Welcome to Litsy!

And that's a diagonal bingo in #ISpyBingo @Clwojick @TheAromaofBooks

(Not going for full cards this year LOL!)

Doll on cover #ISpyBingo @Clwojick @TheAromaofBooks

"They are all innocent until proven guilty. But not me, I am a lair until I am proven honest"

This is a very graphic story of 18 year old Emma. It's explicit, straight to the point and yet it's tackling a lot nuances around the 'she asked for it' culture that face victims of sexual assault.

The author's note at the end of the book should also be read.

This is a five star book for me.

I‘ve actually had this read for about a week now, but I needed time to process. I can‘t say I necessarily enjoyed this book, but it is one that I think everyone should read. It made me angry and sad but I‘m pretty sure that was the point. I am gonna “pick” it mostly bc I think it‘s important we have conversations about consent and rape culture.

This book sucked me in. It was difficult to read at times, but it‘s real. It‘s heartbreaking that women deal with things like this EVERY DAY. I wanted to hug Emma, take her away from her awful parents, and stand by her. I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ *not an easy read*

#booked2019 #socialmediafocus

Social media plays a big part in this story of sexual assault. It's not an easy story with clear cut answers or conclusions. The message of this book deserves all of he stars however, I had difficulty with the writing style. It started off slow with too many indistinguishable characters and too many confusing transitions so in the end it gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️.

This is a powerful and difficult read and I advise caution. There is no sugar-coating here and while I hesitate to use the word graphic the scenes of rape are distressing. The story is distressing and O'Neill handles it with the perfect balance of bluntness and sensitivity. Emma's interior monologue is painfully authentic and her inner conflicts cleverly portrayed 👇

#letstravelaugust #unitedkingdom

My current read takes place in Ireland.

When Emma O‘Donovan wakes up on her porch, naked and sunburned, #RumorHasIt she acted like a s**t and had sex at a party, while letting the guys take pictures of her. In reality, Emma was taken advantage of, raped, and humiliated, and this book is a look at how a girl reacts to such a treatment.

#AnglophileApril

Books read for this season! #booked2019

Female Detective: Aunty Lee‘s Deadly Specials
Fairytale Retelling: Ash
Reminds you of your Happy Place: From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Related to a Podcast: Adnan‘s Story
Irish Author: Asking for It
New to you Author: No and Me

Congrats on your milestone @Moray_Reads ???

I‘m trying not to be a cliché, so I‘m not going with P&P. Instead I‘m going with the tagged book, and its namesake by Kate Harding. I read the two books at the same time, and they motivated me to write my master‘s thesis on rape victims, and fuelled my dream of one day working with treatment of rape victims psychological trauma.

#BooksChangeLivesGiveaway

I have been quiet today because I‘m at BogForum, the Danish book event of the year. And I just saw Louise O‘Neill speak. She was BRILLIANT, and so sweet! She talked about feminism, sexual trauma, eating disorders and politics, and I‘m here for it! 👏👏

These two #FactFiction books are way too appropriate for today considering all that‘s going on in the American Senate yesterday 😔 #Ibelieveher

To all victims out there, I believe you, I hear you ❤️

#SeptemberDanes

Thank you so much for the birthday love @TrishB @Oryx and @Caroline2 ! I feel thoroughly spoiled and have a big grin on my face! #jbuk Thank you!!!

Emma is a real #BarbieGirl with everything going for her until she ends up on her porch completely naked and with a big hole in her memory.

#SeptemberDanes has begun, and I‘m already enjoying seeing all your post! Also, if you haven‘t done yourself the favour of watching the Barbie Girl music video, you should. 3 minutes of pure 90‘s joy! https://youtu.be/ZyhrYis509A

I almost stopped reading this THIS MORNING! It was my bus book and I was 1/3 in and not feeling it. 5 minutes before I left the house I thought maybe I should bail. I picked it up and thought I would read the next couple of pages to see if things turned around AND THEN I FINISHED IT AND IT WAS AMAZING AF! I mean I‘m super depressed but it was really good.

This book infuriated me and broke my heart at the same time with how true to life it is. It very honestly portrays the devastating effects of rape and online shaming, and how people can be so quick to judge the rape victim. Powerful and important read.

Friday night #wineandbook. I have a feeling this is going to be a difficult, but important, book to read.

All of these books try to dispute the fact that #itsashame when women don‘t conform to certain standards, when they don‘t act the way society wants them too, when they don‘t look the way they should. These books give a certain finger to those standards and expectations ✊

#Aprella

A heart-wrenching truth. This quote from the novel has stuck with me! 💔

I felt like screaming #areyoukiddingme throughout this whole book. It's an insanely frustrating story, very raw, very blatant, and very important. This is rape culture - this is how prevailing it is. It's calling out to us to talk about rape, consent, and the exagerated double standards we have imposed as a society. Stories like these HAVE TO STOP. Thnks @Kalalalatja for recommending it so much!
4.5⭐️

#HopIntoSpring

These are my #MarchStats #WrapUp. A great month with great reads! And I'm happy about my male/female author ratio 💪🏼
#BestReadofMarch you ask? It has to be either The Bluest Eye or Asking for It - both very powerful books!
Thanks ladies for hosting these great photo challenges - I had tons of fun!

