A Chatty Friday Reads and starting Gilead

[@binglamb2176]

At the mention of cleaning, I took an embarrassed look around my apartment, picked up a book and began to read. Tomorrow, yes definitely tomorrow I will tidy up!😂

[@booksimnotreading]

LOL! My house is turning into the setting for a Gothic novel! I hope you're reading something excellent. Have a great weekend! 💛

[@crypsid]

I want to thank you for initiating this Robinson readalong, I'm sure I would have gotten around to her some day, but I loved Gilead so much that imagining a stretch of time where I live in ignorance of it seems wretchedly impoverished. I started the book yesterday and absolutely struggled with putting it down before I was done; thank you for this experience. Your comment about it resembling poetry is spot on, every sentence seems crafted to perfection, and the whole thing just operates with such effortless verve that at times it's breathtaking to witness. I thought about writing something about it on discord, but it's still hard for me to come to grips with why it works so well, and honestly I can see myself rereading it many times in the future. I guess the titles of the next 3 books in the series make more sense to me now, excited to dive into them when the time comes!

[@booksimnotreading]

You read Gilead in a DAY???? Holy cow! Maybe you should be hosting this readalong. :) Thank you so much for participating and your beautiful comment. I hope to get a lot of reading done this weekend, but I'm a much slower reader. Definitely feel free to make a video. I'll also be making a video toward the end of the month. I'm so excited that you are participating! 💛

[@Ursulas_Odds_and_Sods]

It's always fun to discover a new bookstore, particularly used and indie bookstores. One of my dream jobs is working in (though preferably owning) an antiquarian bookstore. I'll be getting a lot of reading done this weekend, since it's snowing for the first time in a few years. I'm more than used to snow, since I lived so many decades in New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, but since snow happens so rarely in the South, people aren't equipped to deal with it and just close everything until they can get some plows to clear just a few inches of snow.

[@booksimnotreading]

Are you getting snow??? We are supposed to have a snowy weekend here, but I don't know. It's hardly snowed at all this winter. I can completely picture you as the owner of an antiquarian bookstore! Stay warm! 💛

[@MarilynMayaMendoza]

Hi Kelly, Foster was my favorite book of 2023. There’s also a movie that’s just as good as the book. It’s called the quiet girl. I recommend both highly. Happy new year, dear Kelly. Aloha

[@booksimnotreading]

Thanks so much, Marilyn! That's so exciting to hear! Happy New Year, Marilyn. Hugs from across the ocean. 💛

[@readwritecollage]

That MG sounds hilarious - I taught 6th - 8th English for a couple of years and I can just imagine how Hamlet would be. 😂😂😂 I started Gilead last week and I’m loving it. I actually had to make myself slow down, so I could savor it. It does have that poetry feel and that makes me want to just read it straight through, but I know I’ll miss too much. I already know this will be a reread kinda book. So happy you inspired me to pick it up.

[@booksimnotreading]

I'm so happy you're reading Gilead! I can't wait to hear what you think, and yes, it's definitely the kind of book that you know you'll want to return to. Hopefully you'll join in for the other books! Happy reading! 💛

[@gorvo31]

Happy Friday Kelly, Ah yes....the challenge of intentional book buying...even with gift cards...I have two that I'm putting off using still... 🙂Sweet deal for $5 and $10 there... Am interested especially in the Yellow Raft in Blue Water. Still reading what I was reading before, though finding myself on a Wallace Stevens detour as well...I knew he was good but holee smokes...am finding his stuff to be amazing! Hope you have a cozy and restful weekend. -Carm

[@booksimnotreading]

@@gorvo31 Thanks so much for watching and commenting, Carm! I don’t know that a hardcover that small should cost $20 retail price and that it’s a sweet deal for $10, but for free! I snatched that up fast. You have such self-control to hold on to your gift cards. 😃💛😻

[@Amysdustybookshelf]

Happy Friday! Sounds like you've found a great bookstore!

[@booksimnotreading]

@@Amysdustybookshelf Happy Friday, Amy! We’ll see! 💛

[@josmith5992]

Well now I’m intrigued what project Foster is for although I have a feeling it has something to do with March 😉. Hope you find some time to relax in the midst of cleaning Kelly! 💚

[@booksimnotreading]

😃

[@MyCozyLittleLibrary]

I picked up my copy of Gilead from the library today. Looking forward to reading it with you!

[@booksimnotreading]

@@MyCozyLittleLibrary Very exciting! I look forward to reading it with you! 💛

[@LaurieInTexas]

Foster is so good and I am so glad you found a copy. It does have kindness and it is also heartbreaking, but I loved it. I also started Gilead and this is a reread for me, but I really don't remember much about it. I'm finding the lack of chapters irritating even though I'm not very far along yet. Maybe that will stop bothering me, but I find it hard to decide where to stop for a reading break.

[@booksimnotreading]

@@LaurieInTexas I was thinking the SAME thing, Laurie! I wish Robinson would have given us a break and a little white space once in awhile. You must have been one of the people to recommend Claire Keegan to me. I’m really looking forward to reading her. Have a great weekend! 💛

[@erichoman7623]

I've loved everything I've read by Claire Keegan (there's not much and the books are slender). Happy reading (and cleaning).

[@booksimnotreading]

@@erichoman7623 Eric, that’s so great to hear! I’m really excited about my find. I hope to find more of her books in the future. Happy reading! I hope you don’t have to spend the weekend cleaning. 😃💛

[@AaronReadABook]

Yay Foster, I love that book so much (and the Irish language film The Quiet Girl) it is her best that I've read, lovely copy too! I haven't started Gilead yet, I will soon though.

[@booksimnotreading]

@@AaronReadABook I’m so happy so many people enjoy Keegan’s works. I would have never discovered her without Booktube. Happy reading, Aaron! 💛

[@marciajohansson769]

Hello Kelly, I started Gilead and at first I was struggling a bit... but I stuck with it and getting into it a bit more. I have not gone onto the discord to comment yet as I am not familiar with discord yet. I will try in a day or so. Hope you are doing well and enjoy your weekend ahead

[@booksimnotreading]

Marcia, did you send me a message on discord? I can't figure out how to find it if you did. And maybe I just dreamed that. I'm so happy you're reading Gilead. It makes me smile! Happy reading and have a lovely weekend! 💛

[@BradGaby-su5tm]

Do you agree that Taming of the Shrew was best when John Cleese played the lead?

[@booksimnotreading]

@@BradGaby-su5tm Is this a quiz?

[@Montie-Adkins]

Do you have anyone at work to talk about books with?

[@booksimnotreading]

Dude, why do you think I'm here? Although props to a few people at work who read but read completely different things than I do. What about you?💛

[@Montie-Adkins]

@@booksimnotreading I'm a delivery driver, all alone for the day so no. I don't have anyone to talk about books with. SO, like you, I booktube.

[@booksimnotreading]

@@Montie-Adkins So it's awesome that we are "here." 💛

[@stuartgriffin1001]

Please don't sweat being behind in replying to people. Do what you can. The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet sounds interesting.

[@booksimnotreading]

LOL! Thanks, Stuart! You are the best. 💛