A bit late with February‘s #FoodandLit update. I made momos. They taste good but I‘m still having trouble getting them to look as nice and uniform as shown in the cookbook. #Nepal @Catsandbooks @Texreader

A very good but disturbing story about a girl from Nepal forced into the sex trade in India.

#FoodandLit #Nepal @Catsandbooks @Texreader
#gottacatchemall (Emolga: power outage) @PuddleJumper

A good novella in the new Captive's War series. I'd also read earlier the first novel in this series and liked it very much. Can't wait to see what the James S.. A. Corey duo gives us next!

#gottacatchemall (Rattata: set somewhere dangerous) @PuddleJumper

A humorous, clever and satirical story about book censorship. I enjoyed all the references to Orwell's 1984 and other banned books.

#ToB25
#gottacatchemall (Raticate: betrayal) @PuddleJumper

I had this sitting on my shelf for years and was happy that the #HashtagBrigade motivated me to finally read it. I suppose I'd put it off because of the heavy themes, including mental illness and suicide. The novel was indeed disturbing and difficult to read, but also engrossing, poignant and even really humorous at times.

I liked this Discworld installment featuring Moist von Lipwig, though not as much as I liked Going Postal, in which he was introduced. I loved the introduction of canine Mr.Fusspot as chairman of the bank! As usual, Pratchett's satirical observations of the world are spot on.

#OokBOokClub @julesG
#52bookclub25 (Shares universe with prompt 28)
#SeriesLove2025 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView

A weak pick for me. I liked the dark humour and satirical observations but it was frustrating to see the main character make one bad decision after another!

#ToB25
#gottacatchemall (Luvdisc: pink cover) @PuddleJumper

Set in Tasmania, this is an unusual story told in an unusual way, from the points-of-view of a large number of characters, most human but some not.

Very glad I got to discover this talented author via #BookCrossing.

#gottacatchemall (Komala: dreamy character) @PuddleJumper

Cambodian refugee Y-Dang Troeung's memoir contains fragments of stories from her life, photographs, and letters to her son, written as she battled cancer. The book is poignant, sad and informative. Tragically, Troeung passed away shortly before this book was published.

#52bookclub25 (Has short chapters)
#gottacatchemall (Goodra: recommended by a friend)

This was a reread for me. The story of black detectives investigating a series of murders in Mississippi, this was brilliant and darkly funny, as are all the Percival Everett books I've read.

#52bookclub25 (Final sentence is less than 6 words long)
#gottacatchemall (Marshadow: a book with a murder) @PuddleJumper

A really good February for #BookSpinBingo -- filled my #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin squares and got 3 bingos! @TheAromaofBooks

My March #BookSpinBingo list! @TheAromaofBooks

A mixed bag, as most short-story collections are, but definitely more hits than misses, and a few really memorable stories. A number of scenarios and themes reminded me of King's novels, and I wonder if he'd used these stories to try out ideas that he developed more fully later.

#LosersClub @BarkingMadRead
#52bookclub25 (Title starts with letter “N”)
#gottacatchemall (Dhelmise: ghost or spirit) @PuddleJumper

It was interesting to get into the heads of the young female competitive boxers featured in this novel. I liked how the author conveyed the intensity of the moment while also shifting to times in the girls' pasts and futures.

#ToB25
#gottacatchemall (Marshadow: fight or fighter) @PuddleJumper

Last weekend, our area got 30cm of snow, and it put me in the mood to read the next book in remote and wintry Rockton. It's definitely more fun reading about snow than shovelling it! This was a good page-turning mystery/thriller.

#52bookclub25 (Genre Four: Set in Winter – thriller)
#BookSpinBingo #DoubleSpin @TheAromaofBooks
#gottacatchemall (Whimsicott: storm or strong winds) @PuddleJumper

I loved this 4th Shardlake book, as I have every book in the series so far. Shardlake hunts for a serial killer motivated by religious fanaticism. This is a page-turning mystery/thriller in an interesting historical context.

#ShardlakeBR @dabbe
#52bookclub25 (Genre One: Set in Spring – historical fiction)
#gottacatchemall (Comfey: character in the medical field) @PuddleJumper

This reread of Indian Horse was, for me, just as poignant and powerful as the first time around. I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about the history of residential schools in Canada and why hockey is so well-loved in this country.

