Welcome to Litsy!

3.5 ⭐️

Wasn‘t thrilled with this at first - almost gave up. And then I fell in love with all the characters. But then the last 2 or 3 chapters fell flat - otherwise this would have been 4 ⭐️ or more.

I‘d still recommend it. It‘s an important story to read these days. And the author does an excellent job of bringing humanity to each & every character- I‘d definitely read something else by her.

Thanks for the random pick @CoffeeCatsBooks 🙂

An emotional rollercoaster of a story that gives the reader a glimpse into immigrants‘ lives. Mbue does a great job of sharing each character‘s point of view. I finished it last night at 11:55 at night...I just couldn‘t put it down. Needless to say, I am a bit tired today. We also had our first snow of the season during the night.

#mustread #diversebooks #diverseauthors

I didn‘t read as much as I had wanted to this weekend, but I did get pretty far in this book. I should be done with it before the week is over. #24B4Monday #readathon

1.Not really, just read as much as possible.
2.A bit of both. I usually set out with a TBR, but I‘m a slow reader so I usually finish the book I had been reading and then I go with whatever catches my eye.
3.Since it‘s cold out I usually go for hot chocolate, tea, or coffee and cookies.
4.Night owl
5.Just enjoy yourself and don‘t stress about it.
6.🤷🏽‍♀️ haven‘t thought about it yet.
7.physical and ebook
#24B4Monday

Might as well read while we wait for the class to show up, since everything else is done.
🥰📖
#LitsyLovesLibraries #diversebooks #diverseauthors

#7covers7days #covercrush #Day 2

Would you like to play @Christine11 ? A cover a day for 7 days, no explanation needed. Tag someone each day 😊

@sudi

Wonderful book!

An excellent book! The voice acting on the audio version is SUPERB!! The story is of a family from Africa trying to make it in New York during the economic crisis of 2008. It's well-written with dynamic characters; the author illuminates the struggles of not only illegal "aliens" but also legal immigrants and native-born-Americans. Unfortunately it begins to drag at the end, but a worthwhile read!

Beautifully written and recommended with a slight reservation about the portrayal of the main female character‘s acceptance of a life she doesn‘t want. No doubt realistic but did make me hesitate a bit. Still a great read overall...

Oops! Forgot to post this yesterday. Your book should be arriving on Monday @leslieseidel

🌟🌟🌟🌟
#LMPBC #groupY #round5
@leslieseidel @BridgetteM @grumpygirlbooks

Sorry it took so long for me to finish the book. It will go in the mail on Friday.

@suvata

The Jongas came to America to find a better life for themselves but can they work their way into the American dream? Or will it be a case of #dontdreamitsover as they are hit by circumstances beyond their control?

#lilithjuly

@Cinfhen @KarenUK

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read an article today that suggests replacing The Great Gatsby with Behold the Dreamers in the classroom.
#teachersoflitsy https://www.bustle.com/p/5-classic-books-we-should-skip-in-high-school-5-to-read...

Bad me! I forgot to post when I received this - sorry! I am 25% done - it is really good, but stressing me out. 🙃
#LMPBC #groupY #round5
@leslieseidel @BridgetteM @grumpygirlbooks

This follows the lives of the Jongas, immigrants from Cameroon, trying to live out the promise of the American Dream. A secondary story of the Edwardses, the family of a Wall Street exec, highlights the pitfalls of striving. The Jonga husband/wife disagree about America vs Cameroon, staying vs going, & the best future for their children. It explores what it means to be happy, what it takes to be home, & what it is to dream of better.

"Behold the Dreamers" is an incredible read. Imbolo Mbue does a brilliant job telling this story of immigrants and their struggles with the justice system in America, yet remain how grateful they remain for their opportunities.

Behold the Dreamers shares an interesting take on the immigrant experience. I envision that most immigrant stories begin similar to this. It was truly fascinating to see the Jongas story unfold from which Jende was desperate to stay and do everything to stay in America before leaving defeatedly back to his home of Limbe, Cameroon. Sometimes home is better and you need frustrating situations to prove it you.

Look what I got in the mail last week! I am so excited to read this; it‘s been on my TBR since it was released. #LMPBC #Round5 #GroupY

@grumpygirlbooks @DarcysMom @leslieseidel

#immigrantsong #maymoviemagic

#botm has had many good immigrant stories over the years. My favorite was Behold the Dreamers. I wish it weren‘t packed away in storage like ¾ of my books!! ??‍♀️??‍♀️ It‘s a rare time I‘ve agreed with Oprah!!

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Oh my god ! What an emotional & amazing story. I love how personal she made this book .. beauty & depth & despair in the everyday & the big moments in a life.
I hope Imbolo Mbue writes another book soon.
Thanks fo much Jessica @jhod for this beautiful gift. Have you read it ?! If not , I couldn‘t recommend it enough. ♥️💔

#MayMovieMagic Still reading & loving this free-flowing book , what a storyteller ... it just flows & flows , no need to stop reading ♥️. Behold the #YoungAndBeautiful .... #BeholdTheDreamers
#HeyDreamers

Halfway through on this timely reminder of what immigrants face (and of the ridiculousness of our financial “system”)...I‘m stressed about driving on an expired vehicle registration through a combo of personal fault and DMV bureaucratic ineptitude. But I‘ll just get a fixit ticket, not deported to Limbe! Can‘t imagine the fead and stress.

