Welcome to Litsy!

5 ⭐️s
This epic, sweeping YA fantasy implements inspiration from ancient Greece and Rome‘s Egyptian influence with a sprinkle of the classic New England tale Little Women. I generally dislike YA and present voice, but I LOVED THIS BOOK! The worldbuilding - chef's kiss! The characters - chef's kiss! The Greco-Roman and Egyptian influences - CHEF'S KISS!!!!

Another litten was doing this and it looked like so much fun! @Clwojick

Unique plot, believable likable characters, good pace fantasy novel. Book 1.

The dialogue was stiff and formal throughout. Most of the ending dragged. But I loved the worldbuilding and the set up for the next book. I want that revenge plot.

Today's #currentlyreading !

While the husband is away, this wife will get girlie and get her book on :)

I really enjoyed this, but something fell a little flat. I‘m not really compelled to pick up the sequel but I have no real complaints about the book. I worry that reading this while sick tempered my enjoyment. Overall, I‘d still recommend it!

So far, I‘m doing #NovemberByTheNumber with ebooks I own. Most I haven‘t read yet. This might show my book hoarding problem but today this is my choice for #five. 😊

Court of Fives is great adventure with a smidge of romance. The fantasy world is complicated and well imagined. I can‘t wait for the next one.

For a book that is basically American Ninja Warrior thrust into a fantasy seeing thus was actually pretty good. Well definitely check out the next one.

Moving packing begins in earnest today. Loading up on audiobooks for the long haul.

I love this map from Court of Fives by Kate Elliott.

This month I read three books. My favourite was Court of Fives by Kate Elliott.

Books read this month

Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by MC Beaton
⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ s
Still Life by Louise Penny ⭐⭐⭐⭐s
Court of Fives by Kate Elliott ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ s

I really enjoyed this book. A interesting premise set in a world inspired by the Greco-Roman Egyptian period also known as the Ptolemaic Dynasty. Full of great characters and interesting ideas. Highly recommended

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐s

This one got me out of a reading slump. If American Ninja Warrior was the prime spectator sport in a civil rights era Ancient Rome.

I didn't exactly throw this one across the room...but I did have to close it multiple times because I got so frustrated at the main character. Parts of the story are ok but Jes is so selfish and mean to her mother and sisters that I found it hard to read. It almost seemed like a character flaw she was trying to overcome, but she kept taking 1 step forward, 3 backward.
#photoadaynov16 #threwitacrosstheroom

Hmmmm. Get motivated to go on an adventure with the kids or stay on the couch with this?

Photo shoot out-takes. ?

"Hey, mom. Whatcha doing on the floor? What are these? They don't smell like me."

"Mom, you're on the floor. Want to pet me? Ooh, sister's butt."

#catsoflitsy

The complexity of the world is top notch. The complexity of the characters and their emotions, not so much. I am *probably* reading way into this but I read the above acknowledgements as "thanks for helping me dumb down my writing for these young'uns."

The world leaves the door open to comparisons to Hunger Games or Graceling but the character interactions are too simplistic and incorporate too much telling.

Maybe the second half will improve.

I couldn't put this one down.

In my tbr pile are three books with numbers in the title.... And I thought I was going to have to take my photo at work in the Janet Evanovach section! #somethingforsept

I was intrigued by the worldbuilding, particularly the dark hints of magic that seep through from time to time. But the characters (particularly Jes) and relationships (particularly with Kal) felt frustratingly underdeveloped--with the hint of more complexities that could be explored.
I am looking forward to seeing where the next book hopefully builds on some of the characters and ideas introduced here.

#recommendsday: Since the sequel just came out yesterday, today I'm recommending Kate Elliott's Court of Fives! Like a lot of Elliott's work, the premise feels deceptively simple at first, and then gradually gets more complicated as it goes. Jes is a wonderful heroine, stubborn and difficult, with so much to learn! Book 2 is even better!

I LOVED this book! It was a book I could enjoy with my daughter! Like strong teen female characters with strong wills and high ambitions, then jump in on this journey! It's YA but held me captive from chapter to chapter needing to know what happened next! ❤️

It's #Recommendsday! What are you recommending this week? "This was my first Kate Elliott book and what an introduction it was. I loved Jes's spark and stubbornness, and Kal was a lovely match for her. Super super glad to have the sequel in my hands to read now!" -Rioter @angel

next on deck

Flight day read.