Why doesn't my hubby understand this book isn't about rabbits?!?

Book club on Thursday -- this is what I'll be reading (again!) this weekend!

Heller's take on a private investigator is clever. Celine reminded me of Frances McDormand's character in Fargo, if herhusband was really a solid sidekick. I felt the subplot was a little forced, but overall, a good read.

Pretty much everyone on Litsy has read this but me. I requested it back in November when I saw all the buzz here. I had no idea how profoundly it would hit me. Wow. Incredible story that challenges ideas of self, time, and science. Cried a little. What does makes "me" really "me"? Maybe we can't distill down our essence, but the ideas from this book make one wonder. Amazing read. Five stars; I hope to the gods this never happens to me.

It is a comfortless unsatisfying trade, that of living upon other people's money.

This is on sale at Riffle. This is amazing and terrifying classic work!

I had to wait a day to write about this book. Got about a quarter of the way in and thought I knew what was up and had the whole thing figured out. But I finished it realizing that the 'whodunnit' aspect is only a fraction. This is a book that reinterprets truth, genealogy, heritage, sex, power and innocence. If that sounds like a bundle, this book has all of it and delivers.

Two boys caught in the revolving doors of love and hate with their drug-addicted father. The price the children pay to be "one of@he boys" goes from seemingly silly to paralyzingly terrifying. I read this in one setting and I feel like it will be with me for a long time. Definitely recommend for the compelling story and tightly strung prose.

Wow -- can't say I saw that one coming. This book holds a big surprise, but it's a weird one. And as it's unpacked the story turns into a bad movie script. I never read reviews with spoilers, so I don't want to give anything away, and I don't want to recommend it to anyone, but man - I wish I could talk to someone about the twists this book took!

McBride's style is probably not for everyone. Very experimental. But when it works, it's like being in the character's head and filled with raw emotion. Exposed in emotion and action, from birth to young adulthood, snapshots of life pass through. This is the second book of hers I have read and although the cadence is not super easy to slip into, it can be a visceral experience.

This was my first pick from the bounty of Litsy recs I see every day. I listened to this one and was charmed from the beginning. This book can remind us so well how important it is not to overlook the older members of our communities. Their wisdom, compassion, and unique ways can help us all be a little kinder people. Ove is my fav literary curmudgeon ever!!

Wow -- this is a breath of fresh air in the post-apocalyptic genre. Written by a woman, this book gives an interesting perspective on the potential dilemmas of woman in that type of society. A midwife is one of the only women left in the world. The story unfolds as how she uses her brain and skills to live in the new world. Full of drama, heartbreak and tension, this was a definite winner for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maybe this book should have a trigger warning for those who had a hard time socially in middle/high school. I was severely bullied before people called it "bullying" -- got the 'boys will be boys' treatment -- and I guess it's sometimes hard to get past that. This book was fairly well written, but I had to bail about halfway in because it hit a little too close to home. If you are into middle school angst, this might be a pick for you.

Do young teen girls have any idea how cruel they can be? What of them can be attributed to youth and what to mean-spiritedness? Bainbridge explores these themes in the novel of two young girls and their seduction of a neighborhood gentleman. Reminiscent of 'Heavenly Creatures," Bainbridge creates a world where girls write rules and play parts. Repercussions of their game rush upon the reader as this book spins towards its ultimate conclusion.

This is an odd little book. Combo of absurdism, Joyce and Dreiser, this story tells the tale of a couple of girl friends' unfortunate happenings at a work picnic. The prose was sparse and none of the characters very developed but it was quite readable. I don't know if I'd go as far as recommending it, but I wouldn't be upset if I caught you reading it.

This adventure story was written with the foreboding consequences obvious from the first chapter. I am not a good predictor of what's going to happen in a novel, but by the time they hit the river, I could have given you the rest of the plot. All this book confirmed for me is that I'm probably not going to participate in any white-water rafting soon. Especially in backwoods nowhere.

Wow - pick and double pick!! I can't say anything about this book that hasn't already been said. I listen to it on Audible and was a little daunted by the length at first, but there was never a time when I felt the book dragged or the story could have been trimmed. And what a love story within. This is a tour-de-force and amazing read/listen.

