Welcome to Litsy!

Written before Roe v. Wade was overturned, this book envisions a U.S. controlled by the religious right. Women who have abortions must have their skin turned red as evidence of their “crime.” As we sat in line at the U.S.-Canadian border today, a chill went down my spine. This page describes the path that the protagonist must take to escape to freedom — directly through the town where we were. It made the horror of this world feel very real. 🥺

Hubby: “Why do you have a bag full of books? We‘re only going away for a 4-day weekend.”
Me: “I don‘t understand the question.” 🤷🏻‍♀️

Very good retelling of The Scarlet Letter, with homage to The Handmaid‘s Tale, that incorporates a lot of modern politics in the USA.
Hannah had an abortion and she refused to name her abortionist and her lover. She knows she doesn‘t have a good chances of survival once she‘s released but starts a journey that will help her find strength she didn‘t know she had and explore her identity and beliefs.
4/5 good writing, surprising storyline.

I loved this book! A lot of people mentioned that it fizzled about halfway through, but I disagree. There are definitely some loose ends that don‘t get tied up, and the ending seems hasty, but overall it was a great, dystopian read. I also loved HJ‘s Mudbound as well.
⭐️: 4/5

A modern retelling of The Scarlet Letter that takes place in Texas in the not so distant future. Hannah‘s life has revolved around her family and religion. Her life changes dramatically when she falls in love, gets pregnant and has an abortion.Abortions are illegal, and she is found guilty of murder.Instead of prison, her skin is genetically changed to red-“Chromed”. Strong start.Fizzled about half way point.Still an interesting read. #1stbook2023

New audiobook.

Thank you so much for my pressies @squirrelbrain @trishb (both Black Cake and Flamingo were ones I really wanted to read) and @Caroline2 (you'll see I've already read half of it today! It's totally addictive).

Very grateful for your kindness in sending these ❤️❤️

This is a really good dystopian novel. Like a twisted sister of The Handmaid‘s Tale, it‘s set in the near future where religion has taken over American politics and women lose their rights. It‘s one of those books where the first half is 5 star, stellar stuff. Then the second half feels rushed and not as considered. Still a great read tho. 👍

New book to try to get back to my reading habit

#audiobook

I thought this was awesome. Yes, it‘s dystopian and not a lot of new things are on the table. But a good story, well written and some strong female characters. Enjoyed this 👍🏻
I enjoyed your notes too Kristen 😘

Phenomenal book that reminded me how much I love some good fiction. The author did a beautiful job of addressing heavy topics in a way that didn‘t tell you what to think, but instead provided you with an opportunity to wrestle with it. Walked away from this book with the reminder that every person has a story.

I‘ve been putting off starting this last book of our #CovertoCover rotation, but I finally picked it up today. Sorry @EmilyChristine but I‘ve been a bit overwhelmed with my other books and, from the blurb and first few chapters, I think this might to be a tough one for me. I‘ll try to get it done fairly soon.

Thank you so much Kristen. These are absolutely awesome 😁😁❤️ haven‘t read any of the books and have kept all your little notes inside for when I get to them. The snacks are gorgeous and the other goodies. Perfect 😘 and so thoughtful.
#cupidgoespostal
Thanks for organising Gloria 💕

In a dystopian future where criminals are dyed a colour and forced to face society‘s judgement, a young woman must deal with becoming a Red for having had an abortion.

Read January 26-30
Book 7/55

Day 1 of David's Tea Advent Calendar. Candy Cane Crush tea. It is a black tea with white chocolate chips and peppermint snowflake candy giving it a light brown color. It is very minty with a smoky flavor. I did not have to add to much sugar since the candy makes it sweet.

It is a cold rainy day, perfect weather to curl up with a good book and a steaming cup of cinnamon chai tea by the window and Christmas tree.

Lunch time reading

School pick up line reading #monday

#tarottakeover - I haven‘t been able to keep up but here‘s my late contribution to the challenge of the hanged man (using The Wild Unknown Tarot deck). This book exemplifies a painful moment that requires letting go and moving through it. Sacrificing who you were for who you could be. @ErinSueG @WhiskeyMistress

Only 100 pages left in this book and 20 hours logged for my #24B4Monday. That's 3 audiobooks down, 1 ebook and 1 physical book for the weekend. Not too shabby and I still have some time left to get the last 4 hours in. 😁
@TheReadingMermaid

I have some books I'm trying to finish up before October, so this is just the push I need. The tagged book will be the one I start with for this #ReadAThon.

#24B4Monday @TheReadingMermaid

This book was a profoundly deep & meaningful experience for me. The author puts into beautiful prose the fleeting questions & perplexing truths of the human heart & soul, then wraps them in a fascinating dystopian skin that keeps you turning pages, wondering what will happen next. Hannah, our main character is fully formed, multifaceted, & leaps from the page into vivid reality. #readalike Handmaid‘s Tale, Vox, Scarlet Letter, 1984.

This book is so freaking good. It feels amazing to be reading again. I had so many DNFs this year. This string of unputdownable titles is really making me happy.

“The days at the center passed with intolerable slowness, running together like the colors in a jar of used paintbrushes, merging into a uniform, leaden gray.”
I love beautifully constructed sentences like this one.

My bias: The Handmaid's Tale was too much for me, I was miserable after reading it, having stuck with it simply because the story was important. Same goes for 1984. They're too on the mark for me to walk away from and feel okay with the world today.

