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readingjedi

readingjedi

Joined September 2016

Symmetrical book stacking... just like the Philadelphia mass turbulence of 1947.
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This Is Gomorrah by TOM. CHATFIELD
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readingjedi
The Dangerous Kind | Deborah O'Connor
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Pickpick

A fairly solid pick. Entertaining and engrossing without being outstanding in terms of originality (plot, structure) or thrills generated (twist was satisfying rather than genuinely surprising). Had a slight problem with FMC, in a moment of trauma and seemingly out of character, launching herself into bed with the most unsuitable partner - a trope I'm seeing annoyingly often. Is this REALLY how women cope with upset/stress?! Sex with losers??!!

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readingjedi
This Is Gomorrah | TOM. CHATFIELD
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Starting this very old NetGalley request today. I have no idea why I might have requested this as it is really not "my bag" but I'll give it a go!

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readingjedi
The Art of Taxidermy | Sharon Kernot
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Starting this one today.

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readingjedi
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Mehso-so

A strong So-So for this one because I did enjoy it, but I'm not a huge fan of this kind of sentimental novel. I found it a little twee and predictable. The premise is intriguing & the writing is nice enough, but... I just didn't buy it. It was all just too unlikely. And the love interest being the nurse's sister AND the kid's coach - oh, c'mon! Slushy nonsense really, but fairly enjoyable nonsense. Caveat: I have a cold & cynical heart of stone

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readingjedi
The Other Guest | Heidi Perks
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Mehso-so

A weak So-So rating for this insubstantial pool-side fodder. The plot is meh, characters are meh, twists are meh - it resides quite comfortably in Meh City. It isn't thrilling in the slightest & the pace is sloooow. Ending is, quite frankly, infuriatingly rubbish. If you like a read that requires zero intellectual engagement, this is the book for you - in that regard, I enjoyed the ease of reading.

Decalino That was a very entertaining review! More entertaining than the book, from the sound of it. 🙂 2w
61 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
Home Girl | Alex Wheatle
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Pickpick

Fresh & punchy YA novel about a troubled teenage white girl placed with a black foster family. Naomi is so well written, such an authentic representation of a young girl in the care system, her thoughts, reactions & language are just so realistic. Not sure I've ever read such believable teenage dialogue as features here. Great mix of tragedy/hope, vulnerability/resilience, sadness/humour, the heart-warming/the genuinely shocking.

readingjedi Was very sad to discover the author of this book passed away while I was reading this. 2w
TheEllieMo I didn‘t know he‘d passed away 😔 he was such a good writer 2w
readingjedi @TheEllieMo His obituary was in the Guardian yesterday 😥 2w
62 likes5 stack adds3 comments
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readingjedi
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Pickpick

Highly recommended for the enthusiastic armchair linguist like myself. This is an absolutely fascinating read. And the bibliography is huge!!! The in depth, impeccably referenced research is presented as coming together pieces of a jigsaw, each area of discovery added to the bigger picture. Complex ideas are explained in an accessible & entertaining manner & the whole thing is just so mind-blowingly interesting/intriguing/staggering 🤯🤯🤯

63 likes5 stack adds
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readingjedi
The Dangerous Kind | Deborah O'Connor
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It's nearly midnight. Should I:

a) Go to sleep!
b) Start new book, one that, by all accounts, is virtually unputdownable.
c) (Some other option I can't even conceive of.)

It's not a hard quiz, is it?! 😁

Ruthiella Very tempting! 3w
43 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
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Starting this one today.

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readingjedi
Home Girl | Alex Wheatle
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Starting this one today.

Happy First Day of Spring! 🐣🌿🐦🌞

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readingjedi
Horse: A Novel | Geraldine Brooks
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Pickpick

An amazing story written with absolute finesse, this book was The Complete Package. That is, the kind you can disappear into, totally, utterly, blissfully. Based on real events, Brooks has fleshed out characters to create a compelling story that is fascinating & memorable. The relationships here are exquisite, the author's engagement with slavery/racism is powerful, the structure is just right & the ending .... be ready.

