Welcome to Litsy!

I finished this last night. 4.5/5 ⭐️. Preachy is a spot or two, but overall I enjoyed it. Book addresses poverty, racism, class and other issues. A lot of characters to keep straight. The book is also a mystery when a dead body is discovered during construction. The who, how, and why is an unexpected twist that I enjoyed. James McBride can be difficult to read, but he‘s one of my autobuy authors. The Good Lord Bird remains a favorite. ❤️

What is with the hype? I felt like this book was written for Karens while blundering through problematic tropes. The bit with Chona is no different than a white savior, and why are all of the descriptions of women so sexual? It‘s cringe. Also the way that disabilities are discussed- sure, make this a period piece, but you can do that without calling each character a cripple and denying them any thoughts beyond their physical limitations.

So I liked this but I have to give it a so-so because it took me 5 months to get through this audio. Not sure if it was the narrator or what but I just never seemed interested in turning the book on over any of my podcasts.

Audio 1/1 for #AwesomeApril

3.75/4 ⭐️

This was on my radar for a while but I hadn‘t gotten around to reading it. I‘m glad it was my book club‘s pick for the May meeting.

McBride created a rich setting and is a master storyteller. Though at times the pacing/plot was not as engaging for me. I have read some reviews that mention too many characters, but for me that was just illustrative of the dependence on community for survival on the margins of society.

#WeeklyForecast

No, you aren‘t seeing double. I recovered my old account. Sorry for any inconvenience or annoyance. 😭

I‘m keeping my #WeeklyForecast simple. Two books: one physical, one audio. I‘ve been trying lately to be a more monogamous reader and not plan too much.

I left Litsy in 2020. Apparently I missed it. Such a shame I deleted the account and lost posts and people. But I‘m back and starting all over again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4⭐️/5⭐️

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it had good themes and characters. I liked the interplay between different racial groups. And the unconditional love. I struggled at first to keep up with perspective changes but quickly got drawn into the story. Thought it wrapped up nicely.

Work reads while it‘s slow! So far am enjoying this one. @pdxannie will let you know - have heard good things!

I read this for book club. I didn't understand it. There was a mystery that I completely forgot about and by the time it got back to that I didn't care. There were parts I enjoyed at the time but I couldn't tell you what they were because they didn't stick with me. Very disappointing.

While I found the first 1/2 to 2/3 of this novel to be more well put together compared with the latter portion, which felt a little rushed, I really enjoyed the characters and relationships. McBride draws rich characters and skillfully shows how groups of people interact with one another and react to circumstances of inequality and bias. There's a feeling of being trapped and looking for/seeking to create a small bit of breathing room.

I found this novel somewhat messy with all its characters and storylines but I did enjoy reading it. It's a heartwarming story set in a 1970's Pennsylvania neighbourhood with primarily Jewish and Black residents.

#LitsyToB24 @squirrelbrain @Megabooks @BarbaraBB
#FabulousFebruary @Andrew65

James McBride has done it again - I love the way he weaves together so many disparate storylines into one cohesive narrative arc, where even tertiary characters feel fully realized. In the poor neighborhood of a small town in Pennsylvania early in the 20th century, the Black and immigrant Jewish communities come together to protect a Deaf boy. A beautifully realized novel.

While it starts off as a mystery when a skeleton is found in a well in 1972, we flash back to the 1930's in a small town in PA.. There, in the poor section of town, immigrant Jews & African Americans live side by side & work together to hatch an escape plan when a young black boy is unjustly sent away to a reformatory.
Beautifully told story with an array of diverse and interesting characters that beautifully unfolds into a compelling narrative.

Desperately trying to get into something ANYTHING but I fear I‘m too distracted for this. Maybe I‘m just distracted by the tacos. 🤷🏻‍♀️

This book isn‘t for everyone but I really liked it. It‘s 1925 in a small town in Pennsylvania and the blacks and the Jews uneasily support each other and struggle together to survive their impoverished state. It‘s a story of love and hate and kindness and compassion and the characters come to life in many ways as they come together to try to keep one child safe. Don‘t miss the acknowledgments at the end as they‘re incredibly inspiring.

I really enjoyed this. McBride expertly portrayed the ways a community systematically cut off from resources, works around barriers to support one another. I loved the way he led us through various characters and stories to illustrate the creativity required to get things done. He succeeded at both showing the strength of the citizens of Chicken Hill while also not diminishing the racism they faced, at both individual and structural levels.

A poor neighborhood of mostly Black and Jewish people in the 1930s, looking past their differences especially in times of need, while the white people who live down the hill look down their noses and fail to recognize the value of this beautiful community. Some things never change, but I loved this little world McBride built.

January 2024
Annie's Farewell, Adios Bitchados!

While parts of this really sparkled for me, I needed more of a cohesive plot than it provided. Overall this was a heartwarming story about a mixed Jewish and Black neighborhood in Pennsylvania in the 1930s. The first half centered around Jewish immigrant Moshe and his American born wife Chona and the second half on African Americans Addie and Nate and their ward, Dodo.

#LitsyToB24
#52BookClub24 character-driven novel

In the beginning it was slow and rambling and I was tempted to quit. But then suddenly I was caught up in the story and the characters and I was swept along until the end. Not sure I could tell you everything that happened but glad I stuck with it.

