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#LitsyToB21
review
Ruthiella
No One Is Talking about This | Patricia Lockwood
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Panpan

Shortlisted for the 2021 Women‘s Prize and the #CampToB - #LitsyToB21, lotsa hype and I loved her memoir all made this a must-read.

So many friends loved it - I actively hated it. 😣 I‘m no fan of the Jenny Offhill shorthand novel writing style and this was that plus poetic (for me) nonsense. I wasn‘t moved by the second 1/2, nor did I find the first 1/2 funny. It‘s a taste thing. I hate olives, no culinary magic will make them palatable to me.

monalyisha Oh noooo! This is my biggest fear re: this book. I had it checked-out from the library but I just keep putting it off until I had to return it. I also LOVED her memoir — like, one of my favorite books *ever* level of love. 3y
Ruthiella @monalyisha Read it! It‘s super short. It‘s this snippet style of narration that puts me off and I have a tin ear for poetry. I think I am very much in the minority here. 3y
monalyisha @Ruthiella I‘ll get there, I‘m sure! I‘ve also had one of Alice Hoffman‘s newest books just sitting & staring at me for MONTHS. Sometimes, I get so nervous about a book living up to my expectations that I just simply cannot (until I get my courage up 🙈). 3y
See All 12 Comments
vivastory @monalyisha I feel like there should be a term for this bc I definitely do this too 3y
monalyisha @vivastory If I knew more Latin, maybe I‘d attempt it. 😅 As it stands, I‘ll continue to express myself in way too many words (per usual). 3y
vivastory @monalyisha Same, same 😂 3y
BarbaraBB I love your review @Ruthiella 🤍. I loved the book but I am so glad we differ in out opinions and can tell them here! Also I see why you didn‘t like it, especially the comparison to Offill. 3y
BkClubCare @vivastory - “bookdread”? 3y
BkClubCare It‘s a coconut 🥥 book! 3y
merelybookish Thanks for sharing your review @Ruthiella! Like @BarbaraBB I like hearing differing opinions. And I get the criticism. The writing is very clipped, very portal-influenced. I can understand how that could irritate. 3y
Cathythoughts I started it & bailed ( thinking I might go back ) ... maybe I won‘t go back 3y
Ruthiella @Cathythoughts It was so short and so many reviews mentioned the second half as so emotional and moving, I had to read it all...despite myself!😆 3y
50 likes12 comments
quote
BarbaraBB
84 Charing Cross Road | Helene Hanff
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What a delightful book! I love both sides of the correspondence and this quote made me laugh out loud. Such a great gift Cindy 🤍🤍

TrishB It‘s a lovely read ❤️ 4y
Cinfhen I‘m so glad you‘re enjoying this book!!! It was a really pecial read and I‘m thrilled to have shared it with so many people I adore 😘 4y
AceOnRoam Hello!!! I'm still here, just have been having other life priorities getting in the way of my reading. I see that I have missed the most fabulous TOB comp here, you did an amazing job of putting that together. I'm sorry to have missed out, but next year sign me up! 4y
BarbaraBB @AceOnRoam Hi Ayse, So glad to hear from you! Organizing The #LitsyToB21 was fun, we had a great group of people participating. I‘d be extremely happy if you‘ll join too next year! I hope all is well aboard Roam 😘 (edited) 4y
65 likes4 comments
blurb
BarbaraBB
Piranesi | Susanna Clarke
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So that's it. Interior Chinatown takes away The Rooster in the #ToB21. In our own #LitsyToB21 we have voted for Piranesi to be our winner. I am happy with both outcomes! Thank you all for participating, maybe we'll do it again next year!

