Litsy

pan

Well, this just wasn‘t for me. I can understand how one would appreciate its inventiveness, but it left me with the same discomfort Murakami causes me. (Sorry, Murakami-lovers.)
I continue to plug along with old ToB books from this year and years past. There are never enough reading hours in the day. 😁
#ToB2022

BarbaraBB I‘m sorry you didn‘t like it, though I can understand why! 2y

BarbaraBB Do you want to be tagged to our #CampLitsy reads this summer 😘?? 2y

Readerann @BarbaraaBb I think I‘ll just be a lurker this time around. I‘m trying to whittle down the old TBR this summer. Thanks for checking. ❤️ 2y

17 likes3 comments

Readerann

In Concrete | Anne Garreta

pick

OK, the story is weird. BUT…it‘s worth reading for the brilliant wordplay throughout which, keep in mind is TRANSLATED into English. 😮
#ToB2022

BarbaraBB How good you did actually read more ToB books! I hope you still approve of your votes 😉😁 2y

Readerann @BarbaraBB Yes, I‘m still plugging along. It‘s also fun to read them AFTER I see what everybody else thinks! 😁 2y

13 likes2 comments

Readerann

The Echo Wife | Sarah Gailey

pick

I thought this was very well-crafted and a page-turner. There were a few things that bothered me, however. See first comment for spoiler. I‘m off now to read other comments and see if it was ‘just me‘. 😬
#ToB2022

Readerann I can‘t believe Martine would have just left her baby like that. Also, I wanted a more satisfying ending. It was like “so Evelyn just kept Martine hidden forever and carried on with her work. The End.” 2y

Ruthiella I think there cannot be a happy ending to this story. Evelyn probably would have killed Martine once she became a liability... There were a lot of holes for me in this book. 2y

Readerann @Ruthiella You‘re right - I don‘t think there could be a happy ending to this story. I suppose it just felt like a ‘lazy‘ ending. This is one of those books that I‘m liking less the more I think about it. Often, the opposite happens! 2y

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BarbaraBB I don‘t even remember what you are discussing above. The book totally slipped my mind 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2y

Megabooks @BarbaraBB same unfortunately. Only vaguely remember this even though I enjoyed it. 2y

Readerann @Megabooks @BarbaraBB I suppose that doesn‘t bode well for me remembering this a few months from now. 😁 2y

BkClubCare I thought we were left with the idea that Martine might kill Evelyn some day since she became the monster like her father 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2y

14 likes7 comments

Addison_Reads

Several People Are Typing: A Novel | Calvin Kasulke

pick

I didn't get this read in time for #ToB2022, but I'm glad I finally had the chance.

The idea of a guy somehow becoming stuck inside his computer seemed ludicrous at first, but Kasulke manages to create a funny read that focuses on office relationships and how we interact with others in a virtual world.

I ended up enjoying this much more than I thought I would when I started reading it.

39 likes1 stack add

Readerann

Matrix | Lauren Groff

so-so

Most everyone seems to love this book, but it just didn‘t resonate with me. I‘m not sorry I read it, but am also glad it was only 250 pages.
#ToB2022

Ruthiella I didn‘t love this one either. In the TOB commentary, supporters compared it to legends or myths where the hero has an obstacle and defeats it over and again, like Robin Hood or the Labors of Hercules. But I think that‘s exactly why it didn‘t work for me. 2y

Readerann @Ruthiella Oh, that‘s interesting! Yeah, really not my ‘cup of tea‘, either. 2y

21 likes2 comments

Readerann

Intimacies | Katie Kitamura

pick

I really enjoyed this unique little novel. It was fascinating getting a glimpse into the life of an interpreter at The Hague (although that‘s not really what the book is ‘about‘). To echo what my friend, @BarbaraBB said, I love the ‘atmosphere‘.
#ToB2022

Ruthiella I really loved this too. I particularly remember the scene with the painting and think that‘s kind of one of the themes of the novel: how our perspective of something can change upon closer viewing. 2y

BarbaraBB Lovely review and picture. I keep remembering the scenes in court vividly too, how everyone behaved towards one another. 🤍 2y

sarahbarnes I loved this one, too! 2y

Readerann @Ruthiella @BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes Yes, so many interesting things about this one and scenes that will stay with me for a while. I also like how she did NOT tie things up in a neat little bow at the end. 2y

