Welcome to Litsy!

4 out of 5

Hurry up & close school so I can get my summer reading started! #6thgradersinterruptingmyreadingtime

This is as good of a next choice as any! I think I bought this on Amazon a while back. Not sure what drew me to it, so we will find out! #tbr #whatirread #bookthreeof2022

Insanely disturbing. So good!

There‘s so much going on here. The pressure society puts on women to procreate, to be naturally nurturing. The gender dynamics of parenting. The way children change a marriage. The way our children can change us. Tragedy and fear.

I listened to the audio version voiced by Marin Ireland. Book and narrator are amazing, and I kept finding new chores to do, so I could keep listening. Finished in two days. Wow. Just wow.

I cried a lot. Difficult to read as a mother, but at the same time I couldn't stop. I read it in a weekend.

One of the best books I‘ve ever read. In this novel, generational trauma meets motherhood. There‘s a lyrical yet sinister feeling throughout the entire story. I found myself having to process every chapter because the topics were so heavy and devastating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I‘ve had this one on my TBR pile for a while. Perfect time to start it up 👍🏽

It took me a while to get through this one; I‘ve been in a bit of a reading slump. I pushed through and finished this today. Highly recommend for a good psychological read.

This book started out good, and ended even better. I found it very suspenseful, and couldn‘t wait to see how it ended. I did the audio version, and absolutely love the narrator-Marin Ireland. I feel that the author intended for none of the characters to be very likable. The female characters were very intense. It seems that I‘m let down by so many books at the end. Not take one! This is one that I recommend.

My book club discussion of this tense thriller focused on the ambiguities of what transpired throughout the novel as well as the certainties of the damage caused by societal pressures and intergenerational trauma. Definitely not an easy read (one of the moms in our club had to tap out; anyone with child or motherhood related triggers should approach with caution) but one that leaves you with plenty to contemplate.

This book is an incredible debut novel. I couldn‘t put it down. It cleverly draws you in with short chapters and strong characters. Incredibly well written. A must read

Wow!!! Did not know the premise of the book and I am glad I didn‘t. Just wow…what a read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Waited for it in paperback and it was worth the wait.

It was a slow start, but picked up quickly.

I found this really uncomfortable reading but I couldn‘t put it down.

What a messed up story.

I always feel like I need a shower after reading novels like this one, a la Gone Girl. It was compulsive, but predictable. It would have been more impactful had it been edited down to a novella or short story.

Look what I found in my mailbox! 💌
Thank you, Misty & Leigh. This was a very sweet surprise 💗
#litsylove
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Professional_Book_Dragon

Hmm. This was disturbing and I didn‘t love the second person narration. But I also read it in the span of 48 hours, so that‘s a good sign that I was engaged. Overall I‘d say it‘s missable but a fast read.

An interesting book. Read for #NerdDaily2022ReadingChallenge2022 #TheStorygraphGenreChallenge2022 #PopSugarReadingChallenge2022
#52BookClubReadingChallenge2022 3.75/5

Idk… this one left me wanting more. The ending had me like… “That‘s it?!?” It was all very anticlimactic for me.. it was written well, despite the narrators almost cringey TMI descriptions of things, but I was left so unsatisfied. I just felt like nothing happened really..

Oh how I missed Litsy! I am beyond sad and even ashamed that I disappeared for so long from my favorite app. I hope I can reconnect with you all. The 1st physical book I finished in 2022 was exactly what I needed. Mother-daughter relationships can be complicated and motherhood is hard, especially if you don‘t have a good example. This book hit on abuse, dysfunction, marital woes, grief, obsession, and stalking with a side of evil child creepiness.

Am I the only one who hated this book? Even as a Mother… I hated almost everything about it. The way the narrator described her body or breastfeeding even was never relatable, just awkward and cringey. Reading the narrator walk into so many ‘why are you doing this?!‘ situations was also brutal. I finished it… but I didn‘t want to. Maybe I just didn‘t get it.

Up next #Nowreading New Month. New Book.

Yes! I just threw this book in the floor and my coworkers looked at me like I‘m crazy 😜 The ending! WTH?! I had so many emotions reading this! I‘m not sure if I like it or hate it! Of course, what I thought to be true was… but the dang ending!! Ughhhhh

#Bookspin

“A mother‘s heart breaks a million ways in her lifetime.” how true this is! 💔

1) the tagged 💜
2) we actually had some snow this morning! It‘s melting now as it‘s 34 degrees F
3) we are bundled up and heading to the movies to see House of Gucci 🖤

#WeekendReads

This is definitely a page turner!

It makes you wonder about how much influence parents have over how their kids will turn out. What kind of people they‘ll be and if love and support are enough.

