Litsy

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I found this book when I Googled, “Christmas books that aren‘t romance” and if there was ever proof of the right book finding you at the right time, this is it! This book is wonderful and written so perfectly, it‘ll warm your heart on a chilly Dec. night 🥰 Halfway through I bought my own copy so I can re-read it every Christmas- there‘s only 1 copy in my inter-loan library system (100 libraries!!), I just hope it finds another reader before 12/25

Aims42 Themes: Christmas, Classic Retelling of “A Christmas Carol”, Inspirational without being cheesy 23h

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RowReads1

Hiddensee: A Novel | Gregory Maguire

I just came across an Etsy store that sells these hollowed out book stacks. I even made some a little like this back in my bookbinding days. I still have a bit of a hard time with destroying books intentionally. I have to admit this is a great way to hide things in a place like mine, that‘s full of books.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Covogoods?ref=related&from_page=listing&listing_id=605...

tpixie Cool! 16h

33 likes1 comment

MidnightBookGirl

William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Mean Girls | Ian Doescher

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#WinterGames24 #HolidayBookDragons @LiseWorks 570 total pts

I had one last prompt for my NEWTS challenge, and it was to read a book based on or inspired by Shakespeare, and fortunately this one fit the bill! I've read a few Ian Doescher books, and this one was just as fun as I thought it would be!

36 likes

Posh_Salad

Bookish and the Beast | Ashley Poston

When you have to speed read because your free audiobooks expire at the end of the month on Audible.
🤪😬😱

BookmarkTavern Good luck! 🍀 3d

10 likes1 comment

Super_Jane

Dorothy Must Die | Danielle Paige

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4/5 ?????

"I didn't know what was worse: to have your shot and screw it up, or to never have had a shot in the first place."

#fantasy #retelling #wizardofoz #wicked

12 likes

Tamra

The Children of Jocasta | Natalie Haynes

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Natalie had fun writing this novel and I had fun listening to it! 😊 5🌟

Cathythoughts Five Stars ! Stacked ❤️👍🏻 4d

Tamra @Cathythoughts I recommend reading Natalie‘s Afterword first. I think it would be helpful for more context - I‘m not very knowledgeable re: Greek mythology. I love how it‘s ongoing mutable storytelling! 4d

Cathythoughts Thanks ! I‘ll read the afterword. Yes , it‘s ongoing, some things in life don‘t really change that much. We were only discussing this idea at a recent bookclub. ❤️ 4d

Tamra @Cathythoughts I envy your bookclub! 😘 3d

Cathythoughts @Tamra If you ever come across the sea to Ireland …. 😘 3d

42 likes3 stack adds5 comments

AroundTheBookWorld

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein | Kiersten White

I was free. And . . .
“I am alive,” I whispered.

I am alive.
#TheDarkDescentOfElizabethFrankenstein #KierstenWhite #lastline #closingline #book #books #bookworm #bookworms #bookwormlife #bookwormproblem #bookwormproblems #bookworld #bookword #epicreads #bookend #bookends #bookending #bookendings #bookedit #bookedits #bookeditor #read #recommendation #Horror #YoungAdult #HistoricalFiction #Retellings #Fantasy #Fiction #Historical #ScienceFiction

12 likes

Robotswithpersonality

Hera | Jennifer Saint

This post contains spoilers

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WOW. Knocked it out of the park. 🤌🏻
They're always asking the muse to sing of the wrath of Achilles, but when it comes to rage he's got nothing on Hera. Two thirds of the way through this book, I'd say it was a toss up between survivor narrative or villain origin story, considering the Olympian levels of toxic relationships going on. 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? This is the first of the Greek myth retellings I've read where I didn't know where it would go, how it would end, even if I could surmise certain plot beats, but I am so, so pleased with how Saint chose to end it. 5d

