I love #bookmail days!! I‘m trying to decide if I let my Mom borrow this to read first or I should keep it to read first? 🤪 It sounds so good!!!
I love #bookmail days!! I‘m trying to decide if I let my Mom borrow this to read first or I should keep it to read first? 🤪 It sounds so good!!!
#TopReads2024 continues with my April pick
🐓🐟🇮🇪🚢🇺🇸🌆 “The Walking People” was a breath taking and mesmerizing read that totally took you for a ride with the Cahill family. My only complaint was that I wished it was longer, I didn‘t want to leave them. I hope maybe one day Mary Beth Keane will revisit them!!
While DI Harbinder is in this book, she is not the main character, which is a bit of a minus from me. Instead we also read from Natalka, Benedict, and Edwin‘s POV. Out of those 3, I liked Edwin the most, he really is the fun uncle or a surrogate grandfather type ☺️ Natalka and Benedict were my least fave, but props to Elly on the writing because I have a gut feeling I wouldn‘t love hanging with those 2 in real life either😆 Still a solid “pick”
Um, this doesn‘t seem accurate 🤔 Goodreads has this title as #4 in the ‘Harbinder Kaur‘ series and the titles on the left page has the other works in that series under the “Other Works” section, but the title page has that it‘s a Ruth Galloway Mystery….? Am I taking crazy pills? 🫠
The third book is this series is just as fun and clever as the first two. But, I have a love/hate relationship with how short these books are (they‘re less than 300 pages) - I love that I can devour them but I hate that now it means I only have 1 book left 😭😭😭 I‘m saving it for a palate cleanser between heavy reads because the humor makes me laugh out loud (oh, Julia 😂). I highly recommend these books for a good, fun read 👍
Themes: 1930‘s Seattle, Prohibition, Gangsters, Court Room Drama
Okay, I‘ll admit I almost DNF‘d this around page 75. I just couldn‘t get into it, but something told me to hang on and I‘m so glad I did. Once the trial and courtroom drama picked up, I was hooked! I hope there‘s a sequel in the works because I want more Shoe, Amara, Phish and Mrs. Alderbrook 🤞
The background on the picture is the cover beneath the dust jacket. Love!! 😍
I just watched Paul Doiron talk with Anthony Horowitz (my apologies if Mr. Horowitz ever sees this screen shot I took 😂) and it was AMAZING! He is just a delightful man that I would love to meet in person someday 😁 During his talk he said he was planning on 12 Hawthorne & Horowitz books (‼️) and he‘s working on the next Susan Ryeland book now (🙌). I‘m not so patiently waiting for my library hold for the tagged book to come in, I can‘t wait!!
Themes: Family (especially sisters!), Ireland and NYC during 1950s to 2000‘s, Great storytelling!
I was hooked from page 1 of this beautifully written book 🥰 Mary Beth Keane has a gift for amazing storytelling and scenery setting; you‘ll shiver from the rain she describes and feel yourself warm up with her descriptions of drinking tea beside a roaring fire. A definite pick!!!
Why yes, I did “treat myself” to some tea after I cleaned up the kitchen post-dinner 😆👵🏼 Settling in for some ‘Finding Your Roots‘ with a little book reading on this crazy Tuesday night 😍🥰
These 2 memes came to my mind while reading 😂 I really enjoyed this book, the descriptions & actual pictures from NYC were SO NEAT! I think this would be an excellent buddy read or Bookclub book because there would be a lot to discuss 🤓 Also, I would recommend buying a used copy or keep sticky notes handy - there were a few things that I had to refer back to. I can‘t wait for my library hold on the sequel to come in, more to come from Si 😊👍
Taking full advantage of a rainy Sunday to just sit, read, hydrate and recharge
🪫🌧️📖🍉🔋😍
Happy Easter to all who celebrate today! 🐣🐰✝️💐 I wanted to post this before going to my in-laws for lunch 😊
#TopReads2024 continues with my March pick🍹🥃🚺🤘 “Girly Drinks” was a fascinating read and I learned SO much! I loved O‘Meara‘s writing style, I read several paragraphs out loud to my husband either because they were interesting or because it was funny. I will definitely check out her other books 👏👏👏
I really enjoyed Webb‘s characterization of Diamond Annie, Dorothy, Hira and Lilian… really all the characters 😍 We all know Diamond Annie as this rough and tumble, badass woman, but Webb showed just how multi-dimensional this woman could be. While I didn‘t love Dorothy at the beginning (and honestly wondered how she fit in) towards the last half of the book I couldn‘t help but root for her! And Hira. Sweet, sweet Hira. Anyone would love her!
