After 10 years of Book Club challenges based on a specific year of publication, Karen and Simon chose 1925 for their 10th anniversary edition. I had a few options and found out some local history, …| Market Garden Reader
During the International Man Booker Prize Long List (so February – March 2025), I put this on the my reservation list and it finally came through a few weeks ago. Having almost finished ‘The Measure’ I popped the copy into my backpack to accompany me on my up and back flight to Sydney last Thursday. […]| Yarra Book Club
So did you tune in? I am not sure how I feel about the list – but like any list that is subject to votes, it will have a lot of ‘different’ books. I have read 34 of these, and there are definitely a bunch I would like to read. Hats off to those that […]| Yarra Book Club
This intriguing book was picked for our Yarra Book Club by Nina. Review: During one evening, on a single night, wherever you were in the world you will, if you are 22 years or older, you will awake to a little wooden box on your doorstep. On this box, in whatever language you speak, it […]| Yarra Book Club
This is my fourth Classic Spin. The idea is that you choose 20 Classic Books, number them 1-20, post them on your blog and then for whatever number is announced, you read that book by the 19th October. You can read more information about it on the Classics Club Blog. The Classics Club Blog number will […]| Yarra Book Club
I have been wanting to read David Mitchell for a long time. Phil wants me to read ‘Utopia Avenue’, but because I could get The Bone Clocks from the library as an audio book this is where I started. Review: The Bone Clocks tells the story of Holly Sykes. We are first introduced to her […]| Yarra Book Club
After waiting over 8 months for my turn to borrow this book from the library, I was not going to miss my turn. I had been 126th and who knows there may be another 120 people behind me. I was going …| Yarra Book Club
It’s midmonth and time for Emma@WordsandPeace and I to pick up our buddy-read for the month. For October 2025, we’re stepping away from one of our Tove Jansson reads to instead pick up a common boo…| Literary Potpourri
January 1941, London, and Detective Inspector John Jago is one of those remaining at Scotland Yard to police the streets during the blitz. A time when the country should be banding together is still seen as an opportunity for some to take advantage of the chaos for personal gain – and for murder. Rosemary Webster […]| In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel
Brooke Parkin is facing one of her worst fears – not just school in general, but starting a new school in the run up to Christmas. Thankfully, the school has a positive Learning Support department, and the other children in the Neurokind Club, along with an understanding form tutor, and she starts to believe that […]| In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel
1301 and while a peace – a very fragile peace – exists between England and France, all is not well in the English court. A promise has been made that the future Edward II will marry Philip IV of France’s daughter Isabella, but the existence of Edward’s former mistress, Lady Belmont, is something of a […]| In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel
Anthony Mallaby’s life has led him to Little Wokeham. A doctor in the declining years of his career for a number of reasons, he has taken the role of a GP in the village. He soon becomes close to t…| In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel
Yesterday, I had an interview for a seasonal retail job. Christmas season is around the corner and, as much as I appreciate my temp agency, the work tends to slow down this time of year…and I’m not…| Jillian the Bookish Butterfly Blog
Unbury the Dead by Laurel Hanlon I reviewed this book in my capacity as a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team. If you would like your book reviewed, you can contact Rosie Amber here: http://rosieamber.wordpress.com/. I always enjoy a good vampire novel, especially during Halloween month. Unbury the Dead, debut novel by Laurel Hanlon introduces the … Continue reading Roberta Writes – Book reviews: Unbury the Dead and A Bold Bargain #fiction #bookreviews #readingcommunity→|
I feel like book haul posts is currently keeping my blog a float and I have a bit of a backlog to catch up on so here comes a few new ones for you to gander at. Mask of Vyle is a Dark Eldar, today known as the Drukhari, but it will always be Dark […]| Wordaholicanonymous
