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review
BarbaraBB
Chrysalis | Anna Metcalfe
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Mehso-so

I am not sure what to make of this book. The main character is a damaged woman, emerging again in a new form, physically and mentally. She transforms into someone with total control over her body, in motion, strength & stillness.
Three people close to her tell about her, but just like them, we never really get to know her. This sounds interesting but I am unsure what the author meant by writing this book or what I am supposed to take away from it.

Librarybelle That‘s a very unique cover 7mo
Cinfhen Cool photo but I think I‘ll pass on this book 🤪 7mo
See All 12 Comments
Megabooks I feel that way about some books. I loved this though. 🤷🏻‍♀️ it would have made for interesting discussions at CL imo. 7mo
squirrelbrain Yes, I wasn‘t sure what to make of it either. But I agree with @Megabooks - it would have made a great CL book, and I‘m sure the discussions would have enlightened me somewhat! 7mo
Deblovestoread On my shelf but not rushing to read it. 7mo
BarbaraBB @Megabooks Like @squirrelbrain I agree that it would be a perfect CL read. Our discussion would definitely have added to the experience! And Helen and I are a bit of the odd ones out because all reviews on Litsy were raving! Yet I wouldn‘t rush @Cinfhen @Deblovestoread 😀 7mo
BarbaraBB @Librarybelle It‘s the UK edition I think 7mo
squirrelbrain I enjoyed it more than you Barbara, I think, but I didn‘t really understand it! 7mo
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain Yes it was a pick for you too! 7mo
Ruthiella I didn‘t quite understand it either. At first I thought it was science fiction (in the first section at the gym). I never got a good sense of the woman-who and why she was… 7mo
BarbaraBB @Ruthiella Exactly! I didn‘t understand why she became the way she did. Was she traumatized? By what? En why the need for followers when you‘re looking for stillness? 7mo
80 likes12 comments
review
BarbaraBB
Last Light | Alex Scarrow
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Pickpick

I don‘t think I ever read a 500 pages book in a day before. So this book definitely pulled me in. It‘s got a scary premise: attacks in the Middle East lead to a halt in oil production worldwide, with devastating effects. Humanity disappears within days: everywhere there are riots and fights and looting. I wanted to read on and that‘s why I give it a pick but honestly, it wasn‘t that good and the ending was disappointing. #Roll100

PuddleJumper Amazing! 12mo
youneverarrived Shame the ending was disappointing. It sounds interesting! 12mo
See All 8 Comments
squirrelbrain It sounded like it might be one worth stacking….until the end of your review. 🤷‍♀️ 12mo
Librarybelle A shame that the ending is disappointing, but that‘s amazing about reading a 500 page book in a day! 12mo
Cinfhen Wowza! I haven‘t read a 500 page book in a day in FOREVER. Too bad it didn‘t end on a high note. 12mo
Cortg Wow! 500 pages! I‘m a super slow reader. Bummer it didn‘t end well. 12mo
Hooked_on_books And once again, another fantastic picture! 🤩 12mo
85 likes8 comments
review
BarbaraBB
Birnam Wood | Eleanor Catton
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Pickpick

This book! I loved everything about it. The dark subject, the politics, the fantastic characters, the evil, the greed, the naivity. Eleanor Catton creates characters like some of the greatest classic writers did and puts them in an utterly contemporary setting. And then that ending. I lost track of time, am blown away and feel empty now that I‘ve finished it. As good as The Luminaries and my first 5⭐️ book of the year.

