Welcome to Litsy!

I will never stop posting about my favorite characters on my favorite fictional island. Enjoying my #buddyread this month with @Pamgardens

#fictionaltraveler @julieclair

(2024) I'm a late convert to "cozy" fantasy and SF, but I appreciate the things it tries to do. I liked the THITCS pretty well, and this follow-up is about as faithful as I could have asked for in terms of tone and characterization.

I liked this. It's cute. The characters continue to be delightful. The rant about Rowling in the Acknowledgements was something I didn't anticipate even though I agree. 😂 I guess that's a spoiler. Surprise!

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

This was a disappointment. I loved the first book in the series. This second book was so heavy-handed in getting its message across that it took away the enjoyment of the world the author had created. 2.5 🌟

J T Klune is, to me, the Fredrik Backman of fantasy. Like Backman, his stories are entertaining & sometimes humorous but woven through them are important life lessons about love & acceptance, right & wrong and the power of nurture. As I turned the last page of this book (at 3 am) I knew I had read a great novel and although I was happy to finish it (I did have to sleep), I was sad to leave this wonderful cast of characters. I loved this book. 5/5

This was the most wonderful book to read this week every night before bed ❤️❤️❤️ I loved being back in Marsyas

#auldlangspine book 1

I knew I was probably going to love this because of how much I loved The House in the Cerulean Sea. But I forgot just how very wonderful these characters are. It was a delight to be back on the island with Arthur, Linus, Zoe and the children.

Klune once again had created a hopeful, uplifting story that shows how the world can be terrible, but yet how we might make it better. I want the world he sees to be ours one day. ⬇️

My first read of 2024 is going well - listening on Libro.fm

I also plan to visit the library for a stack of graphic novels so I can read some this weekend before I go back to work on Monday. 🥰

September is an easy choice for favorite book, although I did love The London Seance Society & learned a lot from Sitting Pretty. #12booksof2024 @Andrew65

I‘ve finished my December books so I can start on my #auldlangspine list.

I already own the two on the left so I will definitely read those this month. Picked up the four on the right from the library today. I also have holds on James, Margo‘s Got Money Troubles and the Princess & the Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

Now where to start? Thinking either the tagged or the Chakraborty first since I loved both City of Brass & House in the Cerulean Sea.

I absolutely adored the first book and was so excited just to get more time with these amazing characters. The children in this book are so wonderful and the addition of David felt perfect. There some parts that were hard to read because I loved the characters so much and seeing them have to suffer anymore than they already had was tough but I get what the author was trying to do. This isn‘t a warm hug like the first book but it‘s still enjoyable

"It's hard." "What is?" "Being alive." "It is," Arthur agreed. "But perhaps that's the point: the trials and tribulations of life weigh heavily upon us, but we find people to help lighten the load."
I love everything about TJ Klune and I will read anything he writes. (Lucy, short for Lucifer, is my favorite character in this one.)

Oh boy. Pretty disappointed in this… it was very preachy and condescending and even the voice of the narrator started to get to me 😞

There is some crazy snow out there. Perfect day for a readathon and lots of hot tea.
#SnickerdoodleSpirit @Bookwormjillk

I hit my reading goal!!

Cerulean Sea is my favorite book. So I was beyond excited to read this. Sadly, this wasn't quite the sequel I was hoping for. The magic and beauty that I loved about the first book, didn't really make it to this one.
The first half of the book was so funny and cute - the scene with Chauncey and Phee sitting on the stairs serving as lookout was so silly! Sal and Theodore - all the time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

12.11.2024

My November reading recap. I read some amazing books last month, but Somewhere Beyond the Sea was definitely my favorite.

It's always hard for a sequel to live up to expectations. Especially a book as beloved as The House in the Cerulean Sea. My favorite thing was seeing the Baker-Parnassus family being happy.

5🌟 Somehow Klune made this sequel even better than the first, and I absolutely adored the first. I laughed, I cried, and I was inspired. I adored this book and will place it with pride up on my shelf.

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

Did I love this as much as A House in the Cerulean Sea? No, not even close. Did I still enjoy it & was it a pick for me? Yes, absolutely! The pacing struggled somewhat & I understand all the reviews/comments about the preachy tone of Arthur, but I really love these characters—especially the kids & I loved being back in this world with them. I think given the election results that safe spaces are even more ⬇️

I loved the first novel, but not this one. It felt like a 300+ page lecture to “educate“ the reader. It was honestly a slog to get through and somehow the magic of the first story was lost. The villains fell flat. The saccharine family relationships felt overplayed. Boo.

About six hours into the audiobook and I just couldn‘t take anymore of Arthur. I‘m bailing for now. Arthur feels so preachy, so condescending to an invisible audience (which must mean the reader), when he‘s talking about or to David the Yeti. I love David and I don‘t necessarily disagree with Arthur. I just don‘t like how it‘s done. Actions would speak louder than words here. Maybe I‘ll try again someday.

Needed some post-election comfort, so chose to visit with several beloved characters via a reread of The House in the Cerulean Sea (on audio this time) …and then devoured the recently released sequel to stay with them a little longer.

The second book struggles a little with pace (and too much monologuing?), but it more than makes up for its technical or editorial misses with its big beautiful heart.

Hope to spend more time in Marsyas soon.

Headed to Kauai for the day for Open Enrollment. Starting out with the usual coffee (Oatmilk sugar cookie latte today) & and Impossible Breakfast Sandwich.

Midway through the tagged library e-book. Not sure if it will be my plane book for the 40 min flying time or not as I‘m in the middle of 4 books, but I‘m sneaking a chapter in before my coworker gets here.

