✨ TBR Tuesday ✨ Anyone else just love looking at their books? The top shelf of my tbr cart holds the hardcovers that I’m hoping to read “soon”. So far I’ve read I Was Anastasia & Happy Place. . #tbrtuesday #thewonderfilledreader #readersofinstagram #tbr #tbrcart #readersofig #readersgonnaread #booksta #bookstagrammer #happyplace #thethursdaymurderclub #historicalfiction #romance #thewishinggame #botm #hardcover #readingfrommybookshelf #readmorebooks #2024reads #thesecretbookoffloralea #sharkheart #bookish #booklover #bibliophile #bookworm #idratherbereading #bookofthemonth #bookclubofinstagram #bookrecs
📚 April Reading Wrap Up 📚 April was a pretty good reading month for me. The majority of my books came from the library, a couple from my own shelf, and one ARC. I ended up finishing 7 books & DNFing one. 📖 I Was Anastasia 🎧 Paris: the Memoir 📱 The Guncle Abroad 📖 To Die Beautiful 📱Happy Place 📖 Listen for the Lie 🎧 Counting the Cost ❌ Part of Your World Average ⭐️ rating: 3.86 Favorite book: I Was Anastasia .
Reading recap! 2 more off my physical tbr. #physicaltbr #readingfrommybookshelf #readwhatyouown #reviews #bookreviews
📚 Help Me Choose 📚 I need help choosing my next physical read! I have read the first chapter in a few other books, but nothing is speaking to me. I would really like to read something from my BOTM backlist & have it narrowed down to these three. ❤️ The First Ladies 💚 The Secret Book of Flora Lea 💜 The Magnolia Palace Which should I go with? . #botm #botmbacklist #thewonderfilledreader #helpmepick #tbr #bookofthemonth #thefirstladies #themagnoliapalace #thesecretbookoffloralea #historicalfiction #readersofig #readersofinstagram #readersgonnaread #booksbooksbooks #readingfrommybookshelf #bookhaul #booklover #bookish #bookworm #bibliophile #bookstagram #coffeeandbooks
@prettyliterate this is what I am reading this weekend. Hoping to finish the last 50 pages tonight. Pictured: paperback book edition of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna. Blue cover with a house, a female on a broom flying, yellow car and a man holding a stack of books. #currentreads #weekendreads #paperback #readingfrommybookshelf #readingfrommytbrpile #pennandpaper #2024reads #aprilreads #witches #foundfamily #berkleypublishing #berkleypub #sundayreading #sunday
✨ What This Week ✨ Happy Sunday, friends. I hope you’re all having a lovely weekend! 📚 What I’m Reading… I am in the middle of three books at the moment. I’ve got Paris Hilton’s memoir on audio, Part of Your World on my Kindle, & I Was Anastasia for my physical read. 🎧 What I’m Listening to… Ed Sheeran always and forever. I am also enjoying Phil Wickham & 90s pop. 📺 What I’m Watching… I recently caught up on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Now I have moved on to New Jersey. 🩷 What I’m Loving… So many things. My morning coffee. Disney vlogs. The beautiful weather we’ve been having. Lazy days spent at home with my little one. Tropical punch Olipop. Clementines. 👀 What I’m Looking Forward To… Tomorrow my husband and I are going on a cruise to celebrate our anniversary. Today marks 7 years married. Time is flying! I am so thankful to have him as my partner in life. 💭: Answer one of the prompts or tell me something good! . #whatthisweek #thewonderfilledreader #sundayshelfie #bookstagramchallenge #booksbooksbooks #booklover #tbr #bookworm #bibliophile #readersofinstagram #readersofig #readersgonnaread #bookhaul #bookshelf #currentlyreading #sundayfunday #readingaddict #romance #historicalfiction #readingfrommybookshelf #bookclub #bookclubofinstagram
If you love train travel this one’s for you. This short novel takes the reader to Trans-Siberian railway, the longest train journey in the world, where a chance encounter between a Russian conscript and a French woman unleashes a chain of tense events. Eastbound is quite the page turner and best read in one sitting. The atmosphere of train travel is convincingly done and the descriptions of the passing landscapes beautifully written. Often with plot driven novels, when everything is swirling towards the inevitable solution, the writing suffers but not here. It has perfectly nailed a important aspect of train travel too – that is melancholy. It’s a near perfect book in terms of storytelling, building the tension and the quality of the prose and perhaps this is it’s only flaw – there are no cracks. The author is French and she has taken all the well known cliches of train travel in Russia but it doesn’t work quite like that. This will probably be noticed only by people who have lived in societies where there are Russians but something was amiss here. Something of the soul or essence of this nationality, some sort of hopelessness and despair was missing, even though all the descriptions were “as should be”. But still a gripping little novel, very cinematic and worth the few hours it takes to read it. #eastbound #eastboundbook #maylisdekerangal #readmore #reading #bookstagram #bookstagramming #readingfrommybookshelf #lugemine #minaloen #bookrecommendations #reading2024 #slimnovels #slimbook
📚 Five Books on my TBR 📚 Although I am a library loving mood reader through and through I do have about a dozen books that I’d like to read from my shelf this year. These are five that I want to prioritize. 🩵 Beartown - I love Backman’s writing and honestly cannot believe that I haven’t read this yet 💙 Sisters of Night and Fog - this book is just calling my name. It sounds really good & it’ll be my first by the author. ❤️ Yours Truly - everyone loves this and I hope I will too. Although…I am reading Part of Your World now and I’m on the fence. 🖤 Legendborn - this sounds interesting & I’ve heard from multiple people that it’s a must read. 🩶 Where the Lost Wander - I am reading my way through Amy Harmon’s historical fiction backlist and having the best time. This one is up next! Thank you to @bookmarked_by_sarah for tagging me in this one! I had fun combing my shelves and it was surprisingly difficult to narrow it down to five. I’d love to know what is at the top of your tbr! If you share a post, please tag me so I can see it 💜 💭: Do you see any favorites? Which should I start with? . #fiveonmytbr #fiveonmytbrchallenge #thewonderfilledreader #toberead #legendborn #beartown #yourstruly #booksta #sistersofnightandfog #wherethelostwander #readersofig #readersofinstagram #readingfrommybookshelf #bookish #booklover #bookworm #bibliophile #readmorebooks #romcom #historicalfiction #fivestarpredictions #bookclub #2024reads #readersgonnaread #booksbooksbooks
My reading has really slowed down recently. Life and other distractions. However have read two books this week (OK one was only 40 mins in audio but still). Perfect Death is the third in the DI Callanach series (although to be honest it should be the Ava Turner series as she is much more interesting). A solid police procedural, with two cases featured in this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Mina and The Whole World is a children's book about Mina who dreams of having her own room but has to for go that when a refugee comes to stay. A lovely story about putting yourself in someone else's shoes, family and friendship. I read this in preparation for a new job! #readingin2024 #readingfrommybookshelf #schoollibrarianreads #justfinishedreading #justfinishedlistening
