Trying to decide between these two for my long train ride home during Thanksgiving.

Opinions?

🎯

Well, gosh. Sometimes a novel can sneak right into your heart when you‘re in an emotional place, almost like the author themselves knew you needed it.

That was this book for me, a warm hug. A reminder to care about the people around you. What a gift. Another shining example of finding a new favorite author through #AuthorAMonth. 💖

Spitballing for any kindred spirits here.

Is anyone planning a book challenge based on activism, education, creating conversation? Maybe a list centered around “Banned Books”? A re-read of 1984 and/or The Hunger Games? If you know of one, point me to it. Or if you‘d like to start one with me, sound off.

I feel like we should use these emotions in a constructive way. ❤️‍🩹

You know, sometimes you see your sign.

Glimmers are important. 💙

This week has been heavy to say the absolute least.

Grateful I have books — and you all — to keep my mind off some of the frustrations I feel. Distractions and Joy are not nothing in difficult times.

Wishing everyone peace and empathy. 💙

Library run to pick up my #AuthorAMonth choice (no hold list required for once, found it on the shelves 💪🏻) and grabbed the one on the right on a whim from the New In shelf. Seems like everywhere I turn people are in a frenzy about the upcoming Wicked film(s) — there‘s even Starbucks drinks in its honor. 😂

Happy Halloween! We were the only ones who “dressed up” at work today. 😂 Not sure if I count, I only put Mouse ears on. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤪

I have a lot of complicated feelings about this novel but I think perhaps that was the author‘s intent. It felt like a fever dream.

The prose was so poetically written and was so vivid with its intense dark imagery. It would make an excellent film. Elements felt predictable but the ending truly lived up to the grim fairy tale theme in a way that felt sad and impactful.

Truthfully? This was very slow. It felt like it took ages to get to the meat of the mystery — and once it did, it was largely revealed quickly and anticlimactically. I wouldn‘t even label this as a mystery really - more like a crime novel with social commentary sprinkled about. French‘s trademark insane detail didn‘t do this favors because it just felt bogged down. Same story could have been told more succinctly. 🤷🏻‍♀️ #AuthorAMonth

Three years ago I saw this show Off-Broadway (and cried). I had always planned to see the Broadway upgrade but when I heard it‘s leaving in January, I knew I had to see it before voting this cycle. Keep Marching! The Young are at the Gates!

Went to the first ever NYC preview performance of TEETH last night. Maybe the wildest piece of theater I‘ve ever seen.

Based on the film of the same name. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

I‘ve only read one title from this author years ago but I loved it so so much. Wanted to start at the beginning of her main series for #AuthorAMonth but no copies were available at my library - so a standalone it will be.

Fast paced and definitely a quick read. I just think the scant lack of detail irritated me. I enjoyed the cast of characters, I just wish there was more world building or it was fleshed out more.

For my first Bardugo, I get why she‘s so hyped.

Power of the pomegranate.

I feel like this short story nailed the spooky feel of childhood imaginations - inventing wild nonsense to purposely scare your friends (and you in the process), but fell short in overall tone. The whole time I was unsure if it was obvious to the kids they were playing a game or not. It just felt too muddled.

What a lovely surprise to see this ARC waiting for me at NetGalley! I really enjoyed her book ‘Little Weirds‘ so I really looked forward to reading more of her whimsical brand of personal vulnerability in ‘Lifeform‘. The primary focus here is her marriage& the birth of her baby (during a global plague). In my opinion, the best way to enjoy Slate‘s written work is through audiobook, because her voice truly makes her work sing, if that makes sense.

The end pages! 🥰🫶🏻

Photo is a blurry still from a live performance I saw of JoJo almost ten years ago. After reading her memoir, I realize this performance was a week and change before her father passed away.

Her memoir was candid - especially regarding her personal life and choices. While a part of me wishes more light was shed on her career setbacks, I appreciate her candor and definitely feel like I know her better now as a human, rather than just as an artist.

The music industry is more slippery than an eel sometimes. 🫣

This short story got swallowed by how unnecessarily convoluted it was. It tried to tackle too much all at once and toppled over from the weight of it all. I don‘t recommend.

This short story blended Carrie with Halloween. A bit repetitive with pacing but the ending was sad all the same, even when it became clear where it was headed (complete with final scare coda). Poor Hannah.

TW: bullying, child death, suicide

Finished this past the deadline due to not feeling so hot but I don‘t regret pushing through. This had a slow start and elements did feel repetitive and predictable but overall, this was a heartwarming read. It was clear the author was in a place where he needed to get this down for their own personal reasons. #AuthorAMonth

I‘m home today, feeling slightly under the weather. Getting a move on my second #AuthorAMonth pick. The reference to his other work (and so far my fave after having read three titles by Klune) made me smile.

I‘d be remiss if I didn‘t also post this. Well said, indeed. #AuthorAMonth

What a delight this was.

Did it lack some climactic elements? Yes. Was it as good or better than the first? No. Was it a warm hug during a crazy time politically? You betcha.

#AuthorAMonth

Morning LOL courtesy of Lucy.

(apologies if you‘re from Florida 🤪)

#AuthorAMonth

Happy First Day of Fall! Enjoying seeing Halloween deco pop up in my neighborhood.

