Light pick. This one had a lot of good, creepy elements—spooky attic, possible disembodied sounds, and yucky spiders—but the character of Effie was so terribly distracting and annoying. Nancy would have done well to use one of her friends to help her with the Marches in this one.

#NancyDrewBR : discussion Tuesday!!

Wedding bells are chiming in this 10th addition to the Cupcake Bakery series, and Mel finds herself once again trying to identify the killer. The multiple murders in this one are a little gruesome (off page, but you can read between the lines). It‘s fun to see how the characters have developed over the course of the series, with several more books to go. Good listen, and a fast listen too!

Summertime in Italy with a bit of romance—a great escape listen. Add in a diverse cast, including a neurodivergent MC, and some snarky dialogue, to make the perfect beach read. I don‘t always read romance—I‘m still recovering from my 2020 bingeing of Regency romances—but I‘m so glad I picked this one up through #NetGalley . Ellie and Chris are childhood friends turned not-speaking strangers who are forced together when their grandparents marry. ⬇️

Paine‘s passion against a monarchical government is present in this short treatise. It may be short, but it packs a punch.

250 years later, it‘s a reminder of the struggle for independence in the American colonies. I‘m glad I took the time to revisit this and ponder how much this relates to today‘s political climate.

Vladimir & I are ready! I suspect I‘ll read parts throughout the day & let them simmer. I think it‘s remarkable that nearly 250 years after its publication Paine‘s words still resonate. For me, I‘m hoping this read helps me reflect on history & the current political dynamic.

Paine, a man with no prospects, helped ignite the colonies with this work. Anyone can be a hero.

What do you hope to learn/gain from today‘s reading?
#Vladimir #CatsOfLitsy

I was up half the night—thanks anxiety and Zeke‘s frequent food schedule (I feed him when he wants food, because it‘s whatever makes him happy)—let‘s gather joy!

1. My boys…always! Throwbacks of my guys when they were very young
2. Fun author event last weekend
3. Lindt chocolate, because I‘m eating it like it‘s going out of style
4. Poppi soda—tried Strawberry Lemon and loved it!
5. Litsy—I don‘t feel alone in this crazy world ❤️

#5JoysFriday

I cannot believe that this is the last six months for #192025 !

For the first half of 2025, I managed to read 4 more titles. I am determined to get as close to finishing as possible.

And for those interested, I will post the official announcement for #192030 , set to begin in January 2026 and run through December 31, 2030. Much like this current challenge, read one book originally published for each year, 1920-2030. ⬇️

One more post—taking advantage of a free moment. My July #BookSpinBingo list is ready to go! Xander approved. #Xander #CatsOfLitsy

I‘m still trying to figure out how to juggle everything with Zeke‘s needs and appointments with contract work (thank goodness I don‘t have a set work schedule), house chores, and not to mention down time!

But, I managed to finish 12 books in June! I‘ve not handed out many 5 stars this year, but I had two excellent reads in June—This Is Not a Game and The Accidental Favorite. Loved them; right reads at the right time.

Great discussion so far for The Chelsea Girls! Our next #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead is Kent‘s historical fiction account of the last woman set to be executed in Iceland.

Read at your own pace. Discussion on July 31st. I will post periodic check-ins throughout the month. All are welcome to join! I know several are planning to join in for the discussion!

#LittenDetectives : We‘re two weeks away from our next #NancyDrewBR discussion!

What could be the secret in the old attic? How will Nancy discover the secret? Will she have a head injury this time? Will Ned continue to sulk that he is second to a good mystery in Nancy‘s eyes?!? Let‘s find out!

Discussion July 15th!

It‘s been over 25 years since I last read this, and I feel like this is a good document to read on the 4th.

Anyone wish to join me reading this on the 4th? If so, we could post comments throughout our reading, but make it very lowkey.

Great discussion so far about Chimneys! Please feel free to join the discussion whenever.

July‘s #ChristiesCapers returns us to Hercule Poirot. Considered to be one of the best mysteries of all time, I think one can argue that we truly see Christie‘s writing genius in this.

Discussion will take place on July 27th. All are welcome! Let me know if you wish to be added to or removed from the tag list! #AgathaChristieClubR3

It‘s time for our #LiteraryCrew discussion! I have 7 questions posted as spoilers; you can find these on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtag.

I think this is my favorite of Davis‘s I‘ve read so far. Hope you enjoyed it too!

The #ChristiesCapers discussion for this month is posted! You can find the 5 questions either on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtags.

Next month we revisit Poirot and dive into one of Christie‘s best novels and ranked as one of the best mysteries of all time: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Official post tomorrow! #AgathaChristieClubR3

Promising premise, but I think the audio made me less inclined to fully appreciate it.

May receives a letter from her missing sister June with a return address from the Kinima Theosophical Society. May rushes to the Society and becomes enamored with Rex, the leader of The Colony. What follows is a gothic-esque novel that takes May through the rituals of a cult as she tries to find out the whereabouts of her sister. Set in 1930s California. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Happy #5JoysFriday day!

