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eeclayton

eeclayton

Joined January 2018

sex, books, rock 'n roll
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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
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eeclayton
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I've been more of a lurker than a poster lately because it's been such a busy period at work for me, but I have read books and ticked off some prompts, and I'm pretty much on track with the #52bookclub24 challenge.
(Further comments and links to books in comments.)

eeclayton (4) Women in STEM -- What a fascinating story, and what a disappointing book. For much of the book, Ada fades into the background. Also, the edition I read had been poorly written, poorly edited, poorly translated, or a combination of all three. I wish more effort had been put into the project. 2mo
eeclayton (20) A revenge story -- A re-read with fellow Littens #NoPlaceLikeHolmes I found the character studies way more enjoyable than the mystery in this one. 2mo
eeclayton (30) Picked without reading the blurb -- A mixed bag: some sections were focused and informative, others a bit all-over-the-place, as if the author couldn't resist including each fact and anecdote that he'd come across. I enjoyed those chapters the most where I went in with some prior knowledge about the leader being discussed. 2mo
See All 9 Comments
eeclayton (44) Includes a wedding -- The second book in Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles trilogy (a retelling of the Arthurian legend). Happily it fits a prompt, but I would have read it anyway 😄 2mo
BarbaraBB You‘re definitely on track! Great choices for the prompts! 2mo
Librarybelle A nice mix of topics and prompts! 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2mo
29 likes9 comments
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eeclayton
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Pickpick

Five Bloody Hearts is a thriller in which a convicted serial killer warns a detective from prison that a copycat killer might be on the loose. The detective has his doubts about the serial killer's intentions, but an investigation starts, and not surprisingly, some gruesome murders are discovered.
The ending was a bit underwhelming, but overall I enjoyed it.
(Full review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6106414202?book_show_action=false)

See All 11 Comments
BarbaraBB The plot sounds great! 2mo
Librarybelle I‘ve wondered about her books - I‘ve not read any, and her name is not huge in the US. But, I‘ve seen some good reviews of her books on Litsy. Sounds intriguing! 2mo
eeclayton @Librarybelle I hadn't heard about her either before my sister got me a blind book box for my birthday last year and this was one of the 10 books in there. 2mo
Crazeedi Sounds interesting, I like finding authors from other countries, the writing is always different. 2mo
Kristy_K The plot sounds good! 2mo
Hooked_on_books Sounds interesting! 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2mo
38 likes11 comments
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eeclayton
Untitled | Unknown
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Another great reading year 🎉

Ruthiella Nice work! 👏👏👏 3mo
eeclayton @Ruthiella Thank you ☺️ 3mo
26 likes2 comments
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eeclayton
Untitled | Unknown
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Here are my top reads in 2023. Cornwell has become a steady favourite. Mary Jane was an unexpected summer treasure. Tess was a sad but memorable read. The Caboni book (Garden of Secret Flowers) was a case of picking up the perfect book at a perfect time. I wish more of her books were available in translation.

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eeclayton
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Pickpick

I've always known that Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was amazing, but now I admire her even more. This no-nonsense biography may be a little dry in its style, but it is very well researched and attempts to separate fact from rumour. It describes Mary's strength and how she was able to deal with the many tragedies life dealt her, explains the seeming controversies behind her attitudes, and draws the portrait of an exceptional figure. Great read.

15 likes1 stack add
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eeclayton
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#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

(1) On Goodreads, I challenged myself to read 40 books. I'll accomplish this soon, I'm reading the 40th book right now.
(2) The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell
(3) I hope to continue Cornwell's trilogy as soon as the library opens after the winter break.

Thanks for the tag @The_Penniless_Author ☺️

Would you like to play @Dilara @Kristy_K @marleed ?

