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Reposted by Cicero

The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 4h

On this day in 1847, Charlotte Bronte’s landmark novel "Jane Eyre" was first published. The book has always been immensely popular. 🧵 #BookSky #WriterSky #Rights #Women #BookHistory #OTD

"Jane Eyre" First Edition
Source: Abe Books (website)

A painted portrait of Charlotte Bronte, circa 1834
Artist: Branwell Bronte
Source: Wikimedia Commons

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 3h

Exit Party St John Mandel A complex enjoyable book. If you expect a book that begins at point A, tells a linear story, and ends at point B, you will be disappointed. Characters are fractured across time and setting, multiples of the same person yet each one being an individual. Loved it! #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 15h

I always feel like, someone is watching me.

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

Exit Party St John Mandel I am almost done and the complexity of this story impresses the hell out of me! I envision walls of post its with different colors of yarn linking characters, events, settings. A fascinating story that stretches one's mind. Ashamed that I thought it might be a DNF #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Exit Party Emily St. John Mandel I'm almost half way through. This is unlike anything I expected. I keep vacillating between DNF or keep on reading yet have found that I am intrigued at times. Any opinions or thoughts from other who might have read it? Am a die-hard SciFi lover. #booksky

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Reposted by Cicero

Libro.fm @libro.fm · 06/10/2026

It's a PRIME DAY to shop our Indie Bookshop Appreciation Sale, where every audiobook you purchase directly benefits your independent bookshop (versus a mega corporation). You don't have to be a member to shop, but members do take an additional 30% off. ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️

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Bookshop.org @bookshop.org · 05/10/2026

Join us in supporting banned and challenged books this #BannedBooksWeek 📚 Use code BBW26 to get 15% off select banned and challenged titles now through October 18. See the full list: bookshop.org/info/banned-... Expires 10/18/26. Discount off list prices, excludes ebooks.

bookshop.org

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Leviathan Wakes James Corey Audio or print? Print or audio? In this case, I'm listening to this fascinating SciFi novel. I consider audio to be on par with a physical book. Both grab the imagination and ability to create mental imagery and this book does not disappoint. Recommended! #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

#booksky Some Desperate Glory Emily Tesh When I began this book, I was disappointed. I thought it was going to be a fluff of a story. Wrong! I'm mortified by my initial reactions. Great characters and events. Loved the complexity. Highly recommended. One of my best reads. Hugo Award, 2024.

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Reposted by Cicero

Bookshop.org @bookshop.org · 24/09/2026

Join us in celebrating Latine Heritage Month by purchasing a new book written by a Latine author! 📚 From now through September 30, use code LHM26 and get 15% off select titles. See the full list of recommendations from booksellers at Latine-owned bookstores: bookshop.org/info/latine-...

bookshop.org

Latine Heritage Month

Join Bookshop.org in celebrating Latine Heritage Month Sept. 15 to Sept. 30. Purchase a new book by a Hispanic or Latin American author and receive 20% off at checkout with code: LHM25

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Norse Mythology Neil Gaiman A fantastic book and after reading, I had to listen to the audio as well. A great companion read is, The Witches Heart by Genevieve Gornichec. Mythology is such a great look at people's cultural beliefs, guidelines, and behavior constraints. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

There seems to be a rise in Preppers posting online, shopping for things that will help them survive an event, posting lists of items, etc What about books? You may have a tablet for ebooks but with no power? No internet? Why not put physical books in prepper lists? Have ideas? Suggestions? #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

The Incandescent, Tesh, Emily Late to finishing this Hugo nominated book. As a previous teacher and librarian, I was intrigued by the main character's actions. The middle of the story became predictable (ugh) but then the last few sections became quite unexpected. Glad I read it. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Ok, weird. Finishing morning tea and had a sudden thought about small towns and communities along Canadian border and possible connection to prohibition from the past. Possibly caffeine kicking in?

static.klipy.com

James Bond 007 Car Chase

ALT: James Bond 007 Car Chase

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Congratulations to Alix Harrow on her Hugo win for The Everlasting! Well deserved. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Anyone else thinking of stocking up on beef products before the "unknown meat" floods the stores?

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Was asked for a few recommendations of good reads so, it being Sunday and its hot out - I crafted a list. All opinion. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Grew up with Canada just a short boat ride away and where the Canadian dime worked in our school's ice cream vending machine.

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Ugh! There is a book I want to read and it is not available in the U.S. to buy or library. In this case, The Coral Bones, which wont be available until next year. So I thought I'd be cute, order from the UK, only to find shipping doubles the cost of the book. Patience is not my virtue. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

When There are Wolves Again E J Swift Excellent cli-fic about two characters alongside the loss and saving of nature, emotional investments in civil protest, loss and gain for future generations. Now I want to go out and put a pond in my backyard and let it go feral with wildflowers. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Five Ilona Bannister Unique layout of the story, excellent writing, and one of the best continual series of hooks I've ever come across. The foreshadowing of possibilities is stellar, and missed if one reads too quickly or skims past a character's behavior. Hard to put down. A must read! #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

When the world's news gets to be too much (depressing) on here and elsewhere, I find great enjoyment in trolling through the images posted: flowers, artwork, cats, landscapes, gardens, and so on. Sound silly?

