Welcome to Litsy!

#Movie2BookRecs @Klou
Movie: The Coopers

My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/1LI_HzeAdyg

Enjoy!

It‘s interesting to read a book like this after I‘ve actually lived through an extended quarantine.I can easily say that my family‘s was not full of secret cancer, secret relationships or family members we didn‘t know existed. This book had a nice premise that ended up falling short in the end. I was with it up until when the twists piled up.They felt out of place with the tone of this book and I would have appreciated more closure with George.4⭐️

The Birch family finds themselves in quarantine together when Olivia returns from treating patients in a Liberian epidemic, but they aren‘t exactly close. They‘re all keeping secrets and eventually lots of stuff gets revealed. There‘s some good stuff here, but it takes too long for the story to develop and the ending is weak. I wish it had undergone a few more drafts and reached its full potential.

(any chance I get this season, I will show off this cute Christmas hoodie 🤣).
Enjoyed this book, and had to laugh that these people could barely stand 7 days given how long and how many times we had to be in lockdowns/isolated.
Who else wanted to smack Phoebe every chance they got? Was that just me?? Lol

A perfect little vacation read. The Birches - a middle aged couple and their two adult daughters - must spend a week at home together in quarantine when their eldest, a doctor, returns home from helping to treat an epidemic overseas. As they await the all-clear, a whole lot happens in that week, bringing changes to everyone in the family. It‘s pretty lighthearted and fast paced. Very entertaining.

Well, I was not expecting this to be a quarantine/pandemic related read. The Birch family is quarantined together over Christmas/New Years as a result of the oldest daughter‘s return from working as a doctor abroad treating the fictional Ebola-esque Haag epidemic. Unexpected complications ensue affecting the family in humorous and tragic ways.

A great holiday read if you‘re looking for something outside of the Romance/Rom-com genre.

This was a surprise. I reread this book and discovered I liked it better the second time. I think the first time I was more Interested in the story. This time I got involved with the characters and that made all the difference. 4⭐ #WinterGames2021 @StayCurious #TeamGameSleighers
#WinterCosy @PuddleJumper #LittenListen @aperfectmjk #WrapItUpReadathon @keys_on_fire #AVeryMerryReadathon @TheSpineView

Well OK then. I got this book in 2017 as I knew it took place over Christmas and I love a Christmas, british novel. Finally, 4 years later I read it. It is about a family in quarantine after the daughter, working for the WHO battling a virus in Liberia, comes home and puts the whole family in a 7 day quarantine. In 2017 I would not have known about PPE or quarantine and this would have been a different book altogether. 4⭐️ wow did this resonate!

3.75⭐️ Enjoyed most aspects of the book; thought it was an interesting look at a family forced into a quarantine during the Christmas season. #fiction #bookstagram #bookreview #contemporary #christmasfiction #s #2021 #litsyatoz2021

#readingeurope2021 - 🇬🇧 #unitedkingdom

Sad and funny, a glimpse in to a family forced together (the idea of only seven day of quarantine is quite laughable now) for seven days, secrets are revealed, old animosities aired, all while trying to maintain the bonhomie of Christmas #WinterGames #MerryReaders

#WinterGames2020 @StayCurious #ReadNosedReindeer

I struggled to get this one read. The main reason for the struggle is I never felt connected to the characters. Also l felt like this was a story in which the plot was so similar to others. The author just put it in the wash cycle and reused it. 3⭐ on a good day

Olivia is a doctor who works in Liberia fighting a deadly virus. She is sent home for Christmas and has to quarantine with her family for seven days.
While this story takes place in 2016, the events honestly fit perfectly within this crazy year we call 2020. It's a good story about a modern family trying to navigate their lives and their circumstances will either bring them closer together or drive them farther apart.

