Thank you so much for the complimentary book @WilliamMorrowBooks 🎉🎉🎉🙏🙏🙏

Many thanks to @scribnerbooks and @netgalley for the complimentary e-galley of Ask Again, Yes 🙏 I loved this novel SO MUCH. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I had a hard time putting it into words (I finished it over a week ago) but I gave it a try http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/05/ask-again-yes-by-mary-beth-keane.htm...

I first heard about The Current on the From the Front Porch podcast, but I am sure y‘all have heard it‘s made Anne Bogel‘s summer reading guide - I can certainly see why: I‘m not usually a thriller fan, but this one had excellent character development and a mesmerizingly ethereal tone. Although, I felt like the end was a little ambiguous and I wanted to know MORE! Sequel perhaps?

It‘s funny because I lived THIS EXACT SCENARIO in my 20s but without a hot dude to fall in love with: I was a production assistant at a boutique advertising agency that merged with a lame big box corporate one and was a true nemesis with the other PA. He was an absolute troll and I high tailed it outta there, finding another job ASAP 😁 Though I wish I had the forethought and talent to turn it into an adorable and steamy love story 👍👍

April book reviews! http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/05/books-i-read-in-april.html

Thank you @randomhouse for the gifted copy of The Farm! Perfectly timed for some summer reading, available May 7th, this story of a fictional retreat where women are paid handsomely to be surrogates is full of juicy moral dilemmas to ponder. One might say there were a few too many issues, and characters, thrown in... Full review: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/05/the-farm-by-joanne-ramos-arc-review....

Oof. Y‘all were right about Home Fire - really well done and so tragic 😰 Although, my son just worked on the school production team of Antigone, refreshing my knowledge of the story. Still, it is shockingly easy to make relevant thousands of years later.

I was flailing for awhile this month, choosing an audiobook - starting and casting aside several that just weren‘t doing it for me. I‘m SO GLAD Anne Jones mentioned You‘ll Grow Out of It on a recent episode of her From the Front Porch podcast! Indeed, this was HILARIOUS and made me guffaw repeatedly. ‘Ma‘am‘ was probably my favorite chapter- highly recommend 👍👍

This book was CRAZY! What if genetic testing existed to find your true biological soul mate, your perfect match?? Marrs explores a whole host of chaotic scenarios that were really thought provoking. I was in the mood for a thriller and this one has a little sci-fi, a little romance, and a lot of food for thought. And of course, it‘s coming to Netflix as a series in the near future! Definitely plan to tune in 📺

I had the chance to catch Moriarty on tour for her latest, and absolutely loved hearing her talk about Nine Perfect Strangers andI took forever to pick it up because of mixed reviews. Yes, it‘s a little kooky. No, it‘s not Big Little Lies. But she writes such fast paced, wholly engaging stories. This one was also exceptionally hilarious, and I often barked a “HA!” out loud. I definitely recommend this book for a fast, fun and crazy ride 👍👍

This book was CRAZY! What if genetic testing existed to find your true biological soul mate, your perfect match?? Marrs explores a whole host of chaotic scenarios that were really thought provoking. I was in the mood for a thriller and this one has a little sci-fi, a little romance, and a lot of food for thought. And of course, it‘s coming to Netflix as a series in the near future! Definitely plan to tune in 📺

I was flailing for awhile this month, choosing an audiobook - starting and casting aside several that just weren‘t doing it for me. I‘m SO GLAD Annie Jones mentioned You‘ll Grow Out of It on a recent episode of her From the Front Porch podcast! Indeed, this was HILARIOUS and made me guffaw repeatedly. ‘Ma‘am‘ was probably my favorite chapter- highly recommend 👍👍

Oof. Y‘all were right about Home Fire - really well done and so tragic 😰 Although, my son just worked on the school production team of Antigone, refreshing my knowledge of the story. Still, it is shockingly easy to make relevant thousands of years later.

Thanks to Random House for the free copy! Perfect for some upcoming summer reading, available May 7, this story of a fictional retreat where women are paid handsomely to be surrogates is full of juicy moral dilemmas to ponder. One might say there were a few too many issues and characters, thrown in. But overall, it‘s an entertaining and thought provoking read: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/05/the-farm-by-joanne-ramos-arc-review....

Finished There Therea few days ago and I‘m STILL trying to process my thoughts. I normally love a novel that reads like connected short stories, but this one felt somewhat disjointed. At the same time, I found the writing to be absorbing and each of the characters very compelling. The plot, which you can see coming from the first pages, is still a gut punch in the end - no small feat. I‘m glad I finally read it!

March book reviews! http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/04/books-i-read-in-march.html?m=1

Just finished this lil‘ book and I totally get the hype - originality and suspense in spades. What I did not expect was my unmitigated righteous ANGER, mostly on Korede‘s behalf! 🤬 Whew. Got worked up again just thinking about it!

*Sigh* Unpopular opinion time. 🤷‍♀️ Full review link in profile ☝️ Many thanks to the publisher and @netgalley for my complimentary review copy in exchange for my honest review! http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/04/i-miss-you-when-i-blink-by-mary-laur...

Just finished this lil‘ book and I totally get the hype - originality and suspense in spades. What I did not expect was my unmitigated righteous ANGER, mostly on Korede‘s behalf! 🤬 Whew. Got worked up again just thinking about it! Thoughts on this one? Have y‘all read it??

Thank you @stmartinspress for the gifted review copy of The Girl He Used to Know! This book comes out tomorrow and I found it to be excellent weekend reading - a sweet romance with some great food for thought.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Full review: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/03/the-girl-he-used-to-know-by-tracey.h...

A little photo styling w/assistance of my 9 year old 🐶 I‘m so glad I lifted this middle grade graphic novel from her library stack and got at least one #middlegrademarch read in. Pashmina is a lovely and empowering story that we both loved. I‘ve also found that I mainly enjoy graphic memoirs (Smile or Sisters by @goraina and El Deafo by @cecebellbooks) and there‘s something very personal feeling to this story by @nidhiart that captured my heart💗

I am glad I finally checked it off my list, but I didn‘t love it like I hoped I would. It was a sweet and a lovely little story, but the comparisons to Anne of Green Gables fall FAR short in my opinion. I definitely see the similarities in the protagonists, but the language didn‘t wow me and I maybe laughed aloud once or twice, unlike being inside the head of Ann Shirley. Alas, comparison is the thief of joy and I shouldn‘t have gone in that way..

Adding my praise to the pile for @tjenkinsreid and Daisy Jones⭐️The structure of the book, told as an oral history, was utterly absorbing. I am a fan of multiple narrators, and usually they alternate by entire chapters. Having each character voice their thoughts from one PARAGRAPH to the next really was impactful and amazing how we can see the same situation in such different ways - so much juicy drama! So good! And FYI,she‘s an AWESOME speaker❤️

This was a much needed delightful light and fluffy read after a few heavier titles, as you do 💆‍♀️ It was also a #bookstagrammademedoit - along with Love and Other Words which I also really enjoyed by @christinalauren 👍

Thank you @HarperBooks for the #freecopy of A Woman is No Man - this novel is an absolute tour de force! Etaf Rum has written such a brave and compelling story. Though it comes out next week, it‘s all over social media right now, and for good reason. Adding my accolades to the pile: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/02/a-woman-is-no-man-by-etaf-rum-arc-re...

I haven‘t cried reading a book in a long time, but this one was so powerful and moving. It is an all-too-familiar look at how young girls carry so much on their shoulders, and the way boys can be wonderful allies but also so very toxic. I am also partial to a book about long distance running, gun reform, and beautiful scenes set in my two homes: Seattle and Chicago. It‘s like it was made for me, but I think it‘s required reading for EVERYONE.

I‘m so glad I got my hands on this engaging middle grade novel that I first saw when visiting @parnassusbooks last year, and @whatmeganreads recent review of book 2 prompted me to finally pick it up ❤️ It has elements of all my favorite fantasy reads, but felt refreshing with a heroine I loved to root for 💪

Awesome giveaway from @britt_brooke 🎉 I‘ve been meaning to read this one because I love the Pantsuit Politics Podcast ❤️ #imlisteninggiveaway

Reviews for books I read in January! http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/02/books-i-read-in-january.html

I thought TALTILB was good, a fun little read but didn‘t plan to read the sequels. W/the sequel to the excellent Netflix adaptation coming and hearing raves about the whole series, I read the last 2 and Han did an amazing job of delving into such important topics in a young person‘s life (family, changing friendships, college, the future) beyond the (still swoon worthy) YA romance. perfect comfort reads that I gobbled up in just a few days. ❤️
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Thank you @williammorrowbooks for the complimentary ARC and another five star read for me this year! I adored this novel and I am really grateful it showed up on my doorstep! I‘d highly recommend picking it up ❤️ Full review: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/02/books-i-read-in-january.html

New favorite cookbook! It‘s been awhile since I talked about what‘s cookin‘ - the @skinnytaste recipes we tried and recent eats linked here: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/01/skinnytaste-one-and-done-cookbook-an...

