I love this series but my set of books just doesn‘t compare to this English version. I took this snapshot in a bookstore in England last summer. If I could afford it and manage carrying them back I would have bought them all. #shardlakeseriesbr #shardlakebr @dabbe

#5joysFriday
1) watching the 3 extended LOTR movies with the kids before my son headed back to school in Arizona
2) both kids getting 4.0 in the fall at their respective universities
3) figuring out my favorite books of 2024 thanks to #12booksofchristmas (thanks @Andrew65 )
4) sharing the joy with my cohosts and so many Littens of 3 challenges: #foodandlit and #whatthedickens and my #litsyatoz ❤️
5) this weekend at the lake with my sister
⬇️

I‘m starting this book tonight for #Netherlands #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

I‘ve finally created a #LitsyAtoZ challenge on StoryGraph! Link here:

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/1012109a-2544-494e-a177-2b9e0df...

Ebook free. Works for the hard to get #letterK for #litsyatoz

It‘s sister weekend at the lake and we are indulging in stroopwafels. #Netherlands #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

My current issue of the AAA magazine encourages visitors to go to the #Netherlands! Perfect timing! #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

#foodandlit #Netherlands @Catsandbooks

I didn‘t do so well! Some I read to the kiddos, some I read recently, and the rest I had to rely on a faulty memory!!

Faves: A Wrinkle in Time, The Graveyard Book, and The Hobbit (& Lion Witch and the Wardrobe, The Lord of the Rings, & The Gruffalo)

I‘d add: The Borrowers, The Guardians of Ga‘Hoole, The Unwanteds

#TLT #ThreeListThursday @dabbe

Those Frenchmen!!

#authoramonth @Soubhiville

I started reading the preview of this book 2 at the end of book 1, even though I wasn‘t a fan of book 1. And I got wrapped up in book 2. So I checked it out from the library. Hopefully it‘s better than book 1. It has a much better rating on litsy at least. #authoramonth @Soubhiville

This is a good mystery with a lot of problems: the investigator Lord Wimsey‘s dialog is too whimsical for me (“what?”), there are racist references (subtle anti-semitism and reference to a man who had the “tar baby” in him), and I prefer mysteries being wrapped up by showing, not a lengthy “telling” as here. Not the greatest start to a series. #authoramonth @Soubhiville

Focusing on Dutch artist C. Fabritius and his painting A View of Delft with a Musical Instrument Seller‘s Stall, painted in 1652, the author tells Fabritius‘s story, her own, her father‘s, Delftt, and other Dutch artists. In other words, it is an all-encompassing book about Dutch art history but always comes back to Fabritius. He was killed as a result of a “thunderclap” of an explosion of stored gunpowder near his house, but that killed many ⬇️

“Snow fell, dusting the city‘s bicycles and bridges Like sugared poffertjes.”

I know what those are! I just bought some this weekend (to be posted later).

#foodandlit #Netherlands @Catsandbooks

I‘m very excited to start our first Dickens book of the year for #whattheDickens! @Cuilin

It‘s National Whipped Cream Day. Enjoy!!

Having read a record 23 books in December, I had a lot of excellent books. I‘ve chosen the tagged book for its message of female empowerment about childbirth during another misogynistic time period—when men imposed their will on women and thought they knew more about birthing a child and women‘s illnesses than the women themselves. A timely book it seems. #12booksin2024 @Andrew65

I need to post more snapshots of food, here painted by Adriaen Coorte in 1697 since I‘m reading the tagged book for #Netherlands #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

#Netherlands #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

I forgot to post my Christmas haul! This is second year husband gave me a box of books! Is this fun!! The tracker is from my mom and dad. The coloring books from my daughter

#5joysFriday I‘m going back a couple of weeks, again!

1) Christmas with the family—I didn‘t get a good picture of my parents or the whole family, so my hot cup of tea will have to represent the peaceful day
2) the deer in the yard
3) daughter and I successfully made our first chocolate pie
4) having son home from school and his building another rocket ship (but this one-Lego-didn‘t fly)
5) play time taking down the tree

@DebinHawaii

Several more 5-star reads in November but the tagged book really warmed my heart. #12booksof2024 @Andrew65

I‘m starting this book for #Netherlands #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

#wintergames #xmaschacha #christmaschapterchasers 59,985 total points (I didn‘t submit points halfway so they all count!) @StayCurious @LiseWorks Thank you to our finest hostesses of the games! I had a blast!!

I posted my 2024 StoryGraph stats but not December stats. Now I can do that since I‘ve finished my reviews. Thanks to #wintergames it was my best month of the year!!

