I haven‘t been here in awhile. Disturbed by the purchase of Litsy by LibraryThing which is 40% owned by Amazon. What can I say? I don‘t think Jeff should get any more of my brain.

Amazon‘s biggest money maker is the information they collect. I‘m going to link to a few of my reviews today, but I may sign off after that. Feels just like GoodReads again. https://www.fountainbookstore.com/book/9780451491336 for review of this wonderful book.

I wanted to love this collection of essays by Retta. I've never watched Parks and Rec, but it doesn't matter. I like funny people. I love comedians.

Most of these essays were an absolute delight. Fresh. Insightful. Recommended.

I have issues with people who have a lot of money and like to talk about it. It's a me thing. It might not bother you. She deserves every penny, but I don't like hearing about it. $15,000 for a purse? You lost me.

Halfway done! I know this book is going to break my heart, but it's sooooo lovely! For anyone who has ever loved an animal. Same translator as Murakami and Ōe. Dreamy, immediacy.

@BerkleyPub

Wow. I really didn't care for this one. I finished it, but I'm not sure why. There is such a thing as too many plot twists. Like, way too many.

I would love to hear some other opinions.

Maybe I'm just fried on the genre? I have read a LOT of unreliable narrator thrillers this year.

Introverted extrovert.
Sleep! I do plenty and never seem to have enough rest time.
Libro.fm audiobook.
Cook!
Read something out of my normal genre, like a cozy or romance! I recommend Mollie Cox Bryan's crafting mysteries. (See above). Good stuff! Easy reading.

@hermyknee #bookslumpblues

Y'all! This audiobook is making me laugh out loud!

It's audiobook month! Get it FREE when you sign up for a trial membership at Libro.fm. Pick your favorite bookseller to sign up for an account. ::bats eyelashes:: And start listening today!

It's the same price as Audible and your money, if you choose to keep your membership, will not go to an evil mega corp. 🙂

I didn‘t love it as much as Magpie Murders, but I really loved that book.

This wheels-within-wheels read features Horowitz as the main character in his own book. I LOVED the self-referring peep inside the active writer‘s brain. The mystery itself was not as interesting to me. The author even talks about how to write characters he doesn‘t like. Fascinating.

Great narration on the audio.

Still studying this one and applying principles of science to new idea development and fast track testing. It works!

I love a good novella! This horror story packed a powerful punch in a small package. It actually gave me nightmares. So, that wasn't great, but it is a testimony to the impact of the descriptive power of the prose.

If this had been presented as a book for young adults, I would have been all over it. However, the book features people in their 20s and over who whine like teenagers and that just blew it for me. I asked @MidnightBookGirl to summarize the ending for me so I wouldn't have to keep reading.

There are a lot of fans out there for this book, but it wasn't for me.

Some horror to balance out the sweetness of the cozy I just finished.

If you enjoy a good cozy, this satisfies on all levels. Nice character development, briskly paced, dogs in sweaters, light romantic intrigue. Well done!

The audio of this is fantastic so far.

First people start to lose their shadows, then their memories and minds. Great apocalyptic fic! @WilliamMorrowBooks

I m a big fan of Davis, so I'll pretty much read anything he writes even if I don't really care about the subject much. Within a few pages I was deeply caring about the Spanish Flu which caused more American deaths than WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War combined. It then devastated the rest of the world. It was so traumatic, it just wasn't mentioned in history books.

For ages 10-14, but I think anyone would like it. Great writing!

Just spent 3 days with other book folks in Cincinnati for an intense workshop on this topic as it applies to the indie bookstore channel and books in general. Incredible toolbox for anyone from creatives to CEOs. I learned so much! Can't wait to apply these methods to my shop and my life.

And I can't wait to share this book with you. Comes out in October, but if you are interested in talking about it now, contact me!

Over 10,000 followers! Thanks, #Littens! ❤️💋💕📚

Lots of fun! I gave up counting the cozy tropes there were so many! It was like a game!

✔️cat
✔️bookstore
✔️treasure map
✔️missing necklace
✔️secret passageway
✔️coloring
✔️recipes
✔️estate inheritance
✔️mansion
✔️coffee shop
✔️lovable dog (if you don‘t like cats, I guess)

I can‘t recommend this enough. In this universe, poor people are the size of rats and rich people are the size of skyscrapers with everyone else falling somewhere in between. Excellent and exciting dystopian and a great launching pad to talk about economics in a meaningful way. Also, the main character is a boy. FINALLY SOMETHING I CAN SELL FOR BOYS!!!!!!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!!

