Ali Hope 📚📚
@heavenalibooks.bsky.social
Birmingham UK based book lover, former blogger, fan of 20th century women writers. Rheumatoid arthritis warrior. TV binger, jigsaw addict. Here mainly for the book talk. 📚📚
How wonderful is this!! Thank you so much @buriedinprint.bsky.social for sending me this. ❤️
November 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
How wonderful is this!! Thank you so much @buriedinprint.bsky.social for sending me this. ❤️
It seems my world weary soul needs certain kinds of 'nice' books at the moment. Having to try and not just read vintage middlebrow and golden age mystery. I'm craving them. However, I just started The Mingham Air by Elizabeth Fair. The last of her books I had to read. @deanstpress.bsky.social 💙📚
November 13, 2025 at 7:36 PM
It seems my world weary soul needs certain kinds of 'nice' books at the moment. Having to try and not just read vintage middlebrow and golden age mystery. I'm craving them. However, I just started The Mingham Air by Elizabeth Fair. The last of her books I had to read. @deanstpress.bsky.social 💙📚
The #Hiddenbooksgame is here. It's totally fiendish. After getting 5 in ten minutes, I feel I may be stuck for several hours now. @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social 💙📚
November 13, 2025 at 12:26 PM
The #Hiddenbooksgame is here. It's totally fiendish. After getting 5 in ten minutes, I feel I may be stuck for several hours now. @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social 💙📚
Last night, I started reading a book that I have had for ages. The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff. My goodness, it's sooooo charming. 😁 No idea why I hadn't read it before. 💙📚
November 11, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Last night, I started reading a book that I have had for ages. The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff. My goodness, it's sooooo charming. 😁 No idea why I hadn't read it before. 💙📚
Trying to get my book group book read for Monday evening. My First Murder by Leena Lehtolainen - I really need to commit to long reading periods, but it really isn't very good tbh. So get distracted by other things.Oh well, at 42%now. 💙📚
November 8, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Trying to get my book group book read for Monday evening. My First Murder by Leena Lehtolainen - I really need to commit to long reading periods, but it really isn't very good tbh. So get distracted by other things.Oh well, at 42%now. 💙📚
It's been quite a slow reading month. Moving upheaval had an impact. I still managed to read some good books. In addition I'm a third of the way through Lucy Carmichael by Margaret Kennedy on Kindle. That will go into November's pile. In the meantime here's my October reads. List in alt text. 💙📚
November 1, 2025 at 11:26 AM
It's been quite a slow reading month. Moving upheaval had an impact. I still managed to read some good books. In addition I'm a third of the way through Lucy Carmichael by Margaret Kennedy on Kindle. That will go into November's pile. In the meantime here's my October reads. List in alt text. 💙📚
Started reading Lucy Carmichael by Margaret Kennedy. I have previously read several of her novels, and this one seems to have been newly reissued. My version is the Kindle edition, but I do love this new cover art. 📚💙
October 29, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Started reading Lucy Carmichael by Margaret Kennedy. I have previously read several of her novels, and this one seems to have been newly reissued. My version is the Kindle edition, but I do love this new cover art. 📚💙
I moved to my new flat on Friday!
Already, my books and I are feeling very much at home!
Already, my books and I are feeling very much at home!
October 26, 2025 at 6:28 PM
I moved to my new flat on Friday!
Already, my books and I are feeling very much at home!
Already, my books and I are feeling very much at home!
I raced through that Patricia Wentworth novel for #1925club it was such a rollicking good page turner. I needed something in a similar vein (having a busy, exhausting week) so my second @deanstpress.bsky.social golden age mystery of the week is The Witness on the Roof by Annie Haynes. 💙📚
October 22, 2025 at 6:30 PM
I raced through that Patricia Wentworth novel for #1925club it was such a rollicking good page turner. I needed something in a similar vein (having a busy, exhausting week) so my second @deanstpress.bsky.social golden age mystery of the week is The Witness on the Roof by Annie Haynes. 💙📚
No blog posts from me these days, but I can still join in with the #1925club reading the entertaining The Black Cabinet by Patricia Wentworth. I can't remember if I have read her before, so I may have many to explore. 💙📚
October 20, 2025 at 11:52 AM
No blog posts from me these days, but I can still join in with the #1925club reading the entertaining The Black Cabinet by Patricia Wentworth. I can't remember if I have read her before, so I may have many to explore. 💙📚
I do so enjoy Penelope Lively's writing. Ten minutes ago, I finished Judgement Day which she published in 1980. I would highly recommend everything I have previously read by her too. 💙📚
October 19, 2025 at 11:56 AM
I do so enjoy Penelope Lively's writing. Ten minutes ago, I finished Judgement Day which she published in 1980. I would highly recommend everything I have previously read by her too. 💙📚
I'm currently reading Other People by Celia Dale. It's very good! I have loved everything I have read by her to date.
October 14, 2025 at 9:11 AM
I'm currently reading Other People by Celia Dale. It's very good! I have loved everything I have read by her to date.
The #celebritytraitors first episode absolutely over delivered.
