I have read 7; currently listening 🎧 to The Wedding People and eBooking Irena Rey. I have The Safekeep ready for next audiobook and am on hold SOON for eB Beautyland. Intermezzo is #55 🤣 , Orbital #3, Ministry of Time #32, Blue Sisters #13, Colored Television #9, Bury Your Gays #6

#ToBLongList #ToB2025_LongList

Yeehaw! 🤠 Here we go with the mad scramble!

Next up for my #PoemAday
In researching the poet, I find she was a retired librarian in Vermont; started writing poems well into her 80s. Her tribute from the publisher at her death at the age of 102 was so lovely- I am excited to read this and am already contemplating buying her second collection. 💖

Pic with my only “map art” -3 dimensional Narragansett Bay RI.

The whiteness sought is of flowers.

#poetrymatters #Nov2024 Book107

So the other day, I was anticipating The Repeat Room would be on the long list and so I used 1 credit and then I found out it‘s not on the list so I was able to return it. Yay! (I find Jesse Ball a little bit perplexing.)
#ToB2025_LongList #Audiobook

It made it! And so did Wild Horses! And Poor Deer! And many I don‘t recognize but many I do. Link in comments - I wouldn‘t have found it if weren‘t for the gr group site… #ToB2025_LongList #toblonglist

Solid pick. Rural Ireland crime drama with believable flawed characters; great writing.

#Nov2024 Book107 #audiobook #DogsofLitsy #CopperBopper #whpg #Autumn #MyStreet

Starting next because might be on #ToB2025 Long List? #Hurryupalready

(Pic from a concert in 2015 that I don‘t remember… but thought might make a good backdrop for this cover 🤷🏻‍♀️)

Love the early evening sun on this adorable cat and I very much enjoyed this book. Made me laugh, made me cry a tear or two, or maybe a few of those taken-by-surprise hit to the chest teariness, ya know? Poor decisions have consequences and sometimes overcoming fears have fabulous results. Found-family stories are my jam.

#Nov2024 Book106

Am loving this book! Enjoyed T‘s birthday party last night ( band was 🔥) and TODAY is International Day of Tolerance… Reading along when this book has the word TOLERANCE so I made this collage. #PettyCash Roadtripping back home now.

Road trip! (Maybe I should have waited til I could photosnap a bridge… ) #Wichita2DightonKS

Next up eBook style. Mini Lemon Chess Pies for a 🥳 birthday party tonight. #RoadTrip #iLovePie #CaresPieShow #LitPie

#Nov2024 Book104 #NonficNovember

Green has a self-deprecating and nerdy love of learning that I adore. He is vulnerable, big-hearted, fascinating; I am here for it. I took down the names of many authors to add to my tbr and admittedly felt a bit smug when he mentions authors I *have* read (Akbar, Rosenthal…. Of course Vonnegut.)

(photo of book on mantel with autumny cards)

Time for another #DogsofLitsy post featuring #CopperBopper 🐶 Finished this in time for tomorrow‘s bookclub. I enjoyed it. I spent a lot of time researching what was true vs. fiction, current photos of where they lived in NY and NJ, if Emily has any descendants still around (none that I could find, but her grandson was a distinguished engineer 👍) Now off to go find Ken Burns doc 🎥 on the bridge. McCullough‘s NF read ready to pick up from library

I laughed. I could relate. It was a quick read and one that made me only want to read read read! Love books that I can‘t put down, that suck me in, that have characters who are enraging and enraged, inconsistent and witty. This book is not about sandwiches the food - though a few are described. This is not all about the Cape Cod town of Sandwich Mass - though it provides the setting. This is about a menopausal woman navigating life between👇

Starting this one because it just came off a many week library hold; comes highly recommended.

Reuben Sandwiches are my favorite with balanced and generous proportions of melty Swiss, sauerkraut, and sauce. MUST be on marbled rye. You?

And, yes, I have stood on this pier of Sandwich MA though I doubt it was at sunset time. But this matches my other post for today. My favorite place on Cape Cod is Pocasset. No real reason other than 👇

I cannot tell if the day
is ending, or the world, or if
the secrets of secrets is inside me again.

