Virginia Woolf is making me laugh and shudder at the same time.

The title of this book is calling to me. It begs to be read in the middle of the night.

For NYRB Book Club discussion, this has been on my TBR awhile.

Another side of Brunetti is revealed at the end of this book, brought about by his frustrations at obtaining justice. I love these characters.

I miss Brunetti if I stay away too long.

For all the talk about realism in fiction, it is something special to step into a beautifully and intricately imagined fictional world. This is a very inventive novel about a family candy business narrated by a woman who knows all its secrets. I became immersed in Alice's world and learned a lot about the candy business, spend time with an array of interesting characters, and picked up some history about World War II and Madagascar along the way.

What better for post Valentine reading than a novel about candy?

This was enjoyable, cheerleader-type returns to small town after failures elsewhere. Lipman does everyday interactions well. Tender mother-daughter relationship. Nice bits about the floral and fly-fishing equipment businesses.

Elinor Lipman should be a nice change of pace from the Mantel.

Fantastic. Compelling story. Mantel's imagery is beautiful and original.

This sounds very different from Wolf Hall. The starting point reminds me a bit of the current film An Education.

I loved it. Now I'm going to have to read all her books. I love her dry sense of humor. Julia is a wonderfully complex character.

For Virago Modern Classics reading group.

This is my third Wolitzer. I've loved them all.

Wolitzer is so thoughtful and sympathetic to her characters, even Log Cabin Republicans.

Excited about starting this, supposedly very juicy.

The test to Guido and Paola's marriage made this one especially appealing

Good way to start the reading year - Guido and Paola.

Good way to end the reading year.