Clare Riley
@clarer73.bsky.social
Book/ music/ theatre -lover, dog-devotee!
I read and review books to share the love!
Books from my shelf, the library, and NetGalley.
Chester, UK 🇬🇧
Instagram: @clares_little_book_obsession
Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/clarer
I read and review books to share the love!
Books from my shelf, the library, and NetGalley.
Chester, UK 🇬🇧
Instagram: @clares_little_book_obsession
Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/clarer
September stats - you can tell I'm back at work, because I've read fewer books and the amount of audiobooks have gone up. Highlights: Blood Surge by Dianna Hardy and Appointment in Paris by Jane Thynne. Lows: Levitation for Beginners by Suzannah Dunn. 💙📚 #booksky
October 1, 2025 at 10:12 AM
September stats - you can tell I'm back at work, because I've read fewer books and the amount of audiobooks have gone up. Highlights: Blood Surge by Dianna Hardy and Appointment in Paris by Jane Thynne. Lows: Levitation for Beginners by Suzannah Dunn. 💙📚 #booksky
I’m the 3rd stop on the blog tour for an Appointment in Paris by Jane Thynne. It’s an exciting, very enjoyable spy thriller, set in the weeks leading up to WW2. My thoughts are over on instagram.
@quercusbooks.bsky.social
💙📚🕵🏼 #booksky
www.instagram.com/share/BABuDX...
@quercusbooks.bsky.social
💙📚🕵🏼 #booksky
www.instagram.com/share/BABuDX...
September 17, 2025 at 1:40 PM
I’m the 3rd stop on the blog tour for an Appointment in Paris by Jane Thynne. It’s an exciting, very enjoyable spy thriller, set in the weeks leading up to WW2. My thoughts are over on instagram.
@quercusbooks.bsky.social
💙📚🕵🏼 #booksky
www.instagram.com/share/BABuDX...
@quercusbooks.bsky.social
💙📚🕵🏼 #booksky
www.instagram.com/share/BABuDX...
The summer is over and I’m back at work tomorrow. So this is all the reading I did over the summer. August was a particularly book-packed month - it was the summer holidays after all 🤷🏼♀️
I still have a way to go with the @thebookerprizes.com long list, so that’s a job for September!
💙📚
I still have a way to go with the @thebookerprizes.com long list, so that’s a job for September!
💙📚
September 1, 2025 at 8:13 PM
The summer is over and I’m back at work tomorrow. So this is all the reading I did over the summer. August was a particularly book-packed month - it was the summer holidays after all 🤷🏼♀️
I still have a way to go with the @thebookerprizes.com long list, so that’s a job for September!
💙📚
I still have a way to go with the @thebookerprizes.com long list, so that’s a job for September!
💙📚
I’m working my way through the @thebookerprizes.com long list - as many as I can get my hands on from the library and what was already on my kindle, thanks to NetGalley! Although @xigxaguk.bsky.social might be supplying a few in the near future…
I’ve read 2 so far…
💙📚🖋️
I’ve read 2 so far…
💙📚🖋️
August 11, 2025 at 3:45 PM
I’m working my way through the @thebookerprizes.com long list - as many as I can get my hands on from the library and what was already on my kindle, thanks to NetGalley! Although @xigxaguk.bsky.social might be supplying a few in the near future…
I’ve read 2 so far…
💙📚🖋️
I’ve read 2 so far…
💙📚🖋️
I participated in & completed a reading challenge on Instagram. Probably not in the way that I was expected to, but I’ve come to realise in my 52 yrs that I’m not great at joining in. At least not in the way I’m supposed to 🤷🏼♀️ Here’s the 12 books I’ve read this summer. See any you like?
💙📚
💙📚
August 11, 2025 at 3:43 PM
I participated in & completed a reading challenge on Instagram. Probably not in the way that I was expected to, but I’ve come to realise in my 52 yrs that I’m not great at joining in. At least not in the way I’m supposed to 🤷🏼♀️ Here’s the 12 books I’ve read this summer. See any you like?
💙📚
💙📚
I love a reading list! I have 5 of these to read (Love Forms, The Rest of Our Lives, The Land in Winter, Flesh & Seascraper), just ordered Universality & Audition from the library - let's see how far I can get before the shortlist announcement!
