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Flutterbies9

From Meare, Somerset United Kingdom
Age 123
Joined Friday, April 28, 2006
Recent Book Activity
Statistics
4 weeks all time
books registered 0 461
released in the wild 0 65
controlled releases 5 806
releases caught 0 25
controlled releases caught 5 773
books found 8 949
tell-a-friend referrals 0 14
new member referrals 0 0
forum posts 18 766
Extended Profile
Though the reading mojo scarcity curse of 2022 carried on (and was actually worse!) through 2023, I nonetheless carried out several personal challenges in the year and ran multiple bookboxes. Probably just as well or my totals may have hit a bigger dip! Sadly, as some family members can testify, Covid is still around, but we have been lucky and not had any recurrence, thankfully.

I have three passions (besides the DH and family);

gardening (when the weather allows);
reading (even more when the weather does not allow gardening!);
and our animals (any and all weathers).

I also enjoy walks in the country; good food and wine; evocative scents ranging from beautiful flowers or after-rain garden to ocean breeze or woodsmoke/bonfires; jewellery; artisan craft ~ especially wood and glass; and too many other things to mention in the woefully short amount of time I seem to have!

I am happy to swap for wishlist books from availables and/or TBR as funds allow. As I (along with most other Bookcrossers I know) seem to have a large TBR pile(s), I'm happy to quickly read a book from TBR if I can fit it in.
I also like the serendipity of RABCKs and NSS events. [Hint, I often find some of my 'wishes' whilst looking for NSS books, so do please check my lists.]
I was on RABCK dot com until it ceased, however, for anyone wanting to send me something as a surprise, please contact rainbow3 who holds my address at all times.
This is courtesy of the RABCK Address Contacts forum thread.

For NSS I like to receive : BC supplies (or wings!); scented t-lights; gardening supplies (plant ties, plant food, seeds etc.); and as can also be seen above, I am fond of most nature themes (particularly butterflies, dragonflies, cats and flowers) and I appreciate hand crafted items.
Sweetie choices : Preferably dark chocolate (Divine, Green & Blacks, Hotel Chocolat {specific fave is Tiddly Pot [dark]}) ; high cocoa milk chocolate ok too; like either nuts or fruit in chocolate (though not together!) – but preferably not Thorntons chocolate or white chocolate.
Books from my wishlist (up to date 6-2-23); Favourite genres : crime / mystery (not gory or horror); cosy mysteries; fiction and historical romance.

Please also note that some of the books on my shelf are from my DH who (not so) secretly shares my bookshelf and occasionally some specifically picked up for releasing by my sister (rainbow3) when she has no access to the internet, so my shelf does not accurately reflect my own reading. I also have a few books I have not managed to finish (rarely, but it does happen to us all) which are also listed.

My current Wish List is here on Bookcrossing (however, I do have a more involved list which is not on Bookcrossing but only on my flash drive! so it may be worth asking).

I am (normally) one of the "wingless" brigade, so there are things I cannot do, however, I do extensively use the Global Bookcrossing facility.
Wishlist was up to date 6 February 2023. I did check through the older books on the wishlist (which still seem to be around but mostly only in paperback format) in January 2023, so they are still included on the list.


Currently reading : Robert MacFarlane; The Wild Places (rr)
And : Martin Walker; Dark Vineyard
And :
And : Sebastian Barry; A Long Long Way
And : Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; Americanah (Book Club recommend)
And : Lucy Mangan; Bookworm (Book Club Loan)
And : Laura Dave; The Last Thing He Told Me (Book Club)
And : Michelle Zauner; Crying in H Mart (Mar 2020 – June 2021 - virtual! due to Covid19)


Books read in 2024

Candace Camp; The Bridal Quest; February 2024
Candace Camp; The Wedding Challenge; February 2024
Candace Camp; The Courtship Dance; February 2024
Anita Davison; Murder in the Bookshop; March 2024 (K)
L Du Garde Peach; Charles Dickens; January 2024
Celia Haddon; One Hundred Secret Thoughts Cats Have About Humans; January 2024
Sian O’Gorman; The Sandycove Sunset Swimmers; January 2024 (K)
Jenni Keer; No 23 Burlington Square; January 2024 (K)
Tom H Mackenzie; The Last Foundling; January 2024 (Book Club Secret Santa)
Sarah Morgan; The Christmas Book Club; January 2024 (K)
Michael Murpurgo; The Butterfly Lion; January 2024
Laura Pearson; The Last List of Mabel Beaumont; February 2024 (K)
Katie Piper; Beautiful; March 2024
Ian Rankin; The Rise; February 2024 (K)
Cheryl Strayed; Two Women Walk into a Bar; January 2024 (K)
Douglas Stuart; Shuggie Bain; February 2024 (dnf)


