A few treats this weekend from Waterstones. My daughter and I adore Legami pens and stationery.

Very excited to start this one.

Caveat: I am NOT a literary snob.

Okay, I am a tincy-wincy bit of a literary snob. But Dan Brown is a hill I'm willing to die on. Yes, this is utter tosh at the final analysis. And yes, Brown's writing style can be screamingly irritating at times.

But oh boy, is this ever a fun read! You kinda know what you're gonna get, but I devoured this in 2 or 3 breathless gulps & knew for an instance pure entertainment. Utter tosh still, but whatever!

This one doesn't quite work for me. The writing is great & there are some really interesting ideas here, but the plot lets it down - at times it is just too ... 'out there'. The pace is inconsistent, the characters don't engage & the twists aren't very exciting. The ending is cheesy AND ridiculous. However, the premise IS actually very thought provoking- the extinction of humanity/the role of AI/off world colonisation/advanced human evolution.

It's not easy being a Ferrari fan. There's been a lot of highs (looking at you, Schumi ♥️) and, sadly, a lot of lows. And then, frustratingly, a lot of almosts. This book examines the Scuderia's recent history of successes & analyses the specifics - personnel, psychology, strategies - then looks at how this compares to the win-drought periods. Winning is a complex equation, it seems. For me, Leclerc is our real hope, Hamilton has lost it.

Starting this one today. Not really sure I'm feeling emotionally secure enough for "sad, but beautiful" in my current perimenopausal state, but hey-ho...

6 days out of 7, I eat healthily. Then, on the 7th, I treat myself to a dirty takeaway, full of fat & MSG, and I try to feel guilty, but I can't because it tasted SO good. This is similar to how I feel about ditching Literature (with a big L) and having me a little Dan Brown time. Sorry, not sorry.

PAN INCOMING!

I've always maintained the best YA transcends the genre. This does not. It's histrionic teen drama at its most self-centered & emotionally stunted. The characters are clichés, the responses predictable, the action minimal, the development virtually non-existent. Does the FMC fall for the bad boy with a tragic backstory & a heart of gold? Why, yes, she does - how DID you know?! Intriguing premise wasted, this was shallow & boring.

Just getting into this one. I don't read a great deal of Sci-fi, the last probably being Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series - which I absolutely loved.

This one was a lot of fun! It's kinda a cross between 'Things In Jars' & Ambrose Parry's 'Raven & Fisher' series. It's a fast-paced murder mystery with a trans MC, and while the plot is a tad 'holey' & the narrative focus gets a little 'sprawly' from time to time, the non-stop action & intrigue do not let you get distracted by minor niggles in the slightest. There is a bittersweet quality to the MC's life that is really nicely done.

I was a little disappointed by this one. Experiencing maternal ambivalence was, for me, the first time I'd ever felt true ambivalence & I was staggered that my brain was capable of such mental gymnastics! I couldn't fully relate to the version of ambivalence Lowy discusses here & I found her work highly repetitive & lacking in bite & depth. Really interesting & important concept, though, it's good that it's being addressed more.

A treat to myself today. Given that neither Ferrari made it to Quali 3 just now, maybe this subtitle should read "CAN F1's most famous team win again?" On today's performance, I'd have to say "probably not" ???

Starting this one tonight. Do NOT like this cover.

A generous So-So as this really isn't my thing at all. The intricately described hacking was meaningless to this technophobe & the plot hung limply together on the very flimsiest of threads. The pace was off & the flow was disjointed. Worst of all, the bad guy was poorly written - no nuance, no understanding of her motives, no depth.

Plucked this title from the murky depths of my NetGalley requests pile. Sounds right up my street & with a trans MC to boot!

Well, this is just about the most exciting thing ever!!! I have been waiting for a long time....

This quietly powerful novel,written in verse form, works incredibly well - the form amplifies & intensifies the message. It features a young girl dealing with grief through an intense interest in dead animals, which eventually leads to her passion for taxidermy & the start of her healing. While it might sound a bit morbid, it really isn't. The language & imagery are evocative, making this a lovely read of hope, resilience & a tentative joy.

A fairly solid pick. Entertaining and engrossing without being outstanding in terms of originality (plot, structure) or thrills generated (twist was satisfying rather than genuinely surprising). Had a slight problem with FMC, in a moment of trauma and seemingly out of character, launching herself into bed with the most unsuitable partner - a trope I'm seeing annoyingly often. Is this REALLY how women cope with upset/stress?! Sex with losers??!!

