How do you survive surviving?

Once the catastrophe is over, the trauma is not over.
You have to learn to live, decide how to live, with these new circumstances.

These 3 profound books ask this question.

I was driving in the countryside yesterday, listening to Wicked and came across a tin man mailbox!!
What a #coinkydink !
I‘m re-listening to this since the movie is coming out soon.
I read the book years ago and really did not enjoy it. It‘s still not my favorite book, but I‘m enjoying it a little better this time.
I have never seen the musical, which must have its own life, with such great music. It will be fun to see the movie adaptation.

Re-reading this profound book for #LitsyBookClub
I listened to it earlier in the year for #EuropaCollective

This is a book that‘s going to stay with me a long time.

Anne Berest and her sister have a new book, Gabriële, about their great grandmother, coming out next year and I‘m going to put a high on my TBR

🚨 📣FYI in case anyone lives near Dayton, Ohio or NYC
Anne Berest is doing a little tour

*The Postcard is a very moving & profound book.

https://www.europaeditions.com/news/2654/anne-berest-on-tour-for-the-postcard-an...

#EuropaCollective

The beginning of this book at reminds me of the slapstick banter the authors have with each other. I can hear their voices when I read this. It‘s their fifth collaboration together. It‘s a totally different type of writing than the other four. It‘s goofy but fun so far.
I had such a wonderful weekend at this Author event. If you‘re ever in Newport RI, Charter Books is a beautiful and friendly bookstore. I had fun cosplaying in plaid!
❤️🖤📕🐑🖤❤️

@ShelleyBooksie @julesG This cover alludes to the emotional subject matter a little more…

I‘ve had such a fun weekend at this author event in Newport, RI! The authors have such a great banter.
This is their 5th book together. The food & drink have been marvelous- both at the event and in Rhode Island.
The themed drink was a Kinloch Kiss- a French 75, but with scotch 🍹
We were serenaded by bagpipes 🎶
#TheAuthorsGuideToMurder #TeamWWeekend

Madeline Martin‘s The Librarian Spy took me to 1940‘s Rossio Square in Lisbon, Portugal & to Lyon, France 🇫🇷 🇵🇹

This is a unique WWII story of two women in different countries and their courage and humanity during Occupied France. I knew Portugal was a neutral country during WWII, but I didn‘t know or understand the plight of refugees that fled to Portugal. 🇵🇹 👇

Such a wonderful heartfelt book. It sure did stir up my emotions! I loved Sophie‘s heart, strength, and resilience.
My heart ached for Nita. Thanks for another great #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead @Librarybelle #dogsoflitsy

I‘m so behind on this book, but I‘m enjoying it!! I‘m mostly reading this at bedtime or in the middle of the night when I wake up but today I‘m trying to get a bigger chunk of it done.
Oh Nita! I hope you find what you need!
Sophie, I hope you learn you already have what you need!

Thanks for choosing this book @Librarybelle
#LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

An interesting IG post about Frances Hodgson Burnett , a favorite childhood author & an author featured in @TheBookHippie ‘s #ChildrensClassicRead2025

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAL61wsopkI/?igsh=MTFodXh2Mm02czNhdQ==

https://bookhippie.com/index.php/2024/10/01/childrens-classic-read-2025/

I‘m loving re- visiting this book for #ChildrensClassicRead2024 October 💙🖤💙

I‘m indulging in the full multisensory effect of this book !
I read this as a child and it stayed with me.
I bought this book several years ago for my oldest daughter & have saved it for my grandchildren when they get older.
I am worried for dear Kit!
Thanks @TheBookHippie for another great read!!

Portugal was beautiful & quite affordable! In Porto I got a ticket to go to the beautiful Livraria Lello Bookstore. They had a section The Little Prince. I bought The Little Prince book-tote, English & French editions & a special edition that you have to cut the papers as you read them, which is how they used to make books- so people would know if they were the first one to have read the book or not.

