⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5. This was a lot more about relationships than I expected, while also being pretty fast paced. It‘s the kind of thriller that I enjoy and can really sink my teeth into because there‘s substance. The characters are real with real flaws and problems. Highly recommend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ I couldn‘t care less about some characters, but was a little invested in others. A strange combo that made for a slightly boring read about half the time. I think some parts were great, but overall the book is just too long. I‘m glad to finally get this book read and off my shelves!

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 This was entertaining enough - definitely a palate cleanser sort of book for me. Maybe if I‘d read the first book I‘d feel more strongly? 🤷🏼‍♀️ This is my first Alix Harrow read and I‘m interested in her other books now.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I enjoyed this book overall. His essays on sunsets and googling people were a couple of my favorites. I recommend this on audio. It‘s a great way to listen to an essay, or a few, when you don‘t have a lot of time to read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was a pretty good escapist thriller. I liked the resolution and how so many people seemed suspect. The pacing was good too. My second Lucy Foley book, and I‘ve gotta say I‘m a fan.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ It was just ok. Maybe it was a better read 20 years ago? Slow to start, then picked up a bit. Some of it was good, but the rants by Malcolm were a bit too in the weeds for me and I tended to start skimming. It did make me want to watch the original movie again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 This memoir is well worth the read. She talks about her time in prison without being salacious (that tends to happen in other prison memoirs I‘ve read). She also doesn‘t shy away from her own culpability, and describes the injustices convicts face without victimizing herself. Excellent to listen on audio - she reads it herself. I highly recommend!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was my first book by this author. I enjoyed that it‘s set in an office environment, with two women who could hardly be more different. It had some twists that kept it interesting and the pacing was great. I‘m definitely interested in picking up more of her books!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I appreciate that not only does Desmond describe the issues surrounding poverty in the US, but he also makes various suggestions for how to fix/help it. I did enjoy his book Evicted more because of the personal stories he included. This book felt a little more dense - more like a textbook - to me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ I appreciated how honestly Elliot analyzed his own relationships and experience. His relationship with his parents was the most intriguing to me. The nonlinear timeline didn‘t bother me like it seemed to other people, but I did feel the pacing was a bit off at times and I got a little bored/impatient, wondering why some things were included. (That‘s probably not a fair assessment given that it‘s a memoir, but that‘s how I felt 🤷🏼‍♀️)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was an interesting book about the history of butts and what‘s been deemed fashionable over time, including how things rise in popularity such as bustles and “buns of steel”. It‘s also a study of the relationship between butts and race - which I found the most intriguing. I recommend to anyone interested!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2. I really enjoyed this one - even more than the first in the series. It‘s pure escapist fiction for me in the early days of motherhood here!! 😅😅

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 This book was very slow but I‘m glad I hung in there since I‘ve been curious about it for years. The mother/narrator is unlikeable but to me she was somehow sympathetic and relatable. Even though the book is 20 years old now, the subject matter is unfortunately timely, and questions what if any of it was the mother‘s fault.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 A very interesting true crime book about a recent serial killer and the investigation. I found a lot of the investigative parts fascinating, and the author did a great job researching the case since so little seems to be known about his crimes. I listened to this on audio and liked that format.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This has been on my tbr since it came out and I finally read it 😅 It was a little slow toward the middle but by about 70% I couldn‘t put it down. I really enjoyed the tension the author created, and how realistically I felt he played on people‘s distrust of each other and even racism. I would not recommend this to people who have to understand what‘s happening - there is no resolution and a lot is unexplained. I‘m weirdly ok with that.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 This was excellent. Gripping at times and also often relatable and human. Each essay jumps around in time, but I think it‘s so well done in that way. The only sad thing is she doesn‘t read the audio herself - which I usually prefer for a memoir - but the narrator did a great job.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2. Probably barely a pick for me. I liked a lot about this speculative fiction featuring a mother who made a poor decision while her daughter was in her care. I felt it dragged a bit about halfway through and I became less engaged. Overall a super interesting premise that was well developed. I wanted to love it, not just like it. I‘ll be interested in what she writes next.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I actually really enjoyed this book. It‘s written from the perspective of a socially awkward middle aged woman, and murders are happening in her small town. Kind of a slow burn mystery, but it‘s really more about the character herself. I recommend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 Such an interesting memoir about the author‘s psychosis just a few months after her son was born. I felt it was so brave of her to be so forthcoming in sharing her story - I‘m sure some may judge for her for it. I recommend to anyone interested!!

