Welcome to Litsy!

Elaine Feeney is now an automatic buy for me. I loved her first novel, As You Were, and I loved this one, too. (I'm not sure how to preorder her new book, since I can only find info on a UK edition?) I felt equally invested in Jamie, Tess, and Tadhg. I found myself rooting for each of them in different ways. I can see myself rereading this one at some point.

My February reads. It was another fantastic reading month. Now, on to March!

It was interesting to get into the heads of the young female competitive boxers featured in this novel. I liked how the author conveyed the intensity of the moment while also shifting to times in the girls' pasts and futures.

#ToB25
#gottacatchemall (Marshadow: fight or fighter) @PuddleJumper

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 A book I never would have picked up if not for the #ToB25 short list! Unique structure of telling the stories if 8 teenage girl boxers as they fight in matches at a tournament in Reno. It was interesting enough while reading, but I finished it a few weeks ago and none of the characters or stories stayed with me. Soft pick.

This book was not for me, and I‘m not sure what it was. The boxing? The writing? Where there too many boxers so we spend too little time with the boxers? I‘m don‘t know, but it was something

#tob25

I enjoyed this book and how it used a youth sports competition in Reno, NV to frame the lives of the 8 contestants. The last chapter was a little weird, maybe? But Reno is a weird place, so whatever I guess. #tob #tob2025 #tob25

#25Alive! Day 23: The #Dreams of teenage female boxers are on display here with their feints, jabs, hyper-self-awareness. Gradually going through the #ToB25 shortlisted titles.

The writing reminded me of Paulo Coehlo. Very philosophical.

The sport of girls' boxing is compared to multiple aspects of life: dreams, quirks, visions, ways of thinking, and futures. Each girl is different, but all 8 girls are the same - with the same wants and fears and strengths.

I'm glad I read it.