Welcome to Litsy!

I started this because I lost the book I was reading on a bus. 100 pages in I really considered putting it down because the writing was so annoying. It definitely could have been cut down from 400 to 200 pages and I never started to like the writing style, but I liked the message behind the book and it did make me tear up at certain parts.

Took a walk today and passed at least five stuffed Little Free Libraries. I picked up these three.

My first attempt at Backman, and I'm not impressed. I found his writing style to be pompous and distracting. Bailed at around page 50. Not for me!

I‘m late to the Backman game.

It started a little underwhelming for me, but I was totally charmed by the end.

I‘m looking forward to reading more of his work.

Got in some reading time by the Delaware River today.

Up next for book club. #FirstSaturdayReaders

5✨ There is a lot of characters in this book, but it is not overwhelming. It was obviously mapped out well by the author to unfold as the story went on. There was a lot of mystery elements that unfolded when we went back in time to the hostage situation, further back to provide character development, and the present with police interviews. Plus it had a good message with potential trigger warnings of suicide. #12monthchallenge @Littlewolf1

I didn't love this one the way I did Beartown, the only other Backman I've read. However, I really liked how the characters' lives were all intertwined and the idea that one person's actions can have such a great effect on others.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
#Magnificent May @Andrew65
#BookCrossing

So I am going to try to participate in the #14books14weeks2023 challenge hosted by @TheHeartlandBookFairy !! The 14 weeks start the week of Memorial Day and go through til Labor Day. For my books I have chosen 14 books I was SO EXCITED about when they arrived, but somehow have never actually READ. As you can see, several BOTM and OwlCrate editions lurk here!! Since taking the photo I rearranged the shelf into alphabetical order, which is how I ⬇️

One conflict that I felt like I could identify with was trying to decide what the right thing to do in a situation is. In this book, one of the characters had to make a choice between what his job was telling him to do and what he felt was morally right, which I feel like a lot of people can relate to that.

There is no limit to how many photos I can take of me and my Karnebull. Delicious! This cinnamon roll is from Bröd & Salt, yesterdays roll was from Espresso House.

#sweden #holiday #stockholm

Yay! I did a thing!! I got more people to read!!!
People at work were having a little fun with how much I read.
So I suggested we read together - a book a month.
I chose this first, because it‘s funny, and has a lot of heart, and has broad appeal, and there‘s plenty to talk about.
I thought it was going nowhere, but I got two takers today - yay!!!
We may stay a small band of 3.
But my hope is that others see how great talking about books is ♥️📚

This wasn‘t my favorite Backman novel, but I still liked it. I actually laughed out loud in some parts which is always a plus! The thing that kept me from absolutely loving it was the premise was very near that of Bel Canto.

A bank robbery goes wrong when the robber decides to rob a cashless bank. Oops! When trying to escape they accidentally stumble into an apartment showing that soon becomes a hostage situation. I truly struggled through parts of this book due to how all the characters were either annoying or complete jerks in their interviews with the police and at times while being held hostage. How the story wrapped up redeemed itself in a way but I did not 💝it

January Wrap-up!
6 books in total
- 2 graphic novels
- 2 audiobooks
- 4 physical/ebooks

Still reading Quiet by Naomi Vacaro and Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I really enjoyed the plot of this story and the writers style but I just didn‘t enjoy the characters very much.

#anxiouspeople #fredrikbackman

My first Fredrick Backman book was great! I loved the characters and the way the story unfolded, even if the ending was a little unbelievable. I thought Backman handled several difficult topics with grace and humor, and I look forward to reading his other books. The miniseries on Netflix was worth watching as well! #anxiouspeople #2023 #booktomovie

I‘m reading this for the first time. I listened a few years ago and I loved it. It‘s even better in print.

The pacing is perfect. It alternates between making me laugh out loud and squeezing my heart.

Help!! I need 5 more recommends for my challenge

#Movie2BookRecs @Klou
Prompt: Quick Change

I have not seen this movie. When I read the synopsis it immediately reminded me of the book Anxious People.

Starting my second Fredrik Backman read by one of my favorite audio narrators. 🤍

There was a bit of a wait but this book is now finally available at my library‘s Overdrive catalog. Hope I can sneak in enough hours to finish it this weekend.

