Welcome to Litsy!

We did a Lessons in Chemistry episode! Normally we're a pretty positive podcast but one of us had some very strong opinions about this novel and the other had an interesting “theory.“ Let us know what you thought of this book and whether you agreed with our insights.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6F89LTZpBajVHzaK0O2bPL

It has been an amazing month of non-fiction and stories of powerful women. This book was no exception. Elizabeth Zott is a powerhouse and challenges societal norms at every turn- and the world pushed back often. It is the second book this month that referenced The Feminine Mystique so that book is moving up on my TBR list as well.

“Whenever you feel afraid, just remember. Courage is the root of change - and change is what we're chemically designed to do.”

MC Elizabeth Zott has a dog named Six-Thirty!
🐶🧡🦮

#ProtagWPet
#Bibliophile

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

My May #bookspin list

4.25⭐
•For me, 6:30 (the dog) stole the show and I loved his POV. The other characters weren‘t too bad, either. Elizabeth Zott was an intriquingly quirky MC that really broke the mold of the typical female of her time. It did get a little monotonous at times, especially towards the end, but for the most part this was an engaging feminist-centered story.
•Miranda Raison‘s narration was fantastic.

I have to say this book didn‘t pull me in. It was a decent story about a woman who wanted to be a scientist at a time when women were mostly seen as housewives with no career aspirations. I will say I liked how the story ended but overall I would only give it a 3 out of 5.

I‘ve given this book as a gift to others but not gotten around to reading it myself so I was excited to do that on summer holiday. It was much more intense than I thought. I was unprepared for the very not nice thing that happens only a few chapters in. It reminded me a lot of reading Tomorrow & tomorrow & tomorrow. Like it gets billed as a fluffy fun book with a cute dog but gosh it was far deeper than that. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I loved this book, an enjoyable read and kept me gripped throughout, I can‘t wait to watch the tv show now, I recommend everyone read this book, it‘s well written and intriguing.

Read for reading challenges

5/5

This book took me a few tries to get into it, but I‘m so glad I persisted. It unfolded in ways I had not expected. While often tragic- you will love Elizabeth Zott and her lessons in chemistry!!

Book 1 finished for #2025 #Read2025 #JumpStart2025

Finally got to this book, which was an excellent read. At times it really annoyed and upset me with what happened to her. Frightening to think we haven‘t moved on enough on this, and now in 2025 seem to be in reverse! 😡

Elizabeth was such a great character. Also what a character 6.30 was.

@DieAReader @LizPixie

My first spins of the new year! 🎉🎉🎉

#bookspin #doublespin

My top book of the year (both brackets). It was fun, filled the gamut of emotions and would absolutely reread if given the chance. Honestly, really loved any of these final four. #readingbracket2024 @CoffeeNBooks

Loved this book. I could not put it down. Great story about a woman chemist in the 60‘s fighting for her rightful place in a male dominated profession. Elizabeth is determined to challenge the societal rules of the time period that dictate a woman‘s place is the home and kitchen.

Such a GOOOD book!! All the feels! Wow!

I enjoyed this enough to overlook the parts that bothered me. I‘m hard on books, though, so it‘s rare I love anything from start to finish. 😁🙄

I had already read this before the season, but read it again and it was just as good as I remember. Listen to us discuss the book and compare it to the Apple TV series. They were definitely different. Listen anywhere you get podcasts or check out our YouTube page for both the podcast episode and the video one : https://youtu.be/3q7lcuRRvz0?si=tWgj5rWdzuvQURM6

Using my time wisely in the cutest little Airbnb!

Elizabeth Zott what a lady... I loved this book it made me smile and was a joy to read. Elizabeth was an extraordinary woman and scientist who lived on her own terms, with a brilliant mind who was way ahead of her time. Her approach to parenting was simply fabulous. I loved Six-Thirty and Mad and the dynamic between them all was hilarious. Her practical no-nonsense approach to everything was marvellous and like a breath of fresh air.

Kinda disappointed 🫠 #meh

Started out slow for me. I was going to put it down a couple of times. Something kept drawing me back. It got better.

#WondrousWednesday @Eggs
Winter
Country
Both
Mountain
Juice
Waffles
Evening
Entree
Fruit
Fiction
Gum

I read this for book club and it just wasn't my cup of tea. Some terrible events in the early pages are handled with a jaunty tone that felt off, and that initial negative impression made it hard to accept a number of implausible plot points and unlikely coincidences later on. The story follows Elizabeth, a chemist thwarted by misogyny in the 1950s. It picked up a bit once she became the host of a cooking show, but still, not really for me.

