“Make death proud to take us.” This book destroyed me, right where I am. The first half is set in 1986. A group of boys travel from a small town in Scotland to a music festival in Manchester. James and Tully bond over music, movies, and books. They agree to live a different life than their fathers. The second half is set in 2017. Those boys are now in their 50s. And it hits hard.

Hubby just pulled this book off a shelf and said, “You should read this one. You‘ll like it.” He didn‘t even read the back. “What holds more secrets in the library- the ancient books shelved in the stacks, or the people who preserve them?” The writing wasn‘t the best, but the story was good. The editor was lazy. Overall it made for a good Sunday read. So I guess hubby was right. Don‘t tell him I said that.

I loved this book. Wallace thinks he might be dead, when a reaper shows up. At his funeral. She takes him to Charon‘s Crossing. A lovely lopsided tea house, owned by Hugo, a ferryman, who promises to help Wallace cross over. Wallace learns how to live, only after he dies. At it‘s heart, this is a love story. All the kinds of love.

I guess I‘m reading a big book next. I had to dig a fat hardcover from the TBR piles. My new bookmark needed an appropriate home. Isn‘t it lovely?!?

The true story of Katherine Swynford, the long time mistress and eventual wife of John of Gaunt, The Duke of Lancaster. And how they become ancestors of much of the British royal family. A decades long love story that survives war, plagues, murder, loneliness, and arranged marriages. It‘s a well researched and beautifully written piece of historical fiction. It‘s soo good.

My birthday #bookhaul. I can‘t wait to have some time to dive into these. My family buys me the best books.

We are having a lazy snow day and this was a perfect read for a lazy day. Grimm fairytales are always better than Disney tales. I think I need to read the rest of these now.
#FabulousFebruary Book 3. @Andrew65

I love David Sedaris! His observations on life and the people living it, never fail to amuse me. I liked this diary better than the first one. But he never fails to make me laugh or just see the world through other eyes for a bit.
#FabulousFebruary Book 2 @Andrew65

I love a good history book. This was both informative and funny. It would make a great BBC documentary.
#FabulousFebruary One book down. @Andrew65

Reading the tagged book. And loving it. It‘s both fascinating and funny.
@Andrew65

Hubby went out, all on his own, and bought me an early Valentine, without any guidance at all. I think he did well.

I‘m almost 100 pages in and I‘m so bored. I find myself wondering if it‘s worth it. It sounds like the kind of book I would love. I want to like it. But I just can‘t get into it. Maybe I‘ll take a break and come back to it later.

Canada Reads, book 4. This one broke me. It‘s very intense. So much beauty, poverty, abuse, diversity, racism, friendship, and despair. Having lived in a few, I think it could have been set in any city in the country. I don‘t know how she fit so much into so few words. I think they are trying to turn on the country‘s empathy with the choices this year. It‘s going to be a great debate. But I‘m going to need something uplifting soon.

I love this cover. Canada reads book 3. So much generational trauma. But somehow Thomas- Muller, is turning it all around. From residential schools, poverty, drugs, abuse and gang life, to bettering the next generation and healing the planet. A lot of people don‘t like his writing style, but it made his story feel more real to me. It‘s very Canadian and very relevant to life in our country right now. 4 ⭐️s

Canada Reads book number two for me. The story of a little Syrian boy who washes up on a beach in Europe. I bet you can picture him now. It‘s a good read. And beautifully written. I give it four ⭐️s. I don‘t think it will win. It isn‘t set in Canada. It‘s not irrelevant, but I think it will be hard to defend. It will be a repeat of what happened with American War. It already won The Giller, so it‘s all good. We will see what the rest bring….

My daughter gave me These Violent Delights at Christmas, and I was really upset that it was “to be continued”. I‘m glad I didn‘t have to wait too long for this one. It‘s a retelling of Romeo and Juliet. I keep hoping they won‘t die in the end, but I have this feeling….
@Andrew65

These were my top 10 favorite reads of 2021.
I can‘t wait to see what 2022 brings.
Happy New Year Littens!

It was a bit of a slow year for me. It was a weird year. But I did read a lot of really great books. Not disappointed.

I am reading, but I‘m really awful at posting these days. I had my booster last night, so most of my day is going to be spent with a heating pad and I this book my daughter bought me for Christmas. And I‘m really going to try to post more.
#NewYearSpecial #20in4 @Andrew65

Stanley Tucci is making me hungry.
And thirsty.
And miss my family.
And I love him even more.

Perfect book for a snuggly day. Boxing Day is my favourite. Just warm blankets, lots of tea, and all the books I haven‘t had time to read.

Witches? Chemists? Serial killers? Two hundred years ago, Nella sells potions only to women who want to rid themselves of oppressive men. There is also a lovely, adventurous 12 year old and a present day historian of sorts. Their fates all become intertwined. This has the all the great dark and magical things. I loved it.

This was a cute and fun quick read. I love anything she writes.
#DashingDecember @Andrew65 Three book goal met. :)

This was a fun book to escape with during crazy December days.
Book2 for #Dashing December @Andrew65 I‘m not sure if I will finish a third one but I‘m going to try.

