the book or not. Maybe that‘s the real mystery…

This is echoing around my head…

New read for a hot as heck day…hoping for some chills😂

This story shimmered with a subtle aura of menace that made even the most innocent actions seem ominous, culminating in a single act of stark horror, illuminated by the similarly barren surroundings. Especially poignant to read mid-pandemic, as a community experiences a disastrous emergency, and begins to crumble as it tries to weather the storm. Vivid characters and deft language build a truly unforgettable tale of survival.
#indigenousreads

I feel like the current heat is a great time to read about a dark and haunted winter…
#indigenousreads #spooky

It made me laugh, it made me cry; I rolled my eyes, I agreed emphatically. I thought it was weird and that it was genius; that it was dumb and that it was startlingly insightful. I thought about family and I learned some things about LGBTQIA history. I skipped work this afternoon for two hours to finish it. I don‘t know what I think, except that you should probably read it and decide for yourself.

A little more whimsical and active than the first book, but just as sweet and heartfelt. An earnest look at the importance of home and family, and finding your passion—what you are meant to do. I especially love the way these books handle inclusivity—without it being part of the story or message-driven. Stories, ultimately, about finding yourself in caring for others.

“Just because something comes easily to you, does not mean is bad no value. You find it effortless BECAUSE you love it, and that is why it is your gift.”

A gentle, sweet story that encourages the reader to slow down and remember that simplicity brings its own rewards. A growing friendship and solid connections between characters are lovely, and the guide at the end is charming. A breath of fresh, tea-scented air.

Needed something a little lighter after my last read and thought this fit the bill…

This story exists in the space between an ending and a beginning, full of emptiness and loss—but life and hope gradually grow through the weaving of the threads of story. The motley cast of characters is appealing, funny and heartbreaking in turn. The sharp caution about our callousness toward our environment really hit home. Both devastating and uplifting, the story ends in a rebirth—which is just another beginning.

A fresh coat of paint on the #littlefreelibrary and we‘re all ready for summer! Though I think it‘ll need a new roof next year… Any perfect for summer book reccs I should add?

There‘s a deep undercurrent of sadness running through this book; of the sense of loss that comes with being utterly alone.

It‘s also Indigenous History month here in Canada, so I‘m picking up this TBR selection next…
#TBRpile #indigenousreads #learning