Before the Devil Breaks You | 
pickThis series just keeps getting better! Historical fiction entwinted with fantasy, dealing with racism, eugenics, and war. It asks: do places, buildings, land, nature, have memories? Do acts of evil linger in the places they were committed?
The history of the land is a history of blood.
In this history, someone wins and someone loses. There are patriots and enemies. Folk heroes who save the day. Vanquished foes who had it coming.
It‘s all in the telling.
The conquered have no voice. Ask the thirty-eight Santee Sioux singing the death song with the nooses around their necks, the treaty signed fair and square, then nullified with a snap of the rope.
Thick evening fog clung to the forlorn banks of Ward's Island, turning it into a ghost of itself.
pick3.75 stars- I enjoyed this more than the first two books, and holy crap the last 1/4 of the book! So much action, and some things I really didn't like, especially how one character is kind of just forgotten by the author. But I did find some of the more annoying/less-likable characters more tolerable and even likable in this book.
so-soDefinitely a mixed bag with this one. I like the story enough to want to know how it ends. I still don‘t love Evie, but I enjoy the variety of characters and the attention paid to marginalized groups. The book was too long and some of the decisions the characters made felt inconsistent making me thing it could have used a solid edit. I still want to finish the series though; but I can understand why this one may not be as popular a YA series.
... And now to start the third in the series! Excited for this, worried for the characters, and curious as to how it'll all end
pickWhile I found the second book in the series a tiny bit of a letdown, book three had me hooked again! The group begins to reckon with their past, and what it could mean for the time to come. Once again, Bray brings 1920s NYC to life in an evocative way. I really enjoyed this one and I‘m looking forward to reading a book 4!
I took a loooooooong walk along the new rapid transit path. It gave me a chance to finish my BEFORE THE DEVIL BREAKS YOU reread and listen to three stories from Clarkesworld.
But y‘all—can I be real with you? I drink a lot when I walk, because hydration is important, and with all parks‘ and stores‘ washrooms closed it‘s tough to trek as far as I‘d like. Sigh. #audiowalk
Casey and I took an #audiowalk after breakfast so he could show the neighbourhood his summer haircut.
I saw tons of greenery on my #audiowalk, plus a part-wolf (she was with someone, not roaming free) and two Little Free Community Pantries.
I am loving this series via audio! The narrator is so talented, you‘d think it was a full cast audio but it‘s not. The audio‘s accent sets the scene so much better...loving this series!
so-soI‘m trying REALLY HARD not to let my feelings about the romance cloud my judgement but...oh boy. The plot was STELLAR. Creepy asylum haunting + the added depth into the larger themes around “Americanism”? ?. Evie & co were amazing — full of warmth & witty banter. But oh god Evie‘s romance(s) made me want to run myself into a wall. Especially because the pairing I was rooting for was ripped to shreds. Love triangles are THE WORST, y‘all!!!!! ★★★½.
On a lighter note, I finished a book today, I took my kids to play in the creek in our backyard, did some relaxing yoga and finished a puzzle. All in all, not a bad day!
pickBook 1 of our self imposed COVID-19 quarantine (my husband works in the county jail, our county has no tests, and we're concerned about him being exposed and spreading it)
I really love these books, but I did have the same complaint that many seemed to have - so much set up for the last book. I have it at work, but we're currently not allowed in the building while they do a deep clean...
Tagged my current read, but this is really about public libraries. Threading using the comments. Things have moved fast with the COVID-19 crisis. Thurs: we were planning to stay open and maybe offer curbside holds pickup. Fri: we cancelled all programs but planned to stay open. Sat: we decided to close to the public, but come in and work. Sun: someone in VA has died and the governor will make a special announcement on Mon. which was ⬇️
"I suppose it's all in how you define patriotism. Some say that's only saying good things about your country. Others say that it's speaking against what you feel is wrong with your country and trying to make a change."
Starting this audiobook while I putter around the library and do some tedious, boring tasks...
pickFinished this today, just in time for the last book to come out! As was the case with the others, I really enjoyed this book. A few things seemed dramatically drawn out, but it was still fun. #ghost #psychic #magic #lgbtq #lgbtcharacter #queerbook #racism #americanhistory #1920s
I'm delighted to meet a character with a sexuality similar to mine. I would be interested to know how I would have interpreted this character when I was a teenager who broke up with people because they were interested in sex and I wasn't, so I thought I didn't feel for them the way they did. #lgbt #graysexual #asexual
This book has neatly made me laugh out loud so many times at the gym. I should probably stop listening to it here! #audiobook #workoutbook (I'm also delighted that this book has revealed several more #lgbtq characters)
pick5 ⭐
I absolutely love this series, and it just keeps getting better. It's captivating, exciting and charming. My only complaint is that maybe the last fifth is setting up for the next book. But I can't wait for the final instalment this year!
