Welcome to Litsy!

Hello everyone! I've been on a bit of a hiatus since I was traveling for work for the last two months and it really cut in to my reading time. The nerve! This month, I'm going to see how many of the books I meant to read in March and April are actually getting finished. But first, on to the tagged new release that I am so excited to start!

As in Feb, I'm doing two lists, one to pick my #bookspin books and the second for the #bookspinbingo board.

This is a creative, well written, 1/2 fiction, 1/2 sci-fi novel. I wanted more Wind, more Msizi chapters, less angry family, which shows the strengths of this evolving story telling strategy. With a novel inside a novel, this one jumps between two stories, and adds to the reader‘s understanding of the main character. Good read!

My name is Renee Bailey and I am a Polygamist Reader! A Scent Story has these candle sayings that just speak to me every time. The scents are not over powering and adds just the right amount of ambiance to my reading experience.

I‘m unsure if The Lit Bar is on this platform or not but their date with a mystery book is a must! Isn‘t this the cutest. I almost don‘t want to open it.

My Independent Bookstore Day haul from yesterday!
I went for Death of the Author for my book club, but had to also pick up A Psalm for the Wild-Built from the banned books pop-up.
📚 What did you get?

I liked it!

It took me a while to understand. I thought I was to nominate for a vote of best books. I understand now. I nominate Fagin the Thief, Death of the Author (tagged- Author of Binti trilogy and Akata Witch), Snowy Day (translated from Korean, published in US Feb. 2025), and Harlem Rhapsody. #CampLitsy @Megabooks @squirrelbrain @BarbaraBB

Loved this one! It will be on my list as one of my favorite reads this year.

I truly did not know how the author was going to combine the two storylines in this book. I'm a sucker for a book within a book premise, and the mix of sci-fi with realworld everyday issues felt new and unexplored.

When I finished this, I just sat for a while contemplating it, and the more I think about it, the more I love it. 💚

I wish I had a clearer memory of my experience with the novella I read by this author a few years ago. I can remember that it had a promising premise, that there was emotion, and sci fi tech, and yet what I most clearly remember feeling at the end was a bit frustrated, a bit empty, like for all that was there, at the conclusion, once it was all compiled, it felt a bit cold. 1/?

I swear, this is the second and final set of four I am recommending for #CampLitsy25. Lols. Hopefully, there are others who share my interest in all these titles. 💕

The Guardian (2/2025) summed it up well: “This book within a book weaves a writer‘s struggles with scenes from their Africanfuturist tale of post-apocalyptic robots.” Fueled by anger at a job loss, Zelu, scraps her failed writing and begins a SF novel that is an instant success. Now Zelu must deal with fame, but new doors are also open. Zelu‘s story is closely entwined with Ankara, her MC in “ Rusted Robots.” Full of angst and hope for 4/5 ⭐️

Relatable. 🤖♥️📚

This one is amazing and it's just meta enough that you'll keep thinking about it.

#Aardvark @AardvarkBookClub

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

An absolute masterpiece, this book-within-a-book follows a disabled Nigerian-American author as she skyrockets to fame—and the main character of her book, Ankara, a “rusted robot” and android scholar on a post-human Earth. Disability, identity, family, fame, what it means to be the author of your own story, Okorafor offers a rich and razor sharp exploration of it all in Death of the Author, with an ending that made me want to start all over again!

(2025) This one was a delight. A disabled Nigerian American with a habit of being her own worst enemy writes a runaway bestseller, which gives her freedom she didn't have before. There is so much going on here, about family, identity, creativity, celebrity, technology, and the functions of story that I always had at least three different things to be thinking about, and the resolution left me wanting to start again. Enthusiastically recommended.

I struggled along past 10%, but this is not the book for me. The main story is quite slow to get going and while the book within the book is written quite well, it‘s not my style. Others love this, though, so if you think you are the right reader, don‘t let me deter you.

This extraordinary book toggles between the life of Zelu, daughter of Nigerian immigrants & author of a surprise SF bestseller called Rusted Robots; and the story of a post-human landscape populated by rival factions of robot intelligence. Confined to a wheelchair since a childhood accident, Zelu must navigate the publishing industry and her relationships with a loving family that never quite understands her. A brilliant look at the power of story

Loved this book. Book within a book featuring a blend of literary fiction and science fiction. Protagonist Zelu is a disabled Nigerian American author who experiences a wild climb to fame (with her novel about robots) which comes with its consequences. This is a touching book that covers themes of art, love, identity, and humanity. Power of stories and storytelling is central to the novel. Would make a great book for discussion.

I‘m doing the American cancer society read every day in Feb fundraiser. Normally would feel a bit like cheating since I usually read every day. But as you can see I had some days last month where I didn‘t read anything. I‘m a federal employee (psychologist and researcher). Last few weeks have been chaos.

Halfway through this book. I love this author and the book is really solid. Book within a book that blends literary fiction and science fiction

And it's a wrap. At least January turned out to be a solid reading month in spite of the rest of the month's events.

In the midst of chaos, there are always books. My dad has had another stroke. It is a long story that I am still too exhausted to tell fully. Mom and I are working to get him in a nursing home next week. Idk guys. Life is never fair.

Filled my @AardvarkBookClub box 💜💜 #aardvark

@BarbaraBB and @squirrelbrain I‘d love to hear from you if you have time, but I can‘t promise a quick reply. 😘😘

Lit-fic meets sci-fi meets meta-fiction, Okorafor's new novel is my first 5⭐ book of 2025. The story is told from various POVs: Zelu, a complicated woman who refuses to be put into a box (& we're pulled deeply in her innermost workings), interviews from family members portraying how different aspects of Zelu are viewed by them, excerpts from Zelu's novel (Rusted Robots). ⭐Because sometimes a story really does have the power to reshape the world.⭐

Seren is a bit concerned about this chapter.

I‘ve been sick for the past week with the kind of cold that gave me so much sinus pressure, I couldn‘t really read. Finally emerging headache is gone and I can get to this. It‘s so pretty and I love this author‘s work. After struggling with Caledonian road (hard to read about narcissists and corruption right now), I‘m hoping this one will be all that I expect it to be

Prepared to say inside as the snow continues to fall all day and then ushers in the subsequent cold this week.