1. My boys…always! Recent photos, including Zeke well enough to jump on top of the kitchen cabinets.
2. Zeke‘s bloodwork came back looking very good, and the specialist is pleased by the amount of weight he has gained.
3. Bunny in my backyard
4. Litsy
5. Air conditioning

Beautifully descriptive vignettes of summer time on an island. While Sophia drove me crazy with her frequent crying and protestations, this shows a loving bond between grandmother and granddaughter. A nice escape and perfect for #MidsummerSolace #Naturalitsy #LitSolace #192025 #1972

Sorry…couldn‘t help myself. If you‘re part of this horrible heatwave, you can understand this…

“Man, it‘s a hot one
Like seven inches from the midday sun…”

My area is at a 100+ degree heat index today, and communities I used to work in are without power until at least mid-week, according to the electrical company. I lost power for about 20 minutes last night, and that worried me. #TuesdayTunes

https://youtu.be/6Whgn_iE5uc

I‘ve seen mixed reviews of this one throughout the Internet, but I absolutely loved this! Perhaps another “right book at the right time” choice for me…

Told from multiple perspectives, the story begins with a near-disastrous incident and a choice made that shows the cracks in a family. Littlewood beautifully layers each perspective, and as the narrative unfolds, the reader really sees what is behind the behaviors and attitudes of each family ⬇️⬇️

This was the exact book I needed right now, full of snarky humor with so many mentions of mystery and crime characters. I loved every minute of it. Two sleuths, a granddaughter and her grandmother, have an IRL locked room-style murder on their hands, when a snowstorm isolates their hostess‘s house from the outside world, leaving a killer to target the guests one by one. While there is a lot of humor, there are somber moments, and you can see ⬇️⬇️

We‘re a week away from our next #ChristiesCapers discussion! I‘ve seen some good reviews posted so far; this one does get mixed reviews by Christie lovers. I like this one and plan to reread it this week to have it fresh in my mind for next Sunday.

Discussion questions will be posted by 12pm US East Coast time on the 29th! #AgathaChristieClubR3

As we approach our June 30th discussion of The Chelsea Girls for #LiteraryCrew , July‘s #BuddyRead is right around the corner!

Burial Rites is one of my favorite books, and I thrilled the group voted to read this one this year. It‘s dark, compassionate, slow burning, and hauntingly beautiful.

Read at your own pace. Discussion July 31st. All are welcome to join. Let me know if you would like to be added or removed from the tag list!

Light pick. This retelling of Cinderella combines folk/fairy tales from different cultures, and I enjoyed reading the intro from this 10th anniversary edition to hear the reasons for Lo‘s decisions on the structure of the novel. I didn‘t quite click with the writing style, but the last few chapters flew by for me, so worthy of a pick rating. #SundayBuddyRead #LitsyAToZ #LetterA #52BookClub25 #AFairyTaleRetelling

The first in a series set on Cape Cod, this one had a lot going on…and not all in a good way. Lots of nonessential info that could not even be described as red herrings. I‘d say more, but it may be considered spoilerish. Let‘s just say it‘s confusing. #Xander #CatsOfLitsy

What is the secret in the old attic? Never fear…Nancy will figure it out! Discussion of this 21st in the series will take place July 15th.

All are welcome to join. Please comment if you wish to be added to or removed from the tag list. #NancyDrewBR

I was able to post the #NancyDrewBR discussion points earlier than I anticipated! You can find them on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtag.

Next month, we find out The Secret in the Old Attic, which has slightly different story lines depending upon the version you read, but nothing drastic. Official post tomorrow!

I actually finished a #RiseUpReads before the end of the month!

I listened to this one, and I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I had read it. The voice actress made the main character sound very immature at times, or else I am way too old to appreciate the tone used. However, I enjoyed the family story, the growth of the MC, and the relationship side of the story. It also made me really hungry for falafel!

Another stress-filled and at times horrifying week, but a moment to recognize joys:

1. My boys…always! They so hate me taking photos of them! 😂
2. Author event last Saturday and a signed book. Craig Johnson is a hoot!
3. Air conditioning, and it‘s not even sultry yet here!
4. Zeke has more good days than bad…hooray!
5. Litsy

#5JoysFriday

Not as many nail biting moments in this one, and thankfully no really odd episodes that make no sense. Nancy is charged with identifying the clue in the jewel box (hello title) and finding a lost prince. I really disliked the character Francis, and Ned continues to show a tad impatience with Nancy‘s sleuthing…

#NancyDrewBR

I‘m starting my library copy tonight, so here‘s a quick reminder that our next #NancyDrewBR discussion will be Sunday! Questions will be posted by lunchtime US East Coast time.

Looking forward to the discussion, #LittenDetectives !

“The place looked like a vampire‘s lair designed by Henry VIII.”

I‘m inhaling this book—with gem statements like the quote above, I think this is going to be an absolutely fun read. And, I adore Mimi.

This is also giving me Richard Osman vibes for character, wit, and fun back stories.

Laced with suspense, this is based on a true story…the photo at the back of the book shows the aftermath of the event described. Donoghue tells the story from the perspective of multiple characters, before real and fictional characters, including an anarchist with a deadly plot in mind. And, the train engine is a character—don‘t worry, the train‘s perspective actually adds depth to the story. Fast read! #SebastianKitty #Zeke #Xander #CatsOfLitsy