Book Rings / Rays / Boxes joined in 2023 / 24

Mixed Fiction Bookbox round 5; Hosted by Poodlesister; joined 22/1/24;
Non Fiction Bookbox round 6; Hosted by Poodlesister; joined 22/1/24; arrived 1/3/24; sent out 8/3/24


Challenges joined in 2024

The 'The' Challenge : - 25 in the year (4 in January; 5 in February; )
February readathon : Aim 15 hours, possible actual 17.5 hours. Success
January readathon : Aim 12 hours revised up to 15 hours, actual 19 hours. Success


Book Boxes started in 2023 / 24
Crime / Mystery Bookbox Round 10 started
Random Bookbox Round 8 started 31/1/24
Already Crossed Bookbox Round 6 started 21/10/23

Returned from 2023 and 2024:
Crime / Mystery Bookbox Round 9 started 11/23 arrived home 16/3/24
Random Bookbox Round 7 started 3/10/23 arrived home 13/1/24.


Books read in 2023

Sara Nisha Adams; The Reading List; April 2023 (K)
Akutagawa and others; Three Japanese Short Stories; April 2023
Malcolm Alexander; Close to Where the Heart Gives Out; September 2023 (Loan)
Donna Andrews; The Falcon Always Wings Twice; June 2023
Kate Atkinson; Festive Spirit; March 2023
Melanie Bacon; Dragon Ripper; March 2023
Mary Balogh; The Proposal; April 2023
Mary Balogh; A Christmas Bride; February 2023
Mary Balogh; Christmas Beau; March 2023
Elizabeth Beacon; The Governess Heiress; September 2023
Jo Beverley; Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed; May 2023
Edited by Fanny Blake; A Fresh Start; March 2023 (Book Club)
Rhys Bowen; Above the Bay of Angels; May 2023
S J Bennett; The Windsor Knot; April 2023
S J Bennett; A Three Dog Problem; October 2023
Julia Buckley; Death in a Budapest Butterfly; March 2023
Clare Chambers; The Editor's Wife; June 2023 (K)
Alana Clayton; The Phantom Husband; March 2023
Sophie Cousens; This Time Next Year; December 2023
Mark Douglas-Home; The Woman Who Walked into the Sea; December 2023
Mark Douglas-Home; The Malice of Waves; December 2023
Kiley Dunbar; The Borrow a Bookshop Holiday; September 2023
Ann Garvin; I Thought You Said This Would Work; November 2023 (K)
Mario Giordano; Auntie Poldi and the Fruits of the Lord; August 2023 (Book Club)
Virginia Heath; Redeeming the Reclusive Earl; January 2023
Hannah Hendy; An Unfortunate Christmas Murder; September 2023
Veronica Henry; Christmas at the Beach House; March 2023
Kate High; The Cat and the Corpse in the Old Barn; July 2023
Kate High; The Man who Vanished and the Dog who Waited; July 2023
Alice Hoffman; Magic Lessons; October 2023 (Book Club)
Gail Honeyman; Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine; August 2023
Peter James; The Perfect Murder; November 2023
P D James; The Mistletoe Murder; November 2023
Maureen Jennings; Except the Dying (Murdoch Mysteries); February 2023
Nina Kaye; One Night in Edinburgh; March 2023
Maggie Knox; The Holiday Swap; July 2023
Christy Lefteri; Songbirds; February 2023 (Book Club Secret Santa)
Ann Lethbridge; More than a Mistress; February 2023
Ann Lethbridge; The Rake's Inherited Courtesan; February 2023
Jane Lovering; A Cottage Full of Secrets; February 2023 (K)
Annie Lyons; Eudora Honeysett is Quite Well, Thank You; June 2023 (Book Club Loan)
G M Malliet; Death of a Cosy Writer; December 2023
Edward Marston; Under Attack; August 2023
Wilkie Martin; Inspector Hobbes and the Blood; August 2023 (K)
Wilkie Martin; Inspector Hobbes and the Curse; August 2023 (K)
Wilkie Martin; Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers; August 2023 (K)
Wilkie Martin; Inspector Hobbes and the Bones; September 2023 (K)
Carole Matthews; The Chocolate Lovers Christmas; December 2023
Margaret McPhee; The Wicked Earl; January 2023
Gladys Mitchell; Murder in the Snow; March 2023
Kate Mosse; The Winter Ghosts; January 2023 (Book Club Loan)
Mandy Morton; The Death of Downton Tabby; October 2023
Jojo Moyes; Night Music; November (Book Club Loan) (rr)
Shirley Rousseau Murphy; Cat under Fire; November 2023
Richard Osman; The Thursday Murder Club; March 2023 (Book Club Loan)
Richard Osman; The Man who Died Twice; March 2023 (Book Club Loan)
Richard Osman; The Bullet that Missed; October 2023 (Book Club Loan)
Published by Reed; North Island, An awakening land; April 2023
Jane Riley; The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock; July 2023 (K)
Riley Sager; Home Before Dark; September 2023 (Book Club) *dnf
Dodie Smith; I Capture the Castle; April 2023 (Book Club)
Adrian Spalding; The Reluctant Detective Under Pressure; February 2023 (K)
Nick Spalding; Going Green; December 2023 (K)
Cheryl Strayed; Wild; July 2023 (Book Club)
Jodi Taylor; A Batchelor Establishment; February 2023
Leo Tolstoy; War and Peace (excerpt); May 2023
Harriet Tyce; Blood Orange; January 2023
Martin Walker; Death in the Dordogne; January 2023
Michael Walters; The Shadow Walker; June 2023
Rachel Ward; The Missing Checkout Girl (aka The Cost of Living); April 2023 (K)
Rachel Ward; The Missing Pets Mystery (aka Dead Stock); May 2023 (K)
Rachel Ward; The Missing Babysitter Mystery (aka Expiry Date); May 2023 (K)
Ruth Ware; One by One; June 2023 (Book Club Loan)
Rebecca West; The Return of the Soldier; September 2023
Joss Wood; Confessions of a Christmasholic; December 2023 (K)
Various; Murder Under the Christmas Tree; November 2023


