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TheKidUpstairs

TheKidUpstairs

Joined September 2016

She/Her "When I get a little money, I buy books. If any is left, I buy food and clothes.” Host of #OnThisDay #HistoryGetsLIT
review
TheKidUpstairs
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Pickpick

An excellent, engaging read.

1990. A young girl is found dead on a council estate in London. Another child is suspected of causing her death. An exploitative journalist hides the family away in a hotel in hopes of wringing a story out of them.

I couldn't turn away, and found myself sneaking time to listen during a busy March Break. Highly recommend! I usually can't do fiction on audio, but Jessica Regan's narration was superb.

#WomensPrize

Cathythoughts Great review 👍🏻 1d
squirrelbrain Great review! 1d
BarbaraBB I liked this one so much too. 1d
60 likes3 stack adds3 comments
review
TheKidUpstairs
Restless Dolly Maunder | Kate Grenville
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Pickpick

A solid historical fiction read about a complicated woman in early 20th century Australia, trying to find a way to live within the narrow confines of society. Grenville's author notes and connection to Dolly add extra interest.

It was a good read, but as a #WomensPrize nominee, it wouldn't make my Shortlist. I enjoyed it, but nothing felt new or exceptional to make it Prize worthy.

squirrelbrain I agree with your view, it wouldn‘t make my shortlist either. 1d
59 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
TheKidUpstairs
Middlesex: A Novel | Jeffrey Eugenides
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#TLT #ThreeListThursday @dabbe

1. Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
2. Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
3. Black Swan Green - David Mitchell

dabbe I'm making a list, checking it twice, and I'll make it available to all whether naughty or nice! 😂 Thanks for sharing. 💚💙💚 4d
44 likes1 comment
blurb
TheKidUpstairs
Restless Dolly Maunder | Kate Grenville
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Gotta love some gorgeous end papers! 😍

jlhammar I just got this one and was thinking the same thing. Stunning! 5d
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Gorgeous 💚 5d
charl08 😍 5d
See All 6 Comments
Singout OMG Scugog! I‘m in PP visiting my folks right now! 5d
TheKidUpstairs @Singout no way! Small world! I love right near downtown, and actually work at the library. Welcome to town! 5d
Singout Oh, cool! My parents are regular patrons of all the programs, and my sister Joanna was in the same grade as the guy who hosts the film nights (among other things). 5d
72 likes1 stack add6 comments
review
TheKidUpstairs
The Postcard | Anne Berest
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Pickpick

Honestly, I don't know what I can add to the rave reviews from the #EuropaCollective for this book. If you have been wondering if it really is that good, just know that it is.

BarbaraBB ❤️💔❤️ 6d
jlhammar It really is! So glad we read this one. 5d
78 likes2 comments
review
TheKidUpstairs
The Damages | Genevieve Scott
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Mehso-so

I raced through the first part, but the second part got repetitive. I think it could have been edited down for a more focused read.

blurb
TheKidUpstairs
The Damages | Genevieve Scott
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1. Megan is derived from my Margaret, which was my grandmother's name.

2. One of my current reads (tagged) has a character named Megan, and I'm also reading Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan, so Megan's abound in my reading world at the moment!

#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

TheSpineView Thanks for playing! 6d
41 likes1 comment
blurb
TheKidUpstairs
The Damages | Genevieve Scott
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My #WeekendReads

The Damages - Scott is an alumni of the same university I attended, and this book's Regis University is a VERY thinly veiled stand-in!

Ordinary Human Failings - completely engrossed, fabulous audio narration, my heart is in my throat, and I can't turn away.

River East, River West - So far, so good, but overshadowed by my other reads. I like the choice to contrast Alva's story with her Lu Fang's.

Cont'd in comments

TheKidUpstairs The Postcard - everyone's reviews convinced me! Picked it up this evening and immediately devoured 50 pages. 1w
See All 6 Comments
monalyisha Ordinary Human Failings sounds promising! 1w
squirrelbrain I‘m going to start River East soon…think I might try Restless Dolly Maunder first as it‘s quite short! 🤪 1w
BarbaraBB I am reading and loving Ordinary Human Falings too this weekend. And I LOVED The Postcard 🩷 1w
65 likes6 comments
blurb
TheKidUpstairs
The Future | Catherine Leroux
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🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

My favourite NEVER wins #CanadaReads, and this year I REALLY didn't think it would (especially after the first two days of debates).

But it did!!! And I'm so excited!

The Future by Catherine Leroux, translated by Susan Ouriou is this year's #CanadaReads winner 🏆🎉 I LOVED this book. It is beautifully crafted and demands time, thought, and attention. In return it offers beauty, magic, and hard fought hope. Highly recommended!

BarbaraBB That seals it. I‘m off to buying it! 2w
TheKidUpstairs @BarbaraBB ❤️❤️❤️ I hope you find as much love in its pages as I did! 2w
65 likes1 stack add2 comments
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TheKidUpstairs
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"... they got mortgages and girlfriends and spoke about their houses as if houses were worlds."

