Connie ROOTs for another year in 2024

Hello all my co-ROOTers.

I'm known to most of you but here is a small introduction.

I'm Connie, 70 years old and I live in a small town in The Netherlands.

I'm a retired secretary at a college and was looking forward to a nice retirement with my husband, Peter. Sadly enough he now lives in a care-centrum since he fell with his bike and damaged a nerve in his neck which was operated on. The surgery failed and his walking is rather bad and unstable. Taking care of him in our home was impossible and he moved to a place nearby. So for the first time in my live I life alone.
I have a son, Jeroen (40) who lives with his partner Rianne (36) and their daughter Lonne (5)
And a daughter, Eveline who (38) lives with her partner, Cyrille (40) and their daughters Fiene (7) and Marie (4).

I'm a very proud grandmother and have lots of children's books. All my girls love books and reading. Lonne is even writing her own books. So it is probably genetically ;-))

I have read books for as long as I can remember and bought a lot of books too.



Marie is helping me with unpacking a present last Sinterklaas (december 5th)

Here is Marie, she is now 4,5 years old (don't forget the half year, that counts too)

And Lonne, on her way with her father by train. She is now 5,5 years.

And Fiene, 7 years in her secret corner behind grandma's couch.

For my RL Book-club I will read books for the challenges we set for 2024
I will keep a list of them here.

Total
11.

Nobility
01. The Holly King - Mark Stay

Three times
01. Wonder Woman, Warbringer - Leigh Bardugo

Inheritance

Isogram

01. Vermist - Simon Beckett
02. Water - John Boyne

Cats (for Marion, in loving memory)
01. De reis van de wijze kat - James Norbury

Classic titles

Ridiculous titles

Coffee

Denial

Old ones

Oxymoron
01. Een eerlijke leugen - Tarryn Fisher

Publication time train

Queeste

Rainbow colors

Forbidden books

Far East
01. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea - Axie Oh

Vehicle

World-trip
01. Belgie - De storm van de echo's - Christelle Dabos

Shop
01. The Lost Bookshop - Evie Woods
02. Under the Whispering Door - TJ Klune

No pictures
01. Trots en vooroordeel - Jane Austen

I will count a book or E-book as a ROOT if it has been on my shelves for more then 4 months.

01. Wonder Woman: Warbringer - Leigh Bardugo -
02. De storm van de echo's - Christelle Dabos -
03. Trots en vooroordeel - Jane Austen -
04. Het meisje dat de wereld veranderde - Machiel Hoek -
05. Vermoorde onschuld - Angela Marsons -
06. Hartenstrijd - Tracy Rees -
07. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea - Axie Oh -
08. Under the Whispering Door - TJ Klune -
09. Het geheime boek van Flora Lea - Patti Callahan Henry - -
10. The Holly King - Mark Stay -
11. The Book that Wouldn't Burn - Mark Lawrence -

Books read in 2024

January, Februari, March

01. Vermist - Simon Beckett - Forumchallenge # 1Book -
02. Water - John Boyne - Book - Forumchallenge # 2 -
03. Wonder Woman: Warbringer - Leigh Bardugo - E-book - ROOT # 1 - Forumchallenge # 3 -
04. De reis van de wijze kat - James Norbury - Book - Forumchallenge # 4 -
05. De storm van de echo's - Christelle Dabos - Book - Forumchallenge # 5 - ROOT # 2 - BFB # 1
06. Trots en vooroordeel - Jane Austen - E-book - ROOT # 3 - Forumchallenge # 6 -
07. De vervlogen helft - Brit Bennett - Book -
08. The Lost Bookshop - Evie Woods - Book - Forumchallenge # 7 -
09. Een eerlijke leugen - Tarryn Fisher - Book - Forumchallenge # 8 -
10. Het meisje dat de wereld veranderde - Machiel Hoek - Book - ROOT # 4 -
11. Vermoorde onschuld - Angela Marsons - Book - ROOT # 5 -
12. Hartenstrijd - Tracy Rees - Book - ROOT # 6 -
13. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea - Axie Oh - E-book - ROOT # 7 - Forumchallenge # 9 - Foreign Fantasy # 1 -
14. Under the Whispering Door - TJ Klune - E-book - ROOT # 8 - Forumchallenge # 10 - Foreign Fantasy # 2 -
15. Stromend graf - Robert Galbraith - Book - BFB # 2 -
16. Damsel - Evelyn Skye - E-book - OB # 1 -
17. Het geheime boek van Flora Lea - Patti Callahan Henry - ROOT # 9 -
18. The Holly King - Mark Stay - Book - ROOT # 10 - Forumchallenge # 11 -
19. The Harp of Kings - Juliet Marillier - E-book - Foreign Fantasy # 3 -

Books read in 2024

April, May, June

20. The Book that Wouldn't Burn - Mark Lawrence - Book - ROOT # 11 - Foreign Fantasy # 4 - BFB # 3 -

Books read in 2024

July, August, September

Books read in 2024

October, November, December

Books bought in 2024

01. De reis van de wijze kat - James Norbury
02. Duizend & ik - Yorick Goldewijk
03. Gun iedere kabouter zijn eigen muts - Aaf Brandt Corstius
04. Een eerlijke leugen - Tarryn Fisher
05. The Lost Bookshop - Evie Woods
06. De boom die een wereld was - Yorick Goldewijk
07. Normale mensen - Sally Rooney
08. Schermtijd - Linda van Rijn
09. Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries - Heather Fawcett BB by Curioussquared
10. Anna O - Matthew Blake
11. De camino - Anya Niewierra
12. Het boek der deuren - Gareth Brown
13. Emily Wilde's Maps of the Otherlands - Heather Fawcett
14. Ren, Jack, ren - Ruth Ware
15. Starling House - Alix E. Harrow
16. The book that wouldn't burn - Mark Lawrence
17. De hulp - Freida McFadden
18. De stille Patiënt - Alex Michaelides
19. Gezinsverpakking - De Chabotten

Cursief is read.

BFB's in 2024

De storm van de echo's - Christelle Dabos - 572 pages
Stromend graf - Robert Galbraith - 1117 pages
The Book that Wouldn't Burn - Mark Lawrence - 559 pages

BookBullets

01. Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries - Heather Fawcett BB by Curioussquared (Bought)

Welcome to all visitors

I sincerely wish you health, happiness, contentment and many exciting books.

Thank you, Barbara. Same to you!

Taking with me from 2023



Vermist by Simon Beckett

The blurb NOT my review

A London detective makes a gruesome discovery that could solve the riddle of his son's disappearance in this crime thriller series debut. Det. Sgt. Jonah Colley of the Metropolitan firearms unit has been wracked with guilt for the past ten years, ever since his son went missing under his care. The tragedy broke up his marriage and left him estranged from his best friend, Det. Sgt. Gavin McKinney. But now Gavin calls him out of the blue. Desperate for help, he needs Jonah to meet him at Slaughter Quay. Jonah arrives to a horrifying crime scene where Gavin was brutally attacked and left for dead. As the only survivor, he is also a person of interest. But even while under suspicion himself, Jonah is determined to find out what happened. Uncovering a network of secrets and lies about the people he thought he knew, he's forced to question what really happened all those years ago.

Happy New Year and wishing you a wonderful year.

I love Beckett's books. I haven't read this one yet. My local library has a copy of it. I've put it on my watch list.

Thank you, Jean. I hope it will be better and more fun than last year.

>19 Ameise1: Good for you, Barb. So far I.m really enjoying it.

Happy new year, Connie! Your girls are so grown up! I love that Lonne is writing her own books. My A is doing that too!

Hi Jackie. I know, I love it that she does that. I did once too, when I was 12 or so. Still have that somewhere.

>23 connie53: Oh that is Adorable (with capital A!)!

>23 connie53: I completely agree with Jackie, this is so CUTE!!!

Welcome back and have a great reading year, whether your own books or the girls' :)

Probably a bit of both, RP. But more of my own, I hope.

The grands are adorable.
Sorry to hear about Peter. 2023 was not a year I will look back on fondly. So glad that we and books can share time with you.

Welcome back!

Thanks, Chèli. I'm grateful for you and your work so we can do this every year. If you ever need some assistance, don't hesitate to ask me.

I hope 2024 will be a far better year for you.

Good to see you back. I haven't had time to start my ROOT thread yet, but I will get there. I am taking care of my mother full time at the moment and it is taking all of my time. So much so that I haven't had that much time to read. Of course, the holiday season has also taken up much time, so my reading slowed significantly in December.

It is clear to my sisters and I that our mother can't live by herself. She needs full time nursing care, but we want her to make that decision because we believe that she will be happier with the situation if she decides. Since I am newly retired I get to be the one to stay with her until she makes that decision.

I went on a First Day walk with my young cousins - Hanna who is 17 and Clara who is 12. We went to a state park in Nebraska - Rock Creek Station - and we had a good time together. We talked about everything from geology to western cow towns. It was great fun. Being here in our little town has allowed me time to get to know these amazing children.

Gelukkig nieuwjaar, Connie! (I hope my translation app hasn't let me down on that.) I look forward to following your reading in 2024 and also keeping up with your lovely grandchildren and the rest of the family.

Hi Connie, happy new year and thank you for the beautiful photos -- each girl shows such personality.

Wonderful pictures of the girls, Connie. Nice that they enjoy reading too. Good luck with your ROOTs this year.

>29 benitastrnad: Hi Benita, Happy New Year to you too. I know the feeling you have about your mother. I had that same feeling about my husband. It takes up all of your time and is almost impossible to do on your own. I hope your mother will come to that conclusion soon and she is happy to move to a care-home of sorts. Good to hear you had a lovely time with your cousins enjoying nature. All the best for you in this new year.

>30 rosalita: Hi Julia, Excellent work form your translation app. Gelukkig nieuwjaar to you too!

>31 detailmuse: >32 Familyhistorian: Hi MJ and Meg! Thank you for visiting my thread. And the nice things you said about the girls.

Stats for 2023

TBR on December 31th 2023; Tree-books and E-books: 702
TBR E-books: 394
TBR Tree-books: 308

Read books in 2023: 108
Read e-books: 48
Read books: 60

11 Boeken donated to second hand store 25-05-23
5 boeken donated to second hand store 23-07-23

Love all the photos, Connie! All the best in the New Year and happy reading!

Thank you, Cécil

Happy new year, Connie! Looking forward to seeing your ROOTs this year. I still need to start my thread :)

Hi Natalie, thank you. Waiting for your thread to appear so I can follow your.

Happy 2024, Connie, and good luck with your ROOTing goal. You have lovely granddaughters - and I'm glad Marie was there to help you unwrap that present ;)

>39 Rebeki: Hi Rebecca, thank you for visiting my thread. Marie thinks she knows everything there is to know and most of the time she knows better than her old grandma. So adorable.

>40 connie53: That made me laugh! I know when A huffs and puffs and rolls her eyes and says "oh MUM!" that I have clearly done something very stupid and should have known better, like her. :D

>41 Jackie_K: That's exactly wat Marie does. She almost wants to pull everything I hold in my hand and do it much better, faster, neater, quicker, whatever.

Hello, Connie! I love the pictures of your granddaughters. Wishing you a wonderful reading year!

Good to see you back & good luck with your reading goals!

Welcome back, Connie. I didn't know that about your husband--that must be very difficult. My partner and I have been forced to live apart for the last month or so and I can't stand it, so I fully empathize with you. Beautiful grandchildren. Good luck with your challenge!

Thank you, Handshakes. It nice to meet someone how can relate to my situation. I hope yours is not a permanent one.

Finished Vermist by Simon Beckett and this book gets

My review

My first book of 2024 is finished. Simon Beckett is one of my favorite writers who never disappoints me when it comes to thrillers.
This book doesn't do that either, but there is one thing that bothers me a bit. The last sentence of a chapter often is: 'He didn't see the second car following him' or 'That all changed when a phone call came' or 'If he had paid more attention he would have seen someone following him'. That irritates me and means that this book gets half a star less.

Jonah Colley is the new main character in this first part of a new series. One day Jonah receives a call from Gavin, an old friend from the past, whom he has not seen for 10 years. Gavin asks him for help and to come to a remote dock in London. When he arrives there he ends up in the middle of a chaos of corpses and an angry attacker who leaves him severely injured. When Jonah finally leaves the hospital he starts to investigate this case. Only the police does not consider him a victim but a suspect. Jonah must do everything he can to free himself from this suspicion.

Well written except for that annoying stuff.

Starting in Water by John Boyne

The blurb NOT my review

The first thing Vanessa Carvin does when she arrives on the island is change her name. Here she is Willow Hale, a reclusive resident of a small house on a remote Irish island – not the woman from Dublin on the run from her past.

But major scandals stick with you. And there are questions she must answer for herself. If her ex-husband really is as much of a monster as everyone says, how complicit was she?

Escaping her old life may seem like a good idea, but the choices she's made have consequences. Ultimately, Willow must face what she has done – or failed to do. Only then can she find out whether she even deserves to build a new life.

>46 connie53: We're not sure yet, still working that one out. Hopefully yours isn't permanent either. I don't think I could do that. Any tips on reading more? 90 is a very admirable goal!

>49 handshakes:. My situation is a permanent one. He will not get better and it's impossible for him to live at home. He can't even visit for an hour or so. We have to deal with that situation as best as we can.

And tips to read more? Just do it! I read 108 books last year, but only 60 of those were ROOTs to me. I'm retired and have lots of time to read, do jigsaw puzzles taking care of the house. And I don't watch too much TV. So plenty of time to read if I want to.

