Welcome to Litsy!

This was recommended to me. I love the concept of secret and ancient libraries and individual stories which interlace with other stories but this was a chore. On the plus side, they serve something called a 'Bees' Knees' cocktail in the last quarter or the text, which I decided to make; - after 3 of these I enjoyed the ending significantly more! Conclusion: I think this book would be best enjoyed more than a little bit waved..... 😜

The book did become a bit long at times, dragging on. With so many jumps in the story, it was difficult to follow. It seemed some characters were introduced near the end of the book. I found myself questioning the relevance or some of of story line. With many realities happening at once, I became jumbled at the end. Though the book really tapped into my imagination, I found myself mentally exhausted by the end.

Underworld library, stories and sea. Zachary explores. Fantasy and some beautiful storytelling

Morgenstern knows how to spin a tale, cast a spell, conjure a fantasy world. But a little goes a long way. This book is too long and eventually felt lacking in substance. Also, certain stylistic choices like the repetition of the main character's full name got irritating. Ultimately not my cuppa.
I managed to finish in time for book club but opted not to go because of freezing rain forecast. 😕
Pic of today's sunrise. Alas, not a starless sea.

#SavvySettings Library
Where it all starts for Zachary...
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

I wanted to bail so many times reading this. So so so many times. But it was for January book club so I was determined to finish. It‘s long winded and very easy to lose focus on what‘s going on.

"We are all stardust and stories"

"I think the best stories feel like they're still going, somewhere, out in story space"

"Reading a novel, he supposes, is like playing a game where all the choices have been made for you ahead of time by someone who is much better at this particular game."

So I was supposed to read the Starless Sea and Vampire Lestat in February for #bookspinbingo, But I was not able to get to them. So I put them back on the list for this month to hopefully get them done.

So it turns out I have a new favorite book... Erin Morgenstern's writing just works for me. Everything about this book works for me. I know I missed things, so I will definitely be rereading it in the future. #20in4

I've really got to stop trying to read fantasy novels. Despite my efforts I still can't get into them. I thought for sure this one would get me, but I've got to say, I checked out. 😟

#bookspinbingo #19822022 (2019) @TheAromaofBooks @Librarybelle

I've been going back and forth between the physical book and the audio with this one. I'm a little more than halfway through and already think this might be my new favorite book... the writing is just so, so beautiful. The stories within stories are starting to come together and I'm making connections on how a few of them fit together.
#knitting #audioknitting

I'm reading this slowly and savoring the writing... I love Erin Morgenstern's style! Toby doesn't care how I read just as long as I don't move! #catsofLitsy

I have a fairly long to-do list for the day, but I just spent my prep and lunch periods reading this and have officially lost all ambition... I just want to keep reading!

In my sanctuary on this sunny afternoon, hiding from the heat outside with my ducted aircon(the best thing I‘ve ever gotten beside the hubby that put it in!). Finally starting the tagged book after it‘s been sitting on my shelf for almost 3 years. I loved The Night Circus sooo much, I‘m terrified this just won‘t live up to the awesomeness that was so have been avoiding it. But it‘s time to pull on my big girl pants and start👖

"A reading major, that's what he wants. No response papers, no exams, no analysis, just the reading."

CAN RELATE.

The Night Circus is one of my all time favorites so I was both excited and terrified to read this book. What if it wasn‘t as good? What if it ruined this author for me?

I shouldn‘t have worried as this cemented my love for Morgenstern‘s work. This IS the book I needed after the The Night Circus. It quietly pulls together the threads of the stories that capture us, tightening the weave of them into something more than their individual parts. ⬇️

I‘m going to have to put this one aside and try again in print later. It‘s too complicated to follow via audiobook. I should have known it would be a struggle as I couldn‘t divide my attention with The Night Circus either and I liked that book. So, I‘m sorry @katiekat311 I won‘t be finishing this one this month for #NYWD22, but I have others from your list planned for this month and I‘ll come back to this one eventually. Her writing is gorgeous.

My #lastfirst read is The Starless Sea. Last book started in 2021 and it will be the first book finished in 2022.

I hoped I might have time to finish it by the new year but much of my reading time was taken up by other things. I‘m just shy of halfway and loving it. Hoping to make a big dent in this one today with lots of reading time and not much else.

I love the idea of describing cold weather as poetry!
“…The weather. It‘s like a poem. Where each word is more than one thing at once and everything‘s a metaphor. The meaning condensed into rhythm and sound and the spaces between sentences. It‘s all intense and sharp, like the cold and the wind.”

It‘s definitely poetry here today with a current temp of -15 F, but with the windchill it feels like -35 F. ❄️

I know a few people were disappointed by this, and it is a weird book, but I loved it. The characters are great and I loved how she weaved a story outside of the main story and how it all came together in the end. The only part I couldn't really understand was the bees at the end, but I love that she got the idea for the bees and the keys from Brakebills from Lev Grossman's The Magicians.

