Welcome to Litsy!

Set in rural Appalachia, this book follows a woman who feels painted into a corner as she then encounters something completely unexpected. As this event takes hold of her and her small town, she experiences a coming of age as her world opens up. I‘m glad #ReadYourEbooks helped me finally get to this one. If you‘re looking for realistic (rather than dystopian) cli-fi, this is a good choice.

My goodness, Kingsolver writes the most beautiful sentences. This gorgeous novel tells the story of a farming family in Appalachia barely getting by and explores what can happen when an ecological miracle (tragedy?) occurs where least expected. While the whole world watches, they come to terms with the climate crisis in microcosm and how it affects everyone differently. Lovely on #audio, read by the author. #Roll100 @PuddleJumper #Bookspin

I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!

#ABookADay2023

Not my favorite Kingsolver. I didn‘t like Dellarobia at all, and never connected with her. The characters felt too much like caricatures for me than flawed people. I also felt the climate change story, while it rang true, it was also heavy-handed and overly preachy. There was some unnecessary fatphobia and the book felt overly long. I liked Prodigal Summer so much more. #AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

I‘ve been on a roll with my #AuthorAMonth books! I already knew I like Barbara Kingsolver (who is local to me) and wanted to read more, so this was the first this month. Dellarobia is feeling disconnected to her life in small town Appalachia (I can relate at times), but she comes across an unusual natural phenomenon involving butterfly migration that changes her life and perspective.

#authoramonth
#booked2022 #ecofeministnovel

I‘ve really enjoyed the previous two Kingsolver books that I‘ve read, and this one was no exception. I loved all of the characters, particularly Dellarobia and Ovid, but also all of the minor characters too.

I like how the author manages to teach without being didactic and I certainly learnt a lot from this book.

First book ticked for both #aam and #booked 2022..On to the next Kingsolver soon….!

A woman trying to take her life into her own hands. A woman trying to do something different, something more for herself, despite the odds. Despite the hand she has been dealt.

Recently got this as a gift from my sister (the biggest bookworm I know) - Has anyone read it??

I hope my review does justice to this book. So many themes: Questioning God and His will is okay to learn about one's self, embracing the good that comes from mistakes, realizing failed dreams, people cause climate disasters and we should learn from it, science doesn't have all the answers. I could go on. This book has so much. I appreciate Kingsolver doing the research and taking us on a journey with the family's growth. #plantmoremilkweed

The first third of the book, I wasn't sure if i was going to love it. I thought it was going to be a family drama and I was feeling a bit meh about it. But it turned out to be much more than that - a fascinating exploration of environmental issues and science and how they are perceived in different communities. Lots to think about in this one. Glad I persisted with this chunkster.

The best thing about the North of England in October is parkin, which is a delicious sort of ginger cake type thing. I hadn't heard of it till I moved here - now making up for lost time. Yum.

Had lots of fun in a second hand book shop today - and a persephone for £2.50 cannot be left behind #persephonebooks

This summarised much of what the novel is about: the clash between humans and the environment. Two worlds of civilisations and communities of people, and nature and butterflies.

Woohoo! I‘ve finished my #bookspin. It‘s only taken 8 years...

I reached midway point before I got into this book. I‘m not sure why. Somehow I just didn‘t connect with Dellarobia, and the other characters felt a little distant. Later, she has more conversations with adult women (best-friend Dovey and in particular MIL Hester)- that‘s where the writing shone and I started actually falling for the book. Then the end felt...?... overblown perhaps.

I'm having a bit of a slow reading month so far, but I finished this one! My first by this author...
I liked it, not loved it— I didn't find the first half to be all that entertaining, but it definitely picks up towards the end. Some of the messages/morals seemed rather heavy-handed. I did enjoy learning a little more about monarch butterflies 🦋😊

‘Is it hateful if you don‘t agree with your home team about every single thing? Because I can agree on maybe 9 out of 10. But then I start to wander out of the box on one subject, like this environment thing, and man. You‘d think I was flipping everyone the bird.‘

‘Now, see, that‘s why everyone wants Internet friends. You can find people just exactly like you[...] trouble is,

I‘m half-way through my #BookSpin for July and I‘m sorry to say I just don‘t know! I feel like it should be right up my street, and Barbara Kingsolver has been a favourite author forever. But I feel like I‘m *reading* it. I‘m never actually there, living it, fully engaged... Ho hum.

*Finally* starting this month‘s #Bookspin. Again. I think I‘ve probably started this about 3 times in the last 8 years, but never actually got through it. I‘m really not sure why. 🦋

I so enjoyed last month‘s #bookspinbonanza, I pulled 3 more numbers out of a hat, to make myself a ‘shortlist‘ for June. I won‘t read all 5, but 3 would be good.

And I‘m delighted with my #bookspin and #doublespin. Shall we not mention that Flight Behaviour‘s been on my shelf since it was published in 2012 ? 🤫

Day 24: For fun, I am going to post one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join the fun if you want. #bookstoread #tbrpile @StaceyKondla

Thank you to:

#MagicalMay
@eggs

Today‘s Prompt: BUTTERFLIES

Butterflies that changed someone's mind about an affair? Butterflies that have the entire country flocking to Knoxville, Tennessee?

Yes...butterflies may be what Dellarobia needed.

FULL REVIEW: https://tinyurl.com/y8dddm2p

#barbarakingsolver
@harpercollins

A wonderful read from the amazing Barbara Kingsolver. #butterflies #MagicalMay

Beautiful writing and incredible insights into humanity and the world.