I wasn‘t sure about this one. I‘m kinda really over this pandemic. But I ended up loving it. It also pulled me out of the slump. Reading slump. Winter slump. All the slumps.
One book down for #DashingDecember @Andrew65

Tea is made. It‘s a whole pot kinda day. Hubby is working, so hopefully that means a lot of reading time for me today.
#DashingDecember @Andrew65

I really did start this yesterday, but I forgot to post. I have been a bad Litten this month. December is always so crazy. And a little moody. As long I find time to read, right? I‘m halfway through the tagged book. I‘m going to try to finish three this week..
#DashingDecember @Andrew65

1. Anne of Green Gables. I still love it.
2. A dark and rainy day.
3. My phone. I love being able to send a quick text, just to check in with someone.

Thanks for the tag @Eggs
#WondrousWednesday

Audio-walk with David Sedaris. I love him. Most of our #leaves are on the ground now. And some are under snow and ice. Nobody told these geese that it‘s time to leave.
#GratefulHarvest @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

This book came to mind as soon as I saw #apples
I loved it so much.
#GratefulHarvest @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

This has become the year of the chunksters for me. I‘m starting these two today. They were calling to me. I‘m still working on War and Peace. That one might take another year. lol

This weeks total for scarathlon: 2284
Monthly total: 6731
#20in4 total: 22:24
Readathon totals for the whole month: 80:15
@StayCurious Thank you for being a wonderful hostess. Especially with a brand new baby. It was a ver fun October.
#spookoween @TheSpineView #wickedathon @Andrew65 #TeamHendrix

This was so good. Kind of Stephen King-ish. It probably could have used more editing, but I couldn‘t put it down.

I can‘t seem to get warm today. I‘m going to finish this book though. And before I have to help the kid study for a physics test. Eww… physics. Thanks to this book, I‘m also going to surpass 20hrs.
#scarathlon #TeamHendrix @StayCurious
#20in4 @Andrew65 #spookoween @TheSpineView #wickedathon

Classic King. I usually hate short stories, but I absolutely loved this one.
#scarathlon #TeamHendrix @StayCurious
#20in4 @Andrew65

I started a new book when I went to bed last night. Because when isn‘t that a good idea? Now I‘m tired. But I‘m having trouble putting it down.
#scarathlon #TramHendrix @StayCurious
#20in4 @Andrew65 #spookoween @TheSpineView #wickedathon

We have some winter yuck blowing in tomorrow, so it feels like a great weekend for a readathon. And it‘s a great way to squeeze in some extra points for #scarathlon
#20in4 @Andrew65 @StayCurious

I should be loving this book. It has all the things I love. But I‘m halfway through and I‘m so bored. I can‘t seem to connect with it. It might be a bail. I‘m going to take a break from it and see.
#scarathlon #TeamHendrix @StayCurious

#Scarathlon weekly points 1043. I did better than I thought. Weekly readathons 16 hours on the clock. Finished 2.5 books for #OutstaningOctober so almost hit that goal.
@StayCurious @Andrew65 #spookoween @TheSpineView #wickedathon

Hubby is working this afternoon, so I‘m having some me time.
#scarathlon #TeamHendrix @StayCurious
#OutstandingOctober @Andrew65 #Spookoween @TheSpineView #wickedathon

Morning plans.
#scarathlon #TeamHendrix @StayCurious
#spookoween @TheSpineView #OutstandingOctober @Andrew65 #wickedathon

This week has been crazy. I‘m hoping to get some reading in this weekend. I only have four hours on the clock for the whole week. But first a relaxing movie night with the hubby.
#scarathlon #TeamHendrix @StayCurious

🦇 I keep trying, but I‘m not very good at it.
🦇 I haven‘t had as much time as I would like. Life keeps happening.
🦇 That one friend, who always hears me and knows just what I need.

Please play.

Thanks for the tag @EadieB
#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

Just as good as the first one. I keep trying not to read them too fast, because I don‘t like waiting for the next volume. But there‘s a cliffhanger….
#scarathlon #TeamHendrix @StayCurious
#OutstandingOctober book #1 I‘m slow this time around. @Andrew65

1. I love books with witches. All of them. But wizards are ok.
2. It‘s hard to choose, but probably The All Souls trilogy. All four of them. lol

If you‘d like to play, consider yourself tagged.
Thanks for the tag @EadieB
#TwoForTuesday @TheSpineView

This week was so busy I didn‘t get as much reading in as I was hoping. But every point counts. Final score for the week: 612 pts
#scarathlon #TeamHendrix @StayCurious

I normally don‘t read short stories. I always find them too… short. But I have been watching Chapelwaite and I have never read Jerusalem‘s Lot. So fixing that with today‘s #bookmail
#Scarathlon #TeamHendrix @StayCurious

It was a bad reading week for me. Next week isn‘t looking much better. But I‘m hoping this will keep me motivated. And help with my points. I usually aim for three books. We shall see. But first I have to help the kid with chemistry and math. Ugh.
#OutlandishOctober @Andrew65
#scarathlon #TeamHendrix @StayCurious