Welcome to Litsy!

I liked this but didn't love it. Maybe because it's an election year, I was craving some D.C. stories. I had binge watched and rewatched some of my favorite shows like West Wing and Veep, and started some I'd never seen like Designated Survivor and Scandal, but just couldn't get enough. So I listened to this audiobook and it hit the spot. Not as many Obama anecdotes as I was expecting, but a nice little sneak peak into the author's experience.

Didn't realise this was supposed to be a YA advice book when I picked it up as the blurb was a little misleading. However, that was not the real issue - it was the non-chronological nature of this that threw me. At each section, I was trying to place where she was in her life.
#roll100

Long on my TBR, I was underwhelmed, overall. Full review to come.

This is from my December TBR list for #WinterGames2021 #TeamGameSleighers @StayCurious

#WrapItUpReadathon @keys_on_fire

I don't know if I'm biased because I love Alyssa from Hysteria (crooked media podcast) but I completely loved this book. It's funny and honest and inspiring and all around awesome.

Sadly, I ended up disappointed in this. Mastromonaco is clearly an incredibly smart & talented woman yet this felt unorganized, disjointed and confusing.

Book 12 for #bookspinbonanza

This is an interesting one to rate. I really did enjoy it, but at the same time I don‘t think it was at all what the title/blurb suggested it was going to be. It‘s perhaps a little heavy on the advice, but it‘s told in an entertaining way. I did also feel like it jumped around quite a bit and wasn‘t as chronological as I would have liked, but overall a good read, especially if you‘re interested in Alyssa‘s career and women in politics. 4🌟

“The Roosevelt Room is a stately conference space where FDR once kept an aquarium and several mounted fish; today, it‘s decorated in subtle beiges, with a painting of Teddy on a horse in Rough Riders gear and a little statue of a buffalo. It was there that I announced the West Wing would be installing a tampon dispenser in the woman‘s restroom that day. No one said a word, but it felt really good” 🙌🏼

8 Books to Read Based on Your Favorite Podcast

https://www.nikhilbook.com/2019/11/books-favorite-podcast-editorial-blurbs.html?...

Finally home for a bit, loving my couch, my Netflix, and my most recent read (suffering through outlander withdrawals is real!!). Thrilled to hear the perspective of a woman who has had one of the most unique vantage points on leadership!

“Women need to know they‘re right before they stand up. Men are OK objecting if they just think they might be right”

This wasn't necessarily bad, but a similar book that is much, much better is Dan Pfeifer's "Yes We (Still) Can: Politics in the Age of Obama, Trump, and Twitter."

April book reviews! http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/05/books-i-read-in-april.html

Devoured this quick listen in one day. Alyssa shares her experience, and growing pains, of being a woman in a leadership role in politics. I appreciate her candor, humor, and advice. I always love some good Obama stories. 😊 #MountTBR #LitsyAtoZ #LetterW #ReadingUSA2019 #DC

Well at least now I don't have to write a review. #whyareyourehasingthebookiamcurrentlyreadinginthebookimcurrentlyreading?

This book was really well done! I loved hearing the author‘s insider, West Wing-esque perspective on my favorite presidency. I‘ve never wanted to go into politics but I appreciated how much she focused on advice for women who strive for that. It made me cry because I miss Obama so much, so now I‘m not sure if I‘m emotionally ready to start Becoming 😭

I'm loving Alyssa Mastromonaco so much.

I need this woman to teach me her ways.

This is so freaking timely. I moved in May, gave birth to my son in August and now that things have settled down, I miss working in my old library so much. It hurts to think about someone else doing the work that I loved so much but that's life, I guess.

She is smart and funny. He is gentle but strong. It‘s a good #audiobook. #Politics #PoliticalMemoir

“That might be the difference between men and women: Women need to know they are right before they stand up. Men are OK objecting if they just think they might be right. I thought, but I didn‘t know”... I might be more man if this quote is anything to go by🤔

TBT to when you could still eat ice cream outside and read 💨🧤😡

Highly entertaining, and WOW, what a crazy job Mastromonaco had, though from the outside, looks like she pulled it off seamlessly.

Interesting to hear insights and tidbits about working for politicians and in the White House.

I like Mastromonico, despite her awful taste in music. She narrates her own story well. The problem is that there‘s not much story. She spends a lot of time discussing her clothes and if you take away the famous names, her story isn‘t any more interesting than yours or mine.
For a young woman pondering her next move after school or career choice, this is a fun and useful book. For the rest of us, it‘s Mindy Kaling goes to The White House. #24in48

The only way to get in some reading for #24in48 today.

That moment when you go to pick up 2 books that you put on hold, but you have an extra one waiting for you ❤️❤️❤️

I started this book yesterday, hoping to add another quick read to my monthly stats. It‘s an interesting look at the author‘s work in politics interspersed with career/life advice for readers. There are a lot of behind the scenes details and I think those details are what ultimately caused me to lose interest.

#SHEROsunday

This book is aimed at 15-25 year old women and I could tell I was older than the target demographic. But as someone who loves politics it was fun to read about how she moved up from a Kerry campaign worker to Obama‘s deputy chief of staff at age 32. A mix of anecdotes and advice it provided a cool look inside working in the White House and the dedication it takes to achieve so much at a young age. A bit rushed feeling, but fun.

