Thank you!
The first 10 chapters and last few were really good.
Though the chapters in between contain things that might need trigger warnings that I wasn't aware of.
Some poignant reflections on coping/not coping with grief, & how they missed the happiness while searching for the sadness.
Screenshot of Goodreads account 2023 Reading Challenge tally which reads: 100 of 52 books. Below this is a thumbnail image of the cover of Pearl by Siân Hughes.
Finished Pearl by Siân Hughes today... my 100th book of 2023.
I only started tracking my reading half way through 2022, and I'm excited to see what the final tally for 2023 will be! 📚😊📚
Book 4: Pearl by Siân Hughes
I'm loving Pearl. It's beautiful, tinged with sadness, and a lot that resonates.
I've been listening to the audiobook & following along with the ebook on Scribd. And it's bittersweet it's so short... but Siân is writing a sequel & I'm going to need a copy both!
Banjawarn by Josh Kemp has hooked me in. I got into a bit of a slump around reading and after dnf'ing A Spell of Good Things.
But when I picked up Banjawarn I found I was turning pages easy enough!
I tried the audiobook, watched a variety of reviews on youtube and then decided to dnf A Spell of Good Things.
My fellow buddy readers are still going with it.
Oo, good to know I was just looking at whether or not I should watch it!
Left hand with dark green sleeve holding the book A Spell of Good Things in front of a green speckled plant that is bokeh in the background.
Book 3: A Spell of Good Things
Started this over the weekend, and switched to the audiobook so I can multi-task... not vibing with it yet.
Good luck! 📚
I'm on to book 3/13 with A Spell of Good Things.
Not sure I'll get them all read by the winner announcement but I'm giving it a go!
Just finished and I'd say the context for the story is in the title and revealed in the 2nd third & then unravels! It was well done!
Picture of the book Old God's Time by Sebastian Barry with multicoloured tabs sticking out of the pages.
When you add tabs...📑
Ready for the Buddy Read discussions tomorrow!
Picture of the book Old God's Time by Sebastian Barry held in a left hand, with a black cat sleeping next to the person's leg.
Book 2: Old God's Time.
I'm 1/3 through but was thrown off by things I'd seen about this book elsewhere. I had an inkling about Tom's mental stability & then looked up the meaning of the title. It made the first third make sense. I think it'll unravel & we'll see it more clearly in the next third.
A picture of the book Banjawarn by Josh Kemp on a red background with speckled border.
Book Mail! 💌🥰
Kate from https://instagram.com/my.reading.sanctuary an amazing bookstagram buddy read friend recently finished Banjawarn by Josh Kemp and highly rated it!
She very kindly sent me a copy so I can read it too!
I don't think so... if it brings us closer to the mc in a way that makes us more invested as the rest of the story progress, then go for it
It ended up being quite moving.
I still didn't like all the long sentences, and lack of speech marks (just a personal preference).
But I want to look into the history this book is based on
Happy Birthday! 🥳
C) all of the above
Enjoying Akarnae (which I always want to spell Arkanae 😅)
It's easy to read. I appreciate books that don't require work when there's a lot going on in life.
I'm also a mood reader.
Part of my struggle with the Booker longlist - being in the frame of mind for a set reading list & the heavier themes
I completely understand! 😅 I'm also hoping I don't end up in a reading slump after the longlist! As a mood reader long books and a list of set books to read can be tough!
It's good when you get a chunky book but it doesn't feel long!
I've found some awesome book people here too! It's refreshing!
It was definitely different. But it was pretty easy to get into the habit of being very conservative with power usage (we started out with a small power system). It gets hard with prolonged poor weather and wanting more conveniences. But super satisfying on good sunny days! ☀️
I didn't intend to live off grid - the decision came about whilst building my home due to the outrageous expense to get connected to the grid. So I didn't pick the area for ideal conditions 🤦♀️ I live next to a mountain range which accumulates the long white clouds NZ is famous for 🤣
I'll take any and all excess sunshine and trade clouds, rain and chilly temperatures 😅
I like part 2 better so far! Part 1 is wild & natural vs the 'civilised'. My friend Nic said 'history is hideous to look back on sometimes.' 💯
For a short book, there are too many sentences that run on and on, and on...
A few elements of the story have stuck with me. So at least that's something.
That's a great rating! The biography of his father sounds really interesting, and I like it when a book inspires you to dive in further! I just finished Lonesome Dove which was inspired by Don Quixote so I plan to get into that one after the Booker longlist.
Those look interesting, if you do get to read them, I'd be keen to know what you think of them!
I think the shortlist is a good plan!
I've never bothered before, but two new book friends are buddy reading them with me which will make it fun
Just finished chapter 5, and finding it really good!
Thank you for sharing your work!
Hand holding book 1 of the Medoran Chronicles by Lynette Noni: Akarnae. Book cover shows a female character standing in an open doorway facing out into a light realm.
🌧️🪫🔌
Weather isn't great for power today.
So to brighten things up, I'm adding another book to my "currently reading" pile 😅📚
Akarnae by Lynette Noni, book 1 of the Medoran Chronicles.
Hoping to read through the series before Kaldoras is published late October.
No Country for Old Men is on my list of books I want to read one day.
Have you read The Passenger by McCarthy?
I struggled with it for a bit and then dnf'd it
It was a bit hard at the start with how bad things got for him, but once he got out of prison it picked up and I've been enjoying it.
How was it for you?