🤍 Three for Thursday 🤍 Three authors Bookstagram introduced me to last year. I adore all three & am having the best time reading through their backlists. So far I’ve read… 4 books by Ruta Sepetys 3 books by Kate Quinn 5 books by Katherine Center 💭: Who are some of your favorite authors that you discovered on Bookstagram? . #thewonderfilledreader #rutasepetys #katequinn #booksta #katherinecenter #favoriteauthors #threeforthursday #tbr #readingfrommybookshelf #readmorebooks #bibliophile #readersgonnaread #readersofinstagram #readersofig #bookclub #historicalfiction #romance #bookofthemonth #botm #bookhaul #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookrec #salttothesea #thealicenetwork #howtowalkaway #booksthatmademecry #librarylover #bookworm #booklover
Have a great day. The Joker says you must. #morningcommute #readingonthetrain The Joker is about to realize that raising kids is no joke! After falling into the same vat of chemicals that turned the Joker into his evil self, Batman is transformed into a baby, and Joker finds himself lost without his arch-nemesis. The Joker takes it upon himself to raise baby Bruce Wayne but learns that fatherhood is a lot more difficult than he initially thought. #joker #mangalove #mangacollection #mangashelf #mangagram #readingfrommybookshelf #tbrbooks
📖 Mini Review Monday 📖 Just Haven’t Met You Yet Written by Sophie Cousens This was so cute. Sweet and funny with quirky, endearing characters. Was it a bit predictable? Yes, but in a good way. It didn’t take away from the story for me. It was my first by the author but certainly won’t be my last. Thank you to @plotsandpourover for recommending this one to me! 💭: What was the last romance you read? . #thewonderfilledreader #bookstagram #bookrec #romcom #bookrecommendations #bookreview #justhaventmetyouyet #sophiecousen #romance #booksbooksbooks #2024reads #minireview #minireviewmonday #readmorebooks #booksta #bookshelf #readingfrommybookshelf #booklover #bookish #bookworm #bibliophile #readersofinstagram #readersofig #readersgonnaread #romance #2024reading #ilovebooks
Sheila Heti’s Alphabetical Diaries has gotten a lot of praise and with reason. For those who don’t know - she took ten years of her journals, sorted them alphabetically and made a book out of that, each chapter being a letter and each sentence in the chapter begins with that letter plus the sentences are sorted alphabetically as well, based on the first word of the sentence. I’m generally not a fan of experimental forms but this really is a triumph. Funnily what you would think is a senseless mumbo-jumbo turns out to have a narrative sort of and be a text that is surprising, taking turns to the unexpected, be insightful, moving and smart. It is a text that is alive, twitching and turning and takes the reader outside of her comfort zone. Nothing is predictable. Nothing is how a journal usually is. Reading it feels like getting a fresh breath of air. I loved it a lot, more than I expected to. There were many things I underlined but this perhaps is a thought that I keep coming back to: “Only the artists change your soul – that’s the only thing they change – but the souls change everything else.” #sheilaheti #fitzcarraldo #fitzcarraldoeditions #journals #journaling #whatiread #bookstagram #bookstgrammer #bookstagramming #reading2024 #minaloen #lugemine #lugemissoovitus #readingfrommybookshelf
📖 Flatlay Friday: Spring TBR 📖 These are 6 books from my bookshelf that I hope to read over the next couple of months. 🩷 Happy Place 🩵 Part of Your World 💙 What You Wish For 💛 Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting 💚 Shark Heart ❤️ The Thursday Murder Club 💭: What is at the top of your spring tbr? .
✨ Q1 Reading Stats ✨ My 2024 reading is starting off strong. Some of my goals have been to read what I am excited about, use the library more, catch up on NetGalley arcs, & to read new (to me) authors. 📚 Total Books Read: 23 📖 Physical: 5 🎧 Audio: 4 📱 Kindle: 14 🆕 New (to me) Authors: 12 Average star rating: 3.8 ⭐️ My favorites… 🪄 Beyond the Wand 🇺🇸 A Girl Called Samson ❄️ The Frozen River 🤠 The Outlaw Noble Salt 💭: What is your favorite spot to read? I love reading in my hammock. Or by the pool. .
🌸 Spell the Month Stack 🌸 I feel like I say this every month, but how is the month almost over?! If you’re like me and wait until the last minute, now’s your chance to sneak in the #spellthemonth stack for March. M - (The) Man Who Died Twice A - American Predator R - Razorblade Tears C - Carrie Soto is Back H - Hum If You Don’t Know the Words 💭: What book(s) are you hoping to finish before the end of the month? I just started Listen for the Lie, but I have a feeling I will fly through it. By my standards, at least. . #spellthemonthwithbooks #spellthemonth #bookstagrammer #tbr #thewonderfilledreader #themanwhodiedtwice #bookish #americanpredator #razorbladetears #carriesotoisback #ya #humifyoudontknowthewords #thriller #mystery #bookish #readingfrommybookshelf #marchreading #bookshelf #booklover #bibliophile #readersofinstagram #bookworm #readersgonnaread #bookstack #bookstagramchallenge
Book 6 #readingfrommybookshelf
I know many people know of Randy Alcorn for his other works but I think this is an underrated book that needs more love! I recommend this if you're looking for a good mystery with some faith elements/discussions thrown in. Don't sleep on this one! I had this on my shelf for years (yes, plural 😅) and am so glad I finally read it! We follow alongside Ollie as gets called in to investigate the murder of a college Professor but finds out some disturbing connections- is someone in the department responsible for this and more? Ollie as a character is interesting to read about- he will do what it takes to obtain justice, is determined as heck, but lightens things up as he also throws out these lines that have you laughing throughout the book (some cheesy but still amusing). He is a Nero Wolfe lover and fan of the old school detectives and mysteries (honestly, Ollie- SAME) so I loved that aspect and how he constantly brings that to light throughout. Plus as Ollie navigates this hard possibility, he is also dealing with a grief in a few ways that all hit close to home, and trying to discover what he does or doesn't think about heaven & faith as a whole. I thought the faith content was discussed well, though some parts I felt were randomly thrown in spots & as a result I didn't think flowed as smoothly as it could have, however the discussions were handled well, were valuable and added to his experience and he had this spiritual struggle. As for the mystery itself I thought it was a good one, albeit slower moving at times (but still interesting in those slower moments). With that said, as it neared the end more layers were peeled back and lots of things went down, making it worthwhile for sure. I do think that if I went back and read it again I'd catch even more. This earned a 4.5 from me! Disclaimer: it is third in a series. I didn't own the other two so tried this on its own and was perfectly okay and had zero confusion. I do think you'd probably get more out of it by reading the series in terms of connecting to characters since that's kind of the point of them but obviously it didn't impact my experience but def think it's worth mentioning!!
