Spent the afternoon setting up this reading corner for my 2 year old daughter. Her eyes absolutely lit up when she came downstairs after her nap. I love that she already has a passion for books ❤️

I'm loving my #BOTM selection this month - so much that I've been squeezing in a chapter any time I can during the day. Right now, I'm multitasking by rocking the baby to sleep with one hand and reading with the other.

The weather forecast says West Virginia could be hit with a bomb cyclone weather event. Thankfully my book mail arrived today to see me through the storm.

Which one should I start with??

Book #2 of 2022.

I want to give this more than a "pick". I absolutely devoured this #botm selection. A slow burn with a propulsive and unexpected ending.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

1. The Family
2. 60 Books - in 2021, I read 55 books. I have two kiddos under 2 so reading time is a premium. We'll see how it goes 🤷‍♀️
3. Where the Truth Lies

It's a new year's miracle - I was trying to figure out how to explain my delivery or TWO BOTM boxes to my husband... For some reason, the mail came extra early today and I was able to sweep these babies into the house and onto the shelf before the hubs gets home from work 😎🎉🙌

Anyone else try to wake up early and enjoy the quiet of the morning? One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is just sitting by the tree before everyone else wakes up. 🎄

Also, just started the tagged book and really enjoying it so far. I love the writing style. I've had a hard time getting sucked into my last few reads so I'm hoping this will be the cure.

I was really looking forward to this book and, unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype. Although this had a promising start, I found all of the characters to be unlikeable and was put off by just how many tragedies this family went through. It felt like the author had a list of topics she wanted to touch on and incorporated them all, even if the fit was clunky. I found myself bored halfway through and completely uninvested in the characters.

My toddler is going through a sleep regression - which means I was up all night with disrupted sleep... The positive side is that I finished this gem 💎 Goodreads recommended this one to me and I hadn't previously heard of it - it turned out to be one of the best books of the year for me. It starts out with a relationship ending and works backwards in time to the origins of the relationship. So much I could relate to with this one.

I'm clearly an outlier - I read so many rave reviews about this book but I found it to be such a disappointment. I enjoyed the first 30-40% but then I started to lose interest. Each chapter felt repetitive - something spooky occured and then one of the narrators alludes to how they are keeping a secret from their spouse. Once the big "twist" came, I found it to be eye-roll worthy. I read the last 40 pages super quickly just to be done with it.

I'll admit it - I'm biased because I love Sally Rooney. Yet, if this were the first novel of hers that I had read, I probably would have rated it 3 or 3.5⭐ Since I loved her other books and do appreciate her writing style, I'd bump this to a 4. Rooney has a knack for capturing the nuances of adult relationships and this novel continues that trend, but the use of emails in the plot didn't quite work for me. Thought-provoking but not my favorite.

Started this little gem today and I can already tell it's going to be one of my favorites. I absolutely love the humor and emotion the author exudes. The writing style is 🔥

The structure of this book was similar to Hawkins's prior works - multiple perspectives as the reader tries to figure out "whodunnit". Although I read this one pretty quickly, I find that I feel ambivalent now that it's over. I keep asking myself what the "point" of this story even was. The characters were all unlikeable and I truly had no sympathy for the murder victim. Also, TW for a dog being harmed (it's quick but still there). 3.5⭐

If you put out fall decorations, it has to become fall right?

Starting the tagged book today ... I haven't heard many reviews of this one from other readers but I'm excited to dig into it.

Woke up early to finish The Neighbor's Secret while watching the sun rise. In terms of mysteries, I enjoyed the quick pace and realistic ending. At the outset, you know someone has died but you don't know when or who it was. There was a "twist" near the end that I didn't find too surprising, but overall this was a cohesive quick read. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and a good amount of melodrama. 3.5 ⭐s

My sister @FelinesAndFelonies got me a Page1 subscription for my birthday. This is the second book to arrive from their store... I'd never even heard of this title and it sounds so intriguing! I'm excited to check out something that flew under my book radar.

Also, isn't this packaging devine? 🥰

25 weeks pregnant with Baby #2 - decided to treat myself to a massage this weekend. Of course, I made sure to arrive extra early so I had plenty of reading time.

*Side note: I had never heard of this book until I saw it as a BOTM selection. About 60 pages in and I'm intrigued!

This book was a wild ride. It starts out exploring the challenges that people of color face when trying to ascend the corporate ladder - through sarcasm and satire it highlights the constant systemic oppression POC experience. Buck, our narrator, is at once a hero and very despicable. The end of the book provides a chance for redemption, but the storyline does get a bit far-fetched - though I appreciated the commentary on race wars and privilege.

