Welcome to Litsy!

It's 1969, and sixteen-year-old Lucy is about to run away with a much older man to live off the grid in rural Pennsylvania, a rash act that will have vicious repercussions for both her and her older sister, Charlotte. As Lucy's default caretaker for most of their lives, Charlotte's youth has been marked by the burden of responsibility, but never more so than when Lucy's dream of a rural paradise turns into nightmare.
#cruelsummer #songsofsummer

Maybe all you got in life was that one little sliver of brilliance, and the light from that happiness had to shine across your whole life 🌾✨

Everything about this book was gorgeous!

zipped through this story of two sisters. a little creepy with a happy ending.

I'm starting a book club with friends. I've never been in a book club before (gasp!) & I'm feeling both excited & nervous. This is the book I picked for us to read first and I'm delighted to find myself swept away by the story & characters. We're meeting to talk about it soon & to pick our next book. Any book club Littens have tips for a successful group? How do you choose what to read next? #bookclub #currentread

I went to get something to drink and Tonks took my reading spot. She is sleeping next to my copy of Cruel Beautiful World, it seems fitting.

And as always happens when I visit a bookstore...I bought books I didn't need but really want. Also this is Rosie, my sister's dog. Clearly she approves of my choices. #bookaddict #copperfields #tbr #cantstopwontstop

Visiting with my sister's pets. Here's Mao/Grey Kitty, who no one calls Anastasia even though I guess that's her real name.

This book started out as one story but ended up as another. It's a weird mixture of evil/creepy/stalkerish romance novel, obsessive/guilt-ridden murder mystery, everyone and their step-sister coming of age story, amidst a background of Charles Manson murder trial, hippies, Nixon, the Vietnam War protests and chickens and I really, really liked it. Caroline Leavitt weaves everything together in an easy to read style. 📚❤️

Y'all, this book! My words are failing me and I can't quite articulate how much I loved this book. Every aspect of the book was spot-on: the characters, the choices they make, the setting, the writing, the underlying layer of suspense. I'm going to be pushing this book on all of my friends, but they're going to have to find their own copy because I'm not sharing mine. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Whatever the opposite of a reading slump is, that's where I am! I thought maybe I'd need a break before jumping into the second book in the Natchez Burning trilogy. I was right. This one is excellent so far!

#24in48 Last minute, early morning spine poetry:
Cruel Beautiful World
Everything we left behind,
the buried giant, voracious
in a dark, dark wood.
And the mountains echoed all the truth that's in me, the quiet child.💜

The gorgeous Books are Magic in Brooklyn! I am interviewing one of my fave writers Bill Roorbach and hoping that for the love of God, chocolate, anxiety meds that everyone will preorder Cruel Beautifil World coming in paperback August 8!

Have you read this? Tell me what you think! I am going to start it tonight!

Yo bookclubs and book groups. The paperback of Cruel Beautiful World is coming August 8 and I want to Skype or visit with you! I have special treats! I have bookplates! I have funny stories! Email me at my biz address carleavitt@hotmail.com

I think that the author liked my review. 😂

This book was a customer recommendation. In short: It was amazing. I absolutely loved it and could not put it down (except when I had to thanks to a horrible migraine). The characters, the story, the writing...just EVERYTHING. It will definitely make an appearance on my “Best of 2017” list. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Live twitter chat with me cbwchat #booksparks. At 8 eastern. Please come!

Please come so I do not get my computer soggy with tears! Tonight in Twitter #cbwchat #booksparksbookclub at 8 eastern time cone and ask me anything!!!

Zounds! Booksparks is starting a bookclub and I am their first pick💜💚💙

I can love the airport when I see this! Thank you Hudson Booksellers!!

Yipes! Please ask me questions now on twitter #unboundbookchat. I am mortified no onr is there

Um so if you wanted to, you could vote for my novel to be a bookclub pick and then I would love you forever. Http://bit.ly/2kRv3x2

My current lunchtime book. Trying to read books at lunch instead of the internet.

Thank you Hudson Booksellers at Penn Station NYC!

