@monalyisha on Litsy

so-so

Inspired by the corvids dotting the lupine-laden, red-dirt fields of PEI, I purchased George in a local bookshop, which I‘ve been meaning to read for a while.

Despite her exhaustion about being forever linked to her long-departed parents, Ted Hughes & Sylvia Plath, I need to mention that this is a memoir written by their daughter. It‘s about the time she spent hand-rearing an injured, newborn magpie and the dissolution of her marriage.👇🏻

monalyisha 1/1: I found it highly readable and also somewhat tiresome. There are animal-lovers and then there are *pathological* animal-lovers. Frieda Hughes is a published poet and a painter; she also falls *squarely* into the latter category. 2d

48 likes1 comment

monalyisha

Anne of Green Gables | L. M. Montgomery

We‘ve arrived in PEI 🪻

A monotonous morning, weather-wise, but I‘m still alight with wonder! How could I not be when this is the view right outside our doorstep?

Daisey Beautiful! 3d

Mollyanna Gorgeous! 💕 3d

Clare-Dragonfly Stunning! 3d

See All 10 Comments

Desha That is so cool to be there! Beautiful! 3d

TheKidUpstairs Amazing! Have the best time! 3d

marleed So pretty! 3d

dabbe W🤩WZA!!! 3d

LeahBergen Ohhh, have a wonderful time! I love PEI! 🥰 3d

Librarybelle So pretty! 3d

AnnCrystal 🤩 absolutely gorgeous 😍👍🏼💝. 3d

71 likes10 comments

monalyisha

Me | Elton John

CHALLENGE:

Create your own Desert Island Discs playlist! You get 8 songs to take with you when you‘re castaway to the island. They should be songs that, chronologically, tell your life story *and* songs you won‘t mind listening to on repeat.

My choices are in the image above. Brief comments below (my life isn‘t that interesting 😅).

Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1U7WISWrEx45BjE9Ghdr55?si=SOz9E85qSuC8qk5JD7e_...

monalyisha 1. “Crocodile Rock” was my grandmother‘s favorite song. In my earliest years, my mother was a working, single mom, which made my grandma my de facto babysitter. We spent A LOT of time together. She told me I was her favorite (and meant it — sorry to my siblings & cousins! 😜), and she always made me feel special. 6d

monalyisha 2. “When Doves Cry” is for my mom. She had me when she was 19, and she was very much listening to the hottest pop music of the time. Her taste trends toward the funky — certainly more-so than anyone else in my family! This 100% is not a song that should make you think of your parents, but as a child of divorce I was often wondering, “How am I like my mother? How am I like my father?” (edited) 6d

monalyisha 3. We‘re past childhood now and into adolescence and high school. The biggest musical influence in my life was my best friend, Matt. He introduced me to Donovan. We‘d drive around all night in his car, Charlene, listening to music and talking. I‘ve chosen “Colours” as a sort-of double-dip. I needed more love songs in the mix, and slow mornings are something my husband, Adam, & I treasure…but I‘m getting ahead of myself. 6d

See All 11 Comments

monalyisha 4. Back to high school. Fiona Apple has the best angsty romance/breakup songs. Enough said. She‘s also full of divinely feminine energy. Her music reminds me of my best childhood girlfriends and sharing mix tapes back & forth. 6d

monalyisha 5. “Let the Mystery Be” is my college pick. I went to St. Mike‘s in Vermont, where I majored in English Literature & Religious Studies. The last thing I was doing was letting the mystery be. 😅 This song has a sweet, rural feel, which reflects my environment, tucked away in the Green Mountains under the blue sky. Another close friend played this for me for the first time. 6d

monalyisha 6. They Might Be Giants is Adam‘s favorite band, and Adam is my great love. We met online and exchanged mix tapes through the mail before we met in-person. This isn‘t the song he put on his tape (that was “Anna Ng”) but it has the best desert island line: “Nobody in the world ever gets what they want and that is beautiful. Everybody dies frustrated and sad and that is beautiful.” 6d

monalyisha 7. These last two songs are almost purely for catharsis. I can imagine belting them out and dancing to them on the island when the solitude becomes less enchanting and the situation becomes too much. “What‘s Going On?” is a question Millennials ask ourselves regularly, given everything we‘ve lived through (economic collapse, 9/11, a global pandemic, the list goes on…). 6d

monalyisha 8. Picture me dancing like a broken marionette, flinging my limbs at random and barely hanging on to my sanity. If you want to survive, you‘ve gotta shake it off. And if I want to survive, I‘ll need Jeff Tweedy‘s voice. 6d

monalyisha #DesertIslandDiscs 6d

AnnCrystal 🎶💝🎶💝🎶💝🎶💝🎶💝🎶💝🎶💝🎶💝. 6d

Christine This is so fun! (I love “Let the Mystery Be,” in part because of how much I love the show The Leftovers. But as you know from my reading taste, I also do not ever like letting the mystery be. 😄) 6d

38 likes11 comments

monalyisha

Anne of Green Gables | L. M. Montgomery

Time to start packing for Prince Edward Island!

Obviously, I‘m starting with the most important task first: deciding which books to bring! 📚

Jess861 I've never been to PEI but I bet there are some epic reading spots there! 1w

kwmg40 I've had several wonderful vacations in PEI and recall fondly taking my children to Green Gables Heritage Place. I hope you have a lovely time! 1w

AnnCrystal 😂📚💝 adventure time! Have a safe trip 💕🐕💝. 7d

74 likes3 comments

monalyisha

All Things Are Too Small: Essays in Praise of Excess | Becca Rothfeld

New mission statement:

“We can still fight emptiness with fullness. Better to order the third plate of pasta. Better to graze each word once.”

TheBookHippie 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 1w

IndianBookworm this looks so delicious!!! 6d

50 likes2 comments

monalyisha

Pure Innocent Fun: Essays | Ira Madison, III

pan

In “The Emancipation of Me,” Madison admits he‘s never finished a Franzen book aside from his essay collection, “because who can‘t finish an essay collection?” His self-deprecating response is, “Most of my friends I give my book to probably.” This is obviously meant to be a joke but…WOW, I AGREE.

I shouldn‘t have finished this. I was deeply bored by it. And I‘m exactly his age, which means it should have been a delightful nostalgia trip. 👇🏻

monalyisha 1/3: I was tricked into reading this book by a remarkably cool cover design, a reference to Buffy the Vampire Slayer in the synopsis, and a surface-level similarity to R. Eric Thomas‘ work, which I love. Both writers are gay Black Milennial men writing memoir-style essays, leaning heavily on pop culture references while, ostensibly, offering a deeper societal critique. 1w

monalyisha 2/3: Thomas, though, is a beautiful writer. I can see how Madison might be an entertaining podcast host (and friend) but I do not think the same can be said of him. Madison‘s essays are rambling, repetitive, poorly organized, and self-involved; they don‘t accomplish the task of using self-reflection to comment on grander ideas. Instead, the vibe is “These are the things that made me ME. Ta-da!” 1w

monalyisha 3/3: I‘m glad he‘s found some semblance of self-confidence and I‘m remiss to knock him down but this is the kind of writing perfect for LiveJournal — NOT a formal book. Really, I should have known we wouldn‘t vibe when he proclaimed that “people are mostly just trying to seem cool when they claim [Hercules] is the best animated Disney film. It only has three songs anyone actually remembers.” That soundtrack slaps. 1w

ChaoticMissAdventures I love his podcast. I have listened every week for years (since the beginning I think) but when he said he was putting out this book I had zero interest. It is interesting how the mediums do not cross over for him. He and Louis are a real fun time though if you are looking for a pop culture podcast. 1w

monalyisha @ChaoticMissAdventures I meant it when I said he‘s probably a great host! This format does him no favors. I did appreciate his analysis of “Bring It On,” though. So, at least there‘s that? 1w

51 likes5 comments

monalyisha

Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist | Tim Federle

Ahhh, the best time of the year is (finally) upon us!

Aims42 Cheers!! 🍹💛🧡🩷 1w

Lesliereadsalot You got that right! 1w

59 likes2 comments

monalyisha

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor: A Novel | Hank Green

so-so

“Did I take baths in the giant soaking tub with a view of both the Hudson and the East River (and everything in between)? Yussss. But I had complicated thoughts about structural inequality while I did it.”

The above quote captures what Green‘s duology is like quite nicely. Did I find the books compulsively readable and highly entertaining? Yes. Emphasis on the “e” and singular “s.” But…👇🏻

monalyisha 1/2: Do I ever want to see the “word” “Yussss” written out in a piece of published writing? No (singular “o”). Maybe that makes me a snob, which makes me feel a little uncomfortable, but it‘s also true. The inclusion of trendy colloquialisms feels *immediately* corny and dated, and, honestly, a little bit cringey. It didn‘t make me hate the books. But it certainly ensured I was never going to love them. 2w

monalyisha 2/2: Their messaging, if a little bit preachy, is solid and important: “Powerful people always thought they had the solutions. What they couldn‘t see was that their power was, itself, the problem.” 2w

monalyisha Also, what happened to Robin?! Green makes a specific point to have Andy apologize to Robin for forgetting that he‘s a person…and then proceeds to forget that Robin is a character! I‘ve never seen a character/thread dropped so soundly. How was this not caught during the editing process?! 2w

55 likes3 comments

monalyisha

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor: A Novel | Hank Green

Sunday vibes. 🖤🤍

RobES This looks so cosy ❣️ 2w

JenlovesJT47 🐶🐶🐶 2w

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 2w

See All 9 Comments

Santie How are you guys keeping your monsteras happy? Mine keeps on wilting 😩 2w

monalyisha @Santie I wish I knew! Probably sheer luck. 😅 My husband‘s the one with the green thumb. 2w

BittersweetBooks Looks like the perfect Sunday! 2w

AnnCrystal 😍💕💤🐕🐾💝. 2w

peanutnine Idyllic 😍 2w

ShelleyBooksie Awww 2w

71 likes9 comments

monalyisha

Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic | Tabitha Stanmore

pick

When I began reading this history of “practical magic” in 1300s-1600s England, I was nothing short of obsessed. My interest, however, slowly tapered off. There are interesting bits sprinkled throughout…but it started to feel like a lot of the same. I‘m also not a big fan of the stylistic, “as we will see in the next chapter” phraseology.

What initially hooked me was the close overlap of priests & “cunning folk”, religion & “service magic.”👇🏻

monalyisha 1/7: I know my understanding of the history surrounding witch trials is colored by my geography (I actually lived in Salem, MA for a spell, while the author‘s from the UK) but I still found a lot of what Stanmore uncovered shocking! I was under the impression that anything smacking of magic would‘ve been condemned as witchcraft & grounds for getting a person (usually a woman) hanged during this time period. 👇🏻 (edited) 2w

monalyisha 2/7: Instead, Stanmore‘s research suggests that “cunning folk” (with proven track records of helping their communities) were largely safe & well-regarded (even the women!) for most of this time even amidst “witch fever.” Although she admits that “such a relaxed attitude towards magic becomes much rarer in the 16th & 17th centuries,” she writes that “scholars have noted that up until the 15th century, magic is largely portrayed as morally neutral.” 2w

monalyisha 3/7: During that time, priests & monks could & did employ “cunning folk”; some even identified as “cunning folk” themselves! A few of the more popular practices included finding lost things, finding lost people, and healing the sick. The exact rituals, which Stanmore describes whenever possible, are hugely fascinating! 2w

See All 10 Comments

monalyisha 4/7: I was particularly rapt when learning about how amulets were made (harnessing the unique properties of the stars, writing powerful inscriptions (sometimes prayers), and intentionally choosing metals based on which planet they corresponded with; as well as supplicating or trapping angels and/or demons). 2w

monalyisha 5/7: I loved reading about how ghosts were believed to be attached to treasure as a form of penance for the person who‘d died, and therefore could be helpful to treasure hunters rather than a source of fear. It was believed that *some* ghosts wanted the pure-hearted to find the wealth they‘d selfishly hoarded while alive so they could be forgiven the sin of avarice and move on. So, a haunting wasn‘t always a deterrent; sometimes, it was desirable! 2w

monalyisha 6/7: Folks also found biblical justification for the practice of palmistry (see: Exodus 13:9), stemming from the conventionally accepted idea that God commonly drew signs in nature — our bodies being part & parcel. These signs could be “read,” therefore, for wisdom or clues about the future. 2w

monalyisha 7/7: This sort of fantastical & spiritual grey area is totally my jam. If I were a more diligent researcher, I imagine this is exactly the book I‘d write. But I‘m too dreamy & distractible to have written it at all, & certainly to have written it in the style that Stanmore did. She‘s academic & colloquial in equal parts but always, unfailingly direct. I like more pottering lyricism to my prose. Less enthusiastic a pick than I imagined…but a pick! 2w

AnnCrystal Insightful review 👏🏼☺️👍🏼🧹📚💝. 2w

Clare-Dragonfly I love a less-than-enthusiastic review that makes me want to read the book. 😄 This sounds right up my alley! 2w

monalyisha @Clare-Dragonfly It‘s definitely thought-provoking and I‘m not mad I read it! 2w

62 likes2 stack adds10 comments

monalyisha

Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic | Tabitha Stanmore

Puppy‘s first pool time. Summer is coming. 💦

dabbe 💜🐾🖤 2w

AnnCrystal 💕🐕🌊🐾💝. 2w

65 likes2 comments

monalyisha

Lace & Pyrite: Letters from Two Gardens | Ross Gay, Aimee Nezhukumatathil

pick

There aren‘t many poems in this collaborative collection by Aimee Nezhukumatathil & Ross Gay: only 12. The poets are friends and they write about their gardens, back & forth, responding to one another.

A light pick. Nothing blew me over…but its essence is wholesome, attentive goodness, which is hard to find fault in. Strangely, my favorite poems were in the “Winter” section, which is undoubtedly my least favorite season!

49 likes

monalyisha

How Poetry Can Change Your Heart | Andrea Gibson, Megan Falley

Andrea Gibson offered this up in their most recent newsletter. It‘s worth sharing. 💗🪏

AnnCrystal 💝💝💝. 2w

dabbe 💙🩵💙 2w

45 likes2 comments

monalyisha

Lace & Pyrite: Letters from Two Gardens | Ross Gay, Aimee Nezhukumatathil

“Nothing like peach blossoms in February to tell you / something‘s off — when these / shivered and shimmied in the wind, / it was a full month early. / The garden these days leans in as if to say, / “You‘re fucked, friend.” / It says so with equanimity, all its leaves / quaking through the bright light / like applause for the dead.”