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

Starting my first real ROOT of the year

The blurb NOT my review

Diana, Princess of the Amazons, longs to prove herself to her warrior sisters. But when the opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law--risking exile--to save a mortal. Diana will soon learn that she has rescued no ordinary girl, and that with this single brave act, she may have doomed the world. Alia Keralis just wanted a chance to escape her overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn't know she is being hunted by people who think her very existence could spark a world war. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer-- a direct descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery. Two girls will face an army of enemies--mortal and divine--determined to either destroy or possess the Warbinger. Tested beyond the bounds of their abilities, Diana and Alia must find a way to unleash hidden strengths and forge an unlikely alliance. Because if they are to have any hope of saving both their worlds, they will have to stand side by side against the tide of war.

Happy New Year to you, Connie! It's wonderful to see the girls growing up. I'm sorry to hear your husband's situation won't improve, that must be a heavy burden to you.
Wishing you lots of good times with the new books and your grandkids!

I'm currently enjoying a weekend surrounded by Barbies!

I love your pictures! The grandkids are adorable! Happy Reading in 2024!!

Thank you, Monica.



My livingroom looks like this at the moment.

>55 connie53: I hope you like pink! ;)

>55 connie53: How sweet!

I like pink, I have a daughter (Their mother who owned all those pink things.) It got worse through the day. They took over the other half of the living room with crafts and drawing. And the dining area with jigsaw puzzles, a boardgame and some more colouring. But I insisted they clear up everything but the barbie stuff for the night.

>51 connie53:
I read this book back in 2019 and thought it was pretty good. I hope you enjoy the take-off on Greek mythology.

Finished Water by John Boyne (No touchstone for this titel by this author) -

My Review

A pleasantly readable novella by John Boyne about a woman who retreats to a small Irish island to come to terms with her past. For starters, she immediately changes her name. Her husband has become infamous for a series of crimes, for which she feels partly guilty. But she no longer wants to be recognized as his wife in her new hometown. She mixes with people every now and then and also gets to know some people.
Throughout the story you get to read more and more bits about her past and what she thinks about it and how things should have been different. The tone of the story also changes from factual musings to some more philosophical thoughts. Nice story with an ending that I can handle.

>50 connie53: I'm sorry to hear that. I'm not sure I could deal with that. My best wishes to you and your husband. I try to read a lot but I'm either very slow or I get caught up in life's junk--too much work just to survive.

>61 handshakes: I think I had no choice but to deal with it. It happened and that's it. I'm getting used to living alone now. Getting my own routine.
One advantage: All the stuff that is around me is my stuff and nothing to be annoyed about.

But it's also very quiet, nobody to say 'good morning' to or complain to or share a joke with. I always have some music in the background.

Starting in De storm van de echo's by Christelle Dabos

The blurb NOT my review

After their initial distrust of each other, Ophelia and Thorn are now passionately in love. But they must continue to keep their love hidden. And listen out for the mysterious echoes. Only then can they attempt to decipher a cryptic code and discover the truth behind the sinister figure of the Other, whose devastating power continues to bring down entire arks, plunging thousands of innocents into the void. At the observatory of the Deviations, overseen by a sect of mystical scientists who conduct terrifying secret experiments, Ophelia and Thorn hope to halt the ongoing destruction and bring the world back into balance.

>63 connie53:
This is a series that I would like to read in the future. Just haven't gotten to it yet.

Tomorrow I'm off for a few days to stay with my friend Vera. So I will be off-line until Friday somewhere in the afternoon.

>65 connie53: Have a safe and pleasant journey, Connie!

Thanks, Julia. There will be talk, talk, talk, wine, nice food and some shopping if the weather allows us to go outside. It snowed this morning and it's icy cold for a Dutch winter. -2C but it feels like -12C with the heavy winds.

>67 connie53: We are having a warmer- and drier-than-usual winter here in Iowa, but that's about to change. The weather forecast predicts 5-10 inches (12-25 cm) of snow starting tonight and continuing through tomorrow. I just keep telling myself, "Every day is one day closer to spring!" :-)

> 65 >67 connie53: Sounds like fun. I hope you have a wonderful time! And stay warm!

Have a wonderful time catching up with Vera, Connie! Take care if it's icy!

Have a great time with Vera! I hope the shopping includes some books ;)

Hi there! I'm checking into everybody's new threads little by little and I finally landing on yours! Happy reading in 2024.

Thanks for all you sweet wishes. Just packed my suitcase and hope I did not forget anything. I'm always a it nerveus about packing.

If there is shopping done I probably will buy some books, but not to many. I have to carry them home too. The traveling has 1 bus and 2 trains in the program, so lots of carrying bags from one to the other platform.

Enjoy 😃

Have a safe trip, Connie, and lots of fun with your friend. The weather is really unusually cold this year, so take care!

Safe travels!

I'm home again. We did have a great time. Lots of talking till late, late in the night. We did go out for diner once, which was excellent and visited an Abby nearby with a nice restaurant and a shop full off angel statues (bought one lovely little white one). No shopping down town because of the severe cold (-6C) during daytime with a nasty wind. So no bought books to report.
The traveling back by train was a bit tricky because of the trains leaving and arriving on stations were of schedule due to the weather. But I'm home.

Welcome back home. I hope it's nice, warm and cozy! -6° is no fun!

Thanks Birgit. No fun indeed.

I've started in Trots en vooroordeel by Jane Austen

The blurb NOT my review

Pride and Prejudice, which opens with one of the most famous sentences in English Literature, is an ironic novel of manners. In it the garrulous and empty-headed Mrs Bennet has only one aim - that of finding a good match for each of her five daughters. In this she is mocked by her cynical and indolent husband. With its wit, its social precision and, above all, its irresistible heroine, Pride and Prejudice has proved one of the most enduringly popular novels in the English language.

Now reading in honor of Rosalita/Julia De vervlogen helft by Brit Bennett from her TBR-list.

The blurb NOT my review

The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it's not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it's everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Ten years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other secretly passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters' storylines intersect? Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins.

Yesterday I finished Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo ROOT # 1 - Forumchallenge # 3. The book gets -

My review

What a wonderful book this is. I really thoroughly enjoyed the adventures of Diana, Alia, Theo, Nim and Jason.
Diana lives with just women on an island far from everything. The women that live on the island have been rewarded for the things they have done and have therefore become Amazons after their deaths. Diana's mother is the queen and Diana is the only one born on the island. The book says that she was formed by her mother from the sand of the island.
One day when Diana takes part in a race across the island, she sees a ship in distress on the sea. She sees a girl desperately clinging to the ship. Diana has almost no choice but to try to save the girl. She hides Alia in a cave and goes to the island's Oracle to ask what she can do. The Oracle says Alia has the power to bring war to Earth and to prevent it she must return her to the human world, specifically to Greece, to the well of Helen of Troy.
With some magic she brings Alia back, but they end up in New York and there the journey to Greece begins. They go on a trip together with Jason, Alia's brother, his friend Theo and Alia's girlfriend Nim. They have money from the foundation of Jason and Alia's parents so they can buy food and such things. But along the way they encounter a lot of resistance from the people, who sometimes take the form of Greek gods who are all for war, misfortune, disloyalty, crime and general malaise.

