Compact but informative. An important read.

One word review: inspiring.

Born in Nepal, Gurung experienced trauma w/his dad, bullying, &sexual assault. But he had the love &acceptance of his mom & a determination &courage that allowed him to stay true to himself.

He went to NYC to pursue his dream of being a fashion designer, facing challenges by being a POC in a predominately white field. His grit &authenticity was so inspiring & moving. I celebrated each dream achieved w/ him.

#botm

I didn‘t fully understand it. But I‘d recommend for anyone who loves sci-fi and time travel.

Parts of this were similar to books I‘ve read before, and other parts were fun and twisty. I liked how this book had sort of a mise en abyme technique as Grady was an author himself (see spoiler below).

⭐️⭐️⭐️

#botm

If I didn‘t have an ARC of this book, I probably would have DNF‘d it. I had difficulty w/ the writing &the characters. Between the abundance of elipses & italicized words and the only tonal difference between characters being curse words, I struggled to stay engaged in the story. I liked that Cillian seems to grow throughout the novel, but wish we could have seen more development w/Rory & more interaction w/ & personalities of the side characters.

I‘m not the right person for this book that takes place in a small Italian town, but I can see others loving it. A teacher goes into the forest after a student commits suicide. I expected a quiet, introspective novel that drew on human connection, emotions, &relationships. While it‘s certainly quiet &a little introspective, there are so many characters (in under 300 pgs), that I feel we didn‘t get the depth, emotion or connection we could have.

A well-written, informative, & interesting coming-of-age memoir about a Somali girl, spanning from her childhood with her nomadic grandmother, life in the city with her family, escaping during the civil war to Kenya & then Canada, & finally growing into a young adult who honored her culture & ancestry while also choosing to embrace parts of her new home. It‘s part heartbreaking, part educational, & all inspiring.

#ReadtheWorld2025 #Somalia

While overall I enjoyed this book, I did struggle with it a little as well. I just didn‘t connect to the story or characters like I have with other O‘Leary books.

⭐️⭐️💫

#arc

What did I just read? I think this is about hair-made balls, tennis (or a game similar?), sex, and the colonization of Mexico by Cortés. But honestly there was so much going on and switching of stories that (I think) were supposed to be interconnected. I would have DNF‘d but I was using this for multiple reading challenges and was also trying to keep an open mind.

#ReadtheWorld2025 #Mexico #sortof

Another fun rom-com with a touch of serious subject matter.

There‘s something about cancelling plans and escaping into a rom-com after weeks of being busy and running around. The perfect escapism and another Hazelwood winner.

I‘m surprised I never heard of Dean Corll, aka the “Candy Man,” before given how prolific of a serial killer he was. This book blends both the gruesome murders of dozens of boys in the 1970s along with the scientific and anthropologic work of forensic anthropologist Sharon Derrick, who decades later tirelessly worked to bring justice for the Lost Boys and peace to their families. Well researched and well written.

#arc

Talk about a book w/feels. Gracie is navigating life a yr after her husband unexpectedly died when she meets Josh, the man working on renovating her vacation home.
It‘s a slow burn romance but I‘d argue it‘s more a coming-of-(middle) age about Gracie growing into a new version of herself. I loved the amazing support group she had: friends, coworkers &even her kids. I enjoyed how Josh was w/her, becoming great friends &letting Gracie set the pace.

Interesting and informative although a bit dense at times (it read like a text book). Recommend for any history lovers.

A twisty and twisted novel that keeps you guessing. Told mostly in the POV of our main character, Ethan, we get glimpses into a few other side characters thought and actions that allow us a fuller picture of what happened to Callie 10 years ago and how it could possibly connect to the alleged serial killer who murdered Ethan‘s father. There were few times one needs to suspend disbelief, but I enjoyed the ride it took me on.

Wonderfully written novel that reads like a coming of age memoir.

#ReadtheWorld2025 #spain

This must be my year of reading books where everyone in it is batshit crazy. Everyone seems slightly unhinged and people just accepted it. This novel was fun, but I wish not every character so off kilter.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book 3: When a woman is found dead w/a connection to Van, she &Harry soon uncover past deaths that look to be linked. Van also begins looking into her own past, trying to put pieces together &causing her personal life to unravel. Between the eeriness of “the laughing dead” crimes &the raw &vivid “nightmares” Van has, I was tense the whole time. I did find the main mystery predictable, but it was the nuances &the atmosphere that kept me on my toes.

PRK is an amazing writer. So much I didn‘t know in this one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There is honestly nothing happy about this novel. It‘s a well-written novel steeped in sadness and depressing characters. I liked it overall but wish Frank would have been less of a doormat and that Beth would have showed more remorse for her actions.

#botm

I‘m not going to lie and say I understood everything this book was trying to say, but it‘s interesting how relevant this book still is. I could see how 1984 and other dystopian novels pulled from it.

I loved so much about this book! The writing was great, the characters diverse & relatable, the relationship a fun friends-to-lovers, and the friendships phenomenal. It‘s the perfect beach read (even the setting— Summer in Miami). It did exactly what a rom-com should do: I swooned at the romance and laughed at the comedy. I also enjoyed the parts that had more gravity. It added depth to the story and allowed for character growth.

