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2026 Reading Challenge

2026

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Grace Tierney has read 31 of 65 books.

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Grace Tierney

Goodreads Author

Born

in Ireland

Website

https://wordfoolery.wordpress.com/

Twitter

Wordfoolery

Genre

History, Nonfiction

Member Since

January 2014

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/gracetierney

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Grace Tierney writes in rural Ireland. Her award winning Wordfoolery blog about unusual English words has been running for 16 years exploring everything from “pooka” to “friggatriskaidekaphobia”.

Grace has serialised three novels on the online reading platform Channillo and published four word history books (print & ebook) - "Words Christmas Gave Us", "Words the Vikings Gave Us", "Words the Sea Gave Us" and “How To Get Your Name In The Dictionary”. She’s an etymology blogger, columnist in her local paper, regular radio contributor, and publishes articles and short fiction. When not writing you’ll find her reading, crafting, or hiking up a hill.

Grace’s favourite eponymous hero is Casanova because his swashbuckling life was so extraordinary, ...more

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Average rating: 4.46 · 13 ratings · 5 reviews · 5 distinct works

	Words Christmas Gave Us (Wordfoolery Words Series) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 4 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Words The Vikings Gave Us (Wordfoolery Words Series) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	How To Get Your Name In The Dictionary 4.33 avg rating — 3 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Modern Words with Old Roots it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Words The Sea Gave Us (Wordfoolery Words Series) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2020 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Grace Tierney's Blog

The Egyptian Roots of Dismal

Hello,

Hopefully you’re having a wonderful summer (or winter for readers south of the equator) but if not, have you considered that you’re under a dismal influence?

“Grumpy Tiki” – a wood carving by my DH whose cantankerous face adorns our garden

The word dismal entered English around 1400 to describe something as inauspicious or unlucky and the reason why brings us back to Egyptian astrologers,

Grace is Currently Reading

Grace Tierney is currently reading

Bryant & May's Peculiar London (Bryant & May #18.5)

by Christopher Fowler

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Jul 09, 2026 02:31PM

Grace Tierney is currently reading

The History Press Woodsmoke and Sage The Five Senses 1485-1603 How the Tudors Experienced the World.

by Amy Licence (Goodreads Author)

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Jun 18, 2026 12:11PM

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Ireland's Curious Places

by Michael Fewer

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Jun 16, 2026 07:24AM

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Grace Tierney wrote a new blog post The Egyptian Roots of Dismal Hello,Hopefully you’re having a wonderful summer (or winter for readers south of the equator) but if not, have you considered that you’re under a dism Read more of this blog post »
22 hours, 0 min ago · like
Grace Tierney liked Kristen Fort's status update Kristen Fort is on page 158 of 352 of Caller Unknown
Jul 12, 2026 02:56PM · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Grace Tierney liked Nicola's status update Nicola is on page 76 of 474 of Night Watch
Jul 12, 2026 02:56PM · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Night Watch by Terry Pratchett. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Night Watch by Terry Pratchett <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Grace Tierney rated a book it was amazing The Moonlight Market by Joanne Harris (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This is exactly the sort of book I enjoy, a fairy tale with dark edges, bringing me into London past and present. A magical kingdom has fallen asunder thanks to love and only the true heir can fix things, but what if he’s a lonely photographer in Lon ...more
Jul 09, 2026 02:33PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Moonlight Market by Joanne Harris. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Moonlight Market by Joanne Harris <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Grace Tierney is currently reading Bryant & May's Peculiar London (Bryant & May #18.5) by Christopher Fowler	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 09, 2026 02:31PM · like
Grace Tierney rated a book really liked it Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries by Kate Mosse	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 06, 2026 01:31AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries by Kate Mosse. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries by Kate Mosse <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Grace Tierney is currently reading The Moonlight Market by Joanne Harris (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 04, 2026 08:34AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Moonlight Market by Joanne Harris. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Moonlight Market by Joanne Harris <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Grace Tierney is currently reading The History Press Woodsmoke and Sage The Five Senses 1485-1603 How the Tudors Experienced the World. by Amy Licence (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 18, 2026 12:11PM · like
Grace Tierney rated a book really liked it Exploring the Spanish Armada by Winifred Glover	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
A slim volume, hardback, but loads of great photographic illustrations of the Ulster Museum's wonderful collection of Armada artifacts from tiny gold buttons and toothpicks up to iron cannon. There's a pretty clear synopsis of the run-up to the Armada ...more
Jun 16, 2026 07:26AM · like · see review
Grace Tierney is currently reading Ireland's Curious Places by Michael Fewer	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 16, 2026 07:24AM · like

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Grace’s Quotes

“Fine,’ she said, using the universal Scottish word for every state of being from ‘I’m dying in anguish’ to ‘I’m experiencing euphoric joy.’ ‘Fine,’ she said. ‘I’m fine.”
― Kate Atkinson, When Will There Be Good News?

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Grace’s Year In Books

Grace Tierney’s Followers (24)

Grace’s Bookshelves

Grace’s Friends (64)

2026 Reading Challenge

Grace Tierney

Goodreads Author

Learn more
Ask the Author

Popular Answered Questions

Combine Editions
Grace Tierney’s books

413 posts
Grace Tierney's Blog

The Egyptian Roots of Dismal

Grace is Currently Reading

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Grace’s Recent Updates

The Egyptian Roots of Dismal

See a Problem?

Preview — Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister

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Preview — Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

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Preview — The Moonlight Market by Joanne Harris

See a Problem?

Preview — Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries by Kate Mosse

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Preview — The Moonlight Market by Joanne Harris

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Grace Tierney’s Followers (24)

Grace Tierney

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See a Problem?

Preview — Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister

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Preview — Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

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See a Problem?

Preview — Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries by Kate Mosse

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Preview — The Moonlight Market by Joanne Harris

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