Trigger warning: all the triggers. Name one, it's in there. As the title states it's really, really dark (I don't know what the German cover should express, tbh). Lehane is working on his characters in this one, sharpening them. But not only the human ones, but also the city all his books are set in: Boston. It's a strong book, well plotted and even if I might forget the story itself I won't forget all the feelings connected to it.

My mother passed away on 11/01 and I took some of her books home to add to my book shelves. I'm going to read some of them (maybe not all), using her bookmarks, just to feel close to her.

Not tagged book, I'm not sure if this one's been translated into English.

If this was my first Ogawa, I wouldn't have read any other of her books. Hiroyuki is way too perfect, which makes a dull character. Then there whole plot is too “male-centered“, even though we have different female characters the book would not pass the Bechdel test.

#DoubleSpin @TheAromaofBooks
#BacklistReadathon @Clwojick

I got on 'Nessa's choice' on my #BookishMonopoly and what did she choose? Yes, you guessed right 😄

@AkashaVampie

This book is not in the database, so I just tagged one of Eleanor Bardilac's other books. Because Elana Bardini is Eleanor Bardilac writing with Anna Zabini.

I loved diving into this book and following the characters on their roads. It's about being disabled, about trauma and how to navigate a world that doesn't accept both. And of course it's a touching love story with some spicy scenes.

#roll100 @PuddleJumper

A good short story by And Weir and very Andy Weir-ish. I think there could be more to this and if Weir'd decide to make a book/novella out of it, I'd read it. I do love “morally flexible“ characters 😉

Happy #5JoysFriday !

1. We went to a flea market and brought home some new manga 📚
2. Finally watched the new Deadpool movie 💪
3. I was assigned with more early shifts, which I love 💖
4. Treated myself to some Aloo Gobi😋
5. Celebrating 13 years with @VaniBarelyReads by going to our favourite restaurant 💕

@DebinHawaii

Soft pick. I'm always torn when it comes to this series. Shall I continue reading it? Shall I DNF? Then something happens and I ask myself, why did I ever think of DNFing. And so it continues. Loved the Billybumblers, as always, and the concept of a story within a story within a story. The rest was a So-So, and didn't really catch my full attention.

#BookSpin @TheAromaOfBooks

Not the tagged book, but the same author.

This is the Christmas special to the Inglorious Bitches series, and can be read without knowledge of the other books. Even though it's more fun if you already know the characters, of course 😉

Yes, this is a bloody, funny, fast story, that helped me through some dark days. I love those women and their attitudes. And I love that they're kicking Nazi butts.

I just got into the flow, so I read the two next books in the manga series. They really are a lot of fun and very entertaining. It's somehow nice to be back into manga. Reminds me of my youth, when I read a lot of them.

#BookishMonopoly
@AkashaVampie

Thank you so much for your lovely package @iread2much 💖 So many beautiful and unique gifts! Thank you!!!

Sharing this from @KadaGul

Sign up November 19!
https://forms.gle/5ato6KFneqV5McB56

@WildAlaskaBibliophile

#NaughtyListHolidaySwap #NLHS

We have a big Albanian community in Switzerland and, of course, and of course just as many prejudices. That they love huge cars, that they are cocky and that you cannot trust them.
Reading this memoir actually helped me a lot to understand where this is coming from. Generational trauma, historical background and capitalismn dashing into places and making things even worse. What an eye opener!

#roll100 @PuddleJumper

Leaving this one empty this week, because November hasn't been a good month so far. Using it as a Minute of Silence for all the people who will be affected by the results of the vote in the US.

Afterwards we will get up and fight on.

#5JoysFriday @Debinhawaii

This book is darker than the cover makes it seem. The characters have to deal with a lot in their lives, but try to move on, not always succeeding, but anyway. I couldn't really tell where this story was going, but liked it in the end. But I had troubles of telling the characters apart and sometimes I wasn't sure whom we were following. But the ending is so touching, that it just cannot not be a Pick.

@Puddlejumper #queerbc

Not tagged book, but it's by the same author
Translates as: Hey good morning, how are you?

This book won the German Book Prize, and I am glad it did. Because I wouldn't have read it otherwise.
It's like one of those small, but deep ponds. It's quiet and delicate, but at the same time strong and wild. It's not a book that goes BOOM in your face, but one that gently touches your fingers and whispers in your ear.

