This was a total #blameitonlitsy. I enjoyed that this was a set of personal experiences vs a self help recipe. As@someone who juggles a lot I really liked the different approaches to figuring out where and how to prioritise. Will be trying some in Ernest ! Also lots of fun art work like this throughout making fro a quick and yet interesting read (not my usual genres at all!)

Fascinating historical fiction bit with slightly patchy writing. First part was fascinating then fell into epistolary style which fell a little flat. Glad I read and interesting in knowing more about this couple (wish I had read earlier in the holiday and we might have side tracked to see more of the places mentioned ##

“At three o'clock in the afternoon, all the fashionable world at Nice may be seen on the Promenade des Anglais––a charming place, for the wide walk, bordered with palms, flowers, and tropical shrubs, is bounded on one side by the sea, on the other by the grand drive, lined with hotels and villas...”
Louisa sure got that right!

This book is so many things I don‘t like - poetic language and a story of the terrible things people do to children. However I loved it - Ari is a fabulous, sadly old before her time protagonist and I found the language beautiful and hopeful. I think this is one that will stick.

This book is so many things I don‘t like - poetic language and a story of the terrible things people do to children. However I loved it - Ari is a fabulous old before her time protagonist and I found the language beautiful and hopeful. I think this is one that will stick.

I have wanted to come to Carcassonne since I first read the tagged book. So glad I finally made it !

Breakfasting like Hemingway in Pamplona !

Enjoyed this historical fiction set during the Pendle witch trials in 1612. The period detail was good and I enjoyed all of the main characters. A@solid, enjoyable read

This is so far from my usual reading it‘s practically a different hobby. Picked it up in a random queue a few weeks ago and have devoured it on my ferry crossing to Spain. He‘s knowledgable on his topic and at times laugh out loud self depreciating. I feel like I read half of it out loud to my husband which is a good measure of enjoyment!!

Enjoying the trail of Elmers around Newcastle

Never should have started on a school night. Acknowledging I need to go to bed and not stay up read and finish may be my most grown up thing ever!

Intriguing thriller with a couple of layers. The premise was great but it meandered a fair bit to the point that I was not particularly invested.

Hi lovely Litsy people my husband has me on a search for a reading for a remembrance day service in work (yes I know November is months away) but does not want a traditional first world war commonwealth poem. Do any of you poetry lovers out there have any ideas? ThAnks

I really enjoyed this multi dimensional story my first by this author. I loved the main character and the elements do her graphic novel in the book but also the relationship between her and her grandmother (I‘m a sucker for cross generational friendships). Some of the themes were a little too obvious but it was still a really enjoyable read. D I shall look for more by this author !

This was exceptionally well written but so hard to read. I have come to American Civil Rights history later in life and the more I learn the harder it is to understand do and the sadder I find it. This book also warns loud warning signals that the search for equality is a too slow and ongoing ongoing journey. So many references in the notes I want to follow up on later. Photo taken at the Nation Civil Rihht Center in Memphis

Hmm. Well researched historical fiction in which a fictional narrator shares her life looking after the famous Dionne quintuplets. Whilst sad I really enjoyed the first 90 pc of this novel but found the end frustrating and a little confusing

Loved this one. Appreciate it‘s not the first retelling of the Grek myth with a feminist bent but I think it‘s the broadest and the one I have felt most emerged in. I really need to read the originals !

I have been really unwell over the last few weeks which has been really scary given how sick I was last year. I now feel like I have turned a corner and finally managed to walk to the post office to send my belated #staycationintimeswap on Monday. In solidarity I hadn‘t opened my parcel until the fab @kaysworld1 got hers! So many thanks for bearing with me Kay ! And thanks for my great box of goodies !

