Welcome to Litsy!

This is a shorter book, & I borrowed it from my friend‘s LFL. I just didn‘t get into the storyline on this one, but others may love it. A widow is dealing with grief after her husband dies, then has 2 different events going on—being drawn into helping an undocumented Mexican couple and searching for a missing sister with her other sisters. I‘m still going to read another Alvarez book, i just didn‘t love this one. 3⭐️

#coverlove #gold #day11

This was my first Julia Alvarez, probably picked up partially for its Vermont setting.

Antonia is grieving the loss of her husband Sam and adapting to life alone on her VT property without him. She still thinks of him while gardening, harvesting “Sam‘s potatoes” even though she planted this crop herself.

She has three sisters, “the sisterhood”, and their relationships are complicated. I enjoyed the dynamic.

You may want to check warnings…

Enjoyed it.

I enjoyed reading Antonia‘s story focussing on her life after her husband‘s death.Recently retired,she is also “dragged” into caring for an illegal immigrant& struggling with her sister‘s disappearance.The novel deals with love,loss,immigration,mental health,family,privilege. The elegant writing reminded me of Barbara Kingsolver.

This was a quiet little book. Fours sisters originally from Dominican Republic and now 60+ yo Americans having lived lives spread across 4 states. Antonio, both recently retired (English lit prof) and widowed, must navigate this ‘afterlife‘ with her distant sisters and her local community. It‘s an immigrant story but those interviews where the director explains, ‘It‘s a boxing movie but it‘s not really about boxing.‘ Yea, like that.

Enjoyed this story of a retired widow and her sisters. I found the book essentially life affirming. 3 🌟

A moving literary story that hits home in so many ways while giving insight to the complicated state of being foreign, but not, and privileged, but not. I immediately empathized with the main character and her loss as well as the flaws that she struggled with while impossible situations kept popping up and forcing her out of the protective shell she'd constructed. I love the dual use of language and how it flows whether you know the words or not.

The writing was so beautiful and evocative but I couldn‘t get past how angry I was at the narrator as she continued to make choices that I knew would hurt her and the people around her. I also just didn‘t find Antonia believable—you‘re worried enough to calm the police on your sister but not brave enough to tell her you think she needs help when she asks you point blank? I felt so bad for her sisters.

A year after the death of her husband, Sam, Antonia, a retired English professor, living in Vermont is still figuring out how to live in her grief, his absence. In her wanting to be alone of course life happens. She is one of four sisters and one of them is in crisis. The neighbor farmer who wants to ‘Take Vermont Back‘ employs illegal immigrants, one of which will ask for her help. Dealing with immigration and mental illness, Alvarez writes 👇🏼

This will be the 6th book out of the 7 books I have read from Julia Alvarez. I remember 20 years ago I read the 3 right away I could. And then in 2004 she came out with one of my all time favorites, In the Name of Salome. Every time I read her is like picking up a phone call from a friend you haven‘t heard from in a couple years. Your friendship is always there even though time has moved forward. ❤️Julia

It took me awhile to get into this book but once I found my rhythm with the style & prose I became enchanted. Antonia has recently & unexpectedly become widowed. But between her meddling sisters, dramas at home and other daily distractions Antonia finds herself with more than she can handle. This book reminded me of Weather by Jenny Offill, lots of hot button topics highlighted in a disjointed unconstructed manner. Good not great. Soft pick

Thanks to my #BookSpinBingo I have 5 boxes left and 4 are labeled “Kindle” so im choosing a book from my very loaded Kindle 😁

Easily one if the best books I‘ve read this year. The protagonist, Antonia, is relatable and the plot is timely. Alvarez manages to pack a lot into this short novel without it overwhelming the flow.

An appropriate quote as the court considers the ACA. Loving the unique writing so far.

Wow...it‘s been a while since I‘ve read a book by Julia Alvarez.

This is a #mustread about loss, grief, life, life after loss, love, family, sisterhood, mental illness, words, immigration, forgiveness, and self love. All of the intricacies of life, in a nutshell.

#YesiReads #JuliaAlvarez #diverseauthors #diversebooks #contemporaryfiction

So excited to finally get my hands on this one! I‘ve always been a big fan of Alvarez.

Attending the Portland Book Festival in conjunction with the Texas Book Festival author chat with Julia Alvarez while I work. It‘s so convenient!

#pdxbookfestival2020

I'm looking forward to reading this new book by Julia Alvarez. I thought other people here might be too! This is a free, live book discussion with the author. You can reserve your spot on Crowdcast from this page:
https://literary-arts.org/event/pbf-alvarez-txbf/

I found this on Lit Hub. They apparently do a round-up of all virtual book events every week, so you could check that site also if you wanted to see more of what's on offer! 😃

🌟🌟
The story was a bit disjointed for me.

Episode 5 of the Reading Squad is now available! We discuss Latinx Heritage Month and one of our favorite apps, Litsy: https://anchor.fm/readingsquad

I had to go in to our library so I could renew our library cards...so you know I could t leave without some books. 😆

I had tried to put some books on hold and use Hoopla during the week just to get a message saying that my library privileges had expired. I was sad 😢 and trying not to panic. I went to their website and found out that after 3yrs you have to renew your card. So I got it done today. 😁👍🏽 💕 📚 📚 💕

#YesiReads

Some of the Fiction authors.

2 of 2
#pdxbookfest2020

Alvarez is one of my favorite authors and this book, released after 14 years, focuses on immigration. Antonia, a retired college English professor, has recently lost her husband. Although she has three sisters, she‘s still trying to figure her life and identity after being widowed. Her life is entangled with Estela, an undocumented immigrant who comes to stay next door. Raising Qs on legality, economy, and power, this is an important read.

Trigger Warning: Suicide, Death, Immigration Treatment by Law Enforcement.

What a beautiful story about grief, hardship and the unexpected twists and turns that our lives take as we figure out who do we care for?.who is important? Beautiful narration and difficult topics regarding suicide and death.

#3Books #POC

This book dealt with many issues with a wonderful sense of humor. I especially enjoyed "that" sisterly humor.

Reading and working night shift. This book has no quotations but for some reason I don‘t mind. I have written many quotes down from this book. Remembering why I really like this author.

A quick listen that started off great but ultimately disappointed. A bit too uneven for me. I was much more drawn to the story of her relationship with her undocumented neighbors than that of her sisters who were bickering and tiresome. The mental illness story should have been compelling but the way it was treated felt simplistic and a little insensitive. Some very beautiful writing in places but just didn‘t come together for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Started this one just now on an #audiodogwalk. Loving it so far. The writing and the story grabbed me right away. #LordByron #DogsofLitsy

I loved this short, poetic book. Although, I think I just loved Alvarez‘s writing. The books topics were grief, migrants, and family....but it feels like she covered more than that. A very grounding book by a great author.

At first I missed what I found magical about her other books, playing with timelines or multiple characters' perspectives. She writes about grief as if she's closely acquainted with it and from the perspective of someone who is more aloof and used to seeking comfort and direction from finding the right words.

“All she has come up with is that the only way not to let the people she loves die forever is to embody what she loved about them.”

Answer? During a pandemic
#pandemic #covid #quarantine

28 Books so far
7 Black (25%)
0 Indigenous (0%)
3 Non-black POC (11%)
1 LGBTQIA+(3%)
(19 female (68%))
#intergrateyourself

Thanks!

@ChasingOm @Emilymdxn

This book is about a woman who deals with losing her husband. Along with that she is trying to find her sister and deal with the immigrant next door who has paid a coyote to bring his girlfriend. I short book filled with lots of ups and downs.

All I‘ve done today is read and watch author talks. This one with Julia Alvarez in conversation with Jaquira Diaz was sponsored by Book Passage.

Congratulations @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks on your followers and litfluence and for hosting the #5N5giveaway

1. It was very hard to pick a favorite but I will go with The Atlas of Happiness, a nonfiction book with excellent practical advice. I gave up choosing just one favorite fiction 🤦🏻‍♀️

2. I am looking forward to the tagged book. Hopefully I will buy a copy, soon.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Might have been expecting a little more action but was not expecting anything less than 5 stars from Alvarez! Quiet, meditative, beautiful.

Antonia is a retired literature professor whose husband has just died and she is left to make sense of her life. She has three sisters who are all very close but are a sense of drama, and then she gets wrapped up in the lives of some of the undocumented workers living nearby.⤵️

Ordered this from RJ Julia to support my fave local bookstore! #weekendreads

"The great loves they had all dreamed about as young women, reduced to the dubious compliments of horrors averted."

I love reading book recommendations. I hope you do, too.

https://apple.news/AZt1wNSSfRXysOX3VHQkHqg

This might be a more PC choice for people who are turned off by the “American Dirt“ controversy but still want to connect to a strong woman of color character. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Netgalley #arc

Full review at http://erinkonrad.com/2020/03/25/afterlife-book-review/

I picked this up at #pla2020 last week in Nashville and tore right through it. Alvarez is ana amazing writer, and my only complaint is that the book is too short. Antonia is a recently retired professor, whose beloved husband has also recently passed away. Two other life-changing events occur in the course of the book, making Antonia question her own humanity. I particularly love the descriptions of The Sisterhood. Great, quick read!

Thank you & congratulations to @Chrissyreadit for the celebratory #thankyougiveaway ❤️❤️

I read a lot of amazing books this year but my favorite was The Atlas of Happiness by Helen Russell, a book on the different ways of achieving happiness around the world with ideas to include those in our lives.
I am looking forward to Afterlife by Julia Alvarez, one of my favorite authors who discusses important pertinent themes. Afterlife looks intriguing