Litsy

Some midwinter pick me ups delivered by my brother and SIL 💕💕💕I have high hopes for tagged book, but @emilyhaldi just left a rather disappointing review😥I‘m still hoping I‘m #TeamBritt because it was her review which led me to order the book😉🙏🏻and then there‘s wrapping paper because apparently Israeli‘s find the premise wasteful🙄oh, candles!!! Because if it‘s not books or music then it‘s aroma therapy candles 💜

britt_brooke

Cinfhen Planning on using tagged book for #pop19 #setAtUni 5y

Ruthiella Stephen Florida is an odd book for sure but well worth reading. You are going to want to talk to someone about it when you are done! 🧐 5y

Cinfhen I‘ll let u know when I‘m done @Ruthiella and we can discuss xx 5y

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BarbaraBB Ah, I knew you wanted to read this book and have send it to you as a Christmas gift (it‘s taken ages again to reach Israël) ??‍♀️. Too bad! You can share it maybe and let‘s hope you‘ll like it in the first place ??? (edited) 5y

Cinfhen You‘re the sweetest @BarbaraBB 😘😘😘😘perfect excuse for me to host a #giveaway 5y

TrishB What no wrapping paper! You‘ll be inundated with it now from Litsy folk! 5y

Cinfhen I know!!! Certain things I still can‘t get over @TrishB Don‘t get me started on Qtips, Ziplock bags and solid white tuna 🙄🙄🙄 5y

alisiakae That wrapping paper is beautiful! 5y

Cinfhen It‘s actually spectacular in real life @4thhouseontheleft the color and quality is outstanding 🤗🤗 makes me SUPER HAPPY 😃 5y

TrishB 😂😂 love hearing about these things. Charlotte has already told me that I have to wrap her presents up in recyclable paper or just brown paper. Wrapping paper that doesn‘t scrunch is not recyclable apparently.... (edited) 5y

britt_brooke @Cinfhen I hope you‘re #teambritt too! 🤞🏻It‘s an outstanding character study. It‘s one of my favorites of the year and was recommended to me by @vivastory . 5y

emilyhaldi No qtips or ziploc bags either?!? I guess I knew about ziplocs bc Anne has that problem in London too. How do people live without these things?! And I really hope this book works out #teambritt for you 🤞🏻 I listened to most of it on audio and read some parts physical... but I‘m wondering if the audio listening has something to do with my dislike?? I have had bad luck with audios recently and I‘m starting to wonder if they just aren‘t for me!! 5y

Cinfhen I‘m curious about this book and still looking forward to reading it. And nope on Qtips, Ziplocks, dryer sheets, Pam Baking Spray, gel deodorant, solid white tuna, Bounty paper towels, Jumbo pasta shells and probably a hundred more things that I‘m forgetting @emilyhaldi 🙄😂😂😂#RealLife 5y

GlassAsDiamonds Oh lord I feel you!!! Here it‘s also the zip lock bags, cling wrap, baking paper, DRYER SHEETS, toilet paper (😱🤦🏻‍♀️😱 two years, still cannot use the hose but I have become a wizard at panic buying toilet paper), solid stick deodorant, anchovies, canned salmon .... the things you miss when you can‘t get them!!!! 😂😂😂😂 5y

Cinfhen Yes!!!! Cling wrap!!!!!! And I feel sorry for you regarding toilet paper ....THAT would be a deal breaker!!!!! @GlassAsDiamonds 5y

Reviewsbylola I have a serious candle problem rn. 5y

Reviewsbylola And too funny about the ziplock bags. @AnnieD always asks for us to get her some too. 5y

Reviewsbylola I‘m dying to know what things we don‘t have in the US that would drive foreigners nuts. But I also forgot about the no dryer thing. I have a pen pal from 3rd grade that lives in the UK and I think that‘s a big reason she didn‘t cloth diaper. NO WAY would I have done CD without a dryer, especially consider I had two in CD for a good year+. 5y

Cinfhen So I have one friend in Philly who is Israeli and whenever I come to visit she asks me to bring her salted & roasted watermelon seeds!!!! Yup....that‘s the one thing she misses most and can‘t find @Reviewsbylola Personally, I think they‘re nasty!!! 5y

Cinfhen Which are your favorite candles?? I love NEST but they are soooo freaking expensive ~ this new brand I just bought are really pretty but they don‘t have a strong enough scent ☹️ @Reviewsbylola 5y

Reviewsbylola I usually either buy at craft fairs or places like that or at Aldi. Aldi is so cheap and they often have nice candles! I will buy at B&BW too if they‘re having a sale. 5y

Cinfhen My neighborhood in Philly doesn‘t have Aldi but my SIL talks about Aldi all the time!!! @Reviewsbylola I‘m gonna ask her to pick me up a few candles and B&BW have the craziest sales!!! And their scents are really good 💜 5y