#MayMovieMagic I have been finding it hard to settle in a book, BUT maybe this will be the one - It‘s NY 2007 and Jende ( whose wife & son are now with him from Cameroon) , Jende has now landed a good job #Behindthewheel as a chauffeur for a Lehman Brothers executive.. things are looking up .. I‘m enjoying the writing & feel a good story coming on ... With good characters...

So we‘re having King‘s night in Holland (using our King‘s birthday as an excuse to drink and dance in the streets all night) and upon coming home (tired, I‘m way beyond eighteen 😂) I find this parcel from Cindy! You have no idea how much this means to me! The books, which I‘ve been wanting to read, the fact they are #BOTM editions (I now have four, thanks to you. In Europe I‘m sure that‘s many!) and the card. Thank you so much my friend 💜💕

I liked this book but didn‘t love it quite as much as I‘d hoped to. I loved all of the characters, in both families, and was rooting for them.. and I guess it frustrated me that they all made some bad decisions. The story was slow at first.. but then picked up.

1. Behold the Dreamers and From the corner of the oval on audio
2. No plans at all today or tomorrow. Easter Sunday we are visiting both sets of parents.
3. Not really but I will eat them if there‘s enough salt on them.
4. Hmmm... I guess it would depend on the story.. Micah?
5. I will! 💗 @howjessreads #friyayintro

1. Literary Fiction
2. Fredrik Backman
3. A Man Called Ove
4. Fantasy.. I just can‘t do it.
5. Behold The Dreamers. I can‘t seem to focus on it though. #hellothursday

New books 📚

Incredibly bittersweet story of two families: the Jongas, immigrants from Cameroon surviving in New York City while struggling to obtain legalization papers, and the Edwards', members of the elite who employ Jende Jonga as a chauffeur. The characters in this story are unforgettable.

This felt a little too close to home. It made me feel uncomfortable which is why I think I didn't I didn't like it as much as I should. Unfortunately pertinent

Hi Jessica! The postman came twice today .. and I also received this book from you. I‘ve been dying to read this one for ages ....Thankyou so much 😘. I think you are on the reading retreat this weekend too ... have a great old time! I‘d love to be joining ye X thanks Cathy.

This will be a re-read for me but I think it will offer up some good conversation for book club. 👍

This was a case of #blameitonlitsy . Still somewhere on my shelves, this book about family relationships, sacrifice and survival tells of a Cameroonian family as they immigrate to the United States.
#marchintothe70s #immigrantsong

This was an honest and moving story about the struggles faced by immigrants in America who hope to achieve the American Dream. This would be a great book club selection as there are many interesting topics raised by the author. I highly recommend this book!

My February reads. 3 audio, 3 physical books. 4 Fiction, 2 nonfiction and all from the library.

Jende and Neni Jonga moved to the US to provide a better life for their two children than they had back home in Cameroon. I was knocked over by how much harder they had to work and live as immigrants for every single thing they earned than I likely ever will—still they felt extreme gratitude. The contrast between the Jonga family and their American employers is striking. We have so much here in America; the end was intensely emotional for me.

I read this book between Feb 16 & 23 and gave it 2 ⭐️. I really didn‘t like this book and felt it was such a let down. If anything the idea that the American Dream can corrupt is something that could have been done better but it‘s not. The writing is good but the characters become unlikeable and not much happens.

Really enjoyed this book. It was about an immigrant family from Africa trying to make it in New York before they were ultimately deported. B+

A great book touching on what it means to live the American dream and the sacrifices it requires.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to @Mitch for the recommendation (and for finding it in her secret bargain bookshop in London during my bookshop crawl weekend)! I really enjoyed this story set in New York during the financial crash, and how what you say (and what you don‘t say) can have such an effect on your life and the lives of those around you. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We‘re doing well- very restrained in fact... we‘re having cake in bookshop number 6 and admiring our purchases to date! #bookshopcrawl2019

This book was 50 level of fantastic and that‘s really all there is to say about it. 😍😍😍 https://talkbookswithme.home.blog/2019/01/30/behold-the-dreamers-5-5/ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I can see why this book has so much hype. It‘s fantastic! Plus, the audio book is amazing! Behold the Dreamers fulfills my February reading challenge for my library to read a book written by a person of color.

Whew! 1h 48m to go in this audiobook and 1day left. Glad I was able to renew....juuuuust in case I don‘t finish it today. I‘m debating about walking to work today since we have a 2 hr delayed opening.

Snowy day today! Decided to walk to the grocery store for a couple of items for a chicken tortilla soup. Realized, after shopping, I left my money at home. Walked back to the house, back to the store, back to the house. It‘s all good because my soup was THAT much better and my audiobook expires in 2 days. Now I‘m under 2 hours of listening time left 😂

Total chaos this Saturday morning! Audio-baking for a Boy Scout bake sale while a new roof is being installed and a dog that has been barking for the last hour and a half 😆

This was *just* shy of a pick for me. While the writing was lovely, the story felt a bit bare bones and at times I was a bit bored. Had the story been a bit meatier, this would‘ve been a clear win. I‘m excited to see what the author does down the road (this is her debut), because I think she‘ll only get better and eventually produce something really special!

An easy, enjoyable read. Nice story about immigrants chasing a better life in America. It is a “like” not “love”. I am definitely glad I read it but I wasn‘t moved or gutted after reading it.

Great book! 5🌟. This is so relevant to our immigration concerns and how we treat immigrants. The American Dream may not be so dreamy. #MountTbr