Centique Wow! I‘m so excited that people are loving this book. I‘m not up to it yet but I did love The Luminaries so much 💕 Great review! 13mo
See All 28 Comments
BarbaraBB @Centique It is a great book about New Zealand. I hope you‘ll enjoy it when you‘re up to it but I am fairly sure you will 💕 13mo
TrishB Pushes up the tbr pile! Great review. 13mo
batsy Great review! I know the feeling; I too felt empty right after finishing it. It's rare to read a contemporary novel so plot-heavy that's written with great care (imo). 13mo
BarbaraBB @batsy It is rare indeed. I can‘t even think of one right now. 13mo
BarbaraBB @TrishB Thanks. I hope you‘ll read it 13mo
LeeRHarry Great review - makes me more excited to get to it 😊 13mo
SamAnne Can‘t wait to start this one today. Will be my reward after chores. 13mo
JenniferP Wow! I‘m glad you loved it! You were definitely more convinced by it than me, but I‘m definitely still thinking about it vividly a month after reading, which says something I think. 13mo
Cinfhen Now you have me wanting to rush out and get a copy!!! Excellent review ♥️ 13mo
TheLudicReader Well, that review makes me want to read it more than ever. 13mo
Librarybelle Stacking! 13mo
rmaclean4 Just read a great review of this in the NYT. That, plus this review, have me very interested in reading her. Do you think it will be on The Booker longlist? 13mo
Itchyfeetreader You‘ve persuaded me ! Stacked 13mo
squirrelbrain Great review! That ending though…! 🤯 13mo
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain @JenniferP That ending was horrible but it seemed inevitable. It felt very convincing to me indeed. I will be thinking about it for a while I guess! 13mo
Cathythoughts Great review! It‘s my favourite this year 💫 13mo
BarbaraBB @Cathythoughts Mine too so far! 13mo
BarbaraBB @rmaclean4 I think so. It‘s unavoidable I think. And of course the Booker people love nominating authors more than once 😉 13mo
Megabooks I had already stacked it, but definitely want to read it now!! 13mo
Suet624 I missed this post. I didn‘t even know about this book and now I see how many people loved it. Off to see if I can find it. (edited) 13mo
Suet624 And just like that... I looked online to see if any libraries in Vermont had the book. Believe it or not, my library 2 minutes away had it. So it's now in line to be read very soon.
13mo
BarbaraBB @Suet624 I hope you‘ll love it Sue. I have been waiting for a new Catton ever since The Luminaries and I was do glad this one lived up to my high expectations! 13mo
Suet624 I guess I have to read the Luminaries too. 😂😂 13mo
BarbaraBB @Suet624 I‘d say definitely 😹 13mo
95 likes4 stack adds28 comments
review
BarbaraBB
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida | Shehan Karunatilaka
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Pickpick

I did it, I finished this book and I am glad I gave it another try. It is really good.

A Sri Lankan photographer dies and has a week (seven moons) to try come at peace with his life and his death in wartorn Sri Lanka. A typical #Bookerprize winner, and a worthy one.

With this one I finished the #ToB23 shortlist (bailing on two). I‘ll share my wrap-up soon.

See All 21 Comments
Suet624 Fantastic!!! 14mo
Chelsea.Poole Wonderful! I‘m listening to this one next. It‘s my last for the shortlist! Glad to see it worked for you. I now have hope 😊 (edited) 14mo
squirrelbrain Glad it worked out for you second time around! Looking forward to seeing your wrap-up. 14mo
Liz_M Impressive, reading (as much as you could) the entire shortlist! 14mo
jlhammar Woo-hoo, good work! 14mo
Megabooks Fantastic!! Looking forward to your wrap up. I found this good as well, if a bit over complicated. 14mo
sarahbarnes Yay! I‘m so glad you liked it! And congrats on finishing all but two. 📚 14mo
Hooked_on_books Hooray! And great that you liked your final read. I liked this one, too, and I didn‘t expect to. 14mo
Cortg I‘m glad you went back to it and enjoyed it! 14mo
BarbaraBB @Suet624 @Chelsea.Poole @squirrelbrain @Liz_M @jlhammar @Megabooks @sarahbarnes @Hooked_on_books @Cortg Thanks all 🤍 It always feel so satisfying when I finish a book I put away at first! 14mo
Librarybelle I love this cover! #covercrush 14mo
Cinfhen Love the photo of your dad 😘 and now I‘m disappointed I didn‘t give this book another chance #FoMo maybe I‘ll try this one on audio and see if I have better luck. I‘m also hoping to try again with 14mo
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen You noticed ❤️😘 14mo
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen You should try My Volcano again. I am sure you‘ll like it - though that is not the right word. This one I am not so sure about 14mo
Cinfhen How could I not??? He‘s ADORABLE ☺️ His face lights up the entire page xxxx 14mo
batsy Well done on finishing the list! 🙌🏾 And it's great to end on a high note. 14mo
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen Thank you 💕 I am in our beach house, his favorite place to be. It feels good to have him watching what we‘re up to when we‘re here! 14mo
Cinfhen I get that 🥰 14mo
95 likes1 stack add21 comments
review
BarbaraBB
Newcomer: A Mystery | Keigo Higashino
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Pickpick

Such a comfort read again, this second Detective Kawa mystery. Set in Tokyo, a woman is murdered and she seems to have no enemies. Who did it? Kawa has been assigned to the case and his investigation is mainly psychological. No violence, just that typical Japanese serenity.