#OhCanada @Jess861
#gottacatchemall (Rattata: survivor character) @PuddleJumper

A coming-of-age story about a Black man who works on Barack Obama's campaign (though Obama is not actually named). The novel had some interesting moments but didn't seem especially exciting or insightful to me.

#ToB25
#52bookclub25 (Cover font is in a primary color)

This is among my favourites of the #ToB25 books I've read so far. The writing is beautiful, there were interesting and unexpected twists, and I spent some time mulling over the ending. Looking forward to the #LitsyToB discussion.

#gottacatchemall (Emolga: yellow cover) @PuddleJumper

In this installment, Nancy tap dances, communicates in Morse code and is surrounded by a huge number of Persian cats. I didn't like this one as much as earlier novels, but the 1970's white pantsuit that Nancy sports on the cover is pretty awesome.

#NancyDrewBR @Librarybelle
#52bookclub25 (Related to the word “puzzle”)
#gottacatchemall (Psyduck: involves a puzzle)

A charming and likable conman resurrects a post office and takes on a ruthless oligarch. In this satire, the target of Pratchett's jabs is government.

A noteworthy quotation: “What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.“

#OokBOokClub @julesG
#SeriesLove2025 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView
#gottacatchemall (Marshadow: sneaky character) @PuddleJumper

I have a much better appreciation of this book than I did when I had first read it a long time ago. I love how Anne has matured and evolved over the series but still retains much of what made so many people love her from the original Green Gables book.

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread @BarbaraJean
#52bookclub25 (character with red hair)
#gottacatchemall (Dhelmise: set on an island) @PuddleJumper

There was a lot about this novel that I enjoyed: the diverse collection of characters, the pokes at conventional ideas about women's work, and even the unusual combination of first and third-person narratives.

#ToB25
#52bookclub25 (breaks the fourth wall)
#gottacatchemall (Drampa: protective character) @PuddleJumper

This novel was a weak pick for me. I can't say I enjoyed reading the book but it was hard-hitting and felt very honest. I was going to abandon it at first but then wanted to see how the main character would evolve.

#ToB25
#gottacatchemall (Eevee: book you borrowed) @PuddleJumper

January was a great #BookSpinBingo month for me. I don't think I've ever had this many squares filled! @TheAromaofBooks

A very enjoyable and informative book about eels. I hadn't realized that the reproductive cycle of the eel was so fascinating!

#gottacatchemall (Goomy: slimy character) @PuddleJumper
#BookCrossing

One of my favourite Stephen King books. This was a reread for me. I watched the movie for the first time recently and it was great too but the book had much more interesting character development.

#LosersClub @BarkingMadRead
52bookclub (Genre Three - horror: Set in Autumn)
#gottacatchemall (Psyduck: psychic character) @PuddleJumper

My #BookSpinBingo list for February! @TheAromaofBooks

This might be my favourite of the #ToB25 books so far. This book consists of interconnected stories that bring together not just characters but past and present. I loved the New England setting and Shattuck made its history so vivid. It's been several years since I last visited the US but now I have a longing to visit New England again.

#gottacatchemall (Pikipek: featuring a musician) @PuddleJumper

While reading the tagged book for #FoodandLit, I enjoyed an excellent Gouda from a local business run by a family that had immigrated to Canada from The Netherlands.

I visited their farm once and asked the cheesemakers for their personal favourite, out of all the flavoured and aged types of Gouda they offered. They didn't hesitate -- it was the plainest and mildest basic one that they preferred to eat themselves!

@Catsandbooks @Texreader

A low pick. This feels rather dated and the writing seems a bit awkward in places (this could be because of the translation). However, I like the quirky detectives and can see myself warming up to them even more as I continue the series.

#FoodandLit @Catsandbooks @Texreader
#192025 #1975 @Librarybelle
#BookSpinBingo #BookSpin @TheAromaofBooks
#gottacatchemall (Spinda: someone is drunk or high) @PuddleJumper

I was happy to reread this novel with #ClassicLSFBC. The setting doesn't match what we know about Mars. However, in these stories, Bradbury explores social and environmental issues related to colonizing a new planet and raises questions still very relevant today.

@RamsFan1963
#52bookclub (Title starts with letter “M“)
#gottacatchemall (Sliggoo: re-read a book) @PuddleJumper

I enjoyed reading this installment in the Nancy Drew series. Other than the fact that Nancy turns out to be as accomplished at golf as she is at everything else, the story felt more plausible than some of the earlier ones.

