"A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo" is a fantastic book for people of all ages. I loved the topics that this book managed to fit in: same sex marriage, LGBTQ rights, voting, the value of friendship, and love. All important topics that should be shared and talked about. 5 ⭐s⁠

This book left me in feels. Just a mass jumble of emotions as I picked it up right after the reading the first which also left me a mess, in the best of ways. ⁠

I was completely invested in the characters, the world building, and the emotional relationship that developed between the two main characters very largely due to Alexander's research and writing. ♥️⁠

Alexander wrote a beautiful and almost lyrical tale around Hades and Persephone that was more like what I imagined than what was always presented. She did a great job of developing the characters and really making them her own while exploring the known myth. Hades is more than just a soul collector, she's turned him into flesh and blood with wants and needs which was so well done and believable as the story progresses that I'm all full of feels.⁠

There's so much to commend West on for just putting down on paper which might not gel with everyone. I can see a lot of people taking offense to somethings she says but at the end of the day these are opinions ans a lot that again I've dealt with and resonated with so thanks Lindy for having the guts to write it down.

Machado's "Her Body and Other Parties" is a mixed bag of weird short stories that went from interesting to blah and back to interesting followed by what did I just read..⁠
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This is haunting and brave and visceral. She isn't afraid to talk about much less write in detail about sex and violence and each one will leave a reader with some kind of emotion.⁠ A solid 3 ⭐ for me as out of the 8 shorts, I loved 3 of them.

So let me just say that Ayres suckered me in! I'm looking forward to the next installment and am thinking I saw that ARC online too but either way, I'm going to have to look for it because I need to see how this goes. I have an idea but who knows if I'm right but I loved the buildup that this first book created. ⁠

I loved this audiobook read by none other than Cecil Baldwin and to be honest, I was better for it. Since I read the predecessor myself I knew that the voice is what really makes the book and Cecil reading this sold me on it in a way that the book might have wavered. A solid 4 ⭐

Sitting on my TBR since late 2016, I finally got to this!⁠
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I love that Neil read this as I was able to hear through his voice, the laughter and warmth during his funny moments, the wistfulness and sadness in others, a bit of anger in others as he reads through the various words and it feels as though in doing so, he hits upon different moments and thoughts and even reminisces a little himself.⁠

Happy National Read a Book day to my readers!!

I'm enjoying Michelle Obama's "Becoming" while at work and listening to her warm voice as she talks about how Barack packed up and sold his banana yellow Datsun when he came back to the southside has made my morning.
#nationalreadabookday

If only it was that easy!

It was hilarious and I can see my nephew loving it since it talks about butts and farts and that is something that kids in general laugh about as do adults.

Had me laughing from page one to the end!

OMG!
Ewan McGregor as Iago was a fantastic choice and one that I applauded over and over again every time his voice came across my earbuds as you hear through his voice the conspiracy and jealousy that drives the character to take the actions he does. And Chiwetel Ejiofor as Othello...oh the range of emotions he renders from the words is equally enticing and plays well into Iago as the story goes along.

I'm so proud of myself for this month.

Not only am I on track to meet my reading goal but I really enjoyed a lot of the books read this time around compared to the last few.

This is where I remember that under that hero costume is a teenage girl struggling like any other teenage girl...Wilson has had me hooked since issue 1, page 1 and this still is true on this issue.

I can't wait to see where this goes and what happens. Will have to go back to the library for more!

Haha my Litsy tracking is woefully behind and I'm going to be fixing that slowly but surely.

Maybe not today as I'm debating on reading or housework..and reading is looking real good right now.

Two things that I loved: Loki and Bruno

Writing is still great, art is still amazing to look at and the coloring is still a bright flash that enhances both art and writing that I can't look away.