This also fits for #RedWhiteorBlueonCover for #booked2020 @Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage
I‘ve been binging this series before book four, The King of Crows, comes out and thoroughly enjoying them. Great cast of characters and fully immersed In the time and setting.
pickThese books are so much fun and the narrator does a fantastic job on the audiobook, so I highly recommend it. For some reason I had thought this was a trilogy, but this one ends with a whole bunch of cliffhangers and I can‘t wait until the next book comes out because I love hanging out with these characters ❤️
I had completely forgotten that it was #DeweysReadathon but I got a fair amount of reading in anyway because I had to finish Beartown for my book club tomorrow. I also spent a couple hours listening to my audiobook and started two short story collections. Now I‘m calling it quits in favor of bed. Good night, Littens.
pickSo I'm actually really pissed with the publishers inability to keep a consistent cover theme. I know it's stopped people (myself included) from touching it. This book has a beautifully diverse cast with black, Asian, asexual, and physically disability rep. This book doesn't shy away from segregation and race issues or the time (and honestly still relevant) while also dueling ghosts and zombies. This book tugged at my heart. Best of the series.
I debated keeping this for October with Halloween and all but I just have to make sure I'm ready for the final book, King of Crows to come our in February. Excessive sure but I am bad once I put stuff off once
pickPossibly my favorite book so far this year! I l9ve these characters and this deeply interestaing world Libba has created within 1920s America. I love how she uses this series to discuss real issues that matter, like mental health and racial inequities in this one. I have loved every book in this series more than the last. I cannot wait for the final book!
This is quite possibly the best end ever to an author's note! Love this, love this book, love her
Trying hard to finish this one before it returns to the library tomorrow! I may or may not be listening to it with one earbud while supervising a kiddo in PE... 😉 I love this series! I do own the ebook on my nook, but I really enjoy the narrator, so I would prefer to finish it this way if possible
pickExcellent character development. This book brilliantly showcases the mixed bag of good and bad that lives in every one of us. The audio version is ridiculously amazing and January LaVoy is a goddess. Prepare to laugh and cry and to taste that bittersweet feeling when you near the end of the book and realize the story isn't over yet.
One of the funniest moments at today‘s NoVaTeen Book Festival came in the panel on magic. Libba Bray got up close with moderator Lisa Maxwell. The panel included Cinda Williams Chima, Dhonielle Clayton, and Katherine Locke. They all had so much fun, and it was a blast to watch. #NoVaTeenBF #NTBF19
Starting this third book in the Diviners series while I sip a mug of Walk in the Woods tea and wait for season 2 of American Gods on Starz tonight.
pickI love this series and while this 3rd book is still a pick, I gotta say that it felt about 200 pages too long. Lots of build up without a lot of action most of the story felt unnecessary; I just wasn't swept up in the story like I was with the first two books.
My secret to relieving stress & anxiety? A good book & a secret tub of frosting that I keep in the very back of the fridge 🤗
bailed#bailfornow
Just having a hard time with this one. I think I'll need to reread the first two, as I can't remember a lot that happened. But gosh are there a lot of characters and my pregnant brain is having a hard time following. I enjoyed the first two, so maybe I'll come back to this one day!
My #SSS package, ready to go! Going to try and mail today, but we'll see :)
My next read. I did not even realize there was a third in this (great) series, so pretty stoked to get to this!
Hope everyone had a great turkey day 🦃🦃
pickWowza! Does this book step the story up a notch or what...I am terrified of the hungry ghosts & the king if crows & so worried (in a good way) about where our diviners are headed! I adore getting all the different perspectives & really getting to see so many sides of the story. Again Bray does a great job of wrapping real issues in the fantastical in a way that gets us thinking about the parallels to today. I can‘t wait for the next book!
pickThis series continues to be the best audiobooks I‘ve ever listened to. I need the fourth book now after that cliffhanger! These books are incredible and I‘m obsessed!
5/5 stars
I loved this book. It‘s both heartbreaking and beautiful.
That moment when you get the next book in the series ❤️😍💋
pickTraditionally, the third volume of a quadrology is the Everything Goes Wrong book. Libba Bray understands this, and she doesn't let up on her characters for a second. The pressure's on, problems abound, and everyone finds themselves forced to reevaluate what's truly important to them as they move through this painfully topical story. It's intense. I damned near cried in the street near the end.
TW for attempted rape and abuse flashbacks.
Another day; another #audiowalk. I MIGHT finish this book tomorrow, but Sunday or Monday feels more likely.