64 likes2 stack adds
blurb
TheKidUpstairs
Enter Ghost | Isabella Hammad
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Who else just placed an absolute flurry of holds!?! There were only 4 I couldn't get from libraries, 2 of which aren't (yet) available in Canada. Always excited for the #WomensPrize 🎉🎉🎉

ChaoticMissAdventures Bouncing between the library and Blackwells! I got all of them between the two. I just finished The Wren The Wren this morning, so I feel like I am off at the races! 2w
squirrelbrain Yep! 8 I‘d never even heard of… Only needed to buy one though. I‘d borrowed 5 from the library already, just in case and I‘ve managed to get the rest on BorrowBox, Everand etc. 2w
TheKidUpstairs @squirrelbrain there are a few titles I would have liked to see on the list, but I always love when there are books that I'd never heard of. I've only read one of these before, although a couple have been on my TBR/radar for a while now. 2w
See All 9 Comments
TheKidUpstairs @ChaoticMissAdventures I'm trying to avoid spending too get something shipped, but we'll see how it goes! Maybe if something makes the short list and still isn't available here! How was The Wren? 2w
ChaoticMissAdventures @TheKidUpstairs it was fine? I expected Enright to be on the list. She has now been on the list 4 times each time 4 years apart! 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024. It was a bit of a conspiracy theory that had me read it before the list! 2w
TheKidUpstairs @ChaoticMissAdventures that's crazy, I didn't realize that! I guess every four years blood sacrifice/ nomination must be made to Enright to avoid the Wrath of the literary gods! Who knew she was so powerful? 🤣 2w
charl08 Yup, my fingers have been hitting "reserve" on repeat... 2w
BarbaraBB I will try to read as many as possible. I was able to purchase some for very doable prices! 2w
TheKidUpstairs @BarbaraBB I told myself I wasn't going to try and read the whole list this year, and then I couldn't help myself with the holds! We'll see how many I can get through. I ended up starting two of them today, both instantly engaging so it's off to a good start! 2w
67 likes9 comments
blurb
TheKidUpstairs
The Future | Catherine Leroux
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Day One about to start! #CanadaReads

Tagged was my favourite, but Bad Cree and Denison Avenue area strong contenders!

BarbaraBB Exciting! I want to read the tagged book too! 2w
44 likes1 comment
review
TheKidUpstairs
Falling Animals | Sheila Armstrong
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Pickpick

Intricately plotted and brilliantly crafted, Falling Animals starts with a dead body on a beach and uses that catalyst to spiral outwards into a story of connections made and missed, losses incremental and total, grief, love, loneliness, and beauty. An incredibly effective and affecting read.

Tamra I really want to read this one! 2w
squirrelbrain Such a good book - I hope it makes the Women‘s Prize long list. 2w
TheKidUpstairs @squirrelbrain it certainly feels like a Women's Prize book, they seem to long list books that are far more beneath the surface than their descriptions give away. Can't wait for Tuesday's announcement! 2w
TheKidUpstairs @Tamra I highly recommend it, hope you like it as much as I did! 2w
64 likes4 comments
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TheKidUpstairs
How to Say Babylon | Safiya Sinclair
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"Behind the veil of trees, night's voices shimmered."

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

Starting this one from the #WomensPrizeNonFiction long list.

squirrelbrain I‘m listening to this (it‘s loooong - about 17 hours I think). I‘m about 1/4 of the way through and really liking it - it‘s very poetic. I think her life may just be starting to get tough. The author reads it herself and I love her voice. 3w
vivastory I am really interested in this one. What I have heard about it has intrigued me. 3w
TheKidUpstairs @squirrelbrain I was hoping to listen, but couldn't find the audio to borrow, it seems like the rhythms would work really well on audio. I'm surprised it's that long! The book is only just over 300 pages. 3w
See All 8 Comments
TheKidUpstairs @vivastory I've only just started, but she writes beautifully. So far so good! 3w
squirrelbrain I thought that was weird too, as the book doesn‘t look huge compared to some others on the list. I‘m wondering if there is some bonus material… I‘ll let you know when I get to the end. 3w
Graywacke @TheKidUpstairs @squirrelbrain I just started listening yesterday 3w
squirrelbrain @Graywacke - I‘m about 3/4 of the way through on audio - love the author reading it herself. 3w
Graywacke @squirrelbrain quite stunning and beautiful. I‘m only an hour in. 3w
59 likes8 comments
review
TheKidUpstairs
Greta and Valdin | Rebecca Reilly
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Pickpick

I loved this. Effortlessly funny, thoughtful, and full of so much heart. This glorious, weird, beautifully convoluted family who lead with their hearts with stay with me for a long time.

And kudos to the cover designer. Second book in a row with a simple yet totally perfect cover. 🥰

squirrelbrain Fab book - and I love the cover too! 4w
Chelsea.Poole I‘m nearly finished and I‘m loving it too! Funny, yet poignant. Great review! Also love the cover. 3w
74 likes4 stack adds2 comments
blurb
TheKidUpstairs
Greta and Valdin | Rebecca Reilly
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I used to be able to listen to music with lyrics when I was reading, but my focus is stained lately, so I've been turning to instrumental tracks. I always try to pair the music to what I'm reading in some way, and my current read (tagged) needed indie tunes like some instrumental Feist (she is forever a favourite):

https://open.spotify.com/track/5qsQrSxbclGbUUX6YMrZGN?si=T-VWONvnSFOcpw8ihaUGcA

#TuesdayTunes @TieDyeDude

catiewithac I wish they were all instrumentals 4w
TheKidUpstairs @catiewithac I didn't realize I'd linked to the album rather than just the song. It's One Evening that has a beautiful instrumental piano version. I agree it would be great to have a full instrumental Feist! This is the playlist I usually use for instrumental indie stuff: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1EIdM2lF7d2EwL?si=HElGpa5QSgSuZMESKCNj... 4w
TieDyeDude I listened to the album; it was nice, I hadn't known of it. I love me some Feist. Thanks for sharing the playlist. I'll definitely check it out 4w
56 likes2 stack adds3 comments
review
TheKidUpstairs
So Big | Edna Ferber
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Pickpick

