Welcome to Litsy!

Am I back? Maybe - I dont know yet. I use storygraph a lot - maybe some of you want to send me their names or add me? Ladyduckofdoom, as always.
Sending love 💕

#ReadAway2024#SeriesLove2024

Finished this on Sunday, it‘s my 2nd book for April #Roll100 (Book #100 which was “Any Kindle Unlimited”) I‘m glad I finally got around to reading it, it‘s just a very introspective cozy science-fiction/fantasy story. A quick read that I wanted to take my time with. I could relate to Dex‘s existential crisis & how they wondered what they were doing while they kept doing it & of course Mosscap is delightful.🍵🤖🤍⬇️

“Gods around” - I kind of like this expression… Has anyone adopted this phrase and what did it replace?

(And yes, we have TOO MUCH STUFF. 😤)

Am I just going to post photos of everything I ate or drank today? Maybe not everything, but close. 😉😋😆
After the coffee shop I grabbed a poke bowl for lupper. Started this one, my #100 for April‘s #Roll100 & happy to FINALLY get to reading it.

Copper Bopper! #DogsOfLitsy 🐶 🌷

The dice were good again this month. Here are my 3 #Roll100 picks for April

#100 was “Any Kindle Unlimited” on my list & I chose the tagged book which I have had “borrowed” on KU for ages but never seem to get around to reading.

#6 The Future (in my #BOTM stack)

#74 was “Any Audiobook” on my list & I went with this 5th book (& next for me) in the Lady Holmes series that my library Libby only has in audio format.

I am excited to read them!

I saw someone on Goodreads describe this as “What was I made for?” by Billie Eilish, but in book form and that‘s *exactly* it and exactly what I needed. A warm hug that says it‘s ok to be tired and sad and a bit lost followed by a steaming cup of tea that says you‘ll figure it out (or that‘s it‘s ok not to figure it out, either).

The dedication on this book is “For anybody who could use a break,” which I honestly feel so much right now.

This book is often labeled cozy or literary embrace, but as it lacks a conflict or moral dilemma, it is simply dull. The worldbuilding is incomplete and unclear, and for me it hints at a population manipulated by a dictatorship maintaining specific social order #told_by_a_woman #bookclub

Double spread for this delightful duology

This book felt like a hug for my brain. All the praise I‘d heard was true for this simple but deeply resonant tale of a tea monk and a robot. I borrowed this from the library but definitely want to buy it for myself. Some of the passages just really spoke to me, you know?

Work closed a bit early and they‘ve already announced a late opening due to weather, so I‘m cozied up and ready to read! 💗💗

A lot of great reading in 2023. 254 books—the three I talk the most shown above. Can‘t recommend these highly enough with the tagged book perhaps being my favorite because it was such an unexpected surprise. Compelling, philosophical, and wonderful. I also read 331 comics—the graphic is a collage I made of Skottie Young‘s 2023 covers. Excited to start a new year of reading.

🎆🎇Happy New Year. Happy reading!!!🎇🎆

If you had told me that a science fiction novella about a monk & a robot would prove to be one of the most profound, philosophical, compelling studies of the human condition I‘ve read in a long time, I would have scoffed. But it is. This quiet, powerful book asks us to think about what it is to be human, to distinguish being from purpose & to know that it is, as it says in the book, enough to just exist. April‘s best & a new favorite.

@Andrew65

#12Booksof2023 January had an unprecedented SIX 5⭐️ reads and several more that came close! But I always like #12BooksofChristmas not just for the fun of seeing everyone else‘s picks, but because I find it easier to choose favorites after time has passed. Looking back Becky Chambers made the biggest impression on me, and I‘m already itching to reread this one. @Andrew65

“If you ask six different monks the question of which godly domain robot consciousness belongs to, you'll get seven different answers.“

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

#Two4Tuesday

1. We‘ll do Thanksgiving with my in-laws Thursday and then drive to my mom‘s and do it again on Friday. 🦃

2. Tagged—a quiet, philosophical book in which kindness, listening, and the power of a cup of tea and a good conversation all play a prominent role.

