Litsy

The Four Spent the Day Together | Chris Kraus

pick

I think this book is trying to do something interesting even if I'm not entirely sure I understand it. I think it is saying something about poverty & the "American dream" and places & people that get lost & crushed by industry & capital. It is billed as re-imagining the true crime genre. Which sure? It's divided into 3 parts. 1. The story of the Greene family's unsuccessful move from NYC to CT to improve their lives. 2. Catt Greene's adult life ?

merelybookish Her career as a writer, her troubled relationship with her husband Paul who struggles with alcoholism, their decision to buy a lake house in North MN. Part 3 is Catt's attempt to write about a senseless murder by 3 teens in the northern MN community. The parts are very district. Story is obviously autobiographical. Catt Greene is a barely veiled version of Chris Kraus and juxtaposes her own troubled youth with those of the youth in MN. 2d

merelybookish Anyway would love to hear what other #TOB folks think of it! It's a pick because I was intrigued even if I feel somewhat dissatisfied. @sarahbarnes @squirrelbrain @Hooked_on_books @BarbaraBB @Chelsea.Poole @Deblovestoread @BkClubCare 2d

squirrelbrain I bought this a few weeks ago as I thought it sounded really intriguing - I‘ll hopefully get to it soon (as if - have you seen my ToB pile?!) so we can chat about it. 2d

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BarbaraBB Sounds very interesting. It wasn‘t on my radar until now, I‘ll see if I can get a copy! 2d

Hooked_on_books Huh, this sounds right up my alley. I haven‘t been able to get it from the library, so I need to add it to my next book haul. 2d

sarahbarnes This is one that I wanted to read, too. It‘s coming my way from the library. Your review makes me very curious. 2d

merelybookish @BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes @Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain Excellent! I look forward to your thoughts! 😀 I feel like it's one I will ponder for a while. 2d

44 likes7 comments

ChaoticMissAdventures

Killer Potential | Hannah Deitch

pick

It might be low expectations from bad reviews, but I enjoyed this! I thought the writing was solid, and the story original. Though I understand the "twist" from the beginning, I don't think that was the point of the story, the point is what would you convince yourself to do, and what lies could you make up to yourself (and others) about what you see around you. The characters were interesting.

#ToB #Longlist

squirrelbrain I‘m just about to start this one. 4d

34 likes1 comment

ChaoticMissAdventures

The South | Tash Aw

Weekend plans

Also finishing listening to #ToB Killer Potential

Ruthiella 😻😻😻 4d

dabbe 🖤🐾💛 4d

40 likes2 comments

squirrelbrain

Too Soon | Betty Shamieh

pick

#ToB #shortlist

Arabella, a New York theatre director from a Palestinian family, is old at 35 to not be married (!). She has growing feelings for her Israeli friend so, when she gets the opportunity to direct a show in the West Bank, she agrees to meet Aziz, arranged for her by her grandmother.

This had a very similar underlying plotline to Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad, but in the style of Xóchitl González books - I loved it!

Hooked_on_books, Deblovestoread, merelybookish, Bookwormjillk, Chelsea.Poole, BarbaraBB, sarahbarnes, ChaoticMissAdventures, Lesliereadsalot

Chelsea.Poole Glad to see the love for this one! I‘m looking forward now 😊 5d

BarbaraBB I forgot all about Enter Ghost but am very much looking forward to this one 5d

Hooked_on_books I was thinking of Enter Ghost when reading this post and then, there it was! But then mixed with Xochitl Gonzalez? That sounds great! 5d

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Lesliereadsalot Sounds great! 5d

ChaoticMissAdventures I am on a wait list at the library for this. It says 2 weeks, it sounds good! 5d

sarahbarnes I am interested in this one. Sounds good! 4d

64 likes3 stack adds6 comments

BkClubCare

The Dream Hotel | Laila Lalami

#WinterCampLitsy ❄️🏕️📚 My nominees are... 🥁

I believe The Dream Hotel might have been on my noms for summer camp? ☺️ And yes, you'll notice that I try very hard to nominate/vote women authors. I know Mobius won't likely be on the winning slate but I haven't read enough! #ToB

tpixie The Correspondent was one of my 2 favorite books of 2025! Also

My Friends

BkClubCare @tpixie - not the Hisham Matar? 😉 5d

BkClubCare My swap for Mobius might be

So Far Gone

(edited) 5d

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BarbaraBB Great choices. I loved The Correspondent so much. (edited) 5d

Caroline2 Great choices! 😃 👏 5d

tpixie @BkClubCare 😝 no not that author‘s 😝 Although, that may be good, also! (edited) 5d

tpixie @BarbaraBB me too! 5d

47 likes7 comments

Chelsea.Poole

Seduction Theory | Emily Adrian

so-so

#ToB long list title that I wouldn‘t have picked up otherwise. Affairs in academia have been done to death and this just continues the same story we‘ve seen a million times. I guess every up and coming author thinks they can do it better. Simone (beautiful, smart) and her husband each have affairs. But Simone‘s is with the narrator of this book, defending her thesis. It was fine but I don‘t think I‘ll remember it. But I love that cover!