I occasionally share news about my romance-novel-in-progress, Cover Charm. Here’s the current blurb: Derek Edwards, a bisexual model, is fired and broke. At least he’s got a photo collection to sell. He hires a website designer so he can sell his pictures online. Her talents and skills lead to more collaborations, but her beauty and… Continue reading Cover Charm Cover Update| Tim Covell
I recently watched a couple of 1990s films for the first time: Joe Versus the Volcano, and My Best Friend’s Wedding. Both were disappointing. It’s not that they were poorly made, or fai…| Tim Covell
I know I should call this recent listens, but I am stuck with the series name. So here it goes. These are some recent "reads" this month.| Metadata
Samanta Schweblin’s masterful Fever Dream was one of my favourite books in 2017 – a short, terrifying, and suspenseful tale set in bleak, rural Argentina featuring an unsettling, precocious child while exploring, among many things, the mother-child relationship and the concept of “the rescue distance.” It was brilliant, and since then, a couple of her…| Radhika's Reading Retreat
I’m going to beg your indulgence, comrades. This is by far my favorite month of the year, always has been. Even growing up where I did, in which “fall,” much like “winter…| Founding Questions
Christian Moody, author of the debut story collection Lost in the Forst of Mechanical Birds, has had his work appear in Esquire, Alaska Quarterly Review, The Cincinnati Review, the Best New American Voices anthology, and the Best American Fantasy anthology. He lives in Indianapolis and works as Brand Director for an e-commerce company. In his […]| debutiful
Grace Byron is a writer and critic whose work appeared in The New Yorker, New York Magazine, The Nation, and Vogue. Her work has explored topics ranging from what the current administration’s policies mean for trans travelers and their passports, gun ownership in the trans community, and the state of trans healthcare. Her debut novel, Herculine, is about a woman who […]| debutiful
Did you know that this year is the 40th anniversary of the movie Clue? Because it is! One of the Read Harder tasks this year is to read a book about a piece of media you love, and I love Clue. It’s one of my absolute comfort watches. Author John Hatch also views the movie as one of his favorites, and possibly more of a favorite […]| faintingviolet
Here’s the problem – this is a well-written book. The craft is there. But… I just couldn’t care about what is happening with the characters and kept having to make myself pick it back up between reading other books, which is not at all how I normally approach Romance books. There were times where the characterization felt inconsistent, in the […]| faintingviolet
One of my coworkers and I love to chat movies. When his birthday came this year I went on the hunt for a book about Hollywood that I thought would be up his alley and while I couldn’t put my hands on my first choice for him Pictures at a Revolution by Mark Harris (a book I […]| faintingviolet
Ivy Gordon is living a borrowed life on borrowed time. For the past eighteen years, she has been the most famous star at the Dollhouse Academy, the ultra-secretive, elite boarding school and talent…| Books Tales by me
I was super excited when this book was selected by a clear majority in the Rose Book Club last month. Short listed for the Miles Franklin Award 2025, and set in the Adelaide Hills I thought I was going to be in for a treat! But no – I found this book as difficult and […]| Yarra Book Club
I was supposed to read Emma in July and I should now be reading Northanger Abbey, but my Austen plans have gone astray in the face of book club and Booker Prize. But after finishing The Names by Florence Knapp I discovered my Library has Emma on audio and it was available. As such Emma […]| Yarra Book Club
I have started to turn my thoughts to the 2025 Book Club Reading Challenge and the Shared Universe challenge across #28 and #29. I had planned to read Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell and then maybe Utopia Avenue given it was recommended to me by my partner, but in looking for more information on how […]| Yarra Book Club
John Banville is a great author, he has a finely tuned skill and is exceptionally talented. I therefore requested this novel as an Advance Readers Copy without hesitation. The description felt a little lighter than some of the Booker reads I have been recently doing, a little more thriller… Review: The book is a narration […]| Yarra Book Club
This book was chosen for the Yarra Book Club by Kay and I am so pleased she gave me an excuse to read it. I first came to know of the book when it was getting so many good reviews, and I thought it…| Yarra Book Club
