My family teases that they can always tell how I am feeling based on my mug choice. Which one do you think is today‘s pick? ☕️

1️⃣ On a dry boulder along a babbling creek downstream from a waterfall in the mountains near Highlands, NC
2️⃣ No one. Just my books. Not in the mood for peopling right now. ?
3️⃣ Strawberries, chèvre, baguette, charcuterie, dark chocolate, and a bit of wine

#thoughtfulthursday

🦋 In between books! Thinking of starting Olga Dies Dreaming next.
🦋 The Trees by Perceval Everett
🦋 That my daughter came home from school safely 😭

#wondrouswednesday

Meet Mona + Lisa! #MonaLisa

Yes, 2 of the 4 rescue kittens extended their stay indefinitely at our cat hotel. 🥰 #catsoflitsy

It took me ages to finish the last 1/4 of this book, because I had accidentally come across a spoiler and I was dreading it happening. However, I LOVED this book and the duology and can‘t wait to read more books set in the Groshaverse!

#pop22 #foundfamily

Doing everything I can to process the terrible tragedy in Texas yesterday. From that first NYT alert, I had a horrible gut feeling it would be bad. Flashbacks to how I felt with a 5yr old the day of the Sandy Hook shooting. But my pain is nothing compared to the pain of dozens of families in Uvalde today. 😭

Reading with kittens. 😻 We‘ve named this one Kuromi for the 4 days she is in our house, since our tuxedo is #HelloKitty (who absolutely hates the intrusion into her home 😂)

#catsoflitsy

It‘s impossible to read with these 4 bundles of fur in the house! I helped capture & rescue these kittens over the last 2 months from a construction site in our neighborhood. The neighbor fostering them is out of town, so they are with me until Sunday!

I was part of the rescue effort of these babies at the same time we had to say goodbye to #Isabel. I‘m not looking for another cat, yet 4 landed practically on my doorstep. 😹

#catsofLitsy

💎 wish I could read more, but I also have some cute little distractions in the house over the next couple days which will make an appearance in my next post!
💎 physical book
💎 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
💎 Some books, yes! I love to annotate.

#thoughtfulthursday

This was a memoir Kincaid wrote after the death of her brother in the mid-90's to HIV/AIDS. It felt very personal, almost like a stream-of-consciousness diary she was writing to help in the processing of her grief. As such, it was hard to follow her train of thought at times. I'm glad I read it, but not sure I would recommend it.

#booked2022 about HIV or AIDS
#nonfiction2022 #ImAnAngel
#antigua

Joining in late for #LGBTQBookBingo #LGBTQ2022 but I am including 3 books I've read so far this year that fit some of the prompts. The cast of characters in these 3 books includes demisexual, aro-ace, bisexual, and non-binary representation!

My local B&N has a great display of Austen retellings right now! Found a few more to add to my TBR. #pemberlittens

Also, after some time off I‘m ready to jump back in to the chapter a day buddy reads, but I‘m not sure what the current schedule is?

The book I‘m reading for the #booked2022 prompt about HIV/AIDS was written in 1997. It‘s a flashback to the past.😔

I‘ve worked as a case manager for those living with HIV or AIDS in the 21st century. In some ways, we have come so far.

In other ways, the stigma still remains.

I‘m really glad this book lived up to the hype! I started it a few years ago, but quickly realized I should read the Shadow & Bone trilogy first, so I put it down after the first two chapters. Glad to finally return to it. Love this band of misfits and outcasts. ❤️‍🔥

#pop22 protagonist who uses a mobility aid

Enjoying an iced latte with a book this afternoon! I‘m hoping I‘ll have enough downtime to finish it today, ai definitely see why this is a hugely popular book!

These are the 6 books I suggested for #CampTOB22. Two are on the list because I just checked out from the library. 😃

#CampTOB

An interesting, thought provoking book on trauma and existing theory on best ways to treat PTSD. I like that the author recognizes and addresses trauma caused by systemic racism and generational trauma.

The first half of the book explores the brain‘s mapping and the physiological response to trauma, and our thoughts and ruminations after a trauma. The second half gets into MAP training, the author‘s therapy approach.

Another #bookhaul! This one from Book Outlet. Top one is Maya‘s, two we are sharing, and the non-fiction ones are for me.

My therapist recommended The Body Keeps The Score, and I know it is a foundational book on trauma, but I hated the way it ignored the trauma of victims of sexual assault by American soldiers, and only focused on the PTSD of said soldiers. The Trauma book above sounds similar, but not as problematic.

I‘m not usually a fan of short stories, but this one packs a lot in a small amount of words! I should have know anything by Atwood would catch my interest.