I think I would have enjoyed this more if I had read it rather than listened to it. This narrator, who narrates a lot of audio books, makes loads of pronunciation errors and reads everything the same way. He could just as easily be reading an appliance manual for as much care he shows all subjects. The book itself was very good, if a little repetitive- which is also something more easily noticed on audio.

A bit outside my usual reading. Fascinating examination of the role of Mary Magdalene in the life of Jesus and the development of Christianity.

Loved this near-future (like, next week) tale! A millennial mostly out of work musician in New York has over 100 predictions beamed into his brain overnight. Some seemingly insignificant, others that could cause the deaths of thousands perhaps even the end of the whole world. A beautiful study on the interconnected nature of life on planet Earth and a thoughtful funny look at human foibles, especially those of the young. Highly recommended!!!

This is the book I wish I had had when my mother died. It's a beautiful meditation on grief, love & perspective, in graphic novel format. It might make a weird/cool Mother's Day present if your mom's still with us. The assignment for Day 1: Make a Fajita. It starts with instructions for slicing a bunch of onions and crying. It ends with "Great job! Now don't you feel better? Of course you don't. Pour yourself a stiff glass of whiskey."

Yay!

Really liked it. Not much new here, but a well-executed thriller is always a pleasure. This fits the bill!

I liked this. I wonder why historical fiction makes me feel like a smarter person. Loved the nods to Paul Bowles. Essentially, this is a commercial thriller tied up in a bow of sharp literary references and exotic backdrops. Lots of Patricia Highsmith in here. Good stuff. Made me want to reread Bowles and Highsmith.

#TrivialThursday

1. Litsy, of course!
2. Whatever suits the story.
3. Working? Pretty much that‘s the answer to any given time period. Not complaining. Love my job.
4. @MidnightBookGirl !

Yang is excruciatingly revealing about his life growing up as a Chinese immigrant who wants nothing more than to blend in. Learning English and American culture from BET.

Cringingly politically incorrect, some listeners might take offense.

Yang concludes the book with an impassioned plea for fair treatment of immigrants as individuals first, not their ethnicities and a inspiring account of his conclusions about his own identity. Loved it.

Great YA thriller! Stack it!

Main characters recent ex-boyfriend drives over a bridge and his body is never found. Everyone in town blames her for causing it because of the breakup. His mother guilts the main character into clearing out his room. (The mother is a very threatening presence). In the process, discovering he had many secrets.

I read this a few weeks ago and loved it. And the author is lovely and funny!

Fantastic debut! This is not for the queasy.

A classic gothic by an electric new addition to Southern letters. Equal parts Cormac McCarthy and Faulkner plus a splash of something I can't identify yet probably because it is unique to Johnson's voice. For those of you who want to try a gritty read with some seriously kick ass prose and aren't put off by some really dark spaces, this is for you!

I've read a LOT of feminist lit this year, most of it thoughtful and provocative, but none of it that I could not put down and, in fact, wanted to put down because it was so relentlessly depressing.

Vox, coming in August from @BerkleyPub , has achieved the impossible: a serious feminist novel with the breakneck pace of a commercial thriller. Almost done and I just started it!

Lunch reading!

Last night was great with these two! Loving the #audiobook!

Beautiful Music, set in 1970s Detroit is just what the title states. A young Danny Yzemski is growing up chunky kid with a love of pop radio and an turbulent home life. He starts his freshman year in a new school being confronted by racial tension issues previously he only experienced through the news and his mother's snide comments. Like beautiful music, this book is permeated with the power to make you sad, lift you up, and carry you home.

Is there anything I don't love about Deanna Raybourn?

I think not.

Except maybe standing next to her in pictures. 😱

Treacherous Curse delivers on ALL levels! I actually believe it lowered my blood pressure (after raising it several times! :wink wink:).

No one writes a romp like Deanna! Pick up this series for a clever, sexy, hold-on-to-your-bloomers ride!

And we have signed copies!

I've been off Litsy for a couple weeks: hella busy planning events for the shop! Check it out! https://www.fountainbookstore.com/events

This was an awesome audio! I look forward to more from Bancroft and his impressive imagination. Steampunk never went away. There is just less of it these days since the boom. If you miss it, or just like a hilarious and action-packed yarn, this is your book! And it has pirates! Always a plus!

