Finally made it to the post office today. #muglove23 and #llwbs package have both been sent off Priority.

@TheKidUpstairs @Cinfhen @TheQuietQuill
@Bookgoil @Deblovestoread @AmyG

Like an afternoon spent with an old friend, catching up and hearing all the news of the village. Such a treat. And, I remembered very little. I love Miss Marple and her debut here is so good. Plus, the Vicar's narration is particularly delightful. Looking forward to chatting about it with #goldenagecrimeclub tomorrow. Also, marveling about how so many mysteries that came after echo bits of this.

I hadn't really planned on buying anything for myself yesterday, but when the B&N by your bus stop is closing, so everything is 40% off & you've got 15 minutes to wait ...

I originally requested this in order to maybe read during #cloakanddaggerchristmas, but there were few copies in the library and it didn't arrive until this week. Which is fine, as I wouldn't have gotten to it in December and it makes solid lunch fare. Accompanied today by grilled ham and cheese and fries, because a) Friday and b) it's been one of of those weeks 😏

My #muglove23 arrived! The benefits of being relatively nearby, @TheQuietQuill 😊 Thank you!!!
@TheKidUpstairs @Cinfhen

Completely engrossing and compelling book, centered on a 14th century convent, the women who inhabit it, and the greater community (ecclesiastical and otherwise) that support it. With a meandering-to-nonexistent plot, shifting perspectives, and a large cast of characters who wander in and out of the story, on paper it probably shouldn't work at all, but in reality it's a complete triumph. Loved it and what a book to kick off #nunlitquarterly

Sunday on the futon with Pym 😊

Early in this one, our heroine Annabel has the following exchange, with fellow mannequin and friend Bernadette.
β€œHave you ever been at a stuffy cocktail party and come out to find a lovely night,
with a breeze to blow the drinks and cigarettes away?β€œ
β€œNo. Why?β€œ
β€œThat's how you've made me feel.β€œ
And it's a pretty apt summation of the book overall, from my perspective. It's a light and airy confection, perfectly charming.

Hello, #furrowedmiddlebrowclub members! We thought it might be nice to get our reading for the year lined up, so everyone can plan (and buy!) accordingly, So, here are my nominations for March!

. Hopefully one of them will strike your fancy!

So I actually tried to read this book a few times, back before and around the time it came out, and I just couldn't get into it. Wondering if I give it another go around now with the #pemberlittens, I may have better luck? Let's see!

Thank you for a perfect #wws #winterwonderlandcswap package, @Born.A.Reader - everything is great. During the Christmas cold snap, I was cursing myself for not buying new gloves, and now I don't have to! And so much raspberry hot chocolate. I love it. And I've been meaning to read the tagged book forever, so excited to have a copy. Thank you!

@Chrissyreadit @Avanders @TheBookHippie

Goodbye old year, hello new one. And happy new year to you, Litsy friends! πŸŽ‰

I didn't want to end the year with a pair of ho-hum reads, so opted to spend the afternoon and early decision with this one. It was an awfully good call.

Despite a pretty cover and catnip of a premise, this is another one I found pretty underwhelming. Annoying characters, an over the top reveal, and pretty tedious going for much of the way. At least it's of the currently reading pile, eh?

My last #cloakanddaggerchristmas read of this year and potentially my last book of 2022. Although in all honesty, I was pretty ho-hum about it, so it would be nice to finish up a book or two before tomorrow night. The amateur sleuth just really irked me, and I'm not quite sure why. Also super wordy and I'm not entirely sure it was all β€œfair play.β€œ I've a few others in the series, so will probably not give up on Forsythe/Verker just yet.

I very much enjoyed this vintage mystery buddy read for #cloakanddaggerchristmas. It was quite witty and twisty, with wonderfully drawn characters. I definitely didn't figure things out entirely before the end! And I agree with others who have said it's a very cinematic tale. I also feel like it's one that would reward revisiting.

@merelybookish @batsy

What a lovely and generous #jolabokaflodswap package you sent, @AshleyHoss820. I adore the fact that it is so very Nebraska, the chocolate is so good, and I'm stoked about both of these books! Thank you so much, and I hope you have a terrific holiday.

Thanks and Happy Christmas to you as well, @MaleficentBookDragon β›„

What a pleasure it is, to settle in with familiar characters. I still love Amelia and Emerson, even if I find Ramses and Nefret a little frustrating at times. I'm glad the library copy arrived in time for #cloakanddaggerchristmas and does, in fact, have foil on the cover. (Although, in honesty, I also checked out the ebook and will likely read more of it that way.)

Finished up this seasonal #kindredspiritsbuddyread in bed last night. Lots of making amends and focus on helping those less fortunate, for some sweet (but not too saccharine) stories. I especially enjoyed the ones laced with humor, but could see revisiting many of these in future Yuletide seasons.

Finally found/made the time to sink into this #PersephoneClub book, and what an engrossing and rewarding experience it was. Whipple brings the characters and setting to vivid life with well-chosen details and clear-eyed (but not unsympathetic) prose.

@rubyslippersreads @LeahBergen @CarolynM @Tamra @elkeOriginal @andrew61 @Cathythoughts

Kicked the day off by sleeping in a bit, then leisurely finishing this #cloakanddaggerchristmas read (nobility prompt). I quite enjoyed it, even if not totally surprised by the denouement. Everytime I read Marsh, it reminds me that I should read her more 😏

Packages for #jolabokaflodswap and #winterwonderlandswap packages are on their merry way and should arrive later this week. @MaleficentBookDragon @TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit @Avanders

It arrived right on time, @AshleyHoss820 - sorry I didn't get a chance to post yesterday! So looking forward to seeing what you sent me. Thank you so much and I hope you have a lovely holiday! #jolabokaflodswap @MaleficentBookDragon

Received my #winterwonderlandswap #wws today! Thanks, @Born.A.Reader - once again I admire you for being so on the ball. Hope you didn't mind being matched with me again. πŸ˜„ Looking forward to opening.