Gives off a hint of Practical Magic vibes, and this is very much a mother/daughter story. Perfect as a lead up to Mother‘s Day!

#booked2022 #canadianprovince
#pop22 book I knew nothing about

I‘ve been quieter on Litsy lately, but I had a lot of fun shopping local Indie bookstores in April! Our local stores put together an Book Crawl, and I was able to visit 7 of the 11 stores participating ahead of Independent Bookstore. Happy with my #bookhaul

Tagged my pick for #booked202 about HIV/AIDS

I had higher hopes for this book, as I was very interested in the interracial adoption storyline, but I felt the story really dragged. It took me ages to read. At least it fulfilled some prompts! The parts I did love was the exploration of adoption trauma, and an example of how inhumane our immigration system is (saying more would border in spoiler territory).

#booked2022 #setinchina
#pop22 #doublelife

Has anyone else binge watched Heartstopper on Netflix this weekend? MJ had been looking forward to this for months, and we both LOVED it!
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

The casting is perfect (but more Olivia Coleman please!), and quite faithful to the graphic novels. A must see for anyone who is a fan of the graphic novels!

Unfortunately, I thought the 2nd book in the Tita Rosie‘s Kitchen series was a bit lackluster. I did like that the author delved into mental health and PTSD, but the writing felt stilted and the story moved pretty slowly. I‘ll still give the 3rd book a try because I love the characters!

#HelloKitty hasn‘t left my side this week. She misses #Isabel too. #catsofLitsy😿🫶🏼

#booked2022 #titlerepeatsitself
#pop22 #newin2022

We made it home in time to be with #Isabel. Her pain meds help, but it‘s apparent that the fluid in her lungs is getting worse. She heads to the vet for the final time at 3pm.

While I wait with her, I thought I‘d review Cultish, a fascinating look at the language surrounding fanaticism. I loved the broad focus on how cultish language & traits appear (to varying degrees))in fitness & wellness programs, social media influencers, and #BossBabe MLMs.

I know some of you have seen #Isabel frequently over the last few years, she even has her own hashtag!

We found out today she has metastatic tumors, & fluid around her heart. 😿 We‘re still out of town, but are cutting our trip short and flying home tomorrow to be with her for the few days she has left.

Thank you to everyone who commented on my last post, I‘m sorry I can‘t reply individually right now. I‘m heartbroken, she is my first baby.

This contemporary YA is definitely written for the teen demographic and is a bit angsty, but I loved how the story delves into the different kinds of love, and how platonic love can be just as powerful as romantic love. There is a great cast of characters I absolutely adored, and the diversity and authenticity of the characters was so refreshing!
#booked2022 #comingoutstory
#pop22 #aboutasecret (would also be perfect for the asexual prompt)

Our dear #Isabel has made regular appearances on Litsy over the years, but our sweet elder Queen 👑 of our home hasn‘t been doing well.

We‘re currently on spring break in AZ visiting Aaron‘s parents, and Isabel decided to stop eating about a week before we left. We think she‘s telling us it may be time. An appetite stimulant is coaxing her to eat a bit while we‘re gone, but we may have to make a hard decision when we return home. 😿 #catsofLitsy

We had 45 entries for the quarter 1 #booked2022 raffle, and congratulations to @OriginalCyn620 on winning! 🎉🥳

Keep an eye on your email today for details on your prize gift card!

Definitely slower than the first book, but still an enjoyable read. Although I am blaming this book for keeping me up late reading and contributing to my tiredness today. 🤣

#booked2022 #weathertermintitle
#pop22 #featurestwolanguages

Maia Toll‘s books are gorgeous! I hadn‘t dabbled in The Herbiary in a while, and realized I never reviewed it, so decided to sit down for a full read through. I love using the oracle cards to pick a plant and theme to explore, and Herbiary is filled with some lovely exercises in self-reflection. I love how she she delves into the personality of different plants and how we can use those traits in our own lives.

#tbr2022

I‘ve been meaning to read this trilogy for YEARS. Finally got around to it, and I‘m loving it! The world-building is fantastic, and the writing is giving me ADSOM vibes (my favorite YA fantasy series. Moving straight on to the 2nd book.

#booked22 #adaptedforthesmallscreen
#pantone22 #supersonic
#tbr2022
#pop22 book by an author I read in 2021
#readharder #disabledauthor

Finally getting around to starting this series! Although I may be napping soon along with my nap buddies. 😴😽 #catsoflitsy #isabel

A few years back, I made a change to only read #OwnVoices books when the topic is the Holocaust. Surprisingly, I hadn‘t read this one yet. When it was banned in 8th grade classrooms in TN, the state right next door, at the same time it appeared on Maya‘s curriculum, I knew it was time. We‘ve been discussing it this week, and the many parallels to my husband ms family history. Spiegelman recounts his family experience from his father‘s POV ⬇️

Definitely worth a reread, and for the most part holds up really well! (Except for one anecdote at the end which screams white privilege on this read).