rsteve388 Thanks for Hosting!! 4y
Cinfhen So much fun!!! Thanks for organizing 🎉🙌🏻❣️ 4y
vivastory Thanks for hosting! I'm thrilled with both winners! 4y
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Megabooks I am happy with both outcomes as well!! Thanks so much for hosting, friend!! 🥂 to the winners and to next year! 4y
Ruthiella Thanks for all the work you put in Barbara! I loved Piranesi and am pleased it got the popular vote in our contest. 😀 4y
MicheleinPhilly I hope I can join you all next year! This is always one of my favorites. 4y
emilyhaldi Woohoo!!! My top 2 favs 🙌🏻 Thanks for hosting Barbara!! 💛 4y
kwmg40 Great outcomes in both tournaments!! Thanks so much for hosting, Barbara. I really enjoyed the parallel ToB. 4y
sarahbarnes I‘m really happy with these outcomes, too! Thanks for hosting - it was so fun! ❤️ 4y
BarbaraBB @rsteve388 @Cinfhen @vivastory @Megabooks @Ruthiella @emilyhaldi @kwmg40 @sarahbarnes Thank You for joining, it was fun to do and to see how we thought compared to the judges; I hope we‘ll do it again next year and I DO hope you‘ll join then too @MicheleinPhilly 💚 4y
Kalalalatja Thanks so much for organizing, I have had so much fun! And read some great books 🙌 4y
Hooked_on_books You did so much work for this! Thank you for hosting—it was so much fun (more than I expected)! I expected our tournament would go this way and I‘m not happy about it. 😂 I loved IC, so I‘m glad it won the rooster. 4y
Readerann Sorry - I got caught up in reading everyone‘s comments yesterday and then forgot to vote in the final! I enjoyed both books, though, so I‘m happy either way. Thanks, Barbara. This was so much fun! 🙏🥂 4y
vivastory @Hooked_on_books I know that you mentioned you aren't interested in Piranesi, but I think you might be pleasantly surprised! I was really caught off guard by it... 4y
Hooked_on_books @vivastory Maybe someday I‘ll give in, but by and large when I read about a book, decide it isn‘t for me, then end up reading it anyway, I don‘t end up enjoying it. There are of course books that surprised me, but that‘s definitely the exception. My library has this on audio, so someday when it‘s available I‘m sure I‘ll give it a try. Hopefully it catches me off guard, too! 4y
BkClubCare Thank you everyone! Always fun to have others share in TOB hijinks. I‘ll be reading for the goodreads TOB of Favorites this fall. 4y
BarbaraBB @Hooked_on_books Your predictions were mostly good, so you probably knew long before us that Piranesi would win 😉. I‘m very happy with IC in the real tournament too. And I agree with @vivastory you might be surprised by Piranesi. Maybe one day! Thanks for joining! 4y
BarbaraBB @Kalalalatja Thanks for joining! Keep your eyes open for #CampToB in summer, it‘s fun too - and ‘only‘ six books 😉 4y
BarbaraBB @Readerann No problem at all, a majority voted for Piranesi already! Thanks for joining! 4y
BarbaraBB @BkClubCare Thanks for participating! What is the ToB of Favorites on GR? 4y
BkClubCare @BarbaraBB - GR has a TOB group. A few of the members compiled a list of ALL the TOB books from the past 16 years and we polled for the most popular. They published the long list and now polling is going on to create the short list. I have 7 books yet to read on the long list. Glutton for punishment, I am? 😂 4y
BarbaraBB @BkClubCare I checked it out. Great idea! I read 24 of the 32 selected books, so am not sure if I‘ll participate. (edited) 4y
cariashley Good outcomes all around. Thanks so much for organizing, this was such a fun event! Would definitely do it again next year! (edited) 4y
BkClubCare @BarbaraBB - check again when they make the shortlist. Maybe you‘ll have read them all? 😊 4y
BarbaraBB @BkClubCare I will! And I will follow it anyhow but I would have preferred if I could have read along! 4y
BarbaraBB @cariashley That is so good to know, thank you!! 4y
Suet624 I‘m so glad the Litsy group voted for Piranesi. Such an interesting book. Now I need to find IC! 4y
BarbaraBB @Suet624 I think you‘ll love that one a lot too! 4y
64 likes1 stack add28 comments
blurb
BarbaraBB
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The second Zombie round is a different one in each version of the ToB: in the official #ToB21 Zombie The Vanishing Half won from Breasts and Eggs and will be in the finals tomorrow against Interior Chintatown. In the #LitsyToB21 DKK is today's winner and will be up against Piranesi.
Please vote one last time for the book that you think should take away our Litsy Rooster: https://forms.gle/ePdntmovbzDDiH5p8

