Welcome to Litsy!

Thank you so much Sue for this wonderful surprise in the mail! ♥️♥️ This sounds right up my alley and I‘m looking forward to reading it.

A mother, her two daughters, and an ex-husband of one of the daughters are struggling: one coping with an end of life issue and the others dealing with an infidelity and a reckoning. I appreciated the writing and, honestly, I related strongly with all the characters. There should have been a ‘bad guy‘ but I found myself able to empathize with all of them. Not sure who decided this cover though. Thanks to @Jeg and @Centique for the recommendation.

Thanks for reviewing this book @Jeg encouraging me to read it. I havent read a book about estranged family members for a long time, and this was just written so well. Hillary is the widowed mother of two daughters who are no longer speaking to each other. We have her POV, Esther and April, the two middle aged daughters, and Lawrence, Esther‘s ex-husband. Each of them are at a crossroads. ⬇️

This book will stay with me for a while. Knowing the authors background and that she died the year this was published made this a thoughtful read for me. A story about relationships, living and dying and more. I loved it. I‘ve read a couple of her books now and loved them all. A talent lost too soon.

A fairly predictable story with characters only somewhat fleshed out. I only enjoyed Hillary‘s storyline. The author uses several repetitive phrases that begin to grate after a point. The narration on Audible was nice, although without variation. It‘s a one-time read, but slow and not particularly memorable.

I've never read any of Georgia Blain's work.
I actually have this on my shelf, but as I listen I couldn't imagine enjoying reading it although it is written beautifully. I'm listening whilst I pack for a weekend away.
It delves into the few main characters individually. Their lives past, current, their relationships, regrets & reflections. Although not engrossing, sister April totally makes me think of my girl!
Set in Australia. Rose Bay, Sydney.

First, I love this cover but I‘m not sure how it‘s relates to the book I just read. Esther is a family therapist who‘s got plenty of her own family drama. I found Esther‘s patients lives more compelling/ interesting than her own personal story. It‘s a quick read but very melancholy, it left me underwhelmed. Writing is very good but I just couldn‘t care for the main characters. Thanks so much @CarolynM for sharing this book with me 🥰

#7books7days Day 4
Books that have left a deep impression on me.

💔❤️👏

@Lizpixie have you already had a go at this challenge? If not and you‘d like to, consider yourself nominated.

Book Between a Wolf and a Dog by Georgia Blain
Author Julian Barnes
Movie Bull Durham
Band The Beautiful South, Bright Eyes
Song Bow River - Cold Chisel

#ManicMonday #LetterB

Ester is a family therapist but she has a lot of work to do with her own family relationships. She is estranged from her ex-husband and her only sister. With a whole group of complex characters, this is a pretty good family drama.

Utterly human and completely lacking in maudlin sentimentality. A masterly slow reveal of characters and concepts. An exploration of loss. Five stars. Book one in a challenge to read all of the Stella longlisted books.

Wonderful prose, masterly pacing - I don‘t want this to end.

And now I just feel sad 😔

This book is stunning. I adored the writing and characters. Such a sad story but so real and raw and honest. I just wish it had been raining outside while I read it!
Thanks again @MrsMalaprop for the recommendation. 💚
#ozfiction

#OctoberXFiles #AWolfAtTheDoor

I‘ve heard only great thing about this book. Still on my TBR!

I really enjoyed this heartfelt book about family and betrayal. I love the author's writing style, I felt for the characters and felt this could probably be someone's real life. #georgiablain #ARC

This is my latest bookclub read. I agree with @TheDoubleLetterThief the book seems to about everything but is told on an ordinary day (well ordinary for most of the characters). I loved the descriptions, I could real picture the scenery and feel the surrounds.

Finished this off this morning, ready for book club tomorrow. How can a story be about not much and everything at the same time? I found the style of writing very calming, almost meditative and I really liked the gentle progression of each of the stories. I think some of the imagery in this one will stay with me for a while.

Been spending time lately doing some ebook feeding.

#4NEWfavesin4days

My new obsession is signing up for book giveaways! This makes #4. I'm finding books I might not have otherwise read. #tbr #georgiablain #ilovefreebooks

First ebook I have ever completed in my life - mainly out of necessity. This was one of my online book club picks and the library only had an e-format. I really wanted to like the novel, I appreciate how it is written in different voices, allowing the reader to get into multiple characters‘ heads. But I just felt that there was WAY too much going on, not a moment to spare, almost; one tragedy or heartache after another - never letting up. ⬇️

#EmojiMadness Day 26: First book that came to mind (farthest right) with today‘s 😭 prompt - mainly because of the book cover. This is my FIFTH online/virtual book club (including the swaps) #HorrorPostalBookClub #ScreamsByMail #SEAReaders - these are the two books we need to read for the next two months for my Facebook Book Club. Craycray. 😭 indeed.

Like my recent mood, this is a melancholy book, a deep, sweeping sadness that embraces each of the four MCs but written with such beauty and offering just a tiny slither of hope.

I'm feeling melancholy today, a mood matched by this book it seems. I'm hoping an afternoon reading outside might lift the spirits a little. Blue skies, warm gentle breeze and birds chirping... surely that should do it.

This year I decided I would let me reading go wherever felt right at the time. So despite the fact that I have multiple other library books picked up earlier than this one, I feel like reading this first. It's very freeing!
Thanks for the rec @CarolynM @Abailliekaras @MrsMalaprop

What a reading year 2017 has been for me. I discovered Litsy this time last year. 46 books in a year is a lot for me, and there were so many great reads amongst them.
I compiled this list of faves (with much difficulty) and then noticed that coincidentally they all fit the prompt for #newtoyouauthor #2018bookbinge 😊👍📚

And that 46 is my actual age! That too is coincidental. Thanks @Jeg 😉

1. Between a Wolf and a Dog by Georgia Blain
2. Georgia Blain
3. Fahrenheit 451
4. Catherine Fox's Lindchester trilogy
5. Nothing stands out, I don't pay much attention to covers
6. A Dangerous Language by Sulari Gentill
7 Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout

#7GoodThings

#QuotsyDec17 #discovery @TK-421 from Between a Wolf & A Dog : this quote is one of the many discoveries and insights that I made through this book. I could quote almost every line. So full of riches ✨✨✨

#DecDays #hallelujah @Cinfhen from Between a Wolf & a Dog : this quote feels like hallelujah to me ✨✨✨

What a beautiful book. I read Georgia Blain has passed on, at only 52. I will read more of her books. This is one of my top 2 books of 2017. Thankyou fellow litten @CarolynM , for recommending this jewel of a book. I loved it 🙏

#QuotsyDec17 #Peace @TK-421 from Georgia Blains : Between A Wolf And A Dog : April describes this peace she has found as fragile.....

#QuotsyDec17 #together @TK-421 from Between A Wolf & A Dog : “ BUT now here alone on the other side of their life together , She looks back on those flashes of anger as simply that : no more than jagged cuts of lightening in the sky , so brief against all that stretched before & After “ ✨✨✨really good book

1. I‘m more of a cake person. But shortbread would be the one 💕2
2. I‘ve allwsys hosted , love cooking Xmas dinner. Maybe that will change in the future, but I‘m hosting ✨
3. I think 38, I‘m rounding it off to 40. 😉will def keep a record in 2018.
4. Elf
5. I‘ve put out the hints for new earings 🤞🤞🤞

Not the book cover. But , wow, I love this pic. About to embark on Between A Wolf And A Dog. Going to get cosey & read for tonight. Got lots of bits & pieces done today. ✨✨✨

I‘ve been so down lately but these mornings where it‘s just me and Alastor, a cup of coffee and my book are helping. I hope to get out of this funk soon. Side note: I am loving this book!

A beautiful novel. Clean writing, a natural style - at one level it simply lets you into this family‘s life and tells you their battles & joys, as easily & comfortably as sharing a cup of tea. But it has the clarity & honesty in the face of death as When Breath Becomes Air, the warmth & Sydney characters of a Liane Moriarty & the acute, finely drawn observations of Ian McEwan. So that it leaves you fairly shattered by the end. 😭 #Australia

Wow. I've just finished this and I'm speechless. Breathtakingly good.
I don't know why I was so reluctant to read it. It's not the first time I've owed a debt to my book group for making me read something I never would have chosen for myself

Bedtime reading. I‘m enjoying this so far. It‘s a similar genre to Little Fires Everywhere (suburban family problems) but it feels more organic. It‘s easy to slip into the characters‘ stories. #Auslit #Australia

#emojinov #📚📷 #☔️ This stunning novel was set almost entirely on one very rainy day in Sydney. #ozfiction 💜

"There is nothing anyone can say to haul me away. I have to do it myself, crawling back from the lip of the crater towards all that I love in life, while knowing that I have to loosen the grip of everything I hold most dear. I am not afraid of dying. What I am afraid of is saying goodbye." - The Museum of Words by Georgia Blain

I read this book a few months ago and absolutely adored it. Almost the entire book is set on one very rainy day in Sydney. #JubilantJuly #Rain

Now that I've stopped blubbering, I can write a review. This book was stunning. Knowing the real life events surrounding the author (see article excerpt above) may have impacted on my appreciation of this novel, along with the fact that the one year anniversary of the death of a colleague of mine from a similar illness has just passed. Her writing is sublime, and beautiful and real. I loved this book, and now feel the need to read all of her work.

This writing is making me swoon 😍😍😍.

I was so good 🏃🏻‍♀️. And now I'm being so bad 😬.

Ain't that the truth.

I remember having people come visit when my boys were bubs, and whilst I was pleased to see them, thinking to myself,
"Oh please, can't you mind the baby so I can take a half hour nap?"

But I never said it out loud. I'm so going to try to remember this should I get the pleasure of being a grandma one day.

#Maybookflowers #Booksaboutmothers

Getting started on this one today. Georgia Blain died in December of a brain tumour. This was her final novel. It was shortlisted for the #stellaprize 2017. #currentlyreading

I love this little passage about Ester's nieces coming to stay:
"She always slept with both the girls. One on each side. Lavender shampoo and sweet milky skin, warm arms and legs tangled around her own. She would wake to them chattering, sometimes to each other, sometimes to her, and she wanted to drink them up, all of them - their little white death, clear eyes, and their breath, as fresh as water." ?

TBR issues... What to read next? 😬📚