Welcome to Litsy!

Jessilyn grew up with her father and brother on a small cattle farm in the old west. Her mother died in childbirth. When her Pa passed away she dresses as a man and goes in search of her brother, who has become an outlaw.

The atmosphere of the late 1800‘s in the old west gives this a feeling of desperation and melancholy. I loved Jess and the bonds she managed to make along her journey.

#booked2023 #setinamountainregion

17-year-old Jessilyn Harvey masquerades as a boy, and travels through the post-Civil-War West to find her brother-turned-outlaw after her father dies and leaves her alone on the family ranch. She is a sharp shooter whose skills are discovered and exploited by the territorial governor. It has many qualities of an old western, but no real heroes to be found. Read it after hearing it recommended on #WSIRN podcast.

One of my favorites so far this year.
After I finished, I googled to see if the film rights have been picked up, and they were a couple years ago when it first came out. I'd love to see a good adaptation. 🤞

The best book I read last year is a #KindleDailyDeal today. Just sayin. 😉

My favorite read of the year. A literary western about a girl who loses her father and must track down her charismatic outlaw of a brother to bring him back to their homestead. Told in hindsight by the main character as she ages, this is a unique and powerfully told story about love and death and sacrifice and the decisions we make that don‘t turn out like we expect. #12Booksof2020

Ain't wise for a man with shallow secrets to drink deep.

I played the part, which is all manly games ever is.

To know the Word by the voice of your mother, that has always been the path to salvation.

"How come we don't go to church? Huh, Pa? Everybody go to church...We got something against church? Or is it the Lord we got issue with?"

Pa's eyes found mine. "We got issue with men. There's a shortage of answers in this world. It's the fool who thinks he got them."

It was a long week without much reading, so it‘s very refreshing to have a slow day today to read. I‘m enjoying this one so far.

This western was my #booksellerrec for the #readwithmrbook challenge this month. I would recommend, especially for people who enjoy westerns. @MrBook

Down to the wire with this one because I was working a lot last week & didn‘t start this until Friday night (due back tonight). This isn‘t my typical read, but last year, a bookseller recommended it enthusiastically, so I kept it in mind. Using it for #Readwithmrbook this month. A gender-bending western, a girl sets off to find her brother who has become an outlaw. Has a lot of themes that I probably need to think on awhile. Very good writing.

I heard about this book on Anne Bogel‘s What Should I Read Next podcast and ordered it from my local indie bookstore #thatbookstore in Wethersfield, CT. Trying to do my part in supporting local businesses when I can as I appreciate their contribution to our community.

“A man works his whole life so that he may build something. He builds and builds and builds, and all the while he suffers. He believes that all the building is for a noble cause, you understand, some future that will begin once the building is complete.. And then one day he looks upon his future and sees it shortening. He looks behind and sees opportunities missed. He wonders, 'When did my cause go rancid?' “

🌟🌟🌟🌟

This book is super good.
Waiting for the parade to roll. Am I the only one who brings a book to Mardi Gras? 💜💚💛

Couldn‘t help starting this one right away. 1880s - teenage Jessilyn is orphaned on the homestead and sets out to find her outlaw brother. She‘s a kickass heroine and her sharpshooting skills are underestimated. Great writing so far - I‘m loving this book.

I‘m absolutely loving this book so far. It‘s described as a sort of Western meets Mulan which speaks so me on so many levels. Our heroine has such a powerful and unique voice. Can‘t wait to see how this unfolds.

I'm only 25 pages in and mesmerized by the storytelling! Already pretty sure this will be in my top 10 for the year.

Today I heard Elton John's 'Ballad of a Well-Known Gunman' as I was driving through the brilliant foliage of Vermont on a deserted road. It brought this book immediately to mind. There is a section in the book where a gunman hides in the mountains and this was the Vermont image that I had in my mind as I read it. The book clearly has been dogging me since I finished it. I'm double-thumbs-upping it.

4.5 Stars. It‘s rare that I read westerns, but for some reason I chose to read this one. It kept me riveted from start to finish. The story of an orphan, a young woman who must pass as a man as she pursues her brother, a wanted gunman.