Starting this very old NetGalley request today. I have no idea why I might have requested this as it is really not "my bag" but I'll give it a go!

Starting this one today.

A strong So-So for this one because I did enjoy it, but I'm not a huge fan of this kind of sentimental novel. I found it a little twee and predictable. The premise is intriguing & the writing is nice enough, but... I just didn't buy it. It was all just too unlikely. And the love interest being the nurse's sister AND the kid's coach - oh, c'mon! Slushy nonsense really, but fairly enjoyable nonsense. Caveat: I have a cold & cynical heart of stone

A weak So-So rating for this insubstantial pool-side fodder. The plot is meh, characters are meh, twists are meh - it resides quite comfortably in Meh City. It isn't thrilling in the slightest & the pace is sloooow. Ending is, quite frankly, infuriatingly rubbish. If you like a read that requires zero intellectual engagement, this is the book for you - in that regard, I enjoyed the ease of reading.

Fresh & punchy YA novel about a troubled teenage white girl placed with a black foster family. Naomi is so well written, such an authentic representation of a young girl in the care system, her thoughts, reactions & language are just so realistic. Not sure I've ever read such believable teenage dialogue as features here. Great mix of tragedy/hope, vulnerability/resilience, sadness/humour, the heart-warming/the genuinely shocking.

Highly recommended for the enthusiastic armchair linguist like myself. This is an absolutely fascinating read. And the bibliography is huge!!! The in depth, impeccably referenced research is presented as coming together pieces of a jigsaw, each area of discovery added to the bigger picture. Complex ideas are explained in an accessible & entertaining manner & the whole thing is just so mind-blowingly interesting/intriguing/staggering 🤯🤯🤯

It's nearly midnight. Should I:

a) Go to sleep!
b) Start new book, one that, by all accounts, is virtually unputdownable.
c) (Some other option I can't even conceive of.)

It's not a hard quiz, is it?! 😁

Starting this one today.

Starting this one today.

Happy First Day of Spring! 🐣🌿🐦🌞

An amazing story written with absolute finesse, this book was The Complete Package. That is, the kind you can disappear into, totally, utterly, blissfully. Based on real events, Brooks has fleshed out characters to create a compelling story that is fascinating & memorable. The relationships here are exquisite, the author's engagement with slavery/racism is powerful, the structure is just right & the ending .... be ready.

Starting this one today. It was a gift from my husband for International Women's Day. And a nice, fresh bookmark as well.

Probably the most UNthrilling thriller I've ever read. So UNthrilling it has DEthrilled me for the next few thrillers I read that will have to work doubly hard to fill my thrill back up!

And the twist - it was more of an entirely perpendicular & totally parallel pole with not so much as a hint of rotation. I called it correctly by page 6.

Execrable.

This one was a mixed bag - at times, the writing is scintillating, at others, the sisters were tedious/borderline insufferable & had me yelling "shut up waffling & get on with it!" I also found the narrative voice pompous & condescending. The plot is fairly unsophisticated but brings with it a lot to unpack re: relationships, the rich & the poor, property, propriety, intellectualism, etc. But there are some really gorgeous and evocative...cont. ⬇️

Starting this one today. I would never have picked this one up for several reasons - a significant one being this awful cover! Also, there are a ton of bad reviews. But someone passed this on to me and now I feel compelled to give it a go - perversely because of the tons of bad reviews!!!

I actually love a 'so bad, it's good' revelation every now and then!!!

Half-term treat!

I absolutely loved Scoff by the same author, so this was an essential purchase. Please excuse my avocado Oodie in the background - it's half-term here & we've been getting up late, hanging out in PJs and generally living our best lives!!!

Fellow Littens!

Talk to me about StoryGraph. Do I need it? What even is it?

I never liked that other one...good reads? can't remember (peri-brain!!!)

Starting this one today on my old, but adequately functioning Kindle Oasis.

Wait, I think that description also applies to me 🤣

Did not like this at all. I found the dialogue particularly bad - the characters spoke to one another in a manner that seemed all belligerent "F**k you!"s and zero meaningful communication. A lot of the sexual detail is totally gratuitous (an ejaculations count?! Every time?!) and really unsexy. And the characters are self-absorbed, one dimensional & immature. Even worse - they're just not that interesting! And they don't develop much either ??

