Can now cross ‘The Strand‘ off my Bookstore Bucket List. What a great place! (Visiting my daughter, who is working in NYC for the summer.) The tagged book is my purchase here - I‘m a big fan of DFW‘s writing.

Loved the writing and was fascinated by the main character‘s life in Moscow. One of my favorites of the March ToB short list so far. I don‘t even know which book won yet. After I get through the list, I‘ll go back and read the results. Better late than never! #ToB

Even if we don‘t love a book, I think we often feel better for reading it because it takes us to some knowledge and understanding of lives different from our own. #ToB

I had never REALLY looked at trees. I will now. #ToB

Excellent storytelling, although I did have a little trouble keeping track of the characters. I recommend the audiobook, read by the author. #ToB #audiobook

Think I‘ll read a bit of this one until I have to give up and get some 💤. Hope some of you are still reading away! #readathon #ToB

Had some interruptions, but now starting this one for #readathon. Looks like it‘s going to be good! #ToB

Good morning (or afternoon/evening, depending on your location) fellow Readathonners! I am starting off my Dewey‘s RAT with this book in honor of my best friend, who read with me for so many years. I miss her terribly. Wishing you all many happy reading hours! #readathon #nationalbookaward
ETA: I finished this and liked it a lot!

My stack for Dewey‘s Readathon tomorrow! (Hey, a girl has to have options for every mood.) 😁 I already started the two on the right, which I may or may not try to finish tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing everyone‘s stacks/updates! 📚📚📚🤓😍 #readathon @DeweysReadathon

This one will take me awhile - savoring it. #ToB

This is so skillfully written, I felt I was in the main character‘s head (especially since I‘m also a mother and married to an immigrant). I‘m not sure about the ending, but I did like the book. #ToB

My first on The Tournament of Books short list (I‘m attempting to read most of them). Although Hero‘s story should have been fascinating, something about the writing style didn‘t draw me in and I never really connected with her. #ToB

This woman is a wonderful writer, but she makes you face some hard truths. Don‘t expect to feel particularly jolly after finishing this.

I don‘t love to cook, but I love READING about cooking. Plus, this guy has had a very interesting life, from being an orphan in Ethiopia to becoming a top chef. It‘s now on my bucket list to go to his restaurant in New York.

Scottoline published this in 2009. If she only knew! 😂😢😩 #foreshadowing

I didn‘t quite get this one finished for #24in48, but I am loving it. I ended up with a lot of audiobook time. Final totals: 17 hr 50 min (8 hr 31 min audio, 9 hr 19 min reading), 717 pages. That‘s the best I‘ve ever done! Hope all participants had a great time!

Have had to mostly listen to audio today, but am settling in to read now. At 14 hr 13 min so far for #24in48. Congrats to those of you who reach the 24 hours! I probably won‘t ever make it (but that‘s ok).

Ugh - the time is going too fast! So far I‘m at 7hr 54min for #24in48. I‘m about to have an early dinner and settle in with Michelle for the evening (just starting this one). It‘s convenient that the hubs is out of town! 😁

At 3hr 55min so far for #24in48 (most of it on audio while watching muted basketball and Australian Open tennis). Hoping to rack up many hours today. 🤞

This isn‘t in my #24in48 stack because I thought I‘d finish it before today. Hopefully, I can get close to finishing it tonight before giving in to 💤 😴. Happy reading weekend, everyone! 🤓📚📚
P.S. The book is good, but I‘m having a hard time with how the Indians are portrayed. #1001books

I finally got my stack together for #24in48! I have a couple of these on audio and a few others on the Kindle. I tried to select mostly shortish books I already own that I can fit into my reading challenge (Goodreads Seasonal Reading Challenge). Last I checked, there were almost 2,000 participants signed up. That‘s awesome!
@24in48

Well, there went most of my Saturday. I couldn‘t put this down!

I didn‘t quite reach my goal of 100 books, but I‘m happy with my reading year. The tagged book is the last one I read in 2018. I liked it, but not as much as ‘North and South‘.

Just now getting around to posting my Christmas book haul. I may have bought and wrapped a few of these for myself. 🤫😉😁Hope everyone‘s bookish Christmas wishes came true!

Exceeded my expectations. For the first time, I feel like I really know something about what it was like to grow up under apartheid.

