Welcome to Litsy!

My first 5 ⭐ read of the year. This is 15-year-old Wren's coming-of-age story. She lives with her parents in the mountains of West Virginia. Her father is a snake handling preacher; her mother has been beaten down by life. It is a stunning novel and I will definitely read anything else this author writes.

Here is my November #bookspin list. #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

On an isolated mountaintop trapped in time, two women vow to protect each other at all costs. Fifteen-year-old, Wren Bird father, a snake-handling preacher, quickly turns one summer into tragedy. Burns reveals the hidden story behind two generations' worth of Appalachian heartbreak and resolve.

Shiner started a little slow for me, but once it got going it was good. It‘s told from multiple POVs, each giving a different look at the same events. A lot of it is sad, but I have hope for the characters who are still with us at the end.

I chose this for #WestVirginia for #readthestates2021.

#curiouscovers #littenlisten

I was really hoping to get to this book with flowers on the cover this month for the #audioathon, but it‘s looking doubtful at this point. I‘ve got so many others cued up already!

^^Flynn pining for Ruby. Male characters=drunken brutes or besotted saviors. Flynn compares his heart to moonshine mash? “Flynn wished he could leave behind his heart for Ruby like that, so he could return a week later to find it made new.” It SOUNDS deep and romantic, but WTH? Feelings fermentation? Stirring the still of his heart? Editor could have helped here.

What‘s with this book? Feels like Burns stuffed a bunch of trauma & motivations in a blender, pulverized & served with a side of snake-handling. Fervent characters, but no there there. Teen Wren Bird lives in isolation in Appalachian mountains outside Trap, West Virginia. Mother fell for lightning-surviving, snake-taming father & just kept falling. Kept reading for sense of place & for female bonds, but mostly sensationalism without pay off. 2020

https://wellreadneck.wordpress.com/2020/10/23/shiner-amy-jo-burns/

Bookish kinda night. I‘m whisked away to the snake charmin‘, moon-shiny mountains of West Virgina. Wren is telling me quite a tale.

Just the prettiest first line of a book...

Carline reading. #bookspinbingo

Added a musical component to the reading session tonight. Seems to go with the book. Moonshine and mountains.

Loved this Appalachian story. Can‘t wait to see the author this Tuesday night in conversation with the fabulous Joshilyn Jackson. It‘s a free Decatur Book Festival event. Join me! https://www.crowdcast.io/e/jj-reads-shiner-and-a-burning/register

#DBF2020
#ARC #Netgalley

I think this book will be especially meaningful to those who‘ve lived under the watchful eye of toxic religious beliefs or the oppressive views of dominant men. That‘s not to say that others won‘t enjoy it, as well, but it captures a sad acceptance and hopeless desire to escape that I believe will resonate with those who‘ve experienced it firsthand.

Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3219575554

“Love that hopes to conquer only twists itself into hate.”

“Moonshine earned its name from spending its life concealed in the dark, and no one understands that fate more than I do.”

Mini book haul! I picked these up from our local bookstore The Dog Eared Book today! I have been eyeing The Five for a while and I‘m looking forward to reading it. Shiner was my most anticipated May release so I selected it for my monthly preorder. Today is its book birthday! What book birthdays are you celebrating with today?

Let‘s talk about May releases! What are you looking forward to?

Here‘s my latest blog post with links to my top 5 most anticipated May publications: https://www.facebook.com/1282951466/posts/10216887383638528/?d=n

Started this #ARC today and am loving the atmosphere so far!