This is such an important book that touched on many topics & showed that even teens can have knowledge, strength, & power to educate people & stand up for their beliefs. Mason is a powerful character & you can‘t help but admire him.

I liked the poems told in the poetry class but wished the rest of the novel had been told in regular prose instead of in verse. I struggled w/ the cadence of those parts and felt these weren‘t didn‘t smoothly flow.

In my quest to read all of B.A. Paris‘ books, the fifth book I picked up was her debut. And it may be my favorite one yet. I devoured it in one night.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I‘m going to be in Ireland at the beginning of May (Dublin, Cork, and Galway) and while I‘m doing a tour, I‘ll also have free time and would love suggestions of what to do/see!

#ireland #travel

Not sure why it took me so long to pick up the second book in this series. A great futuristic mystery/thriller. Really enjoying Eve as a main character.

#52bookclub24 #hasfuturistictechnology

Would I call this a mystery? Or a tale of a woman who couldn‘t get over a fling she thought was love? There‘s ghosting &mysterious text msg years later, but honestly, Ariel knew him for 3mths & I would have moved on &ignored the text.

If you can get past how much Ariel obsesses over Drew, then you get a decent mystery. Her family owns Chime & she stumbles onto some possibly illegal activity that may be connected to Drew vanishing.

As the title states, this is about transgender history, specifically in the USA. It‘s informative & can be a bit dry at times, reading more like a textbook. I guess I should have taken the title at face value, but I was expecting something w/ a little more emotional depth or personal stories. However, it‘s a piece of history not often (if ever) discussed & so I appreciated it for what it was. In that scope, it was great.

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Some chapters hit closer to home than others and I think that will vary between each reader depending on past experiences in your life.

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#52bookclub24 #lowercaselettersonthespine

I know very little about Estonia or the majority of composers out there. Between Two Sounds introduces you to a bit of both in a simple yet engaging way. Being a graphic novel allows it to focus more on how events shaped & affected Arvo Pärt rather than his trajectory as a composer getting lost w/in historical events (WWII, Soviet rule). I paired reading this w/ listening to some of his pieces which I felt enhanced both the writing and the music.

This felt more dysfunctional family drama than mystery-thriller, although there are plenty of secrets to lend toward suspense. I was curious who the identity of “The Party Guest” was, but with limited characters, it‘s not hard to figure it out.

⭐️⭐️💫

#arc #netgalley

Anytime a mystery keeps me guessing &invested in finding the truth, I‘m hooked. Jean wrote a story filled w/suspense whose storytelling leaves you wanting more @ the end of each chapter.
Ellie‘s been missing for yrs when she suddenly reappears. Chelsey, the original detective, takes the reins in hopes of finding who took Ellie. But the more Chelsey presses Ellie, the more Ellie disengages, &Chelsey can‘t help but wonder what Ellie is hiding.

A fascinating look into the lives and careers of those that deal with death and dead bodies. It makes a great companion to Mary Roach‘s Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers.

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So happy to be doing #camplitsy24 again this year! Here are my choices (tagged ⬇️).

Thank you for hosting @squirrelbrain @Megabooks and @BarbaraBB !!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Soft pick.

#botm

A poignant, character-driven novel. I enjoyed the way it explored finding your place as an adult (coming-of-age for the late 20s) and that it didn‘t shy away from mental health issues.

#botm #52bookclub24 #acharacterdrivennovel

This focuses on many things: history, anthropology, sociology, true crime. All of which revealed something heartbreaking and angering.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This is my second Lana Ferguson novel and I‘ve concluded that her books aren‘t for me. I love escaping into a romance, but I still need substance to the story and this was more about physical attraction than anything.

⭐️💫

Different than other AI stories I‘ve read, the humor reminded me of Andy Weir. I‘m not sure exactly what the plot was (it‘s definitely character driven), maybe Mal discovering AI‘s version of humanity as humans lost theirs? However, I found Mal‘s dry wit & inner thoughts humorous & his literal interpretation & logic amusing as well. There were moments that make you think but for the most part this is lighthearted considering it happens during war.

I know this was a mystery and I should focus on the suspense, but I couldn‘t get over how Skyler felt entitled to the trust money and that she was upset the family was contesting the will. She didn‘t even remember the guy at first and had only met him once (over a decade ago), so it seemed very selfish and greedy to act this way. I don‘t get why she‘s so insistent she deserves the money or why she‘s shocked the family thinks she shouldn‘t keep it.

It was okay.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Slight unpopular opinion here, but this story didn‘t work for me. Lucy & her inner “voice” annoyed me & made it hard to like her (even as an unreliable, possibly guilty suspect or victim). I also did not like her & podcaster Ben‘s relationship w/ each other. I didn‘t understand their dynamic & also made me not like him b/c of some decisions he made.
I‘ve struggled w/ each podcast related mystery I‘ve read making me think they‘re not for me.

#botm

Told in multiple POVs in both the present & past, this relies heavily on the characters‘ mental health issues to create unreliable narrators & further the suspense of what happened a decade ago. I am always wary of books that use this device in mysteries & unfortunately it didn‘t work for me here, especially given that it seems everyone in town believed what was originally told to police on that night so there was no real need to tell this story.

This had the perfect amount of suspense &mystery mixed w/ some family &small town drama, giving us a story that‘s hard to put down as you try to figure out the truth behind all the secrets unraveling. I had no idea who to trust. Combine that w/ the strange events that kept happening in the house & I was thoroughly creeped out & afraid. The writing overall furthered the suspense & made for such an atmospheric read. By the end my nerves were frayed.

March Recap! A mix of genres and a mix of ratings.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
How the Word is Passed

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1984
How to End a Love Story

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
The Truth About the Devlins

#marchrecap #stats

My 2nd Painter novel, & unfortunately, her books aren‘t for me. I struggled w/ the lack of chemistry between the characters. I didn‘t feel their connection at all. While the plot could have made for some great moments (Sophie & Max are “professional” objectors at weddings), this played a minimal role in the book & the majority is spent w/ them ignoring their feelings or Sophie trying to rationalize falling in love as being something else.

#botm

Glad I finally picked this up. I learned a lot. Would be a great book to teach in school.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A quick rom com read to turn my brain off & just enjoy for a few hours.

Taking place on an island resort on Turks & Caicos, Paige & Cole work together in this enemy-to-lovers romance. This trope is nothing new for Grey‘s books, & as one of my favorite tropes, I enjoyed the banter & chemistry.

However, the characters‘ personalities felt pretty formulaic to Grey‘s other book characters which gets old as every character starts to feel the same.

A great blend of depth, humor, &romance. I‘ll admit there are times both Helen &Grant frustrated me, but they also felt very real. They had a complicated past that was a unique “2nd chance” set up, but from a friendship &forgiveness standpoint ¬ an ex.
There‘s definitely moments of heaviness &the theme of letting go/moving on is seen throughout. But I thought it was well-balanced w/plenty of comedy &lighter romantic moments.

TW: Suicide of sis

What a difference 9 years makes. I first read this in 2015. Then again now in preparation for reading Julia. The world has changed and so has the impact of this book.

#aplotsimilartoanotherbook #52bookclub24

I‘m not a huge self-help reader, but Brené Brown is someone I‘ve heard talked about a lot. I can see why so many are drawn to her. Both her writing and ideas seem accessible. As with all books in this genre, there are passages that resonate or stood out more than others.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

#52bookclub24 #astickeronthecover

Toxic college friends turn into petty adult acquaintances when they reunite 15 years later after the disappearance of their friend, Vanessa. Soon mysterious things start happening as the truth about what happened all those years ago unravels.

While the plot itself was enough to make me keep reading, the constant bickering & pettiness grated on me. I also felt let down by the ending.

I wasn‘t a fan of the chapters that were told in script form.

In a weird coincidence, both books I‘m reading have screenwriters as main characters. One contemporary fiction/romance and one mystery/thriller, so at least I won‘t get the plots confused!

#weekendreads

I enjoyed each Gardner book I‘ve read &it pains me I struggled so much here. It was a lot of filler until about 60%.

A serial killer hired Frankie 2 find her sister. This leads Frankie 2 an island where she has no choice but 2 rely on a group of strangers who may all have secrets of their own. When things begin 2 unravel &facts start not 2 add up, Frankie must decide what‘s truth &who 2 trust, especially when her life may depend on it.

⭐️⭐️💫

A rich family full of lawyers and one ex-convict son who happens to be our narrator. This time though, he‘s not the one making a mess of things; it‘s his older brother. And as he wades through murder, and a slew of other criminal activity, his true heart shines through as he helps his sister fight for justice in a (shockingly based on true facts) case.

I give the authors‘s note and the research she did five ⭐️

I came in with really high expectations for this and maybe that was the problem. I don‘t think there was anything wrong with it per se, it just wasn‘t as compelling as I hoped for.

