Just returned home from holiday to #bookmail from @TrishB ! Thank you for sharing the #litsylove and thanks so much for the extra goodies! Very thoughtful.

I‘m not much into nature writing, so this wasn‘t really my thing. It was fine, but just didn‘t grab my interest. Oh well! Every reader is different!

Proper family holiday. Everybody‘s reading.

If Eleanor Oliphant had a Jamaican family and was much more self destructive.
I loved this. But you have to be ok with characters making terrible decisions

Really enjoying this so far. I wish there were contemporary novels set outside of London, but I‘ll just have to enjoy this one while I wait.

Baby‘s First Bookshelf!
We are expecting a massive parcel of books from my in-laws, so this will be full in a week.

I don‘t know if I‘m just not in the mood for YA. This hovered between a pick and a so-so. Interesting subject matter, didn‘t resolve in a cheesy way, believable family dynamic, but I also didn‘t much care what happened. It could just be me though.

(I figured out the answer to my earlier question though! Within the book click “go to” and choose “cover” rather than a chapter.)

Kindle‘s first outing!

Can anyone tell me how to show the cover of the book I‘m reading? All I‘ve figured out how to do is get books from the library and read them. I don‘t understand anything else on this thing. (Yes I am a 110 year old Luddite)

Finally starting this book that @Oryx sent me in a swap over a year ago 😳
#toomanybookstoolittletime

Like short stories, I often wish essay collections were a bit more cohesive instead of having that stop-start quality. But that is my problem with the format, not a criticism of this book. I enjoyed Hunger more - it was more raw - but no matter where Roxane Gay can write. I particularly enjoyed the last essay, Bad Feminist: Take Two.

Trip to the Little Bookshop. Trying hard not to buy all the books.

Starting some new airport reading

Off to Zurich for the week to see me best friend! And reading my Easter Mystery @Leniverse ! (Completely accidental that it‘s a mystery, it‘s my next book club book)

I didn‘t love this book, but I did love this quote.

Thank you @squirrelbrain for the lovely gift at #readingretreat last weekend. Your local charity shop really is a magical place.

I had been avoiding this because I don‘t do scary, but then it was a pick for one of my book clubs and it‘s so short I thought I‘d try it.
The first 2/3 there‘s a mounting dread and suspense that was really working for me. Then things got really weird and I just wasn‘t worried for her anymore and I didn‘t care as much what was happening.
Want to read the other 2 to find out what happens, but I‘m not sure I‘ll ever get to them.

I‘m a slow reader, so I‘m happy to have finished one book on #readingretreat
This book pairs really well with White Rage by Carol Anderson, which I finished last week.
The chapters are long enough to really get a story for each character, but short enough to keep from getting mired down. I like that each character‘s story is carried on in the next generation. Solid pick.

Last few hours in this cathedral of books #readingretreat

Blind date book swap. It‘s like book Christmas!

My shelfie for Hour 3 of #readathon
Obviously not mine, but these are the books I‘m hanging out with at Gladstone‘s right now.

1) Gladstone‘s Library in Hawarden, Wales
2) tagged
3) scones
4) I‘m on a reading retreat this weekend!
5) I‘m going to try not to pick up my phone every 5 minutes!
#Deweys24hourreadathon #readathon

Where I‘m doing my reading this morning

On the train to North Wales. #readingretreat here I come!

Final selection for #readingretreat this weekend. What do you think?
@Oryx @jhod @squirrelbrain @Mitch @julesG @RachelO @Leniverse @scripturient

@kathedron I‘m enjoying this so much I‘ve put the other 3 books I‘m reading on hold while I indulge in the ridiculous nuance of where we buy groceries.

I have to look something up on pretty much every page, so this has become a very interactive book.

I am so happy to have won @kathedron ‘s giveaway! Thank you Kate for the lovely books and sweets. The book about class is exactly what I‘ve been looking for to learn more about Britain. I don‘t understand half the class-coded things people talk about. I‘ve also heard really good things about the Ali Smith, so I look forward to digging into that too.
Thank you!!!❤️❤️❤️

Finally getting back into this book after a detour for 2 book club books and a you-don‘t-have-enough-room-in-your-luggage-why-don‘t-I-buy-this-and-you-can-read-it-before-you-leave-my-house Christmas present from my Dad.

A book hasn‘t made me feel rage quite like this in a long time. Well done, Ms. Butler!
I was wary of the antebellum setting (slavery is a tough and important topic, but I can only read so much of the same story) but the difficult moral questions posed by Dana‘s trips to the past, her relationship with Rufus, and the power dynamics at play made it really interesting.
Exactly what a book club is for - getting you to read a book you wouldn‘t have.

I was looking through my old photos and found this one of Cărturești Carusel in Bucharest. I know we all seek out new bookstores when we travel. What‘s the most interesting one you‘ve come across?

This is really difficult to listen to on audio. I want to stop and reread, pause and reflect, and take notes. I‘m thinking of bailing...but then who knows how long it will be before I read a physical copy.

Note: The narrator is great. She‘s not the problem.

Current book club read!

I‘ve been trying to find a book like this for a long time. I do building engineering consulting in public housing, and I‘ve always wanted to read narratives of the residents describing their own experiences. This focuses on one housing project in Chicago over thirty or forty years and the author shows warmth toward the people he interviewed as well as writing a larger history.

When you have to study for your book before you can read it.

Thank you for the card and bookmarks @Caroline2 !!!

@TrishB thank you so much for the book! Although, I have to admit I‘m a little worried it might be too scary for my overactive imagination. On a scale of 1 to The Shining, how scary are we talking?
The chocolate and bookmark however, I am enjoying without fear!

I came home to an entryway full of cards. Thank you so much Littens, you have made this a fabulous year. Thank you especially to @kathedron for getting #jbuk going; it‘s wonderful to connect with fellow UK book lovers.
I didn‘t quite have time to do cards this year. Maybe I will do a nice pick-me-up for the dreary days of January and February.

I didn‘t love it quite as much as Six of Crows, but that‘s just because nothing is better than a heist. This was a fantastic duology and I‘m so glad I read them.

#in2018 I got the closest to reading 100 books I have ever gotten, but I‘m going to be just short.
There needs to be a “Read a book based entirely on another Litten‘s recommendation” item 📚📚📚

Getting ready to start this beauty, but I‘m afraid of the hype monster. Tell me it‘s going to be ok!

Not a bad location for reading. But is there such a thing, really?

Having after dinner drinks with our books. I am loving this warm weather - I know Leeds is cold and damp right now.
(Reunion Island/La Réunion)

I‘m finally getting a moment to post about my birthday books individually. @Cathythoughts thanks so much for this book. I had forgotten about it and now I‘m excited about it all over again!

Books about books! Thanks @squirrelbrain for these. It‘s just so hard to choose which to read first! I may save one for the reading retreat come April.

Thanks @Caroline2 for this book. I like a good historical novel and I love powerful women. This should be great!

@Oryx you are absolutely right, I love nonfiction. I also really like owls so this is a perfect fit for me. Thanks so much!

@jhod I completely forgot I had added this book to my TBR, so now it‘s like I‘m discovering it all over again! Thank you again for the birthday gift!

Thanks for the sweet note and well wishes Kate!

I find the ladybird/ladybug distinction to be one of the funniest instances of “separated by a common language”. The fact that there are ladybird children‘s books just adds to this hilarity for me.

@TrishB Thanks so much for the book and goodies! It got redelivered this morning. I‘m really looking forward to reading some more nonfiction about Britain. You all have made my birthday feel so special.

I came home from holiday to an entryway full of post. I‘m overwhelmed by your generosity!!! Thank you for making Litsy such a wonderful community to be a part of.
More later once I‘ve had a good sleep.

Hey Littens, sorry I‘ve been gone all week. We are in the US for Thanksgiving and I‘ve been having a bit of a digital detox.
Finally got around to reading this book that @Caroline2 sent me ages ago. Why didn‘t I read it right away!?! It‘s amazing and now I‘m stranded on an island on a bank holiday where I can‘t get the sequel for 2 or 3 days!