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I have treasured memories of watching baking shows on maternity leave while snuggled up with my newborn, but I haven‘t really watched them since. My “baby” (now five) and I started watching “Halloween Baking Championship” together for the first time the same night that I picked up this book. So, this was the right book at the right time for me, but I also just thought it was creative and endearing. ⬇️

Going with this one for #BOTM! I think my little girl (whose name is Violet) will be tickled to see her name on the cover 🥰💜

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3.75 stars. A fast-paced, magical treasure hunt where no one can be trusted, dripping in an Old Hollywood glamour/Art Deco aesthetic. It felt so cinematic; it would be a super cool limited series. Some parts were unclear or underdeveloped, but I‘m definitely intrigued enough to pick up book two for some answers! #BOTM

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I thought the blending of Mexican with European/American witchcraft folklore was cool. The story dragged for me at times, but it had great vibes for this time of the year. 🎧

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This is a perfect bullseye in the Venn diagram of two of my favorite things: books and Taylor Swift‘s music! As the authors say, “Taylor‘s work is full of party favors for the literature lover.” It was so fun and enlightening to look at her lyrics through this literary lens, layering her songwriting with even deeper meaning.

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This book is a powerful invitation to think about yourself and others from an intergenerational perspective. What unexamined ghosts lie hidden in our family histories? Through compassionate and insightful storytelling, Dr. Galit Atlas illuminates how unprocessed traumas repeat themselves throughout generations, and confronting them offers the possibility of change. 🎧

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I always think I want to try a pumpkin spice latte in the fall, but I never end up enjoying it as much as I had hoped. This book is kind of like that! Sometimes you‘re in the mood for something seasonal and cozy, even if it doesn‘t end up being your favorite.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A perfect anthology for October! Each work is absorbing in its own way. I think it‘s really cool that it‘s an #Aardvark original - I hope they do more things like this in the future. Many of the stories have ambiguous endings, so I just wish more people would read them so I can hear different takes! #AardvarkBookClub

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This book explores how the choices we make in our youth ripple throughout our lives, steeping readers in a sea of nostalgia, contemplation, and emotion. I thought it was so thought-provoking that the narrator is unnamed; her identity is shaped by the men who assign her names (Daisy, Jordan, Pollyanna, Hink) and view her through those projections. ⬇️

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This was the only audiobook that held my attention last week enough to listen to it instead of exclusively playing “The Life of a Showgirl”! (Which, of course, I‘m still doing!) The Appalachian setting was palpable and I loved the different versions and allegorical interpretations of the local legend of the “Witch of Quartz Creek”. The ending didn‘t fully work for me, but I liked it overall and would read another book by this author! 🎧

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Atmospheric as always with a creeping dread and slow-burning tension, but not my favorite Erin A. Craig book. Maybe I missed the palace intrigue of her other stories? Still looking forward to picking up her adult debut soon!

Extra excited for the exclusive short story collection!! #Aardvark #AardvarkBookClub

It was a crazy week and I didn‘t get the chance to post my book box picks! I think this #BOTM pick sounds intriguing, and my #Aardvark picks are so festive for October! 🧡🖤

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Holy smokes, this was fun! It‘s got the perfect academic setting, a compelling cast of characters, flawless vibes, delicious drama, a hint of mystery, and a kiss of romance... What‘s not to love?! Tiffin Academy‘s scandalous school year played out like a movie in my mind. I‘m ready for the second book yesterday. #BOTM

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I started this without knowing anything besides that Bryn Greenwood wrote it and it was a thriller. It‘s definitely dark and intense, and I had no idea where it was going. It just didn‘t have the standout quality of her last two novels for me. I‘ve seen a lot of other rave reviews, though! 🎧

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I admire Liz Gilbert as a beautiful thinker, deep feeler, and generous storyteller. In “All the Way to the River”, she shatters the human experience wide open - laying bare her most precious, complicated love story and her surrender to her truth and higher power. This memoir feels less like a book and more like an offering: painfully, tenderly, exquisitely told. 🎧