AnnCrystal 😍🌸🙏🌱💝. 2w

43 likes1 comment

monalyisha

The Marmalade Diaries: The True Story of an Odd Couple | Ben Aitken

I suspect my audiobook listening is about to fall off significantly…🙈

I‘ve discovered Desert Island Discs, a British radio show (now podcast) that‘s been around forever (since 1942).

The host interviews all manner of celebrities (authors, musicians, NASA scientists, etc) about their lives through the conceit of being stranded on a desert island. They basically create a mix tape; they‘re allowed 8 music tracks, 1 book, & 1 luxury item.👇🏻

monalyisha So far, I‘ve listened to episodes with: Greta Gerwig, Helen MacDonald, & Yusuf Cat Stevens. I‘m mildly obsessed — & very grateful for the brief mention in Ben Aitken‘s “The Marmalade Diaries!” If I weren‘t the type of reader to pause my reading to go down many, many rabbit holes, I might never have learned about it! I figured everyone knew of it but me but that hasn‘t been the case. So, I‘m spreading the good word! 3w

CBee This sounds amazing!! 3w

squirrelbrain DID is a British institution! 3w

See All 7 Comments

Bookwomble @squirrelbrain I was going to say exactly that! 😄 3w

monalyisha @squirrelbrain @Bookwomble I understand why! It‘s wonderful. 3w

monalyisha @CBee Let me know if you seek it out! I‘d love to know if you‘re as instantly enamored as I am! 3w

CBee @monalyisha will do 😊 3w

49 likes1 stack add7 comments

monalyisha

Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell | Sy Montgomery

so-so

Sy Montgomery really seems to have taken the idea of “Turtle Time” to heart. I cannot say if this is typical of her writing style…but oh my goodness, this book seemed to last forever. The irony is not lost on me that I wished it would move faster! I found some bits to be repetitive, as well. I could‘ve done with fewer of Fire Chief‘s recovery details, in particular. The message is sweet & sound — turtles DO deserve saving. And cars ARE terrible.

monalyisha 1/2: I‘d be willing to try another of Montgomery‘s books in the future. I‘d read it in print (instead of listening to the audio, as I did this time around) to see if the change in format impacts how I receive her style. I‘m a little worried that her writing might not be for me, though! I think it‘s that the sweet bits are almost *too* earnestly sweet. 3w

monalyisha 2/2: Despite fully acknowledging the realities of climate change and the overwhelming environmental impact that humans have had in such a short period, Montgomery‘s tone teeters on the edge of saccharine. 3w

monalyisha *Note: While TRL‘s mission and overall vibe is *incredibly* impressive and heartwarming, to this Milennial, “TRL” will always stand for (MTV‘s) Total Request Live. I think Alexxia and Natasha might not be much older than I am. I wonder if their abbreviated name conjures up the same association for them! 3w

See All 6 Comments

shanaqui I thought I remembered liking Sy Montgomery's book about octopodes, but I went and looked and I gave it 2/5 with some of the same caveats. 🤔 So yeah I suspect her work may just... be that way. 3w

muscogulus 👍 @shanaqui for “octopodes” 2w

shanaqui @muscogulus Aside from any correctness grammatically, I find the word octopodes so fun to say. Octopodes! 1w

63 likes6 comments

monalyisha

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing: A Novel | Hank Green

pick

A sci-fi bildungsroman featuring aliens & puzzles!

The Humans (Haig) meets Ready, Player One (Cline) — with some Magicians (Grossman) vibes thrown in for good measure (the MC is young, immature, & terrible to those who care the most).

This is a story about addiction, selfishness, & fear. Fortunately, it‘s also about cooperation, community, & hope.

Hank Green is more of a storyteller and an idea man than a writer of careful prose. 👇🏻

monalyisha 1/2: His sentences are sometimes awkward, and I found myself not infrequently questioning the consistency of his verb tenses. But the general idea comes across — and the general idea is funny, cool, and sensitive. The dialog reads naturally… except when he uses the word “donkeyfart,” which may be natural (scientifically-speaking) but it is neither funny nor cool. 3w

monalyisha 2/2: As the story drew to a close, I found myself appreciating not just the tale but the skill with which it was told more & more. However, the work Green did to garner that appreciation was undone by the MASSIVE cliffhanger at the end, which is one of my pet peeves. Even if a book is part of a series, I think each book should feel complete unto itself. The dramatic cliffhanger is a cheap trick! A pick with reservations. The next book is on-hold. 3w

willaful I *hate* that! 3w

48 likes3 comments

monalyisha

Idle Grounds | Krystelle Bamford

No surprises here! May‘s winning title is tagged. I‘m pleased to be adding more fiction to the bracket.

#Readingbracket2025

CSeydel

CSeydel Very nice! 3w

50 likes1 comment

monalyisha

Nettle & Bone | T. Kingfisher

Did May feel extra-long to anyone else?

Idle Grounds was my favorite! Sneaky & feverish.

Nettle & Bone is a *magical* listen.

I Hope This Finds You Well was a delightful change of pace.

Unraveling, though a reread, was spun as well as I remembered. Fascinating & timely, in a world that desperately needs more climate justice.

Marmalade is great in small spoonfuls. Dip in & out.

My heart is still recovering from Juno Loves Legs. It‘s visceral.

monalyisha #AWreads2025 3w

Avanders May always feels extra long to me… I don‘t know why 🤷‍♀️ 3w

willaful @Avanders Are you a parent? It was a million years for me, with my daughter all stressed out before finals... 3w

monalyisha @willaful No, but that totally makes sense! 3w

53 likes4 comments

monalyisha

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing: A Novel | Hank Green

“I wasn‘t as disconnected as I made myself out to be. Being annoyed by carefully crafted internet personas was part of my carefully crafted internet persona.”

Pictured: My Facebook profile. I‘m logged in using my phone‘s browser instead of the actual FB app because I‘m trying (with varying degrees of success) to be more disconnected. You know…for the persona. 😜 The astute among you may have noticed that my profile pic‘s been recently updated. 🙈

dabbe I quit FB and Instagram for my sanity. Litsy is my only social media, and I couldn't be happier. Love your picture! 🩵💙🩵 3w

monalyisha @dabbe It‘s pretty handy that it‘s really hard to look at Instagram on your browser. Helps with the impulse control. 😉 I do open FB *a whole lot* less — and it‘s been good for me, too! The only downside is that I still sometimes have the need to mindlessly scroll, which I end up doing on Poshmark. My wallet isn‘t so sure about the “good for me” part! 3w

monalyisha @dabbe By the way, I keep meaning to make a post to thank you for your delivery of goodies! The MUTTS/Ram Dass mash-up postcard is hanging on our fridge! Thank you!!! 3w

dabbe @monalyisha YAY! 😍 3w

53 likes4 comments

monalyisha

I Hope This Finds You Well | Natalie Sue

pick

I needed a palate cleanser after reading an absolute gut-punch of a book (Juno Loves Legs). This was the exact right choice. I stayed up late reading two nights in a row. I was tired at work yesterday & I‘m sure I‘ll be tired again today (after I finally go to sleep & wake up again). The lack of sleep means I‘ll likely be irritable with my coworkers…but that feels right somehow. 😅 A silly premise but messy in the best way. Funny & romantic, too!

monalyisha *Note: I don‘t mean to imply that there aren‘t heavier topics included here, or that the book doesn‘t come with trigger warnings of its own! There‘s death, grief, trauma, alcoholism, loneliness, abuse, and neglect. But there‘s forward momentum, growth, catharsis, acceptance, and plenty of levity, as well. 💓 4w

68 likes1 comment

monalyisha

Juno Loves Legs: A Novel | Karl Geary

pick

A two-sentence review said, “It‘s gorgeously written. I wish I hadn‘t read it.” I don‘t know if I can improve upon that! Except, I don‘t really wish I‘d skipped it.

The story is devastatingly predictable. I don‘t mean that the book is disappointing, just that the repeated patterns in our past & in our present are. The story is not unique. The characters are alive — until they‘re not (& too soon). I can‘t believe it didn‘t end in the springtime.

BkClubCare Oh dear, I am already crying. Do I need to read this for a time I need a good cry?!😭 4w

willaful I've written pretty much that same review a time or two... 4w

monalyisha @BkClubCare Ohh, no. It didn‘t feel like a cleansing cry. Do the opposite: read it when you‘re feeling strong! 4w

AnnCrystal 💕🐕💝. 4w

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 4w

65 likes1 stack add5 comments

monalyisha

Juno Loves Legs: A Novel | Karl Geary

Taking full advantage of this Monday holiday.

AnnCrystal 💕🐕💝. 4w

dabbe #sosweet! 🖤🐾🖤 4w

Suet624 💕💕💕 4w

65 likes3 comments

monalyisha

Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic | Tabitha Stanmore

Fiction: Juno Loves Legs (book club)
Nonfiction: Cunning Folk (just started)
Audio: Of Time and Turtles (nearly done)

I just cracked open the middle book this morning & I‘m already slightly obsessed (despite the fact that it has endnotes, which make me want to rip my hair out; fortunately, it seems like they‘re mostly just crediting source material & I can ignore them without missing anything). Also, how gorgeous is that cover?! 🤩

#weekendreads

rachelsbrittain

rachelsbrittain Oo that one sounds super interesting! I'm going to have to check it out 👀 1mo

monalyisha @rachelsbrittain YES! I think what‘s been most fascinating to me so far is the close overlap of priests and “cunning folk”, religion and “service magic.”

I was under the impression that anything smacking of magic would‘ve been condemned as witchcraft & grounds for getting a person (usually a woman) hanged during the trials. But it seems like “cunning folk” were largely safe and well-regarded (even the women!). 1mo

monalyisha @rachelsbrittain And priests could/did employ and sometimes even WERE “cunning folk.” Practices included finding lost things or people, healing, etc. And the exact rituals are hugely fascinating!

I know my understanding is different because my witch trials history is US-based (I actually lived in Salem, MA for a spell) while the author‘s from the UK & digging into the history there. But still! 1mo

rachelsbrittain That's fascinating! 4w

68 likes1 stack add4 comments

monalyisha

Bright Shining | Julia Baird

so-so

Everything I‘ve ever read by Baird has taken me forever to finish. I‘ve only read this and Victoria: The Queen, which are very different books in content & length (256 pages vs. 752) — but the fact remains. Baird‘s writing is sprawling, which makes it difficult to read in one go. Nevermind that I kept stopping to cry!

I don‘t know if I found enough of what I wanted (homely, undramatic, everyday grace) but the examples provided knocked me out.👇🏻

monalyisha 1/2: I especially appreciated the real-life stories of nurses working during the pandemic, interviews with record-breaking blood donors, and the well-chosen quotes from poets, authors, and philosophers. 1mo

monalyisha 2/2: Other reviewers have called Baird‘s prose “uneven” and have questioned the strength of her organizing principles. I think those judgments may be too harsh but I also *do* see what they mean. There‘s something scattered about her style…but light scatters, too, shining brightly as it does so.

TW (among many, many others): It should be noted that cancer-content lurks around the page corners. 1mo

Chelsea.Poole I can imagine this is a difficult one—I read another from her and it was a hard read

Phosphorescence: On awe, wonder and things that sustain you when the world goes dark

(edited) 1mo

monalyisha @Chelsea.Poole For a minute, after learning of that one, I was wishing I‘d read it instead! But then I heard tell that they‘re *incredibly* similar. 1mo

64 likes1 stack add4 comments

monalyisha

The Witch's Book of Self-Care: Magical Ways to Pamper, Soothe, and Care for Your Body and Spirit | Arin Murphy-Hiscock

My husband & I are getting pedicures. The women at the salon love him because he always chooses outrageous colors. Today, he joked the lime green hue he‘d chosen was called, “S‘not nice.” This made me research if there‘s a line of nail polish with punk rock names. While I didn‘t answer my original question, I did learn about a color named after dial-up Internet called “eeeeeee urrrrrrrrrr deedle deedle screeeelllllllll ee ee ee blurrrrrrblurblur.”

AlaMich 😂 1mo

AmyG Ha! 1mo

AnnCrystal 🤩💅💝. 1mo

See All 6 Comments

ChaoticMissAdventures 😂😂😂 1mo

Bookzombie 😂😂 1mo

dabbe Your hubby rocks! 🤩 1mo

74 likes6 comments

monalyisha

Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer | Kelly Jones

pick

I (re)read this book for my kids‘ fantasy book club at the library. For some, it was their first experience with an epistolary novel! It‘s a format I adore, so I was honored to introduce them to it. I love that the tale is utterly wacky (invisible, levitating, shape-shifting, bossy chickens!) while also being a gentle exploration of grief (for Sophie‘s abuela, with whom she shared a special closeness, and for her uncle, whom she‘d never met).👇🏻

monalyisha 1/4: It‘s also a story about a whole family finding their way in a new place, wrestling with race and class struggles in an age-appropriate way. These systemic problems are not the focus of the story…and yet, they do not go unmentioned. Sophie deals with grown-up things (like sometimes kids are made to) on her level; the grown-ups deal with grown-up things in the background and have their own hints of story. Expert-level nuance here! 1mo

monalyisha 2/4: The villain‘s character falls a little short. Her motivation is explained but it‘s a bit shallow and unmined, especially considering the drastic actions she takes. Sophie‘s dad is still finding his way at the end of the book. I‘d love to have seen the seeds of a clearer and more unique path laid out for him. 1mo

monalyisha 3/4: The writing in the section about the cockatrice chicken could have been sharper. It‘s the darkest chunk, in terms of mood, and the writing is murky to match. I‘m not convinced all of the details were necessary, especially given that the writing seems to prove a subconscious desire to obscure them. 1mo

monalyisha 4/4: There‘s a second book, which I‘ve never read. Were I the intended audience for the book, I‘d dive right in! Given that I‘m an adult with my own reading needs, I may never get there…but that has nothing to do with the book and everything to do with me! A gem, sparkling brightly with funky chicken charm and practical facts. 1mo

56 likes1 stack add4 comments

monalyisha

Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell | Sy Montgomery

When I bought tickets to watch this documentary film with a longtime friend at our childhood stomping grounds in Worcester (MA), I wondered if the (human) stars of my current audiobook would be there.