I read this one twice over, the first time taking my time after realizing just how well researched the overall story was so that I understood it before making any actual choices & the second time hoping for a different outcome. I truly enjoyed this book and I wish I had this in a paperback vs the eBook as I think the actual directive of making a choice and going to a specific page by clicking a link pales in comparison to actually flipping a page

Told in flashbacks, Bingo Love is a second chance story where two childhood friends fall in love with each other and are then forced apart by family and are reunited years later.

The story was pretty great but I felt that as I was nearing the end, it was rushed and began to feel a little clunky and awkward to wrap it all up.

I happened to fall into this coffee shop au by accident and it was the best kind of accident as I fell in love with it from page one - the MC is a lovely, awkward and a plus-sized latinx lesbian that is trying to juggle work and falling in love.. oh and being a werewolf!

There were some panels that seemed a bit confusing but I can only hope that as the story progresses, those can be remedied as I see a lot of potential in story and artwork.

Quinn delivered on the smart and funny dialogue which Poppy and Andrew were perfect for as they went against each other and the dialogue just pinged ponged back n forth and it made for a fun read.⁠
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A solid ⭐⭐⭐ read⁠
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I just found out today that Toni Morrison has passed away at 88.
I remember reading 'The Bluest Eye" and crying for days for a fictional character that resembled too many young girls.

That was the power of Toni Morrison and her words.

Thanks @SerialReader
In Villeneuve's version, the beast is more of a conversationalist, although all conversations leading him to ask her the same repetitive question which leads to her constant refusal. 😅
This doesn't change his attitude of her or how he treats her - there is no anger or disappointment but there is respect there as he allows her to say what's on her mind even at refusing him.

i loved this sweet letter of encouragement and love from my favorite president, Obama, to his daughters.

I don't know about you, but I would love to have received a letter like this when I was younger....who am I kidding, I'd love one now 😂😍

With Day 2 under way of the #24b4monday readathon, I'm feeling good at 08:36:30.

I might read some later after dinner but I'm also thinking to just stand in front of my fan due to the heat 😂

This was a different take on the "who is Shakespeare?" theory. Jumping on the theory that maybe the man history has made to be as Shakespeare didn't pen his own work, this manga adds it's own twist which was different.

Not sure where the artist will take it but I'm intrigued enough to see about finding the next volume and how it all plays out.

Read for the #24b4monday reading challenge.

Still can't get over how much this book is about the author - her work ethic and drive is all over this and that was to me, probably more interesting than the titled killer that it was about.

Still reading Annihilation but at my 10+ hours of this #24in48 readathon, I'm taking a quick break but not bad... I think

I loved that this issue picked up right after the last one but I'm hoping that the next ones are more comedic because Allison & Co. have been tugging hard on the feels.

This issue just kept tugging at my heart strings - so many things happened and Daisy has a lot going on ber plate that i just want to give her a hug 😭😭😭

Lottie!!
She was comedic in her delivery of some truth bombs to the gang as her pov thoughts on their problems shed some light on what needed to be faced.

Oh the feels for Daisy in this issue are kicking in.

Oh man this book has turned me away from reading a Diana Palmer again and it's just 138 pages but it was the longest novella I've read to date.

I couldn't get past the "hero" and his treatment of the heroine.

This left me with a mixed bag of emotions - In one hand, I loved the first half in which Clinton provides stories of being a daughter, mother and grandmother which humanizes her in a way that the media suppressed these last few years.⁠
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In the other hand, I am still left with questions and wondering what could have happened, what could have been changed, and did we, as a democracy - fail our duty and are now paying for those choices made.⁠

Once I got into the swing of things and found Aru Shah and The End of Time to be funny with well timed quips, contemporary, and fun while tackling aspects of growing pains, secrets, and the consequences of lying.

A solid 3 ⭐ read.

This modern retelling of Austen's classic was both faithful and new as Zoboi added her spin and was able to explore cultural identity and class through the characters that I personally enjoyed.

Listening to the audiobook, I swear Elizabeth Acevedo's reading of this was just so on point that I couldn't help but love it!
Definitely, recommend the audiobook!