It is wonderfully written, with humor and a lot of tension. The story is also about loyalty, trust and friendship.

Bought my first book of the year.



De reis van de wijze kat by James Norbury

The blurb NOT my review

This is the tale of a cat who longed for peace, acceptance, and a way to make sense of the world. . . One day he hears of a solitary ancient pine, deep in the maple forests that shroud the valley, under the boughs of which infinite wisdom can be found. So begins a journey of discovery, and along the way he meets a vivid cast of animals, from a curious hare to a chattering monkey, a tiresome tortoise to a terrifying tiger, each with their own stories to tell. But it is only through a surprise encounter with a playful kitten that he realizes the journey has never been about a tree. . .

I started immediately because it fits in my RL Forumchallenge where there is a category Cats, (in memory of Marion)

Marion is a member of my bookclub and died last year. She is missed by us all very much. She was a bit younger then I am and was a calm, thoughtful dear friend.

Saturday I got a video call from Eveline and Cyrille. They had some great news to tell. No, no, no third child on the way (That's what I thought at first)

Cyrille was chosen by the local Carnavals - society to be their Prince this year. In a lot of provinces in the Netherlands Carnaval is a big thing and Cyrille has always been a big fan and celebrates it every year with passion.
So we all had to come and see him being presented to the crowd. So on Sunday we all went to Maastricht by train. Jeroen, Rianne and Lonne and 4 friends including Mae Lin, a little daughter from a befriended couple of which the father joined too.

It was a very cold, windy day and snow was still lying everywhere on the streets. We went to a local café for coffee and were joined by lots of other guests all wanting to attend. Then we had to go to the middle of the street where a space is for terraces. And there he was.

Behind the mask,





When you look real close you can even see Eveline, Fiene and Marie

I got a decoration (as did all family members and almost all friends)



Lonne got one too

>83 connie53: and finished it. I give this little book

Very nice book with beautiful illustrations that make you think about yourself and how you approach things. The Cat searches for the meaning of life. He wants to visit an old pine tree, which, according to stories, brings wisdom and insight.
Along the way he talks to all kinds of animals he encounters and tells them stories, which makes them look at their problems or attitude to life differently.
However, a young Katje shows him what is really important. Friends and sharing each other's lives, being there for each other.
Really beautiful

>84 connie53: Congratulations to Cyrille, what fun! I think I remember costume pictures from prior years.

>85 connie53: That sounds like a lovely memorial to your friend Marion.

>86 detailmuse: You are right, MJ. I posted several pictures with costumes and facial paint.

>84 connie53: Wow, that's amazing. Does it involve many public appearances? Carnival is a big thing in the Rhine country and I seem to remember there were many meetings and parades.

>88 MissWatson: Yes it does. The next three weeks they will be very busy. So the girls will be sleeping every weekend at grandma Connie. Cyrille's parents are big carnaval celebrators too and they are not available. Rianne, Jeroen's partner is a big one too, so Lonne will be here too sometimes. After that, you probably can put me in a Spa for a couple of days.

They asked me to attend to a gala ball. I don't do Carnaval so I said no, because a gala is very formal with big dresses and I don't have them hanging around in the wardrobe.

How fun for Cyrille and the rest of you!

It was fun and he is very excited about it.

>89 connie53: You will certainly deserve a weekend pampering yourself!

Today I got my second bought book in the mailbox.



Duizend & ik by Yorick Goldewijk.

Original Dutch book by a great author who also wrote Films die nergens draaien
I've read that book last year and it was one of the best books of last year and is by now translated into a lot of languages.

The blurb translated

For Eight every day is the same. Every day she lives according to strict rules that prepare her for a meaningful overseas existence. Every day she merges with a mass of thousands of other girls who look exactly like her.

But Eight feels different. She feels she is someone and that is a problem. Because being someone is forbidden and can put her in great danger. Then she sees her between the others and there is no way back for Eight. She will have to escape. Together with her.

De storm van de echo's by Christelle Dabos is finished and gets - Forumchallenge # 5 - ROOT # 2 - BFB # 1

My review

In good spirits I started this fourth and last part of 'De Spiegelpassante' by the Belgian-French writer Christelle Dabos. It is a big book and I liked the first 3 parts and with part 4 I had closed another series. I really had to struggle my way through it, because I thought it was all very strange and confusing. The only thing I want to say is that I am happy that the book is finished

>94 connie53: That's too bad, that the series ended on such a disappointing note.

>95 MissWatson: It really was, Birgit. Complete nonsense sometimes.

>96 connie53: I've seen that series in the local bookshops and wondered if I should try it. I think I'll pass now. There are too many good books waiting.

>96 connie53: Don't try it! Use your money for books that you want to have.

I started thinking about what I spend on Tree-books. And now I just buy books that get good ratings, especially by people I know and who have a similar taste. Like some ROOTers and on my RL-bookclub.

Bought another book, # 3 of the year



Gun iedere kabouter zijn eigen muts by Aaf Brandt Corstius

Original Dutch, the title translates into something like: Allow each gnome his own hat.

The blurb NOT my review

Loved columnist Aaf Brandt Corstius is inspired by statements that she encounters in daily life and that touch her or make her think.

All her life Aaf Brandt Corstius craves for wise advise and she gets this from friends and strangers and from books, newspapers and eavesdropping on conversations. Such a wise advice is often a single sentence that will help you all your life. Katja Schuurman who says you can choose between aging or dying - this helps when you are nagging about your wrinkles. But also: the ultimate advice that will help you to empty your dishwasher without aversion.

Aaf writes down every sensible sentence in her notebook, so she can later write down how she applies it in her life. And how it might be helpful in everyone's existence.
Because who does not want to know what a hundred-year-old would recommend to do after a century of living, what the mnemonic is with major decisions that seem impossible to make or with what statement you can always withdraw from annoying group activities? This book is full of stories about these wise sentences, collected by years of paying attention. Also about that gnome and his hat.

>98 connie53: I had thought to put it on my wishlist for our next holiday in France, but I won't bother now. That's one of the nice things about LT: there are so many people who share your likes and dislikes and whose advice is worth taking.

>80 connie53: Finished Trots en vooroordeel by Jane Austen and the book gets

My review

In the beginning I really had to get used to the language of this book, but of course that is due to the time in which this book is written and in the spirit of the age it takes place. Namely in 1813. And that is more than 200 years ago.
It is the story of the 5 daughters Bennet, where the oldest 2 play the biggest role, Jane and Elizabeth. It is told from the perspective of Elizabeth. Once you are used to the language, it is actually quite comical. The father of the family prefers to be in his library and withdraws from his family as much as possible. I can imagine that because Mrs. Bennet has a demonstrative and dramatic way to express herself. She blames all of that on her nerves and her weak constellation.
The book gives a picture of a society in which women have little to nothing to say, where class, tradition, submissiveness to the husband or father, protocols and manners are very important and that should not be contradicted, certainly not by a woman or girl. Fortunately, Elizabeth does not let herself be stopped by that and she does stand her ground. There are lots of letters written, there are of course a few romances that are in danger of failing due to misunderstanding. There is a man who is quite lavish with other people's money. And then there is the inscrutable Mr. Darcy.

