The Smell of Ink/Lukten av Trykksverte

It's Wednesday and time for a new Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge post, courtesy of  Long and Short Reviews . The theme of the week was the non-fiction book everyone should read and why. My pick is The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. The main reason why I chose this one is because it gives some insight into what Jews and Jewish children had to endure during WWII, in addition to the tragic end of her life in Bergen-Belsen (although the latter isn't mentioned in the diary itself as she and her family got captured and the diary left behind in Holland).

It's Tuesday, which means it's time for another Top Ten Tuesday post, courtesy of  That Artsy Reader Girl . The theme of the week was favourite book quotes, either from books or book-related. As I've got so many favourites, this will be a random list of ten of my favourites. My picks are; "For as long as she could remember, she had thought that autumn air went well with books, that the two both somehow belonged with blankets, comfortable armchairs, and big cups of coffee or tea." (Katarina Bivald - The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommends) "I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." (Edgar Allan Poe) "A room without books is like a body without a soul." (Cicero) "Have you ever asked yourself, do monsters make war, or does war make monsters?" (Laini Taylor - Daughter of Smoke and Bone) "In the long run, the sharpest weapon of all is a kind and gentle spirit." (Anne Frank - The Diary of a Young Girl) “Fill your house with sta...

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the mystery novel The Royal Baths Murder (Yorkshire Murder Mysteries #4) by J.R. Ellis through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads A murdered crime writer. An idyllic Yorkshire town. Can DCI Oldroyd separate fact from fiction? A famous writer is found murdered at the Victorian baths in the Yorkshire town of Harrogate. In a crime worthy of one of his novels, Damian Penrose, who was appearing at the town’s crime writing festival, has been ruthlessly strangled. But with no trace of the murderer and no apparent means of escape, how did the killer simply vanish from the scene of the crime? There’s only one mind capable of unlocking this mystery: DCI Jim Oldroyd. But as he and his team quickly discover, while Penrose was popular with the reading public, he had made plenty of enemies. Feuds over money, accusations of plagiarism, a string of affairs…His route to the ...

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the crime novel The Country Inn Mystery by Faith Martin through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards, but I haven't published my review until now. Description from Goodreads Jenny Starling is working at The Spindlewood Inn for the weekend. It’s hosting a Regency Extravaganza, involving historical costume, amateur dramatics and food. Leading actress of the amateur dramatic society and reputed man-eater Rachel Norman portrays a doomed noblewoman. But when she turns up actually drowned in the pond, there’s suddenly a murder to investigate. There’s been plenty of trouble at the idyllic country inn. The performers weren’t a happy troupe, and Jenny discovers a simmering romantic tension. Who wanted Rachel dead and why? Jenny Starling is going to need all her wits to crack this complex case. This is the seventh in a series of enjoyable murder mysteries with a great cast of characters and baffling crimes which will keep yo...

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the cosy mystery Pies Before Guys (Pie Town Mystery #4) by Kirsten Weiss through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads Val's crime-solving club digs into a piping hot new case! A poetry slam at a bakery? Why not! Even though Pie Town proprietor Val Harris would rather be spending time with her newfound half-brother, she knows her employee Abril is beyond excited to be hosting the event. Especially since it stars the apple pie of Abril's eye, poet and professor Michael Starke. But the evening ends on a sour note when Professor Starke is found murdered mere moments after being accused of plagiarism. Just like that, Pie Town is at the center of another criminal inquiry. At Abril's request--and much to Detective Carmichael's consternation--Val and Charlene decide to investigate Starke's death. But the case is as tough as an overworked cr...

Earlier this year I recieved an ARC of the cosy mystery An Incantation of Cats (Witch Cats of Cambridge #2) by Clea Simon through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads The new novel in Clea Simon’s spellbinding Witch Cats of Cambridge series! When two new clients seek Becca’s professional services, the fledgling witch detective is overjoyed. Finally, she can use her skills to help her magical community. But as the young witch finds the new cases intertwining, things grow more complicated. Becca’s three cats – the ones with the real power – can smell something is wrong with these clients. But not even Clara, the calico, knows what to do when a man ends up dead and a powerful and poisonous root appears – and disappears – in the case. To make matters worse, Clara and her littermates are feuding – and she can’t tell them about an unsettling interaction she’s had with one of the client’s sisters. Is it possible that some hum...

