Underground Airlines | 
pickWhat if the Civil War never happened in the US? And 4 states still had slavery in the modern era. That's the premise. Somewhere in the middle I started to think this was actually about sweatshops and taking advantage of cheap labor for cheap goods. But no. That's just me. Soft pick.
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
In an effort to speed this one along, we're on the train rn. It vibrates. The train. Not the book. That would be quite unexpected.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - (Feeling a bit generous)
What might the US look like if the Civil War never happened and slavery remained legal in select states? Here, we get a glimpse at one imagining.
Victor is an escaped slave turned bounty hunter. He helps the gov't catch and return slaves to the Hard Four states. A case in Indianapolis threatens to undo both the lies he has been telling himself and the lies the US has been telling the world.
pickA terrifying and somehow imaginable alternate history: the civil war never took place and in four US states slavery still continues. In this reality Victor works as a bounty hunter who gets his assignments from the mysterious Mr Bridge. They set in motion a dangerous adventure, which teaches him and me a lot about slavery and racism.
#WeeklyForecast 46/23
I thought the tagged book was a new one but now I notice tons of reviews below this post! Anyhow, I am looking forward to it. First I have to finish the Dutch one, which is French originally and will be translated in English too for #EuropaEditions. It‘s about child-influencers and very good.
I also want to read a classic, it‘s been awhile!
pickWhoa. Incredibly good. One that will stay with me for a while.
pickThis has been on my TBR list since it was recommended to me several years ago. Glad I finally got to it! Present day America…except the Civil War never happened. It was a slow start, but picked up after about 10% and only got better and better. Severals twists and turns that kept me guessing what would happen next. Great world building by the author and excellent choice in narrator, William DeMerritt. I‘ll be thinking about this one for awhile.
I read a lot of mixed reviews. From DNF to “it felt clunky” and “I just couldn‘t get into it.”
I loved it. The audio production was so good. It had a Dashiell Hammett noir vibe that made the already intriguing alternative history premise feel even more so. Maybe not for everyone but it just hit me right.
I just started this and I‘m intrigued to see where it‘s going. The audio narrator is excellent.
I was only able come up a couple #LetterU titles I've read- Uprooted and The Unhoneymooners. (Surely there are more than 2 but I can't remember them. 🤷♀️) I liked them both but I saw this on my TBR stack and it sounds soooo good that I had to go with this one for the #Alphabetgame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
pickIn this story, the Civil War never happened and slavery still exists in 4 southern states. Victor is a black man in the North who hunts escapees. As we gradually learn his story, he gets involved in a dangerous plot that he may not survive. Superb story. There‘s one little bit at the end that didn‘t quite work for me, but I otherwise loved it.
A very apropos #bookspin this month. And my #doublespin has been in my audio queue for about four years? Maybe more?
pick🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I don‘t give 4 and 5 stars easily. Most books get about 3.
Excellent book. I know that there was some controversy around this book, white author writing about a black man/contemporary slavery experience. Nonetheless, the book was so very good. I highly suggest reading.
#alternatehistory #knittingwhilereading
pickWhat if the Civil War had never happened? What if Lincoln had been assassinated on his trip to the White House, and the shock of that convinced Congress to try again for a great compromise to save the Union? What if that led to a present-day U.S. where slavery still existed in a few southern states? It's this disturbing premise Winters explores in this fantastic novel. Thanks to #bookspin I finally read this from my tbr stack! @TheAromaofBooks
#firstlinefriday @ShyBookOwl
I can‘t even with this book. It is amazing so far. This is the cover page. Actual first line
“So," said the young priest. "I think that I'm the man you're looking for."
#alternatehistory #contemporaryslavery
pickThe first third of this book was good, but what I expected. African-American bounty hunter chasing escaped slaves in alternate America where slavery still exists. Once the plot opened up beyond that hunt, I was hooked. The MC had to navigate situation after situation where intentions of other characters were unknown. Took on thriller vibe for last two-thirds👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Complicated MC. Possibly conflicted. Want to know more of his story. Wondering what kinds of decisions he‘ll be making.
