Litsy

Where Late The Sweet Birds Sang: A Novel | Kate Wilhelm

#BookReport
Only managed to finish my commute book this week. I also am in a bit of a reading slump and haven't made much time for eye reading.

#WeeklyForecast
My goal this week is to finish GMatLP because I have a substitute shift where there is very little actual work to do. I'd also like to make more progress on OaFK.

10 likes

HeyT

Where Late The Sweet Birds Sang: A Novel | Kate Wilhelm

so-so

This is a high so-so almost a low pick because this is very much an ideas novel versus a character/plot one. The main conflict is conformity and the collective against the individual and ingenuity.

16 likes

TieDyeDude

Boys Weekend | Mattie Lubchansky

pick

I really enjoyed this exploration of navigating personal growth and toxic friendships through the lens of a bachelor party weekend and an apocalyptic cult. An excellent LGBT graphic novel with very fun, stylized art. #comicscount

43 likes

RaeLovesToRead

My Murder | Katie Williams

pick

This was incredible. I was thoroughly absorbed from start to finish.

A dark exploration of what it might be like to be brought back to life as a clone, with added twists and turns. This is not really a murder mystery, nor pure sci fi, nor lit fic, but incorporates elements from each genre to create a stunning whole.

I couldn't put it down.

Which cover do you like best? US on left, UK on right.

Amiable I think the one on the left? 1mo

TheIntrovertedDodoBird I love the US cover! 1mo

Yuki_Onna I'm in favour of the UK one! 1mo

See All 6 Comments

LiteraryinLawrence US cover for sure! 1mo

RaeLovesToRead @Amiable @TheIntrovertedDodoBird @Yuki_Onna @LiteraryinLawrence So I LOVE the US cover and dislike the UK one in terms of aesthetic, but the UK one reflects the tone of the book MUCH better! 1mo

Branwen I am SO jealous of how cool the UK cover is! 😱 1mo

67 likes1 stack add6 comments

BkClubCare

Boys Weekend | Mattie Lubchansky

Look what I picked up from the library! Via ILL ❤️

I have gotten away from posting my readings 😢 Let‘s get back to it.

Updated later: found it confusing, but I am glad to have read it. It was a MUCH quicker read than I expected!!!!

AmyG Hahahaha for a split second I thought-a dog???? 2mo

BkClubCare @AmyG 🤣🤣🤣 2mo

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 2mo

dabbe @AmyG I did, too! 🤩😂😃 2mo

40 likes1 stack add4 comments

akfreeborn

My Murder | Katie Williams

pick

Very creative murder mystery with twists and sci fi bits. Like nothing I‘ve read but just loved it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

25 likes

janeycanuck

My Murder | Katie Williams

pick

A fresh twist on a thriller but I didn't like the ending. I did figure out what was going on so it wasn't a total shock but it felt like Williams promised one thing and delivered another. It's impossible to say more without spoilers.

My Feb #BookSpin

TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo

55 likes1 comment

Larkken

Boys Weekend | Mattie Lubchansky

pick

Newly transitioned, non-binary Sammie goes on a debauched bachelor‘s weekend for their best friend from before they transitioned. They contend with micro- and macro aggressions as they try to figure out if these relationships are worth saving - literally saving, as it turns out, since the weekend happens at the site of an apocalyptic cults‘ bid to awaken their eldritch god. So… lots going on. The part with the clones felt most thought-out. ⬇️

Larkken I am confused (? Conflicted?), however, by this book‘s inclusion in #tob2024. What were the judges thinking? It‘s unlike anything else on the bracket, is uneven in its dealing with some themes, and is really unlikely to go far, given the historical decisions made by judges. This feels like a one-off, a “hey, why not?” And I feel like it deserves better than a footnote in a literary contest. Or is that unfair, and placing these kinds of books in ⬇️ (edited) 2mo

Larkken The public discourse should be a POINT of the #tob? What do y‘all think? I don‘t think it‘s a perfect book, but that also shouldn‘t necessarily be the point of the tourney, and it does have some great themes even if I think other authors/books/formats have done them in a way I thought held together better or at least that I appreciated more. 2mo