I can appreciate everything Klune wanted to and did say. I love that we got good times and times of growth with this family. I recognize that narrative tension rises as a result of finding the characters confronting circumstances the reader wants them to get out of, resulting in a stronger sense of triumph and release when difficulties are overcome. I think maybe my personal anxiety levels just wanted the badness to be over a little faster. 1/?

Excuse me while I go ugly cry. 😭
There's something about encountering such quietly defiant hope in times like these.
It's so cathartically rejuvenating to enter a TJ Klune world.

I love these characters with all my heart. All of them. Especially Sal and Chauncey, whom have both grown immensely from the first book. This book, unlike the first, was in Arthur‘s POV. Interesting choice, yet it worked as the focus was his past trauma affecting today‘s actions. Same as how it took a bit to get around Arthur‘s anger. Didn‘t like the ending- felt all over the place. Love the kids being kids; even on the mainland now.

My Libby loan just came in! Next up!

Once again this Author brings me all the feels. I highly enjoyed this sequel! So much was relevant to today‘s global issues about hate and non- acceptance (which yes, was their point). However , there were some moments that I had to go back and listen to again , just to sit in the phrasing. Klune makes people think, speaks out and brings issues of hate in this world center stage while still bringing joy and beauty

The House in the Cerulean Sea was a balm when it came out, a hug in a dark time, so I had pretty high expectations of Somewhere Beyond the Sea.
Sadly, it didn't meet those expectations.
Instead of Linus on a journey of growth & discovery, the bad guys here are flat & 1-dimensional, with no possibility of redemption.
It felt like wish fulfillment: the bad guys--standing in for 2024 bad guys--existing only to be smashed down.
I missed the growth.

It's election night and I'm feeling super anxious! Anyone else? 😵‍💫 Curled up with Rumpel and reading T.J Klune's new book, because his writing always makes me feel like I'm being wrapped up in a warm hug! 💕📚 #catsoflitsy #rumpel

1. Sunsets, I‘m more of a night person, but an aspiring morning person.
2. Inclusivity, magical realism, island life.

@TheSpineView Thanks for the tag @Kshakal
#Two4Tuesday

This might be a #unpopularopinion because I've only seen So-So ratings on this before. But I've become a political person, so I loved listening to Arthur and the whole rest is just as lovable and adoring as part one. But especially the afterword by Klune almost made me cry. I wish there was a safe-space like this somewhere in our world. Klune saw my fears, and that of many others, sees us and sends us a tight embrace. Exactly what I needed.

So, my September #BookoftheMonth was by TJ Klune, and my October one is by TJ Klune. There might be a pattern? 😏

#botm

Two reviews are still to come for my read books this month (Somewhere beyond the Sea & A Prayer for the Crown-Shy). It was a really, really good reading month 💜

Why yes! Yes I did!
This is the perfect island tune for my bookish island!
#BeyondTheSea #BobbyDarin #SomewhereBeyondTheSea #TJKlune #AnimalCrossing #NewHorizons #ACNH #IslandTune #BookishIsland

This much anticipated sequel was just as lovely as I expected. The children‘s antics were hilarious, “I can talk to cauliflower and I‘ve named the all Peggy.” Chauncey might be my favorite because he takes things literally and is unapologetically himself all the time. Book #94 in 2024

Please don‘t come for me, but I think this suffered from sophomore slump. Maybe it‘s simply because House was SUCH an absolute winner and really big shoes to fill. For me, this one didn‘t have the same level of humor. I wanted more antics from the kids to show depth, wit, and sarcasm. Linus‘ internal thoughts were such a great part of Book 1, and that same line was missing for me. Disjointed, tacking too much, not the same, but still worth it.

“‘It‘s hard.‘
‘What is?‘
‘Being alive.‘ Arthur agreed. ‘But perhaps that‘s the point:the trials and tribulations of life weigh heavily upon us, but we find people to help lighten the load.‘”
#October2024

“Anger,” she said… “It builds on top of old wounds, on scar tissue. It grows and grows until it becomes all you know.” 😣🙏

This may be an #unpopularopinion, but I did not love this book. House in The Cerulean Sea is my favorite book and I was hoping to recapture the warm hug feeling I get while reading it. This book has little glimpses of that, but overall felt really heavy-handed. Klune had a lot to say apparently and I wholeheartedly agree with his message but it felt like a lot of the book was just Arthur talking at people. The kids are the best part of the story.

I wasn‘t sure at first if I was going to read this. The House in the Cerulean Sea didn‘t really need a sequel to me and a poorly done one had the potential to damage something beautiful. Luckily nothing was ruined by these pages. Instead I got to spend more time with characters that I just love.

This is a bit sappy in places and can be heavy-handed with the messaging, but is a worthy follow up to Cerulean Sea. I loved new character David as well as the ending. And the author‘s note at the end is absolutely beautiful.

An incredible sequel.

Forgot to post my September reads!

Ain‘t that the truth? 🧐

Absolutely loved my time back in this world with these characters. But, I will say this book does have some flaws and one of them is that the conflict/villains are too cartoon-like. Sometimes though it's nice to just read something with found family and acceptance despite the flaws.

I was perfectly happy reading inside but Rolo demanded we sit in the yard.

I enjoyed the follow up as much as the original. A lovely story. From the ending, wondering when book three will come along. Their story definitely isn‘t over yet.

If a book series could be wrapped inside a warm hug, the Cerulean chronicles would be its result. Each child of Authur and Linus is pure delight and I can‘t pick a favorite or least favorite - and that includes the new addition of a yeti. However, this story is told with a heavier hand than the first installment which conflicts with its joy. But then I read the author‘s note so now I am hard pressed to fault the weight of this author‘s ✍️.