Selina Peake DeJong is such a singularly wonderful character. While the book is named after her son, Dirk 'So Big' DeJong, this is her story, beautifully told. She is a remarkable woman who longs for a life of beauty and adventure, yet finds herself a truck farmer's wife in Illinois. Instead of fading into the monotony of her world, she chooses to bring her ethos and spirit to everyday life and hopes for a remarkable future for her son. Cont'd

TheKidUpstairs This is a (mostly forgotten) classic, that feels almost* entirely modern, and invites you to ponder what it is that makes a life successful and worthy. I loved living in Selina's orbit for a time. (Cont'd) 1mo
TheKidUpstairs *I say almost entirely modern, because this book was written in the 1920s and there are some reflected ideals of the times that are jarringly dated. Particularly the racist attitudes and stereotypes, especially when it comes to Asian people. 1mo
TheKidUpstairs This was another wonderful read from the #AuldLangSpine list @Sapphire put together. Thank you for introducing me to this gem! @monalyisha thank you for another great year of bookish matchmaking. I always discover something new to me that would have otherwise escaped my notice, and my reading life is all the richer for it! 1mo
See All 9 Comments
TheKidUpstairs P.S: this Library of America edition was the one I read, and I have to say this cover design is absolute perfection. 1mo
Sapphire Oh my gosh, yes that cover is so perfect. Clearly chosen by someone who loved the book. 1mo
quietjenn 💚 cabbages is beautiful 1mo
monalyisha I‘m looking forward to reading this one, too! It sounds so right up my alley. It‘s also good to be forewarned about the bits that don‘t hold up. Thanks for the lovely review, @TheKidUpstairs! 1mo
Chelsea.Poole Great review! 3w
72 likes2 stack adds9 comments
blurb
TheKidUpstairs
In Memoriam | Alice Winn
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I did get SOME sleep, but the tagged kept me up WAY too late. And occasionally, I would try to go to sleep and found I couldn't stop thinking about the characters, so I'd turn the light back on and read some more!

#SundayFunday @BookmarkTavern

BookmarkTavern Yup! If I‘m still thinking about a book, I‘m not getting any sleep so I might as well finish it! Thanks for answering! 1mo
47 likes1 comment
quote
TheKidUpstairs
So Big | Edna Ferber
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"You'd be surprised, Jan, to know of all the things you're going to hear of some day that you've never heard of before."

I absolutely love Selina Peake DeJong. What a wonderful character. Thank you for this #AuldLangSpine recommendation @Sapphire - it's a gem! @monalyisha

63 likes1 stack add
review
TheKidUpstairs
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Pickpick

A fascinating look at the world's eight living bear species. Dickie looked at one aspect of the life of each species and used that as a springboard to examine the relationships between bears and human society around the globe. Very effective, engaging, and interesting way to think about our relationship with the natural world.

Cont'd in comments...

TheKidUpstairs
My one disappointment was with the audio narration. The narrator had a very engaging tone, but holy mispronunciations, Batman! I mostly caught the mispronounced Canadian place names and terms (pretty sure her pronunciation of the word toque will haunt my dreams), but I would imagine other names and terms that aren't American English were also butchered. (Cont'd)
1mo
TheKidUpstairs And I don't know if it was an author thing or a narrator thing, but she kept using the terms Spectacled Bear and Speckled Bear interchangeably, which was rather confusing. So, I recommend reading over listening! 1mo
CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian Oh no I have listened to books with mispronounciations of Canadian English including toque and poutine and it was so painful! 1mo
65 likes1 stack add3 comments
blurb
TheKidUpstairs
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@TieDyeDude - love the idea for #TuesdayTunes ❤️🎶

These are my most played songs right now:

Brittany Howard - What Now? https://youtu.be/iV7yWoYlDvg?si=NRDABXk3_vASCVP4

Tracy Chapman - Baby Can I Hold You https://youtu.be/DqoLMGSBGYc?si=hd_OGaDSdFBWVOPY

Yola - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road https://youtu.be/dWePiTJcBEw?si=v8MGky5Hxhdv3A7H

Arctic Monkeys - R U Mine? https://youtu.be/VQH8ZTgna3Q?si=qPwQ63_5VvfgcNT7

(Tagging this week's read!)