I almost bailed on this-the first half was boring and the characters acted like selfish children. The second half was better but still not my favorite. 26pts for #merryreaders #wintergames #wintergames2020

@Clwojick @StayCurious

Nope. Not for me. One day, I‘ll learn to stop trying with this genre. Books that try to be cute and randomly sprinkle seriousness in wear me out. And the writers of these lighthearted books throw in so many unnecessary details like they‘re trying to fill pages. I don‘t need every characters‘ every move. So she chose grape jelly for her toast, who cares? (I don‘t know if that‘s accurate. I didn‘t make it that far)

#12coloursofdecember day one! Navy blue! #wintergames2020 #merryreaders

December 13: Navy blue. Double points for winter/holiday 21pts for #merryreaders #wintergames #wintergames2020

@Clwojick @StayCurious

Not as festive as I‘d hoped but a very enjoyable read

Currently reading. So far 3 out of 5.

Picked up the #wintergames library holds for me and Henry today. I think that brings me to like 40 holiday books now. Odds are pretty good I won't get to all of them, but I hope to make a big dent. 😁

#ReadyForSnow ❄☃️
#ILiveInSouthernVirginiaItsNotGoingToSnow 😞

FEATURING: SEVEN DAYS OF US by Francesca Hornak

Seven days of togetherness along with secrets and tension make up the Birch family's Christmas holiday this year.

Excellent debut novel - marvelous writing and detail as well as a great story line. 4/5

FULL REVIEW: https://tinyurl.com/y9msvfvw

Well this was a crazy book to read during quarantine, about a British family who is fully quarantined for a week. Funny and easy to read, couldn‘t have been more timely.

My first completed novel of the new year. I only finished this book because I wanted to discuss it with my sister who had read it before me. I thought this improbable storyline was only mildly interesting.

My last read of 2019 finished just in the nick of time.
I enjoyed this enough whilst reading but have a feeling that I‘ll have forgotten all about it before too long. A family needs to be quarantined over Christmas when their eldest daughter returns from treating an illness abroad. Throw in the appearance of a previously unknown illegitimate child and general family difficulties and tensions grow.
Happy new year Littens!! 🥂

This might be the most unChristmassy Christmas story I‘ve ever read! It really can be better described as a family drama that just happens to take place around Christmas. The characters are either miserable people are going through just the worst things imaginable. And they don‘t even seem to like each other! It‘s thoroughly depressing and I gave up less than half way through. Maybe I‘ll try again another time!

#BookReport This was a great reading week.I finished 6 books,I think the #WinterGames & #TeamNutcracker has been the boost I needed to get reading again.Four out of six are Xmas themed books which I don‘t normally read but tis the freakin season right?The other 2 were a #NFNov read I hadn‘t finished & the 3rd in the 4MK series which I‘d just gotten from the library.My forecast should be good too,lots of new library books👍 1pt+49 #PointsTotal-447

I was so happy to see this one show up in my mailbox today! Up next after Christmas Shopaholic....I‘m fully in the Christmas spirit now 🎄!!!

I forgot to post the bingo for the tagged book before I fell asleep last night! There were a few awkward family meals in this book, I thought my family was dysfunctional but these guys. No, wait. My family is just as bad😂. What‘s your family like this time of year? #WinterGames #TeamNutcracker #WinterReadsBingo 2pts #PointsTotal-332

Bk3 of my #WinterGames for #TeamNutcracker was a great read. More on the “Lit” side of “Chick Lit” this was a dysfunctional disaster that was so entertaining. Recommended for sure. 21pts #PointsTotal-322

I‘m about a 1/3 through Bk3 of my #WinterGames for #TeamNutcracker So far it‘s good, it‘s about a dysfunctional family who are forced to spend 7days together in quarantine after their eldest daughter returns from treating a disease in Africa. But everyone has secrets, Mum has breast cancer & told no one, Dads just found out he has an illegitimate son, Olivias secret boyfriend has come down with the disease & Phoebe is a mess. 1pt #PointsTotal-304

Bk3 of the #WinterGames for #TeamNutcracker is this novel about a family quarantined together for a week over Xmas. The Birch family are not very close,but when eldest daughter Olivia returns from treating a contagious disease in Africa & needs to be in quarantine for 7 days, the family decide to do it together at their country house. But secrets will surface, tensions escalate & Xmas will never be the same. Sounds promising! 1pt #PointsTotal-213

I just spent Christmas week in quarantine with a dysfunctional family as each of their secrets slowly unravel, their lies exposed. First Christmas book of the season. Looking forward to discussing with #bookclub next month.