TieDyeDude I've never heard of the Tournament of Books. Is that a new thing? I have the same conflicting thoughts about the Oscars, though. Is it patronizing to put a movie on the ballot that has no chance of winning but deserves recognition, or is it “an honor just to be nominated“? 2mo

See All 13 Comments

Larkken @TieDyeDude Tob has been around for a while, but I've only started reading books from it in the past couple of years bc they are always outside my comfort zone and I usually find a new author to obsess over from every year. Here's the website if you're curious https://www.tournamentofbooks.com. However, I've been enjoying even more the ersatz #LitsyToB crew that's been active... Due to general disaffection with the official short list, 🔽 2mo

Larkken @Megabooks @squirrelbrain and @BarbaraBB organized a vote and a separate shortlist ? and a mini readalong camp last summer. It's been fun integrating my "find authors outside my go-to list" quest with the comradery of the litsy fam. (edited) 2mo

Larkken @TieDyeDude but also, yes! You're right, my feelings are very similar to how I feel about the Oscars. I'm impatient with both groups for having "go-to" authors/directors but then annoyed at the token genre picks that are elevated to being worth recognition -why just them? 2mo

Hooked_on_books I liked seeing this on the TOB list because it‘s topical and different. I‘m glad they included it. But I agree, I don‘t want it to suffer from tokenism, and I‘m concerned it will, especially since it‘s going up against the National Book Award winner in the first round. That seems a little unfair. I‘m really curious to read the judgement for the pairing and see how the judge deals with this. 2mo

Larkken @Hooked_on_books oh man, I didn‘t realize Blackouts was a winner in other award venues already. I hadn‘t gotten to it yet myself. That will be… interesting 🤨 2mo

BkClubCare The ToB is unashamedly absurd - the whole point is that you CANNOT pick a “winner”! Read the history and explanation; I never try to take any of it too seriously. Yes, highlighting obscure offerings to the “battles” is somewhat what they want to do to make it all very interesting to discuss books for book-sake. I am enjoying the tourney this week very much even if I was half enthused about a few titles. 2mo

Larkken @BkClubCare yeah, fair, the absurdity is fun, also I like to read the judgements and feel inadequate in how think about books (🙃 kidding! Mostly). But also I think tokenism in any form is damaging. To me, it‘s like saying that the majority of *something* that is like the one example chosen is generally forgettable, but this one thing can be elevated as somehow worthy. And to that, I absolutely balk. (edited) 2mo

BkClubCare @Larkken - okay, I can accept and ponder that. Or,also,maybe? I would have zero exposure and most of the ToB crowd, if you will, would welcome the introduction to these works of art. I appreciate the opening of my mind, introduction to new ideas and perspectives. I certainly understand that this is not meant to be “hey look, this is the best of Xyz”! Celebrate it as an example. (edited) 2mo

BkClubCare Plus, the commentariat really tends to try and keep it informed, respectful, considerate of all angles of analysis. I learn so much and this challenges me and my reading motivations. 2mo

Larkken @BkClubCare the judges and the thoughtful interaction with the books is def my fav part! No complaints on that score - I love how much I learn about the books and even why I engaged with a book how I did just by reading the judgements et al. Even when it‘s a genre or a book I know fairly well, my reading is always deepened by the experience! 🥰 1mo

29 likes13 comments

AlizaApp

Boys Weekend | Mattie Lubchansky

pick

In this fun graphic novel set in the future, a non-binary person on a bachelor weekend must contend with a group of former friends who can‘t get their pronouns right, and also a mysterious murder cult.

20 likes

psalva

Boys Weekend | Mattie Lubchansky

pick

This was a wild, strange read. It took me a while to sink into what was happening. I think the terror-filled, apocalyptic, other-worldly weekend away resonated with me in the end as an excellent metaphor for what it can feel like when queer people of many stripes are in extended situations when they have to pretend to be something they aren‘t and accept all manner of uncomfortable and inappropriate situations to survive. Was this over the top? ⬇️

psalva Yes. But in the end I enjoyed it and I feel like it has something interesting to say. That‘s a win for me. 2mo

Reggie I love that she was saved by her other self. Glad you like it! 2mo

psalva @Reggie I agree- I loved that ending! 2mo

20 likes3 comments

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