I have a terrible habit of buying BOTMs but then not actually wanting to read them months later - on a mission to get through the backlog. About 80 pages into Black Buck - it feels like Wolf of Wall Street in terms of the ridiculous antics that tech companies utilize to turn a profit. This was described as satire but sadly reads like it could be reality. Lots of examples of microaggressions and racism.

*Pete the Cat courtesy of my daughter 😻

I've had this BOTM pick since January 2018 - I don't know why it's taken me so long to actually pick it up. Even though I'm usually not a big historical fiction reader, this one is really up my alley! Maybe it's the parallel between the Spanish flu and the current COVID pandemic, but I'm finding it so fascinating. Usually I find historical fiction books to be a bit of a slog but I sucked down 100 pages in no time today.

I feel like this book slid by under the radar... Which is unfortunate because this was a really suspenseful, gripping read. As someone who struggled with infertility, I found myself relating to the characters in this book - and revisiting these memories was painful. Beneath all of the misery surrounding these characters, there is also hope. And the powerful force that is motherhood. Prepare yourself for all the emotions ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book completely sucked me in from the first chapter. The use of multiple perspectives and shorter chapters contributed to a really quick pace. A look at the aftermath of sexual assault on both the victim their inner circle. The relationship between brothers was really special and provided an opportunity to explore how far one would go to protect their family. Not many books give voice to male victims, so I'm glad to have read this one. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book is so good. I just started it a day or two ago and don't want to put it down. TW for sexual assault and rape. A dark literary novel that covers a topic often underrepresented in fiction: sexual assault of men. Dark, fast-paced, and engrossing so far.

Snuck out of bed really early this morning to drink hot coffee (before the baby wakes) and finish this novel. A family drama examining the effect of long-buried secrets. Even when we run from our past, it has a way of catching up to us, until we can't escape it. Told from multiple perspectives of the Brennan family, each struggling to confront their mistakes and shame. A fast-paced literary drama, looking forward to more by this author ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'm stuck between "so so" and a "pick" for this one. There's a lot of action and a lot of violence, which eventually felt a little repetitive to me. I liked the message about loving your children and watching Billy Lee and Ike undergo personal growth and change... And while I know many people are still homophobic and transphobic, it's hard for me to sympathize with these characters even though they changed. This would make a great movie ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

This is the fastest my #BOTM box has ever arrived! I actually used my second account this month and I am waiting on 3 more books to arrive. Can't wait to dive into these!

If you like coming of age novels and stories that examine the meaning of family, this one is for you. A character-driven novel focused on what it means to be loved and the sacrifices we make to protect those who mean the most to us. I did not always like April's choices but I was rooting for her the whole way through. The ending was very satisfying and heart-warming. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another book about summer at Cape Cod? I was skeptical, but this is a book that is momentous. Beautifully written and painful to read at times. I couldn't wait to get back to it every time I paused, and I have been thinking about the ending again and again. There are TW for rape and incest, and it isn't a part of the plot that can be 'skipped over'. The characters aren't always likeable but this book is REAL. Perhaps one of the best this year ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was my first Sager book and to be quite honest, I did not like it. There were several twists that felt implausible and the trope of the "crazy female" is overdone and annoying. I know there was a lot of hype out there about this new book, but it was just not my style. It has some "No Exit" vibes but definitely not as well executed. By the end, I was speed reading to just get it done with ... Easy summer read but also a let down ⭐⭐

This is one of the better thrillers that I've read in a while. A mix of dark suspense and fairy tales that was original in it's storyline. While some thrillers are easily guessable or lose their gusto midway through, this one held my attention start to finish. It had elements of literary fiction and several clever surprises that I didn't see coming. There are themes of child abuse that may be difficult for some. Overall, a clever thriller.

I heard this book described as a mix of The Devil Wears Prada and Get Out - after finishing it, I think this is a perfect summary. There's a lot of social commentary and sly satire. I found the storyline clever and one that will stick with me for a while. However, it definitely took a turn that I wouldn't have expected based on the description and was outside my usual reading genre. It did drag a bit in places. 3.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐

Traveling to visit my husband's family and trying to sneak in some reading every chance I get 🤣 I'm only a few chapters into this one but loving the voice of it.

I am not usually a romance reader, but was looking for something light after several darker books. This book was cute - fairly predictable and about 50 pages longer than it needed to be. But I found it entertaining and fun, and a perfect read for summer. 🌞

#Bookmail!

