sundaybuddyread

The Godmothers: A Novel | Camille Aubray

pick

Finished last Sunday for #SundayBuddyRead but I failed to get a review post up. I would say that mafia stories aren‘t my thing so I likely never would have read this if @TheBookHippie hadn‘t picked it but I really found myself caught up in the stories of the 4 godmothers & their life in NYC from the 1940s, through the war years and into the 1950s. It made me watch the first 2 films in The Godfather saga (I am slowly slugging through the 3rd) & ⬇️

DebinHawaii …had me Googling & looking for more info which is always a good sign in historical fiction. It‘s not perfect, I felt the ending was a bit rushed & wrapped up too neatly in some cases but I enjoyed the ride & the always interesting Sunday book discussions. 11h

TheBookHippie It was a great way to start January!!! 7h

42 likes1 stack add2 comments

TheBookHippie

Dearest Josephine | Caroline George

How are we heading into February already?!?!?!?! #SundayBuddyRead 🌹

49 likes

Librarybelle

Ghost 19 | Simone St. James

pick

Light pick for me…the creepy factor helped win me over. Short stories are not my usual reading genre, but I could not help picking this up because of the author. There were pieces of the story that I wished were fleshed out a bit more - vague connections and statements made that I really wanted to have more explanations or further exploration. Overall, it kept me on the edge of my seat, and I had to see what happened next. #SundayBuddyRead

TheBookHippie

Librarybelle #52bookclub23 #Under200Pages @Cinfhen @BookBelle84 @rmaclean4 @Read4life @ravenlee @LaraReads @britt_brooke @triplem80 @Smarkies @Bluebird @Deblovestoread @AshleyHoss820 @BarbaraBB @jenniferw88 @squirrelbrain @KarenUK @LeeRHarry @CarolynM @azulaco 1d

squirrelbrain I didn‘t realise this was a short story….🤷‍♀️ 1d

78 likes2 comments

TheBookHippie

The Godmothers: A Novel | Camille Aubray

In other news yet another cover option for our January book #SUNDAYBUDDYREAD 👀🤣🤣👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🖤

Karisa 🤭 I love it! I guess it‘d be Filomena in the driver‘s seat. 1d

50 likes1 comment

TheBookHippie

Ghost 19 | Simone St. James

This post contains spoilers

show me

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Well I thank ya. This was different!
Happy Sunday!
I woke at 530a couldn‘t get back to sleep so I posted 😫🤷🏻‍♀️ we‘ve got a ton of snow overnight so I‘ll be here with cocoa reading our February book ! See you next week! ♥️

AmyG Thank you-always! See you next Sunday! 1d

Karisa I was up early too but west coast time😊. Lots of sunshine here today. Thank you again for a great book chat! 💗 1d

mcctrish Thank you so much for a wonderful start to Sundays. Always. I‘m in Toronto to see my youngest ( he‘s at school here, studying photography, and there is an exhibit of his class‘ photo books - so much talent ❤️) it‘s been a great weekend on all the levels. I‘m looking forward to Josephine 1d

See All 12 Comments

BookwormAHN It's a rain out here. Thank you and stay warm. 1d

DebinHawaii Thanks for as usual, the great hosting. 🤗Last night was cool, stormy & rainy so it was a good night for a spooky story. 😱 1d

TheBookHippie @DebinHawaii oooo good reading weather!!! 1d

TheBookHippie @mcctrish How wonderful enjoy! 1d

mcctrish Random info about Simone: a friend of my mom ( I babysat her boys 100 years ago) just msg‘d me ( she is in my fb reading group, we both just posted about SSJ books) her friend‘s son has a law clerk who‘s sister is Simone 🤯 real name is Simone Seguin 1d

TheBookHippie @mcctrish 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 23h

CoffeeAndABook Thank you so much @TheBookHippie! I wasn‘t able to get into Litsy until right now - I so missed the main discussion but enjoyed the book and your super interesting posts and everyone‘s thoughts 😊👌🏼💫 23h

TheBookHippie @CoffeeAndABook No worries there are a few folks who post tonight, Monday, and Wednesday as that works for them. Sometimes discussions go all week. Feel free to comment or whatever you‘d like ♥️♥️ 22h

CoffeeAndABook @TheBookHippie 😊😅💛 21h

12 likes12 comments

TheBookHippie

Ghost 19 | Simone St. James

This post contains spoilers

show me

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Overall thoughts?