vivastory I'm 100% here for the Chapman renaissance. 1mo
TheKidUpstairs @vivastory she deserves all the things. I'm kinda 'meh' on the Luke Combs Fast Car cover (mainly because I think the original is about as close to a perfect song as they come), but I love all the love and attention it's brought to Tracy Chapman. 1mo
TieDyeDude Thanks for sharing. I like Yola's “Diamond Studded Shoes.“ I haven't heard that cover yet. Chapman and Howard are always solid choices! 1mo
See All 13 Comments
BarbaraBB Hail the revival of Tracy Chapman! I‘ve been loving that album for decades! 1mo
Bookwormjillk I have been listening to Fast Car on repeat since last week. Have loved that song since the 80's. 1mo
merelybookish I saw Yola in concert a few years ago and she was fabulous! 1mo
Billypar I can't wait to listen to Brittany Howard's latest - I think tonight may be the night. And agreed about the Fast Cars cover - it's not a song that can be improved upon. 1mo
TheKidUpstairs @Billypar I haven't listened to the whole album yet, but the title track hit me hard on first listen, and I can't stop playing it on repeat. I'll get to the rest of the songs soon, I'm sure! 1mo
TheKidUpstairs @merelybookish She's amazing. I grew up on Elton John, and I usually hate covers of his songs. His style and voice are so distinctive, that the songs usually lose something in translation and just sound very karaoke-ish. But this one came up at random on a Spotify playlist and just blew me away. She totally makes it her own and brings so much soul and depth to it. 1mo
TheKidUpstairs @BarbaraBB It's such a fantastic album. Always blows me away that it was her debut. 1mo
TheKidUpstairs @Bookwormjillk It's just such a good song, eh? I didn't watch the Grammy's, but loved seeing her perform. You could really feel the love in that room, both from and for her. 1mo
merelybookish @TheKidUpstairs She sang Aretha at her concert which is no small feat! 1mo
batsy Agreed on the Fast Car but super pleased with Chapman getting more love 💜 1mo
59 likes13 comments
review
TheKidUpstairs
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Pickpick

Engrossing, engaging, can't put it down fun. With cults and true crime authors. Hallett's books are best to go into knowing as little as possible, and with a healthy suspension of disbelief. Just sit back and enjoy! It was the perfect palate cleaner after a few heavy books about grief.

darklydreaming I‘m intrigued! Nice review 😊 1mo
jlhammar Yes, so fun! Great review! 1mo
70 likes1 stack add2 comments
quote
TheKidUpstairs
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"But just because someone is a born leader, doesn't mean you should follow them."

Can't stop reading. I love Janice Hallett's style of storytelling. So out there and fun.

tpixie Great quote 1mo
56 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
TheKidUpstairs
Turtle Diary | Russell Hoban
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Pickpick

“Nothing was different or better and I didn't think I was either, but I didn't mind being alive at the moment.“

On the surface, this is a book about two strangers who come together to free the sea turtles from the London Zoo. But really, that is just a catalyst for a thoughtful story about lonely people discovering their loneliness and perhaps finding a way to be a little less so. A genuine, human, quiet look at connection.

cont'd in comments

TheKidUpstairs I initially was drawn to the intriguing combination of NYRB and the author of Bread and Jam for Frances, and found myself totally entranced by the writing very early on. Then I discovered all the Litsy love already out there for this one! I will gladly join the party, it was a delightful book that goes far deeper than its quirky premise would suggest.

cont'd in next comment

1mo
TheKidUpstairs The writing largely feels timeless, but its age shows on occasion. There were a few sections I had some qualms with, particularly some homophobic remarks delivered in a very casual, throwaway manner. And some unnecessary sexualization, coupled with an oddly out of place group therapy experience . These elements felt disconcerting, as a modern reader, in a book that seemed to feel so deeply for those who sort of fade into the woodwork of society. 1mo
Aimeesue Great review! 1mo
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TheKidUpstairs
Turtle Diary | Russell Hoban
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“I'll never cease to be amazed by the fact that people uncomfortable in themselves can give comfort to other people.“

This book is so unendingly quotable.

Photo has nothing to do with the book, just the lovely semi-frozen lake out behind my library from today's lunch break

DocBrown Beautiful! Whereabouts? 1mo
batsy It's an excellent book with lots of insight. Loved it. 1mo
TheKidUpstairs @DocBrown Lake Scugog in the little town of Port Perry. We're about an hour outside of Toronto 1mo
74 likes3 comments
blurb
TheKidUpstairs
Birthday Party | Laurent Mauvignier
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🎵 Look what you just made me do, Look what you made me do 🎶

Total #BlameItOnLitsy stack from the bookstore today!

AmyG Oooooo North Woods! 🙌🏻 1mo
ChaoticMissAdventures I hope you enjoy Greta and Valdin! It has been my favorite read so far this year. 1mo
Liz_M I just bought The Birthday Party a few days ago. 1mo
See All 11 Comments
sarahbarnes That‘s a great haul! 😍 1mo
BarbaraBB Such a great haul! 1mo
Tamra I hope you love Birthday Party - it is agonizingly good! 1mo
Chelsea.Poole Oh wow! Great haul!! Currently reading Greta. So good so far! 1mo
TheKidUpstairs @AmyG Every review I've seen has been absolutely glowing, and my library doesn't have it! So I just had to get myself a copy :) 1mo
TheKidUpstairs @ChaoticMissAdventures @Chelsea.Poole Greta sounds sooo up my alley. I'm very excited for it. I think it's going to be my next read! 1mo
TheKidUpstairs @Liz_M @Tamra I've been so intrigued by the Litsy response to that one, I just had to check it out for myself! 1mo
TheKidUpstairs @sarahbarnes @BarbaraBB Thanks! It was a happy bookstore day :) I have a friend who works there who let me into their ARC shelves as well, so I brought home a couple that I may have to start with before I can get to these so I can bring them back, but North Woods and Greta and Valdin are definitely priority reads. 1mo
73 likes11 comments
quote
TheKidUpstairs
Turtle Diary | Russell Hoban
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Maybe our constant fear is that a generation of children will come along and say: "This is not a world, this is nothing, there's no way to live at all."

lil1inblue Oof. Excellent quote. 1mo
53 likes1 comment
blurb
TheKidUpstairs
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I've been living the audio books for non fiction lately, but are there not producers or someone checking pronunciations? This narrator was just talking about Polar Bears in Churchill, "Man-toh-bee-ah" and took me right out of it ?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️

Bookzombie Mispronounced words pull me out of stories too. 1mo
60 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
TheKidUpstairs
Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune | Katherine Howe, Anderson Cooper
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Pickpick

Quick and compelling read about the rise and fall of the Astor family. Cooper is an engaging storyteller, presenting a full picture of the storied family - the good, the bad, and the ugly. An intriguing portrait of Gilded Age NYC (and beyond) that looks beyond the glitz and glamour.