This is excellent - an eye opening account of the author‘s wrongful conviction and imprisonment on death row. It‘s heartbreaking but also hopeful. I recommend reading Just Mercy first - it would help you appreciate this more I think. Highly recommend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was my first time reading Ruth Ware, and I‘m interested in how her other books compare. I definitely enjoyed this one. I thought I had it figured out but then didn‘t. A fun thriller set on a college campus with interesting characters. I recommend if you‘re looking for a good thriller!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was a good true crime/memoir. She tied her own experiences together with how it affected her work as a private investigator. I found parts fascinating, and others were slightly slow. I also enjoyed the vignettes about other related topics - I thought they helped provide context. Overall an interesting read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 I had a hard time getting into this book. I think I struggle with novellas because they give me so little time to get my bearings, and that‘s how I felt with this one. Parts were so powerful. I just feel like I‘d have to read it 3-5 times for it to really click.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 I just loved this book. It‘s slow paced but sweet and charming. Funny too. It‘s a feel good novel with some depth to it - just what I needed right now. Her style of writing reminds me a bit of Laurie Colwin. I‘m interested in reading more from her!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book is full of information and teaches you to think for yourself when it comes to pregnancy and birth decisions. There‘s also a lot of fact without judgement. I think it‘s invaluable and I‘m going to recommend it now to all of my pregnant friends and those who are thinking about getting pregnant. HIGHLY recommend!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is a powerful memoir and I‘m glad I read it. I thought it was going to be more about her relationship with her father, but it was really a lot about her relationship with her mother. I wish she‘d dug into her relationship with her father more, but it‘s her story to tell so I really shouldn‘t judge! I recommend to anyone interested!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved this book! I found it super absorbing and fast paced. The story was really intriguing. It‘s one of my husband‘s favorite books and now I see why. I‘m interested in reading more Blake Crouch!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I related to a lot of what the author said about what it‘s like being an introvert - especially because I‘m a “shintrovert” (shy introvert) myself. The beginning was especially funny. After telling some of the stories to my husband he asked if she did all of it TO write a book about it. After that, I couldn‘t stop wondering that for the rest of the book. 🤔 I still enjoyed most of the book though. I recommend to anyone curious.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I don‘t know anything about Jennette McCurdy, but I still found this memoir to be heartbreaking with a good dose of humor. She challenges the idea that moms are always wonderful beings - and it‘s something I don‘t see often. Her delivery is dry and pretty direct. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I found this book challenging and excellent. I went in almost blind and I‘m glad I did. The author treats the reader with intelligence, which I love. The vision the author had for this book is unique and so, so effective. I HIGHLY recommend that everyone read it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I‘m on a roll with great books this month! This one is important, and is based around actual history. I highly recommend it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I love Stanley Tucci and this was absolutely delightful to listen to on audio. It‘s all about food and how it relates to different aspects of his life from childhood until now. I loved it and highly recommend it. Even listening to him read recipes was entertaining. (I‘m considering buying a physical copy for said recipes.)

