Welcome to Litsy!

#SchoolSpirit

I have fond #Memories of sneaking these two books & passing them about in Junior High in the early 80s. 🤫There were others of course but these were the big two at my school. I recently reread Flowers in the Attic & did a Litsy buddy read of Forever about 6 years ago.

Did you have a favorite book you weren‘t supposed to be reading that you passed around in school?

Some passages were insightful. Some felt outdated in terms of modern understanding of consent. Some felt unfinished (Artie.) Mostly, it just left me sad. I‘m glad I read it, but tbh I withdrew my recommendation to my college-aged feminist daughter to read it. I wish I could leave a more buoyant review, I really do. It was IMPORTANT in its time.

How lucky was I to grow up with Judy Blume? I don't normally post about movies or TV. programs, but this was irresistible. I didn't know she had a bookstore in Key West. I could never go there, though. When I met real authors, I blubber (I really can't help the puns).
https://youtu.be/neWsO1Rk_q0

Documentary is coming!
Judy Blume is my hero.
#IWD ❣️
https://people.com/movies/judy-blume-and-her-fans-explore-her-legacy-in-trailer-...

#FirstLove makes me think of forever, and who doesn't have fond memories of feverishly flipping through the pages and giggling with your best friends? Good times 😊

#Loveathon

February #forever #inquotes

Read this in one sitting during Tomah Truck Pull (WI). Good, fast read. Reminds me exactly what happened with me at 18, summer after graduating.

Thanks for the tag @Ash.on.the.line #WondrousWednesday @eggs I tag anyone that wants to divulge just tag me so I can see your answers.

1. The election of President Obama.

2. Bookstore.

3. The tagged book Forever controversial for young readers because of the sexual content but I really enjoyed the whole story. I remember thinking I couldn't wait to grow up and read more books, oh yea and getting a boyfriend. 🤣❤

#two4tuesday

1. The tagged book for sure, as well as any Judy Blume from back in the day! 📚
2. It doesn‘t really matter to me as long as the story is good, but I am a sucker for ones set in England or Ireland! 🇬🇧

#3books
Banned books I‘ve read

Three Banned Books I haven‘t read. Of these, I‘d most like to read The Bluest Eye.

#3Books

Has anyone read this

I lived on #JudyBlume books growing up, but I must confess, I‘ve not yet read one of her adult books! IDK why! 🤷🏻‍♀️
#augustauthors

Judy Blume books are #evocative of my childhood.
#beautifulwords

This months #bookclub book. I don‘t think I‘ve ever read it.... 🤔 #lifeinshanghai #currentlyreading

This book is ICONIQUE. #Forever #JamminJune #ralph
@Eggs

I forgot to post yesterday for Day 3 - #7Days7Books - books that left a deep impression or changed me

Like many of Blume‘s books, this one was a girlhood favorite!
#barefoot #bloomingbibliophiles

Judy Blume was established as the ~QUEEN~ of my podcast many episodes ago, but we‘re coming back to another of her titles on today‘s new episode. This one has *quite* the reputation, too. The 1975 YA novel Forever is regarded by many — for better or worse — as “the Judy Blume sex book.” On Episode 75, I explore that further with the help of Emily Edwards, host of the F*ckbois of Literature podcast. 🔥 Link to listen in bio!

Some books published in the #1970s that I really enjoyed! Some of these I read as a kid and some as an adult, but all were good! #letstraveljuly

This book is so earnest it kills me. But I guess I probably took myself too seriously in high school, too. It‘s an interesting read, if for nothing else than how much the conversation has moved on birth control, sex, homosexuality, abortion, teen pregnancy, etc.

#BFC Book 4/8 I may have underestimated books, but ever since my dad got his new car, he is feeling so much better and doing so much more! I am much happier and less stressed! 🎉🙌🏻

I‘ve never...read...a book...with more...ellipses. The...title...is...accurate... 😂😂😂

#NoFemmber #forever @Billypar @Cinfhen

Because ......#forever- and that‘s a mighty long time.... (https://www.lyricsondemand.com/p/princelyrics/letsgocrazylyrics.html). My female singer would be Adrienne Young. I typically do not like country but I LOVE this song https://www.lyricsondemand.com/a/adrienneyounglyrics/mylovewillkeeplyrics.html . #nofemmeber

Day 11 - #forever #nofemmeber

They announced the recipients of this year‘s Carl Sandburg Literary Award in February & it feels like forever ago! Super excited to hear from these authors next month. Forever was the only book my mother ever confiscated when I was young—I might just have to get her a signed copy! Neil deGrasse Tyson is always interesting & entertaining. Excited to see Erika L. Sánchez again & I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is definitely award worthy!

#Iwanttoholdyourhand has me thinking about this old classic I forgot to review after #foreverforever read-along... although if you recall they were doing more than holding hands! Sadly this book didn‘t do much for me and I can now see why my friends and I skimmed the book just to get to the risqué scenes ?
#heyjune

It wasn‘t #forevergate, Kevin Kneupper, the lawyer who put in the rebuttal for #cockygate called it #foreverwar - but it looks like it‘s over. Was this just an attempt at publicity? Something to wear everyone down so someone can sneak something else through? Am I being a conspiracy theorist?

Ok, so #cockygate is ongoing and now someone is trying for #forever - there may be a #forevergate coming. Cockybot let the Twitterverse know a trademark application was filled, people are on it, the author is claiming to not have any role in this but filing costs money so it‘s unlikely someone did it as a joke. If you‘re a writer - and I know there are some here, following this sort of thing might be of interest.

#whenwewereyoung #AdelesMayMashup @vkois88

It's been on my too be read list for a while. I haven't read a Judy Blume book since I was a pre-teen.