I see she‘s writing hopefully a book and hopefully we‘ll get to read it next year for #SUNDAYBUDDYREAD she‘s reportedly set the book in the 1990s 👀 which was 10 years ago right? 🤣

Librarybelle I was riveted with this - not one of my favorites by her, but she definitely had the creepy factor going. 1d

IndoorDame Not my favorite of hers either, but enjoyable. Super creepy, and funnier than I tend to find her work. 1d

Sargar114 I did enjoy this! The creepy factor was high but knowing it was a short story I could push through. I wish it ended without the bit of her ending up with the detective. Takes away from the overall story. Ooooh the 90s though, I‘m in!!! 1d

See All 13 Comments

AmyG Ha! Yes, the ‘90s doesn‘t seem so long ago. Looking forward to her new book. 1d

Karisa Ginette was not my favorite but the novella kept me reading. 1990s will be fun for a ghost take setting. I‘m assuming there will be a ghost of some sort. She‘s been quite prolific. Will St. James be able to give up her love of detectives, awkward love scenes, and happily ever afters or is she stuck now with having to deliver those for always? 1d

vlwelser It was definitely 10 years ago. 1d

mcctrish I can‘t wait for the 90‘s, interesting to see how some of her tropes work out in modern times. I continue to have to take breaks when I read her, I really am a suspense lightweight 🤣 1d

BookwormAHN I just listened to Nirvana on the classic rock station. I can't believe the 90s were that long ago. 1d

DebinHawaii The 90s should be fun! I liked this but like @Sargar114 the ending was not my favorite. Still, overall, good & creepy! 😱 1d

TheBookHippie @Karisa Her troupe makes me laugh maybe that‘s for us to not be so freaked out 🤣🤷🏻‍♀️! 1d

TheBookHippie @mcctrish me too this is the only scary I read. 1d

TheBookHippie @DebinHawaii it was a good creepy read! 1d

Hooked_on_books I had fun with this one! It felt a little lighter since it was a novella, but that worked. I look forward to her 90s book! 14h

7 likes13 comments

TheBookHippie

Ghost 19 | Simone St. James

This post contains spoilers

show me

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

So thoughts ? Did she get inspired from this you think?

Librarybelle Haha…I mentioned this earlier before getting to this question! I saw definite Rear Window vibes. 1d

TheBookHippie @Librarybelle ME TOO. 1d

IndoorDame I‘m going to have to watch this now! 1d

See All 12 Comments

Sargar114 Totally got those vibes! Rear Window meets Ghost story 1d

AmyG Such a great movie!!!! 1d

mcctrish Totally 1d

Karisa Good excuse for a re-watch! 1d

vlwelser Watch it. It's one of my favorites. It's genius. And the apartment courtyard setting. Brilliant. 1d

BookwormAHN Jimmy Stewart is fantastic in it 🧡 1d

DebinHawaii Yes! Time for a rewatch! 👍 1d

CoffeeAndABook That‘s great!! A good movie I haven‘t seen yet - what a treat! 👏🏼 (edited) 23h

TheBookHippie @CoffeeAndABook OH ENJOY!!! It‘s creepy! 22h

7 likes1 stack add12 comments

TheBookHippie

Ghost 19 | Simone St. James

This post contains spoilers

show me

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

I wasn‘t maternal -part of what was wrong with me…
Ugh this trope AGAIN😫😵‍💫
So maddening…
But phew 29 she can still have kids and marry respectably🤮

Cannot believe how relevant this is.. 🤬

IndoorDame So ready to see a character for who not having/wanting kids is not in some way a plot point! 1d