Suet624 It‘s amazing to me that she was writing this book before, during, and after her husband‘s death. 1mo
54 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
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Starting this one today. It was a gift from my husband for International Women's Day. And a nice, fresh bookmark as well.

shanaqui I have this one! Very curious to get round to it; interested to hear what you think. 1mo
69 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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readingjedi
Verity | Colleen Hoover
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Panpan

Probably the most UNthrilling thriller I've ever read. So UNthrilling it has DEthrilled me for the next few thrillers I read that will have to work doubly hard to fill my thrill back up!

And the twist - it was more of an entirely perpendicular & totally parallel pole with not so much as a hint of rotation. I called it correctly by page 6.

Execrable.

Melismatic 🤣🤣🤣 I feel your pain. I finished this in hours because I kept feeling there was no way this was the author so many people were raving about. I was flabbergasted and not in a good way. Haven‘t read Hoover again since. 2mo
TieDyeDude I see so many mixed reviews for this 😅 I see a few positive reviews that make me think I should check it out, then one like this that completely destroys it 2mo
quietlycuriouskate Oh wow, I have been here nearly eight years and unless I'm mistaken this is the first book I've seen declared "execrable". 2mo
readingjedi @quietlycuriouskate It's one of my favourite words! 🤣 2mo
BkClubCare Agree 1mo
70 likes1 stack add5 comments
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readingjedi
Howards End | E.M. Forster
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Pickpick

This one was a mixed bag - at times, the writing is scintillating, at others, the sisters were tedious/borderline insufferable & had me yelling "shut up waffling & get on with it!" I also found the narrative voice pompous & condescending. The plot is fairly unsophisticated but brings with it a lot to unpack re: relationships, the rich & the poor, property, propriety, intellectualism, etc. But there are some really gorgeous and evocative...cont. ⬇️

readingjedi From above...passages about the English countryside and the Spring. Also, the house itself is a character in its own right... something about it seemed comforting and reliable. In the end, the quality of the writing here wins out. Glad I finally got round to reading this! 2mo
48 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
Verity | Colleen Hoover
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Starting this one today. I would never have picked this one up for several reasons - a significant one being this awful cover! Also, there are a ton of bad reviews. But someone passed this on to me and now I feel compelled to give it a go - perversely because of the tons of bad reviews!!!

I actually love a 'so bad, it's good' revelation every now and then!!!

jewright Most people I know personally have really liked this one. 2mo
48 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
To the Women | Donna Ashworth
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Half-term treat!

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readingjedi
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I absolutely loved Scoff by the same author, so this was an essential purchase. Please excuse my avocado Oodie in the background - it's half-term here & we've been getting up late, hanging out in PJs and generally living our best lives!!!

67 likes1 stack add
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readingjedi
Untitled | Unknown
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Fellow Littens!

Talk to me about StoryGraph. Do I need it? What even is it?

I never liked that other one...good reads? can't remember (peri-brain!!!)