>81 connie53: De vervlogen helft by Brit Bennett is finished and gets

My review

The identical twin sisters Stella and Desiree Vignes are inseparable in their youth. Stella is calm and quiet, Desiree is the one who always speaks and cannot sit still for a moment. One day, when they are 16, they disappear. The village where they live is first in turmoil, but after a while it is assumed that they have run away. The village of Mallard is a community with exclusively colored inhabitants, but they all want to be as light as possible.
Then, one day in 1968, Desiree returns with her very dark daughter Jude. That causes a lot of speculation about the father.

In the meantime, Stella has also built up a different life. She has a relationship with her boss, who thinks she is a white woman, she is so light and blonde. She marries him and they have a daughter, Kennedy.
The story follows these two sisters and their daughters through different periods. Stella, who has to tell all possible lies to go through life like the white woman she is believed to be. Desiree, who gets a relationship with Early. Kennedy, who wants to be on the stage so badly, but that is not so successful. Jude, who wants to become a doctor which was much more difficult in those years.
Stella and Desiree don't see each other, but Jude thinks she sees her mother Desiree somewhere where she can't be, and is starting her own investigation

Good writing and pleasant to read. I was surprised that there are indeed villages like Mallard in Louisiana. Although I can imagine that something like that can develop through the years.

- Forumchallenge # 7

Starting in The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

‘The thing about books,' she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.'

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found… For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives. But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.

>101 connie53: I finally acquired this 15 years ago and still haven't read it! It always sounds fun, and your review seems that way too, so to the top of the pile it goes.

>104 detailmuse: I really hope you like it too, MJ.

Hi Connie! I'm finally coming over to visit your thread.

I'm so sorry to hear about Peter. You have a beautiful bevy of granddaughters (but if you read Lonne's books, they don't count as ROOTs unless it's your own copy). What lovely news about Cyrille. I see you're off to a strong start with your ROOTs this year.

>106 humouress: thanks for visiting my thread. I will keep in mind to ask Lonne to make copies for me.

Finished The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods and the book gets

My review

I really like books with different timelines and this is such a book. It takes place in Dublin between 1921 and 1952 with the story of Opaline Carlisle and in the present with the story of Martha and Henry. With a beautiful supporting role for Mrs. Bowden.
The fact that it is about books and book stores is of course an extra layer for the book lover that I am and the touch of magic that lies over everything makes it complete.

Henry is an ambitious researcher. He tries to find rare first editions of famous classics. By chance he comes across a beautiful bookstore, but if he wants to visit it again a day later, the store has disappeared and there is only a narrow piece of bare land between 2 old buildings. There he meets Martha who found shelter and a job in the neighboring building as a housekeeper for Mrs. Bowden. The stories Henry tells makes Martha enthusiastic about such a search and she helps him find the classic books he is looking for when she has some free time.
In the past, Opaline is forced by her brother to a marriage with a totally unknown man and she flees for his revenge to London.

Henry remains convinced that there was a small bookstore between the house where Martha works and another building. The search for that store becomes a personal trip and search for their own paths and ending up where they should be and be who they really are.

What struck me was that I often wanted to browse back because it seemed that the same things happen to both Opaline and Henry and Martha. Then you start doubting yourself and I went looking again for where I had read that one piece of text earlier. Maybe I will read this book again. Because with the knowledge of now ...

Now reading Een eerlijke leugen by Tarryn Fisher

The blurb NOT my review

When Rainy reluctantly agrees to a girls' weekend in Vegas, she's prepared for an exhausting parade of shots and slot machines. But after a wild night, her friend Braithe doesn't come back to the hotel room. And then Rainy gets the text message, sent from Braithe's phone: someone has her. But Rainy is who they really want, and Rainy knows why. What follows is a twisted, shocking journey on the knife-edge of life and death. If she wants to save Braithe--and herself--the only way is to step back into the past

Finished Een eerlijk leugen by Tarryn Fisher and the book gets

My review

Book with two timelines. The 'then' in which Summer and her mother play the main roles. They get involved after the death of Summer's father in the cult of Taured. Taured is a charismatic man who warmly welcomes them, but gradually becomes more radical, he has children with various women and young girls. If he also separates the women and their children, Summer revolts.

Years later, Summer is a renowned artist in steel images and has found the love of her life in Grant. Together with him she lives at the top of a mountain where she has all the space for her art. The women of come together every week to have a drink and so Raine (Summer has now taken on the name of her mother: Lorraine, Raine for short) knows the women and their men. She can't get along with everyone, but she can let it go for one evening a week. If the women go to Las Vegas for a girl's weekend, Raine does not want to come along. She lived there in the desert with the Taured group. Eventually she lets herself be persuaded and hopes that she can stay in control of her memories.

At a certain moment in that weekend they Braithe, one of the women, goes missing. Raine gets an message from Braithe's mobile phone. But that is apparently not written by Braithe, but by someone else, forcing her to investigate and dive back into her past.

And then it is clear that Raine is no longer the gullible child, but a smart woman who can fight with intelligence and courage.

I found it exciting, but a bit confusing. Occasionally I had the idea that I had missed hints and I had to browse back to find out that they were not there, but just some new information. Also the fact that people who play a role in both story lines have sometimes accepted a new name. That takes a star away.

Now starting in Het meisje dat de wereld veranderde by Machiel Hoek

Original Dutch, the title translates into The girl who changed the world

The blurb NOT my review

Lisa is not that happy. She feels alone and it looks like the world is against her. If her grandfather hears this, he knows that the time has come to let her discover the secrets of life. Grandpa takes Lisa on a journey of discovery in which she is regularly confronted with her fears. Lisa is slowly thinking that something is wrong. Does Grandpa also carry a secret with him? The moment she finds out, everything changes. The girl that changed the world is a heart-warming story, in the genre of Alice in Wonderland, the world of Sofie and the alchemist and with a completely own style..

>111 connie53:

Finished this book and it gets

My review

At first I was enthusiastic about this book, but about halfway through it all felt a bit too, too much, too exaggerated and too unreal.
I don't see any 13-year-old girl being so wise and so quick to master and understand things.
There are certainly things in the story that makes you think about yourself and how you approach and process things. But, as I said, this was too much of everything.

Starting in Vermoorde onschuld by Angela Marsons

The blurb NOT my review

On a cold winter night, the body of a young sex worker and a baby are found and more victims soon follow. It turns out there is a serial killer who actively hunts vulnerable women. More and more sex workers are being found dead, each murder more gruesome than the last. While Kim and her team do everything they can to unmask the killer, a desperate woman reports to the station who has lost her newborn baby at the train station.

The two investigations lead the team into a terrifying world of human exploitation and cruelty. When secrets from Kim's past come to light during a confrontation, her own life is also in danger...