💙 Monday Blues 💙 Happy Monday, friends! I personally love Mondays & that ✨fresh start✨ feeling. This week I’m looking forward to having a date day with my husband, gymnastics for my little one, & celebrating Easter with our family. 💭: What are you looking forward to this week? . #mondayblues #thewonderfilledreader #marchreading #tbr #coffeeandbooks #bookstagramchallenge #readersofig #bookclub #readersofinstagram #readersgonnaread #bookworm #booklover #bibliophile #flatlay #tobereadpile #flatlay #coffeeandcurrentlyreading #mondayfunday #books #bookish #readingfrommybookshelf #readersofatlanta
For Kick the Latch Kathryn Scanlan interviewed a 60-something midwestern woman named Sonia who had worked in the racetrack most of her life. The result is a book consisting of short chapters/scenes that sort of make up a narrative still, about life in the racetracks. The style is blunt and sharp and I could hear Sonia’s midwestern background in each sentence. She is not sentimental but yet is very caring. She’s concise and combines brutality and hardiness but also touching tenderness and empathy towards the horses. Kick the Latch is like all the good autofiction books we’re so used to but hundreds times better. It takes the reader into the closed world of racetrack life and gives a vivid truthful view of it. It’s fresh, daring and quite unlike anything I’ve read in the recent years. #bookrecommendation #kathrynscanlan #kickthelatch #racetracklife #horseracing #raamatusoovitus #lugemine #minaloen #bookstagram #bookstagramming #readmore #readfrommybookshelf #readingfrommybookshelf #readin2024
📖 Book Review 📖 Between Shades of Gray Written by Ruta Sepetys Ruta Sepetys is so talented. I appreciate the research that goes in to bringing these characters and their stories to life. I always learn something when I read one of her books & Between Shades of Gray was no exception. This book was difficult to read because of the content, but impossible for me to put down. I was invested in Lina and her family from the start. However, the ending felt very abrupt. I honestly had to check to see if I was missing pages. The author’s note was fascinating & thought provoking. Overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend it. . #historicalfictionfriday #bookreview #betweenshadesofgray #rutasepetys #thewonderfilledreader #bookrecommendation #bookrecs #bookish #booksbooksbooks #historicalfiction #mustread #ya #readmorebooks #readersgonnaread #tbr #readersofinstagram #readersofig #bookclubgirls #wwii #wwiihistoricalficton #bibliophile #booklover #bookworm #readingfrommybookshelf #24booksin2024 #bookgoals
📖 Book Review 📖 Local Woman Missing Written by Mary Kubica Quick thoughts: I was hooked from the very first page! This was fast paced, dark, and twisty, exactly what I want in a thriller. It kept my attention the whole time. However, I have mixed feelings about the ending. It felt rushed and unbelievable but I do appreciate that I didn’t see it coming. 💭: What was the last thriller you read? . #localwomanmissing #thriller #thewonderfilledreader #tbr #bookrecommendations #bookrec #bookreview #bookish #readersgonnaread #readersofinstagram #readersofig #booklover #bibliophile #readingfrommybookshelf #bookish #bookworm #favoritethrillers #marykubica #mustreadbooks #readmorebooks #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstamademedoit
✨ Reading Roundup ✨ Anyone else juggling several books at the moment but eyeing something different on their shelf? Mood reader problems 🤷🏻♀️ 📱 Code Name Edelweiss 📖 Take My Hand 🎧 Hard Is Not the Same Thing As Bad I also have my eye on Hello, Stranger as well as A Shadow in Moscow. 💭: How many books are you reading right now? . #thewonderfilledreader #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #currentlyreading #kindle #readersgonnaread #bookworm #toberead #tbr #marchtbr #coffeeandcurrentlyreading #historicalfiction #kindlelove #booksbooksbooks #bookish #bibliophile #readingfrommybookshelf #readingroundup #readersofinstagram #readersofig #booklover #booklovers #bookclubofinstagram #readingtime #bookstamademedoit
I love this book. . I was wrapped into it from the first typed message. The storyline is fresh and captivating. I wanted the MC’s were like able and I kept rooting for them to find some happiness (and love). . So apparently Romantasy is a new favorite for me. . Maybe after I finish this, I’ll head into ACOTAR. I’m literally one of the last remaining people who have not read them. . If you read Romantasy - what else do you recommend? If you don’t - tell me something good. . #mamareadsalot #booksbooksbooks #bibliophile #justbooksbookstagram #bookstagram #booklove #divinerivals #bookishlove #bookishladiesclub #goodread #botm #botmclub #readingfrommybookshelf
Mug Monday and my TBR this week. Last week was not a good reading week for me. One DNF and another that just wasn’t what I was expecting. Therefore I am treating myself with historical fiction! I want to read all three of these immediately! What’s on your TBR this week? #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #mugmonday #tbr #weeklyreading #februaryreading #readingfrommybookshelf
🌹 Book Review 🌹 The Rose Code Written by Kate Quinn Set in England during WWII, this story intertwines the lives of three women from different walks of life who find a common ground working as code breakers. This historical fiction has a little bit of everything - romance, a bit of mystery, friendship, and of course three tough FMCs. What a fascinating story! I appreciate how thorough Kate Quinn is with her research and the way she uses it to bring historical figures to light. I always learn something new when I read one of her books. I enjoyed the writing, the way the characters’ storylines were woven together, the mystery aspect, and the historically accurate tidbits. I could have done without some of the romance, personally, and thought the book was much longer than necessary. 💭: Describe the book you’re currently reading using only emojis. Here’s mine: 🍑👩🏻💔🏔️🤱 . #bookstagram #therosecode #thewonderfilledreader #tbr #bookreview #bookrecommendation #historicalfiction #katequinn #wwiihistoricalficton #readersofinstagram #readersgonnaread #bookclub #booksbooksbooks #booksta #booklover #bookworm #bibliophile #readingfrommyshelf #readingfrommybookshelf #readmorebooks #bookshelf #bookshelvesofinstagram #2024readingchallenge #bookish
A solid mystery which mixes a modern day murder, a old case and allegations of witchcraft. Although book 17 in a series it can be read alone. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #justfinishedreading #readingin2024 #readingfrommybookshelf #readingfrommyshelves #readingthealphabet