Eggs Thank you for playing and sharing 🥰👏🏻📚 3mo
16 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
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Pickpick

A retelling of the Arthurian legend, but a much grittier, more realistic tale than the romanticised myth of the knights of the round table.

eeclayton It's a good thing that I saw the series first and read the book later; had I done it the other way around, I wouldn't have been able to enjoy the show at all. The plot was butchered, some characters were altered to the point where they were barely recognizable, and the season finale was kind of meh compared to the the final chapters of the novel, a thrilling battle, which is one of Cornwell's strengths. 3mo
25 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
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I've just reached 10000 litfluence! 🎉
I may be slower than others in accumulating points, but I thoroughly enjoy being here even when I don't post so much. Thanks everyone for your comments, likes, and everything you do to make Litsy the best place on the internet! ❤️

Ruthiella Yahoo! Congratulations! 👏👏👏 3mo
IndoorDame Woohoo!!! 🥳 3mo
Meshell1313 🎉📚🙌 3mo
See All 6 Comments
AnnR 👏 Yay! 👏 3mo
dabbe #yahooyou! 💙❄️💙 3mo
23 likes6 comments
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eeclayton
Stranger Planet | Nathan W Pyle
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Pickpick

I still adore the beings ☺️

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eeclayton
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Mehso-so

I adored the book up until the point when the drama started. The couple was cute, their chemistry palpable, with a lovely Christmas atmosphere around them.
However, ...

eeclayton ... after Grace finally told Owen that she was the author of the book, everything went downhill. I felt that both characters wildly overreacted, and instead of a simple conversation, lots of melodrama followed. I also didn't like the ending, I found the proposal way too early, they'd only known each other for a few weeks, after all. It's a shame, because 3/4 of the book was great. 3mo
16 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
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Mehso-so

A light-hearted Christmas romance, an okay read but nothing special. The plot was quite predictable and, while I found her insecurities somewhat relatable, I'm not sure I liked the MC much.
#kindlefreebie

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eeclayton
Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes
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Mehso-so

I should probably start by saying that I didn't read the chunkster original but an abridged version (just over 400 pages). At first I was disappointed that I had only been able to track down this copy, but now I'm perfectly okay with having read this version. In my view, the story was more sad than funny, and I had enough of random people making fun of poor DQ.
Thanks for hosting the buddy read @TheAromaofBooks 🙂

TheAromaofBooks Thanks for joining me! This one is definitely a mixed bag for me 😂 I think it will probably end up in the “I'm glad I read it but once is plenty“ pile LOL 3mo
eeclayton @TheAromaofBooks with all the repetition, it must feel like you've read it at least twice already! 😁 3mo
19 likes2 comments
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eeclayton
Just Kids | Patti Smith
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Pickpick

I had expected to devour this book, instead I read it rather slowly, it took me months to get through the middle part. It was interesting, but perhaps there were too many names I was unfamiliar with, and several times I found myself putting the book down and looking for other things to read. That said, Smith painted a vivid picture of life in NY as an artist, and the final chapters were especially heartbreaking.

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eeclayton
Positive Discipline | Jane Nelsen
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Pickpick

What a treasure. Lots of fantastic messages, tips and ideas. Will definitely reread later on.

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eeclayton
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Pickpick

Nothing much happened but I still found the book enjoyable. The character studies were excellent and I loved Pym's soothing way of writing.

Thanks @BarkingMadRead for hosting another fun buddy read, and thanks #pemberlittens #hashtagbrigade for your commentary 🙂

BarkingMadRead I‘m glad you liked it!! 4mo
27 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
Das doppelte Lottchen | Erich Kstner
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#two4tuesday @TheSpineView

(1) Oh yes. My sister and I used to have a bunk bed, and we made it into a blanket fort all the time ☺️

(2) The tagged, which was probably the first book I picked up because I chose to, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Thanks for the tag @The_Penniless_Author 🙂

TheSpineView Thanks for playing! 🌞📖📚 4mo
23 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
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Pickpick

Heartbreaking and still eerily relevant today. Domineering men, double standards, obsession, and all this written by a man in the 1800s -- just wow. Also beautifully written and the details of farm life nicely captured. Loved it.

Thanks for leading the buddy read @BarkingMadRead and thanks for all the opinions, insights and laughs #pemberlittens #hashtagbrigade , I love reading with you all 💕

BarkingMadRead 😍😍😍 5mo
Bklover I love our #hashtagbrigade! Your review is spot on! 5mo
dabbe Yay for our #hashtagbrigade! 🤩🤩🤩 5mo
25 likes3 comments
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eeclayton
Dracula | Bram Stoker
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#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

(1) caramels
(2) Dracula

Thanks for the tag @The_Penniless_Author and sorry for the delay 🙃

TheSpineView You can play anytime!🧡🎃🧡📖🧡🍬 5mo
14 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
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Mehso-so

Somehow this book just couldn't hold my interest. The mystery was good with some twists towards the end, but the story dragged, and the interactions between the characters were a bit boring.

