Welcome to Litsy!

Throughly enjoyed escaping to a hopeful future on the little moon Panga, travelling along side Dex (the Monk) and Mosscap (the robot) as they set out in search of what humans need. This is the 2nd book in the novella series following “A Psalm for the Wild Built.” I think I actually enjoy this one more than the first.

Bookmail! They arrived! I‘ve mostly been ordering used when I buy books lately so I‘d totally forgotten how fast new volumes show up. Exciting surprise!

I was so excited when my library hold for this came in 3 weeks early that I sat down and read it immediately. The first book had the magic of discovering something completely unexpected, but I think revisiting this world and these characters was even more enjoyable. Maybe because I read this one and listened to the first, 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

I was in the mood for a cozy book. Becky Chambers is an instant buy author for me ☺️

Just as nice as the first book.

I love this series so much. I really hope that there will be more. The characters are so cute and there is such great exploration into the world and human nature. I love the gentle inclusivity and how well current cultural topics are woven into the plot for evaluation. Such a great content of moral lessons and such an inspirational story. Beautiful writing and just the absolute best construction. Incredibly cozy and heartwarming.

Such a quiet, beautiful, thought-provoking gem of a book. My only question is when do we get the third in this series??? Exactly the book I needed🥰

Another lovely quiet, gentle book by Becky Chambers. These books are so special and so affirming. They embrace the beauty of the ordinary. Highly recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

(2022) I haven't always been a fan of Becky Chambers's low-conflict, low-plot stories, but for some reason the Monk and Robot books hit a sweet spot for me. I find their friendship charming and just want to hit the road with them. This second volume reinforced that feeling, and I'm hoping for more adventures.

Sibling Dex and Mosscap are back! Can people have stress and existential crises in a world that satisfies their needs without the crippling weight of capitalism and overindulgence? Yes! Mosscap's question of what do you need is simple yet deep, and invites the reader to ask themselves.

If you've watched My Neighbor Totoro and thought it needed to be about grown ups thinking about their lives, well, this may be the book series for you.

The thing about fucking off to the woods is that unless you are a very particular, very rare sort of person, it does not take long to understand why people left said woods in the first place.

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

I didn't think this was quite as good as the first Monk and Robot book but like its predecessor it does find a lot of depth in an unlikely friendship between (you guessed it) a monk and a robot.

My #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin books for December are a couple of genre reads. Looking forward to both!

Thanks @TheAromaofBooks !

Books/stories I finished reading in November '22 📚

5 ⭐️: Merlin in the Library; Christmas Wish List; A Prayer for the Crown-Shy; the new Red, White & Royal Blue chapter from Henry's POV
4.5 ⭐️: Legends & Lattes; Cult Classic
4 ⭐️: Below Zero; Neuroqueer Heresies; A Cat Story
3 ⭐️: Cat + Gamer; The Cats of Ulthar

Happy December reading to all, and to all a good night ✨️

I sniffled and cried my way through these two books. Understanding that you don‘t need all the answers or a complete and exacting plan in order to be living a good life can be one of the most difficult and confusing things to understand. But it was handled so well. And yet again, hugs all around. Excellent books!

You don‘t have to have a reason to be tired. You don‘t have to earn rest or comfort. You‘re allowed to just be.

I didnt love this as much as A Psalm For the Wild Built, but it was still touching and enjoyable.

Another evening with audiobooks and my knitting... tonight I'm trying to finish up a pair of socks I started over the summer. #audioknitting

Checking in with my November hope to reads! Been awhile since I looked in over here!

#readathon is going great! It's my first time reading so much since about 1.5 years I think and I am very happy that I have decided to join.
Becky Chamber's book are always fantastic, and I really enjoyed this one. Perfect book at the perfect time!

Job interview done, got the job, made food, ate food. Made tea, grabbed a book. #readathon time!

It was a book + sleepy dog situation last night. I still don‘t love this series as much as everyone else does, but I enjoyed A PRAYER FOR THE CROWN-SHY nonetheless.

Becky Chamber‘s refreshingly positive vision of the future continues! This latest short book in the Monk and Robot series sends the ever-lovable duo of Dex and Mosscap into human places to ask “What do you actually need?” I found the book as sweet and enjoyable as its cover.

My library came through again...

This was another cozy read from Chambers. The plot, character growth, and ending were all satisfying. I loved the diversity and unique world building that critiqued our own world in ways. I appreciated that the author didn‘t try to drag the story out and asked a lot of questions that really made me think. A great read!

Chambers' world-building is phenomenal as usual and through it she creates a safe space to explore who we are, what a better world would look like, and how we can work towards one. She allows us space to be human; to realize it's ok to be human, ok to be confused, ok to make mistakes in the ongoing process of becoming ourselves and figuring shit out. Also, Mosscap is such a delight; I love it more every moment. (Feifei Ruan's cover art is perfect)

Trying a new chocolate this afternoon while getting some audio reading in. Enjoying both.

