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Ruthiella

Ruthiella

Joined February 2018

review
Ruthiella
Wine of Honour | Barbara Beauchamp
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Pickpick

A frank look at life right after WWII in an English village as returning forces and civilian population adjust to life after wartime. Some manage the transition better than others.

It reminded me a little of South Riding by Winifred Holtby (though much shorter) in its intimate look at a large cast of characters ranging across class in a specific location, in this case the village of Kirton.

#FurrowedMiddlebrowClub

batsy Love the collage! I loved South Riding a lot and I've been meaning to revisit it. 1w
quietjenn This collage is great! And yes, @batsy I've been meaning to revisit South Riding as well, so let me know if you decide to do so. 1w
Tamra I spy our FurrowedMiddlebrowClub meeting spot! πŸ˜‰ (edited) 1w
See All 19 Comments
batsy @quietjenn I will! All of my best laid bookish plans fall to the wayside because of distraction, though, so please prompt me if you're ready at some point 😁 1w
quietjenn @batsy I understand completely πŸ˜… And I will. 1w
jlhammar The Cock & Pheasant!! Fantastic collage and lovely review. This book also reminded me of the tv series Home Fires. 1w
Ruthiella @batsy @quietjenn @Tamra @jlhammar I just knew there had to be a real pub with that name. And I was right! πŸ˜‚ 1w
LeahBergen Love the collage! Who‘s eloping out of the Cock and Pheasant? πŸ˜†πŸ˜† 1w
Ruthiella @LeahBergen 🀣 Maybe Daphne and Mr. Price? πŸ˜‚ 1w
LeahBergen 🀣 That Daphne was a bit of a horndog, wasn‘t she? πŸ˜† 1w
CarolynM Nice review. The variety of experiences was what made it so interesting for me. @batsy @quietjenn I‘ve not read South Riding but I‘d love to join in if you decide to buddy read. 1w
Ruthiella @CarolynM I think you will like 1w
batsy @CarolynM @quietjenn Will remember to tag you when it happens πŸ™‚ 1w
quietjenn @batsy @CarolynM yes, definitely! 1w
Cathythoughts Great review! I love your collage πŸ‘πŸ»β€οΈ 1w
Ruthiella @Cathythoughts Thanks 😊 7d
PageShifter Sounds awesome πŸ’ž 4d
Jess_Read_This Great review and love the collage. I‘m looking forward to diving into this one on Saturday! 23h
Ruthiella @Jess_Read_This Thanks! It was a quick read l found, once I got into it. 20h
75 likes2 stack adds19 comments
blurb
Ruthiella
Untitled | Unknown
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#WondrousWednesday

Thanks for the tag @Klou ! 😊

βœ… Favorite Season: Spring
βœ… Favorite Reading Snack: Anything provided the book is conducive to snacking (ie not gross)
βœ… Favorite Color: Red
βœ… Favorite Flower: Hydrangea
βœ… Favorite Book Setting: An English Village where a murder took place
βœ… Favorite Beverage: Coffee
βœ… Favorite Game: Trivial Pursuit
βœ… Current Read: Wine of Honor for #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub

PageShifter I love your favorite book setting 🀣🀣 That was a specific one πŸ€­πŸ‘ 2w
Klou You're welcome! 2w
Eggs Great responses! 2w
Ruthiella A murder in an English village is like bookish catnip to me! πŸ˜‚ 2w
49 likes4 comments
blurb
Ruthiella
Bizarro | Dan Piraro
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A little #Litsyhumor from today‘s Bizzaro comic. 🀣

sisilia Hahaha 🀣 I got these hairpins for xmas, and I love them to bits https://philosophersguild.com/collections/hair-pins/products/edgar-allan-poe-hai... 2w
Ruthiella @sisilia Those are awesome! There‘s no end to cool book adjacent stuff! 2w
Cathythoughts πŸ˜‚ 2w
70 likes3 comments
blurb
Ruthiella
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I think this is from you @Avanders !?!? For your 100k give away? Thank you so much! 😊 This was such a happy surprise on my porch this afternoon! πŸ˜ƒ I‘m looking forward to starting this series. I‘ve heard awesome things.

TheKidUpstairs Such an awesome series! 3w
Ruthiella @TheKidUpstairs I‘m really excited to read it! πŸ˜ƒ 3w
5feet.of.fury Oooh I love this book! 3w
See All 9 Comments
Avanders Yay!! I‘m glad it arrives but .. sad my note wasn‘t included! Yes, that‘s right! Thanks again for celebrating with me!!β™₯️πŸ₯°πŸ₯°β™₯️ (And sorry for my delay 🫒) 3w
Ruthiella @5feet.of.fury Glad to hear it! I hope I will too! 3w
Ruthiella @Avanders I‘ll check the bag again for a note. Maybe I missed it. πŸ™Š No worries about the delay. I have PLENTY of books to read! πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ 3w
Avanders @Ruthiella eh sometimes they forget to put it in 😜 It basically just said the same thing as my comment. 😁😘 3w
emz711 It's so good! 3w
Ruthiella @emz711 Another ringing endorsement! πŸ˜ƒ 3w
72 likes9 comments
blurb
Ruthiella
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This is roughly my order of preference for the #ToB2023 shortlist. Tomorrow it could change… The McCarthy utterly surprised me as did Manhunter. Maali Almeida annoyed me actively while reading but has grown in my memory. Most disappointing was the Mara because I loved the Tsar of Love and Techno so much.

squirrelbrain Love this! You have some polar opposites to me, but that‘s what makes for good discussions doesn‘t it?! 3w
Ruthiella @squirrelbrain Totally! I like being able to see what appeals to other readers about books I didn‘t care for and vice versa. It‘d be boring if we all liked the same thing. 3w
BarbaraBB Love your choices! We‘re almost starting the ToB! 3w
See All 9 Comments
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB Ooh! That reminds me! I still need to vote on your Google doc. πŸ™Š 3w
jlhammar So fun to see your wrap-up! 3w
Ruthiella @jlhammar It‘s always neat to see them all together! 3w
Cathythoughts Nice to see all these. Screenshot taken πŸ‘πŸ» 3w
Hooked_on_books I‘m loving this order! We completely agree on some and totally disagree on others. I love it! (I also feel like everyone liked Babel but me, so I‘m glad to see it really far down your list. πŸ˜†) 2w
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books I love the disparity too! πŸ˜ƒ Babel was entertaining but way too didactic for me. I much prefer the messy lines in Manhunt, for example. (edited) 2w
54 likes9 comments
review
Ruthiella
My Volcano | John Elizabeth Stintzi
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Pickpick

🀯What did I just read? This is (I think) simultaneously four alternate version of what happens after a volcano bizarrely appears in Central Park NYC. I know I didn‘t keep it all straight. But I enjoyed the journey. The back of the book says β€œpart parable, myth, science fiction, and eco-horror”. Yes, yes, yes. And more.

And with that I am an official #ToB2023 completist! πŸ₯³

merelybookish Well done! πŸ‘ 3w
Ruthiella @merelybookish Thanks 😊 3w
squirrelbrain Great review - I feel pretty much the same about this one. Well done on completing! πŸŽ‰ 3w
See All 26 Comments
jlhammar Right? It is crazy, but kind of cool. And wow to your completist status! I‘m excited for the tournament to begin. 3w
Ruthiella @squirrelbrain Thanks! I can‘t wait to see if I can find a review on Goodreads that explains it all to me! πŸ˜‚ 3w
Suet624 Congrats! That's a big accomplishment considering the selection of books this year. 3w
Hooked_on_books I loved this utterly bananas book. Congrats on completing! πŸ₯³ 3w
Ruthiella @jlhammar Yes, insane but also fun. I‘m excited now too to hear what the judges will make of the shortlisted novels! 3w
Ruthiella @Suet624 πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ Yes, this year was a bit of an uphill climb. 3w
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books It was completely bananas! 🍌 But so creative. The β€œotherwise” has to be their own creation, right? 3w
Chelsea.Poole Great job!! 3w
Ruthiella @Chelsea.Poole Thanks! 😊 3w
sarahbarnes Nice work! Glad to see you liked this one too. 3w
Ruthiella @sarahbarnes It was confusing yet entertaining! 3w
BarbaraBB Congratulations! So impressive! And you finished on a high πŸ’• 3w
kwmg40 I felt the same way about this book. Congratulations on finishing the list! 3w
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB Yes! It was a nice finish to the 18 books. πŸ˜ƒ (edited) 3w
Ruthiella @kwmg40 Thanks! Looking forward to see how it does in the play-in round! πŸ€” 3w
BkClubCare πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘ 3w
batsy Wow, that's really cool. Well done! πŸ™ŒπŸΎ And this one does sound especially unique. I think it was you and I (maybe? πŸ˜†) who were hoping for something Jeff VanderMeerish from thisβ€”is that what you thought of it? 3w
batsy *me and you, you and I, something like that πŸ˜‚ 3w
MicheleinPhilly Well done! πŸ™ŒπŸΌ 3w
Ruthiella @batsy It does sort of wander into VanderMeer territory, but is also very much it‘s own thing. I actually had NO expectations about this one because every one said it was banana pants. πŸ˜‚ 3w
Ruthiella @batsy PS It was The Echo Wife from last summer where I was disappointed that there was more romance and less weird…maybe that‘s what you were thinking of. πŸ€” 3w
Ruthiella @MicheleinPhilly Thanks. 😊 3w
69 likes1 stack add26 comments
review
Ruthiella
Nightcrawling: A novel | Leila Mottley
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Mehso-so

From what I gleaned prior to reading this debut about a Black teen in Oakland who resorts to sex work in order to survive, I had a hunch it wouldn‘t be for me & I was right!The writing was too belabored for my tastes & comprehension;the plotting too thick with trauma after trauma. No doubt the author has a stellar career ahead of her, but I doubt I‘d even love a more mature effort…but never say never! I‘ve been surprised before. πŸ˜ƒ
#ToB2023