#Booksky 💙📚🖋
#Booksky 💙📚🖋
July 29, 2025 at 3:12 PM
I love a reading list! I have 5 of these to read (Love Forms, The Rest of Our Lives, The Land in Winter, Flesh & Seascraper), just ordered Universality & Audition from the library - let's see how far I can get before the shortlist announcement!
#Booksky 💙📚🖋
#Booksky 💙📚🖋
This evening, I saw Gordon Buchanan at my local @storyhouselive.bsky.social talking about his new book. A thoroughly lovely way to spend an evening with some great company.
My husband may* have already nabbed the book...
*he has. I have no idea when I'll get to read it now 🤷🏼♀️
#Booksky 📚💙💡🌱
My husband may* have already nabbed the book...
*he has. I have no idea when I'll get to read it now 🤷🏼♀️
#Booksky 📚💙💡🌱
June 3, 2025 at 8:18 PM
This evening, I saw Gordon Buchanan at my local @storyhouselive.bsky.social talking about his new book. A thoroughly lovely way to spend an evening with some great company.
My husband may* have already nabbed the book...
*he has. I have no idea when I'll get to read it now 🤷🏼♀️
#Booksky 📚💙💡🌱
My husband may* have already nabbed the book...
*he has. I have no idea when I'll get to read it now 🤷🏼♀️
#Booksky 📚💙💡🌱
It’s not been a bad month at all - lots of dog walking, as you can see from my stats (audiobooks)! As for the books themselves, the first batch are all my 5⭐️ reads, and the second are all 4⭐️.
#Booksky 📚💙
#Booksky 📚💙
June 2, 2025 at 7:10 AM
It’s not been a bad month at all - lots of dog walking, as you can see from my stats (audiobooks)! As for the books themselves, the first batch are all my 5⭐️ reads, and the second are all 4⭐️.
#Booksky 📚💙
#Booksky 📚💙
I found a lovely, new independent bookshop in Chester (UK!) yesterday. Of course, I couldn't leave empty handed.
Then had a walk around some of the city walls - still can't quite believe how beautiful it is here, and glad I moved to Chester 26 years ago this year!
#Booksky 💙📚
Then had a walk around some of the city walls - still can't quite believe how beautiful it is here, and glad I moved to Chester 26 years ago this year!
#Booksky 💙📚
April 28, 2025 at 8:40 AM
I found a lovely, new independent bookshop in Chester (UK!) yesterday. Of course, I couldn't leave empty handed.
Then had a walk around some of the city walls - still can't quite believe how beautiful it is here, and glad I moved to Chester 26 years ago this year!
#Booksky 💙📚
Then had a walk around some of the city walls - still can't quite believe how beautiful it is here, and glad I moved to Chester 26 years ago this year!
#Booksky 💙📚
So much for my attempt to stop buying audiobooks. The Audible sale has put a stop to that. I am guilty as charged...🙃 I do listen to a lot of audiobooks, though!
🎧📚💙
🎧📚💙
April 21, 2025 at 6:56 PM
So much for my attempt to stop buying audiobooks. The Audible sale has put a stop to that. I am guilty as charged...🙃 I do listen to a lot of audiobooks, though!
🎧📚💙
🎧📚💙
Next up in my attempt to read the @womensprize.bsky.social fiction longlist: The Artist by Lucy Steeds (it's the 4th I've read).
#Booksky 💙📚🖋
#Booksky 💙📚🖋
March 10, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Next up in my attempt to read the @womensprize.bsky.social fiction longlist: The Artist by Lucy Steeds (it's the 4th I've read).