Was there even a crime? Was someone trying to kill someone? Or was it just a game? Two American authors are invited to a famous elderly author‘s estate for Christmas and she goes missing. Then someone tries to shoot Maggie, and kidnaps her to boot. Maggie, who hates the other invitee Ethan, must rely on him to help figure out what‘s going on. Until it looks like he‘s in on it too. The weather has shut down travel, phones, and finally the ⬇️

Fictional author Nora Reilly is a special guest at a small New Hampshire town‘s festival that‘s gone nutty when a group of grocery store workers win the lottery the day before. When one goes missing and turns up injured and his girlfriend kidnapped, Nora‘s daughter/private investigator Regan and family friend Alvirah are on the case. Once again, many “chance” events culminate in a tidy resolution. I love it because I like to see how it all ⬇️

I‘m not sure how it is everyone gets a turn at being kidnapped in Clark‘s Christmas books, but this time it is Regan Reilly‘s father, wealthy owner of several funeral homes. Reilly is a private detective in LA but she engages the help of good friend of the family and NYC native Alvirah, an amateur but very good private detective herself. What I like about these stories are how the random characters and subplots come together to help solve the ⬇️

October was quite the month! I had so many 5-star reads and some of the worst books I read all year as well. But this little book—which took me forever to read—is a balm for my soul. Such a sweet lovely adorable gorgeous book. Vying for best book of the year. Many second place books in this month. #12booksof2024 @Andrew65

I‘m giving up on the audiobook. The narrator is very high-pitched and her accent is such that I often cannot understand her. So I slow her down and heavens that‘s just dreadful. So I‘m switching to the ebook. But Lord Wimsey is getting on my nerves with his long-winded irrelevant speeches and odd ways of speaking. “What?” I also detect a strongwhiff of anti-semitism. I‘ll make it to the end; it‘s short but not making a good start of it. ⬇️

My first book for #Netherlands #foodandlit @Catsandbooks #letterT #litsyAtoZ

Another bingo board completed for #wintergames! Mostly based on covers but some on the story. #averymerrybingo @Jadams89 #xmaschacha @StayCurious

Tallying points for #wintergames and I finished this bingo board!! #christmascrimechallenge @RaeLovesToRead #xmaschacha @StayCurious

I‘m listening to this audiobook for #authoramonth. @Soubhiville

I had three 5-star books in September so it was another close call. I loved the uniqueness of this book. #12booksof2024 @Andrew65

My final book for #wintergames done!! Reviews to come, points to tally

#xmaschacha #wintergames @StayCurious

Finished! Penultimate book I‘m finishing for #xmaschacha #wintergames @StayCurious #serieslove #ReganReillyMysterySeries @TheSpineView

Happy New Year!! I‘m very excited to share 2025 with you all!!

I had no 5-star reads in August. The tagged book was excellent and I gave it 4.5 stars, so here‘s the first book for #12booksfor2024 that didn‘t have 5 stars. @Andrew65

It is 5 minutes to midnight and I finally found my Moomin books I wanted to read for #Finland #foodandlit. Well…

@Catsandbooks

I‘m going to try to fit one more book into 2024!

#letterD #Christmasatoz #xmaschacha #wintergames @StayCurious #serieslove #ReganReillyMysterySeries @TheSpineView

#two4Tuesday Thanks @TheSpineView for the tag!

1) Only my 2025 Litsy challenges and buddy reads: #litsyatoz foodandlit #jubilee #whatthedickens #serieslove and #authoramonth

I‘ve never made a number of books or pages goal and a little afraid to jinx my reading by doing so. But I still might

2) the tagged book for #foodandlit #Ireland but it‘s one of many!

Want to play? @Soubhiville @Catsandbooks @Cuilin

Hail all ye #FoodandLit lovers!

This year we are celebrating the "Jubilee" in Italy, a Holy Year celebrated by the Catholic Church, a year of hope and a time for reflection and forgiveness. Religious or not, we want to celebrate Italy all year long! That‘s right! Every time you read about Italy or eat Italian food, we want you to celebrate it here! I‘m going to try to read 1 book and eat at least 1x or 10x Italian food each month. ⬇️

The tagged book was a stellar read in July and will certainly vie for one of my best reads of the year

#12booksof2024 @Andrew65

This book of holiday poetry is hit or miss, fortunately mostly thoughtful poems. Some poignant poetry and one poem I felt really didn‘t belong. A very quick read. #wintergames #xmaschacha @StayCurious

Cats truly don‘t like Christmas—their little routines are all askew and there‘s a tree in the house! So of course I liked this little book and its humorous artwork. But when the cat changes its mind I have to beg to differ! Unless there are boxes and crumpled wrapping paper for playing, I don‘t agree that cats will suddenly love it! Or am I being too literal? 😉 A darling book for cat lovers.

#wintergames #xmaschacha @StayCurious

Something is bound to go wrong when Luther Krank (of Hemlock Street) decides he and his wife are going on a cruise (to save money) rather than celebrate Christmas. Much to his neighbors‘ dismay, he even refuses to decorate—jeopardizing Hemlock‘s winning the town‘s Christmas decoration contest. Luther antagonizes the Boy Scouts, the police, and emergency services when he refuses to make holiday donations. So when things go wrong, in a surprising ⬇️

I saw rave reviews, so I thought I‘d try to squeeze in this last audiobook for the year.

#letterM #Christmasatoz #xmaschacha #wintergames @StayCurious #littenlisten @aperfectmjk

Law officer Hamish Macbeth makes Christmas magical for a Scottish town, many of whose residents despise the “heathen” holiday. Looking for a missing cat and missing Christmas lights, reminding students not to do drugs, and dating the new school teacher, Hamish manages to do all these things, ties them together in a big bow—along with a most hateful family—and brings so much joy to town. I loved this story—a new holiday must-read. ⬇️