I finished the summer season for #Booked2019 a while back and forgot to post... whoops! Clockwise from the top left:

Genrebusting: Whiskey When We‘re Dry by John Larison ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Muslim author: A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book to movie: The Help by Kathryn Stockett ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book gifted to me: Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Diverse middle grade: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Excited to read this one. It‘s a step away from my usual creepy thriller, but I think I‘m going to really like it!

I‘ve been so good about not going to the library and, instead, reading my own books from my own shelves. Today I caved and brought home 4 books. I feel excitement and annoyance at the same time. 😂😂😐

I liked it, but didn‘t love it. For some reason I had a difficult time staying engaged with the MC after she set out on her journey. Good writing though, I would‘t shy away from another of Larison‘s books.

Unseasonably chilly, hence the hot tea in the afternoon. I‘m trying to soak up some sun between the clouds. 🌤

Is it my imagination or have there been several stories recently told of women disguising themselves as men in the “Wild West?”

Consoling myself with more of the west in novel form. 🏔

This is an incredibly good audiobook. I say that both a person that isn‘t drawn to westerns, and as a woman who is often disappointed with how male writers write female characters.

Pointing that out as this is a western, written by a white man, about an absolutely brilliant, strong, unforgettable female mixed-race character. This book is beautifully written, heartbreaking, and does not shy away from race, gender, class or sexuality themes. ⬇️

Savoring my time reading and buying flowers and daydreaming and organizing for next year before heading back to work in a couple of weeks. I‘m moving through this book slowly and deliberately, and it‘s really gotten into my bones. I don‘t read westerns nearly enough. They are always so soul-satisfying.

An epic western with an unforgettable main character. The plot itself is fairly classic, but she's what makes this stand out. Her tale is harrowing and her journey takes her far from home, and even further from the girl she once was. This is violent without dwelling on it or glorifying it, humorous in places, heart-wrenching in others. Induces cravings for whiskey and fresh air.

A touching family story, that happens to be a western with a kick-ass female protagonist.

10/10 Will definitely read again, excellent story, with a few unexpected turns. The old west, cowboys, gun slingers, outlaws, and a new generation.

A western is so far from my typical genre, but somehow this one has us up way past bedtime. I'm loving this heroine so far...but I think Cole Cat just wants sleep. #currentlyreading #catsoflitsy #ColeCat

The #audiobook is fantastic - it‘s a timeless story set as a western, but the language is incredible and the characters are honest - this was my last book of 2018 and I‘m so glad I made time for it. #happynewyear

My current #audiobook from #overdrive
I started the #ARC from #netgalley a couple of months ago and couldn‘t get into it, but the audiobook is AMAZING! I didn‘t even complain about wrapping gifts because that meant I had more time to listen.

I just finished this and wow, was it good! I loved the beginning, thought it slowed down in the middle, but then it picked up again at the end and I couldn't put it down.
This will end up on my list of favourite 2018 reads for sure.

Amazing! Action-packed, girl-powered Western novel, phenomenally written. I didn‘t want it to end.

Such a great book about a girl who sets out to find her older brother after their father dies leaving her unable to manage their land alone. She dresses as a boy to be able to travel safely and finds herself hired as a gunman for the Governor. Beautiful writing and filled with characters that I won‘t soon forget, I tore through this book on the plane today. Between this and Heresy 2018 may go down as the year I discover I am a fan of westerns.

I started reading both of these recently and I am already enjoying them a lot! I can't wait for Friday night so I can curl up and read all evening!
#currentlyreading

Damn this is good. I don‘t usually (or ever) read westerns, but this is fantastic. Rough, gritty, stark, tragic, and real. I like that the characters are full of the diverse humanity that really made up the Old West, with all kinds of motives and honor and ideas and love and history.

Currently reading

Hoping for a good story.

Highly enjoyable so far!

4 ☆ A western setting in 1885 post Civil War this novel tells the story of Jessilyn who‘s one unforgettable female protagonist! Whiskey is a very creative + unique story about coming-of-age, gender ambiguity, and how the power of friendship + love can blur the lines of race, class, and sexuality.
Already optioned for film. If you‘re in the mood for a western this is one I‘d recommend.
*Contains violence