DGRachel StoryGraph is awesome. It‘s like Goodreads only (a) not owned by a psycho billionaire, (b) has oodles of monthly stats/graphs and the ability to create custom graphs, if you‘re into that sort of thing, (c) is updated regularly with new features, (d) lets you give half and quarter star ratings, and (e) is a Black woman created and owned app. There are challenges and buddy reads and a social element if you want it. 2mo
Kitta I love it but keep a goodreads list too because that‘s where my friends are. The stats in the app are great and you can view by month or year! Also agreed with all the points made by @DGRachel And adding that there‘s giveaways on it too! I‘ve never won one but I don‘t enter often tbh. I joined the LGBTQ Book Bingo challenge that‘s run by @Kenyazero since I like LGBTQ reads and am trying to prioritize those instead of straight white men stories. 2mo
readingjedi @DGRachel Having read your reply, it is now obvious I want and this app! Thank you! 2mo
See All 15 Comments
readingjedi @Kitta You had me at "stats"! 2mo
julesG What @DGRachel and @Kitta said. I like the readalong and buddyread features. Also the challenges. I still have Goodreads b/c ARCs & NetGalley, but I've been tracking books on StoryGraph mainly now. I'm using the free version of StoryGraph at the moment, but am thinking of testing the Plus version soon. 2mo
DGRachel I‘ve had the Plus version since the beginning and just started creating custom graphs this year. I kept both Goodreads & StoryGraph for a couple of years, but decided that was too much this year. I‘m trying to cut out as much Bezoszebub stuff as I can. (I wish I could take credit for the nickname, but I read it on Threads this morning 😂) 2mo
TheBookHippie Loathed good reads storygraph is cleaner and appealing to the eye and stats, yes. 2mo
Susanita I have some minor issues with StoryGraph over Goodreads, but overall I like it better. I appreciate: reviews, giveaways, challenges, overall layout, stats. Plus it‘s not Amazon. 2mo
quietlycuriouskate If you love stats, graphs, charts etc half as much as I do, you will love it! 2mo
ncsufoxes I‘m starting to transition to Storygraph from Goodreads. I‘m doing the free version now but will probably do the paid version. 2mo
Chelsea.Poole I‘m on StoryGraph! I like for tracking my reading. If you join I‘m cpoole over there 2mo
DrSabrinaMoldenReads I love Library Thing. Just sharing 2mo
Lindy I switched to Storygraph in January last year and I really love the pie charts and graphs. I don‘t pay much attention to the community features; I mostly use it as a database record of my reading. 2mo
Allthebookclubs Meh, I added it this year but I forget why 🫣. I use Library Thing to scan and catalog my books so I stop buying multiples 🤦🏼‍♀️. 2mo
Bookwomble I like StoryGraph, too, but would like to add another voice for Library Thing, if you're serious about cataloguing your books. It has a ton of graphing options, and a giveaway program, Early Reviewers, that I've actually won books from, unlike SG, where it now feels pointless entering. 2mo
49 likes15 comments
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readingjedi
Horse: A Novel | Geraldine Brooks
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Starting this one today on my old, but adequately functioning Kindle Oasis.

Wait, I think that description also applies to me 🤣

Tamra 😂 2mo
74 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
Family Meal | Bryan Washington
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Panpan

Did not like this at all. I found the dialogue particularly bad - the characters spoke to one another in a manner that seemed all belligerent "F**k you!"s and zero meaningful communication. A lot of the sexual detail is totally gratuitous (an ejaculations count?! Every time?!) and really unsexy. And the characters are self-absorbed, one dimensional & immature. Even worse - they're just not that interesting! And they don't develop much either ??

Ruthiella I felt the same about his debut novel. That style is just not for me (edited) 3mo
58 likes1 stack add2 comments
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readingjedi
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Pickpick

This one is a low Pick due to it taking forever to get going & nearly not capturing my attention at all before it finally moved the plot on. Sister witches wanting different things from life, curses, witchcraft paranoia, heartbreak, betrayal & forgiveness - this was actually a cracking, if slightly lowkey, read. Evocative writing, some interesting symbolism, and strong, capable, independent women at one with nature & their own worth. Nice.

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readingjedi
Untitled | Unknown
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Waaah!!!! 😭😭😭

This is a visual depiction of disappointment. On the left is my 6 year old Kindle Oasis. On the right is my brand new Signature Paperwhite. It's rubbish! And it's going back STAT.