Some parts felt unrealistic like how no one notices Violet‘s strange behavior.

Overall, it was entertaining, quick-paced, and emotional, but not overly sentimental. I enjoyed it.

#FridayNightBookClub

What are you reading on this chilly January night?!?!

Play 👍🏻 tag 🏷 share!

Your house glows at night like everything inside is on fire.

#FirstLineFridays

It‘s always nice to get a love note 📝 ❤️ he makes me feel special ❤️

This book though…

#Bookspin

Reminded a little bit of Baby Teeth. Enjoyed the audio book a quick read.

🎧 Tough one. I have mixed feelings about this audiobook, not because of the story but the audio format can be slightly confusing. There‘s something that would have helped immensely & should have been in the summary … know this before you jump in:

Etta - grandma
Cecilia - mother
Blythe - daughter (MC, storyteller)
Violet - Blythe‘s daughter

That should help you keep track of the multiple storylines.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 👇🏻

Starting this one today for my #Bookspin 💜🖤

Pretty profound 👶🏻 🥚 🩸 ❤️

I'm fascinated that so many reviews characterize this book as a thriller. For me it was much more a story that challenged the idealisation of motherhood and explored the challenges faced by women who don't experience it as they are expected to. I found Blythe completely relatable and I wanted to scream at her husband for his lack of support. Thanks @AmyG I liked this a lot. #NewYearWhoDis2022 @monalyisha

Do you ever listen to an audiobook and suddenly recognize the narrator from a previous listen? I'm listening to The Push right now, and I had to look up the narrator to see if it was the same as Anxious People because I keep hearing her say "House Tricks?" in my head.

Monday, after a holiday, first of the year in the pharmacy is T-O-U-G-H! Relaxing just a little with a #bathandabook before I crash pretty early tonight. This is one harrowing listen so far!

ETA: Finished and really liked this one! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4451095850

I could not put this book down! I kept wanting to reach inside the pages and shake all of the people who didn‘t believe Blythe, who ignored all of the signs. And she gets blamed, loses everything, holy shit I need to lie down.
This one shook me 🥺🤯😥

So, I‘m thinking my last book will be The Push as I started it today, it‘ll probably be the first of next year as well, along with Part 2 of A Promised Land for #obamabuddyread. Thanks Kristen @BookNAround ♥️😊 #lastfirst

Santa brought a new iPad! 🎅🏻♥️

Loved this book! Great page turner until the very last sentence.

I want to know your thoughts on this book! I was a little late in getting to the party on this one but I have to know what other readers thought about this book. What could Blythe have done differently and would it have changed anything? As a mom, it's difficult to imagine anything unsavory about our children but you also have innate sense of who this person you created is at their core. And in this society, with no proof who will believe you?

Wow.. I'm feeling so many emotions after listening to the audiobook. The complexity of this situation really got me. Violet is scary but as a mom are you allowed to say that about your child? So many questions remain about what to do when you know something is wrong.... No one believes her, she lost everything. But what of this weight to bear lies on Blythe's shoulders, could things have been different if she has been a different mom... Wow

Dark, engrossing story. Just how I like them. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a story that broke my heart so many times. It was unexpectedly depressing with how real and raw this felt. It‘s not a happy story, which I mean I wasn‘t exactly expecting, but it never had any moments of levity. I loved this story and appreciated it for what it was but I don‘t think I could ever bring myself to read it again. The only thing keeping it from a 5 was the abrupt ending even though it was an expected end.

#BookSpinBingo

Be careful what you wish for. I wanted a book I couldn‘t put down because of my slump and that‘s what I‘ve got. However the more I read the more bummed out I get. Any books that deal with toxic mother/daughter relationships or perceived mental illnesses in those relationships, always hits me harder than anything else. There‘s another aspect I wasn‘t prepared for as well. As my husband and I talk about having kids, I always find myself having ⬇️⬇️

I‘ve only read 2 books this month. Man this year has just been awful for reading. I ended last year with 117 read and made my goal for this year 150. Only done 80 so far this year. Feeling kinda bummed about it. However I only need 2 more books to get the socks from #BOTM so I‘m gonna start this one tonight. Hope it‘s good enough to hook me right away since I‘m in a never ending slump.

The elusive Mr Frank is my reading buddy tonight 🤗

Such an unsettling build up and a disturbing end, in the best way possible. Excellent writing. I liked that the pace was so quick. I couldn‘t settle into the story. Much as Blythe could never settle into her motherhood role.

Although themes like generational trauma, weak men who trigger family disintegration, parental strain in raising children have been approached by many authors before, this thriller is still enthralling and disturbing. I found the ending to be both expected and unexpected!
A realistic drama which has probably been experienced by many...