I devoured this book. It's unraveling, rolling prose flows like water as Gerard swiftly moves between her characters, internal and external thoughts. The sparseness of her words and the sentence structure, almost like a poem, generate the best and most disturbing insight into eating disorders I have read and for that, I thank her.

It took a bit longer for me to get immersed in Polly's story, one of the most powerful chapters I've ever read takes place from her perspective near the end of the novel. Read this book for Ko's engrossing prose and heartbreaking, human characters but mostly for her terrifyingly powerful depiction of Polly's time in an immigration camp and how it affected her mental state for years to come.

A huge, sweeping novel that certainly pulls you into its current. While I didn't always enjoy Lee's writing style, choppy but not sparse, making it seem almost lacking, I did find myself anxiously awaiting my return to this family saga. As you can guess from my previous statement, Lee does not wax poetic or mince words, making her characters and plot points extremely vivid.

A meta book for meta book nerds. Wirkus spirals the reader deeper into an interconnected narrative that really makes you marvel at his skill as a writer. The second INFINITE FUTURE, the text by Salgado-Mackenzie, tried my patience near the end, I wish Wirkus had loosened his grip and immaculate control. I will say though, for all the pieces, I was surprised often, not just by the most recent plot development but by the way it seamlessly clicked.

Satyal's characters, Harit and Ranjana are so fully fleshed out and realized that the chapter format flows beautifully, especially as the novel draws to a close in a beautifully simple conclusion. A beautiful and at times hilarious tale of identity and friendship. I was fortunate enough to host Rakesh at @AstoriaBookshop if you have a chance to see him speak, take it!

I'm a sucker for a good Irish novel, Kidd is no exception. Full of Irish magic, love and good old revenge, Kidd's tale weaves and grows like the ivy Mahoney is wrapped in when left at the orphanage. The main characters were absolutely vivid but the supporting cast tended to melt together which was confusing in following the mystery plot line. And while I loved the mystical elements, the magic didn't seem to have defined rules within the world.

A book that grips you with all the suffocating power of your teenage years. I loved the way Buntin flipped between older Cat and the Cat flying towards destruction over the course of a teenage summer without losing any momentum in her storytelling. However, near the end I feel Buntin lapsed into the sentimental and harped on Cas' alcoholism as an adult in a way that felt overindulgent and overwritten.

An endearing, enduring father/daughter epic with perfectly paced chapters and an ending that will pull at your heart. Tinti weaves a beautiful coming of age tale without dipping into the overly sentimental and maintains a taught role of suspense as both characters move forward and become the people you catch glimpses of throughout.

I was surprised by the stylistic differences between this novel and A Little Life. I am a huge fan of the former and was expecting a similarly gut wrenching novel. While Yanagihara certainly delivers, I was not left with as much of an impression. Yanagihara's writing forces the reader to rise to her level for the better and the novel crawls forward with intense detail and slow burning dread but the footnotes felt cumbersome and the ending hasty.

A dark, twisted, grown up take on Scooby Doo and the gang that pays homage to all the twists and gags that still keep you on your feet and don't try to be anything else. Cantero writes in a decidedly cinematic style, utilizing both what seem to be stage directions and bulleted dialogue. It's a bit jarring but I'm not sure if that is intentional or meant to be ironed out in the finished book.

Pic of the gf meddling at the airport as we wait ✈️

A really heart wrenching read, Gay does not hold back in her writing. These women are not designed to make you comfortable or written with the goal of orbiting around a man. I wish her dialogue had the same bite and nuance as her plot lines but in that same thread it did speak directly to the heart of what I think Gay was getting at. I am still thinking about these women and these stories and am thankful this book exists.

An interesting speculation on grief and marriage. Not the "literary Gone Girl" it is being publicized as but something much more nuanced. Kitamura gracefully spirals inward as the story progresses and although at times I found her repetitive and her observations a bit cliched, I do think it is worth the quick read.