JoJo is one of my absolute fave musicians, I‘ve been following her career since her debut when I was in middle school. She‘s just a few years younger than me. Can‘t wait to step into this. Splurged on a signed copy from the Strand (wanted to go in person but the event sold out immediately).

Went to pick up my second Klune selection from my library and spied this on the New In shelf — I couldn‘t help myself.

I‘ve never read Bardugo before but I‘ve only heard good things. Plus it has spooky black sprayed edges! 😆🤩

In todays political climate, this feels like a warm reassuring hug to me. I get it may come off as preachy to some, but there‘s so much to be said for inclusivity, positivity, and warmth in a time of so much uncertainty.

Basically, I needed this right now. Ideal timing for #AuthorAMonth 💖

Sprayed edges! 🤩🫶🏻😍 #AuthorAMonth

I perhaps over committed myself to too many book clubs this month but despite myself, I‘m enjoying this little short story set - it feels vaguely Brothers Grimm with a moral left to your own implications.

Stopped in to my local bookstore to pick up TJ Klune‘s latest for #AuthorAMonth 🌊💙 but their mug selection always tempts me.

Where to begin? This book felt like a car crash in motion. You felt it the entire time. The central character is infuriating, willfully destructive, sometimes pathetic, sometimes woefully misogynist/ageist. She‘s always on the verge of seeing her behavior for what it is, blinks, and continues doing it. But isn‘t that life for some people?

Frustrating? Yes. Thought-Provoking? If you can stomach it, yes. The Litsy rating makes sense. 🤷🏻‍♀️😅😤

Trying out the Fable app and loving it so far! Joined one of my fave bookish instafluencer, Mychal, in his Fable book club. 💖

This was so much fun! 25 horror films were broken down plot point by point (so if you‘re afraid to watch, you kind of don‘t have to), plus interesting tidbits from the set and cultural impact analysis. Also — each film included a handful of fiction novels to read “instead”. So basically, this horror nerd‘s TBR has increased a ton.

My thanks to Tantor Audio for this ARC audiobook! Felt like a fun podcast series. 🎃

I‘ll be honest, this started slow for me but has taken an unhinged turn and I‘m seated and here for it.

I went into this book cold solely because it was named the Book of the Summer by a local bookshop since they sold an unprecedented amount of copies. I‘m getting why…and I‘m also slightly concerned/suspicious of my neighbors. 😅

What a treat to read the latest from one of my fave authors a bit early! 🫶🏻✨🥰

Moriarty is so handy at creating a cast of full-fleshed characters, weaving together their stories expertly. This novel focuses on destiny versus free will, personal fears, main character syndrome, and “coincidences”. By the end, I was quite fond of several characters. To me, this is a return to peak form for this author. 💖

August recap. My goal of 100 books in 2024 is starting to look like it‘s out of reach if I don‘t queue up some novellas but so many chunks are stealing my interest these days. 🤷🏻‍♀️

The amount of serotonin I felt when I saw approval for the latest Liane Moriarty novel on NetGalley!! She‘s an auto-read for me. Excited to dive in. 🦋

An espresso martini suits this book bc phew. 😮‍💨 What a wild, unsettling little ride this was! I enjoyed this immensely. It was fast-paced, propelling you forward with so much momentum (and dread), purposefully leaving so much up to the reader‘s fearful imagination in such a capable way. Each chapter in this novella ratcheted up the tension — I truly flew this.

My thanks to Tor Publishing for this ARC.

Help me choose!

These are the remaining novels I have left in my TBR stack from last years Brooklyn Book Festival. The goal is to finish before this years event at the end of September.

How should I start? 📚 ✨

Soft pick. A mixture of thriller, demonic horrors, and contemporary violence. A lot is expressed without an overload of exposition which I appreciated. Also loved a lot of Spanish was weaved throughout, more often without an English translation.

I suspect if you enjoy S.A. Cosby‘s work, you might like this too. Similar direct narrative but with a blend of fantasy/monster mash.

Brooklyn Book Festival is in a little over a month and I‘ve barely scaled the stack I bought last year. 🤪 So I‘ve decided to remedy that as best I can between now and then. First up, this one I got signed by the author following a superb horror panel.

This was a bit different than I was expecting. I was expecting uncanny valley, unnerving. What I got was confused and unclear sci-fi elements that really added little to a familiar “dystopia” story rooted in desire of agency. 🤷🏻‍♀️ This one felt undercooked to me.

This short story from the author behind ‘You‘ doesn‘t appear to be in the database yet. It‘s maybe a little too quick-moving — but Kepnes is excellent at humanizing and creating empathy for “bad” characters. The grass always appears to be greener.

Trigger Warning for sexual assault.

I enjoyed this. A part of me expected a bit more to tie it all together, but it was well written, despite being very slow paced. If you‘re expecting *scary*, this isn‘t for you, though. #AuthorAMonth

On deck from the library. Unintentionally matches my fresh petit bouquet. 💐✨🫶🏻

About halfway thru with this chunkster and the low rating of it on here baffles me. Is the pace slow? Yes. But the writing has sucked me in. I can‘t wait to see where the rest takes me. #AuthorAMonth

Next up! #AuthorAMonth pick! First time reading Sarah Waters…