Megabooks I am so sad about Breasts and Eggs! 4y
kwmg40 I voted. It was a difficult decision! 4y
BarbaraBB @Megabooks Me too. I was so underwhelmed by Vanishing. 4y
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Ruthiella I await the outcome of both final rounds with bated breath! 😬 4y
emilyhaldi 👏🏻👏🏻 4y
Cinfhen Very exciting!!! I think our tournament was the stronger one!!!!! Thanks for organizing, Barbara 💕🙌🏻🥳 4y
cariashley I‘m much more excited by our tournament than the official! I did like Vanishing more than B&E so am happy about that. I will also say that today‘s judge nailed it on the subjectivity of reading and “judging” books! 4y
Hooked_on_books So often in the ToB, I‘m unhappy with their winner. But this time, I really enjoyed both of the final books! So whoever wins tomorrow, I‘ll be happy. For ours, I loved DKK and have no interest in Piranesi, though I suspect this group will choose Piranesi. This was a great idea and you‘ve done so much to make it happen. Thanks for a fun time! 4y
Readerann Yay! I think good books were chosen all around. 4y
Kalalalatja For a #ToB first timer, I‘m pretty surprised by what the official tournament has ended up with. I had expected Transcendent Kingdom to go further, both in our and the official. I definitely think our is the best final! 4y
BkClubCare @Kalalalatja - as a not-quite old timer to the official (but very much an enthusiastic supporter), I have to warn you that it is NEVER what you might expect! 4y
61 likes11 comments
blurb
BarbaraBB
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The first Zombie round is the same in both the #LitsyToB21 and the #ToB21, with Piranesi being the official Zombie and Interior Chinatown ours. However we chose another winner than today's judge did: Piranesi is our big winner, while in the ToB Interior Chinatown makes its way into the final match. Since our second Zombie match is completely different from that in the #ToB21, wel'll definitely have another book taking away the Rooster, exciting!

rsteve388 I just started reading Interior Chinatown it's good. 4y
Megabooks That is exciting!! 4y
emilyhaldi I like that there are two parallel contests where I get to see both books win this round ❤️😆 4y
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BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi Me too, they are both favorites of mine! I hope it‘ll become one of yours too, @rsteve388 ! 4y
Readerann Yes! They‘re both winners! 4y
kwmg40 Very happy that two of my favourites get to continue in each of the tournaments! 4y
BarbaraBB @Readerann @kwmg40 We can‘t go wrong now 😉 4y
63 likes2 stack adds7 comments
blurb
BarbaraBB
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It‘s time to reveal our #LitsyToB21 zombies 🧟‍♀️

Based on our zombie votes prior to the start of the tournament, Shuggie Bain and Interior Chinatown will return into the tournament!

Interior Chinatown will be up against Piranesi and Shuggie Bain against Deacon King Kong. The first match is similar to a zombie match in the #ToB21, where Piranesi is the zombie!

‼️Please vote again, before Monday‼️
https://forms.gle/63caSkE6GS2ePZ8K9
Thanks!

vivastory Done 👍 4y
Ruthiella I voted! 😀 4y
See All 8 Comments
Cinfhen Done ✅ 4y
kwmg40 I sent in my votes! 4y
emilyhaldi Piranesi vs Chinatown was a hard choice for me- my two favs!! ✨ 4y
BkClubCare Wow that we managed to recreate one of the same matchups?! Cool 4y
BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi For me too. While I don‘t care much for Shuggie and Deacon. 4y
63 likes8 comments
blurb
BarbaraBB
Breasts and Eggs | Mieko Kawakami
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We're going our separate ways, in the tournament 😀. In the #LitsyToB21 Piranesi won against Leave the World Behind (again with a convincing majority), in the official #ToB21 Red Pill was finally kicked out by Breasts and Eggs!

We're almost there, I will annouce our Zombies 🧟‍♀️ later today and another form for voting. The official #ToB21 Zombies are Piranesi and The Vanishing Half, completely different from ours again!

Cinfhen I‘m glad Red Pill is gone but I‘m sad to see Leave go 😢 4y
Readerann I‘m liking our Litsy tournament better! 4y
Kalalalatja Nooooo.... but at least Red Pill is gone! 4y
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Megabooks I‘m really happy with the official decision today! 4y
Ruthiella I‘m sad to see Red Pill go! But hopefully Kunzru will have more opportunities with subsequent novels. B&E did not resonate with me at all, so it‘s interesting to read what others got out of it. 😀 4y
kwmg40 So glad to see B&E continue in the official ToB! 4y
63 likes6 comments
blurb
BarbaraBB
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Time flies, we are already in the semifinals of the #ToB21. In both our brackets DKK has been going strong: today it was up against Interior Chinatown in the official tournament, in the #LitsyToB21 against Transcedent Kingdom. In our tournament we will see DKK back in the Zombie round (it beat TK with a big majority), however in the official one Interior Chinatown is the winner!