They were! 🐢

I drove past the house I grew up in, too, for the first time in about a decade. There are solar panels on the roof now and the front yard looked lovely. There were even a couple of young flowering trees. It made me happy to see.

AnnCrystal 💝💝💝. 1mo

Amiable The Ecotarium!! My kids used to love that place when they were little and we lived near there. 1mo

monalyisha @Amiable It was my favorite place when I was a kid (though it was called The Science Center then)! I loved riding the little train around with my grandpa, saying hi to all of their animals, learning about rocks and crystals, crawling through tunnels, and staring up at the “stars” in the Planetarium. We were so lucky to have it nearby! 1mo

See All 8 Comments

Amiable @monalyisha Did you also go to the Higgins Armory Museum? My boys LOVED it. My oldest son had his 5th-birthday party there —the highlight was when they helped him cut his cake with a medieval sword. 😄 1mo

monalyisha @Amiable YES! I took my husband there on one of our first dates, in fact! I wish we could‘ve been married there. Then, I could‘ve cut my wedding cake with a sword — like your son (& Alice Roosevelt, which I always thought was a totally bad-ass move)! Sadly, it closed (maintenance costs for the building were too high) & the collection was divvied up (mostly to the Worc. Art Museum) by the time we got married. Should‘ve picked up the pace, hubby! 😜 1mo

monalyisha @Amiable I took him to the Ecotarium, too, actually, which he referred to as “the fake zoo.” He‘s lucky I didn‘t dump him. 😅 1mo

Amiable @monalyisha 🙊🙉🙈🤺 (that‘s the best I can do for an offended zoo animal wielding a sword 🗡️ ) 😄 1mo

monalyisha @Amiable 😂 A valiant attempt. I‘m honored that it was made. 1mo

57 likes8 comments

monalyisha

There's a Ghost in This House | Oliver Jeffers

#tuesdaytunes
Current obsession:

“Born as a data mine for targeted marketing
And no one will listen up until you become a hashtag or a meme…
They want you to be a ghost
When they rob you of your hope
But you've got power when they're not expecting anything…
I rush to my phone
Because I don't wanna feel alone
They forced us to grow
Into a world without a soul.”

https://open.spotify.com/track/46xgkYwLw0qoExTRgNu9v9?si=TuNOCzgNS1Sj7iivwfFy3Q

TieDyeDude

monalyisha Song: “To Be a Ghost” by Jeff Rosenstock (2016) 1mo

42 likes1 comment

monalyisha

Cat's People: A Novel | Tanya Guerrero

pick

Would you believe I‘m not a cat person?* 😅🤷‍♀️

Guerrero‘s book may be overly sentimental and unbelievably awkward (e.g. “All this for a cat to pee and poop in?”) but it‘s so nice to read about people genuinely connecting that I *almost* didn‘t care.

The story falls prey to the “summarizing the whole book at the end” trap. Still, the characters are all incredibly sweet (especially Omar & Bong); you can‘t help but cheer for them.

A low pick.

monalyisha *About not being a cat person: I was super allergic for most of my life. Although, recent tests show that my sensitivity has decreased and I‘m actually MORE allergic to dogs and rabbits now. Go figure! 🙈 I ignore the recent set of results soundly (and I seem to be doing just fine. Flonase is my pal). Still, it‘s hard to get over decades of avoidant behavior. So, while I like cats plenty, we are uneasy friends. 1mo

monalyisha I‘m a little upset that Omar didn‘t use the money from Mrs. Lewis to open up a cat cafe with his new pals. It really seemed like that was where the story was headed, based on the group‘s mutual love, directionlessness, & complementary skill sets (Nuria‘s Master Barista skills, Omar‘s homemade pet treats, his partner‘s interior design prowess, etc) — not to mention the influence of Lily & Nuria‘s late father! What a dangled carrot (or tuna treat?)! 1mo

59 likes2 comments

monalyisha

Cat's People: A Novel | Tanya Guerrero

The pup is *rather* offended that I‘ve chosen to read about cats.

thegirlwiththelibrarybag The betrayal!! 1mo

Read-n-Bloom 😂 1mo

TheBookHippie Rude!!! 1mo

See All 6 Comments

AnnCrystal 👏🏼😹💕🐕💝. 1mo

kspenmoll Haha the pup‘s look!!!‘ 1mo

dabbe 🤣🐾🖤 1mo

69 likes1 stack add6 comments

monalyisha

Idle Grounds | Krystelle Bamford

pick

The best (adult) novel I‘ve read all year (no way to measure it against Moominland; they are different soft, round, or zig-zaggy beasts). A child goes missing. Her gaggle of cousins goes looking for her in the thick, viscous, fecund wood.

One might complain that there are too many similes and metaphors but that one would also be forced to admit that 95% of them are so creative and fantastic that the complaint isn‘t really a complaint at all. 👇🏻

monalyisha 1/2: Besides, something being LIKE something else, but not *actually* something, represents that disquieting resistance to being pinned down that horror has. You can‘t quite look at it directly. Or you don‘t want to. You can‘t grasp it or understand it or reason with it. It eludes you, and that‘s uncomfortable. Figurative language is the best we‘ve got. 1mo

monalyisha 2/2: Owen with his precious eggs is my favorite part. Such a clear symbol for how everything is so delicate and vulnerable, and how the outside world is implicitly threatening and dangerous. And, what‘s worse (in the case of Beezy, especially) is that sometimes your interior world is no better. This is a book about generational trauma. It perfectly captures humanity‘s capacity to be there for one another, and — crushingly — not. 1mo

monalyisha AND I DIDN‘T EVEN MENTION THAT IT‘S FUNNY! 🤩🤯 1mo

lauraisntwilder I just bought this on Sunday on a whim and hadn't heard anything about it. Love your review! 1mo

monalyisha @lauraisntwilder I hope it strikes you the same way it did me! 1mo

57 likes4 stack adds5 comments

monalyisha

Idle Grounds | Krystelle Bamford

Me, in the face of this book‘s 3.30 ⭐️ Goodreads rating.

ChaoticMissAdventures I have loved so many 3⭐ reads from GR. I always feel like people have zero clue what they are reading, they don't know how to pick books for themselves and then get mad that it isn't perfectly tailored to them. 1mo

CatLass007 I generally don‘t pay a ton of attention to ratings and reviews. I read the description of the book and if it sounds good I‘ll borrow or buy it. 1mo

monalyisha @ChaoticMissAdventures I just said the EXACT same thing to my husband! One of the Storygraph reviews said, “These kids were literally walking around for ages and I just don‘t love novels centered on kids.” 😂💀 1mo

See All 8 Comments

monalyisha @CatLass I tend to read them afterwards to see how other readers‘ impressions compare to my own. 1mo

ChaoticMissAdventures @monalyisha honestly this might help me 😂 I too don't normally enjoy books centered on children. But I think you have to read the synopsis, understand what you are going in for and then (IMO) rate the book on the writing and how effective the storytelling is. So many people have so many different ideas in what goes into their ⭐ rating. 1mo

monalyisha @ChaoticMissAdventures Ha! I mean, we all get it wrong sometimes. But that‘s when you‘ve got to reflect and say, “This wasn‘t for me.” I love meandering narratives (and coming of age stories). 1mo

5feet.of.fury @monalyisha lmaooo I finished a book recently, liked it a lot and then headed to the reviews and 1/2 of the 3 star or less reviews were “I don‘t like YA” 😩 …like??? This was so avoidable. 1mo

monalyisha @5feet.of.fury Right? Do your research! 😜 Granted, sometimes my hand is forced (book clubs, etc). 1mo

44 likes8 comments

monalyisha

The Anthropocene Reviewed | John Green

I wasn‘t confident about my choices, so I never posted it…but here‘s my April #ReadingBracket2025.