Bailed for now. I keep it on my phone, though. Because just because I don't feel it right now, I might later? Maybe I'm just too old for this kind of book? The reviews are all really good, but I couldn't make it past the Interlude. I felt no interested to hearing more about Locke and his heart ache for Becky (?)...

#serieslove2024 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView

And here's my #BookSpinBingo Board with my #Bookspin and my #DoubleSpin

@TheAromaofBooks

My runner-up for my Book of the Month October. I closed this book with a heavy sigh. But it was one filled with love and beauty. Just as this book is. Loved it even a bit more than the first book. Would totally buy a third volume, but it's a perfect conclusion to the series. I so hope this will be the future we're headed towards.

This might be a #unpopularopinion because I've only seen So-So ratings on this before. But I've become a political person, so I loved listening to Arthur and the whole rest is just as lovable and adoring as part one. But especially the afterword by Klune almost made me cry. I wish there was a safe-space like this somewhere in our world. Klune saw my fears, and that of many others, sees us and sends us a tight embrace. Exactly what I needed.

The book by Alok Vaid-Menon did get a higher rating, yes, but I learned more from this one. That's why it gets to be my #BookoftheMonth for Nonfiction.

#botm

So, my September #BookoftheMonth was by TJ Klune, and my October one is by TJ Klune. There might be a pattern? 😏

#botm

Happy #5joysfriday 💛

1. From this day on people in Germany can change their name and sex without being questioned 💖 Huge win in dark times
2. Self-defence course. This was intense, but necessary (because dark times)
3. No dark times in our kitchen anymore, though. The electrician was here and fixed our problem.
4. Ran into my nail stylist twice in one day - love such tiny coincidences.
5. Two days rest only for me and the cats ❤️

@DebinHawaii

Two #BookSpinBingo wins this month. Yey!

@TheAromaOfBooks

Two reviews are still to come for my read books this month (Somewhere beyond the Sea & A Prayer for the Crown-Shy). It was a really, really good reading month 💜

This book, and its characters, went straight to my heart. Yes, it's a heart wrenching story, but so filled with love and compassion, I can hardly put it into words. We deal with a lot of (childhood) trauma and how to overcome this. How to challenge your own ways and beliefs, how to say sorry and mean it. How to accept that you are being loved and love in return. Such endearing boys, such an endearing book.

@TheAromaofBooks #DoubleSpin

Translates as: It's 5 to 1933 - What the AfD is planning and how we can stop them

This book is about the German party AfD (Alternative für Deutschland = Alternative for Germany), and I am very concerned about how strong they're getting. To explain their values: They are clearly a National Socialist party.

Ruch talks about their plans (they don't hide anything), their behaviors and why we need to stop them. Needs more structure, but good.

Sounds weird, but it's somewhere between a soft Pick and a Pick. Padda has some important messages, especially to young folks. The characters are diverse, lovable and most of the time I just wanted to hug them. But since the book also digs deep into mental health, loss, illness, family etc. it sometimes was hard to read on. It felt like the book would drag me down. Rin and Charlie helped, but especially the first part of the story was hard.

And here come my #roll100 picks for November. 'Like You've Got Nothing Left To Prove' needs to be ordered first, and might not arrive in time. It'll be a December book in that case.

@PuddleJumper

The end is near(er). Here's my #BookSpinBingo list for November.

@TheAromaofBooks

At first, I thought this wouldn't be for me, and it took some time to get into it. But more and more I was intrigued. This book really is different. At least its protagonist is. Also loved the message of the book, the emotions and the funny parts of dating a... puddle? Oh, and also: ace rep! ❤ So yes, it turned out to be a really cool book.

@Puddlejumper #queerbc

Very colourful, very fast read. Perfect for people who don't read that much. So if you want to educate your friends or family about non-binary identities, this is the book to go to. Aloks takes the most famous arguments against non-binary people and breaks them down. Not a lot of new stuff for me, but definitely an important book 🏳️‍🌈

I paused with #BookishMonopoly for a couple of months, because I landed on "e-book" and I had a certain one in mind. But I never got around to read that 700 pages chunkster, so I move on and decided to go with SpyxFamily instead ? Just got volume 2 and will rather read this, than waiting for another two months...