By Anna Akhmatova, written in the face of a beautiful sunset; so says Green in his chapter on Sunsets 🌅

Is the secret HOPE? Is it LOVE 💖 Does it need to be a secret? Just some questions on how I will navigate this future with new resolve…

#NonfictionNovember

We not only set up the tree after re-arranging the furniture, but we decided to light it in hopes for a brighter tomorrow. 🌟 Go Chiefs 🏈

This is such an intriguing book! I only knew it involved time ⏰ 🧳 and I am loving the epistolary back & forth. My only to-dos today, besides walk the CopperBop, is to finish this book and write ✍️ a few letters 💌📬

#Nov2024 Book101

I am going to include these quotes; the first one to my friend in MS and the erosion one to my brother, the geologist. The third one made me laugh.

Five star read, exquisitely told, characters to cheer for, totally unique! And it has pie 🌟 Narration by Sophie Amoss is excellent.

#Nov2024 Book100 🎉

October results, finished the #AsheCoNCReadingChallenge, favorite is the tagged and secures Pooley‘s spot on my favorite author list.

(Bette Davis as Mildred; no Of Human Bondage cover found when making my pic collage.)

#Oct2024 ~44k Litfluence

#ToBwaiting These are a few titles being talked about for possible inclusion for next March‘s Tournament of Books. We should see the Long List in a couple of weeks.

I do hope Poor Deer is selected- I am enjoying the audiobook. Wild Houses was offered as an Audible freebie (or discount - can‘t recall) so I have it up for a listen soon.

Current read (which was referenced by The Seven Year Slip author Ashley Poston) and I happened to have on my shelf.

The narrator for the audiobook of Poor Deer is knockin‘ it out of the park! Especially with, “It moved the kindhearted teacher, … and she remembered why she had become a teacher in the first place. It wasn‘t just because no one wanted to marry her. It was also because she had felt a calling.” 😆🤣 Deadpan delivery. Oshetsky is a damn good writer, too. #HappyHalloween #FlyingMonkey (pic from 2009)

Finished this book yesterday… and today, I couldn‘t remember finishing it. Am I stressed?! After working 12 hours today and my hub out of town, needing to walk the dog in the dark, we came upon a neighbor who has lit their house in Red White and Blue. 🇺🇸

Silly me, trying to read only romance to hide from election stress and I pick this! Not sure if 5⭐️ or if I am feeling generous- it did make me laugh.

#Oct24 Book99 #LitPie #ILovePie

What an interesting book, truly. Ah yes, a classic. But I honestly was so annoyed at the MC and his … predicament? That‘s not the right word. 🧐 Anyway, I didn‘t listen to this straight through; very happy I had the Cliffs Notes (ahem, written in 1963!!!) and almost maybe wish this could be a college level course exploring the author, this dang book AND the films 🎥 of which I hope to see someday. Might be a tough sell to Hub. 💖
#Oct2024 Book97

Starting this now. Hoping it will be on the #ToB2025_LongList

Continuing on with my plan to avoid the news and only read ROMANCE 💘
I start this and 🤩 WOW this really is LOL funny! Cake-Gate was hilarious and it was written just for me. 🤣😍🤪

I voted 🗳️ 🇺🇸

#AsheCoNCReadingChallenge2024 Category Royal (and last one! I have read ALL 50 categories!!!!)

I didn‘t read every word and turned it back to Libby because 3 people were waiting for it. I will keep reading her letters, but overall? Right now it is too stressful to focus on right now. #Vote 🗳️🇺🇸

#Oct2024 Book95

I enjoyed this one quite a bit. I‘m thinking that I just might need to go off on an all romance reading all the time binge. #LemonPie #LitPie #CaresBooksandPie #CopperBopper #DogsofLitsy

#Oct2024 Book96

Just starting this poetry collection. #APoemADay #poetrymatters

This is a creepy cover, yes?! The more I look at it, the more uneasy I feel… you?! Or is it this time of year 🫤

Brought this book with me to the car maintenance shop but am playing with Litsy instead 😉

I *am* looking forward to this! LOVE time travel and am much in the mood for happy books right now. ❤️

Next book club book, which somehow was my toss into the selection round, AND despite my once saying I won‘t everneverever read a book with “wife” in the title due to my usually not being impressed with the typical genre… 🤷🏻‍♀️

Photo background shot is my orange grape tomato plant that has been especially prolific these last few weeks.

This book is so much fun (and welcome distraction from US politics) 🤩

#Oct2024 Book93 #LitPie #HumblePie #donotgoeasyintothatgoodnight #LOLfunny

Just starting this one; I am a HUGE fan of Pooley! Love the #foundfamily theme.

