Welcome to Litsy!

The NBA fiction longlist is here! Like last year, they seem to have opted for lesser known or less celebrated authors (no Ann Patchett or Jesmyn Ward here). I am THRILLED to see the tagged here, as I was floored by it. Should be interesting getting into this list!

This was an action packed thriller with strong commentary on the American Justice system. This book shows a not too distant future where reality TV and the prison system have teamed up to create a new extreme sport - basically ancient gladiators/Battle Royale.
The author has created some solid main characters that you grow to care about in spite of the horrific acts they commit. I wouldn‘t call this a fun read, but it was intriguing.⬇️

This searing, gut punch of a speculative novel imagines a future America where prisoners fight to the death for entertainment. The research on our current carceral state, as well as abolition, that Adjei-Brenyah incorporated throughout the story is impressive and eye-opening. I do think the structure, cutting between multiple POVs, detracted from the emotional force of the main story of two top women gladiators in love fighting for freedom.

“I thought of how the world can be anything and how sad it is that it's this.“
Lived up to the hype and translated the sharp short story instincts demonstrated in Friday Black to a novel. https://youtu.be/WiecOddgIpw

Wow! I‘m not even sure I know what to say about this book. A wild ride that may live in a dystopian future but clearly depicts the faults in our current prison system and maybe isn‘t so far outside the realm of possibility as it should be. 4.5 🌟

#WeeklyForecast

About 25% into Chain Gang and I wasn‘t sure at first but it‘s getting interesting. My Libby hold for Paris came in this morning so it will keep me company on my way home today. And I will get caught up with Lady Chatterley and finish in time for the final discussion next Sunday. As always my “next up” plan is subject to change but I do want to focus on the Booker long list.

This was *my* July #bookclub pick. So enjoyed discussing it with my mom friends this week. So much to unpack. Overall, we loved it! At this point in 2023, it‘s my top read. 🥇 Pick it up, y‘all, it‘s incredible!

#kindledailydeal 😁

Loving seeing all my new #Bookmory buddies and their calendars so here is mine for July.

Tagged was one of 3 rare 4⭐️ books the others Promise and Fair Rosaline.

#ARC #Netgalley #ChainGangAllStars

Well that was one savage yet beautiful ride. This is Running Man for the thinking reader. The book is interspersed with real life statistics about prison populations, the likelihood of ending up in jail based on ethnicity and the crimes likely to land you in jail.

Full review here - https://thereadersroom.org/2023/07/15/chain-gang-all-stars-by-nana-kwame-adjei-b...

The thing about dystopian fiction is it always has enough truth potential in it to make it scary shit. This does just that. An acceptance of this is definitely not too far fetched. What an author. The footnotes are annoying on kindle but definitely worth the read.
I may need a bit of a light read people!

Had a lovely evening listening to Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah discuss his new book. I was already excited to read this one, and even more so now. He was lovely and so smart.

This book has rightfully gotten raves from a lot of readers. It is well-written with vivid characters, and the use of footnotes (including real world facts about incarceration in the U.S.) is clever. But it was a tough read for me because it was much closer to real life than the Hunger Games. I appreciated it more than I enjoyed reading. But I have been thinking about it a lot since finishing it. This was my #BookSpin for June.

June was my best reading month of the year thus far! I had four 5-star reads (middle quadrant), with Chain-Gang All-Stars being my favorite! And it‘s my top read of 2023 so far!

#junereads

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just… wow. It‘s an incredible gift when a book urges you to consider new perspectives. Chain-Gang unflinchingly compels readers to sit with the injustices and inequities of America‘s prison system - how the vulnerable are targeted, how the criminal is separated from the human. I‘ve seen this described as an adult “Hunger Games” meets “The New Jim Crow”. It was brutal - beautiful - and I was completely blown away by the ending.

This story was so brutal. I really had to gear myself up to pick it back up again each time, but wanted to see where the story went. It felt very disjointed at the start with multiple POV, but all wound together by the end. Good metaphor but very violent.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An exposition of the US prison system, capital punishment, and reality tv, where prisoners compete in colosseum-like death matches. They are commodified, sexualized and idolized. Survive three years and you‘ll be freed, they‘re told, as they serve the community through torturous entertainment. One of the best books I‘ve read in a LONG time, possibly one of the best EVER. Just brilliant! Can‘t stop thinking about it. #bookclub

I really enjoyed this one. I loved the fights, the setting and it was very easy to read and get into. So for fans of sci-fi, action and these kinds of books, I'd definitely recommend it. Like we said on the podcast, it's the Running man but with hot women instead of Arnold.

Check out episode 46: https://bit.ly/3PLIDDR

We are half way into 2023!!
Pulling my top 10 reads so far this year. Serene is not impressed with the stack.

Poolside reading might be my favorite! 🫶🏼 And this book is so good so far, y‘all.

When I try to read alone outside …

#dogsoflitsy #champ

Our BAM! #bookhaul 🤩

This month‘s picks! #BookSpin #DoubleSpin

Brilliant, propulsive narrative that forces you to examine your own biases and feelings towards the carceral system. By layering truth and reality with the horrifying spectre of blood sport, Adjei-Brenyah begs the question "where do we draw the line?"

