Cushla is tying to juggle so much from her alcoholic mother,to assisting the family of a student when his father is severely beaten while living near Belfast during the Troubles. Adding an affair with an older, married man creates even more stress. The affair is more icky than romantic and I‘d have preferred it have less of a focus but I felt such a sense of dread wondering which of the balls she was juggling would drop first. #14books14weeks 10

As soon I could today, I sat down and finished this book after today‘s #camplitsy discussion. I loved this. It surprised me at every turn from beginning to end. A book within a book that is half sci fi tale about robots but always supremely human, it covers a lot but it to me it all distilled down to the power of shared stories to bring us together as well as the courage to write our own stories. So lolling forward to next week‘s conversation.

I could not have loved this book more. Two teenage girls in the 1970s experiencing their first loves, with other girls. They both choose different paths, one embracing her sexuality and the other trying to deny it. This book was devastating and beautiful and just gorgeously written. I will be spending the rest of the year trying to force everyone I know to read it, starting with all of you. All the stars.

Frank is summoned by the alcoholic father he has met only a few times in his 16 years, and who managed to disappoint him every time. He learns that his father is dying and wants Frank to take him to his final resting place. During their days together Frank learns who his father is and gains an understanding of his own life. It seemed like a simple, straightforward story until I grasped the torrent of the emotions pouring out of me. Loved it.

I started this book concerned when I wasn‘t immediately drawn in. I ended the book with tears streaming down my face. Taylor Jenkins Reid got me again.

Three menopausal women coming into powers that use to help solve crimes perpetrated against other women- this was the story of female anger I was looking for. Heavy handed at times but still just deliciously fun. Allso please meet Sergei. I am fostering him and his brother for a bit. Sergei is mostly ok with being a book model. His brother will have none of it.

This wasn‘t the book I wanted it to be. I wanted more about the anger that ignited women, driving them to become fire breathing creatures. What I got was a sad and confused young narrator and a story involving dragons that managed to be kind of boring and repetitive. I had really been looking forward to this one.
#14books14weeks. Book 7

When the local community center becomes in jeopardy of closing an eccentric cast of characters come together to help each other and to help save the place that is so vital to them and their neighborhood. Funny and light but this book still managed to rig on my heart strings. Clare Pooley is very adept at hitting that sweet spot.

A father who loves his daughter more than anything and has to deal with his own helplessness in the face of that love looks towards the mystery of messages found in the pockets of items of clothing he recently purchased on line. Everett‘s books are all so different outside of all being well written and deeply smart. This book was all of that and also sharply moving with its main character who is lost and looking for something he can control.

I went into this book knowing very little about its plot. I am really happy about that because following where the pages took me and how they unfolded Vivek‘s story was such an emotional journey and I was better able to focus on each moment and revelation. Yes, this book was about Vivek‘s death but more importantly it was about the life and love surrounding that death. #14books14weeks book 5

15 year old Wren lives in the West Virginia mountains. She is cut off from the world by her snake handling preacher father. Her mother‘s true soul mate is her best friend who has pledged to always stay close and protect her. As a series of tragedies occur Wren starts to unravel all of the secrets of her family and emerge from her seclusion. I really liked this. Vivid characters and the story unwound in ways that surprised me. #14books14weeks book4

While I could‘ve done without the unrelenting pop culture references, this look at the current Supreme Court and their polarizing decisions made for a fascinating listen. I am not a regular listener of the Strict Scrutiny podcast but I will be now.

I wanted to love this as much as everyone else seems to but Backman is a bit hit or miss for me. While this contained lovely messages about friendship and art I could feel Backman pulling the strings trying to wrestle my emotions where he wanted them.

Why didn‘t this book make the #wpf25 shortlist?!Joseph is a young journalist just starting out in the 1920s. He thinks that he has gotten the chance of a lifetime when his favorite, notoriously reclusive, artist invites him to stay. When Joseph arrives he learns the invitation actually came from his niece and she convinces her uncle to allow him to stay. All three are passionate about art but their time together will have lasting impact. So good!

The story of two teens who find the friendship they desperately need in high school and how a dramatic occurrence and also the passing of time both changes that relationship and doesn‘t. Bunny and Michael were such well crafted characters that the plot seemed secondary to me. I just felt like I knew these kids and worried about them. #14books14weeks book 3

Set in 1926 Australia, Tom and Isabel live on a remote island where he is the lighthouse keeper. Isabel has suffered multiple miscarriages when a boat arrives carrying a dead man and a living baby girl. When Tom goes to report the incident Isabel convinces him to say nothing so that they can raise the child as their own. I was so irritated with them both as I read this but couldn‘t deny that I was emotionally invested in seeing what was to come.

Hendrix is independent and driven. She is focused on her career and her mother whose Alzheimer‘s is progressing. Getting involved with Maverick could both impact her career and her independence but she might have finally found someone who is actually worth compromising for. As always I am thankful for Kennedy Ryan and the complex, amazing characters she creates and her stories that are full of emotion but still make me swoon.

