Licorice pipes are a candy frequently mentioned in the Inspector Gamache series. I‘d never heard of them before reading these books. I recently recommended the series to my dad and he‘s been loving them. The other day he surprised me with these strange candies. He‘d been curious to find out what they were like. So if you‘re wondering, this is what licorice pipes look like!

Lauren Spierer was a college student who went missing from Indiana University in 2011. It was haunting and disturbing to read how easily a young woman disappeared without a trace. The journalist who wrote this couldn't keep himself out of the narrative as this investigation has defined his career in many ways. There are no real answers in the end, just grieving parents and a campus that doesn't seem to have changed much in the years since.

This was surprisingly slow going for a book geared towards young adults. The fantastical world starts off strong, but when the main character sets off to search for her missing friends it felt like everything dragged w/no action for chapters. The main premise revolves around a creeping darkness that's invading local towns. It's a heavy subject with a satisfying ending, but it's not one I'd recommend. The pace was too slow to justify the payoff.

Bleak & heartbreaking, this novel is based on the author's life. He writes to his mother, an immigrant from Vietnam with her own horrifying history. The poetic, haunting writing was my favorite part. It was painful & uncomfortable to read because it puts someone else's raw anguish on full display. As he struggles with abuse from his mom, drug addiction, bullying, & his sexuality he is honest & vulnerable. TWs abound. Cont…

The second volume was even better than the first! We are getting to know the mysterious tenant, Niall, next door along with a slew of other entertaining characters. The Duke of Islington and Jack were both surprising and delightful. There's a whole section dedicated to rescuing a three-volume set of Jane Eyre. I‘m loving Emma's witty world. If you liked but didn‘t love the 1st volume, make sure you read this one. This is where it really gets good.

Daisy Jones meets Tanya Harding in this Wuthering Heights retelling. We're hearing the story of ice dancers who become famous in interview snippets after the fact. Heath and Katarina have a toxic relationship and anyone who has read Wuthering Heights won't be surprised to hear that. It's incredibly entertaining on audio, but also exhausting as the characters are just horrible to each other.

When I was in high school I read and loved this series. Returning to them now when it feels like the world is in such chaos, felt like a warm hug. Some plot points are obviously dated, but I loved rereading these books that I adored when I was so young.

In February and March, I‘m reading Swann‘s Way with a few bookish friends. I love hearing everyone‘s comments each week. We are reading the Lydia Davis translation and just made it to the halfway point. Proust‘s meandering thoughts are beautiful, but exhausting at times. I love having a chance to savor his words and reflect on them each week instead of rushing through it.

Set in 1883, this new series feels like it could‘ve been written a century ago. Emma‘s private journals are snarky and hilarious as she tries to make her way in London under the guardianship of her awful cousin Archibald. This is just volume one and I can‘t wait to read the rest. They are delightful.

I really enjoyed aspects of this & I think increasing the conversation about perimenopause, women aging, etc. is so important. But I think Shields is still coming from an extreme place of privilege. She acknowledges this & I absolutely don‘t fault her for it, but I think many women won‘t quite be able to relate. Yes, we are watching our bodies change, but most of us do not have her resources or have to face the public gaze like she does. Continued

This is not a book by a politician hoping to woo the public. I think that's why I couldn't put it down. Written long before his presidential candidacy began Obama explores his identity & childhood here. White grandparents from Kansas, a father from Nigeria, an upbringing in Hawaii & Indonesia, & his 1st trip to Africa is all included. It's less polished & more powerful because of that. There's a palpable struggle to find his footing in this world.

Men hurting women. That‘s the theme in this historical fiction with a rotating POV. Altha in 1619, Violet in 1942 & Kate in 2019 all face abuse in their lives of the life of someone they love. The women have a deep connection with insects & birds. It‘s compulsively readable, but also made me roll my eyes many times with the bad choices & one-dimensional characters. I wished for more depth in relationships and less focus on the gruesome situations.

Cute epistolary novel about two people who connect through an online dating site. Izzy lives in North Carolina and Brodie lives on a tiny island. I loved their mutual Lord of the Rings obsession and passion for books. I did feel like it should‘ve been edited down and quite a bit of family back-and-forth could‘ve been cut. A fun read with a subplot of great family supporting each other, just went on a bit too long.

This classic follows the love life of Linda Radlett through the eyes of her cousin Fanny. She falls for one man after another, each so different. It reminded me of I Capture the Castle, without the coming-of-age elements. It also had a bit of The Painted Veil thrown in, w/Linda maturing through the novel. There is so much wit & it's delightful. I watched the miniseries & was impressed by how closely it stayed to the playfulness & text of the book.

I‘ve never been a country fan and could probably only name a handful of Dolly Parton songs, but I‘ve always loved her sense of humor, spunky attitude, and I‘ve always believed she was incredibly intelligent. The ways she‘s poured into her community and the children she‘s impacted through her Imagination Library are inspiring. This is a quick book and it‘s delightful on audio.

This Persuasion retelling is set in space with some Bachelor vibes. It‘s very entertaining, but definitely YA with lots of miscommunication & predictable twists. There‘s a class system based on former countries on earth having their own ships. My goal is to read all six original Austen novels plus a mix of retellings throughout the year and so this one was a good pick for that.

A nonfiction account of the history of American bookstores. I loved that we start with Benjamin Franklin & continue until Barnes & Noble and Amazon change the landscape of bookshops. Along the way we learn about gay rights and black-owned shops that acted more like community hubs than a traditional store. I loved traveling to each new space and hearing their stories. If this doesn‘t want to make you support independents, I don‘t know what will.

I couldn‘t resist! The book was a poetry collection by a new-to-me author, Thomas Curtis Clark.

While staying in Bath Catherine meets 2 sets of siblings. The Thorpes, who become insufferable as their true nature is revealed, & the Tilneys (Henry & Eleanor). Austen does a wonderful job comparing the 2 sets, demonstrating a false nature vs. a genuine one. I love that Catherine & Henry like each other from the start. He is patient & kind & rises above his family with his moral compass. He‘s a truly good & one of my favorite Austen characters.

With this series I'm in it for the snarky dragons, war strategy & world building. I enjoyed every minute of it, but I don't think it's anything ground breaking or that the writing is brilliant. It does what it is supposed to. It entertained & kept me interested the whole time. I loved Ridoc's quips & Tairn's attitude. The exploration of the islands reminded me of Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I had fun returning to this world & that's all I wanted.

This should have been a DNF. I couldn't make myself interested in Grace or Becker. I did love the descriptions of Eris, the remote Scottish island where a famed artist moved. All of the people involved were shallow, selfish, and petty. The second someone pursued a bit of freedom or was happy in their lives it was shown as a bad thing.

"All is fair in love and war, and friendship is love, too, isn't it? And a kind of war sometimes as well."

This nonfiction memoir from the author of The Book Thief is about his relationship with his crazy dogs. It is a book written for dog people and I'm not kidding when I say if you are one, you'll laugh and then it will break your heart. As someone who has deeply loved and also lost a big goofy dog, this one was hard to read, but it was beautiful.

Last night I got to attend a reading and book signing with Rebecca Makkai. She was so charismatic and lovely. She gave incredible answers during the Q&A about her writing process, particularly how she determines POV in her books. I‘ve read two of her novels, but now I can‘t wait to read more.

A beautiful collection of prayers written by Jane Austen. It also includes a brief bio of her life. The final prayer is my favorite and is one I'll return to. I love her novels so much, it was sweet to see this different side of her writing.

This parenting book resonated with me more than any other I‘ve read. Its main goal is to help you raise kids who are able to make decisions for themselves in a safe environment at home that will translate well when they‘re out of your house. They talk about how helicopter or drill sergeant parents limit kids‘ maturity, while consultant parents help their kids learn through natural consequences. The key is empathy while still allowing them to fail.

