Even though this cookbook is gorgeous, I have seen many of these dishes elsewhere - I thought originality was low. Added to the giveaway shelf in my laundry room.

A great beach read as it‘s set on the beach and is about lifeguards and their partying ways. The ‘Animal House‘ like behaviors of the characters belies the thoughtfulness of the author‘s writing and observations. Intimately though I didn‘t fell in love with this book as I lost patience with the characters‘ lack of ambition and continually making poor life choices.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book has won all the prizes and swept all the bestseller lists for good reasons. I love Starr the main character, she is so fresh yet sophisticated. Her family is so real; and the way that police brutality is a real thing in her life is so powerful. This book needs to be read right along with TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD for a contemporary depiction of racism and its costs.

EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK.

My 2nd vacation read. It‘s not beach weather but I am loving this novel set in the beach part of my borough, Queens.

A book from several years ago.

Current read. Silicon Valley send up and family drama in the vein of “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Sarong Party Girls.”

I enjoyed this memoir. I am a fan of Trevor on The Daily Show, so was interested in what he had to say about his life in South Africa. My eyes were definitely open to what it‘s like for black and colored (an “acceptable” term in SA) people there. I found this to be a light recounting of racism, violence, and poverty there, if you can imagine such a thing. I wanted a bit more self-reflection from Noah but otherwise 👍🏻👍🏻.

Current selection on laundry room giveaway shelf.

Loved it loved it! I will read Beatriz Williams‘ grocery list, she is such a good writer! This novel totally delivers on history, atmosphere, character, dialogue, and love!

My nephew, reading!

Read a great review of this book in the New York Times. Looking forward to reading it!

I look forward to my commute because it means I get to dive back in to this riveting adventure story!

Not my usual fare but let me tell you the main character Eric Steele is SUCH A HUNKY HERO! He can rescue me any day. I am also a big fan of the author. He is such a positive and humble person; I love working with him and find him inspiring.

My bff and I are reading this in our book club of 2. We will likely discuss some time in June when she moves back to NYC.

You know the read was good when the book is beat! My primary takeaway - who knew Amish have premarital sex?? Not me!! Susan Wiggs does it again. I love the way she makes romantic issues universal; how our struggles as humans are universal no matter if we were raised Plain or English. She is a great writer.

@SusanWiggs

So new I am reading a galley without the cover art. I loved The Essex Serpent; am hoping for another lush, hyper intelligent read I can sink into.

The sauce from my leftover coq au vin leaked in my bag and damaged my book. Glad this is an Advance Reader‘s Edition and not an actual book.
💜
By the way, I am enjoying this story about a 4th year med student and an Amish man.

My interpretation of the “Wondrous” illustration.

I wish they sold Starburst 5 to a pack because there is no way I can ration them out. Anyone else have this issue with a candy or junk food (I have the same challenge with potato chips)?

While we‘re on the topic of gluttony - I will say that the further I get into this book, the more I want to gobble it whole. It gets better with each page.

Reading while dining alone is one of the finest pleasures!

So I figured out what the title means — there‘s drama between moms and child-free women in the book. At first I didn‘t know where the story was going with all the lack of empathy and defensive posturing but now I think it might end up as a story of female solidarity. I hope so!

The book is told from the point of view of three women, which I really like.

This novel is set in warm and sunny Australia. I am reading it in chill and dreary New York.

So far, this is better than The Fifth Letter, the author‘s earlier novel.

If I didn‘t have 9 gabillion words to read for work I‘d totally pluck this off the giveaway shelf. Note creeper reflection in window (yours truly).

Finished this on the flight home from San Francisco. What an incredible piece of investigative journalism! This is a story of four women - 1 prosecutor and 3 witnesses - who were instrumental in bringing down the Calabrian mob. I loved the twists and turns in the cases, the high stakes and the family drama. It‘s a true story about strong and brave women. What an incredible story! Hashtag girl power!

Today‘s subway read - this fascinating book about the Calabrian mafia. As an Italian-American I love how it completely strips away any romanticism of the mob. Also, the heroes are women! Yeah!

I loved this book. It is also a beautiful object.