Chelsea.Poole #tob26 long list 5d

willaful *yawn*

How do these keep getting published and praised?! 5d

62 likes1 stack add2 comments

fredthemoose

Wake Up, Rooster!: An Animal Friends Reader | Liza Charlesworth

It‘s here! The #ToB shortlist! But, ugh, it‘s a bunch of the books I looked at and thought, “maybe this one won‘t make it… 🤞” Oh well, here we go! #ToB26

https://www.tournamentofbooks.com/the-2026-shortlist

Ruthiella Let‘s hope you are happily surprised if you read those you were less enthused about. 🤞 5d

BarbaraBB That‘s what I always hope for too @Ruthiella 😊although I am pretty happy either way this year‘s shortlist! And there‘s #WintercampLitsy of course, where we Littens will vote for three more reads to read in January and February. We are known for our excellent taste lol 😂 5d

fredthemoose @Ruthiella Thank you—I‘m sure I will be! I looked closer and there are several I‘m looking forward to. But I may just let myself skip We Love You, Bunny and assume it‘s not for me… 5d

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fredthemoose @BarbaraBB I‘m definitely looking forward to #WintercampLitsy! I‘m sure there will be several I like and wouldn‘t have come across otherwise. There‘s so much to read in the next 3 months! 5d

BarbaraBB So much to read indeed 😊 5d

Chelsea.Poole I don‘t want to read Bunny either 😝 5d

fredthemoose @Chelsea.Poole Thank you for understanding! I read Rouge and was not a fan. Bunny is definitely going in the lower priority tier… 5d

41 likes7 comments

BarbaraBB

Shortlisted: Women in the Shadows of the Supreme Court | Melissa Murray, Hannah Brenner Johnson, Renee Knake Jefferson

#ToB26 Shortlist is here!
I am moderately happy with it. I have read 3, am in the middle of one, and have another 6 on my shelves. About the others I am not sure yet. Bunny again? Don‘t think so. Also I have never heard of some! Anyhow, excited for the #ToB and for #WintercampLitsy, where we will read three not-nominated books!

BkClubCare, Hooked_on_books, Deblovestoread, merelybookish, Bookwormjillk, Chelsea.Poole, squirrelbrain, sarahbarnes, ChaoticMissAdventures

Bookwormjillk I have only read one! Excited for the others though and of course Winter Camp. 6d

ChaoticMissAdventures I have read 3 also. LOVED

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter

Bookwormjillk @ChaoticMissAdventures good to hear I downloaded that yesterday 6d

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BarbaraBB @ChaoticMissAdventures It‘s very expensive here so I hope I can get a copy one way or another 6d

sarahbarnes That was too fast! I‘m okay with this list, but there are lots of others I would have liked to see on here. 6d

BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes Me too. But we can vote for them for #Wintercamplitsy 6d

Deblovestoread I have read zero (not surprised). I own 2, won‘t read 2 (Buffalo and Bunny), my library or Libby has all the rest but 1 so I am set. Looking forward to the vote for #Wintercamplitsy 6d

Megabooks I‘ve read 7 including all three play in round, which is a first! I own 6 more. The only one I‘m completely not interested in Burnjng Heart, but I will probably read it anyway. #completist 😂 6d

merelybookish I do always wish they'd give us a bit more time with the long list. I have read two of the picks and two of the play-ins. And none of the ones I currently have from the library made it. 6d

squirrelbrain I‘ve read 4 and am reading 3 more right now. I won‘t read Bunny and I bailed on Katabasis so I won‘t be a completist. Just keep telling yourself that‘s fine, Helen, you don‘t NEED to be a completist! 6d

Hooked_on_books I‘ve read 7 and either have or have on hold 6 more. There‘s 3 I just won‘t read (Bunny, the Catch, Katabasis), so I for sure won‘t be a completist. But it‘ll still be fun! 6d

BarbaraBB @Deblovestoread I won‘t read Bunny either. I have heard good things about Buffalo but it is very expensive here. 6d