This romance was anything but awkward which I was kinda expecting with a title like that.

Jack Darcy is adorkable and I liked his seriousness, cool demeanor, and quite bedside manner that reminded me a bit of another Darcy...just a bit but it wasn't enough for me fall in love.

I was unsure about this book for all about 3 chapters but the fun and sarcastic banter between the characters was what drew me in and next thing I know, I ended up falling in love with Stella and Will and being able to read their struggle with not just CF, but what the actual disease does to everyone in their lives.

Catching up with these past reviews.. And i just love how the sun filtered oh so nicely through the curtains that i just had to take this pic.

Seriously though, the curiosity of how this series goes on is gonna bother me until I can read the next one...

*passively aggressively shaking my first at him*

Review is up for Ellroy's fictionalized account of Elizabeth Short's murder featuring a seedy and hardened set of characters in the equally shady backdrop of a 1947 Los Angeles that I ended up enjoying. 4 ⭐ from me!

Review is finally up! ⁣
It only took me a few weeks to get back into the swing of things but back in I am! 🤣⁣
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Hart's dystopian themed novel is not something I normally read but it was interesting that's for sure. I may read the subsequent books, not sure yet but if anyone's read them, how did you like them

To all my teachers out there, click or copy and paste the link for a chance to win some cash and books from Scholastic and James Patterson

http://www.scholastic.com/pattersonpartnership/

I'm taking that weekend to give myself some "me time"!! Can't wait for it!

Thanks @TheReadingMermaid and @Andrew65 for another #24b4monday

1. One from last week as I was helping my mama in her garden and what a garden!
2. Walks along my fave haunts in and around Downtown LA and just basking in sun.
3. "You can't always get what you, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need."
4.tagging @Amabear from LMPBC and I wanted to let you know that i'm mailing out your book. I got real sick in Feb and am sorry bout that.

@Eggs thanx to @Jerdencon for the tag

Can Dolly get any better?
I have no children but spreading the awesomeness for those that do!

Check the link for more info
https://imaginationlibrary.com

#litsyhappenings #freebooks

I'm running behind on all my book reviews because well I got caught up in RL stuff but did I ever mention how much I love Anne and her over the top dramaticness that could give any leading actress a run for their money?

I'm torn on this one; while I loved some aspects, overall I was ok with the book. Not in love but also just ok with it as it was fairly predictable to me once it got going but what I did love was the audio narration.

Bahni Turpin and Robbie Daymond totally nailed it and made it just so much more likeable for me.

This was such a good mix of two classics with a twist.
I enjoyed how Kessel was able to keep the characteristics of both novels intact while creating something of his own story within.

#readharder #popsugarchallenge

It's not perfect and I haven't sewn anything other than a button but I am damn proud of the sleeve I made for my tablet.
It fits perfectly 😄

I probably should get myself the tagged book if i plan to make more. Either that or a sewing machine 😂

First off, I had way too much fun making this graphic and two it was worth it. 5 ⭐

I and Will present to you my favorite nonfiction book of 2019. It was informative, full of history and personality from the very Central Library and the people who have worked and work within still.

I will never see this library the same and to think I had never known of this fire until now and I visit this library every month.

#readharderchallenge

Let me tell you now that I picked this book specifically because of the cover. I am a sucker for a bearded man, tattoos, and hair that just happens to fall over the forehead. 3 ⭐

Read for #readingwomenchallenge
no.22- Book you got because of the cover

Ended at 19 hours in and had I not been pulled away to be social earlier today I might have pulled off the whole thing but it feels awesome to have finished the 4 I did and get a few more started!

Congrats to all my fellow readers in either #24in48 or #24b4Monday for the reads you enjoyed, finished, or started!

@24in48 @TheReadingMermaid @Andrew65

Ending my reading for the night for some needed sleep but I feel pretty good about my odd book selections.
I am such a mood reader sometimes 😂

#24in48 #24b4Monday