#52booksclub23 #aboutsecrets #booked2023 #PartOfTrilogy

Librarybelle I need to read this series! 1y
BarbaraBB @Librarybelle It‘s so clever, I can really recommend it! 1y
See All 22 Comments
Megabooks Sounds lovely! 1y
Cinfhen So glad you found a good book to occupy your time!!! 1y
thegreensofa Going straight on my list! Thank you for tagging me! 💛😁😁😁 14mo
BarbaraBB @thegreensofa I remembered we talked about it and it is worth reading 🤍 14mo
BarbaraBB @Megabooks @Cinfhen A satisfying read after the flying women 🧙‍♀️ 14mo
Cinfhen Hahaha 🤣 I‘m still on page 140 - have not read more since Sunday!!! I‘m also in middle of season 2 of Fauda - im OBSESSED with the series. 14mo
sarahbarnes I need to check this writer out. I‘m always looking for more Japanese fiction! 14mo
BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes Me too and he always delivers! 14mo
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen I need to check out Fauda. I haven‘t heard of it. 14mo
Cinfhen Fauda is already in season 4 and it‘s an older series first produced on Israeli TV but I‘m watching it now on Netflix‘s because of the subtitles- it‘s deeply upsetting but I find it completely compelling. I finished season 2 last night - that‘s 24 episodes in 3 days!!! 14mo
BarbaraBB I love it when that happens!! 14mo
CBee @Cinfhen my husband is watching Fauda, he absolutely loves it! 14mo
CBee @BarbaraBB the first book is Malice, right? I recently grabbed it on Kindle Unlimited! 14mo
BarbaraBB @CBee It is, of the ones translated. You can read them like stand alone books though! 14mo
CBee @BarbaraBB good to know! Thanks 😊 14mo
Cinfhen I‘m OBSESSED @CBee my hubby watched seasons 1-3 ages ago so he doesn‘t really remember much and I‘m dying to discuss it! 14mo
CBee @Cinfhen maybe you guys could watch season 4 together? 😊 14mo
Cinfhen That‘s the plan @CBee !!! We‘ll see how that goes 😉 14mo
CBee @Cinfhen awesome 👏🏻 14mo
88 likes5 stack adds22 comments
review
BarbaraBB
Dominicana: A Novel | Angie Cruz
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Mehso-so

Ana is fifteen and leaving the #DominicanRepublic with her much older husband to live in New York. Her family expects her to conquer the city and send money back home, but Ana‘s reality is another one. It‘s a grim life with a touch of love and lightness.

In enjoyed reading it but I think it won‘t stick with me for a long time.

#ReadingTheAmericas2023 🇩🇴 #52Booksclub23 #CountryNameInTitle #FoodAndLit #pop23 #FeaturesTwoLanguages

Megabooks I have this up for the DR too. Great review! 1y
See All 10 Comments
Librarybelle Great review! 1y
Ruthiella You hit tons of prompts with just the one book! 👏👏👏 1y
BarbaraBB @Ruthiella so pragmatic 😉 1y
BarbaraBB @Megabooks I think @Cinfhen enjoyed it more than I did. Curious what you‘ll think! 1y
Cinfhen It was a slow start for me but eventually i came to really care for Ana. It‘s true it‘s not very memorable but I feel that way about most books😩I think knowing this book was based on the author‘s mother‘s real life story made this a pick. I‘d like to read this book by the same author @Megabooks (edited) 1y
squirrelbrain Sorry you didn‘t love it, but yay for lots of prompts! 1y
Catsandbooks I'm in the middle of it and feeling mixed too. 🇩🇴 1y
83 likes1 stack add10 comments
review
BarbaraBB
The Violin Conspiracy | Brendan Slocumb
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Pickpick

Yeah, well, a pick I guess. But because it‘s shortlisted for the #ToB23 I had high expectations and it‘s just a very straightforward story, nothing new, unexpected or original. Enjoyable and with a message but in the end forgettable.

