Welcome to Litsy!

June wrap up!! It was a good month for reading for me. Probably because I was sick most of the month 😂😂😂. Top pick was The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah but I also loved A History of Wild Places and The Pull of the Stars!! So glad I finally got to a few that were sitting on my shelf for awhile! Hoping July is just as good for reading as June was 😃

I love this scene. Three women, all at different stages of their lives, all grieving the same loss…but in very different ways.
And this line…so true. In my younger days, I always thought romance equaled grand gestures & excitement & drama. Now at almost 40, I realize that romance isn‘t hearts and flowers. It‘s someone who knows how you take your coffee, or fixes a flat tire for you. It‘s finding someone who calms you just with their presence.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ The characters are well written and there‘s so much grit, perseverance, strength, hope, and love. It‘s a vivid portrayal of survival that motivated me to learn more about the Dust Bowl and Great Depression. But it also had some real misery porn tendencies and unrealistic scenes. Compelling, but a soft pick.

Maybe it‘s just the times we‘re in, but I connected with the story of a mother struggling to keep herself and her family going amid the Great Depression and Dust Bowl.

Really hoping to see a fellow invisible woman get her happy ending, but I‘m not optimistic…

Also…I LOVE these end papers. I‘ve never seen glitter seem so bleak, but I‘m here for it.

Another one finished in 24 hours by Kristin Hannah. She‘s amazing and any work by her will draw you in. 10/10

I normally would never pick up a historical fiction book about The Great Depression, but I love Kristin Hannah so much that I knew I had to read this one. It did not disappoint. The writing was excellent and the story was so well thought out and came together so perfectly. It will definitely tug at your heart, but it is so worth it. I learned something from this book and felt like it was so relatable even though it was set a hundred years ago.

Just got home from the first library-led (me) book discussion since early 2020. I know many have loved this and our readers often really enjoy historical fiction so it was a great one to start us up again. I appreciated the book for the way it holds a mirror up to our current issues with immigration and climate change compared with the suffering during the Dust Bowl/Great Depression which so many need to see. A bit over-done and obvious at times.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Four Winds by Kristen Hannah is a heartbreaking, powerful and epic familial drama set during the Great Depression.

I definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys Historical Fiction.

I have long since learnt that Hannah doesn‘t really write happy endings, more often bitter-sweet and often heartbreaking. Set during the Great Depression, the rich story telling transports you back in time to the Great Plains where you feel deeply the hardship and struggle so many endured. The character of Elsa is so tenderly written that I found myself desperately hoping she‘d get her happy ending. If only Hannah wrote those now and again. 4/5🌟

This book was devastating. Set in the Great Depression, Hannah introduces us to memorable characters; then forces us to watch as they are subjected to disaster after disaster As others have said, there‘s little in the way of redemption. At one point , I thought, now I know why they called it the Great “Depression.” That being said, anyone who‘s lived through the last two years will certainly find it believable. Both heartbreaking and timely.

One of my favorite books!! Ever!

Have I been listening to this for weeks? Yea. Was it worth it? Definitely

My husband has been telling me to read this for a year now and I finally did, why did I wait so long?
This book grips you by your heart strings and takes you through life during the Great Depression.
They don‘t teach you these things in History class here in the US, and it‘s astounding.
If you haven‘t read this yet, go grab it- you won‘t regret it.

Good, but not sure I loved it

I enjoyed the story and the relationship between the mother and her daughter, I also appreciated learning through fiction a part of American history I wasn't very familiar with. However, as in many mainstream book, I didn't like the manichean depiction of the events, and of the people (either very bad or very good, to the point of caricature... It's definitely a pet peeve of mine).

Thrift store book haul for the month of March. I just started “The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah. What should my next pick be?

Next up, #thefourwinds #kristinhannah #readwithjenna

“Love. In the best of times, it is a dream. In the worst of times, a salvation.” A heart wrenching story with such a powerful ending.

I have my BOTM copy but listened to this on audio because

1. Julia Whelan is an awesome narrator, and
2. I wasn‘t sure I could physically keep turning pages
in what I assumed would be a depressing book.

I do not regret my decision. I love Hannah‘s writing style and this was a good story, but so very bleak. Damn it, Kristin Hannah! 😩😭

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nothing like waking up at 4 am to finish a book because you can‘t bear to work another day without knowing the ending. 😭 and then subsequently crying all morning. I haven‘t cried this much since The Book Thief.

Julia Whelan is one of my top audiobook narrators and made this read much more enjoyable. It is not a short book, and depressing as hell. Part of me felt like Elsa must have done something really bad in her past life to be subjected to this much tragedy, it‘s unreal! IMO, Hannah could have eased up a bit 😅 I did love the bond between Elsa and Grandma Rose.

#Booked2022 #WeatherTermInTitle

1. Tagged book - 464 pages

2. I don‘t read many of them; but I don‘t avoid them either. If I‘m pressed for time I get the audio version and listen to it while traveling or going about my day. This tagged book for example - i rated it so-so … had it been shorter it probably would have been a pick - but I did get super bored in places.