#MarchInBooks
#ReadingResolutions
#MagicalMarch

Not the tagged book, but the author of one of the hardest gut punching YA books I‘ve read is coming out with a Little Mermaid retelling. If that didn‘t convince me, the cover is amazing and I am so here for this story.

#FierceFeb #TooManyCreeps @Cinfhen @batsy

This wasn‘t an easy or satisfying read, but I think that‘s appropriate, given the content. It made me angry and distressed, as it should. I liked that the protagonist wasn‘t a ‘good‘ or even particularly likeable character. I appreciated that the wrongdoers weren‘t overtly evil, but recognisable, ‘good boys who got carried away‘. We have so much work to do. I look forward to more by Louise O‘Neill.

These are just some books I feel the American president should give a read ! Even though I‘m British our news is filled with the many problems caused by trump - I‘m sorry for the millions of Americans that didn‘t vote for him 😔 #DearMrPresident #FierceFeb
🌍

#FierceFeb #girlsjusywannahavefun @Cinfhen @batsy This is a YA novel about Emma, a young woman ( just 18) who goes out on a night with her friends to have fun. But the night takes a different turn. Louise ONeill is from West Cork & the book will be put on as a play this summer. My bookclub will go as we read this. I‘m not into YA , but it‘s a good book

Of course I go to the library the night before I leave town!

#bookmail looking forward to this recommendation from @ScorpioBookDreams

@ReadingRover I had to put the book in plastic because my dog keeps licking it! He‘s a menace! Trying to keep it safe for @aCleverDuck and @Bookishaf #LMPBC #GroupJ

There was something about all of these books which made me realize just how #vulnerable I am. As a woman, as a young person living in the world today, and just in general. I feel like hiding under the covers sometimes, and never come out. But most of these books also portray the strenght we humans are capable of, which is why I eventually come out from under the covers and confront the world.

#NoteworthyNovember

While I can't say that I enjoyed reading this book, I can say I don't regret reading it. The MC is awful-manipulative and self centered-but the book wouldn't have had the same impact if you liked her. It makes important points about a tough subject. It was a little slow to start, but I do recommend if you think you can handle the topic of rape.

#bookmail included a hardcover to replace my paperback of Asking For It and a copy of Uprooted as I only have it on kindle.

More #bookmail and a #libraryhaul- I'm nervous now because all but one of my holds came in at the same time! 😳

Emma O'Donovan is in for some #hardlessons in this book. Harder lessons than most people have to go through.

TWs for sexual assualt, victim blaming.

#AwesomeAutumnBooks

And the right.

Sometimes, the people that #livetotell don't want to tell their stories about the awful things that have happened to them. Emma O'Donovan definitely doesn't want to talk about the assault she can barely remember, because she'll be blande for the whole thing. Sadly, this is the truth for many women (and men) who experience sexual assaults.

I keep raving about these three books, but in my opinion, they're all really important reads.

#AugustGrrl

This book was everything I expected and more. Emma's story is heartbreaking and yet so familiar. It doesn't matter where you live, you will come across stories just like hers. Don't give up, ladies. FIGHT!!

I think a pretty well written tough take on a tough subject but some of the writing was a little confusing to follow.

When Zoe wants snuggles, it must be reading time 💜📚 #dogsoflitsy

Difficult topics in this book such as rape. It kept my attention however Emma is quite an unlikeable character which is different. Excellent portrayal of rural Ireland and the attitudes of a small community where sport plays such an important role. I didn't like the ending but that is just my opinion. Im not a fan of ambiguous endings but I understand why the author did it

This book #smellsliketeenspirit and it smells bad (the subject, not the book)! This story is all about how mean and evil people, and teenagers especially, can be towards each other.

#JuneTunz

Emma is gorgeous and knows it.

She gets drunk at a party and her parents find her unconscious on the front steps when they return from an overnight trip. She is bruised and doesn't remember how she got home.

Before long, she sees a Facebook page with photos showing her being gang-raped. Of course, the page is full of vile comments about what a whore she is.

Depressing and all too real.

FYI secret Santa 😉 haven't read this and really wanting to! Also, I don't own any of the books on my TBR list 😁

It's a pick because it's a well written book about an awful topic. But it's harrowing and nasty and part of me wants to scrub my brain so I can forget reading it.
Full of horrible people, including the parents! A sad reflection of how society judges rape victims 😢

#currentlyreading
In the house on my own for probably another couple of hours! So I'm on the couch with tea and a book.
I am about a third of the way through this and not liking anyone or thing about it. I know I'm not supposed to but wondering how much more I can take.
I think I'm too old for these horrible teenagers....

This novel will haunt me for a very long time.... It's a bold choice to write this in the first person. Emma is a mean girl, cruel to her closest friends and obsessed with her appearance and being known as the prettiest of all. And then she is the victim of a horrific gang-rape and social media campaign of humiliation and torture by her small Irish town and by the media. A gut-wrenching, enraging and brutal look at our culture of victim-blaming.

Sitting reading out in the patio on this lovely breezy evening.... Hubby gets home from work.... and this happened..... I think Skippy missed his Daddy today! 😍🐶

#day5 #aprilbookshowers #firstlineofcurrentread Our first glimpse at (so far at least) a truly awful mother.....