#ipredictariot this multi narrated se lot of interlinking novellas about the LA riots has stuck with me since I read it a few years ago. #ayupaugust @squirrelbrain @Cinfhen

Why did I do this to myself? For me this was an absolute pan. The characters had none of the lightness or charm of the original and the relationships between the girls was almost none existent. As a stand alone contemporary It was poor, having been a military wife the opportunity to explore that impact on family life was missed or made trite. Genuinely can‘t believe I finished it

Away with work and taking advantage of an air con hotel room for an early night with a glass of wine and this book from @jenniferw88 Jenny had a real chuckle when the postcard fell out ! Thanks for the book and the laugh!!

This was hard going. It‘s very well written and some of the turns of phrase and period details are great. However the positives stop there I found the protagonist difficult to engage with and the plotting gappy. Not for me really

@Mitch @ErinSueGreads @MicrobeMom @phatsallylee @blair @Blaire @wanderinglynn not got any better this week but really focused on getting good food into me and I feel better for it . Annoyingly not quite finished my book from last check in. I have not had time and it‘s not quite doing it for me!

@Mitch @ErinSueGreads @MicrobeMom @phatsallylee @blair @Blaire @wanderinglynn it‘s been an odd couple of weeks. Thanks for bearing with me and keeping me sane! This week I have done a great job with my food and reading goals but not nearly as active as I would like #bfc

Well that‘s the longest it‘s ever taken me to read a thin book! This tale of a pregnant lady finding her husband has cheated was written in a overly chatty, long sentence, stream of consciousness form that did little for me. There are some great, honest and heartwarming quotes but overall I did not care for the protagonist and it all felt a bit cutesy yet aged!

So #bfc has not quite worked for me this week - work took over and I have done over 70 hours. however I still managed home made food and active hours which I am pleased with. My plan tomorrow is to hang out in my newly created reading spot and treat myself to some much needed tlc! @Mitch @wanderinglynn

#bfc update @Mitch @wanderinglynn I managed everything this week and over exceeding on active hours and books! I may get this one finished tonight - so far it‘s making me feel a bit breathless, it needs shorter sentences

So objectively this was not a good book. In fact it was prett bad - as a thriller the attempts to create intrigue were transparent and as a police procedural it really needed police who followed some sort of procedure. And yet.... I stayed up late to finish it and really liked the characters. I‘d probably give another of the series a go if only to check in and see how they get on !

My #letstraveljuly #neworleans is not a book but a bookshop. This place is packed full of history as well as awesome books. I headed home with a handful of local authors after a lovely long chat with the team there. I would have posted if I were at home and could snap my shelves!) @OriginalCyn620 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks (despite 2 trips to New Orleans this appears to be the only non person photo I have on my phone!)

Well this is a great read so far - but sorry I am heading out today as I could happily keep on reading ! #bfg hit everything except my steps but am pleased to have thrashed the active in work one - maybe the fulls set be next week! @wanderinglynn @Mitch huge shout out to my little team the support and chat has been great 👍🏻

Enjoyed this piece of street art in the Italian town of Bra today - confess its so hot we have retreated back into our air con with books until early evening ! Putting down my current read to get ready might be tough - it‘s captivated me so far

Well then. So many thoughts! (Skipping right past the weird lack of punctuation) I think she nailed the almost desperation and pedestal placing we can do with our first loves. However ultimately I found this unsatisfying - relationships and characters cycle vs grow and the flat storytelling loses its interest after the first half. Moving, I felt for the characters but was not invested in their story

Take 2 at reviewing this fab little collection of lectures. Mary Beard is succinct yet knowledgable. Loved the first chapter which touched on some sociolinguistics as well as drawing on feminist thinking, classical history and modern politics. Thanks for sending this one @jenniferw88

@Mitch @ErinSueGreads @MicrobeMom @phatsallylee @blair @Blaire @wanderinglynn here goes #bfc round 2. My aim is to be more thoughtful this time and more consciously active - I work at a desk and can easily go five hours without moving ... not for the next 6 weeks!! Here we go!!