Earlier this year I recieved an ARC of the memoir Faculty Brat: A Memoir of Abuse by Dominic Bucca through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads At the most prestigious preparatory schools in the United States, the children of educators are referred to as “faculty brats.” Though generally lacking the privilege of the institution’s wealthy students, faculty brats enjoy access to the school’s extensive grounds and facilities and are part of everyday campus life. Dominic Bucca’s art teacher mother married his music teacher stepfather twice, and the young boy wondered if the union might be twice as strong as a result. Instead, this faculty brat quickly discovered that the marriage was twice as flawed. When Dominic was nine years old, his stepfather began sexually abusing him in the faculty housing attached to the boys’ dorm his parents oversaw. Years later, he found escape by reaching out to his biological father, and lea...

It's Wednesday, which means it's time for a new Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge post, courtesy of  Long and Short Reviews . The theme of the week was favourite things to do in the autumn. Aside from snuggle under a blanket with a good book, I like to bake, do autumn-inspired crafts, knit, watch horror movies (or read horror novels), drink lots of coffee, cider and hot chocolate, do some photography of the beautiful autumn colours in nature, participate in NaNoWriMo and lots of other fun stuff. Also, if you want some more inspiration for fun activities during the autumn, feel free to check out  Fall Bucket List: 100 Things To Do In Fall  at the Uncustomary blog.

It's Tuesday, which means it's time for another Top Ten Tuesday, courtesy of  That Artsy Reader Girl . The theme of the week was books on my autumn 2020 TBR. My top ten list is highly influenced by the fact that I'm participating in the  #FrightFall  readathon this year. My picks are; Stoker's Wilde by Steven Hopstaken & Melissa Prusi Description from Goodreads Years before either becomes a literary legend, Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde must overcome their disdain for one another to battle the Black Bishop, a mysterious madman wielding supernatural forces to bend the British Empire to his will. With the help of a European vampire expert, a spirited actress and an American businessman, our heroes fight werewolves, vampires and the chains of Victorian morality. The fight will take them through dark forests in Ireland, the upper-class London theater world and Stonehenge, where Bram and Oscar must stop a vampire cult from opening the gates of Hell. Slash by Hunter S...

For en liten stund siden fikk jeg tilsendt et digitalt leseeksemplar av krimromanen Spindelvevet av Stig Ellingsen og Simen Ingemundsen. Jeg leste gjennom den kort tid etter og i dag kommer omtalen. Beskrivelse fra forlaget Skjønnheten Camilla Tungenes vokser opp i den vesle bygda Randaberg og blir oppdaget internasjonalt allerede som sekstenåring. Hun pryder forsidene av de prestisjefylte motemagasinene over hele verden i mange år. I voksen alder vender hun tilbake til hjembygda med sin nydelige tenåringsdatter. Hun er ikke klar over at et menneskelig udyr har ventet lenge i kulissene på en sjanse til en grusom hevn. En dag skjer det noe særdeles urovekkende i bygda og førstekriminalbetjent Bjørn Berner og hans betrodde medarbeidere kobles inn. Imidlertid viser det seg at saken blir mye mer omfattende enn Berner hadde forventet, og han blir direkte personlig involvert på verst tenkelige måte. Mine tanker om boka Spindelvevet var en helt grei start på en ny krim-serie med Randaberg so...

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the short story Everything My Mother Taught Me (Inheritance collection #1) by Alice Hoffman through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads In this haunting short story of loyalty and betrayal, a young woman in early 1900s Massachusetts discovers that in navigating her treacherous coming-of-age, she must find her voice first. For fatefully observant Adeline, growing up carries an ominous warning from her adulterous mother: don’t say a word. Adeline vows to never speak again. But that’s not her only secret. After her mother takes a housekeeping job at a lighthouse off the tip of Cape Ann, a local woman vanishes. The key to the mystery lies with Adeline, the silent witness. New York Times bestselling author of The Rules of Magic Alice Hoffman crafts a beautiful, heart-wrenching short story. Alice Hoffman’s Everything My Mother Taught Me is part of Inheritance, ...