18 likes4 comments

BarbaraBB

The Sentence | Louise Erdrich

Holly, Chelsea and Sarah will be happy that Copeland Cane just won the play-in round in the official #ToB22!
However, in our Litsy tournament a huge majority voted for The Sentence (17 out of 21 votes!). So we‘ll see Erdrich‘s book return in the 1st round against The Echo Wife. We say goodbye to Copeland Cane and Our Country Friends because both don‘t have enough Zombie votes for a comeback.
And with that, the ToB22 has started with a bang!

BkClubCare, Flaneurette, Megabooks, Hooked_on_books, Cinfhen, Mindyrecycles, cariashley, Well-ReadNeck, Suet624, merelybookish, Readerann, Sophronisba, Chelsea.Poole, alisiakae, kwmg40, squirrelbrain, thebluestocking, Addison_Reads, Ruthiella, sarahbarnes, ImperfectCJ

merelybookish Well at least The Sentence can stay in our TOB. As soon as I saw it came second in today's judgement, I knew it was getting the boot. 🙁 2y

Addison_Reads Although I voted for The Sentence, and I'm happy it won on Litsy, I'm still okay with Copeland being picked because it was a tough decision between it and The Sentence for my play-in choice. I'm so happy to be participating in the #tob2022 with everyone this year. 2y

sarahbarnes This just makes me even more excited to have The Sentence finally come in at the library! And yes happy for Copeland Cane too. 😊 2y

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squirrelbrain Copeland was still good, so I‘m happy! 2y

Addison_Reads @squirrelbrain I'm just happy it wasn't My Country Friends. 2y

Megabooks I liked Copeland Cane as well, so I‘m not mad about this. And same @Addison_Reads !! 2y

Ruthiella Interesting! I definitely preferred The Sentence but am OK with Copeland Cane moving forward. Always nice to see a debut get some attention! 2y

Cinfhen I love the drama already!! Fun to see our Litsy tournament take a swerve 😜 2y

BkClubCare @Cinfhen - I suspect this tourney will be very SWERVY! 😁 2y

BkClubCare YAY! I woke up feeling rather puny, fighting a bug I hope to heck isn‘t #thevirusthatshallnotbenamed, and so I can nap and read commentary all day 🥴😴🤓 Love that I live in two worlds for this to play out. I am just happy to get this going.👏👏👏📚📚📚 2y

BkClubCare Big shout out to @BarbaraBB for hosting these 🎉 2y

BarbaraBB @Addison_Reads @sarahbarnes @squirrelbrain @Megabooks @Ruthiella I voted for The Sentence and am glad it continues in our tournament but I haven‘t read Copeland Cane and keep hearing good things about it. I am curious to see where it‘ll end up in the official ToB! 2y

BarbaraBB @Cinfhen Yes the drama of the TOB is the best! In both worlds of course @BkClubCare 😊💛 2y

Cinfhen Hahaha @BkClubCare keep well xx 2y

Hooked_on_books I really liked The Sentence, but was blown away by Copeland, so I‘m glad to see it move forward in the TOB. Really glad Country Friends is gone from both. I found it lacking. 2y

ImperfectCJ I'm cool with either of these winning Play-In, even though I liked The Sentence more. Because I listened to Copeland Cane on audio, I didn't realize until I read the commentary today that there were footnotes. Makes me wonder how different my experience of the book would have been if I'd read it with my eyes instead of my ears. 2y

BarbaraBB @Hooked_on_books @Addison_Reads I kept wondering what was the point of Our Country Friends. It brought me nothing, even though I read it fairly quick and was kind of interested in where it would go. 2y

BarbaraBB @ImperfectCJ I always think that when I listen to an audiobook. I‘m much more focused when I read a book! 2y

ImperfectCJ @BarbaraBB I think I focus better on non-audio, too, but lately I can't sit still well when I'm reading a book-book, so it's a limited focus. I blame the pandemic, but it's possible it would have happened anyway. 2y

Suet624 I thought I kept reading that folks didn‘t like Copeland so I bypassed it. I guess I‘ll have to check it out. I was so surprised by the decision to choose that over The Sentence! 2y

