Welcome to Litsy!

Reading this for a banned book category and it is not going to be fun read from the 20 pages I‘ve read. But it‘ll count and I will power through AND defend anyone‘s rights to find it in their library. #BannedBook #AsheCoNCReadingChallenge

📸 Pear 🍐 Pie 🥧

This book overtly states from the beginning that it is not one of those transcendent “kid dying of cancer” books, and it isn‘t. Main character Greg is a hopelessly awkward not quite lovable goofball who finds his social strategy of being universally forgettable destroyed when forced by his mom to re-befriend Rachel, a girl fighting leukemia. The book is funny, honest, but also so unsentimental that the driving tragedy of it seems hollow.

Meh, idk about this one. The MC/narrator‘s voice was funny for a while, but the consistent self-deprecation and dislike got wearing after a while. This book is really just about Greg and what happens to him because of this girl who‘s dying, except not that much really happens? He doesn‘t seem to change that much, although he is clearly affected more than he pretends to be. Sort of coming of age without much self-actualization, I guess. Soft pick.

I almost forgot it‘s Freedom to Read week here in Canadia, but I managed to find this on my TBR. I‘m 100 pages in and not much has happened, but it‘s pretty funny and sharp. Don‘t forget to #readbannedbooks!

This was “okay“. Only because the main character got super annoying super fast. Maybe it would have been better if I physically read this rather than listened to it. It did have a great “listen to“ vibe, but it emphasized how annoying he was.

I do plan on watching the screen version though (soonish). #BookToScreen
#BookSpin (@TheAromaOfBooks)

(picture just because)

So, I had made a mistake on my #BookSpinBingo and actually, my #BookSpin book is a #BannedBook.

I did a quick Google and Libby search and found this one ready for download. Also needed a new #AudioCommute. So here it is. It's a super quick book. Probably finish it tomorrow on my commute to and from work.

Thank you for the package today! I‘ve been fighting off a cold all week and it‘s trying to make me miserable today so this was a nice lift. Thank you again!

#LitsyLove @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @wordslinger42

Attention #LitsyLove members!

Question of the day!! What is the last book that made you cry? 😭

We will be giving this book away for banned book week!! To enter just answer the question above! 📚

I don't like the writing style and I feel like there is no plot at all. I'm just over halfway through and feel like it's not going anywhere.

The protagonist Greg Gaines brings us through his Senior high school experience. He expresses his thoughts on the social hierarchy, the various cliques, and his previous relationships. A girl from one of these relationships is with Rachel Kushner, he discovers news from his mother that she had been recently diagnosed with leukaemia.

#BannedBooksWeek

This week, I did one big book rec video for teens and adults which feature two books that are regularly banned and challenged. The tagged book actually made it onto the top ten most banned books of 2021 list put out by the ALA! 😱 Please watch it and give it a like! 💙 📚

YA & Adults: Banned Books Week!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGNmqOisDTE&t=33s

While I laughed at the inane stereotypical straight teenage boys antics, as the book dragged on, the MC grew exponentially more annoying. This book has made the recent rounds on the ALA most banned or challenged books list for sexual content and being degrading to women — see above‘s reference to stereotypical straight teenage boy antics. If anything the book makes it painfully obvious that without life experiences teens just don‘t get it.

Starting my own Banned/Challenged Books Club. So far: one member (me). This is my first book for my solo club — join me if you‘d like, I have a long list to start. Also so far: laughed/snorted out loud three times through the second chapter. Bodes well.

Continuing my tradition to read anything on the American Library Association yearly Top 10 Challenged Book List that I haven't yet read.
7️⃣ - Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and degrading to women.

For me it was just meh. Teenage Boy Humor. Which is what teenage boys do. They're not exactly know for their empathy and intelligence.
#top10challengedbooks

While the ending was okay, the humour just did not land for me and I found much of the dialogue stilted and cringey, too. (Although I am likely not the target audience…) Will be giving the move a try to see how the film adaptation compares (perhaps the rare case in which the movie is better?)

I read the book and then immediately watched the movie. (See above.)

#mondaymeme

This book is not your typical “befriend the girl with cancer” book. There‘s no big meaningful lesson that‘s written out in flirtatious sentences. The narrator is obsolete in the grand scheme of things but overall, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” is a well written coming of age story with no clear objective as to what the lesson is. Definitely good laughs to draw from

Thank you so so much for this wonderful birthday package :) I love it all so much and I‘m so thankful for you and your friendship ♥️

It literally just occurred to me I should have waited until the 26th…whoops 😬 I‘m not a very patient person haha

#LitsyLove

I am posting one book per day from my to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it. Some will be old, some will be new - don't judge me, I have SO MANY books 📚

Day 11

#MMMTbr

4 stars

Honestly, I‘m not sure about how I feel about this book. Sometimes I found myself laughing out loud but other times they would comment on things or situations that would make me uncomfortable. I did really enjoy that this book does seem like something a teenager would write

"??ℯ ?ℯ?? ??ℯ?? ??ℯ ?????? ??ℯ ?????ℯ??."

A few good eBook sales today. Got this one.

Bonus Litsy Movie Review: I read this book a few years ago & I got what it was trying to do & I appreciate anything that name-checks classic foreign films, but, like many on Litsy, it didn‘t rock me.

