pickOverall I found this collection of stories interesting with the first couple and last three capturing my attention the most. The others made less of an impression on me but still worth reading.
“I think people make themselves beautiful. I think everything on our outside is a line sketch, and whatever‘s on the inside blows those lines into three dimensions.“
I've never been so excited for a book release. I raced down to pick up my pre-ordered copy from my local indie on lunch today. Grabbed a coffee at the cafe next door and sat simply staring at the cover almost afraid to open it up. And when I did start reading with held breath, I began to find myself on every page. Joy Sullivan has such a way of bringing beauty to the ordinary. Her poems always connect, and her writing is devastatingly beautiful.
pickThis volume published by Taschen is a stunning volume of the gorgeous artwork of Gustav Klimt.
“This was one of the lessons I kept learning: the difference between the story of love and the texture of living it; between the story of motherhood and the texture of living it, the story of addiction and the texture of living it, the story of empathy and the texture of living it.“
pickThis was a quick, fun read, but only a soft pick as I felt it lacked a bit of depth and background.
pickI was surprised at the number of mixed and even harsh reviews I've seen on Land's second memoir, which disseminates how poorly our systems are setup to support the poor. I appreciated her vulnerability in writing and bringing attention to areas needing improvement and being a voice for many that are unable or lack the platform to share, all the while acknowledging her privilege. It's a pick for me. (📷 of NYT article)
Edgar has been my reading buddy this afternoon for this heartbreaking book
Yesterday was long. Traveling for work. 4 hour flight + 5 hour layover + 2 hour flight = lots of reading time. Finished my audiobook, an ARC, and started a reread of the tagged book, which is excellent. I love Patti Smith's writing.
Took advantage of the absolutely gorgeous evening with a walk through the park and this audiobook ☀️🦆🎧📚
Spending a cozy evening reading with Edgar
pickThis is definitely a pick! I must admit I was disappointed at first and thought it'd only be a so-so. But by part 2, it became a solid pick. I hadn't realized the level of disrespect vets faced returning from Nam nor did I know how utterly disregarded the women were. Not only was misinformation spread in the US, but the women who served were blatantly told they were never in Nam. I also appreciated the voice given to trauma and it's potent impact.
pickI spent much of my time in this books saying “WTF is going on?“ and I think that was intentional (perhaps coupled with too much time passing since I read book 1). This volume was about grief, trauma, and dissociation. It's about the feeling of not being able to trust your own senses and perceptions of what's real. And the second person narration lent itself well to the storytelling IMO. And now I'm going to start book 3!
“I began reading books, reading books to delirium. I began by vanishing from the known world into the passive abyss of reading, but soon found myself engaged with surprising vigor because the things in the books, or even the things surrounding the books roused me from my stupor.“
pickJust wow. I was absorbed in this from the start an read it in one sitting and had no idea my partner snapped this picture until this morning. I definitely found it to be a powerful and introspective story and recommend (but with a content warning of suicide). Edgar was a great reading buddy. I don't think he moved from his spot until I finished.
Finally starting this book today. Had to do a quick refresh on Gideon the Ninth first since it's been awhile, but ready or not, I'm diving into this one!
“I was like a woman trying to make spaghetti in the dark, destroying the kitchen as I grabbed every ingredient in the cupboard just in case it happened to be the one I needed. In the midst of my verbal wandering, I inevitably reached for the word “shame”—the box where I had lived for so very long, the box I still find myself tumbling back into with less provocation than I‘d like to admit.“
Reading time is an essential for my self-care. Paired with coffee and a croissant is a bonus.
Hooked by the tagline, I was thrilled to get this ARC! “The Dead Cat Tail Assassins are not cats. Nor do they have tails. But they are most assuredly dead.“ Funny and dark, I was fully engaged and immersed in this world immediately. Clark's newest is fast paced with the total badass Eveen, who was also a bit of a book nerd.
Doctor office waiting means more reading time. This one is soo good too!
pickMemory. So incomplete and flawed...
Janet Malcolm's Still Pictures is an autobiographical series of essays or perhaps an annotated photo album. She talks about the power of images, that photographs are more than just still moments frozen in time; they are windows into our history, emotions, and an understanding of the world. She writes about the difficulty we have evoking our former selves, the many ways in which they are strangers to us.
Seren posing me with a reading challenge
“We have cats because they amuse us and because otherwise our clothes would lack the texture only cat hair could provide.“
“The glitter of memory may be no less deceptive. The past is a country that issues no visas. We can only enter it illegally.“
Finally getting to this book after a week of struggling with a head cold and not being able to focus. Now to see if I can get through i
the 800 pages before it's due at the library.
pickAnd fin. This was so interesting and readable. Loved the humor she mixes in as well.
pickVery readable with some interesting information about how cats communicate.
Meow. This definitely made me laugh. Truth.
When you go to the library to pick up *a* book...this is the result. And, of course, it's in addition to the existing TBR pile on the other corner of my desk. 😂📚🙄
pickLeigh Bardugo's newest book is a standalone novel inspired by her own family history. I was pulled in immediately and absolutely loved it! With brilliant writing, wit, and the use of languages in the magic system, this historical fantasy gets all the stars! And the cover!! 😍
Release date 4/9/24
(Framed picture has nothing to do with the story. It was a gift from my partner. I find it hilarious and just love the juxtaposition of it to the cover.)
Excited to start Leigh Bardugo's newest! I love her Ninth House series, and the premise of this one sounds intriguing.
“I have to be more careful about my memories. I have to be sure they're my own and not the memories of other people telling me what I felt, how I acted, what I said: if the events are wrong the feelings I remember about them will be wrong too, I'll start inventing them and there will be no way of correcting it, the ones who could help are gone. I run quickly over my version of it, my life, checking it like an alibi; it fits...“
pickThis was a beautiful series of conversations between Nick Cave and Sean O'Hagan. Cave openly shares challenging and thought provoking reflections on his life, grief, creativity, art and spirituality, I marked a *few* passages to revisit. 🙄😉
Merry Jólabókaflóð! Definitely one of my favorite traditions adopted in recent years ☺️📚🍫
Reading a ghost story at Christmastime is a favorite holiday tradition.
And Seren needed to check out some of my top books of the year. These are the ones from my shelf in my #top23of23 list. The others were library/ebooks.
#top23of23 part 2 listed in the order completed. And there's actually 24 total. Just couldn't cut any on the list 😉
Going into this ARC tonight knowing absolutely nothing.
Today's reading buddy. Edgar is my cuddler for sure! But getting extra snuggles today since he's getting over a cold.
pickI picked this up based on the title having no idea what it was about. Definitely was a win! I enjoyed both the essays and the segments of his unfinished novel. Now I need to read Afterparties.