BarbaraBB I thought it wouldn‘t be for me either and was surprised how much I loved it! 3w
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB I love it when books surprise us like that! That‘s one of the joys of reading a shortlist. 3w
Cinfhen Great mug!! I thought this book was just ok and everyone went Gaga because of her age - which is definitely impressive but for me the book was not quite there. πŸ€·πŸΌβ€β™€οΈ 3w
See All 15 Comments
Ruthiella @Cinfhen Agree that it‘s the novelty of her age that got the book noticed. She‘s also a poet , which accounts for some of the florid writing I don‘t enjoy. 3w
BarbaraBB I love that too! 3w
Suet624 This was a very low pick for me. 3w
BkClubCare Love that mug β˜•οΈ 3w
kwmg40 I did like the book myself, but I like your rooster mug even more! 3w
jlhammar It's nice to be surprised now and again, but also good to have confirmation that you know yourself so well as a reader! I appreciated the story she was telling, but the writing wasn't really to my taste either. 3w
Ruthiella @Suet624 So many this year are low picks for me. I think some of that might come from understanding myself a bit better as a reader in my old age. πŸ€” 3w
Ruthiella @BkClubCare I do love my small collection of TOB mugs! πŸ˜ƒ 3w
Ruthiella @kwmg40 I have WAY too many coffee mugs but I love β€˜em all! πŸ˜‚ 3w
Ruthiella @jlhammar I do love to have my expectations positively upended, like with the McCarthy book. 3w
Readerann I have to admit I‘ve become a little wary of Oprah‘s Book Club picks. I liked what you said about understanding yourself as a reader. I have learned to accept it‘s ok to not like a book that many others are raving about. 3w
Ruthiella @Readerann Oprah picks often veer towards tragic stories, which makes me often wary of her seal of approval too. 3w
70 likes15 comments
blurb
Ruthiella
Wine of Honour | Barbara Beauchamp
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Hey #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub reading friends! It‘s time to read our bimonthly pick for March 2023. As per usual, read and post as you go and we‘ll aim to be finished by the middle of the month, but no worries if you take longer. 😊

All are welcome to join in! If you want to be tagged, let us know. πŸ˜„

CarolynM I‘m looking forward to this one - even more than usual! 3w
Ruthiella @CarolynM I was so looking forward to it, I accidentally posted about it last month! πŸ˜‚ @LeahBergen reminded me I was getting ahead of myself and I deleted it. Oops πŸ™Š 3w
CarolynM Jumping the gun there! There‘s nothing wrong with being overexcited about a buddy read🀣 3w
See All 11 Comments
catebutler Excited to read this! 3w
Aimeesue @Ruthiella Whoops!πŸ˜‚ (edited) 3w
Tamra I‘ve started! Woot πŸŽ‰ 3w
batsy Yay! 3w
LeahBergen Yay! And thanks for the reminder. I loved your over eager, early post (that‘s totally something I would do πŸ˜†πŸ˜†). 3w
erzascarletbookgasm I‘ll sit out on this month‘s pick. Hope it‘s a good read for everyone. 3w
jlhammar Can‘t wait to get started! 3w
Cathythoughts Thankyou !! I must get my copy off the shelf immediately πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ˜ 3w
50 likes11 comments
blurb
Ruthiella
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#MarchMadness I have two #ToB2023 books left, one #GoldenAgeCrimeClub and one #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub planned reads. I can‘t remember why I wanted to read the C. S. Lewis, but here goes…

DieAReader Great stack! Good luck & best of luckπŸ“šπŸ€“πŸ“š 3w
Andrew65 Hope it‘s going well. 😍 3w
60 likes2 comments
review
Ruthiella
The Passenger | Cormac McCarthy
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Pickpick

@Megabooks was right. At about 50% it got compelling. It‘s bookish Stockholm Syndrome. So I am giving it a pick, even though it has no plot, the tangents are indulgent (Kennedy assassination, Vietnam war, math and physics blah blah blah) and Bobby is a Gary Stu paragon of wounded masculinity, ascetically brooding over the lost love of his life, his dead sister. But it was so well written, even though I have no clue what it means. 🀯
#ToB2023

BarbaraBB Happy you took @Megabooks (and @batsy !) advice and didn‘t give up on this book. Great review. Will you read Stella Maris as well? 4w
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB Nah. I don‘t think it will shed any light on the plot. But I might go back and read something from his back catalogue. πŸ€” 4w
Hooked_on_books I‘m glad this one worked for you! It didn‘t quite come together for me, though I found some parts very compelling. I liked Stella Maris far more than this one. 4w
See All 37 Comments
Cinfhen Excellent review! Is that the last one? 4w
squirrelbrain Great review! I‘m beginning to wish I‘d persevered….😬 4w
Reggie Bookish Stockholm Syndrome… been there. 4w
Cathythoughts Great review πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ» 4w
Amiable Love your review! 4w
BkClubCare πŸ€£πŸ€£πŸ€£πŸ˜ŽπŸ€©βœ… 4w
BkClubCare @Ruthiella - this was your first Cormac? 4w
BarbaraBB I read some of his earlier books and did enjoy them! 4w
jlhammar Bookish Stockholm Syndrome - love it πŸ˜‚ I'm about halfway through this one and will definitely finish. I'm not quite sure what to make of it all yet, but liking it so far. 4w
kwmg40 I wasn't going to read this one, but I may reconsider, especially after seeing your last line: β€œBut it was so well written, even though I have no clue what it means.β€œ I felt the same way about My Volcano, and was very glad that I did read it. 4w
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books It never came together for me either. But somehow it felt right to read on. This has happened to me before with β€œdifficult” books. I think maybe something in my subconscious is β€œgetting” it, even when the rest of my brain is confused. 4w
Ruthiella @Cinfhen Nope. I still have Nightcrawling and My Volcano to read. 4w
Ruthiella @squirrelbrain 200 pages is an investment, when you could be reading something else! You probably made the right decision! I‘m a bit of a masochist when it comes to the ToB shortlist. 😰 4w
Ruthiella @Reggie Right? It‘s happened to me before also! 4w
Ruthiella @BkClubCare It was the first time I‘d read any Cormac McCarthy. πŸ‘ 4w
Ruthiella @jlhammar I‘ll be interested to hear what you make of it! 4w
Ruthiella @kwmg40 Definitely give it a try if you can… It was an interesting experience. 4w
Tamra Bookish Stockholm Syndrome! 🀣 4w
Billypar Great review! McCarthy was an early favorite author of mine before l even knew of the existence of most authors I've read since. My Litsy handle is taken from the character Billy Parham featured in The Crossing and Cities of the Plain (both are my favorites of his and I recommend them every chance I get). I haven't read this one yet - just waiting for the right time. 4w
Ruthiella @Tamra It‘s a thing ! πŸ˜‚ 3w
Ruthiella @Billypar So that‘s where your handle comes from! πŸ˜€ I‘ll definitely check out one or two books by McCarthy and I‘ll keep your recommendations in mind. 3w
BkClubCare @Ruthiella - I was quite impressed with No Country for Old Men. And I was moved by The Road, gave it 5 stars 3w
Ruthiella @BkClubCare The Road conceptually doesn‘t appeal to me…too devastatingly sad. 😭😨 3w
sarahbarnes Great review! This makes me curious to try it at some point! 3w
Ruthiella @sarahbarnes Thanks! I‘m curious now to read something else from him, but who knows when I will manage it…so many books, so little time. 3w
sarahbarnes That is so sadly the truth! 3w
BkClubCare @Ruthiella - I get it, I do. It is also a triumph of hope and love. 3w
Readerann Your review is intriguing, but I think two McCarthy‘s was quite enough for me. 😁 3w
Megabooks Sorry I haven‘t commented yet! I‘m glad you ended up enjoying it! It was difficult and obtuse, but worth it for me. I want to read more of his books as well. Not sure where I want to start. If you look at my review of Stella Maris, @Hooked_on_books provided a link with a guide to the different phases of his writing. That may help. 3w
Megabooks Great review, btw! 3w
Ruthiella @Readerann I think two might be enough for me too. Just pondering what the second might be… 3w
Ruthiella @Megabooks Thanks for the tip! I‘ll check out @Hooked_on_books comment for ideas on where to go next! 3w
Hooked_on_books Oh good! I thought it was a really interesting article. Hope it helps! 3w
81 likes37 comments
review
Ruthiella
An Island | Karen Jennings
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Pickpick

Heartbreakingly sad but exquisitely written. Samuel has been the lighthouse-keeper on an island off the coast of an unnamed African country for decades. His only contact with the mainland is a bi-weekly supply boat. When a strange man washes up on the island one day, Samuel‘s self-enforced solitude is upended, with tragic consequences. Meanwhile, we get Samuel‘s backstory and what brought him to his isolation.
#ToB2023

Tamra Wonderful review - I have it stacked. 😊 4w
Suet624 I was thinking I wasn‘t going to try this one because of some of the reviews but you make me reconsider. 4w
Hooked_on_books I glad you liked this one! I really liked the parts on the island but didn‘t find the backstory at all engaging. 4w
See All 23 Comments
Ruthiella @Tamra Thanks! I hope you read it. It‘s not a cheery book but I found it worth reading. 4w
Ruthiella @Suet624 It‘s not all that long. If you can get a library copy, maybe give it a go. 4w
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books For sure the present day scenes were more charged. But I felt the backstory helped show, at least in part, why Samuel acted the way he did. (edited) 4w
Tamra @Ruthiella I have it tagged in Libby now. 😊 4w
Cinfhen Wonderful review πŸ’›For a short book I found myself skimming pages and waiting for the book to end. Your review makes me believe I missed something vital. 4w
Ruthiella @Cinfhen Thanks. 😊 I feel that way all the time about other books that I just don‘t jive with. A good example is Lincoln in the Bardo. I really disliked it. I didn‘t get what other readers got from it. 4w
BarbaraBB We‘re in sync πŸ˜€ I hated Lincoln too and enjoyed The Island a lot (my favorite for the play-in round!) 4w
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB It‘s always a good feeling when reading tastes align! πŸ˜ƒ 4w
squirrelbrain Great review! I read this such a long time ago that I can‘t really remember much about it, hence it dropped down my list. 4w
batsy Lovely review. I hope to squeeze this in before the Tournament starts. 4w
Cathythoughts Interesting review β™₯️ 4w
Chelsea.Poole Great review! This one is high up on my list! 4w
Ruthiella @squirrelbrain I definitely rate books later higher if they stick with me. Sometimes books I didn‘t particularly like end up having more staying power! πŸ˜‚ 4w
Ruthiella @batsy Thanks. I have two books now left to read before March 8! I wish us both luck! 🀞 4w
Ruthiella @Cathythoughts Thanks Cathy! 😊 4w
Ruthiella @Chelsea.Poole Thanks! I think it might make if not my top row, the second row at least. 4w
kwmg40 Great review. I didn't like it as much myself, but I may need to reconsider. In any case, the ToB discussion should be worthwhile. 4w
Ruthiella @kwmg40 Thanks! Discussion almost always deepens my appreciation of a book! 4w
Reggie I liked this book. I can‘t even imagine what it is to be told to leave your home or die. And to try and find footing in a city you‘ve never been to. His whole relationship with the mother of his child. Idk. I really liked this book. It‘s not pretty and it‘s not meant to be. 4w
Ruthiella @Reggie Yes. Samuel never caught a break until the island. I knew when the red hen was introduced, that thus book would break my heart. 3w
66 likes1 stack add23 comments
blurb
Ruthiella
Untitled | Unknown
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1. I‘m going to say Murder at the Vicarage. And to cure the hangover, I applied a little hair of the dog and read two more Agatha Christie novels in quick succession! πŸ˜†