💙💛The Lost Year by @katherinemarshauthor is a wonderfully compelling historical fiction story surrounding the events of Ukrainian famine, unwoven as a young boy is encouraged to spend more time with his grandmother while being confined to his home during the 2020 pandemic. 💛💙 📖It has some history, mystery, character growth, and many difficult decisions made that would make for wonderful discussions. 📝 Don't leave out the author's note! It adds to the impact of the story. 🎧I listened in tandem with the audiobook (thanks to @everand_us )and would highly recommend it. Christopher Gebauer, Jesse Vilinsky and Anna Fikhman really bring the characters and story to life! 🌼 read by Christine #middlegradebookreview #middlegradehistoricalfiction #thelostyear #ukrainefamine #mgread @mackidsbooks #audiobooklove #uppermiddlegrade #booksbythequote #raisingreaders #kidlit #middlegrade #bookstagram #bookreviewer #februaryread #readingfrommybookshelf
📖 Historical Fiction Friday 📖 A little flatlay to celebrate one of my favorite days 🤩🤗 These are all books that I haven’t heard much about but am really looking forward to reading. In fact, if I wasn’t such a mood reader I might call this “six books soon”. See any favorites? Or maybe a book you want to read with me? 💭: What’s a book that has been on your shelf for several years? A Fire Sparkling is probably the book I’ve owned the longest. It was even in my first booksta post. I pinky promise to read it this year. . #bookstagram #thewonderfilledreader #historicalfiction #tbr #historicalfictionfriday #readingfrommybookshelf #toberead #flatlayfriday #flatlayfridaychallenge #bibliophile #booksta #booklover #bookworm #readersgonnaread #readersofig #readersofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #2024tbr #histfic #bookrecommendations #bookaddict #bookhaul #booktok
🐰 Currently Reading 🐰 P.S. I still haven’t found my book 🙄 #bunny #momswholovebooks #weekendreading #februaryreads #readingfrommybookshelf #alwayshasabook #bookstagram #circleofbookishfriends #thrillerbooks
📚 BOTM Backlist 📚 May I present (most of) my unread BOTM books. Last summer I cancelled my subscription because I was accumulating books much faster than I was reading them. I admit to feeling a slight twinge of FOMO when I see everyone posting their hauls each month. However, I can get the 99% books from my library so I need to remind myself that I’m not exactly missing out. One of my goals for this year is to read my way through all of these. 💭: Which one should I start with? . #botm #botmbacklist #thewonderfilledreader #toberead #tbr #bookstagram #bookofthemonth #thefirstladies #hester #thefamilygame #blackcake #lunarlove #themagnoliapalace #thewishinggame #thesecretbookoffloralea #booklover #bibliophile #thegoodleftundone #readersofig #bookworm #readingfrommybookshelf #readersgonnaread #flatlay #bookhaul #booksbooksbooks #bookclubofinstagram #bookish #fomo #bookflatlay #readersofinstagram
Way too late but here’s a quick wrap-up of my fave reads from 2023. It was a good reading year both quality and quantity-wise. I read 74 books, a lot of it was essays, miniatures, poetry and also books in Estonian. There are nine books I want to highlight so here goes: 🤍 Letters to Gwen John by Celia Paul – a beautiful quiet and serene book largely of imagined correspondence with a fellow painter Gwen John. She talks about art, family, and what one has to sacrifice as a female artist. This perhaps does not sound so special but it is her very calm yet precise style that makes the book stand out. I enjoyed Self Portrait by Paul as well. 🤍 A Horse at Night by Amina Cain and Intimacy by Amina Cain – another new author and another new favorite. Again very calm and clear prose. Intimacy is a novel about writing and AHN is essays on books. They complement each other beautifully and both are full of wisdom and open up paths that the reader can keep exploring long after the book is closed. 🤍 Night Train by A.L Snijders – I am more and more drawn to miniatures. Just little snippets or sketches. They can be surprisingly powerful and I love exploring what can be achieved with this super-economic form. Snijders made a whole career of writing them and in this book – translated by Lydia Davis – is a selection of them. Snijders writing is not matter of fact exactly but it is not overly sentimental either. It hits just the right spot. 🤍 Getting Lost by Annie Ernaux – I read quite a lot of Ernaux last year and this was one of my favorites. It is her diary, unedited, from the time when she had an affair with a Soviet diplomat. Because it is unedited it is just one long ramble of despair and desire. What courage it must have taken, to publish something like this. 🤍 The Wapshot Chronicle by John Cheever – no surprises here, I am a mad Cheever fangirl and finally read this. It is New England, it is summer it is one quirky and eccentric family. Can’t wait to read the sequel (The Wapshot Scandal). Continued in the comments ⭐️
❄️ January Wrap-Up ❄️ ... 📚 Personal Library 📚 The Rats by James Herbert Tales from Watership Down by Richard Adams Witchlings by Claribel A Ortega The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer Rereads The Colour of Magic & The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill 📚 Library 📚 The Reformatory by Tananarive Due Lone Woman by Victor LaValle ... I made it through January without buying any new books! Yay me 😁 It helped tremendously that the library had some of the books I've really been looking forward too. ... #januarywrapup #discworld #readingfrommybookshelf #bookstack #librarylife #bookcollection
I finished Laing’s Lonely City – where she looks at how loneliness and creativity are connected– a few weeks ago and surprisingly not much stuck, although reading it was quite enjoyable. Funnily, what my main take home is in hindsight is that Hopper was a quite unpleasant man and also I googled Henry Darger quite extensively- what a fascinating and controversial person, I had not heard of him before. I found the strongest aspect of Lonely City that it was a very compassionate book. It evoked sincere empathy towards the artists Laing talks about, even for Warhol, who usually annoys the hell out of me. I didn’t much care for the author’s own struggle in NY, as I think mending a broken heart in a NY sublet and writing away is not exactly the worst way to do it. But I understand her own story was the glue that took the reader from one chapter to the next and, well there has to be something serving this purpose. Overall yes a lovely and smart musing on loneliness through different (lonely) artists lives but I loved her book about drunk writers (A Trip to Echo Spring) a lot more.