What a ride! I was completely hooked on this from the beginning. Beukes' timing is impeccable and her imagination astounding. A chilling and thrilling novel that delves deeper than a simple police procedural.

Yay book mail! Thanks @jcgoody 🤗

I could read Hustvedt's essays all day, unfortunately I can only sip on one or two at a time with my morning coffee because I keep joyfully turning to my laptop to look up an artist, novel or scientific principle I'm not familiar with. Pick up this book, expand your view of art and science.

Gardam has created an unforgettable character in Old Filth, the upright but troubled aging barrister. Gardam's writing is rich in personality and it's difficult to tear yourself away from the emotional and complex depths of her world. Perfect for fans of A Gentleman in Moscow and The Patrick Melrose Novels.

The concept of this novel is what first drew me to it. While the narrative is unsettling and full of many emotional twists and turns, the blows are softened by the repetitive use of symbolism and metaphor and the author-imposed barrier between Japanese and English. While it could symbolize Rio's status as "hafu" it instead comes off as clunky and uninspired. Worth the quick read but I was not invested the way I wanted to be.

This book is fascinating. Fischer does an amazing job researching an event that has been denied for years. His humor and pacing helped this history read like a novel which, for a reader like me, is always appreciated. Takeaway: North Korea is fucking bonkers.

Started holiday cards today! This is a handful of the authors I've had the pleasure of hosting at @AstoriaBookshop this year 🤗

I found this a bit too padded for my taste. The flashbacks/flash forwards detracted from the main story's momentum as did the sort of half baked side plot. Fridlund's protagonist was sharp and well written and I wish the focus had been pulled in to allow her to take the reigns.

I basically never read science fiction and am terrified of ants so on paper this was not a book for me but i couldn't put it down. Is it amazing literature? No. But the writing is tight, the pacing is quick and the plot is hyper original. I can't wait for D'Arc.

I had a difficult time with this one. Mitchell is one of our most talented and original writers, it is extremely evident in each of his books. I love the way he unapologetically throws the reader into his wold(s) and forces you to rise to his text. However, the beginning and middle sections lost traction for me, the connections between lives fading in exposition. Mitchell's tendency to soapbox hit home at the end though.

"If we believe that humanity may transcend tooth & claw, if we believe divers races & creeds can share this world...if we believe leaders must be just, violence muzzled, power accountable & the riches of the Earth & its Oceans shared equitably, such a world will come to pass...Torturous advances won over generations can be lost by a single stroke of a myopic president's pen or a vainglorious general's sword."

Stay safe. Stay strong.

"If we believe that humanity may transcend tooth & claw, if we believe divers races & creeds can share this world...if we believe leaders must be just, violence muzzled, power accountable & the riches of the Earth & its Oceans shared equitably, such a world will come to pass...Torturous advances won over generations can be lost by a single stroke of a myopic president's pen or a vainglorious general's sword."

Stay safe. Stay strong.

I raced through this short novel and so wish there was more. I am not one for thrillers, but Vida's talent is palpable in the control she is able to maintain over her story while moving at a compulsively page turning pace. The neurotic unraveling of identity and the heartbreaking reveal of the inciting incident that lead the protagonist to Casablanca place this as a strong recommendation for me.

I enjoyed that Maksik took this novel in a different direction than I was expecting. Near the end the narrator got a bit too indulgent and repetitive for my taste but the exploration of identity and mental illness was refreshing and kept me tearing through.

Great weekend at #NAIBA! Books for daysssss. Beyond excited for more Twin Peaks, Moonglow, Difficult Women, Mort(e), And Hannah Tinti's new novel. Now which to read first.... 🤔

An interesting and at times upsetting look into the turbulent relationship between Basquiat and Suzanne. I loved the way Clements interspersed her sparse prose with Suzanne's first person accounts. The writing style seemed to mimic the relationship and made for a quick but heavy read.

