This is the only vinyl record in my house. Alas I do not own a record player, but my daughter does! We both love Rod Stewart. This is a gift for her.
There is a Spotify playlist that lists every single song mentioned in the book.
As per ‘The forensic records society‘ rules there shall be no comments or judgements passed on the book. 🤣🤣🤣

This is the house, Casa Cuseni, I stayed in last year when I visited Taormina, Italy. It has a very interesting history. I stayed in the room that Greta Garbo frequented. This house was the perfect place to stay, with its antiques, art and gorgeous gardens. The view of Mt Etna from our terrace was amazing! The house also has a dining room that contains a mural painted on the walls of its original owner Robert Kitson, his lover and their adopted ⬇️

I thought this was excellent! I could feel myself waiting, tense for the real story to show itself, and it didn‘t disappoint me. I loved what it had to say about marriage and relationships. How one person doesn‘t feel seen or heard. I loved the ending. I saw the movie the day after I finished the book and I loved that too. The ending was different but for once it didn‘t annoy me as I could appreciate how this new ending added a whole new spin ⬇️

This was BRUTAL! But I loved it! It will definitely not be for everyone! The depravity is endless. All animals must be eliminated due to a toxic virus that has swept the globe. As a result humans are manufactured for food, called special meat. The ending blew my head off!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was bloody fascinating! An art thief who stole from various museums in Europe not to make money but to surround himself with beauty. 2 BILLION dollars of beauty! Displayed in one room! Over 200 heists across 10 yrs. Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction.

This was really interesting! What a fierce woman. Sinead was brutally honest about her life, including her flaws. I listened to it and it was fantastic to hear Sinead read her story. So sad how it all ended up for her. Another beautiful voice gone too soon!

Ok this wasn‘t as powerful or as profound this time around as it was when I read it in high school. Yes at the time this was written it was phenomenal but now it just felt a bit heavy handed. Scary stuff though!

@BarbaraBB is having a giveaway to celebrate 6 glorious years on Litsy! Wooooo hooooo! An amazing litten and an amazing space!
#BBgiveaway
My most anticipated book for 2024 is Fourteen days: An unauthorised gathering by Margaret Atwood and other authors.
I tag @CarolynM and @MrsMalaprop to join in the fun! ♥️

💙🩵#titlesandtunes 🩵💙
This book was an obvious choice for #blues. I can‘t remember who gifted it to me. Was it you @Reggie ?
The song was harder, I had lots so I‘m going to list them all.
Blue hotel Chris Isaak
Midnight blue Lou Gramm
Blue Monday New Order
Clearest blue CHVRCHES
Blue world Mac Miller
Cry in shame Johnny Diesel and the injectors
Thanks @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen
💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵

This was my book clubs latest pick. I listened to it. It was ok, a bit boring. I found her use of symbolism annoying and confusing.

This is my first time reading this. How has it taken me so long? I watched the movie The freedom writers and decided to start it straight away! Wow! This was just so much more than I thought it would be. I loved how progressive Anne is, and a feminist too! I knew that Anne died but it was still a devastating blow when it came. “Will I ever be able to write anything great, will I ever become a journalist or a writer?” Yes you do Anne! ♥️👏🏻

I forgot about this book. I listened to it for my school bookclub. Not something I would ever pick up but it was better than I thought. Kept me interested and guessing.

I‘m really not sure what I think of this book. Not one of the characters are likeable but it‘s refreshing to read about such fucked up women. The sex scenes grossed me out. The animals being described like humans were the real stars of this book. This book was sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes gross and sometimes appalling! Yep, I enjoyed it…….I think! 🤣

I‘m thinking this book fits the #titlesandtunes #dramaqueen theme? I chose this book for my bookclub based on @batsy review and all the comments. The animals in the story have me intrigued.
I love Blondie and this song ‘Rip her to shreads‘ was an easy pick.
@Cinfhen @BarbaraBB

George Orwell the man, is a shit!
Eileen O‘Shaughnessy his wife has been erased from his history, as is so often the case.
I‘m filled with rage and sadness for her.
What a tremendous book. Anna Funder is a phenomenal writer! I also loved Stasiland and will search out everything else she has written.