✌🏼 Two For Tuesday ✌🏼 💙 Salt to the Sea - 5 ⭐️ 🩶 Between Shades of Gray - tbr I will read anything Ruta Sepetys writes. And I would encourage you to do the same. 💭: Who is one of your auto buy authors? Or auto *read* if you prefer using the library over buying books. . #twofortuesday #rutasepetys #salttothesea #historicalfiction #thewonderfilledreader #betweenshadesofgray #toberead #fivestars #fivestarread #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #readmorebooks #bookhaul #readersofinstagram #booksta #readersofig #readersgonnaread #readingfrommybookshelf #shrinktheshelf #librarylover #bookworm #bibliophile #tbr #favoriteauthor #wwiihistoricalfiction #youngadult #ya
Cats know a good book when they see one 😃🐱finally allowing myself to to stop saving #angelathirkell for a rainy day and instead, plunging straight in with her first novel of the #barsetshirechronicles - #highrising which is every bit as charming and acerbic as I imagined it would be ❤️ #vintagereads #bookstagram #bookaholic #bookstagram #readingfrommybookshelf
✨ 2023 Faves: Second Place ✨ What the Wind Knows Written by Amy Harmon Do you ever love a book so much you struggle to find the words to write the glowing review that it deserves? That’s my dilemma here. Amy Harmon’s writing is simply beautiful. I loved everything about this book - the setting, the history, the love story, the time travel. All of it. In my eyes, this is a masterpiece. It is a book to be read slowly and savored. It is a book that I will forever recommend to friends. To lovers of historical fiction, romance, time travel, and a story that will stay with you for a long time. Please do yourself a favor and read this. . #whatthewindknows #amyharmon #bestbooksof2023 #tbr #thewonderfilledreader #bookstagram #bibliophile #romance #booklover #timetravel #irishhistory #booksbooksbooks #fivestarbook #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookish #readingfrommybookshelf #mustreadbooks #bookworm #historicalfiction #fivestars #readersofig
✨NEW RELEASE✨ Dear @colearthurriley, delivery of your book was delayed in my area, due to snow. It just arrived, and I am fortunate to be able to curl up under my heated throw and, not only meet you on these pages but also discover more of me. Thank you for pushing through your own challenges to give us this gift of @blackliturgies. I will honor each page. Blessings—- #purchaseonebookperquarter #readingfrommybookshelf #blackliturgies #blacklivesmatter #colearthurriley
📖FAVORITE QUOTES📖 "Every debt we choose to hold on to actually has a hold on us." "People say they're sorry all the time, even when what they really mean is they're sorry they got caught, or sorry that they're being put in a situation where they've been forced to apologize. Apologies cost nothing. But taking responsibility for your actions comes at a price. It's not about what you say; it's about what you do " 🏷️ #womensfiction #mariebostwick #booksandgardens #booksandplants #booksbythequote #shelfspotlight #favoritequote #quotestagram #apartattheseams #bookstagram @mariebostwick #readingfrommybookshelf
📚 2023 Favorites Pt. 2 📚 These were all new (to me) authors last year. I now count them among my favorites & look forward to reading their backlists. 🩶 I Must Betray You… I could NOT put this book down. It is technically YA, but don’t write this one off if that’s not usually your “thing”. Expertly researched & written in a way that is easy for all to understand and empathize with, this is a book I believe everyone should read! 🧡 The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane… Lisa See’s writing is so lovely. Set in China, this one is outside my usual “go to” but I am so glad I picked it up. It’s informative, emotional, meticulously researched. A must read! 🤍 The Alice Network… I am so sad that I let that little yellow sticker on the cover prevent me from reading this for so long. I loved the dual POV and timelines in this story. It pulled me out of a reading slump & solidified my love for Kate Quinn. 💭: Who were some of your favorites “new” author discoveries last year? . #thewonderfilledreader #bookstagram #tbr #bestofthebest #topbooksof2023 #imustbetrayyou #botm #flatlay #theteagirlofhummingbirdlane #lisasee #thealicenetwork #katequinn #rutasepetys #fivestarreads #readersgonnaread #readingfrommybookshelf #historicalfiction #bookrecommendations #bookreview #readersofinstagram #booktok #readersofig #booksbooksbooks #bookhaul #booklover #bibliophile #bookworm #reader
I decided against the 24 in ‘24 challenge that I try every year and don’t complete since I’m such a big mood reader. . This year I decided to pick 12 books - 1 per month essentially (some are held over from previous yearly challenges) and let my mood pick the other 12. I feel I will be very successful at this challenge. . I will also continue to focus on my shelves and work through my BOTM - especially since I just got 4 for Jan ( #sorrynotsorry) . I went several years without buying books so I have decided not to impose buying bans - I can buy if I want to. This includes Target birds (as I decided to impose a ban and then bought one 🤣 again, not sorry). . My word for this year is Thrive. I’m best without clutter - so I want to get rid of a lot and cleanse myself from the weight of it. I want to keep up the exercise program I established to help my joints and lungs. I want more meaningful family time & more time with friends. I want to continue to self care which includes traveling. I am happiest when I can wander. . Iron Flame is almost finished and I’ll see what my mood decides it wants for Feb. Do you see any favorites? Any similar? . #mamareadsalot #booksbooksbooks #goodreads #bookishlove #bookishladiesclub #bibliophile #bookworms #24in24bookchallenge #yearlybookchallenge #readingfrommybookshelf #bookeormsofinstagram #romancereader #moodreader #moodreaderproblems
This seemed to be an appropriate title to post in honor of all the people experiencing very cold, wintery weather. 😉❄️🥶 This faith-filled, suspense book, sadly did not meet my expectations but it was fascinating to learn about synesthesia and I do enjoy reading from the criminal's perspective! FAVORITE QUOTE: "Yeah, we saw some hypocrisy when we were kids, but being a Christian isn't about following other people. It's about following Christ."
"This was a story of love. Love shattered my war." I spent 13 days with these characters, and I am so attached to them now that i don't know if i will be able to pick up another book for a couple of days. My daughter asked me why I read books from WWII. "You know a lot of people died, so why do you want to keep reading them?" I read them because I love the history, but mostly, we need to not forget where we came from by sweeping our history under the rug just so we don't get sad remembering it. These stories need to be told, and the people need to be remembered. I loved how Natasha Lester brought in the story of Christian Dior's sister Catherine. I never knew she was part of the resistance and was captured shortly before the war ended and sent to Ravensbrück. Learning this took me down some rabbit holes of my own, and I learned more secrets of the fashion industry during WWII. I'll let you do your own research and find out about Chanel, Boss, and Vuitton on your own. This book wrecked me, and I honestly bawled my eyes out reading the last pages. My heart aches so much for Skye, Nicholas, Margaux, and Catherine, probably not for Liberty, though (she was definitely a pill). Despite the heartbreak and tears I loved The Paris Secret, and I'm so glad this was my 1st read of 2024. What booked totally crushed you, but you still love it and recommend it to everyone? #booknerd #booksmakemehappy #historicalfiction #ww2 #womensauxiliaryairforce #soeww2 #natashalester #theparissecret #booksarebetter #booksaremytherapy #booklover #bookreview #readingfrommybookshelf #booksof2024
🏆 2023 Superlatives 🏆 I fell VERY behind with book reviews last year, even though I read some amazing books that I really did want to talk about. So, I’ll use this as a chance to highlight a few that I may or may not have reviewed. 🚀 Project Hail Mary = outside my “comfort zone” 🐉 Fourth Wing = most overhyped 🐙 Remarkably Bright Creatures = best cover ❄️ The Diamond Eye = a favorite “new” author 📚 Book Lovers = a favorite “repeat” author 💍 One True Loves = made me ugly cry 🥰 What the Wind Knows = most beautifully written 💙 We Were the Lucky Ones = most unforgettable 💭: Who was your favorite character you met in 2023? You’re probably not surprised that mine was Nancy Wake (Code Name Hélène). My favorite fictional character was probably Marcellus from Remarkably Bright Creatures. I just loved that little guy. .