Well I woke up this morning at 4am (thank you course of steroids!) and instead of seeing who‘s on Twitter in the middle of the night, I decided to read this book!

Middle grade classic in the vein of Judy Blume and Richard Peck. Our main character is told her mom died. Her mom had never made any attempts to be part of her life. Now she‘s gone leaving only a box of 80s cds behind. Funny, smart, touching. Highly recommend.

Just met this impressive young writer in Atlanta. Loving the book so far. Incredible voice! @StMartinsPress

1. Driving
2.You can have an awesome digital listening experience without feeding the Amazon maw by going to Libro.fm. Pick your indie bookstore and the books are comparably priced. Of course, we would love it if you chose Fountain. 🙂
3. Original. @MidnightBookGirl likes hers sped up.
4. Love the Brits.
5. So many! Check out our picks at https://libro.fm/playlists/fountain-listen-and-love

#audiobookinquiry @Chelleo

#FriYAYInntro @jesshowbooks @MidnightBookGirl

1. Probably audio.
2. 9.5. My feet are getting longer. I think I‘m sliding into them.
3. Cheese and charcuterie and bread
4. Nip/Tuck, Supernatural, Twin Peaks, oh! And BLACK BOOKS!!!
5. @MrBook @BookBabe @BillBlume

Outstanding historical mystery set in 1920s Bombay. Great start to a new series! I was not happy with the narration on the audiobook, though. I recommend consuming this in book form. Truly great read.

We have autographed copies at the shop left over from her appearance. They come with a free sandalwood candle while they last. And a recipe book. Also available for online orders. Just mention in the comments.

Yes. It‘s That Guy From The Sopranos.
If that makes you pick it up, fine.

Matthew, a 16 year old living in Queens, loses both his father and grandfather. His mother uproots the now family of two to Manhattan. He starts an unlikely friendship with two tenants in his building: Lou Reed and his trans girlfriend.

Lou becomes a quasi-shamanic father figure to the boy as he navigates his lonely path to becoming a man.

Heartbreaking. Beautiful.

Rereading this classic on design theory in preparation for a talk I'm giving in Memphis next week. Everyone could use a basic course in design, especially if you own your own business or are a public figure on any scale. This book is written for kids and an be finished in about an hour and is a perfect way to learn a bit about "brand", typography, design philosophy , color theory, and so much more. It's beautiful and fun!

@hermyknee
#LitsyLoveList

❓Bookstore owner
❓Reading
❓Orangutan
❓Cheese
❓Wine
❓Herbs of all kinds
❓Fall
❓RuPaul

Loved this near future (like next week) tale! A millennial mostly out of work musician in New York has over 100 predictions beamed into his brain overnight. Some seemingly insignificant, others that could cause the deaths of thousands, perhaps even the whole world. A beautiful study on the interconnected nature of life on planet Earth and a thoughtful and funny look at human foibles, especially those of the young. Recommended!

My deal is I don't get to read the new Maggie Stiefvater until all our customers get their preorders. With international shipments getting lost in the mail, wrong addresses, etc, that usually means 2 months after release. This time was no different. (BTW, if anyone out there works for the post office in Jamaica, NY: WTF is your problem?? Why do so many books get "stuck" there? What are you smoking?)

I digress.

I loved this book.

Listening to this audio now. Finding it a little heavy-handed, but I like it. I am incredibly happy that sci fi is finally seeing broad acceptance as literature, but I have been reading it forever, so when a book like this gets this much attention I'm kind of puzzled. I can name half a dozen books or stories that covered the same subject, in some cases better, but it wasn't their time, wasn't sci fi's time or women's time. Anyway, it's good.

I would have enjoyed this much more if I had read others in the series. Still, it got the heart racing with great action, made me feel for the characters, and made me want to read more of this author. Super gross, but it's cannibals: that's gonna happen.

It is worth noting that this is published by Tor.com, content from authors that was previously only available online. Good for us codex fans! @bookbrag

Just finished the audio! Hiassen meets The Sopranos in this wacky Christmas caper that takes place in a dilapidated shopping mall. Stands alone just fine. Great holiday spirit without getting schmaltzy. Russian gangsters, a cast of thieves with hearts of gold. Just loved it!

Thoroughly enjoyed this romp! Great historical detail, sexy and smart. James is a master of the craft! Just what I needed for getting through the retail holidays. You will love Wilde! I can't emphasize enough the transportive quality of the writing. Details so rich and fascinating you will feel like you are there. @EloisaJames @AvonBooks