2. I go by feeling. I‘m not particularly methodical or analytical about them. πŸ™ƒ

3. No. I could when younger, but now I prefer quiet when reading (or concentrating on anything really-how did I ever do homework as a teen?) πŸ˜‚

#WondrousWednesday Thanks for the tag @Eggs 😊

Suet624 #2 and 3 - same. 1mo
Ruthiella @Suet624 Remembering how I was as a teen helps me have a little more patience with current teenagers! πŸ˜ƒ 1mo
RaeLovesToRead Yes! Christie-a-thon!!! 😁πŸ₯³ 1mo
See All 7 Comments
Ruthiella @RaeLovesToRead A spontaneous one! πŸ”ͺ πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™€οΈ πŸ₯³ 1mo
Eggs Thanks for joining in πŸ₯°πŸ₯° 1mo
kspenmoll Happy Litsyversary!!!!!! 4w
Ruthiella @kspenmoll Thank you! 😊 4w
52 likes7 comments
review
Ruthiella
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Pickpick

I really liked this story of an intense friendship between two girls in France just after WWII. Their relationship is almost symbiotic. However, when circumstances do separate them, they can never be friends again as they once were. The spell is broken, which happens to many young people as they move from adolescence to adulthood. I understand the comparison to My Brilliant Friend, but think this is actually quite different. #ToB2023

BarbaraBB So true. Great review. 1mo
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB Thanks! 😊 1mo
Hooked_on_books Sounds good! Hopefully I‘ll get to this one sometime in the next week! 1mo
See All 20 Comments
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books I found it to be a fairly quick read. 1mo
squirrelbrain Great review! 1mo
batsy Great point on how some intense forms of adolescent friendship is like being under a spell. I've yet to read Ferrante, so I'm curious to see how it compares. 1mo
Cinfhen Fabulous review 1mo
BkClubCare Glad you liked it! 🀩 1mo
JenniferP I‘m not sure I‘ll read this but I love the cover! It keeps drawing my attention on litsy. 1mo
jlhammar Wonderful review! 1mo
sarahbarnes Yay, I‘m glad you liked it! Great review! 1mo
Ruthiella @squirrelbrain Thanks! 😊 1mo
Ruthiella @batsy I feel the comparison is fairly superficial. I hope you like the Ferrante when you get to it. I loved all four books but have yet to read any of her other stuff. 1mo
Ruthiella @Cinfhen Thank you. 😊 1mo
Ruthiella @JenniferP The cover is indeed beautiful. The black and white kindle doesn‘t do it justice. 1mo
Ruthiella @jlhammar Many thanks! πŸ™ 1mo
Ruthiella @sarahbarnes Thank you! After so many soft picks, it feels good to have a solid winner. 1mo
Readerann Wow, some really varied opinions on this one - which makes me want to read it! 1mo
Ruthiella @Readerann varied opinions always make me more curious too. πŸ˜ƒ 1mo
77 likes1 stack add20 comments
review
Ruthiella
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this summary of what a modern time traveler might expect if visiting the UK during the Regency period. It reminded me a little of those old Let‘s Go travel guides I used in the 1980s in its tone and structure. It‘ll come in handy not only when re-reading Austen, but also as I read the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O‘Brian.

Many thanks to @StayCurious for leading the #pemberlittens through this fascinating journey. 😊

sisilia Patrick O‘Brian!!! Another in my long list of projects 1mo
Ruthiella @sisilia I‘ve only read two so far, but they are surprisingly fun! 1mo
Centique I‘m just about to start the medieval one of these! I‘m glad to hear you liked this 😊 3w
Ruthiella @Centique I‘ll bet his medieval one is equally good. πŸ˜€ 3w
72 likes4 comments
review
Ruthiella
Manhunt | Gretchen Felker-Martin
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Pickpick

I weirdly enjoyed this ballsy (pun intended) story of apocalypse when most humans with a penis become infected with a virus which turns them into monsters. Into the power vacuum steps the Matriarchy with a militarized subgroup of TERFs who hunt not only the monsters but also trans women. Both the sex scenes and the fight scenes are lurid and gross. But I found the story underneath engaging and I admire the author‘s fearlessness. #ToB2023

kwmg40 Thanks for the review! I couldn't get past the goriness myself and ended up abandoning the book, but it's nice to hear that there's a good underlying story. 1mo
Ruthiella @kwmg40 I wonder if having just read the (to me) tepid, sepia toned 2AM in Little America didn‘t help me like this in-your-face technicolor novel more? πŸ€” 1mo
Megabooks Yes! Love your review! There‘s something really interesting about this one. 1mo
See All 34 Comments
Cinfhen Great review- this was a bit too in your face for me!! But I do see it‘s merits. This book may go far in the tournament!! 1mo
Ruthiella @Megabooks Yes. I found how my sympathies waxed and waned with the action interesting. And I definitely puts to rest the idea that a world run by women would be more peaceful. 1mo
Ruthiella @Cinfhen The ToB is so unpredictable. That‘s what makes it fun to follow. I never could have done this on audio! I admire your fortitude. 1mo
BarbaraBB Great review. Glad you β€œenjoyed” it! 1mo
batsy Nice review! I just finished today and was kind of in tears by the end. I loved it. 1mo
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB Thanks! The TOB always manages to surprise me with what I think I‘ll love or hate! 1mo
Ruthiella @batsy Yes. I found the last battle at the end cathartic somehow. 1mo
willaful I know it'd be too much for me, which is a shame! 1mo
squirrelbrain Fab review! I do wish I could have read a print copy for this one. 1mo
merelybookish Yes, there is something absolutely unapologetic about this book! I liked it too but was starting to second guess that but ultimately it was a memorable reading experience. 1mo
Cathythoughts Excellent review πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ» 1mo
Hooked_on_books So glad this one worked for you! I just loved the premise but didn‘t personally end up liking the execution. 1mo
Chelsea.Poole So glad to see a positive response to this one! I like that we all have different views on these titles. 😊 1mo
Aimeesue Great review! I like the premise, but body horror of that kind (mutilations, torture) tends to stick hard in my memory, so I don't think this particular book is for me. I'd probably watch a movie of it, though, if the worst stuff happened off-screen. 1mo
jlhammar Wow, another pick for Manhunt! Great review. I think this is going to be a bail for me (I have a very low tolerance for the lurid and the gross), but so appreciate your thoughts. 1mo
Ruthiella @willaful We all have our limits. I have decided to never read A Little Life by Hannah Yanahigara. I can‘t stomach child abuse. 1mo
Ruthiella @squirrelbrain Yes. There‘s something about being able to look away from the page that we don‘t have in audio. For stuff I am squeamish about, I need print. 1mo
Ruthiella @merelybookish I admire this kind of chutzpah in writing more than I admire a beautifully crafted sentence, I think. 1mo
Ruthiella @Cathythoughts Thank you Cathy. 😊 1mo
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books There were definitely parts that were more difficult for me to surmount than others. 1mo
Ruthiella @Chelsea.Poole I also really appreciate the varied responses. For sure this book has a TON of tiggers! 1mo
Ruthiella @Aimeesue A lot of people in the TOB group on Goodreads compared it to Tender is the Flesh and how that book was scarring. It‘s good to be careful. We can‘t unread something. 1mo
Ruthiella @jlhammar I‘m glad I gave it a go, but certainly there are books I have also given a miss because I knew they would not be for me. It‘s actually a freeing feeling to know there are books I don‘t HAVE to read! 1mo
PageShifter I have never known what's this book about - I know now 🀣 1mo
Readerann I enjoyed reading your review of this book, but that may be it for me. I have a lot of vivid dreams and suspect this one might embed itself in my subconscious a little too much. 😫 1mo
Ruthiella @PageShifter The joys of Litsy‘s 451 character limit! πŸ˜… (edited) 1mo
Ruthiella @Readerann I can totally understand that. There are other books I have avoided due to subject matter and not wanting certain images floating in my head. 1mo
sarahbarnes Great review! I‘m a little afraid to try this one. 1mo
Ruthiella @sarahbarnes Thanks! It was intimidating to start, for sure. 1mo
CarolynM I‘ve just commented on @batsy β€˜s review that I‘m tempted, even more so now, but I‘m really not good with gore, so… 1mo
Ruthiella @CarolynM I would tread carefully then. I‘m not good with gore either, but the plot did grab me and I wanted to see it to the end. 1mo
76 likes2 stack adds34 comments
blurb
Ruthiella
Untitled | Unknown
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Thanks for the tag @Eggs ! #WondrousWednesday

🌹1. Martha Wells. She seems to be down to earth and I like her sense of humor.

🌹2. I just finished Manhunt by Gretchen Felder-Martin.

🌹3. Splattercore anti-TERF apocalypse.

Eggs Thanks for joining in πŸ₯° 1mo
BkClubCare Woot! πŸ‘ (edited) 1mo
Centique Yay Martha Wells! 1mo
36 likes3 comments
blurb
Ruthiella
Untitled | Unknown
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Thanks for the tag @Bklover !

πŸ¦‹1. Agatha Christie! I‘ve read 46 of her 60 odd titles.

πŸ¦‹2. I have a comfy yet falling apart armchair with a reading light and table where I read the most/best.

πŸ¦‹3. I do participate, though I often fail in my goals. I like them because they help me keep a record on Litsy of my reading life.