WOW. THIS. BOOK. Batuman's voice is bitingly original & the character of Selin brings vitality to the pages through her odd, serious and slightly sardonic naïveté. The honesty of Selin's exploration along with the humor and pain of first love and freshman year struck quite a chord. Grab it in March!

❤️

I WANTED TO LOVE THIS SO BADLY. Anything comped to The Night Circus instantly has my attention. But, after 200 pages of stilted dialogue and useless exposition, I was sick of having the love story and magic explained to me instead of experiencing it. A cute fairy tale, but I wasn't moved.

McInerney is masterful in the way she weaves the lives of her characters together. With each new connection and relationship, I was pulled in deeper. I love complicated, dirty stories and this certainly fit the bill. I do wish she had been a bit more consistent with her use of dialect though.

An extremely accessible and endearing read. I enjoyed learning the personalities of Karma, Kali and Guinevere and the aquarium as a whole came to life through Montgomery's heartfelt writing. However, there was far more emotion than science and I closed the book with more questions than answers.

This felt a bit more bogged down than I Love Dick. The section that really delved into Simone Weil in particular was difficult to get through. When Chris' own story is able to push through, she shines. Still heavily marked by my pencil, I recommend it as a follow up but it's a bit more of a slog.

EEEEEEEEEE!!!

Oh my god Ann Patchett is a gift to humanity. She is so eloquent and funny and passionate. I can't wait to visit Parnassus if I ever get to Nashville, hearing her speak about independent bookstores made my heart sing.

Outside waiting to see Ann Patchett at St. Joseph's! #BKBF #Bookends

Towles' strength lies in establish rich, dazzling settings that you never want to step away from. His characters boldly move through these gin-soaked pages as if at any moment they might step out and drag you along with them. Always a delight to read, and Gentleman in Moscow is out on the 6th!

Just started this morning! If you aren't planning on picking up A Gentleman in Moscow (still my favorite novel of the year) next week, you should re-think that. Amor Towles is a gift.

Oh dear I just can't decide how to feel about this book. I raced through it in a day. Its lyrical portrayal of the complicated trio of main characters is beautiful to read but the pseudo Greek chorus of Mothers seemed disjointed at times and the abrupt ending left me feeling lackluster.

Moved straight to the top my my TBR shelf! Can't wait to dive into this buzz book and since I cannot shut up about A Gentleman in Moscow I am squealing with delight to read Towles' first novel.

Thanks!! @jcgoody

I can't believe it has taken me so long to read this book. The way Plath deftly navigates The descent into Esther's mind is familiar and painful to read. As the reader, and especially as a woman, I am left thinking about what tethers us to ourselves.

I am, I am, I am.

Be still my heart

Still true, Sylvia, still true.

I heard Nadja Spiegelman describe this as "an autobiography of a mother as told by her daughter" and I think that description is perfect. It is far more than a memoir. It's a flowing, curious love letter to mothers, daughters and identity.

Reading more like the misanthropic memoir of an academic than a novel, Bennett's writing emulates an English fairy tale. Earthy yet ephemeral, her character's musings went straight to my heart.

Also, I think my vocabulary increased by 10% reading this.

Solnit's writing is ephemeral and her ability to flit between topics is unsurpassed. Before her, I had never encountered a writer who can encompass so much. Always a pick.

Compulsively readable. I found myself examining my own behavior, reactions and relationship to social media as I read Ronson's theories and stories. The afterward is especially poignant given the current news cycle; and while we may never tame the Twitter beast, perhaps we can work with it.

For #Recommendsday (& a throwback to past Booker winners) I'm recommending Narrow Road. This novel ripped my heart open. You will feel physically ill, you will laugh, love and most likely cry. This is so much more than a war narrative, it's a glimpse into humanity and just wonderfully written.

"He'd sit at the head of the table with a bell at his side. If one of his guests said something he disagreed with, he'd pick up the bell and ring it relentlessly until the person stopped talking."

Jon Ronson on author of THE CROWD, Gustave LeBon

LOL