Welcome to Litsy!

Little dude is really into Curious George, giving me time to finish this #AuldLangSpine read. What a glorious gem of a book. It has a charm to it. It‘s tender in ways you wouldn‘t imagine, it‘s written lighthearted even though there are moments of heavy grief. It‘s about love, passion, finding your way through dark. The characters, the story, everything about this I loved entirely. Thank you @BarkingMadRead ❤️
Bonus: this is a #Roll100 for Feb!

I won‘t be surprised if I read more because @BarkingMadRead has some amazing picks, but here is what I am committing to for SURE. Thank you for such a phenomenal #AuldLangSpine list, I am looking forward to diving in!

This, on the other hand, was delightful and the most perfect holiday read. I haven‘t read Rowley in the past because I‘m fearful of how animals fare in his stories but this was the perfect blend of snark and sweet.

This‘ll do. ☺️

Reading the Guncle because of Litsy :)
I might need to apply some Guncle rules myself.

I listened to this one read by the author which I‘m glad I did because I felt like he read the characters exactly as they should be. I would‘ve like a little more depth in this one but it was a good mindless listen.

I‘ve had my eye on this for a while and so couldn‘t resist when it was only 99p on kindle.
This is a sweet tale of grief and family, mixed with a good dose (doth according to Grant) of humour. Rowley creates unique characters that you can‘t help adoring.
It does gloss over some of the harder aspects of grief, but as a sweet story I liked it.

This book finds a good balance between over the top humor, parenthood, and grief. It was fun reading all the ways Pat tries to connect with the kids and fails, and watching him work through his grief. He does read like a gay type-character from a comedy movie, though, and I wish the kids got a little more characterization. We don't really see them deal with their grief and they feel like they stop being people when not on screen. #LGBTQ #Grief

#ManicMonday
📕Guncle
✍🏻 Malcom Gladwell
📺 Golden Girls
🎤 Genesis
🎵 Gold to Glass https://youtu.be/SCecPSVr-XE

@CBee @Allylu

Rainbow bath bomb to finish the Guncle, perfection!

Gotta get started on this month‘s book club choice for my neighborhood book club! A huge turnaround from Dorian Gray!

So far so good… and sometimes funny like: “He soaked his reply in so much sarcasm it might as well have been a teenager experimenting with cologne.”

#ArtfulAugust #avoidance
@eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
GUP has been avoiding some big issues

My September #bookspin is done! @TheAromaofBooks the tagged book is my neighborhood book club selection, but I removed Northanger Abbey because the #Pemberlittens are reading that in October and I added my #roll100 books to the list but they aren‘t in the pic! Whew!

I‘m clearly in the minority. I thought it was just okay.

When dealing with a major theme like grief, it's a bit of a tightrope balance to have humor whilst also trying to learn how to move forward after the deaths of loved ones. Here, I felt that while the story has flashes of wit, it got bogged down in attempting to be funny, & skipped some of the healing journey parts. Honestly, I think this would make a better movie.

#two4tuesday

1. Not that I remember. Maybe in the times before smart phones. But now I either add it to my TBR on StoryGraph or I just make a note.

2. I brought the tagged with me today to finally start.

Thanks for the tag Lisa! 💜

My husband took out 4 year old out for a few hours so I am having some wine and reading. Yesterday the 4 year old had a complete melt down leaving the playground so this downtime was very much needed.

⭐️⭐️⭐️This was a weird one because when I was reading it, I liked it, but I was never excited to pick it back up.I also felt a strange detachment from the story – like I was only getting 75% of the info about Patrick and his relationships with the other characters in the story. I‘m not sure if that was intentional to show how disconnected he had become? But for something that I felt should have been such an emotional story, I was rarely moved.

“All right, here goes nothing.”

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

This was the perfect vacation read on the porch with a glass of wine listening to the waves crash on the beach. I loved that this book was funny yet tender with its depiction of dealing with the death of a loved one. I haven‘t read any of this author‘s other books but intend to check them out as well.

It was an absolute delight to read from start to finish, yes the premise was a little sad in that the 2 children needed a family member to take them in and care for them but oh the fun they had together. If I wasn't smiling whilst reading this I was literally laughing at some of the moments, the characters all felt very authentic and I loved Guncle Patrick so much. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

@Kdgordon88
Thank your your generosity and thoughtfulness.

I really loved this story. Uncle Patrick and his “niblings” have a summer of fun, connection and healing after the death of their mother. Uncle Patrick finds solace and purpose again. It was a heartfelt read.

On the surface this appears to be a camp comedy about a gay man who is thrust unwillingly into the role of caretaker for his young niece and nephew. But that's just the surface. At heart it is about the collision of old and new grief and a man coming to understand why life goes on being worth living.

I had high expectations for this book based on the rave reviews. When I first started reading, however, I thought it was a bit twee. It did get better, I‘m happy to report. But some of the stereotypes grated on my nerves. A pick for a breezy quick summer read, but I‘m not going to remember the plot in a few months. And the cat wasn‘t impressed. (Not that she ever is. 😀)
#catsoflitsy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Loved this book!!! So funny!! So sweet! I cried multiple times! Loved how this story showed a family going through grief but being each other‘s rocks no matter how hard loss can be. Definitely recommend. Fantastic summer read with meaning and fun!