GlassAsDiamonds @Cinfhen yeah... I stock pile! At any given time, there‘s enough TP in this apartment to build a moderate sized igloo!!! (I‘m gonna need to break some WEIRD habits when we leave India!! 😂😂😂😂). 5y

GlassAsDiamonds @Reviewsbylola is Vegemite to anachronistic a thing? 😜 I found unsweetened breakfast cereals, hard core ground coffee beans (no drip, no filter - French press ♥️♥️♥️), Asian greens (BokChoi & choisum) and things like fish sauce, light soy, mirin etc hard to come by but I would note that was in Erie, PA. That said, the amazing abundance of decaf teas and DRYER SHEETS made me very very happy! 😊😊😊 5y

109 likes24 comments

britt_brooke

I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death | Maggie O'Farrell

pan

⭐️⭐️ Did this really need to be gimmicky? Perhaps, it‘s just me, but I would‘ve connected better with a traditional-style memoir versus one that relies on a catchy subtitle. And while a few of these stories would absolutely be considered “brushes with death,” many hardly seemed as such. It‘s as though she threw in some random instances just for quantity‘s sake. Some were melodramatic to the point of feeling disingenuous.

#unpopularopinion

britt_brooke @Jess7 Sadly, I wasn‘t a fan. I appreciated the essays on her miscarriages, her childhood illness, and her daughter‘s severe allergies, but most of the rest felt pointless or avoidable. It just didn‘t work for me, but I‘m glad I read it. 5y

britt_brooke @Cinfhen Did you feel similarly? 5y

Trashcanman Here I thought this was about Sylvia Plath. 5y

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britt_brooke @Trashcanman 😉 It was a ballsy move using such a well-known line for the title. 5y

MarriedtoMrT I felt the same. (edited) 5y

readordierachel I read it more as her confronting the concept of her own (or loved ones') mortality, rather than literal near death experiences. So it worked for me. But I also loved her prose. If I hadn't, I can see it being a little pointless as you say. 5y

britt_brooke @readordierachel If I had gone in with that mindset, it would‘ve been better. I did think her writing was nice, it was just the overall concept and organization that didn‘t appeal. 5y

britt_brooke @MarriedtoMrT Always happy to have an ally! 5y

Cinfhen Excellent review! I DID feel similarly. I thought many of “near death” experiences were overly exaggerated to the point of fake hysteria. It was a bit incredulous, I wasn‘t a fan. I‘m not sure but I might have given the book a soso rating because I thought it was well written. Also she׳s either incredibly lucky or unlucky depending on how you view most of those situations 🙄 5y

Cathythoughts Interesting to hear your take on this one ... I havnt read it yet , I did like her novel The Hand That First Held Mine - a lot. 5y

britt_brooke @Cinfhen Thanks! 💚 That was the frustrating part. You can tell she‘s a talented writer, yet this book doesn‘t make me want to read her again. The premise and organization just seemed weird. Too dramatic. It didn‘t work for me at all. 5y

britt_brooke @Cathythoughts Thanks! I know I‘m in the minority on this one. 5y

Cinfhen Hehehe!!! This #TeamBritt thing feels good 💚💚💚 5y

britt_brooke @Cinfhen 👯‍♀️🙌🏻💚 #teamcindy 5y

112 likes14 comments

Megabooks

I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death | Maggie O'Farrell

pick

The first and last brushes with death were the most memorable and impressive. Some of the middle ones are a bit of a stretch as far as actual death, but they all made me reflect on my own life and my family‘s lives. Excellent choice for a rainy weekend. Recommended 4⭐️

#nonfictionNovember #nonfiction2018

Samplergal It‘s in my November TBR. I want to start it so badly, but I have three due to the library first. Glad you liked it. 5y

Cinfhen I had major eye rolls from this book! I couldn‘t decide if she was really lucky or terribly unlucky to be in all of those situations. I kind of hated this one #unpopularopinion 5y

Megabooks @Samplergal I hope you enjoy it. It‘s a library book for me, so I totally get you on due dates. 5y

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Megabooks @Cinfhen oh Cindy! You always make me smile. Some like the knife throwing and STD testing were taking it a bit too far, but I genuinely found her encephalitis very interesting. And the parasites too. But that‘s because I‘m a vet. 5y

Cinfhen Hahaha!! And you make me smile too 😘😘😘 5y

Cinfhen I‘m still chuckling “and the parasites too”😂😂😂 5y

Megabooks @Cinfhen I‘m laughing, too! I wasn‘t even intentionally being funny. Oh dear. 🤦🏻‍♀️❤️❤️😘😘 5y

Prairiegirl_reading I totally agree with you. I kept thinking maybe when you are overly dramatic and a writer this may be a brush with death. But at those times the writing carried it through. Also there is a really great description of tea (even though I don‘t agree with her). I laughed out loud. (edited) 5y