BarbaraBB On a personal note I am sad we lose TK in our tournament but glad Interior is still in the tournament! 4y
vivastory I couldn't be more thrilled that Interior knocked out DKK. The judgment was very well written & made me reconsider certain aspects of DKK, although I don't think I've really changed my mind about it. I'm really disappointed that TK is knocked out in our version. Holding out hope it'll return for revenge in zombie round. 4y
cariashley I‘m so disappointed DKK is out - it was the last of my three favorites in the official tournament 😩 4y
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BkClubCare Well, I am still DKK all the way and this judgment made me fall for it all over again. Glad that in our Litsy tourney, it prevails. 🐓🏆 4y
vivastory @cariashley Maybe one or two will return in zombie round.. 4y
vivastory @BkClubCare I thought it was a great judgment. It made me appreciate certain aspects of DKK. 4y
BarbaraBB @vivastory @cariashley I‘ll announce our zombie after the semifinals! 4y
vivastory @BarbaraBB The intrigue!! I feel like we need #LitsyToB21 shirts ☺️ 4y
BarbaraBB @vivastory Imagine! 😎🤩 4y
emilyhaldi Yay for Chinatown!! ❤️ 4y
cariashley @BkClubCare same here!! 4y
Hooked_on_books I really liked both DKK and IC. Very different from one another, but both beautifully crafted books. I didn‘t know which way this one would go but am happy either way. And I‘m happy to see DKK move on in our tournament! 4y
kwmg40 What a great judgment today! It captured beautifully what I loved about DKK and IC. They, along with Piranesi, are my favourites from the list. 4y
Readerann Yay! The few ToB books I‘ve read are advancing! 😁👍 4y
BkClubCare @Readerann - yay! Fun when that happens!! 4y
68 likes15 comments
blurb
BarbaraBB
Red Pill | Hari Kunzru
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Today was the last quarterfinal: Leave the World Behind was up against Red Pill in the #ToB21 and against The Vanishing Half in the #LitsyToB21. In our tournament Leave is the winner, in the offical one Red Pill (surprisingly!) moves on.

‼️Now it's time to fill out our brackets for the two semifinals! Please do so today, since tomorrow the first match will be held. ‼️

Use this form please: https://forms.gle/SEQEAUYuc9uF4frC6

emilyhaldi Interesting about Red Pill 🤔 I didn‘t read that one- do you plan to read it once this is over Barbara? 4y
BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi I am still not tempted to, you?? 4y
Well-ReadNeck I was so underwhelmed by Red Pill. Leave the World Behind continues to really stick with me. Rooting for a 🧟 4y
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BarbaraBB @Well-ReadNeck I saw it🦈 but it doesn‘t have enough votes to make it to out zombie round unfortunately 🤷🏻‍♀️ 4y
emilyhaldi Lol I‘m not tempted either 🤷🏻‍♀️ 4y
Suet624 Honestly, sometimes TOB can flat out disappoint me. 4y
Ruthiella I really liked Red Pill. I‘m pleased it is s proving to be a juggernaut! 4y
kwmg40 Strangely, I am now tempted to reread Red Pill, to figure out what I missed first time around! Clearly, the judges are seeing qualities that I didn‘t. 4y
Kalalalatja I‘m so happy Leave is doing so well in our brackets, but I‘m baffled by Red Pill. Still happy with my bail! 4y
Cinfhen I‘m happy that Leave advances in our tournament but NOT LIKING the official #ToB21 4y
BarbaraBB @kwmg40 I know what you mean about those qualities yet I still don‘t feel like picking it up. 4y
Hooked_on_books Wow, I‘m shocked by Red Pill‘s success! And disappointed to say goodbye to TVH in our tournament. I thought it was incredible! 4y
Readerann I doubt I‘ll read LTWB or RP, although I loved White Tears by Hari Kunzru. I‘m actually looking forward to going back to the longlist - I read some gems that didn‘t make ‘the cut‘. 4y
BarbaraBB @Hooked_on_books It was a very close call in our tournament (8-7). 4y
BarbaraBB @Readerann what are you favorites from the longlist? 4y
vivastory I'm so surprised that RP keeps advancing. I just filled out the form. Sorry I was late!! 😬😬 4y
BarbaraBB @vivastory No problem at all. I knew what books you would vote for lol, same as I did 😀 4y
vivastory I will say that choosing between Piranesi & Leave the World was a bit difficult. Ultimately Piranesi is a bit more special than LTWB I think 4y
Readerann @BarbaraBB From the longlist I‘ve read Hamnet, The Night Watchman, The Cold Millions, A Burning, and Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line. I liked them all! 4y
64 likes19 comments