#Booksky 💙📚🖋
#Booksky 💙📚🖋
1 of my 2 morbid fascinations (as in: love to read about them, but they scare me!) is cold, bleak, tundra - the Poles, I suppose (the other is space travel, fyi). This book isn't bleak - it's really hard in places - life must've been brutal - but beautiful descriptions throughout, 1/
February 22, 2025 at 8:35 AM
1 of my 2 morbid fascinations (as in: love to read about them, but they scare me!) is cold, bleak, tundra - the Poles, I suppose (the other is space travel, fyi). This book isn't bleak - it's really hard in places - life must've been brutal - but beautiful descriptions throughout, 1/
With all the shenanigans going on in the world, Braiding Sweetgrass was a rather lovely read to distract myself with over the last couple of days! Sadly, it has to go back to the library today 🙁
#Booksky 💙📚 🌱
#Booksky 💙📚 🌱
February 19, 2025 at 9:47 AM
With all the shenanigans going on in the world, Braiding Sweetgrass was a rather lovely read to distract myself with over the last couple of days! Sadly, it has to go back to the library today 🙁
#Booksky 💙📚 🌱
#Booksky 💙📚 🌱
Well this is a great way to start the day! The Queen of Fives by @alexhaybooks.bsky.social is pretty intriguing so far, and as usual, I'm all for the dodgy criminal character 🤷🏼♀️
@xigxaguk.bsky.social 💙📚⏳️ #Booksky
@xigxaguk.bsky.social 💙📚⏳️ #Booksky
February 7, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Well this is a great way to start the day! The Queen of Fives by @alexhaybooks.bsky.social is pretty intriguing so far, and as usual, I'm all for the dodgy criminal character 🤷🏼♀️
@xigxaguk.bsky.social 💙📚⏳️ #Booksky
@xigxaguk.bsky.social 💙📚⏳️ #Booksky
My reading wrap up for January:
February 1, 2025 at 8:26 AM
My reading wrap up for January:
I've just finished reading Calypso by @oliverklangmead.bsky.social - what an imaginative, beautifully written story! Written as poetry, reads like prose - a different style for each character. Stunning. It's going on the Keeper Shelf, that's for sure. Science fiction at its best.
January 16, 2025 at 10:04 PM
I've just finished reading Calypso by @oliverklangmead.bsky.social - what an imaginative, beautifully written story! Written as poetry, reads like prose - a different style for each character. Stunning. It's going on the Keeper Shelf, that's for sure. Science fiction at its best.
What You Are Looking for is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama is a rather lovely book. Interconnected short stories about people at a point where they need, have, or want change, and how their local librarian always seems to know just how to help them.
My first Christmas present read!
💙📚 #Booksky
My first Christmas present read!
💙📚 #Booksky
January 4, 2025 at 5:20 PM
What You Are Looking for is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama is a rather lovely book. Interconnected short stories about people at a point where they need, have, or want change, and how their local librarian always seems to know just how to help them.
My first Christmas present read!
💙📚 #Booksky
My first Christmas present read!
💙📚 #Booksky
I've just finished reading Susanna Clarke's VERY short story, The Wood at Midwinter. It's really lovely, a great read for this time of year. And the Afterword is what really makes it for me. Looks like she's a huge Kate Bush fan (like me!).
💙📚 #BookSky
💙📚 #BookSky
December 2, 2024 at 5:12 PM
I've just finished reading Susanna Clarke's VERY short story, The Wood at Midwinter. It's really lovely, a great read for this time of year. And the Afterword is what really makes it for me. Looks like she's a huge Kate Bush fan (like me!).
💙📚 #BookSky
💙📚 #BookSky
I'm sorry to hear that - I've pretty much decamped over here and to Threads now (just lurk a bit on X). Here's a photo of my two loons that always makes me smile:
October 21, 2023 at 10:13 AM
I'm sorry to hear that - I've pretty much decamped over here and to Threads now (just lurk a bit on X). Here's a photo of my two loons that always makes me smile:
Went to Storyhouse, Chester last night to see Adrian Edmondson, got a signed book, and my face ached from laughing. It was so touching when he spoke of his childhood and Rick. I can't wait to get started on the book, but obviously, it needs it's settling in period on the shelf... 💙📚
October 17, 2023 at 10:22 AM
Went to Storyhouse, Chester last night to see Adrian Edmondson, got a signed book, and my face ached from laughing. It was so touching when he spoke of his childhood and Rick. I can't wait to get started on the book, but obviously, it needs it's settling in period on the shelf... 💙📚
Hello! Well, it's all very calm on here, isn't it! I suppose my first post has to have a book in it. This is what I'm listening to at the moment (right now, in bed, on a sunday morning - bliss!)
Anyone else read or listened to The Glutton? I'm loving it!
Anyone else read or listened to The Glutton? I'm loving it!
October 15, 2023 at 9:07 AM
Hello! Well, it's all very calm on here, isn't it! I suppose my first post has to have a book in it. This is what I'm listening to at the moment (right now, in bed, on a sunday morning - bliss!)
Anyone else read or listened to The Glutton? I'm loving it!
Anyone else read or listened to The Glutton? I'm loving it!