Welcome to Litsy!

Now for something completely different. I won‘t lie, I love the occasional cheesy political thriller. I once watched a whole season of 24 in a weekend, and I want that vibe in my thriller reading please. This mostly didn‘t disappoint; a page-turningly tense story with current terrorist and world issues themes and the like. I‘ve never read Louise Penny and can‘t say I loved the writing enough to read more, but overall all this was good fun (👇)

Very nearly a five star reading experience (just a smidge too much PATRIOTISM for this reader). Penny (and Clinton) have nailed the political blockbuster here. This had shades of Homeland, and balanced serious commentary with out the gate action perfectly. Lots of recognisable characters and foes, if you‘re worried about the state of the world this will speak to you. I found myself making any excuse I could to keep listening to this one.

I‘m not a fan of Hillary Clinton, but she and Louise Penny created a page-turning thriller! Buses are being bombed in major cities in Europe and the problem is dropped in the US Secretary of State‘s lap. Discovering this may lead to dirty bombs in the US, she works with the reluctant President to keep their country safe. You want to read this!

This book does exactly what a thriller is supposed to do — keep you on the edge of your seat in anticipation of what will happen next. It also kept me guessing about some characters‘ motivations. There‘s also a cameo that I absolutely loved. Joan Allen is a great narrator. Started The Corner That Held Them for #NunLit in the middle of my #audiowalk because I‘d finished State of Terror. It‘s different, and I like it so far.

I‘m so hoping nothing bad happens to Gil, Anahita, Zaharia, or Katherine! Now Bashir Shah, he‘s a different story. 3 hours left. #audiowalk

I think the reason I don‘t generally read political thrillers is they can make me both angry and antsy. This book is doing both. #audiobook

It looked so much like it was going to rain that I took an umbrella with me on my walk, but it hasn‘t rained yet. So far, I like this book, but I don‘t trust anybody and neither should Ellen. #audiowalk

I keep trying to relate the experience of Ellen Adams, the new Secretary of State to a new President, to Clinton‘s experiences, and I‘m not sure that‘s completely fair. I doubt there‘s a 1 to 1 correspondence. It‘s 74° outside now. Why couldn‘t it have been like this when our heater was out instead of the 20° it was then?! #audiowalk

I had not already picked a new walking book when I went, so I had to choose from the ones that I‘d already downloaded. State of Terror was one, so I began it. I‘m not really sure though how ready I am to listen to anything political. We‘ll see. #audiowalk

I acquired this accidentally (a friend ended up with two copies and gave me one) and I liked it SOOOO much more than I expected to. It was a great reminder that I really enjoy political thrillers tho I haven‘t read one it a while.
Lots of suspense, great female leads and a tribute to friendships.
The acknowledgements were almost as impressive (It had me near tearing up! And had a great backstory of what brought this book to life).

I needed a book that would snatch me up in the story. At the same time… so much anxiety 😬

Great read! I remember that moment when I got hooked only a few chapters in.

Another book that my husband and I finally finished!
This was a fun political thriller with strong female characters. Some of the characters appeared to have been inspired by real life people.
Though it was fun, there were some parts that dragged. This is why I am giving it 3.5 ⭐️
#BookSpinBingo #5 #bookspin
@TheAromaofBooks

My pulse pounded for the entire last third of the book. A fun political thriller. I can definitely see where some readers are put off with the similarities between these characters and real-life political figures, but I still enjoyed reading it. The end feels like there may be more to the story. If there ends up being a sequel, I‘ll read it.

My next read, from the cozy comfort of my back deck! #booktwoof2022

This was thoroughly entertaining and I liked it way better than Bill's book. Is it great literature? Probably not. But I definitely recommend it anyway.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Alllllrighty then #readersgonerogue what do you think of these picks? Any catch your fancy?

Did I need to borrow this? Having the library across the square from the office doesn't help my tbr situation.

I read this one because I love Louise Penny‘s books, though political thrillers aren‘t usually my thing. I did enjoy it, mostly, so this one‘s a soft pick.

It starts slow, but it does pick up in the second half. I thought the characters were likeable (I love Betsy). I enjoyed the references to Three Pines. The plot was predictable and the villains seemed painfully obvious, but I still enjoyed watching things unfold.

Did anyone else know that Hillary Clinton is a Thriller author too?

With Louise Penny‘s abilities to write and form a plot, with likeable human characters and Hillary Clinton‘s inside knowledge of the US State Dep‘t, I knew this would be good. An intense, page-turner that moved quickly around the globe. I loved Ellen Adams as a character, regardless of her dress! 😉. Smart and courageous and with a gutsy side kick/best friend, this was delightful, horrifying, and very human. I hope they write another! 4/5

I sure know how to pick good books lately! Another great read, and again, done in two days. Action-packed & page-turner describe this book well. And I loved the references to Three Pines.