@TheSpineView

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This novella is only 150 pages, but that length does not adequately convey its impact. Deceptively cozy & an “easy read,” there is a deep well of tenderness, emotion, and meaning in this book, and I can‘t put my finger on how Chambers does it.
I am so looking forward to reading the next and highly recommend this - even if you aren‘t a sci-fi reader, this is so much more than a sci-fi story.
Also highly recommend the audiobook version!

Chambers has written a skillful, well-constructed story about a tea monk named Dex searching for meaning in their life, which pairs well with the robot Mosscap's journey to learn what it means to be human. If you aren't someone who finds value in therapy, this story might be tedious. Dex is asking "What's wrong with me?" because they feel like something is wrong with them. Chambers impressed me, and I want to read more of her work.

This was a good quick read. I enjoyed the story and the world building. I was distracted the whole time by the use of ‘they/them‘ as a pronoun though. I appreciate the author‘s intent but it was confusing at times and took me out of the story frequently.

What a cool, little book! It is both cute and philosophical at the time. Dex is a non-binary human in the future who is rabidly trying to find their purpose in life and comes across this chill robot. I needed to hear what this little book had to say. I recommend it if you'd like a warm hug from a robot.

This was truly wonderful. I loved everything about it. I'm going to have to buy this and the second one. Love love love!

A cozy book with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. A comforting literary journey for anybody whose felt lost while searching for a greater purpose in life.

“Are you afraid of that?” they asked. “Of death?”
“Of course,” Mosscap said. “All conscious things are. Why else do snakes bite? Why do birds fly away? But that‘s part of the lesson too, I think. It‘s very odd, isn‘t it? The thing every being fears most is the only thing that‘s for certain? It seems almost cruel, to have that so…”
“So baked in?”
“Yes.”

#BookBinge

Found this article on spiritual books when looking for #Spirituality & I liked the diversity of genres:
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/wellness/g33351669/best-spiritual-books/

Featuring two of them; the tagged book has been loaded in my Kindle #TBR for ages now & the Frankl book is a classic & a favorite.

This was such a delight! I absolutely loved it. It makes me happy to know there is a sequel already released, but I would have been just as content with this one being a stand alone.

Word came through today that I am set to start work Tuesday, so I am making the most of my last few days of freedom. Enjoying a tasty brew while starting this cozy sci-fi read. Been getting lots of warnings about the mental dangers of the dark winters in Alaska, so taking advantage of so far minimal sunshine (it has been very rainy since we arrived).

The tagged book is one of my favourite “road trip” stories I‘ve read. Though it‘s not a car but a Tea Wagon & the trippers are a Tea Monk & a Wild Built Robot. It‘s sweet, it‘s funny, it‘s sad & it‘s very very wise. I highly recommend the sequel, A Prayer For The Crown-Shy too.

#SundayFunday

Book #10 of the year: “A Psalm for the Wild Built” by Becky Chambers

This was another gift from Taz! A very quick and cute read. Sometimes I enjoy a light hearted piece of fiction every now and then 😉

A profound, deeply moving story about what it means to be human. It‘s a story about how we build meaningful, mutually respectful relationships between each other & with the world around us, a story that examines having a purpose & just being. It asks us to think about where we are now, where we are going & how we will look back on the journey. Can a SF story about a monk & a robot make you think deep thoughts about about life? Yes. It can.

40 Chicagoland stores participating in an #IndependentBookstoreDay crawl makes for an epic Saturday. I‘m probably one and done this year but I did hit a local fav where I picked up the tagged book as well as a couple of others. Just in time too as it‘s started raining! ☔️📚

This book read like a warm cup of tea on a rainy afternoon, and I enjoyed every steeped sip. No conflict, just contemplation (and a few chuckles).
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely devoured this book, all in one evening, because it completely enraptured me. It exceeded my expectations on so many levels! It's beautiful and comforting while also being deeply thoughtful and playing a delightfully subversive game with its characters. I cannot recommend it enough!