Considering all the sad and tragic events this year, such as the murder of George Floyd, the harassment of Asian due to Covid-19, and now the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I decided reviving the Diversity Reading Challenge for next year. I’m not going to make any categories or levels for this challenge, as I want it to be a bit flexible. Read as many books as you feel like reading and yes, it can be children’s books, graphic novels, e-books, non-fiction, audio books, poetry and you-name-it. As it is a diversity reading challenge, it would be mean to exclude some types of reading materials, right? Now, what is diversity you might ask? What I mean by diversity is, but not limited to; People of colour/non-caucasian characters/authors Native Americans and other indigenous people LGBTQIA+ Authors or characters defining themselves as trans, intersex, genderfluid or similar Refugees Religious minorities Mental illnesses/disorders Neurodiversity (like ADD, Aspergers and autism) Feminist the...

Earlier this year I recieved an ARC of the cosy mystery In Cold Chamomile (A Tea and Read Mystery #3) by Joy Avon through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads Just in time for the holidays, In Cold Chamomile is sure to be a cupid's arrow aimed straight for your bookshelf. Tea party organizer Callie Aspen learns that Cupid's arrows can be deadly when a Valentine's Day soiree ends in murder. Callie Aspen can't think of a more appropriate place to spend Valentine's Day than her adopted hometown of Heart's Harbor, Maine. When she's not helping out at Book Tea, her great-aunt Iphy's vintage tearoom, Callie's adorning Haywood Hall with hearts and roses for the big Valentine's event, where townspeople will fall in love with sweet treats, heartwarming music, and delightful books. But tension is brewing: The librarian argues with the expert who is on hand to appraise precious volumes. And...

Earlier this year I recieved an ARC of the cosy mystery Much Ado about Nutmeg by Sarah Fox through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Netgalley Wedding bells are in the air—along with the aroma of maple syrup—in the latest Pancake House Mystery. But a series of murders threatens to spoil everyone’s appetite. . . Between tourist season, planning her beach wedding, and running her pancake house, the Flip Side, Marley McKinney is busier than ever. On top of that, one of her regulars is competing in Wildwood Cove’s Golden Oldies Games—a sporting event for athletes 50 and over—and Marley wants to cheer her on. Everything’s running as smooth as batter—until sports reporter Yvonne Pritchard stirs up a triple batch of trouble . . . Yvonne has one admirer in town—Ed Herman—but she has many more enemies, from a disgruntled coach to an athlete she once shamed on social media. So when a body washes up on shore, and it’s no accident, i...

A while ago I recieved an ARC of the poetry collection The She Book by Tanya Markul through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads The She Book is a collection of 114 poems, prose, and quotes written for you. Because this is your year to live the life of your dreams, to heal, to witness, to be the one who queens. Once a silent star in the sky, lost, alone and unnoticed, she began to dream her life awake. Crafting together the power of words and womanhood, writer Tanya Markul has written a completely unique poetry collection fit for the phenomenal readers of today. In Tanya's words, "May we raise the bar for how we live our lives. May we ridiculously increase the amount of peace, play, creativity, beauty, love, and joy in everything we do. May we all sip from the wisdom of our suffering. And awaken with the courage to share our stories that can heal our inner and outer worlds." My Thoughts on the Book...

It's Tuesday and time for a new Top Ten Tuesday post, courtesy of  That Artsy Reader Girl . The theme of the week was cover freebie, so I decided making a list of crime, mystery and thriller covers with moody nature. My picks are; Jernspøkelset by Ivar Aase Forliset by Frode Granhus Jenta uten hud (The Girl Without Skin) by Mads Peder Norbo Tracking Game by Margaret Mizushima The Nidderdale Murders by J. R. Ellis The Baby on the Back Porch by Lucia N. Davis Roanoke Ridge by J. J. Dupuis The Body in the Mist by Nick Louth Coffin Road by Peter May Frostgraven by Sonja Holterman

Earlier this year I recieved an ARC of the cosy mystery Death on the Page (Castle Bookshop Mystery #2) by Essie Lang through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Netgalley Essie Lang's second Castle Bookshop mystery is perfect for fans of Lorna Barrett and Vicki Delany. Thousand Islands bookstore owner Shelby Cox sleuths the slaying of a true-crime writer who may have learned too much about a murder case that should have stayed shut. There are a thousand stories in New York's scenic Thousand Islands, and Bayside Books co-owner Shelby Cox stocks them all. But lately, the Blye Island bookseller's life is more about investigation than inventory. True-crime writer Savannah Page caps off two successful signings at Bayside Books with a night in Blye Castle. She's there to research Joe Cabana, a colorful Prohibition-era mobster who owned the castle--until he was found dead in the island Grotto. But crime becomes all too...