I don‘t really have a quote to share but wanted to post that I am at the halfway mark and our MC is not the easiest guy to cheer for right now. Also, am listening, as well, and have started thinking in an English accent - kinda weird?

Philip has fallen hopelessly stupidly in love with Mildred and honestly, it is annoying to be in his head right now. Ugh

#Oct2024 #SugarPumpkins4Pie #OfHumanBondageReadalong

“The man loved pie.” 🥧 🥰😋🤩

#Oct2024 Book91 #AsheCoNCReadingChallenge category history

The #AsheCoNCReading Challenge has 50 categories. I am SO CLOSE!! I especially want to support Ashe County with all that has happened there with Hurricane Helene.
This satisfies the True Crime category. Confession: I do not enjoy (if that is the right word?!) reading True Crime. I feel that this is such an important issue and concern for women.

(Photo is of my shower!! At late dusk time.)

Apparently I never took a photo of my copy of this (AND WHY is the cover not in Litsy?!?!) Anyway, …. This was okay and also not at all what I was expecting AND yes, full of surprises. I tagged and read/reread the chapter on how abortion became a “hot” Christian Nationalist Extremist issue and fuels my determination to fight for women‘s rights. 💙🌊

#Oct2024 Book90 (Photo of basil.🌿)

Everything I read in September minus Hi Honey, I‘m Homo by Matt Baume (cover not findable by the app and where would I have placed it?!) 17 books YOWZA

Frederica is my favorite with The Husbands a close second. I gave Tiger Eyes lots of stars, too but just couldn‘t get into the movie 🎥 😢

October is going a tad slower. #Sep2024 Litflu 43k

We all may know or not - it doesn‘t really matter… but I have a friend that I cannot contact for what I assume are Helene-Hurricane devastation reasons. Her name is Amy and she is the one who got me obsessed with the #AsheCoNCReadingChallenge2024 - I cannot contact her, I do not know her next of kin contacts, I am worried for her and her community and I invite you to give blood or donate $ to NC areas hard hit by Helene. @amyrabbitt ❤️ 🌟 🙏

The Russians, undermining the idea of “truth”. We must support Ukraine 🇺🇦, we must fight for free press, we must pushback on distrust of facts! 🌊💙

I made pie and started a new book.

#CaresBooksandPie #CaresPieShow #ApplePie 🍏🥧 #AsheCoNCReadingChallenge2024 category US History

I am needing a little joy in my life 🌟 so let‘s play 👏

1. I am grateful for the steadfastness of my core penpals - I received a lot of great mail this week.

2. I made Apple Pie this week, to share with my nephew who is in a fierce battle with cancers, recovering well 💪❤️‍🩹

3. I am doing great on my reading goals!

4. Grateful for my parents, my in-laws, and family & friends.

5. Happy that I already scheduled the day off today and ⬇️

Libby eBooks for the win 🏆 I am chasing the 50 category #AsheCoNCReadingChallenge2024 and these two are my latest scramble to check a few boxes. The left is meeting the Title With a Question Mark❓ and the Nancy Drew fits Book I Read As a Child. (I am pretty sure these have me blown past my Classics Club 50 in 5 🤣) Still need 2nd Person Point of View…

#Sep2024 Book86 Book87

A book blogger friend of mine is hosting a readalong of this in October. I can‘t help it, I am a joiner 😩🥸

#ofhumanbondagereadalong ⛓️‍💥

Strong pick! Love Heyer‘s characters, always fun. Tho, the endings always feel abrupt and of course, a foregone conclusion, but she has to end it sometime. So many words to look up, too. Fun, fun, fun 🤩

#Sep2024 Book85 #AsheCoNCReadingChallenge category pub‘d 1965

Just picked this up from the library and now at the salon getting my toes painted 💙 🌊

#Sep2024 Book88

I‘m surprised more people haven‘t read this! Would love to discuss. Sometimes poetic, sometimes a bit much. (Print better than the audio? narration only ok.)

It‘s about sisters, their place in the family, what happens to the balance and understanding when tragedy hits. Who ARE you if you‘ve defined yourself in relation to another and that person is now gone?

#Sep2024 Book84 #AsheCoNCReadingChallenge2024

[Art pic credit goes to Caro Silk]

“Fudge!”

🤨🤣