The description said Rebecca meets Mexican Gothic. I can see some of the Rebbeca-ness in some of the background characters but Beatriz was no Mrs. DeWinter. I enjoyed this one quite a bit. Would love to@find more like it.

A little late on my choices. #BOTM

I‘m not even sure where to start. I guess, first off WWII fiction isn‘t my jam so that was the first strike against for me. Second, the 3 main female characters are interesting on their own but there isn‘t enough space to develop them together. Lastly, the style is choppy. I get where the transitions are supposed to be more theatrical but they don‘t work well as written.
#LMPBC

Wow! A weird mix of horror and magical realism that resulted in a hard-to-put-down story. I enjoyed this way more than I expected.

#Booked2022 - DARK ACADEMIA NOVEL

Not as space opera-y as I was expecting from the cover. A nice foodie hope-filled novel.

#Booked2022 - A HOPE PUNK NOVEL

I should have waited for a more cloudy and cooler weather to start this #audiobook. This was a wonderfully atmospheric story with just enough twists to give the mystery some teeth. Loved this.

This was a fantastic retelling of the myth of Achilles. I like the way she gave the secondary character Patroclus a voice which made Achilles humanity more present in the story.

#Booked2022 - A MYTHOLOGY RETELLING #ThinkGreek

#Pantone2022 - #HarbourBlue

Well that was something. Barry was so good at hiding, he even hid from himself at times. It was great to see the story from both sides even though neither were really the whole truth.
#Booked2022 - A COMING OUT STORY
#Pantone2022 - #coffeequartz #chicorycoffee

I was leaning towards skipping this month but thought I‘d give this one a whirl instead. #BOTM

This was a nice fluffy family drama set in my original home state of Kansas. It was entertaining and a nice easy read. Not extremely memorable, but it did knock out my prompt “About Sisters” for #Booked2022 as well as #SamoanSun and #SpicyMustard for #Pantone2022

Finally finished the Greenbones Saga. This had its up and downs and pulling of the heartstrings moments. Sweeping 30 year history of a clan family, I can see why it has been compared The Godfather series.

#TwoforTuesday @TheSpineView
1. I have sent myself emails when people have suggested books and I didn‘t have paper.
2. Bunny - Mona Awad

Thanks for the tag @EadieB

I finished up this month‘s #LMPBC book. It was interesting and I learned a lot of medical stuff. Still not quite getting the hang of the notes in the margin stuff but maybe it‘ll be better with the next one. I‘ll be sending this one on soon.

Digging into this one for #LMPBC

#AlphabetGame #LetterG

“The truth is the truth, the only prize worth having. If you deny it, you‘re only showing that you‘re unworthy of it.”

Thanks for the tag @CaitZ

This was close to a pick. The MC was fantastic but the overtly political nature of the story was grating by the end. This was not the strongest Hiaasen novel I‘ve read, however, still great to have a another Skink adventure.

“Maybe that‘s what being alive is all about: so we can track down those moments that are dying.”

This was such a great book.

Thanks @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for the tag.
#AlphabetGame
#LetterE

I‘ve slowly been working on sending out #LitsyLove this week. I‘ve gotten a bit behind on some of my correspondences.
6 letters down and like 8 more to go.

July was a solid reading month but didn‘t have many stand outs. I did love the first book in the Umbrella Academy series and it was a great introduction. I wished there were more stories of Klaus, Five, and their siblings. 🧐

#2022ReadingBracket

My July reading #wrapup included more graphic novels than usual. They helped with my book #goals but not so much with my challenges. Time to knock out some prompts in August.

#JulyStats

A graphic novel about a magical orphan and her friend the undertaker‘s son that live on a remote island in Maine. No one can leave and inhabitants are dying. The makings of a great gothic story.

The storyline was slow to takeoff. The first chapter was stilted in the character interactions which made it difficult to determine who each person was. However, I‘m jumping in on a second book so that may explain some of it.

#ARC #NetGalley

An interesting story about religion, choices, and dwelling in the past. There is some aspects of mystery and procedural drama that help propel the narrative. The MC, Sister Johanna, is tasked with revisiting an investigation from 20 years earlier in her career.

TW for pedophilia

#bookclub

I. BOTMs are my only hardbacks. I favor paperbacks for other purchases because I can get twice as many for the same price. 📚
II. Reading outdoors if I can stand the weather. >60 but

“He had committed a crime.”

Well, that‘s dramatic. And, a great start. Let‘s hope the rest of the book lives up to that opening line.

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

The first book was slow. This was a lot better as far as pacing and action. This series is starting to grow on me.

I just finished this up tonight. This was my first ever book for Litsy Markup Postal Book Club. I had some trouble writing ✍️ in a book. 😱 So I eased into it by writing sticky notes and then went back and marked it up once I finished.

This will be on its way soon to @kstadt929 for #LMPBC #groupS

Thank you @Pogue for the great #LitsyLoveSummerSwap package. I love the mug, I hadn‘t realized how many banned books I‘d already read. W‘ll have to see if the teas fit the moods of the books but they definitely match the covers. 🙂 And Dune, in person, is a more intimidating #chunkster than IT. Can‘t wait to get started. Thank you again.