I‘m thinking about it now because I‘m musing about May‘s selection. I‘ve been reading Idle Grounds & just loving it. I‘m only a few pages from the end — really dragging my feet on the conclusion. What if I‘m somehow disappointed?

Anyway, my choice for April is John Green‘s The Anthropocene Reviewed. Eminently listenable! 🎧

Mantel is still ahead.

CSeydel

Berry.Villain Where can I get the blank copy? 1mo

monalyisha @Berry.Villain It‘s from @CSeydel — you may need to scroll through her posts quite a bit. I think she likely posted it towards the beginning of the year. 1mo

CSeydel @berry.villain I tagged you in the post but then I remembered I could post a direct link to it! Here it is in case anyone else is looking: https://litsy.com/p/TXdoWG1rQWx3 1mo

CSeydel If I could wish for one upgrade to Litsy it would be the ability to search a hashtag on a specific user profile 1mo

51 likes4 comments

monalyisha

Idle Grounds | Krystelle Bamford

“He was wearing a polo shirt with fat, colored stripes and a white collar which made him look like a formal caterpillar.”

Aims42 Love that description 😂 A++ 1mo

Bookwormjillk 🤣😂🤣😂 1mo

57 likes2 comments

monalyisha

The Third Gilmore Girl | Kelly Bishop

pick

I think Kelly Bishop might be the ultimate chaotic good. She‘s sassy, opinionated, stubborn, motivated by justice, honest about her own faults & failures, optimistic yet realistic, grateful & *never* bitter. What a mindset & what a talent! Her big mouth combined with her dance background made me miss my grandma (a jitterbug champion rather than a classically-trained ballerina) fiercely. It was a pleasure to get to know Emily Gilmore better. 🩰💗🎬

monalyisha Oh! I have to share a tiny detail that made me splutter out a surprised laugh: at one point, she quotes Garth Brooks! 😂 I definitely didn‘t have that on my bingo card! 1mo

Sharpeipup I truly enjoyed this story and loved hearing how she landed some of her roles especially Dirty Dancing. 1mo

monalyisha @Sharpeipup I don‘t even want to admit this but while I was watching GG, it didn‘t even occur to me that she was in DD! 🙈 And I loved both! 🍉 1mo

See All 7 Comments

JamieArc I listened to this recently and was pleasantly surprised. I knew nothing about her life previous to DD and it was really interesting. It took me down some rabbit holes and now I think there‘s a new show with her about ballet that I‘m curious about. 1mo

monalyisha @JamieArc I just learned about the new show, too, and am eager to watch! I pretty much only watch TV with my husband and he definitely won‘t be interested. But it seems worth it to find the time! 1mo

TheBookHippie I love her. 1mo

TheBookHippie @JamieArc https://www.amazon.com/Etoile-Season-1/dp/B0DYL5TRQT 1mo

70 likes3 stack adds7 comments

monalyisha

Unraveling: What I Learned about Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World's Ugliest Sweater | Peggy Orenstein

pick

Reread Unraveling for a traveling book club at my library. I hosted today‘s meeting at the NRT (Natural Resources Trust) Sheep Pasture. It was just as good as when I read it the first time — & the book club attendees agreed! How can you not love a book which begins, “Sheep don‘t look like they‘d be slippery.” It explores the process of making a sweater — from shearing the sheep, to spinning & carding the wool, to dyeing and (finally) knitting.👇🏻

monalyisha 1/1: It also explores the author‘s personal grief (her mother‘s recent death, her father‘s fast decline due to dementia, and her daughter‘s imminent departure for college), and her global grief during the pandemic as she yearns for community and climate justice. A+ research and writing. I especially enjoyed the section about natural dyes. Just fab. 🐑 1mo

monalyisha *Note: Book Club participants were treated to a live demo and a chance to get their hands on the tools of the trade: carding, spinning, and knitting (or crocheting). Here I am, working on my crone skills so I can fulfill my calling to live in an overgrown cottage on the edge of the forest. 🍃 1mo

Ruthiella I loved learning that the word “distaff” meaning “female” comes from this craft. 1mo

See All 7 Comments

Soubhiville Sounds like a really cool and informative day! 1mo

ravenlee I‘ve always wanted to try spinning. I have a spindle but it‘s not something I‘ve been able figure out on my own, and it doesn‘t have the same draw as a spinning wheel in my imagination. 1mo

monalyisha @ravenlee I found the drop spindle pretty challenging! 1mo

julesG The drop spindle is challenging. 1mo

57 likes1 stack add7 comments

monalyisha

The Marmalade Diaries: The True Story of an Odd Couple | Ben Aitken

pick

A 35-year-old writer moves in with an 85-year-old spitfire, recently widowed, right before the pandemic. He keeps a journal of their experience.

The relationship between Ben & Winnie forms s.l.o.w.l.y. — which makes the end result all the more satisfying. From my lived experience, it reminded me of having a rabbit…that slow build of trust from a creature who is markedly independent & willful in spite of *or because of* her vulnerability.👇🏻

monalyisha 1/2: Winnie also reminded me of my own grandmother, who was a bit of a divisive figure. She kept exactly none of her opinions to herself and was quick to judge. Fortunately, she judged me worthy and we had a close relationship. Winnie, however, is British — and feels like it! — whereas my gram hails from New England with stints in California. I loved puttering about the garden with Winnie (& Ben)…👇🏻 1mo

monalyisha 2/2: and reading his good-natured response to her biting yet somehow increasingly warm critiques (of his cooking, his hair, his humor, you name it). The ending isn‘t what I wanted but I suppose that‘s aging. Hey-ho. I do feel greatly in need of an update 3 years hence. 1mo

Suet624 I love this post 💕 your grandmother sounds like someone I can relate to. 1mo

67 likes2 stack adds3 comments

monalyisha

Even Monsters Need Haircuts | Matthew McElligott

Continuing the trend of occasionally posting non-sequitors so I don‘t get pulled back into other social media (Instagram, Facebook). Thanks for being here!

The non-book-related item of the moment is: I got bangs…which I already regret! 😅 I worried they might not look good, or that I might not be able to style them properly (which remains to be seen). It didn‘t occur to me that they might be plain annoying!