Started my March #bookspin novel last night. This one‘s been on my TBR for a few years. Even though I shouldn‘t like the MC, an African-American bounty hunter who tracks escaped slaves in this alternate US history reality story, I find myself drawn to him, especially when he‘s sharing these honest moments. Not sure if I‘ll end up liking him in the end, but it should be a thought-provoking journey.
pickThis has been in my audible collection for years. I found it to be a slow start, and that‘s why it sat as a DNF for so long. During this readathon I committed though. This is an alternative history tale. What would the US look like if slavery was never abolished? This is both thought provoking and frightening. Some liberties were taken, as our main character gets away with a lot in this reality. But it‘s an excellent read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #mbcreadathon
another day, another book. Readathon 2019 ⬇️🖼✈️🛤 #mbcreadathon #mbcfrogsread6
This could appear in any modern day editorial even though it was written over 100 years ago.
pickI‘m not a huge fan of the unreliable narrator, but I was intrigued by the premise of this book. What if the civil war never happened? If slavery still existed in part of the USA. The end reminded me of shades of Brave New World. Dystopian literature at its finest.
pickTerrifying alternate history of modern day slavery in the U.S. with excellent world building! It was uncomfortable as hell to read but that usually means (for me, personally) that it's an important and/or necessary read.
pickI found the speculative fiction aspect of this book to be fascinating, making me think this is a genre I would really enjoy. I started on audio but found myself enjoying it more when I read it. Overall I really liked this book but for some reason the end felt a little bit flat. Still, it was a decent thriller. I would call it a pick and give it 3.5/5 ⭐.
U.S. #AudibleDailyDeal
Thank you so much @Melissa_J for this amazing #LitsyPenPal package! I LOVE the tote, and some great looking books 😍😍😍 Now that my oldest is back in school, I'll actually have time to sit and write letters again! Apologies for my pen pal neglect overt the summer!
1) So just anyone can broad a plane and take off? Shouldn‘t there be keys or a secret code to start the thing?
2) The Princess Bride
3) Zero
4) Biology, PE
5) We have a couple of bunnies hanging around right now.
@MinDea @Robothugs #humpdaypost
so-soMy library had the audiobook and it was nominated for an award.
Not bad, but my mind kept wandering and forgetting to listen to it. Characters were one dimensional.
Edit: 2017 Campbell Awards. The Underground Railroad was also nominated. Weird duplication of ideas but the novels are too different for it to be anything but coincidence.
pickI finished listening to this audiobook with dinner - which was a baked sweet potato, stuffed with a kale Caesar salad and oven roasted chickpeas. The premise of this book was fascinating and I enjoyed it, but I doubt the story will stay with me for long.
I have reached 16.5 hours for #24in48, which surpasses my personal goal of 15 hours! I‘ll probably end up reading more tonight, but I‘m not going to time it. Good work everyone! 😊❤️📚
so-soI really wanted to enjoy this book, but it just fell flat for me. I love the premise, and I was hoping it was going to be suspenseful and have some action. I was comparing to other thrillers I've read so maybe that's not fair, but for me it fell short.
What would the United States be like today if slavery was never abolished? What if we still had free states and slave states because the Civil War never occured?
pickWhat an amazing book! I listened to the audio.
What if slavery hadn‘t been abolished in all 50 states? This is a complicated story of a slave trying to earn his freedom by helping to find and recover other escaped slaves. There are a lot of emotions in this book, and it had my heart racing many times.
Extra points for tons of Michael Jackson references! ❤️🧤✨
“Because this is what happens: shit gets worse. . . . bad is faster than good; wickedness is a weed and does not wither on its own-it grows and spreads.”
My sons gone away for the weekend as he‘s just finished his uni exams- he texted me earlier to say if you see gaps on the shelves I‘ve borrowed these books for the weekend 😁
#ReadingResolutions #UnderratedBook
It was @Cinfhen whose posts about this book pushed me to finally get it off of my #TBR stack & read it back in February. She commented on how it was overlooked & I agree--it's a very underrated book & it's too good to be underrated--an interesting combination of speculative fiction & thriller that takes place in an America where slavery is legal in four states. I listened to the audiobook which was excellent.
“. . . and what‘s always behind everything? When you scrape away the sticky cobweb of euphemisms like *known to have intended to remove himself*, you always find something hiding underneath it, and it is always violence. It‘s always some kind of violence.”
pickA fascinating look at an alternate USA where slavery is not outlawed. It‘s horrifying to see what the world might look like now. Almost feels like a detective novel, suspenseful & fast paced. Loses a little momentum in the 2nd half, but still a compelling read. Bonus points for being set in my city, Indy. “I bore silent witness, thinking, There is no army of abolition. This is what the world has for heroes. Ordinary men, squabbling & prideful.”
