Welcome to Litsy!

Hilarious dark comedy about a divorced couple trying to give their child a magical Christmas by having a holiday together with their new partners. Ripe for disaster, the breakdown of the adults is very human. I felt sad for and exasperated by each character. Throw in an imaginary bunny that says whatever he‘s thinking, and you‘ve got a fun holiday read about dysfunctional families and the love that can be shared among them. 4⭐️ #wintergames2021

It‘s my first day of holiday break, so I took myself to one of my favorite bookstores (Village Books, Bellingham, WA) to celebrate the Solstice! #wintergames2021 #mistletoemaniacs #selfiescavengerhunt #favoritereadingspot

This was a fun read. I also enjoyed the author being British with “Happy Christmas” and other touches.

The characters in this book were insufferable and I didn‘t care about their situation at all... I also didn‘t laugh once, even though the book is marketed as a ‘hilarious debut.‘ 2⭐️

This quirky Christmas read finds two exes and their new partners holidaying together for the sake of the couple‘s seven year old daughter. Things go terribly awry and the trip ends with a call to emergency services—which is where the book begins.

I enjoyed this one, but it is a bit dry. Fortunately it moves rather quickly! I would love to see it as a movie 😁

I know, I'm late to the Christmas game. I'm so glad I didn't wait until next Christmas to read this! It was perfectly dysfunctional. What else can you call a couple of exes celebrating Christmas at a Holiday resort with their significant others, their 9 year old daughter and her invisible purple bunny friend? 😂

For the sake of their daughter, two exes decide to spend a week on vacation together over Christmas. They bring their new partners along. What could possibly go wrong?

A dysfunctional family drama with plenty of dark humor.

I read this right after Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris and they paired quite well.

Day 6 of #bookadventcalendar The cover says “They should have stayed home for the holidays.” And an ornament as a bomb? With luck this will be an explosive read. (Sorry, not sorry.) @LeahBergen

This book about a blended family Christmas with plenty of uncomfortable moments was a quick read. I liked that it was set up to contain a mystery, beginning with a 911 call and continuing to fill in the gaps leading to the call by jumping to different characters‘ perspectives. Fun, but only okay rather than great.

This was a quick and easy read about a blended family Christmas with plenty of cringey moments. I like stories that start at the end and fill in the gaps as you go along, and while this was pretty good with honest characters who were flawed and not always nice, I think it was just okay rather than great

Snuggled with a blanket over my knees and this new read. Ready for something a bit lighter this time, so this one should do the trick

My book from this round of #LMPBC made it home! @EH2018

Good pick for #lmpbc, @kstadt929 ! I actually really liked this one in spite of the flawed characters and pretty outlandish plot. I felt the tone of the writing was just right and I like the way the story was interspersed with interviews. I felt very sucked into the story. I probably would not have liked it as much if I was the first reader, because part of the fun was chiming in to the indignant comments from @kstadt929 and @BennettBookworm 😋.

“What are you thinking?“ Matt said. “You look thinky.“

🤔 😂

Not bad/not great earns a so-so from me. The characters are certainly flawed (being generous here). Overall, the book wasn't as funny as I needed it to be in terms of either the book's events or providing a fun escape from reality. 😉

@aroc
I'm sorry. I forgot to post that I sent the book out. Did you ever get it? I lost the tracking number.

I really enjoyed reading this for #lmpbc ! I agree with @kstadt929 that some of the characters were infuriating- your comments were so wonderful to read 😁 I still found myself hooked and wanted to stay up late reading tho ☺️ The little girl and her imaginary friend was definitely my favorite plotline; as an elementary teacher I found this spot on. Hope you enjoy it @LiteraryinLititz and @Mem_ugh ! Thanks @Kaylamburson for recommending this!

Look what #bookmail just arrived! So speedy!! Excited to read this for #lmpbc 😄💌🖍 @kstadt929 @LiteraryinLititz @Mem_ugh

Just shipped this out to you @BennettBookworm and it should arrive on Wednesday!!

@Mem_ugh wondering if you mailed out mine yet or when you plan to mail - I‘ll have to send you my new address for this one or next month!! 😁 #lmpbc

I really wanted to like this book and I did enjoy parts, but others were so frustrating and unreal to me. There was a character I couldn‘t stand! I don‘t want to give too many details because my #lmpbc will be reading next, but it was between a pick and a so-so for me. @Mem_ugh @BennettBookworm @LiteraryinLititz

Really hoping to finish this #lmpbc pick in the next few days and get it shipped out before all the moving craziness begins!!! @Mem_ugh @BennettBookworm @LiteraryinLititz

@Patchshank be on the look out for some book mail on Thursday. I sent the #LMPBC book out today!

Divorced couple Matt and Claire go on holiday together with their daughter, AND new significant others. What could go wrong?
Well, it ends with a call to the police!

#LiteraryLuck Day 18 Awkward reads

💯👢👠🥿👟👜🛍

This was between a pick and so-so for me. Not something that I normally read. Not going to say much about it because it is my #LMPBC book. Can't wait to hear what you guys think about it!