Oh dear, no wonder I have no money! 🤦🏼‍♀️🤣🤷‍♀️😬

This book was so distressing! It‘s so well written and researched. Hooper handles everyone involved such as the victims, firefighters, police and the arsonist himself, with such respect. The devastation to the environment and the animals is heart breaking! It‘s a sad story all round for every single person. I think I will be thinking of this for quiet awhile.

Negatives first. Wtf is with this author over using the term ‘She spread her hands‘, ‘he spread his hands‘. It was so annoying, it appeared at least a dozen times throughout the book! Also I don‘t think it needed the side plot of the mystery.
Ok positives now. I love a good end of the world novel, and this was great. I just find these types of stories so compelling!

This book brought out my insecurities of getting old and being lonely. A charming but sad story.

💛💛💛💛Two very unlikeable main characters but I liked the book. A book about cultural appropriation cleverly written by an Asian author writing about a white woman. I learnt lots about publishing and what goes on behind the scenes, most of it questionable and not good. This book highlights how addictive and toxic social media can be and the devastating effect it can have on one‘s mental health. I was dissatisfied with the climax of the story, ⬇️

I‘m off to Egypt in September 2024 so I‘m doing some research! I‘m being a bit cheeky and I‘ve actually picked 2 songs. Walk like an Egyptian by the Bangles and All over the world by ELO.
I love #titlesandtunes, it‘s so much fun! ♥️
Thanks @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen
#TheWorldIsMyOyster 🦪

A brutally honest and raw reflection of Elliot‘s life so far. I am happy he has finally found peace but I‘m always saddened by how long these things take. The wasted time because of the push back from society, the disapproval and hate. Just be kind people, it shouldn‘t be this hard. ♥️🌈

How devastating that in so many ways women are still fighting the same battles as in the 1960‘s. Most of this book just wasn‘t believable but I still enjoyed it, good holiday read.

I really enjoyed this biography, the oral history of Princes life told through interviews. It certainly covers all the topics! #SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll
I chose the Prince song Chelsea Rogers as it‘s such a fantastic dance song and not well known. I think it will make a great addition to this months playlist.
#titlesandtunes
💜💜💜💜

#Ozfiction 🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎
I devoured this book and the story of Ned growing up in Tasmania on an apple orchard. The descriptions of the land, water and animals were divine. This passage really spoke to me as I too sometimes feel like this.
Ned was thirty. When would the natural competence of other men come to him? He knew he had worth. Knew he had qualities that were of value…..But he longed to be more surefooted, for his adult self ⬇️

#Ozfiction
I found this dull and slow, it just didn‘t make me feel anything.

“Everything,” his father said, “comes down to time in the end-to the passing of time, to changing. Ever though of that? Anything that makes you happy or sad, isn‘t it all based on minutes going by? Isn‘t happiness expecting something time is going to bring you? Isn‘t sadness wishing time back again? Even big things- even mourning a death: aren‘t you really just wishing to have the time back when that person was alive?”
⬇️

🧡💛THIS BOOK! It‘s stolen my heart and smashed it into a thousand pieces and then put them all back together again! It‘s devastating, and quirky and funny and bloody beautiful! I want to rush out and buy a copy for everyone I know! One of the best novels I‘ve read dealing with grief, so raw. It made me cry but also I was laughing out loud. Everyone needs an ‘Egg‘ in their lives sometimes. All the eggs! 🥚🥚🥚🥚🥚

I wish there had been books like these when I was a younger person. They are so important and this one has been incredibly important to me. I‘m 52 and still learning things about myself and that‘s a good thing. I‘m just so glad that this generation has all this information at their fingertips. Brilliant book!
💜💜💜💜💜

This was my second display in my new role as Library officer at our school. ❤️💛🖤
Keep up the momentum for change. Be a voice for generations. The theme encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives -where we live, work and socialise. For the work of generations past and the benefit of generations future, act today for a more just equitable and reconciled country for all. ⬇️

I‘m late! #Titlesandtunes #guiltypleasure
My guilty pleasure is re-reading again, my favourite book from childhood. This book to me is like a hug, a snuggly blanket, a ray of sunshine, a rainbow in the rain! The song is ‘Chocolate‘ by Big boi. Something I eat way too much of. I think the song has a double meaning but I‘ll ignore it. It‘s very catchy too! @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen

Yeah nah! Couldn‘t figure out wtf was real and hallucinations. Not invested enough to continue. Just didn‘t like it. NEXT!

