⭐️⭐️⭐️ “If I had been allowed to walk, it would‘ve been on eggshells.” Such an impactful line. But, I‘m conflicted. No doubt the mom was in the wrong. Like, severely. Lady was the gaslight queen, and had to be mentally unstable. Yet, I don‘t trust Gypsy fully. This was a decent read, but content-wise, there are some obvious inconsistencies. The amount of manipulation from all involved is wild.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A truth-is-stranger-than-fiction absolute romp through Elwood‘s years in public relations. When creating clever spins, slightly untrue, and blatantly false narratives is your job, and your clients are people like freaking Gadaffi, you have some stories. A very engaging read!

I just have to share this text exchange because it totally made my day! A friend and I started an IRL book club 3 years by creating a fb group and opening it up to moms in our county. We have maintained a core group of about 10 members including this amazing woman. Books bonding people and changing lives. She‘s become one of my closest friends, too. 🩷📖✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I was never a fan of JoJo‘s music, but I‘m a sucker for a celebrity memoir. This was pretty juicy, y‘all. And anytime an artist can expose the music industry for what it is, or what it has a propensity to be, I say good on them. A solid audiobook, narrated by the author.

🦄🦄🦄🦄 Phoebe #19! Cute collection mostly revolving around friendship and the perplexities of being 9 years old, and being best friends with a very sparkly mythical creature.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Cohen seems a bit self-indulgent, and is definitely repetitive, but it‘s never a bad thing to keep an unsolved story in the public eye. Lauren Spierer deserves to be remembered and respected. Sadly, it seems like whatever happened, regardless of the proposed scenarios, likely occurs more than we know. Holding out hope that one day someone finally talks. Because someone absolutely knows.

I‘m the only one awake. This never happens. 📖🎄☕️

Grabbing some chapters at basketball practice. Trying to ignore the squeaks and dribbles! 😂

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you‘ve also cackled at, and identified with, Morgan‘s standup, you‘ll love this! It‘s largely traditional memoir told with sincerity and her signature southern humor. She delves into a few of her most famous clips, too. Must, must, must go audio here. Her drawl is a character of its own, and her delivery is everything. She proves that you‘re never too old to find your way and do what you love.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A literal light in the dark saved her life. Rubin and her roommate were asleep in the FSU Chi Omega house when Bundy brutally attacked them. She survived and testified. Incredible will and bravery. With this book, Rubin continues to take back the power. The narrative of the handsome, charming, intelligent killer, and naive, foolish female victims is not it. It‘s simply not true. She‘s no fan of Ann Rule‘s depictions. Read this book.

⭐️⭐️ The #SouthernReachTrilogy did not need a “surprise 4th volume.” The final section was an utterly ridiculous stream of consciousness with what felt like 2000 f-bombs. The story got lost in f*cks. Literally. Truly a bad artistic choice. Additionally, I‘m no less confused now than I was after reading the original trilogy. Unsuccessful expeditions, weird rabbits, cryptic eyes, word-writing moss. I don‘t care about Area X anymore.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ If this had been around 300 pages, it would‘ve been a cute holiday romance, but at nearly 500 pages? A corny holiday contest doesn‘t need that much explaining. Get. To. The. Point. Honey. We all know where it‘s going, let‘s get there efficiently. Giving a third star because I needed a no-brainer, but I‘m still salty about the page count. Not in a hurry to read Quinn again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A family visits their favorite Cape Cod cottage where they‘ve amassed so many memories. The kids are now grown, yet still young. Their interactions are relatable, sweet, brutally honest, and often funny. But there are secrets, too; accidental and intentional. The idea of preemptive grief hit home. Being a human is hard. Identifying with others is paramount. It‘s a quick read, but packed with a ton of heart. One of my best of 2024!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A must read for all women; for all humans. Why would you not strive to learn more about our species? I didn‘t expect to laugh out loud so much. Not in a funny haha way, but at the preposterousness of the things people believed, and continue to not understand, about women and their bodies. Stop telling us our “issues” are psychosomatic simply because you don‘t know, nor care to find out, the answer!! Such a good read.

🦄🦄🦄🦄 Another cute installment! This one focuses on being uniquely you. We all need this reminder now and then. And we‘re never too old for middle grade graphic novels/collections.

⭐️⭐️ Tana French is the slow burn mystery queen, but good lord, was this an absolute slog! Dublin Murder Squad books 1-4 were much more compelling. Was she going for dark academia? The idea of original sin, and a group of girls who vowed to do something they‘re scared of, and also a boy they all desired but who was also an asshole? I just couldn‘t care about this story. I‘ll still read her again, though.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Hannah is devastatingly bored and lonely. This delves into the psyche of the women who fall in love with incarcerated killers. Only it‘s not really that serious. I‘m not sure if this is meant to be satire but I choose to see it that way. I‘m not sure what the think. William was more of an idea than a reality to Hannah. She was a bit delulu. A soft pick.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Annual #reread. My seventh time! And I listened to the audio because you really must with Sedaris. Delivery is everything! I‘m recycling last year‘s review: This is definitely not for everyone, but it‘s 100% for me. Dark as hell, but so funny, especially the personal essays.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Anonymous,” AKA a Utah woman named Beatrice Sparks, becomes famous for essentially fabricating hot-button, “diaries” of troubled young people. Did she help define the YA genre? Sure. But that doesn‘t mean her tactics weren‘t problematic. Had the author and publishers been honest, would we still be talking about this? Had we known they were indeed fiction from the onset, would anyone care?

