The book had some pacing issues, but overall, it was pretty good. A dystopian, end-of-the-world horror novel in which the scariest parts are not necessarily the creatures but human behavior. I thought the theme had a good point. It was a creative slaying of society with good lgbt representation and a beautiful acceptance of transformation. At least, that's what I took from it.

#realhistory
@Librarybelle

I learned a lot of history that I wasn't previously aware of, and the diverse group of folks written about were very inspiring.

This book was well composed and entertaining (there was an incident with the whalebone piece of a corset). I thought it was written thoughtfully. There was also a little bit of the author's snark peppered occasionally throughout. It left me with a feeling of power and hope.

This was Holly Jackson's first venture into adult thrillers, and it was good, suspenseful fun. The main character sometimes made frustrating decisions and acted a little dense, but she had a good excuse. I liked her. She was snarky about her very dire predicament.

#WDNCW
#WeDoNotCareWednesday
@dabbe

1. We do not care if we receive dirty looks. We are wearing a mask in public now because Covid is on the rise, and the federal government isn't letting everyone get vaccinated because one foolish man doesn't understand how vaccines work. 💉

2. We don't care that it is early September. We have already started celebrating Halloween. Hence-- cute, spooky, surgical masks! 👻🎃 😝

I managed to read 10 books in August. It was just kind of a meh month, but I did love Chaos Terminal and Beautyland. I'm looking forward to a solid two months of scary books.🎃👻

I'll admit, some of the mirror bits struck me as a little convoluted. Maybe they would have come across as easier to understand in print rather than audio. But the snarky talking cat totally makes up for that, as snarky talking cats always do. I liked Anja and her humor, and the creatures were very creative.

I didn't like this as much as I did the other books that I've read by Ashley Winstead. Maybe it's because I am not a big fan of Twilight. This book was a bit melodramatic for my taste. Some parts held my attention, but the plot was just too much for me.

Pick! Pick! PICK!

This book has me convinced that I am really an alien. Adina's perception of things strikes me as astute and humorous, especially the part about lobsters. 🦞 She asks why something is instead of just accepting it, and so she is considered weird by some. So yeah, beam me up! 👽

#SummersEnd
#readathon
@Bookwormjillk

I want to finish these books before Labor Day, but especially Beautyland because I have a book club about it Sunday evening. I am way behind this month. I've enjoyed what I've read, but my brain has been really sloooowed dowwwwn by brain fog. It's a little frustrating. Anyway, looking forward to a weekend filled with books, tea, and dog snuggles. 📚🫖🐶

#WDNCW
@dabbe

1. We do not care that we missed Wednesday.

2. We do not care that our sectional sofa has a huge tear in the fabric and little dog bites in the foam. We are too cheap to buy new furniture, and so we ordered this book nerd blanket off of Etsy to cover up somebody's shame. We like it better than a new couch anyway!

To be fair to the author, I really am not in the mood for dystopians these days, but I read it for a book club. I had trouble concentrating on it, and I did not connect with the main character. I thought she was pretentious and a martyr. This book seemed really slow and without much plot. The best part was Mauro, the little boy. He had a syndrome, which made him unable to feel full after eating, and everyone kept discounting him because of it.

This was an intense university mystery/ thriller. It kept me riveted to the very end. It was one of few things I've been able to concentrate on lately. It kept me distracted from stress. That is just one thing I love about books.

I liked this book for the inclusiveness it represented for the #riseupreads group. However, it is a low pick for me because there were certain things that just didn't work for me in the plot. I will save the rest of my opinions for @Catsandbooks when we go over it together as a group.

I read this book for the second time for book club because I completely forgot what it was about, even though I had just read it in April 2024. I hate it when my brain dumps information!

It did come back to me as I was reading it, and I enjoyed it even more the second time. It's historical fiction about female witches told throughout different generations. I'm really looking forward to reading this author's new book, The Sirens.

#WDNCW #WEDONOTCAREWEDNESDAY
@dabbe

We do not care when there is more "breaking news" before bedtime. We do not read headlines or listen to NPR after 8:00 pm. We are winding down, snuggling with Latte, hoping to sleep and avoid nightmares. The world will still be on fire tomorrow when we wake up. At least it's been consistent. ?‍♀️

No kink shaming, but Linda wants to marry an airplane. I'm not sure I quite grapsed the allegory there, but the book was delightfully weird, and it kept me entertained the whole time. Flying will never be the same.

This is a low so-so. It was my least favorite Ruth Ware novel to date. I've loved all of her other work. But the women in this book were whiney, witless, and annoying, and I did not have the patience for it. Maybe it was better in print than audio. I love Imogen Church, but she can't do a New York American accent. The audio was over 15 hours long, and I slogged through it, leaving me disappointed.

#WDNCW #WeDoNotCareWednesday
@dabbe

We Do Not Care that the dog decided days ago to pee on the guest bed for some unknown reason. We did not know at the time, and it's already dry.

It's raining outside, and our joints hurt. We are like the Tin Man needing oil. We are NOT dealing with this today. The room can just smell like pee. We will figure it out later. Welcome to Pee House! The housekeeper has rusted over.

#dogsoflitsy
#pitbullsoflitsy

This was the second book in a series. There are three books out now. It is a space murder mystery with aliens, intrigue, and great humor. I absolutely adore these characters, and the world building is so different. This book really kept my spirits up a little these past few days. I was totally absorbed.

Here's my Storygraph wrap-up for July. I didn't read quite as many books as I usually do this month because of pain and preoccupation, but the ones I did read were all excellent, so I am counting it as a good month.

I'm "eggbeater" on Storygraph if anyone wants to send me a friend request.

I appreciated the author's emphasis in this book on the lives of people in the marginalized QTBIPOC disabled community. So often, they are overlooked.

As a disabled person, I found the book to be hopeful, helpful, and enlightening. I am often not aware of my own ableism or need for community of others like me. I feel like I learned a lot.

@Catsandbooks

#riseupreads

#WDNCW #WeDoNotCareWednesday.
@dabbe

We do not care that when we complain about having our period for 19 days straight, you consider that too much information. If we have to live with it, you have to hear about it. 🩸

We're in #perimenopause , and we have no filters anymore. 🤣

This was a horror novel, and it had plenty of good gross gore, but it also did a good job of touching on systemic homophobia. There were some very sweet parts, too. I read it in a hurry for book club, and it is fast-paced, so I breezed right through it.

The author has come a long way from writing dino porn. Whoever they are, they are actually quite talented.

It benefits me personally to try to catch and catalog the little glimmers of hope and joy in my own life when I am feeling down.

It does not behoove me to impose gratitude on other people. It can make them feel like I am invalidating their feelings and experiences. I do not live in others' shoes.

Also, sometimes people expect me to be grateful for things I'm not actually happy about.

#MentalHealthMonday

@Kerrbearlib

I could tell this book was written by a man. It was completely unemotional. There is also almost no background as to the main character's family. But, for all that, I really liked this genre-bending sci-fi murder mystery. The world building was excellent, and I loved the brilliant, eccentric, foul-mouthed Ana. I found Din to be kind of what the British call gormless, but talented nonetheless. I would recommend it to those who like leviathans.

So I got my new Kindle colorsoft yesterday, and I am so excited because my old one was on its last legs. But I am too distressed over current events to be able to concentrate well enough to read. I am very frustrated. Do any of you have this problem if you get anxious, and do you have suggestions for how to calm down and concentrate on your books?

We do not care that the "president" of the United States is renaming everything like he's Stalin. We will always say Gulf of MEXICO and KENNEDY Center. You can not simply change the name of things you don't own because you don't like their affiliation. And for fuck's sake, what has Melania ever done that's worthy of having a building named after her?

#WDNCW
#WeDoNotCareWednesday
@dabbe

This novel was weird, but in a good way. It was coming from a unique place with a musician/ superhero angle. Curtis comes of age as a talented cellist in the midst of gang territory with well-meaning guardians who are in a losing situation. I was attached to these characters and cared very much about their outcomes. The author's afterward was quite interesting and put some of the ideas into context.

I like to sit in my sunroom and snuggle with my dog, be with the plants, drink tea, and listen to Yo-yo Ma.

I also do Sudoku, scroll on Litsy, and gab with a friend on the phone. I also like to watch British murder mysteries and Masterpiece Theater with my PBS subscription.

And then, sometimes, I have to get frustration and anxiety out by listening to death metal. If all else fails.

#MentalHealthMonday
@Kerrbearlib

A brutally disturbing, fast-paced thriller with complex characters who have questionable ethical standards. It is a very well written nail-biter. It is graphically violent, so if that bothers you, you may want to give it a pass. The family owns a crematorium. Need I explain further?

I did not actually like the main character, but I enjoyed not liking him, and I felt for his self-destructive brother and overburdened sister.

What a beautiful book! It illustrated both a love of the universe and a love of love. It is a book that makes you care. It was one of the rare romances I liked because it had a solid and interesting plot, and I'm fascinated by space.

I can't imagine not being able to express love in public, but the book made me really think about the ramifications of that. We can not go backward.

#WDNCW
#WeDoNotCareWednesday

1. We Do Not Care if you do not approve of pitbulls. Our dog happens to be a squishy marshmallow who thinks she's a pug dog. We could not love her more. #pitbullsoflitsy

2. We Do Not Care that we have to hire people to clean our home every month. We are disabled and it would not otherwise get clean. Also, we always tip well. We Do Not Care that we can't afford it. We are a princess, damn it!