Book 289 11/19/19

Finished my 10th book for the #BookFitnessChallenge just as I was walking into the clinic this morning. I chose to walk, so I got in 5,000 steps before 9am! 👏🏻

I really enjoyed this book! I connected with the majority of the characters, and watching the family dynamics play out. I would definitely recommend it for anyone who is looking for a light and easy read.

@hermyknee add this one to your audiobook list 😉

Here‘s my route from this mornings walk! The second mike was all uphill 😅💪🏻

Hope everyone‘s having a great Monday ☀️
#BookFitnessChallenge @wanderinglynn

Decided on a long walk around the neighbourhood today! Listening to the tagged audiobook, which I‘m really enjoying so far, and enjoying all the fun yard decor!

These people definitely win the “Coolest Birdhouse” award! I took some more photos, which I‘ll post when I get home. 💙#BookFitnessChallenge

It was good, I enjoyed it, but I'm not sure why? The characters weren't super engaging but they had different circumstances (infectious diseases, cancer) to work out.
Perhaps it was how disconnected people were able to come together during a forced quarantine.

Loved this one! It‘s not your normal slushy Christmas read. A thought provoking family drama written in a diary style format. Sad to turn the last page.

#booked2018 #2018wrapup #seasonsreadings

Welp, 21/24 is not bad I guess. Both Seven Days of Us (holiday) and Lillian Boxfish (mc over 70) are books still in progress. I never did decide on a book for an mc with invisible illness. I'll know better for #booked2019 to have my prompts complete by December as December is my worst month for reading! Thanks ladies, I truly enjoyed playing along!

Weighted blanket, book, dog.
New Year's Eve partyi has begun.
#nye2019 #sevendaysofus

Spending some time at home this afternoon relaxing with a new book. Spent a few hours cleaning and reorganizing the kitchen, now to rest.

I'm winding down my Christmas reading with Seven Days of Us. Nothing like reading about the chaotic family life of a fictional family to put yours in perspective (haha!)

Read this for Fountain Bookstore book club and we all really enjoyed it! A great holiday read, like a British The Family Stone!

@AmberWB you are the sweetest!!! I was so surprised when I came home yesterday and found this waiting for me at my door in the cutest Christmas bag!!! I saw this book and immediately wanted to read it so I am sooo happy you sent this!! Thank you thank you! I‘m also super excited about this Hot Cocoa!!!!!!! 😂It looks delicious! I‘m so glad that #Litsy and #jb has brought us together as friends! Wishing you the happiest of holidays! ❤️😘🎄☃️❄️

I love my family but could never survive a week quarantined with them and we have no where near the drama the Birches deal with in this book. It would have been easy to make this an over the top story but Hornak keeps everything feeling plausible and her characters seem like real people, even when(or especially when) they are being entirely unlikeable. This was a more satisfying read than I was expecting and I am so glad it was on my holiday TBR.

Amy,
Thanks so very much for the books, candy and the beautiful ornament!! I love it!! I‘ve heard great things about these books!! I‘m so thankful for our friendship ❤️❤️ Don‘t know what I would do without you and my other close friends I‘ve made here! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! 😘😘

I really, really enjoyed this one. This very easily could have turned cheesy or unbelievable, but it didn‘t. Each chapter was written from one of 5 different pov‘s- each family member- and was very well done. I don‘t remember the last time I was able to stay up this late to finish a book- but here we are. Definitely recommend.

Read over listening to it. Perfect read for Christmas. Beware of lots of drama and some unfinished plot lines.