Welcome to Litsy!

I enjoyed the wide variety of characters, time periods, and settings in this short story collection. Each story had a distinct voice. 4⭐️ #hoopla

Hour 18 Nightstand Books #24in48
I'm not at home, but here is what I have with me this weekend. Most often my nightstand starts out with one priority pile and then quickly morphs into two and three priority piles... in other words best intentions 😏🤯🤪🙃. #tbrpiles #readingretreat

I started this last night and am really enjoying these quiet, strange stories. So nice to be able to enjoy this day off reading with the windows open and snuggling with this doofus. 🌤 #thebookishferrets

After all the medical stuff over the last 24 hours, I needed something relaxing. So, of course, I headed straight for a bookstore (one next to one of my favorite coffee shops). Took a moment to enjoy a Cafe Cubano and pick up a title I've had my eye on for a while (as well as my order for Nasty Women from Independent Bookstore Day). It's been a long week; this was so restorative. #treatyoself #shopindie

Oh yeah. Loved. 🖤

"...armed with a shotgun and a short life expectancy" is probably one of my new favorite quotes. #chanellebenz

After listening to 1.95 of these stories...no....nope...no way...no thanks....just no.

Gah! Just started this on audio and the narrator has a completely swoon-inducing, bewitching Southern drawl. I can't remember the last time an audiobook grabbed hold of me so completely right from the get-go!

This is more a so so for myself as I really felt like I was missing something. The writing is beautiful but I spent most of the stories confused and once I figured it out the story was over. I wished my high school teacher had assigned it so we could discuss what the stories meant because they felt packed with meaning that was over my head.

The commute home begins with this one!

Two stories in and I'm not sure how I feel yet. However, this is my #commuteread today

My next #commuteread!

#FeistyFeb day 1 - #tbr

Right now I have 13 books checked out from the library...and these 8 are all due back by February 7. Guess I'd better get to reading (and renewing)!

#allisnotlost I need a stack of books while my mom is in the hospital. I'm giving this one a shot but having a hard time getting into it.

A wildly original debut collection about people whose longing for escape lead them rushing toward difficult choices. There‘s a young girl who runs away with her outlaw brother; a diplomat‘s daughter gets caught up in deadly missions; an ex-con searches for her father; a teenage boy tries to come to terms with having a father in prison. These stories and more are full of brutal truths & beautiful language about moral ambiguity, love, & family.

Electric Lit has a story by Chanelle Benz online. https://electricliterature.com/the-mourners-by-chanelle-benz-e6e5190b0ae6hickleb...

A wildly original debut collection about people whose longing for escape and adventure lead them rushing toward difficult choices. These stories are full of brutal truths and beautiful language about moral ambiguity, love, and family. Chanelle Benz is one to watch. 🔥🤘🏻📚

Liberty's rave about this one on this week's episode of All The Books piqued my interest. The title didn't hurt, either. I don't usually go for debut collections of short stories by younger writers because, let's be honest, if the stories are not at least 70% as good as Alice Munro or Mavis Gallant, I am likely to bail and pan. But I see this is on Audible so, with their great no-questions-asked returns policy I will give it a go that way.

The title of this book makes me think of Ralphie and his Red Ryder BB gun. This Ralphie doesn't care.

The title should be a hint - the short stories in this collection are full of violence (rape, domestic abuse, hangings, beheadings, uprisings) but somehow I finished the collection feeling hopeful. Benz's memorable collection of stories will take you from the 16th century to the future, from Louisiana to Beirut. It's a wild ride. Pub date 1/17/17.

the breeze rolls in from the river, over the levee, down the corridor of oak trees... It is late August, and Louisiana is the eighth circle of hell.

Strange titles. Bright colors. Some good looking January '17 books.