Welcome to Litsy!

I don't know why I keep doing this to myself. I know I don't like autobiographies or memoirs & yet, I still find myself trying to enjoy them. Then I feel bad for not liking them because I know it is someone else's story of survival, or true love, or whatever. This book, to me, should have remained a diary or something she published one copy of & kept for herself. It felt like a desperate attempt to justify missing her husband. ⭐⭐

Not just another memoir. This memoir had strong themes of loss, love, and family that were consistent throughout the entire book. It made me laugh and cry.

#cruel world springs to mind when thinking about this #botm memoir. Decca Aitkenhead and her partner Tony were on vacation with their two young sons when the unthinkable happened—their four year old son snuck in a swim in the ocean and Tony died saving his life. This is a memoir about love and grief. To add to the tragedy, Aitkenhead was diagnosed with cancer a short time later. #aprella

Congrats to @Booksnchill who wins the last giveaway for the Reading Envy 100th episode celebration! Please send me your mailing address, my username at Gmail.

This is the last #giveaway to celebrate Reading Envy's 100th episode! Included is one BOTM memoir, one ARC from a 2017 book, and a novel from the 60s.
To enter, tell me which 20th century book is a classic in your mind, and comment by midnight est Saturday. USA only!

#firstsentence. There are so many good ones. I love this one too @Cinfhen & thanks again @BarbaraBB

I've just finished this memoir on grief. I'm having a hard time rating it. The writing is good. It's just not a very enjoyable read though.

A backlist title from my #botm stash, this is book 4 of #24in48readathon and the first I read cover to cover. I know Tony and Decca aren't the most likeable characters but the capture of grief had me nodding my head a lot, particularly navigating the behaviors of other people surrounding the bereaved. It probably connects with me more now, the month after my father died, than it would have when I picked it for my monthly selection! #24in48 @24in48

Now that it's spring break, I have more time to read! Finally catching up on my #tbr

Blue cover #17rainbowbooks This one's been in my TBR pile for several months now. Maybe it's time to dive in.

So today I got a ton of texts from the library. Apparently all of the books I had put on hold had come in at once 😂 don't even know where to start! #tbr #toberead

Starting this today. #workreads #ikeepbookseverywhereigo #seniormachineoperator #thatsmytitle #nonfictionchallenge17 @Ebooksandcooks

Decca Aitkenhead describes herself as the kind of person who has always controlled her feelings to the point where they're difficult to even find. I very much relate to that, but I suspect that may also be what my issue with this book was.

All at Sea is written in sentences that are beautiful at times, but the overall story isn't engaging or even interesting. I'm sorry for her loss, but her account of it missed the mark for me.

I am torn in my review for this, half of me loved it and another half was not engaged. Decca, or Dec as her charming kids call her, addresses her grief and loss beautifully. This was interesting, raw, and so clearly genuine. I would recommend this book to some and I am happy that I read it.

Happy Friday everyone!!! What are you all reading this weekend? #weekendreads #listy #TGIF

The dedication in this book is heart wrenching. I've been under the weather all week and I am so thankful it's finally Friday so I can read, relax, and recover from this awful cold...

ALL the tears

Weekend plans!

October #bookstats! I can really recommend both All at Sea and By Grand Central. They are fantastic books. The 6:41 to Paris came in a close second for my favourites and is also worth checking out.

Note to self: read more books by women this month.

#LibraryHaul Seriously, someone needs to stop me.

When the unimaginable becomes real life. Decca Aitkenhead, after losing her partner in a freak drowning accident, must carry on for the sake of her children and herself. In this powerful and gripping memoir, she walks us through her life and love with Tony, her life without him, and her growing strength as she learns how to push past her grief. A phenomenal book that is slow and hard at times but still worth the read.

This book is so heartbreaking and real. The dedication tears at me every time.

In the dating game I was a stateless refugee.