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the cosy mystery Dead on the Vine (A Finn Family Farm Mystery #1) by Elle Brooke White through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads Perfect for fans of B. B. Haywood and Peg Cochran, Ellie B. White's whimsical series debut is full of farm fun, complete with a helpful teacup pig. Reluctant farmer Charlotte Finn needs the help of the livestock to sleuth a mysterious death. Charlotte Finn never wanted to inherit the family's produce farm--much less plow a heap of money into it. Her plan is to hammer a great big FOR SALE sign into the farm's fallow furrows--but Charlotte's sunny hopes of a quick sale succumb to a killing frost when she finds a dead body entwined supine in the tomato vines. The poor man, it seems, was run through...with a pitchfork? Now, Charlotte is stuck with running the farm in the midst of a murder investigation. Charlotte...

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the YA novel Avocado Bliss by Candace Robinson and Gerardo Delgadillo through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads Dacre Vinson has spent the majority of his life in quite the predicament—even the surf and his books can’t erase his Type 1 diabetes. But when Dacre’s family moves to a new Mexican town, an eccentric girl obsessed with trees offers him a job on the spot, leading to what could be the perfect distraction from his problems. Salbatora Tames has one true love, her avocado farm. Her family constantly nudges her to be more social, but Sal much prefers the dirt, the sun, and the solitude. Besides, trees listen better than people do. For Sal and Dacre, their job won’t stay easy breezy for long, not when an avocado delivery to Palenque, Mexico pops up on their radar. Together, they embark on a road trip across the jungle, where they form a tighter b...

It's Friday and time for a new Book Blogger Hop post, courtesy of  Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer . The question of the week was " Do you read books by authors from outside your country? Any book recommendations? Also, if non-US/UK, could you name one author/book from your country? ". Book Blogger Hop As Norway is a small country, it's inevitable that I read books by authors outside my own country. I also have a World Literature Project going on, trying to read one book from every country in the extent that it is possible. You can find the list  here  and there's plenty of good books on the list, as I've read roughly 110 books at the moment. As for my own country, Norway, feel free to check out the crime novel I Will Miss You Tomorrow by Heine Bakkeid.

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the cosy mystery Belinda Blake and the Birds of a Feather (Exotic Pet-Sitter #3) by Heather Day Gilbert through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads When exotic pet–sitter Belinda Blake starts pecking at the details of a suspicious accident in her sleepy hometown, she inadvertently digs up a murder case that won’t be solved without ruffling a few feathers . . . The moment Belinda arrives in Larches Corner, her Upstate New York hometown, she’s immediately recruited to care for a deceased friend’s flock of homing pigeons. But Belinda’s plans for a swift visit scatter after a local college student is mowed down in a malicious hit-and-run that has the whole town reeling. At first, the gruesome demise of Jackson Hait appears to be a random tragedy. But Belinda quickly uncovers connections to a tight-knit group of friends and a similar death three years earlier . . . one ...

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the biography Dr. Wangari Maathai Plants a Forest by Rebel Girls through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads From the world of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls comes the historical novel based on the life of Dr. Wangari Maathai, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist from Kenya. Wangari lives in a magical place in rural Kenya where the soil is rich for planting, the trees abundant, and the nearby pond full of mysterious creatures. She drinks from cool, clean streams and plays beneath her favorite fig tree under her mother’s watchful gaze. Then Wangari grows up and goes away to school, and things start changing at home. Farmers chop down the trees. Landslides bury the stream. The pond dries up. The soil becomes overworked, dry, and unusable for planting. And people go hungry. Dr. Wangari Maathai has a simple solution to all of these problems: plant trees...

It's Tuesday and time for a new Top Ten Tuesday post, courtesy of  That Artsy Reader Girl . The theme of the week was books for my younger self. My picks are; The Twistrose Key by Tone Almhjell Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi Small Spaces by Katherine Arden Monster on the Moors by J. M. Kelly The Witches of Willow Cove by Josh Roberts The Legend of Decimus Croome by Kevin Purdy Night School by C. J. Daugherty Fifteen Seconds of Normal by Alex Marestaing The Ghost Hunter's Daughter by Caroline Flarity