Received boxes from both #BOTM and Barnes and Noble today. Felt like Christmas to me - husband gave me a giant 🙄

Now just give me a week with nothing to do and endless sunshine, please 😊

I just finished this gem of a book and I am speechless. Jeanie and Julius are twins whose mother has died and in the aftermath, they come to learn about many secrets she was hiding before her death. They soon become homeless and each deals with their losses in ways that drive them apart - until an accident brings them back together in unexpected ways. This is certainly a slow build: it's dark, sad, but also full of grace and growth. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a beautifully written novel about the experience of living with a mental illness. In particular, it examines the ways in which diagnosis labels can change a person's attitudes, self-conceptions, and behaviors. Mason gives an unflinching account of how depression infiltrates every crevice of your life and poisons your relationships with others and yourself. And yet, at the end, there is redemption in embracing your perfectly flawed self.

Finally crossed this one off my list. It was entertaining but a bit predictable. The plot came together in several convenient ways, that seemed a bit implausible at times. I enjoyed the changing perspectives across time periods and found this to help move the plot along - though sometimes this one dragged a little. Good for entertainment value but definitely didn't live up to all the advance hype.

All in all, I'd say this was a solid thriller. Some of the themes seem very commonplace - so many missing spouses in books, so many "you weren't who I thought you were" storylines! But I enjoyed the writing style and short chapters - the first 150 pages flew by, we with some of the resolution seeming to drag. The ending was satisfying. This was an entertaining, quick read. Recommend for mystery and thriller lovers.

On the surface, this book is about sex and food. But if you dig deeper, it's about identity and the facade we often put on to please others. What happens if we peel back our layers and allow our true selves to shine? You might lose some people along the way, but chances are you'll gain so much more. This is what Milk Fed is about. Funny, pointed, and timely. The language and sex scenes might not be for everyone, but the story was really good.

Halfway through this book and loving it. Rachel is a young Jewish woman who decides to take a 90 hiatus day from her mother. She also struggles with body image and follows a strict daily regimen for eating. Then one day, her whole life is changed when she meets Miriam at the local froyo shop. This book made me laugh out loud several times. I can't wait to see where it goes. Just what I needed to get out of a slump. Sexual and explicit language.

I had high hopes for this book, and while it was interesting it definitely didn't blow me away. A lot of the story is based on the author's childhood memories - I was a bit skeptical of how many details she was able to remember. The title itself also is a little misleading, as she grew up around Tony but he wasn't her babysitter in a traditional sense. I wish more time had actually been spent on Tony's crimes and court case. Overall ⭐⭐⭐

A beautiful day for some outside reading. I know I'm in the minority here, but I would say this was a 'like' and not a 'love' book. There were some very poignant insights about family, love and loss - but I found the pace to be slow. At over 400 pages, I was slightly bored at times. The author did a lot of 'alluding' to things throughout the book, which sometimes made it hard to know what was really being said. Sad and sweet, but not my favorite.

What a beautifully written portrait of what it means to be family. Dahlia and Louie are foster parents who have taken in children both willingly and, at times, begrudgingly. This is a story of how family ties are formed and broken; of how our hearts can be captured by others even when we fight against it; and of how it is possible to grow beyond our traumas and find happiness in others around us. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book mail is so beautiful, I don't even know where to start ❤️

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2021 (I loved Tell Me Lies). Although there were plenty of twists and clever uses of structure, the ending ultimately fell flat. It became predictable and unrealistic. What I did appreciate was an honest look at what it's like to love with OCD as people too often claim to be "OCD" without really knowing what it means. So 5 ⭐ for trying to break stigma, 3.5⭐ for a disappointing ending.

How beautiful are these #BOTM selections? 😍

Nature decided to play a trick today by snowing in APRIL. Passing the afternoon with some of my favorite things: coffee and reading.

I'm on page 180 and this book is just starting to pick up in intensity. Definitely a slow page turner. If you like character-driven thrillers, this one might be for you!

A cloudy and windy day provides the perfect backdrop to starting this new thriller.

Wow - this book is breath-taking. The writing is an honest and raw examination of the lengths we go through to be loved by others. How much of ourselves do we forfeit to be desirable to another? How much abuse do we take? Through the narrator we learn that sometimes being with someone is lonelier than solitude. This is a book about self-loathing, desire, and desperation. Dark, difficult, and full of depth. Highly recommend. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

These science books are such a good introduction to high-level topics and career fields. I'm learning a lot by reading them with my daughter.

I hope she doesn't develop a complex from our apparently high expectations for her future career 🤣