It's amazing to me that I can read a 200 page book about a tragic loss and not ugly cry through the entire thing. What an honest and profound commentary on grief. It's written in a way that grabs its audience but doesn't overwhelm us with personal sentimentality. I'm so glad I read this. 💙 (Also that cover 😍) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5 stars #BOTM

This memoir is killing me with feels. 😥😥😥 #BOTM

"A heart-wrenching tale of race, unlikely love, and how grief changes everything. It‘s unforgettable."
—People

Really moving story, and unflinchingly honest.

An honest, clear-eyed memoir of the intricacies of dealing with sudden loss. No sentimental heartstring-tugging here. Aitkenhead pays homage to the life of her partner and works through her grief in the nine months following his death.

New day, new book. Twenty pages in and my heart is already breaking.

#currentlyreading on Audible

Great memoir about the death of her husband Tony, who drowns on a family holiday. She's an excellent writer (she's a journalist), and the language and style bring her grief to life in a very real and relatable way. Many of her descriptions of dealing with and reacting to the trauma are perfect descriptions of what it's like to live with PTSD. It's not all sad, don't be put off by my depressing description - it's definitely worth checking out #BOTM

I am super excited about the October choices tonight!!

Anyone who fancies giving #botm a go, here's the link and code for 50% off!
https://www.mybotm.com/1c1ecesgaatt9
FRIEND50

Enjoy!

Can't wait another moment to get started on this after listing to excerpts from @BooksGirlsCats - today seems like the perfect day for it since it's 'curl up with a book' weather in NYC right now. #BOTM

I don't usually read memoirs, but this is an excellent read. About grief, racism, crime and family, and written in a very accessible yet moving voice. There are so many conflicting aspects to the story (avoiding spoilers) that make for a fascinating read but which pale compared to her love for, and loss of, Tony. An excellent read!
I cried a bit when I read the excerpt in the guardian years ago, and might yet cry again...

#botm

This story was almost too unbelievable to be true. I enjoyed Decca Aitkenhead's writing style and admired her courage to write this story.

This was a beautiful memoir of the author retelling the tragic story of her husband's unexpected death. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Decca's experience, and applaud her for being so brave, honest and raw.

Memoirs are usually not my thing which is why I give a so-so. This one hits you in the feels right away but I'm not sure if I felt that way through the whole story. Props to anyone who can take an honest look at their life and make it into a well written book. RIP Tony

Lots of good about this book but for some reason, it just didn't connect with me.

This was a punch to the gut. A memoir of grieving, Aitkenhead relates her struggle during the nine months following her partner's accidental drowning. She had a lot of great insight into grief and I loved how unflinchingly honest she was.

Book mail is the best mail! 📬 Sherlock had to help me unpack my #BOTM too. With the enticement of a chicken treat of course so he would let me take a picture.

You'd never know by the way he's licking his lips! 😅🐻🐾 #TheBookishFerrets

#TongueOutTuesday 😝

This book hasn't even begun yet and it's already sad af. 😢

"He often said that he would sue the Beach Boys for misleading him about the nature of California girls." As a California girl, I'm not sure how to feel about this ?

Quiet time❤️

When your husband is at a bachelor party and you're waiting up for him...you grab a blanket and enjoy some quiet late night (or early morning, if you prefer to look at it in that light) reading.

Raw, honest, powerful.

Oh my gosh. This already has me all choked up.

💙📖🌊 I can't wait to read this.. I'm sure I'll be crying my eyes out by the end of it 😭👀💧💧

Who else adores these notes from the #BOTM judges as much as I do?! Makes the selections feel so personal!!

I am compelled to read my #BOTM selection as soon as it arrives. Every time!

Can you tell I'm excited for the next box? I read an excerpt of "All at Sea" in the Guardian ages ago and nearly cried, so I have high hopes for the book!

I am allowing myself one extra book per month, starting with "The Witches"! I'm excited to compare& contrast with "The Girls"...

#botm #bookofthemonth