#WondrousWednesday

britt_brooke Impressive Christie count!! 1mo
Eggs Congratulations on the Christie booksπŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ» 1mo
See All 6 Comments
Ruthiella @Eggs Thanks! 1mo
Bklover 3. Me too! I‘m terrible at them. But I can‘t give them up! 1mo
Ruthiella @Bklover Luckily no one is grading us on our participation! πŸ˜… 1mo
33 likes6 comments
review
Ruthiella
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Mehso-so

I don‘t get it. I guess the author wanted complacent Americans to feel what might make an American abandon all they know, most of what they own and make a new start somewhere where they don‘t know the language, the culture, etc. and where their legal status is precarious or even nonexistent. Didn‘t work for me. The book was both too obvious and too vague (we‘re never told what country the protagonist is in or what happened in the US.)
#ToB2023

Chelsea.Poole Agreed! I hadn‘t thought of it that way, but you‘re so right!! It‘s also way too obvious, while at the same time incredibly vague. 1mo
cariashley Your review is spot on πŸ’― 1mo
Addison_Reads This is one I haven't read yet for the #tob23 and with all the so-so reviews I really don't feel like I'm missing much. 1mo
See All 31 Comments
squirrelbrain I didn‘t β€˜get‘ this one either. It could have been so much better if one or two things were tweaked a bit. 1mo
Ruthiella @Chelsea.Poole Thanks. I really would have liked more world building. That‘s what makes dystopian books interesting to me. 1mo
Ruthiella @cariashley Thanks! Yours was too. πŸ‘ 1mo
Ruthiella @squirrelbrain Yup, it left me wanting more, but not in a good way. 1mo
Ruthiella @Addison_Reads You really aren‘t. Just read a couple of top rated Goodreads reviews and you‘ll have as much info had you read the book. 1mo
jlhammar Great review! I‘m not very far in, but I don‘t think it‘s for me. Will probably bail. 1mo
BarbaraBB I enjoyed the first half and then it became so vague and I wasn‘t really interested any longer 1mo
Readerann Thx for the review. Will give it a miss. 1mo
Megabooks Agree. Excellent review! 1mo
Hooked_on_books Completely agree. I love the idea of this one, but the execution didn‘t work for me. 1mo
RebelReader I didn‘t get it either! 1mo
Cinfhen Agree πŸ’― premise was interesting but the author lost his way 1mo
kwmg40 It seems like a lot of us felt the same way about this book! 1mo
Ruthiella @jlhammar It‘s not a long book and it read pretty quickly, if you decide to stick with it. 1mo
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB Yeah, I kept waiting for something to happen and then the book was over. 1mo
Ruthiella @Readerann If you can get it from the library, I‘d say give it a whirl. But yeah, I wasn‘t impressed. 1mo
Ruthiella @Megabooks Thanks! I did like a lot of what you suggested in your review about the face blindness! πŸ‘ (edited) 1mo
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books Yeah, I was excited by the blurb, but it didn‘t deliver what I wanted. 1mo
Ruthiella @RebelReader We are not alone in being flummoxed! 1mo
Ruthiella @Cinfhen Yes, the concept was super interesting… 1mo
Ruthiella @kwmg40 Yeah, that seems to be the consensus on Litsy! 1mo
sarahbarnes So interesting that this one seems to be a miss for everyone. 1mo
Ruthiella @sarahbarnes Yeah. There are more positive reviews on Goodreads though. 1mo
batsy Nice review! It's really not one I'm keen to read but your review helps me to understand what I might be in for if I choose to give it a go. 1mo
Ruthiella @batsy Thanks! I think discussion around this one might help me get more out of it…what I missed. 1mo
BkClubCare Yep. I did enjoy the positive reviews and explanations which rewarded me for the effort. I liked this one actually but it did take work on my part. Weird. 1mo
Ruthiella @BkClubCare I can see that. Other readers see other things. Mouth to Mouth was like that for me too. I read it one way and looking at other‘s reviews opened up other possibilities. 1mo
Leftcoastzen Thanks for your review, from what you said I will just skip! 4w
68 likes31 comments
review
Ruthiella
Dinosaurs | LYDIA. MILLET
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Pickpick

Millet is never going to be my favorite writer, but I found this to be a deft story with just enough undercurrent to make me dig for meaning. How difficult is it to be compassionate in our world and specifically in current American culture? Gil is rich and privileged. Even he, the top of the food chain, so to speak, is powerless in the face of modern societal and environmental challenges. How much is enough? #ToB2023

Ruthiella For a read alike, try 1mo
Cinfhen Great review…this book while compact left a big impression! I think it‘s on my top 5 shortlist 😊 1mo
Ruthiella @Cinfhen I‘ve still got SEVEN books to go. Dunno if it‘ll make my top five…but it might if it sticks with me… 1mo
See All 22 Comments
Suet624 Great review of this one. I like Millet and still I found this novel her easiest to connect with. 1mo
Amiable Wonderful review! 1mo
squirrelbrain Great review! This is in the top half of my list too @Cinfhen 1mo
sarahbarnes Great review! I liked this one quite a bit. 1mo
jlhammar Excellent review! I enjoyed this one more than I was expecting to. 1mo
Tamra Can‘t wait to read - enticing review! πŸ˜ƒ 1mo
Ruthiella @Suet624 Yes. I think Millet often uses strange happenings (mermaids, apocalypse, etc.), but this one was quite straightforward. 1mo
Ruthiella @squirrelbrain @sarahbarnes @jlhammar I definitely liked this more than I expected. Still too early to see where it‘ll land in the total shortlist for me. πŸ€” 1mo
Ruthiella @Tamra @Amiable I hope I didn‘t oversell it. 🀞 1mo
BarbaraBB Beautiful review. This book ended up being one of my favorites of the shortlist 1mo
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB Thanks! It‘s definitely one to ponder. 1mo
Hooked_on_books Good review! And I agree about Millet. I liked but didn‘t love this one. 1mo
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books Thanks! I‘m not going to seek out her back catalogue but glad I liked this one better than the last two. 1mo
BkClubCare Great review. Her books are always unique and thought-provoking. 1mo
Ruthiella @BkClubCare Thanks! I agree that her plots and subject matter are imaginative. 1mo
Readerann Sounds intriguing. Hope I can get to it at some point. 1mo
Ruthiella @Readerann It‘s a pretty short book, if you get a chance to check it out . 1mo
kwmg40 Nice review. I'm hoping to start this one soon. 1mo
Ruthiella @kwmg40 Thanks! Looking forward to your thoughts on it! 1mo
73 likes22 comments
blurb
Ruthiella
Untitled | Unknown
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I‘m a little late in kicking off the #FabulousFebruary choose your own goals readathon. πŸ™Š

Andrew65 The beauty is a 9 day Readathon, best of luck 😁 2mo
tokorowilliamwallace O.o Lydia Millet. I need to finish Omnivores! 1mo
59 likes2 comments
review
Ruthiella
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Pickpick

Yes, the book is a tad too long and the very end a little hokey, but I really liked it despite it being a very melancholy story about a family overwhelmed by grief due to the death of a child/sibling and a coming of age story under that cloud. Once I got past the death, I was hooked by Sally‘s monologue to her dead sister. It‘s also funny from time to time, despite the grieving. Sally has a deadpan sense of humor that jives with my own. #ToB2023

Suet624 Yes, I agree. 2mo
Hooked_on_books I thought this was a great exploration of grief. 2mo
Cinfhen I‘m looking forward to this one - my last book from the shortlist πŸ’œ 2mo
See All 17 Comments
Megabooks Glad you enjoyed it. πŸ‘πŸ» 2mo
RebelReader I agree the ending was a bit hokey, but it almost had to be I think. Grief is just too darn sad. 2mo
BkClubCare πŸ‘πŸ˜πŸ˜πŸ’« 2mo
sarahbarnes Glad you liked it! I‘ve got this one from the library right now and I‘m going to give it a try after I finish Babel. 2mo
Ruthiella @Suet624 It‘s always a good feeling when my reading friends feel the same as I do about a book! 😊 2mo
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books Totally. It also made me understand how someone could carry that grief with them over a decade, despite outwardly β€œmoving on”. 2mo
Ruthiella @Megabooks Thanks! It‘s always a good feeling when a TOB book doesn‘t feel like homework! πŸ˜‚ 2mo
Ruthiella @RebelReader Absolutely. I‘m not saying it wasn‘t the ending I wanted, because I did want it! It was satisfying. 2mo
Ruthiella @BkClubCare ☺️🀩 2mo
Ruthiella @sarahbarnes I‘ll be interested to hear your thoughts. I did find it a little slow at first, but once I got into the rhythm of Sally‘s voicemail, I sped through it. 2mo
BarbaraBB Very good review. I am feeling the same. 2mo
squirrelbrain Oh no! I wasn‘t going to read this one after a few iffy reviews but now I think I might need to! πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈ 2mo
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB Glad to hear it‘s also working for you. πŸ‘ 2mo
Ruthiella @squirrelbrain I don‘t think you need to rush out to buy it, but you could it on your list, even if you only get a copy after the tournament is over. 2mo
70 likes1 stack add17 comments
review
Ruthiella
4:50 from Paddington | Agatha Christie
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Pickpick

The inaugural read for the #GoldenAgeCrimeClub inspired me to reread more Christie. I really enjoyed this whodunnit. Miss Marple has to enlist the help of the remarkable Lucy Eyelesbarrow in her investigation. It all starts when Mrs. McGillicuddy witnesses a murder on a passing train.

I‘m using this for #pop23 (text only on cover) AND I thought I‘d tag along with @CBee β€˜s #TBRTarot and use this for the January promt β€œStarts with a number”.

