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Thomas wrote: "I want to create a review of my 2023 books, but I don't know how, Can anyone guide me through the process?
Thanks"

Thomas, when I click on my profile - at the top on the right goodreads has provided a list of my 2023 reads that I can click on.

not sure if this is what you want, but that's all I know.

Thomas wrote: "I want to create a review of my 2023 books, but I don't know how, Can anyone guide me through the process?
Thanks"

Try LINK HERE Thomas.

Bionic Jean wrote: "Thomas wrote: "I want to create a review of my 2023 books, but I don't know how, Can anyone guide me through the process?
Thanks"

Try LINK HERE Thomas."

Thank you Jean. Here is my 2023 review /review/show...

wow, another thing I didn't know about!

Is this what you were after Thomas?
/user_challe...

Ruth wrote: "Is this what you were after Thomas?
/user_challe..."
Jean's link worked for me

Hi all,
You'll have noticed that our next group read for sunny July (summer for many of us!) is Agatha Christie's Evil Under the Sun.

Whenever we have a book by Agatha Christie nominated I have such mixed feelings, as invariably it will win the poll. In fact I was so sure of this that I ordered the audio book in good time, ready!

But they are after all the core of our reading, and always enjoyed. Last time we had a poll of all the others for the next golden age read, and I propose we do that again, with the three runners up. Since the voting was evenly spaced between them, any would make a good group read; there was no "dud" 😊

Is this OK for everyone?

Sounds good!

Bionic Jean wrote: "Hi all,
You'll have noticed that our next group read for sunny July (summer for many of us!) is Agatha Christie's Evil Under the Sun.

Whenever we have a book by [autho..."

Yes...I'm in.

Bionic Jean wrote: "...Last time we had a poll of all the others for the next golden age read, and I propose we do that again, with the three runners up. ..."

That sounds a good plan.

Dorothy wrote: "Bionic Jean wrote: "Hi all,
You'll have noticed that our next group read for sunny July (summer for many of us!) is Agatha Christie's Evil Under the Sun.

Whenever we h..."

eek! I forgot to order this from the Library. Just remedied that and will start this weekend.
While thinking of Agatha Christie, I just watched the movie version of 'Death on the Nile'. Star studded cast and very enjoyable even though Branagh's ego dominates.

That's great Dorothy! We have all month 😊

I have to confess I don't really like the Kenneth Branagh Poirots, probably for the same reason as you. Also the camerawork seems very odd - we are on the rafters sometimes looking down on people's heads 😂

Just to remind everyone that there is no need for a nominations thread this month, as our poll is made up of the runners-up from when the Queen of Crime Agatha Christie won the golden age poll.

So the poll to decide our book for September is set, but we can't vote until 7th, as usual 😊

Changes to ŷ������ Notification Settings

ŷ������ has once again "simplified" the site, so that certain options no longer exist.

The most obvious one for me was that the notifications by email is no longer available. Nor can you edit various groups you are in differently. There are others, which may apply to you.

If you have not noticed anything yet, they do seem to be staggering it. My emails stopped 3 days ago, but the announcement was on 20th. If you go into "edit your profile" you can follow the screens from the top banner, or

Please note that I'm just passing this on, and have no more information.

thank you, Jean, appreciate the info.

Bionic Jean wrote: "Changes to ŷ������ Notification Settings

ŷ������ has once again "simplified" the site, so that certain options no longer exist.

The most obvious one for me was that the notifications by email..."
I believe the "simplifying " is downsizing. The less interactions allowed, the less we are needing tending to. The downsizing began with the Feedback Group. And continues on. Chipping away.
Money.

Jaye, I can't say I understand exactly but I know it isn't good.

and, already, this place isn't anywhere near as useful/pleasant/user friendly as it could be.

Because there are no longer any GR emails, I know I will miss some comments. I used to get about 200 emails a day, but I could tell what each one was, and deal with it. (Yesterday it was just 11, including one "left over" from a GR thread.) The "Notifications" bell, or looking at the little red numbers on each group is just not as easy. And I hate to think what will happen when people are no longer notified by emails of the group reads.