59 likes1 stack add
review
TheKidUpstairs
Bad Cree: A Novel | Jessica Johns
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Pickpick

What an awesome group of women. This one has been billed as horror, but I found that the horror elements were secondary to an atmospheric story of a family of women dealing with grief, love, trauma, and finding their way back to each other. There is so much love in this book and this family, the relationships are beautiful and heart felt.

Cont'd, and #CanadaReads thoughts in the comments

TheKidUpstairs There are definitely elements of horror, but I found it more eerie and unsettling rather than scare your pants off (which is a good thing, in my books!). The climax is great reading, but I was able to read it in the dark without chickening out 🤣. I'm excited to see what Johns writes next! 1mo
TheKidUpstairs #CanadaReads - there's a strong argument here for the theme of "one book to carry us forward", but anything genre fiction-ish always has an uphill battle and we'll see how well it's defended. There are some strong contenders this year! 1mo
76 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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TheKidUpstairs
Turtle Diary | Russell Hoban
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"I don't know whether I can keep going. A turtle doesn't have to decide every morning whether to keep on bothering, it just carries on. Maybe that's why man kills everything: envy."

Gissy Beautiful photo 🐢 I see some turtles when I go swimming in the area of San Juan. I also can see manatee and beautiful fish 🐠 🐟 1mo
63 likes1 comment
quote
TheKidUpstairs
Turtle Diary | Russell Hoban
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"Sometimes I think that the biggest difference between men and women is that more men need to seek out some terrible lurking thing in existence and hurl themselves upon it like Ahab with the White Whale. Women know where it lives but they can let it alone. Even in matriarchal societies, I doubt there were ever female Beowulfs. Women lie with gods and demons but they don't go looking for monsters to fight with."

Art: Nicola Durrant

review
TheKidUpstairs
Meet Me at the Lake | Carley Fortune
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Pickpick

I read it in a day.

A heartfelt missed connection romance, set in two of my favourite places: Toronto and cottage country. I liked Fern and Will, and I liked that Fortune played with the genre's tropes without falling into its traps. It was an enjoyable read, with depth and heart that keep it from being too fluffy.

Thoughts on #CanadaReads in the comments...

TheKidUpstairs
With regards to #CanadaReads - I do see an argument here to the theme of “one book to carry us forward“, it does deal with ideas that can fit - especially the idea of balancing responsibilities to yourself with responsibilities to family and community and does so in an accessible way. But I think it's going to be an uphill battle, and all will come down to how it is defended.
2mo
62 likes1 comment
review
TheKidUpstairs
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Pickpick

Oh my gosh, this book. Marra's writing is incredible, full of sentences, thoughts, and moments that stop you in your tracks. The way he situates his characters in time, everyone is simultaneously who they are, who they were, and who they will become, is beautifully effective (and shows his incredible craft, it could very easily be clunky in less skilled hands).

Thank you @Sapphire for including this on your #AuldLangSpine list!

@monalyisha

Suet624 I enjoy seeing this book pop up on Litsy. An absolute favorite of mine. 2mo
monalyisha This sounds very cool, conceptually! 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @monalyisha he walks that line incredibly well, of working with a cool concept of a different way to tell a story, but also remaining very readable and never losing the throughline of the primary story. I'm shocked that it is his debut, it's a very strong, solid, self assured style. 2mo
See All 7 Comments
Amiable This book broke my heart with the most beautiful prose. It‘s an incredible read. 2mo
Becker Yes the writing is beautiful. 2mo
Sapphire I remember that. Just being stopped cold by the beauty or power of a sentence or phrase. But it‘s the characters and their back stories that stay with me. 2mo
BkClubCare LOVELY 💕 2mo
63 likes1 stack add7 comments
review
TheKidUpstairs
Ten Steps to Nanette | Hannah Gadsby
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Pickpick

I was absolutely blown away by Nanette when I first watched it, and this audiobook adds so much to an already brilliant piece. Gadsby delves into their personal story, their unique journey to understanding themself, their traumas, failings, triumphs and their family. All with the same mix of humour, heart, emotion, and rage that characterized Nanette.

TheKidUpstairs And a handy dose of “Stop - Context Time!“ - historical and societal information about Australia, Tasmania, and the fight for LGBTQIA2S equality. It was an engaging, heartfelt, funny listen to make you think, laugh, cry, and get very very angry. You do not have to have watched Nanette to find value here, but it will probably make you want to watch!

(edited) 2mo
TheKidUpstairs TW - Gadsby states “there is no straight line through trauma“ and that is evident here. The traumas they have experienced are mentioned throughout, and (as trauma often comes in life) without warning. TW for assault, rape, violent and virulent homophobia 2mo
60 likes2 stack adds2 comments
quote
TheKidUpstairs
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"For months they'd run their fingers around the hem of their affection without once acknowledging the fabric."

