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RachaelusGilkinius
The Round House | Louise Erdrich
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The Round House is so far one of the best examples of sweet, emotionally strong young male characters I have come across. This is just one example of many.

bernadette I just got to that scene too and loved it too. 6y
RachaelusGilkinius So many good ones! 6y
20 likes2 comments
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RachaelusGilkinius
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Just started this and I‘m hooked from page one. Adeyemi‘s world building is phenomenal and the pace is rapid fire. I. Am. So. Excited.

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RachaelusGilkinius
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Mehso-so

The story itself was really enjoyable, but there were too many characters and events inserted to move the plot in a way that felt forced. Did have really interesting things to say about adoption and who should be able to adopt who.

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RachaelusGilkinius
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Pickpick

Carmen Maria Machado gives us a collection that mixes gothic horror, fairytale, and sci fi, with a healthy dose of feminism a la Angela Carter. Two stand out stories: “The Husband Stitch,” whose narrator has a mysterious green ribbon around her neck and tells the story of her life (and the great love she and her husband share) by moving through many well known urban tales of horror. More in comments...

RachaelusGilkinius And “Especially Heinous,” which turns the idea of episode synopses for the TV show CSI: Special Victims Unit on it‘s head with an increasingly bizarre story arc including ghost with bells for eyes and doppelgängers. All while commenting on the violence towards women and children “porn” that very popular show represents. This. Is. So. Good. 6y
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RachaelusGilkinius
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

Heart-wrenching read; required a stiff drink. A sometimes violent, sometimes beautiful coming of age story about the youngest of three sons born to a white mother and Puerto Rican father, living in poverty in upstate New York.

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RachaelusGilkinius
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Pickpick

Very much worth the read, even if you think you know how to talk about race. Especially if you think you know how to talk about race.

minkyb 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 6y
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RachaelusGilkinius
Modern Gods | Nick Laird
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Pickpick

A fantastic novel, making a statement about the seemingly inevitable presence of violence in religious communities where one religion aims to dominate. Here, the repercussions of sectarian violence from the 90s still felt in today‘s Northern Ireland is viewed alongside the “world‘s newest religion” on an island off the coast of Papua New Guinea where missionaries have attempted to convert inhabitants for 40 years. Continued in comments...

RachaelusGilkinius But Laird writes with poetry & humor, too, and though he makes you aware immediately of the difficult journey the book will take, it feels like one worth taking for a better understanding of how to question, and look at the 360 degrees of impact the awful things we do to each other has. 6y
18 likes1 comment
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RachaelusGilkinius
Back Talk: Stories | Danielle Lazarin
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Pickpick

Enjoyed this debut short story collection. Reminded me of Roxane Gay‘s DIFFICULT WOMEN, in that it encompasses a whole range of female voices and experiences. The first story, “Hide and Seek,” was so compelling I was jolted when it ended and I remembered it was a short story collection. A few stories at the end really stood out, too.

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RachaelusGilkinius
My Name Is Leon | Kit de Waal
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Excited by these two books which came in yesterday. The first is a book I chose from Irish Arts Center‘s 8th annual Book Day (an event in New York I run...we hand out thousands of free books across all 5 boroughs to celebrate Irish literature on St. Patrick‘s Day). The other I bought after a friend posted on FB & I felt compelled to do so.
If you‘re in NYC next Saturday, check out locations for a free book at irishartscenter.org. #bookhaul #getlit

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RachaelusGilkinius
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RachaelusGilkinius
Last Days of Oscar Wilde | John Vanderslice
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I‘ve been engrossed in this glimpse into what the great Oscar Wilde‘s tragic last few years may have been like. We know the man through his witticisms and the art he left, but society was not kind to him in the end. I get to moderate a conversation with the author next Tuesday in New York City.

minkyb Nice! 6y
21 likes1 comment
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RachaelusGilkinius
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Pickpick

My dad always knows what‘s what in the world of graphic novels and this rec turned out to be one of the best things I read in 2017. Emil Ferris‘ first book is gorgeously inked and engagingly told; set in Detroit in 1960s, a murder mystery from the perspective of a young girl/wannabe werewolf, whose beautiful upstairs neighbor, a holocaust survivor, is killed by an unknown assailant. Can‘t wait for Volume 2.

