Not as good as Kite Runner but hey, it's hard to measure up to one of my all time faves. Hosseini is a wonderful storyteller as always

Let me say that the writing in this book is absolutely gorgeous. It's compelling and honest without being self-indulgent. But, unpopular opinion: just 100 pages shy of finishing this 800-page monster, I had to bail. It's exhausting, depressing, and in the end, just too damn long, to the point where I knew I wasn't finishing because I WANTED to do so but because I'd already made it that far. All who dare pick up this book, best of luck to you 👏

A dynamic memoir about growing up during wartime in Iran. Would recommend 🙃

So good! Refreshing to read a war novel focused on the female experience. Had a good #uglycry 😭😭😭

Giovanni's Room blew me away. Although it's renowned for its portrayal of sexuality, at its core, it was about love, hate, desire, and the idea of "finding oneself." Moving and tragic. This book should be required reading for everyone! ?????

I appreciate the concept of showing how seemingly small actions can have a profound effect on someone else's life, however, as someone who struggles with depression and anxiety, I had to bail after about 100 pages. The premise of blaming others for a suicide, to me, is a very damaging idea.

Giggles and ugly cries. ???

"People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had."

I wanted so badly to get into it, and I did like those things about it that I generally love about debut novels - ambitious in scope and a showcase of the writer's rawest talents. However, it just took a little too long to develop, causing the stakes to feel not *quite* high enough and the romance not *quite* compelling enough, lost in some overwrought descriptions and tropes ("follow your dreams, Bailey," "wonderful coalescence")

Boy, bye. I'm heartbroken I picked this up after finding it in the "employee recommendations" section of Barnes & Noble. *sigh* They're usually so trustworthy. Bye Quentin, you misogynistic, whiny special snowflake and the ripoff world you inhabit ?

This book was what I needed in order to understand today's political climate - an author who explores the deep right from a place of empathy and awareness of her own liberal biases. I still don't agree with conservatives, but that's also not the point. We have to make an effort to understand and hear each other better if there's any hope for unifying 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

I don't think I've blown through a book so voraciously in years. It almost lost me in clichés at the beginning (our heroine is plain and clumsy, boooo) but it totally delivered. Not a perfect book, but it was fun, Agnieszka was likable, and I love books where magical characters still make plenty of mistakes and bad calls. Bonus points for some damn hot scenes ?

Because sometimes you've gotta pick a book by its cover art 👌

"Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun." #greatfirstlines #booktober

The leaves are officially turning and the temperature is dropping here in Iowa. Therefore, this calls for a spooky book. The library was out of all the best Stephen King, but hey, I'll take The Road. #scaretober #booktober

I always loved Meg Murry and her mom. Sciencey females with big hearts and in Meg's case, a big ol' mouth 🙃

At times, maybe a little cliched, I'll admit. But yet it felt so necessary - Gay's portrayal of rape and post traumatic stress is not the glamorized trope that we see all too often see in movies and TV, and for that I am grateful. Plus, I got to see her speak in Iowa City this week and Roxane Gay is QUEEN, people!

After getting into a heated debate with a deeply religious friend yesterday, it only felt right to start this baby next. Krakauer is one of my favorites in nonfiction, I'm stoked to read his reporting on Mormonism and true crime events

I take all drinking memoirs with a grain of salt (who can really remember all that much from a given bender?) but at it's core, it's a funny, moving, and occasionally heartbreaking account of love and loss. Speaks to the inner Void, for sure