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eeclayton
Just Kids | Patti Smith
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#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

(1) Read, walk, enjoy the colours 🍂
(2) hopeful
(3) Just Kids by Patti Smith

Thanks for the tag @The_Penniless_Author ☺️
Would you like to play @Dilara @sherrisilvera @Sparklemn ?

Eggs The book sounds great! Thanks for playing and sharing 🥳🥳 6mo
23 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
Vanity Fair: A Novel Without a Hero | William Makepeace Thackeray
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Pickpick

I've finally finished Vanity Fair!

It was a bit wordy at times, but overall a great book with fantastic character studies and a fitting ending.

As usual, thanks for the daily posts @BarkingMadRead and all the comments and insights #pemberlittens #hashtagbrigade I loved reading this with all of you 💕

BarkingMadRead Very wordy! Somewhat Dickensian, which didn‘t help me lol because I was also reading Pickwick 🤣🤣 6mo
34 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
Bonfire | Krysten Ritter
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Mehso-so

In spite of the somewhat generic plot (lawyer returns to the small town she grew up in to investigate, is haunted by her past), the book started out very promising. It was easy to read and the mystery kept me going. The second half, however, was a bit disappointing, with a messy and rather underwhelming ending. It wasn't bad overall, but I don't expect it to be very memorable.

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eeclayton
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Bailedbailed

It's official: I've given up on Catch-22 and returned it to the library.
Thanks for hosting the buddy read @TheAromaofBooks . Even though I bailed on it, at least it's off the TBR now! 😁

TheAromaofBooks This has been a tough one! I think I'm going to make it through, but it's not going on my reread shelf! 😂 Thanks for coming along for the ride!!! 6mo
22 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
A farkas gyomrban | Lszl Kolozsi
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#Two4Tuesday for last week, but it's a busy time so I'm only posting now. Thanks for the tag @TheSpineView 💕

(1) I started several books in August but only finished one, A farkas gyomrában (In the Belly of the Wolf). I wouldn't call it a favourite, but it had been on my TBR forever so I'm glad it's off the list now.

(2) It was thought provoking. Although it was preachy at some points, it did a decent job of exploring different viewpoints.

TheSpineView Never to late to play! 6mo
18 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
Rebecca | Daphne Du Maurier
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#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

(1) Nope.
(2) Rebecca (tagged)

Thanks for the tag @The_Penniless_Author ☺️

TheSpineView Thanks for playing 7mo
21 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
Iskola a hatron | Gza Ottlik
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#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

(1) September 1 for students, but the first meeting for teachers at my school is on August 21st

(2) Tagged; plus Villette (by Charlotte Brontë), which I didn't exactly enjoy, but it was fun to read it with my fellow #PemberLittens

Thanks for the tag @The_Penniless_Author ☺️
Would you like to play @willaful @RamsFan1963 @hannah-leeloo ?

TheSpineView Happy Tuesday and thanks for playing! 7mo
17 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
Mary Jane | Jessica Anya Blau
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#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

(1) Mary Jane (tagged)
(2) It had been on my TBR for a while but some recent posts by Littens made me actually pick it up.

Thanks for the tag @The_Penniless_Author ☺️

Would you like to play @RosePressedPages @AmandaBlaze ?

TheSpineView Not like a blame it on Litsy moment. 😂👍🤩 8mo
17 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
The Feminine Mystique | Betty Friedan
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#WondrousWednesday on a Friday, I've had a busy week 🙃

(1) The Feminine Mystique
(2) About 4 months (War and Peace), if we don't count the books that I tried to pick up several times and ended up bailing on
(3) 18 years (and counting) in teaching

Thanks for the tag @Eggs 💕

Eggs Congratulations #3 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 8mo
eeclayton @Eggs Thank you ☺️ 8mo
19 likes2 comments
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eeclayton
Untitled | Unknown
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#Two4Tuesday

(1) Making mango ice cream from frozen mango, using the AC when it's too unbearable

(2) Julia Cameron started me on my journey of letting go of my perfectionalism

Thanks for the tag @TheSpineView @The_Penniless_Author and sorry about posting so late, I've had a busy week.