Ruthiella Agree. The writing was perfunctory except for when he was describing how he interpreted music. Also, there were a few ? for me; like why his mother is so cruel to him only and where is his father. A sentence could have cleared that up. 1y
See All 16 Comments
rmaclean4 Agreed. 1y
BarbaraBB @Ruthiella I was wondering about those questions too. Also I was surprised about the two almost identical run-in‘s with the police. Just meh 1y
Suet624 The main reason I liked it was because he said some of the incidents happened to him. I thought he wrote those parts in a way that I could feel his distress during the events. 1y
BarbaraBB @Suet624 I only knew that happened to him after I finished the book. The epilogue touched me more than the book I am afraid 🤦🏻‍♀️ 1y
sarahbarnes I actually just returned this to the library without reading it and your review makes me feel okay about that. 1y
Cinfhen I thought this was enjoyable but definitely NOT worthy of a roosters🐔 1y
Megabooks Excellent points! 1y
CBee Checked off a prompt or two though 🙌🏻🙌🏻 1y
Hooked_on_books Well that‘s too bad. I loved this one, but went in with no expectations and that can make all the difference. 1y
Librarybelle This is on my to read list…I think I‘m intrigued by this one only because I play the violin 😂 1y
BarbaraBB @Librarybelle You do? Then you should, the book is a real hommage to the violin! 1y
batsy Yes, it was a bit generic in the sense of me having read one too many mysteries 😆 Also the writing didn't do much for me. But I enjoyed the energy some sections had, and the bits of humour. 1y
Librarybelle I have it on my iPad, so one of these days… 1y
82 likes1 stack add16 comments
review
BarbaraBB
Familiar: A Novel | J. Robert Lennon
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Pickpick

After loving Subdivision I wanted to read more by this author and man, he didn‘t disappoint. This one is not as strange as that one but strange nevertheless.

A woman drives home after visiting the grave of her son who died when he was 15. Suddenly everything changes. She is still driving, but another car and she‘s the same plus some pounds around the waist. Arriving home her son is still living. What follows is awesome!

See All 21 Comments
TrishB Sounds intriguing! 1y
BarbaraBB @TrishB You‘d like it I think! 1y
Cinfhen Hmmm, im intrigued!! But I could not read suddivision so I wonder if this would be too kooky for me??!!? 1y
TrishB @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen I thought it would fit the weird prompt? 1y
squirrelbrain I don‘t think I really understood Subdivision so I‘m not sure about this….? 🤔 1y
Cinfhen Sounds like it would work for WEIRD!!! In a good way 😜 1y
Ruthiella Sold! 👍 1y
Librarybelle Sounds very intriguing…stacking! 1y
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen @squirrelbrain It‘s much more straightforward, I think you‘ll appreciate it too and yes it would work for #weird! @TrishB (edited) 1y
BarbaraBB @Ruthiella You‘ll love it! 1y
KarenUK Oooh this sounds fantastic…. Stacking! 1y
Megabooks Neat! Great review B! 1y
batsy Great review. You've definitely piqued my interest! 1y
BarbaraBB @KarenUK @Megabooks @batsy It‘s goooood! I‘d look for a copy if I were you 😉 1y
Cortg Ok! My interest has been piqued! I do love quirky odd stories so I may need to check this author out. 1y
Chelsea.Poole Interesting…I never did get around to Subdivison last year but maybe I should… 1y
BarbaraBB @Chelsea.Poole You should 😊 1y
BkClubCare I still find myself thinking 🤔 abt Subdivision! 🏘️ 1y
83 likes9 stack adds21 comments
review
BarbaraBB
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Pickpick

There is a lot of room for interpretation in this book and I really don‘t know what to think. The narrator is an unstable 8 year old telling about her 14 year old sister who might be demonized, her suddenly bizarre religious father, her depressed mother, an exorcism and a tv crew who makes a reality show about it.