Excellent and very scary, my first political thriller. The Secretary of State must figure out how three bombings are connected and what the true danger is, to the USA, the world, and her family. This is indeed a thriller, and co-written by someone who has lived experience in this world. 4/5 stars, get a bit slow in some places, read if you want to be both scared and kept on the edge of your seat.

Excellent political thriller. The narrator is fantastic! I couldn‘t stop listening. #Libby #audiobook

I really didn‘t think I would enjoy this book as much as I did but I was definitely drawn in from the first page. This was a really good political thriller and I wonder if there will be a second book!

Amazing book! I loved the small tie ins to Three Pines and also the “about the authors” at the end.
A must read!

#beginswith #state @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

An entertaining high-stakes political thriller about a new Secretary of State who works for a president she actively campaigned against and must quickly uncover an international conspiracy that could kill thousands of people. A well-paced, entertaining thriller, with strong characters, insider details, and some nods to Louise Penny's Gamache series.

I wasn‘t sure what to really expected but must say the ladies did a fantastic job. Exciting, couldn‘t put it down.

99p on kindle! 😃 👍

4.5⭐️ Damn you Louise Penny & HRC for writing such a good book. The only complaint I have is that the middle dragged a little too much but when you have a fmr Sec of State giving details about life as Sec of State, it‘s probably going to drag a bit on policy at times. And like any good Three Pines Book, it gets really good in the final 1/3 and the payoff is excellent. The acknowledgements is excellent as well.

I really enjoyed this collaboration! Although nothing like the Three Pines series the plot was engrossing and the characters were easy to root for. I loved the guest appearances of Gamache and Three Pines.

The Trump & Putin similarities were rather on the nose & the Gamache connection felt forced. Otherwise, this was an entertaining & well paced political thriller. They wrapped up the story but left the door open for a series. I‘d love a movie and I‘d read more. 💣💣💣💣 https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/hillary-clinton-louise-penny-...

1. Reading Christmas books in December, all of the #litsy holiday swaps.
2. Snowmen at Night - a beautifully illustrated children's book I love rereading with my kiddo.
3. Diving into a new book on Christmas day.

Wanna play @DinoMom , @DebbieGrillo , @AmyG , @Soubhiville

@ozma.of.oz

“Madame Secretary,” said Charles Boynton, hurrying beside his boss as she rushed down Mahogany Row to her office in the State Department. “You have eight minutes to get to the Capitol.”

#firstlinefridays

It had always amused her that journalists covering the government were called “correspondents,” as though it were some foreign land. But now she saw why. It was a country within a country, with its own rules of behaviour. Its own gravity and stifling atmosphere. Its own shifting borders and boundaries.

I spotted this on the Hits to Go (1 week loan) shelf at the library and grabbed it on a whim. I opened it yesterday morning & read a chapter just to see what it was like. Then another chapter. By the end of the day, I had read 300 pages. If you‘re looking for an high stakes thriller with middle-aged women as protagonists, this is it. If you‘re already a Louise Penny fan, there‘s even a little of Three Pines in it.

He looked up “Azhi Dahaka.” It took him a few tries to get the spelling right, but there it was.
A three-headed dragon of destruction and terror, born of lies and spawned to wreak havoc on the world. A serpent tyrant whose appearance ushered in chaos.

There have been a few signs that this book was rushed to print: repeated sentences, typos, but nothing major.

… they walked through the vast entrance hall, gawking at what would have been splendid had it been an actual palace and not a monument to overcompensation.

[I‘m wondering about the distinction in that sentence. 🤔]

…neither side wanted to hit the button, knowing it could lead to reprisals that could wipe out the human race. It kept each from behaving badly. That was the theory.
What it in fact created wasn‘t a balance of terror, but a perpetual state of terror.

Hmm. The White House has a famous desk called the Resolute. I‘m learning trivia from this novel.

Years ago I was working background at a war-gaming conference and there were piles of copies of Tom Clancy‘s The Hunt for Red October that people were reading in the many hours of before internet downtime. The consensus was - just what does he know so he can make this stuff up? Well, with this writing duo, we know the answer to that question here. Good job and game on Bill and James!

Quick, easy and fun read. I kept seeing Tea Leoni rather than Hillary, but that was ok😆 I'll be discussing this with my book group tomorrow night, should be good.

This was an action packed political thrill ride that was mildly terrifying in its realism. The VERY thinly veiled potshots at the former guy may turn some people off but I enjoyed them. It wasn‘t great literature but it was wildly entertaining.

📖 About 1/3 done; not sure how I feel about it yet.

🍁 Seeing a new cat in our backyard trying (and failing, repeatedly) to catch something. Many pounces!

📚 Running up against library due dates 📆

#ThoughtfulThursday @MoonWitch94