⭐️⭐️⭐️ I read an ebook version of this novella. I liked the concept of this story but it was pretty confusing most of the time. I had to keep flipping back and rereading to get my bearings. I do think it‘s well written and I was interested enough that I wanted to keep reading.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book is absolutely excellent. Smith visits different sites that pertain to the history of slavery in the US. I appreciated how he included his own personal perspectives, as well as the perspectives of the many people he interviewed. He approaches and discusses these encounters with compassion, regardless of their worldview. I think it‘s a must read - particularly for Americans, but also for anyone who is interested.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 This was my first Geraldine Brooks novel and I was pretty blown away. I read this because she‘ll be at the National Book Festival (so excited!!). The topic didn‘t sound too interesting - the description is rather vague. I was so pleasantly surprised and I‘m very interested in reading something else from her.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved the beginning of this book but it started to drag about halfway through. It picked up a bit at the end but for me that wasn‘t enough to make it a pick. I really liked the concept but feel it could‘ve been cut down by about 100 pages. I do recommend her book We‘re All Completely Beside Ourselves - it‘s very good. Don‘t read descriptions before reading that though - it‘s so much better that way. Trust me!

Just received my #gettbr recommendations from book riot! I‘d never heard of any of them before so I‘m excited to give them a try!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book was excellent. It made me really wish I‘d read it when I was younger but I‘m still glad I read it now. I very much recommend for high schoolers or even just out of high school - or anyone really!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book was so good! It‘s not just about Ruhl‘s Bell‘s palsy, but also what it means to be able to smile in the first place. It‘s a story of loss and grief, and how she has processed it all. Highly recommend!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was a good thriller. It‘s more about relationship drama, and was a nice break from my usual reads. It‘s a great beach/summer read if you want a distraction.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I really enjoyed this strange and somewhat gory book about a mixed race female vampire. It dragged for me just a little near the middle but it‘s well written and the rest was intriguing. It‘s definitely a slower read, and is almost a character study - just with a hungry vampire trying to reconcile her human side with her vampiric tendencies.
This was a #gettbr recommendation.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 I got this book from a bookstore running group that sadly had to end in early 2020 due to covid. I finally read it! I enjoyed her story and her intentional gratitude, which is something I want to apply to everything, not just running. I was struck by her statements about the difference between being fit and being healthy. I recommend this for anyone who runs, even casually, or anyone who wants inspiration to practice more gratitude.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This isn‘t my usual genre, but I picked it up wanting a summery light escape read and this delivered. I enjoyed the humor and the characters. I‘d be interested in reading another of her books the next time I‘m feeling up for a light fast read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I really enjoyed this book about a boy who‘s a “Terror” because he‘s born with a bird in his chest so he needs to keep it hidden. This was a good coming of age novel - it kind of gave me Perks of Being a Wallflower vibes but for me, this was better.
This was a #gettbr recommendation

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Some of this book worked for me and some of it didn‘t. I enjoyed the humor and it was a distraction which was exactly what I wanted, but I found some of the details gross and not necessary to describe. I got pretty tired of it by about 2/3 through. At times the writing reminded me of My Year of Rest and Relaxation (I enjoyed that one more).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book is a memoir about Casey‘s struggle to become a mother in the late 70s and early 80s when IVF was brand new. Though I didn‘t really identify with her desperation to have a child, I did appreciate her willingness to try something so new, and her openness about her fertility journey.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved this book! There were so many characters and timelines to follow but the author has a way of letting the reader know exactly where they are in each story. I thought the stories were brilliantly woven together and I enjoyed reading each part. I loved All the Light We Cannot See and I‘m so happy this was excellent also. Highly recommend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2. My sister-in-law read this when she went through a really tough time last year, and passed it along to me this year. Even though the book is about grief and the author‘s personal story of her cancer diagnosis, it‘s such a comfort to read. Plus I love her snarky humor. I highly recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved this book about girls/women growing up in Queens NY. It‘s written as a chorus of voices (reminded me of the Virgin Suicides) and it‘s very effective this way. I highly recommend and hope to pick up whatever she writes next!

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2. I really liked the first short story and the novella at the end. The rest of the stories went over my head a little or weren‘t as compelling. The novella was great overall with great characters. It was a little slow in parts but that didn‘t take too much away from the poignancy of the story.