⭐️ I‘ll generously give this novel one star because of the overall message and resource list. I found this predictable and most of all, boring. Not a popular option - I know. 📷 illustrated shelf.

Another book club read and book no 60 for the year. I enjoyed this. It was a good story with great characters and good writing. The only downside for me was the missing identity of a key character, unless I missed it 😂

What a strange story, with an even stranger cast of characters! This is one of those books that definitely got better as it went on. It‘s a story about 2nd chances, that had a few twists and turns towards the end. I really liked the way the book ended, which is why I gave it a higher rating than I was going to. I see that this story has been made into a Netflix series. I‘ll have to give it a try.

My daughter and I were looking for a stream of A Man Called Ove, but we came across the miniseries of Anxious People on Netflix and decided to go with that instead. We watched all 6 episodes last night, and it was a really good adaptation. Emma hadn't read the book, and she enjoyed it just as much as I did. I'm hoping it'll convince her that she needs to read Backman. I've loved all of his books that I've read so far.

5 out of 5! Loved loooooved this book. Just 2 words, funny and heartwarming! ❤

I know I‘m in the minority here, but I didn‘t love this book. Yes, it redeemed itself in the second half and ultimately was a feel-good novel with a lot of nice messages, but the first half was so utterly ridiculous that I almost gave up. That annoyed me. Some quirkiness is okay. But this was a little too over the top for me.

Can‘t believe this month has gone by so fast. One bingo this month for #BookSpinBingo. Favorite book of the month is Anxious People with People We Meet on Vacation a close second. Worst books of the month were worthy opponent and wild beauty which were both DNF.

I love Fredrick Backman and will forever be grateful to BOTM for introducing me to his books 🥰

#FavBOTM 📚❤️ #ArtfulAugust 🖌🖼🎨

#BookNerd 🤓📚💙

5⭐️ I‘m not crying, your crying! I honestly didn‘t think this book was going to affect me as much as it did. I laughed so hard, I felt so connected, and cried so much at the end. This is such a great book, and if you haven‘t read it I definitely recommend. #TrappedOnAnIsland

Knowing how this book resolves, it was great to just appreciate the writing in this IRL bookclub reread. The first time around I didn‘t recognize the narrator jumping out of the story to talk directly to the reader - I suspect there is an art to doing this writing technique successfully.

Every once in awhile you stumble onto a book that changes you for the better. This was one of those, for me.

Hoping to finish this gem today. What a lovely ride it‘s been!!

#Alphabetgame #LetterA @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
A book you'd recommend whose title starts with the featured letter.

I loved Anxious People. The character studies are brilliant and Backman made me cry at the end (again).

“The truth of course is that if people really were as happy as they look on the Internet, they wouldn't spend so much damn time on the Internet, because no one who's having a really good day spends half
of it taking pictures of themselves. Anyone can nurture a myth about their life if they have enough manure, so if the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, that's probably because it's full of shit.”

Backman doling out truths.

Another pool day, another book.

1. Clare Mackintosh! I love her books. Really, I‘d love a meeting with her, Ruth Ware, and Lisa Jewell. The big three!

2. “Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman is my most recommended book of the past year.

3. Donuts! 🍩

#wondrouswednesday

Don‘t hate me, but I did not love this book! I found the first half silly, the second half much improved but confusing, and the ending dragged on too long. I was surprised because I loved Beartown.

I'm not a love letter sort of girl, but I could definitely write one for my love of this book! Even many months after reading this delight, I'm itching to check in on these amazing characters - the amateurish bungling bankrobber & the eight hilarious (sometimes crotchety) side kicks that stole my heart so fiercely (is a phone call too much to ask for?). A guessing game with twists & turns. Lots of laughs along the way - typical Fredrik Backman ♡

This might be the most unexpectedly beautiful and heartwarming book I have ever read.

“When Jim was young, children used to be punished by being sent to their rooms. But these days you have to force children to come OUT of them. One generation got told off for not being able to sit still…the next gets told off for never moving.”

I love this dedication 🤣

Must-read!