BarbaraBB @Megabooks That‘s a lot! I think I will read Burning Heart and skip two play-in‘s ( I am reading If You Love It right now) as well as Metallic- which doesnt appeal to me. 6d

BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain I won‘t read Bunny either but I do have a copy of Katabasis. Will try it and see what I‘ll think. 6d

BarbaraBB @Hooked_on_books You‘ve read a lot of them already. I won‘t read Bunny either, Katabasis I probably will though it doesn‘t appeal. And The Catch seems okay, have you heard bad things? 6d

BkClubCare I've read ZERO NIL ZED ZILCH. 😫 First time in a decade of following ToB. I've heard Katabasis works well via audio so I'll commit to it. I don't think I have it in me to be a completist and I'm both 💔 and relieved. (edited) 6d

BarbaraBB @BkClubCare I can imagine it being a relief somehow too! Thanks for the suggestion of doing Katabasis on audio. That might work for me too 6d

Chelsea.Poole I‘ve been wondering when we‘d get the short list! Seems a bit later than last year. Thanks for the nice compilation! I‘ll screenshot. I‘ve read 8 and I‘ve just started The Unveiling today on audio. I really, really do not want to read Bunny. If no one else is, maybe I‘ll give it a pass as well. One go with that was enough for me with the first book. 6d

BarbaraBB @Chelsea.Poole You‘ve read 8! Wow! What is your favorite so far? I think a few of us won‘t read Bunny (see comments above!) I agree once was enough. More than! 6d

squirrelbrain Wow, 8! @Chelsea.Poole - you certainly picked well! 6d

Hooked_on_books I kept looking at The Catch when it first came out because I love the cover. But reviews were making me think I wouldn‘t like it. 6d

Lesliereadsalot Impressive! I haven‘t read one. Oh wait, I think I started The Catch and bailed. Flesh too. I‘m not doing very well here! (edited) 6d

kwmg40 I haven't read any of these yet. I don't have much hope of completing the list in time but I usually manage to get through at least two-thirds of the list each year. There are a few that I'm really looking forward to reading. 6d

ChasingOm I just picked up The Endling from my library today. It will be the only one I‘ve read, lol. 6d

Jas16 I‘ve read four of them and will likely try to read a couple more but overall I am just not enthusiastic about this list so won‘t push myself to read them all. 5d

BarbaraBB @Hooked_on_books I haven‘t read any, just the premise. Better if I won‘t go and check out those reviews I think 😉 5d

BarbaraBB @Lesliereadsalot @kwmg40 @ChasingOm @Jas16 I don‘t think I‘ll read all of them either but I know there are always some surprisingly good reads among those chosen so I will try to read the books I can get a copy of! 5d

Chelsea.Poole @squirrelbrain @BarbaraBB I misspoke —currently reading my 8th from this list which is The Unveiling. I‘m taking my time because it‘s hard to keep my footing with it. Seems trippy but I‘m not into it far enough to know for sure what‘s going on. 5d

BarbaraBB @Chelsea.Poole Another one I am interested in although Quan Barry is always hit or miss for me 5d

61 likes29 comments

ChaoticMissAdventures

Killer Potential | Hannah Deitch

Neighborhood walk

Listening to the tagged #ToB. The mom.in this has the same name as the mom in my other, completely unrelated current read Meet The Newmans.
It always throws me and I get so distracted on how 2 random books pick an unusual name (Dinah) and I happen to pick them up at the same time!

willaful I'm reading two missing person mysteries and am so confused! 7d

ChaoticMissAdventures @willaful oh yes! I have to read things set at different times or about totally different things. These are totally different, just Randy one name the same! 7d

sarahbarnes I‘m listening to this on audio right now, too! I‘m very entertained by the story - not the kind of book I would normally pick up. And that‘s a great Christmas decor choice. 😆 6d

43 likes3 comments

LitsyEvents

Nols Winter Camping (Special) | Buck Tilton, John Gookin

repost for @BarbaraBB, @squirrelbrain, @hooked_on_books

#WinterCampLitsy

Dear #camplitsy friends you wanted a Winter Camp and we‘re delivering!

Once the #ToB shortlist is out, we‘ll vote for 3 books that didn‘t make it and read/discuss from mid-January.

Unfortunately our lovely Meg is under the weather and will be hibernating for now. However, Helen and I are delighted to welcome Holly @hooked_on_books to keep the campfire burning!

squirrelbrain Thanks for reposting! 1w

BarbaraBB Thanks for the repost! Everyone‘s welcome to join in 💕 1w

38 likes2 comments

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