#hopepunk #newfavorite

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it made me sob several times. Emotionally I am going through a similar struggle to Dex, so it hit a bit close to home. I cried as well, because the book setting makes me mourn the loss of a future I cannot live in, which profoundly saddened me. I recommend this book wholeheartedly.

Because I absolutely hate doing my taxes, it took the promise of rewarding myself with a book purchase for me to finally get them done today! But, hey, look what a good purchase I finally got to make!🤣

Robots and humans live separate lives now, and this cozy adventure follows a non binary human and a robot who end up meeting. There‘s tea, there‘s philosophy, there‘s healing, there‘s crack a smile humor. Definitely will be reading the next book, really enjoyed this.

A beautiful short story/parable/fable. #bookclubreads

The characters and world are really interesting, but this novella should've been part of a larger novel. The whole story really serves to set the stage for the sequel, but this opening story of how the monk and robot met easily could've been rolled into the rest of their story. The robot has great dialogue, but it's introduced for a while.

My wife recommended this novella, so here we go!

I loved this book! It was both simple and deep, like a hug. I have a feeling this will be one of my favorite books of the year!

Finishing up #12booksof2022 with 3 from the end of the year. Obviously my record-keeping was a bit flakey, but these more-or-less match up with the months.

Wild-built ❤️🤖🫖 Glad I finally got to Becky Chambers

Cities 🌃 Strange but I loved it

Open Water ❤️ A story of a relationship, of life as a black man in London, of art and music… Amazing debut!

Thanks for organising @Andrew65 - I‘ve loved looking back and seeing everyone‘s picks!

A charming sci fi story of friendship. Set in the future, a traveling “tea monk” who feels unfulfilled in his calling sets out to find a lost monastery. On his way, he encounters one of the long lost robots of the factory era, now free and wild. The two become traveling companions and must find their way together. Loved this odd book! Discussions of big questions and great writing. 1st book of 2023.

I tried *REALLY* hard to narrow my top books from 2022, and did pretty alright considering that my list started with 49 books on it. I didn't include multiple books from the same series. If I had to pick only one top book, it would be the tagged. #FavoriteReads #TopBooks2022

#12Booksof2022 On the first day of Christmas, my reading gave to me...a Monk and a Robot having tea.

Nothing beats Becky Chambers. The Monk and Robot books are like a soothing balm for the soul. I will read as many of them as she chooses to write!

@Andrew65

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.5 This is a book about finding peace with the present and the beauty of simply existing. I recommend this book for readers who enjoy science fiction and/or books about living in the present. Id characterize this book as queer, cozy sci-fi. It is a small book in length, and it has a sequel! I found it to be a balm for the soul. Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4995309748

I went a little wild with the library holds for #AuldLangSpine 😆 My mom (who works at the public library and often grabs my holds for me) says that this isn‘t that crazy - some people fill a full shelf!

Now I just have to restrain myself from reading them right away. Good thing I have plenty of other books!

April was attacking the bag my mom brought the books in, so her tail is making a cameo in this photo #catsoflitsy

Lists went out. This is a very dangerous day for the length of all our TBRs😂 @SueK I‘m super excited to dig into your list! I also read the Maus books this year and loved them! There are a few books on this list that are on my TBR, so I can‘t wait to dig into them, and a few lighter books I haven‘t heard of but am thrilled to have recs for! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

#SundaySentence

Even if you fully know that you live in a natural world that existed before you and will continue long after, even if you know that the wilderness is the default state of things, and that nature is not something that only happens in carefully curated enclaves between towns, something that pops up in empty spaces if you ignore them for a while, . . .

A soft Pick because this took me longer to get into than I‘d hoped, and you definitely have to be in a cozy contemplative mood to get properly stuck in, but I did like it in the end.