Delighted that Celia Imrie is as sharp, fierce and twinkly eyed as I hoped and Nick Mohammed the utterly delightful human I knew he would be (big fan!) Alan Carr as a traitor will never not be hysterical. Even if he messes it up.
Delighted that Celia Imrie is as sharp, fierce and twinkly eyed as I hoped and Nick Mohammed the utterly delightful human I knew he would be (big fan!) Alan Carr as a traitor will never not be hysterical. Even if he messes it up.
October 9, 2025 at 4:39 PM
The #celebritytraitors first episode absolutely over delivered.
Delighted that Celia Imrie is as sharp, fierce and twinkly eyed as I hoped and Nick Mohammed the utterly delightful human I knew he would be (big fan!) Alan Carr as a traitor will never not be hysterical. Even if he messes it up.
Delighted that Celia Imrie is as sharp, fierce and twinkly eyed as I hoped and Nick Mohammed the utterly delightful human I knew he would be (big fan!) Alan Carr as a traitor will never not be hysterical. Even if he messes it up.
Me answering the door after 6pm in winter. #celebritytraitors
October 9, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Me answering the door after 6pm in winter. #celebritytraitors
Started reading: The Golden Apples by Eudora Welty. It's strongly atmospheric, with some gorgeous prose. 💙📚
October 5, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Started reading: The Golden Apples by Eudora Welty. It's strongly atmospheric, with some gorgeous prose. 💙📚
Started my next book group read last night. Night Swimmers by Roisin Maguire. It drew me right in. Set on the coast of Northern Ireland during the pandemic. 💙📚
October 2, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Started my next book group read last night. Night Swimmers by Roisin Maguire. It drew me right in. Set on the coast of Northern Ireland during the pandemic. 💙📚
My September reads: The Spring Begins and A Pink Front Door were my bookish highlights. 💙📚
October 2, 2025 at 8:57 AM
My September reads: The Spring Begins and A Pink Front Door were my bookish highlights. 💙📚
Ooh I do love an old-fashioned murder mystery packed with secrets, snobbery, and well-behaved police officers taking charge. This one has me hooked.
September 29, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Ooh I do love an old-fashioned murder mystery packed with secrets, snobbery, and well-behaved police officers taking charge. This one has me hooked.
I finished my second @deanstpress.bsky.social book of the month last night. Harlequin House is an entertaining Margery Sharp novel.
September 28, 2025 at 8:35 AM
I finished my second @deanstpress.bsky.social book of the month last night. Harlequin House is an entertaining Margery Sharp novel.
Now reading, an unusual memoir, first published in 1945. Days in the Caucasus by Banine. I had meant to read this during #Witmonth but got distracted by other things. 💙📚
September 18, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Now reading, an unusual memoir, first published in 1945. Days in the Caucasus by Banine. I had meant to read this during #Witmonth but got distracted by other things. 💙📚
I gave away a wardrobe and a small bookcase to the son of my sister's work colleague, who is setting up his first home. I got this in return. In my current mood, it feels like a pretty perfect exchange.🤯
September 18, 2025 at 6:08 PM
I gave away a wardrobe and a small bookcase to the son of my sister's work colleague, who is setting up his first home. I got this in return. In my current mood, it feels like a pretty perfect exchange.🤯
Started reading A Pink Front Door by Stella Gibbons last night. A pleasing array of characters and just the kind of narrative I need at the moment. Thank heavens for those @deanstpress.bsky.social I have waiting in my Kindle. 📚💙
September 14, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Started reading A Pink Front Door by Stella Gibbons last night. A pleasing array of characters and just the kind of narrative I need at the moment. Thank heavens for those @deanstpress.bsky.social I have waiting in my Kindle. 📚💙
My sister has been recommending books to me again. It's because of her, I downloaded Tell Me How This Ends by Jo Leevers. Not really my usual thing, but it seems readable enough. I certainly need good distractions at the moment. 💙📚
September 10, 2025 at 10:56 AM
My sister has been recommending books to me again. It's because of her, I downloaded Tell Me How This Ends by Jo Leevers. Not really my usual thing, but it seems readable enough. I certainly need good distractions at the moment. 💙📚
I'm trying to keep myself chilled with a nice book - The Spring Begins by Katherine Dunning and a nice jigsaw my mum passed on to me. Waiting to hear whether completion will happen this month. (Why is moving so hellish?). 💙📚
September 5, 2025 at 4:31 PM
I'm trying to keep myself chilled with a nice book - The Spring Begins by Katherine Dunning and a nice jigsaw my mum passed on to me. Waiting to hear whether completion will happen this month. (Why is moving so hellish?). 💙📚
Having read and enjoyed Tokyo Express and Inspector Imanishi Investigates, I had to get a copy of A Quiet Place by Seicho Matsumoto. I'm suitably intrigued so far.💙📚
September 2, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Having read and enjoyed Tokyo Express and Inspector Imanishi Investigates, I had to get a copy of A Quiet Place by Seicho Matsumoto. I'm suitably intrigued so far.💙📚