Pre-ordering a book when I‘m supposed to be following a strict budget doesn‘t count, right? Is that we as a reading community decided? 😅 I don‘t want to wait until November for this! -grabby hands-
📸 credit: https://www.instagram.com/uplitreads?igsh=bHc0OHYzYXNiOGxr
Themes: WWII Historical Fiction, Libraries & Book Lovers, Women Coming Together
I really liked Jennifer Ryan‘s newest book. It wasn‘t my favorite by her (“The Kitchen Front” holds that honor still), but still definitely worth reading, and don‘t worry, the whale meat makes another appearance here 😂🐳🥧 A definite pick if the themes above strike your fancy 👍
The 3 emojis to describe this book are: ‼️🙄🤣
‼️: Holy cow, did this REALLY happen?! Both in terms of good and bad
🙄: -Sigh- Of course this happened
🤣: O‘Meara writes in such a way that even though I‘m reading a non-fiction book, I am cracking up with her humorous commentary. Probably not a plus for some, but I LOVED it. If you read 1 book during March, which is Women‘s History Month, make it this one 💪
Themes: 1920‘s Historical Fiction, Women Gaining Independence, Speakeasies and Jazz Clubs
This was a fun romp of a book! It held my interest throughout and you cannot help but love Zora and root for her!! Definitely a pick that I‘d recommend to all the 1920‘s historical fiction fans out there.
I‘m taking a mental health day today AND it just so happened the book I bought with a birthday giftcard to Half Price Books was delivered today 😁 It‘s here, my errands are run, time for book & iced vanilla latte time 🤩💗
My initial thoughts on this book are that it‘s very smart (I wish I was in high school and my teacher could explain some of the symbolisms because I know a lot went over my head), it‘s extremely thought-provoking and is indeed “quietly devastating”. If I owned the copy I read there would be many underlined quotes and notes written in the margins, Everett truly has a gift for the written word.
If you‘re in the mood for a fantastic, literary read - this book is it! It reminded me of a steak & potatoes dinner; it has heft to it and was very filling, but didn‘t feel forced or insincere. Told from 3 POVs, this is a multigenerational saga that will keep you hooked. If you enjoyed her debut (“Goodbye, Vitamin”) I would definitely add this to your TBR 👍 Pub date is 4/30/2024
We do not deserve this man (Richard Osman) 🥹🥰 Joyce is my favorite character in these books (so much so that I get annoyed with her daughter and would like to give her a piece of mind, but that‘s another discussion 😆). Joyce‘s growth in the series is definitely noticeable. Can‘t wait for her next adventure with the gang.
📸: https://www.instagram.com/misterosman?igsh=N3hjNHpqcDZwa3do
Readers know the struggle 😂
#TopReads2024 continues with my February pick ✈️🏝️🌋 Looking back at my reads this past month, “The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West” stuck with me the most 🥰 The writing was really well done and I liked all the characters and their stories. A very close 2nd was, “The Phoenix Crown” - but I didn‘t connect with all the characters. In fact, Alice was one of the secondary characters but she stole the entire book for me, I wanted more of her😁
I really enjoyed the newest book from the author of “The Paris Library”. I love books that teach me something I didn‘t know existed and the CARDs (Le Comité américain pour Les régions dévastées) checked that box ✅ Told in dual timelines (1918 & 1987), you get an excellent sense of what Jessie Carson went through in France in 1918 in her words and what Wendy Peterson discovers at the NYPL in 1987. Pub date is 4/30/24, don‘t miss it!
Themes: 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Chinese immigrants in early 20th century America, Friendships
I had zero knowledge of the historic 1906 earthquake that devastated San Francisco before reading this book. After finishing it, I can say I learned A LOT! Wow! I confidently recommend this to any historical fiction fans, Quinn & Chang do a fabulous job writing together. And the ‘Authors Note‘ at the end? Do not skip it! 5/5 stars for this read👍
Themes: Women Aviators, Dual Timelines (1927 and 1987), Women Getting Sh*t Done
I loved this book! I usually can easily pick a favorite timeline in dual timeline formats, but I couldn‘t in this one. Both Olivia and Wren‘s storylines are filled with heart, bravery and a heavy dose of spirit. I‘ll be recommending this one for a long time 🥰
I‘m so excited for this new adventure from Richard Osman!! Coming out September 2024 😍
Themes: Murder Mysteries, New York City, Fresh take on favorite characters
This was my first ever James Patterson book and I‘ve got to say I was not disappointed. I enjoyed Holmes, Marple and Poe and their interesting cases, and seeing how everything came together. They make a great team and I would enjoy a Book 2 from them 👍
I mean, if you can show me a better Saturday night, I‘d like to see it 😎 #BooksAndSnackies #WTTWNature
Themes: Wealthy Black Debutantes, 1920‘s Chicago (mobsters, prohibition, class warfare), Undercover investigative journalism, “Chunkster” reads (this is 508 pages)
I initially really liked this read, but I found myself skimming and losing interest with 100 pages still left 🫠 I‘d put it between a “Pick” and “So-So”. It‘s not one I would need to re-read again, and would suggest as a #BorrowDontBuy
YAY!! This box DID elicit excitement, it took quite a journey but it made it 🤩🙌 And bonus points for the box not being completely destroyed like I imagined it was going to be 😂😮💨
😫😫😫 Y‘know the worst part of being a mood reader? When your #botm box with the book you literally just found out about and want to read. right. this. second. is bouncing around your state 😫😫😫 Why did it depart and arrive at the same facility twice?? #firstworldproblems
Is this a literary masterpiece? No. Is it an entertaining, thrilling read? Yes! I treated it like any other debut (held my breath and crossed my fingers lol). It‘s a decent debut, I‘ve certainly read worse, but I agree the typo in the ‘Authors Note‘ is unfortunate. As if this book needed another conspiracy attached to it, but I wonder if it was planted? There‘s no way an Editor would‘ve missed that, especially on the first page 🤔
I‘m doing something a bit different this year. Instead of the bracket style monthly picks I‘ve done in the past, I‘m going to pick my favorite book from the month and leave it at that 😊 So, without further ado my Jan 2024 pick is 🥁🥁🥁 the tagged book 🎉🎉🎉 I loved it and devoured it over the 3-day MLK Jr weekend. This author has joined my “auto-buy author” list for his humor, wit, and overall great story telling 🙌 #TopReads2024
I appreciate historical fiction books that teach me something new or offer a different perspective and this book delivered! I didn‘t know much about the North Africa Campaign of WWII or the USO variety shows, but now I know a bit more (and I want to know even more now!) 😊 Definitely recommended for WWII historical fiction readers as well as any readers who enjoy books about the theater and performing with a WWII angle.