CBee Nice! I‘ll add you to my tag list 😊😊 2mo
Ruthiella @CBee Thanks! Looking for yellow covers right now! πŸ˜‚ 2mo
See All 12 Comments
CBee @Ruthiella awesome 😊😊😊 2mo
Cortg Fantastic! 2mo
Ruthiella @Cortg Thanks! 2mo
KarenUK I love Christie…. Glad you enjoyed it! 😍 2mo
jlhammar I‘m so excited to make my way through the Marple books this year. Looking forward to this one. The Body in the Library is up next for me. 2mo
Ruthiella @KarenUK I‘m a huge Christie fan myself. She‘s my go-to comfort read. 😊 2mo
Ruthiella @jlhammar Nice that you are reading them in order! I love Poirot but Miss Marple is my heart‘s favorite. (edited) 2mo
tokorowilliamwallace What do you think of Josephine Tey as far as classic crime/mystery goes? 1mo
Ruthiella @tokorowilliamwallace I have read all of Tey but one title. I like her, but she doesn‘t have a signature style, like Christie. My favorite is still 1mo
63 likes1 stack add12 comments
review
Ruthiella
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Pickpick

Another soft pick. I had a hard time looking at this fantasy novel as an alternative history since it seemed to me that 90% of it was just plain history and it happened without any magic required. And as others have noted, it‘s very heavy handed in its message. The concept of translation/silver magic was neat, however. The end, while not surprising, was still quite emotionally wringing and Kuang really made me care about the characters. #ToB2023

merelybookish I have a few I might skip. This is one of them. 😐 2mo
Ruthiella @merelybookish I think I will eventually read the entire shortlist, but maybe not by March? πŸ€” 2mo
Hooked_on_books I feel like I‘m the only one who truly didn‘t like this! 2mo
See All 14 Comments
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books Eh, it was close to a so-so. I did feel like the author didn‘t trust the reader to understand colonialism = bad, which definitely bogged it down for me. That and the unnecessary addition of magic to history. (edited) 2mo
BarbaraBB Exactly, why the magic? I‘ve been wondering that too 2mo
squirrelbrain Great review! I think the magic was just a device to show off the author‘s linguistic skills. I did think that the language aspects were really clever but it did feel a bit β€˜tacked on‘. Perhaps should have gone one way or the other; a magical fantasy novel or no magic at all? @BarbaraBB @Ruthiella 2mo
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB The magic does provide the dramatic conclusion, which historically couldn‘t have happened since the British empire‘s power wasn‘t based on a tower in Oxford. 2mo
Ruthiella @squirrelbrain For sure, the research into translation was fascinating. I do think I‘d have enjoyed it more, however, if it had been a less recognizable fantasy world. 2mo
Cinfhen I just enjoyed the time, setting and marvel of linguistics plus there‘s a bit of a biblical background that I enjoyed too. I thought this book was very well researched and written and for someone who really does not enjoy YA or fantasy I was all around intrigued and invested. I would try the audio @merelybookish it might surprise you!! 2mo
Ruthiella @Cinfhen @merelybookish I did an audio/ebook combination since I got lucky that both came in at the same time for me at the library. And the audio was well done, particularly with the different languages. 2mo
sarahbarnes I just picked this up from the library and am interested to try it. Reviews have been so mixed! 2mo
Ruthiella @sarahbarnes Mixed reviews often make me even more curious about a book and what side I‘ll come down on. 2mo
kwmg40 I agree with your comment about mixed reviews. I'm one of the ones who loved this book and our own Litsy debates about it have made me even more eager to see how it will fare in the tournament. 2mo
Ruthiella @kwmg40 Yes, super curious to read the commentary this year since reviews have been mixed for many shortlisted books! 2mo
76 likes14 comments
review
Ruthiella
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

I still like The Glass Hotel best, but this was a very smooth and satisfying experience, with some crossover to TGH. This book is about time travel, compassion, and humanity. Why humans are even here and where is β€œhere”? It‘s all a bit trippy and circular. Also fun is the portrayal of author Olive Llewellen, certainly a stand in for Mandel.

I also like the thought expressed here, β€œA life lived in a simulation is still a life”.

#ToB2023

batsy I wanted to read this but then felt like I should read her previous ones first to get a better sense of it. I've yet to read any of her novels. 2mo
Hooked_on_books I liked this one, too! 2mo
Cinfhen This was good but didn‘t emotionally satisfy like Glass House or 2mo
See All 23 Comments
RaeLovesToRead @batsy Definitely read Glass Hotel first 😊 And maybe Station Eleven as well 2mo
batsy @RaeLovesToRead Yes, I will! Especially Station Eleven; it sounds like my kind of thing πŸ™‚ 2mo
BarbaraBB I liked this one the best of the three! 2mo
RebelReader I enjoyed Station Eleven, haven‘t read TGH and bailed on this one, so perhaps Mandel and I just aren‘t gonna vibe! 2mo
Suet624 I really liked that line you quoted too. It jolted me at first but then calmed me in a weird way. 2mo
kwmg40 I really liked this one too, though not as much as Station Eleven, which is one of my favourite reads from the past 5 years. I've not read TGH yet. 2mo
Aimeesue Loved this one! I read Station Eleven before this one, and TGH afterward. I don't think it makes a huge difference which order you read them in - they still resonate. 2mo
MicheleinPhilly I loved both Station Eleven and Glass Hotel but this one just didn‘t β€œhit” for me. I may try it again someday. 2mo
sarahbarnes Yes! Great review. I read this and Glass Hotel back to back and it was fun to see the crossover. I did also like Glass Hotel better, but liked this one as well. 2mo
Ruthiella @batsy I think you could easily jump in right here with this one if you wanted. It is short and reads fast. 2mo
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books I think I will eventually go back and read her earlier stuff. See how it stacks up. πŸ€” 2mo
Ruthiella @Cinfhen I agree, it didn‘t go quite as deep emotionally as the other two. 2mo
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB Interesting! Was it maybe the puzzle-like aspect that made it work better than the previous two, I wonder? 2mo
Ruthiella @RebelReader That‘s a possibility. She definitely has a sort of cool, distanced style that won‘t appeal to other readers. 2mo
Ruthiella @Suet624 I know, right? I found it to be very affirming. 2mo
Ruthiella @kwmg40 I think you will like TGH if you liked this one and Station Eleven. πŸ‘ 2mo
Ruthiella @Aimeesue I agree, they could work in any order. The Easter Eggs are still there. 2mo
Ruthiella @MicheleinPhilly I can see that. As @Cinfhen noted, the emotional level isn‘t quite as deep perhaps in this case, compared to the previous two novels. 2mo
Ruthiella @sarahbarnes That is neat you read them back to back! I was worried I wouldn‘t remember enough from TGH. But she gives plenty of background I think to help the reader. 2mo
BarbaraBB I am not sure. I didn‘t like Station Eleven, but I can‘t remember why not. I enjoyed TGH a lot but in the end I was a bit disappointed. So my expectations weren‘t too high for this one and I unexpectedly loved it. 2mo
87 likes23 comments
blurb
Ruthiella
The Last Bookstore | Los Angeles, CA (Bookstore)
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Congratulations on reaching 20,000 @BennettBookworm and thank you so much for this opportunity #20kGiveaway !

The closest store to me is a Barnes and Noble, but probably the coolest store nearish to me that I‘ve visited a few times is the pictured The Last Bookstore located in downtown Los Angeles in the Spring Arts Tower at 5th & Spring. It‘s 20k sq ft of new and used books. Be sure to go to the top floor for the $1 bargains!

Amiable I‘ve been to The Last Bookstore. It‘s such a neat place! 2mo
Ruthiella @Amiable It is! It‘s visually stunning. Maybe in that respect typical of superficial Southern California. But the messy top floor is perfect for people who like the hunt and don‘t care about aesthetics. πŸ˜‚ 2mo
See All 7 Comments
Amiable @Ruthiella That‘s what I love about the bargain basement in The Strand in NYC, too! πŸ˜€ 2mo
Reggie One of my favorite bookstores was in Las Cruces and it just looked like at anytime the books could fall over and crush you. Lol, I think I would like the $1 floor. 2mo
Ruthiella @Reggie I think you would like it! The jumble is a challenge, but oh so sweet when you find a treasure! 2mo
BennettBookworm Thanks for sharing! I have been there, too!! 2mo
51 likes7 comments
review
Ruthiella
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida | Shehan Karunatilaka
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Mehso-so

I think it could have been 3 or 4 moons instead of 7 and none the worse. Maali is a supposedly apolitical photographer in late 20th century Sri Lanka who narrates the story from the afterlife. He documented some of the worst atrocities of the civil war. Is that what got him killed? Maybe I, like Maali, became numbed by endless brutality presented, but I found this Booker winner too long, too repetitive and occasionally ponderous. #ToB2023

squirrelbrain Great review - I didn‘t care for this one either. 2mo
Ruthiella @squirrelbrain Thanks. I kept forgetting I was reading it, never a good sign. 2mo
merelybookish Nice mug. πŸ‘ I keep forgetting this book is even on the tournament. 🀷 2mo
See All 30 Comments
Ruthiella @merelybookish I have a small ToB mug collection which I like to use particularly when reading! 2mo
Cinfhen Great mug 😁 2mo
Megabooks I‘m kind of dreading this one. I only have it and the passenger left, so February will be interestingβ€¦πŸ«£ 2mo
Cinfhen I bailed on this book…twiceπŸ€ͺ 2mo
Ruthiella @Cinfhen You gave it the college try! Fair enough. πŸ‘πŸ˜€ 2mo
Ruthiella @Megabooks I‘m not looking forward to the McCarthy book either. I hope you get on better with this one than I did. I know @Hooked_on_books liked it. There‘s hope! πŸ˜ƒ 2mo
Suet624 I love that mug and I think I‘ve decided to skip this book. 2mo
BarbaraBB Thanks for this review although it motivates me even less to read the book πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™€οΈ 2mo
Readerann Hmm. I have it on a library hold. Rethinking. 2mo
Hooked_on_books I definitely liked this more than I expected to, but I absolutely agree that it was too long. 2mo
Ruthiella @Suet624 It is a satisfying mug to drink from. πŸ˜… Fair enough if you skip this one. 2mo
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB I know! The reviews on Litsy aren‘t encouraging. But you never know! 2mo
Ruthiella @Readerann I say give it a go when your hold comes in. 2mo
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books I personally thought some of the reminiscences of DD and Jaki could have easily been left out. 2mo
BkClubCare @Ruthiella - sounds like a strategy. πŸ‘Š 2mo
sarahbarnes Love the mug! I have a black one. I‘m waiting my turn for this one at the library and am interested to check it out. Great review! 2mo
Ruthiella @sarahbarnes I can‘t have too many πŸ“mugs. I await your verdict when you take a crack at this one. 2mo
batsy Nicely put! I'm not sure why it won. Structurally somewhat baggy and (dare I say it?) too impressed with with its own voice, and politically all over the place. Maali's nihilism seems, idk, too easy. 2mo
Ruthiella @batsy Maybe it is more rewarding upon rereading? Allegedly, the books are read multiple times prior to the final Booker judgement. 2mo
Cathythoughts We had it for IRL Bookclub, not sure why it won either @batsy ! I didn‘t realise that about the rereading Ruth ! That makes some sense 2mo
Cathythoughts Having said that , we can‘t all be rereading πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ 2mo
Ruthiella @Cathythoughts Agreed! For me, rereading is an indulgence I rarely engage in. So many other books out there that I want to read instead! But, I‘ve also never judged a book prize. 2mo
Cathythoughts I hear you ! I‘d love to be a fly on the wall when they argue the toss 😬 The stakes are high! ❀️ 2mo
batsy @Ruthiella Perhaps! Though it makes me tired to think of rereading this one πŸ˜… On that note, the speed needed for judges to go through the books is something that I find endlessly fascinating. 2mo
kwmg40 I'm on my library's waiting list for this book and am wavering about reading it, given the mixed reviews. Love the Rooster mug! 2mo
Ruthiella @kwmg40 I think you should give it a go once it‘s your turn on the holds list. You‘ve nothing to lose! Also, if you have access to Hoopla, it‘s available there on audio. 2mo
kwmg40 Good idea. I'll look for it on audio. 2mo
72 likes30 comments
blurb
Ruthiella
post image

This is my rather shabby copy of the Christie classic that I‘m reading for the January pick of the #GoldenAgeCrimeClub hosted by @Mitch at the end of this month. I‘m also listening to it on Hoopla when possible, as read by Richard E. Grant, who is an excellent narrator!

