Welcome to Litsy!

#HauntedShelf Book Scavenger Hunt
I don't know if this is really a #NightSky, but that's what it's always reminded me of.
Team #DeadSerious @OriginalCyn620

Another tie for August. #12booksof2023

This year I read books set all over the place. A significant part of this book took place on another planet, making it the farthest setting from my home. The closest was probably Yellowface, with much of the story taking place in Washington DC.

I probably post this kindle deal every time it comes up. One of my very favorite books of all time. If you‘re a US ebook reader, and you like complex speculative fiction/ scifi/ difficult to pin to a genre books, I can‘t recommend this enough!

A few years ago, I participated in a Litsy group that shared books with each other. A group notebook was sent with the book, and each person wrote their review. It was lots of fun. This was one of the books. I had never heard of it. It was amazing!
#bookbinge #nonhumanprotag

Jesuits in space! I‘m not well versed on monastic orders, so the significance of Francis being the first Jesuit Pope was lost on me until I read the author‘s note about it.

Anyway, this was a compelling, sprawling story about “first contact” with a distant planet. At first I wasn‘t sure about the structure, with excerpts from the post-expedition proceedings intertwined with the activities on the planet, but in the end it worked. #rushathon

30 book recommendations in 30 days...

TW's in comments

Day 14: Today is a 2-for-1. This duology is one of my favourites. My dog is even named after the main character (Meelo); if you've read The Sparrow, you get that. I'm not a religious person, and yet I find so much to reflect on, and learn from, this cast of characters. They aren't even necessarily likable (yet I love them) - that's what makes them realistic. Highly recommend! #30recsin30days

I don‘t really understand the mechanism, but somehow Father Sandoz is a #rocketman explorer.

For the past few years, I‘ve had the pleasure of putting together the list for my IRL book club for the year. It‘s always interesting to see the suggestions from different members.

We read The Sparrow last year, but I got it too late to read it before the meeting. Now that we‘re reading the follow up for August, I can catch up on both!
#volumesandvocals

One classic Sparrow for #NationalBirdDay. An interesting science fiction story from 1996, but a bit long winded at times. However I did enjoy the story and also read the sequel, Children of God.

#JanuaryJazz @Eggs @AlwaysBeenALoverOfBooks

I could not be more excited - my signed copies of The Sparrow and Children of God have arrived!!! Of course, this is the one time my dog Meelo wouldn't pose. Oh well, it's maybe better I don't let him near my good copies. He'll just have to pose with the ones that are dog eared and falling apart from use #marydoriarussell #meelo

Finally finished this one! It took me so long. It was interesting, I enjoyed reading it but it also was so very heavy I often picked up something different.
All of the characters are vividly drawn and life-like, I enjoyed the storyline. The writing is incredible and well balanced.
I appreciate the unfolding of the book, you see the end result on Emilio and then the lead up to tragedy. It is a bit heavy writing and I took many breaks

One of my favorite things in #bookspinbingo is taking all the books off the list I read that month! It feels like a huge accomplishment some months.

Sparrow is still limping along, hope to finish it in October!

Big stretch #weeklyforecast hoping to keep up my COVID reading momentum even though I am feeling better and testing negative, have to go back to work but want to finish the month strong! The Sparrow has taken me so long I had to return the library copy and buy my own. It is good, just slow going, balancing with a quick Heartstopper read and the engrossing Tomorrow (etc.) Grabbing Evicted on audio to speed things along.

Quite a few interesting possibilities for #LetterS in the #alphabetgame but in the end I plumped for this science fiction story that sticks in the memory

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

I treated myself to an order from Mac's Books and got a signed copy of two of my favorite books from authors local to the store. This is the first.

I canNOT wait for my book club's discussion of this. Love me some theological sci-fi and a found family, no matter how painful. #scifi #speculativefiction

"...it was rather gratifying to believe that the world might incidentally have gained some respect for the athletic abilities of short, fat asthmatics "

I reread this novel every year or two and this line makes me smile every time. Not sure why I find it so amusing ?‍♀️

It really depends on who is asking, but I have often recommended:
The Sparrow- May Doria Russell
Jacqueline Carey‘s Kushiel series
Robin Hobb‘s chunksters
Scott Lynch‘s Gentlemen Bastards series
The Air You Breathe- Frances De Pontes Peebles
Tipping the Velvet- Sarah Waters
Stiff- Mary Roach
Mira Grant‘s Newsflesh books
Seanan McGuire‘s Wayward Children books
Terry Pratchett‘s Discworld books
The School of Essential Ingredients- Erica Bauermeister

#BookCoverChallenge
Day 78.
Here I will note 365 books (or as many as I will have before I get tired) that have shaped my taste in literature. No explanations, no reviews. Just the cover of the book.
I do not challenge anyone. You are all welcome to take part.

