Welcome to Litsy!

June's #WeeklyFavorites, at long last. Traveling threw me off, and I didn't finish any books between the 7th and 14th, so here's a cardinal for that spot. I think my favorite of these was the tagged.

@Read4life

This 2018 contemporary fiction is set in the latter half of 2016 Manhattan so 2016 Trump plays heavy to the story. I don‘t know - maybe I would appreciate this as historical fiction more in say 3.5 years but not today. …Also, until the epilogue I was uncomfortable with the way autism was represented. I did like the ending though so I‘m glad I stuck it out. …I pulled the book out because the cover looked 4th of July‘ish, so there is that🤣

This is a travelogue with commentary about America in the 1960s and a poodle sidekick. I sensed the goal was to find something profound through the people met and adventures had on the way, but I think his search was unsuccessful. It was still an interesting trip with some glimpses of what he was looking for. And the dog doesn‘t die at the end so I‘m just thankful Steinbeck didn‘t wreck me with another one of his stories.
🐩🐩🐩🐩

June was a big reading month for me, with eight books finished and several really good four star novels, my favorite is tagged but What Kind of Paradise is a very close second!

Are we completely sure this was written by Kevin Wilson? It lacks the humor and the wittiness and weirdness we know him for. It really doesn‘t feel like him at all. But maybe he was trying something different?

I did enjoy it, I thought it was an interesting story. It just wasn‘t what I expected at all. And the ending felt abrupt, like the book was unfinished.

Oh well, hopefully he‘ll return to his old style with the next book.

Looking for audiobook recommendations! We are driving from Grand Teton to Glacier National Park this summer.

My husband isn‘t a big reader, so looking for recommendations that a non reader would like!

Genres would probably be mystery or fantasy (like LOTR but not boring) ☺️

TIA!

This was so disappointing. A bunch of siblings goes on a roadtrip in search of their father, who left them all with a different mother. The characters aren‘t worked out at all, nor is the father or are his reasons for leaving them all. Nor, for that matter, is the roadtrip across the US.

Kevin Wilson did much better in Nothing to See Here.

📸 Syros, Greece

I listened to this bit by bit on a series of drives across Ohio and Michigan with my family. On a road trip is a great way to listen to Kevin Wilson (this is our third), and the premise of this one in particular fits road trip listening well. Wilson's characters are so immediately engrossing, all of us were engaged, alternately moved and laughing as Wilson led us through the complicated nature of "family," via Marin Ireland's narration.

I think the fact that it's format is a graphic novel makes such a deep story inviting to young adults because it is easy to read. Many kids think graphic novels and comic books are just superheroes, but there are more options available to them, and I think this is a good example to show.

I think it is important for every student to be educated on all cultures because it is useful in classrooms as well as life after and outside of school. I loved the story of being able to appreciate and respect both cultures. It definitely brought to mind how depending on the demographics, students bring merging cultures.