Aimeesue I'm going to listen to that audio version too, in a few days, so I don't forget details before the discussion 😁 2mo
Ruthiella @Aimeesue There‘s also a version available with Joan Hickson (the best film Miss Marple IMO) as narrator that I will use for the next time. But Richard E. Grant was really good. 2mo
Mitch Love the typeface on your edition! Must check out the audio versions too. Can‘t wait to get chatting. πŸ‘πŸΌ 2mo
See All 6 Comments
Ruthiella @Mitch I love it when I can combine audio and print! The discussion is going to be fun. πŸ˜€ 2mo
SamAnne OMG. I was almost going to skip this months #GoldenAgeCrimeClub because I have way too many books going. But you had me at Richard Grant. Guess I better reload it! 2mo
Ruthiella @SamAnne Do it! It‘s a shortish book and the audio is only 8 hours. πŸ˜ƒ 2mo
73 likes2 stack adds6 comments
review
Ruthiella
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Pickpick

A soft pick. I can see why people love it. The first half was great, but I felt a little impatient during the second half. I agree with others that one doesn‘t need to be familiar with gaming to enjoy it.

Sadie and Sam bond over Donkey Kong as children and go on to develop their own games later, to great success as business partners but at the risk of ruining their friendship.

#ToB2023 #JoyousJanuary

Cinfhen I did enjoy this book but agree, towards the end I felt the book dragging. 2mo
Hooked_on_books I‘m one of the ones who loved it! I think it was such a lovely exploration of friendship. 2mo
Cathythoughts Interesting πŸ€”.. I won‘t be rushing into it ! 2mo
See All 23 Comments
squirrelbrain I really liked it at the time, but it hasn‘t stayed with me. 2mo
batsy I'm such a bad ToB-er! This is another one that's not calling out to me. 2mo
BkClubCare How many more TOB books do have yet to read? Will you be a completist? What‘s up next? (Is this a Litsy meme?πŸ€ͺ) 2mo
MicheleinPhilly I‘m reading this now and not getting all of the hype. 2mo
sarahbarnes I‘ve been on the wait list for this at the library forever and am still about 200th in line…there‘s so much hype about this one that I‘m not sure it will live up to it for me if I ever read it. 2mo
Ruthiella @Cinfhen I think I should‘ve read it more quickly, I lost momentum. 2mo
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books I get why readers love it. And portrayals of this kind of partnership seem rare in fiction. Have you read ? 2mo
Cinfhen I really did not enjoy that long chapter about the pioneer woman video game 🎠It was TORTURE for me 😜 2mo
Ruthiella @Cathythoughts Keep it on the back burner. It could be a winner for you! 🀞 2mo
Ruthiella @Cinfhen I rolled my eyes at that too. And I felt it was so obvious. 2mo
Ruthiella @squirrelbrain I can see that. A good book of the moment, but not one for all time. 2mo
Ruthiella @batsy I‘m a more laidback ToB enthusiast this year too. I might read the full short list but probably not by March! 2mo
Ruthiella @BkClubCare I‘ve only read five so far and have two on the go. I don‘t think I‘ll read them all by March. πŸ™Š 2mo
Ruthiella @MicheleinPhilly There‘s an emotional level in the book that I couldn‘t quite plug in to. For me, it read more like β€œthen this happened, then that happened.” 2mo
Ruthiella @sarahbarnes I am lucky to have access to so many different library systems, which helps. I hope you get it soon! 2mo
Andrew65 Sounds interesting. Well done πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘ 2mo
Ruthiella @Andrew65 Thanks! One down, two to go. πŸ˜€ 2mo
Readerann My library hold for this just came through. But need to finish Babel first - yikes. Need more reading time! 2mo
Ruthiella @Readerann I know! Library holds are so arbitrary! I also don‘t always have the time to drop other books when they come in. πŸ˜… 2mo
Hooked_on_books I have read the Animators! I really liked it. 2mo
90 likes1 stack add23 comments
blurb
Ruthiella
Untitled | Unknown
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Only one day and then the week long #JoyousJanuary readathon starts! My goals are to finish my current #ToB2023 book, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and this month‘s #GoldenAgeCrimeClub pick, Murder at the Vicarage AND start (and possibly also finish) Sea of Tranquility, also for the TOB. Looking forward to ticking these off the TBR and seeing what everyone else is reading! πŸ˜€

Cathythoughts Look forward to your thoughts on Tomorrow, I have it on kindle now πŸ‘πŸ» 2mo
Ruthiella @Cathythoughts I‘m at the halfway point now. 2mo
rmaclean4 Loved Sea of Tranquility. Hope you do also. 2mo
See All 13 Comments
Ruthiella @rmaclean4 Me too! I liked The Glass Hotel a lot. More than, in fact, 2mo
rmaclean4 @Ruthiella i need to read Glass Hotel! 2mo
Andrew65 Some great books ahead. Great to have you with us, good luck 😍 2mo
johncadams Some lovely covers there! 2mo
BiblioLitten Oh no! I have the Christie book… it‘s too late for me to join inπŸ™ˆ 2mo
Ruthiella @rmaclean4 So many books, so little time! πŸ˜‚ 2mo
Ruthiella @Andrew65 I so look forward to logging off work and hitting the books! 2mo
Ruthiella @johncadams They are pretty! I like books both for their content and as objects! 2mo
Ruthiella @BiblioLitten It‘s not too late! The discussion is later this month and it‘s a pretty quick read as most good mysteries are! Join in! 2mo
Andrew65 @Ruthiella Nothing better! 2mo
69 likes13 comments
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Ruthiella
Untitled | Unknown
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Thanks for the tag @Bklover ! 😊

1. My favorite band in high school was definitely The Who, even though their heyday was behind them at that point. My favorite solo artist was Kate Bush.

2. Preppie dress was popular in the early‘80s. I had a pair of loafers. I couldn‘t afford Lacoste so I wore a Britannica polo shirt.

#WondrousWednesday

Eggs Great responses! Thanks for playing πŸŽΆπŸ‘πŸ»πŸ˜Ž 2mo
BkClubCare I just listened to Pete Townsend‘s musical memoir (Audible original) - had no idea he was a publisher/editor 3w
Ruthiella @BkClubCare Yeah, briefly. He‘s also wrote fiction, but I‘ve not tried it…yet? 3w
46 likes3 comments
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Ruthiella
Pippi Langstrψmpe | Astrid Lindgren
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Thanks for the tag @TheSpineView ! πŸ‘

1. I don‘t know if I have a favorite female literary character, but Pippi Longstocking came to mind. She can do anything!

2. Apparently Stieg Larsson imagined Lisbeth Salander as a modern, grown up Pippi. I‘d like to transport Pippi into Villette as Lucy Snowe‘s childhood friend. She‘d certainly change the trajectory of that novel. πŸ˜‚

#Two4Tuesday

TheSpineView Good choice! Thanks for playing 2mo
Bklover Great idea for Villette! Lucy definitely needed a spark! 2mo
Ruthiella @Bklover I know, right? Pippi can fix anything. 2mo
See All 7 Comments
dabbe In 5th grade, for the dreaded required book reports, I begged the teacher to let me read a Pippi Longstocking book (I was on a roll with her). She told me if the book wasn't on β€œthe listβ€œ, I couldn't read it. What teacher would say that now? I'd be thrilled if my students wanted to read ANYTHING on their own! 🀣 2mo
Ruthiella @dabbe Book reports were so hard in 5th grade! πŸ˜‚ I hope today‘s teachers encourage their students as you do to read what interests them! πŸ‘ 2mo
Reggie Whaaaaaaaat, Lisbeth Sander as Pippi?!!!! I have never read the book but growing up her movie was on a lot and I loved it and can still hear that Pippi Longstocking is coming in to your town song. And her and the kids scrubbing the floor on scrub skates. Aww Pippi! 2mo
Ruthiella @Reggie I have also never forgotten scrubbing the floor with brushes on their feet part of the book! Sometimes I do this with rags when cleaning the kitchen floor. It‘s fun (if not entirely effective)!πŸ˜† (edited) 2mo
46 likes7 comments
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Ruthiella
Babbacombe's | SUSAN. SCARLETT
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For your consideration voting members of the #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub :

πŸ“šI figure we might be ready for more fairy tale romance ten months from now from Streatfeild and I love anything set in a department store!

πŸ“š However, I‘m also a sucker for bringing a house back to life story and the Italian seaside might be lovely for those readers approaching the winter season.

The choice is yours! 😊 Voting is open till next week Friday.

Kimzey Hmmm, tough choice! I also love a story of house restoration project, especially in Italy. So, Marble Staircase gets my vote. πŸ—³οΈ 2mo
LeahBergen You‘re killing me here!! I want to read both! Should I go with the one I own? I guess so but I‘ll be buying the other one, too. πŸ˜† 2mo
See All 13 Comments
Jess_Read_This I love a good fairytale romance and a happily ever after πŸ§šπŸ»β€β™€οΈβœ¨ Nice choices! My vote goes to 2mo
catebutler I am loving these choices!! My vote is for 2mo
CarolynM Hmm, coin tossing again πŸ™‚ I'll go for 2mo
quietjenn This one is hard! I will be happy with either, but will vote for 2mo
batsy Oooooh! I will be absolutely delighted to read both. But this one has been on my TBR longer, so I'll vote for it 2mo
erzascarletbookgasm I want to read both! But I‘ve been eyeing this for a while.. 2mo
Cathythoughts I want both , but I‘ll go with 2mo
LeahBergen Another close one! The winner is 2mo
49 likes1 stack add13 comments
review
Ruthiella
Clothes-Pegs | Noel Streatfeild, Susan Scarlett
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Pickpick

This was a sweet fairy tale of a story set in the world of of 1930s English fashion; a world which the author knew something about, having been a model herself.