I‘m not sure what this photo has to do with the book? It‘s very bright and colourful not like the picture painted in this book of life behind the wall in East Germany where everything and everyone was grey. The story‘s are fascinating, horrific, baffling and devastating. Imagine living where 1 in every 6.5 people are either a Stasi agent or informer! Where everything you did or said was documented and manipulated to control you or others. ⬇️

This book has a lot of writing about the surrounding nature, most of which is beautiful but I did find myself glossing over some of it near the end. A powerful story about humans and animals and how brutal those worlds can be. Who will outsmart the other? The fox (Wulfgar) or the trapper (Scoble)?

#buybuybookdepository
I was a bit naughty but I ordered books that are hard to get. How EXCITING, new, new wonderful books! 📚 ♥️

My first ever display in my new role as school library officer for IDAHOBIT day! ♥️🧡💛💚💙💜

This is a well written historical mystery of a serial killer set in NYC in 1896. I loved the details pertaining to criminology, psychology, profiling and forensics.

This book stole my heart! It‘s one of those stories that nourishes your soul. It‘s like a big fluffy warm blanket on a cold night. I fell in love with the characters and will miss them now that they are gone. Oh Linus you are a gorgeous man! ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Uh-oh! I stuffed up! 🤣 I thought you had to read your #titlesandtunes book by the 1st of May! This book was outstanding! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved that it was a different take on the Second World War from England, Jamaica, India and America. Levy writes beautifully highlighting the best and worst of humanity.
My song choice is Dreadlock holiday by 10cc.
#Islandvibes

School bookclub pick.
Ok this book was exhausting and it didn‘t let up. Exactly how I imagine living with bipolar disorder and Autism would be. The constant inner dialogue that both of these characters deal with every minute of the day is portrayed perfectly and makes this story so powerful, but not an easy read.

“If you happen to pass by 84 Charing Cross Road, kiss it for me? I owe it so much.”
This book was charming and bought back fond memories of writing physical letters to people. The difference between the British (stuffy and formal) and the American (playful and brash) was entertaining. Thanks again @CarolynM for gifting me this book.
I also enjoyed the second book The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street.

Top bloke, I thoroughly enjoyed this!

I read this on my kindle.
Poor Demon didn‘t stand a chance. From his very first breath life was devastatingly tough. Poverty, addiction, abuse, neglect. What breaks my heart is so many children in the world are living this reality. I‘ve noticed that a lot of readers have commented about the novel dragging on. Just like poor Demons life, everyday the same sad hamster wheel. Going around and around and around.

Today Serena @MrsMalaprop and I met up with Melbourne Litten Sharni @thegirlwiththelibrarybag
We strolled around perth, had an icecream and of course went to a local independent book shop. It‘s so nice to finally meet people you talk with in this space. ♥️

Apologies @LeeRHarry I received this gift a few days ago but have not had time to get onto Litsy to thank you! So thank you, thank you, thank you! ♥️ I especially loved reading your letter, it brought me great joy! 🤩

I listened to this, Billy reading Billy. He is a funny guy, no argument there but I would have liked a bit more depth.
Book club book.

I listened to this for our school bookclub. What an awesome woman! Fiona wood paved the way in Perth Australia for women to have children (she had 6!) and keep working and be at the top of their field. She has helped so many burns victims. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

@CarolynM thanks so much for my birthday gift! And it arrived on my birthday! You are so kind and generous. I‘m so excited to read this book so I‘ll start it next. 😘

I started reading this book at my sons cricket game and finished reading it at the hospice where my beautiful Dad passed away last week. It was the perfect book as my dad had a great love of music and he passed that onto me. One of my first memories is of sitting on his lap listening and singing along to the bands of the 70‘s. I am going to miss him ♥️ Thank you @MrsMalaprop for gifting me this signed copy. I will treasure it for 2 reasons now.

What have I just read?!?!?!? This book is fucking nuts! The first story is gross and engrossing and so bloody bizarre but I loved it! What does that say about me? 🤣