Welcome to Litsy!

This is pretty adorable so far. (I‘m only like thirty pages in, but still!) #starcrossed #minniedarke

Our guest on episode 73 of the Brit Lit Podcast is Minnie Darke, who wrote one of Claire's very favourite books of recent years, called STAR-CROSSED. They discussed what makes ONE DAY by David Nicholls such an amazing novel, and much more besides.

https://buff.ly/2V04i0D

I thoroughly enjoyed the comedy, the romance, and believers challenging astrology skeptics in this light novel! It was fascinsting to watch storylines play out after Justine tinkered with the horoscopes at her company's magazine in an attempt to sway her astrology-loving BFF that they were meant to be together, & inadvertently changed the course of many Aquarius's lives.

#IfYouLikeThis

This book isn‘t set during the holidays, but like #LoveActually, it has different threads which connect an ensemble of characters back to the MC, Justine. It was an enjoyable read!

Was this a bit predictable? Sure. But it‘s a sweet story and I enjoyed it! It‘s comparable to large ensemble cast movies, like New Year‘s Eve or Love Actually. While getting to know the MCs, Justine and Nick, you‘re introduced to an eclectic mix of other characters, and everyone‘s story connects by the end. Very cute read! #readyoursign ♊️
#gemini - published between 5/21-6/20 (5/21)
ruling number, 3, in page count (347)

Today, I‘m going to #relax and finish this book for #readyoursign, as well as kick off #joysofjune!
#boundtogetherjune

This is a sweet, somewhat predictable story of love, with interconnecting tales mixed in between the main narrative. The individual stories are varied and interesting and the main characters are like able. I listened to the Audible edition and the narration gets top marks.

Top nine of the year... will a tenth sneak in before midnight on 31.12? We shall see!

I really wish I liked this book more. There are some great things about Minnie Darke's Star-Crossed, but I couldn't get past the premise, which relies SO heavily on coincidence and on a series of bad decisions that seemed out of character for the protagonist. I also felt the book could have been so much shorter. Tightening it up may have made me more patient with its development. (continued in comments)

1. Star Crossed
2. To fly!
3. Pisces
4. None at the moment
5. @Eggs @Jerdencon @DaveGreen7777 @howjessreads #friyayintro

Aw, I loved this book. Astrology + chick lit/ lite romance between clever characters. Super fun to read.

Only a couple chapters in, but too much telling rather than showing when it comes to character development. Also my bar for romance is too high after listening to the When Harry Met Sally episode of the Rewatchables podcast, which has me focused on high quality dialogue/banter.

I loved the concept of this book, and it was generally very charming. There was one subplotline that I found rather upsetting (and gratuitous). At that point I lost enthusiasm for the book, and never got it back.

So I like how this book ended, especially how all the interwoven minor storylines came back into play, but it took wayyy too long to get there.

The concept - woman changes the Aquarius horoscope in her magazine to get her recently resurfaced astrology geek childhood sweetheart to fall for her again - had me hooked but the execution ended up just okay. Not a bad summer Saturday read but not the best.

I def enjoyed the Aquarius love though 😉♒️

Oh boy! I wish I had seen the 43% rating before starting this book. I was thinking about bailing but now I know for sure that I will do just that. It just did not draw me in.

I don't know that I've ever participated in a challenge like this. Looks like fun!!
@howjessreads
#30junebooks

1. Starcrossed I'm officially starting today
2. Tagged
3. 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
@rachelsbrittain #weekendreads

My first #Thursdaythang!
1. Wednesday although I couldn't say why it's just always been.
2. My husband's 50th birthday, seeing Garth Brooks at Mile High stadium
3. Right now my favorites are Easier and All The Books
4. I love almost all pens equally at different times
5. @eggs @Jerdencon I hope your week is going well 💜💙💗

I considered bailing *really* early on because of the huge astrology angle. Despite that, it wasn't a bad story. It reminded me a bit of “Love Actually“ or “New Year's Eve,“ in that there were a bunch of characters with various cross stories. If you *are* an astrology fan, or if you think you can ignore that aspect, and you'd like a fluffy beach read, give this a try.

The dog was the best character.

Both Justine and Nick were rather selfish and self-absorbed and occasionally downright insufferable. I don't know if I feel like either of them had earned their HEA by the end. Most of the supporting and peripheral characters, though, were interesting and a few were absolutely delightful.

The dog, though? Brown Houdini Malarkey was the absolute fucking best.

Sagittarius Justine, in love with Aquarius Nick, meddles with the horoscopes at her paper in hopes of encouraging him to follow his dreams. But Nick isn‘t the only Aquarius in Australia who reads the stars! With a structure akin to Love Actually, this novel brings in a lot of other story lines that eventually tie in tidily! A Capricorn, I wasn‘t sympathetic to Justine‘s failure of journalistic ethics, but this was a fun, satisfying, & clever read!

Look at all these shiny new books I've just won on Twitter! I'm so excited to get reading! Have you read any of them yet?? 🤩

Best book I‘ve read in years.

Book equivalent of those big ensemble movies like Valentine‘s Day or Love, Actually - which are goofy, annoying yet endearing. The cast of characters is a little bit too big, you don‘t quite get to spend enough time with any of them - & yet by the end, seemingly unconnected characters are connected (sometimes very tenuously through Diana & Charles wedding china but still!) and you are probably grinning, & thinking the world isn‘t quite so gloomy

Book Mail, a Goodreads giveaway win! I had to convince my husband that I won it and did NOT pay for it, I‘m not sure he believes me

I‘m enjoying this but I think I‘m rooting for a romance that might not happen?! I‘m a bit more than halfway and Justine and Nick have only crossed paths a couple of times... and I‘m enjoying Justine‘s new boss trying to work out her star sign 😂

After quite a vigorous discussion about the stars and planets this afternoon (only the best, most random but surprisingly deep conversations take place in the work room when there are no managers in) I was even more delighted in my lunch time book splurge decision!!! (tbh I also didn‘t want to wait for the library to get it in - it was calling me - and we wouldn‘t want a book slump now - would we!?)

Written with a tone unlike that of my favorite Pushing Daisies narrator, the author does an excellent job weaving in the storylines of several characters, all while focusing on our main ones, Justine and Nick. Pegging the qualities of an Aquarius in Nick: a little flighty, very creative and passionate, and Justine‘s Sagittarius ways of picking up on the details, our author crafts a lovely story for romance readers and astrology admirers alike.

Can‘t wait! (But sadly am going to have to!)

#LiteraryLove
Day 5 - #CrossMyHeart

I haven‘t read this yet. Published March 2019, so I still have time 😀