I‘ve seen a lot of mixed reviews for this, but I really, really enjoyed it. It‘s the first book this year I‘ve totally been able to disappear into. Yes, it meanders, and there are a fair few characters to get your head around, but I loved getting to know the characters of Chicken Hill, perhaps I need a new motto (“be more Chona?”) and he managed to ramp up the tension at the end. Massively looking forward to reading McBride‘s other books.

it was ok

#MotivationalMonday @Cupcake12

1. Self-care all week. Full weekend planned.
2. Calendar on my phone
3. Chicken Hill, Pennsylvania

Congratulations @marleed 🎊🎉🎈 you are the winner of the tagged book in honor of Black History Month! Can you email me your address? Loverofbooks75@gmail ! Thank you all for participating!

#BlackHistoryMonth
#LitsyLove

February is Black History Month! To celebrate I‘ll be hosting a few giveaways! These are open to US only unfortunately due to shipping costs.

To enter for a chance to win the tagged book please answer the questions below!

Who is your favorite Black author?

What book do you think is a must read for Black History Month?

Please share and tag friends! Everyone is welcome to answer!

#LitsyLove #BlackHistoryMonth

I suppose this Saturday relief cover malarkey isn‘t that bad. Trying to squeeze in 15 mins train reading before I start.

Really enjoying this book. Yes, it‘s meandery, but I find I can sink right into it. Has to be back by Friday, so we might need to speed up a bit.

A few of you have said it‘s not his best. Would love to know which James Macbride books I should be stacking then…

February is Black History Month! To celebrate I‘ll be hosting a few giveaways! These are open to US only unfortunately due to shipping costs.

To enter for a chance to win the tagged book please answer the questions below!

How do you celebrate Black History Month?

What book do you think is a must read for Black History Month?

Please share and tag friends! Everyone is welcome to answer!

#LitsyLove

I‘m struggling to put my feelings about this book into words. I enjoyed the story overall but it needed a tighter focus. There were too many characters which made it hard for me to connect with any one in particular. Some of the plot points got a little confusing for me and didn‘t feel like they were really resolved. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

I've landed somewhere in the middle on this one. There is a lot I really like about it- and after reading the acknowledgements at the end I really felt like I had a better appreciation for what McBride was aiming to say. I think the second half does a better job of realising that intent as well as being more coherent storytelling. It took me until halfway to really get into it, and get into what felt like a story being told. A flawed read for me.

Lots of books I feel ambivalent about lately. While I liked a few characters in this one, the book felt too overstuffed to pack much punch. Just me?

After reading mixed reviews about this book I was a bit worried about what I would think of it myself but there was no need to. Again McBride creates a community of the most wonderful characters. This one is set in a Jewish-Black neighborhood in Pennsylvania where immigrants try to make the most of it. It‘s a hard life but not without love, friendship and loyalty. An excellent read. #LitsyToB24

#ReadAway2024 This is the first book I‘ve completed for #LitsyToB24 and I‘ll spend the rest of January focusing on the other books for the challenge. This book was excellent and surprising. Good, happy things happened and sad, tragic things happened. That‘s the way a life is and has been since our ancestors first stood upright.

But Chona's years....in the back room of the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store had given her time to consider. She read everything as a child: comics, detective books, dime novels; and by the time she became a young wife, she'd evolved into reading about socialism and unions. She subscribed to Jewish newspapers, publications in Hebrew, and books on Jewish life, some from Europe. The readings gave her wild ideas about art, music, and worldly matters.

My library hold for this one finally came in.

This beautiful book. I was worried for the first 100 pages that this wouldn't live up to the hype and wouldn't be nearly as good as Deacon King Kong, but McBride did not let me down. This was superb writing and plotting. The characters are incredibly rich, and the storytelling is masterful. This will definitely be one of my favorites of the year, maybe of all-time.

Not up to the hype, just above worth my time. The main integral part of the story, following Mrs. Chona, was what kept me going. How American puts the immigrant Jews in town against those blacks in the outskirts. The rest to of it? Hard to follow dialogue and characters. There‘s so much going on, not really connected after halfway. I‘m lost as to where the story went with the ever changing plot lines all over.

Things done changed! New year, new baby 💖

I expected to thoroughly love this one but it just didn‘t gel for me. I think the story meandered a bit too much and a few too many characters. I was invested in the central story but it often felt as if it was pushed to the side. So much love for this title, I am bummed that I don‘t feel the same. #litsytob24

Everyone loves this, but I found it tedious, with some positive aspects. Loved Dodo and Monkey Pants, those two were the most vivid for me. The huge cast of characters was confusing to keep track of with the audiobook. However, the way McBride describes them is comical yet authentic. At turns hilarious, sad, heartwarming. Bad guys are super bad and good guys are really good. My fault for listening to the audio, maybe print would have helped!

Giving this one another whirl 🤷🏻‍♀️📚

Ok! I started this one and I‘m on the struggle bus!! Does it get any better?! 😫 maybe I‘m just being impatient…

Did I enjoy this? Yes, much more in print than audio. Is it the best book of 2023? No, definitely overhyped. However McBride does hit the sweet spot of being touching without being saccharine.

The story of a small town of Jewish immigrants and Black folks. A kind Jewish woman takes in a Deaf Black kid to hide him from going to a state asylum. When things go wrong, both parts of the community must work together. Great side characters! #LitsyToB24

Always a fun ride with McBride doing the storytelling. I had a bit of length- and character-quantity fatigue, though. Still!! Always willing to go where this author leads - I was just in a hurry to finish and my hurry-it-up experience suffered under my own hubris.

#ToB2024 #PieinLit #LitPie #Audiobook

I'm going to try to finish up the 5th in the Murderbot series tonight, and tomorrow, I'm starting The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. I've been looking forward to the McBride for a while now. It should be a good way to start 2024! #lastfirst @BookNAround