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RachaelusGilkinius
Nevada | Imogen Binnie
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Pickpick

I think this is between a pick and so-so. It‘s definitely worth reading and if your cis-hetero I guarantee you‘ve never had access to this kind of insight into being a trans woman. The second half of the book switched narrative voices and that‘s where it lags a bit, but Maria Griffiths‘ messed up punk leaning aesthetic is so engaging in the first, its worth it. Also important as a more inclusive feminism continues to evolve. #feminism #punk #trans

Lindy Thanks for reminding me about this great novel. I think I enjoyed it more than you did. And welcome to Litsy! 6y
RachaelusGilkinius @Lindy thanks, Lindy. I really did enjoy it, but I so wanted to hear more from Maria and had a harder time adjusting to the other character‘s speech patterns. But I‘m so glad others have read it/are planning to. I think it‘s important and so start, too! Nice to meet you! 6y
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RachaelusGilkinius
Nevada | Imogen Binnie
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Just started this story of a mid-20s, punk rock aesthetic, book store working trans woman in NYC. The narrative voice is fresh and exciting, and the insight into the challenges or struggles this particular narrator faces as a transperson is a perspective I‘ve not come across before.

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RachaelusGilkinius
The Lonely Girl | Edna O'Brien
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Pickpick

As I noted in my previous blurb on this book, she goes in deeper with a social critique of Ireland and how it treated women in the 1950s and 1960s in the second of The Country Girls Trilogy, while also capturing a certain amount of whimsy and heartache through great language and tone.

Here‘s the beautiful rule breaker O‘Brien. #ReadWomen

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RachaelusGilkinius
The Lonely Girl | Edna O'Brien
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Edna O‘Brien‘s 2nd book is much more chilling in its depiction of the treatment of young Irish women. The quote here, where 4 men callously discuss how they can lock up an adult woman in an asylum w/o her say, is the most blatant. But it‘s the rest, the subtle undercutting by her older lover, the anonymous letter sent by a stranger about her “behavior,” her drunk father, that really chill. No wonder the white male writing room wanted her banned.

cornfedwellread I wrote a research paper on Katie Roche by Teresa Deevy during my senior year of college, which led me to researching a lot about the treatment of women in Ireland. Seems like this kind of thing was, unfortunately, not uncommon. 6y
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RachaelusGilkinius
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Just got this TODAY. Looking forward to starting it.

BarbaraTheBibliophage I just read a great review of this book. Hope you get a lot out of it! 6y
RachaelusGilkinius @BarbaraTheBibliophage thanks I‘ve admired her writing for a long time, so I am looking forward to starting it tonight. 6y
10 likes2 comments
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RachaelusGilkinius
The Country Girls | Edna O'Brien
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Pickpick

I can‘t believe I waited this long to read Edna O‘Brien‘s brilliant first book. Caithleen, our narrator, is a fascinating, complex young woman, & her on again/off again friendship w/ the more middle class Baba is at times both frustrating & charming, a real portrait of young female companionship. Published in 1960, it was censored in Ireland (how dare a woman write about young women and desire, with humor). #readwomen Now on to #2 in the trilogy!

