This has taken me yonks as wanted wintry 🥶 engrossing stories for the long month of January and asked chat 💬 gpt 😆it was v funny and went down a worm 🐛 🕳️ of books 📚 thank you 🙏 @TheAromaofBooks happy January reading 📖 bookspin bingo buddies 🥰

Oh my goodness loved this second time around as much as I did summer 24 when I first read it , Iv been on the hunt ever since for more by this author . #persephonebookclub 🥰

A quiet gentle novel and a quick easy read , lovely prose . Two strangers come to a remote island and a young intelligent girl is captivated and longs for a different life , she begins an affair with one and the ending is sudden but not unexpected, oh what people promise for sexual encounters

My two picks for June 2026 so hard ! Was also torn with choosing the oppermans and because of the Lockwoods - so If no votes for these il swop 😂
@LeahBergen @CarolynM @quietjenn @rubyslippersreads @willaful @Tamara @Caryl @Gissy @Aimeesue @daena @elkeOriginal
Mariana by Monica dickensor The expendable man by Dorothy B Hughes‘s
Will tag everyone else in later when Iv found mylist 😍
#persephonebookclub
If we‘ve had these choicesbefore ilswop

My two picks for June 2026 sooo hard ! Was also torn with choosing the oppermans and because of the Lockwoods - so If no votes for these il swop 😂
@LeahBergen @CarolynM @quietjenn @rubyslippersreads @willaful @Tamara @Caryl @Gissy @Aimeesue @daena @elkeOriginal
Mariana by Monica dickensor The expendable man by Dorothy B Hughes‘s
Will tag everyone else in later when Iv found mylist 😍
#persephonebookclub
If we‘ve had these choicesbefore ilswop

Arhhhh ☺️the most perfect Christmas 🎄/ December read you could choose. My first by this author and now can‘t wait to read the shell 🐚 seekers . Family sagas are right up my street & this is perfection, the beautiful calm addictive prose, the superb characterisarion, each chapter narrated by a different person, with a cute drawing next to their name a sketch that represented their character - love it !

Simply gorgeous just started this and already a winner , first rosamunde pincher ! Cant believe Iv left it so long as adore Elizabeth Jane Howard and Mary Wesley , isn‘t it great when you know you‘ve chosen a goodie 😍😆

Didn‘t manage a bingo in my birthday 🎈 month 😆and even though we were away felt like I didn‘t read a huge amount, books of the month Raising hare an astonishing read & the wonderful Dusk by Robbie arnott , biggest flop of the month Quicksilver what a huge disappointment- onwards and upwards for December thanks again ☺️🥰 Sarah 😀

Reading this in our cosy cottage by the sea 🌊 a storm was howling last night so perfect gothic Victorian fireside reading 📖 however I‘m still waiting for something to “happen” to grip me on page 115 compared to Laura Purcells others I‘m finding this one v v slow 🥱

Ever finished a book 📖 and wanted to throw it across the room ? What was the point In that ending !! Would have been a 4 star rating if not for such a terrible ending !!

Time for some gothic Persephone fiction by the fire 🔥 with a wee dram 🥃 it is winter 🥶 it is raining …… any excuse 😆

Beautiful , simply beautiful. I‘m not a fan of memoirs & I‘m ashamed to say I don‘t read many if any nature books , this wonderful narrative bridges both genres , it‘s a stunning read, hares are beautiful creatures as is all wild life & deserves so much more protection and respect than what the poor species gets. The chapters on modern farm machinery are heart breaking 💔

What a beautiful book this is , a palette cleanser to our modern craziness

As ever it‘s not the beast or animal you need to be concerned about but human nature. I pre ordered this book before uk publication because Simon savage spoke so highly of it and he‘s a great book vlogger. I was saving it for a winter read because of the landscape and harsh weather it‘s set in. Won‘t lieit does have a slow steady pace for the first 100 odd pagesI did actually put it to one side to finish something elsecame back to it and wow 🤩

In part some of kings excellent writing on a par with earlier stuff but In parts tediously slowwwwww it‘s won‘t stay with me that‘s for sure

What a mixed bag my October reads were 3 5star reads , 1 4.5 🌟3 x 2 stars 🌟 which means disappointing, to me anyway 😆 & 2 3 stars 🌟😮BOTM joint winners 🏆 for my Fav books A beautiful way to die & The hounding , both blew me away with exceptional writing ✍️ 😍

Must admit a tad disappointed ☹️ expected more ghost 👻 horror rather than psychological but I guess things that go bump in the night would drive you bonkers ! Perhaps it‘s just me but found it lacking, and the scary bits like the unexplained blood everywhere didn‘t scare me at all ! Stephen king is the master for me 😆I guess this book and author are of a time and shocking 😮 when it was first published

This was my village book club pick , a strange modern horror almost an update of Frankenstein and a huge reflection on grief and the side effects of what extremes wel go to when driven mad by grief , which is understandable. Painfully as we grow older we loose loved ones & the heart break is unbearable

Iv had to re write my #novemberbookspin list twice as my end of year TBR is still ridiculous & unrealistic but you lovely fellow book 📖 worms 🐛 will get it 😆 plus coming back from Cyprus 🇨🇾 my brothers wedding 💒 and a family holiday I caught covid on the flight back so I sat in bed 🛌 yesterday feeling sorry for myself and ordered 12 books 📚!!!! 😱YES another 12 !!! What is wrong with me 😆plus Waterstones had double points any excuse 😜🤣

Must admit this was a big disappointment for me was hoping for so much more on a modern vampire retelling 😕it‘s all about personal taste isn‘t it ? And maybe I‘d hyped myself up too much 😆personally I thought the author was trying so hard to produce “literary horror “ it was just so slooooowwwwwww , couldn‘t engage with any characters & after reading the fantastic hounding this wasn‘t a patch on that !

Wow this book was fantastic one of my favourites of the year & incredibly a debut ! This author will be an auto buy for me now ; I‘d say it‘s more of a tale of misogyny, spite , gossip , rumours and petty mindedness which sadly seems to be prevalent in modern times as well as the 17th century! A delicious twist at the end - loved 🥰 it

Quick holiday read in Cyprus 🇨🇾 for my brothers wedding 💒 when I did get a chance to read this was an easy one but I felt like it was a trial run before the brilliant 🤩 all the colours of the dark , there‘s a good book in there some where but frankly it parts it just didn‘t grip me & it was a constant misery fess

Oh dear 😅 I had high hopes for this vampire re telling , struggling down with some good gothic fiction which i love ❤️ but this is sooooo slow , yes the tension is there to begin with but compared to the excellent book Iv just finished the hounding , in this one the writing is v poor. Sadly not for me and sooo highly rated on goodreads !

Wow 🤩 my goodness this book was fantastic ! If you love the film 🎥 L A confidential you‘ll love this , a noir 50s thriller / crime based on the true crime story of a young actress Jean Spangler (Google) who may or may not have been involved with the actor Kirk Douglas who was questioned by the police on her disappearance, she was clearly murdered her body never found. Heart breaking for her mother & daughter. Highly recommend this book

Seriously good 😌 reading with my little hound 🐶😆 need to google it to see if this madness ; 17th century misogynistic acquisitions are true …..

4 1/2🌟 first half of this narrative I absolutely loved & would be a 5star read BUT…..more than a few flaws in the latter part, lots of specific dates of historical events which the characters skimmed around with no real depth or feeling which is odd as the heart break & longing in the first part of the story is so powerful, the last 100 odd pages are flat again “things/life/death events”happen but with no real feeling, or maybe that‘s just me.

Love all , trust a few , do wrong to none - great start - holiday read number 3 & sad news 🗞️ this morning waking up in Greece 🇬🇷 to hear Diane Keaton has died 😢so that‘s Robert Redford (possibly THE most beautiful man who has ever lived ) Ozzy Osbourne, Jilly Cooper, Katherine Duchess of a Kent (lovely lady one of the best royals ) RIP ,

Blinking loved it ! Now need to find the tv series somewhere …. Yes it did drag alittle in the middle & I found the surveillance of Oswald a dull bit but necessary for the plot. Read it on the beach in Greece 🇬🇷 and a bloody perfect beach read to get lost in !

October spooky 👻 reads month #bookspinbingo in also travelling a lot in October for holiday and weddings in Europe so it would be weird to read my spooky 👻 Halloween 🎃 books whilst in the sunshine ☀️ and I do love a good family drama 🎭 as a holiday read , so I have a v hectic October reading 📖 list, thank you @TheAromaofBooks love ❤️ our monthly bingo 🥰

#septemberreads #bookspinbingo how come my bingo list is getting bigger not smaller 🤣 only book 📕 worms get it! Fav reads of the month ; The correspondent & a contender for my Book of the year😍st Agnes stand - amazing short read, prima facie-shocking.a little trickerie and a perfect ending of the month to finish with the red note book on Queen 👸 Camilla‘s reading rooms list. Onwards and upwards for October bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks 🥰

If id have read this aged 12 same as dizzy or a teen I‘d have loved it , but just sadly not for me , it was over long , magical realism I struggle with as a genre , however it is well written and I can understand the high ratings , the audio is excellent 👌 part read the physical but mostly listened on audio.

It‘s not you it‘s me , definitely a marmite read , as others have said starts well and could have been two engrossing stories , always love a ghost 👻 story or even better narrated by a ghost , but tbh it just bored me , the dual time lines , which I usually love didn‘t work for me I had no interest in her previous life in Australia, I also have bass rock on my TBR which Iv been told is far superior

Omg 😨 this is one of the worst books iv ever had to pick up for bookclub , the writing was amateurish, it is a quick easy read as in writing style but the plot is just horrendous and awful themes of child murder and abuse I dnf‘ed it and skipped my bookclub night !

