did y‘all know ThriftBooks gives you a free book during your birthday month? this is what I picked! #thriftbooks

this was an interesting concept, really well-written and carefully thought out. there isn‘t really a plot per se, just character vignettes about how the strings affect their lives. the way the characters‘ stories intertwined kind of reminded me of Love Actually. it took me a while to get through the audiobook and I sorta had a hard time remembering what was going on with each character. I might have done better just reading it. 4 ⭐️s! #audiobook

I could probably nitpick at this one, but overall I really liked it, and it truly had the perfect romantic comedy ending. I did kinda have trouble getting into the first third of the book, maybe bc of the pacing? I love SNL and the behind the scenes process has always interested me so I‘m not sure why I struggled. I flew through the rest of it though. where can I get a I ❤️ NB tshirt?

4 ⭐️s and it ✅ my Reese‘s Book Club bingo square!

reading Romantic Comedy on my lunch break with my Eras Tour bookmark. it‘s the exact costume lineup Taylor wore at my show! #bookmark

I can really act on a whim when it come to audiobooks sometimes. I‘ve never had more than a passing interest in Paris Hilton, but I figured I‘d give this a listen. she‘s obviously lived a privileged life, but she‘s been through ROUGH stuff too that gets her emotional as she narrates. I had no idea about any of it. she shares plenty of fun stories too, like how the “Holy Trinity” photo came to be. (iykyk. 😉) I enjoyed this a lot!

4 ⭐️s #audiobook

mini haul from Thriftbooks! I mostly shopped their “Secret Shelf” where everything is $2.99. #bookhaul

I got to see my absolute favorite, Taylor Swift, in Nashville this past Saturday night. her Eras Tour is 3.5 hours of incredible music (including the 10 min version of “All Too Well”), stunning visuals, and all around pure magic. she‘s a joy and an inspiration. 💜 #swiftieforlife

this was very good, I felt it got a little repetitive at times though. the chapter in which Bodie asks her questions was powerful and really brought it all home for me. this was my first time to listen to an audiobook narrated by Julia Whelan, and I definitely understand why everyone raves about her now! She did a fantastic job. 4 ⭐️s! 👏🏻 #audiobook

have y‘all been watching The Diplomat on Netflix? it‘s so good!! I‘d love to read a book with similar vibes. any suggestions?

this gave me exactly what I want from a celebrity memoir…it‘s confessional, dishy, and is packed with anecdotes about other famous people Jessica encountered throughout her career. Jessica is very honest about her struggles in life and love, and it completely lives up to the title Open Book!

this ✅s off the POP STAR MEMOIR box on my bingo challenge! #bookbingo #readingchallenge

a book fairy gifted me this! I hope it‘s good!!

the new Curtis Sittenfeld was a no-brainer for me! added on a copy of Someone Else‘s Shoes because I enjoyed the audiobook so much. #botm

I didn‘t know much about this book going in, other than I‘d heard it has lots of bee facts, so I decided to use it to ✅ off ANIMALS on my Bingo challenge. The direction it ended up taking definitely took me by surprise! This is a sad book in so many ways, but I‘m happy I read it. Bonus points for the recipes included at the end! 4 ⭐️s only because the backward/forward dual timelines were a little tricky to keep track of. #bookbingo

such an entertaining audiobook, narrated by Daisy Ridley who absolutely knocked it out of the park. it‘s so much more than just a story about a bag mix-up. Sam and Nisha, our main characters are flawed but still likable and easy to root for. the cast of supporting characters — Jasmine, Andrea, and Alex the dreamboat chef — are wonderful. super satisfying ending too. 5 ⭐️s!!

✅ 2023 RELEASE on my Bingo challenge! #bookbingo

I just loved this. 🥹 definitely has heavy themes going on, but overall it‘s a super sweet, well-written romance. AND there‘s a baby goat! this one gets 5 ⭐️s from me!!

✅ BOUGHT IN 2022, NEVER READ on the Bingo board!

#bookbingo #readingchallenge

I‘ve been listening to this audiobook and really enjoying the story and Daisy Ridley‘s narration!! #audiobooks #audible

definitely a Black Mirror episode waiting to happen!! I enjoyed keeping up with all the different characters and reading about the twisty journeys Match Your DNA took each on. it was a soap opera with a sci-fi twist. 4 ⭐️s!

used this to ✅ the PODCAST REC square on my Bingo challenge. I heard about it on a recent ep of Sarah‘s Bookshelves Live. it‘s available on Kindle Unlimited btw!!