I love Bryson. His curiosity and humor are right up my alley. The “bathroom” chapter had a lot of “ewww” moments, but it had to be in the book! 😁

Since we were in Monterey, I thought it was time to buy and read this. It‘s not my favorite Steinbeck, but with his style and rich characters I can‘t imagine not liking anything he has written. (By-the-way, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is awesome.) #1001books

Another McEwan hit. I love his writing.

This gets a pick in a “shallow entertainment-don‘t expect too much” sort of way. Am I the only one who thought the movie was better than the book?

I LOVED this random library pick. “An unexpected window into human-animal friendships, music, and the nature of creative expression.” - NPR. This has also inspired me to get my gorgeous bird photographs (by New Zealand photographer Stewart Nimmo) framed and on the wall.

My favorite book of #readathon. Highly recommended . Final totals: 9 hr 35 min (6 hr 45 min reading, 2 hr 50 min audio), 515 pages. I‘m pretty happy with that, considering I was gone most of the afternoon. Hope everyone had a great Readathon! ❤️👍👏📚📚

Finished two short-ish books for #readathon and am now 50 pages into this one. It‘s excellent so far. I suspect I‘ll have to get some sleep soon. I‘m going to an opera tomorrow afternoon and don‘t want to snooze through it! I‘m hoping to be back for the last hour of the RAT. Hope everyone has had a good time! I‘ll check on your posts and do a wrap-up tomorrow.

I‘m back from my outside commitment (a candidate forum), and can focus on #readathon now! Starting this book of short stories. I loved Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter.

Exercised a bit while listening to this. It was my mom‘s favorite book and I‘ve been meaning to read it for a long time. I have to go help with a candidate event in an hour, so I‘ll listen to audio in the car to and from. Can‘t believe it‘s already the 5th hour of #readathon!

I‘ve been on a nonfiction kick lately, so I‘ll start off Dewey‘s #readathon with this little gem.

Here‘s my stack for the #readathon and beyond. It‘s a tradition - I MUST have ten books! 🤓 This eclectic bunch should cover all my moods (including my severely impaired ability to focus at around 1:00 a.m. - that‘s when my friend, Nancy, steps in). Tomorrow is “tidy up, plan food” day. Excited to begin at 6:00 a.m. Saturday. Hope many Litsy friends are participating!
@DeweysReadathon

Ok, a few implausible plot lines, but the great characters make up for it.

My first historical fiction set in Colombia. Excellent.

Thomas Hardy ❤️👏 #1001books

It took me a while to get into this, but I‘m glad I stuck with it. In return, it is going to stick with ME. As is the case with many #tournamentofbooks selections, it‘s unique. BTW, I looked up many of the old (1920‘s) blues recordings mentioned and they really do exist. #tob

But...but...5 cents each! 😁😩 #librarysale

I actually liked this one better than ‘Rebecca‘. Suspense builds, but you‘re not hit over the head with foreshadowing.

Laughing and crying at the same time. 😁😗😩😢

I feel like Alexander Chee pours his guts into his writing. I wish I could be his friend.

Just 30 pages into this one, but I am enjoying it. Final #24in48 stats: 15 hours 24 minutes. Hope everyone had fun. I sure did! What‘s better than having an excuse to read for a whole weekend?! 😀

Well, that was intense. I have to give it a ‘pick‘ because I was deeply engrossed. Not sure I‘ll jump right into another Ng, however (this was my first). Time to come up for air and make my first #24in48 post of the day. I‘m at 11 hours 45 minutes. Back to it! 👍📚📚❤️

And now a little audio before I turn in. I was happy to see this book released, as I like Harris‘s Aurora Teagarden and Lily Bard series more than Sookie Stackhouse. At 5 hr 30 min for #24in48. Hope to do better tomorrow. Goodnight, all. 😴🌙💤

I‘m enjoying this so far (50 pages in). Sitting at 4 hours for #24in48. This sweet old girl is 14 1/2 and the best reading companion ever! #dogsoflitsy

Thought I would finish this before #24in48, but instead it will be my first book completed of the readathon. George‘s novels are dark, but so cleverly written that I‘ll keep reading the Lynley series. Hope everyone is off to a great reading weekend!