In her examination of Lemonade, we get to meet the people in the author‘s life that speak to the American experience. The discussion of race, family and love in this book is done with the complexity the subjects deserve. The ability to open these things and ponder tough questions is why I read. None of the questions are easily answered which is why they are worth asking.

I‘m so disappointed that I have read everything by this author. This book touches on a relationship among four people. From the outside all appears normal, but on the inside these set of four people are as complex individually as they are whole. I think that this book demonstrates that relationships are about seeing the other person but also seeing yourself while seeing how that person sees you. That sounds complicated. Because it supposed to be.

This is a fascinating journalistic exploration of the journey Jon Krakauer took in 1996 attempting to climb Mt. Everest. It felt a little rushed which the author admits to, but it is completely engrossing. I wanted a more psychological angle that attempts to understand why people do this, but there was very little of that. Overall, I‘m in a rabbit hole and I now need more books like this.

This book is proof that a good book is a friend and when you part from it (because you‘re done), it remains a part of your heart. Loved this book about two roommates who find happiness amongst crappy exes, terrible criminal justice system and hectic schedules. Sometimes love finds you and it feels easy, just right. I was late to work and burned my turkey meatballs, because that‘s how consuming this book is. Please, everyone read it.

This book is a great overview on the concept of Universal Basic Income. She lays out examples, data and problems that can arise from this. I think she lays it all out: this concept is an ideal to strive for. Why is it important? Because there are so many people working so many hours and still living in deep poverty. I‘m not 100 percent sold on this idea, but that‘s okay because it pushed me towards other ideas. That‘s sort of the point.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Called millennial fiction, this book centers Millie, a young woman desperate to consume inspiration but restless in a job that doesn‘t pay a livable wage. My 22 year old idealistic self would hate her, but the 28 year old me loves her too much. Maybe, I‘m learning to love myself. Maybe, working for a living is a scam meant to alienate us from our own bodies—meant to just make us consumers.

I know this sounds unreal, but I have been able to avoid all spoilers for this book. Which means, that I am centuries behind and my mind is blown. I also have not seen the movies, so I look forward to watching them after I finish the trilogy. The best part about this book is how smart Katniss is. She really does understand the systems of oppression holding her back & I admire that quality in her. Her complexity as a character really touched me.

repetitive AF

This is a look at the author‘s experience as a new mom. I found it compelling, especially the short paragraphs that resembled the way new experiences feel - episodic. Motherhood often feels contradictory and sometimes when you think you have pinned down your thoughts, they change. I think this book illustrates that feeling very well.

I ended up liking this book, but I have issues with the structure. This book is three books in one: a pastor that kills various family members for money, biographical information of Capote and Lee, and finally H. Lee‘s decision to write about this pastor. This ended up feeling like different books and only came together towards the end. Overall, just okay. I wish I liked it better, but I also had a problem with certain assumptions the book made.

The patriarchy hasn‘t died in me, apparently, since I‘ve binged read this crazy book. Debating whether to continue the series 😳

I dont know what to say about this book other than that it restored something in me that I had lost a long time ago. This book is about a boy and girl. & they live both in the present and the past and it‘s their ability to do so that enables them to love themselves and others. This book uncovers the truth about soulmates, about love, it is filled with grief because it isn‘t pointless. Love is often miscommunicated, but if it‘s right, it grows.

This book is really important to me. And I loved it.

This is the story of two friends and their respective families that cover over three generations. It took me about three weeks to read, because it‘s a dense read, thick in complexity, and funny yet lyrical. This is the type of book that bites back & that‘s not a bad thing.

This memoir explores Deborah‘s complicated desire to be a good Satmar girl while feeling trapped by customs that limits her freedom. When she gives birth at nineteen, she finds the courage to leave. I read this in about 24 hours, because I couldn‘t put it down. I was rooting for her every step of the way and had to google her after I was done to make sure she was okay. She is. My only quibble is that I found the pacing to be off.

I find stories about motherhood so intriguing, like cult stories. It is true that relationships between mothers and daughters are often based on what is not said, what decisions are not made, what is left up in the air. That‘s why I found this collection of essays interesting. Unfortunately, only a few are striking and memorable. However, if you like stories about motherhood, childhood and memories pick this up.

That‘s me reflected in this book 💚. I really enjoyed this thoughtful essay collection that examines the many people and ways and things we love. Profoundly moving examination on the many ways life takes form.

So this was a monster of a book, but a worthy read. I feel like I learned so much about Douglass but even more about the era. He saw so much history happen and it feels impossible for me to even imagine it. I read about twenty pages a night, so it took forever. Yet, it was also very interesting. So, some weekends I would binge read it. I recommend !

Y‘all, I have less than 200 pages to go on this book. I‘ve been reading this chunkster since the beginning of January. I can‘t believe my commitment hasn‘t wavered, slowly but surely I‘ll get there. Will review when done!

A few years ago, I made it all the way to the top of Bear Mountain in upstate NY. The minute I got up there, I felt like a sudden entrapment took hold of me. How could I be in one of the most open of places and feel so constricted. But then I recognized the feeling: pure overwhelming feelings. That is what Toni Morrison‘s nonfiction does to my brain.

Toni, tearing it all down. Capitalism robs us of everything ...

Ready to be blessed.

If you need a podcast to listen to @ReadingEnvy invited me on hers and I ranted for an hour long. And poor @ReadingEnvy put up with the monster that I am. Take a 👂 https://tinyurl.com/ReadingEnvy141

Got myself something for Three Kings Day! My heart is ready for this chunkster.