Book Rings / Rays / Boxes joined in 2022 / 23
Short Fiction Bookbox; Hosted by booktwitcher; joined 2/10/23; arrived 17/11/23; sent out 22/11/23
Christmas Bookbox; Hosted by greenbadger; joined 2/10/23; arrived 18/12/23 (sans id); sent out 21/12/23
Cat bookbox; Hosted by earthcaroleanne; joined 5/8/23; arrived 3/1/24; sent out 10/1/24
Mixed Fiction Bookbox round 4; Hosted by Poodlesister; joined 30/3/23; arrived 20/9/23; sent out 22/9/23
A World of Crime Bookbox; Hosted by Plum-Crazy; joined 1/2/23; arrived when on holiday at end of May; sent out 17/6/23
Mixed Fiction Bookbox round 3; Hosted by Poodlesister; joined 29/10/22; arrived 23/3/23; sent out 10/4/23


Challenges joined in 2023

The 'The' Challenge : - 25 in the year (2 in January; 2 in February; 3 in March; 4 in April; 2 in May; 3 in June; 4 in July; 1 in August; 2 in September; 2 in October; 2 in November; 3 in December) 30 in total, so over the original total!
SIY#66 Oct to Dec 23 : - 7 from tbr; 6 unregistered; 4 from Book Club (7 from tbr, 7 unreg; 4 from Book Club)
SIY#65 July to Sept 23 : - 7 from tbr; 6 unregistered; 4 from Book Club (7 from tbr, 8 unreg; 4 from Book Club) - Success!!
SIY#64 April to June 23 : - 8 from tbr; 7 unregistered; 4 from Book Club (6 from tbr; 6 unreg; 3 from Book Club)
SIY#63 Jan to Mar 23 : - 8 from tbr; 5 unregistered; 5 from Book Club (8+ from tbr; 5+ unreg; 5 from Book Club) - Success!!


Book Boxes started in 2022 / 23
Crime / Mystery Bookbox Round 9 started 11/23
Already Crossed Bookbox Round 6 started 21/10/23
Random Bookbox Round 7 started 3/10/23

Returned from 2022 and 2023:
Crime / Mystery Bookbox Round 8 started 7/23; arrived home 17/11/23
Already Crossed Bookbox Round 5 started 10/5/23; arrived home 12/10/23
Random Bookbox Round 6 started 2/5/23; arrived home 14/9/23
Crime / Mystery Bookbox Round 7 started 28/1/23; arrived home 12/ 7/23
Already Crossed Bookbox Round 4 started 2/9/22; arrived home 22/4/23
Random Bookbox Round 5 started 23/7/22; arrived home 28/3/23.


Books read in 2023 : 76
Books read in 2022 : 85
Books read in 2021 : 96
Books read in 2020 : 121
Books read in 2019 : 109
Books read in 2018 : 84
Books read in 2017 : 102
Books read in 2016 : 108
Books read in 2015 : 102
Books read in 2014 : 80
Books read in 2013 : 87
Books read in 2012 : 81
Books read in 2011 : 75
Books read in 2010 : 73
Books read in 2009 : 70
Books read in 2008 : 60

(I now keep all my previous reading lists in a personal spreadsheet).


My very first unconvention 2021.



And lastly,


visited 36 states (16%)
Books map of the World

chart.apis.google.com/chart?... width="440" height="220" >
visited 34 states (68%)
Books gone to these states of the USA

Both book maps last updated to December 2018 but these have obviously not been updated for a while.

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