I don’t like doing this, because I love books, I respect the effort an author puts into it, I even like books that don’t have perfect endings or have bits I don’t think worked as well as they could have. So I’m only including two, and I’m doing it under protest. They’re not bad READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | CHARACTERS AUTHORS SURPRISINGLY REDEEMED
I have had a hard time with this one. I’m sure I’ve read plenty of books with redemption as a theme, I’m sure there are lots of characters I started off disliking and ended up forgiving – or even supporting. But I can’t think of many right now. I’ve got a short list today: READ MORE
BOOK BLOGGER HOP | SCHOOL READING REC
This week’s prompt: It’s back-to-school time. What book would you recommend to students, whether it’s an educational read or an enjoyable diversion from textbooks? There are so many books I’d recommend – both educational books and lovely diversions. One I read earlier this year that I really enjoyed was Bookworm by Lucy Mangan. READ MORE
WEDNESDAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE | BOOKS WITH FANTASTIC ENDINGS
There are so, so many books I feel this way about. Some of them have happy endings, some of them have tragic endings, some of them have inspiring ones. But so many books have left me feeling completely satisfied when I turned the last page. Here are a few that really stand out to READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | BOOKS THAT PROVIDE AN ESCAPE
There’s a special type of book that immerses you so completely that you feel as if you can escape from your own world, your worries, your responsibilities and just lose yourself in it for a while. These are often my favourite kinds of books. Here are a few that have been this for me, READ MORE
LINK-UP | IT’S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING?
Well, it has not been much of a reading week for me this week, I have to admit. In fact, I can’t even remember if I read a single page. My kid is better now, but her dad is still feeling very yucky – COVID has been a different type of illness in that READ MORE
THE SUNDAY REVIEW | THE MESSY LIVES OF BOOK PEOPLE – PHAEDRA PATRICK
When we meet Liv, she is in a situation many of us have faced in our lives. Her life is spent on jobs that are necessary but not enjoyable – her work life is spent cleaning offices and homes for people who see through her and don’t notice or care much about the work READ MORE
BOOK BLOGGER HOP | LIBRARIES
This week’s prompt: September is Library Card Sign-Up Month. What role have libraries played in your reading journey? Do you have any recommendations for books or fond recollections involving libraries? I adore libraries. Some of my most comforting memories as a kid were spending time in my local library where my mother (and READ MORE
WEDNESDAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE | THINGS I LIKE & DON’T LIKE ABOUT THE MYSTERY GENRE
I love reading a good mystery. I love watching a good mystery. Basically, I just love a good mystery. I love the suspense, I love the mental exercise of trying to keep track of all the breadcrumbs and guess the ending before I get there (I inherited this from my mum who used to READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | BOOKS INVOLVING FOOD
It’s interesting, because I know I’ve read a lot of books in which food features prominently. Some were about food, others had it worked in as part of a cultural experience, and yet others used it as a crucial plot point. And yet, I had trouble remembering many of these at first. I did READ MORE
LINK-UP | IT’S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING?
It has been a WEEK. I started off reading a fair bit, but then on the same day I had my first sort of car accident type thing (parking lot ding) and my kid got sick and it turns out it’s COVID – after four years of dodging it. The symptoms have mostly been READ MORE
THE SUNDAY REVIEW | CHRONIC – REBECCA DIMYAN
I always find it interesting to read memoirs by people who have dealt with – or are dealing with – medical issues. Particularly if they’re debilitating and, as the name of this book says, chronic. One of my favourite such book was The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, which I have read one READ MORE
WEDNESDAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE | A FUNNY ANIMAL VIDEO/STORY/PHOTO ETC.
I think I might have shared this before, but it’s the best I’ve got for amusing and adorable animal imagery. We have a cat called Opie. We adopted him almost by accident. He and his litter had been found in the wall of a house that was being torn down and brought to our READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | POSTS THAT TELL YOU ABOUT ME
When I started looking for posts for this prompt, I realized that while I feel like I share a lot about myself on this blog, I actually don’t often share other than in passing as it relates to things I’m reading. I’ve got some posts here that are more about myself (the one on READ MORE
LINK-UP | IT’S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING?
This week has been a thoroughly enjoyable reading week! And it’s all thanks to you guys! On Tuesday last week I did a post about various types of relationships in books. In response to this, I got some wonderful recommendations – two of which I have already devoured, and the third I will be READ MORE
THE SUNDAY REVIEW | ALL THE UGLY AND WONDERFUL THINGS – BRYN GREENWOOD
The story in this book seems to be an easy one to judge. There are some things that seem to be moral absolutes. And yet, somehow this book takes some of the most basic moral absolutes and makes them ambiguous. It takes the easy good guys and has them become at best misguided, at READ MORE
WEDNESDAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE | A BOOK I WISH WERE MORE POPULAR
There are so many books I could choose for this prompt. I wish books like The Fire Next Time and Natives were more popular because I think they’re so important and such a wonderful way to understand experiences that we may not all have (particularly those of us who are white). They are also READ MORE
TOP TEN TUESDAY | RELATIONSHIP FREEBIE
This week’s prompt is a relationship freebie. Though occasionally I enjoy romantic relationships in books, they’re rarely the relationships that affect me the most, nor the ones I find most touching. So for this week’s prompt I’m going to share my favourite books that feature other types of relationships. Intergenerational Friendships READ MORE