WAAAH!!! 😭😭😭

MonicaLoves2Read Wow! That's a major difference @ 3mo
Meshell1313 I have the oasis too and have been hesitant to get the new ones. You just confirmed my suspicions! Thanks for sharing this! 3mo
tpixie Apparently Oasis has 25 LED lights compared to Paperwhite‘s 17. 3mo
See All 7 Comments
perfectsinner I like the right better. 3mo
suvata I did the exact same thing. Returned the new color paperwhite. I love me Oasis! 3mo
bookishbitch Did you check the brightness setting? 3mo
readingjedi @bookishbitch Yes, this is full brightness on both devices. The Paperwhite has a horrid yellowish-grey tint. 3mo
46 likes7 comments
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readingjedi
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Pickpick

An absolute mic-drop of a book. Immaculately written by a woman of obvious intellect, compassion, tact & wit. Impeccably researched and referenced (always a turn-on!) Fascinating, illuminating, terrifying, at times completely jaw-dropping, Klein's work here is level-headed, perceptive & accessible. Her revelations & conclusions are sometimes despair inducing, but make absolute, irrefutable sense. Her grace is just a class act. Boom 🎤💥

63 likes2 stack adds
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readingjedi
Family Meal | Bryan Washington
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Starting this one today. Hate this cover though - I can literally hear it in my teeth! If you know what I mean....!

Cathythoughts Shocking cover 😬. I hope it‘s good. 3mo
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego I know exactly what you mean. 3mo
bookandbedandtea I can feel exactly what you mean! 3mo
54 likes3 comments
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readingjedi
Quint | Lautner Robert
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Pickpick

This one was surprisingly compelling. The author has got Quint's voice absolutely spot on - gritty, no-nonsense & unmitigated, but with a grizzled poetry all of its own. Quint's WW2 experiences explain much of his established character, but his stark and uncompromising philosophy of life and of fishing gives him an unexpected depth & vulnerability. I have to say I loved every gnarly page of this!

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readingjedi
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I am 37 (and have been for several years now) and Saturday was my 37th birthday (again). Imagine my confusion when all my cards, balloons, banners etc had the number 50 on!!! I didn't point out people's mistake as I didn't want to cause a fuss, but really!!! 50! Me! How rude! 😉

Birthday books! I have to wait a while for my new Kindle as I desperately wanted the pink one & it's out of stock. But I can wait because apparently I'm a grown-up now 😂

Amiable Happy 37th birthday again! 🎉🎁🎈 3mo
tpixie Happy 37th birthday! Again! 3mo
Cuilin Happy (37th) Birthday!!! 🎉 🎂 3mo
See All 16 Comments
wanderinglynn Happy 37th birthday! 🎉🎂🥳 My 37th is next year. 😉 3mo
TiredLibrarian Happy 37th birthday! 3mo
Tamra 37 is a fabulous year, worth repeating! 😉 3mo
Suet624 Haha. Happy birthday! 3mo
JessClark78 Happy Birthday! 🎊🎂🎉 3mo
Scochrane26 Happy 37th birthday! 3mo
TheBookgeekFrau Happy Birthday!!! 🎊🎉 3mo
Ruthiella Happy Birthday! 🥳🥳🥳 3mo
AnneCecilie Happy birthday 🎁🎉🎂📚 3mo
quietlycuriouskate Happy birthday! 🎂📚🎁 3mo
LeeRHarry Happy birthday!!! 🥳 3mo
MaureenMc Happy birthday! 🎈 3mo
jitteryjane724 May this be your best 37th year yet! 3mo
67 likes1 stack add16 comments
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readingjedi
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Pickpick

An absolutely delightful little volume! Reading this over the solstice period was a perfect treat & I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves winter or words .... and if you love both, well, you'll love this book! It's a treasure trove of unusual, forgotten, obscure, weird words, with etymology & examples of usage, written with warmth, wit & a wry sense of humour. Just a really simple but thoroughly enjoyable book - would make a lovely gift.

58 likes2 stack adds
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readingjedi
Untitled | Unknown
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Help needed!

I currently have my Kindle in the 'book' style case - it's held in place & the cover, which is stiff, opens like a book. However, I am soon upgrading to a gorgeous pink Paperwhite & would prefer a sleeve type case. But a lot of this style don't seem to offer the screen as much protection as they're too soft/thin.

