Looking forward to reading about the life of one of my favorite authors!

Library book sale! Oh how I love them!

Really interesting novel about an American who gets stranded with the Chukchi people in eastern Russia and learns to love their way of life. #archipelagobooks

Hey I got a #bookspinbingo this month! I also read both my #bookspin and my #doublebookspin and two #roll100 books. Favorites were Remarkably Bright Creatures and I Have Some Questions for You. @TheAromaofBooks @PuddleJumper

Loved this book! A series of essays exploring themes, writing effects, and styles in Austen‘s novels. Will work best if you have thorough knowledge of all of Austen‘s novels. Picture of my Austen shelf

While I appreciated the authors honest look at being a non-binary, Muslim immigrant, I didn‘t love this book. The timeline jumps around quite a bit, and I lost the trajectory of her growth and her understanding of who she is. I read this now because it came in at the library, but really looking forward to discussion with #campLitsy23

My favorite part of our backyard is the three old white oak trees that live there. It was fun to read a book about them and the animals they host throughout the year.

I loved this charming book about the unlikely intersection of several lives, including a “remarkably bright” octopus. I don‘t usually enjoy books that are too sentimental, so I was a little worried about this one, but I‘m glad I gave it a chance because I thought it hit just the right tone. And it was both my #bookspin AND #roll100!

Started this and really not enjoying it. Anyone want to try to convince me to stick with it? #1001books

I saw mixed opinions about this one, but I absolutely loved it. It‘s a fairly straight ahead boarding school mystery, elevated by a subtle exploration of sexism, racism, and abuse. Maybe it worked for me because I‘m the exact age and race as the narrator, and I found everything she experienced to be spot on. Makkai nails the two settings of the 1990s and the 2020s, and I love a strong setting. Recommended!

Got really close for an April #bookspinbingo I have square 7 half way done. I did read both my #bookspin and #doublebookspin and a #Roll100
I‘ll count that as a successful month!

I loved the beginning of this. Taylor creates a brilliant character you love to hate in Angel Deverell. At age 15, Angel has a bad day at school, takes to her bed, and writes a terrible novel. That the public loves. Once Angel became a rich adult, though, I lost interest. This was an April #Roll100 that I got off my shelf! #nyrb

Love starting a new book at bedtime! I loved The Great Believers so I‘m really looking forward to this.

Here‘s my May #bookspin list. Still really enjoying this challenge. Now I‘m keeping track of books I‘m repeating on my list also. @TheAromaofBooks

I thought this novella was excellent. It follows a young mother and her son who is about to turn nine through one dramatic night. The prose switches seamlessly between their experiences as they move about their new town separately, late into the cold night. #archipelegobooks

I‘ve really enjoyed all the Greek myth retellings that have been appearing lately, and this one did not disappoint. It was humorous and brought up some good themes. Recommended! #womensprize

I feel like I‘m on a never ending quest to figure out what in the world is happening to my body - and there‘s not a lot of science-backed info out there. Curious to see what this book has to say.

When four adult siblings argue over an inheritance it forces conversation about the sexual abuse of the oldest daughter by her father. This is not a pleasant book to read, because of the topic and because it‘s repetitive and none of the characters are likable. But through the sister Astrid‘s reactions, who works in human rights, the idea of how damaging some of our accepted and “politically correct” language is to survivors is spot on.

I got a little behind in my #clarissa reading by date, but I‘ll catch up by tomorrow. Struck by this quote - poor Clarissa, she seems to realize everyone‘s motives, but not be able to actually believe people can act that way. It‘s going to get her in trouble, I predict . . .

I loved her book about Jane Austen - hoping this one is just as good!

I know I must be one of the last to read this, but I‘m glad I finally did! I found it funny, genuine, and a little creepy as I waited for the past to be revealed. Palm trees in the back because we‘re on spring break vacation in Miami!

Lots of good books this month, but the tagged was my favorite. And look! A #bookspinbingo! Having fun with this challenge.

I loved this #nyrb novel from the late 1800s. It‘s the story of a failing marriage in a great setting - the couple‘s beautiful home overlooks the sea in the border region between Germany and Denmark. Fontane writes beautifully and I thoroughly enjoyed this. I‘m sure I wouldn‘t have picked this up without #roll100

Here is my #bookspin list for April!

Wow. This is a beautifully written book. Taking place during the Troubles, there‘s a lot of heartache, but it‘s a fantastic read.