I had to put this one aside to finish some buddy reads, but finished this in a fury once I picked it back up. Just loved this and the end and some of the notions presented at the end were thing I needed to hear/read at this moment. Funny how life works sometimes. Strong feminist themes with a lovely sense of humor. Highly recommend. Finished Poolside 😎

I'm not gonna lie, I almost bailed on this one. I got to about 25% because it was for my bookclub but the amount of terrible misogyny was a lot. After our discussion though I felt encouraged to continue and once our MC started her cooking show and made some good friends I enjoyed it a lot more. Honestly, the unconventional friendships were my favorite part. I can see why so many love this book and its, in the end, inspiring story. Soft pick for me

Instant love for this one. Immediately started the Apple TV series, and while there are several changes, big and small, I‘m loving the show as well

Throughly enjoyed this story! Also appreciated the author interview at the end of the #audiobook. It provided such great insight as to how/why she wrote the book as she did. Garmus mentioned how Lessons in Chemistry is an offshoot of a previously started but uncompleted novel of hers. This made me hope that after the success of this one she'll go back to that original story to pick that thread back up. I think other readers would agree! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#LessonsinChemistry #BonnieGarmus #BookSpinBingo #SeriesLove2024 #July2024

Elizabeth Lott is a chemist. She is a single mother who is the most beloved star of a cooking show called "Supper at Six." Her unusual approach to cooking "one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride" proves revolutionary. Elizabeth is not just teaching women to cook, she's daring them to change the status quo.

This one came highly recommended to me and I am so glad that I finally picked up my copy! I literally read it in one sitting! Of course, I loved Six-Thirty and Mad. And while I am not into either cooking or chemistry, I loved Elizabeth‘s passion for both. While not unpredictable, it‘s certainly engaging from start to finish! I loved the characters and I‘m curious to check out the TV adaptation now!

“Some things needed to stay in the past because the past was the only place they made sense.”

A truly wonderful book🧡

#Orange

#CoverLove

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

I liked Six-Thirty, but the rest of this book was a hard pass for me. #UnpopularOpinion but I found this to be a condescending, preachy, emotionally manipulative, white-feminist fantasy. It beats you over the head with how horrible structural misogyny is, yet can be overcome if you are good enough and smart enough. I never connected to the Zott/Evans romance, a couple odd food-shame-y moments, and anachronisms. Finished just to complain about it.

I feel the same about two boys! Loving this book, it‘s got Gilmore Girls energy

I watched the TV series first which prompted me to read the book. An unlikely love story between two extraordinarily unique characters that are both emotionally damaged. The eclectic mixture of characters and side storylines created a wonderful book that is unforgettable.

“Frask looked back, shocked. ‘Same,‘ she said limply.”

“‘Flip-outs,‘ he insisted, getting in his car. ‘Yesterday one of my kids hit the other with a shovel.‘”

Elizabeth‘s life is sent into turmoil after her love is tragically killed, she discovers she‘s pregnant, & she‘s fired from her chemistry research job because of the pregnancy. She decides to pursue her love of chemistry in another way - a cooking show.

I appreciated the story, but I really disliked all the POV hopping. (Except you Six-Thirty, you‘re a delight.) I did love the family Elizabeth built for herself & Mad was charming. 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑

“‘A moment where *you* are your own priority. Just you. Not your baby, not your work, not your dead Mr. Evans, not your filthy house, not anything. Just you. Elizabeth Zott. Whatever you need, whatever you want, whatever you seek, reconnect with it in that moment.‘ She gave a sharp tug to her fake pearls. ‘Then recommit.‘”

“‘References could be a problem,‘ he added, stepping out into the hall.
‘Coattails,‘ Frask whispered.”

What a wonderful book this was

Next up . . . Another recent 99p purchase. Must. Stop. Buying. Them.

#UkKindleDailyDeal
Grab this while you can. One of the best books I have read in the last few years and it is finally here for 99p!

@trishb @Cathythoughts @Oryx @squirrelbrain @julesG @RebelReader @Andrew65

👍

While I can see the book is well written, but definitely not life changing, this book is not for me because if it's topics. It's full of toxic feminism that says"I can do whatever I want while also never being wrong. I will also not accept any kind of constructive criticism whatsoever." The author also clearly has a hatred for God that's so repetitive it makes me what to scream "YEAH WE GET THE POINT." The book has good bones, but, overall, YUCK

What‘s the rule? Match your purse to your pants and your book to your big dumb cup?

This was a soft pick for me. The story was engaging, but it sometimes felt like Elizabeth Zott was a caricature of a smart person - like a hot, sad, female version of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory. I just felt like she was unrealistically obtuse. I loved Mad and Six-Thirty, though.

Tagged!
@BookmarkTavern #sundayfunday

Elizabeth Zott is a chemist in a time where women weren‘t allowed to be any other thing than a housewife. She encourages other to look for more. She raised Mad in a way that allowed each other to learn and gave her tools to know how she should make her path in this world.