The first half really lulled me into thinking I would end up really liking this book and the second half had me mildly annoyed but still curious until the last 50 pages made me want to stomp my feet like a child I was so frustrated. Really looking forward to #camplitsy25 discussions,
Book 2 of #14books14weeks

I was across the country visiting family for a few days and when I returned I was exhausted but wanted to start on #14books14weeks so I picked this one off of my stack. I have never read manga before and heard such great things about this title. It was definitely cute but I won‘t be reading the rest of the series. Light pick.

I understand the disappointment some are expressing about this book. When you pick up a new Emily Henry you expect top tier romance and this is barely a romance at all. And the romance that is there- not even close to top tier. All the Taylor Jenkins Reid comparisons are justified too. However, I cannot deny that I enjoyed every minute of reading this book.

Hai is floundering. At his lowest point he meets Grazina who is suffering from dementia and offers him a place to stay in exchange for caregiving and friendship. He gets a job at a food joint and finds coworkers who are all equally lost but see and support Hai with acceptance that he desperately needs. Found family and life on the fringes of the American dream combined with Vuong‘s poetic writing and characters who have earned a place in my heart.

A small, inflatable boat capsizes between France and England resulting in the deaths of 27 people. The French woman who took their distress calls is being interrogated after recordings of those conversations were found severely lacking. However she struggles with whether she is more to blame than anyone else for causing them to get in the boat in the first place., This is one of those books I will be thinking about for a really long time.

I have gone back and forth about #14books14weeks both about participating and about what books to choose. I am trying to fit almost every mood, clear space on my shelves, get to books that have I have been wanting to read but just not picking up etc etc etc. Adding Camp Litsy titles both seemed smart but a little like cheating on those goals but this morning I decided to do it. I am posting this picture so that I cannot change my mind again.

Sunday returns home after a car accident and has to face her family and the fiancé she left behind as well as all of the secrets they are keeping from each other. I love a messy family story and this one was easy to read during a hectic week. Did it change my life? No. In fact I doubt I will remember much about it in a few months but it was an enjoyable and quick read and just what I needed.

When COVID lockdown forces Evan to extend his coastal getaway it becomes the catalyst for him to stop drifting around mired in misery. He begins to relate to others, and starts to face the traumas that haunt him and look towards the future. His stay also impacts the town eccentric, Grace,who hates tourists but finds herself opening her life up to Evan. Grief, forgiveness, and hope run through this taut book. Touching without being sentimental.

Did I anticipate that in 2025 I would wait weeks for a hold on an audiobook about tuberculosis to come in from the library and, when it finally did, I would be so interested I would listen to it in record time? Not a chance but such is the power of John Green.

Reviews had me prepared to dislike this #wpf25 title but instead I flirted with loving it. I couldn‘t fully commit because there was so much about her unhealthy relationship with Marlowe which didn‘t add much, just another story of an older male misusing a damaged girl. Nila‘s other relationships and what she hides from herself and others as she struggles with her identity are what made this book special. So many lines made me pause and reread.

The 5th book I have read by Rash and my least favorite. A marriage of two horrible people intent on making great profit through logging and having no problem racking up a large body count in the process. When Serena realizes that she will never have a child she decides to have the one he fathered before meeting her killed. This could have been a more intense read but I felt removed from it all, never getting beneath the surface of the characters.

Five young, parentless girls living with their nearly blind grandfather make the townsfolk uneasy. They don‘t act the way girls should. Are they arrogant? Broken? In need of firmer parenting? Or are they touched by evil and capable of turning into dogs? Told through alternating perspectives of their neighbors, this book is weird and unsettling as every reader knows what happens when girls don‘t conform. Out 8/5

A nonfiction account of a woman who finds an injured leveret and manages to save it. She ensures it remains wild and does not become a pet but forges enough of a bond with it so that she is able to observe and examine it as it grows and also ruminate on its effect on her like. This book was a gift to read at a time when I seem unable to settle into most books.

The humor didn‘t always work for me but as I reflected on it I had to admit that the darkly funny approach worked better than a more earnest one would have. My reaction to this book fluctuated throughout my reading of it but in the end it had a lot to say and did so in a pretty clever way. #wpf25

A slim novel that manages to pack a lot into its few pages. A woman is chosen to be part of jury that ends up sequestered due to the high profile of the case. The trial isn‘t the only drama unfolding. She is leaving her much older husband alone for the duration of the trial and ends up having an affair with one of the other jurors. A lot of ground is covered and while no easy resolutions are offered every aspect is given its due. Really well done

Twelve lesser known figures whose lives had great impact on American history, this was the perfect palate cleanser audiobook after some heavier listens. It held my attention, taught me things I didn‘t know, and reminded me that individual can make a difference, a timely reminder these days.