Robotswithpersonality 3/? It's a little depressing to realize that she had to extend past canon to make a worthwhile ending because Hera's tales really are that dark, discouraging, she is for the most part a thwarted wife and mother who visits vengeance on everyone else because she doesn't have the power to strike directly at Zeus. 5d

Robotswithpersonality 4/? As someone familiar with the majority of the incidents depicted, I found it impressive to see the author weave them together into one narrative, but I do worry that those not familiar with the many times Hera finds herself in a no-win situation, will find it a special kind of exhausting to see her encounter what is broadly the same issue, Zeus wins and nothing goes her way, over and over again, before the plot proceeds to anything different. 5d

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Robotswithpersonality 5/? The ending is worth it to me, because it subverted my expectations and went a different way than I've seen any of these modern retellings go, without truly changing any of the myths we know, but again, if I went into this with less knowledge of her story, I might be frustrated that there wasn't a more cathartic climax to compensate for the torturous tone preceding the ending. 5d

Robotswithpersonality 6/? I appreciate that Saint didn't quite aim for reconciliation or resignation, at least not between Hera and Zeus, because that definitely would have read as loving her abuser/accepting her victimization territory.
Part of me is very curious about what Saint does next, because I'm not sure how you top this take on the Olympians as an ensemble cast, the relation to mortals, the ultimate fate of the Olympians, as antiquity slowly fades 5d

Robotswithpersonality 7/7 into a modern view of the world.
I owe the author a lot for finally presenting me with a version of Hera that I don't just sympathize with, but actually enjoy the existence of. I'm a lot happier imagining her where this story ends, and would gladly see more iconoclastic myth retellings.

⚠️SA, misogyny 5d

2 likes6 comments

TheKidUpstairs

The Girls at the Kingfisher Club: A Novel | Genevieve Valentine

I saw @Amiable posted her favourite reads from past #AuldLangSpine matches, and I love the idea! As I look forward to reading from @CarolynM's list in 2025, here are my faves from my past awesome matches:

@MeganAnn - The Girls at the Kingfisher Club (historical fiction meets fairy tale retelling at its finest)

@sprainedbrain - Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

@monalyisha - World of Wonders (so good I've read it twice now!)

Cont'd

TheKidUpstairs @Chelsea.Poole - Unlikely Animals (give me a Greek chorus of ghosts and theatre gone wrong any day of the week!)

@Sapphire - Fault Lines (a total surprise hit for me) 6d

MeganAnn What a fun idea! The Girls at the Kingfisher Club remains one of my favorite retellings. And Fault Lines was SO good too! It made my list of 2022 favorites. I definitely need to move Unlikely Animals and World of Wonders up my TBR. 6d

TheBookHippie World of Wonders is amazing! 6d

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Amiable Love this! 😍 6d

Christine Unlikely Animals was so good! As was Rabbit Cake! Your post made me wonder if she has anything new coming out soon and I'm so excited to see she does!!

The Road to Tender Hearts: A Novel

TheKidUpstairs @Christine I haven't read Rabbit Cake, but that new one sounds so good!!! 6d

Chelsea.Poole I love this idea! What hashtag are we using? 6d

TheKidUpstairs @Chelsea.Poole I just used the #AuldLangSpine tag, didn't even think of creating a separate one! 6d

TheKidUpstairs @Christine you inspired me to look for Rabbit Cake and the audio was available on Libby. I just started it this morning and am absolutely loving it! 5d

Christine Oh yay, so glad you‘re loving it!! 🐰🍰❤️ 4d

CBee @Christine this is exciting! I also loved both of her previous books! 4d

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Sara_Planz

Wicked: Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West | Gregory Maguire

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With the continued success of the musical and the triumphant movie based on this book, I decided it was time to venture into this book. If you are living under a rock, Gregory Maguire's book delves into the life of Elphaba, otherwise known as The Wicked Witch of the West. His vision of Oz and the characters we all know and love is filled with heart, emotion, and societal and morality questions. What are good and evil, and who defines them?

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