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I always look forward to picking up one of Rachel Harrison‘s feminist-tinged horror novels at this time of the year! “Play Nice” oozes rich symbolism and thematic content that you can sink your teeth into (i.e. how trauma manifests and refuses to stay hidden, or how easily society labels women crazy, unlikable, or unworthy of empathy), but it‘s also just a damn good time. #BOTM

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What an absurdly compelling novel. You can mull over this kind of literature like sucking on a hard candy. What is the author trying to say about disconnection and futility? About escapism and repression over healing and processing? The narrator is often unappealing, but fascinating to follow.🎧

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This book… It made me suppress giggles while reading it in public. It surprised and delighted me; it held up a mirror to me. It made me thoughtful. It nailed millennial malaise and professional ennui with a cutting potency. Has your job burnt you to the ground? Read this and come back to life. #BOTM

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This isn‘t the type of book I would normally pick up, but following along with Aardvark‘s monthly selections has encouraged me to explore the horror genre more, so I decided to give the audiobook a try through Libby. I thought it was a propulsive and surprisingly moving exploration of how fear doesn‘t have to shape our reality. The afterward was really heartfelt. 🎧

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I loved the fragmented writing structure of this book - the vignettes offer space to slow down and sit with each moment, and some lines stopped me in my tracks. Rather than leaning into the big feelings you might expect from a novel about heavy topics like divorce and cancer, the narrative voice is witty, introspective, and quietly resilient. Somehow, by the end, it still made me want to cry…

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This is the kind of novel I wish I could take a class on because there are so many layers to unpack. Its atmosphere was suffocating and oppressive in the best way, building a creeping dread that bewitched me. I loved that the story centers on the Mansfield sisters, yet we deliberately never get their point of view. Ahh, the timeless perils of misogyny and mob mentality… I‘ll be thinking about this one for awhile. 🎧

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This book is a powerful example of how storytelling can be both transportive and informative - shedding light on the historical and ongoing impacts of systemic racism, offering education and humanization. It was brutal to read at times, but also impactful and important. The ending had me completely hooked. Days later, I‘m still haunted by this brilliant ghost story. #Aardvark #AardvarkBookClub

Continuing my birthday month book spree! 😄 #Aardvark #AardvarkBookClub

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I can see why there are glowing reviews of this second-chance romance, but overall I felt pretty neutral. It all seemed a bit too easy for me to feel too emotionally invested. The audiobook narration is really good! 🎧

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I was so entertained by the first book in this series, but this didn‘t hit the same way for me. It was a fun enough page turner, but I felt like it jumped around way too much and the main characters weren‘t as endearing. I also wish there had been more of Zoe!

Treating myself for my birthday month #BOTM box! How to choose which one to start first?! I‘m excited about all of these! 😍🥰

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Adult summer camp? Fake marriage? Meghan Quinn? Sign me up! This book is funny, hot, sweet, silly, creative… generally delightful all around!

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Original, suspenseful, darkly funny, and just a lot of freaking fun! Lottie Jones is a fantastic, memorable, iconic character who you somehow (?!) want to root for. I‘m not sure I‘m ready to let her go! Cancel all other plans once you start this one - you won‘t want to put it down! #Aardvark #AardvarkBookClub

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I like Kell Woods‘ style of lacing together threads from different fairy tales and folklore, making her work feel both familiar and fresh. I really enjoyed “Upon a Starlit Tide”, but this didn‘t capture me in quite the same way - I struggled a bit with the pacing. It did start to get me in the mood for books that feel more like fall! 🍂🎧

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I read this for the first time over 10 years ago, and I was able to tolerate its slow-burning unease more with this re-read. Using the framework of one single meal is so effective. The characters are selfish, dripping in privilege and a disturbing lack of empathy; how far would they go to protect their family? It‘s a dark, compelling, and twisty tale that really leaves an unsettling impression. 🎧

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As an Academic Adviser, I felt like I had to pick up this book! I can see how it could be polarizing, and it might prioritize cleverness over emotional resonance, but I still appreciated a lot about it. It has a cool structure, a unique narrator, and a strong voice. At just over 200 pages and with an absorbing writing style, the pages flew by. Playful, strange, meta. #BOTM

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This is a sufficiently fun summer read filled with billionaire family drama. I ended up wanting more from it, though! The characters felt one-dimensional and the inheritance “games” were controlling and manipulative, but somehow lacked intrigue. Still, it‘s a fine choice to pack in your beach bag! #BOTM

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I first heard about this book on a podcast, and I found the author really engaging. I can see why her class is popular at Harvard! She offers practical strategies that are backed by behavioral science for how to be intentional about having better conversations. ⬇️

This one looks so deviously fun! #Aardvark #AardvarkBookClub

I decided to go with this one for #BOTM!

Am I the only one who misses the “Why I Love It” section? 😕

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It‘s such a gift to be able to travel though a book! “Tartufo” transports readers to a small town in Tuscany, where its residents are as vivid as the book cover. The melodic narration was music to my ears. Sometimes the overly descriptive writing made this feel a little slow and dense, but I‘m still glad I picked up this quirky read. 🎧

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Impeccable vibes, lots of heart, endearing and eccentric characters, and a great sense of home. This is the kind of comfort read I can imagine picking up again sometime, when in need of a magical, bookish hug. #Aardvark #AardvarkBookClub

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Sisterhood, soccer, sacrifice. This book thrusts you right into the action from the start, then unfurls into an emotional journey. It was mostly enjoyable, but I did feel bored at times. I love the book cover! #reesesbookclub 🎧

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The premise of this book seemed so whimsical and magical, but I just couldn‘t connect to these characters or their romance. Everything felt very underbaked.

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With short chapters, changing perspectives, and an opulent, ominous atmosphere, this is hard to put down! It has all the fun of a pacy, twisty thriller with nuanced characters and observations on motherhood and mental heath. I think fans of “The Guest List” and “Big Little Lies” will really enjoy this! #Aardvark #AardvarkBookClub

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Intoxicating and insidious, “Among Friends” casts a spell of simmering, relentless tension, bringing power and group dynamics to a head. The prose could be considered overwritten at times, but it really felt like I was physically inside of each scene with these characters, holding my breath. 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This might be the kind of book that you have to be in the right mood for, but if you want the vibes of a comforting quest told by the glow of the fire with cups of warm tea while surrounded by friends, this hits the mark!

Exchanged one of my previous #BOTM books for this one at a LFL! 🥰

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Alison Espach writes about specific thoughts and feelings in a really piercing and authentic way. I felt like these characters were so real and complex, and I was genuinely moved by the story from start to finish. The narration was also fantastic. This one will stay with me.🎧

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A beautiful guidebook of collective wisdom, a genuine treasure to cherish. This is a book you could work through from start to finish, or jump around based on what you need in the moment. The physical book is visually stunning, too. It‘s definitely a touch tree that I‘ll keep close by to refer back to its insight often, one I know I will recommend countless times.

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“The Compound” was an interesting microcosm of human nature. It was bingeable, but I wish it had dug deeper and hit harder. I think reality show fans will like this more! 🎧

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“May we all be loved and love each other so insanely. May we all be so human.”

A charming, cozy, hopeful story with a unique premise and a summery island atmosphere. 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a hard book to rate. I was fully engaged the entire time and read most of it in one sitting. I really liked the first half, but without going into spoilers, there were a lot of things that bothered me in the second half. It had a great summer atmosphere and a lot of potential, but it just didn‘t nail it. #BOTM

I‘m really excited about my #Aardvark #AardvarkBookClub July books! 😍

This July #BOTM pick looks like the perfect summer read! 🌊💛