Reading in the car while my son has his piano lesson. This has started off really well! #womensprize

Since I‘m on track with my #clarissa March letters, I‘m doing a reread of one of my favorites to get myself a #bookspinbingo. This is my first month really participating in this challenge and I‘m really enjoying it! @TheAromaofBooks

Historical fiction based on a 1600s witch hunt in a remote northern island in Norway. In the opening scenes 40 men from this small community (virtually all the adult men) die in a storm while fishing. This brings the remaining community of women to the attention of the male political leaders with disastrous results.

I‘ve only read the intro, but I‘m already enamored of this book! An American history that explores the relationship between trees and the founding of our country. #conservation

I think I hated this book. Guerilla gardening group and long philosophical-political rants turn into a movie-style violent thriller. What??? And yet, Catton is such a confident writer that I think she pulls it off. Please read and tell me what you think!! ETA this was my #bookspin for March. @TheAromaofBooks

My pre-ordered copy just came today and I‘m excited to get started reading this tonight!

I enjoyed this novel written in 1948 that takes place in London during WWII. Stella is dating a man named Robert, and a stranger comes to her to tell her Robert is a spy. Meanwhile her adult son inherits some property that enlightens him about Stella‘s relationship with his father. Bowen‘s writing is dense, but the interesting plot carries the book. #roll100 #1001books

I‘m staying up to date with my #clarissa reading, still reading by letter date. This weekend was a lot of pages, but it was nice to get in a rhythm with the book. I like that Clarissa is standing her ground against intense family pressure to marry Mr Solmes!

Check out this beautiful stack of books that I got for my birthday - some as gifts and some bought with birthday gift cards. Plus 3 still in the mail. And the beautiful preserved roses that should last a year!

I‘d read enough mixed reviews to go into this with low expectations, but I really liked it! Lots of characters, but somehow Atkinson draws them all together. Not the tightest plot, but I felt the book had a lot of heart.

Sharing my March #bookspin list. Excited to try this for the first time in 2023! @TheAromaofBooks

Starting this one - I find this kind of nonfiction set in long ago times (1300s) utterly relaxing to read, even when there‘s lots of drama. The matching puppy on the lap helps too. 😁

Starting a new book and keeping half an eye on my son and his friends on a warm February day. I‘ve loved Atkinson in the past, but I‘ve seen mixed reviews on this - curious to see what I think!

Playing along with #Roll100. 53 is Irretrievable by Theodore Fontane and 36 is The Heat of the Day by Elizabeth Bowen. I messed up and read the book that was 42 on my list without replacing it, but those two should keep me busy! @PuddleJumper

This is absolute must-read nonfiction for anyone who wants to deeply experience what it was like to be a Black American in the Jim Crow South of the 1940s/50s. They say you have to hit rock bottom to turn a corner. This book describes a time in America when we hit it. #blackhistorymonth #pulitzer

I actually squealed when I got this early birthday order of books from Archipelago publishing. I had emailed that I wasn‘t able to access one of their sales (seemed like a website glitch) but just ordered the books I wanted anyway. They sent a lovely handwritten note with TWO free books. Love smaller book publishers!! #archipelagobooks

Challenging novel by a #nobelprize winning author about a group of young people living in Romania during Ceausescu‘s reign. Vivid picture of living through a surveillance police state, though I also felt kept at arms length, either because I don‘t have a good background in the era, or it was too personal for the author to really let us in to her experience.

Reread of a favorite that did not disappoint. No one is better at describing a character‘s interior life than Woolf.

It‘s #blackhistorymonth and this was one of my #roll100 books. No brainer to finally get to this Pulitzer Prize winner.

Lovely, short book about a group of women who volunteer to grow food for the WWII war effort. Lots of references to Virginia Woolf‘s To the Lighthouse, so an added benefit that it prompted a reread of that book for me.

Number 83 for #roll100 got this book off my kindle TBR pile. I read the first 50 pages and just didn‘t find it worth my reading time. Cute premise and I know a lot of people liked it, but too many other books out there!

Just got back from a vacation to Disney World with extended family and thinking about finally reading this children‘s classic. Inspired by the mug I bought at Epcot!

Eye opening book that delves beneath the narrative of the famous abolitionist Grimke sisters to explore their entire family, including the Black cousins their brother fathered with one of the women he enslaved. Highly recommended!

I didn‘t like this second book in the Perveen Mistry mystery series as much as the first. Still had good cultural details and an interesting setting, but the mystery was kind of boring and the main character started to grate on me. Not sure I‘ll continue with the series.

Recently discovered this mystery series set in 1920s India with a female lawyer for the main character. Anyone else a fan?