Welcome to Litsy!

This is an absorbing book, a wild tangle of love lost and found, faith and belief, the wrongs we do each other as people. Ostensibly about a magical hunt, this story is really about finding what you need, reaching for dreams beyond safety and survival, the strong roots of family and how they shape us. The characters weren‘t strictly likeable but were hugely sympathetic, and I rooted for them every step of the way.

Up next on my quest for all the cozy reads…

I think this had a lot of potential, but it didn‘t quite do it for me. There was a little too much angsty YA romance. More focus on the magical elements and the world building and less on the romance, and this would‘ve been a pick. Still, could be good for someone who wants a romantasy that‘s got a more down to earth plot (i.e. not filled with epic wars/battles, but smaller-scaled conflicts).

This was just okay for me. I listened on audio and I didn‘t really like the male MCs voice/accent. It kept taking me out of the story. Wes is an alchemist looking for an internship and shows up at Maggie‘s house. Her mother is away but she invites him in anyway where they slowly build a friendship. This a different world where there is a lot of different racisms based on their backgrounds and $75 is more money than they‘ve ever seen.

Enjoying an americano and an egg and cheese sandwich for lunch with my book before watching the women‘s basketball final later (Go Iowa!). It‘s busy here, but I love how many people I see reading! The woman next to me has her kindle, and I‘ve seen people reading 1776 and Murtaugh by Christopher Paolini.

I‘m caught up on my grad school work for the time being, so spending some time with a new book, an iced honey lavender latte, and an asiago bagel with garden veggie cream cheese 🥯 🍯 📖

Here are some fantasy books off my TBR. Let me know if any of these appeal to you or I can do another closer look at my shelves.

#LMPBC #GroupM #Round20

Last year I did terribly with #BookSpin picks and pretty good with #roll100 and this year so far seems to be the opposite 🤷‍♀️

@TheAromaofBooks @PuddleJumper

#12BooksOf2022
This was historical fiction with a fantasy twist. I loved the alchemy aspect as an intersection of science and magic
@Andrew65

I love everything @Gissy but sadly the owl mug was in pieces to where I can even glue it just to display it 😔. Other then that I love my goodies and the books 📚 have been on my TBR since they came out. @wanderinglynn #HHS

A lot of great reads in May - this one just barely won out over a few others.
#readingbracket2022

This book destroyed me, in the best possible way. It was gothic and gloomy but magical and hopeful all at once. It addressed loneliness and xenophobia, but also had a slow burn romance on the side. I loved the world building - it seemed old-timey and modern at the same time with alchemy as a major part of life.

Thanks for the tag @chasjjlee ☺️

💠 Tagged!
💠 Physical - my goal this week is to get through my library loans that are 🙈 overdue 😬
💠 Super enjoying this one, 4⭐ so far
💠 I read mostly ebooks so I'll highlight favorite passages in my kindle but for physical or audio books I have a favorite quotes folder on my phone

#ThoughtfulThursday @MoonWitch94

Margaret and Wes are teenagers striving to find their true selves and gain their independence. Margaret is a self-sufficient girl, whose alchemy-wielding mother leaves her alone for months on-end for research into the philosopher's stone. Wes, as the only male in a household of six, feels a pull between chasing his dream of becoming an alchemist/politician and taking care of his family. Margaret, striving to bring her mother back home and Wes, 🔻

#currentlyreading #preview #digital #marchrso2022 This is a fresh mash up of our world (old worldly?) and magic and myth. There seems to be cars and phones, but also alchemy and mythical creatures. She is, on the surface, feisty, cranky and practical. He seems to be charming, superficial and self-motivated. But they are actually both struggling, desperate and lonely. I am interested to see where it goes.