Thank you @BarbaraBB for posting and reviewing this book. I also loved the atmosphere of it. Set in Japan 1958. A thriller/crime story that kept me hooked from beginning to end. I loved the mysterious nature of it all, the characters, and the snow ! I‘ll be stocking up on all books I can find by Matsumoto.

Starting this for our bookclub, weekend reading sorted 👍🏻❤️

I enjoyed our two widowed matriarchs , and both with five children. Helen was probably my favourite character. The title aptly describes family life and history repeating itself. It reminded me of Joni Mitchell‘s song The Circle Game. Great choice @CarolynM #PersephoneClub

I would never have read this , only for a friend praising it highly. I listened on audible and I found it a beautiful far away poignant meditation on life on earth. It sent my mind in all directions. There are certain parts that will stay with me. I don‘t know how I would have felt if I had read it, but I listened to it on my walks, and also one evening with a glass of wine. Very special book.

New books arrived today ❤️
First up will be our Persephone read for February. #Persephoneclub

This was great. It was quirky and sad too. The woman in the purple skirt is being stalked by the woman in the yellow cardigan who wants to become her friend. I‘m left with a lonely feeling after reading this one. But I couldn‘t put it down. I think I‘ll move onto another of her books now. The Girl Who Turned Into A Pair of Chopsticks.
I loved Convenience Store Woman too. Any more Japanese recommendations very welcome 🙏

I did love Small Pleasures, so I was excited for this one. But it‘s not the same. I gave it 100 pages. Oh dear. It started off well , but never pulled me in. I better go back on my kindle while I make a new list.

A lovely read , lovely writing, characters, I can‘t fault it. Just like you all said. I loved it and looking forward to more.

This was a Christmas present , and my first Elizabeth Strout . I‘m probably reading the wrong one first , but I‘m halfway now … What have I been missing ! I love it.

Oh my heart from this book. It really made me wonder about the mind of a child. I love the unreliable narrator, there is mystery and confusion. The title Poor Deer is so perfect. Magical writing, a haunting story. ❤️

Im not too far in , but I‘m captivated. 🤞🏻 I really wasn‘t sure what this would be like , loving the writing and the whole atmosphere.

Thankyou Leah for this book. I really enjoyed A Helping Hand , and I enjoyed this one even more. Esther is great, a believable main character, living with her Gran who is a scream. As one of the quotes says it‘s ‘ Hilarious, dark and true. ‘ It‘s been my companion getting over the flu. I loved it. Thankyou !

Reading is oh so slow sinse getting back to normal. But I am currently reading this one. It won the Scottish Crime Debut of the Year 2024. I‘m getting to know Dr Jack Cuthbert, our main man, a pathologist working for Scotland Yard (I liked him immediately) . It‘s 1929 and a mystery is beginning. I‘m not far in but so far I‘m loving it. 🤞🏻

I‘ve loved all the Beryl I read this past year, and this was no exception. I really enjoyed Stella, a most unusual young girl and her start in the theatre. My only issue is that I don‘t really understand what happened at the end of the book. I keep going over it in my mind. 🤔

I was lucky enough to be shopping in Golden Hare Books in Edinburgh this past weekend.

Thankyou Andrew for hosting this #12Booksof2024. I‘ve really enjoyed picking my books and reflecting on them. I‘ve also stacked loads from other‘s lists. What a great way to celebrate these 12 days together. Thank you ! A Happy New Year to you.

My final DECEMBER book is a Claire Keegan , short stories. I also read Small Things. I think she is out on her own, very good.

#12booksof2024 NOVEMBER This was my first John Boyne. I really enjoyed it, I have the next three in the Element series on my shelf waiting. Earth is next, what a great idea.

#12Booksof2024 OCTOBER Having loved The Spinning Heart , I read this sequel ( which is a standalone too). It‘s equally as good. The first character we hear from is Bobby Mahon and Bobby might be one of my favorite characters ever. ❤️
Our Bookclub went to hear Donal Ryan reading from his book. He‘s sincere and great craic.

#12Booksof2024 SEPTEMBER
I love how Sally Rooney writes relationships and I think this is her best yet. Wonderful characters, So good. ❤️

Set in Tokyo in the dark night hours. I really enjoyed these interconnected stories. I‘m left with lots of images in my mind. A touching and magical read. ❤️

#12Booksof2024 AUGUST I only started reading Beryl recently enough. She‘s written 18 novels, so there‘s plenty more to get to , Thank god ! This one I read last summer, it‘s offbeat and strange and I loved it. Thanks again @LeahBergen for this gorgeous copy.

#12Booksof2024 JULY A beautiful rugged book, set on an Island off of Scotland. I loved everything about this book.

#12Booksof2024 I think I read this in JUNE. It‘s one of my favorites of the year, a memorable story. Violent at times , set in Cumbria about shepherds and sheep… I loved it. It really got to me. I hope someone reads it soon so we can compare notes.

#12Booksof2024 ❤️MAY❤️ I really enjoyed The Bee Sting , an immersive unputdownable book.

Set in Norway where Johanna returns to after 30 years. Estranged from her mother and sister who still live there. The book is about the family dynamics that go on in our minds, especially around the mother. Johanna‘s ambivalent feelings towards her mother are very relatable. I enjoyed the first half , it reads like a thriller too. But it became a bit of a trudge for me. I‘m glad I‘ve finished ( a sigh of relief ) profound , poignant , memorable.

#12Booksof2024 DAY 4. This was my favorite crime book of 2024. Great characters, story and writing.

#12Booksof2024 ❤️ MARCH❤️ I read this one around last March. It‘s a quirky little book with a main character that I loved. I remember how real it felt.

❤️ FEBRUARY ❤️ #12Booksof2024 @Andrew65 I‘m in agreement with @CarolynM this is my favorite book of last February. A shocking and unforgettable story.

@Andrew65 ❤️ JANUARY 2024 ❤️ #12Booksof2024
We read this for Bookclub January 2024. Definitely in the top 12 of last year.

Look what has arrived for me ! I really enjoyed A Helping Hand and always wanted to try another. Looking forward to this one. Thank you Leah. What a lovely surprise. I‘ll post my little parcel to you as soon as your strike is over. 😘🌲🎁

Emmeline , a great story. Looking forward to seeing what everyone thinks. It‘s a winner for me. I couldn‘t put it down. Now for a mince pie @andrew61 #PeresphoneClub

Cosying up with Emmeline. I‘m at the halfway point … and I can‘t put it down!! #PersephoneClub

Thankyou Helen for your lovely squirrely card and for ‘ Gift the timeless magic of books‘ .. a beautiful thoughtful present ❤️

#PersephoneClub Sorry I can‘t get the Persephone covers to fit 🙈 … But these are my Persephone book choices @LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads @quietjenn @Caryl @sisilia @CarolynM @daena @elkeOriginal @Gissy @Aimeesue @Tamra @Bookbuyingaddict @julieclair @willaful @andrew61

Just sitting back and starting this one. The MC ( or what I think might be the main c ) is a serious over-thinker… interesting psychological profile 🤞🏻set in France , Saint-Louis. Someone is going to disappear from mc‘s local restaurant .. I think I could love this.

Mini book haul in the big smoke yesterday ❤️

I feel bad panning a book, but I really didn‘t like this one. I did not find it thrilling or suspenseful, rather more of a trudge feeling ( but maybe that‘s the idea) Set in Santiago , Chile. The story of a housekeeper and the family she works for. I didn‘t bail though, I wanted to find out what happened… and I was reading it on a train, so I was stuck with it and propelled forward. The first half was good. Maybe a So-So 👍🏻

Next up is All the Colours of the Dark for our Bookclub … also looking forward to the Kevin Barry.

Listening In The Dusk.
Celia Fremlins world is always a little strange and startling. Another enjoyable read, with off beat characters and twists and turns.

I‘ve had this on the shelf for ages and was inspired to pick it up …. Having recently seen the movie Small Things ( and read the book with Bookclub). I think this woman writes about what she knows in an authentic fearless way , and I love how she does it. … these short stories are startling , I couldn‘t put the book down. 🚨 SPOILER ALERT ‼️ spoiler 🔔 spoiler ‼️ for SMALL THINGS and Antarctica in Spoiler comments.

Oh what a tangled web we weave … another bizarre tale from Celia. I found myself very moved by the plight of the young main character.

We read The Spinning Heart years ago for Bookclub, and we are going to see Donal Ryan speak about this tagged new book of his on Wednesday next. I was afraid I wouldn‘t remember The Spinning H, as this is a companion, follow up book ( that can be read as a stand-alone too) But the characters came back to me ( mostly). This is a brilliant book. Great characters again. Love his writing.

Another island story. Orkney. I saw that Saoirse Ronan will play the lead in the movie of The Outrun, so I wanted to read the book. I loved the island setting, the wild unforgiving and beautiful landscape, the cliffs , and the basic close to the earth lives the islanders live.
I‘m looking so forward to the movie now.

I really enjoyed this one. Set on an island off of Galway. Where the water is all around and healing. I loved the descriptions of island life. I have Earth ready to go now too.

‘Water has been the undoing of me. It has been the undoing of my family. We swim in it in the womb. We are composed of it. We drink it. We are drawn to it throughout our lives , more than mountains deserts or canyons. But it is terrible. Water kills. ‘

Set in England, 1960‘s. I loved all the details of the time, marmalade sauce and baked ham , dressing up in old fur coats to play ping-pong. This is Marianne‘s story, she‘s a wild dreamer , she‘s in love. Such an enjoyable book. I would highly recommend and I must look up more by Rose Tremain … any recommendations Littens ?

What a beautiful book, Sally Rooney gets right into the characters minds and hearts. She writes relationships and life with such intimacy and insight. I could relate to all of it and was moved to tears. I loved it. A page turner for me.

West, by Carys Davies is a wonderful book. I loved Clear .. it‘s my favourite of the two. But West was similar, a story of isolation, of dreams , of what might be and might have been.. of chance. I love the natural settings of her books. Nature in all its stark beauty.

Now on to Sally Rooney, (totally opposite territory to Davies ) Loving it too.

Also a few bails along the way sinse I posted last.

This is a creepy one. Complete with scary churches and fairs and woods. Two young girls, and the Tsar , what is everyone up to in this book ! I see one reviewer saying it is based on a true story. This is the first novel she wrote. My third book by Beryl, a fascinating and unsettling read, I‘m off to look up my next one.
Thank you Leah, I look forward to your thoughts when you get to it.

Starting this one on a lovely September morning.. A gift from @LeahBergen I‘m gripped already 👍🏻

Clear. By Carys Davies. Set in 1843, Minister John Ferguson travels from Scotland towards Norway to a tiny island, where one man lives alone. A beautiful wild setting , a story about loneliness and human connection. I loved it.