⭐️⭐️⭐️ A frequently challenged book that I finally picked up after it, as well as its debunker, Unmask Alice, were both recently referenced on a podcast (I can‘t remember which one). Originally published by “Anonymous,” this claimed to be a real diary written by a real girl who gets mixed up with all the drugs. The controversy over its authenticity is fascinating, and absolutely influenced my opinion.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Phoebe is figuratively in a bad place, yet literally in a gorgeous hotel overrun by a massive wedding. It is immediately assumed she‘s one of the “Wedding People.” Poignancy and hilarity ensue. A bit of seriousness; a bit of satire. Even the kind of awful characters were amusing. Another solid “Read With Jenna” pick!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ In a cult of full of bigots, DC Stephenson was Grand Asshole. In 1920s Indiana, the KKK was infiltrating the government and its agencies under the guise of morality warriors. Charlatans are slithery, and stop at nothing, especially fear, to amass support. The heinous assault of Madge Oberholtzer, and her brave deathbed proclamations, brought this so-called moral, religious man down. A big “thanks” to my FIL for this rec!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Food and other miscellany presented in a loose diary form plus a few sporadic recipes. Many delicious meals, and some not so much, a fair amount of wine, and a ton of familial love. He speaks of food as memories, and I totally felt that; like how a song elicits the same. If you haven‘t read his memoir Taste, start there. I could listen to Tucci read all day. Soothing tone, and he‘s low-key hilarious.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Heard about this book on the Murder in America Podcast. A Canadian doctor murders her American doctor boyfriend in Pennsylvania, then flees to Canada. The extradition process is a nightmare, and here‘s the kicker, she‘s pregnant with his baby. Penned by the victim‘s dad, David Bagby, this is well organized and written, and beyond a memoir, it‘s also a commentary on the justice system failures which resulted in the death of a baby.

A sweet acrostic from my 10 year old son on my 43rd (how?!) birthday. 💚 Rizzful, indeed.

With this guy, and a 12 year old, gen alpha slang is killing me a slow and obnoxious death.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I had the privilege of hearing Watson speak at Southern Festival of Books. Here, she teaches us the history of Black Portland through three lifelong friends. As they navigate life in general, they speak to micro- and macro-aggressions regarding skin color and body size. An accurate portrayal of female friendship; simultaneously painfully honest and dishonest, with a permeating theme of self-love. Watson‘s a poet at heart and it shows.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Loss, love, secrets, lies, and generally too much going on for my taste. But it was entertaining enough. Mourning the death of her mom, then a bad (good) break up, Iris seeks a geographical fix in NYC. She finds herself essentially immersed in a life that once belonged to her mother. Enjoyed the writing, but “liar revealed” tropes stress me the hell out. Nonetheless, it was an easy read to cap off our #bookclub year.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “It‘s never a matter of time, but a matter of timing.” A little hokey, but cute. A unique NYC apartment meddles in the love lives of its residents. Obviously, you need to suspend some belief here, but once you do, it‘s a very sweet and thoughtful story about love, change, and grief. Thanks to my good friend Rachel for the rec!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Attenberg is an expert at family dramas. She writes believable, often relatable characters and dialogue. I saw her speak two years ago; she‘s very cool and uniquely stylish. The kind of aura that makes you want grab a coffee with her. Multigenerational family stories are not something I‘m usually drawn to. I think it‘s because they often feel similar to one another. That‘s probably an unfair generalization, but 1-2 a year is all I can do.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A story of knowing what you don‘t want, rather than what you do. Three generations of tough, somewhat shunned, women, all unique in their strengths. Dorothy, aka Donkey, steals the show. I loved the symbolism of the rattler. An ouroboros; the circle of life. I picked this up after hearing Campbell speak at Southern Festival of Books. She‘s so sharp and funny! Meeting her was an absolute pleasure. Will def read more from her!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ I barely even know who Tendler‘s famous ex-husband is, and that‘s because I had to google him, so that held zero bearing on my opinion. Celeb gossip isn‘t my strong point. This is tough because everyone has a story to tell, and memoir lends itself to freedom of expression and self indulgence. The discussions around mental health were good, relatable. But some of this went off the rails for me. I didn‘t love it, nor the title / cover combo.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The woods weren‘t done with them. “Goddess Game” rituals took hold of three friends at a time they desperately needed to bond. These early friendships reminded me of myself and my two best friends at that age, only we worshiped at the altar of T Boz, Left Eye, and Chilli. I don‘t usually enjoy thrillers since they often lack character development, but this checked all the boxes, and was well-written. Couldn‘t put it down!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Definitely go audio here. Julia Roberts gives voice to the late Lisa Marie, who tragically passed during this memoir‘s writing. Keough narrates her own parts perfectly as well. At times, I wanted more detail, but this really was the right amount. Joyous and sad, much like most lives, though most of us didn‘t have a superstar father. Loved how this was organized. A must-read for memoir fans!

