Welcome to Litsy!

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If you want a book that will make you laugh, cry, and remember our shared humanity, (and especially if you work/have worked in an office setting), look no further than this sparkling gem! I chose it on a whim and was so pleasantly surprised by how much I adored it. Think Eleanor Oliphant x Fredrik Backman x The Office. Striking and dynamic characters, a unique and engaging storyline, and just so much heart! 🎧

This month‘s book club pick wasn‘t a favorite for anyone, unfortunately! The enticing blurb had us all expecting much more of a rom com, & while moments of cubicle drudgery were familiar, there was a bit too much vitriol overall. I liked the twist on a fake engagement & appreciated Jolene‘s overall character arc, but there have been more successful versions of a depressed, alcoholic & anxious MC come out of arrested development than this one!

#12booksof2024 November's favorite
@Andrew65

I laughed, I related, I wondered how everything was going to work out - if I could only have one favourite for 2024, it would be this one!

#12booksof2024 : July

2024 Recap!

I read 105 books. 22 nonfiction, 83 fiction. 43 audiobooks and 62 on Kindle or book. North Woods, Hope This finds You Well, and Maybe You Should Talk to Someone were standouts. I also fell in love with Martha Wells‘ Murderbot Diaries this year, which was a surprise, because 1) I don‘t usually love a series and 2) I am not a big sci-fi reader. My Top 15 Books for 2024 are below.

I‘d love to hear some of your favorites!

Wow! This #audio was so good that I walked farther than usual to keep listening and then finished my LEGO Christmas gift while finishing it. Complicated coworkers, many dealing with significant personal challenges, trying to just make it through at a difficult corporate organization. Surprisingly funny, especially for a former cubicle worker, this made me laugh out loud often and cry real tears too. So good! Makes it 241 for the year :)

Apologies for the crappy pic - I really should take a better one because THIS BOOK, y‘all. It deserves to be celebrated. Loved it! Checked all my boxes 👏🏻👏🏻

A quick corporate comedy with some romance on the side. The trials and tribulations of a cubicle-bound woman trying to just exist. When she‘s accidentally given access to the whole offices emails and chats, things go from bad to worse. Highly recommended to anyone who‘s ever felt trapped by their jobs.

So many office situations show no regard for people with anxiety, yet we‘re the bad guys if we can‘t cope.

One of my favorite reads of the year ? This starts off as an office comedy but slowly turns into a drama with just a splash of romance as the main character desperately tries to save her job (which she hates) after a series of ridiculous and preventable mishaps at work. Beautifully narrated by Nasim Pedrad.

Lots of funny lines about office life throughout. One of my faves: "I spend my days off recuperating and forgetting my days on" ??

The tagged is my favorite of the month but The Nature Of Disappearing is a close 2nd.

Heartwarming❤️

This was insightful and sad and funny and uncomfortable and hopeful. I loved it.

November #foodandlit 🇨🇦 I loved this book so much ❤️ so funny and heartbreaking too - you never know what other people are going through and how much a little kindness can change the world

#foodandlit2024 November is Canada 🇨🇦 and I‘m trying a new to me Canadian author and her first book ❤️ with a mug of David‘s Tea 🇨🇦 in my Canadiana mug ( I mean if I can‘t do Canada what hope is there ?!)

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“I Hope This Finds You Well” was funny, heart-warming, and charming. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their flaws, and the found family/friends trope (I‘m a sucker for these) was spot on.

Strong character development and compelling storytelling.

This has an Eleanor Oliphant vibe with a bit of millennial snark, but set in The Office. After years of near invisibility in her cubicle pod, twenty-something Jolene finds herself at the center of an office incident that results in unexpected changes for everyone. It‘s so funny, but the workplace humor eventually morphs into a more poignant tale as Jolene digs deeper into the lives of her coworkers and her own past. A great debut.

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I thought this was great! It made me laugh a lot, but I also cried a few times. And even though it did that thing I hate of constantly referring to Something in the Past for ages before explaining it and at one point I actually said aloud to an empty room, "Please go get some therapy," I think I loved it?

Jolene,a 33year old office worker,is given access to the company‘s whole email&chat exchanges by mistake.A grumpy&aloof outsider,Jolene sees this as her chance to take revenge on her nemesis Kaitlyn&secure her job(which is on the line).But what she learns about her colleagues leads to changes within herself.She‘s not the only one struggling with grief&loneliness.Cliff,the new HR guy,is another reason why Jolene will perceive life differently.👇

Even though this isn‘t typically my kind of fiction, I loved how fun it was. It was the easy read that I needed.

Oh, the snark! I couldn‘t stop snickering for a good chunk of the beginning of this. Filled with unlikeable people doing unlikeable things and saying hilarious things! The tone does really shift as the book goes on (I preferred the first half) and the character development is strong. Looking forward to more from Sue!

Honestly, this could end up being my favourite book of the year. It was delightfully and completely unhinged, it was plausible, the supporting characters were vibrant - even the ones that were absolutely awful people and it was so funny - I mostly listened to the audiobook while I was at my work desk and this had me working hard to restrain snorts of laughter.

I absolutely loved the ending but had an absolute blast all the way through.

Wild Friday night for me, I‘m at the laundromat with my audiobook and honestly it‘s lucky no one else is here because my face is looking like this 🤭😆🤣

It‘s delightfully unhinged. I was so engrossed that I actually folded my laundry there because I wanted to finish the chapter 😝

I loved this book SO much! It was interesting and quirky, and I may have laughed out loud numerous times! Super smart and witty.

Finished this book a few days ago…

4.5⭐️. Super funny at first. And then like a wall of bricks right at your face.

Also, bugga loved his trip to the planetarium w his summer camp… now I just have to go! 🤩🌌🪐♥️

Got a couple-two-tree things for a couple-two-tree swaps (none of which are pictured), and figured, while I was there, I should get myself a couple-two-tree things too. 😇😎

*note: “a couple-two-tree” meant a somewhat ambiguous “few” in the 80s in Wisconsin as I was growing up… ✌🏽3️⃣👾👧🏽

I loved Nasir Pedrad as the narrator. She does a really good job of bringing out this main character. I was not sure which way this was going to go. So I was pleasantly surprised with the positive ending.

It‘s pretty great when a new audiobook has you cracking up and you‘ve only listened to 1% so far. 😆

This workplace dramedy has some dark comedy Office Space vibes for sure! ☎️🖥️ And a great narrator!

Weekend Reads question - how do you all do that cool background with pictures of the books you‘re reading? Im technically challenged lol 🤦‍♀️

#dramedy #darkcomedy #contemporaryfiction #workplace #hrnightmare #weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

What happens when the office outcast suddenly has access to all her coworkers‘ emails and chats? 🤫🤭 This workplace satire is equal parts funny and touching. It‘s giving Backman vibes for me.