Perhaps this book will be adopted by a family that will love it more than I can. Onto the laundry room giveaway shelf it goes!

Perhaps this book will be adopted by a family that will love it more than I can. Onto the laundry room giveaway shelf it goes!

The blurbs by literary authors on the back of this book are so gushing that I feel like I‘ve missed something big here. Unlike the authors who blurbed the novel, I was not blown away. The characters‘ internal lives did not make me reflect on my hypocrisy or life choices.

To me, this book felt contrived. While the prose was fluid and at times beautiful, the overall premise did not capture my attention.

Bummer!

“It was like training yourself to live on the smell of an apple alone, when what you really wanted was to devour it, to sink your teeth into it and consume it, seeds, core, and all.”

Added this to the give/take shelf in the laundry room today. And... my note about ALL AUNT HAGAR‘S CHILDREN worked! It‘s gone!

I listened to this book while cooking (of course) over a few years. I enjoyed the performance as well as Marcella‘s sharp, opinionated, cultured personality. What a life she lived- in Bologna, New York, Venice. It was an honor to learn more about my culinary hero. I liked this book so much I bought a hardcover off EBAy for my shelf!

I can‘t believe how long this book has remained on the laundry room shelf! I have taken matters into my own hands!

Book mail! I bought this for myself used off eBay once I realized the copy my BFF lent me was worth $90!

Chagrin is one of my favorite words- here‘s a whole paragraph full of it!

Starting on the plane ride home from Miami. Think I‘ll finish it in time for book club Friday night??!!

I‘m in Miami to present the @WilliamMorrowBooks Fall list to the sales team. Here‘s the view from my room. 🤩

One of the books I‘m presenting is MAN OF WAR by Sean Parnell.

What a fun book. It reminded me of LAMB by Christopher Moore a little bit. I think Pratchett‘s influence on Gaiman is 100% positive. I am sad he died. I laughed out loud just as often as I sometimes got bored. There was a lot of setting the stage for the Apocalypse, and I‘d lose interest. But the humor kept me coming back. Can‘t wait for the TV show.

Even though I am exhausted my body won‘t let me sleep in, si I moved to the couch to polish off the last pages of GOOD OMENS.

I watched this movie last night while doing revenue projections for my microbusiness. I thought it was a bit melodramatic and their undoing could have been so easily avoided. I don‘t really feel compelled to read the book the way I do after excellent adaptations. The scenic cinematography was absolutely gorgeous, though!

The view from my bed....

One might think this is obvious - eat, drink, breathe, move - but I can‘t wait to find the time to dive into this philosophical approach.

I love The Essex Serpent so much, I went back and bought Perry‘s debut on eBay. It arrived with gummy patches on the covers from price tags. I whipped out my GooGone and buffed this book right up!

“Anathema didn‘t only believe in ley-lines, but in seals, whales, bicycles rainforests, whole grain in loaves, recycled paper, white South Africans out of South Africa, and Americans out of practically everywhere down to and including Long Island.”

I AM FROM LONG ISLAND BWAH HA HA HA!!!! 😂🤣😂🤣

p. 134

Going deep on @joe_hill

I can‘t believe this book is still on the laundry room giveaway shelf! Philistines!

Which literary hunk do you want to be your Valentine? I am definitely enticed by the hero of the first book in a new series by Beatriz Williams. THE WICKED CITY‘s handsome good guy is a Prohibition agent with secrets of his own—meet Oliver Anson. 💕❤️💕

“They were in the cafeteria of the British Museum, another refuge for all weary foot soldiers of the Cold War. At the table to their left, two ramrod-straight Americans in suits were surreptitiously handing over a briefcase full of deniable dollars to a small dark woman in sunglasses; at the table on their right the deputy head of M17 and the local KGB section officer argued over who got to keep the receipt for the tea and buns.”

Started this on the plane home last night. Loving it so far!

Next book club read!

I loved this novel. It is a masterpiece, as everyone who has read this before me has already said. Owen Meany is an unforgettable character, as is the book‘s narrator. The way all the pieces fit together is incredible. I laughed all the way through; Irving‘s wit is delightful and impish. I also cried softly from time to time. This book is as much about friendship as it is about faith. I love this book.