First read of the year. I enjoyed this retelling of Circe’s story. Solid 4 star. Can’t believe I’ve owned it since August 2020 🫣 #readingfrommybookshelf #savidgeprompts #greekmythology
📚 2023 Wrap Up & Stats 📚 These are the 23 books that I read from my shelf in 2023. It feels good to have made progress on reading some of the books that have been sitting neglected on my shelf since 2022 (or earlier). 2023 stats: 📚 60 books total 📄 26,533 pages 💛 35 new (to me) authors 🥰 1 series reread 📱 26 books on Kindle 🏆 8 NEW 5 star reads ⭐️ Average rating 3.9 stars Overall, I’m really pleased with my reading for the year. Going forward in the new year there are a few things I’d like to focus on. Stay tuned for a post touching on my current reading goals. 💭: How many five star reads did you have last year? .
📖 BOOK REVIEW - ADULTS by Emma Jane Unsworth 📖 . My bid to make 2024 a year of reading from my shelves has got off to a good start, and ADULTS has been hanging about on them for ages. I distinctly remember buying it … it was a 100% Booksta made me do it / panic purchase on that weird final weekend before Lockdown in 2020 . Adults is a satirical look at social media. 35 year old Jenny is obsessed with presenting a perfect life on instagram and her entire existence justified by how many likes she gets - to the extent it’s affected her real life relationships. I kind of related in some ways - we’ve all stressed about our posts being ignored or why that certain person doesn’t follow us back, right? However, her whole life and social circle is so far removed from mine, I found most of her anxieties pretentious, selfish and ridiculous and there wasn’t a single character I warmed to or liked . I almost DNF’d this at around 50 pages, but for some reason the short snappy chapters compelled me to keep reading. There’s a couple of funny moments, but my overall feeling reading this book was sadness at how shallow life can become when image is everything and your sense of self worth comes from a carefully curated photo . Writing this review I’m still struggling to say if I liked this book or not. It definitely made me think. And I’m pretty certain I’ll remember the character of Jenny McLain . ⭐️⭐️💫 . #bookreview #adults #readin2024 #atozbookchallenge #bookstagram #ukbookstagram #readingfrommybookshelf #contemporaryfiction #cosybooks #bookworm #readingcommunity
Began reading Love Songs when it was first released. I loved reading each chapter. Then, life happened, my reading became sidelined and Love Songs ended up on the ‘I Need to Get Back to That’ list. With #readingfrommybookshelves being the primary aim of @blackgirlsnbooks in 2024, it seems like the perfect time to return to Love Songs. Looking to forward to getting back to Love Songs and completing this book. Let’s go 2024!📚 #readingfrommybookshelves #readingfrommybookshelf #20booksbyblackwomen #20booksbyblackfolx #diversespines #readmorebooks #lovesongsbywebdubois
#currentlyreading #littlebeachstreetbakery by #jennycolgan - just the epitome of a comfort read; Jenny never disappoints ❤️ #jennycolganbooks #comfortreads #booklover #readingfrommybookshelf #readingfrommytbrpile
📚NON-FICTION CHALLENGE 2024 📚 . I am terrible when it comes to reading the Non-Fiction I buy, so as 2024 is the year of reading from the shelves, I’ve joined @hook.me.a.book Non-Fic Challenge in a bid to actually read some of them . The aim is to read one non-fiction book a month. Here’s a few possibilities from my shelf. I have even more on kindle and audio . Do you read Non-fiction? Any here that you would recommend? . #2024nonfictionchallenge #nonfictionpicknmix2024 #hungry #storyland #wintering #imgladmymomdied #pandorasjar #thefive #dearreader #bookstack #bookchallenge #readingfrommybookshelf #tbr #bookstagram #bookstacksaturday #ukbookstagram #cosybooks #readingcommunity
Thank you to @emilyisoverbooked for the excellent idea of challenging myself to read even more from my shelves this year and making this template. Here’s my totally achievable list for 2024 - which you all helped me@narrow down! QOTD: do you set a yearly challenge of some sort? Last year was #23in23 (which was accidentally a 22 in 23). I achieved it but felt a bit burdensome. Back to 12 choices this year. #bookchallenge #clearmyshelves #readingfrommybookshelf #tbr #2024challenge #booksbooksbooks #bookworm
Happy New Year to all. It's always good to start a new year with new possibilities, hopes and aspirations. In 2023, I didn't read as much as I had hoped. But that's in the past. This year, for 2024, I'm focusing on reading more and I first thought about going with a specific challenge. Then I decided that the challenge will be to specifically read from my TBR list which keeps growing and growing. That list includes books already on my physical shelf, as well as books in my eReader and audio shelves. The books pictured here are just a small number of books on the list. ** Apples Never Fall ** The Plot ** The It Girl ** The List ** Still Life ** One of Us is Lying ** Heaven & Earth Grocery Store ** The Other Mrs. Along the way, there will be others, including some non-fiction, which leans into other interests. But for now, I'm starting with Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty. This book has been on my TBR list since its publication and so far, so good.😊 💬 *** What book are you starting with for 2024? #keeponreading #readingfromtbrlist #tbrlist #booksfrommybookshelf #readingfrommybookshelf #readinglist #books #alwaysreading #2024reading #applesneverfall
2024 has some promising books I'm looking forward to! Here's to #readingfrommybookshelf in 2024! #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #kellybarnhill @lexieelliottwrites @jenniferesmith @njooyounkim @cristina.alger #evadamson @lucyclarke_author @rebeccamakkai @ashleyelston @sharilapena @emmastraub @jennifermcmahonwrites @staceyabrams @tjenkinsreid @author_lisa_wingate #markchildress @lourhare @fmcfaddenauthor @ajpearcewrites @lindaholmes97 @gythalodge @jodipicoult @clemencemichallon @ashleywinsteadbooks @williamlanday
Just finished what will be my last book of 2023. Really enjoyed Lillian Boxfish. It hit a number of sweet spots for me. I visited NYC earlier this year so could picture the places she mentioned. It tells stories from her life, from the 1920s to the 1980s as she walks across the city on NYE. I love books about women's life in the first half of the 20th century, especially when those women are breaking rules. It was beautifully written and a joy to read. Ending this years reading on a high. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 #justfinishedreading #readingin2023 #readingfrommybookshelf
*December* my progress in the #popsugarreadingchallenge2022 50/50 books #popsugarreadingchallenge #bookstagram #book #bookstagramuk #read #reading #readingfrommybookshelf #readingfromhome #readingfromthelibrary #booktemplates #booknerd #popsugarreadingchallenge2023
There has been enough said about Jhumpa Lahiri’s cool, calm and soothing voice. Her sentences are like little round cold stones on a table in a posh waiting room. You instinctively want to touch and caress them. In Roman Stories the style and substance almost meet, Not in all of the stories, but in some. And when they do it’s very powerful but in an unfamiliar kind of way. Almost like an earthquake without a sound. All the stories take us to Rome. We see locals but we also see very many people who are not born there but have decided to make it their home. Those people are not treated well. Despite the distant approach I felt for them, felt with them. Lahiri has deliberately decided not to mention any of the countries where those people are from. But similarly, she has given Rome as a character itself very little attention. There are no overly long descriptions to set the scene and mood but still, it felt very “Rome”. None of the stories were bad none even not mediocre perhaps, but inevitably a few stood out. “The Procession” was one of the best short stories I have read in recent years and one that will be imprinted on my brain for a long time, if not forever. It’s about the underlying tensions of grief and loss, of how life on the outside is almost always a lie - and it can be the funniest, weirdest, most unexpected thing that upsets the calm surface. “P’s Parties” was another favourite. A story where something is about to happen but then doesn’t yet the static of tension is kept masterfully throughout it. A book worth your time. #jhumpalahiri #romanstories #shortstories #decemberreads #readmore #minaloen #lugemine #lugemissoovitus #rahvaraamat #readingfrommybookshelf #instareads #bookstgram #bookishpost #booksof2023 #reading2023
✋🏼 Five Finger Challenge 🤚🏼 To celebrate the last Friday of the year, I’m sharing an updated #fivefingerchallenge A book that I…. 👍🏼 Liked: The Collected Regrets of Clover I really enjoyed the concept of this one & getting to know Clover. I will reread this at some point. 👉🏼 Recommend: I Must Betray You The first Ruta Sepetys book that I read & still my favorite. If you’re looking for a historical fiction that isn’t set in WWII, this is what I recommend! 🖕🏼Disliked: His & Hers No. No. No. No. NO! 🫶🏼 Would Marry: Happiness for Beginners I’d go for any of Katherine Center’s MMC, honestly 🥰🥰 🤞🏼Promise to Read: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue I think I will love this book. I just need to be in the right mood for it, you know? 💭: Answer one of the prompts using a book you read this year! . #fivefingerchallenge #thewonderfilledreader #theinvisiblelifeofaddielarue #fantasy #tbr #2023reads #happinessforbeginners #imustbetrayyou #hisandhers #thecollectedregretsofclover #botm #readersgonnaread #bookclubofig #readrrsofinstagram #bookstagramchallenge #bookworm #booksbooksbooks #bibliophile #booklover #readingfrommybookshelf #favoritebooks #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #flatlayfriday
“Putting my self-loathing to work in this way didn’t make me feel better as such, but it tired me out. Afterwards I lay on my side with A Critique of Postcolonial Reason propped half-open on the pillow beside me. Occasionally I lifted a finger to turn the page and allowed the heavy and confusing syntax to drift down through my eyes and into my brain like fluid. I’m bettering myself, I thought. I’m going to become so smart that no one will understand me.” Reading this on the train. Well, I am actually enjoying it very much. Unexpectedly. Late to the party, I know. One more from my #tbr23in23 @gilioncdumas 📚 #currentlyreading #whatiread #sallyrooney #currentread #vacationreads #readersincurrentreads #readingfrommybookshelf #tbr
Things I’ve read this month, so far. Found them all rather okay but nothing smashing. Baumgartner by Paul Auster — I used to be quite the Auster fangirl but at some point I understood that he keeps writing the same book. In that sense Baumgartner offered no surprises, if only that it had even less edge then his earlier works and had this annoying patronizing stance towards the “ordinary folk” who mind you aren’t Emeritus professors at Princeton. Privilege-blind and riding on clichés (are American intellectuals even acknowledging that there are other European capitals than Paris?) it still created some cosy reminiscences of well spent hours with his earlier novels. Plus Auster is battling cancer so I understand why he chose to wrote a book, well, about himself. The Dead of Winter stories collection – yes to that if you want some old fashioned ghost stories to go with a crackling fire and hot apple cider. It’s creepy but subtle and good creepy. Almost all of the stories were rather good. The Dry Heart by Natalia Ginzburg – third Ginzburg and still Little Virtues remains my fave by her. That was essays so maybe I just don’t like her fiction. I found her style dry in this and I didn’t sympathize much with the characters (well the main one, a woman in a bad marriage, eventually she shoots her husband). It felt emotionless but not sparse in a sharp way like Ernaux is for example. I’m actually quite saddened that I didn’t like it cos many of my friends with excellent taste loved this book. The Eight Mountains by Paolo Cognetti – I had high hopes for this as well as the movie trailer was stunning (haven’t watched the movie yet). It’s about lifelong friendship between two men and the connective tissue is the mountains. Here the most memorable character was the setting which was mountains in all seasons, from all angels. I also loved the description of what it feels to be living in the city when your heart calls for nature. How torturous it can be. But again it fell a tiny bit flat and didn’t touche me the way I expected. Although it had great potential. Not bad but it could have been astonishing because the storyline itself was beautiful.
