We reflect on another year of incredible (and sometimes not-so-incredible) reads! In this fun and insightful episode, we share our top book picks of the year—stories that captivated our imaginations and stayed with us long after the final page. But it's not all sunshine and roses! We also dive into the books that fell flat, disappointed, or didn't live up to the hype.

Spoiler: Not every book is a winner! From thrillers that missed the mark to classics that didn't resonate, we are open and more honest than ever.

But it's not all about the misses! Tune in to hear the stories that swept us off our feet and the lessons we learned along the way. Plus, we discuss trends we noticed this year in our reading habits and what we're looking forward to tackling next season.

Highlights from This Episode:

Listener Question: What was your favorite book of the year? Did you read anything you wish you hadn't? Share your thoughts with us on social media using the hashtag #LITSocietyPodcast.

Support the Show:

Love LIT Society? Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe! Visit our website for exclusive merch, including our Digital Reading Journal designed by Kari, and follow us on Patreon, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @LITSocietyPod.

Join the Conversation:

What books are you looking forward to next year? Share your TBR list with us, and let's inspire each other to keep reading!

Links & Resources:

Thanks for listening, LIT Lovers!

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From an award-winning, multihyphenate global entertainer comes one of the most anticipated books of the year - the inspiring guide to understanding your genuine value and identity based on her real-life experience conquering her industry for decades.

The book: Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative

The author: Keke Palmer

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On a distant planet, a team of scientists is conducting surface tests, shadowed by their company-supplied droid. This self-aware security unity has hacked its governor module and refers to itself as MURDERBOT.

The book: All Systems Red

The author: Martha Wells

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World War II is over, and peace reigns in American suburbia. Under a tree in the Keller family's placid backyard, planted to commemorate a son missing in action, Chris Keller courts Ann, the charming, forthright young woman his brother left behind. But their growing passion disturbs the surface calm of the Keller household. When a storm blows down the memorial tree, a family secret is uprooted, setting the characters on a terrifying journey toward truth.

The play: All My Sons

The playwright: Arther Miller

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* Synopsis from play.

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A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , both harrowing and ferociously funny, told from the enslaved Jim's point of view.

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* Synopsis from Goodreads.

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Thanks to her lying ex-husband, Finlay juggles two kids, a deadline for her next book and her sanity. If that's not enough, she soon finds herself working against the Russian Mafia as the prime suspect in the disappearance of one of their top men! Will she escape this predicament without losing her kids and her freedom?

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Before we dive into the plot, we discuss Terrible Crimes Solved in Surprising Ways. Source for this discussion: Business Insider: 5 real crimes that were solved in unbelievable ways. https://www.businessinsider.com/crimes-twists-history-2018-2.

NOTE: Kari gets a little passionate in this episode, but it should be made clear that we both respect the work of authors and appreciate the stories they produce.

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White Nights is a short story by Fyodor Dostoevsky that was published in 1848. Set in St. Petersburg, it is the story of a young man fighting his inner restlessness. A light and tender narrative, it delves into the torment and guilt of unrequited love. Both protagonists suffer from a deep sense of alienation that initially brings them together. A blend of romanticism and realism, the story appeals gently to the senses and feelings.

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(Book summary partially from Goodreads)

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Notes on Grief is an exquisite work of meditation, remembrance, and hope, written in the wake of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's beloved father's death in the summer of 2020. As the COVID-19 pandemic raged around the world and kept Adichie and her family members separated from one another, her father succumbed unexpectedly to complications of kidney failure. Full of honesty and agony, her essay gives us the words we try desperately to find when grieving.

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Source material for the theme of the week: https://www.healthline.com/health/stages-of-grief

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(Book summary partially from Goodreads)

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Grace and Jack are gorgeous newlyweds, swimming in money and success. They seem to have it all. They may even tempt you toward jealousy. Look closer, however. Ask yourself why Grace doesn't have a phone or email address, where her friends are, and what she does all day in that enormous house while he's at work. Ask yourself, "What's really going on behind their closed doors?"

The book: Behind Closed Doors

The author: B.A. Paris

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How to Survive a Plane Crash:

• https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/how-to-survive-plane-crash

Six minutes after takeoff, Flight 1421 crashed into the Pacific Ocean. During the evacuation, an engine explodes, and the plane is flooded. Those still alive are forced to close the doors—but it's too late. The plane sinks to the bottom with twelve passengers trapped inside.

Engineer Will Kent and his eleven-year-old daughter Shannon are waist-deep in water and fighting for their lives more than two hundred feet below the surface. (Summary by Goodreads)

THE BOOK: Drowning

THE AUTHOR: T.J. Newman

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