If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen this picture this morning with my boys. My copy is a Penguin paperback edition, and I‘m looking forward to my revisit (maybe 3rd or 4th) to Catherine Morland‘s fantasies and escapades! #PemberLittens #CatsofLitsy #Zeke #Vladimir #SebastianKitty #Xander

I was able to post the questions before work! Random House has an amazing list of thought provoking questions, so I posted just a sample. Note that some definitely require spoiler answers. Questions can be found on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching #LiteraryCrew .

Anything else you wish to discuss? Did you like/dislike the book? I know some of you are still reading or haven‘t snagged a copy yet…post whenever!

Thanks for joining!

October starts the next #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead …a historical fiction by the Duchess of York!

Read the book at your own pace, with discussion on the 31st!

All welcome to join! If you would tagged in periodic posts throughout the month, comment below!

Tagging those who have expressed interest in this selection.

This book is a collection of snippets - part travelogue, part history, with gorgeous illustrations - of some well known and some not so well known American Revolutionary spots. Van Doran visits these places, recognizing the Founders‘ perspectives on enslavement and the Indigenous communities in the colonies - I was impressed. Highly recommend!

Thanks for the tag, @Eggs ! ❤️❤️❤️

1. While I love historical fiction and history in general, over 2K years ago is not my usual era of interest. I‘ve read plenty of histories about the Romans, but not really any historical fiction.

2. I‘ve heard good things about the Flavia Albia mystery series by Lindsey Davis. Not sure if this is ancient enough, but I loved Signe Pike‘s The Lost Queen.

#Two4Tuesday

If you have not had a chance, check out @LitsyEvents feed to help out the group!

I‘ve been terrible at keeping up with #bookspinbingo , but this does not stop me from preparing for next month!

October is a good month for spooky reads!

One notebook connects several people in this quirky novel. What does it mean to be authentic…authenticity is on the mind of Julian, who decides to share his thoughts in a notebook and let it somewhere for others to read and contribute. This is a story about friendship and support and being true to oneself. I greatly enjoyed the storylines, and prepare to use a tissue or two.

Just a reminder that the #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead discussion for the tagged book will be on Friday! Fair warning - I‘ve had some complications at work, so the discussion questions may get up in the evening Eastern Time rather than the morning. But, they will be posted!

I‘ve seen lots of great posts about this one…looking forward to the discussion!

Yay! It‘s my #Litsyversary today! One of the best decisions I made was 6 years ago, when I finally decided to download the app and sign up. I‘ve met some incredible people, expanded my #tbr pile to unachievable heights, and have just had a blast talking about books.

Thanks Littens for making this an amazing place on social media! ❤️

Overall, I liked this modern adaptation of Sense and Sensibility - there are some similar storylines and characters in the novel, with enough tweaks to make the story its own. Admittedly, I got a little tired of Annie and Miranda and their constant antics bordering on self-pity. But, the story itself was a great distraction read and a fun adventure that it‘s a pick for me. #2010 #192025

I felt completely underwhelmed about this one. This is the story, told from Charlotte‘s POV, about her friendship with Rose. Set in the 1990s up to I think contemporary times, Charlotte relays everything the friends did together, mistakes made, etc. Frankly speaking, both are extremely unlikeable, and I was so not onboard with their attitudes towards cheating on significant others. The writing style also bothered me, very staccato at times.

Daisy‘s family takes center stage in this addition to the mystery series. There are a couple of mysteries in this one - a murder, of course, though it comes pretty late in the book, and who will be the next Lord Dalrymple. Heavy subjects are discussed in this one too. It was fun to learn a bit more about Daisy‘s family!

Here are the remaining titles for this year‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead . If you would like me to tag you I periodic posts for any or all of the books above, let me know!

A day late, but thanks for the tag @Sargar114 !!

Focusing on just 2022 releases, I really enjoyed reading:

The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E Smith
What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo
The Foundling by Ann Leary
More Than You‘ll Ever Know by Katie Gutierrez
Thank You For Listening by Julia Whelan

#LittensWantToKnow

Thanks for the tag, @MoonWitch94 and @BookwormAHN !!

1. I usually go for something like a cozy mystery or a regency romance (lots of fluff) or an old favorite.

2. Yes!

3. Pride and Prejudice

#ThoughtfulThursday

Daisy is at it again, with an invitation to solve a mystery for a former school acquaintance. When Daisy is one of the party, murder usually happens. Though I pretty much figured out who the killer was, it was a fun listen. I‘m nearing the end of the series - so sad! It‘s been fun following the character development of the main characters. #192025 #2012

I noticed that I reached a milestone in Litfluence today, and while I don‘t always pay attention to the number, hitting 300K seemed like a reason to celebrate.

Thank you, everyone, for your book recommendations, kind words, and supportive nature. I‘m so glad I joined years ago. I‘ve made friends through this app, had amazing conversations, and feel like I‘ve found my tribe with everyone. Thank you!!

Thank you for the tag, @MoonWitch94 !

