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“What a gift that is. To still wish and dream and want. To find the good. To wear it on your sleeve.”

A candy cane in book form. It‘s probably best to let your mind gloss over any logistical details/plot holes and just go along on the romantic, magical holiday ride!

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I don‘t typically rewatch movies, but holiday movies are an exception. I also love to hear others talk about what their favorite holiday movies are and why. There‘s something so comforting and festive about it - a way to bond, destress, mark the passage of time, and feel the Christmas spirit. This book captured the essence of that feeling! There were some things I didn‘t love, but overall, it was sweet. 🎧

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“Nothing is so privileged as thinking history belongs to the past.”

This book is a conversation starter, an empathy activator, and a perspective shifter - a social and moral reckoning that serves as a call to action and a hopeful guide for change. It teaches readers so much while remaining readable and accessible. I hope it lands in many hands, speaks to the minds and hearts that need it most, and resonates far beyond its pages.

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There were some interesting observations in this book & a lot to mull over regarding choices - sitting with them, escaping them, wondering about alternative paths or the chain of events that brought you to this moment. It was also a bit passionless despite the subject matter. Perhaps this is intentional, reflecting a broader sense of millennial futility. It doesn‘t necessarily elicit strong feelings, but it does leave you thinking #BOTM

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This was funny, cute, and full of Scottish Christmas charm! The romance was sweet, but the side characters (especially Desi and Joel) also shine. A delightfully cozy, laugh-out-loud read for the holiday season!

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3.75 stars. Like the other books in the series, this Christmas special was deliberately meta and pays homage to Agatha Christie in a fresh way. It was fun to try to play along with solving the mystery, but I‘m nowhere near as shrewd as Ern! The advent calendar was a nice, festive touch.

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It‘s so satisfying when reading lines up with real life and your story is set in the same season you‘re in. This one is a classic family drama about three sisters returning to their family home for Thanksgiving. It won‘t stick with me, but I was entertained enough. Happy Thanksgiving to all! 🎧

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It‘s fascinating to think how one‘s correspondence can be pieced together to create a mosaic of a life. Evans pulled this off beautifully, painting a unique & vivid portrait of aging, regrets, forgiveness, & the art of letter writing. The epistolary format also allows us to read between the lines & notice what is revised, omitted, or unsent. The audiobook‘s brilliant full-cast narration makes this special novel shine even brighter. 🎧

December #BOTM picks are up already! I already had “Best Offer Wins” on hold on Libby, and I actually have “Good Spirits” checked out and hope to start it soon. This pick wasn‘t on my radar, though, and I especially appreciate a poignant family story around the holidays!

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4.25 stars. I think it‘s really cool that these books were cowritten by two lifelong best friends - you can feel the divine feminine energy pulsing through the pages, centering female pleasure and fantasy. It was great to see Diana come into her own in many different areas of her life. And CATALINA. What an ending to this series!

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How much are the hands of fate pulling our strings; how much agency do we have over our own trajectory? This was an immersive read of family curses, self-fulfilling prophecies, and generational patterns. I felt most drawn to Monife‘s character. The audiobook narration enhanced the story. 🎧

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The eerie cover of this book sets the stage for the haunting pages within - are the eyes blacked out to symbolize the loss of identity when conforming to the ideal suburban woman role? Or not feeling seen, heard, or understood? Not knowing if she is seeing reality? Feeling trapped and suffocated? One thing is for sure: Lulu‘s carefully crafted 1950‘s housewife facade is jiggling as much as one of her perfect jello salads. ⬇️

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I‘m realizing that, in general, I don‘t seem to click as much with generational stories where there are a lot of characters over a long period of time because it‘s harder for me to get invested in the characters. I liked Kirsten Miller‘s last two books better and will still pick up her next one! 🎧

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I‘m determined to finish this series, and this quick little “holiday special” went down easy. 🎧

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This series continues to be “just okay” for me. For some reason I don‘t feel that attached to the characters and often felt bored with the story. I don‘t think SJM‘s writing is really for me, but I can appreciate why she‘s popular! 🎧

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The social commentary in “Girl Dinner” is so freaking sharp - I paused multiple times to write down quotable passages. It‘s the kind of book that explores questions without answers: what is power, what is feminism, what is a good woman? Can there be real power in the subversion of power? Are women playing a rigged game where they lose regardless of what they do? Lots to chew on… stay hungry. 🎧

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This book accomplishes quite a feat for a slasher: it‘s equally terribly thrilling and poignantly moving. You can feel the love the author poured into the cast of elderly characters, rendering them with spirit and complexity, still chock-full of life. It‘s pacey and murderous, but it‘s also brimming with strength and hope. #Aardvark #AardvarkBookClub

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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.

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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