I couldn‘t finish this. The dual timeline told me enough about the ending that I knew I wouldn‘t be able to bear reading it. My favourite part, besides the utterly cozy dinner parties at George and Anne‘s, was Russell‘s afterword in the 20th anniversary edition. Sorry, all my friends who like this book 😓

Check what just came in the mail! 🥳 Science fiction haul, anybody? 😍 Anybody read any of these? I‘m really looking forward to reading them; would love to hear some opinions on ‘em! 😉

#booked2021 (form done!)
Set in Australia: Crimson Lake - Candice Fox (4 stars)
SF written by a woman: tagged book (5 stars)
Baked goods on cover: Bread and Wine - Shauna Niequist (4 stars)
CovidHeroes: A Pull of the Stars - Emma Donoghue (3 stars)
Mustache on cover: This Close to Okay - Leesa Cross-Smith (5 stars)
Author's first name starts with A, B, C: Winterhouse - Ben Guterson (4 stars)

@Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage

Here's my #bookspin and #bookspinbingo list, @TheAromaofBooks
Many of these are carried over from Feb, but I threw a few new ones in. I am already in the middle of two of these, but I doubt I will finish before March.

I‘ve heard great things about this. I‘m diving in. With snacks.

Day 3 of #12booksof2020

Not the first time I've read it (in fact, I re-read it almost every year), but still one of my favourites of 2020. The spiritual questions that come with this book are fascinating, but what I love most is the found-family aspect of it.

Anticipated loving this, did not at all. The first half is wonderful and eye opening, the second excruciating. The pain and trauma honestly is too difficult and uncomfortable to cringe though with no ultimate payoff

1. Ontario, Canada
2. The Sparrow (I reread it every year)
3. The Sparrow + Children of God
4. Clay Pigeons
5. Schitt$ Creek
6. Corb Lund
7. Robin's Egg blue
8. Lit Fic or Memoir
9. Secondary School Teacher
10. Bernese Mountain Dog named Meelo (named after Emilio from The Sparrow)

#meetthelittens

#20series20days @Andrew65

A short series with only 2 books, but The Sparrow deeply affected me. This is probably one of my most recommended books. I enjoyed Children if God too, but The Sparrow can be read alone and I didn‘t feel it needed a sequel.

There‘s so much in here! Questions about the value and validity of religion, examination of humanity through the lens of alien species, and ultimately blurring of good/ evil.

Reunited and it feels so good! I forgot to post a while ago that the friends that I lent this to finally found it. Decided it was time for a reread. There was once again so much that don't remember noticing the first time, so many layers. Still one of the best books I've ever read.

Wow. It took me a little longer than normal to get into this, and jumping from 1 time to another was hard to handle at first, but wow. It got me in the feels and wow.

#setinouterspace #biblioMAYnia @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

#7days7books. Day 6. Books that impacted me, changed me and some that never let me

I‘m having a slow reading month and just now starting my March #bookspin book. But given that everything is cancelled or closed,l for social distancing, I should be able to get it finished by the end of the month with time to spare. 😉

#firstlinefridays

That you can‘t know the answer to questions of faith but that the questions are worth asking and worth thinking about deeply ~ Mary Doria Russell

Full review here: https://wp.me/p21txV-FJ

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ of 5 ⭐️s

Ugh no. Why?

What an interesting story filled with Jesuit priests, aliens, a mission to another planet, & lots of discussion about whether God is actually to blame or to praise for things that happen. I enjoy these questions & I liked the way Russell framed her story. I don‘t consider myself a fan of sci-fi and honestly I don‘t consider this book to be sci-fi. It was a great exploration and journey and I miss the characters. Thanks to Litsy for the nudge.

Bloody hell! Emilio's cringey humour and the implausibility of the chosen crew lulled me into supposing I had a cracking first contact / sole survivor story in my hands. I did, but it's a lot more than that. It takes on the theme of theodicy and the dichotomy of praising God for the good/blaming humans for the bad. It's the story of an appalling crisis of faith. It doesn't feel quite right to say I loved it, though that's the word that insists.

#SpaceCase #NamasteNovember
An interesting 2 book space story.

Turns out this is a rather appropriate year to reread this book, though I'm starting late...

I really liked the character of Sandoz, the priest. And the story , the haunting music from space ... some brilliant details & ideas. I was interested in the part set in 2059 after the the mission. I liked the story , but I wasn‘t as taken with the writing #unpopularopinion
I‘ve read almost half & it‘s not holding me.

It's official: a spark became a flame, and we have a #SciFiMonth read-along! We'll read at our own pace, with weekly discussion prompts for those that wish to post their thoughts.

Chapter breakdown for weekly discussion: https://onemore.org/2019/10/29/the-sparrow-read-along/

We're an informal bunch, so if you fancy joining us... join us :)

NINE (days to go!) We were talking about The Sparrow a while back on Twitter & I casually suggested a #SciFiMonth read-along. There was a spark of interest so time to get serious: shout now if you would like me to set one up for November!

Huge congrats @Librarybelle & Thankyou for this lovely giveaway ♥️.
I‘d like to read tagged book as I‘ve seen it reviewed on Litsy & I feel drawn to it 👍🏻
#200KGiveaway

Thankyou ♥️ Well done 👍🏻

#currentlyreading Halfway through and completely astounded by this book. Thanks for rec, Littens!

The Kindle edition of The Sparrow is on sale! Go get it! Even if you don‘t care for science fiction, you will not be sorry. This book is so much more.

A great Little Free Library find today! I‘ve been wanting to read this ever since the Books on the Nightstand podcast days.

🍉 It‘s the only book I recommend to everyone.
🍉 Oh dear, I can‘t remember. Maybe “Thor: Ragnarok”? (I know, I know.)
🍉 👈 Watermelon!
🍉 First cousins? Six
🍉 @Q84 @texasgirl @brit91 @ljuliel

#friyayintro @howjessreads