TheSpineView No worries. Never too late to play! 🌞 8mo
15 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
Mary Jane | Jessica Anya Blau
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Pickpick

What a delightful book!
It had been on my TBR for a long time, so thank you @ItsAnotherJen and @fredthemoose for your recent posts, which made me actually pick the book up! 😊🤘

ItsAnotherJen I'm glad you liked it so much too!😊 8mo
fredthemoose So glad you liked it. It was such an unexpected bright spot in the summer reading list! 8mo
21 likes2 comments
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eeclayton
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Panpan

Part of the joys of going through a blind bargain box of books is trying new genres and authors. So I'm glad I tried this one, but this soap opera style storytelling with all the repetitions, bloated descriptions and family drama is not my cup of tea.

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eeclayton
A Room with a View | E.M. Forster
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Pickpick

#pemberlittens #hashtagbrigade

Nice read, but why are we robbed of the Rome chapters?

Thanks for hosting @BarkingMadRead 💕

TheBookHippie Yes!!! WHY?!?! 8mo
28 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
Untitled | Unknown
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#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

(1) Home-made lemonade, also cold brew coffee. I actually drink cold brew all year round, but this is the season when it tastes the best.
(2) Outside, if the weather permits. I have a balcony and I love reading there, surrounded by my potted plants.

Thanks for the tag @The_Penniless_Author 😊

TheSpineView 💛🍋💛 Thanks for playing 8mo
18 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
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Pickpick

This is supposed to be a true story of a road trip. It's also marketed (at least where I live) as a prequel to Rocket Boys/ October Sky. It didn't take long for me to realize, however, that neither of the above is true.
First, it has nothing to do with Rocket Boys apart from the fact that the two main characters happen to be the author's parents. Second, the author did not only record the tall tales his parents had told him, but most probably...⬇️

eeclayton ... chose to add his own embellishments as well. At some points the exaggeration, the extraordinary situations and the cartoonish characters may have felt a bit tiring, but the emotion in the final chapters made up for it.
A nice, light-hearted read for summer.
8mo
25 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
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Panpan

This exceptional woman would deserve a much better book than this. Of course, the story itself is interesting, but the author can hardly take credit for Madame Curie's life choices. The novel is somehow lifeless and devoid of emotional depth, even when the characters go through traumatic events.
I don't regret that I read the book, but those who are seriously interested in the life and work of Marie Curie should look elsewhere.

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eeclayton
Titkos virgok kertje | Cristina Caboni
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Pickpick

Sometimes you come across a story at precisely the best time, and that is what happened to me here. I loved everything about this book, from the way the characters treated their plants and gardens like true companions to the story of the family riddled with secrets.
Also #coverlove 😍

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eeclayton
A Thousand Ships | Natalie Haynes
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Pickpick

It's great that all these women are finally given voices, their stories are finally told, their experiences are finally put into focus.
Calliope's chapters felt a bit didactic, a bit overexplaining to me, but I enjoyed everything else. Each voice was distinct and authentic. Penelope's letters and her sarcasm especially grew on me.

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eeclayton
A Room with a View | E.M. Forster
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#pemberlittens #hashtagbrigade
Starting this one today 😊

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eeclayton
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Mehso-so

#pemberlittens #hashtagbrigade
A sequel to all six published Austen novels, Old Friends and New Fancies manages to star, revisit or at least mention most of the characters we know and love from the Austen books. The first chapters were quite confusing for me, it wasn't easy to follow who was who and how people knew one another. The connections were quite clever, but that's all I can say on the positive side. ⬇️

eeclayton Sadly, most characters lost their charm, they all acted and sounded similarly throughout the book. The plot revolved around three budding romances, which weren't too compelling without the layers of Austen's character studies and social commentary.
All in all, it was an interesting read, but nothing that you shouldn't miss.
Thanks @BarkingMadRead for hosting ❤️
9mo
willaful I agree, only the buddy read really made it fun for me. (edited) 9mo
eeclayton @willaful Oh yes, that part made it absolutely worth it 😊 9mo
19 likes3 comments
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eeclayton
Us Against You | Fredrik Backman
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Mehso-so

I loved Beartown (and also Anxious People) so I was looking forward to the sequel, but I am disappointed. It's a good story with a lot of value in both the plot and the characters; however, the way the author had chosen to tell it just didn't work for me. Each chapter started with some quotable life wisdom, then something happened to confirm it, then the wise words were repeated. Every single chapter. The format had its power in the beginning...⬇️

eeclayton ... but after a while it was just tiring. There were also explanations of character activities that I felt unnecessary, like the author hadn't trusted his readers enough to let them work things out on their own. I almost DNFed the book; I'm not sorry I didn't, but I'm not planning to read the third installment. 9mo
20 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
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My sister and I bought two blind bargain boxes in the Alexandra Publishing House sale, one for her and one for me. Then we negotiated and exchanged some books, and here's the pile I walked away with.
These are all new-to-me authors (I didn't know that Krysten Ritter wrote a novel) so I'm really excited to dive in! #bookhaul

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eeclayton
Austenland: A Novel | Shannon Hale
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#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

(1) Yes, my sister used to have a writer friend and I got a signed book of his once. Unfortunately, the book didn't turn out to be my cup of tea.
(2) No, not accidentally.
(3) Austenland maybe? But only for a few days, then I'd come back to post on Litsy, of course 😁

Thanks for the tag @The_Penniless_Author 😊

Eggs Ha ha great post (Austen Land) Thanks for joining in🥳🥳 9mo
24 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
Untitled | Unknown
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#Two4Tuesday

(1) Somewhere in a forest, where I could go on nice walks in the mornings and then read all afternoon 😊
(2) My husband. We really could use some quiet time together!

Thanks for the tag @TheSpineView ☺️
Would you like to play @The_Penniless_Author @Enchanted_Bibliophile ?

TheSpineView You're welcome and thanks for playing! 9mo
Enchanted_Bibliophile Thanks for the tag 9mo
eeclayton @Enchanted_Bibliophile You're welcome 🙂 9mo
18 likes3 comments
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eeclayton
Untitled | Unknown
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#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

(1) Quiet by Susan Cain. When I read it, it was the first time I felt normal about being "quiet", and I wish I could have experienced that earlier.
(2) There isn't one that sticks out, but the last one I gifted was The Age of Innocence.
(3) Nick Hornby is my absolute favourite but I'm not sure I'd like to meet him. I'd have no idea what to say, except for "I love your books" ?

Thanks for the tag @The_Penniless_Author ?

Eggs 🌸❤️🌺 9mo
17 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
War of the Wolf | Bernard Cornwell
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Pickpick

Another enjoyable book in the series. I especially liked the parts where Uhtred was talking to the priest about the poem.

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eeclayton
War of the Wolf | Bernard Cornwell
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#Two4Tuesday again, a day late 🤦‍♀️

(1) Tagged. Haven't quite finished it yet, but almost.
(2) The Essex Serpent bored me, so I DNFed it.

Thanks for the tag @TheSpineView @The_Penniless_Author ☺️

TheSpineView You're welcome and thanks for playing! 10mo
20 likes1 comment
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eeclayton
Untitled | Unknown
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#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

(1) I'm visiting my parents.
(2) I wish I could post my responses on time 😂

Thanks for the tag @The_Penniless_Author ☺️

TheSpineView Thanks for playing and have a great weekend! 10mo
18 likes1 comment
review
eeclayton
The Essex Serpent | Sarah Perry
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Bailedbailed

When cleaning the bathroom seems more appealing than picking up the book, you know it's time to move on.

RaeLovesToRead I also found this one completely meh. Characters felt like wooden stereotypes. 10mo
Ruthiella I wasn‘t a fan of this either. 10mo
bthegood YES!! 😂 10mo
See All 6 Comments
eeclayton @RaeLovesToRead @Ruthiella thanks for your comments, it's good to know I'm not the only one 🙂 10mo
eeclayton @bthegood Life is too short, right? 😁 10mo
28 likes6 comments
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eeclayton
The Essex Serpent | Sarah Perry
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#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

(1) Colchester
(2) Not really.
(3) Jurassic Park comes to mind, if that counts.

Thanks for the tag @The_Penniless_Author 🙂

Eggs 🦕🩵 🦖 10mo
23 likes1 comment
review
eeclayton
Cranford | Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
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Pickpick

I ended up enjoying this little book way more than I had expected after the first few chapters. At first the whole story seemed to be going nowhere, but the characters slowly grew on me, and I started to appreciate Gaskell's observations about ladies' lives in a small community.
The daily discussions with the #pemberlittens and of course @BarkingMadRead 's hashtags also enhanced the enjoyment factor for me, so thank you all!

BarkingMadRead I‘m glad you liked it!!! 10mo
30 likes1 comment