Heading to Portugal today! Hope to find some bookstores!! I might be able to see the pretty one in Porto towards the end of the trip. Enjoying extra reading time today while flying. ✈️ 📚 🇵🇹

Reading the 2nd Team W book in preparation for a weekend author event with them the 1st weekend in November in Newport, RI
Maybe the pocket watch in its casing was the inspiration for the pocket watch in this book!

https://epett.tripod.com/id8.html

https://www.youtube.com/live/JeRdLaQBGpQ?si=2Nmf-LPmTyVUFmnH

Tonight 6:00 PM Central TJ Klune will be on Friends & Fiction
0n YouTube or their FB Group

#AuthorAMonth

This is an adorable, well written, & timeless classic!!
Thanks @TheBookHippie for another heartwarming #ChildrensClassicRead2024

Reading ‘Team W‘ books for an author event in Rhode Island in November. ‘Victorine‘ is what a character calls his muse in The Forgotten Room.
The real Victorine Meurent was Manet‘s muse, but she was an excellent artist herself. If you want to read more about Victorine, The Paris Novel is an excellent book.

https://laurajaenart.com/happy-birthday-victorine-meurent/

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cz9k68IRjSf/?igsh=dDRhdjdzYjFuemJt

#MiddleGradeMonday #NewKidInTown

Bring your Kleenex 💔

Thanks @Karisimo

Hoping to finish this book before @litsybookclub tomorrow. The audiobook came in today, so that will help!

Bandette thinks she‘s helping me research for my upcoming trip!
😂
She kept getting closer & closer until she lied down on my book!! 🐶
#DogsOfLitsy

This is a fun mix of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory & Ready Player One.
#DogsOfLitsy

After reading Queen Hereafter for #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead with @Librarybelle I‘m reading a children‘s version of The Tragedy of Macbeth from A Shakespeare Children‘s Story Collection of 20 books. Then I‘ll read the real Shakespeare- with help from @dabbe who gave me this fabulous link:
https://myshakespeare.com/macbeth/act-1-scene-1

( funny how yellow Bandette 🐶 looks with this light & blanket!)

I loved this book! Gruoch was such a strong woman & and fought so hard to survive! I had no idea, until I read the author‘s notes that many of these characters were real people! I also found it interesting that the author originally wrote this as a screenplay and then turned it into a novel. 👇
#LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

Listening & Ereading my August #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
My ears my eyes to help with some of the names.
Plus, it allows me to keep reading while I‘m moving around!
I‘m enjoying it so far.
Tonight I plan to read my children‘s version of Lady Macbeth to get a better grasp of the story. I may even try the grown-up Shakespeare version as well! 😀

Finishing up this book in time for the
🩷 Free 🩷 Virtual Book Club event on
Wednesday, 8/7/24 with the author through
Adventures By The Book

https://adventuresbythebook.com/calendar-event/martha-hall-kelly/

Another great #buddyread
How can you prevent others from persuading you wrongly?
My 4 yo granddaughters enjoyed this book- they were quite adamant with all of the adults that he 🐻 wasn‘t a human!! Hopefully they can hang onto this confidence as they get older.
#ChildrensClassicRead2024

The Reader by Emma Amos
at Crystal Bridges Art Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas

Doing a quick re- read for a Sunday author event. This book was picked for the state-wide Arkansas Read. It‘s about a 5 hour drive from Kansas. I‘m dragging my hubby w. me. We will go to Bentonville to go to Crystal Bridges Art Museum Saturday, & then on Sunday will stop in Gravette to see Patti Callahan Henry. 😂 just saw her in St Louis w my daughters 2 weekends ago when she was w. the other Friends & Fiction authors. Stalking?? 🍄

This book is a great summer read.
She‘s a new to me author, and I will be reading more! Here‘s the last photo of myself & my daughters. This is with Mary Kay Andrews of Friends & Fiction, at the beautiful St. Louis Library Clark Branch and Novel Neighbor Bookstore‘s launch event for Kristy Woodson Harvey‘s book A Happier Life.

The Friends & Fiction book event in St Louis was great! Here I am with my daughters & Patti Callahan Henry. We had fun meeting Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, and Kristy Woodson Harvey as well! Meg Walker & Ron Block were there also!
I‘ll next see Patti in Arkansas, her book was selected for Arkansas‘ If All Arkansas Read The Same Book. I planned that trip 1st, but couldn‘t resist the trip to St Louis to see all 4 authors.

This made me giggle. 🤭

#ChildrensClassicRead2024
 @TheBookHippie

I‘m behind on my ‘June‘ reading with #EuropaCollective
I‘m enjoying this book looking into the lives of the people of Dalton, Maine.
The story gives me the vibes of Beartown. All the feels.

