I struggle to give memoirs less than 5 stars because the author is writing their lived experiences. I don't have that struggle with this memoir! I loved learning about Ilhan and where she came from.

Today, my precious grandson turned 1! We are celebrating his party tomorrow at the zoo.

Merry Christmas from my little family!

Such a great narrator!

I FINALLY finished this book! I started it about this time 2023 on audio, and then life got in the way of me finishing it then. I bought the Kindle version earlier this year when it was on a great sale, and got around to reading it. I loved being back in Joshi's world, this time following Radha's story (don't worry, Malik and Lakshmi are there too)!

Such a heavy plot, told from a 9-year old's perspective.

I regularly watch Whoopi on “The View“, but I didn't know much about her. I love memoirs because I learn about people!

I used to read Ted Dekker as a high schooler, and I'm glad that he is still able to capture my imagination!

I love hanging out with Michael, my grandson! This is us tonight, while his Mom & Dad are at a concert in OKC. ❤️❤️❤️ sorry it's tilted...

Such a beautiful, heartbreaking book!

Slow in spots, and an abrupt ending.

Got book mail the other day from @ElizaMarie! Thank you so much, Eliza! It was an unexpected surprise.

I saw the movie many many years ago, but the book is way better!

Loved this book. It was gritty and raw, but very well done!

I'm not following what is happening well. #HailTheBail

Also I'm not sure why it's uploading the image rotated...

I like bats! 🦇

Today's my birthday! I'm 33 today & get to spend the day hanging out with my favorite grandson!

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Read4life @TieDyeDude #whatsnewwednesday

So close to 35K!

A stack of #LitsyLove going out! Keep an eye out, @Eggs @Deblovestoread @TieDyeDude @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @dabbe @KadaGul

Getting through the tagged book!

Oh man, what a book! This will live rent free in my head for a long time. I absolutely loved the characters, the setting, the plot, all of it!

My brain was awful to me yesterday and today is not looking so hot either. I just want to lay in bed and read my book, but I have a day job.

Oklahoma Litsy friends, you good? Tornadoes all day and into tonight have me up right now. About to head to bed to read a bit to wind down and try to sleep. Pictured is my peony blooms that I'm not sure have survived the storms.

Michael & Lyly hanging out today!

Still making my way through this lovely book, and I think I'd like to re-join #LitsyLove but I'm not sure how to go about doing that. Can anyone help?

Finally finished my first book for the month. I should have bailed on it as it didn't keep my interest much. I won't be continuing the series.

Reading the tagged, but my visit with Michael meant I haven't read much today. It's okay though because for the first time, he fell asleep while I was holding him! His momma says that so far, that's never happened. She has always had to hold him to get him to sleep. I felt like the chosen one! Here he is, asleep on me. #Grandson #RaisingReaders

This book gave me all the warm fuzzies & I enjoyed every minute of reading it!

I follow Jenny L Howe on IG and won her giveaway a year or so ago for this book. I finally got around to reading it and it was charming! I loved the fat representation.

176 pages in & we get to the first kiss. Is this considered a slow-burn?

Thoroughly researched and I loved the essay format!

So weird to think I've been on active on this little corner of the internet for 6 years already! I've loved every minute of it!

A little cheesy in parts, and it had parts I wanted to skim, but it wasn't a bad Christmas book. First of 12 chunksters out of the way!

Got to hang out with my favorite tiny human (my grandson) today!

Funny and raw, I enjoyed it even though I'd never heard of Maria before this.

Seasons is loving the tortilla blanket that just came out of the dryer! #CatsOfLitsy

Here I am, holding my grandson Michael!

Tagged is one of my favorite books in my favorite children's series by Mercer Meyer. I can't wait to read it to Michael when he comes to visit!

Such a great book! I actually used the highlighter function in my Kindle for important sentences.

And with this, I met my reading goal for the year!

I can't stand the narrator and I'm not emotionally invested in this book.

Such a beautifully written book! I love the way the author uses words to make such imagery!

LIFE UPDATE:
My grandson was born this morning at 6:07! I'm a Lyly now & forever! I've been writing him letters in a little notebook to give to him when he's older and today I got to write "happy birth day"! My daughter said delivery went smoothly and she is doing well too!

This last week has been busy, between the funeral, Christmas, & now the birth, but I'm excited to get back to my reading goal. 1.5 books left to go.

Merry Christmas! We celebrated as a little family last weekend and as a larger family last night. We are impatiently awaiting the arrival of our grandson right now, and so thankful for all the blessings we have been given!

My last post was really sad (thank you for your condolences for my family), & I'm trying to pull myself out of a depressive episode. This post is a happy post! Today is my grandson's due date, but he's still happy in the womb for now. The doctor scheduled an induction, but doesn't think we will make it to then! Exciting for me! Instead of "Grandma" I'm going to be called "Lyly". ???

This beautiful woman recently passed away. She was my husband's grandma, and lived to be 93. I will miss the way she smiled at me when she saw me and always said, "I love you".

Interesting story based on the Gardner museum art heist!

Enjoyable book, but not great in my opinion.

So many characters to keep up with, but I can see why this is considered a classic!

FINALLY just over halfway through this book!

I had never heard of Jennette before the memoir came out, but she has had a hard life. Great memoir!

The snakes are supposed to be on top of Shadow's head, but he ended that really quick. Lol Happy Halloween!!

I liked this thriller! My husband described me as "enthusiastic" when I was talking with him about it. Parts were unbelievable, but overall a pick.