A very subjective #FourFoursin25 choice, but it makes sense to me.

I liked this considerably more than the second book, though there are always several things in a Penny book that make me go “huh?“ And I do NOT like Clara being messed with!

This is--sort of--my first #AuldLangSpine book. I'd already read Here for It by R. Eric Thomas, so instead listened to his next book of essays. It was just as good and very timely. Even though he's a gay Black man and I'm a straight white woman, I relate so much to his issues with mental health, and his continued work on his identity and his marriage.

Thanks to @monalyisha for her hard work hosting and @dariazeoli for a great list!

Kneeling in the fragrant moist grass of the village green Clara Morrow carefully hid the Easter egg and thought about raising the dead, which she planned to do right after supper.

#FirstLineFridays

Racing and game, dicing and dancing, feasting and opera-going left him little time for sleep. His appetite was insatiable, his vitality enormous. He amazed even Casimir, accustomed to all debauches, and none of the entertainments to which he was bidden outrivalled Tarletan's in splendour. They frequently went on till after midnight.

These are all favorites from my youth, except for When You Reach Me, which I loved as an adult.

#TBT @Dabbe

A group of college friends come back together to throw “funerals“ for each other in times of crises, so that they always know they're loved. An entertaining read that had many resonant passages for me, but it felt a little lacking in real depth somehow. Perhaps it's because we spend time in the minds of five different people and it's not that long a book. Or perhaps the echoes of “The Big Chill' and “Peter's Friends“ make it feel too theatrical.

I think I can live with my result.

“We've reached the tipping point,“ Naomi said, pouring a shot of Don Julio; it burned with a smoky finish.

“How do you mean?“ Jordy asked.

“I just figure at a certain point, life takes more from you than it gives.“

1. Taking rain walks with my daughter.

2. Lovely book of poems, with pictures based on the editor and illustrator and their family. I'm sad to learn Rogasky died in 2011.

He had an urge to return to Bogota. It was fascinating to him, the idea that all the things his parents had escaped were now here, and all the things they wanted for their kids were now there. Random gun violence, political unrest, supply chain issues--those were now America, Marriage equality, socialized medicine, and reproductive choice--those were all Colombian.

Everyone was on the same ticking clock. They might fool themselves into thinking that more time affords them opportunities to do more things, that the future is open-ended. But the world is simply too big. We weren't meant to see everything, we weren't built to do everything, we aren't capable of knowing everything. At a certain point, peace has to be found with the choices we've made.

I made this bingo card for people doing @Faranae's #URC. This is *only* prompts related to the title and cover, to make it easy to check for them. (I had to leave out the “rhyming in title“ prompt to make the board even.)

I just can't do it anymore. They're finally getting together and I'm not even indifferent, I'm actively put off. 😞

It's not hoarding if it's books.

This is a free ebook today, only on Kobo. https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/blind-tiger-3

Here Comes Treble by London Price (not in Litsy.) Trans m/m romance. I had mixed feelings about it, and was very annoyed by the cliffhanger ending.

https://willaful.wordpress.com/2025/01/03/here-comes-treble-by-london-price/

Can anyone tell me which edition of this has the preface by Godden? I'd really like to read it.

I've always known Godden as a children's writer, and this starts out like a classic E. Nesbit story: a large family of eccentric kids finds themselves basically on their own for a summer of idyllic freedom. But as 13 year old Cecil discovers, there's a dark side to being unsupervised -- you're also unprotected, and when you have siblings, responsible. A powerful story I felt through my bones.

#BookSpin

I can't decide which of these covers is more utterly wrong.

This was cute, but I'm not surprised there was never a follow-up. (I'd probably read it if there was, though.) The characters are such YA cliches, not what I expect from Novik!

The art style took a little getting used to. I don't know the correct way to categorize it, but sometime the characters are gorgeously stylized, and then they're drawn much younger to express their emotions. It's effective, but also a bit creepy.

Anyone have a nice template to use for #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin books for the year?

So hard to pick only 3 favs. But I can name any number that SHOULD be on the list. Harriet the Spy. Half-Magic. (I don't think Eager was on the list?) A Freddy the Pig book. The Secret Language. The Changeling by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. Something by Ellen Raskin. Something by Jean Little.

And there were definitely some books I was giving side-eye to. The Hobbit, sure. The Lord of the Rings? And put the YA books on their own list.