I went in knowing almost nothing and I am glad I did. I really enjoyed this split timeline mystery even if it bears a little creepier then my usual. Cleverly written and enjoyable thanks Helen for a fab birthday gift! @squirrelbrain

I held off opening my #summersantagoespostal from the lovely @jenniferw88 because I ddI another 15 hour day but also because I was rubbish and I know @kaysworld1 is not getting hers until today! Any way I have been spoiled written with lots of lovely treats and great looking books. Jenny I particularly love the coasters as I just bought new tables! Thanks to @BookishMarginalia for organising and sorry that life got on top of me this month!

@WanderingBookaneer @kaysworld1 I am so incredibly sorry I have not got your summer Santa in the post - I have had a terrible couple of weeeks and had half of it in work and half at home. I finally got it all to work today but then failed to get to the post office. This will absolutely go tomorrow but I am sorry you will miss opening day. I feel awful !

These are a total guilty pleasure but I do so enjoy. This one with visits to Tudor England (but not as we know it) as well as Kush and back to dinosaur times was more upbeat than number 9. A solid 3.5 for me (apologies for blurred photo train home is v bouncy!)

So I am standing on a train going somewhere I don‘t want to go in the vague hope that it will let me get to where I do which is home to see my dad for Father‘s Day! I hate trains I have terrible luck with them

It‘s taken me some time to finish this but really glad Indod. The author does a great job weaving his personal story and perspective into an impeccably researches historical and social review of race and class in the UK. I found the chapter putting the abolition of the slave trade into broader context particularly interesting although his thoughts on education were also excellent ⬇️ #bfc @wanderinglynn

So it transpires when a little birthday tipsy I hit eBay .. this is one of four arriving this week :-) #notsorry. I have a year to my fortieth. By my fiftieth I will read the entire Brent dyer output !

How lucky have I been? Thank you to the fab ladies of #jbuk I have been v spoiled. @TrishB @youneverarrived @squirrelbrain @Cathythoughts @Caroline2 @kaysworld1 I have a fair chunk of family staying for the weekend which is lovely

@RachelO thanks for the tag #wonderouswednesday @Eggs 1. No not really, as a small child a family friend called me princess of the frozen north which always confused me. Thankfully he stopped somewhere in my late teens! 2. Tagged 3. Not really. I try and stay spoiler free though 4. Not as important as content but I am drawn to some of the so beautiful ones now

That‘s all six down then. Ages since I have forged on a series. This felt weaker than earlier outings and the protagonist is harder to like than some of the others but altogether well written. (In #fbc news I have walked miles around the office today but forgot my Fitbit!) May manually add what my phone says !

So #fbc did go quite right again this week! I finished my 1 book, did my 70k steps albeit in a slightly odd way and managed pokes lunches but jo gym or swim. I still need to be a better planner on this one @wanderinglynn

So this week in #bfc @wanderinglynn I managed to hit my books, swimming and home lunch target but a day working at home but me under my steps at only 64k ! bUT came out stronger with a lovely walk through central London‘s last night after seeing the fabulous All My Sons at the Old Vic

I really enjoyed this one. It‘s creepy and twisty enough for anyone who loves mysteries but also kind of heart breaking. I enjoyed the police officer narrating this sorry and the moral ambiguity was great. Off to find number 5!

My consumption of the Dublin murder squad continues. Don‘t judge me for the wine it‘s been that sort of a Monday! (And for #BFC I did my swim this morning and took packed lunch to work so not a total wipeout!)

So I do not quite hit my goals although there were some special@circumstances! BUT I do think being in this challenge had me thinking more about walking and exercise wh in is partially the aim! @wanderinglynn

Okay so the premise of this novel is absolute nonsense AND YET i enjoyed it immeasurably! I Am going to binge this series I think! In other news thanks to an early night and bath I have hit my one book for the week target and thanks to a long walk to the office here in Madrid and back I have also hit my #bfc step for the day!