Welcome to Litsy!

For April I picked two books. #12booksof2023

"The best way to learn to swim, is to jump into a body of water that wants to kill you."

Based in New York, Yahaira Rios has been invited to the principal's office, where her mom is there waiting to let her know that her father, the person she dearly looks up to, has died in a plane crash. Moved away by the distance and her dad's secrets, the two girls are forced to live new in a whole different reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever changed.

#AdventRecommends Day 1
Clap When You Land
Elizabeth Acevedo

Clap When You Land is a powerful book written in verse that follows the lives of Camino and Yahaira, whose lives are devastated after they both lose their father in a plane crash.

I love reading books in verse, and several of my favourite authors that I have discovered this year write in this style!

Do you enjoy books in verse? And do you have any recommendations? 😊

How could a book by Elizabeth Acevedo not be a Pick?! Especially, if you got the chance to listen to the audio book read by the author herself.

Even though this one isn't my favourite of Acevedos books it still a very good book, no doubt. Elizabeth Acevedo manages to be intensive without forcing anything. She writes deep characters, that feel real with all their strengths, faults, worries and dreams.

Well, I got myself a new favourite author.

My 13-year-old niece chose this audiobook for our roadtrip and it blew me away. Told in dual perspectives, this young adult novel-in-verse tells the story of teen girls Camino in the Dominican Republic and Yahaira in New York City. When a plane crashes en route from NYC to DR, the two girls discover they have both lost the same father. A riveting story, emotionally moving and complex, and beautifully written and narrated—this is a must listen!

I‘m not a fan of books written in verse but the audiobook helped me in this reading process. I appreciate when authors explain within the story foreign words or expressions. Spanish is my first language, but some words here were not familiar to me. But besides that, what a beautiful story. Loved it. A family drama, with secrets, betrayal, grief, but also hope and second chances. Two families will revealed how Yahaira and Camino are related. 4⭐️

Camino lives in the Dominican Republic. Yahaira lives in New York City. When American Airlines flight 587 crashes shortly after takeoff there are no survivors. Camino and Yahaira both lose their father on that day and each girl is about to learn of the existence of a second family and a sister she never knew about.

#poetrymatters #near
@TheSpineView

#poetrymatters #mumble
@TheSpineView

#poetrymatters #motor
@TheSpineView

You would think
coffee & condensed milk
would give you some kind
of light brown.
But I came out Papi‘s mirror,
his bella negra.
Thick hair like his,
thick lips like his,
thick skin like his.
When some of my cousins
from Mami‘s side
dissed me la prieta fea,
I never listened. Papi‘s
reminder in my ear:
you are dark
& always been beautiful:
like the night, like a star after it bursts,
like obsidian & onyx & jet precious.

#milk #poetrymatters

A interesting read. Read for #ReadHarderChallenge2022 #PopSugarReadingChallenge2022 #52bookclubreadingchallenge2022 January - #Buzzwordathon - The 5 W‘s and How 4/5

Finished. But had to start over 😂. No fault to the book. I couldn‘t remember who was who and what was what. And missed key points. This sometimes happens with an audio book when I‘m multitasking or listening in bed.

This is such an American story. A coming of age story. A global impact story. A family story. With emotion and life lesson tossed though-out the pages. Interesting story based on a true and tragic plane crash in 2001 after 9-11.

#2021Book124
I'm a big fan of Acevedo's writing, and I absolutely loved the story she told in this book. The dual narrators helped both sides of the story come alive and gave both girls the chance to win the reader over to her side. And, both literally and metaphorically, every line of Acevedo's writing is pure poetry.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I tried reading it myself and I couldn‘t get into it, but once I started listening to the audio - it was amazing! I liked how it went back and forth between the two points of view of the girls, but there were times where I forgot which girl was which and would have to go back a bit to remember. Overall it was a great read and I would recommend.

✈️✈️✈️✈️

Read this for book club. It was enjoyable ♟📖📚

#chess #chessboard #clapwhenyouland #ya #prose #poetry #bookclub

I read the print copy of this while also listening to the audiobook. This was a great way of keeping the sister‘s voices straight. Yahaira and Camino are sisters who discover each other following the death of their father. This story was a beautiful exploration of grief and family.

Loved this on audio! So much rhythm, vibrancy and heart. Secrets, trauma and tragedy in this YA family drama, made for a moving, one-sitting listen. 💕🎧
#booked2021 #latinxauthor
4 more prompts to go…..

@Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage

Book 24-2021: I loved this book and I‘m so glad I listened to the audio version as I simply couldn‘t do the verse justice with my brain. The characters had depth, the relationships felt real, it was a pleasure to listen too although the story itself was filled with sadness and loss. Thank you to #Booked21 for helping me discover another gem I probably wouldn‘t of alone. #latinexauthor

If you have not listened to the audiobook for Clap When You land yet, do yourself a favor and download it right now!

While one daughter is grieving the loss of her father after a plane crash in the Dominican Republican, another daughter is grieving in New York City. The sisters never knew of each other or their father‘s other life.

Until today.

LOVED the narrator for this and how the writing literally sucks you in. I couldn‘t get enough of it!

I ordered the Unhoneymooners a few weeks ago and kept forgetting to pick it up until today. While on that side of town, I stopped at the library…just to fill my water bottle. But we all know how that goes.

A novel told in verse. It was beautiful. A depth of emotion that is common in Acevedo‘s writing; especially in this particular style. I loved it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I LOVED this book so much that I immediately went to get her other book from the library upon finishing. It‘s a story written in verse about two sisters in different countries with different lives, cultures, and upbringings who share so much despite being so different. Very quick read. Highly recommend.

#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView @bthegood
1. I have a hard plastic Case/stand that has a keyboard and can be folded up as a stand for Zoom.
2. I Love ability to hi light passages and post them.

Just like The Poet X by the same author, I was amazed at how much emotion and complexity was conveyed with so few words. This is definitely a character-driven story and I loved getting to know the sisters and seeing their similarities and differences. I am still thinking about the differences between the sisters that exist because of privilege and what causes those privileges to exist.
Full review on IG dearb00kshelves and GR

Stories in verse are something I never thought I'd seek out but the prose is breathtaking when you become immersed in the fluidity of a culture, language and dialog though quick pace. Trying to think back but this may have been the first dual POV verse title I've read, but each sister deserved to share her perspective. Inspired by a true tragic event, I was in awe of this story.

Loved it! Told in verse, this is the story of Camino and Yahaira, half-sisters who find out about each other and their father‘s double life after he dies in a plane crash. The writing is just beautiful!

#bookspinbingo
#booked2021 #latinxauthor

Acevedo is so incredibly talented. A story told in verse about the lose of a father and the unexpected news of an unknown sister. These two girls live worlds apart and now need to figure out how to deal with this all and move forward. 4.5⭐️

Interesting simile. It resonates. Life-changing news when the whole world feels out of sync with you....
One from the Carnegie Long list.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Elizabeth Acevedo is a must read author for me! She writes I verse and her words are powerful. I listened to this audiobook, which she narrated part of, and it was amazing.

Family secrets, cultural identity, loss of a parent, and learning to forgive are just some of the things explored in this YA book.

This was my first read in January and only second book with free verse that I have read. I think I like free verse style, need to read a few more. I think most of us have heard of this one. I very much enjoyed it. Both sisters are really amazing. I can't really imagine knowing your father having another family! Anyway great read! #books

1. This cover art is gorgeous.
2. Aven Green form Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus. Her attitude and bravery is simply amazing.
3. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
Thanks for the tag @TheSpineView 🥰
#wondrouswednesday