@dabbe

This was a meandering sapphic vampire tale. It wasn't told in a straight fashion and did not stay with the original character's point of view. I had to go with the flow, but I did like it. The story took a long time to reach its destination, but I enjoyed the scenery.

#WDNCW
#WeDoNotCareWednesday

1. We do not care that we had a full-blown panic attack after a doctor's appointment in the middle of the waiting room.

If you have never seen a middle-aged woman ugly-snot cry and hyperventilate in public, you were too sheltered anyway.

2. We do not care that you've cut down all the bushes and trees in your yard. We are still not wearing a bra in our own backyard to take the dog out!

@dabbe

I initially read this book 6 years ago, but my memory is shot. All I remembered was a woman running around a cruise ship trying to convince people that there had been a murder and everyone treating her like a drama queen. I didn't remember the ending, so it was like reading a new book. 😂

This is a really clever suspense thriller with a relatable protagonist. I am now ready for the new sequel. I love Ruth Ware.

I appreciated Backman's way of representing artists in this nostalgic, emotional tearjerker. Sometimes, it was just a little too much for me right now. I kept stopping to ponder life questions in the middle of it. My attention span is crap, but I loved the characters.

#WDNCW #WeDoNotCareWednesday
@dabbe

1. We do not care that we deleted our Facebook account. We do not want to support Mark Zuckerberg, and Facebook is not necessary to existence.

2. We do not care about the upcoming holiday in the U.S. We think celebrating independence this year is ironic when so many are suffering.

3. We do not care how our friends react to the above two points. We are an old curmudgeon. "Get off our lawn!"

My June wrap-up. I read 12 books this month. The Change was a re-read that I absolutely loved. Octavia Butler's essay gave me much needed clarity, and I will be reading it again and again.

Happy Canada Day, my friends! 🇨🇦 I appreciate you, neighbor! ♥️

My dog Latte faithfully guarding the ghosts in this haunting Bluebeard retelling about domestic violence that stops you from asking the age-old question of, "Why didn't you leave?" It was a compelling if difficult read that was only palatable because it was told in fable form. It was beautifully written and hard to take.

The dedication reads, "for all of us who got out and for all of us who didn't."

#dogsoflitsy
#pitbullsoflitsy

Thanks for the tag, @Pruzy

1. Empathy and a sense of humor.

2. I haven't lived it yet.

3. The Ramones "I Wanna Be Sedated"

#WondrousWednesday
@Eggs

Tag @AnnCrystal @quietjenn

#WDNCW
#WeDoNotCareWednesday
@dabbe

We do not care that we are a middle-aged woman running around in bike shorts. It is literally 100 degrees, and cellulite is not contagious.

We do not care that the older we get the more we fucking swear like we are starring in a Quentin Tarantino film.

I've loved Maggie Steifvater's YA books and the premise of a hotel commandeered by the U.S. government during WWII for the use of Axis diplomats waiting to be exchanged sounded fascinating, especially with a supernatural element. But it turned out to be set at a really slow pace, and most of the characters didn't become interesting until the end.

I read this for a book club, and I was just not in the mood for a bleak, ambiguous, stream-of-consciousness dystopian novel right now. I think I need something more cheerful, like Stephen King.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my second time reading this book, and it was just as amazing as the first! Who doesn't love menopausal women coming into magic powers and fighting crime? #goals

Impressively researched Chinese historical fiction that was fascinating and heartwrenching. In a society in which a woman's worth is measured by her ability to produce sons, Snow Flower and Lily use a secret women's writing called nu shu to communicate and develop a lifelong friendship. As they go through life's trials and tribulations, they are considered of little value to their families of origin, but they mean everything to each other.

This book fits the definition of irreverent humor perfectly. If you are capable of having a sense of humor about suicide, it might work. I loved Emily Austin's other two books and their characters, but this felt a bit too much for me.

1. I pre-ordered a signed copy of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil from @FountainBookstore . It was released today, so my copy should be on its way.

2. It could go either way. I pre-order the books I am most looking forward to.

@TheSpineView

This essay was written in 2000 by science fiction author Octavia Butler, who did predict our future in her dystopian novels, right down to the slogan. It was made into a book with beautiful illustrations. It is profound, and it would be cool if everyone read it. She encourages us to learn from history as well as be aware of now. I intend to read it multiple times so that I can absorb the message and get through today.
#realhistory @Librarybelle

Though this was a fictionalized autobiography of Hattie McDaniel's adult life after her Academy Award, I felt I learned a lot about her and the 1940s environment for Black actors. I felt like the author gave Hattie McDaniel her voice and her due dignity. The book was well thought out and interesting.