Welcome to Litsy!

I hit my reading goal!!

Cerulean Sea is my favorite book. So I was beyond excited to read this. Sadly, this wasn't quite the sequel I was hoping for. The magic and beauty that I loved about the first book, didn't really make it to this one.
The first half of the book was so funny and cute - the scene with Chauncey and Phee sitting on the stairs serving as lookout was so silly! Sal and Theodore - all the time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

12.11.2024

My November reading recap. I read some amazing books last month, but Somewhere Beyond the Sea was definitely my favorite.

It's always hard for a sequel to live up to expectations. Especially a book as beloved as The House in the Cerulean Sea. My favorite thing was seeing the Baker-Parnassus family being happy.

5🌟 Somehow Klune made this sequel even better than the first, and I absolutely adored the first. I laughed, I cried, and I was inspired. I adored this book and will place it with pride up on my shelf.

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

Did I love this as much as A House in the Cerulean Sea? No, not even close. Did I still enjoy it & was it a pick for me? Yes, absolutely! The pacing struggled somewhat & I understand all the reviews/comments about the preachy tone of Arthur, but I really love these characters—especially the kids & I loved being back in this world with them. I think given the election results that safe spaces are even more ⬇️

I loved the first novel, but not this one. It felt like a 300+ page lecture to “educate“ the reader. It was honestly a slog to get through and somehow the magic of the first story was lost. The villains fell flat. The saccharine family relationships felt overplayed. Boo.

About six hours into the audiobook and I just couldn‘t take anymore of Arthur. I‘m bailing for now. Arthur feels so preachy, so condescending to an invisible audience (which must mean the reader), when he‘s talking about or to David the Yeti. I love David and I don‘t necessarily disagree with Arthur. I just don‘t like how it‘s done. Actions would speak louder than words here. Maybe I‘ll try again someday.

Needed some post-election comfort, so chose to visit with several beloved characters via a reread of The House in the Cerulean Sea (on audio this time) …and then devoured the recently released sequel to stay with them a little longer.

The second book struggles a little with pace (and too much monologuing?), but it more than makes up for its technical or editorial misses with its big beautiful heart.

Hope to spend more time in Marsyas soon.

Headed to Kauai for the day for Open Enrollment. Starting out with the usual coffee (Oatmilk sugar cookie latte today) & and Impossible Breakfast Sandwich.

Midway through the tagged library e-book. Not sure if it will be my plane book for the 40 min flying time or not as I‘m in the middle of 4 books, but I‘m sneaking a chapter in before my coworker gets here.

I can appreciate everything Klune wanted to and did say. I love that we got good times and times of growth with this family. I recognize that narrative tension rises as a result of finding the characters confronting circumstances the reader wants them to get out of, resulting in a stronger sense of triumph and release when difficulties are overcome. I think maybe my personal anxiety levels just wanted the badness to be over a little faster. 1/?

Excuse me while I go ugly cry. 😭
There's something about encountering such quietly defiant hope in times like these.
It's so cathartically rejuvenating to enter a TJ Klune world.

I love these characters with all my heart. All of them. Especially Sal and Chauncey, whom have both grown immensely from the first book. This book, unlike the first, was in Arthur‘s POV. Interesting choice, yet it worked as the focus was his past trauma affecting today‘s actions. Same as how it took a bit to get around Arthur‘s anger. Didn‘t like the ending- felt all over the place. Love the kids being kids; even on the mainland now.

My Libby loan just came in! Next up!

Once again this Author brings me all the feels. I highly enjoyed this sequel! So much was relevant to today‘s global issues about hate and non- acceptance (which yes, was their point). However , there were some moments that I had to go back and listen to again , just to sit in the phrasing. Klune makes people think, speaks out and brings issues of hate in this world center stage while still bringing joy and beauty

The House in the Cerulean Sea was a balm when it came out, a hug in a dark time, so I had pretty high expectations of Somewhere Beyond the Sea.
Sadly, it didn't meet those expectations.
Instead of Linus on a journey of growth & discovery, the bad guys here are flat & 1-dimensional, with no possibility of redemption.
It felt like wish fulfillment: the bad guys--standing in for 2024 bad guys--existing only to be smashed down.
I missed the growth.

It's election night and I'm feeling super anxious! Anyone else? 😵‍💫 Curled up with Rumpel and reading T.J Klune's new book, because his writing always makes me feel like I'm being wrapped up in a warm hug! 💕📚 #catsoflitsy #rumpel

1. Sunsets, I‘m more of a night person, but an aspiring morning person.
2. Inclusivity, magical realism, island life.

@TheSpineView Thanks for the tag @Kshakal
#Two4Tuesday

This might be a #unpopularopinion because I've only seen So-So ratings on this before. But I've become a political person, so I loved listening to Arthur and the whole rest is just as lovable and adoring as part one. But especially the afterword by Klune almost made me cry. I wish there was a safe-space like this somewhere in our world. Klune saw my fears, and that of many others, sees us and sends us a tight embrace. Exactly what I needed.

So, my September #BookoftheMonth was by TJ Klune, and my October one is by TJ Klune. There might be a pattern? 😏

#botm

Two reviews are still to come for my read books this month (Somewhere beyond the Sea & A Prayer for the Crown-Shy). It was a really, really good reading month 💜

Why yes! Yes I did!
This is the perfect island tune for my bookish island!
#BeyondTheSea #BobbyDarin #SomewhereBeyondTheSea #TJKlune #AnimalCrossing #NewHorizons #ACNH #IslandTune #BookishIsland

This much anticipated sequel was just as lovely as I expected. The children‘s antics were hilarious, “I can talk to cauliflower and I‘ve named the all Peggy.” Chauncey might be my favorite because he takes things literally and is unapologetically himself all the time. Book #94 in 2024

Please don‘t come for me, but I think this suffered from sophomore slump. Maybe it‘s simply because House was SUCH an absolute winner and really big shoes to fill. For me, this one didn‘t have the same level of humor. I wanted more antics from the kids to show depth, wit, and sarcasm. Linus‘ internal thoughts were such a great part of Book 1, and that same line was missing for me. Disjointed, tacking too much, not the same, but still worth it.

“‘It‘s hard.‘
‘What is?‘
‘Being alive.‘ Arthur agreed. ‘But perhaps that‘s the point:the trials and tribulations of life weigh heavily upon us, but we find people to help lighten the load.‘”
#October2024

“Anger,” she said… “It builds on top of old wounds, on scar tissue. It grows and grows until it becomes all you know.” 😣🙏

This may be an #unpopularopinion, but I did not love this book. House in The Cerulean Sea is my favorite book and I was hoping to recapture the warm hug feeling I get while reading it. This book has little glimpses of that, but overall felt really heavy-handed. Klune had a lot to say apparently and I wholeheartedly agree with his message but it felt like a lot of the book was just Arthur talking at people. The kids are the best part of the story.

I wasn‘t sure at first if I was going to read this. The House in the Cerulean Sea didn‘t really need a sequel to me and a poorly done one had the potential to damage something beautiful. Luckily nothing was ruined by these pages. Instead I got to spend more time with characters that I just love.

This is a bit sappy in places and can be heavy-handed with the messaging, but is a worthy follow up to Cerulean Sea. I loved new character David as well as the ending. And the author‘s note at the end is absolutely beautiful.

An incredible sequel.

Forgot to post my September reads!

Ain‘t that the truth? 🧐

Absolutely loved my time back in this world with these characters. But, I will say this book does have some flaws and one of them is that the conflict/villains are too cartoon-like. Sometimes though it's nice to just read something with found family and acceptance despite the flaws.

I was perfectly happy reading inside but Rolo demanded we sit in the yard.

I enjoyed the follow up as much as the original. A lovely story. From the ending, wondering when book three will come along. Their story definitely isn‘t over yet.

If a book series could be wrapped inside a warm hug, the Cerulean chronicles would be its result. Each child of Authur and Linus is pure delight and I can‘t pick a favorite or least favorite - and that includes the new addition of a yeti. However, this story is told with a heavier hand than the first installment which conflicts with its joy. But then I read the author‘s note so now I am hard pressed to fault the weight of this author‘s ✍️.

I read some amazing books in September, but this one wins! #readingbracket2024 @CSeydel

#september2024

I picked up my library hold on the tagged book which finally came in on Saturday & also grabbed some Hawaii speculative fiction stories & Nancy Drew #12 for #NancyDrewBuddyRead

At the library bookstore 1/2-off sale I got The Library Book (which is on my #TBR), 2 seasonal cozies (1 for #HauntedShelf ) & our #ChildrensClassicRead2024 October pick The Witch of Blackbird Pond for the grand total of $3.50 so that‘s a win! 📚 The book🐔🐔approve! 😉

I liked the cover…and that‘s about it. The messaging was heavy-handed & overt from the beginning, ripped from the headlines & repeated endlessly. I don‘t mind messages/politics in a book but I do mind when characters are utilized wholly in service of that message rather than staring in their own compelling story that might ALSO have something to say, when the message is more important then the story. Underwhelming and very disappointing.

This sequel didn‘t work for me, but I don‘t want to dwell on that because House in the Cerulean Sea is one of my top 5 books of the last decade and I don‘t want to tarnish that. I wouldn‘t discourage anyone from reading this, and I hope it resonates with you in the best possible way!

All of the props and stars and points times a million for this one! I might have enjoyed this more than the first, which is pretty tough to beat. Hoping wishing praying there will be a third! #readyourkindle #aam #authoramonth @Soubhiville @GingerAntics

I‘d be remiss if I didn‘t also post this. Well said, indeed. #AuthorAMonth

What a delight this was.

Did it lack some climactic elements? Yes. Was it as good or better than the first? No. Was it a warm hug during a crazy time politically? You betcha.

#AuthorAMonth

I‘m really glad the #AuthorAMonth readers voted for TJ Klune this year!

I didn‘t love this quite as much as Cerulean Sea, but it was good. So many fun characters and funny kid situations.

I know some folks find his messages too heavy handed, but I love how supportive and championing he is of the queer and neurodivergent communities. The acknowledgements almost brought me to tears. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The House in the Cerulean Sea” is one of my favorite books of all time, so when “Somewhere Beyond the Sea” was announced, I was equally part ecstatic that there was a sequel and part leery that the sequel wouldn‘t be as good as the first. I didn‘t need to worry, as this book is absolutely everything. I adored everything about it, and there aren‘t enough words to express how much I love this book and series.

A follow up to the The House in the Cerulean Sea, follows Arthur, Linus, and all the kids as they fight to protect the freedoms of the magical community. A laugh out loud, heart warming, loving take that should help remind us to be more accepting and inclusive.

I‘m finding the political messaging a little heavy-handed, and it sometimes takes me out of the story. I‘m trying to just let that wash over me, though, because I LOVE Cerulean Sea and have been looking forward to this sequel for months. 💗💗

Morning LOL courtesy of Lucy.

(apologies if you‘re from Florida 🤪)

#AuthorAMonth

High pick! I enjoyed it so much that I “had to“ buy a “reading copy“ in addition to the beautiful signed indie bookstore edition. I'll probably buy the audio, as well. [review to come]

Happy First Day of Fall! Enjoying seeing Halloween deco pop up in my neighborhood.