Megabooks This is such a fantastic book!! 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @Megabooks I'm reading it very slowly and savoring it. The writing is exquisite. I love how he places characters in time - they are simultaneously who they are, who they were, and who they will be. It's so effective. 2mo
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blurb
TheKidUpstairs
Fall On Your Knees | Ann-Marie MacDonald
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The Women's Prize longlists have delivered some of my favourite reads over the past couple years. So, inspired by @vivastory and the #BookerDozen, I decided to look back at my top twelve reads from the history of the Women's/Orange Prize (Longlists, Shortlists, and Winners). Feel free to play along!

Margaret Atwood - Alias Grace
Ann Patchett - Bel Canto
Nicole Krauss - The History of Love
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Half of a Yellow Sun

👇

TheKidUpstairs Madeline Miller - Song of Achilles
Hannah Kent - Burial Rites
Pat Barker - The Silence of the Girls
Louise Kennedy - Trespasses
Becky Chambers - Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
Jhumpa Lahiri - The Namesake
Ann-Marie MacDonald - Fall on Your Knees
2mo
TheKidUpstairs Tomorrow, maybe the Giller for a good dose of #CanLit? 2mo
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TheBookHippie The History of Love one of my all time favs! 2mo
BarbaraBB Another great list! I have to find an overview of all nominated books but that shouldn‘t be too much of a problem! 2mo
BarbaraBB How weird that we don‘t have any similarities (just posted my #womensdozen)! 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @BarbaraBB true. Speaks to the strength of the selection! My original list was about 40 books to narrow down to these 12. 2mo
ShelleyBooksie Fall on your knees - what a book! Bell Canto has been on my shelf.for several years but I've not picked.it up 2mo
Chelsea.Poole I love these lists! Some here I haven‘t read so I‘ll have to add to my ever-growing list 😆 I also have really enjoyed several of your selections, namely 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @ShelleyBooksie I've been meaning to do a re-read of Fall on Your Knees since I saw the stage adaptation in Toronto last year. Such an exquisite gut-punch of a novel. And Bel Canto was my first Patchett, I fell in love with it. It was always my favourite of hers (but Tom Lake just may have passed it - it was as near to perfect as a book can get, IMO) 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @Chelsea.Poole Ah, the joys of a never-ending, ever-growing TBR! 2mo
Ruthiella Great idea! 2mo
vivastory This was such a great idea! 2mo
CarolynM Great idea. I will get on to it🙂 2mo
ShelleyBooksie I'm listening to Tom Lake on audio right now (my first Patchett). Meryl Streeps voice is an amazing narrator. 2mo
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blurb
TheKidUpstairs
Alias Grace: A Novel | Margaret Atwood
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Alright @vivastory here it is! My #BookerDozen

Margaret Laurence - The Fire-Dwellers
Penelope Fitzgerald - The Bookshop
Margaret Atwood - Alias Grace
Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go
Peter Carey - True History of the Kelly Gang
Sarah Waters - Fingersmith
Zadie Smith - On Beauty
Eleanor Catton - The Luminaries
Laila Lalami - The Moor's Account
Maggie Shipstead - Great Circle
Audrey Magee - The Colony
Selby Wynn Schwarz - After Sappho

Ruthiella Fantastic list! We‘ve some overlap and many others are on my TBR. I hovered over The Bookshop, but ultimately didn‘t include it because my absolute favorite from P. Fitzgerald is 2mo
TheBookHippie I still need to get After Sappho and read it!!!! 2mo
Sapphire The Blue Flower is on my TBR as I am reading through “tookie‘s” list of short perfect novels from Erdrich‘s The Sentence” 2mo
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BarbaraBB Fantastic choices. Still need to read 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @Sapphire @Ruthiella The Bookshop is the only one of hers I've read, I always mean to read more, but "so many books so little time" 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @Sapphire I really need to copy down those lists - I LOVED The Sentence 2mo
Sapphire @TheKidUpstairs the ones I have read so far have all been amazing except Mrs Dalloway. Struggling with that one. 2mo
vivastory What a great list! I nearly added “The Moor's Account“ to mine. I read that years ago & still think about it. There's a few on your list that are def on my TBR, high among them are the Fitzgerald & the Shipstead 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @vivastory The Moor's Account was proof that sometimes you CAN judge a book by its cover. Totally picked it up because the cover was 😍, then got swept into the story inside. 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @BarbaraBB it was my first Peter Carey, and remains one of my favourites! 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @Sapphire I feel like Woolf is a love her or hate her author. Her writing always feels like a bit of a battle, but I've always found that it sticks with me long after a book is finished! 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @TheBookHippie yes! It's so beautiful and intriguing and ethereal. It is women's stories told in a way that feels so deeply female, that refuses to bow to male conventions of form. 2mo
Sapphire @TheKidUpstairs I will persist. It‘s a classic, and hits the short perfect novels list and my #19202025 2mo
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review
TheKidUpstairs
The Future | Catherine Leroux
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Pickpick

Absolutely phenomenal.

