Welcome to Litsy!

A gently rolling plot, fantastic characters, and good writing make this heartstomper a hit. Thank goodness things have improved at least a bit on the mental health front.

Such a beautiful, heartbreaking, and feel good book all wrapped into one. I throughly enjoyed it! Thank you @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for the great read. #litsylove

Not finished yet but enjoying it. Thanks to my LDF friends.

#StoryofBeautifulGirl #RachelSimon #FabulousFebruary #Readathon #BookSpinBingo

1968. This is a story about Lynnie and Homan who live in abusive and inhumane conditions at the Pennsylvania School for the Incurable and Feebleminded. Lynnie is probably autistic but the term in 1968 was retarded. Homan is hearing-impaired. They fall in love and Homan helps Lynnie escape to the widow Martha's home. Lynnie has just given birth to a little girl.

#LitsyLove #Sharreadathon

Starting with #TheStoryofBeautifulGirl for this readathon!
Listening to audio of #RadarGirls from @sharread TBR list.
Rest In Peace @sharread

1) The One Year Love Language Devotional! From my #LDF Mindy 💗💗 @Mjm1
2) Tell The Wolves I‘m Home 💚
3) I always recommend the tagged book!!

#WondrousWednesday

Book 121
The Story of Beautiful Girl is a story of a girl institutionalized by her family because she has an intellectual disability and a man institutionalized because he can't communicate (he's deaf, doesn't know sign language, and is illiterate). A romantic and familial love story told from the perspective of three characters. It's slow, and I almost gave up. ⭐⭐⭐

Thank you @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for the book! I think I will bring it to the beach with me when I go on vacation. I hope I can pay it forward in the future! #litsylove

One of my all time favorites 💙

1968, Lynnie, a young white woman with a developmental disability, and Homan, an African American deaf man, are locked away in an institution, the School for the Incurable and Feebleminded, and have been left to languish, forgotten. Deeply in love, they escape, and find refuge in the farmhouse of Martha, a retired schoolteacher and widow. But the couple is not alone-Lynnie has just given birth to a baby girl.

This is a heartbreaking, rich, incredibly sad, yet uplifting story. It will break your heart and then put it back together a little differently. Lynnie and Homan are both institutionalized. They fall in love, run away, make a heartbreaking decision and then figure out how to live with that decision every day. Hope and perseverance underline this beautifully heart-rending tale. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This is my #bookspin for July! @TheAromaofBooks

My son and his girlfriend are making dinner for the whole family tonight. I‘ve been so busy that I haven‘t had much time to read, so I am taking advantage! ❤️📚

Current situation. ❤️📚

Reading this one next, sent to me by the kind and lovely @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ❤️ It is my #bookspin for July. ❤️📚

I opened the two books that were in the St Patrick‘s Day package you sent @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ! Thank you so much!! 🍀❤️📚 Book mail is the best! Thanks for making my day! Love you, sweet lady!

I‘m sorry you‘re having such a rough patch lately. You‘ve been on my mind and in my heart. ❤️ #litsylove

“She felt so lovely in his hands. She felt so loved in his eyes.”

If you haven‘t read this one you should!!

#ForbiddenLove

1968, Lynnie is a young white women with a developmental delay and Homan is a deaf black man locked away in an institution with Lynnie. They fall in love and escape... I definitely need to read this one again!

#ShowSomeLove

#3books #thativegiftedtoothers

❤️❤️❤️

This was a super hard book to read. Between the subject matter and they style, it was really difficult. But, I‘m glad I stuck with until the end because it came together well and I felt like the author did a really good job of concluding the story in a satisfying way. I really loved the characters and how connected I felt to them as a reader. Very important subject, but not an easy book to read!

This takes place in 1968, when people with disabilities were shut away in institutions. One night, a woman hears a knock on her door. Outside are 2 people who have run away from the local facility: Lynnie, a mentally challenged white girl, and Homan, a deaf African American man—and a newborn baby. All are being chased by the police. I was disappointed by this book. The characters are simplistic and two-dimensional, and the ending was far-fetched.

#heyyoubeautiful
#septembersins

“She felt so lovely in his hands. She felt so loved in his eyes.”

#TenderRomance
#SoulSeptember

LOVE this book!!! ❤️❤️❤️

#LilithJuly Unlike @TrishB I remember #TheStory of Lynnie, and her sweetheart Homan, who have escaped from The School for the Incurable and Feebleminded, a cruel and terrible place for people with mental and or physical disabilities. Lynnie is white, Homan is black. It‘s the mid 1960‘s, these two should never have met let alone created a baby together. This is #TheStory of their little girl, a beautiful girl. 💔💔So good!

#thestory #lilithjuly
Amazon tells me I brought this in 2012 and kindle has it marked as read, but I can‘t remember a thing about it!

#Therewasthisgirl
#AMonthofsongs

These two have my ❤️ and this book is one of my favorites!! If you haven‘t read it you should!!!

Thank you so much Misty for such an incredible package! I was so surprised to find it waiting for me today. The book sounds fantastic and the soap smells soooo good! I love the magnet and pin! And the notebook and socks are so cute! Plus I am a pen addict. And chocolate! And peppermints! I am overwhelmed my friend. I am so grateful to Litsy for introducing me to such a warm and wonderful friend.