#NancyDrewBR @Librarybelle
#gottacatchemall (Rockruff: jewellery is important) @PuddleJumper

I found this novel quirky and charming, but plodding as well. It's billed as sci-fi, but it mostly shows the insightful perspective of a woman who is different from everyone else.

#ToB25
#FrozenSick #gottacatchemall (Lillipup: dog or wolf companion) @PuddleJumper
#BookSpinBingo #DoubleSpin @TheAromaofBooks

Another good installment in the Dr. Siri Padiboun series set in Laos. I love the curmudgeonly but compassionate Siri, as well as his interesting and often humorous observations on Laotian culture and politics.

#gottacatchemall (Goomy: set somewhere humid) @PuddleJumper

The first 3 books in the Giver Quartet each packed a big punch in a very compact story. This one didn't seem as strong, but it still gave a satisfactory conclusion to the series and answered questions about what happened to the various characters.

#gottacatchemall (Raticate: someone has to swim) @PuddleJumper

Two Metis cousins steal a herd of bison to release in an urban area, as an act of environmental activism. A good story, with plenty of humour and some suspense, that looks at the complexities of Indigenous issues.

I'm glad I found a book for the #52bookclub25 “includes a heist“ prompt, though I hadn't expected it would involve bison!

#gottacatchemall (Psyduck: someone loses control ) @PuddleJumper

An update on my #192025 challenge: these are the books I finished in the past few months. 79 prompts done and 27 left to go. I'm optimistic I can finish this by the end of the year!
@Librarybelle

A reread of a favourite from the Anne series. This one is an excellent coming-of-age novel, with Anne going to college and living on her own. There are both hilarious episodes and very moving moments.

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread @BarbaraJean
#SeriesLove2025 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView

I enjoyed this novel much more than I had expected to. It's a good exploration of grief and depression that is also funny and uplifting. The characters, most of whom were initially unlikable, grew on me as the novel progressed.

#ToB25
#52bookclub25 (standalone novel)
#gottacatchemall (Oricorio: a book with dancing) @PuddleJumper

This is the book that first got me hooked onto the Vorkosigan series, one of my all-time favourite sci-fi series. It's a later book but was fine as an entry point. Now I'm rereading the entire series for a third time, this time on audio during long car trips with my husband.

#52bookclub25 (Title is ten letters or less)
#gottacatchemall (Komala: someone naps) @PuddleJumper

I enjoyed reading this one with the #OokBOokClub. Pratchett pokes fun at gender stereotypes, the military, government propaganda and much more. I loved the diverse cast of characters. @julesG

#52bookclub25 (A crossover - Set in a shared universe)
#SeriesLove2025 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView

These are the series I hope to focus on for the #SeriesLove2025 challenge hosted by @Andrew65 and @TheSpineView.

I only have 2 more to read before finishing the 10-volume Malazan Book of the Fallen but both are about 1000 pages so it'll definitely be a challenge!

Here's my wrap-up for #SeriesLove2024 -- 2 books in the October Daye series, 3 each for Inspector Rebus and The Expanse and 7 for Discworld (thanks to the encouragement of #OokBOokClub @julesG).

Thanks @Andrew65 @TheSpineView for hosting the challenge!

I was so pleased to complete the 2024 #gottacatchemall challenge. Thank you @PuddleJumper for creating this fun graphic and for hosting the entire year!

I did the #52bookclub challenge for the first time last year and enjoyed it so much that I treated myself to the 2025 reading journal. Looking forward to filling out my #52bookclub2025 entries!

My January #BookSpinBingo list. @TheAromaofBooks

My point total for the second half of #WinterGames2024 was 13170, to make a grand total of 30245!
@LiseWorks #HolidayBookDragons

Thanks to the organizers and all those who hosted activities for a great event!

Reading this lengthy classic gothic romance was a slog but the process was made more enjoyable with #hashtagbrigade! @BarkingMadRead

#HolidayBookDragons #WinterGames2024 @LiseWorks
#gottacatchemallwinteredition (mountain) @PuddleJumper
#ChristmasAtoZ #letterR @TexReader
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
#1001

I felt so-so about the first book in The Midsolar Murders but I'm starting to warm up to the main character and the cast of strange aliens. The mystery aspects in this one were pretty good too.

#HolidayBookDragons #WinterGames2024 @LiseWorks
#gottacatchemallwinteredition (new) @PuddleJumper
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks