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My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry: A Novel | Fredrik Backman
The #1 internationally bestselling author of A Man Called Ove is firmly in league with Roald Dahl and Neil Gaiman (Kirkus Reviews) in this whimsical (Publishers Weekly) novel about a young girl whose grandmother leaves behind a series of letters, sending her on a journey that brings to life a world of homespun fairy tales.Elsa is seven years old and different. Her grandmother is seventy-seven years old and crazyas in standing-on-the-balcony-firing-paintball-guns-at-strangers crazy. She is also Elsas best, and only, friend. At night Elsa takes refuge in her grandmothers stories, in the Land-of-Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas where everybody is different and nobody needs to be normal. When Elsas grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters apologizing to people she has wronged, Elsas greatest adventure begins. Her grandmothers instructions lead her to an apartment building full of drunks, monsters, attack dogs, and old crones but also to the truth about fairy tales and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You Shes Sorry is told with the same comic accuracy and beating heart as Fredrik Backmans internationally bestselling debut novel, A Man Called Ove. It is a story about life and death and one of the most important human rights: the right to be different.
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readingjedi
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Pickpick

Here's a rare thing - a Fredrik Backman I didn't absolutely adore. I enjoyed it, I just wasn't as enraptured as I usually am. It has FB's familiar ultra-readable flow, but I failed to fully connect with it emotionally. It was, for me, perhaps a little too whimsy-mimsy - the imaginary land device got a tad tedious/repetitive & all the personal connections were a bit contrived. And the MC is just out-there unrealistic/unconvincing. But still a Pick!

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TheSpineView
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Eggs Excellent 👌🏼 2mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks This has been on my shelf so long! 2mo
62 likes1 stack add4 comments
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JuliaTheBookNerd
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#Grandparents 👵🏻 #NewYearNewBooks 🎆🥳📖

#BookNerd 🤓📚💙

SilversReviews I forgot about this book…Great choice!! 2mo
SilversReviews LOVE his books. I see you have all of them. LOVE Britt-Marie!! 😊 (edited) 2mo
Eggs Beautiful collection 👏🏻❤️🙏🏻 2mo
Ddzmini Love his writing 🥰 2mo
66 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Gissy
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#NewYearNewBooks Day 15 #Grandparents

I want to read this book, my grandmother was so special to me❤️❤️❤️

@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Eggs 💞Backman🩷 2mo
Kristy_K I was really close to my grandmother as well and I cried when I read this. Backman writes such good books. 2mo
Gissy @Kristy_K Then I think I will cry too🙁 2mo
52 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Cortg
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Pickpick

I adored all the characters in this story; each of their eccentric personalities will stay with me a while. I loved how the story unfolded, how Elsa learns about and befriends her neighbors and the connections the neighbors have to one another. Elsa‘s emotions are raw and real in dealing with so much. I also really enjoyed the fairytale aspect of the story. And the ending is the typical feel good Backman ❤️ #pop23 ~a book you bought second hand

TheBookgeekFrau I Loved this book so much; the story, the writing, the weaving of the fairytales {sighhh} So Good 6mo
rwmg In case you didn't know, there is a sequel 6mo
Cortg @rwmg Yep! It‘s on my TBR! Thanks ☺️ 6mo
39 likes3 comments
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perfectsinner
Mehso-so

Love Backman but this wasn't a hit for me. A little too fantastical, way too many Harry Potter references [I've never read them, don't come at me] and I guess it just wasn't really my kind of story. I've read and enjoyed most of his books and this one was just so-so. 2.5 stars

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SqueakyChu
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I just started this book which I received from a fellow BookCrosser. This book had me in tears by the second chapter so that means it‘s a keeper (except that I‘ll release it through #BookCrossing when it‘s completed).

TEArificbooks Have you read A Man Called Ove ? It is my favorite of his so far. 10mo
SqueakyChu @TEArificbooks I have read A Man Called Ove. I liked it very much. 10mo
TEArificbooks Have you seen the new American version movie with Tom Hanks? It is on Netflix now. Oh, it made me cry. @SqueakyChu 10mo
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SqueakyChu @TEArificbooks Not yet, but I would like to. 10mo
rwmg If you really want to open the floodgates, I recommend the tagged book by the same author. 10mo
SqueakyChu @rwmg Thanks for the recommendation. 10mo
SqueakyChu I actually ended up bailing on this book on page 100 because I did not like the way it was written like a fairy tale. 9mo
21 likes1 stack add7 comments
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TheBookgeekFrau
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Eggs ❤️ Backman 💗 11mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks On my shelf 📚📚 11mo
44 likes3 comments
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DHill
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It took me a while to warm up to A Man Called Ove and it‘s the same with this one. Hoping it pulls me in soon.

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CampbellTaraL
Bailedbailed

It's really weird how much I loved A Man Called Ove but can't stand this book. Something about the petulant too-smart kid trope just grated my nerves. I got 20% in and decided this wasn't a book for me.

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Laughterhp
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Mehso-so

Unfortunately I didn‘t like this like I wanted to. It was just so exhausting. So many Harry Potter references! Like SOOO many! And I‘m a HP fan!

This was a #trappedonanisland book and I‘m using it for #pop22 - board game in title (Sorry) !

BarbaraBB Smart choice! I am sorry the book didn‘t work for you! 2y
Cinfhen Clever clever choice!!! I didn‘t love this one either and I didn‘t get any of the HP references 😜maybe that‘s why I didn‘t love it??!!? 2y
RaeLovesToRead Good choice for a board game! Shame it wasn't great 🙃 2y
Cortg Smart thinking! 2y
aperfectmjk Thanks for the heads up on this one. Maybe I'll skip it. 2y
55 likes5 comments
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wanderinglynn
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#wondrouswednesday

1. I cry easily so I could name a dozen or more. But this title popped into my head first.

2. Urban fantasy - I love seeing this world with a twist, whether it be that magic is real or werewolves and vampires exist, but they exist in Atlanta or Chicago.

3. It‘s impossible to name just one. Some of my fave UF authors include Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, Kevin Hearne, Jim Butcher, Darynda Jones, Charlaine Harris

Bookwormjillk I‘ve never read urban fantasy. I‘ll have to check some out! 2y
eeclayton I haven't read this particular book (yet), but Backman has made me cry too 🙂 2y
Eggs Fascinating genre 👍🏼🤗 2y
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Larkken I am feeling almost everything about this post, though I haven‘t read Backman - should I? Was it a “good” cry? 😂 2y
wanderinglynn @Bookwormjillk What?! If you like paranormal aspects (magic, ghosts, werewolves, vampires, etc.), then you‘ll probably like UF. Two of my fave series are Patricia Briggs‘s Mercy Thompson & Ilona Andrews‘s Kate Daniels. 2y
wanderinglynn @eeclayton Backman always makes me tear up too. 2y
wanderinglynn @Larkken Yes, it was more a heartwarming cry. Backman‘s books have all the feels. 2y
Bookwormjillk @wanderinglynn thanks, I‘ll read anything but vampires. I‘ll check it out. I love the idea. (edited) 2y
wanderinglynn @Bookwormjillk both series have vampires in their worlds, but vampires aren‘t the main characters . Mercy is a coyote shapeshifter & Kate is a badass assassin/magic user. Another series that is good is Kevin Hearne‘s Iron Druid series. Atticus is a Druid and the series has a lot of religious pantheon figures & monsters (like Celtic mythology, Greek Mythology) but I can‘t think of any vampires in that series. But it‘s been a while since I read it. 2y
Bookwormjillk @wanderinglynn thanks! I can handle that level of vampires. I got the first in the Mercy series. I‘ll let you know! 2y
48 likes1 stack add10 comments
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TheIntrovertedDodoBird
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Pickpick

I'll bet anything & everything that nobody has a grandmother as kooky & eccentric as Elsa does. Nor do they have one with as many fantastical stories to tell. This tale interweaves reality & fantasy &, more importantly, fantasy into reality, until the two worlds collide spectacularly and send us on an epic adventure. This plucky little protag & her loyal Wurse (mainly Wurse) are responsible for the endless amounts of tears I shed over this book.

LiteraryinLawrence I don‘t remember the exact plot of this one, just that it was a tear jerker and sort of magical/whimsical. 2y
TheIntrovertedDodoBird @LiteraryinLawrence You're exactly right 🥰. Tear jerker is the perfect word for this book (especially in my case ) ❤️ Xx 2y
52 likes1 stack add2 comments
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peanutnine
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Stopped at an antique store on the way home from GA where books and puzzles were buy one get one half off! Couldn't resist such a good deal 😁

Line I haven't read it yet, but I have heard god things about the book by Fredrik Bachman. 2y
LeslieO I love all Moriarty‘s books but this one is my fav! 2y
peanutnine @Line I have a bunch of his books but haven't read any yet. I've only heard great things! I need to get to one soon 😅 2y
peanutnine @LeslieO yes I've liked everything I've read of hers. This one sounds so interesting! 2y
49 likes4 comments
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freeatlast1137
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Pickpick

Elsa deals with the loss of her grandmother by going on a hunt for letters left behind from her grandmother.

I enjoy the authors writing style immensely, he tends to make all the characters connected in a way to where each character no matter how minor has some kind of tug at your heart.

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NovelNancyM
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Pickpick

I wasn't quite sure at first if I'd enjoy this novel given all the woven in fairy tales, but about a third of the way in I began to truly enjoy it. There is so much empathy and the theme that everyone feels different and just wants to be loved makes this such a universal message. Great character development and an unpredictable plot.

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Macnjen
Pickpick

I love the author‘s storytelling normally but this has been my least favorite so far, solely because of the fantasy angle. I‘m not a fan of world building but if I was then it would have been spot on. The narration of the audiobook was really well done.

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ghandigl

Death‘s greatest power is not that it can make people die, but that it can make people want to stop living.

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ghandigl

It‘s strange how quickly the significance of a certain smell can change, depending on what path it decides to take through the brain. It‘s strange how close love and fear live to each other.

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keepingupwiththepenguins
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Pickpick

My Grandmother Sends Her Regards And Apologises is a step above A Man Called Ove in literary terms, fusing stark Swedish realism with childhood imagination and fairy tales. While I didn‘t find Elsa quite as endearing a main character as darling old Ove, she still provided a humourous and poignant insight. Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/my-grandmother-sends-her-regards-and-apolog...

Suet624 Completely agree. 2y
BennettBookworm Wow I love how the title is different depending on the country! 2y
51 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Andrew65
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Love all his books, and this lovely story was no exception.

#You #BeginsWith

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks On my shelf 📚 2y
Andrew65 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I‘m sure you will enjoy it, unfortunately now read all his books. 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Andrew65 I loved Ove!! 💙 2y
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Andrew65 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks They‘ve all been excellent in their own ways. 2y
Eggs Love Backman books 📚 ❤️ 2y
Andrew65 @Eggs He needs to write more. 2y
Eggs @Andrew65 Maybe he‘ll surprise us soon… 2y
Andrew65 @Eggs 🤞🤞🤞 2y
91 likes2 stack adds8 comments
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foreverbooked
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Mehso-so

This book was not what I expected but it was an okay read. I thought the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter was so sweet. It did tug at my heart in several parts.

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PhyllisH
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Panpan

I bailed on this book. I really tried to like it since I liked A Man Called Ove. Unfortunately, the fantasy parts of the story ruined it for me 😟

19 likes1 stack add
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
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My beautiful grandparents, all in Heaven now. 💔

#GrandparentsDay
#FallTreasures

kspenmoll Love your photos! 3y
Ruthiella You can see the resemblance between you and your grandmother! 😮 3y
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Ruthiella my grandmother in the top picture? 3y
Ruthiella Yes, top picture. 3y
mrp27 Great pictures! 3y
WJCintron Beautiful pictures!! 3y
Eggs ❤️❤️❤️ 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Ruthiella yes, I agree! ❤️❤️❤️ 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @mrp27 thank you ❤️❤️ 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @WJCintron thank you 💛💛 3y
63 likes11 comments
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Ast_Arslan
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🧡🧡🧡 3y
Eggs ❤️🧡❤️ 3y
26 likes2 comments
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wideeyedreader
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Pickpick

Another Backman read! I love his writing, every single one of his novels has enchanted me wholly. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

45 likes3 stack adds
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LisaLovesToRead
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Mehso-so

I loved this just because it was my last Fredrick Backman. I enjoyed that it took a long time to get into because it lasted longer. Overall, I do think it was ok. I hope he is still writing & releases a new book soon.

katy4peas This is his newest book that came out within the last year or two. I haven‘t read it yet. 3y
12 likes1 comment
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JackOBotts
Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Backman‘s books just tug at my heartstrings. This wasn‘t my favorite (it‘s hard to compete with Ove), but I did like meeting pre-“Britt-Marie was here” Britt-Marie.

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ItsAnotherJen
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Pickpick

Not my favorite Backman, but I enjoyed it. I love his quirky and eccentric characters. What I loved most was the intense love seven-year-old Elsa's grandmother had for her, and all the ways she tried to protect and guide her. That was beautiful.
The last little bit at the end made me cry. So typical of Fredrik Backman, he gets me every time. 😅

101 likes1 stack add
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AlisBookNookCorner
Bailedbailed

I wanted to like this book, but it just fell flat for me. The writing was good, but the story bored me to pieces. I found I was forcing myself to read it each time I picked it up, leading to more time spent on it than I cared for. I threw in the towel halfway through. This wasn't the book for me, but I'm sure it could be for others.

Liatrek I bailed on this one too for many of the same reasons. 3y
34 likes1 comment
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AlisBookNookCorner
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I am still tackling, House of Leaves, but I have found it to be a rather challenging novel. It has proven to be very dark, heavy, and thought-provoking. I can honestly only take it in short strides, reading a bit at a time, it is rather dry too. So I went with a Backman book to read as well . . . Hope to even the playing field with these two very different novels. One is much more portable, bonus. 🤓

SnowFlower I loved loved House of Leaves! It is one book that has stuck with me! Such a memorable book! I read that for a book club and it was a great pick! 3y
AlisBookNookCorner I find it interesting, and I enjoy the set up. But in my opinion it reads like a dissertation paper. It doesn't feel much like a story, as it does a report. Very Blair Witch vibes. 3y
38 likes2 comments
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Gracelovesreading
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Pickpick

I finished this last year, after being given it by a colleague. I am now picking up another of his that has been sat on my bookshelf, 'A Man Called Ove'. I found the style of this 'My Grandmother...' book an adjustment because it rides along the borders of fantasy and imagination, blurring reality. A heartwarming grandmother/granddaughter relationship. ❤

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Ladygodiva7
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Book 3 of 2021.
3rd Fredrik Backman book, 100 pages in.

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cephellapod
Pickpick

This was so, so good. I wasn‘t expecting to cry at all reading this book but alas, I spent the last 50 pages or so crying.

Johanna414 This one was a surprise for me too! I read it for book club and ended up loving it! 3y
TheKidUpstairs I felt the same when I read this one! I didn't expect much of it and absolutely loved it. 3y
11 likes2 comments
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triplem80
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Pickpick

This may be the last book I finish before the new year. To me, it started out pretty slowly and I didn't love it as much as other Backman books, but it ended up being a really lovely read.

#TeamReadNosedReindeer @StayCurious

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smalldogs_bigbooks2419
Pickpick

Such great characters and story line. I definitely had a book hangover after this one!

EmilyM Loved this book! I just read it recently. 3y
Crazeedi Welcome to litsy!! Check out @LitsyWelcomeWagon and ask anyone questions! You will live it here 3y
Crazeedi Love, lol 3y
18 likes3 comments
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Crysboehne
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Pickpick

Let me begin by saying, I love Fredrik Backman and have honestly never read a bad book from him. This book is no exception. The story was lovely. A sincere capture of the love between a grandmother and her granddaughter, how it‘s okay to be different, and a lesson in how we should live our lives to actually live rather than just existing.
At times the quirkiness was a little too much, but it wouldn‘t be a Backman novel without it. ❤️

17 likes1 stack add
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starlight97
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Christmas book haul! Backman for Mom, WWII nonfiction for Dad, a picture book about the Hungarian defense forces and Mindhunter for fiancée, a gift card for brother because I can't quite keep up with his taste, and a limited edition collection of Christmas poems and prose for myself because I can't order books without ordering for myself as well 🙄🎁🎄

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jouleian
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I think this is my favorite of his. I just love Granny and I just...I love them all. #highlyrecommend #litsy #audiobook

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lil1inblue
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EadieB Nice! Thanks for playing! 3y
12 likes1 comment
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Court7
Pickpick

Surprising and good.

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berko
Bailedbailed

Not age appropriate for 5-8 yo. May read to myself is beautifully written.

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EmilyM
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This book is a welcome distraction! Hilarious quote: "'You have all these books and not a single Harry Potter?And they let you fix people whose heads are broken?'"

CBee One of my favorite books!! 3y
EmilyM @CBee I have read a few of Backman's books, but this one might be my favorite! 3y
CBee @EmilyM I‘ve read this one, and Ove (which I also loved - soft spot for curmudgeons 😂). Anxious People is next! Hopefully this month 🤞🏻 3y
EmilyM @CBee I really enjoyed Anxious People. 3y
CBee @EmilyM great to hear!! 😁😁 3y
31 likes5 comments
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Buechersuechtling
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Mehso-so

I scrolled 5 years of Litsy posts, thankful for every review that wasn‘t a „Pick“.

I see why it‘s popular. But I have issues although it entertained me.

How come, that you need to tell an all-so clever 7-year-old fairytales instead of explaining the real world to her in words she can understand❓

(Continued in the comments because I don‘t want to tag all the people again in my next posts, so I used a technique I saw at @TheAromaofBooks ‼️😊)

Buechersuechtling Continued 1: And why would anyone responsible feeds sweets to a dog⁉️😠 And what about George❓ Role: Father of the baby, cook for all; further character traits: None. Same with Lennard and his “coffee for the wait”. 🙄 Tragedy. 3y
Buechersuechtling Continued 2: I acknowledge all the effort with putting the fairytales together with reality – but it takes way too long to unfold and work for the reader. I need to wait at least three months before I can even think of turning to 🇩🇪/🇬🇧“Britt Marie …”

A book for adults that sounds how grown-ups imagine that smart seven-year-olds think, sound, act and behave. (🔚)
(edited) 3y
TheAromaofBooks I'm totally here for a good book rant!! 😂 Great progress!!! 3y
See All 6 Comments
BookBelle84 I liked the way the fantasy element was added to her living situation because I think it encouraged her to use her imagination and find magic and beauty everywhere. Then as for little character development, I think it would be accurate with how a child thinks. They wouldn't notice all of the quirks or intricacies of someone they would focus on certain traits that stood out to them. 3y
JamieArc This was my least favorite of his books. I agree that it took too long to roll the story out. I read this a long time ago though so I don‘t remember too much about it. 3y
Libby1 Hi! I bailed on this book as I thought the main character was preposterous! I was on holiday and ended up leaving the book on the communal book sharing table at the hotel. It disappeared within a few hours so I wonder who picked it up? Which country did it travel to next? Fun to think about. 😊 Thanks for tagging me. I loved Britt Marie, by the way. 3y
15 likes6 comments
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Buechersuechtling
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#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

1) I was surprised by how many names came to my mind. I completely share @TheAromaofBooks view about John Green even though one or two of his books I really do like. Then there is the tagged Frederik Backman: Nice but too sugary. Or Rachel Joyce. 🙄 Or Harry Potter. Or Lord of the Rings …

2) “The never-ending Story“ on an attic when it storms outside. “Metro 2033” in a deserted hut in the woods …

3) Chocolate. 🍫

Eggs I respect your honesty about over-rated and love your book-pairings👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 3y
Buechersuechtling @Eggs Thank you. 😁 I liked your questions because I didn‘t expect to have so much to say to them. 3y
Eggs Wonderful 😍😍 @Buechersuechtling 3y
TheAromaofBooks I love how not every book is for everyone & that's part of what makes reading awesome haha Also glad that I'm not the only not-John Green person lol 3y
22 likes4 comments
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Buechersuechtling
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#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

1) I was surprised by how many names came to my mind. I completely share with you about John Green even though one or two of his books I really do like. Then there is other tagged Frederik Backman: Nice but too sugary. Or Rachel Joyce. 🙄 Or Harry Potter. Or Lord of the Rings …

2) “The never-ending Story“ on an attic when it storms outside. “Metro 2033” in a deserted hut in the woods …

3) Chocolate. 🍫