Though Covid19 is still around, we have not had a recurrence, thankfully. However, 2022 was not a good year for my reading mojo as it seems to have been in scarce supply in 2022. Hopefully it will be better this year and I already have one January bookbox out in 2023.

I have three passions (besides the DH and family);

gardening (when the weather allows);
reading (even more when the weather does not allow gardening!);
and our animals (any and all weathers).

I also enjoy walks in the country; good food and wine; evocative scents ranging from beautiful flowers or after-rain garden to ocean breeze or woodsmoke/bonfires; jewellery; artisan craft ~ especially wood and glass; and too many other things to mention in the woefully short amount of time I seem to have!

I am happy to swap for wishlist books from availables and/or TBR as funds allow. As I (along with most other Bookcrossers I know) seem to have a large TBR pile(s), I'm happy to quickly read a book from TBR if I can fit it in.
I also like the serendipity of RABCKs and NSS events. [Hint, I often find some of my 'wishes' whilst looking for NSS books, so do please check my lists.]
I was on RABCK dot com until it ceased, however, for anyone wanting to send me something as a surprise, please contact rainbow3 who holds my address at all times.
This is courtesy of the RABCK Address Contacts forum thread.

For NSS I like to receive : BC supplies (or wings!); scented t-lights; gardening supplies (plant ties, plant food, seeds etc.); and as can also be seen above, I am fond of most nature themes (particularly butterflies, dragonflies, cats and flowers) and I appreciate hand crafted items.
Sweetie choices : Preferably dark chocolate (Divine, Green & Blacks, Hotel Chocolat {specific fave is Tiddly Pot [dark]}) ; high cocoa milk chocolate ok too; like either nuts or fruit in chocolate (though not together!) – but preferably not Thorntons chocolate or white chocolate.
Books from my wishlist (up to date 6-2-23); Favourite genres : crime / mystery (not gory or horror); cosy mysteries; fiction and historical romance.

Please also note that some of the books on my shelf are from my DH who (not so) secretly shares my bookshelf and occasionally some specifically picked up for releasing by my sister (rainbow3) when she has no access to the internet, so my shelf does not accurately reflect my own reading. I also have a few books I have not managed to finish (rarely, but it does happen to us all) which are also listed.

My current Wish List is here on Bookcrossing (however, I do have a more involved list which is not on Bookcrossing but only on my flash drive! so it may be worth asking).

I am (normally) one of the "wingless" brigade, so there are things I cannot do, however, I do extensively use the Global Bookcrossing facility.
Wishlist was up to date 6 February 2023. I did check through the older books on the wishlist (which still seem to be around but mostly only in paperback format) in January 2023, so they are still included on the list.


Currently reading : Robert MacFarlane; The Wild Places (rr)
And : Chris Jagger; Talking to Myself (Loan)
And : Cal Flynn; Islands of Abandonment (Loan)
And :
And : Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; Americanah (Book Club recommend)
And : Dodie Smith; I Capture the Castle (Book Club) (Mar 2020 – June 2021 - virtual! due to Covid19)


Books read in 2023

Melanie Bacon; Dragon Ripper; March 2023
Mary Balogh; A Christmas Bride; February 2023
Mary Balogh; Christmas Beau; March 2023
Edited by Fanny Blake; A Fresh Start; March 2023 (Book Club)
Alana Clayton; The Phantom Husband; March 2023
Virginia Heath; Redeeming the Reclusive Earl; January 2023
Maureen Jennings; Except the Dying (Murdoch Mysteries); February 2023
Nina Kaye; One Night in Edinburgh; March 2023
Christy Lefteri; Songbirds; February 2023 (Book Club Secret Santa)
Ann Lethbridge; More than a Mistress; February 2023
Ann Lethbridge; The Rake's Inherited Courtesan; February 2023
Jane Lovering; A Cottage Full of Secrets; February 2023 (K)
Margaret McPhee; The Wicked Earl; January 2023
Gladys Mitchell; Murder in the Snow; March 2023
Kate Mosse; The Winter Ghosts; January 2023 (Book Club Loan)
Richard Osman; The Thursday Murder Club; March 2023 (Book Club Loan)
Richard Osman; The Man who Died Twice; March 2023 (Book Club Loan)
Adrian Spalding; The Reluctant Detective Under Pressure; February 2023 (K)
Jodi Taylor; A Batchelor Establishment; February 2023
Harriet Tyce; Blood Orange; January 2023
Martin Walker; Death in the Dordogne; January 2023