It‘s been raining, raining. 🌧️🌸🍃

MittenGirlPeach The bangs look terrific! 1mo

AmyG You look great. Maybe you need time to adjust to having bangs? 1mo

BarbaraJean Well, if it's any consolation, the bangs LOOK adorable. 😊 1mo

See All 22 Comments

thegirlwiththelibrarybag You look great! Hopefully the regret period is short lived (because the growing out stage is long 😬) 1mo

julesG You look great!! 1mo

Mollyanna I like the bangs. They look great. 1mo

TheKidUpstairs They look great! Bangs are always an adjustment period 😁 1mo

Aims42 You look great with bangs!!! I 100% agree with @TheKidUpstairs - there is a definite adjustment period 🙃 You‘ll figure out how to style them, give yourself some time and grace 💕 1mo

ChaoticMissAdventures I have had bangs for about a decade, I have found the key is a fantastic hair person who you can text and they can squeeze you in between clients to trim them when you start to think you might cut them yourself 😂 1mo

BarbaraBB You look great with them! Really!! 1mo

dabbe They look fabulous on you! It‘ll just take time to get used to them. 💚🩵💚 1mo

LeahBergen Love them!! 1mo

AnnCrystal You look fantastic with bangs 🤩👍🏼. 1mo

willaful They look very cute! 1mo

Blh87 They look great, and you can always pin them back if they get annoying. 1mo

tpixie You look adorable and your bangs are great. They are tricky. If they get long and touch my eyebrows or face, I go crazy! 🤪 1mo

TheLudicReader I love your bangs. 1mo

lauraisntwilder Totally suits you! 1mo

Suet624 Who cares about the bangs when you have such a delightful smile. 1mo

marleed Love the bangs! 1mo

Lesliereadsalot You look adorable! 1mo

Chelsea.Poole Those bangs are bangin. I know what you mean though…I‘ve tried a few times over the years and they tickle the eyebrows! 1mo

79 likes22 comments

monalyisha

Blob: A Love Story | Maggie Su

pick

A 20-something Taiwanese-American suffering from depression finds a sentient blob in an alleyway. Though she‘s experiencing a profound disconnectedness from herself & others, she tries to forge a connection. I liked this book from the get-go. The dark, cynical humor made me laugh. I wanted *more,* though. More character evolution & more character depth from just about everyone. It‘s certainly a book where everyone‘s uncomfortably in the middle.

monalyisha Perhaps the lack of definitive evolution is meant to show just how much of an achievement it is to even *start* giving your life shape again when you‘ve felt so flat for so long. It‘s not satisfying progress, narratively, but it *is* realistic. This may also explain why the author conceded to advice she received early on in her writing process, to “go gentler on Vi.” 2mo

monalyisha Still, I think the idea eclipses the execution. It doesn‘t feel overly optimistic, however, to believe that Su, who‘s still young, could be growing towards an amazing talent. It *does* feel overly optimistic to hope that she might drop the phrase “jacking off” from her vocabulary. But that‘s a me problem and I digress… 2mo

Chelsea.Poole Great review. I started this (I‘m talking like 4 pages read) and was so intrigued but didn‘t continue because life. But I should get this on audio. 1mo

vivastory I have this one checked out. Looking forward to it! 1mo

67 likes2 stack adds4 comments

monalyisha

Nettle & Bone | T. Kingfisher

pick

Marra, who is not-quite-a-nun & barely a princess, learns that her eldest sister was killed by her husband, the prince. Her middle sister is now married to the same man, crowned king; she stays pregnant to keep him from beating her — or at least hold him back a bit. Marra vows to save her sister, loosening the political noose around her neck, by killing the monster. She assembles a band of not-so-merry, magical misfits to aid her in her quest.👇🏻

monalyisha 1/3: This was my first T. Kingfisher. It won‘t be my last. Two words: “tooth. dancer.” That fantastically discomfiting imagery won‘t soon be forgotten. Amara Jasper‘s audiobook narration is pretty fab, too (with the exception of the way she pronounces, “Eh?”). 2mo

monalyisha 2/3: At first, I griped about repetition & Marra‘s immaturity but any complaints were soon quelched (though I could‘ve done without the “cursed child” character; evil puppets have never really done it for me). Soon enough, I yielded to total immersion in the story. 2mo

monalyisha 3/3: While not shying away from darkness, the tale somehow maintains a cozy vibe. And, as an added perk, the words Kingfisher chooses to end with are perfect. She leaves the story open to the possibility of further development while still providing a satisfying resolution. 2mo

shanaqui I really don't know how Kingfisher manages to put darkness and cosiness together so well. It's a consistent *thing* through all her books I've read: somehow it's cosy reading even when it's also dark and awful. 2mo

PlutoReads I will read anything by Kingfisher. 1mo

58 likes5 comments

monalyisha

Raising Hare: A Memoir | Chloe Dalton

The variety encapsulated by my reading month makes me happy. It‘s a pretty accurate snapshot of my literary life as a whole.

StoryGraph tells me I‘m 14 books ahead of my reading goal. It‘s possible I set the bar too low but it still gives me a flush of pleasure!

monalyisha Don‘t mind my personal reading tracker: #AWreads2025 2mo

vivastory I'm curious: what format did you you read the John Green in? 2mo

monalyisha @vivastory Audiobook, which I wouldn‘t change! 2mo

ravenlee I started setting my StoryGraph goals ridiculously low because it was giving me anxiety. 🤣 Now I can feel confident all year because I hit my goals in January. 2mo

willaful I also enjoyed the audiobook of The Anthropocene Reviewed. 2mo

65 likes5 comments

monalyisha

Instructions for Traveling West: Poems | Joy Sullivan

“I would like to touch the world
and not harm it. I would like to be touched and not
harmed.”

dabbe 💙🩵💙 2mo

TheBookHippie ♥️ 2mo

JenReadsAlot Oh that just made me smile 😊 2mo

54 likes3 comments

monalyisha

Instructions for Traveling West: Poems | Joy Sullivan

pick

Joy Sullivan strikes me as a poet aiming to be a younger, more sexual Mary Oliver (cf: “Tomatoes” to “Roses” [Felicity]). But Mary was already perfect; fully incarnate yet not inelegantly carnal. I don‘t begrudge Sullivan having had an orgasm or writing about it. I do have reservations about her — metaphorically — beating off a dead horse (an offense which feels particularly egregious coming from a horse girl). 👇🏻

monalyisha 1/3: I think she may be kicking back too hard and too obviously against her religious upbringing. It‘s enough to eat the apple and savor it; you don‘t have to tie cherry stems with your tongue. 2mo

monalyisha 2/3: Still, some poems are stunners and some of her particular phrasing will stick with me, e.g. “the soft chapel of your chest.” 2mo

monalyisha 3/3: Or, “Don‘t just write the sad, you say. We are not a sad museum. Remember the good: the cabin at Rainier. The hike up Shasta Mountain. *The night we ate mushrooms and got slaphappy, then slapsad and wept at the sight of wild pears.*” Even if I hadn‘t mostly enjoyed the collection, it would‘ve all been worth it for “slapsad.” 2mo

monalyisha Stand-outs: “Cost”, These Days People Are Really Selling Me on California”, “What Eve Knew”, “As Women Do”, “Pushing the Belly”, “Instinct.” A low pick. 2mo

52 likes4 comments

monalyisha

A Council of Dolls: A Novel | Mona Susan Power

pick

Filled with examples of truly beautiful prose (e.g. “If I was allowed, I‘d run my finger across Mama‘s face the way I do with Christmas bulbs to feel their shine”), this novel describes hideously traumatic experiences. There‘s so much needless death, the fact of which the Dakhóta children in each section (set in the 1960s, 1930s, & 1900s) are all too aware.