There were aspects I loved about this one, especially the characters. They‘ll definitely stay with me. But I felt like the plot was overly convoluted and dragged. I think the author tried to fit in too many different subplots. I‘d love to hear if it‘s worth continuing the series. I did love the final reveal and felt it was worth it in the end. I probably would have enjoyed this one more if my expectations hadn‘t been so high.

A portrait of loneliness & the power of connection. I loved this story of an English woman who returns to the UK after 60 years in Australia. Her path crosses w/a little mouse & unexpected connections follow. It reminds me of an even lovelier Man Called Ove. It was a reminder to look deeper than 1st impressions. It‘s one I‘d love to reread in the future. “The pleasantness of Sunday has come apart and lies in pieces at the feet of Monday.”

I was stuck somewhere without a book & ended up reading this for the 1st time in 20 years. The quick pacing, clever puzzles, & story of women being erased from history held up. The endless mansplaining & self-flagellating monk were tiresome. I remember reading this in college and not being able to put it down. It‘s still a fun ride and I loved the references to locations through out Europe. Entertaining for sure.

This is one of Dickens' shorter novels & he packs a lot of story into it. He shines when it comes to portraying the brokenness of humanity and the lengths we'll go to in our moments of desperation. At this point I've read 8 of his major novels & this one falls in the middle. I love some of the characters like Bounderby, the perfect picture of callous selfishness & Stephen, who lives a tragic life, but never lets go of his morals. #whatthedickens

A group of insomniacs meet nightly in a graveyard. One night they start to notice some odd things. Mushrooms, clinical trials, and fresh graves aren‘t adding up to an easy answer. The cover of this one makes it look much scarier than it was. It was a bit too short to feel invested in the story or the characters and I was left wanting more.

A VERY brief meditation on the end of life. Sacks found out he was dying of cancer and wanted to reflect on how even the hard things had brought him to this point. I love how he embraces different elements on the periodic table at each birthday.

One of my goals this year is to cultivate a heart of gratitude in every situation. This seemed like a great place to start. The author wrote one thank you card each week for a year. She set out themes for the month like career, mentors, travel, health, etc. I loved hearing the tangible ways that writing the cards influenced how she thought about past events. I also loved that her focus on gratitude had a huge impact on her young kids.

Wishing all of you on Litsy the happiest new year! This year, I‘m hoping to get back into more classics after giving myself a bit of a break over the last couple years. I want to reread all of Jane Austen‘s work to celebrate her 250th birthday, tackle Proust‘s Swann‘s Way, Dickens‘ Hard Times, and a few others that have sat on my TBR too long. Of course, I‘ll also be picking up whatever looks good in the moment for fun too! Happy reading!

Elizabeth Bennet is stuck in a loop repeating the day of the Netherfield Ball. As she resets each morning she finds herself desperate to solve the problems of Mr. Bingley leaving, her family‘s embarrassing behavior & Collin's unwanted proposal. I loved her interactions with Darcy. They were definitely the best part & gave us a chance to see that relationship grow deeper. A quick fun read to start off the year celebrating Austen's 250th birthday!

My 1st read of the year was a doozy! I couldn't put this down. During Bodie‘s time in boarding school, her roommate was murdered but she thinks the wrong man was imprisoned. This worked so well because of the intimate writing & POV of a 40-year-old. There's a maturity & distance that most boarding school books don't have. I loved that she was flawed & dealing w/her own marriage issues in addition to the main plot. It felt more realistic. So good!

This one starts out playful and fun, but delves into some more serious issues of the time. You can tell that it‘s well researched and highlights the horrific ways women were often treated in the Regency era. I loved the dynamic of Gus and Julia, twin sisters with a special bond and strong stubborn personalities. Their determination to help women in need pulled me in. I love that they‘re not young, but mature ladies who knew their own minds.

A twisty dark little book that flashes between present day NYC and a Christmas at an English manor home. A college student is invited to spend the holidays at a fellow student's home. We read her diary entries from that time, including her infatuation with her host's brother. A quick read that was a good counter to some of the saccharine holiday stories that I also enjoy.