Book 88…The Second Ending by Michelle Hoffman. This was such a sweet book. A former child piano star and a talented, young, Russian player set to duel on a live TV show, but that is the end of the story. What comes before it is all about their lives and how they got there. There are several subplots, but everything comes together and the story is feel good and a delight to read. Music does evoke different feelings for people, everyone has a gift, and your past does direct your path at times. However, be brave in life and keep chasing your dreams. This was a great end of year book for me that kept me turning the pages and I think it has a broad appeal for a large audience as there is humor, heart, and music. #thesecondending #bookreview #bookrecommendations #justbooksbookstagram #funread #decemberreads #bookworm #bibliophile #booklover #music #piano #reader #readerlife #bookstagram #paperback #readingfrommybookshelf #readerofinstagram #fiction #booksarethebest #bookcommunity
📚 Book Challenge 📚 Meet Me At… 🌸 The Magnolia Palace 🏝️ The Island of Missing Trees 🛣️ The Lincoln Highway 🌊 The Island of Sea Women ✍🏼 The Stationery Shop 🏠 The House in the Cerulean Sea 🇫🇷 The Paris Apartment 🏰 The Glass Castle 📖 The Last Bookshop in London 🌳 The Forest of Vanishing Stars Tagging a few friends to participate, but no pressure. If this looks like fun, please play along and tag me so that I can see yours! 💭: What are you reading this weekend? #bookstagram #thewonderfilledreader #bookstack #bookshelf #readersgonnaread #readmorebooks #tbr #readingfrommybookshelf #bibliophile #bookworm #botm #booklover #historicalfiction #fantasy #bookclubofig #readersofinstagram #readersofig #bookstagramchallenge #meetmeatthechallenge #booksbooksbooks #toberead
⭐️ Five Star Friday ⭐️ I have fallen in love with Katherine Center’s books this year. This is the fourth one I’ve read and possibly my favorite. A heartfelt story with an ending that left me smiling but isn’t the typical sugary sweet romance ending. I loved it so, so much. Shoutout to @readwithstef for gushing about Katherine Center & being the push I needed to dive in to her backlist. Why did I wait so long?! 💭: Who is your favorite romance author? . #howtowalkaway #fivestarfriday #booksta #fivestarromance #thewonderfilledreader #katherinecenter #romance #bookrecommendations #tbr #romcom #mustread #bookworm #bookish #booklover #fivestarbook #readersofig #readersofinstagram #readersgonnaread #readingfrommybookshelf #authorspotlight #bibliophile
✌🏼 Two For Tuesday ✌🏼 Two books, one author. I’m going through my shelves and getting an idea of some of the books I’d like to read next year. These are two of the romances I’m going to prioritize! 💭: Which romances are you hoping to read next year? . #twofortuesday #thewonderfilledreader #tbr #toberead #tbrtuesday #abbyjimenez #botm #readingfrommybookshelf #romancebooks #romance #yourstruly #partofyourworld #2024tbr #readmorebooks #bookstagram #bookhaul #booksbooksbooks #paperbacks #romcom #bibliophile #booklover #bookworm #bookish #readersgonnaread #bookclubofinstagram #readersofinstagram #readersofig
*November* my progress in the #popsugarreadingchallenge2023 48/50 books #popsugarreadingchallenge2023 #popsugarreadingchallenge #bookstagram #book #bookstagramuk #read #reading #readingfrommybookshelf #readingfromhome #readingfromthelibrary
October & November Wrap Up 📚 While I didn’t have any new 5 star reads, I did read a few books I absolutely loved. I completed two series (ACOTAR & my Harry Potter reread) and mostly read from my shelf. I’m considering it a “win”. Books I read… ✨ Pretty Little Wife ✨ The Tea Tree Girl of Hummingbird Lane ✨ The Unmaking of June Farrow ✨ A Court of Silver Flames ✨ The Things We Cannot Say ✨ Beneath a Scarlet Sky ✨ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ✨ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ✨ The Housemaid ✨ Caraval ✨ One True Loves . #octoberreads #novemberreads #toberead #readingfrommybookshelf #harrypotter #acosf #bookrecommendations #bookish #booklover #acotar #acourtofsilverflames #readingwrapup #bookworm #booklover #thewonderfilledreader #bibliophile #booksbooksbooks #bookstack #bookclub
☕️ Coffee & Currently Reading ☕️ Happy Sunday, friends! Is there anything better than a cozy blanket, a cup of coffee, & a good book? I think not. 💭: What are you reading today? . #thewonderfilledreader #whatthewindknows #novembertbr #historicalfiction #bookish #amyharmon #fivestarprediction #bookworm #booklover #booksbooksbooks #cozyreads #sundayfunday #coffeeandcurrentlyreading #bookworm #readmorebooks #readersgonnaread #tbr #bookrecs #readingfrommybookshelf #tenbeforetheend #booksta
I love marine and polar adventures, especially from centuries ago and The Wager seemed to hit all the sweet-spots. Mutiny, castaways, scurvy, passing Cap Horn and the mischievous British Empire on the 18th century - all in one book? Yes please. Although the true story of the ill fortune of HMS Wager checked all the boxes and was indeed very captivating at times I felt something amiss. I usually read books like these in a feverish few days but with this I didn’t feel this urgency. The strong side were the descriptions about the daily life of an 18th century man-of-war - those were really interesting. But the story - told in a mix of journalistic and fiction style - lost pace when it felt obliged to describe all the facts and minuscule events that led to mutiny and the trial afterwards. It seemed that it took too large of a bite - an event so multifaceted that a 250-page fiction-ish style book can’t deliver but a non fiction historical book would be too boring. I’m glad that I read it and it was very captivating at times but I’ve read better expedition/sea voyage-gone-awry books. A brownie point for that badass cover design though. #thewager #thewagerbook #davidgrann #seaadventure #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #readingfrommybookshelf #seasonalreads #winterreads #minaloen #lugemine #loemekoos
Lampedusa by Steven Price is an achingly sad and elegiac novel about the final years of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. A lifelong reader diagnosed with a terminal illness, he decides to write a novel - The Leopard - that gets published posthumously and becomes one of the most-sold Italian novels. But this is anything more than a dry biography. Despite its bleak outcome, evident from the beginning, it is a novel that is almost a love letter to life itself. It has a particularly elegiac and melancholy tone, even further emphasized by the atmospheric setting of 1950s Italy and the bitter melancholy of the changing of time (he was the last prince of Lampedusa and witnessed the gradual decline and ruin of the aristocracy). The novel has a slow pace, and it is one of those books where you really feel you have been to the places the author describes. The sounds, smells, moods, even the dust in the air - everything is there, and every little thing is just right. I found his relationship with his wife Licy, especially touching. But also Lampedusa's attempts to make sense of his past and childhood. His regrets and unfulfilled longings. A story of an elegant, quiet man who tries to create meaning on the brink of death. A slow burner of a novel with an ending that might have made me all teary-eyed. #biography #lampadusa #giuseppetomasidilampedusa #stevenprice #italianwriter #italianwriters #literarybiography #fictionalbiography #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookish #instareads #readingfrommybookshelf #picadorpublishing #lugemine #minaloen #lugemissoovitus
*October* my progress in the #popsugarreadingchallenge2023 45/50 books #popsugarreadingchallenge2023 #popsugarreadingchallenge #bookstagram #book #bookstagramuk #read #reading #readingfrommybookshelf #readingfromhome #readingfromthelibrary