I loved this book! I took a class by the author at PCC and quite honestly could hear his voice as I read. When I saw he had published a book, I didn‘t even read what it was about - I just picked it up from the library and started reading. The story wasn‘t what I was expecting but it was phenomenal all the same.

Damn. This book was good. I wouldn‘t push it to the top of your list, and occasionally her name dropping and privilege made me roll my eyes, but it really turns the narrative on sociopathy. I‘m better for having read this book. Without question.

What is with the hype? I felt like this book was written for Karens while blundering through problematic tropes. The bit with Chona is no different than a white savior, and why are all of the descriptions of women so sexual? It‘s cringe. Also the way that disabilities are discussed- sure, make this a period piece, but you can do that without calling each character a cripple and denying them any thoughts beyond their physical limitations.

I am actually so surprised by this book. Jill‘s ghost writer is better than Mariah Carey‘s (and Britney Spears‘). I binged 19 Kids and Counting when I was recovering from my hysterectomy and it seemed obvious at the time that the kids were being exploited but jeez.

This book is beautiful when you get accustomed to the cadence. I think it‘s going to stay with me a long time and at some point, I‘m sure I‘ll flip this to a pick.

I got to see Amanda Montell at Powell‘s last night with Chelsea Bieker! It was such a great event and I can‘t wait to dive into Amanda‘s new book!

Parts of this book I couldn‘t put down but other parts were so boring I wanted to give it up. I‘m not satisfied with the ending, I‘m not satisfied with the weird hotel/well drama, I don‘t know. I feel like this book could have been great.

This book took me a second to get hooked but then I didn‘t want to put it down. Written from the perspective of a girl raised in a cult and although it‘s fiction it seemed very real, probably because the situation is more common in the US than we like to acknowledge.

I picked this book up on Saturday morning when the library opened and it‘s Monday night and I just finished it. Could. Not. Put. It. Down. Holy shit it was so well written. It was refreshing writing. I placed the author‘s only other book on hold. I became aware of her because she‘s going to be at Powell‘s in April with Amanda Montell (author of Wordslut and Cultish). I am a huge Montell fan girl but now I might be more excited to see Bieker?!

This was a fantastic collection of short stories picked by Min Jin Lee. My favorite was The Master Mourner by Benjamin Ehrlich with Ling Ma‘s Peking Duck right behind it. Peking Duck had some of the same early childhood references as Severance which stood out. 10/10 highly recommended

I loved some stories and others made me ill like old school RL Stine. I love the author‘s imagination. She‘s weird and I love that about her stories. But I probably wouldn‘t read the book again which gives this a rating of so-so.

@birdie_gw have you read this one? If not, put it on your list. C and I are going to Chile in October bc Isabelle Allende inspired me - specifically this book - and I‘m going to reread it in Sept before we go. We can read it at the same time if you‘re game!

I can‘t believe Dom Casmurro was written in 1899. It‘s brilliant. I read the translation by Margaret Jull Costa and Robin Patterson.

I wish I could remember who recommended this book to me. It kind of reminded me of The Joy Luck Club with how it was organized and in that way, I want to reread it already.

Loved it and floored that is was written in 2018.