cornfedwellread I remember reading about Edna O'Brien before an IAC book day and thinking her work sounded very interesting. Maybe I'll read this for the Reading Women challenge as well! 6y
RachaelusGilkinius I recommend it highly, and it‘s a pretty quick read, too. So smart and funny. 6y
RaimeyGallant Nice review. :) Welcome to Litsy! #LitsyWelcomeWagon Some of us put together Litsy tips to help new Littens navigate the site. It's the link in my bio on my page in case you're interested. :) 6y
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RachaelusGilkinius @RaimeyGallant thank you! Happy to be here! 6y
TK421 Welcome to Litsy! I enjoyed your review. I hope you enjoy it here. I'll tag a few more wonder Litsy folks that are fun to follow. @cobwebmoth @MinDea @TricksyTails @Clwojick @JazzFeathers @Kalalalatja @LazyOwl @GypsyKat @britt_brooke @Avanders @MrBook @BookBabe @GrilledCheeseSamurai 6y
TricksyTails Excellent review! Welcome to Litsy! 👏😁🎉📚 Hope you enjoy it here! Thank you for the tag @TK421 ! 🤗 6y
MinDea Welcome to Litsy!!! 6y
MinDea Thanks for the tag @TK421 ! 6y
Clwojick Thanks for the tag @TK421 !! ❤️ and welcome to Litsy!! 💙 6y
britt_brooke @TK421 Thanks!! ☺️ Welcome to Litsy @RachaelusGilkinius ! I‘d also recommend following @Jess7 @saresmoore @vivastory @OrangeMooseReads @LauraBeth 6y
LazyOwl Welcome to litsy 😊 thanks for the tag @TK421 6y
AshleyHoss820 Welcome to Litsy!! Thanks, @vivastory 😊 I‘d like to recommend @Bpsmith6176 and @BarbaraBB and @JenP 😊😊 I hope you like it here! There‘s quite a few of us sharing the 1,001 journey! 6y
BarbaraBB @AshleyHoss820 @vivastory Thanks for the tag! Nice to meet you, @RachaelusGilkinius, if you are interested in the list of 1001 books to read before you die, the hashtag #1001books comes in handy. And you should follow @Liz_M and @Ole then too. 6y
AshleyHoss820 @BarbaraBB Yes! Definitely those two as well! 6y
GrilledCheeseSamurai Welcome to Litsy! 🙋‍♂️ And thanks for the tag @TK421 ❤️ 6y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Cinfhen thank you 😘😘😘 6y
Wife Welcome!🌹 6y
robinb Welcome to the Litsy family! 😊 I‘ll tag @Andrew65 , @ForeverNerdy and @eanderson because they‘re wonderful to know! 🤗🤗🤗 6y
GripLitGrl Welcome @RachaelusGilkinius 👋 thanks for the tag @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 😘 6y
Cinfhen Thinking of you @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 💕💕💕 6y
BookNAround Thanks for the tag @Cinfhen 😘. Welcome to Litsy @RachaelusGilkinius 6y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Cinfhen thank you Cindy 😘💗 that means so much to me!!! 6y
Eggs @RachaelusGilkinius Welcome to Litsy world 🌎💕💕 6y
Christine11 Thank you for the tag @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 💖💖 and welcome to Litsy @RachaelusGilkinius ! 😊 6y
LauraBeth Welcome @RachaelusGilkinius 👋 Great review! Thanks for the tag @britt_brooke 😘 6y
Andrew65 Welcome to Litsy @RachaelusGilkinius , thanks for the tag @robinb - what a lovely thing to say. 😊 6y
JenP @AshleyHoss820 thanks for the tag! Welcome to Litsy!! Yes, a bunch of us are reading through the 1001 list. @Kristelh @BookwormM and I moderate a 1001 goodreads group and also cross post the books we read & discuss here 6y
saresmoore Welcome to Litsy! 6y
minkyb Welcome to Litsy‼️Thanks for the tag @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 😘 6y
tournevis Welcome to Litsy! And @Cinfhen , thanks for the tag!😘 6y
Avanders Welcome to Litsy @RachaelusGilkinius !! And thanks for the tags @TK421 and @GypsyKat ! 😘😘 6y
vkois88 Thank you for the tag @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks..... welcome to #Litsy @RachaelusGilkinius 6y
Robothugs Welcome to Litsy! 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Thanks for the tag @Cinfhen 😘 Welcome to Litsy @RachaelusGilkinius - you will love it here! I‘ll add a few to the list @Librarybelle @DivineDiana @ValerieAndBooks @Captivatedbybooks @TsundokuAleax 6y
Liz_M Welcome to Litsy! Everyone I would have tagged has been mentioned already. I do recommend following @LitsyHappenings and if you see a challenge or book exchange that looks interesting, take a screen shot because it may be hard to find again! Thanks @BarbaraBB 6y
Librarybelle Welcome to Litsy, @RachaelusGilkinius ! This is a great community. And thank you for the tag, @BarbaraTheBibliophage !😘 6y
JoeStalksBeck @GypsyKat ❤️❤️❤️ welcome @RachaelusGilkinius ! 6y
DivineDiana Welcome to Litsy! @RachaelusGilkinius You‘re going to love it here! Thank you for the tag @BarbaraTheBibliophage ! (edited) 6y
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