Welcome to Litsy!

This might be my favourite of the #ToB25 books so far. This book consists of interconnected stories that bring together not just characters but past and present. I loved the New England setting and Shattuck made its history so vivid. It's been several years since I last visited the US but now I have a longing to visit New England again.

#gottacatchemall (Pikipek: featuring a musician) @PuddleJumper

#25Alive! Day 25: A sense of deep #Gratitude washes over me as I read this book. Had to discontinue though for awhile as I go through the #ToB25 titles.

I have very strong, mixed feelings about this novel. On the one hand, it's beautiful, focused yet expansive, easy to get lost in. One section had me in tears, which rarely happens for me when reading. On the other hand, I feel cheated. I will not go into details, but I do not like how the story wraps up. So, 99% I loved, 1% really pissed me off.

#tob25 longlist

A poignant exploration of how a child reacts to tragedy and draws conclusions about responsibility and the role that adults play in this process. My family experienced a loss when I was just shy of 4, and the ways in which Margaret attempts to make sense of her loss and the ways that it reverberates through the years feels true to me, although the circumstances were quite different.

Photo: A deer (in maybe Colorado?) in 2015.

I found this novel quirky and charming, but plodding as well. It's billed as sci-fi, but it mostly shows the insightful perspective of a woman who is different from everyone else.

#ToB25
#FrozenSick #gottacatchemall (Lillipup: dog or wolf companion) @PuddleJumper
#BookSpinBingo #DoubleSpin @TheAromaofBooks

#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.

Finished the #ToB25 shortlist! Some were real winners, others less so. The History of Sound is one I wouldn‘t have picked up on my own but found it to be a lovely read. Looking forward to the discussion here and the official tournament.

Shockingly I didn‘t hate this! I think my expectations were super low, so any enjoyment I had was a bonus. Full of strange goings-on…magical creatures and such but in our world. Heavily focused on the relationships of the 3 teenage protagonists who have died but are brought back to life by some otherworldly beings. It‘s too long but the audiobook made it manageable. And it‘s my final read for #ToB25!

There's not a lot I can say about this one without giving spoilers, but I can say that I really appreciate how it's written, and I'm looking forward to discussing the ending with my book club. It's not my favorite from the #tob25 shortlist, but I do like it.

This was excellent. Happy to finally be pleased with a #tob25 entry after a couple letdowns in a row! It‘s cleverly pulled together and the writing is beautiful (would expect nothing less from a poet author).