I love Chambers writing. This series is a bit too sweet for my taste. It is very short and I think that helps. The novella got better closer to the end. 3 🌟

The second book in the monk and robot series was just as poignant, thought provoking and beautiful as the first book. The book.really asks very important questions about life and the future of our world. It's a mediative way to ask hard questions about the world. And Becky Chambers is brilliant in her way of getting us to talk about hard topics.

@Sovay You should check this out. It's a fun way to get involved in the books community.

Here is the sign up link if you are interested.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrAKF_4P5QR-kJDU9lrhzW7PQata8xPbqkHpE7...

Bk5 of September is done! I‘m getting a head of steam up now🙌 Oh my stars. I want to live in this book so bad! Once again Becky Chambers has written a magical ecological & spiritual story. You wouldn‘t think a story about a human and a robot could have so much heart to it but it‘s very profound. At least to me it was. Totally recommend reading this series. And all of her books for that matter! #BookspinBingo #SeriesRead2022

This 2nd book felt “less than” the first, somehow, but it was still a quiet joy. The investigation here is less “What do people need?” & more “What do *I* need?” And, “how can I be comfortable with the answer?” It‘s about knowing, intellectually, what advice to give & feeling the truth of it when you impart it to others but not allowing that same truth to speak when you turn your advice inwards. It‘s about self-discovery, & family — found & other.

I loved this just as much as book 1. It‘s a very calm, reflective, warm book exploring human relationships with themselves, the world around them, society, and what it feels like to redefine your relationships with all of the above. I love the world, and the characters absolutely delight me. Moscap always makes me smile. This world is also wonderfully inclusive, removed from a context where LGBTQ lives and bodies are viewed with hate. #LGBTQ

Last in my recent #bookmail is the 2nd novella in Chambers Monk and Robot series. The 1st book was one of my #12of2021 picks, it was absolutely beautiful & lovely to read. She puts such hope into her stories, no matter whether it‘s about aliens, robots or humans, we could all learn a lot from them. If you haven‘t read any of her books, why?

Eighth #owlsreadingchallenge subject passed!!

Charms:

🌟Charms: a book by a fave author - Book Lovers (Emily Henry)
🌟Flitwick: short book or short stories - Prayer for the Crown Shy
🌟Time turner: a book with dual timelines - Metropolis

A beautiful second volume. I really think it could‘ve been longer, though- I get wanting to keep things short and sweet, but it felt to me like a lot more could have been developed, even while keeping it short. I just love the world Chambers has created and want to soak in it even longer!

I‘m starting the the 20 Minute Back To School Reading Challenge for TrevorProject today. Right now I‘m reading the tagged book, & read the first of this wonderfully calm, soothing series last month. I‘m so excited to read the second book as I read 20 minutes per day to raise money for suicide prevention. Today I wrapped up with 47 minutes. I probably won‘t update every day on Litsy, but I‘ll be sure to post a few times! #TrevorProject #LGBTQ

Another low reading month. I‘m still unpacking & organizing from our move in July, which has kicked my summer reading to the curb. I did finish June‘s #DoubleSpin, though! Favorite this month is tagged—I 💜Becky Chambers and I 💜Mosscap & Dex. I had two re-reads for book groups, but I didn‘t mind. It was a delight revisiting Pat of Silver Bush for #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead and Nation for my IRL book group. I had forgotten just how GOOD Nation is.

Ok I‘m sold on this positive Sci-Fi meets zen monk stories where nothing really happens but world building and very human relationships between said monk and a 4th generation robot. Lovely and hoping for more in this gem vein.

This was just as lovely and introspective as Dex and Mosscap's first adventure together. Reading it was a comfort 🥰

"Well, that's the nice thing about trees." Mosscap put its hands on its hips as it looked around. "They're not going anywhere. You can take all the time you need to get to know them."?♥️?

Kintsugi houses. Recycling! 🥰

Solar Punk Socialism: Yes, please.

"Nobody should be barred from necessities or comforts just because they don't have the right number next to their name."

I loved this even more than the last one. Chambers continues to explore the human experience and validate the idea that it is okay to just exist. I love a “robot/alien explores humanity” trope, and this one touches on some big experiences/feelings in little anecdotes. I read this one slowly with breaks to sit back and digest, and I think I enjoyed it more than when I read the first one in a day.

Becky Chambers is so good at capturing the little moments and feelings that make up life! As a preschool teacher, this interaction really resonated with me and made me laugh.

I‘m not done yet but I just can‘t get over Mosscap - so sweet and innocent upon first meeting the villagers. After loving A Psalm for the Wild-Built, it is so nice to travel with Sibling Dex and Mosscap again ❤️

I put my crochet down to grab some lunch. Sadie had some other ideas so I guess I‘m reading! 📚🚫🧶
I‘m ok with that! 😄

The kids and I are visiting my two siblings who live in Portland, OR and decided to spend a couple days on the shore. So beautiful! I hit up a local bookshop and picked up some reading materials this morning

Lovely