This book made me so anxious - this relationship is going straight off a cliff, right?? It sagged a tiny bit in the middle, but it was so compelling and the writing is crazy amazing 👍

I didn‘t know much about this book, other than I remembered hearing good things. I decided to jump in without reading the description and loved it so much. I am a sucker for a stranger in a strange land narrative, and Washington Black‘s story gets stranger by turns, until it comes to a very surreal and thought-provoking ending. Definitely recommend 👍

I felt like I needed to read this, not just because of the rave reviews, but because I wanted to listen to Hunter tell her family story on all the podcasts. Definitely go listen to @Bookshelfthomasville @annebogel and @Sarahsbookshelves AND READ THIS AMAZING BOOK! We Were the Lucky Ones had me turning the last page at 2am last Friday😴 Thankfully I could sleep a little late and drink a lot of coffee on Saturday...

Lucky day, indeed! I didn‘t know much about this book, other than I remembered hearing good things. I decided to jump in without reading the description and loved it so much. I am a sucker for a stranger in a strange land narrative, and Washington Black‘s story gets stranger by turns, until it comes to a very surreal and thought-provoking ending. Definitely recommend 👍

So many thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the complimentary digital copy of The Dreamers - I already have a book that‘s going on my best of 2019 list ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Full review: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/01/the-dreamers-by-karen-thompson-walke...
Also, can we go back to holiday decor and slippers all day? No? 😕

Favorite books of 2018! http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/01/favorite-books-of-2018.html

Books I read in December! Mini reviews: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/01/books-i-read-in-december.html

Books I read in November! Mini reviews: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2018/12/books-i-read-in-november.html

Thank you @HarperBooks for the complimentary review copy! I have been disappointed by a lot of thrillers over the last couple of years, and haven‘t read one for a while. The buzz around this book was too interesting to ignore, and I‘m so glad I read it - a tantalizing fast paced plot with some heft. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Full review: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2019/01/freefall-by-jessica-barry-arc-review...

If you are the kind of person who listens to Anne's podcast, then this book will SPEAK TO YOU. So many bits about being a reader made me laugh out loud and nod my head. But I was also really impressed by some of her more personal anecdotes, especially the essay about her first home with her husband that was next door to the library. This was the perfect book to cap off my year of reading.

Read War and Peace ✅ FINALLY DONE! Some thoughts on reading this an looking towards 2019: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2018/12/completing-war-and-peace-and-looking...
(TLDR: I didn‘t LOVE it and think my time will be better spent reading POC/#ownvoices in the new year 👊)

I read Rosamunde Pilcher‘s Winter Solstice over the holidays, not having read her books since I adored The Shell Seekers way back when I was in high school. I‘m glad to report that I still love her novels! This one reminds me a great deal of Louise Penny (cozy vibe and great atmosphere) mixed with Maggie O‘Farrel‘s This Must be the Place (complex tapestry of characters that weave together). ❤️

Awwwwww! This book! I was so excited to win a copy from @Crownpublishing just in time for cozy winter reading and it lived up to the hype 💗 I was dubious in the beginning, but Josie Silver takes these vibrant characters in all sorts of unexpected directions and the ending had me all verklempt. Looking forward to more from this author, for sure!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the complimentary advance copy! This was such an engrossing, character driven and intricately plotted novel that‘s perfect to hunker down with this winter - definitely living up to The Thirteen Tale. Full review: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2018/12/once-upon-river-by-diane-setterfield...

Litsy catch up time!
Have you ever read a beloved children‘s book for the first time as an adult? I guess this just wasn‘t for me. I don‘t know if it‘s because I don‘t gravitate toward fantasy that much anymore, or if some childhood books have to be read as a child? I adored A Wrinkle in Time as a kid. Though, when I reread it with my kids, I could see how it is such a strange book and hard to fall into as an adult...

many thanks to @hogarthbooks and @netgalley for the free digital review copy of A Ladder to the Sky ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was nervous going into this book... The Heart‘s Invisible Furies was my favorite book of last year, nay the last 10 years, and I knew this would be very different. My hesitation was for naught, Boyne knocked it out of the park again! Full review: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2018/11/a-ladder-to-sky-by-john-boyne-netgal...

October book reviews! http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/2018/11/books-i-read-in-october.html?m=1

This one absolutely lived up to the hype! I loved how it was a fantastic take on the boy meets girl, boy loses girl framework. And this was not at all what I expected to rise to the surface - a love story. It is that, as well as a mystery, beautifully written.