It is still a struggle to focus on reading so I'm spending a lot of time in the garden listening to podcasts about books.

Because I‘m so good at challenges 🤥 - I just loved the idea of #BookSpin . Here‘s my February list @TheAromaofBooks

An environmentally focused novel - I learned a ton of information about the migrations of Monarch butterflies and how fragile the natural world is in this story about a woman who welcomes scientists into her isolated rural home when the migration path unexpectedly changes.

Kingsolver is a masterful storyteller and just so amazing at narrating her own books. I love her smooth, honeyed voice building up these characters that become a little bit real. This one was a bit too long, and Prodigal Summer still holds the spot for my favorite of hers, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this book.
#ReadingWomenChallenge A Book About Nature

The good news is my hydrangea bush is getting ready to bloom 😍 the bad news is I‘ve got to find another #clifi option for #booked2019 bc this one is pretty wretched. Barbara really let me down after Poisonwood Bible!!!

So who‘s got some good Cli-Fi recommendations??

Not sure why I put this one off, because I pretty much always love Kingsolver. I really enjoyed everything about it - characters, setting, and themes like class issues around science and knowledge and climate change denial as part of culture and identity. Plus butterflies - I love butterflies and have been lucky enough to live near several major monarch migration pit stops. 🦋🧡 And, as always, her writing was pure literary comfort food for me.

Kingsolver has a way of writing characters that are completely brought to life. I can‘t fault her writing. The climate change aspect of it was fascinating and the setting of a small community generally always makes for a decent story. Only thing that let it down was the end; it felt a bit rushed. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #booked2019 #clifi

This was my#clifi pick for #booked2019. It‘s looooong. A great character study, and there‘s no denying that Kingsolver can write. But truth be told, this was just too drawn out. I felt like it took me years to finish.

I‘m done with spring, I‘m definitely ready for hot summer days and my favorite in this quarter was Flight Behavior. The rest of the books was just so-so ...

#Booked2019 #spring @Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage

My friend Dave (furthest back) has been *really* into taking choreographed group photos recently. This one made me laugh so hard I cried.

(3/4 of us are in a short stories book club together!)

This book reads slowly, but I was fascinated by the butterfly migration and global warming aspects of the novel. From a science standpoint, it captured me. While I didn‘t dislike Dellarobia as a character, I felt she was young and obviously immature and sadly (as she‘s explaining to her son at the end) she has a hard time seeing the big picture. I hoped she could find a way to balance her newfound love of science and try to love her husband.

It‘s weird and humid outside today so I‘m indulging in an afternoon of audio puzzling.

Finished my #clifi book last night, next will be the #socialmediafocus #booked2019 @Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage

My trip to Nj was cancelled so I spent today doing things to cheer me up! Panera, Dumbo at the movie theater, and now sitting in Starbucks reading some more. This book is amazing and terrifying all at once!

This book is so good! It‘s about monarch butterfly migration, climate change, and a poor, unhappy housewife on a failing Tennessee farm. It‘s gorgeously written, as I‘ve come to expect from Kingsolver... it‘s really something how she can enrapture with her imagery and storytelling while also making me think about serious issues. I absolutely adored Dellarobia and this story.

Also, I LOVE Kingsolver‘s narration of her books.❤️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#wellnesswednesday yoga and an hour at Panera to read. I‘d say I was reading in silence but one of the other regulars is here with her home schooled kids and the little girl is having a sad day lol much crying and whining

Bookstore volunteer reading time #clifi #butterflies

My Spring picks for #Booked2019! One is already complete.

#nightoriented : 🌙 Moon Sign Book 💫
#CliFi : Flight Behavior 🦋
#IndigenousAuthor : Yellow Woman and a Beauty of the Spirit
#featuresamusician : On the Come Up 🎤
#socialmediafocus : An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
#foodorbeverageoncover : 🍰 The Coincidence of Coconut Cake 🧁

I love free stuff! Free birthday bundtlet (my birthday is next week) and a free iced tea because I went to Starbucks yesterday on double ⭐️ day and racked up some points! Score! Plus it‘s a library book so that was free too!

While I couldn‘t put the time into that I wanted (since it was for a class), this was an amazing read! Though it‘s not something I‘d usually read, I really enjoyed it. Kingsolver has such a way with words and images I was encaptued from page one. Would recommend! 💖

Sneaking off into the woods for a possible tryst with a younger man,unhappily married Dellarobia sees what she thinks is a lake of fire. A warning? A sign? Monarch #Butterflies not on their usual migration path.Dellarobia considers its magical ,religious & mythical symbolism as scientists,journalists, & biologists invade Appalachia to explain why.Another wonderful Kingsolver that blends the personal with the ecological. #LiteraryLuck

“Unearthly beauty had appeared to her, a vision of glory to stop her in the road. For her alone these orange boughs lifted, these long shadows became a brightness rising. It looked like the inside of joy, if a person could see that. A valley of lights, an ethereal wind. It had to mean something.”

Interesting combination of the personal, intimate story of a young mum in a small town, and the bigger story, related to all of us - climate changes, which are reflected in the unusual behavior of the butterflies. Although the author‘s view on climate changes is absolutely clear, in the story she keeps the distance, and final judgment leaves to the reader. A beautiful written, nicely rounded story, but with to much hurried ending ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My January reading wrap-up. I've tagged my favourite of the month.
I totted up my 2018 total spending on books: £226. In truth, I thought it would be a lot worse: sticking to a three-months book-buying ban at the end of the year certainly helped.