Themes: Quirky & Humorous, Nursery Rhymes in the Real World, Discworld-esque
Book 2 in the Nursery Crime series is good but not as great as Book 1 (“The Big Over Easy”). I enjoyed it and never thought of putting it down to read something else, it just wasn‘t as great. A solid 4 stars and worth reading if you enjoyed Book 1 👍
My latest Pango book order arrived and I‘m so happy to continue the Nursery Crime books with “The Fourth Bear” 😁 The others just jumped in my cart, craziest thing 🤪😉
Themes: Quirky & Humorous, Nursery Rhymes in the Real World, Discworld-esque
This is a silly, quirky, amazing story and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series (c‘mon USPS, hurry up!!). I loved the humor and I got very strong Sir Terry Pratchett vibes - which I do not throw around loosely because very little compares to his books. If you need a palate cleanser that isn‘t just fluff, this is it. I want to recommend it to everyone!!
I am loving this “silly book” kick that I‘m on 😁 This one has me laughing out loud with the witty dialogue and I really want to re-watch Shrek because of it 😂
I loved this book. L-O-V-E-D IT! I started it Friday and then a winter storm forced me to stay home so I finished this delightful read this weekend from our frozen tundra 🥶☃️🧊 I am keeping my fingers crossed for more stories from Ernie! If you enjoyed Anthony Horowitz‘s ‘Horowitz & Hawthorne‘ books, you‘ll really like this one and Stevenson‘s first book (tagged in comments). ALL THE STARS!!!!
This book is EXACTLY what I needed 🥰 Our plans to visit my family in Iowa this weekend were ‘derailed‘ by a winter storm that brought blizzard like conditions and below zero real temperatures with unheard of wayyyy below zero windchills 🥶🧊❄️ So, we unpacked our bags and have been hunkering down on the sofa; me with this hilarious and great read and my hubby with Madden NFL. We‘re aiming to meet up in Feb 🤞🤞🤞
Themes: Espionage Thriller, Russian spies, CIA, Family
About halfway through this book I started thinking, “this is a good, not great read”, but now having finished it I realized you have to be in the right headspace for this book. There are a lot of characters, multiple POVs and storylines - it wasn‘t an easy/breezy read. BUT, if you can keep everyone and the stories straight, it‘s a clever and thrilling read 👍
When your dad is also a reader and a Cabernet Sauvignon fan, it‘s pretty easy to get a birthday gift figured out ☺️ I hope he enjoys that the wine labels are “bookish” themed (The Critic and The Lost Chapters) 😁🤞Now my second favorite part of gift giving, the wrapping! 🤗🤩 Hope everyone is having a good Sunday!!
My first book of 2024 had it all; originality, humor, love, family, history, and so much more! The writing was as beautiful as the cover (pictures can‘t do it justice with all the gold accents, it‘s truly gorgeous), and if you enjoy learning new words, this is the book for you! Several times I would have to look up a “new to me” word - I should‘ve underlined or highlighted them because of course now I can‘t think of a single one 😂
Themes: Time travel, Fun & quirky, Quick Read
This was such a fun read and just perfect for reading between Christmas and New Year‘s 🤩 There was enough of an interesting plot (and humor) to keep me engaged but it wasn‘t too hard to follow with all the hubbub of this week with family and stuff going on. I just ordered two of his other books, “The President‘s Hat” and “The Red Notebook”. Happy to end 2023 on a great note!
#readingbracket2023 #2023readingbracket The data has been tabulated and the results are in 🥁🥁🥁🥁 “The Last Devil to Die” by Richard Osman is my top read of 2023 🎉🎉🎉 This series has gotten better and better with each book, which is such a feat it deserves to be celebrated 🥳