Welcome to Litsy!

A reread, but I‘m being kinder to it the second time than I was my first read. I still think the weight Vivi puts on Rhys‘ betrothal is too much, but hey, gotta second chance romance it somewhere. I do need some hard and fast magic rules tho bc Vivi doing “big magic” like the candle and the summoning? I don‘t even know what this world would consider big magic. Gimme rules! Outlines! Something! Overall, fun, fast, and easy.

3⭐️| #romance #reread

Seventh candle of my #Hanukkahchallenge & the stormy weather affected my choice. Agnon‘s short story is about a man who came to build a house in Talpiyot, a windy hill in Jerusalem. The story is less than three pages, but it‘s multilayered: it‘s a man vs nature, it‘s a autobiography in both the direct meaning of Agnon building his home and finding his way with G-d, but also about Jews and Arabs being neighbors. #reread #iamthatjew

Fifth candle of the #Hanukkahchallenge: Two heroines move in some strange parallel four hundreds years apart and tell a story, reveal the history of people, history of Jews.
I cannot be objective judging these stories, because at some point of my life I have experienced some measure of it all: the awfulness of being addressed "you, the Jewess", the heated discussion of rabbis and the scorching sun at Masada. #reread #iamthatjew

Fourth candle of my #Hanukkahchallenge is a winter fairytale told in four different voices: the daughter of impoverished Jewish moneylender, a tzarina, her faithful servant and a peasant girl. The stories they tell bring to the forefront not the magic but the difficulties of women‘s lives in all walks of life. #reread #told_by_a_woman #iamthatjew

4.5 ⭐️

I‘m still so impressed with the use of place in this book and how it shaped everything Brexley is coming to terms with. I absolutely loving getting introduced to characters we see so much more throughout this book and just seeing how many of these friendships start out as is everything. I‘m loving my reread and the tension in the relationship is absolutely delicious.

#reread #arcanesociety

5⭐️

I really value the conversations on prejudice, especially knowing how vital some of these character become. I also liked seeing the hints of things to come and the development of certain relationships (love and friendship ones) that we‘ll appreciate more as the series goes on. I spend through this just as quickly as I did the first time and it‘s good to know the reread value is there for this series!

#reread #arcanesociety

For the third candle of my #Hanukkahchallenge I #reread another book about a Jewish moneylender: a fascinating retelling of the life of Court Jew for one of German dukes in 17 century - Joseph Süß Oppenheimer. A fast and very dramatic story that describes court intrigues, financial schemes and personal life of the duke, his entourage and his personal Jew that ends in tragedy for all involved. Feuchtwanger is a master of storytelling
#iamthatjew

#reread for #bookclub The book was a legend way before I read it for the first time, but now I believe I didn‘t appreciate the complexity and the clues between the lines, hidden from the Soviet censorship. The story is deep, dark, frightening and full of hate, but there are also sparkles of decency and love. The ending is somewhat hopeful, or at least open for interpretation

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Annual #reread. My seventh time! And I listened to the audio because you really must with Sedaris. Delivery is everything! I‘m recycling last year‘s review: This is definitely not for everyone, but it‘s 100% for me. Dark as hell, but so funny, especially the personal essays.

3⭐️ Thought the book was ok; not my cup of tea though. #reread #bookclub #fiction #2024 #dystopian #canadian #indigenious