I received a review copy of this book from the author via Booktasters for which my thanks. A book that celebrates friendship and teamwork, and shows how while sometimes these can be set off by impe…| Literary Potpourri
Everyone knows the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge. How after years of miserly behaviour inflicted misery on all those around him, one Christmas morning he transformed into a benevolent figure, bringing kindness to all those around. But one doesn’t become a saint overnight without a second thought. Scrooge has been making every effort to renounce his […]| In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel
September, traditionally one of the weakest months for the number of books that I manage to read. Term starts, with its usual plethora of distractions as classes begin again and piles of paperwork cut into my reading time. And buying a PS5 probably didn’t help either, as I run around Japan assassinating people. Thanks to […]| In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel
Rebecca Sneed, wife of Lyle Menendez, lives a private yet intriguing life as an attorney. Explore her story, age, net worth, and where she stands today.| Baddiehu
This was a pretty good reading week, as in I was able to knock off two books from my TBR. I can’t say that I am completely happy with the books but I am glad that I have read them... Continue Reading →| Pages & Procrastination
Some people think of summer as a time for the great outdoors. Me? From my childhood, summer has been a prime time for reading. And my reading choices have made for an …| J. P.'s Blog
Plus: Plus a “Catch-Up” date, Upcoming Appearances, and William Alexander in New York! (This is mirrored from my newsletter, so please forgive the repetition if you get both of them.) D…| C.S.E. Cooney
Katabasis by R.F. Kuang My rating: 2 of 5 stars My second attempt at a book by R.F. Kuang, and this time its marginally better. At least I learned what “katabasis” is, so now I’m intellectually improved.———— In a fight between Kuang and the grind of academia no punches are pulled. “Christ,” said Peter. “Hell … Continue reading “Katabasis” by R.F. Kuang| books are life
The Hour of the Star is a book that climbed onto this year’s TBR by the Read Harder Challenge. One of this year’s tasks is to read a work of literary fiction by a BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and/or disabled author. So, I went to books already on my radar to see if any fit the bill […]| faintingviolet
After an accident that nearly kills her, Emily and her husband, Freddie, move from London to a beautiful Dartmoor country house called Larkin Lodge. The house is gorgeous, striking—and to Emily, something about it feels deeply wrong. Old boards creak at night; fires extinguish; and books fall from the shelves—all of it stemming from the... Read More| Books Tales by me
A sunshine American bookstore whisperer clashes with the grumpy British owner of the shop she’s trying to save in this winning opposites-attract romance for book lovers.He has a struggling bookshop…| Books Tales by me
In "The Brothers Karamazov", Dostoevsky creates one of the most famous family feuds in literary history. Fyodor Karamazov is notorious in his village for both his depravity and his wealth. When his three sons -- Dmitri, Ivan, and Alyosha -- come back to town, an uncomfortable family reunion and brutal reckoning is sure to follow . . .| Russophile Reads
When the naive and good-hearted Prince Myshkin arrives back in Petersburg after several years away from Russia, he quickly finds himself the heir to a large fortune and caught up in a strange love triangle. But how will Russian high society respond to the presence of this pure young man . . . ?| Russophile Reads
Meditation in Memory of Harriet McMahon November 16,1942 – July 23, 2025 The Reverend Dr. Karen Crawford Smithtown Cemetery Sept. 12, 2025 Not long after I began serving our flock, Harriet’s family contacted the church. They were emptying out the home in Saint James where Harriet had lived for many years with her husband,Continue reading "“O Great God”"| Sharing God's Love and Grace
I’m delighted to announce the impending arrival of my third etymology book, Useless Etymology: Offbeat Word Origins for Curious Minds, featuring quirky, charming, and humorous word origin sto…| Useless Etymology
There’s a kind of magic in assets. They are like invisible employees, tireless, faithful, and loyal. They show up every morning without asking for transport money, they don’t complain about the wea…| rochemamabolo
