Took Beartown to the lake today! 🌞🌊⛱

Nope. 4 hours into the audiobook and we haven't even really gotten to the stuff described in the book jacket. I read several high reviews that said this book was slow to build...but this is just too slow for me - I've got too many other books waiting! 😁

"Say what you like about Beartown, it can take your breath away."

Word. ❤

Absolutely LOVING Beartown so far! I was a bit worried because I heard it was super heavy on hockey, (a sport I know literally nothing about), and I wondered if that would put me off. It absolutely hasn't!

Woop! Beartown just came in from the library!

Started listening to this one today - normally I can count on Dennis Lehane for a good read!

🎧 Decently solid. The audio book was well done and I enjoyed the multiple narrators. But, this was certainly not The Girl on the Train caliber.

Wow. Full disclosure-I thought this would be a solid 3-stars until almost the half-way point. It was good, but not mind-blowing. Then, as I was chugging through the 2nd half, I realized how much I was enjoying it. This is a love story, but it's also about mental illness. It's about how depression is such a strong thing that it can drag you down no matter how much you love, or are loved by someone else. This is a lovely and heart-breaking read.

This is a cautionary tale that is all the more effective because I felt like it was entirely believable. I loved this book -- it completely pulled me in and, days later, I'm still thinking about it. Highly recommended.

"'We forget, sometimes,' Gaines said, 'that there are still beautiful things.'"

"We forget sometimes," Gaines said, "that there are still beautiful things."

Loving this book, y'all!

On trying to erase/correct the mistakes of history:

"Sarat thought about how easy it would be to fix the mistake, to simply redraw the stars properly. But she knew that even broken history is history. The stars, cast wrong, must remain that way. It would be more wrong to change them."

Super glad to be home from work and in my happy spot.

Repping my tribe today. 📚☕🤓
#iliketopartyandbypartyimeanreadbooks

Solid book! Glad that I listened to the audio-the narrator truly brought it to life.Only objection-the accent used for white female classmates of Star‘s all sounded exactly like Valley Girls from Clueless. Other than that, the narration was on point-her inflections and nuances made all the difference. Take-away? Empathy. And bravery. Be willing to seek out the truth, even if it‘s hard for you to face. Then be willing to fight for it.

"This isn't a story about war. It's about ruin."
#bedtimestory

Woop! Started this one today! Have heard some mixed reviews, so I'm listening to the audiobook. Hearing the narrators - if they are good, which these are so far - helps give it an extra punch for me. 🎧

This one was dark and depressing. I finished it, hoping to find a glimmer of hope somewhere, thinking surely there would be one...Negative. Skip it.

Fully realize I'm swimming against the current of love and praise on this one. I honestly waffled between the so-so and pan ratings. I just didn't get it. The main love story - the foundation of this whole novel- was meh, the prose was lovely but I felt SO rambling/meandering at times that it lost me. Not my cup of tea, I'm afraid. 😕

Started this yesterday and I'm really enjoying it so far - I can tell it's going to provoke a lot of thoughts and conversations.

♥♥♥🖤🖤
Beginning -- good. Middle -- REALLY good. End -- Good. I felt like the author tried to explore too many storylines thay didn't entirely get fleshed out. The 1980's storyline, flash backs to David's childhood then early adulthood, flash forwards to different points in Ada's adulthood. They were all good, some just weren't nearly as strong as the others, and the whole novel suffered just a little as a result. Still, solid overall.

♥♥♥🖤🖤
A good, solid book. Would recommend!

Still plugging through The Dry - about 50% through - while somebody does all she can NOT to pay attention to her homework...
*looking at the wall, looking at her toes, counting the shapes on the rug...* 😒

It's Derby Day in the Bluegrass! BUT- its super cold and gray here in Kentucky. Staying in this morning and hoping it warms up later.
🌹🐎👒🎩

Although I just got caught in a rain shower, so am certainly not feeling dry, it was worth it to grab this jewel from the library!

Being an adult--it is not the same. It is not, actually, anything like what we wanted, what we imagined for ourselves. But...mostly it's better. Sometimes I'm so grateful it feels like a miracle. For the dumbest things--a cup of hot coffee, a funny text...that I hate my body less, that I love my mother more, that I still have time to choose. The colors are less sharp, but I'm glad I'm here.
--Marlena

Very good, but very dark. The 2 main characters are almost painful to watch evolve. They fall into a downward spiral-poverty, drugs, sex, toxic relationships-only one climbs out. The writing is great, the dialogue believable, the setting felt totally authentic. That being said, this is a heavy one. I'd still recommend it.

Loving my new SPROUT bookmarks! 🌱

Okay, full disclosure....this one was good, but I was left a little underwhelmed. I hate that because so many people have absolutely adored it. But - coming on the heels of This Is How It Always Is and Pachinko - both likely going in my top reads of 2017, this one was good, but just didn't knock my socks off.

Started this one last night. It's really good so far! The title character is heartbreaking, but the story is lovely.

Starting this one today - high hopes! 😁

Finished Pachinko last night. A chunk of a book, book, but SO good. ❤ I have always enjoyed multi-generational family stories and this one tugged me in from the beginning and kept me engaged the entire time. Highly recommended!

“Only humans can hurt one another, Ada thought; only humans falter and betray one another with a stunning, fearsome frequency. As David's family had done to him; as David had done to her. And Ada would do it too. She would fail other people throughout her life, inevitably, even those she loved best.”

DNF. If I didn't have a bazillion library holds that all came in at once, I MIGHT have finished this one. It wasn't awful, it wasn't wonderful....just okay.

Making the most of our weekend! 📖📚This book, y'all....I'm loving it! If it keeps up like this, it will definitely be one of my top reads of 2017.

Lunchtime! 🌞🌳📖☕❤

Had to put Marlena back on my shelf for a bit - realized this one was due back at the library first... And it's a CHUNK.

#mugsoflitsy

Downloaded this one from the library today!

(3.5/5) I could have listened to the narrator of this audiobook, Linda Lavin, all day. She was fantastic! The book itself was enjoyable-a grandmother relating the stories of her young adulthood in the 1920's and reflecting on what made her the woman she became. Very sweet and funny.

"How did I get to be the woman I am today? It started in that library."

So. Good. I had heard of Trevor Noah before reading this book, but I didn't know the first thing about him. His story, and his writing voice, are fantastic and engaging. Highly recommended!

Wrapping up Born A Crime and excited to dig into this one!

I REALLY enjoyed this book. The formatting is definitely NOT something I have ever seen, but once I got into it, the story moved really quickly. I was able to read it in 2 days. I don't think this one will be for everyone - the concept & format are really out there - but for me, it worked. I loved the quotes and excepts from historical sources sprinkled throughout the novel (some real and some fake, I later found out). It's absolutely unique.

Seems legit. 😁

Anyone listening/listened to S-Town? I'm 4 episodes in and mind blown.

When you tell your husband that yes, you are TOTALLY cooking dinner right that very moment and he reminds you about that super cool app that lets you see the security cameras that you begged for last summer... #caught 😂😂😂

About 1/2 way through this one - I like it!

It's a gorgeous day to read in Kentucky!!!
❤🌷🌞🌷❤

Really enjoying this audiobook - and the narrator- so far!!

Oohhh, I started this one last night. Think it's going to be good!!