#InternationalBooker2024 Book 4

A brief book about family, love, loss, grief and moving on.

Each section is brief and relates to a particular moment in time and how the narrator felt then.

While the narrator tries to remain close with her twin brother he only wants to escape. Eventually he escapes irrevocably through suicide a decision that leads the narrator reeling.

The ending of the novel was hopeful with the narrator ready to move on.

#InternationalBooker2024 Book 3

This is a weird story that in certain ways reminds me of Samanta Schweblin‘s writing.

There is little punctuation and past and present are seamlessly blurred so the reader is often left confused by the chronology of events.

The writing meanders and flows like a river but there is always an undercurrent of danger present, keeping the reader off balance.

Who knew fishing could be so dangerous?

This has been on my TBR forever. Glad I chose to read it as it was perfect escapism for a Saturday chilling out.

Crossed wires romance where they hate each other until they love each other.

#Discworld

Really enjoyed my reread. The audio is fantastic. The jingle for the footnotes worked really well, the story held up and I am looking forward to the discussion next month.

What # are we using for this read? Is there an easy way to tag everyone?

#InternationalBooker2024 Book 2

Interconnected short stories that reveal the narrators relationship with significant people in her life. Through those relationships the narrator is at least partly revealed.

I was immediately drawn into the story and enjoyed the thoughts about books, writers, readers and the impact literature can have.

#InternationalBooker2024

Tagged is only 1 I have read and just realised I need to add a review here so that will follow shortly.

#InternationalBooker2024 Book 1

3⭐️

I think I made the mistake of kicking off my Booker reading with the longest book on the list. Not only is it long but it is really slow being character not action driven.

I liked the idea of exploring memories by examining your own childhood through the memories and stories of your father I never felt connected to any character and there wasn‘t anyone I actually liked.

Do artists have the right 2b selfish

Wow really enjoyed this world hopping dystopian fiction.

Felt like a Mad Max movie and I can totally see this making it to the big screen.

This is a great book for action but more than that it has characters you really care about even though they are not always good people. The best bits are the reveals that I didn‘t see coming.

Noooo I need book 3 right now!!

Kristoff keeps the pace from the first book and I still love Gabriel.

This instalment reveals more about the vampire families, the other enemies of the silver saints and the prophesy of the grail.

I was right about the 2nd voice but it did take a bit of getting used to the switching narrative voices.

I have my suspicions about what is going on can‘t wait to see if I am right.

Bonus author interview 👍

This is a fun quirky book where all the characters are over 70 and all of them have secrets.

The central mystery revolves around a mysterious man who calls the characters telling them “remember you must die”. Each character who receives the call hears a different voice and each have suspicions about who is calling.

As the story progresses we learn more about the hidden secrets and family disputes as well as the danger of will writing.

YES!! Damian Lynch is still narrating along with Shakira Shute can‘t wait to find out which character is the second voice I have my suspicions 🤔🧐 will I be right?

Woo hoo loved this books that shows vampires as the evil monsters of legend and those who hunt them as men in all shades of grey.

Read this for true love and friendship; for betrayal and murder and for a rip roaring story.

The narration by Damian Lynch is awesome he is Gabriel de Lyon I only hope he narrates the next book which I will learn as soon as I shut Litsy for the night.

Beautifully written but brutal.

This is a story about grief, coping with loss and finding a reason to go on. It is also a book about TH White and his novel The Goshawk where his ineptitude with nature is revealed and where as usual humans are more brutal than natures killers. Then again it is a book about building a relationship with nature and understanding the darkness and brutal that inhabit the hunt.

Falconry is not for the faint hearted.

Coming of age story set in a fantasy world where mermaids and bird people exist.

Marae leaves her sheltered life with her mother to embark on a quest to find her father. Along the way she makes good friends, falls in love and discovers who she really is.

An enjoyable story with just the right amount of magic.

Really difficult to rate this as it is not a memoir nor is it diaries that were written with the obvious intention of publication instead this is an almost daily update about the mundane details of that day. Entries are mainly along the lines of filming x, dinner with x, bought a toaster etc.

These diaries do build up an overview of Rickman‘s daily life but there is nothing personal or in-depth.

Not sure this would work as a book but audio ok.

Alternate Elizabethan England where a young woman May is saved from the noose only to be sentenced as a Sin Eater.

Sin Eaters listen to others confess their sins and then eat the foods that represent that sin to cleanse the sinner and allow them entry to heaven. In her role May discovers there is little difference between the sinners in jail and those of the nobility.

Interesting and weird found the good lists fascinating and 🤢

Fun YA murder mystery where unlikely allies Alice and Iris are thrown together and end up working to solve the murder of another student.

The Agathas refer to Agatha Christie and quotes from her books preface each chapter and provide hints at what is going on.

While light hearted overall, the book does deal with serious issues and this is acknowledged in the afterword.

Listened to audio with 3 separate narrators which was very entertaining.

Fun cozy murder mystery set in the world of antiques and fakes.

I listened to audio read by Emilia Fox and got a real kick out of the different character voices. Loved aunt Carol everyone needs a Carol in their life.

Antiques covered in great detail as the author is one of those Millers yes the Millers antique guide Millers!

Fabulous debut novel but keep the tissues handy for that ending.

Margot is a naive young woman who thinks that adults will react how she expects them to and she is shocked and hurt when they don‘t.

Margot is endearing in the way she puts her trust in the wrong people while neglecting those she can truly trust and the adults in her life are not the best. This is not giving her a free pass as Margot makes bad choices and has to learn from them.

There is a lot going on in this book that I didn‘t understand the main one being Henrietta why was she in the story at all?

The real story centres around Leopold and the mystery of why he doesn‘t live with his mother, a mystery which is slowly revealed when the narrative switches to the past and we learn his mother‘s story.

I think I would have enjoyed it more if I followed everything that was going on.

Interesting story about a mythical serpent, about starting afresh, about finding true friendship, about finding yourself and moving on with life.

I like the balance between mythology and science and how certain things in the story can be interpreted either way depending on the reader.

Great descriptions of Essex and the landscape made you feel you were really there.

Margaret Atwood short story collection featuring the older generation. Retirees, widows, widowers and the odd witch thrown in for good measure.

5⭐️ read

I loved this book so much that I was worried the ending would let it down, really pleased to say it totally didn‘t it was perfect.

This is dark but in a kind of fun way and I appreciated the Lovecraft references.

Really enjoyed the narrative voice and the different extracts of story from other viewpoints.

A book to lose yourself in and then to be glad it isn‘t real.

Hi all I am new to Litsy and would appreciate any advise to get the most from the app.

I am an avid reader and will read anything and everything although I much prefer fiction to non fiction.

Bookwrym is a deliberate misspelling to find a username 🤣

Looking forward to connecting with fellow readers.

Have recently discovered that I enjoy a biography/autobiography when listening to an audiobook. Joan‘s diaries are funny and irreverent showcasing not only how like her Dynasty character she can be but also how human she is as well.

Interesting insights into the industry and how differently people are treated.

Wow this was so good. Scary, claustrophobic but somehow hopeful.

Love the way the tension is built and the monsters are never revealed which keeps the reader guessing and on edge.

Will be picking up Malorie very soon