Started this on audio and LOVING it. Great narration by the author. Funny, candid, and thought-provoking.

Mostly reading for comprehensive exams right now. Please tell me all the fun things you are reading so I can live vicariously through you!

So fun! What a great summer read.

A lovely memoir about culture, love, loss, and family. The descriptions of Sicily, the food especially, made me want to book a ticket. Pronto!

I did not realize when I started this that this is Locke's memoir about her husband who passed away. (Not a spoiler; it‘s in the blurb.) So, maybe have a tissue handy.

What fun! I will read everything Novik writes. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my Goodreads review of Say Nothing. I‘m glad I read it. It‘s always difficult to look at these kinds of events and acknowledge the brutality we are capable of, but I think it‘s essential to do so now more than ever.

My power went out today —a great excuse to sit on my porch and read the next pick for my book club!

One of my favorite reads during my accidental Litsy hiatus was Circe by Madeline Miller. I love how she incorporated the power of motherhood and the work of women into this ancient tale. Miller came to read at my library and she was brilliant and thoughtful just like this book. I can‘t wait for her next novel.

Next audiobook on Libby. Has anyone read this one?

Finished listening to this a few weeks ago on a trip. A great mix of southern political history and literary biography. Must read for Lee aficionados!

I wasn‘t undercover. I just lost my Litsy password for almost a year. 🤦‍♀️ Glad to be back and reading with you all!

“All that reading took. It became as basic as any other need. To be lost in a novel meant you were not lost in your own life...”

Wrapping up a year of 17 doctoral hours and this is my reward. 😊

Revisiting this childhood favorite with Libby. So lovely and narrated by Jennifer Ehle!

Local indie had a sale and I accidentally bought more books. Just couldn‘t say no to 24% off. 😍

Can‘t sleep. Should do homework. Doing this instead.

This guy. So good.

School swallowed me again. I‘m accepting that this will periodically happen until I‘m done.

Haul from Shakespeare & Co. I was going to get a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo after I heard Celeste Ng talk about it, but they only had an abridged copy. 🙅🏼 I decided to give Colette a spin. I wanted to buy a classic French work (Collete), a contemporary French work (Modiano), and a popular French work I‘d never heard of (Gavalda). Can I stay here forever?

Heaven. 🙌

Airplane reading en route to France for a friend‘s wedding. (What a treat! I‘m so excited.)
Some sweet moments and interesting historical context (Marton was married to both Peter Jennings and American diplomat Richard Holbrooke). However, something kept me from loving it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sometimes, Dad sends me a book out of the blue. This week a story by Mark Twain recently completed by author/illustrator team Phillip and Erin Stead. It made my day! (Guess where my love of books comes from? 😊)

I love Ng's pattern of starting with the end of a mystery (in this case, a house fire and who set it) and then using the narrative to explore the "why." Great read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finally starting the new Ng! (To the detriment of my work and school obligations of course.)

I'm not crying. YOU'RE CRYING.

Lovely. Sad. Making me reconsider what I think love is.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"She'll wish to talk with them, but she won't because any interest from her would be sure to be misunderstood. Her body as usual would get in the way of free speech."

I'm just sitting here getting my hair done, and Margaret Atwood just slips some universal truth into the novel like she does and my mouth drops to the salon floor, agape and in awe.

Back to reading for school, but if I can get my work done, I will finally finish The Blind Assassin this weekend which means I can start Celeste Ng's new book. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. 🚂🚂🚂

I finished a book that wasn't for school! This was my book club's pick this month. It's about the life of an English professor at the University of Missouri. It's stark and sad and beautiful. I highly recommend it. 👍

Library hold!

(Also, hi! 🤗 Being a full-time student and teacher has kept off Litsy these past few weeks, but I am going to try to be better! 🤦🏼‍♀️)

Boy, does this ring true today.

"But I've come to believe that love is actually the weirdest monster out there. And if you think love doesn't rip people to bloody shreds...you're dead wrong!"

Graphic novel Saturday night.

"The words I write feather at the edges like lipstick on an aging mouth."

❤️❤️❤️

Cleaning time means audiobook time.

Beautiful. A devastating portrait of the destruction we can wield when we don't have space to be ourselves.

Gaaah! 😭😭😭

Just me in my bathrobe, alone in a hotel room with James Baldwin. 😍

Done with summer classes. Getting on a plane where I have nothing to do but read for three hours. CANNOT WAIT.

I'm reading bits and pieces of this in between homework and class. Apparently, an adaptation is forthcoming?

Homework break! Seems appropriate to spend part of this July 4th reading an immigrant story.

That time I thought I could do seven hours of doctoral work in a summer and it wouldn't affect my pleasure reading goals. 😂😂😂

Just a little obsessed at the moment.

School work isn't allowing me to blow through this as I'd like, but it's good so far! I have several friends who LOVED this once they finished. We shall see if I have the same experience...

A sweet little volume of this Nordic myth. Given to me by a friend who knows my love for Neil. 😍

Doctoral summer reading for the win. 👊

Snagged this at The Bookworm in Omaha this weekend. 😄 However, I'm not keeping it; I'm going to be a good daughter and give it to my Dad for Father's Day. 😕 But I might try to sneak a read before I give it to him.😏

Finished listening to this today. Very funny and thought-provoking. Can't wait to check out the podcast Robinson co-hosts, Two Dope Queens, and continue to hang out with this comedian who shares my affection for U2 and Colin Firth. 😜

Road trip reading! 🚙

Taking a break from Sunday afternoon work to indulge in my mystery addiction. 👣🕵️‍♀️

I've been MIA from Litsy as the semester wraps up and I prepare to START MY DOCTORAL WORK this summer. 😱 Just got my first shipment of books, so sorry in advance for academic posts that are coming, but I'll be working in the fun stuff too, because obviously. 📚📚📚

Taking a minute to sit outside and revisit this favorite because this is the first day in several days that the sun has peeked out. And the show starts this week!