Dear Reader, TONIGHT! Tonight, friends, Carlos and I are so excited to present the newest episode of FICTION: IMPOSSIBLE, our monthly Twitchcast (except when it’s, you know, summer) feat…| C.S.E. Cooney
This is the book for our Rose Book Club this month and due to my hiatus it has been a last minute read! And because I have borrowed the book from my friend Ian, we only have one copy and both Phil …| Yarra Book Club
In case you are new here: my name is Jillian, and I have a Master of Science degree in Library and Information Science. Oh, and I’m still looking for a permanent job. …| Jillian the Bookish Butterfly Blog
I read Talk by Linda Rosenkrantz in August for #NYRBWomen25 but only got around to writing about it now. I was going to skip it at first, but my curiosity got the better of me, and after reading three chapters, I knew I was all the way in. Originally published in 1968, Talk is an…| Radhika's Reading Retreat
Last year, I discovered, read, and loved A Tiler’s Afternoon by Lars Gustafsson, and it went on to become one of my favourite books of the year. Unsurprisingly, I wanted to read more of his work, but most of his books are sadly out of print; certainly, they weren’t available on Blackwells, and I had…| Radhika's Reading Retreat
Han Kang is one of my favourite authors – loved both The Vegetarian and The White Book – but inexplicably I did not read anything by her since then. She came into my orbit once again after being awarded the Nobel Prize, with her recently translated novel, We Do Not Part, peaking my interest. Such…| Radhika's Reading Retreat
The first two books I read for WIT Month in August were excellent – Nothing Grows by Moonlight by Torborg Nedreaas and Killing Stella by Marlen Haushofer. While I originally planned to read another novel, as soon as Lili is Crying arrived by post, I suddenly felt I had to read it first. And it…| Radhika's Reading Retreat
I read a fair number of meditation books. In the last three years since I started meditating, I read about 15-18 such books. Searchless Responsiveness is one of the densest. It has five "interstitials" — stream -of-consciousness interludes between themed sections. These are a page or two long,| Joe Cecil
Title: Red CardSeries: Prescott University 1Author: Maren MoorePublisher: DAWReleased: HachetteGenre: romance, sports romanceTropes: grumpy/sunshine, friends to lovers, secret dating, broken boy x good girl, college sports, coach’s daughter, slow burn, rugby romance British bad boy Cillian “Kill” Cairney is ruthless on the rugby pitch. After getting a permanent red card from his team in London, the only teamContinue reading "Red Card by Maren Moore (ARC review)"| Anna's Multiverse
I can finally tell you all my great news! My short story AITA for Using My Husband’s Hobby to Teach Him a Lesson has been published in the MYOPIC DUPLICITY anthology! Here’s the verbiag…| Mindy Carlson
In my book, September is always sunny enough to be considered summer, so I will shamelessly continue reading my #20BooksOfSummer2025 for an extra month. What with a holiday, a jungle of a garden to…| Market Garden Reader
Apologies – almost a 2 week hiatus! I wish I could say it was just a break from blogging and that I had crammed in the reading, but, no, it was the other way around. I got home from France an…| Yarra Book Club
It’s always a pleasure to visit the fictional Sussex village of Abbeymead to go on another sleuthing adventure with our amateur (do we still call them amateur, on this, their twelfth case?) d…| Literary Potpourri
Elin S Jónsdóttir, the best-selling crime writer, has disappeared. Famed for writing a series of ten exquisite crime novels – and then stopping – there seems to be no reason for her to vanish. And …| In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel
Jere Meacham on patrol in Vietnam with other members of the U.S. Army’s Fourth Infantry Division. He sent the images to his son in 1999 In 1999, one former combat soldier from the Army’s Four…| CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website
The dreaded reading slump. You know the one — where you swear you’ll read “just one chapter,” but then you stare at the book like it’s an alien artifact, and nothing happens. Your TBR pile looks li…| Chelle's Book Ramblings
The Echo Dies by Roger Teichmann leaves plenty of food for thought and philosophical discussion about moral issues regarding loyalty, memory and forgetfulness, response to grief, the point of living, and suicide. Not for those who like the ending to be clear and conclusive. However, the interesting plot and relatable characters make this an enjoyable read for those of a less philosophical bent.| Market Garden Reader
