Welcome to Litsy!

Vonk is an anthropology student interested in the life of migrants / refugees traveling through Mexico. Early on he meets Axel, who‘s got a complicated and unique story. They form a bond and traverse the dangers of cartels, immigration officers, and police together. This is a gripping true story with multiple caveats.

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This is book three in a historical fiction / time-travel series, and I love how Brackston‘s main character is growing as a “time spinner” and person. She finds a wedding dress this time, and follows its “song” to Regency-Era England. Plus, she must avoid the villain from book two. And I much preferred the balance of her supporting relationships this time.

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SGJ writes horror painted on the unsettled background of reservation life in this book. It also bends the time, space, and being continuums. In other words, you‘ll need to suspend all disbelief and just go with it. So hey, that fits 2020 for sure. Right? This is intense, and really gruesome in parts. But it‘s also about friendship, hardship, and regrets. Absolutely intriguing!

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I‘m a Bohjalian fan and this was a great story. The suspense is tight, twists felt legit, and the characters are compelling. Parts of it are set in Vietnam, which made me visualize all the Anthony Bourdain episodes filmed there. But it‘s also gritty NYC and very science / medical. That all blended into something pretty unputdownable even though I was busy! I gave it 3.5 stars.

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Matthew Shardlake is a lawyer working for Thomas Cromwell in Tudor England. Now he‘s trying to solve a murder in an abbey outside London. In the cold and snow. He doesn‘t know who to trust and the monks are all caught up in the church / state changes of the era. I like Shardlake and how he thinks, as well as his vulnerabilities. Definitely reading more in the series!

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I enjoyed this coming-of-age, indigenous voices story and the cartoons included. Junior / Arnold is forthright and charming in his odd way. And in the year that‘s 2020, I appreciated the messages about loss and grief when Native American people have lost so many to the virus.

Full review http://www.TheBibliophage.com
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This short book is interesting but not ground breaking. Maybe that's because I've been through the "death cleaning" ritual a few times now. So the idea that someone, someday will go through all of my things is nothing new. But if you need an anonymous reminder, this book offers that. It's as much memoir as advice, though. And the author's life is one of privilege with a a serious side helping of eccentricity.

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This is heavy and academic. Considering how dependent on online *everything* I‘ve been this year, it also freaked me out thoroughly. It‘s 700 pages, or 24 hours of audio. Or you can watch The Social Dilemma on Netflix, hear her speak, and get the basic message in two hours. Still, I‘m glad I read it even though it‘s scary and made me mad.

Full review http://www.TheBibliophage.com
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This debut from @rachelm is so good! If you relate to a prickly heroine whose year has been a dumpster fire, then this is for you. Greta is endearingly awkward as she tries to handle what life throws at her. I enjoyed her and the other characters more than I expected to. Mans McKenny writes character-driven contemporary fiction with a savory side helping of real life.

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Oh my, this book broke my heart. And it made me mad! The story of U.S. immigration policy under Trump is one that must be told, no matter how cruel the story is. Soboroff makes the complex details clear, and deals well with the emotional aspects too. The story isn‘t over, so I also recommend following him on Twitter for updates.

Full review http://www.TheBibliophage.com
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