I feel like I dropped the ball on our #foreverforever #buddyread but there's been fun discussions on all the update/review posts. I had plans of making fondue but life happened & I've been too busy so here's my empty fondue pot-a gift, I've used once.😆This fun reread brought back memories...

Things I still want:
-jeans with 🍄🍄embroidered on them
-fondue
-Kath's grandma
-Kath's den🦁

Things I don't want:
-Michael (he's a putz!)
-Ralph 😜
...

I tried. I couldn‘t get past page 80. Sorry guys. I did enjoy the parts that brought back memories ... hooking rugs and playing backgammon. #foreverforever

What a trip down memory lane! Interesting to consider how much of your own experiences of love and sex might influence how you feel about it when reading it as an adult. It explores a lot of issues that a young and inexperienced person may not have thought about and that in itself is valuable. Considering its time and audience it's fairly explicit, but a little more would probably be helpful to avoid unrealistic expectations!
#foreverforever

I had some adulting to do today involving lots of waiting room time. It was an ironic way to reread a YA classic. Thanks to @DebinHawaii for bringing us together for #ForeverForever!

My full review is on www.TheBibliophage.com but ultimately I found it fascinating to read this book through a grandmother‘s lens. No, I don‘t mean the book is fascinating. It‘s an incredibly dated view into the shallow minds of a teen and her friends. Nothing more.

I learned a lot of things after reading this book (it was a reread for me). First—Judy Blume loves ellipses. To a fault. It became difficult to ignore and as soon as I finished the book I googled to see how many times she used ellipses in this book. Unfortunately no one has actually counted. Secondly, who names their penis? Is this a thing? And RALPH? All things considered though, this is a teenage classic for a reason. 👍🏻 #foreverforever

Picked up my copy from the library #foreverforever
Read the first 4 chapters ... haven't read it since I was about 10! What a different perspective now! But I totally remember the rug! Lol @DebinHawaii @LauraBeth

Ummm...there was a 1978 made-for-TV movie starring Stephanie Zimbalist?! 🤯
Did anyone watch this?
#foreverforever @DebinHawaii @LauraBeth

More #foreverforever... The scene where Katherine gets birth control reminded me so much of when I did that. Like her, I did it all on my own. I think I was 17. I didn't tell my Mum. 🤐 We never discussed sex.
I went to a woman doctor and she was young, just out of med school. She mispronounced my name and I was too embarrassed to correct her. So for years, she called me Mar-GOT. 🙄
@DebinHawaii @LauraBeth

So I‘m halfway through my adult-life reread of Forever, and a couple of things have caught my attention, mainly having to do with the way Blume treats the actual sex in the book. ⬇️

#foreverforever

A salute to teenage first loves, that awkward part of growing up where you‘re 18 and about to graduate but you still have to abide by parents rules, and moving forward.

All I know is If I had stayed with my High School boyfriend (and “little Steve”😳) then I wouldn‘t have married the wonderful love of my life (almost 10 years ago)!
#foreverforever #buddyread

I‘m officially starting this today. I wish I had a copy with the locket cover, which was what I read in the 70s. I feel sooo old.

#foreverforever #buddyread

Finished, and this advice is *still* the only thing I clearly remember from the book!

Katherine‘s grandma is one hip woman 😎 ! I can‘t imagine either of my grandmas sending me the literature that she did!

Comment about the end is marked as spoiler 👇

This was a fun readalong 😊 #foreverforever @DebinHawaii @LauraBeth

Well that went a lot quicker than I thought. Just like Michael in chapter 12. #heyoooo

It was SO fun revisiting this book for #foreverforever! I remembered a lot of this book, but it all makes a lot more sense now being an adult. And my husband and I met when we were 18, so a lot of the first love feelings were so familiar and nice to revisit as well. Now when will the Are You There God? It‘s Me, Margaret buddy read happen? 😂

My husband just picked this up at the library for me. I‘d never even heard of Forever, but after everyone‘s scandalous first experience posts, I couldn‘t resist joining in! #foreverforever

My intro post for the #foreverforever readalong hosted by @DebinHawaii & @LauraBeth ! This is the copy I‘m reading — from the used bookstore.

The one I recall reading from was the locket on the cover. I honestly don‘t remember how old I was when I read it. The only thing I think I remember was that once you have sex you can‘t go back to just holding hands again — maybe said by the mom?

Very different perspective now that I've had sex...as opposed to elementary school me
Hahaha still a good book, and probably the only one still where the couple is a regular teenage couple, not destined, no one dies.
#booked2018 childhood favorite
@4thhouseontheleft @Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage

Well that was a fun trip down #memorylane JB is pretty bold and I appreciate the voice she gave to all of us growing up in the 70s & 80s. This book is certainly dated in many ways but I‘m sure it was ahead of its time when first published. I didn‘t mind this YA book at all, I think todays authors can still learn a lot from JB😍Thanks for the buddyread @LauraBeth @DebinHawaii 💕

Ha!! I KNEW the local library wouldn‘t fail me...right under New Release😉 successful morning, got my blood test done ( look at the number I drew) 😈😈😈met a friend for coffee & found 2 books at the local charity shop for 5 Shekel each ( which is roughly $1.50) 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 #ForeverForever

Some #foreverforever first thoughts...
?I think this is my first time actually reading the entire book. I don't think I read beyond the "juicy" parts.
?I love the 70s spirit and the Planned Parenthood volunteering grandma.
?Blume's writing is so good! The opening sentence is brilliant: "Sybill Davison has a genuis I.Q. and has been laid by about six different guys."
@DebinHawaii