Bought due to a BB by Curioussquared

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

The blurb NOT my review

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore.
But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people. So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, muddle Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.
But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all...her own heart.

I love all your pictures! And your tickers give me some good ideas.

Lots of interesting reading so far - and thanks for posting the book blurbs as well as your reviews.

>114 connie53: I really liked this one! Hope you enjoy

>115 LisaMorr: Hi Lisa, Thanks for your visit. It is appreciated a lot.

I have to translate the reviews because I write them in Dutch. Google translate is not al that good with it's job sometimes, so I have to try and take the flaws and incorrect words out. But I guess its mostly clear what I mean to say.

>116 Caramellunacy: Thanks, CL. Now I have to find part two in the series too, of course.

>113 connie53: And finished this book and it gets

My review

As expected, this was an exciting book. Short chapters from the perspective of Kim Stone and Bryant interspersed with the team of Stacey Wood and Kevin Dawson. There are also pieces about the girls who became victims.
The short chapters are both an advantage, they speed up the story and you always get small pieces of information, and a disadvantage. You just don't read enough to put it all together exactly. There are hints, but the reader cannot do much with them. The story also often goes back to the earlier books of which I just didn't remember all the details.
It is a story about girls who end up in prostitution. About manipulation that means those girls can never get out of debt to their pimps. About illegal workers from Eastern Europe and how they are exploited. About the love of parents who are willing to give up everything to give their child a good future in a safe place.

I tried to read Shalimar the clown by Salman Rushdie, after 50 pages I pearl ruled it. I had no idea what I was reading and the sentences were endless. I felt anxious when I picked up the book, but wanted te persevere because my brother in law loaned it to me, thinking I would like it. I didn't.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Now reading Hartenstrijd by Tracy Rees - ROOT # 6

The blurb NOT my review

In their townhouse in Richmond, Blue and her family are as happy and as close as can be - well, on the surface at least.

But with the arrival of a young, destitute woman hoping to escape her abusive husband, they must finally confront the rifts that keep them apart. When they welcome Delphine into their home - and their hearts - they think it's for her benefit only. But what they don't realise is that she will bring them together in ways they never thought possible.

The blurb from the Dutch edition

1925, England.

Twenty-year-old Blue lives a wonderfully carefree life with her family in a wealthy neighborhood in London. At least, that's how it seems to the outside world. Blue's stepmother Midge struggles with enormous guilt but dares not tell anyone why. Blue is expected to find a husband, but she would much rather be a journalist.

She is in for a big surprise when her father makes a shocking announcement at her birthday party. He promises his daughter's hand in marriage to the man who writes the most beautiful love letter. Blue decides to take matters into her own hands and not play her father's game...

The last one says more about the book so far.

Today I had to go down town to pick up my new reading reading glasses and did some shopping while I was there. A pair of new shoes (really the same model I had that are now for gardening) and some underwear and t-shirts.

I took my kobo to for reading while having lunch in some restaurant. When I sit there on my own I like to have something to do. I don't feel very at ease on my own. So my kobo is my shield. I realized I had an unfinished book there that I started last year on the 5th of July. I had no trouble getting back into the story, to my great surprise.

So I have to mention it here as it is a ROOT by my rules this year.



The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

The blurb NOT my review

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina's homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God's bride, in the hopes that one day the "true bride" will be chosen and end the suffering. Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village and the beloved of Mina's older brother Joon may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong's stead. Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin as well as a motley crew of demons, gods, and spirits Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all. But she doesn't have much time: a human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking...

>120 connie53: Sounds like a good one!

Hi Connie I've always wanted to try Leigh Bardugo I think I'm convinced now Thank you.

My parents were from the Netherlands so it made me smile when I notiiced that's where you live, Visited many years ago.

The pictures of your family are quite charming!

so sorry to hear about your husband

>122 wimew111: Hi wimew, good to see you'r finding your way around LT and to my thread. Always nice to have visitors here.

Yes, I'm from the Netherlands. I was born in The Hague and moved to Roermond, Limburg when I was 10 years old because my dad got transferred there.
Thanks for all the compliments about my family.

And try Bardugo, she's worth it. All the books I've read so far are great.

>119 connie53: This book is finished and gets - ROOT #6

My review

A wonderful book just as I expect from Tracy Rees.
It is set in a year after WWI, in 1925, and covers that year from the summer in which the main character, Blue, turns 21 until her 22nd birthday.
Blue's family lives on an estate and Blue is a welcome guest at all kinds of parties in high society. Her father gives a speech and asks eligible men to write a love letter to Blue and that the person who writes the most beautiful letter will become Blue's fiancée after a year.
If the story is subsequently discussed in the newspaper, it is big news. Blue is shocked by what her father said, but she still receives a few letters from young men.
A lot of things happen in that year. Fun stuff but also a lot of drama. One of the storylines is about Delphine, a young woman who tries to escape her marriage and happens to end up in Richmond where she meets Blue and her sister Merrigan.
In my opinion the book could have been a bit shorter. Sometimes a little too much repetition and extensive descriptions of the environment. That costs half a star.
Fortunately, everything has a happy ending and I shed some tears again while reading the last pages

Finished The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh - ROOT # 7 - Forumchallenge # 9 - Foreign Fantasy # 1 -

My review

I really need to recover after reading this book. I really don't understand anymore how I was able to stop halfway through and put it aside for months.
It's beautiful. Beautifully written but simple. It's actually about family, forgiveness, hope, unconditional love and putting yourself aside to make others shine. The village where the main character Mina, a strong young woman, lives has been plagued by drought and storms for years, sometimes with excessive rain. The village therefore makes a sacrifice every year to appease the Sea God. The most beautiful girl in the village is sacrificed to the sea. This year it is Shim Cheong, Joon's lover, but his sister Mina can't let that happen and she jumps into the sea herself. When she arrives at the Sea God's underwater city, she has 30 days to find out what actually happened and try to solve it. I actually cried quite a bit at the end.

Now Reading.



Tree-book: Stromend graf by Robert Galbraith -BFB # 2

The blurb NOT my review

Private Detective Cormoran Strike is contacted by a worried father whose son, Will, has gone to join a religious cult in the depths of the Norfolk countryside.
The Universal Humanitarian Church is, on the surface, a peaceable organization that campaigns for a better world. Yet Strike discovers that beneath the surface there are deeply sinister undertones, and unexplained deaths.
In order to try to rescue Will, Strike's business partner, Robin Ellacott, decides to infiltrate the cult, and she travels to Norfolk to live incognito among its members. But in doing so, she is unprepared for the dangers that await her there or for the toll it will take on her. . .