Any recommendations for a sleeve with good protection qualities?

willaful I don't know if they're still in business but I really like the Timbuk2 cases. 3mo
30 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
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Pickpick

This one was a nicely soothing seasonal read with some really lovely pieces included. Because, as much as I hate the cold and gloom of winter - do not even mention snow to me because NO - I do love reading about it, especially when I'm warm and cozy and, specifically, inside. It comes from 2 books I read as a child: The Wind in the Willows (an excerpt included here) and The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

65 likes1 stack add
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readingjedi
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Gah! How annoying! Just about to start this NetGalley title when I realise I've actually bought a physical copy subsequent to receiving this free version! There is, perhaps, a moral in this story & it could possibly be STOP BUYING BOOKS UNTIL YOU'VE READ THE ONES YOU'VE GOT, YOU PLONKER but obviously I'm going to totally ignore it like this whole incident never even happened!

Reggie lol been there 4mo
Tamra Yes - familiar with that feeling. 🫤 4mo
bookandbedandtea Hilarious! Thanks for the giggle 😄 4mo
See All 6 Comments
Librariana I mean... it does make for a very apropos picture given that a doppelganger is essentially a double... So, if you think about it... this was a serendipitous coincidence! 4mo
readingjedi @Librariana I didn't even pick up on that in my annoyance, but I feel better now as I love weird little coincidences like this! 4mo
Bookwomble 😅 4mo
55 likes6 comments
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readingjedi
Rouge | Mona Awad
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Mehso-so

This was pretty weird. Now, don't get me wrong - I love a bit of weird, me. But this went on way too long & became a little incoherent. I loved the fairy tale parallels, but again, the metaphors & references got a little repetitive & lost some of their impact. It had things to say about mother/daughter relationships, society's beauty ideals, vanity/self-image, grief - all heavyweight issues - but drew vague conclusions.

Ruthiella I agree, it went on far too long for my taste as well. 4mo
67 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
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Pickpick

This memoir is a treat. Really nicely written, interesting subject matter, lots to relate to & an author who seems like a genuinely decent person (apart from his opinion on LoTR - no-one's perfect, I guess 🤣) This memoir covers his youth & early adulthood but is also interwoven with the story of his grandfather, an influential figure in his life. Funny, perceptive, poignant & engaging, who doesn't love the origin story of a fellow book-lover?

TrishB Enjoyed this one too 👍🏻 4mo
72 likes1 stack add1 comment
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readingjedi
Paperblanks: Embossed Leather, Unlined | Paperblanks Book Company
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Christmas is never complete without a new Paperblanks notebook for my book journaling. I love the midi size with the clasp, and this design is divine - it sparkles beautifully in the light.

zezeki That is a gorgeous notebook! 😍😍 4mo
jitteryjane724 Wow that's beautiful! 4mo
TheBookgeekFrau I love their journals! 😍 4mo
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 4mo
58 likes4 comments
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readingjedi
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Also a Christmas book - this is the book I wish I could've written! Oh well, I can still emulate the research!

52 likes3 stack adds
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readingjedi
The Dinner Table: 100 Writers on Food | Kate Young, Ella Risbridger
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Another Christmas book - an absolute brick of a book, also totally gorgeous 😍

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readingjedi
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Another Christmas book - another multiple box ticker!

GatheringBooks I borrowed this one from the library in Singapore where we lived before and knew it was a keeper, and I should get my own copy. :) 4mo
53 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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readingjedi
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I was very fortunate to receive some lovely books from my family this Christmas!

Love Greece, love greek food, love cookery books - perfect! 🇬🇷♥️🇬🇷

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readingjedi
Quint | Lautner Robert
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I am now in my fourth week of some nasty virus that is showing absolutely no sign of buzzing off & leaving me be. Started this one last night - what I need is an early night & a few chapters snug in bed ... what I'm getting is a family get-together!

Happy New Year! May your 2025 be book filled and virus free!