Time to get this next round of the #LMPBC started!!!

✔️ New bookmark (made by my husband on Shutterfly)
✔️ New book (picked by my #lmpbc group)
Off we go! 😁 @Mem_ugh @LiteraryinLititz @BennettBookworm

This Peach Crown Royal is smooth... Yeah I couldn‘t resist & wait, why not??? I like it more then the Apple Crown Royal... 🥃🤷🏻‍♀️

#peachcrownroyal #ilikethepeachtaste #mynewsippingdrink #moveoverciroc #readingandsipping #theadults #carolinehulse

Finish one 📖 Start another 📖....

#theadults #carolinehulse #sundaysareforreading #readismytherapy #readingrelaxesme #readingismagical #bookswag #readingtakesmeplaces #anewread

I think this was supposed to be a comedy and yet I found parts of it profoundly sad. A divorced couple and their new partners plus seven year old Scarlett and her imaginary rabbit friend away together for Christmas. WhT could possibly go wrong? None of the characters are particularly pleasant although some more sympathetic than others

Fourth flight in six days. Pretty tired but for a fair bit of reading done! This book is very well written but I feel like I want to scream with some of the carrying on from the apparently grown adults in this one. The kid talking to her imaginary giant rabbit friend is as mature.... (also night flight should sleep but have a star is born and the favourite on inflight entertainment... decisions decisions)

Not sure how to categorize this one. I guess it's a comedy. It made me laugh and I found the scenes between little Scarlett and her imaginary bunny rabbit friend to be especially endearing. The ending is so weird and over the top though. Since I was entertained throughout the book I will give it a "pick"rating.

Alright guys, you know the drill! Tell me your thoughts!! 😁 @LiteraryinLititz @Mem_ugh @BennettBookworm I hope it‘s okay I added The Adults to my stack too?? #lmpbc

The Adults was a fun quick read. A divorced couple want to make the best Christmas for their child and what could go wrong when you both bring your current significant other plus one imaginary rabbit? Family holidays are so joyful!

This book was an entertaining quick read. I especially liked the conversations between Scarlett and her imaginary friend Posey. But OMG, no one in this novel deserved to have a loser like Matt inflicted on them. Run, Alex, run!

It took me several rereadings to make sense of that sentence. The culprit: an errant comma (and a clumsily written sentence). 🤦🏻‍♀️ Be still, my inner grammar nazi!

“Being always right... was usually more of a comfort than it felt like this weekend.” #Truth 😂😂😂

I think I may have lost my book to #BonBonCat! 🤷🏻‍♀️ #CatsofLitsy

#BonBonCat keeps me company as I read 💜💜💜 #CatsofLitsy

Ah, to read a classic or pick up a bestseller, that is the age-old reader‘s question. Me? I say read both! (Though even as a lit major I have never been able to bite into Joyce‘s Ulysses —insert shudder here)

Sounds like an interesting life skill: Matt “dealt with complicated thoughts like he dealt with his post,” by stuffing it into little nooks and crannies and forgetting about it.

Good morning, dear Littens! This one is due back at the library in a couple of days, so let‘s see if I can get it read 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

A dysfunctional, blended "family": Matt & Claire are parents to Scarlett, a 7yo best friend to a talking rabbit, who lives w/ Claire & her boyfriend Patrick, while Matt lives w/ his girlfriend Alex, seeing Scarlett intermittently during the year. Hoping to spend another Xmas as a family Matt suggests a trip to Happy Forest Lodge with Claire, Scarlett +their new partners. The ensuing story answers the question: "What could go wrong?" again & again.

The Adults by Caroline Hulse from Random House is an interesting book. I think the title is a bit ironic because most of the characters act anything but on their blended Christmas family holiday. Also someone gets shot with a bow and arrow.
https://onthebl.org/2019/01/18/theadults-by-carolinehulse/

There's something special about crazy people who put themselves in dysfunctional situations and hope for the best, knowing there's no way shit's not going to hit the fan. I'm starting to think those ridiculous characters are in the books I love the most. I loved this laugh-out-loud funny, snarky look at a blended family's holiday vacation. Patrick's quirks and the conversations between Scarlett and her imaginary friend had me rolling. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I'm loving this book so far. Scarlett is seven and already has her dad's girlfriend's number. "Prison Sensibilities" ??

I read 72 books in 2018

A few stand-outs:
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
Landline
Little Fires Everywhere
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things
Simon vs The Homosapiens Agenda
You Think It, I'll Say It
The Woman in the Window
Autoboyography
Lean In
Love and Other Words
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer
The Kiss Quotient
Hurricane Season (spring '19 release!)
The Adults

I'd love to hear your favorites from the year!

Enjoying a cozy fire and reading.

This was my first audiobook. Overall, I enjoyed the experience but definitely prefer reading over listening. This book was light hearted and comical - it lacked depth but was a fun, easy read. I could easily see this becoming a movie. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Perfect read for this time of year. I love a multi-POV. This feels a lot like The Nest another great read.