Welcome to Litsy!

Here‘s my hopes for the #TOBlonglist @BarbaraBB
#TOBWaiting

Today brings you a tale of 2 #toblonglist titles because for both I found the MC to be extremely relatable… but for the tagged, this meant the 20-something self-involvedness & resulting life implosion was cringe but i rooted for her; & yet the American Mermaid mc is making me want to hide in shared shame and bail... Weird how that shared characteristic is affecting me so differently. Does AM get more fun, all yall who've read it for #tob2024?

I found this gem on the #ToBLonglist and it‘s right up my alley. I‘m quoting a blurb from the GR description because it‘s perfect:
“Fernandez braids astronomy and astrology, neuroscience and memory, family history and national history into this brief but intensely imagined autobiographical essay.”

In case you didn‘t know and are having a hard time tracking down some of the #toblonglist #tob2024 I just found out the Harris County Public Library will issue a digital-only card (iKnow digital access card) to non-Texas residents. I can check out up to 30 ebooks and their catalog is huge! They might also have an option for non-US visitors? Worth checking, maybe.
TBH I was hoping they would have Hoopla for the #midwintersolace br but no luck… 😅

Such great illustration in the American version of this #toblonglist choice! I already had it out from the library, so it‘s on tap today. 👍🏻📚

I‘m not quite done with it, but I‘m calling Rouge my favorite of the new #toblonglist titles that I‘ve read! I guess I am just a sucker for Awad‘s prose and this twisted fairy tale is *chef‘s kiss.* However, I‘ve only read 9 haha, so maybe someone will dethrone Awad?

Book covers are arranged with my favorite reads at the top - but this doesn‘t mean I didn‘t like the books on the bottom row! They just didn‘t impress me quite as much as the others…

First purposeful purchase from the #toblonglist. 🥂 Of course I had to get the one set in Kentucky! Nice end to a crappy day of dental work. 😁

Based on a true champion racehorse, Horse delves into the story of Lexington, starting in 1850, and the modern day people uncovering his story and skeleton. Overall, I thought this was terrific and came together well, though I was a little disappointed with one plot point, which felt exploitative to me. #toblonglist

From the first sentence, we know a terrible event is approaching, then we move inexorably toward that while getting to know those involved. I feel like this is a deceptively simple book. This is my second by O‘Nan and won‘t be my last—he is beautifully able to create mood. #toblonglist

Couple Bell and Sigh move to an isolated cabin and withdraw into their own world with their two dogs. Not a lot of plot but plenty of gorgeous writing to keep you turning pages. Another #toblonglist selection that I preferred to many in the shortlist.