This one is a low Pick due to it taking forever to get going & nearly not capturing my attention at all before it finally moved the plot on. Sister witches wanting different things from life, curses, witchcraft paranoia, heartbreak, betrayal & forgiveness - this was actually a cracking, if slightly lowkey, read. Evocative writing, some interesting symbolism, and strong, capable, independent women at one with nature & their own worth. Nice.

Waaah!!!! 😭😭😭

This is a visual depiction of disappointment. On the left is my 6 year old Kindle Oasis. On the right is my brand new Signature Paperwhite. It's rubbish! And it's going back STAT.

WAAAH!!! 😭😭😭

An absolute mic-drop of a book. Immaculately written by a woman of obvious intellect, compassion, tact & wit. Impeccably researched and referenced (always a turn-on!) Fascinating, illuminating, terrifying, at times completely jaw-dropping, Klein's work here is level-headed, perceptive & accessible. Her revelations & conclusions are sometimes despair inducing, but make absolute, irrefutable sense. Her grace is just a class act. Boom 🎤💥

Starting this one today. Hate this cover though - I can literally hear it in my teeth! If you know what I mean....!

This one was surprisingly compelling. The author has got Quint's voice absolutely spot on - gritty, no-nonsense & unmitigated, but with a grizzled poetry all of its own. Quint's WW2 experiences explain much of his established character, but his stark and uncompromising philosophy of life and of fishing gives him an unexpected depth & vulnerability. I have to say I loved every gnarly page of this!

I am 37 (and have been for several years now) and Saturday was my 37th birthday (again). Imagine my confusion when all my cards, balloons, banners etc had the number 50 on!!! I didn't point out people's mistake as I didn't want to cause a fuss, but really!!! 50! Me! How rude! 😉

Birthday books! I have to wait a while for my new Kindle as I desperately wanted the pink one & it's out of stock. But I can wait because apparently I'm a grown-up now 😂

An absolutely delightful little volume! Reading this over the solstice period was a perfect treat & I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves winter or words .... and if you love both, well, you'll love this book! It's a treasure trove of unusual, forgotten, obscure, weird words, with etymology & examples of usage, written with warmth, wit & a wry sense of humour. Just a really simple but thoroughly enjoyable book - would make a lovely gift.

Help needed!

I currently have my Kindle in the 'book' style case - it's held in place & the cover, which is stiff, opens like a book. However, I am soon upgrading to a gorgeous pink Paperwhite & would prefer a sleeve type case. But a lot of this style don't seem to offer the screen as much protection as they're too soft/thin.

Any recommendations for a sleeve with good protection qualities?

This one was a nicely soothing seasonal read with some really lovely pieces included. Because, as much as I hate the cold and gloom of winter - do not even mention snow to me because NO - I do love reading about it, especially when I'm warm and cozy and, specifically, inside. It comes from 2 books I read as a child: The Wind in the Willows (an excerpt included here) and The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Gah! How annoying! Just about to start this NetGalley title when I realise I've actually bought a physical copy subsequent to receiving this free version! There is, perhaps, a moral in this story & it could possibly be STOP BUYING BOOKS UNTIL YOU'VE READ THE ONES YOU'VE GOT, YOU PLONKER but obviously I'm going to totally ignore it like this whole incident never even happened!

This was pretty weird. Now, don't get me wrong - I love a bit of weird, me. But this went on way too long & became a little incoherent. I loved the fairy tale parallels, but again, the metaphors & references got a little repetitive & lost some of their impact. It had things to say about mother/daughter relationships, society's beauty ideals, vanity/self-image, grief - all heavyweight issues - but drew vague conclusions.

This memoir is a treat. Really nicely written, interesting subject matter, lots to relate to & an author who seems like a genuinely decent person (apart from his opinion on LoTR - no-one's perfect, I guess 🤣) This memoir covers his youth & early adulthood but is also interwoven with the story of his grandfather, an influential figure in his life. Funny, perceptive, poignant & engaging, who doesn't love the origin story of a fellow book-lover?

Christmas is never complete without a new Paperblanks notebook for my book journaling. I love the midi size with the clasp, and this design is divine - it sparkles beautifully in the light.