Bionic Jean wrote: "Because there are no longer any GR emails, I know I will miss some comments. I used to get about 200 emails a day, but I could tell what each one was, and deal with it. (Yesterday it was just 11, i..."

Over time, I've noticed the notifications bell goes out of order randomly, without notice. I've resorted to checking the little red numbers.

I didn’t even consider that there won’t be notice of group reads. Oh the lists I will have to keep…I already do but I lose them in piles of paper!

I guess they may put back one or two ... I remember that one cutback they made meant that moderators couldn't send group messages, as you could only message your friends! They altered that, but usually once it's gone it's gone 🥹

Some of their moves defy logic.

I have always used the notifications here to keep track but it does feel much different since the emails went away.
Like people have stopped posting? or much less?

Jackie wrote: "I have always used the notifications here to keep track but it does feel much different since the emails went away.
Like people have stopped posting? or much less?"

I never used emails. Maybe it's the mods who depend on them. Notifications have never been dependable though.

Sorry about my recent absence! From a bit before 10:00 a.m. on Friday until a little before 5:00 p.m. yesterday, both my home and the BU library were without electrical power, because of a widespread power outage in this area caused by the disastrous windstorms accompanying Hurricane Helene. My family and I didn't suffer any injuries or property damage (just inconvenience). My thoughts and prayers are with all of those in the hurricane-hit and affected areas, especially those who are injured or missing, or who have lost loved ones!

Werner wrote: "Sorry about my recent absence! From a bit before 10:00 a.m. on Friday until a little before 5:00 p.m. yesterday, both my home and the BU library were without electrical power, because of a widespre..."

I am glad that you are safe.

I just returned to ŷ������ Groups a couple of days ago after being away for a year because I needed to take care of some personal matters. I was immediately confused by the lack of email Notifications, and asked about it in another group, where I was assured that the changes are creating plenty of confusion for everyone, not just me! I see here that is the case. 🙂

I always was in the habit of cherry-picking the threads I wanted to follow by clicking “Notify me when people comment��, because I found that getting everything was Just Too Much. Nonetheless, it seems that a massive alteration such as what is happening is bound to create chaos.

Good to have you back, Patrick!

^ Thank you kindly!

Werner wrote: "Sorry about my recent absence! From a bit before 10:00 a.m. on Friday until a little before 5:00 p.m. yesterday, both my home and the BU library were without electrical power, because of a widespre..."

Werner, I'm also glad to know you are safe. I know many in North Carolina who were affected as well.

Fun story: I recently (June) adopted a pair of bonded kittens, boy and girl, from the local government animal agency here in Tlaxcala, Bienestar Animal. I became aware of the agency when they had their weekly Friday adoption fair in the parking lot at the local Wal-Mart, and I happened to be passing through. I didn’t take any animals that day, but I visited their facility the following week. They always have plenty of vaccinated and vet-reviewed animals available, and when they showed me this pair of two-month-old gray-and-white kittens which they didn’t want to separate, I was a goner. Subsequent sterilizations are free - indeed, any animal you bring in on a Monday morning, they will sterilize on the spot - so I returned for that in August, and they both came through it very well. 

I named them Tom and Sophie (Mexican versions Tomás and Sofía) after Tom Jones, in Henry Fielding’s 18th Century novel of the same name, and his sweetheart Sophia Western. Also thinking of Beatrix Potter’s Tom Kitten. I was tempting fate with the naming of Tom, and sure enough, he takes after both his namesakes and is a charming scamp and a rogue, with an ability to get into trouble that I haven’t experienced since my orange tabby Lucy was young. Tom will climb to the highest shelf and promptly knock everything down. He also has massive zoomie energy. Sophie joins in with him, but on her own she is much more demure - again, exactly like her namesake. 

So the count is now 12, four dogs and eight indoor cats, Lord help me. But actually the care is not difficult at all. What takes a bit more energy on my part is to be emotionally available to all of them. 