Zounds! nPR with Joe Donahue! I rasp about sisters and the 196os! Wamc.org/post/book-show-1487-caroline-leavitt

Cruel beautiful world just won book of the year voted in by the 1000 bookclubs of the fabulous Pulpwood Queens! I love this award so much I want to marry it.

This was an enchanting, gripping read. Caroline Leavitt weaves her magic with the deftest of touches, pulling you in ever deeper into her characters' lives. It was just so good. I can't wait to talk with her about it at the Unbound Book Festival in Columbia, MO on April 22!

But the cover art is a half-bubble off.

This one. Mm-hmmm. It's hitting the spot.

This of the 62 I read this year, a personal record!!, remains a top fave!

I adore my local indie Little City Books. Just bought a bunch there!

Summer 1969. One girl lives out the consequences of running away with her high school teacher, while her sister attempts to move on and succeed in college. Their adoptive mom struggles with an empty nest, a grieving heart, and old age. Told from their three perspectives, this novel explores the highs and lows of girlhood, motherhood, family, and first love, against the backdrop of Vietnam protests and the Manson Girls' trial. 🌟🌟🌟🌟#NetGalley

The white hart reading series from Oblong Books and Music with Goddess Suzannah Hermans!

One of the characters muses about the way she fell in love with the two orphaned children she took in. (Btw, I'm beta testing the new Litsy update and everything looks great --yey for ability to edit comments-- but I'm struggling with the photo editor... hence the uninspiring pic above 😕 -- UPDATED: I think I'm getting better at the beta editor!)

@Carolineleavitt is as lovely and gracious as you could imagine. I felt very lucky to meet her this evening and here her speak.

Was today hard to get through? You bet your ass! Was it made better by hanging on Litsy? Hell yes! Continue the healing process and come listen to the amazing @Carolineleavitt talk about her beautiful and fierce book tomorrow evening at the Highland Park Public Library, 7pm.

Slow start to a day off work. My heart is heavy but at least I have coffee, candles, and books. (It's a pumpkin pecan waffle scent. And yes, it smells as good as it sounds)

High school girl runs away with her teacher, settling in rural Pennsylvania to avoid being found. Eventually things go awry & family must deal with the aftermath. Several different storylines going on here, each with its own intrigue.

Not gonna claim to have loved this one, but decent enough to rank as a "pick." Xe Sands isn't necessarily my favorite audio reader & I always have to get used to her voice.

See review in photo.

Littens in the Chicago area- come to the Highland Park Public Library this coming Thursday night. The amazing @Carolineleavitt be there talking about her incredible book. I'll be there representing and I cannot wait to hear her! It will be a fabulous evening! #getindie

I keep seeing this compared to The Girls, so the dig at purple prose made me snicker. I know it has to be coincidental, but it does seem like a nice little clap back.

Well the Indians don't seem to have game 7 win in them, so I'll just cozy up in bed and start this one.

This was a surprisingly suspenseful book with well developed characters and relationships. I'm kind of surprised that I haven't heard more buzz about it!

I finally solidified my thoughts on Cruel Beautiful World. You can read the rest on my blog here: https://beckyrenner.com/2016/10/31/review-of-cruel-beautiful-world-by-caroline-l... Leavitt's book was very thought-provoking, so it took me a while to collect my ideas. I hope it isn't gauche that I tagged her. 🤓

This book is turning out to be everything I wanted The Girls to be. I'm not done yet, but oh the feels. And the building suspense!

I haven't really read any reviews on this book but it is my next "physical book" read.

I glitterized a hole in my tights for little city books tonight!

Tonight oct 13 little city books hoboken 1st and bloomfield! Hear me talk abt 60s 70s mansons and for thecfirst time wearing something not black! Please come! Empty seats terrify me!!

Enter to win a copy of Cruel Beautiful World! Http://m.heyo.com/506e2d. I love-love-love this book!! (If the link doesn't work for some reason, you can also get to the giveaway on my page - facebook.com/mmfinck.) Good luck!! :)