A few years ago I read the first 2 books in this trilogy, but never finished the final one. Reading it with my daughter this month has been a treat! I will say I was frustrated that every person who met Emily for more than 5 minutes proposed to her. That felt a bit ridiculous. But I love her stubborn determination and unwillingness to give up on her dreams. I don‘t love her as much as Anne, but I might have if I‘d met her when I was young.

The plot flashed between 1985 & 2015; it comes together in the end, but the timeline jumps are jarring. In 1985, Yale is a gay man watching so many of his friends get AIDS. In 2015, Fiona remembers losing her brother in 1985. I wanted to like this more than I did. I loved how she captured the way grief & fear affected every choice they made. But I had a hard time feeling connected with the main characters despite the vulnerable plot of the book.

I have loved joining in the LMM readalong of short stories by LMM hosted by @Barbara This month! The stories have similar themes, broken relationships, giving gifts to those who are less fortunate, etc. they are always uplifting and such a treat in this season.

Another Firefly book, they‘ve been perfect audiobooks for this busy season. This one takes the crew to a frozen planet that‘s home to a prison and search of a doctor to save Inara‘s life. Simon, Zoe, Mal and Jayne are thrown together while River, Kaylee, and Wash go toe-to-toe with an Alliance cruiser.

2024 TOP 10 PART 2:
6) The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
7) Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
8) The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt
9) Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
10) Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
 
5 Bonus Ones:
- Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
- Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
- Women in White Coats by Olivia Campbell
- The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
- Stolen Focus by Johann Hari

PART 1:I‘ve read 161 books so far this year and here are my top ten. It wasn't my favorite reading year, but it included so many rereads of my favorites for my milestone birthday. I'd love to hear your favorites!

1) The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
2) The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts by Loren Grush
3) To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
4) The PLAN by Kendra Adachi
5) Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams

This was my 5th time reading this one and it just gets better each time! One of my favorite elements, besides the incredible descriptions, is that the author gives us the opportunity to view the circus from both the inside, from the perspective of the performers and creators, and the outside through the characters of Herr Thiessen and Bailey. It provides a complete picture of the enchanting world. It‘s a forever favorite for me.

I grew up reading Gunn's novels, so each time I read a new one it feels like putting on a comfy familiar sweater. This one took two friends on an adventure in Africa. I've always wanted to take that trip. I loved how Fern & Lily are able to truly see & help each other see the strengths in each of their lives that they can‘t spot for themselves. I'll also never forget learning the word fernweh: a longing for distant places, a yearning for travel.

I tried reading this so many times and it was just an uphill battle (I'm the worst at refusing to DNF, but I‘m working on it). I finally made it halfway through, switched to audio and it just came to life for me. A black Texas ranger finds himself in a small town trying to solve multiple murders. I loved her descriptions, but I don't think I'll continue the series.

I read both volume one and two and would recommend only the second volume. The first was too full of filler, the second had some fun stories and details connected to Hogwarts. Only recommended for people who are huge Harry Potter fans, like I obviously am. I loved the details about the painting in the Muggle Prime Minister‘s office, the descriptions of the Hufflepuff common room, and learning more about McGonagall.

I started this one before the total eclipse in April of this year. I lost interest after that and just picked it up. It was definitely interesting, especially the history of how eclipses were used to help map the size and shape of the world centuries ago. It's my own fault for losing interest after seeing the eclipse. Definitely recommend if you'd like to learn more about eclipses.

I've loved Firefly for years but hadn‘t read the books. I was pleasantly surprised that it maintained the tone of the show. They managed to capture the characters' ticks & personalities. It picks up where the show ends, but before the movie takes place. Mal finds himself in trouble & Zoey is left in charge. I loved learning more about Mal & Shepherd's history before we meet them. I'll read more of the series & maybe re-watch the show again.

A nonfiction meditation on nature & humans & the way we interact. The book is at its strongest when the author is writing about her personal experiences, & not just facts & history. She is a scientist and her passion for the world around her is evident in her reflections.

“That is the power of ceremony. It marries the mundane to the sacred. The water turns to wine; the coffee to a prayer.”

“I close my eyes & listen to the voices of the rain.”