Posting a week early so as not to bother you all on Christmas Day and make things easier for myself while I’m spending time in the States with family. My thanks, as always, go to Eleanor for her faithful participation in this monthly meme.
I spotted this “Happy Hour” library across from Saint Severin church in Paris.
Since last month:
READ
- Bodily Harm by Margaret Atwood
- Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood (on audiobook!)
- Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
- The Cancer Journals by Audre Lorde
CHECKED OUT, TO BE READ
- Stories for Christmas and the Festive Season (British Library anthology)
- Death Valley by Melissa Broder
- Thunderclap by Laura Cumming
- King by Jonathan Eig
- Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan
- Jungle House by Julianne Pachico
- Flight by Lynne Seger Strong
RETURNED UNREAD
- Water by John Boyne
- Barcode by Jordan Frith
- Orbital by Samantha Harvey
These were requested after me, or I missed my moment. I’ll try them again another time – for next year’s Novellas in November if not before.
What have you been reading or reviewing from the library recently?
Share a link to your own post in the comments. Feel free to use the above image. The hashtag is #LoveYourLibrary.
Bookish Beck = Rebecca Foster. American transplant to England. Freelance proofreader and book reviewer.
Bookish Beck 
I read Flight last November thinking it would make a great Christmas read. Have a lovely Christmas, Rebecca.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll start it as soon as I get back on the 24th. Looking forward to it. Happy Christmas! I’m sure Bath is gorgeous at this time of year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think the city was putting on a nightly light show when you were here a few years back. I can see that playing over the cathedral from our kitchen window! Happy Christmas to you, too.
LikeLike
Your library is just outstanding! I’m glad you also enjoyed the Knoll. I must get round to reading The Last House on Needless Street as it wouldn’t have occurred to me it had any intersection with the Knoll.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m impressed with the stock — it’s definitely improved in the years that I’ve been a user. It used to be that they had limited offerings, and you had to pay 50p for any reservation, even just from a branch within the system. My borrowing went way down during that period. I think it was a trial for a year and then they brought back free reservations.
I made that comparison for the plot point of a girl/young woman being taken from a lake shore in Washington state.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thunderclap is excellent and one of my favourite books of 2023. Happy Christmas!7
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hadn’t been drawn to the subject matter and wasn’t a big fan of On Chapel Sands, but I’ve heard so many good things about her new book. Happy Christmas to you too!
LikeLike
Bright Young Women impressed me so much!
Death Valley is on my TBR list.
Hope you have a great time with your family!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve read some great true crime-inspired novels this year. Broder is always so off-the-wall but intriguing.
I made a London bus gingerbread kit with my nephew the other day, and we’ve been watching a Christmas movie every night. The recent Grinch remake was actually really good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Merry Christmas Rebecca! Thanks for all the great book recommendations all year!
LikeLike
Thank you! Merry Christmas!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That British Library one is lovely. And Merry Christmas. 2024 is the year I’ll be reading ALL the books you’ve sent me that are still TBR!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a good goal 🙂 I hope it’s a pleasurable task rather than an obligation. Merry Christmas!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m looking forward to making the commitment and getting started!
LikeLike
There was a time in December when I had no library books. Can you BELIEVE it?! I asked Naomi if she knew what happened to a patron’s card when there were no items checked out, so concerned for its well being was I. In 2024, I’m going to remember when the last Monday of the month falls. (Easy to say now, isn’t it.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, an empty account. I can’t think when I last had one of them!
Coming up on the 29th this month 🙂
LikeLike
Close to twenty years for me, I’d say! Sheesh, now I wish I’d just nabbed a jigsaw off the shelf or something.
I placed some holds yesterday so soon I’ll be trekking through the record-breaking snow (falling now) to fetch them for #LoveYourLibrary.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We had snow flurries yesterday which left a nice little dusting, but I’d be game for a proper snowstorm!
LikeLike