It‘s heartbreaking, intimate, and historically accurate pain. ??

monalyisha 1/3: In the Author‘s Note, Mona Susan Power informs her readers, “Writing this book was a healing endeavor. May it support the healing of others.” It does, eventually, come around to healing. The final chapter provides some much needed lightness, in the form of “a codependent cockatoo” named after His Royal Badness (aka Prince). 💜 2mo

monalyisha 2/3: Unfortunately, I also found the final chapter to be the weakest part (despite the gorgeous bit about the supermoon). And it seems, after combing through other reviews, that I‘m not alone. The writing in this section isn‘t subtle enough. Powers‘ dialog is warm but it feels stilted and formal — written rather than spoken (which I‘m realizing is perhaps a horribly insensitive criticism of a writer who comes from an oral storytelling tradition). 2mo

monalyisha 3/3: Though therapy is an important and valuable part of healing, it doesn‘t heighten the poetry of the reading experience to be buried in therapy-speak. Still, I was moved by the story/stories, overall, and impressed with the telling. The hook of writing through the dolls‘ perspective could have been “corny” (reference intended) — but it wasn‘t. It was tenderly executed. A solid 4 stars. 2mo

55 likes1 stack add3 comments

monalyisha

Into the Land of the Unicorns | Bruce Coville

pick

April‘s selection for my kids‘ fantasy book club at the library. It was my favorite when I was little, so I was eager to see how it would be received by today‘s generation, 30 years later. It dawned a gorgeous, sunny day (after a month full of rain), so I had only one attendee. Lucky for me, Maeve is my (secret) favorite! She LOVED the book, which was validating. If I‘m being honest, much of my taste today can be traced back exactly this far.👇🏻

monalyisha 1/1: A portal fantasy featuring a young girl who has a close relationship with her grandmother, and who seeks refuge inside a moody old church? It‘s *basically* my literary origin story. 😅 2mo

CSeydel That‘s so cool! I remember my son reading this one, years ago. 2mo

BethM I loved this series as a kid and still own my copies. There‘s 5 in the series I believe. I was always so sad he didn‘t give it the attention he gave his other books. 2mo

monalyisha @BethM I‘m jealous that you still have your copies! I saw that he recently reissued them as a 7-book boxed set. https://www.brucecoville.com/library/unicorn-chronicles/ 2mo

59 likes4 comments

monalyisha

Fireworks | Katie Cotugno

Did I go back and find the post I made about this dedication 8 years ago? You bet I did! Good thing this wasn‘t that popular of a book (though sad for Katie Cotugno, who is delightful)!

I wasn‘t even that big of a Hanson fan but my childhood bff was — and this made me laugh. Funnily enough, I just saw her today for brunch!

Wild to think I‘ve been on Litsy for over 8 years.

#SundayFunday

BookmarkTavern

BookmarkTavern I love that! Thanks for posting! 2mo

50 likes1 comment

monalyisha

The Colony | Annika Norlin

WELL.

That was a joyful chore! 😅 I‘ve placed my votes for #CampLitsy25. I chose the titles I thought would lead to the most productive discussions — or, in the case of Sky Daddy, the one(s) I didn‘t want to be alone with. 😜

Thanks for hosting, @BarbaraBB @Megabooks & @squirrelbrain !

*If you‘re interested in viewing the longlist, voting, or in the event itself, visit any of their pages or check out the hashtag!

monalyisha I didn‘t nominate any titles myself this year and it was a blast to vote without any skin in the game, tbh! I‘ll tag the only one I *did* consider adding to the mix, since it didn‘t show up otherwise.

Bibliophobia: A Memoir

2mo

BarbaraJean Oooh, Bibliophobia sounds so good! (And I need to do my homework and investigate the longlist, i.e. blow up my TBR…) 2mo

monalyisha @BarbaraJean Oh, it‘s so blown-up. 😆 Some I put immediately on hold (Liquid, Blob, Kate & Frida, Cat‘s People, Idle Grounds, The Incandescent). Others, like Memorial Days, which I saw you‘d nominated, I think I‘d just prefer to read on my own. And some, I want to listen to (Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert, Model Home, Heartwood), & I prefer to discuss what I‘ve read in print. Such happy sorting! 2mo

See All 9 Comments

BarbaraBB I love this post! Your choices and how I can relate to the process! Thanks! 2mo

monalyisha Thanks, @BarbaraBB ! I saved a couple to read with my IRL book club, too (Gabriele & The Tokyo Suite). We also have an elaborate nomination & voting process. 2025‘s list is already done but it‘s never too early to add things into our 2026 spreadsheet. 😅 2mo

squirrelbrain I love elaboration (and spreadsheets too of course!) 🤣 2mo

Meshell1313 Nice choices! I can‘t wait to see what wins! 2mo

Megabooks @squirrelbrain is the queen of spreadsheets and totally the reason tallying votes works so well! So glad you weighed in and glad you found more to enjoy on the longlist! 2mo

squirrelbrain @Megabooks ❤️🤣❤️🤣❤️🤣 2mo

59 likes9 comments

monalyisha

Jets (Seedlings) | Kate Riggs

Jett got to pick out a tomato plant. He‘s very proud. Can‘t wait to pee on it, tbh.

dabbe Good boy, #joyousjett! 🖤🐾🖤 2mo

ShelleyBooksie Jett ♡♡♡ 2mo

63 likes2 comments

monalyisha

Bright Shining | Julia Baird

Despite acing AP US History, taught by a very liberal teacher in the heart of Massachusetts — in a former factory town! — I‘m just now learning about the suffragette slogan “Bread for all, & Roses too!” which is inextricably linked to the Lowell Textile Mill Strike.

My soul is consumed; I need the words framed immediately.

Read the linked poem, then the context in the comments below:

https://www.zinnedproject.org/materials/bread-and-roses-song/

monalyisha It meant “that women were fighting for not just physical needs but also music, education, nature, art, leisure, and books…for pleasures as well as necessities, and the time to pursue them, the time to have an inner life and freedom to roam the outer world.” 2mo

monalyisha In a 2022 interview with The Nation about her tagged book (referenced in my current read), Solnit said, “We all know what ‘bread‘ is: food, clothing, shelter; the bodily necessities, which can be more or less homogenized and administered from above. But ‘roses‘ was this radical cry, in a way, for individualism, for private life, for freedom of choice — because my roses and your roses won‘t be the same roses, you know?”

Orwell's Roses

2mo

monalyisha “Bread for All, and Roses too!” recognizes that “people are subtle, complex, subjective creatures who need culture, need nature, need beauty, need leisure.” 2mo

See All 7 Comments

TheKidUpstairs I love this. It reminds me of the quote from the depths of the AIDS crisis “We buried our friends in the morning, we protested in the afternoon, and we danced all night.“ A reminder that so many social justice movements strive for more than just the basic needs of the body, but the necessities of the soul 💗 because what is life without joy? 2mo

monalyisha @TheKidUpstairs YES! Did you read the tagged? There‘s a powerful essay about queer joy, clubs, dancing, tragedy, & community. I think it might be the one “about” yeti crabs.

How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures

2mo

TheKidUpstairs @monalyisha I have not read it, but I do have it stacked (probably from your review!) I'll have to bump it up the TBR! 2mo

monalyisha @TheKidUpstairs I feel confident that you‘ll love it. If you don‘t, IOU. I don‘t know what. But something. 😅 2mo

61 likes7 comments

Welcome to Litsy!

Trending Hashtags

Trending Books

monalyisha

Joined January 2017