Book Rings / Rays / Boxes joined in 2022 / 23
A World of Crime Bookbox; Hosted by Plum-Crazy; joined 1/2/23
Mixed Fiction Bookbox; Hosted by Poodlesister; joined 29/10/22; arrived 23/3/23


Challenges joined in 2023

The 'The' Challenge : - 25 in the year (2 in January; 2 in February; n in March)
SIY#63 Jan to Mar 23 : - 8 from tbr; 5 unregistered; 5 from Book Club (8 from tbr; 4 unreg; 5 from Book Club)


Book Boxes started in 2022 / 23

Crime / Mystery Bookbox Round 7 started 28/1/23
Already Crossed Bookbox Round 4 started 2/9/22
Random Bookbox Round 5 started 23/7/22

Returned from 2022 and 2023:



Books read in 2022

Donna Andrews; The Hen of the Baskervilles; September 2022
Fredrik Backman; My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry; March 2022 (K)
Elizabeth Bailey; The Captain's Return; May 2022
M C Beaton; Death of a Hussy; February 2022
Brit Bennett; The Vanishing Half; December 2022 (Book Club)
Jennifer Blake; Rogues Salute; December 2022
Rhys Bowen; In Farleigh Field; February 2022 (K)
Rhys Bowen; The Tuscan Child; February 2022 (K)
Rhys Bowen; The Victory Garden; March 2022 (K)
Emily Brightwell; Mrs Jeffries Plays the Cook; June 2022
Frances Brody; Kate Shackleton's First Case; October 2022 (K)
Frances Brody; A Murder Inside; October 2022
Helen Brooks; Christmas at his Command; January 2022
Grace Burrowes; How to Catch a Duke; May 2022
Candace Camp; The Marriage Wager; March 2022
Mavis Cheek; Mrs Fytton's Country Life; April 2022 (Book Club Loan)
Marianne Cronin; The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot; January 2022 (Book Club)(K)
Carola Dunn; The Case of the Murdered Muckraker; February 2022 (rr)
Martin Edwards (edited by); Miraculous Mysteries; June 2022
Monica Ferris; Crewel World; March 2022
Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain; A Little Yuletide Murder; January 2022
Katie Flynn; A Mistletoe Kiss; November 2022
Lucy Foley; The Guest List; September 2022 (Book Club)
Nicci French; The Safe House; December 2022
Luz Gabas; Palm Trees in the Snow; June 2022 (K)
Mike Gayle; Brand New Friend; January 2022
Caroline Graham; Death in Disguise; May 2022
Elly Griffiths; The Crossing Places; January 2022
Tim Healey; The World's Greatest Crimes of Passion; November 2022
Anne Herries; Counterfeit Earl; April 2022
Helen Hoang; The Kiss Quotient; July 2022 (K)
Alice Hoffman; The Bookstore Sisters; October 2022 (K)
Faith Hogan; The Ladies Midnight Swimming Club; November 2022 (K) (Book Club recommend)
Ruth Hogan; Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel; September 2022
Richard Hull; Excellent Intentions; August 2022
Kazuo Ishiguro; Klara and the Sun; August 2022 (Book Club)
Anna Jacobs; Persons of Rank; May 2022
Chris Jagger; Talking to Myself; September 2022 (Loan)
Jane Johnson; The Sea Gate; September 2022
Rachel Joyce; Perfect (Book Club recommend) (K) *dnf
Linda Kavanagh; Still Waters; March 2022
Mary Beth Keane; Ask Again, Yes; April 2022 (Book Club)
Linda Kier; The Three Mrs Wrights; February 2022 (K)
Erin Kinsley; Found; March 2022 (K)
Edith Layton; False Angel; April 2022
Gayle Leeson; The Calamity Cafe; March 2022
Eva Leigh; My Fake Rake; April 2022
Laura Levine; Death of a Neighbourhood Scrooge; August 2022
Jo Lovett; The House Swap; June 2022 (K)
Torquil MacLeod; Meet Me in Malmo; October 2022 (K)
Christine Merrill; Regency Rogues - Disgraceful Secrets; May 2022
Anchee Min; The Last Empress; October 2022 (Book Club recommend)
Ada Moncrieff; Murder Most Festive; August 2022
Bob Mortimer; And Away; January 2022 (Book Club Loan)
Barbara Nadel; Last Rights; January 2022
Bella Osborne; The Library; February 2022 (K)
Delia Owens; Where the Crawdads Sing; July 2022 (Book Club)
Sharon Owens; The Tea House on Mulberry Street; January 2022
James Patterson & Jen McLaughlin; The McCullagh Inn in Maine; January 2022 (rr)
James Patterson and James O Born; Manhunt; June 2022
Janice Preston; Return of Scandal's Son; March 2022
Janice Preston; Saved by Scandal's Heir; March 2022
Hazel Prior; Away with the Penguins; July 2022 (K) (Book Club recommend)
Hazel Prior; Call of the Penguins; September 2022 (K) (Book Club recommend)
Eileen Putman; The Perfect Bride; April 2022
Hannah Reed; Mind Your Own Beeswax; July 2022
Kathy Reichs; Bones are Forever; May 2022
Nicholas Rhea; Heartbeat : Constable on the Prowl; January 2022
David Roberts; Sweet Poison; January 2022
Peter Robinson; Gallows View; October 2022 (Book Club loan)
Leila Sales; Tonight the Streets are Ours; March 2022
Sathnam Sanghera; The Boy with the Topknot; February 2022 (Book Club SS)
Margot Lee Shetterly; Hidden Figures; July 2022
Stephen Shieber; Being Normal; June 2022
Lemn Sissay; My Name is Why; May 2022 (Book Club)
Karin Slaughter; The Good Daughter; June 2022
Karin Slaughter; The Unremarkable Heart; June 2022
Adrian Spalding; The Reluctant Detective; May 2022 (K)
Adrian Spalding; The Reluctant Detective Goes South; June 2022 (K)
Dr H E Stanton; The Plus Factor *dnf
Jo Thomas; Finding Love at the Christmas Market; January 2022
Ann Turnbull; Mary Ann & Miss Mozart; November 2022
Mark Watson; Contacts; April 2022 (Book Club Loan)
Ashley Weaver; Death Wears a Mask; November 2022
Sophie Weston; Yesterday’s Mirror; January 2022


