Welcome to Litsy!

Kevin Wilson is hit-or-miss for me but this was a hit. I really liked the premise, found the characters to be quirky and loveable and just enjoyed the funny stuff that happened along the way.

I really enjoy Wilson‘s writing & was excited this was one of the options for the #BiteSizedBooks portion of the #GoodreadsChallenge! This quick family drama starts with Mad in TN, who is shocked to have a half-brother show up in a PT Cruiser—& news that their dad has more children & is in CA. A sibling road trip ensues with the climax proving that it‘s not so much the destination as the journey. Funny moments, big secrets & room to define family!

Book #21 of 2025: “West With Giraffes” by Lynda Rutledge

Incredibly well written. Based on a true story but told from a fictional character‘s perspective, Rutledge imagines the journey two giraffes made from New York City to San Diego in 1938. It‘s poignant and heartbreaking, but also full of loving warmth. If you‘re looking for a read that pulls you in for hours then this is the book for you.

The final book in the Tending Roses series. This novel tells of a young adult Dell trying to find her roots and birth father. Adopted at 13 by a very loving family, Dell always felt a pull to her past. Indigenous appearance and strong emotions bring interesting results. 4.5/5⭐️

My favourite book of the year? A definite contender! At a crossroads, somewhat aimless Sylvia travels to Europe where she meets up with ex-pat Henry who loves a good meal, fine wine, and a luxurious hotel. Together they crisscross Europe and Sylvia shares stories from her life. A simple set-up but the execution is brilliant. Somehow Kirshenbaum manages to seamlessly weave together multiple time lines. It's a meditation on memory, keepsakes 👇

We do not care that we are a day late for #wdncw because sometimes it happens that way.

We did not care that it took the entire trip around the lake to hear one story, because the tangents were delightful.

We especially enjoyed watching a squirrel run up a tree, taking stops for selfies and checking the birdsong app, and finding a giraffe teething ring hanging from a branch.

I‘ve wanted to read another book by Kirshenbaum since loving Rabbits for Food. This one was lovely in a meandering, melancholy way, true to the title. Reflections on life‘s choices, through stories Sylvia tells Henry on their roadtrip, which is itself a story that you know from the start won‘t have a happy ending. Definitely my kind of book.

#10BeforeTheEnd

I wish more had happened in this book. The characters were interesting, but the story just kind of wandered. Low pick.

#OffMyShelf “orange cover”
#37by37 Readathon

A classic in trans literature and I love the non-ending - it felt honest. Maria is having a quarter-life crisis and manages to lose her job, girlfriend and apartment all in 24 hours. What trans wisdom could she possibly impart to maybe trans maybe not trans pothead JamesH in podunk Nevada? Raw, funny, provocative, and insightful. No one has all the answers.

I loved this. It was not what I expected, but that may be a good thing. Billy was my favorite, of course, but all the characters had their moments. And the prose was memorable. (Map in the background does not include the Lincoln Highway, but it‘s what I had in the house. 🤷🏻‍♀️) #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks