Welcome to Litsy!

“Joy doesn‘t ever leave, you know. It‘s always with you. And one day you‘ll find it again.”

#Leaves

#ARichLife

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

PAST & PRESENT

Inspector Gamache struggles with three investigations-one from the past causing emotions to run rampant.

In the present, all his skills are required to correct mistakes made.

This novel by Penny is the best so far. Acclaim for her bringing these marvelous investigations together.
She makes the reader glad and sad.

(2010) Sixth in the Three Pines/Inspector Gamache series of mysteries. I'd been putting this one off because vol. 5 (The Brutal Telling) pissed me off (IYKYK) so I was mollified that BYD follows up on threads that TBT left dangling. It seems a little busy with what felt to me like one subplot too many, but the mystery(ies) is(are) fine, the character development is appealing, and I will read another. This was an ear-read for a long drive.

Previously, in The Brutal Telling, Three Pines‘ beloved Olivier was accused of murder. Bury Your Dead wraps up his storyline and introduces two new storylines. In the time between Chief Inspector Gamache‘s last visit to Three Pines and this book, the chief and his team are pulled into a very scary plot involving the kidnapping of a police officer. In this book, he and Jean-Guy Beauvoir relive the event that has left them both with terrible ⬇️

Although I loved a number of Kurt Vonnegut‘s ideals, I needed a break. In the last book I listened to, he became quite repetitive, dark, and preachy. So this is my next audiobook instead. Dark, yes, but I‘m not anticipating being lectured to.

Easily half of my reading is from the mystery genre, so it‘s hard to pick a favorite. I‘ll lean on an author I love and my favorite from the ongoing series. It‘s several mysteries in the same book! #sundayfunday

Like many others, this was my favorite of the series so far, despite my having some serious critiques. There are three mysteries involved and at least two aren't satisfactorily solved; there are so many plot holes, especially in the resolution of the story from The Brutal Telling. But at this point in the series probably most of us are reading for the characters, and oh, it's tragic and beautiful.

This resolved everything from the last book, which I was happy about, but I didn‘t expect to be so absolutely blown away - this is my favorite of the series thus far. I love Gamache, but I also like that despite his kindness, his brilliance, he is human and makes mistakes. It showed a whole different side of him and now I love him even more ♥️ #readyourkindle

Amen, Armand. Amen. @Bookwormjillk you were right about it taking off. I‘m hooked on this one and already lost my disappointment from the last.

I finished The Brutal Telling (Gamache book #5) and Bury Your Dead (book #6) this month. Both are fantastic detective novels with so much art, history, compassion, and culture of #Canada incorporated into them. I just can‘t get enough of Chief Inspector Gamache or Three Pines though these two novels took very sad turns.

Also enjoyed the fun Canadian treats from @mcctrish and will need to be finding another Coffee Crisp someday yum! #FoodandLit

This was the best 1 yet! There were multiple threads throughout this 1 & 1 of them being very thrilling which I enjoyed & was a nice change of pace! I found myself waiting to get to those parts! It was interesting to see the investigation into the death of the hermit by the 2nd in command & how he situated himself into village life while investigating. There‘s a bonus interview with the author at the end of this audiobook! I‘m eager 4 the next 1!

I am continuing to really enjoy this series and find it fascinating how well the series has done internationally and in the US considering how rooted it is in Canadian culture - particularly the unique intersection of French, English and Native culture and the many threads of history here. I particularly enjoyed how this wove together three distinct stories. Looking forward to the next instalment.

This is the one where the story really starts to get deep. It picks up where the last book, A Brutal Telling, leaves off. I‘ve read this a few times and the end still shocks me a bit. 🌲🌲🌲

I wasn‘t ready for winter to end. I was too deep in hygge and coziness. Today‘s walk changed my mind though.

(Still in my Louise Penny mood for audiowalks.)

Bagels from St Viateur in Montréal (they ship ❤️) to celebrate finishing the BEST Gamache yet!!! It‘s always a struggle to pace myself when I‘m reading one of these books cuz I just want to inhale them ( like my bagel) but I also want them to last forever

Still fucking sick! So self care = the next Gamache book, multiple fluids to hydrate and flush this virus OUT OF ME and maybe some vitamin D cuz it can‘t hurt

1. Nancy Drew started it all for me 2. Flavia Deluce on audio makes me happy ( it‘s been a while and I forget where I left off) 3. Inspector Gamache ( I just got books 6-10 to continue on with) 4. I just discovered Lady Sherlock aka Charlotte Holmes and I think I love her ( I couldn‘t stop) thanks for tagging me ❤️

Self care delivery from Amazon

Making its second appearance in my #sundayfunday repertoire!

This is definitely my favorite Three Pines book so far! I love the setting of Quebec City, the Lit His, and the mystery of Champlain's remains. I love the three parallel story lines and the slow reveal of the investigation-gone-wrong that Inspector Gamache is trying to come to terms with. It's the first one of the books that I found myself wanting to reread as soon as I finished.

The Brutal Telling:
Storyteller
Fear
Totem.
Wood carvings
Woo
Charlotte.
The Hermit
Cabin of treasures.
Truth or lies.
Olivia lies,greed = his downfall.
“I‘m afraid of not recognizing Paradise.“– Clara.

Bury Your Dead:
Samuel de Champlain
Champlain fanatic.
Dead in the basement of the L & H.
Separatists - the English vs. the French
Literary and Historical Society/Library
Quebec city
Distraction
Retreat
Healing
Recovery
Mentor
Friendship

Rereading.#Gamache #louisepenny #serieslove2023 #magnificentmay #readathon

Nobody is an auto-but, but I put Louise Penny‘s books on hold as soon as there‘s a title. Tagged book is my favorite in the series (so far). #sundayfunday

1. Clear crisp days after a snowfall. (So far no snow here this winter, though).
2. Tagged book takes place at the Winter Carnival in Quebec City in February. Armand is looking forward to some much needed R&R after recent events, but of course it doesn‘t turn out that way.
#two4tuesday

😢 This one ……

I haven‘t listened to the series in strict order, but it hasn‘t impaired my enjoyment of the novels at all. Penny does a reasonable job of cluing in the reader with relevant past details without being a bore.

This was definitely my favorite Inspector Gamache so far! I had heard they get better after the first few. The addition of a historical mystery to the normal murder mystery was fun! And seeing our hero in his human weakness worked well also.

#NovemberNarrative @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs
#DayoftheDead

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This one is a low pick. I enjoy these stories more when more of the Three Pines villagers are involved. Also there was a bit too much going on and hard to follow at times. Still, it was good, especially the parts with Beauvoir.

#scarathlon points: 15+1+(12hours x 5 thons x 10) + (10 x 363 words) = 4,246 #teamslaughter @Clwojick #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks #31by31 @Catsandbooks #spookaween2022 @TheSpineView #littenlisten @aperfectmjk

OMG. Book 6 in the #Gamache series is brilliant and heartbreaking. Penny wove together several plots even interweaving thoughts and conversations seamlessly as Gamache remembers a recent traumatic event in the midst of a current mystery. It contains both tales of personal history for Gamache/Beauvoir as well as Quebec historical events. Magnificent.
This was so damn good I worry nothing can match it - and yet I have already opened the next one!

This one started off slow for me, but once the 2 stories started interweaving, it took off and was amazing! I really understand Gamache and Beauvoir better now. Can‘t wait for number 7! I own this in paper but listened in #audio and it was great! #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks #Booked2022 #writtenbyajournalist @Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage

This book. This series. Be still my 🧡. I saved this book to read right when Carnival in Quebec City takes place, and I was so glad I did. A perfect winter read, an absorbing mystery, and fascinating history. Of course I‘ve gone down the Champlain rabbit hole. Can‘t recommend this series enough.

