Welcome to Litsy!

This novel about a black musician who loved music more than anything other than his sweet grandmother Nora. As a black boy without any means to buy a good instrument. The story took Ray around the world as he played for audiences. The violin was stolen, then a huge investigation took place. The end was a bit predictable but I enjoyed it. 4.25/5

I loved this one. The way the author talks about music made me feel like I was there playing with the main character, a violinist. I did feel like some bits were unrealistic, specifically the ease of crowdsourcing funds, but it wasn‘t enough to deter my enjoyment of the book. Look forward to reading his next book!

Here‘s a little blep face from Sietje.

#CoverStories

Non-fiction/true crime #Feather book. I finished this one last month & enthusiastically recommend it. It will be on my 2025 favorites list. 🪶📚

This wasn‘t just a mystery about a violin 🎻 heist it was a thoughtful exploration of the life of a talented young musician who has to overcome prejudice and poverty. I‘m not a classical music fan but this author has such beautiful descriptions of the violinist‘s feelings while playing. A great choice for Black History Month

#Read2025

One of my #Roll100 Feb picks (#82 Any Non-Fiction) & also a #BlameItOnLitsy rec from @Kitta (on one of my posts about The Art Thief she recommended this one in the museum theft true crime genre). In this case a 20-year-old American flautist & fly-tying enthusiast steals 299 rare bird skins from a UK museum. I‘d have thought all the detail on fly-tying would have bored me but I found it & the crime fascinating. It reads like fiction.

#FeelinTheLove

You know it‘s become a weekly habit for more than you when the airport barista knows your name & starts looking for your mobile order when they see you walk up. 😆
Headed to Hilo for the day.

I think I‘ll be able to finish the tagged book on my flights. It‘s pretty interesting & I‘m learning about the #WeirdLove & obsession some people have for feathers & the Victorian art of salmon fly-tying. 🎣

A little late posting my February #Roll100 picks but here goes:

#60 Any Retelling (of Sense and Sensibility-also reading for #Pemberlittens #JaneAustenThenAndNow ) Would work for #6 Any Kindle too since it‘s been in my Kindle TBR a while.

#42 Any Mystery (also reading as part of @JacqMac ‘s #AuldLangSpine list)

#82 Any Non-Fiction (a library e-book loan)

I‘m excited about all 3 of these! 📚

Read in 2024. After my dad‘s sudden death last year I read some grief related books to see if it would help pull me out of my reading funk. This one was a low pick for me (probably because I wasn‘t in the right headspace). I can get her trying to make sense when someone you love passes unexpectedly. TW: because she does speak at length about the suicide of her close friend, as she‘s grappling with her experience.

Crosley experiences loss upon loss within the same few months, the most devastating being the death of her best friend. Crosley‘s dexterity with language and phrasing is remarkable. She writes with wit and precision and depth about grief in a way that makes it more tangible, easier to grasp where she finds herself emotionally. She‘s honest, angry, isolated, and trying to piece together what brought her to such a standstill. It‘s riveting reading.