#bookbingo #readingchallenge

thrift store book selection. 📚

this was a fantastic Gen X coming-of-age story. it was excellent on audio also, not overly long and narrated beautifully by Ginnifer Goodwin. gave some Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow vibes for sure! 5 ⭐️s!!!

didn‘t quite hit the mark for me. the oral history format was great, and I did like the ending. but I didn‘t really like or care about any of the characters (other than Simone, the best friend we all deserve - but she wasn‘t in the book nearly enough). the drama within the band was entertaining, but it didn‘t really feel like there was an actual plot. I‘m still going to watch the tv series in March!

3.5 ⭐️s
✅ TURNED INTO A TV SERIES #bookbingo

I enjoyed my Bingo challenge last year, so I decided to bring it back this year with a few squares I didn‘t get to in 2022, plus plenty of new ones to try!! #readingchallenge #2023 #bingo #bookbingo

I didn‘t read as many books as I wanted to in 2022, but I like to think it‘s about quality rather than quantity! 🙂 these were my four favorites. I listened to the audiobook version of each, with the exception of Local Woman Missing which I simply read a physical copy of. here‘s to more great reads in 2023! 🥂

2022 Reading Challenge Bingo update! I‘ve hit two Bingos!

#readingchallenge

my first Elin Hilderbrand novel, and I really enjoyed it. I listened to the audiobook, which was pleasantly narrated by Erin Bennett. it was an entertaining, beachy family soap opera with a dash of whodunit thrown in. sometimes I struggle with descriptive writing, but there is something appealing about Hilderbrand‘s descriptions of the Nantucket homes, beaches, and cuisine. I think I‘ll be reading more of her novels! 4 ⭐️s!

book 15/22 for 22

Matthew has some good stories to tell, but this got repetitive and the timeline of events was somewhat confusing, especially toward the end. mostly it just left me hoping he really is ok. I listened to the audiobook, and I did enjoy his narration. I rated it 3 ⭐️s.

book 14/22 for 22

this audiobook was just ok for me. I was very interested in the author‘s PI work details, less so in her personal life which took up a good chunk of the book. there was lots of rambling on tangentially related topics too that just didn‘t hold my attention. nothing against the narrator…she did a great job! the content as a whole just wasn‘t for me.

TRUE CRIME bingo square ✅
book 13/22 for 22

#readingchallenge

super sweet and ultimately satisfying romance. the dual timeline was a great way to tell the story, but I def liked the flashback chapters better than the present day chapters. past and present ties together neatly in the end though! BookTok made me read it! 4 ⭐️s! 🇨🇦💜

book 12/22 for 22

Molly‘s memoir was just as delightful as her iconic Mary Katherine Gallagher sketches. I chose to listen to the audio so I could enjoy the narration of the SUPASTAH herself! this is an excellent celebrity memoir, full of touching and funny personal stories about Molly‘s family, as well as entertaining and inspiring tales about the path that led her to SNL and beyond. 5 ⭐️s!!!

this ✅s off my BOOK BY A COMEDIENNE bingo square!
book 11/22 for 22

this was sooo close to being a 5 ⭐️ rating, it ended up more like a 4.5 ⭐️ because one part near the end kinda lost me. I‘ve always loved a good friendship story, and this one hit the spot and then some. the fact that it was set against the backdrop of the video game industry added an extra layer of interest. It was fantastic on audiobook too…it‘s long but I listened every chance I got.

book 10/22 for 22

what a book, one that I had a very hard time putting down! it‘s a 5 star read for me! 4⭐️ for the story + a fifth star for the sheer fact that I was riveted. I‘m looking forward to reading more books by Mary Kubica.

book 9/22 for 22

watched this on Netflix yesterday…it was sooo good but left so many unanswered questions. then realized it‘s a whole 12 book series!! anyone read these? #netflix

this YA mystery was just ok for me. I enjoyed some aspects of the puzzle and definitely wanted to find out answers as much as Avery herself did, but things got a little too crazy at the end. I‘m not sure I care enough to continue on with the series. I will say though, I think it would make a great tv show!

