Welcome to Litsy!

1. The End of the Affair (Audible version with Colin Firth) - beautiful writing and expert narration
2. Dinner with friends and a Mini Maker Faire
3. ☝️Gorgeous and intricately woven. Love it!
4. Just being awkward af 😂
5. ✋
@howjessreads #friyayintro

I look over and this is what I see-all I love in one little glimpse-my husband, a dog, and a book. He saw me looking and replied “he‘s my buddy” 🥰
#husbandsoflitsy #dogsoflitsy #biggie

Beautifully illustrated post apocalyptic western sci-fi. One of my favorites.

Look at this gorgeous book I got in the mail today! I love bats and this totally sounds right up my alley!

Thanks so much @bookcollecter for this and @TheBookKeepers for hosting #justabookswap

I would like to thank @TheBookKeepers for organizing this fresh, and curiously entertaining event...a.k.a...#JustABookSwap

Here is the image of my package being mailed. I'm impatiently waiting on my package LOL and eager for my swap to get the book I chose. I really think he/she will like their selection.

Happy Equinox

Day 15 of the #Riotgrams Challenge: maps, legends, or other bonus art! I loved BATS OF THE REPUBLIC! It‘s an illuminated novel, with tons of cool charts, illustrations, photographs, and even a letter in an envelope that says “DO NOT OPEN”. (Spoiler: I opened it.) 🦇 ♥️📚

I was so eager to reach the end of the book, not just to finally be finished reading it, but to reach the final plot device at the back of the book. I was underwhelmed and overwhelmed.

I was underwhelmed because, eh, it just didn't thrill me. It was nothing more than I began to expect when I realized there were only a few pages left, and not enough writing space to fully flesh out and rectify what I saw as lack of story depth.

BookOutlet is now my worst enemy/best friend. This is my Black Friday haul!!! So excited, but probably won‘t be able to read these for a while... I have so many books to read in December and I had to spend all day working 😩😫

This book is thoughtfully designed from font color to the acknowledgments page. A large part of my enjoyment came from the illustrations, handwritten letters, and scanned book pages. The story alternates between the 1840's and a dystopian future in 2143. While a quieter read, one I enjoyed delving into. Artwork alone is worth a look.

About to cozy up with this beauty. I got it ages ago with my BookPeople Trust Fall subscription (it also came with a super cute bat mobile that I've tucked away somewhere). Need to finish some books from the subscription so I can renew!

I am a bit muddled on my feelings on this book. While I loved the illuminated novel concept with its multiple narratives and different timelines and formats, l found the general story to be a bit slow and inconclusive. That could be me not totally getting it, but I felt that it wasn't as big and climatic an ending as I felt it was leading up to. Also, there were quite a few unanswered questions. Still a fun read though.

Started reading this awesome book. This was one of the opening quotes. Love it.

Today is #InternationalArchivesDay so I'm sharing this piece I wrote for @bookriot on my deep and abiding love for novels set in archives and museums-- including BATS OF THE REPUBLIC! A book I just adored. http://bookriot.com/2016/05/03/genre-kryptonite-books-archives-museums/‬

I have no idea where I stumbled upon this, but it looked weird and I dig weird. Some twenty pages in and I have no idea what is going on 😂

It has photocopies of books incorporated into the story. Stories within stories! This has been on my #TBR for a year. I love the idea of illuminated novels, and I hope this one doesn't disappoint me. #BookWithinABook #ReadJanuary

#ReadJanuary This book is just so gorgeous! I haven't read it yet, but it involves time travel and is beautifully illustrated. That's really all you need 😜 #Endpapers #TBR

At times brilliant, at times totally tiresome, and a lot of head-scratching and rather hum-drum. I am not sure exactly how I feel about it besides underwhelmed. It is a beautifully designed book and I love the compiled document format...just kind of a miss for me.