When I was in high school, I happened to see part of a court case tried by Murphy. It struck me even then how passionate and invested he was as a prosecutor.

I enjoyed how Murphy primarily focused on the cases but also gave us snippets of his personal life as it made him more relatable.

I liked learning more about the prosecutorial process and found the writing engrossing. A great read for any true crime reader.

#arc

A mix of multiple genres, I found it entertaining and fun.

3.25⭐️

I found this such an interesting premise & the mystery surrounding why Jen‘s son commits murder at the beginning is quickly put on the back burner to the mystery around why Jen is going backwards in time. I think this could be considered more speculative sci-fi than mystery. It was fun figuring out why each day was chosen & while much of the unknown is guessable, it was still entertaining. I truly enjoy McAllister‘s writing.

So, why aren‘t we learning this stuff in school?? It‘s embarrassing how much I did not know, and for that I am glad I read this.

Unfortunately, while there were parts I enjoyed there was a lot that fell short for me. Abigail‘s personality grated on me & often felt like her character was trying too hard to be quirky instead of it being natural. I‘d have liked to see the relationship be longer as I didn‘t feel Abigail‘s & Luke‘s had good chemistry & that‘s largely the buy-in I need in order to ignore insta-love plots where they go to pieces after they break up a week in. ⭐️⭐️

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Jake, a disgraced lawyer, an alcoholic, & a man whose life is falling apart, is a suspect in his friend‘s murder. To clear his name, he must investigate &see how it‘s related to other recent events. I enjoyed figuring out the connections &finding the truth.

The side characters paired well w/Jake &each had distinct voices.

There are similarities The Lincoln Lawyer series which made it difficult not to compare the two.

Low pick. It was interesting and enjoyable but nothing ground breaking.

I wanted pizza
But got a salad instead
Should have had pizza

Sometimes I regret making the healthier decision.

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Overall I enjoyed the book, but I did struggle some with the characters. I think the alternating past and present chapters was right for this story, but I found it sometimes interrupted the flow too. The difficult topics were handled well and there was depth and emotion throughout that really carried the plot.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

#botm

There‘s not enough time
To learn all I want to know
And yet still I‘ll try

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True, I am part Byrd
And yet I struggle to fly
My wings often clipped

My maternal grandparents last name was Byrd.
My first tattoo was of a bird.
I often think of the tagged Maya Angelou‘s poem.

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Short book of essays focusing on Dangarembga‘s life experiences, race, and feminism in Zimbabwe and a little in England. I know little to nothing about Zimbabwe, so this was an interesting and enlightening first look.

#ReadtheWorld2025 #Zimbabwe

Overall I enjoyed this, but there was a lot going on and a lot of POVs that at times I got a little tripped up. Interested to see where the series goes.

#arc #sweden

Way to My Heart, pt 2

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Esme is a dancer, a HS sophomore, & a girl who desperately wishes she looked differently. I like how even though Esme‘s large chest is the focal point more than once, Esme‘s life was still fully fleshed out & things such as friendships, first love, &family are also highlighted. I found myself tearing up as she dealt w/ being 15, w/ learning to accept her body even as others try to define it, &learning to gain confidence in herself & her talent.

I thought this was a unique way to tell a story — chronologically in reverse — but I was a little underwhelmed by it as a whole. The ending, which I imagine is supposed to be a shock or reveal, wasn‘t surprising to me. The characters are unlikable, and I do love a good unlikable character, but I wish they would have been fleshed out and not so two-dimensional.

⭐️⭐️💫

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Loved returning to Thula Thula and catching up with all the animals there!

I got lost again
Directionally challenged
Story of my life

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I bought this book because of the cover &after reading this am so glad I did. Tatel covers his time as a civil rights lawyer &then as a judge on the US Court of Appeals in DC. It was enlightening &honest &didn‘t shy away from calling out some of the poorer decisions made by the courts. His respect for the law &drive for justice &equality shows through in all he did. Through it all he was honest about his battle w/the truth of his blindness.

I left Oslo on Sunday and already want to go back!

Pic from their Constitution Day on Saturday.

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Honestly I was confused most of this book. But in a good, this is twisted, I‘m not sure where it‘s going type way. Jane is in love with her ex &believes they are destined to be together. She befriends his current girlfriend &from there her obsession only grows. Only, other things are not what they seem & she must decide is staying the course to get back with her one true love is worth it.

It‘s a roller coaster of crazy and I enjoyed every minute.

Death mask of Boris Pasternak (author) at the Nobel Prize Museum.

Tagged book has a great section about death masks and one of their sculptors.

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Part of the plot is that soulmates are a thing where their name is on your wrist. It‘s not explained beyond that &it felt like an easy way to say this is why Juliette &Luca have such a strong connection. If taken out the story largely would have remained the same. I also felt that at times Juliette &Luca‘s personalities were the same.

But, I loved this being set in the world of tennis &seeing women being competitive yet still friends.

Not quite my cup of tea, but still a good historical mystery.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Anxiety making an appearance these past few days.

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Insomnia

If I could just have
A moment of silence please
For my sleepless nights

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