Welcome to Litsy!

I was not rooting for this MC - her need for discovery was almost insufferable and she lost me with the tampon episode. The writing is quite good though.

I know this was a big book that everyone was talking about but when I really looked into the reviews, it was all over the place, so I don‘t feel bad for hate reading it right now. I think I‘ll finish it because it‘s a quick read, but I just don‘t care about the narrator. Being so self aware and self assured in my 40s makes the midlife crisis hard for me to understand. Not a humble brag, just an observation.

3-8-25: My 17th finished book of 2025! I think I really got into this story because I went through menopause so early in life,37,and while the main character is suffering through perimenopause, I felt a connection of sorts.Beyond that, this story was a raw telling of one woman‘s journey through marriage and motherhood and everything that can happen when you let your guard down and start being real with yourself and your desires.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️📖#️⃣1️⃣7️⃣

So this is not a story for everyone. It went to places I don‘t normally seek when reading. It was graphic in parts that were just plain out there & gross at times. But, this book took me out of my comfort zone and put me into a mind that is very unlike mine. That‘s the great thing about reading though, it transports you into another world or life. I gave this a so-so because I don‘t feel like I walked away with anything profound from it. Just eh

A frank and funny novel that veers into the bonkers. I really enjoyed the on point writing and humour. July manages to walk a line between ‘artiste‘ on a complete flight of fancy and enough self-awareness to keep it grounded. Still, her narrator is self-absorbed which stopped me from loving the book (that & her obsession with sex & menopause - but many have loved this part). A provocative, interesting read and great fodder for a book club.

I can‘t remember ever rooting so hard AGAINST the main character. She is dreadful. That being said, I‘m enjoying the book (about 70% complete) and looking forward to seeing how the story ends. Did anyone else feel this way about her?

A middle aged female artist facing a midlife crisis writes about a middle aged female artist facing a midlife crisis with all the credulity of a teenager who has just figured out how to have an orgasm, certain the rest of the world must not be clued in to the experience.

I still really liked it though, there were moments of real insight and while the main character remains insufferable from beginning to end, I still liked her. 💜

"I'd thought the two paths were:

sex with Davey vs. a life of bitterness and regret

But maybe the road split between:

a life spent longing vs. a life that was continually surprising"

I'm still not sure about this book but I feel this quote deeply, and it's one of the few times I've felt any genuineness from the main character, who hides herself from everyone, including the reader.

"It took me two days to call Brian the neighbor because I was busy savoring my position, like when a crush finally texts back and you want to enjoy having the ball in your court for a while."

Y'all know I have a soft spot for unlikeable female main characters but it is only page five and I am really being tested on this one. Also this particular quote had me ??? I have no idea why it's not THAT funny

⭐️⭐️⭐️ I didn‘t love this. The writing was engaging and I got through it quickly but I just did not connect with the MC. There were some interesting pieces of commentary about women‘s sexuality and relationship structures and menopause, but by the time they came around I wasn‘t willing to give the MC a pass for being a self-absorbed jerk. #ToB2025 #ToB25