Kristin Harmel was just a delight to talk to. This book was a great read, and I reread it before the book event in St. Louis with the Friends & Fiction authors.

The book event in St Louis was great! Here I am with my daughters & Kristy Woodson Harvey, whose book launched this week. We had fun meeting Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, and Patti Callahan Henry as well! Meg Walker & Ron Block were there also!

In St. Louis with my daughters to celebrate the publication of a A Happier Life. Excited to see all four Friends & Fiction authors!

I‘m only about 1/4 through, but I‘m enjoying this book focusing on the women of The Trojan War. The story is still driven by men, but one could say that that is a reflection of what little power these strong women had.

 @LibraryBell #literarycrew #buddyread

Listening to MKA‘s latest book. 📕 🚗 📕
Heading to St Louis at the end of the month with my daughters to see the
Fab Four- Friends & Fiction authors
Patti Callahan Henry, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and Mary Kay Andrews. I can‘t wait!!

Reading 📖/ Listening 🎧 to this emotional YA book for #litsyBookClub
A close-up look at Pakistani- American teens , their families, & their struggles.

Such a sweet book. I love all the different covers the book has had! #ChildrensClassicRead2024
( search it on google and go to images- the link is too long!! )

This Saturday is Pollyanna Glad Day!
Wouldn‘t it be fun to one year have a #LitsyMeetUp in Littleton, NH?!
#ChildrensClassicRead2024

https://gladdaynh.com/

A Goodreads Giveaway! 🥳 🎁 🥳

I enjoyed another of her books- The Book That Matters Most- I sent off that book for Round 2 of our #ListyGoesPostal #CoverToCover bookclub

( my husband cut down several cedar trees and planted all these Kansas native grasses & 19 redbud trees to create this meadow )

Sea of Tranquility is my favorite of the Station 11 ‘Trilogy‘. It evoked more emotions than the others,since it had a thriller feel to it. This was a complex, big story to write,& St John Mandel pulled it off!
*I think Station 11, The Glass Hotel, & Sea of Tranquility can be read in any order, or just by themselves.There are a few Easter Eggs linking them, which is a little fun, but not essential.
Thanks @Soubhiville for this #AuthorAMonth

Starting the 3rd in the Station Eleven ‘Trilogy‘. This one is supposed to have more connections to Station Eleven than The Glass Hotel. Thanks to #AuthorAMonth I was able to get Station Eleven off my bookshelf where it has been sitting since 2017!

Starting this since I finished Station Eleven & learned that there are connections with that book, this book, and Sea of Tranquility. I must say I‘m not enjoying the audiobook narrator - she doesn‘t do mens‘ voices well. Oh well…
#AuthorAMonth

I enjoyed the narrator‘s subtle sense of humor. Rebecca, Heidi, and Anne of Green Gables all have a happy, great outlook on life. I loved Miranda, the curmudgeon- and watching her evolve as well as learning her back story at the very end of the book. The Cobbs were such a sweet couple. Thanks @TheBookHippie for another great #ChildrensClassicRead2024 #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAAdjacent Fun to join in with @BarbaraJean

I found The Symphony on Instagram!
#AuthorAMonth

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C62yFx6Cd2r/?igsh=MTJtaTJuMG12bzlqNw==

This week I finally started this book. I had more anxiety while reading the ‘buy everything you can at the grocery store‘ scene than I did during our actual COVID pandemic. I‘m excited to see how this book plays out. Thanks @Soubhiville for hosting #AuthorAMonth and finally getting me to read this book I‘ve had on my shelf since 2017!! I do wonder what it would‘ve been like reading this BEFORE our pandemic.

Not a typical pairing at first glance, but once you start reading this book, you can‘t stop!! 🐴📕🐴

This book had a great sense of place. It also had some deliciously descriptive sensations regarding the taste & scents associated with cooking & eating. You can tell the writer is a chef & food writer! She‘s also a good storyteller. ❤️💙❤️
I loved the inclusion of a mystery surrounding artwork of a real painter & important muse/ art subject of Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet, Alfred Stevens, Toulouse-Lautrec & others.
I hope to read her backlist.