1. I‘ll name a few favorites! The Bodyguard by Katherine Center, The Foundling by Ann Leary, Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland, and my most recent read - The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

2. Autumn all the way - I hate the heat!

3. My camera roll is all about my cats. Recent snap of the five of us together. #Zeke #Vladimir #SebastianKitty #Xander #CatsOfLitsy

#ThoughtfulThursday

Yertle the Turtle was banned in Canada in 2012 for being too political…this has authoritarian rule as its main focus. Probably a much better story for older readers! #SebastianKitty was watching me read this aloud, so he must have enjoyed it. #CatsOfLitsy

The other two stories in this group serve as good cautionary tales for vanity and boasting. #BBRC #PictureBook #LetterY

I love this classic that teaches so much - the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly, counting, the naming of different fruits - and as always with Carle‘s illustrations, bright and cheerful.

In my search for challenged/banned books for #BBRC , I discovered that this #PictureBook was challenged in Australia for being detrimental to children. Specifically, it promoted child obesity. #LetterV

This ranks as one of my favorite reads in 2022…I had to keep reading and basically ignored all household chores to get it done! Librarians fighting against German-occupied Paris…how much better can it get? Told in a dual timeline, this narrative embodies the power of words and knowledge, and dare I say, the importance of reading. I loved all of the book titles mentioned in this book - so many great books!

I come to this book with over 20 years in public libraries, 17 of which with a masters degree…and I also don‘t like eating someone‘s personal experience, but yet, I just can‘t keep reading this.

Oliver writes with a very bitter tone. Given her experiences in her short-lived public library experience (less than a year), I can understand some of her bitterness. She works in the DC public library system, which cannot be easy. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

This was a fun romance about an audiobook narrator. Whelan has so much talent, both as a voice actress and as an author. I love how Whelan kinda pokes fun at romances in general, and she makes her characters so human, with relatable flaws and insecurities.

Today starts this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead ! Read at your own pace, with questions posted at the end of the month. I‘ll also post periodic checkins throughout the month.

If you would also like to be tagged this month, comment below!

Finally ready to post my #bookspinbingo choices for this month!

Banned in 1988 for the sexist nature of its content, this is recognized as a classic. Rereading this brought tears to my eyes. And yet…with more life experience, I find I am not as completely enamored in it as I was when I first read it. As the “new” ending that was posted online last year shows, this is a book about sacrifice, but also a good discussion starter for boundaries. #PictureBook #BBRC #LetterG

PS: I really need to buy the US stamps!

Aidan is transgendered and is very excited to be a big brother. He remembers his struggles as he voiced his own identity, so has concerns about doing everything right for the new baby. This book explores themes of love and acceptance and finding oneself. The illustrations add to the warmness of the message.

Challenged by groups for its “mature” content and message.

It‘s a fabulous read! #PictureBook #BBRC #LetterW

Challenged in 2010 for being age-inappropriate, this #PictureBook follows Egg, who desperately wants to fly. The illustrations are great, but the ending…wow, just wow. Not a favorite of mine read for this year‘s #BBRC . #LetterE

It‘s time for this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead discussion! I have 6 questions posted under spoilers - you can find these by either searching the hashtag, the book‘s feed, or my feed.

Anything else to discuss? Comment below! Also, if you have not indicated you wish to be tagged for next month‘s book, The Dictionary of Lost Words, let me know! Thanks everyone!

I spent most of the day finishing up this book - I could snag a large print copy at the library, and it clocks at over 600 pages!

Cassie Bowman writes a blog about true crime. She comes across the story of Lore Rivera, who was simultaneously married to 2 men, which led to deadly consequences. But, Cassie senses a story that needs further told.

This debut novel is engaging and at time thought provoking. A dual narrative, with flashbacks, ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Discussion in less than a week for this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead - and judging from the comments I‘ve seen, this one is probably not going to be a favorite read!

Any thoughts to share before the discussion?

How can we be this close to September already???

I‘m September, the #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead selection is The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams. This is a low key buddy read - read at your own pace during the month, and I will post discussion questions on the 30th. All are welcome to join!

Tagging those who have expressed interest in this selection. If you would also like to be tagged periodically during the month, comment below!

Thanks for the tag, @Eggs !

1. Late yesterday, I went on yet another #NetGalley binge and found this one. From the author who wrote The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes.

2. At this point, I will say the book I most recently finished, In the Houses of Their Dead by Terry Alford, but that could change in a week!

3. I‘ve had very limited IRL traveling experiences, so through books, I loved going to England, France, & Venice.

#WondrousWednesday

I‘m not a reader of manga, so it was not easy for me to choose one for #MiddleGrade #ShonenManga . I went with a series that is hugely popular at the library, & I know this is not the first. Obviously, I missed out on the story building from the 9 previous volumes. For someone who enjoys fight scenes & otherworldly stories, this works well. For those like me who are not big fans, well…I‘ve read worse! Manga illustrations are amazing, though! #BBRC

I think, at this point, I have to say I am just not that into Sendak‘s books. This is the third I‘ve read, and while it is a Caldecott Honor Book, I thought this was just a little out there. This has been challenged and banned for nudity, religion and witchcraft. Plus, the idea of goblins snatching babies in the middle of the night would have freaked me out as a kid. Oh well…at least I tried it! #BBRC #PictureBook #LetterO