Imagine an ambulance crew who decided they wouldn’t go to help a casualty because they’d seen one too many people injuring themselves because of drinking too much. It doesn’t seem likely. Yet compa…| Market Garden Reader
Marlen Haushofer’s The Wall is one of my favourite novels of all time; if you haven’t read it yet, it is certainly a worthy choice for the currently ongoing WIT Month. However, the novel that intro…| Radhika's Reading Retreat
Phoebe Greenwood is a London-based journalist who was a freelance correspondent in Jerusalem covering the Middle East for the Guardian, Daily Telegraph, and Sunday Times between 2010 and 2013. From…| debutiful
Rose Keating is an Irish writer who studied creative writing at the University of East Anglia, where she was a recipient of the Malcolm Bradbury Scholarship and the Curtis Brown Prize. She also won…| debutiful
Larissa Pham follows up her essay collection Pop Song, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize, with her debut novel, Discipline. The book will be released by R…| debutiful
“Maybe nectarines are just peaches in drag. Smooth. Magnificent.” This book has stuck with me far more than I’d expected and was an enjoyable reading experience. Some parts resonated more than others of course. I was looking to learn more about sensory issues and there was plenty about that, though not all of the stories/essays focus on that. This is a very readable memoir of an American childhood, taking the senses as inspiration for many of the stories. It would be a useful introducti...| Market Garden Reader
Several of my friends were enthusiastic about this book, as was a Guardian review. Then I saw Raynor Winn interviewed by Kate Humble as she walked a section of the South West Coast Path. The scenery is stunning, though the section with Ray was simply walking through some trees. She spoke of healing through walking and as a walker, I knew this was a book I really wanted to read. I was delighted to find it in a secondhand shop in Nijmegen. I wasn’t disappointed.| Market Garden Reader
One of our amazing Rose Book Club participants suggested this book in April for our book club to read, but it didn’t get the votes. But now it is on the long list, I have the opportunity to r…| Yarra Book Club
I’m back today with another buddy-read post with Emma @WordsandPeace. This month, we’ve taken a break from our Tove Jansson reads to explore a different title, author Salman Rushdie’s children’s novel, Haroun and the Sea of Stories (1990). As always, we will be posting our discussion in four parts, one and three here on this…| Literary Potpourri
With influential series on California, on the terraforming of Mars, and on human civilization as reshaped by rising tides, Kim Stanley Robinson has established a conceptu…| Recall This Book
Two years ago Mercy Gray was hailed as a hero for saving lives during a mall shooting. She still carries souvenirs from that incident: the fragment of a bullet lodged in her back, a mountain of med…| Books Tales by me
All of my Book of the Month friends are probably wondering: is this worth the hype? My answer…cannot be contained to a singular yes or no*. No spoilers, of course! *writing like that makes me…| A Fictional Bookworm
Some books don’t just tell a story—they invite you into a riddle, a ritual, a hidden map. The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson is one such book. It caught my imagination instan…| Rebecca's Reading Room
Multi-volume Danish series seems to be quite the fad at the moment; I loved Solvej Balle’s excellent On the Calculation of Volume 1, and now we have Asta Olivia Nordenhof’s seven-part ‘Scandinavian…| Radhika's Reading Retreat
It is here! Love Forms by Claire Adam (Faber) – 304 pages – 9 June (UK) 23 Sep (AU) The South by Tash Aw (4th Estate) – 288 pages – out now Universality …| Yarra Book Club
I didn’t read these at the time when I finished ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ but I went back to read them, hence the second post. The cover above is the first edition cover whic…| Yarra Book Club
The sweet (or sometime even harsh) notes of birdsong, the fragrance and colours of flowers around which bees buzz collecting nectar, delicate butterflies fluttering about, insects with iridescent c…| Literary Potpourri
Ellery Queen has stepped back from detective work due to his recent traumatic investigations in Wrightsville – Calamity Town, The Murderer Is A Fox and Ten Days’ Wonder – until it takes about one m…| In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel
I have news! The short e-books I have written in the PhD Guides series are being produced as audiobooks! They are being voiced by the excellent Leigh Forbes who is a joy to work with. As with the p…| Helen Kara
I had the good fortune to interview Victor Rees recently about his and Iain Sinclair’s assembling of a tribute to the late great Brian Catling: A Mystery of Remnant. The book gathers a number…| John Kenny
Chloe Roberts is on top of the world at Morton Academy. She’s a shoo-in for Head Girl and the lead spot in the school’s secret Jewel and Bone. But then her best friend, Nikhita Patel, betrays her, and life comes crashing down. Things take a darker turn when Chloe stumbles upon the Book of Crime and… Continue reading ARC Review: Keep Your Friends Close by Cynthia Murphy| Down the Rabbit Hole
A simmering psychological thriller about a dead teacher at an elite boarding school, the students who had every reason to want her gone, and the tangled web of rivalry and romance concealing the tr…| Down the Rabbit Hole
By liggraphy on pixabay This is the Mid Year Freak Out Book Tag, created by Ely @ Earl Grey Books and Chami @ Read Like Wildfire. With little further explanation, let’s answer the questions: QUESTI…| My Reader's Journey
As I was reading “Demon Copperhead” my journal reminded me that exactly one year ago I was reading “David Copperfield.” At one point, I was in Tofino on Vancouver Island and didn’t want to go walking on the beach because I was completely obsessed with Copperfield. Unfortunately, the book did not keep my interest throughout, […]| If 42 is the answer, what is the question?
It’s almost impossible to read the most hyped and acclaimed books the year that they come out. Which is why, in the year of our Lord 2025, I picked up last year’s hits: James by Percival Everett, Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors, and First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston. And I’m going to help y’all … Continue reading First Lie Wins, James & Blue Sisters – Are They Overhyped or Worth Reading?| A Fictional Bookworm
“Why can’t my life be a fairy tale?” It’s the refrain of every heroine in every romance novel and movie. Or—why limit ourselves?—it’s in every novel on the shelf and movie streaming through the int…| Mindy Carlson
Look, I know. You’ve probably spent way too much time (okay, maybe 10 minutes, but it feels like an eternity) figuring out the best way to track your reading. You’ve got spreadsheets, apps, journal…| Chelle's Book Ramblings
I seem to be in the mood for some Persephone books at the moment having recently read and loved Harriet by Elizabeth Jenkins, followed by Guard Your Daughters by Diana Tutton which turned out to be…| Radhika's Reading Retreat
In seven days Jet Mason will be dead. Jet is the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Woodstock, Vermont. Twenty-seven years old, she’s still waiting for her life to begin. I’ll do it late…| Books Tales by me
This CDrama received an 8.3 score at Douban the last time I checked. This is a quality procedural drama about juvenile crime and worth following.| Drama Tea
I have come to accept that I may have a slight obsession with translated Japanese fiction. While this journey has roots in the works of Haruki Murakami, it has since blossomed to incorporate so man…| I Would Rather Be Reading
Elizabeth Jenkins’ superb The Tortoise and the Hare was one of my favourite books in 2022. I was therefore keen at some point to read Harriet, published by the wonderful Persephone Books, a copy of…| Radhika's Reading Retreat
If you've ever yearned for a gay, 1910s Little Mermaid with tear-jerking prose, Spanish poetry, and illustrations to salivate over, I've got some great news for you.| History Will Say This Was Just a Book Blog
Having never read a single Fredrik Backman book in all my many years of life*, imagine my shock when I immediately picked up his newest release, My Friends. And guess what? I loved it. *this was su…| A Fictional Bookworm
I’d like to take a moment to step back in time, to the year 2020 to be precise. To refer to it as a tumultuous period would be putting it lightly…a global pandemic, political unrest, an…| I Would Rather Be Reading
The first book I finished this month was Patrick Süskind’s Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, a rather bizarre and haunting novel. I’m still trying to process it, and I think that’s a good testament to a work that’s nearly half a century old. Originally published in Germany in 1985, this Gothic tale weaves olfactory … Continue reading ‘Perfume’ by Patrick Süskind (Review)| I Would Rather Be Reading