Erin wants us to accomplish more by having 3 big goals at a time and dropping unnecessary things to accomplish them. Listing apps & services to outsource laundry and food so you could get to the gym does not work for me. Or getting an uber so you can spend sometime in a call 🤔. (Perhaps) I could do those things when I have a lot of disposable income. I felt too working class for this book which feels like the case for a lot of self help books.

Wow. Thank you @batsy for your generosity. I love it. 💚💚

This book is expected to come out in April of 2019 and I have never been more glad to have gotten my hands on this arc. I think this one will be on a lot of lists. Ilya is in pain when he arrives in Louisiana from his native Russia. Told in flashbacks, the reader follows the mystery that bounds his brother to drugs, poverty and addiction. Beautiful, painful and honest—this book explores what it means to love someone that does not love them self.

Wow @saresmoore thank you for your generosity. Beautiful. I‘ve never read these modern classics. Thank you so much !

I will start by saying that everyone should read this. This is a ultra layered nonfiction book about the invention of dating that covers points in American history that l love (the 20s, 50s and 60s). It moves towards present time. The ways in which capitalism reaches into the ways we connect or not connect with others is fascinating. We have capitalized feminism and love. This deconstruct it in a manageable way that feels both fresh and inclusive.

My brain feels broken. I haven‘t been able to read anything other than romance. I hit a wall a few weeks ago where absolutely everything I read was causing me to be on the verge of tears and a panic attack. Lauren Layne has been there for me and this book made my heart sign, soooo I might just read romance until I could handle something else.

Continuing my romance binge. I didn‘t love this as much as her other ones, but I did burn my turkey hot dog and almost late to work being consumed by it. So, there‘s that ...

I find Richo to be one of the most life changing authors that I‘ve encountered. His psychological analysis + spiritual connection is so powerful. His book details tools in which we can face trauma and heal ourselves. I‘ve learned accountability, commitment, humility etc in his books. I am not in a relationship, but if it happens I would like to bring myself as a whole person and not the broken pieces I attempted to work with before.

My TBR you ask? I threw it out. I‘m just going to read romance until I‘m ready to face the world and that might not be till 2020. Not the best book, but who the hell the cares. They end up together and that‘s all I can ask for in 2018 when everything is upside down. Next!!!

The holidays are really hard for me. When it‘s over, I always notice that I had not been breathing. This year feels especially tough. So, I‘m really on Lauren Layne. She‘s my new favorite romance writer. Loved this story of friends to lovers. Read all in one day 👍🏽.

A beautiful book. I can‘t muster her optimism, but I felt her heart and I needed that ❤️

This is the story of a writer that falls in love with a young woman in the streets of my beloved island of Puerto Rico. This book is not perfect. Li does not always come off as a three dimensional character and the ending is messy. Yet, my island is represented. He captures our inbetweeness, our pain. I recognize the places, the faces the utter grief that comes with not belonging. I know the parks, the food the towns and I‘m there💚

I read her other book and loved it, so I picked this one up and it just didn‘t do it for me. Set in an unnamed country after a regime has fallen, the main character revisits a fraught relationship she had with a senator. This book is doing too much. And it‘s meant to feel universal, but vagueness doesn‘t equal universality. Yet, plenty of people will read this and love it because of its faux literary fiction sentences that are just so beautiful.

My life has been filled with insomnia riddled anxiety episodes that last from 2-6, just in time for an 8 shift at work. What have I been doing with that time, you ask. Well, NOT reading. Anxiety completely banishes any desire to read. I just pace, fidget, and cry. But last night, I read a romance. Lordie, was this good. Funny, excellent pacing, lovely characters. I had moments were I forgot 45 was president and my people were being persecuted.

This is my first Dickens and I‘m not sure 🤔 how I feel about it yet. I really enjoyed the beginning, but somewhere in the middle it dragged. I think overall the story of Pip is one that I can empathize with. However, the ending lacked for me a sense of satisfaction. I wanted more out of this book and I‘m not sure I got it.

This book was by writer Nunez, Sigrid and it‘s about the time she spent with Susan Sontag. I never read any Sontag, but often times I like literary adjacent books and this one was not an exception to that. Sontag seemed to have been a nightmare of a person, but aren‘t we all?

I dont know how to review this memoir about Steve Job‘s daughter. I want to say that it‘s excellent, but I found some parts lacking. I wished for deeper reflection and a tighter narrative arc. However, I also appreciate a book in which we can collectively recognize shitty fathers (drops mic).

So, I read this again b/c I‘m clearly losing my mind. This is my go to comfort read. The shattering of the American Dream is so clear. In a way, Gatsby is the America we want —trying to right the past by clinging to a non existent optimism while Tom is the reality. Tom is our America —brute, insecure and recklessly racist with an inability for change. And Daisy. Daisy is the 52 percent of white women that voted for 45. And Nick is the observer.

I mean if this is not one of the best introductions to a novel ever then I don‘t know what is ... what do you pals think ?

I have a thousand books to choose from, but I‘m re-reading this again with Ward‘s intro. I find this book so comforting. Every time I read it, I find something different to love. Most of all, I can really relate to Gatsby. I too think that there is perfection in trying time and time again. What fools are we...

Tonight I grieve with plenty of women in the US. But, I wanted to thank you @MicheleinPhilly for your generosity. I picked these up along with The Odyssey with the gift card I won.

I believe we are living in deep peril. I believe these are dangerous times. I do not believe kindness and love can align us towards a better path. What we need is a revolution and everyone must buy a ticket. Perhaps this book could be that ticket.

Thank you so much for the gift card @MicheleinPhilly ! Pre-ordering this puppy as we speak.

So, I completed it. But, I have to admit ... it was hard. I just don‘t do well with assigned readings. However, I discovered Kindred which made it worth while.