When my father was dying a friar at work would check on me and tell me stories about when he was a hospital chaplain. I am not religious but those stories provided me much comfort. I thought of them as I read this. Clover is a death doula and ensures a positive end of life for her patients, whatever that looks like for them. Her own life could use help as she has cut herself off from the world. Reflective yet still light, this was a joy to read.

This book was work for me. I wanted to bail but I also wanted to understand why it was chosen for the #wpf25 shortlist so I kept reading to see if its inclusion would suddenly make sense to me. It never did. My favorite thing about it was its cover. Just not for me.

Something I never say- I wish this had been a novella. I think it would have had a greater impact on me. In the beginning I felt as if I was suffocating on my anxiety for Ciara but then it carried on and on and felt more and more typical. I feel terrible saying it because it is an important topic but I felt like I have read many versions of this tale before and this didn‘t add anything new.

After Greta‘s husband disappeared years ago, rumors in her Indian Village had her murdering him. Now she is being approached by other women to help them become widows but nothing she does goes as planned. Great characters, humor ( a little too silly at times), and women taking the justice denied to them- definitely enjoyed this one.

Work has been turning my brain to mush so it took me some time to get sucked into this book but when that switch flipped I was tearing through it because I had no idea where it was going and was so excited to find out. I think this is my favorite by the author so far.

Three resilient young women are brought together by a London library and their shared love of reading. When the library is damaged by bombs they help set up a small library in an Underground station working for their neighbors as they deal with their own issues. It has its melodramatic moments but overall balances strife, pluckiness, friendship, and a dash of romance to tell a charming story about the power of books and community.

Set in a future flooded San Francisco where those who have stayed adapt to lives lived on upper floors of buildings connected by bridges. Bo should have left long ago. Instead she accepts an assignment caring for her elderly neighbor and learning about her life. The book plods along with seemingly little actually happening but the story of Bo and Mei and the connection they made me reflect on relationships in my own life. A soft pick. Out 5/13

I don‘t write in books- ever. However as I listened to this audio. I kept longing for a physical copy that I could underline in. I thought this was incredible.

I love that this book went in a different direction than I expected after the first few pages. What I thought was going to be a legal drama ended up being about the lives surrounding the death of a teenager at the hands of his sister. Their parents and her lawyers have history and secrets that get brought to the forefront after years of avoidance. Guilt, blame, forgiveness and characters I would never befriend but a story I could look away from.

Took the ferry to Sausalito for a couple of nights. I wanted to get away without real travel. Honestly cannot figure out why I haven‘t done this before. Went to this great little bookstore. Not a huge selection but what they had was wonderfully curated. I found so many things on my TBR that I haven‘t been able to find in other store. I only bought two books but could have gone crazy. Definitely will return

A woman detained because of future crimes she might commit according to her dreams and the system that keeps her there. Crisp writing and a clear depiction of the helplessness of having your rights stripped away and being at the mercy of the whims and moods of those with power over you. Yet I had a hard time picking this back up after putting it down. I think it was too much for me when I already spend my days in fear watching the news.

Thank you so much @AmyG for the birthday gift. I just finished packing for a couple nights away and am tempted to switch out the books I am bringing because I have really been wanting to read this one. I am already bringing another book you gifted me that I part way through! I am so grateful and excited!

Two beautiful children and the heart transplant that connects them . This accounting of the medical teams who give their all, families who face the unthinkable, and the history and science of transplants is such an emotional read. Informative and impactful but oh how I cried.

An entirely unlikable main character and a completely grim story- is it any surprise that I really did not enjoy listening to this audiobook? And yet there is something about it. I couldn‘t look away and I know it is not a book that will fade away until I can‘t really recall the details in a month or two. Is that enough to make it a pick? My answer today is I think so. Tomorrow I might think differently
#wpf25

Anna is divorced and has absolutely no desire to date until she suddenly needs to write a dating column in order to keep her job. When a basic foray back into dating is not fresh enough for the new big boss she agrees to let her kids pick her next few dates and to have her column go head to head with her work nemesis‘s dating column. I had a lot of fun with this story as Anna starts to trust herself and the world again and loved the Bath setting.

Birdie is a single mother who wants change so she moves with her daughter to a remote cabin owned by Arthur, a quiet man he barely knows. The life they find there is reinvigorating but also filled with challenges as they realize there are things about Arthur they don‘t know. I am drawn to books set in Alaska and love Ivey‘s writing. I still didn‘t fully love this book. Perhaps because the end seemed too small for such a fantastical tale.

Tarek follows the path laid out for him becoming a doctor, taking over his father‘s practice, and getting married. When Ali asks Tarek to examine his sick mother everything expected of Tarek loses importance. His life shifts as his decisions impact him and his relationships. Second person narration is not my favorite but I couldn‘t help but care about Tarek and those orbiting him.