Litsy

Idlewild | James Frankie Thomas

so-so

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Interesting debut by a trans author!

Centred on an intense friendship in a New York City high school that begins on 9/11, this novel kinda slightly missed the mark for me.

I was interested in the fate of the characters but the chapters using AIM chat and livejournal blog posts were off putting to me.

Something about Nell and Fays blog really made me uncomfortable? I don‘t know how to articulate it.

#lgbtq2024 #lgbtqbookbingo @Kenyazero

Kitta Also a late read for #litsyToB #LitsyToB24 1mo

Ruthiella I think the journals were meant to be awkward and off putting. Teenagers are figuring things out. I can‘t read my diaries from my younger years. I cringe. 😬 (edited) 1mo

squirrelbrain Great review, although I loved this one! 1mo

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Kitta @Ruthiella that makes sense then, it was definitely awkward reading them! I stopped keeping a diary after my sister started writing responses to what I wrote in mine! I never thought anyone would read it never mind write their thoughts back! 😱 1mo

Kitta @squirrelbrain I don‘t usually read anything about teenagers because I‘m just not interested but I wanted to make an exception for this one! I think the second half was better than the first and most people seemed to enjoy it! I think I‘m the odd one out. It wasn‘t bad, just not for me. 1mo

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 1mo

Kenyazero Sounds like an interesting concept, at the very least! Always disappointing when a book misses the mark. 1mo

Kitta @Kenyazero a lot of others really loved it! But at least I can check off disappointing read on my bingo card haha 1mo

25 likes8 comments

Kitta

Idlewild | James Frankie Thomas

But late for this one for #litsyToB24 but I‘m going to start it today!

New happy lamp that looks like the moon 🌕 perfect for this rainy day.

#litsyToB #lgbtqbookbingo #lgbtq2024

BarbaraBB Love the 💡 and the book 🤍 2mo

squirrelbrain Enjoy the book! I love your light too. 2mo

Kitta @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain thanks! I am enjoying the book so far but only read about 2 hours yesterday so more to read today!! 2mo

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Deblovestoread

The Librarianist: A Novel | Patrick DeWitt

#LitsyTOB

I get the real TOB emails and decided to see what happened in today‘s round with my morning coffee. I have to say I don‘t know anything about the judge Rufi Thorpe but her breakdown to choosing her favorite of the three was a hoot. And now I‘m off to check out her books. Even if you aren‘t into the TOB I think you‘ll get a kick out of this review. Here‘s the link:

https://www.tournamentofbooks.com/2024/play-in-match

ImperfectCJ Thanks for sharing! I get the emails, too, but I was saving it to read later. Your post (and link) got me reading it earlier, and I very much enjoyed it. I haven't read any of these yet, but now I'm looking forward to them (or at least to The Librarianist...the mention of an extended stream-of-consciousness section in The Bee Sting made me leery as I am working my way through Ducks, Newburyport and might never want to read SoC again). 2mo

Deblovestoread @ImperfectCJ I am going to give The Bee Sting a pass but will read the tagged at some point. The Auburn Conference was an enjoyable listen. 2mo

squirrelbrain So funny! 🤣 I loved ‘weenie-ish ways‘….and a lot of the other comments too. 2mo

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BarbaraBB Such a great judgement! I now really want to read The Librarianist! (edited) 2mo

jlhammar I so enjoyed her judgement! Fun and funny. Happy that I have The Librarianist waiting on my shelves. 2mo

Hooked_on_books I get the emails as well and just loved this judgement—it was a delight to read! (Though I would have gone with The Bee Stint.) 2mo

Chelsea.Poole LOVE Rufi Thorpe. I‘ll have to read her judgement. Thanks! 2mo

Caryl It was a wonderful piece! I want to read the winner and a Rufi Thorpe title now. 💖 2mo

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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

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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. 1mo

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) 1mo

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) 1mo

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. 1mo

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

Larkken

Slainte | Hassett Hassett

Happy March #bookspin and # doublespin time! I'm in catch-up mode for #TOB and #LitsyToB and then I'll be looking into a few other rather-neglected challenges...

23 likes

sarahbarnes

Wellness | Nathan Hill

pick

I‘m still processing the layers of this story. It looks at relationships, marriage and parenting, but also at how what we believe can be so powerful. How things we believe our whole lives can shape us. How beliefs can set in, cult-like. And how our belief in something gives it its power - sometimes good, sometimes not. A great book! #LitsyTOB

squirrelbrain Great review! ❤️ 2mo

batsy Nice review! 2mo

BarbaraBB Great review Sarah! 2mo

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sarahbarnes @squirrelbrain @batsy @BarbaraBB thank you! 💙 I‘m glad the TOB put this one on my radar. I haven‘t read The Nix but now I‘m curious. 2mo

Cathythoughts Inspiring review. I tried Nix , a good story but way too many words for me. I DNF ( yet anyway ). I‘m guessing this book is long too. Very popular writer 👍🏻❤️ (edited) 2mo

sarahbarnes @Cathythoughts it is long indeed, and also quite verbose. Most of the time I liked the style - I think because I often identified with the characters‘ inner monologues. But there were a few times I found myself skimming. 2mo

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Deblovestoread

Readathon: Occasional List : Geleentheidslys | Gauteng (South Africa). Education Media Service

A readathon when I need one! Still trying to finish up the #LitsyTOB selections. I‘m almost half through Biography of X and just started Wellness. And I‘m reading a story a day to finish Florida for #AuthoraMonth. Hope to have these read by the 29th and maybe start a couple more.

Thanks @Andrew65 for hosting! Love the choose your own goals motivation! Join us!

BarbaraBB Hope you are enjoying the #LitsyToB ones 🦃 2mo

53 likes1 comment

Deblovestoread

Hello Beautiful | Ann Napolitano

pick

#LitsyTOB #52Bookclub24 #4POVs

I liked this book well enough. Maybe a bit too long, and while I liked most of the characters I didn‘t feel they were fully developed. I did feel seen when Alice described being pestered by coaches to play sports due to her height recalling one of my most cringeworthy moments in high school. And the new sentence I‘m finding in books I hate “getting the answer to a question you didn‘t know you had”. 3.5 🌟

BkClubCare, Kristy_K, LaraReads, KarenUK, Megabooks, Hooked_on_books, Jas16, cariashley, BarkingMadRead, Well-ReadNeck, Crazeedi, brittanyreads, Graciouswarriorprincess, Magpiegem, MicheleinPhilly, BookBelle84, Larkken, Suet624, jenniferw88, julesG, merelybookish, MidnightBookGirl, Librarybelle, batsy, triplem80, Readerann, Tove_Reads, slategreyskies, Chelsea.Poole, Read4life, rmaclean4, Bluebird, kwmg40, squirrelbrain, BarbaraBB, RebelReader, jlhammar, Addison_Reads, eeclayton, Ruthiella, hissingpotatoes, sarahbarnes, Book_Lover95, TheAromaofBooks, ImperfectCJ

Librarybelle I‘ve heard lots of good things about this one! I picked it up as a #BOTM …I‘ll get to it one of these days! 2mo

Ruthiella I‘ve not yet noticed that phrase, but I will now! 😃 I definitely understand the appeal of this novel, but it didn‘t quite come together for me. 2mo

julesG That phrase 🙄🙄🙄 I've noticed it, too. Does the reader get a book for free when that phrase turns up and the one with the unconsciously held breath? 2mo

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TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo

Megabooks That is a terrible sentence!! 2mo

squirrelbrain I shall be looking out for that sentence now! 🤣 2mo

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Deblovestoread

The Rachel Incident: A novel | Caroline O'Donoghue