I would love to read a sequel featuring Lorna and her years at Mallory Towers! πŸ˜‚ I know she was pretty awful, but I was also a mouthy, bad attitude kid (minus the shoplifting) and I have a soft spot for her and her ilk.

#FurrowedMiddlebrowClub

LeahBergen Ohhhh, I would SO read about her exploits at a Blyton-esque boarding school! 🀣🀣 Love it! 2mo
Ruthiella @LeahBergen A Midnight picnic or two and some good clean sports will set her right in no time! πŸ˜‚ 2mo
Jess_Read_This Agree! I wish we could follow her boarding school adventures. I liked her a lot too. Nice review! 2mo
See All 19 Comments
Ruthiella @Jess_Read_This Thanks! She‘s certainly redeemable and I liked her quick if snarky wit. 2mo
jlhammar I would love more Lorna! She was a great character. 2mo
Ruthiella @jlhammar l‘m gonna go out on a limb and say she had more personality than Annabel. Though when Annabel slapped Freda, it was pretty satisfying. 2mo
Tamra I would have liked more of all the family characters! 2mo
Ruthiella @Tamra The spin off possibilities are endless! Ethel and George: -The Golden Years, Artie‘s Adventures in the RAF, Bernadette and Jim‘s Little Motors and How They Grew… 2mo
Tamra @Ruthiella πŸ˜† yes!! 2mo
quietjenn @Ruthiella I'm in love with these spin off ideas. I wonder if there is Susan Scarlett fanfic? Great comments! (edited) 2mo
Ruthiella @quietjenn The idea of Susan Scarlett fanfic is a fun one! 2mo
batsy I agree! Lorna and a Mallory Tower-esque spinoff would have been brilliant. 2mo
batsy @Ruthiella @jlhammar I agree! Annabel needed more spikiness to her. I found the slap very satisfying for that reason πŸ˜† 2mo
Cathythoughts I‘d love a follow up on Lorna too. I liked her. 2mo
Ruthiella @Cathythoughts @batsy We‘ll have to imagine our own happy end for Lorna. 😊 2mo
erzascarletbookgasm Hahaha, I‘ll like to read about Lorna & her misadventures at the boarding school too! She‘s not awful, actually, very realistic character. 2mo
Ruthiella @erzascarletbookgasm Yes, Lorna is a middle class child who yearns for more than her situation provides; very relatable! 2mo
shawnmooney I loved your review, and I would be here for a Lorna/boarding school sequel. You should write it! 2mo
Ruthiella @shawnmooney Ha ha. 🀣 Maybe when I retire. 2mo
67 likes19 comments
review
Ruthiella
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Pickpick

A very soft pick for me. Clearly this was well researched, but it never felt real; rather factoids strung together to make an overstuffed novel. OTOH, it felt like a labor of love and that love for each character and their story shone in virtually every sentence. Also, my expectations were very high, maybe too high. Set in Italy and Hollywood during WWII, the book can be summarized by quoting Hamilton, β€œImmigrants (we get the job done!)” #Tob2023

Cinfhen Excellent review!!! I‘m not really looking forward to this one, even though I clearly should given the genre, setting & time 3mo
Hooked_on_books I loved the first chapter, but the next two dragged a bit for me, so I‘m not very far along. I think I‘m already seeing what you mean. 3mo
sarahbarnes Great review! I‘m probably going to try this one, but I‘m not really excited about it. 3mo
See All 19 Comments
Ruthiella @Cinfhen I think this would have worked better on audio for me, but due to the vagaries of library holds, I only had access to the hardcover. 3mo
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books Each chapter individually is beautifully written but I do think I would have preferred a more focused story. 3mo
Ruthiella @sarahbarnes I‘ll be curious to read what you make of it! Definitely give it a go. 3mo
Suet624 I think he did an incredible amount of research for this book. I agree with the soft pick but I also appreciated researching some of the folks he talked about in the book. 3mo
merelybookish Hamilton quote. 🀣 Chef's kiss πŸ’‹ 3mo
Ruthiella @Suet624 Yes! The acknowledgments were very interesting to read in and of themselves for those details. Plus the shout out to his cousin‘s SF restaurant and his real life aunts was super sweet! (edited) 3mo
Ruthiella @merelybookish Thanks! I didn‘t want to β€œthrow away my shot” at making that reference! πŸ˜‚ 3mo
Hooked_on_books Yes, that‘s where I‘m at. Some of the lines are just outstanding, but the whole book needs to be tightened up. 3mo
merelybookish @Ruthiella You'll.never be satisfied! πŸ˜‚ 3mo
Megabooks Fantastic review! 3mo
Megabooks @Suet624 agree. You have to hand it to him re: the research, but it kind of lacked flair because of it. Kind of like Egan‘s 3mo
Suet624 @Megabooks I am reluctantly willing to agree with you and @Ruthiella. It‘s just that I love Marra‘s other books so much that I feel I need to defend him. 😊 3mo
Ruthiella @Megabooks Spot on with the Egan comparison. I totally agree that is what dragged that novel as well. 3mo
Ruthiella @merelybookish πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚We both must be stopped for our own good! 3mo
Cinfhen Ok, I‘ll look for audio!! Since that‘s my go to preference anyway 😊 2mo
63 likes19 comments
review
Ruthiella
Sag Harbor: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

I think I will become a Whitehead completist. I don‘t think there‘s any genre he can‘t write. This was a melancholy and nostalgic coming of age story from a perspective not well represented in novels on my experience: the Black middle class. At 15, Benji is finally one of the cool kids in the NY community where his family has been vacationing for generations. This was beautifully evocative of the awkward transition of adolescence.

#12BooksOf2022

jlhammar He's one of my favorite authors! I've read all of his books (except for The Noble Hustle, I think) and will continue to do so. This was a good one! 3mo
Andrew65 I love his books but not read this one yet. Thanks for playing along, it‘s been a good way to review the year. 3mo
Ruthiella @jlhammar I would also include him on my list of favorites, though I‘ve only read four from him so fat! 3mo
Ruthiella @Andrew65 Thanks to you Andrew for hosting! It‘s a great way to look back on a year or reading! 3mo
48 likes2 stack adds4 comments
review
Ruthiella
Going Postal | Terry Pratchett
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Pickpick

This was my third Discworld novel and it cemented my love for Pratchett. This one works well as a stand alone. In it, con man Moist von Lipwig is saved from hanging by Lord Ventenari and subjected to an even worse punishment: he is tasked with bringing the moribund Ankh-Morpork post office back to life. Throw in Golem‘s rights, a little romance, and a lot of humor and voila! Pratchett deftly skewers corporate greed and much more.

#12Booksof2022

Vansa I LOVED this book.Practically reads as historical fiction for how the postal system is set up. 3mo
vivastory Moist von Lippert. What a name! 3mo
Ruthiella @Vansa I loved how pin collecting was a thing until stamps took it over. πŸ˜† Let‘s face it, I loved everything about this book. 3mo
See All 9 Comments
Ruthiella @vivastory Oops! It‘s actually von LIPWIG. I corrected it. If that name doesn‘t make you at least crack a smile, his humor might not be for you. πŸ˜‚ (edited) 3mo
Aimeesue MOIST!!! 3mo
Andrew65 A very popular author and series. 3mo
Ruthiella @Aimeesue I‘m so pleased to find out he appears in a couple of other Discworld books as well! 3mo
Ruthiella @Andrew65 Thank goodness for the internet. I don‘t think Pratchett is as well known in the States as in Europe. I first heard of these books on YouTube! 3mo
Andrew65 @Ruthiella Where would we be without it, it‘s our go to with any question and for information sources. 3mo
53 likes9 comments
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Ruthiella
Untitled | Unknown
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Thanks for the tag @Bklover ! ☺️

1. I don‘t decorate for the holidays, but I do decorate for my parents and we are quite conservative: Christmas decorations may be up up only after Thanksgiving and must be down by New Year‘s. 🧐

2. I would prefer rain. Something about listening to the patter of raindrops is soothing.

#Two4Tuesday

TheSpineView Thanks for playing! 3mo
Bklover Rain is wonderful. Love reading with either rain or snow!! 3mo
BiblioLitten I prefer rain too. And the rules for decoration are the same at my place too. 😊 3mo
See All 6 Comments
Ruthiella @BiblioLitten I‘m in good company then! ☺️ 3mo
Reggie Lol, last year our tree was still up in May. I was fighting to keep it year round and lost. 3mo
Ruthiella @Reggie I respect your right to keep the tree up year round, even though it offends my sense of propriety. πŸ˜‚ 3mo
39 likes6 comments
review
Ruthiella
Fight Night | Miriam Toews
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Pickpick

My first Toews novel but for sure not the last. I read this in two days. Swiv is nine years old and has been suspended for fighting. The book is framed as a letter to Swiv‘s absent father but it‘s really a funny and moving account of Swiv‘s relationships with her crazy yet full of life grandma and her confrontational, pregnant mother. Can‘t wait to read more from this author!

#12Booksof2022

Reggie They‘re making a movie out of her other book, Women Talking. That was a great book. I should read this one. Great review. 3mo
JenniferP I‘m reading this right now and it‘s also my first by this author. I love the humor through tough situations! 3mo
Ruthiella @Reggie I saw the trailer for the film. I definitely want to read it as well! 3mo
Ruthiella @JenniferP Yes! So much of this book is laugh out loud funny. 3mo
60 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
Ruthiella
The Honjin Murders | Seishi Yokomizo
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Pickpick

I very much enjoyed this first mystery featuring the private detective Kosuke Kindaichi and which was only recently translated into English. The solution was fine, but what I particularly liked was the set up of the characters and intricate plot and learning a little bit about historical and post WWII Japan. A locked room mystery, newlyweds are found murdered the morning after their wedding. Suicide? But why and how?