I decided to finally check out the source Mary for the Netflix series. There were some noticeable differences but I really enjoyed this first entry in the series. It has a very Watchmen feel to it but with cleaner break between story lines. I like the dark humor and dysfunctional family relationships. #graphicnovel

Another month of great choices that make it hard to pick a favorite. I decided to go with Plainsong as my monthly and bracket winner, due to its beautiful and simple story, and the high likelihood I‘ll read it again.
I hope July shapes up to be as good as the last two months.

#2022ReadingBracket

It‘s time for another monthly reading #wrapup. I made a lot of progress on my #goals in June. While it started out a little bleak with a couple of DNFs, I finished the month was some pretty great reads. #JuneStats

This was an enjoyable read. I like the split timeline POVs of the MCs. The bits of mystery while not big events help give the story more layers and move the plot along.

#Booked2022 - New in 2022
#Pantone2022 - #PoppySeed

I didn‘t see any of these on your Read list. What looks good @kstadt929 and @jerdencon for this round #LMPBC?

Yay! It‘s here, it‘s here. Now all I have to do is wait. 😵‍💫 #LitsyLoveSummerSwap

My #20in4 results: I didn‘t make my 20 hours but I got in 16 — and made some real progress on my TBR.

✔️Tommy and the Order of Cosmic Champions
✔️ The Lost City of Z
📖 The Magnolia Palace 28%
🎧 Jade War 35%

A great mix of narrative and insightful writing that make this an enjoyable non-fiction. I also appreciated the author giving an account of his own obsession which added to narrative style. But, it also proves the biographies are influenced by the thoughts of the writer as well.
I crossed off another book from my #Booked2022 TBR during this #20in4 readathon. Involves an exploration.

This was a mixed bag of coming of age, family drama, and a child‘s fantasy with late 80‘s nostalgia sprinkled in. I found myself skipping through several chapters just to get past the “what the F is going on” moments. The story of a family dealing with a divorce was pretty decent. But, it couldn‘t save the book. #ARC #EarlyRead

I‘m going to try and participate in the #20in4 readathon. I‘m striving for 20 hours.
TBR:
📒Tommy and the Order of the Cosmic Champions
📒 The Lost City of Z
📒 The Magnolia Palace

📖 I don‘t read a lot of non-fiction but when I do I need a storyteller. This true crime was fun and almost unbelievable.
📖 🔪☠️❓🕵️🚔
📖 I like the challenge of figuring out who did and why
📖 I‘m a cover girl 📔
#ThoughtfulThursday

Another good one by St. James. I love her mix of paranormal and mystery along with the split timeline POVs. While The who done it mystery only lasts to about halfway through the book, I didn‘t mind.

The story is more of an amateur sleuth crime procedural. Both MCs are in the process of proving her theory of what happened in November 1982. #Booked2022 SET IN AN INN, LODGE, OR HOTEL

A few years ago it dawned on me that everybody past a certain age — regardless of how they look on the outside — pretty much constantly dreams of being able to escape their lives.

#firstlinefridays @ShyBookOwl

A not-for-me #bookclub pick. I tried but I couldn‘t get into rhythm of the writing and the slow buildup was killing me.

My #LitsyLoveSummerSwap package ? is on its way to @Pogue Expected to deliver on Friday. ?

Thanks for putting the swap together
@rsteve388 @Kdgordon88

🌸 Just started but here goes.
🇨🇦🖊🙍‍♂️🙎‍♀️📓💭💥🚗

🪷 Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - I enjoyed the character and would love to see how much more she grew after

🪺 Pick on Litsy and 4.5 🌟on GR/StoryGraph

#WondrousWednesday

There is something about the slow and even build of a Haruf novel that is so satisfying. It isn‘t an action-packed thriller but there still so much going on under the surface. Another beautiful story.

Slight magical realism in order to deal with grief and the awkwardness of being a teenager, I‘ll take it. This was fun journey from the first graveyard spell to the last. And I liked that a lot of the side characters got to grow and develop as well.

#Pantone2022 #Nosegay

Halfway through the year and halfway thru my #2022ReadingBracket. This was an extremely tough month (in a good way) to choose my monthly winner. I‘m hoping I‘ll have those same problem this month.

The tagged book was entertaining and thoughtful. As well as surprisingly emotional 🥹 for me. #goodbook

Gotta love making progress on those reading #goals.
Closing out my #MayStats and feeling pretty good about the results. Even though my page count went up significantly from last, I still feel like I was able to give each book the time to be enjoyed. 📚Happy June reading everyone.📚 #wrapup

Nice own voices cozy mystery. The characters were good, the mystery not bad. Unfortunately, I had the bad guy picked out rather early. Not sure if I‘ll pick up next ones in the series.

#Booked2022 Includes a recipe
#Pantone2022 #OrangeTiger

Next round of #snailmail on its way. #Litsylove

I‘m on a romance roll. I loved that this was unintentionally inspired by “When Harry Met Sally.” You can see hints of that at play throughout the book. I think it added to the depth of the storyline.