Sargar114 A very St James Trope 1d

AmyG I just think that was a belief during that time period. For me, that it‘s even discussed is ridiculous. Our son and wife have one child, literally every one has asked when/if they are having another. They are not. When I explain why (medical reasons)….they all seem a bit embarrassed. Who cares whether someone has kids or has none?None of anyone‘s business and how many people do we all know who probably should never have had kids? Rant over (edited) 1d

See All 14 Comments

Karisa Yeah, it‘s yuck. Ginette is clearly a reflection of the norms of her times. It‘d be nice for St. James‘ heroines to say forget it and say what they really want instead. Ginette seems to really want her career in acting back, to be revered on the stage, fame, glory… 1d

Karisa @AmyG 👏👏👏 1d

mcctrish It‘s still such a thing. And working, parenting, living is so exhausting. The fact that women might make judgements blows my mind, I lose my shit at home often because of how many more thoughts I have to have to keep the ‘show‘ going than anyone else. Everyone needs to stay in their lane 1d

vlwelser And then she goes off to live with the detective. I mean whatever floats her boat but that seems a little wishy washy to me. Which is also a st James thing. 1d

BookwormAHN I don't think discussion is ever going away even though it really need to. 1d

DebinHawaii Yeah, unfortunately it doesn‘t ever seem to go away & as perpetually single & childless, it‘s damned annoying! 🤬 1d

TheBookHippie @AmyG SMDH people 🤦🏻‍♀️🤬 I get asked why my kids are so far apart in age I tell them we only had sex twice. 1d

AmyG @TheBookHippie Oh, people are idiots. I have fraternal twin girls who look completed different yet people would ask me if they were identical. 23h

TheBookHippie @AmyG 😫🤦🏻‍♀️🤣 22h

Hooked_on_books I definitely think it reflects the times and it certainly persists. I am childless by choice and very happy this way, but I definitely encounter people who don‘t like that. But if I ever turned their “why didn‘t you want kids” question around into “why DID you?”, they would be offended and furious. Yet it‘s the same question. 14h

TheBookHippie @Hooked_on_books Interesting when you turn it around on people! Ugh. 7h

7 likes14 comments

TheBookHippie

Ghost 19 | Simone St. James

This post contains spoilers

show me

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Do you like reading novellas ? Short stories compiled in one big book?

Did you like the NOW THEN on chapters did it help the flow?

Was this novella scarier than her books for you?

Should this have been a book instead? More fleshed out?

Librarybelle I would have liked to see this a bit more fleshed out, but I‘m not the biggest short story/novella reader. I can understand her flashing from Then to Now, but it may have also worked as a linear telling, just allowing the full story to unfold. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 1d

IndoorDame I do think this should have been a book. Novellas are really difficult to do justice to, and I adore them when they‘re just right, but I don‘t think they‘re her best format. (The then/now thing worked for me though). 1d

Sargar114 I usually don‘t do short stories because I usually end up wanting more. But in scary story formats they work really well. I think the then/now works because it kind of disorients you just like Gin was, so it puts you in her mindset. I don‘t know if this would have worked as a novel. I could see Gin getting on my nerves in 200 more pages. It also could have done without the end where she gets a “happily ever after” wit no reason why 1d

See All 12 Comments

AmyG I am not a fan of novellas or short stories as I like a more developed story. (edited) 1d

Karisa I thought a linear story would‘ve worked better with this novella. A slower build up to madness might‘ve helped me connect and sympathize with Ginette. I can see @Sargar114 ‘s point though that the then/now does help us feel a little disoriented like G must feel though. Totally agree that not every story has to have a happy ending. Ginette being hauled off to jail for arson or to a hospital would‘ve made more sense… 1d

mcctrish I think @Sargar114 has a point with the back and forth adding to the disorientation. I do wish this had been a book and @Karisa ‘s linear timeline idea would have helped with connecting to G. My favourite kind of short story book is one like Olive Kitteridge where all the stories are connected and make a full story when they are done. This was a nice little mini book but I admit I was much more anxious about getting my reading done than usual 1d

vlwelser I think it's perfect just the way it is. I do like short stories. But I also read a lot of books at the same time. So, read a story, switch to a different book. 1d

BookwormAHN I'm not that fond of short stories or novellas but I'm not sure if anyone could handle a full novel with Ginette. 1d

