Welcome to Litsy!

I‘m a huge fan of Shaun Tan‘s work and I expected this to be my favorite yet since glimpses into the artists‘ mind is usually my jam, but for me this was #goodnotgreat The good was it was unexpected, I found a few unique insights, I got to see a new side of his painting style, I learned a few things about the man behind the work, but I felt less drawn in by the drawings when they weren‘t connected by a narrative and a lot of the writing felt flat.

The other two I‘ve read by her were home runs, but this one was more #goodnotgreat. I‘d still love to read more Ozeki, though! #AuthorAMonth

Yumi runs away from her tiny Idaho town at 14 after sleeping with a teacher. As her parents age, a neighbor takes care of them, but when their health falters she returns with three kids in tow. Meanwhile, a group of organic food activists have targeted the area to protest GMO potatoes.

This was a very quick read, perfect to distract me from a horrible cold. Three years ago I would of said I would never be ready to read about the pandemic. But now it feels distant enough. And it did not feel at the forefront of this story. So it was perfect for #booked2023 #setinapandemic There were definitely a couple of moments I didn‘t see coming. But I did start to get bored when parts of the timeline repeated word for word.

Struggling to write this review - I liked it but something was off… It‘s an interesting premise for a novel - taking one of the most notorious serial killers in history, refusing to name him yet spin a story from the perspective of one of the sorority women who was in the house the night he murdered raped and strangled two young women and violently assaulted two other sorority sisters. There‘s a secondary story about another victim 👇🏼

I wanted to like this more than I did. It got unnecessarily complicated and difficult to follow. #GoodNotGreat

Bridge is devastated after her mother‘s death. But when she returns to pack up Mom‘s things, she finds out her mother may have jumped to another reality. As Bridge combs her notebooks and begins jumping realities to find her, a serial killer that can jump realities sets out eliminate Bridge from every universe. #aardvark

Hardin, who has ghost written dozens of books, is a talented author for sure, but at times her memoir about coming back from jail time and addiction lacked passion. She made important points about the difficulties for most women trying to complete probation requirements and get their children back in their custody. I have a great deal of respect for her journey back and the hard fought life she‘s built. #GoodNotGreat

Complete fluff, but in a good way. Part cozy mystery, chick-lit & romance… influencers, high-school mean girls, a celeb wedding, and a coastal vibe, perfect to throw in a beach bag. But what made it for me, were the moments when our plus-size heroine was at her most relatable. Faking confidence, patronizing asides, aiming for body-confidence yet still being hurt by the so-called well-meaning insults disguised as compliments. All too familiar 🤦‍♀️

I really enjoyed the top two books - the others were #GoodNotGreat

I REALLY LOVED both Victory City and Tom Lake ! Mama Love, Kala and Come Fly were #GoodNotGreat
Happiness Falls is an ARC which I was really looking forward to but it‘s not meeting my expectations. I‘ve been wavering between a total pan and so-so. Still have another 100 pages to go, maybe it‘ll get better 🤪

A well written honest story of one woman‘s journey from addict to advocate. Lara Love Hardin doesn‘t hold back from sharing her highs and lows as she & her second husband lie, cheat and steal from friends, neighbors and family to feed their heroin addiction. This book left me with all the feels- anger, sadness, shock and hope. Read by the author. #BorrowNotBuy