I just finished watching the movie which is several orders of magnitude better than the book. The author wrote the screenplay, so good for him for finding the format that maybe this story was supposed to be in the first place.

I can‘t even put into words how spectacular Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is. It is one of my new favorite books for two main reasons. First of all, it is has one of the most accurate representations of school I have ever read. Second, it was hilarious . Before reading this book, I had never actually laughed out loud while reading a book. I highly recommend this novel.

3/5⭐️ Definitely not a book everyone will appreciate. Has some pretty good moments, but the unfiltered narrative style got a bit too stream of consciousness for me at times.

I appreciated the fact that the MC doesn‘t become a whole new person because of the experience he has, that t doesn‘t resort to sappy or trite cliches about death. It‘s honest about it being messy and hard to watch someone die.

“This book contains precisely zero Important Life Lessons, or Little-Known Facts About Love, or sappy tear-jerking Moments When We Knew We Had Left Our Childhood Behind for Good, or whatever.”

Good to know!

I just started reading this book. So far it‘s not that good. It‘s dull and boring. I would add more detail but I just started it so I don‘t know very much about it

2020 Book#5

Had a hard time reading this book. Has a very negative tone to the writing and made it very hard to be interested and get into the book.
1.5/5 stars
🌟⭐

This is the only book I‘ve ever chosen to put down & never pick up again. There have been books that I made myself finish even if they weren‘t the most interesting to me, but with this one I realized I had absolutely 0 desire completing it. Reading felt more like a chore. The storyline didn‘t hook me & I didn‘t love any of the characters. I was more annoyed by the characters at times. Some may love this book, but it‘s just not for me.

You‘d never know from the title that this book is hilarious. Or maybe I have the sense of humor of a 16 yr old boy...

Greg and Earl make films, usually inspired by films they‘ve watched, usually not very good. They become friends with a girl, Rachel, who has leukemia. They let her watch the films, and she likes them. It‘s adorable and snarky and funny.

This may be my favorite YA I‘ve read this year.

“Music really only interested me as a soundtrack to a movie, and as for sports, I mean, come on. It‘s some guys throwing some balls around, or trying to knock each other over, and you‘re supposed to watch them for three hours at a time, and it just seems like a waste. I dunno. I don‘t want to sound condescending, so I‘m not going to say anything else, except it‘s literally impossible to imagine a thing dumber than sports.”

My thoughts exactly!🤣

My #weekly forecast.
A friend loaned me Starless Sea 🤗. I will get my own copy but waiting until after the holidays in case it ends up under the tree!
I‘m waiting for a library hold for Quichotte, so I‘m not sure which audiobook will be up this week.
I‘m reading the tagged for #BBRC book to movie and also for #MountTBR.
The author of Mostly Dead Things was at #TXBookFest2019, and the title intrigued me. It‘s good, but a little dark.

Library #bookhaul ! #litsyloveslibraries
It took me many tries to leave. First, I went in to pick up holds. I checked out. As I left I noticed the Colson Whitehead and went back to get it. Outside I realized I hadn't put my book club book (tagged) on hold yet and saw it was in stock. Went back in to check it out. Librarian laughed and said "maybe we will get you out this time". As I left the book alarm system went off! ??

A non-descript high school girl is dying and it matters to a white dude who makes films. The plot and characterization are weak but the writing is sharp and zappy. I texted more than a few quotes to a friend.

I felt a bit guilty about laughing!

1. Black Panther
2. Laugh, eat.
3.10
4. Tagged
5 done!

#friyayintro @jesshowbooks

My current read. I watched the trailer for the movie yesterday and decided to read the book.

#YAWednesday @funkybookworm
This one made me laugh multiple times, especially when I felt I shouldn't be laughing 😉. The narrator and his friend Earl are irreverent, inappropriate, and funny.

Took this book traveling with me, finished it in the airport! It was definitely an enjoyable read. I can‘t say it‘s one of my favorites, but definitely one I could read again!

“One thing I‘ve learned about people is that the easiest way to get them to like you is to shut up and let them do the talking.”

The audiobook is tops on this one.

One of my favorites. I absolutely love this book.

1. While it‘s not the main theme of the book, Earl is always raiding Greg‘s fridge because Greg‘s parents keep it stocked with off the wall Whole Foods nosh. Also, Earl‘s aspiration in life is to manage a Wendy‘s.
2. Mediterranean
3. Anything with bell peppers and other peppers because I‘m allergic.
4. 4th of July cookouts
5. Casa de Benavidez https://tinyurl.com/y74p8zkh

#manicmonday

This was a pick for me, although I did have some mixed about it. Greg has mixed emotions about his friend Rachel, who has leukemia. He was very honest about how difficult high school is and how weird this experience was for him. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I did not enjoy this book 90% of the time. The snark and sarcasm missed the mark and came off as too much.

My March #TBR

Reading time with Luna 🌛❤ #dogsoflitsy

So far I am loving this book. I was afraid it was going to be a little too John Green-ey (which, in my opinion, is not desirable to read unless your reading John Green... not that there‘s anything wrong with John Green! Just not my cup of tea at age 23) but it‘s not. It‘s lovely. I chose it for my Teen Book Club for March and I think it will go over well! Love the male narrator / perspective.