⭐️⭐️💫

#botm

This is a hard one to rate. On the one hand, the story is fascinating, but also one I already knew about &so I don‘t feel I learned anything new. I also had a hard time sympathizing w/Rachel. Yes, what happened to her was awful, but she also allowed for Anna to pay for all their other outings. I do agree she shouldn‘t have to pay for Anna‘s or the other guests portions, but I think Rachel should have owed Amer Express her expenses for that trip.

Soft pick.

I felt it read a little more like YA even though all characters were adults (Evie presented young). I‘ve read a few other books with similar twists so I knew what was coming although I wasn‘t sure how exactly it would play out. Overall it was still an enjoyable, quick read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

#botm

This fell somewhere in the middle for me. A bit of an adult coming-of-age story, I didn‘t particularly like or dislike any character. I felt largely that nothing happened and it dragged in some areas, but I also wanted to know what would happened between the affair and the friendships. #litsyTOB24

Ariel has OCD. It was sad to see her constantly struggle w/ obsessive harmful thoughts but I enjoyed seeing the growth after she learns she learns about OCD.

I came in with high expectations given that I love both novels-in-verse & books centered on mental health. However, I felt that here the format did a disservice to the subject. Many times it didn‘t feel like I was reading poetic entries, but rather clunky sentences that lacked emotion.

I didn‘t get to all the books I wanted to, but most of the ones I did read were great!

⭐️ Top Picks ⭐️
Just Another Missing Person
The Unquiet Bones
Burnout
The Carrying
Hijab Butch Blues
All the Sinners Bleed

#februarystats #monthend

After skipping last month‘s, went a little crazy this month‘s BOTM. I‘ve already read A Fate Inked in Blood and Annie Bot (loved both) but picked up three of the others for this month plus some extras. I either owned or wasn‘t interested in any of the BOTY choices, but getting The Winning Game for a friend.

#botm

One of the reasons I love reading memoirs is to learn about other‘s life experiences and culture. That was certainly the case here. This was a brave and at times informative memoir that gave a solid glimpse into the life of a queer Muslim woman who found her identity lied in not one but many things.

4.5⭐️s

Can‘t believe it‘s been 8 years since I‘ve joined Litsy! It‘s been such a joy to be a part of this community. 🎉❤️

#litsyversary

This was so fun figuring out the truth. Well written and fast paced. I will definitely be adding McAllister‘s other books to my tbr.

#botm

This book had a bad case of telling not showing. It‘s part mystery, part an interest piece on small town politics, & part fictional exposé into a cult like organization. While they did all sort of interconnect, none were particularly fleshed out well as there was mostly info dumping & not a lot of investigation & discovery. I was curious to see what the truth was, but I found the constant telling of events & beliefs to drag on & wished for more.

3.5⭐️

#memoir #autobiography

I was hooked by the plot &how well White wove so many POVs 2 tell a story. Jane a cold case det. lands a case of some bones found under an old chapel. Signs point to a teen, Annalise, who disappeared in 1976. We‘re sucked into the lives of the Shoreview Six, Annalise‘s friends, though no longer close, hold many secrets about the night she disappeared.
There was a good balance between the police procedural & the unraveling of the Shoreview Six.

I‘m not going 2say there was anything groundbreaking here, but I‘ll say it had great reminders of the things we should be doing when experiencing stress or burnout. (It‘s amazing when stuck in a stress cycle how easy it is 2forget that something as easy as eating regular meals can help.) It‘s a straightforward, easy 2read book, w/good prompts &helpful tips. I do think it helped me w/a few reminders &can see this being a good gift for a new adult.

I felt this started out strong but as it progressed it sort of lost its way. Told in both non-linear &multiple POV, we are brought into Mary‘s life as she fights w/her soon 2 be ex for custody of her son. When he is suddenly murdered &an old friend, Willa, reappears, she gets suspicious. Mary isn‘t the strongest character, but Willa is a good unreliable source. However, character development &plot could have used some shoring up &strengthening.

While a mystery, this reads more like a contemporary family drama. I was pulled into the Parson‘s lives &their search for their dad as well as their somewhat difficult family dynamic. Eugene has Angelman Syndrome &as the last person 2 see their father, I felt for both him &the others as he had seemingly no way 2communicate what happened.
Mia as a narrator grated on me. Her endless tangents & immature decisions made it hard 2 enjoy or stay engaged.

I‘d seen Limón‘s poetry books in stores for a while and finally picked one up. I loved the many subjects she touches on, showing heart and pieces of herself in each of her poems.

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#poetry