I debated using this book for 3 other challenges this month (#epistolary, #fortheloveoffonts & #bookwithinabook), but I decided to focus on its #endpapers (side note-the dust jacket is incredible, too.) This physical book was an amazing, interactive reading and design experience (if not the most exciting story).
#readjanuary

Love today's #readjanuary. Book design is so much fun, and I don't usually pay much attention to fonts so it was nice to look at some covers in a different light. Love the way even the fonts on these carry themes from the stories. #ForTheLoveOfFonts

Gee whiz, this sucker is heavy. Not great for bed-reading! But alternate history? Vaguely dystopian? Episilatory? BATS!?! Yes!

Bibliomaniac Problem:
10 physical books to read, 135 digital books to read, and 58 books I want to buy!

Day 6 of #booktober I got this in the mail today but it definitely does seem #fullofadventure

I am a sucker for confusing, layered, supplemented storytelling. Bats of the Republic is a messy, convoluted epistolary novel that takes us back and forth between Texas of 1843 and 2143, through letters and transcripts and books within books. It definitely left me with a hatful of questions at the end, and reading up on fan theories since has been almost as much fun as the book itself. Definitely get ahold of a physical copy of this one!

As much as I actually enjoyed this twisty, weirdo thing, this was far and away the best part. Adore me some bats.

It was up to each person to make sense of the world and decide what mattered.

I'm a huge fan of #weird books but also trying to organize my shelves... So here are a few beautiful stragglers in that category #somethingforsept

I'm a huge fan of #weird books but also trying to organize my shelves... So here are a few beautiful stragglers in that category #somethingforsept

I've been waiting this whole book to open this letter insert. 😍

Late night reading and LOVING all the design elements of this book. The main character, Zeke, is being pulled in two different directions over a decision he has to make, so this page shows his best friend and his fiancé both talking at the same time, trying to convince him. How cool is that?! There are also some fantastic maps and drawings. Great way to enhance the reading experience without digital distractions. ??????

Next up! Got this one in the @bookpeople subscription box a few months ago and am just now getting to it. I'm only a few pages in but I'm already blown away by the brilliant design, illustrations, and maps! 😍🤓📚📖

Sorry...that's a tad creepy...

I know I won't get to all these for a little while but I can't decide which to start first! #thestruggleisreal #24in48

I loved the look and feel of the book, the story and writing were good, but the story could have been better. It's hard to review a novel honestly without spoiling anything, but overall I enjoyed it.

"How could such markings attract a mate in the dead of night? I feel sad for the desert nightingale, alone in the dark with only her own beauty."

Stunning physical object. The story is sort of meh as of the half-way point.

The detail! The design of this whole thing is a work of genius! I thought the inside of the dust jacket being reversed was cool, but then I noticed a couple things off from the front side. I held it up to a mirror and WOW! I can't believe he hid content so cleverly!

"I would be content to be even a small star in the vast and churning night, an asterisk in the history of man."

Such a beautifully illuminated novel. The design of the dust jacket alone, not to mention the hardcover, illustrations, maps, foldouts and old letters. The story has promise, just hope it matches the amazing craftsmanship of the book itself!

Illuminated novels have become really popular the last 10-15 years. I attribute this change largely to the slow burn cult success of Danielewski's House of Leaves. Dodson's seems to be one of the more interesting ones and I hope it lives up to the hype.

This is a word of mouth book, which will garner cult-like followings. A historical-space-opera-time-continuum with many mysteries. I need to talk to someone who has read it! The craftsmanship of the book is incredible. (See my other pics) Me? I didn't open the Envelope until the end.😎👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

A little over 2 years ago, I saw a book for an ad called S. in a copy of the Metro, bought it, and loved how crazy and inventive it was. The story here isn't anything new, exciting, or amazing, but the presentation reminds me so much of S that I love it regardless regardless

An "illuminated novel"... Intriguing. Sign me up!

This book . . . all is not as it seems. (For example, just look under the cover!)

I was so excited about this book only to be let down. I initially liked the concept, but the different formats/gimmicks throughout ended up taking away more than they contributed to this book. The appeal of the 'illuminated text' quickly faded away when I learned there wasn't really a story.