My Book Journal Spread for The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. I'm happy how the bee turned out as the bees were my favorite characters in the book. 🐝😊🍯

So... this book is so difficult to rate. It is beautifully written and equally confusing. So much is going on, just parts of it explained. I loved the characters and the setting but the story was hard to follow for me. However, I understand the appeal of the book and I'm glad I picked it up 😊

Also... how cute where those Bees? 🐝

Zachary is so relatable!! 🧁😂

"A girl lost in the woods is a different sort of creature than a girl who walks purposefully through the trees even though she does not know her way". Loved this quote of the starless sea

How is this book THAT beautiful? Found it in a used book store in Germany and can't get over the colors on the cover. 💜

I enjoyed this story about storytelling once I stopped worrying about following the plot and instead just savoured the beautiful writing.

This was my third and final book finished for #NovelNovember. Thanks to @Andrew65 for hosting the readathon!

Review 🌊 The Starless Sea 🌊 Erin Morgenstern

https://rebrand.ly/starlesssea/literrohde

“[I feel like] I‘m losing my mind but in a slow, achingly beautiful sort of way.”

That quote sums up what it is like to read this book. The plot is ridiculous, the narrative frames are bonkers, the prose is beautiful, and the experience is wonderful - unless it isn‘t.

(More in comments 👇🏻)

I had NO idea what to expect from this book. It felt magical, it felt real. I was encapsulated by the story and the writing was beautifully done. The entire book was a journey from start to finish. The characters draw you in and make you feel. Even though it took me longer than expected😅 what a great October #bookspin read! @TheAromaofBooks

Picked up a package from the lease office, expecting my Halloween swap, and it‘s my #sliceofsummer swap. 😜

I thought it was stolen but I guess it was bouncing around in the Amazon Shipping Ether. Thank you @BarkingMadRun lol it was like Christmas in October when I read the label.

Sick days make me feeling guilty when sunshine and a book is involved. Although my October TBR doesn‘t show it, I love spooky season! Starting off with one of my #bookspin books!

I don't really know what to say about this book, except that I love it. It's slow going, and not much happens, but I loved the characters, the setting and the writing. There's an underground library, lots of stories within the story and the starless sea itself. And the ending, it's very open, but I still found it satisfying. It's definetely my favourite book of the year. 💖💖💖🐝

Fall snacks are all comfort foods, often baked, with coffee on the side. I love making waffles and smothering them with whipped cream on lazy fall and winter mornings… or a brownie and some milk with a comfort book at night. The tagged book has become a recent comfort read or listen for me, but I‘d take recs for other recent pubs that folks find comforting in the prose and/or story!
#littensdressedinblood #comfortreads

This book is rly a bunch of stories rolled into one main story about…stories lol. It‘s very meta, and it‘s a bit confusing since it‘s non linear, but I didn‘t care at all because it was SO BEAUTIFUL. Like omg, the words were all gorgeous, the narrative was refreshing, everything fit, the syntax was perfect. I listened to the book on speed 1 which is rare for me... While the plot was interesting, I just wanted to enjoy the process

#2021

I'm late to the party on this one. So let me just say that this #audiobook is wonderful. It has Bahni Turpin and Dion Graham among others. If Dion Graham read the dictionary, I would listen to it, despite the lack of plot. He has a very smooth and soothing voice.

I did definitely love this book. 🐝🗝🗡🌝

#BookSpinBingo free space
@TheAromaofBooks

There is a pirate in the basement.

(I'm enjoying taking my time with this one, instead of racing through it.)

#firstlinefridays
@ShyBookOwl

I had to end on page 169 as this is a library book and do back Saturday will have to read the rest if I find it cheap somewhere

Zachary didn't open a magic portal as a little boy but now as an adult he is given another chance when he discovers a book in a university library that tells the story of his missed opportunity.

I'm not sure I managed to connect all the dots in this one as intertwined stories unfurled not always in chronological order. Still it was quite a ride. Xtra kudos to the author for making Zachary gay without it being the focus of the story, he just was.

I've wanted a reading nook for as long as I can remember, but I always thought I would need way more money and space, a house of my own. A friend recently made one work in her bedroom, and I recently left a job that crushed my soul and negatively impacted nearly every area of my life for seven years, so I felt inspired to create a reading nook in the corner of my living room. I love it already and can't wait to read all the things here 🥺📚☕😍

Having a physical response to lack of book is not unusual.

There is a pirate in the basement.

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

#sunlightwellness #siblinglove #mycover

Book #31: The language/writing in this book was so wonderful and felt so relatable. It gave me an indescribable, hopeful feeling while reading. Romantic. I did this as a beach read but I would have preferred it as a winter read. Made me want to get a tattoo of a sword.

Leila you have spoiled me! The booksleeve has foxes! The books look great, I can't wait to try the tea, and you have fed my key lime addiction. I've been looking for that kit kat flavor with no luck. Thank you so much!
#sliceofsummerswap @Catsandbooks

This isn't a book to read. It is a whole experience.