And of course I‘m in for the #FabulousFebruary readathon! Goals: Read my #Bookspin, my #Doublespin, and get a bingo.

@Andrew65

I enjoyed this 6th book in the series which takes place in January. We get three mysteries solved in this one.

Just ten pages in and had to google ice canoe racing because I had never heard of it. This is wild! Photo taken from https://www.vqronline.org/reporting-articles/2018/03/revival-ice-canoe One of the many reasons to read, and to read books set in other countries than our own is to learn cool stuff like this.
✌🏼♥️📚

#SundayFunday snow edition! Perfect timing because we got our first real snowfall yesterday 😊
1️⃣ Book wih lots of snow: Tagged is set in Quebec City in February during Carnaval.
2️⃣ Yes, more so now that I work from home full time 🤣
3️⃣ On my to-read list is First Snow, Last Light, by Wayne Johnston.

I really do not know how Penny does it - writes a narrative with so many layers. This one follows multiple storylines, and while that may sound confusing, it‘s really all connected, all related to one event. She‘s a master of hiding details and evoking so many emotions. Another great addition to the series, and one that I think will take multiple rereads to absorb every little detail.

It‘s been awhile since I‘ve spent time with Armand Gamache and the Three Pines community. I‘ve missed them! I especially liked the descriptions of Québec City; I visited once when I was 15 and I‘ve always wanted to go back. I appreciated the author‘s acknowledgments, and that she began this book with them.

This was my October #BookSpin pick.

A Review: The tagged was a very satisfying continuation of the series, with a new mystery to boot. I always ♥️ returning to 3Pines 🌲🌲🌲.

A Status: Reading Neverland Wake (such an interesting concept!) and We Were Never Here (captures your attention… but I‘m taking issue with a central theme.. more on that once I‘m done).

A Spotting: saw A Radical Act of Free Magic at Barnes today… anyone read it? It looks really good…. 🤔

📚📚📚

Those is such a sorrowful one. I loved it and I loved the redemption and the acceptance. I also loved the Quebec history and sense of place in the old town. It was a sad one, though, as Gamache does the slow work of recovery.

Really relieved how this one started. Glad I didn't have to wait after reading the previous!

This might be my favorite yet in this series. Three main storylines/mysteries, getting to see Gamache's reaction to tragedy and trauma, and learning some cultural history of Quebec that's almost entirely new to me make this a thoroughly engaging read.

#SundayFunday
1. I would eat any meal at the bistro in Three Pines! I especially love Penny‘s descriptions of the sandwiches that he bistro serves 😋
2. I think Flavia de Luce would provide some VERY interesting dinner conversation 😂😂
3. Maybe an afternoon tea cookbook based on Downton Abbey, but I would only read it, not actually use it.

Currently listening to Bury Your Dead.

I loved A Study in Scarlet Women and was delighted to find there are 5 more!

2 a.m. at the Cat's Pajamas was a so-so for me. I didn't like any of the characters.

Normal People was interesting and rang true. I lived in Dublin and went to Trinity.

I was impressed that Moonflower pulled off the same trick as Magpie without being repetitive.

Rachel Bloom's reading of her memoir was wonderful.

I love this series - even though, in real life, I‘d be highly suspect a group of friends in a town where murder was the primary form of entertainment.

I enjoyed this book because it was mainly set outside Three Pines. It was enjoyable to read about places that I had visited in QC. This series is my go to when I don‘t know what literary mood I am in but know that I want something tried-and-true, such as quaint murder. 😉

3rd stop on a fun filled spring break.

Second stop Spring Break ‘21. 53 degrees and sunny. What glamorous hot spot will be next?

My “spring break” as I hike around the suburbs sitting at tables and benches in public parks reading and snacking. Stay tuned for my next stop. Current weather 50 degrees and very windy.