@Chrissyreadit @TheBookHippie @Avanders

Kicking off my #cloakanddaggerchristmas reading with this one, which is going very quickly. Halfway through without even trying. πŸ˜‰

Timing really is everything. I've started this one at least half a dozen times in the past and never made it further than chapter two. But today it just clicked and I pretty much read it straight through, save for a few prosaic stops for things like washing dishes and going to the grocery store. And I'm pretty sure it's brilliant.

I had virtually no knowledge of this story going into it, so it was lovely to just experience things as Bronte gave them to us. Although sometimes frustrated by characters or events, I pretty much loved every minute of it.

I wasn't sure that I'd have the time or inclination for this #kindredspiritsbuddyread, but I guess I was in the mood! I'm not entirely sure I got whatever point LMM was making (I am not, generally speaking, a poetry person) and don't know how much the "Blythe interludes" really added to things for me, but overall I really enjoyed this collection of stories and am glad to have read it.

A book that has long been on the to read pile, this memoir was really fascinating, although I found Eleanor to be somewhat detached. But that could easily be a) generational and or b) a pretty natural result of her experiences. And, it turned out to be rather relevant to present day, given that much of the places that she writes about are in present day Ukraine. Definitely a different perspective on the lead up and outbreak of WWII.

I stayed up way too late the other night, finishing this. It was a very slow starter for me and I wasn't always sure along the way that it would be a pick - I pretty much hated every single character in the book at one time or another - but once I got about halfway through I couldn't stop and ultimately really loved it. It feels very *true* to me and while there was, indeed, a ton of melodrama, so is there in life. πŸ˜†#furrowedmiddlebrowclub

Among many other things, I've been reading this lately, especially when I'm in the mood for something a little lighter. Like during my lunch hour on a very busy work day!

It's taken me a really long time to finish this, but that is 100% about me and not the book. Which is Worsley's typically chatty and readable take on a really fascinating subject. I learned a ton about Victoria, her life, and the people in it.

Note to self: read more Penelope Fitzgerald. πŸ™‚ Recommendations welcome! There only other I've read is Human Voices.

Thank you for and awesome #hauntedhallowswap package, @AlizaApp - it's pretty perfect! Looking forward to all the books and am putting the socks on as soon as I post this. Love everything else, too πŸ§‘πŸ–€πŸ§‘
Thanks for organizing, @wanderinglynn #hhs

Just the sort of book I've come to expect from our #PersephoneClub reads. The intertwined story of the people and the house that brings them together. Stellar writing, a wistful air, and subtle commentary on history, class, and human nature.

@LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads @CarolynM @mklong @Tamra @Cathythoughts @Sparklemn @andrew61 @sisilia @elkeOriginal

Thank you, @Born.A.Reader for a fab fall swap package! I am making a nice cup of cocoa asap and the treats all smell divine! Looking forward to the books and really appreciate everything. πŸ’›πŸ‚

#llfs #litsylovefallswap @Deblovestoread @Bookgoil

For the first time during #janeandtheexcellentreadalong, I've actually finished the book before it was time to discuss it. ☺️ I don't think I would've kept going with this series on my own, but I like each one a little bit more, so will probably continue. Loved the setting of this one and the real life background, if not 100% all-in about all aspects.

Very happy-making to come home to my #hhs #hhs22 package, from @AlizaApp - can't wait to see what's inside it! Thank you!!!

Flying back (and leaving family behind) is always a little bittersweet. Fortunately, I picked up this Pym at a used bookstore last week and she did serve as a bit of a balm.

Yes, please! Small but well curated and oh so friendly.

Finally taking some vacation! Which I'm hoping will entail lots of reading. Starting with today's airport book.

Both my #hhs and #llfs packages have been sent and are set to arrive by the end of the week. Sorry I didn't get them out as soon as intended, but both should arrive in plenty of time!
@wanderinglynn @Bookgoil @Deblovestoread @Born.A.Reader

It's so lovely (and heartening) when you finally get to a book that you've long had on your shelf and been looking forward too, and it's just as excellent and you love it just as much as you expected.

Finished my first Bowen this weekend and it was terrific. Looking forward to diving into her wonderful, deliberate writing more.

Oops, nearly finished another Pym ...

Came home to my #litsylovefallswap package today. You are *very* on the ball, @Born.A.Reader - I should have yours in the mail by Monday. Thank you and i hope that y'all are safe!

@Bookgoil @Deblovestoread

I loved this. Mandanna says in the acknowledgements that she started the book during the pandemic, wanting to create "a warm, cozy, romantic sorry about magic and family" and she's done exactly that. It's so entirely I book I would like to hug.

I'm so glad I decided to revisit this, with #pemberlittens. I do not have fond memories of it - maybe because I had to read at least twice (or more?) in a short amount of time whilst in college? But I am enjoying it *so* much. Sorry for snarking on you all these years, Jane (and Charlotte)!

Oh, Cyd! What a lovely and generous #fallingforfallswap package you sent me. For your first big swap, you really came out swinging and I just love everything! Can't wait to indulge in everything (going to read these books in the best smelling apartment). And tell your son thumbs up on the candy πŸ‘. Thank you so very much! You really made my day.
@CBee @Avanders #fffs

Finally finished this today, but will confess that it was tough going initially and I abandoned it a few times along the way. Always felt compelled to go back though and ultimately I found the resolution well-done and satisfying. Hopefully things will tighten up a bit in the subsequent books. Have already checked out book two and am looking forward to giving it a go. #pemberlittens #janeandtheexcellentreadalong