Oh damn! I just deleted this audiobook by mistake! 😩I was halfway through and was enjoying it. It is a memoir, not totally about the Obama White House. I‘m pleasantly surprised at how no one here bad mouths the opposition. They treat everyone respectfully, and everyone works so hard to get it right. The title? The words Obama used when someone screwed up. I‘ll say it again; the respect and professionalism shown is missing today.

This book was kind of a hodgepodge of memoir and advice column for younger women. Unless you are a devotee of the Obama staff you may become confused about who she‘s talking about throughout the book. But it didn‘t matter to me. I loved her Obama stories - I sure do miss that guy - and her wit. She had a very difficult job and I respect her for what she was able to accomplish.

If you know anything about me, it‘s that I love Vermont and that I worked with Bernie Sanders for years. Mastromonaco was an intern in Bernie‘s office and everything she says here is true. Of note, she highlights the fact that staffers were more interested in helping constituents than moving up the ladder and, now that I think about it, that‘s no small thing. ❤️

Hilarious and honest and better than any episode of the West Wing (and I effing LOVE that show). This book gave me serious Obama feels. The nostalgia!!

Wait just a second. I‘ve never heard someone admit to the fact that they usually dislike someone before they like them! I‘ve always been embarrassed that I do this too. Once I like you, you‘re a friend for life but it takes me a bit of time to warm up. And sensitivity has a lot to do with that. This woman! She‘s short, she loves politics, and she‘s worked with Bernie Sanders so there‘s that too. Twinsies!

Funny, chatty, and highly entertaining, Mastromonaco gives readers a peek into what life as a White House staffer was actually like, and her unique perspective as a 30-something female in her position is what truly sets this approachable memoir apart. And lest any readers may be tempted to shy away from a political memoir, she manages to share her memories and inside look into D.C. in a way that people from any political affiliation can enjoy it.

I finally finished! Not the best book I've read lately-it jumps around in time & there are so many people & their nicknames to keep track of, but it was entertaining & being both an Obama fan & a bit of a "behind the scenes at the White House junkie" (West Wing I miss you!) I really enjoyed the glimpses into the author's world. I'm not the demographic for the career advice she adds, so that part didn't resonate with me as much as the inside look.

I was 30-ish minutes early for an appointment this morning so I stopped in Barnes & Noble to grab a copy of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner for my food & movie blogging event. I had time leftover for a soy latte & apple tart--and a few pages of this book.

This book was ok. The stories are quick and feel very condensed. Although it's explained why she does it, the stories are not chronological and I felt that impeded the flow. The book is meant to inspire young twenty-something women not to be afraid to go into politics, and I think for that, it does its job. I'd feel comfortable getting it my for my nieces when they are old enough 😊

#FierceFeb #DearMrPresident 📃Dear Mr. President, Please come back! 😢🙏🏻❤️I know that the song (written for Bush) fits other Presidents better, but after reading about Trump & his campaign in 'Unbelievable' by Katy Tur, I long even more for President Obama & so I started this one. Snuck in a little reading over lunch earlier--leftover Potato-Leek Soup with Fried Capers from Sunday. 🍲📚❤️

This was a nice, quick audiobook that has some sound career advice and interesting peeks into (stressfully) working in the White House. The whole time I kept thinking “she‘s trying so hard to be like Mindy Kaling,” only to have her reveal that Kaling‘s first book is one of her faves. 🤷🏽‍♀️

I found parts of this book quite interesting but the book itself doesn't flow very well. The author at one point outlines why the book isn't written chronologically but what she was aiming to do didn't really work. I kept get lost about which campaign and which part of her career things occurred. Overall not a bad read. Obama comes across in the book as a strong decent leader and human being. No surprise there.

This was not the best book ever written. At times it was even a little annoying. But it was worth every second of time to get a better understanding of the workings at the White House. My respect for Barack Obama is even greater. Overall I do recommend it.

Who would DOOOO such a thing? 😩

(The Drunk Austen Facebook page strikes again.)

While everyone else is reading 'Fire and Fury' at the moment, I thought I would start to read this instead.

Reason Number 15,379 why I miss Obama:

Speaking of federal response to disaster relief:

“I want to make sure we‘re sending enough feminine products to the Gulf Coast. I‘ve heard they really need that. Diapers and feminine products - that‘s what people need.”

I‘m a bit disappointed with this one.

Yes, there were some amusing anecdotes and a glimpse into the character of American politics, but sometimes I found it flippant and flighty.

I‘m not a prude, but swearing that much just shows a lack of creativity.

I DID really enjoy the author‘s focus on helpful character traits like self-awareness, independence, humility and kindness.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh how I miss Obama.... listened to this on #audio and enjoyed her experiences working in politics.

Excuse the lighting--it was 0-dark-thirty when I got to the coffeeshop this morning. I have a plan to do my email, a blog post, finish up some minor busy work & some catch-up reviews on Goodreads, then run by the grocery store since I'm already parked at the center & get out--or bail early if the holiday madness gets too much.😬#worktheplan👍Starting the morning with a sun-dried tomato bagel with lox & a cinnamon-honey soy latte. #alohafriday🌺🎄

Me: you know what will make me feel less cranky? I‘ll organize the books I bought on my trip home and put them all away.
Also me: This is Hell, who thought putting books away was a good idea????