A melancholy book about people dissatisfied in their relationships and looking for something different in which to find their happiness. It takes place over the course of one day and has sections devoted to the psyche of each character in the drama. Nothing really stuck with me other than a group of lonely, miserable people at Christmas time. The description of this book said it was like 'Love Actually' but only if everyone was miserable.

Ahh, messed up girl meets messed up man -drama ensues. Halting sentences, stuttering punctuation and subject matter make this a challenging but rewarding read. More stream of consciousness than straightforward prose, McBridge successfully navigates the space between the trope and the new. Delicate and personal, this novel takes a little getting used to, but has a worthwhile payoff.

Before him I thought that when love came it would come perfectly.

OMG - three hours left. Coloring and wishing I could listen faster!!

A "Nightingale" nurse is sent for to watch over a miraculous child who hasn't eaten in 40 days. What is going on here? How does
the child survive? These questions lead down a rabbit hole of religious obsession, medical science and human emotion. Though it dragged a bit in the middle, it definitely picked up at the end and raced to a fascinating conclusion. Great premise and delicious suspense. Bravo!

Laura Keene is a true leading lady in this book. Though the description lead me to believe this was about her and Lincoln, that was only a portion of the overall story of this incredible woman. Well written and interesting, this book was quite good. A strong female protagonist brings a fresh voice to interesting life. This book is loosely based but from all I've read is quite true to her life. Well done, especially for those who like theater.

I naively didn't realize what 'inspired fiction' meant - I assumed really great writing. Wrong!! It meant God doth provide everything - including Deus Ex Machina answers to all of life's petty worries. Need money - pray. Need a husband - pray. It was too formulaic a story and relied too heavily on God as a catch all plot device. Boo!

I naively didn't realize what 'inspired fiction' meant - I assumed really great writing. Wrong!! It meant God doth provide everything - including Deus Ex Machina answers to all of life's petty worries. Need money - pray. Need a husband - pray. It was too formulaic a story and relied too heavily on God as a catch all plot device. Boo!

I naively didn't realize what 'inspired fiction' meant - I assumed really great writing. Wrong!! It meant God doth provide everything - including Deus Ex Machina answers to all of life's petty worries. Need money - pray. Need a husband - pray. It was too formulaic a story and relied too heavily on God as a catch all plot device. Boo!

The description was better than the book. The writing was difficult to follow; it jumped back and forth in time and location and by the time I figured it out, the book was almost over. The characters were a revolving door and nothing ever really came to a nexus. Overall the book was just not that interesting; disjointed and disconnected.

Familiar with Doctorow, but not sure what to expect here. Found it a little slow at first, but picked up about 1/3 of the way in and held me to the end. From a desperate teen housewife to a cuckold cult follower, a stolen baby to a runaway husband, these stories stole my heart. Doctorow has a way of making simple ideas beautiful with the turn of a phrase or originality of a character's thought. Recommend with/without prior experience w Doctorow.

Familiar with Doctorow, but not sure what to expect here. Found it a little slow at first, but picked up about 1/3 of the way in and held me to the end. From a desperate teen housewife to a cuckold cult follower, a stolen baby to a runaway husband, these stories stole my heart. Doctorow has a way of making simple ideas beautiful with the turn of a phrase or originality of a character's thought. Recommend with/without prior experience w Doctorow.

Read this in one sitting, praying that hubby would take a long nap this afternoon and not break the trance of this novel! Amazing, gripping, heart-pounding writing, fast-paced action and lovable, fallible characters made this a wonderful gift to read. Finley was an awesome protagonist; a woman coming into her own powers to help another. Her visions kept me tearing through the pages. To compare this to King is to not give Unger her full credit.

Mrs Sharma tries her 'level-best' to be a good mother, wife, and daughter-in-law. She adheres to the precepts of her social role. But she also has needs - her husband to be close to her, her son to listen to her, and someone to care for her as a woman. She fills these gaps as best she can. Strong female voice and interesting take on living up to expectations. Superb ending. Looking forward to more from this author!