#TBT

Felt more like watching a mediocre sit-com than reading a book.

Another scary paranormal adventure, with queer romance, for the team from The Forgotten Dead. More at my blog: https://willaful.wordpress.com/2025/01/08/rattling-bone-by-jordan-l-hawk/

#TBRTarot : a very icy setting!

#BookSpinBingo #SeriesLove2025

#ISpyBingo : moon and fence on cover

I wish I'd read this last year, because it's exactly what I had in mind for @Farnae's #URC prompt for a book set where being queer is dangerous. Books where, despite everything, queer people are everywhere.

The queer subtext in Ostertag's books finally... comes to the surface. Gorgeously illustrated graphic novel about friendship and peer pressure, first love and coming out. Like everyone else, I was dying for an epilogue, but can understand why the author might not have wanted to provide one.

This was a perfect choice for “Pilot Islet.“ #FourFoursin25 @lauredhel

We're visiting Calistoga, CA and though I don't buy print much anymore, I had to get something from this charming bookstore! I love that they have a Pride table in the kid's section in January.

Also charmed by the giant ornaments at the hotel and this shop window... hub thought it was an umbrella, I thought it was a lampshade, but we eventually identified it as an extremely cool skirt! Sorry the picture is so bad.

Oh how I hate reading books with titles that put songs in my head! At least this is a more fun song than The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year. 😂

https://youtu.be/dTAAsCNK7RA

The most reading fun I had all December. A cat and mouse game for secret agents on opposite sides... or is it?

#12BooksOf2024

@Andrew65

Have all your 2025 reading lists prepared but find yourself distracted by other books? Here's a way to still feel like you're accomplishing something. 😂

I had several 5 star reads for November, including The Talk by Darrin Bell and Escape from St. Hell by Lewis Hancock (both graphic memoirs.) I picked this because it's such a .... me kind of book.

Very fun mix of mystery, science fiction and romance. I need to read the next book soon!

#12DaysOfChristmas

i have the cutest tiny edition of this from the library (shown on a regular sized hardcover for scale.) But the print is too small for my aging eyes, so I have to use my ereader!

#HashtagBrigade

As predicated, this is my choice for September #12BooksOf2024 -- though Welcome to St. Hell was some tough competition.

Moxon is one of the people I rely on to help me make sense of the world. He lays everything out, so simply that you can't ignore, it.

#12BooksOf24

My last book of 2024. It reminded me somewhat of American Gods, but is considerably thinner; I'm a little disappointed and a little relieved that I didn't love it and want to read all the rest.

#ReadOuttheOld #24in4 #10BeforeTheEnd

#WinterGames Team #XmasChaCha

#TenBeforeTheEnd

One book DNF'd, one unavailable in time (Gilead), one about half done (Rivers of London) and 7 finished and enjoyed. Not bad!

This is the cover of my childhood, though I own a different edition.

#ChristmasCheer “Secrets“ #WinterGames Team #XmasChaCha

I wouldn't say I loved The Sentence, but it was probably the most interesting book I read in July.

#12booksof2024

Going ahead and calling it now, because I really can't see myself doing the last bonus. 😂

#YuleTideReads

Big Bear joined in celebrating the 5th night. #HappyHanukkah #WinterGames #PhotoChallenge Team #XmasChaCha

(The glasses turn Christmas lights into Stars of David!)

I feel like I really should have been able to get those year-long ones filled, but oh well.

#WinterGames Team #XMasChaCha

“V“ was a poem in a Family Chistmas called “Christmas Eve--Nochebeuna“ by Cesar Vallejo.

#WinterGames Team #XmasChaCha

I didn't expect to fill this card, but a surprising amount of crime turned up...

#WinterGames Team #XmasChaCha

I read some fantastic books last June. Greta and Valdin, Clear, a reread of Seven Days in June... but this was really the right book at the right time, about living the best life you can while the uncaring wheels of history are driving over you. I may have to reread it soon.

#12BooksOf2024

Happy 5th night!

#HolidayLaughs #WinterGames Team #XmasChaCha

My 2024 #BookSpin results. I'm very happy with it: I read the books I wanted to read and discarded those I found I didn't really want to read.

#BacklistReadathon for 2024. 30 books read, 6, DNFd.