Welcome to Litsy!

This is a mixed bag for me. I really loved so much of this—the characters were vivid and the 90s Florida setting was palpable. I was right there in CC‘s shoes as she navigated growing up in a tumultuous household. #dysfunctionalfamily lovers take notice! However! Parts of this fell apart and there was little to no ending. I even reread sections to make sure I wasn‘t missing anything. Nope, just several threads never mentioned again 🤷‍♀️

This memoir was fine.

The author recalls her childhood growing up in Florida, her parents' divorce, and various other family members.

Her story is well-told but, honestly, won't stick with me for very long.

Very good MG with some tough stuff. I came close to crying several times. Hercules has a school assignment to recreate the Twelve Labors of the mythical Hercules. It‘s a challenge, but it makes Herc learn about himself and how to process losing his parents. TW for death of parents and harm to animals (not by humans, all natural, but nature is kind of a bitch in this case).

Good. Set in Appalachia in the 1930s-40s. Coming of age story. Sad in parts, but not overwhelmingly depressing. Ends on a hopeful note (which makes sense because there is a series).

I picked up this book from the library having never heard of it, and I quite enjoyed it. Spend the summer in a small fishing village with a group of boys while they try to solve a mystery while growing up before us. A great look into the cod fishing industry on the east coast of Canada and the struggles it and the families that worked it suffered. A quick read and a good coming of age story.

#Readathon #ReadAway2024 #EastCoast #Fishing

Sneaked in another of @DebinHawaii recommendations for #auldlangspine2024 and I loved it. Heartbreaking story of friendship and family over the course of one summer in a neighbourhood grappling with poverty, gangs and it‘s actual eradication and the buildings are demolished. Powerful and both sad and yet optimistic. Beware numerous trigger warnings

While our eldest took his drama class I popped into the library and checked out this book. Our library had a flood so the entire fiction floor has been closed for a while. There are only a few shelves to browse on the upper floor (or you reserve ahead of time from their entire collection). I know nothing about it so hopefully I like it. Popcorn and a book for me tonight!

#LibraryBook #Popcorn #Canada

Middle grade fiction. Excellent characters. Several difficult and/or very tragic events were a little too much for me. Very good audio narration.

This is a heartbreaking and gorgeous book told by Kit, a half Cherokee, half white girl, a wonderful, sometimes naive, sometimes incredibly astute child. Verble has a quiet, masterful way with this story that does not minimize any of the terrible realities chronicled within it. Full review at https://booknaround.blogspot.com/2023/10/review-stealing-by-margaret-verble.html

I thought the mc and her best friend were well drawn characters. I enjoyed the epilogue, it‘s interesting how we look back on friendships in our lives and often see them differently and more clearly. I think of Bob Dylan‘s line
‘Ain‘t it hard when you discover that he really wasn‘t where it‘s at .. ‘
The good writing kept me going until the end , but I felt disconnected from the book. A pick/so-so.