What I‘ve always liked about Brené Brown is her background as a research professor, and that she explains her methodologies at the end of the book. That for me puts this book more in the genre of psychology rather than self-help.

Definitely took away some new insights.

Total smut 🤣🤣 and not my typical read, but I needed some mindless entertainment!

Found this on Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, which I appreciate for finding escapist reads like this that aren‘t misogynistic, sexist, or problematic in other ways.

Set almost entirely at The Shard hotel in London, so it also fills the #booked2022 #setinhotel prompt! Also, #pop22 #twoPOVs

Look what‘s next up in Maya‘s 8th grade ELA class?

I love her school. #bannedbooks #readbannedbooks

Today is a good day, and I‘m spending it revisiting an old favorite. It‘s been years since I read Brene Brown, and wanted to reconnect before delving into her latest book. Plus, i really need to hear some of her words again at this point in my life. 🥰

I loved this book! Which is high praise because romance is usually not my jam. But I love the demisexual rep, and it‘s a fun story that doesn‘t take itself too seriously.

#pop22 #acespectrum

Hey #1619GroupRead folks! I‘m looking for someone who would be interested in taking over the rest of the weekly discussions.

I‘m officially a Covid long hauler, and am still struggling with getting headaches and fatigue under control. Unfortunately my doctor suggested pause all of my non-essential activities for now. 😔

#1619GroupRead

Condensing Chapter 6 & 7 into one week, so there will be a lot of discussion questions posted this week! #1619GroupRead

Key Terms: 2008 Economic Crisis, Assets, Capitalism, Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDOs), Cotton Gin, Industrial Revolution, Labor Union, Louisiana Purchase, Mortgage, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Panic of 1837, Stock Market Crash of 1929, Wall Street, Citizens United v. FEC

Dozing off and on while Dr Hubby and MJ play It Takes Two on PlayStation. So grabbing a book I‘ve really been looking forward to reading! Excited for the demisexual rep, since it was only last year that I heard the term for the first time and realized it 💯 describes me. ☺️ Glad to have a name for how I‘ve been my entire life!

Why yes, I bought a 🌈 bagel specifically to match with my book photo! 😂

It took me a week to get through what should have been a quick cozy read. Part of that was me and my fatigue, but the other part was a general annoyance with the lack of emotions in this story. I loved all the Filipino food descriptions, and I will give the 2nd book a try, but it was painfully obvious this was a debut. Was Lila supposed to be emotionally distant? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hey #1619GroupRead friends, sorry I have been AWOL this week! If it‘s okay with everyone, I am going to combine Chapters 6 & 7 together over the next week to CAT-ch up. 😽

I‘m still dealing with lingering fatigue post-Covid, so #HelloKtty looks like how I‘ve felt all week. #catsofLitsy

#1619GroupRead

As a person who has used Slack for years, I was loving everything about this book. Until almost the very end. There is one particularly incident that completely took me out of the story, and found the glossing over a non-consensual situation quite problematic and triggering. (More discussion on that under a spoiler alert in the comments)

Also, for #pop22 folx, would this be considered a social horror novel?
#tob2022

I think those clouds are giving off some #coffeequartz vibes. #pantone2022 @Clwojick

This is a difficult book to review, and I think readers will either love it or hate it. I love it. I love what Lockwood was doing here, an excellent job of showing the mind-numbing, addictive culture that social media can be. I love some of the humor - the comparison of white people‘s political education to potatoes had me rolling. In my top 3 #tob22.

Has anyone else read A Peoples' Indigenous History of the United States? That book definitely came to mind while I was reading this chapter, and I highly recommend it!

#1619GroupRead

I wanted to leave the discussion for this week's chapter open ended. What parts of the chapter struck you the most? #1619GroupRead

Enjoying my next #tob2022 pick in our newly built pergola & deck! Swimming pool build starting in a week. 😍

Don‘t mistake this for a romcom. Yes, the romance is there, but it goes deeper into past trauma, pain, and family secrets than the typical romance novel. Fantastic retelling of Persuasion for any #PemberLittens who haven‘t read it!

It also fills a ton of prompts:
#booked2022 make your own prompt (an Austen retelling)
#pop22 #BIPOCromance
#pantone2022 #supersonic
#aestheticallymatched (the pic cooking in a kitchen)