Ruthiella Sorry to hear that! Hope you feel better soon. ❤️ 4mo
dabbe Hope you're on the mend soon. ❣️🥂❣️ 4mo
TheBookgeekFrau Happy New Year! 🥂 and hoping you feel well soon! 4mo
39 likes3 comments
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readingjedi
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Starting this one tonight! 🎅❄️⛄️🎄🎁

Tamra So pretty! 4mo
49 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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readingjedi
The Furies | Katie Lowe
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Mehso-so

Intriguing premise, patchy execution - the writing veered wildly from the darkly poetic to the just plain bad. Similarly, the plot - at times engaging & sinister, at others a fuzziness of focus diluting the power of the story. I was never fully convinced BUT the characters & lacked any true connection with, or empathy for, any one of them. Pace was uneven, ending lacked punch. Liked the ideas around female revenge & retribution.

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readingjedi
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Starting this one tonight.

61 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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readingjedi
Rouge | Mona Awad
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Cannot remember when I requested this one from NetGalley, but it sounds pretty fab! Getting stuck in ASAP!

Megabooks I loved this but people here have gone both ways! 5mo
53 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
Things in Jars | Jess Kidd
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Pickpick

This was almost entirely awesome. Great writing, good plot, memorable characters, all with a generous dash of quirkiness, dark humour & a little bit of (not sure what the word is for living/ghost relations!) romance! Loved the charismatic Bridie and her maid, Cora. Loved villain Gideon - so awful! I loved Bad Dorcas, boo! Hiss! And how could I not loved Ruby Doyle?! Fun, engaging read - I'd LOVE a sequel! Only negative was violent attack on MC.

quietlycuriouskate I loved this book! 6mo
59 likes1 stack add2 comments
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readingjedi
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Mehso-so

This scrapes a So-So ONLY because it's Friday & I'm marginally less grumpy than normal. I didn't warm to it as it really wasn't what I was expecting - lots of the author's previous life (not interested) combined with a series of vague unconnected vignettes & the author's slightly tortured navel gazing. Worthy, but tedious when what I really wanted to know was .... HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO LIVE WITHOUT AMAZON PRIME AND WORDLE??!! HOW???!!!

Sace Honestly? It‘s not 🤣 I speak from my own experience. Spelling Bee is my downfall. 6mo
ImperfectCJ Prime I'm fine without (quit it 5 years ago when they kept sending me knockoffs after I'd done a ton of research choosing a specific brand), but Wordle? Can't imagine my day without it anymore! 6mo
49 likes2 comments
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readingjedi
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Starting this gloriously titled book today.

Sace That is a great title! 6mo
TrishB I enjoyed this one 👍🏻 6mo
Cuilin This is my type of memoir. Stacked. 6mo
squirrelbrain I liked it too! 6mo
64 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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readingjedi
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Half-term mini-haul: Part 2

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readingjedi
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Half-term mini-haul: Part 1.

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readingjedi
The Furies | Katie Lowe
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Starting this one today. Vaguely appropriate for the season, which is most unlike me!

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readingjedi
Queenie | Candice Carty-Williams
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Pickpick

If you're not careful you could get whiplash from how this book goes from seeming like some fluffy, chick lit kinda thing, albeit with some seriously grim WTF moments, to being a full-on re-do of the Bell Jar! What a journey! So cleverly written, Queenie is the ultimate unreliable narrator, breaking our hearts as she slides inexorably into a breakdown. Particularly love the inclusion of talking therapy as well as Queenie's realistic recovery.

56 likes1 stack add
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readingjedi
Mother Ship | Francesca Segal
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Pickpick

This is beautifully written. Segal captures the unique agonies and ecstasies of having twin babies in neonatal intensive care so poetically, it really is heart rending. She explores this particular and peculiar mode of motherhood - one of separation & helplessness - with some touching & intriguing insights into what it means to be a mother, negotiating her own fears & inadequacies with grace, wit & intelligence.