4.5 ⭐️Arrhhhh Tibb our sweary protagonist, how can you not love ❤️ tibb ? unbelievable this book is a debut ! It is so so good , so much more than historical fiction, it‘s adventurous, it‘s about friendship & all forms of love, survival, it‘s also an easy read page turner as the story just flows so beautifully, tbh I personally think it should have won the women‘s prize I preferred it to safekeep, but that‘s just my little opinion. Finished on a

Finished this little beauty after a wonderful massage at my gym and spa (sadly v bad shoulder ) This book is the reason book sellers are so IMPORTANT i was recommended this book by a lovely chap in Mr B‘s book emporium in Bath , never heard of Thomas Edison (omg WHY? WHAT?) not only is this one of the best stories Iv ever ever read but the writing ✍️ my goodness it‘s done by a true author a person with a real gift ,

With vibes of the Clint Eastwood & Shirley MacLaine film, a Mule for sister Sarah , a short novella excellent writing so far ☺️

my book of the year wow &adebut too this lady‘s really got it she‘ll be an auto buy for me now. If someone would have told me a book of letters would be my favourite book of the year I‘d never have believed them but this is so so clever. I also think anyone who has dealt with grief should read this & perhaps even though it is a book for anyage send it to anyone depressed about aging because you really can lead a full life no matter what age youare

Virginia Hall all children should be taught about this truly remarkable & brave woman, what a life ! I do enjoy ww1 & ww2 fiction and non fiction call me macabre 😆 I loved the authors afterword on what happened to Virginia and her network the research into this novel is outstanding, however it starts well but as other reviewers have noted mid way through there are plot holes

What a strange little story this was but 2 of the most important medieval texts written by women Margery Kempe and Julian an anchoress both receiving “visions” by Christ , in today‘s modern world there are many explanations for this but one would like to believe in a miracle , very well written and incredibly researched

Most of us know the story line and the outcome and the rave reviews of the wonderful Jodie Cromer she also narrates the audiobook Iv switched between the two , great writing a great story and sadly shockingly true 1 in 3 and how bloody brave those women are no means no

On a spa 🧖‍♀️ break at the amazing Ragdale hall with my dearest friend quality time together and a good book 📕 alternating between reading the actual book 📕 and audio narrated by the wonderfully talented Jodie Cromer it‘s fantastic, audio books are a hit and miss for me depending who is narrating them

brilliant historical fiction one of the best Iv read for along time , I love a story centring on a figure almost forgotten in history and must admit I did enjoy googling to find out more about Costanza and Bernini , we all know how a passionate love affair can turn sour it‘s a story of old that we still sadly read of in the news of the vengeance imposed on girls and women by ex lovers boyfriends/ husbands we all pray one day it will stop.

I‘m home from Paris 🇫🇷 ❤️and my first job after cuddling and kissing 😘 the pups 🐶 unpacking & doing laundry was to write my September bookspin bingo list 😆Iv had to re write ✍️ due to those pesky library 📚 reserves which you forget about 🤣 I had a great 👍 reading month in August so fingers crossed 🤞 everyone for some fabulous 4&5 star 🌟 reads 🤓😘 @TheAromaofBooks thank you 🤗

Great 😀Reading month for me with some wonderful reads and managed a line in #bookspinbingo 😆 nearly made 2 lines - would be amazing to get a full house 🏡 but life, work , travel 🧳 etc gets In the way maybe 🤔 January as that‘s a long quiet 🤫 month - thank you ☺️ for our monthly bingo love ♥️ it

When in Paris you‘ve got to go ❤️???❤️ iconic tote bags are (d0 my husband thought I was mad but still got one anyway ??❤️??

And here it is 🥰🥰the most famous bookshop in Paris next to the beautiful notre dame where we were lucky enough to catch the beautiful midday mass yesterday and the ringing of the bells 🔔 it‘s iconic , nazis closed it in 1941 and as all facists do the banning and burning of books 📚 reopened in 1951 and today it‘s run by the daughter of the man he re opened it after ww2 and championed literacy and supporters writers ✍️ in Paris 🇫🇷❤️

On route on Thursday to beautiful Paris via Eurostar and picked my perfect Parisian reads maybe 🤔 il buy the hunchback of notre dame in the famous Shakespeare and co bookshop 🥰

Finished this wonderful book last night when all the guests had left collapsed with my teddy 🐶and used my new reading light - isn‘t it fantastic to sit out on warm evenings (don‘t get many in the uk 🇬🇧 😆) this book is now in my top ten of best books of the year , it is laugh out loud funny, it is 💔 heartbreaking & equally heart warming, sums up weddings perfectly, I adored Phoebe & knew where the story was going but still adored it

Now this is more like it ! Oh I love 🥰 Phoebe I wanna take her out for cocktails 🍸 and talk all night , I sat up way way past my bedtime 🥱 reading this and had to give up when my eyes were closing - loving it 🥰 and highly recommend; Alison espachs writing ✍️ reminds me of the brilliant Katherine heiny

There is nothing wrong with this book or Paige toons writing ; if I‘d have read this in my 20s I would have loved it. I‘m not old or cynical 🤨 but Finn !! Oh Wev all fallen for a floppy haired fin haven‘t we , dark and brooding like Darcy , but come on ! The moods ! the yeah maybe il come back maybe I won‘t but wait for me anyway - SOD OFF - girls and boys let this be a lesson / DO NOT WASTE YOUR LIFE waiting for anyone ,