DebinHawaii I like novellas & short stories, especially spooky ones & think it was fine the way it was. Too much time with Ginette unless she evolved would have been wearisome. I agree about the ending not needing to be “happy.”To me it was tacked on & the insta-romance didn‘t make a lot of sense. (edited) 1d

TheBookHippie @DebinHawaii Too much Ginette would have had us in constant eye roll I think. @BookwormAHN 1d

TheBookHippie @mcctrish I was too I read it on a free afternoon and finished after supper I was so relieved 🤣🤣🤣👻🤷🏻‍♀️ 1d

Hooked_on_books For me this one worked as a novella. Just like with novels, I sometimes like novellas and sometimes don‘t. This one felt like the right length to me. (edited) 14h

6 likes12 comments

TheBookHippie

Ghost 19 | Simone St. James

This post contains spoilers

show me

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Do the ghosts seem different than her usual ghosts? More menacing ?

Did you think of A Beautiful Mind?
Is she so off kilter it‘s truly just in her head?

TRIXIE.
Oy.
How awful.
Thoughts?

Should there be a trigger warning on this book since it was a child ?

Librarybelle Anytime you have someone looking into a window like the man in the coat did, I‘m going to freak out - one of my biggest fears, seeing someone looking at me through my window. 1d

IndoorDame @Librarybelle same! 1d

IndoorDame Admittedly I‘m not hugely into TWs, but I don‘t see how you put them on this kind of book without giving away the mystery??? 1d

See All 17 Comments

Sargar114 I agree @IndoorDame I think you would have lost some of the suspense and mystery with a TW. That being said, I audibly cried out at the reveal of Tricia as it was so sad. @Librarybelle that was terrifying!!! That was also the point I knew I would have to finish in one setting. 1d

Sargar114 @TheBookHippie this ghost definitely had much more of a visual presence then a lot of her previous ghosts, but I wonder if that‘s because of the short story nature. Maybe a longer move can be more of a drawn out character and less in your face. 1d

AmyG What @Sargar114 said. Instead of dragging out the ghost part….you needed to make a point and fast. That was very freaky. St. james also has a “thing” for her main character to be able to see? Intuit? Whatever the word….ghosts. 1d

Karisa I felt the ghost and evil house connections Book of Cold Cases with the angry spirits, evil house as a character, and face in the window. I need to check out Beautiful Mind. I‘m not as familiar with it. Trixie 😢 that was so sad! Weird that Ginette could sense so much about Trixie all in that moment but reading the alive neighbors was more difficult for her. 1d

mcctrish That man in the black coat was intense. I am a bit confused about the house and how it was controlling G. It didn‘t want her to leave ( Trixie wanted to be found) but not go in the kitchen? Is that the man in black wanting G to die so trixie not found ? 1d

vlwelser It's a ghost story. I feel like if you need a TW this kind of book is not for you. Is that my gen x coming out? 1d

Sargar114 @vlwelser I don‘t think your wrong and I‘m an “elder millennial”. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 1d

BookwormAHN @vlwelser also gen x and also agree. 1d

DebinHawaii I agree-ghost story = dead people so a trigger warning is probably not necessary. That being said-it was sad when Trixie was revealed as a ghost. 😢 @Librarybelle Yes! That is a HUGE fear for me too! 😱 1d

TheBookHippie @vlwelser I saw it on a review 👀 after I finished reading this week and now I can‘t find it back!! I‘m like um …. 1d

CoffeeAndABook @Librarybelle that moment in the story was truly terrifying 🥶 (edited) 23h

TheBookHippie @CoffeeAndABook I screamed 🤣😫😵‍💫 22h

CoffeeAndABook @TheBookHippie yes! I was screaming into my hand! I cannot imagine how I would react if it actually happened to me 😱 22h

Hooked_on_books I don‘t think this was necessarily different from her other ghosts. I remember the girl in the barn being a pretty aggressive ghost as well, though I don‘t offhand remember the title of that book. 14h

6 likes17 comments

Welcome to Litsy!

Trending Hashtags

Trending Books