This book deserves the hype. It is a heartwarming story about a family helping each other grieve. It gave me all the feels. I laughed, said awwww, and cried. It would make a great movie. Photo credit to my son who wanted to “set up the Litsy picture” but may have had an alterer motive for a popsicle.

Love how with the story the character of Patrick also evolves. This is a beautiful story about family, togetherness, love and hope. The pace was slow until about 1/3rd of the book but after that it was hard to put it down. Totally recommend

Little campfire reading for the strawberry full moon with s‘mores.

Oh the feels!!! I absolutely loved this book! There was so much heart in this story. I loved the characters, I loved the story, and I absolutely loved the messages.

The main character is LGBTQ who is learning how to live life again after losing the love of his life as well as losing a dear friend. How he connected with his niece and nephew was so heart warming. ❤️ I give it 5⭐️

#BookSpinBingo #13
@TheAromaofBooks

#BigJuneReadathon @Clwojick

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/the-guncle-movie-lionsgate-1...
#StevenRowley #TheGuncle #PrideMonth #LGBTQ

I loved this even more a second time through. It was lovely and amazing. It made me smile and fall in love with Patrick, Maisie, and Grant all over again, just harder. Clara doesn‘t feel as urgent and threatening this second time through. I‘m even more excited for a sequel now, but I‘ve also just discovered that Lionsgate has bought the rights to make this a movie and Rowley is producing!!!
#StevenRowley #TheGuncle #PrideMonth #LGBTQ

🧡🧡🧡
#StevenRowley #TheGuncle #PrideMonth #LGBTQ

Author Steven Rowley is the best! We had a Instagram Poll going yesterday: Getting Ready for 📚&🍻 by asking important ❓️
Pick Your Pool Floatie.
🦩
🦄
🍕
🦞

He voted 🦩 and sent a message.

If you'd like to Vote feel free. I too voted 🦩.

"These are my caftans. This is my morning caftan, this one is my after-sun caftan, this one here is for company, this one is dressy, and this one is the one I sometimes wear after a night swim—right before bed."

? Summer Reading 2021 #caftanlife

I had so much fun Rereading for my #BooksandBrewsClub. I didn't have Go To Book Club at the Brewery Caftan. Mine where bit to sheer too, so I went with something Caftanesque. And yes I had my nails done to match the cover.

It's always a bit scary when a book you love is Book Club pick. But happy to report our group of 18 people of various ages/genre readers loved it. 😊 #irlbookclub

I‘m rereading this beautiful platinum set gem for pride month, and to celebrate that Rowley himself told me that Guncle Rule 100 should absolutely be that there must be a sequel to The Guncle. Fingers crossed and all potential deities prayed to with proper offerings made that that‘s a thing that is happening.
#StevenRowley #TheGuncle #PrideMonth #LGBTQ

When I first saw the cover, I thought all three of them were reading books! -- but even at closer glance it still looked very cute. Which it is, but also with depth and tenderness to it.

This was cute, funny, sad at times - Patrick takes care of his niece and nephew the summer after their mother dies, everyone learning to deal with loss/grief - the story moves in a very predictable way.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks is off to a good start for June -

Make a great day everyone - 😎

Kicking off #SummerReading2022 with Reread of my favorite #SummerReading2021 and a Manicure to match. My pick for #IRLBookClub. Should be a fun discussion.
🍹💅📖 #NovelsandNails

#BFC2022 will keep same goals - try to get a #BookSpinBingo (fell short in May) and work out 22 days ( #BookMoods prompt:lies 🤣🤣)

@wanderinglynn @eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @TheAromaofBooks

Make a great day everyone 🙂

I‘ve been wanting to read this for a while, after great reviews on here. One could imagine it would be a bit twee and saccharine but it wasn‘t at all. There was enough humour and bite to lift it out of the soppy realms and into laugh-out-loud funny in places, whilst also treating some serious issues sensitively.

Even the kids weren‘t too annoying, loved Grant when he said the toilet ‘thpits at your butt‘! (Spits - it was a Japanese loo!)

I have wanted to read this book since it came out and I finally got a copy of the audiobook from Libby and I loved it! Even though the book centers around a tragedy there was so much comic relief in the book and I found myself laughing out load several times. I also really enjoyed the narration in the audiobook! It was so fun!

#thoughtfulthursday @MoonWitch94
Thanks for the tag @Chrissyreadit

I have to admit today I am so saddened by recent events that all I can think is that I would pick up my grandson and shower him in hugs and kisses.

Be good to each other and BElieve THEre is GOOD in the world - 💔

Plan to finish May with a bang! Will not have a #BookSpinBingo
( @TheAromaofBooks) but that is primarily due to: 1) sticking with books I wasn't interested in for too long and 2) not willing to re-read Harry Potter Deathly Hallows (next month - maybe) -

Enjoying all the reads this week -

Make a great day for yourselves 🌞

A truly delightful book with humor, angst, and love. Patrick‘s adulthood best friend married his brother, had 2 kids, and lived on the other side of the country. But her death set in motion and unforeseen trip to rehab for the brother and a 3 month stint of caring for a niece and nephew who took over Gay Uncle Patrick‘s house and heart. Great insights to the heart about grief and loss and living through it…just what snarky Patrick needs.

This was significantly less lighthearted than i had been led to believe. Grief is a character in this story. It haunts adults and children alike. There were times when the Author‘s soapbox had flashing lights. These times would have benefited from a more show not tell approach. Still, a lovely ode to the imperfect but loving family.