E-book: The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier - Foreign Fantasy # 2

The blurb NOT my review

Bard. Warrior. Rebel. Eighteen-year-old Liobhan is a powerful singer and an expert whistle player. Her brother has a voice to melt the hardest heart and is a rare talent on the harp. But Liobhan's burning ambition is to join the elite warrior band on Swan Island. While she and her brother are competing for places in this band, they are asked to go undercover as travelling minstrels. For Swan Island trains both warriors and spies. Their mission is to find and retrieve a precious harp, an ancient symbol of kingship. If the harp is not played at the upcoming coronation, the heir will not be accepted and the kingdom will be thrown into turmoil. Faced with plotting courtiers, secretive druids, an insightful storyteller and a boorish Crown Prince, Liobhan soon realises an Otherworld power may be meddling in the affairs of the realm. When ambition clashes with conscience, Liobhan must make a bold decision - and the consequences may break her heart.

>126 connie53:
Juliet Marillier is a very good author. I am sure that you will enjoy this series.

>127 benitastrnad:. I know I have most of her books, certainly those who are translated into Dutch.

Okay, Something strange happened. Suddenly I found myself reading Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune and I discovered it was a re-read. I've read it in 2021 but did not remember a thing. It is such a lovely book and now I find myself wanting to read everything Klune has ever written.



The blurb NOT my review

Welcome to Charon's Crossing. The tea is hot, the scones are fresh, and the dead are just passing through. When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead. And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he's definitely dead. But even in death he's not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when Wallace is given one week to cross over, he sets about living a lifetime in seven days. Hilarious, haunting, and kind, Under the Whispering Door is an uplifting story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home.

Finished >129 connie53: and his book gets

My Review

How is it possible that I didn't remember that I had already read this book? No idea.
But this time I was really impressed by it. Mr. Klune is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers.
Wallace Pierce is a ruthless lawyer who lives to work. And that is all he does, until he suddenly dies of a heart attack and is picked up at his own funeral in the church by a young woman, Mei.
He can't believe he's dead, but he sees himself lying in a coffin at the front of the church. Mei is a Reaper, she collects the deceased souls and takes them to a place where they can get used to the idea and move on to the afterlife in their own time.
Wallace ends up in a tea shop in Charon Crossing run by Hugo Freeman, a young attractive man who is gay. Nelson, Hugo's grandfather, and Apollo, a dog, both deceased, also live in the house above the shop, but they did stick around to keep an eye on Hugo. Mei also lives there. Wallace gradually starts to get used to the idea that he is dead, but he also falls in love with Hugo and that is awkward because they cannot touch each other or cuddle or kiss. Wallace becomes more and more gentle in his ideas and he gets a new goal in is live. To help the dead to move on and become a Reaper himself
It's about trust, unconditional love, friendship and helpfulness. Very very nice book.

>129 connie53: That is something that happens increasingly often to me. Maybe it's because there are so many on my mental shelves clamouring for attention?

>131 MissWatson: That's probably what happens, Birgit. My head is full of bookthings.

>132 connie53: Yes, and some of them follow me in my dreams.

>133 MissWatson:. I hope nice things are following you. And not the nasty ones.

>134 connie53: Mostly good ones!

Finished Stromend graf by Robert Galbraith - BFB # 2 -

My review

Impressive book in which Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott investigate the Universal Humanitarian Church. Under the guise of being a religious community, it is actually a sect that carries out all kinds of illegal practices to make money, where the punishments are severe and where nothing and no one is actually what it seems to be.
Robin goes undercover in the largest residential center of the UHC in Norfolk. She must try to track down the son of their client Sir Colin Edensor, Will, and get him out of the center. She has to do all kinds of things there that she finds very unpleasant and scary. In the end she stays 4 months in the centre. While Cormoran is trying to find out as many things as possible and track down former members of the UHC on the outside.
Complicated story. I have a list of 119 people, with their mutual connections, who play a leading or a major supporting role and I have often consulted this to be able to place the people back in the story. It could easily be a 5 star book, but it was just a little too long in my opinion.

136 I'm glad you liked this one so much. I have let myself get 2 behind and hope to get up to date this year. They are good but so long!

Searching for a new tree-book I came across this one

Het geheime boek van Flora Lea door Patti Callahan Henry - ROOT # 10

The blurb NOT my review

1939: Fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora evacuate their London home for a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Living with the Aberdeen family in a charming stone cottage, Hazel distracts her young sister with a fairy tale about a magical land, a secret place they can escape to that is all their own: Whisperwood. But the unthinkable happens when Flora suddenly vanishes after playing near the banks of the River Thames. Shattered, Hazel blames herself for her sister's disappearance, carrying the guilt into adulthood.

Twenty years later, Hazel is back in London, ready to move on from her job at a cozy rare bookstore for a career at Sotheby's. With a cherished boyfriend and an upcoming Paris getaway, Hazel's future seems set. But her tidy life is turned upside down when she unwraps a package containing a picture book called Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Hazel never told a soul about the storybook world she created just for Flora. Could this book hold the secrets to Flora's disappearance? Could it be a sign that her beloved sister is still alive after all these years? Or is something sinister at play?

And a new e-book too

Damsel by Evelyn Skye - OB # 1 - 2024

The blurb NOT my review

Elodie never dreamed of a lavish palace or a handsome prince. Growing up in the famine-stricken realm of Inophe, her deepest wish was to help her people survive each winter. So when a representative from a rich, reclusive kingdom offers her family enough wealth to save Inophe in exchange for Elodie's hand in marriage, she accepts without hesitation. Swept away to the glistening kingdom of Aurea, Elodie is quickly taken in by the beauty of the realm--and of her betrothed, Prince Henry.
But as Elodie undertakes the rituals to become an Aurean princess, doubts prick at her mind as cracks in the kingdom's perfect veneer begin to show: A young woman who appears and vanishes from the castle tower. A parade of torches weaving through the mountains. Markings left behind in a mysterious "V." Too late, she discovers that Aurea's prosperity has been purchased at a heavy cost--each harvest season, the kingdom sacrifices its princesses to a hungry dragon. And Elodie is the next sacrifice. This ancient arrangement has persisted for centuries, leading hundreds of women to their deaths.
But the women who came before Elodie did not go quietly. Their blood pulses with power and memory, and their experiences hold the key to Elodie's survival. Forced to fight for her life, this damsel must use her wits to defeat a dragon, uncover Aurea's past, and save not only herself, but the future of her new kingdom as well.

>138 connie53: This one sounds really good!

>140 LisaMorr: If I'm finished I will post my review here. I'm now completely into Damsel

Damsel by Evelyn Skye is finished and gets

My review

Nice story about a young girl, Elodie, who is married off to Prince Henry, who is the ruler of Aurea, a fertile and prosperous island. Elodie is thrilled about her marriage. Henry is a handsome, charming and gallant prince. But her joy soon turns to despair when it turns out that, now that she is a princess, she is sacrificed to the dragon that also inhabits the island. Tradition has it that 3 princesses are given to the dragon every year. But Elodie is not stupid and she manages to escape the dragon and must find a way out of the labyrinth of caves and corridors inhabited by the dragon. Thanks to clues left in the walls of the caves by previous princesses, she eventually manages to escape. A bit of an average story, but the ending has a nice twist, so it ends a little differently than I expected.