Megabooks @Prairiegirl_reading Yes, totally agree that the writing trumped the drama. I was skeptical going in, tbh, but she made me a believer. 5y

britt_brooke @Cinfhen I‘m reading this now and feeling similarly. Look at us agreeing quite a bit lately! 😙 5y

Megabooks @britt_brooke @Cinfhen That‘s great! I love having a buddy. I need to find a new one. I obviously didn‘t hate it, but I see y‘all‘s point. 😘😘 5y

britt_brooke @Megabooks 😙 5y

Cinfhen It‘s a good feeling- being on #TeamBritt @britt_brooke 💕🤗 5y

Cinfhen Meg, a new buddy read just started~ we are reading if you want to join in. Discussion is Saturday ~ I think we are reading up to chapter 8. @EadieB is hosting!!!!

Stranger Beside Me: The Shocking Inside Story of Serial Killer Ted Bundy (Updated)

(edited) 5y

britt_brooke @Cinfhen 👯‍♀️💚 5y

Megabooks @Cinfhen Serial killers terrify me. I tried to do Helter Skelter last year and couldn‘t finish. That‘s a perfect choice for nonfiction November, though! I hope y‘all enjoy it. 5y

Cinfhen I get it!! I‘ll keep you in the loop for further buddy reads 😘 5y

Megabooks @Cinfhen Thank you so much! I follow nearly 10k ppl, and I sometimes get overwhelmed! 5y

Suet624 I agree that the first and the last were the most memorable. 5y

Megabooks @Suet624 👍🏻👍🏻 5y

112 likes5 stack adds20 comments

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body | Roxane Gay

#UnpopularOpinion #ReadingResolutions

DNF... Could not finish... Reading this made me so depressed.. it felt like one LONG complaint stuck on repeat... It was very raw and honest and I feel terrible for the things she went through, but I just couldn‘t keep reading it over and over...

And I really wanted to love it! Everyone else did!! 🤣

Jess7

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego That's fair. I was REALLY disappointed by Bad Feminist. So I'm hesitant to read any more of her memoirs. I loved An Untamed State though. Wish she had more fiction. 6y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego I won‘t read another one by her... I can‘t even really put into words how it made me feel... 😩😩 Having been through some things in my childhood I feel like we should move on and not let it define us. And the way she treated her parents 😡 6y

britt_brooke I loathed this book. 6y

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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @britt_brooke yes!!! Someone with the same #unpopularopinion 🙌🏻 6y

Prairiegirl_reading I finished it but I totally agree about the repetition. Definitely didn‘t love this one. 6y

britt_brooke @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🙅🏼‍♀️🙌🏻 6y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Prairiegirl_reading I had about 50 pages left and just couldn‘t do it... 🤷🏼‍♀️ 6y

emilyhaldi @britt_brooke I am #teambritt on this book... Loathe is the only word to describe it. I agree with everything you said @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks. I was even more put off by Gay after I looked at her Twitter account and saw how nasty and angry she is... Lots of bad vibes. It's just not for me. 6y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @emilyhaldi totally agree... she blames everyone else for her problems, but takes no responsibility... 6y

britt_brooke @emilyhaldi 🙌🏻 I haven‘t looked at her Twitter, but I don‘t get a positive role model vibe from her at all. Too much anger and blaming. 6y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @britt_brooke @emilyhaldi I‘m not even on Twitter!!! Am I missing out?!?! 6y

emilyhaldi @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @britt_brooke I'm not either! But I had heard that her Twitter account is aggressive so I googled it and checked it out and it reinforced my distaste 👎🏻😝 (edited) 6y

britt_brooke @emilyhaldi @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I‘m not on twitter either! 😆 But, now really I want to check out her tweets. I can say with certainty that I‘ll never read another of her books. 6y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @britt_brooke me too!!! I hate that I spent money on that one!!! 😡😱 6y

actualdisneyprincess I read her “Difficult Women” and was pretty underwhelmed. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 6y

GlassAsDiamonds @StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego ooohhh!!! And here I thought I was the only one what uttered such blasphemous thoughts (I only liked the one named essay & the rest was just so....yeah, disappointing! I could NOT understand the hype and won‘t ever bother with any further of her non-fiction). 👍🏻 Love Litsy people so much at the moment. 😊😊😊😊 6y

Reviewsbylola I really like HER but I had a hard time with Bad Feminist and I‘m just not sure her writing is for me. 6y

114 likes17 comments

britt_brooke

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body | Roxane Gay

pan

Admittedly, I didn‘t go in expecting to like this. The high ratings piqued my interest so I thought I‘d see for myself. I should‘ve bailed, but didn‘t because it‘s short (though not short enough). It contradicts and repeats, contradicts and repeats. There was good message buried in the self-loathing, but as a whole, it did not come off as empowering or inspiring, it came off as bitter and self-serving. That‘s harsh, but I‘m just being honest.

britt_brooke TW: rape 6y

Cinfhen Well this makes sense, since I LOVED it❣️❣️❣️😘 6y

Leftcoastzen I like her other works, have not tried this yet , cudos for your honesty! 6y

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britt_brooke @Leftcoastzen Thank you. 💚 6y

britt_brooke @Cinfhen 😆🤗💚 6y

Reviewsbylola Lolol @Cinfhen so I assume I‘d be #teambritt then. 6y

Cinfhen Probably @Reviewsbylola 😘and @emilyhaldi HATED it too😂😂 6y

britt_brooke @Reviewsbylola Yes!! 😆🙌🏻 6y

emilyhaldi Omg yes everything you said!!! #teambritt all the way! 🙌🏻🙌🏻 6y

britt_brooke @emilyhaldi YES! 😆🙌🏻🙌🏻 And thank you. 💚 6y

BarbaraBB Totally agree! 6y

britt_brooke @BarbaraBB 💚 6y

Suet624 Felt the same way. 6y

116 likes2 stack adds13 comments

Cinfhen

You Don't Have to Say You Love Me: A Memoir | Sherman Alexie

Yesterday I read a review by @britt_brooke about the Sherman Alexis memoir and while I‘m loving this book, Britt wasn‘t a fan. One of her legitimate gripes was the repetitiveness of the memoir. I came upon this “I repeat the same words, sentences, and paragraphs. That‘s what happens. Great pain is repetitive. Grief is repetitive. And, maybe, this repetition can become a chant inside a healing ceremony.” I believe this helps explain his process

BarbaraTheBibliophage Yes, I have experienced that with tremendous grief. I‘ve really got to get to this book in 2018. 6y

Cinfhen It‘s wonderful @BarbaraTheBibliophage really cathartic, honest, open, lyrical, funny, sad 6y

BarbaraTheBibliophage @Cinfhen I‘ll find a time for it. Definitely. 6y

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Reviewsbylola Interesting that he explained it. But I‘m typically bored by repetition. (edited) 6y

britt_brooke Oh, I know. I‘ve read his comments on it. I appreciate his grief and healing process, but it doesn‘t mean I have to like the book. I still don‘t like that style. Not gonna convince me. 😝 I‘m completely okay being the one weirdo that doesn‘t like it. 😉 6y

Cinfhen Definitely not a weirdo😘😘😘 @britt_brooke just in case you skimmed some pages and missed this😉 6y

britt_brooke @Cinfhen 😘 6y

TrishB That one is consigned to sad NF I won‘t be reading! 6y

emilyhaldi Very interesting. Makes sense in terms of dealing with grief, but I‘m not sure that means I would want to read it as an outsider 🤔 @britt_brooke 6y

britt_brooke @Reviewsbylola @emilyhaldi I‘m going to need you guys to read it just so we know if you‘re #teambritt or #teamcindy. 😝😉🙃 6y

emilyhaldi Lol @britt_brooke that‘s a fair challenge!! #stacked 😉 6y

Cinfhen I found it deeply moving but then I‘m an old lady and you three are little spring chicks 🐥 🐥 🐥 @britt_brooke @emilyhaldi @Reviewsbylola 6y

britt_brooke @emilyhaldi 😆👏🏻 6y

britt_brooke @Cinfhen Honestly, I think I‘m the only person who hasn‘t loved this book, so I won‘t be surprised if it stays that way. Also, you‘re not an old lady!! 6y

britt_brooke @Cinfhen PS. I‘m glad we can mess with each other in good fun. 💚 (edited) 6y

Mdargusch If I didn‘t have such a big TBR I would weigh in as another old lady @Cinfhen @emilyhaldi @Reviewsbylola and @britt_brooke 6y

Reviewsbylola Ok I reserved it. @britt_brooke @Cinfhen 6y

britt_brooke @Mdargusch 😆 6y

teebe This has a wider context too: a lot of Indigenous cultures are oral cultures. Repetition is a necessary part of oral storytelling, otherwise stories are forgotten, and one of the things Alexie is known for is combining traditional storytelling with Western written forms. (edited) 6y

britt_brooke @Reviewsbylola 😁👍🏻 6y

Cinfhen I didn't want to label you @Mdargusch but I was hoping you'd read this book and back me up!!! I'm pretty sure @Reviewsbylola will be a #HATER but I'm counting @emilyhaldi to throw some love my way 💖💖💖and I totally agree @britt_brooke I love to #AgreeToDisagree with you😘😘 6y

Cinfhen Very true @teebe 💗 6y

britt_brooke @Cinfhen 💚💚💚 6y

122 likes4 stack adds23 comments

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