I am soooo happy! I found this hardcover edition at the goodwill store last week! Now game time!! Tell me the book that spoke the most to your heart and gave you all the feelings. I have loved this book for years!! The person with the best story will win the book!! Us Littens only!
I‘m sorry!! 😫😫

#bookwithallthefeels

#SeptemberDanes I‘m playing catch-up 😉Tagged book is a real heartbreaker ~ Lynnie a young white girl, living in a home for the “feebleminded” falls in love with Homan , an African American man, who “works” at the Institution.
Homan is deaf and also considered “dim witted” and the authorities believe these two have #NothingInCommon & should be separated 😪When Lynnie discovers she‘s #pregnant they run away, hoping to raise their child together.

#FavoriteUnderratedBook #AugInBooks18
It is 1968. Lynnie, a young white woman with a developmental disability, and Homan, an African American deaf man, are locked away in an institution, the School for the Incurable and Feebleminded, and have been left to languish, forgotten. Deeply in love, they escape, and find refuge in the farmhouse of Martha, a retired schoolteacher and widow. But the couple is not alone-Lynnie has just given birth to a baby

Looking forward to starting this one this morning. Thanks again for the thoughtful gift @Wife 😊

This showed up yesterday afternoon. Thank you @Wife ! It was so thoughtful of you to send me this beautiful book. I hope to read it soon 💙

Engaging characters whose stories are told in alternating chapters, some more believable than others. I was reminded of the movie Forest Gump, because the author highlights some pop culture to move the story through decades. A truly unconventional love ❤️ story. Given to me by my #litsypenpal Finished it at work last night, even though we were short-staffed and super busy.

#lovestory
This is one of my favorite books!!! If you haven‘t read it you should!!!

#ReadingResolutions

The story line of this was sad, heartbreaking, and triumphant. I think because of the way I read books this was a challenge to read one chapter at a time and not straight through. If you're thinking about reading this one, my suggestion is to put all your other books away and concentrate on this one. ⭐⭐⭐.5/5

This is a pick because of the important light shed on a shameful past we as society don‘t acknowledge enough. The story itself has flaws, but if you have family members with cognitive disabilities it will resonate. My own grandmother refused to place her two boys in a “state school” that was in her small rural town in the 50s. I didn‘t quite understand why not growing up, but I did know it took courage to resist the status quo. Thank god she did.

📚📚📚🤓👍 #GreatBookclubReads #RiotGrams #ForTheLoveOfBooks #Favorites #BookClubPick #LibrarianLife

Some of these you may already know, but hopefully you're not familiar with all of them.

But of one thing I can assure you, ALL of these will provide a very rich reading experience for your book club & much to discuss & debate!

Started this audio briefly yesterday. I was struck by the dedication given the truth that underlies the story:

"For those who were put away."

This book ❤️
I wish I had time for a reread!
The story of Lynnie, Holman, Martha and baby Julia spanning forty years... Bonded forever by a secret pact made in the middle of the night after Lynnie and Homan escape an institution. #allyouneedislove #rocktober

Current read!

#alltimefavorite

Love these two!!

#backtoreading

I finished this late last night; it made my cry, it made me think, it made me mad and it made me happy at the same time. And it made me want to learn more about institutions. I actually just learned recently that my one of my grandfather's sisters (step, half, adopted, I don't know, and that's a story for another post) was institutionalized as an infant and aside from my grandparents, her family never visited or talked about her.

#blameitonlitsy starting this one today, in between a visit to my nanny kid and dinner with friends.

#readthisnow
Oh I love this book ❤️❤️❤️
Lynnie, a young women with a developmental disability , falls in love with Holman, an African American deaf man. They are locked in an institution and escape one night... the things that happen later that night... 😢

#sizzlinsummerbooks

This is such a beautiful book... Lynnie has a developmental delay and Homer is deaf... they are locked away in an institution and escape one night... they end up at a Martha's farmhouse where Lynnie gives birth. The authorities find them and Lynnie asks Martha to take care of the baby, she is returned to the institution and homer escapes... Homer loves Lynnie so much ❤️❤️ everyone should read this!!!
#mrbluesky
#Juntunz

There are so many in this category... these are the ones that touched my heart...
#grabthekleenex
#splashintosummerreads

Beautiful and touching story. It was painful to hear how people thought of handicapped people before the '70s. We've come a long way.

Audio books and housecleaning....guess I can't be amusing all the time.

"And then he added, as he always did, can you imagine a better day than this?" #marchintoreading #bestlastsentence I just love this book ❤️

❤🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟😍
#SeasonsReadings2016 #Silhouettes
#AllTimeFavs #Disabilities #AllTheFeels

I've been meaning to post this novel for #RecommendsDay for a while but it's perfect for today too!
This beautiful & resounding story is a testament to the enduring power of friendship, love, & the goodness of others in the face of adversity. It's stayed with me ever since I read it over 5 yrs ago.
HIGHLY recommended if you loved 'The light btwn Oceans'. 💓

#booktober #dumbandbeautiful
The mental health system in I believe the late 40's and early 50's, the main characters fall under today's prompt in the sense that one can't speak and the other is lovely. It's a touching story of human kindness and love that defies societal standards. I loved the audio.

It's #recommendsday and I'm all about this beautiful story of a boy and a girl who belong together but society doesn't believe they do. It's about longing, belonging, believing and being loved! It has ALL THE FEELS💞💞It's a #reread (for me) and one everyone should read at least once!