The start of this book left me with that same feeling, but because the storytelling faltered badly about 60% in, I'm setting it aside. Valid ideas, but I couldn't justify the time to read to the end.

Wow. Powerful. Creative, heartwrenching, with one of the most compelling female characters I've read. It is about a woman who commits a crime and faces a futuristic society's punishment. Incredible book that explores feminism, penal systems, societal norms, religion, family, and values in deep and complex ways. One of the best books I have read in years. Thrilling and thoughtful, highly recommended. @LiteraryinLititz - I think you‘ll love it.

#AprilBookishMadness #photochallenge @maich

#bookishpregnany

This book is a cross between The Handmaid's Tale and A Scarlet Letter. Started off really strong, but faltered about halfway through. Such a great premise, but ultimately a let down.

The book wasn't holding my attention, and when I saw 60% on Litsy, I bailed. Someday I may come back, but for now, there's way too many books waiting on my shelves. ✌🏼 #heavilyswayedbypopularopinion

After reading The Handmaid's Tale, I'm pulled to all the "like The Handmaid's Tale" books.

I‘ve had this on my Kindle for ages. A friend recommended this and another by the author so I started the book last night.

I mostly liked this dystopian that‘s described as a modern Scarlet Letter meets Handmaid‘s Tale. It‘s an interesting progression through the main character‘s evolution from a devout and sheltered cultish Christian to a free thinking individual who sees her own truth. Between a pick and a so-so, at times the writing was stark to the point of getting dull, but the story kept me going and I liked the ending.
#Froedrick says Hi Litsy!

A cross between Handmaid‘s Tale and The Scarlet Letter, it takes place in a future where people have their skin dyed to represent crimes they‘ve committed (in the case of the protagonist red for murder).

It starts off pretty well describing the setting and following her as she spends time in a religious halfway house, but kind of falls apart after that. It‘s an interesting idea, I just wasn‘t that interested in where the story went.

It‘s here @emilyhaldi and I‘m excited to read it! Thanks again for hosting a bunch of fun giveaways! I enjoyed the sparkly packaging and the postcard as well 😊📚!

In anticipation of my big move from NYC to Ohio in the next several weeks I️ decided it would be fun to giveaway some books!! ?? I️ will post some over the next couple weeks as I️ get through all of my many stacks ?

First up - a "fast-paced dystopian thriller" with Atwood vibes ? If you are interested in winning this book please comment below and I will pick a winner by tomrrow 9pm EST.
(US only, sorry!)

After this book was described as The Scarlet Letter meets The Handmaid‘s Tale, I was sold.

I would have bailed on this lousy book if it hadn‘t been written by Jordan, who I had such high hopes for. How can this be the same author that wrote Mudbound?! This was almost like a different person wrote each chapter and decided to throw in a new storyline at each opportunity. Terrible.

I hate to say it, but I just finished When She Woke by Hillary Jordan and found it really disappointing. It's feminist near-future SF, which is normally TOTALLY my thing, but for me the writing really wasn't strong and I felt that the character development and themes stayed very surface-level when they needed much more depth. The worldbuilding had some intriguing aspects, but overall this was a miss for me 😕 Would not recommend.

Gorgeous sunday taking a break from running and errands for a book and a yummy salad 😎 #30daysofreadathon Day 27 - snacks

The concept of this novel was so interesting. You can envision this becoming America in the future if we remain intent on taking away the rights of the people, controlling their lives, punishing people for even the most menial deeds in a variety of public and humiliating ways, and not enforcing a separation of church and state. This America is degressive. This America is terrifying. This America could be ours. #Bookstagram #bookphotography

📚

Part Two .... also known as page 67 😂

I have a week to finish this one. #lehgoo ☺️

Only just nearing the end of Part One and my stomach is already in knots 😱 Growing up in the Bible Belt, the religious beliefs and culture in this book make it terrifyingly realistic. Especially in today's current political climate where the boundaries between church and state are often threatened. Two thumbs up from me so far 👍👍
#terrifyinglyclosetohome #separationofchurchandstate #whathappensinatheocracy

"She felt panic rising, felt her throat constrict and her limbs begin to quiver. She shut her eyes and forced herself to lie still... Punishment was meted out in other ways: in increments of solitude, monotony and, harshest of all, self- reflection, both figurative and literal. She hadn't yet seen the mirrors, but she could feel them shimmering at the edges of her awareness, waiting to show her what she'd become."
#page1andalreadyhooked ?❤️

56 ~ When She Woke by Hillary Jordan (Kindle edition📱) ~ Started: 29.05.17 ~ Finished: 03.06.17
Rating: 4/5📚

'When She Woke' is a interesting story & the first part of the story is engrossing, you want to know what will happen to Hannah, I found the second part of the story somewhat lacking, Hannah continuously changes her mind about her beliefs which was frustrating.

A interesting story.

Recommended.

Day One 📚

In the world she inhabited now, hatred and violence were commonplace, and she was uncomfortably aware, not just that it seethed in the hearts of people all around her, but of her own capacity for it.

I enjoyed this near-future dystopian where prisons are no longer needed. Criminals are altered so that their skin color reflects their crime, essentially imprisoning them in their own bodies. Grab it today for $1.99.

One of my favorite books is on eBook sale right now! Hurry up and grab it! It's meant to be a sci-fi retelling of "The Scarlet Letter," but it owes more to "The Handmaid's Tale." I couldn't put this one down!