You‘ll float, too. 🎨🤡

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ellis blurs the lines of reality. This is quite the satirical waylaying of capitalism and sexism, which I loved. Brilliant at times even. HOWEVER. The animal cruelty and extreme sexual violence were so depraved, I nearly bailed multiple times, which I rarely do. Kept going because surely that was all in his head? I choose to believe it was. The gray ending works well to support this. Still, I‘ll never get over some of the scenes. NEVER. ⬇️

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Everything in life is a bit of scam if really you think about it. Comedian Laci Mosley, host of the titular podcast (which I‘ve yet to experience), lays out specific moments of her scammy life in relatable, often funny, essays. An enjoyable listen!

Campbell is a new-to-me author, and hearing her speak was such a treat, I had to buy her newest and meet her. She‘s a whole vibe and I love it!

Rachel Khong was so sweet and lovely! She also brought her own copy of Real Americans for all of us readers to sign which was so cool.

I hit up the Southern Festival of Books on Saturday. Loved hearing, and meeting Rachel Khong and Bonnie Jo Campbell. Renee Watson was also incredible, speaking about her first novel for adults (tagged). I would‘ve stayed longer, but we had family visiting from Colorado, so I felt like I could only ditch them for so long. 😂

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ King‘s stories that are laden with supernatural elements aren‘t nearly as scary to me as his more realistic ones. A coven of vampire-adjacent creatures are on the verge of dying out. They feed off of a certain kind of rare human. King connects this plot to the original story fairly seamlessly. Getting to know Dan Torrance decades after The Shining was a real treat. Abra is incredible, too.

I looove Will Patton. He‘s incredible w/ King.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This debut is book one in a rom-com series set in, and around, Nashville. Locals will definitely connect with the atmosphere and references. The meet cute caught me off guard and had me laughing my ass off! There are some super funny, relatable one-liners. I always appreciate a bit of satire. And the spice is spicing. I‘m friends with the author and she‘s a very cool book nerd. Looking forward to the next book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mary Shelley was a pioneering badass. It‘s difficult to grasp that she was 18 when penning this boldly and brilliantly written gothic horror tale; also considered one of the very first science fiction novels. Timeless themes along with creative structure and multiple points of view evoke an unexpected compassion. This was my fourth reading.

The books were so fun, the background was not. Love the outcome, though! 🎧🧩

#audiopuzzling

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Picked this up after hearing about it on Well-Read Podcast, co-hosted by my dear friend, and librarian, Ann (give her and Halle a listen)! The premise sounded pretty corny, but I really enjoyed this super cute seasonal-ish romance. The witchy parts are actually quite subtle. Adorable meet cute, but can the hex be broken? Just what I needed to break up the scary stuff I‘ve been devouring. Smart and fun debut! Will read El-Fassi again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ How does he do it? How does King make horror so human? The focus isn‘t fear, nor the horror elements, it‘s the people, and the mundanity of their everyday lives. The Terror lives on the periphery, waiting. A father enveloped in grief allows naiveté to take hold. Questionable decisions are made. “Sometimes dead is better,” honey. There are some conveniences in this plot, but they work. I‘m not mad about it.

#coverlove

Another gorgeous walk with my boy Champ. The leaves are slowly staring to turn here in middle Tennessee. 🍁🍂

#audiowalk

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Nightmare Momma,” or the “Woman with No Face, or the house itself? What‘s real, what‘s not? There is so much pain. Ezri and their sisters return to their mysterious childhood home after both parents are found dead. There‘s a lot to unpack, and it‘s challenging to describe. Literally and figuratively harrowing. Stunning writing.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Social commentary mixed with horror may seem like an odd combination, but honestly, it makes sense. Literal name-tag wearing demons are tasked with aiding in coercive conversion therapy. The realistic parts are the true terror. Other small details are a bit gag-worthy. Mayflies will never be viewed the same again. A solid read by an author whose real name is unknown. He seems an interesting fellow, indeed.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “She was crazy, but he needed her.” Rabid, unstable fan finds extremely drunk, injured author in snow bank, takes him home for torturous rehabilitation, forcing him to reprise her favorite character, or DIE. Terrible nurse, impeccable editor. Wilkes‘s speech patterns are hilarious considering how brutal she is. Cussing is unbecoming, but killing infants is okay. The “deus ex machina” conversation was utterly brilliant given the outcome.

Absolutely gorgeous morning for a walk with my pupper. ☀️

#audiowalk