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

That time of year when the hot water is cooler than the cold water. : /

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Strangers Belle Burden So unlike my normal reads! This memoir is about a marriage, its ending, and what happened afterward. It is a look at pain, self-esteem, discovery, and growth of a woman whose husband walks out with no explanation. Real names are used of immediate family. Interesting #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

The Boat of a Million Years Poul Anderson i read this so long ago and the story stayed with me so I am taking a moment (a long one) to revisit this classic. Well written and definitely unforgettable for me. Vaguely similar read: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Great read as well. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt Ben Reeves. My initial response is laden with profanity. As a student said, [This book] has all the feels." The author captured moments of life, of beauty that counteracts pain and ugliness; the foundation of this story and characters. Definite read #bluesky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Earth 7 is going to stay with me for awhile. A unique premise with an unexpected ending. What is worth saving? Not a space opera but highly recommended. On to Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurts by Ben Reeves, and so far, hard to put down. Can death bring one comfort? #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Almost done w/ Earth 7. A slim SciFi novel that is strangely intriguing. It seems to be several layers. Characters growth and changes? Effects of the depopulation of Earth? The search for a different form of existence? A unique book that dares the reader to question and take time reading. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

For fans of the new Star Trek on Paramount+, an ad on Instagram calls Captain Pike the Hair in the Chair. Love it!

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

I don't understand how butterflies can flit around, feeding on flowers and looking cute when it's 105+ outside! What do they know that we don't?

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

I finished Slow Gods by Claire North and all I can say is it is well worth the nominations for finalists (Locus) and short listed (Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction). Initially I did not give it a chance and it became a dnf. Silly me. Superb Space Opera, MIGHT surpass Arkady Martine's. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Some say preserving food is a dying art. I say it's a great way to stop waste and guarantee future food. We might need to learn how to do more of this. A friend gifted me a BUNCH of figs from her tree so I spent all morning making jam. A year supply of yum.

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Ever had one of those books that you start but then DNF it shortly after you begin because it just didn't grab you? But then you feel guilty, pick it up again and now you can't put it down. Yep. I'm ashamed to admit I fell into that trap. I didn't give it a chance. But now great book! #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Have problems with extending time exercising? Treadmill? Bicycle? I do! I found my dangling carrot in audio books and right now I'm listening to Empire of the Vampire. Imagine my surprise when I found I had 2.5 miles on the bike this morning, and I did not want to stop. VERY unlike me. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Rose Horowitch wrote an article for The Atlantic that should give one pause. "The Age of Reading is Over" She followed up with a letter, "America isn’t illiterate. It’s postliterate." Both are well worth reading. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Sometimes I resent getting up at 6 to work and water the garden in the heat. Then again, I love the early morning cacophony of bird song and talking with the locals, my companion, a Texas spiny lizard. From the looks of his belly grasshoppers might have been on the menu. He's been around for months!

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Please don't forget bees during this heat! Honeybees cool the hive by collecting water, distributing it throughout the comb, and fanning their wings to force evaporation. Use a small dish of water with rocks just above the surface so bees can reach the water safely. www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtMk...

youtube.com

Honeybees Fanning to Cool Hive

YouTube video by Brueggens Bees

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

We Burned so Bright by Klune Powerful emotions packed into this small book and a unique end of the world premise. I enjoyed that. Midway, it almost reads like a platform for ODD issues with young children, but then again, he is the author and can do whatever he damn well wants to do. : ) #booksky

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Global Museum @globalmuseum.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

This 1679 “Sabionari” Stradivarius is the only playable guitar by Antonio Stradivari left in this world.🤗 So take just a moment to hear a sound that’s well over 300 years old! @55SweetThing #globalmuseum #music #guitar #Stradivarius

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

A different genre is being recognized for its rising appropriateness in today's world. CliFi. Climate Fiction. Debuted in 2011 and includes books, poetry, and movies. 2 books I recommend: The Light Pirate -Brooks-Dalton The High House -Greengrass Both will make one think #bookskyCli-fi

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

The High House by Jessie Greengrass I just finished this book today and have no words (yet) to describe it. Maybe in a few days? The description on book sites do not do it justice. bookshop.org/p/books/the-... #booksky

bookshop.org

The High House: A Novel

A Novel

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Each year I plant some vegetables to eat during summer months but I really enjoy the varied reptiles and insect life that shares in my food. ...and that's just fine with me.

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Jon Batiste - a once in a multi-generational talent. I *love* his Freedom but this is pure mastery. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5YR...

youtube.com

Jon Batiste - Für Elise - Batiste (Official Music Video)

YouTube video by JonBatisteVEVO

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

There is nothing more annoying than reading a fantasy book set in a past (no tech) and the dialogue is made up of modern patterns of speech with today's slang. Really??? Sword fights, defending royalty, huge horses, and yet... today's vulgarities and slang? for me this is a definite DNF. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Was feeling nostalgic so had the movie Michael on (Travolta, angel,) while painting and this quote seems so appropriate at this time. Michael: Remember what John and Paul said. Frank Quinlan: The apostles? Michael: No, the Beatles. All you need is love www.imdb.com/title/tt0117...

imdb.com

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Nebula award winner: The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. Probably one of the most graphic, disturbing books I've read in quite awhile yet I could NOT put it down. Well written, excellent settting, and characters that breath. Sort of. Well deserving of this award. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

I'm hesitant to go too quickly through Ancillary Mercy by Leckie. It is the last book of three and the series is so good. I will miss it! It isn't just the fantastic writing but the narrator, Adjoa Andoh. Thank goodness she also narrates Leckie's new book Radiant Star. Sci Fi at its best. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

The summer heat is starting to set in which means less time outdoors to garden and relax. Reverse hibernation. However, my TBR stack is wobbling in anticipation. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Talk about a well written popular fantasy novel! That might sound like an oxymoron but gosh, I'm about a third of the way through and am still reading it. That's very out of my norm. #booksky

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Cicero @cjr109.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

At some point I lost my optimism about the US and its politics and have slid into the pessimistic doldrums of despondency. I need to spend more time standing amongst my flowers and marvel at the hordes of honey bees.

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