Natashawitch

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025

48th Read: Roman Blood by Steven Saylor

Despite the cat murder (happens early on, so not big spoiler), this is a compelling page-turner. The extensive research into 80BC Rome, murder mystery, and legal drama are well plotted with satisfying final twists.

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
💙📚
47th read: The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell

A gothic ghostly unsettling eerie tale. Each timeline was tense & fascinating. I liked that a mystery remained open to interpretation: was the source Hetta or the Companions?
+ Jasper's arc was perfect!

Absolutely class performance from our boys #COYBIG #IRLCAN #FIFAU17

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for '25
📚💙
46th Read:Fermat's Last Theorm by Simon Singh

What a story to stretch brain muscles!
Andrew Wiles' consuming dream to prove Fermat's Last Theorm -from Pythagoras to the 1600s to elegant number theory
A 358yr compelling quest by high level mathematicians

I only finished it an hour ago, and the twist (and how he led us there) has been going round and round my brain!

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
💙📚
45th Read:The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

Could not put this down. What a brilliant, devious, tense thriller. Mariana is a believable relatable haunted central character. The menace of Greek mythology is integral & atmospheric
+ the twist blew my mind!

The world is poorer this evening without Sr Stan.

If Pope Leo XIV is looking for a candidate for sainthood, here was a living saint who dedicated her life to the homeless.

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
📚💙
44th Read: The Haunting Season: Ghostly Tales for Long Winter Nights.👻

A perfect anthology for Seachtain na Samhain/Halloween Week. My favourites: chilling horror in The Chillingham Chair by Laura Purcell & Natasha Pulley's atmospheric The Eel Singers.

Happy Samhain. Have a spookily wonderful #Halloween and don't forget to leave a saucer of cream out for the Sidhe.

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
📚💙
43rd Read:Money by David McWilliams

A fascinating engaging look at history through the prism of money & finance. Really enjoyed the emergence of money in ancient times & the focus on historic figures, like Leonardo of Pisa, Talleyrand, & Roger Casement

Voted in the dark before 7.30am this morning on way to work. Thank goodness the clocks are going back this weekend and please goodness Catherine Connolly will be elected by then #aras25

Heather Humphres voted to seal the records of the Mother and Baby Homes.
Never forgot.

#rtept #Aras25

Heather Humphries is making me want to punch the telly. Turning off for the sake of my blood pressure. #aras25 #primetime

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
💙📚
42nd Read: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Such an enchanting read! I laughed. I rooted for the excellently written warm-hearted underdog characters. I cheered Linus and Arthur on. I appreciated the ending and was sorry when it was finished.

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
📚💙
41st Read: The Bingo Hall Detectives by Jonathan Whitelaw

A cosy crime read. Overall, it was enjoyable with a plot that was original within the genre and a few nice twists & turns before the murderer was revealed. However, Jason grated on my nerves!

Am only catching up now on the animal cruelty story about FG candidate for President, Heather Humphreys.

She sent a letter to the Dept of Agriculture, about a live legal case regarding ‘stomach churning’ animal cruelty, on behalf of the farmer involved. The case was then dropped.

The very minute I heard this, she lost even the chance of a number 3 being placed next to her name on my ballot paper

Just loved Ellie and Vito's waltz. So beautifully danced. #Strictly

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
📚💙
40th Read: How to Win A Grand Prix by Bernie Collins

As a F1 fan, this deep dive into behind the scenes of a grand prix team is fascinating. It has a factual writing style exploring the vital work done by the factory, engineers, mechanics & strategists

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
💙📚
39th Read: The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden

Simmering rage, loss, desire, fear, obsession . . . Isabel's neurodiversity is skillfully portrayed. Eva's struggles hit with a gut punch
A thrilling enthralling unnerving tense heart-rending vivid book.

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
💙📚
38th Read: Italian Fever by Valerie Martin

This did not know if it was a ghost story, a thriller, a holiday romance, or a mystery novel, and neither did I. While I enjoyed the Italian setting and liked Lucy, this was a rather odd and unsatisfying read.

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
📚💙
37th Read:A Brief History of Everyone who Ever Lived by Adam Rutherford

Human genetics, evolution, modern & ancient DNA, other homo-species, mutations, research, epigenetics: Fascinating, insightful & expansive this book lives up to its ambitious title

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
💙📚
36th Read: 10 minutes 38 seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak

I loved it! Fragrances, vivality, superstitions, love, diversity, struggles & extraordinariness of Türkiye. The minutes & day after Lelia's murder weave a rich satisfying tapestry

Reasons to replace your broken microwave

1: #tortitude
2: Gift of #CatBox
3: #Cat happiness
4: #Feline tribute

. . . somewhere around 100: Cooking things

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
💙📚 #booksky

35th Read: The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut

Brilliantly bonkers! Every page brought a wacky surprise. I laughed. My jaw dropped. A crazy tale of the randomness of the universe + the whims of the powerful. A wild & original ride!

Fab performance from #Ireland.
Had to watch on catch up because I was at work, but delighted to have seen such great play and six gorgeous tries. #COYGIG #Rugby #WorldCup

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
💙📚
34th Read:A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell

Extraordinary!
"The untold story of Virginia Hall, WW2's most dangerous spy" is a brilliant book. Her courage, ability, grit, spirit, survival & stunning achievements make a captivating impactful read

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
📚💙
33rd Read: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

I did not get along with this book. I found parts of it nonsense. Pidgin English being used for indigenous peoples felt icky
Tho I do see it is original & inventive + the stories' 2nd halves do complete a circle

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
📚💙
32nd Read:The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan

From awe-inspiring open, to intrigue & avarice for a rare flowering agave, to public fever of the King's visit, to wonderfully portrayed fascinating women; a compelling enchanting read set in 1822 Edinburgh

My #2025readingchallenge
52 #books for 2025
💙📚
31st Read The Swerve: How the Renaissance Began by Stephen Greenblatt

Fascinating history of the unlikely 1417 rediscovery of Lucretius' 1st Cent BC Epicurean poem by Poggio Bracciolini & how it helped open minds to a nonhuman-centric atomic universe