Welcome to Litsy!

Have done a decent amount of reading this week. I've got 2 1/2 #10BeforeTheEnd books to go.

#SnowyDecemberReadathon
@LiseWorks

On Saturday, I went round the bookshops looking for Fontamara, which I had planned on reading and was on my #10BeforeTheEnd list. Didn't find it, but bought other books anyway 😊. And all my library holds came at once, so here's my pile of books:
- Tagged Italian cookbook: read, liked it;
- Graphic work by Zerocalcare: read liked it;
- Ibn Khaldun anthology: 60 pages still to read;
- Boccace's Decameron: will probably be a year-long read;

and ⬇

I‘ve lived in Gloucestershire for 35 years, so it‘s shocking that I‘ve only just read Laurie Lee‘s tales from his post-WW1 childhood growing up in Slad. The tales vary from almost whimsical to quite brutal recollections, covering both the hardship and the happiness of a lifestyle that no longer exists.

#HomeForTheHolidays #FictionalTraveler @julieclair
Book 8 #10BeforeTheEnd @ChaoticMissAdventures
Book 102 #Read2025 @DieAReader

This took me longer than I'd expected, I guess I didn't fully get into it. It doesn't feel much like it relies on Christmas for the mood/setting, except by getting Liane into the whole thing (which could be produced by any visit). So, not a super-seasonal read. I saw the culprit quite early, because it's pretty fair-play as a mystery.

Overall, not a favourite, but pleasant enough.

And hey, one of my #10BeforeTheEnd.

#weekendreads

📙The tagged and the Irving are for #Roll100

📘 The Crime at Black Dudley is for #HashtagBrigade

📗 The Qinncunx is for #10beforetheend

This memoir of 1930s archeological digs in Syria is, unsurprisingly, all kinds of problematic. Still, if you're fond of Christie's voice there's a lot to enjoy, not least of which is her own enjoyment. It's kind of awesome to read about a middle-aged woman gamely heading out on adventures, and as a working member of a team. As a fan, it's also fun to notice where she used her experiences in her fiction.

#10BeforeTheEnd @ChaoticMissAdventures

A soft pick.
1st my quibbles. A strained set-up. Lots of telling not showing what an oddball detective Merivale is. Women are mousey bores or sirens. The only sign of Xmas is a dusting of snow.
And yet, I spent the whole day engrossed, reading to find out who did it.
☑️ Chimney prompt for #ChristmasCrimeChallenge
☑️ book 5 / #10beforetheend
@Ruthiella @RaeLovesToRead @ChaoticMissAdventures