Chelsea.Poole I‘m happy to see Country Friends is out! And the universe sent me a copy of The Sentence today which I started and like already! (edited) 2y

kwmg40 Copeland is one of the 4 ToB books I've not read yet. Glad to see that The Sentence will at least continue in our tournament! 2y

Sophronisba It wouldn't have been my pick, but honestly I love starting the tournament out with an upset. Anything can happen! (And I bet we see The Sentence rise again.) 2y

thebluestocking I would have preferred The Sentence (and I‘m glad it‘s moving on here!), but I‘m fine with Copeland winning too. But I didn‘t know about the footnotes either! I wonder if the audio omitted them or just read them in at semi- appropriate places. Thanks for putting this together, Barbara! I hope you feel better soon, @BkClubCare 💙 2y

cariashley I‘m disappointed to see my number one pick to win knocked out so early, bah!! At least it lives on in our parallel TOB. @ImperfectCJ I also totally missed the footnotes in the Copeland audiobook, had no idea. I think I might have liked that book better in print, the audio was really tough for me to follow. It felt overwhelming. (edited) 2y

Mindyrecycles Barbara, thank you thank you for this! I love our own little tournament. I didn't like Copeland Cane very much but Sentence was my zombie so hoping to see it again both “there“ and here. :-) 2y

BarbaraBB @Suet624 I thought so too and bypassed it for that same reason. And then raving reviews started coming in! 2y

BarbaraBB @Sophronisba It may very well be a zombie in de TOB indeed. And I love the upset too! 2y

BarbaraBB @Mindyrecycles My pleasure. It somehow is a nice idea we can keep books moving onwards in our own tournament 😃 2y

BkClubCare @cariashley @BarbaraBB - apparently, the narrator changed when the footnotes were read. I just didn‘t realize they were footnotes! I had no idea. If I were to reread or if anyone asks, I will suggest a read/listen experience. I am super glad I experienced this via audio. I was impressed with it. 2y

69 likes30 comments

BkClubCare

The Trees: A Novel | Percival Everett

Happy TOB Eve! So excited for tomorrow.

I hope The Trees takes it all, I hope The Sentence wins tomorrow but I will be fine if Cope makes it through, too. #TOB22 #TOB2022

Mindyrecycles Can‘t wait can‘t wait!! 2y

BkClubCare @Mindyrecycles - squeeeee! 2y

AFridayFriend I‘m excited for you! LOL 2y

Readerann I‘m excited, too! Just starting The Sentence, but hoping it wins the play-in just because it‘s Erdrich. 2y

BkClubCare @Readerann - I have The Sentence zombie-ing so whatever happens can be overcome. 🧟‍♀️ 2y

45 likes5 comments

vivastory

Subdivision: A Novel | J. Robert Lennon

I started this book a few hours ago & am now about halfway through. One of the most original books I've read this year. Greatly enjoying it.

Addison_Reads Yay! I'm glad you're enjoying it. It was one of my favorites for #ToB2022. 2y

Ruthiella I really liked this one too. 👍 2y

vivastory @Addison_Reads I'm not planning on reading all of the tob titles like I did last year, but I have a few more lined up before it ends. Looking forward to them. 2y

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vivastory @Ruthiella I have read a couple of other Lennon books previously & greatly enjoyed them. I know that you have read quite a few tob titles this year. What have been your favorites? 2y

Ruthiella @vivastory The Trees by Percival Everett is my top favorite of the 18, followed by All‘s Well by Mona Awad and Intimacies by Katie Kitamura. But I really appreciate the introduction to Lennon and look forward to reading more from him in future. 2y

vivastory @Ruthiella Thanks for your response! I have both The Trees & All's Well on my immediate TBR, but Intimacies was not on my radar. Adding it now. 2y

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ImperfectCJ

Untitled | Unknown

Apologies for the focus on this photo. I got a new phone a couple of months ago and I have not been able to figure out what setting will put the whole darned photo in focus.

That aside, this is my #bookspinbingo for February. I managed to finish both my #bookspin and my #doublespin for this month, as well as all of the #ToB2022 shortlist. Yay for audiobooks!

@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! Fantastic month!!! 2y

45 likes1 comment

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