In an alternate, French Detroit, society is crumbling, nature is watching, children are living in a world of clashing imagination and reality in encampments in the forest. Gloria arrives to search for her granddaughters following the unsolved murder of her estranged daughter. As the community of adults, the community of children, and the community of nature begin to cross each others boundaries, change becomes possible

TheKidUpstairs Leroux's writing (and Ouriou's translation) is beautiful, poetic, engaging. A vein of magical realism runs through as nature reclaims, protects, and breaths alongside the world that men made and destroyed. This is writing you feel in your chest. These characters, whether adults, children, animals, or magic, are so genuine and deeply felt. This one will stay with me for a long, long time.

#CanadaReads
2mo
BarbaraBB What a review! Absolutely stacked!! 2mo
batsy This sounds intriguing! 2mo
63 likes4 stack adds3 comments
review
TheKidUpstairs
Shut Up You're Pretty | Ta Mutonji, Tea Mutonji
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Pickpick

An exceptionally raw, dark, difficult collection of stories that visit Loli at various points in her life. Themes of belonging, immigration, grief, poverty, and sexualization leave a pit in the stomach. This collection is well written, and engaging, and I'm glad to have read it, but it is a difficult one to recommend because it is unrelenting in its grit and dark. I didn't feel any glimpses of hope or light to balance.

cont'd in comments...

TheKidUpstairs While I'm glad to have read this, and it worked for me on its own merits as a story collection, as a #CanadaReads selection, it did not work. The theme this year is “One book to carry us forward“ and I didn't feel anything in this collection to move us past the story at hand, past the stagnant present of Loli trapped by history, unaddressed traumas, and societal circumstance. cont'd in next comment... 2mo
TheKidUpstairs I also feel like, two years after Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez was a finalist, featuring another Galloway book rubs me the wrong way. I used to live in Scarborough, my husband is from there (blocks away from the neighbourhood these books take place in). People who aren't from Scarborough hear the name, and Galloway is what they often think of: low income, crime riddled area. But Scarborough is so much more (cont'd in next comment...) 2mo
TheKidUpstairs ...Scarborough is the size of the rest of Toronto's boroughs combined. It is an incredibly diverse part of the city. And featuring a second Galloway-set book so soon after Scarborough in some ways plays into the stereotypes that people have about it. And I don't see how that can move us forward.

It will be interesting to see how this one is championed!
2mo
59 likes3 comments
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TheKidUpstairs
The Future | Catherine Leroux
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"Tears look out of place on this face marked by stubbornness and the bodies of others, like a crack in a diamond."

review
TheKidUpstairs
Denison Avenue | Christina Wong
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Pickpick

The story of Wong Cho Sum navigating grief, aging, and a changing neighbourhood is full of emotion, beauty, and grit. Told in alternating styles - literary realism comingles with poetry - the silences and blank spaces offer a profound moment of pause and speak to the disorientation, confusion, and grief Cho Sum experiences. There are also plenty of beautiful moments of hope and connection within the community. (cont'd in comments)

TheKidUpstairs ... For those familiar with Toronto's streetscape, the choice to set the book prior to the closure of Honest Ed's brings a familiarity and immediacy to the themes of a changing, gentrifying cityscape. Honest Ed's (“Chaan Lau“ to Cho Sum) serves as a touchpoint throughout the story - mentions of a sales, signs, and landmark building abound - and it is of course no more.

(cont'd in next comment)
2mo
TheKidUpstairs ... Daniel Innes' illustrations of a changing Chinatown and Kensington Market are beautiful and incredibly detailed, but in the digital version I read they were relegated to an addendum after the novel. I think they would have been more effective peppered throughout the story. I'd be interested to know if the physical book is the same format?

A strong contender for #CanadaReads
2mo
BarbaraBB Wow, I am now super interested while I hadn‘t heard of it until now! 2mo
57 likes3 comments
blurb
TheKidUpstairs
The Future | Catherine Leroux
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Canada Reads 2024 contenders have been announced! It's an interesting, diverse mix of genres, styles, stories, and champions. Tagged is the one I'm most excited about (and championed by Heather O'Neill? Amazing), but I'm going to read them all, and I could see Bad Cree or Denison Avenue usurping The Future for my top pick.

Anyone else reading the #CanadaReads selections this year?

TheKidUpstairs Tagging the other titles in the comments 2mo
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Prairiegirl_reading Meet me at the lake? That‘s not a typical Canada reads pick at all! 2mo
LiseWorks I was listening to the Introductions this morning on the radio. I never read any of their books. P 2mo
JacqMac Those are the top three picks I‘m most interested in as well. The list is a little surprising this year. 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @Prairiegirl_reading yeah, I have a feeling that will be the first one out. 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @JacqMac It is a little surprising, but the Longlist was an odd one too, with what felt like lots of lighter contemporary fiction choices. I love a good light read, but it doesn't feel like there's much there for debate? I've started reading Denison Avenue and so far it's excellent, and I've heard nothing but good things about Bad Cree. But I've heard pretty meh reviews about Shut Up You're Pretty (1/2)... 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @JacqMac ...(2/2) and Meet me at the Lake, while I've heard it's a good read, doesn't feel like there's much there for debate and discussion. The Future sounds great, and the fact that Heather O'Neill is championing it just makes me more excited to read it. We'll see how it goes though, a solid debater can turn the tide! 2mo
janeycanuck I‘ve had Bad Cree on the shelf for ages so I‘ll move it up the list and Denison Avenue sounds interesting but the rest of the list doesn‘t really do it for me. 2mo
BookishTrish Ive read three so far and am very curious how they handle Meet Me At The Lake in the debates. I predict it gets voted off first. 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @BookishTrish which three have you read? I agree, I think Lake will be voted off first. 2mo
BookishTrish @TheKidUpstairs The Future, Bad Cree, Meet Me at the Lake so far. 2mo
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review
TheKidUpstairs
The Order of Time | Carlo Rovelli
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Pickpick

An interesting read. Rovelli brings a sense of poetry and playfulness to a complex topic that makes it engaging and accessible. I think I'd still need another listen (or five) to begin to grasp some of the strands here, but it is worth exploring. (And with Benedict Cumberbatch narrating the audio, I don't mind spending extra time listening!)