Also there are many references and similarities with classic horror stories. I kind of enjoyed it, I think.
#roll100

BarbaraBB Thanks for sending me this ages ago @Cinfhen ❤️ (when mail still worked 🤣) 1y
See All 18 Comments
BookishTrish This is one of my favourite favourites 1y
vivastory I'm happy that you didn't pan this one. Tremblay is one of my favorite living horror authors. I have tickets to see the adaptation of Cabin At the End of the World on Saturday. 1y
BarbaraBB @vivastory I didn‘t enjoy Cabin much, I think this one‘s much better - fortunately! 1y
Ruthiella Cool! 😱 I just got a used copy of this title for $1. Hoping to get to it this year. 🤞 1y
Cinfhen The good old days☺️ 1y
squirrelbrain Hmm, doesn‘t sound like my kind of book. Great review though! 1y
vivastory I did like this one a bit more than Cabin etc but I still loved Cabin. I think you might like his shirt story collection. It's the most cerebral of his works I think 1y
BarbaraBB @vivastory Thanks, that sounds good! I‘ll stack it! 1y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain People like @vivastory @Reggie and @TrishB have made me appreciate horror at times! 1y
vivastory @BarbaraBB That's a big compliment 😀 1y
TrishB I‘m glad you give it a go 😁 I‘ve tried so many things because of Litsy! @vivastory let me know what the film is like- I may even venture to the cinema 😱 1y
Reggie 🖤🖤🖤She was possessed, right? Lol 1y
BarbaraBB @TrishB That‘s a whole other league 😉 1y
BarbaraBB @Reggie I‘m still not sure. Such a mindf*ck! 1y
Librarybelle Great review! 1y
73 likes2 stack adds18 comments
review
BarbaraBB
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Pickpick

Manny‘s restaurant The Lobster has to shut down. Today is the last day it‘s open. It‘s snowing hard and Manny wonders whether his staff will turn up. Or any customers, for that matter. Yet he still goes about his business like it‘s just another day at The Lobster. Very touching and so well-written.

#52Booksclub23 #SetInWorkplace #pop23 #TakesPlaceInOneDay

mcctrish I read this ages ago and I‘m so thrilled you enjoyed it ( I loved the title, that‘s why I bought it back in the day ) 🦞❤️ 1y
BarbaraBB @mcctrish I recently enjoyed this other book by him (tagged) and wanted to read his backlist. So glad I chose this one! 1y
squirrelbrain Sounds fab, and two great prompts too… I just bought a used copy for just over Q9. ? 1y
See All 21 Comments
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain that‘s a very good price! You won‘t be disappointed! 1y
mcctrish Oh I want to read that one, thank you for reminding me about Lobster, I really should read more by him 1y
Librarybelle I need to read this! 1y
Suet624 Thanks for reminding me that I wanted to read more by him. I enjoy his writing. I read this one a number of years ago and liked it: 1y
Suet624 it's also funny because I rated Ocean State so-so, but I think I did that more because I thought it was too simple for TOB. It was a good story though and kept me reading and interested. 1y
LeahBergen What a gorgeous photo! 1y
BarbaraBB @Suet624 Thanks, I was thinking about which of his books to read next! And I felt the same about Ocean State and the ToB (edited) 1y
BarbaraBB @LeahBergen Thanks! A cozy Sunday ☺️ 1y
Cinfhen I definitely want to check out more O‘Nan 1y
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen I was thinking of you indeed since you liked Ocean State so much! 1y
KarenUK Sounds lovely. And great pic 💕 1y
sarahbarnes Looks like a great evening! 1y
Reggie I‘m so glad you liked this. 1y
BarbaraBB @Reggie Very much! 1y
DreesReads I‘m glad you liked it! The Odds is the only other one of his I have read—it is very different yet somehow also felt very original to me. Even if I did not enjoy it as much. This one felt much more relatable to me personally. 12mo
BarbaraBB @DreesReads So good to see you here! I think I read this one because you just happened to mention it on your IG. I will read The Odds next. Have you read Ocean State? 12mo
DreesReads I have not! He has soooo many books I really don‘t know where to go next lol 11mo
BarbaraBB @DreesReads He‘s very productive indeed 😃. I‘m on the lookout for a cheap copy of The Odds and I can highly recommend Ocean State! 11mo
90 likes6 stack adds21 comments