Brutal, wholly engrossing, and with compelling characters and story, this no holds barred critique of the prison system and, frankly, white supremacy is one of the best books I‘ve ever read. It absolutely took my breath away.

A great reading month--my faves were Chain -Gang (which I found to be entertaining and just...brilliant) and I Have Some Questions For You. Flora Lea was delightful and House on Fire was captivating. Girls Like Us, I read as a possible alternative for my students who can't read Of Mice and Men, and it was good, and Landslide was so relatable as a parent of nearly adult children.

I had this one tied with I Have Some Questions For You, but the social critique Chain Gang made through the footnotes nudges it just barely ahead.

In Kentucky visiting family! I love that my parents still live in the home I grew up in. This house, this town, will 100% always be “home” even though I haven‘t lived here in 21 years. Lovely #audiowalk this morning!

Anyone else doing the #fruitiliciousreadathon?

Very excited that my #aardvark box has arrived. I‘m thrilled about both of these choices, for very different reasons!

Crazy #bookhaul day y‘all! I‘ve got two official #CampLitsy23 choices, Romantic and Birnam; two from the longlist, Chain (#aardvark pick) plus Unfortunates nominated by @MicheleinPhilly , who steered me right with Chrysalis; and Moon from #botm, another nominee!

Excited for Link‘s new short story collection. PLUS they had someone‘s lifetime #nyrb collection pristine as used books at the library!! I didn‘t have long but chose 4! 99 cents each! 🤯

#bookmail may not make Pickles happy, but it makes me ecstatic!

Wow, I feel like each month my #aardvarkbookclub box shows up earlier. This sounds so good, and I absolutely loved Friday Black so I expect it will be. 😁📚

Yay for new books! Starting with tagged book and since the forecast all weekend is rain I‘m probably going to get to both this week/weekend.

My May #botm and #aardvark selections! Stupidly excited I figured out pic collage…

With the recent addition of a “Skip” option, I‘ve decided to finally officially try #Aardvark! I‘ve been enjoying the book selections over the last few months and I‘m excited to get my first box! 😍

Top 3 are my #Aardvark picks - so stoked! I've heard nothing but amazing things about Chain-Gang and it's cool to see a #readwithjenna pick with Aardvark! Great get 👏🏽 (And how cute is the logo placement on her headphones for This Bird Has Flown??)

Bottom 2 are my #BOTM picks. The Half Moon because I loved her last book and Weyward because... FOMO.

New May #Aardvark predictions based on the emoji clues. The tagged book sounds absolutely incredible!

#WondrousWednesday
@Eggs

1) Ted Lasso and Abbott Elementary (waiting not so patiently for Bridgerton)

2) My favorite book so far this year and one that I think would make an excellent TV show is Chain-Gang All-Stars absolutely amazing story with some searing social commentary

This book is electrifying!! Set in a dystopian near future in which death row convicts fight each other to the death gladiator style for the entertainment of the masses. Adjei-Brenyah uses footnotes to describe America‘s real life mass incarceration injustices, which brings it so close to home. It‘s emotional, violent, and an incredible redemption story. Beyond brilliant. He doesn‘t once sacrifice character or plot for the sake of his allegory.

February Wrap-up
I read 10 books
All very good, would recommend
5 🌟
Chain-Gang All-Stars
4.5⭐
Red At The Bone
True Biz
4 ⭐
Dread Nation
Ring Shout
The Gilded Ones
Wild Seed
3.5⭐
Mean Baby
When We Were Birds
3⭐
The Color of Water

5⭐ Utterly blown away.
This is a novel about incarceration, love, and survival. This book is incredible.
Book comes out May 5 and is Adjei-Brenyah's first novel.
Recently some politicians suggested making prison terms shorter if the person gave up some organs. Literally sacrificing their body parts and health for shorter terms. This novel is so timely imagining if prisoners fought for owners profit for three years. Fights to the death.

It is snowing, but I have a haircut in an hour so taking shelter in a cafe to wait it out.

PDX is horrible in the snow. Things melt and freeze and we don't salt or plow so hopefully I will not get stuck downtown 🤣

I am supposed to be going to a Books and Brew event at the science museum. We will see if that happens!

#weeklyforecast
Going to pull myself out of this reading rut with 4 excellent books. I am almost done with the tagged and it is fantastic.
Untamed State is my #doublespin The Color of Water I am reading for #BlackHistoryMonth and I just got access to True Biz on audio so hopefully that will help move me along.

Afternoon reading break.

In a dystopian future, inmates are forced to fight to death in a gladiator battle in order to gain their freedom. Two female convicts and lovers enter the tournament as they uncover a prisoner for profit scheme that touches upon the social commentary of African Americans and the corrupt penal system. Readers of Rachel Kushner's The Mars Room, Chuck Palahunik's Fight Club, and Anna Freeman's Fair Fight will appreciate this novel.