Book Rings / Rays / Boxes joined in 2022

Christmas Bookbox; Hosted by greenbadger; joined 1/11/22; (arrived 6/1/23; sent out 10/1/23)
Mixed Fiction Bookbox; Hosted by Poodlesister; joined 29/10/22
World of Crime Bookbox; Hosted by Plum-crazy; Joined 17/1/22 (arrived 20/4/22; sent out 16/5/22 (delayed by Covid))


Challenges joined in 2022

The 'The' Challenge : - 20 in the year (5 in January; 4 in February; 2 in March; 1 in April, 1 in May, 3 in June, 1 in July, 0 in August, 3 in September, 2 in October, 2 in November, 2 in December) Reached target in September!! so, over target.
SIY#62 Oct to Dec 22 : - 8 from tbr; 5 unregistered; 5 Book Club (3 from tbr; 5 unreg; 4 from Book Club )
SIY#61 July to Sept 22 : - 8 from tbr; 5 unregistered; 5 Book Club (7 from tbr; 3 unreg; 5 from Book Club )
SIY#60 Apr to June 22 : - 8 from tbr; 5 unregistered; 6 Book Club (8 from tbr; 4 unreg; 5 from Book Club)
SIY#59 Jan to Mar 22 : - 8 from tbr; 5 unregistered; 4 Book Club (8 from tbr; 5 unreg; 3 from Book Club)


Book Boxes started in 2022

Already Crossed Bookbox Round 4 started 2/9/22
Random Bookbox Round 5 started 23/7/22

Returned from 2021 (now all home) and 2022:
Crime / Mystery Bookbox Round 6 started 9/6/22; arrived home 16/12/22
Already Crossed Bookbox Round 3 started 1/Feb/22; arrived home 2/7/22
Random Bookbox Round 4 started 8/11/21; arrived home 16/6/22
Crime / Mystery Bookbox Round 5 started 2/11/21; arrived home 27/4/22
Already Crossed Bookbox Round 2 started Feb/21; restarted 7/21; arrived home 13/1/22
Cosy Mystery Bookbox Round 3 started Jan/21; arrived home 11/1/22 (but only because I delayed its return)


Books read in 2022 : 85
Books read in 2021 : 96
Books read in 2020 : 121
Books read in 2019 : 109
Books read in 2018 : 84
Books read in 2017 : 102
Books read in 2016 : 108
Books read in 2015 : 102
Books read in 2014 : 80
Books read in 2013 : 87
Books read in 2012 : 81
Books read in 2011 : 75
Books read in 2010 : 73
Books read in 2009 : 70
Books read in 2008 : 60

(I now keep all my previous reading lists in a personal spreadsheet).


My very first unconvention 2021.



And lastly,


visited 36 states (16%)
Books map of the World

chart.apis.google.com/chart?... width="440" height="220" >
visited 34 states (68%)
Books gone to these states of the USA

Both book maps last updated to December 2018 but these have obviously not been updated for a while.