Also on Netflix.

>138 connie53: Finished Het geheime boek van Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry - ROOT # 9 -

My review

When Hazel and Flora Lea Linden are put on a train by their mother at the beginning of WWII to be taken to a safe place outside London near Oxford, they do not know what adventure awaits them there. They are taken in by Bridie Aberdeen and her son Harry and feel at ease there. Hazel is 10 years older than Flora Lea and takes good care of her sister. She makes up a story to distract Flora and the sisters have a great time with new variations of the Whisperwood story. Then, in a moment of inattention, Flora disappears, never to be found again.
20 years later, Hazel works in a bookstore that specializes in old manuscripts and illustrations and while unpacking the new acquisitions she finds a story by an American writer that is surprisingly similar to her story about Whisperwood. Hazel investigates to find out how the story ended up in America and whether there is a link with her disappeared sister. Beautifully written, with sometimes a little too much repetition in the text.

It's national book-week in the Netherlands so I 'had' to buy some books to get the free gift book written by the family Chabot, (Father, Mother and 4 sons). A family with writers and comedians.

I bought



The book that wouldn't burn by Mark Lawrence

The blurb NOT my review

The boy has lived his whole life trapped within a book-choked chamber older than empires and larger than cities. The girl has spent hers in a tiny settlement out on the Dust, where nightmares stalk and no one goes. The world has never even noticed them. That's about to change. Their stories spiral around each other, across worlds and time. This is a tale of truth and lies and hearts, and the blurring of one into another. A journey on which knowledge erodes certainty and on which, though the pen may be mightier than the sword, blood will be spilled and cities burned.

And



Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

The blurb NOT my review

Eden, Kentucky, is just another dying, bad-luck town, known only for the legend of E. Starling, the reclusive nineteenth-century author and illustrator who wrote The Underland--and disappeared. Before she vanished, Starling House appeared. But everyone agrees that it's best to let the uncanny house--and its last lonely heir, Arthur Starling--go to rot. Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses or brooding men, but an unexpected job offer might be a chance to get her brother out of Eden. Too quickly, though, Starling House starts to feel dangerously like something she's never had: a home. As sinister forces converge on Starling House, Opal and Arthur are going to have to make a dire choice: to dig up the buried secrets of the past and confront their own fears, or let Eden be taken over by literal nightmares. If Opal wants a home, she'll have to fight for it.

BUT did not get the gift book!!! So I ordered two more

They will arrive on Thursday.

Finished The Holly King by Mark Stay - ROOT # 10 - Forumchallenge # 11 -

My review

Wonderful fourth part in the Woodville series. Back with Faye and Bertie, Mrs. Teach and Miss Charlotte. This time the village is attacked by the Holly King, one of two brothers who alternately rule over six months per year. But the Holly King is angry. He hasn't been seen for centuries and now he returns to find his forest gone and a village taking its place. He cannot tolerate that and he calls on the trees to take back their territory. As a result, the village is threatened. It's up to Faye to solve this.

Now reading >144 connie53: The book that wouldn't burn by Mark Lawrence as a tree-book ROOT # 11 - Foreign Fantasy # 4 - BFB # 3

and



The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier - E-book - Foreign Fantasy # 3

The blurb NOT my review

Bard. Warrior. Rebel. Eighteen-year-old Liobhan is a powerful singer and an expert whistle player. Her brother has a voice to melt the hardest heart and is a rare talent on the harp. But Liobhan's burning ambition is to join the elite warrior band on Swan Island. While she and her brother are competing for places in this band, they are asked to go undercover as travelling minstrels. For Swan Island trains both warriors and spies. Their mission is to find and retrieve a precious harp, an ancient symbol of kingship. If the harp is not played at the upcoming coronation, the heir will not be accepted and the kingdom will be thrown into turmoil. Faced with plotting courtiers, secretive druids, an insightful storyteller and a boorish Crown Prince, Liobhan soon realises an Otherworld power may be meddling in the affairs of the realm. When ambition clashes with conscience, Liobhan must make a bold decision - and the consequences may break her heart.

Finished The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier - Foreign Fantasy # 3 -

My review

What a great first part of this new series by Juliet Marillier. I have really enjoyed it. It has everything a fantasy book should have. Magic, faeries and a quest to solve. Liobhan, Brocc and Dau are brave young people who undertake this quest. As part of their training as warriors, they must return a stolen harp before the sun sets on the day of the Summer Solstice. This harp is used to proclaim the new king of the people of Breifne according to the ancient traditions of that people when they were still aware of the presence of the people of the faeries. Exciting and very well done.

Now choosing another book to read.

Now reading The book that wouldn't burn by Mark Lawrence



The blurb NOT my review

The boy has lived his whole life trapped within a book-choked chamber older than empires and larger than cities. The girl has spent hers in a tiny settlement out on the Dust, where nightmares stalk and no one goes. The world has never even noticed them. That's about to change. Their stories spiral around each other, across worlds and time. This is a tale of truth and lies and hearts, and the blurring of one into another. A journey on which knowledge erodes certainty and on which, though the pen may be mightier than the sword, blood will be spilled and cities burned.

Bought two more books I did not mention



De stille patiënt by Alex Michaelides

The blurb NOT my review

Alicia Berenson's life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London's most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word. Alicia's refusal to talk or give any kind of explanation turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the spotlight of the tabloids at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London. Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His search for the truth leads him down a terrifying path and threatens to consume him.

and



De hulp by Freida McFadden

The blurb NOT my review

"'Welcome to the family," Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I'll soon learn that the Winchesters' secrets are far more dangerous than my own...

Every day I clean the Winchesters' beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew's handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it's hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina's life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband. I only try on one of Nina's pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it's like. But she soon finds out... and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it's far too late. But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don't know who I really am. They don't know what I'm capable of..."

>149 connie53:
I have read Silent Patient and if you like psychological thrillers you will like this one. I think it is the best one of his books.

>151 benitastrnad: Good to hear, Benita.

Finished The book that Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence - ROOT # 11 - Foreign Fantasy # 4 - BFB # 3 -

My review

I had heard a lot of good things about this book and when it was chosen as the Foreign Fantasy book for April 2024 by my RL-reading-club that was a reason to start it. I read it in English and a difficult kind of English for me too. It took me quite a while to read it, but it was definitely worth it.
It is the story of Livira and Evar, a girl and a boy who have never met but are connected by a book. Their wanderings sometimes briefly bring them together. And every time that happens they are more impressed by each other. Then comes a war that could destroy everything.
I am mainly left with the feeling that wars have no good and no bad people. Only bad ideas from those in power that their people have to pay for.
The story could have been a little shorter for me, but the ending had very unexpected twists and I especially liked the last 150 pages. I can't wait for part 2.

>153 connie53: In the US at least, book 2 was just published.

>154 ReneeMarie:. I know, it's on my to buy-list, but I prefer a digital book because I can use the dictionary function on my Kobo for translating the difficult, new to me, words.