@AkashaVampie

Very happy #5JoysFriday 💛

1) This picture showing my mum when she was a teen
2) Starbucks Sweet Potato or something Frappuccino
3) Colourful Secco
4) Celebrating 10 years of friendship with my bestie
5) New books because new books

@DebinHawaii

The really strong message of this book got me from the beginning. The story not so much. But the more I read, the more I appreciated the characters and their connections. And I kept asking myself how far we are from a world like this? I, sadly, can picture a future where this is real. Makes me scared. Scared and angry.

Such a beautiful story. Loved the historical background, the mystery and the feelings. I liked reading Freddie's parts more than Laura's, but aa an onlychild it waa touching to read about their love for each other. The story totally absorbed me, but also reminded me how disastrous WWI was.

#bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

A fast read, which might won't stay with me for long. But I think it's still a good book, since it can help young queers to navigate life. Showing them options and possibilities, and what may lay ahead. This might've been Dean Atta's attempt all along.

#queerbc @PuddleJumper

Now I'm also joining the club, after everyone has told me how awesome this series is. And I wouldn't have read it if it wasn't for @VaniBarelyReads ❤
But yeah, what else should I say that hasn't already been said? That I like some of the Italian translations better than the English ones? 😁 Perfect reading material after a long day at work.

Me and my bookish bestie @fabienne.luethi celebrated 10 years of friendship, so we also went book shopping. These are the ones I'm taking home ❤️📖

Happy #5JoysFriday 💛

1 & 2) Our new candles in the store bring me joy whenever I see them
3) Trip to Davos with my dad
4) Watching Top Gear with @VaniBarelyReads ❤️
5) Reading Magical Fries by Marie Grasshoff 📖

@DebinHawaii

Not the tagged book, but another great novel by the same author 😉

This is the kind of book I took with me to the laundry, because I didn't want to waste one precious reading minute. It's a true page turner, the pages really just flew by. I love Grasshoff's world building and her characters. Really, I just wanted to crash with them on our couch, watch TV and snack on some tasty fries.

This one taught me a lot of Korean history, which is not covered by what we learn in school. It has some very strong scenes after which I had to stop the audio book to get my feelings in order. But since the book is mostly focused on the history part, I sometimes struggled to put the audio book back on. Only at the end the characters got a little more depth. Still a pick of course, since I really did learn a lot.

Happy #5JoysFriday 💛

1) A friend designed my Ballsona and I love it! 😁
2) Rossa got a new haircut
3) This little Halloween Candy Bat is just too cute!
4) Went to Germany with my dad and his doggo 💛
5) Finished my GR challenge of reading 180 books 📚

@DebinHawaii

Translates as: Ticino Retribution

This is the strongest book in the series so far, if you ask me. Hughes asks us important questions, but doesn't have an answer for us. We, just as the characters, have to find our own solutions. How much sympathy are we allowed to have with the culprit? What if the victim as an unlikable person?

The book is a fast read, and can also be read as a standalone.

Like it a lot, but not as much as I thought I would. Yes, I was ruined by the movie 😅 But I loved reading about the changes made, and enjoyed all the extras to it. And of course it's a lovely book with an important message. Still hoping for a female US president 🤞

Finally I managed to finish this series! Even though it doesn't feel like a real ending. Maybe there was a sixth book planned, but not published?
There were some good moments in this (reading about Mandalorian traditions), but mostly I just read it to have read it. There were some pretty annoying scenes in it, that ruined the whole thing even more. So yeah, I'm glad I can cross this series off my list.

#serieslove2024 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView

Translates as: The Village Policeman from Engadine

It's a cozy crime novel set in the same area as Calonder's other books, and we even get to meet Massimo shortly! I found the answer to the murder rather quickly, but it was lovely to follow the characters getting there. And I guess I like it that Calonder might introduces this topic to an audience, who might won't get in touch with that otherwise.

This one is so, so hard to review. And somehow, right now, I don't think I can. Some people said, the author doesn't know what he's writing about, but as far as I can tell, he does. The style of the book itself didn't quite work for me, but the inside is still hunting me. Still hurting about what's happening in the world right now. All I wish for is peace for everyone 🕊️🕊️ Please! 🙏

No pictures this week. It was a good one, but not many picture-worthy moments. Lots of working and doing overtime.

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii

This was a reread before starting the second book, and I loved it all over again. It just hit me again, like the first time I read it. The kids went straight to my heart, again. And I went all Awwww, again. All the ❤❤❤❤