#AuldLangSpine @Sapphire @monalyisha

monalyisha I‘m sure I‘d feel similarly! 2mo
Sapphire I agree about Benedict Cumberbatch! I found this book originally because one of my favorite authors recommended it on her fb page - Mary Doria Russell. 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @Sapphire I've always looked Rovelli's books at the library and then passed them over, too intimidated, so I appreciate the push to try. I'll definitely read others now. I've never read any of Russell's work either, which is your favourite? 2mo
Sapphire The Sparrow is my favorite and had the most impact on me personally. But Dreamers of the day is timely now with all going on in the Middle East. I loved Doc as well. Each of her books is very different. The sparrow has been called “Jesuits in space” but is also probably the truest to her roots as an anthropologist. 2mo
rabbitprincess Hahaha the Benedict Cumberbatch narration is the reason I have this book 😂 2mo
61 likes5 comments
blurb
TheKidUpstairs
The Jolly Pocket Postman | Janet Ahlberg, Allan Ahlberg
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Thank you to our lovely #MidwinterSolace hosts for this little envelope of happy that arrived today. My kids are back in school and I can finally take some time to breath into the quiet, so it really was the perfect timing for a beautiful pick me up package. I absolutely love Owls, and Owls in head gear are even better 😊

@TheBookHippie @AllDebooks @Chrissyreadit

TheBookHippie Phew that took awhile! I‘m so glad you enjoy it!! 2mo
AllDebooks Cute🦉😍 2mo
IndoorDame ♥️🦉♥️ 2mo
62 likes3 comments
quote
TheKidUpstairs
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"... that utopian mirage cooked up by cruel young men who gave their mustaches more care than their morality..."

God, Marra can write. I keep having to stop and read sentences multiple times because they're just so carefully, pointedly, beautifully crafted.

#AuldLangSpine @Sapphire @monalyisha

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review
TheKidUpstairs
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Pickpick

A fun and quick cozy mystery, set at a GBBO type reality competition. Nothing ground breaking or world shaking, but good entertainment nonetheless!

69 likes4 stack adds
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TheKidUpstairs
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"With heavy breaths they shaped the air. No prophet had augured this end. Neither the sounding of trumpets nor the beating of seraphic wings had heralded this particular field, with this particular girl, holding his particular hand."

#AuldLangSpine @Sapphire @monalyisha

Amiable This book was breathtaking -- I read it several years ago and I still think about it. 2mo
Suet624 @Amiable same. I think I may be in the mood for a reread. 2mo
Megabooks Marra is a treasure! 2mo
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Sapphire @CBee was right when she told me , these characters stay with you. It was on my list from her in 23 and made my list in 24. I wonder if @monalyisha spreadsheets track how many times a title travels list to list :). You could do a stats dissertation on it lol 2mo
monalyisha @Sapphire Unfortunately, stats and spreadsheets aren‘t my passion. For me, they‘re a necessary evil. 😆 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @Sapphire I love seeing those “domino reads“ :) I generally have at least one on my list that came from my previous year's match - just goes to show what a great bookish matchmaker @monalyisha is! 2mo
Sapphire @monalyisha this makes me love you all the more for the hard work you do to bring us all such joy 2mo
Sapphire @TheKidUpstairs amen to that! This just my second year 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @Megabooks I'm only just starting this one, but his writing is sublime! 2mo
TheKidUpstairs @Amiable @Suet624 I'm only just beginning, but Marra's writing is spectacular. I can't believe this is a debut! His sentences are beautifully crafted, but also with an incredibly engaging narrative. 2mo
CBee @Sapphire that makes my heart happy ♥️ @TheKidUpstairs I‘m so glad you‘re enjoying it! (edited) 2mo
Suet624 I remember being shocked it was a debut too. It‘s an amazing book. 2mo
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review
TheKidUpstairs
Fault Lines | Emily Itami
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Pickpick

An engaging, deeply felt portrait of motherhood and womanhood in a society that places heavy constrictions on both those roles. Mizuki is such a wonderful character, and I loved spending time with her as she wrestles space for herself and reckons with choices made. She is witty, thoughtful, wild, loving, sometimes selfish, and created by Itami with such heart and without judgement.

A great start to #AuldLangSpine and 2024 reading!

@Sapphire

monalyisha A beautiful review! 2mo
BarbaraBB Wonderful review. I had it stacked already, will definitely be on the lookout for it! 2mo
Sapphire That is a great summary! So happy it resonated with you! 2mo
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blurb
TheKidUpstairs
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2023 wrap-up!

I actually read 146 titles, Storygraph doesn't have some of the indie Canadian plays I was reading in 2023, but it's close enough! I'm glad funny made some gains on the dark slice, and I am entirely unsurprised that emotional and reflective are my top moods of the year!

BarbaraBB I have exactly the same moods 🖤 3mo
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