#12Booksof2022

Lucy_Anywhere I‘m hoping to read this in January so I‘m glad to hear you enjoyed it! 3mo
batsy I'm looking forward to this! I liked this one a lot for the atmosphere and set up as well, and now want to go back and read it in order 3mo
Andrew65 This sounds great. 3mo
See All 10 Comments
bthegood Sounds interesting and an author I am unfamiliar with - so it is stacked - thank you for the review😊 3mo
Ruthiella @Lucy_Anywhere I hope you also like it! 3mo
Ruthiella @batsy I also want to read the rest of the series (at least that which has been translated). πŸ‘ 3mo
Ruthiella @Andrew65 Apparently Seishi Yokomizo was influenced by John Dickson Carr, another mystery writer I‘ve not yet read. The book references 3mo
Ruthiella @bthegood This book was only first translated into English in 2019! 😯 But it was published in Japan in the β€˜40s. I‘m so glad publishers are realizing there is a market for translation in the English speaking world. 3mo
Andrew65 @Ruthiella Thanks for this information. 😊 Not an author I have read either. 3mo
bthegood @Ruthiella thank you - glad it made it into translation - 3mo
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Ruthiella
Lightning Rods | Helen Dewitt
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Happy birthday month @wanderinglynn and congratulations on reaching 300k Litfluence! πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ₯³ Thanks for this generous giveaway opportunity. πŸ™ I‘ve tagged a book from the never ending TBR that I‘d love to receive.

#300KBirthdayGiveaway

wanderinglynn Thank you! 😘 And thanks for entering! 3mo
50 likes1 comment
blurb
Ruthiella
Clothes-Pegs | Noel Streatfeild, Susan Scarlett
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Happy New Year #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub ! Our first bi-monthly read for 2023 is Clothes Pegs by Susan Scarlett aka Noel Streatfeild. I hope you all will join in and post your thoughts as you go, with the goal of finishing by mid month.

Any other Littens interested in reading along in the future, please let me know. All are welcome. πŸ˜ƒ And if anyone wants to opt out this time β€˜round, that‘s no problem. We‘ll catch you again in March. πŸ‘

Kimzey Happy New Year! πŸ₯³ Working on my bookish resolutions and looking forward to more #furrowedmiddlebrowclub reading in 2023! 3mo
Tamra I‘ve got my Kindle charged! 😊 Happy Reading in 2023 @Ruthiella 3mo
catebutler Can‘t wait!! 3mo
See All 21 Comments
quietjenn Yay! I made sure my copy was downloaded and looking forward to it. 3mo
jlhammar Yay! Happy New Year! Can‘t wait to get started. 3mo
Jess_Read_This Thank you for the tag and reminder we are starting this one! I‘ve got my copy and am looking forward to joining in! πŸ“š 3mo
elkeOriginal Excited to read my first Susan Scarlett! 3mo
LeahBergen Thanks, Ruth! I‘m looking forward to another year of our #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub. ❀️❀️ 3mo
CarolynM Thanks Ruth, I‘m looking forward to getting started on this one and to more good times with the #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub. Happy New YearπŸ₯³ 3mo
batsy Thank you! Very excited to give these Streatfeild as Scarlet books a try πŸŽ‰ 3mo
erzascarletbookgasm I have my book. Thank you Ruth! 3mo
Cathythoughts Thanks Ruth. I was only wondering what our next book is. I‘ll head to my shelf immediately and have a look πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ₯° 3mo
Tamra @Cathythoughts I think you‘re going to really enjoy this one given your love of clothing & fashion! πŸ˜ƒ 3mo
Cathythoughts @Tamra Oh very good πŸ˜ƒπŸ₯° 3mo
LeahBergen Here‘s a thought: Why don‘t we begin to choose our books for the remainder of the year now (as we only read six)? And then I can make up a handy post/graphic for us? It might help some people to find them on Kindle deals, etc. @quietjenn has March; I have May; @CarolynM has July; @Cathythoughts has September and @Ruthiella has November. We‘ll take it in turns to make a post with 2 options so we don‘t double up on suggestions. What do you think? 3mo
CarolynM @LeahBergen Excellent idea. I‘ll go and choose some options right away. 3mo
Ruthiella @LeahBergen Sounds like a plan! πŸ‘ 3mo
quietjenn Yes, i think that makes a lot of sense. I knew I was coming up, so I've been contemplating things - will try to narrow it down and make a post tonight or tomorrow. @LeahBergen (edited) 3mo
LeahBergen @quietjenn Great! I‘ll tag you in the post where I listed our β€œvoting” members so you know who to tag, too. 3mo
Cathythoughts @LeahBergen Sounds great Leah X ❀️ 3mo
Kimzey Glad to be a part of this group. Will get started this weekend! 3mo
49 likes21 comments
blurb
Ruthiella
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This was an impressive debut novel. Creepy and just the right amount of head scratching WTF moments. This is a book where the past and present collide In Vietnam when a young Vietnamese American woman moves to Saigon and stirs up some ghosts.

#12Booksof2022

Andrew65 Not the first nomination for this book. 3mo
Ruthiella @Andrew65 I‘m in good company then! 3mo
51 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Ruthiella
Excellent Women | Barbara Pym
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This was a re-read for me in July 2022 with the #PemberLittens and I fell in love with Pym and her subtle wit all over again. I do believe this book is actually perfect. 😍

#12Booksof2022

LeahBergen It is! 3mo
batsy Yes! 3mo
Andrew65 An excellent choice. 3mo
See All 7 Comments
Aimeesue Yessssss! 3mo
jlhammar It really is! I just loved it. 3mo
Ann_Reads One I still need to read sometime. Happy New Year @Ruthiella. Wishing you lots of wonderful reading in 2023. 3mo
Ruthiella @Ann_Reads Happy New Year to you too! I think you will enjoy it whenever you do pick it up. It‘s a true classic. 3mo
56 likes1 stack add7 comments
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Ruthiella
The Wife Between Us | Sarah Pekkanen, Greer Hendricks
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Completed this bookish puzzle while listening to podcasts and the tagged book. I sure wish I didn‘t have to go back to work next week! 😬

julieclair What a great puzzle! Audio-puzzling is such a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. 3mo
dabbe This is fabulous! 3mo
xicanti Ooh, I have this puzzle! It‘s a fun one. 3mo
See All 12 Comments
Tamra 😍 3mo
Ruthiella @julieclair @dabbe @xicanti @Tamra It was highly satisfying! I haven‘t done a physical puzzle 🧩 (not on a laptop) in a long time! 3mo
LeahBergen Love it! 3mo
dabbe @Ruthiella I have a card table out from the holidays, so it's time to do a physical one! I love doing puzzles on my iPad, too! πŸ˜€ 3mo
Ann_Reads Fun! Great job. πŸ™‚πŸ“šπŸ‘ 3mo
willaful I have it too, very fun. I'm also fond of one with Edward Gorey covers: https://goreystore.com/products/edward-gorey-book-covers-puzzle 3mo
Ruthiella @willaful That Gorey puzzle looks awesome! (edited) 3mo
batsy Oooh! 😍 3mo
bthegood love that puzzle - 3mo
67 likes12 comments
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Ruthiella
Post Captain | Patrick O'Brian
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This second book in the Aubrey-Maturin series was a favorite in June 2022. They are great action/adventure that I didn‘t initially think I‘d enjoy, but it turns out I do! πŸ˜…

I need to add the third book to my #SeriesLove2023 list!

#12Booksof2022

Andrew65 I love all the different sea adventure books. 3mo
Ruthiella @Andrew65 I‘m glad I tried it because I didn‘t realize l love sea adventure too until then. πŸ˜‚ 3mo
Andrew65 @Ruthiella I would also recommend the Kydd Series by Julian Goodwin 3mo
Ruthiella @Andrew65 Thanks! Well noted. πŸ‘ 3mo
45 likes4 comments
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Ruthiella
Untitled | Unknown
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I may end up changing my mind since there‘s a few other series I am working my way through and I also might start a few new ones next year! πŸ˜‚ However, these six are the first which came to mind for the #SeriesRead2023

Andrew65 You‘ve got some wonderful series on there. I‘m also working through the Robin Hobb books in mine. 3mo
46 likes1 comment
blurb
Ruthiella
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One of the best books I read in May 2022 and an excellent reminder to read more nonfiction! This account of the IRA and the conflict in Northern Ireland and its delicate peace process was interesting and educational.

12Bookof2022

Andrew65 I don‘t read enough non-fiction. An important theme. 3mo
Ruthiella @Andrew65 I don‘t either. I am so much more drawn to fiction! 3mo
Andrew65 @Ruthiella Definitely, possibly for escapism πŸ˜‚ But also I still feel I learn a lot from fiction especially when it sends me to Google or Wikipedia. 3mo
Ruthiella @Andrew65 Totally agree! I also tend to remember fictional accounts better, maybe because I am emotionally invested in them while reading. 3mo
55 likes4 comments
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Ruthiella
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I suspect the thriller The Wife between Us will be the last book I complete in 2022 and for my first book of 2023 I‘m picking the #tob2023 shortlisted title Mercury Pictures Presents. Many thanks Kristen for this opportunity! πŸ™

#LastFirst

BookNAround I have the Marra book on my tbr too so I‘ll be curious to see what you think of it. I‘ve liked his previous books a lot. (edited) 3mo
Ruthiella @BookNAround I‘m curious about how I will like it too! I love 3mo
48 likes2 comments
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Ruthiella
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Thanks for the tag @MoonWitch94 ! πŸ˜ƒ

1. This is a picture of a stack of books I bought yesterday with a visiting friend. We went used books shopping. πŸ“š

2. No plans for New Year‘s Eve or day other than relaxing and reading (and freaking out about having to go back to work 😭).

MoonWitch94 You‘re welcome! Nice stack! 3mo
Eggs Oh fun - used book shopping πŸ₯³πŸ₯³ I‘m inπŸ™ŒπŸ»πŸ™ŒπŸ» 3mo
52 likes2 comments
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Ruthiella
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Definitely one of my favorites from the books I read in April 2022. I was really pleased with this re-entry into the Realm of the Elderlings and hope definitely to continue in 2023 as part of the #SeriesLove2023.

#12BooksofChristmas

Andrew65 Hoping to catch up with her books in 2023. 3mo
Ruthiella @Andrew65 They are rather long, but so good! 3mo
Andrew65 @Ruthiella Sometimes the length puts you off but so brilliant when you read them! 3mo
46 likes3 comments