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. 📚📚
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.💙📚
Books read in August. Only two for #WITmonth I got distracted by other things. 😬
Eight overall. Stand out reads: The Woman in the Hall, The Lady Killer and The Sideways Life of Denny Voss. (Full list in alt text). 💙📚
Eight overall. Stand out reads: The Woman in the Hall, The Lady Killer and The Sideways Life of Denny Voss. (Full list in alt text). 💙📚
September 1, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Books read in August. Only two for #WITmonth I got distracted by other things. 😬
Eight overall. Stand out reads: The Woman in the Hall, The Lady Killer and The Sideways Life of Denny Voss. (Full list in alt text). 💙📚
Eight overall. Stand out reads: The Woman in the Hall, The Lady Killer and The Sideways Life of Denny Voss. (Full list in alt text). 💙📚
In 2018 I hosted a Muriel Spark centenary reading event on social media and my blog (which I'm no longer writing). I read so much Spark that year, and she quickly became a favourite writer. Strangely, it's taken until today, for me to finally get around to this novel, the last I had yet to read. 💙📚
August 30, 2025 at 4:02 PM
In 2018 I hosted a Muriel Spark centenary reading event on social media and my blog (which I'm no longer writing). I read so much Spark that year, and she quickly became a favourite writer. Strangely, it's taken until today, for me to finally get around to this novel, the last I had yet to read. 💙📚
My sister said, I must read The Sideways Life of Denny Voss. So, I am reading The Sideways Life of Denny Voss. (I know about the dog, I made her tell me). 💙📚
August 26, 2025 at 1:48 PM
My sister said, I must read The Sideways Life of Denny Voss. So, I am reading The Sideways Life of Denny Voss. (I know about the dog, I made her tell me). 💙📚