I‘d you‘re reading this consider yourself tagged! #Two4Tuesday

New home, new view, new library card! Happy to be settled and thrilled to find this one available for my first checkout. It‘s been on my list for awhile. Should be a good weekend!

I have not read a book by Hannah in years and years. The Four Winds is set during the Great Depression and dust bowl years. It is a hard, harrowing tale about a piece of American history that I haven‘t read much about. Even though it put me through the wringer I was mostly on board until the end. If it had been a physical book I would have thrown it across the room. Sorry for my unpopular opinion. #NewYearWhoDis

Geez, this book is GRIM!!!! I was having #FoMo but now I know Kristen Hannah isn‘t the author for me.
I don‘t dislike this book as much as The Great Alone but I feel like the author is intentionally manipulating me.
I get the Dust Bowl was a terrible tragic time in US History and I actually appreciate the insight and descriptions Hannah provides but there‘s zero redemption. And I still have another 4 hours.

Today‘s plan is the tagged audio book while doing chores, finishing The Strange Adventures of H on kindle, reading our #SundayBuddyRead section in The Other Side of Midnight and then back to the tagged for audiopuzzling.

Share what you are reading everyone.

This was a good book, because I felt deeply for the characters and it was well written. I was not expecting a warm fuzzy tale since it was set in the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, but this book was the saddest story I ever read. I kept reading and reading fast hoping that something nice would happen to this mom, but not much good ever happened. I hope the author‘s next book is happier.

1. It depends… I like them both

2. Tagged… I finished it last night and it was my first 5⭐️ read of the year and the best book I have read in a while!!

#two4tuesday @TheSpineView

@BethM @JenReadsAlot @peaknit

Kristin Hannah is an amazing author and she never fails to have tears streaming down my face… a stunningly beautiful and raw depiction of the Great Depression and what it took to survive. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (my first 5⭐️ read of the year!)

These gold, glittery specks are stunning… sometimes it the little things in life!

Well Kristin Hannah managed to bring tears to my eyes again. This was my DAR chapter‘s book club pick and I think it‘s going to be a great discussion. While fiction, I feel like I learned a good deal about the Dust Bowl and the struggles they faced #booked2022 #weathertermintitle #19822022 #2021 Plus this was my one physical book I wanted to complete this month for #bfc2022

I am physically reading the tagged book and I am listening to If you Ask Me by Betty White!
#weekendreading @Andrew65

Started listening to audiobooks while making dinner. A book, nutritious food, and a glass of wine is my kind of delightful evening. Thanks to everyone for their recommendations of audiobook platforms!

#12Booksof2021
#6thBookof2021 This one really made me think. It made me hopeful, sad & mad. I enjoyed the story and the writing.
#7thBookof2021 This book made me cry — really cry. It was heartbreaking & hopeful, sad & inspiring. It touched me like no other book this past year.

1. Finding my way back to the Church.
2. Not easy to choose…Four Winds, Malibu Rising, the Wicked Widow
3. An end to the pandemic 🦠🧬💊💉

There is a new candle up in #BOTM boutique if anyone is interested. It‘s described as “a dusky scent with light herbal undertones. Dust not included”

Great and poignant book. I loved all the different mother and daughter relationships. This is a good companion to The Grapes of Wrath.

Excited for December‘s #botm box. Decided to go with the BOTY winner, but I was on the fence about it to be honest. Very excited for A Flicker in the Dark!

Catching up on another beautiful #botm read! Lovely, at page 61!

#botm #boty

“As we know, there are lessons to be learned from history. Hope to be derived from hardships faced before. We've gone through bad times before and survived, even thrived. History has shown us the strength and durability of the human spirit, In the end, it is our idealism and our courage and our commitment to one another--what we have in common--that will save us.”

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

My heart is legitimately aching for this read. I loved every word even as I fought back the tears and the anger. An absolute masterpiece without a doubt. Kristin Hannah will forever remain one of my favorite authors 📖💞

#BookReview #KristinHannah #TheFourWinds

Oh this already has some great nuggets in it! It‘s set in Dalhart just a few miles from where I grew up! But I wasn‘t alive for the Great Depression … which makes this all the more interesting!

There ya go!

Four Winds came back early !!!! I had requested a hold on it when it came in. I got the large print edition ... Librarian said it must be popular book, he has 4 going out today! I'm also reading All the Forgiveness - had it already checked out. I've got lots of reading to do now!

#CurrentlyListening to The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah 🎧

Any other Kristin Hannah fans out there? I love her books and have been looking forward to this one for so long!

#KristinHannah

Thoroughly enjoyed this one. It moves at a slower pace which seems appropriate and works for the setting and time of this one - The Great Depression.

Can you tell I am ready for fall? 🍁 🍂 Too bad it‘s 90 out and Maya‘s school AC has been broken for 2 days! 😫

This was the first book I‘ve read by Kristin Hannah, and I loved it! I will definitely be reading more of hers. When in the right mood, because this was pretty much depressing from the first page to the last. You definitely need a box of tissues next to you with this book!