Wow, what a narrative. The collective tale of the Sudanese "lost boys" told in the voice of one member of that horrendous and devastating chapter in history. I very seldom will say a book is 'uplifting' or a 'triumph of spirit' (maybe I'm reading the wrong books!), but this definitely qualifies. I listened to this and the narrator did characters and accents seamlessly. I have not been a fan of Eggers in the past, but this is a must-read.

Surprisingly fresh take on the vampire craze. New and old elements combine to make up the curious tale of a little girl and a priest. Good action and quick read - I can easily see this being a movie -- if the industry can support another vamp flick! Hated the title though - how can I recommend it when I can't pronounce it!

These short stories are abysmal. Unbelievable characters spoke in stilted dialogue (English has to be the speaker's second language) only contributed to the predictability of the plots of each story. One was more formulaic than the next. Sentences were choppy, used forced slang and awkward phrasing. I felt like I was reading a mandatory English class submission with every story. These make you appreciate how good authors make their works work.

I would give this 2 thumbs up if I could. American Gods (Gaiman) hits Vegas in this page turner. Read in one sitting. Plot driven rather than character driven - not to say the characters aren't fleshed out. If you love magical realism, this book is worth a shot. I was only halfway in when I checked to confirm there is a sequel. I will never look at a deck of cards the same way!

Couldn't have a better spot to read this awesome fantasy find than my balcony in Puerto Rico!! (Trust me, that's what's on the Kindle!)

I knew in advance that this book was not one long stand-up routine, so I was ok with the science and data involved. Though my dating life was happening just around the time match.com was really getting going, this book gave me new ways to even think about my husband and how our relationship started with simple emails. I loved that there was data behind the comedy and the blend was easy and lighthearted. Great info and interesting insights!

I liked this one. I understand the criticism from many that the book was a little thin, but I liked the idea of hearing the story from one teen's POV. I think it gave a little softness or understanding to a horrid situation. And it spoke well of the loss of someone you know you shouldn't love, but do anyways, with both lovers and friends and those in between. Worth the time - short read.

Yeah, these are Victorian 'scary' stories. Interesting to get perspective on what was creepy then versus what is creepy now. Three are a little creepy, the fourth is more a morality story. I would only recommend this to those into Victorian lit, and within that subset, those who like their style of gothic horror. The writing is good though, so I won't pan it.

Some authors can lure you into the most screwed up situations, but somehow make them beautiful and right. The title fits this book perfectly. A story that seems like it can never be right comes together in a gentle and special way. Morally complicated, but it works. I couldn't read this book fast enough. Satisfying ending. I will be looking into her previous books lickety-split! I received this book as a NetGalley participant.

Just got approved to read my first NetGalley book! Super stoked :-]

This is a quick read of short, related stories. Nothing compared to The Master and Margarita, but solid and interesting nonetheless. Nice perspective on practicing medicine in the boonies!

I loved the premise of this book. Throughly thought out, great narrator/protagonist, interesting alternate history. More espionage/secret agent stuff than I expected. I was not totally sold on the ending, but I did enjoy it! I listened to this -- great narration!!

Lot of weird names, but there are in Russian lit too. Strong, compelling narrative, exciting and imaginative characters. Great idea of what living in that time could be like. Strength of the women portrayed is amazing. Not enough of this one -- thank the gods there's a sequel in the works!!

"Men are afraid women will laugh at them. Women are afraid men will kill them." -- ouch!!

A wonderful choice for a good old Victorian novel. Great setting, interesting relationships and an unexpected ending left me full satisfied. Great "hero" as Trollope calls him, is maybe a bit of a putz, but good read for sure, especially if you like a good Victorian novel!

First experience with a graphic novel - pleasantly surprised!! Great storyline, interesting art and definitely want to go out and get the next installment. I am not a good barometer of the art quality as I have so little experience, but I fount it a creative enhancement to Gaiman's visionary text.

People think dreams aren't real because they aren't made of matter, of particles. Dreams ARE real. But they are made of viewpoints, of images, of memories and puns and lost hopes ...

Starting my first graphic novel -- love Gaiman's fiction, thought I'd give this a go!!

This was a great book. Writing about the horrors of WWII can be challenging, but Styron's cast of characters is interesting. Also a post-modern sensibility in how he references his past works in his own narrative (just got done reading 4 Styron novels in a row). Heartbreaking and worth the time.