✅ YA novel
book 8/22 for 22 #readingchallenge

I always liked Hannah during her Bachelornation journey, so I thought I‘d give this a shot on audio. it honestly exceeded my expectations. I learned some things about her I didn‘t know and I appreciated hearing the role her faith has had throughout her life. there was plenty of Bachelorette talk to satisfy that curiosity too! her narration was really great as well.

this ✅s off my BACHELORNATION bingo square!

book 7/22 for 22 #readingchallenge

really liked this on audiobook, honestly wouldn‘t mind rereading a physical copy bc it‘s brimming with facts, quotes, & general goodness I‘d like to take more time to commit to memory. I took a little something from each essay/review and enjoyed the mix of humor and sentimentality. parts were written during the pandemic so that brought another aspect into some reviews.

book 6/22 for 22. #readingchallenge #audiobook

found this odd little copy of a classic at Books-A-Million today. they‘re having a moving sale, so it was cheap.

I‘ve read and enjoyed a couple of Katie Cotugno‘s YA books, so I was excited to read her first adult novel, especially since it has such a beautiful cover! I used this one for my COVER APPEAL bingo square. I really liked reading about Fiona and Sam, who co-starred as teens on the hit tv series, Birds of California. This was the perfect lazy summer read, featuring a sweet, only slightly complicated romance and timely themes. 👍🏻

book 5/22 for 22.

there‘s a ton to like about this office romcom - women in STEM, fun matchmaking shenanigans, diverse families, positive representation of therapy/mental health treatment, and oh yeah, some spicy romance too! I really enjoyed this one!

it doesn‘t exactly fit any of my reading challenge Bingo squares, but it goes toward my number goal! book 4 out of 22 on the year. #romance #romcom #romantsy

do any of you use PangoBooks? I just discovered the app, and I‘m having fun browsing used books and selling some of my own! I‘m @shanebeth there if you‘d like to link up! 😁
#pangobooks #pango #usedbooks

checking off the BookTok rec square on my reading challenge with Electric Idol, the second book of the Dark Olympus series. it‘s been a popular rec on BookTok, but I just didn‘t love it. I don‘t think fake relationships are my thing, and Aphrodite‘s anger at Psyche seemed contrived. didn‘t love Eros as the tortured antihero either. I liked Neon Gods much better!

book 3/22 on the year. #readingchallenge #booktok

the Kindle deals have been 🔥 this weekend. I‘ve loaded up on some fun stuff, including this one I‘m super excited to read! some purchases give you a 30 cent discount toward another Kindle book, too, as seen here.

…but they were myth-taken.

this was a very very VERY spicy spin on the love story of Persephone and Hades. but there were lots of enjoyable sweet moments, too. I‘m definitely going to read next book in the series, Electric Idol. #romance #romantsy

saw this is a Book of the Month option for March. I started it on audiobook last week and I‘m liking it so far! #botm

I won a Goodreads giveaway!! this isn‘t the kind of book I typically read but I think it sounds super interesting!

✅ 2022 FICTION

now I understand why so many people have been telling me to read Colleen Hoover! finished up this audiobook today & loved everything about it. I felt myself drawn into the story immediately, empathizing with all the characters affected by the tragedy at the heart of the story. the audio narration was really well done, especially loved the actress who voiced Kenna. she really tapped into her heartache. #readingchallenge

who else is obsessed with Wordle? (no spoilers btw, this was Thursday‘s puzzle.) #wordle

another way I want to stretch with my reading this year is by doing some audiobooks! giving this one a try. many people have been telling me to read Colleen Hoover for like, forever. finally starting with her latest release. #audiobook

dusting this thing off, I haven‘t Litsyed in forever. I haven‘t been reading a lot either and I‘m feeling sad about that. the goal is to read more in 2022! I want to read 22 books, and I also devised this pretty random Bingo challenge to stay motivated and read different things. we‘ll see how it goes. 🤔 #readinggoals #readingchallenge #2022

kind of into this! maybe it will help with my book slump. #summer

feeling like I‘m in book slump and trying to choose my next read...🤔

📖 Watership Down
🎥 Fatal Attraction
🎶 “Little Bunny Foo Foo”

#manicmonday @JoScho