Thanks, Thomas and Kelly (messages 776 and 780)! Sorry to be slow in responding; speaking of the discontinued notifications, I wasn't notified of your posts. :-(

Good for you Patrick 👏 - and welcome back! The lack of GR notifications is slowly driving me spare ...

The most pets I've had at one time has been 5 cats (2 rescued plus 3 from a friend who died) which was tricky as the two groups did not get on, plus one dog, and ... 20 guinea pigs! A rescue centre kept contacting me and I couldn't say no. And yes, they were all inside, because of the foxes, though they kept the grass down nicely, munching during the day 😁

I understand completely what you mean about "be[ing] emotionally available to all of them". Guinea pigs are just as much individuals as any other pets, and just as much missed when they go. 😢

Bionic Jean wrote: "Good for you Patrick 👏 - and welcome back! The lack of GR notifications is slowly driving me spare ...

The most pets I've had at one time has been 5 cats (2 rescued plus 3 from a friend who died)..."

Thank you for the kind welcome!

Mixing cats can be complicated. I had a two-against-one issue of that kind for a while, had to use doors to keep them separate, but fortunately that has all smoothed out now and they are agreeable to each other. Patience on my part really helped!

I have never had a cat vs. dog problem, not ever. In fact, I have had both cats and dogs who loved the other species generally, and none who couldn’t get along with the other.

I had heard that guinea pigs make good lawn mowers!

They do indeed Patrick! And they look very cute while doing it. I had various covered runs (to protect them from the cats) which I used to move around.

I feel that if I express my appreciation in writing for the books that I have read - and I feel appreciation for the vast majority of them - then I am putting out positive energy, which may do someone else good and certainly does me an enormous amount of good. People who only or mostly write about what upsets them, and I understand that it’s a temptation these days, can become the victims of their own negative energy, having no effect whatsoever on their targets, but re-absorbing and multiplying the negativity in their own bone marrow. I don’t want to be that person, so I try to go the other way.

That sounds like a very good approach to me, Patrick, both for yourself, and for those reading what you write 😊

I like your approach too, Patrick. I enjoy being here at GR to share my thoughts and feelings about what I read and learn from others. Not all is positive though I find that most is. I find that I increasingly self regulate what I read and simply ignore or stop reading books I really don’t like at all. Those middle ground books can be interesting.

Thanks for the kind words! There is just so much negativity out there these days, and I understand a lot of it, but one needs a refuge. 🙂

everyone - and make sure it's full of English Mystery reading! 😊

Happy New Year Jean and all! Wishing you all the very best!

I finished 2024 and began 2025 reading A Certain Justice by P.D. James!

I am halfway through and enjoying the careful construction of the plot, the accuracy of her psychological analysis and her wonderful writing.

Thanks Claudia!

I remember enjoying that one too - oddly my brother and I were reading it at the same time, but hadn't realised! It seemed quite a hefty book.

Happy New Year, Jean and all others.

Thank you Sue, and have a great Twelfth Night everyone!

Interesting article about Storygraph:

Interesting! Thanks Thomas.

Bionic Jean wrote: "Interesting! Thanks Thomas."

You're Welcome. I have set up a Storygraph account, but have only made 1 friend on it. It offers additional tracking features.

Well this is the first time this has happened to me in the 12 years I've been on ŷ������. A review of mine of a contemporary folk horror novel has been flagged for "containing excessive content quoted from the book" and GR say they will take it down in 5 days if it still doesn't conform to their guidelines.

I reckon my quotes are "fair use" but have asked for details. Anyway, if you'd like to read it, this may be your last chance LINK HERE

And I'd be interested to hear if anyone else's reviews have ever been flagged.

Whenever ŷ������ makes changes, it never improves my experience. I've never had a review flagged but mine are pretty short.

Well, what do you know, ŷ������ have responded with a full and complete apology! Good for them ... they also say that their initial assessment was incorrect, and that my review does comply with their guidelines. And other nice things.

I know we moan about the blips, and the cutbacks in GR features, but I do believe they try to maintain a safe and fair site, so I'm very happy to have that confirmed 😊

Thanks all.