Welcome to Litsy!

Doreen is one of so many children evacuated from London during WWII, staying at a country house with a couple she doesn't know. While part of the story feels very "classic kid-lit" with Doreen discovering her new village, trying to find new friends, and taking a trip to Oxford with her wealthy caretakers, the lives and emotions of Doreen's adults (her actual parents and the couple who grow to love her) quickly become complicated. Beautifully done!

Attempting to make my way back to a monthly #PersephonePick with the tagged book. It seems like a good one to draw me back in, hitting a number of topics that I love in Persephone's catalogue - social history, domestic portraits, and London life. Here's to a great read! #CurrentlyReading

I know I should be more responsible but I haven't gotten any Persephone volumes in so long! I cracked and came away with the tagged book, as well as one of their newest, Sofia Petrovna, and Doreen, which has been my next "must buy" for literal years. My goal is to resume a monthly #PersephonePick in 2024; this year I fell off the bandwagon completely, but all my titles are still there waiting for me! Along with a few new ones for good measure.

Thought I'd start my latest #PersephonePick tonight but naturally, #TomKitten had other plans. 🖤 #CatsOfLitsy

Oof, this one really got me. Young orphan Willie Maryngton dreams of being a soldier in WWI. Just as he's about to join the action, the war ends; years later at the outset of WWII, he is now too old for combat. This short novel packs a skillful punch- right as I started to become a little frustrated with our characters, the ending came along and turned me upside down. Don't investigate too much of this one beforehand- just read and enjoy the ride!

So glad that I got in a final #PersephonePick before closing out the year! This one was really lovely; Jane's ambition, determination, and self-advocacy radiated off the page. I wasn't feeling the romantic entanglement of the last third, but I was all about the somewhat cliffhanger ending- though could Jane end up anywhere but on top when all is said and done?? Thanks for letting me tag in, #PersephoneClub; it was a pleasure!

A fascinating '20s time capsule on cooking and hospitality. Though the recipes ranged from utterly mystifying to downright revolting (so much aspic! So many hard-boiled eggs shoved through a sieve!), the prose is lovely. For instance, on weddings: "...goblets of sparkling drink, delicious fragrance of rosemary, lavender, and cedar wood...music, laughter, and the love of friends. What an hour to remember later in the silence and the starlight."

I had a complete letdown of a reading month in March, but I plan to use April to claw my way back on track with the #PemberLittens, with my monthly #PersephonePick, and with the #ChunksterChallenge. I'm also REALLY looking forward to the May reads with the #PemberLittens- Lady Susan, here we come!

Looking ahead to a bit of March reading- three for the #PemberLittens and a new #PersephonePick. I've really been looking forward to these; here's hoping I can keep up!

A quiet, simple story, told in lovely, evocative language. Very much in the same spirit of Fortnight in September. Looking forward to hearing what the rest of the #persephoneclub thought and chatting about it! #persephonepick for February.