Hot, but beautiful walk today. Enjoying this book so far!
#audiowalk
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Hot, but beautiful walk today. Enjoying this book so far!
#audiowalk
A friend went through her grandmother‘s estate sale and sent me photos of some of her incredible items, including books. She read romance as we often do, so there were photos of many Harlequins. I almost asked her to bring me some, but balked. Fast forward to today, she surprised me with a few well-loved paperbacks. 🩷 That‘s how you know your friend knows you well! ⬇️
My boys getting a little reading time in before gaming. One is reading the tagged book. No clue what the order has. Also, my boy Champ! 🐾
#raisingreaders
#dogsoflitsy
Early morning soccer training for the 7th grader. A cooler, beautiful morning we are enjoying very much!
Our B&N closed in April to make way for a UFC Gym willing to pay higher rent. Kills me.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️ Grabbed this immediately after the author‘s appearance on “Sounds Like a Cult,” a podcast hosted by author / linguist Amanda Montell (highly recommend). Then I placed my first Glossier order as a 42-year-old woman because, why not? Journalist, and Glossier fangirl, Marisa Meltzer tells us the story of enigmatic Emily Weiss, her revolutionary beauty brand, its gen z cult following, and of course, Millennial Pink.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you know my reading tastes, you know I‘m super picky about thrillers, and don‘t read them often. This, though? This was solid! The unraveling of a suspicious … suicide, accident, murder? You think you know, but you definitely don‘t. And the story seems plausible, which in this genre, is quite an accomplishment. I‘ll seek out her backlist, for sure!
Cute 500 piece puzzle 🍰🧁🥧🍧 while listening to the tagged book. It‘s a long listen, but really good so far. After reading Knife, my first Rushdie, I wanted this to be my second. The Satanic Versus will likely be my third.
#audiopuzzling
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️ So much gaslighting. Parolee Millie lands a position working for a wealthy family. Is “housemaid” even a common term? Is it regional, or? Anyway, it‘s evident pretty quickly that you can‘t trust any of these fools. Lots of very stupid choices are made. McFadden‘s writing is mediocre at best, but the story is entertaining enough to keep going. Acceptable poolside reading. I think I‘ll out check out book two.
so-so⭐️⭐️ Forced proximity werewolf - vampire romance. Paranormal stuff is FAR out of my wheelhouse, but I‘ve enjoyed Hazelwood‘s #steminist rom-coms, so decided to give this a try. I don‘t know, y‘all. I was pretty okay until the knot. #iykyk.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rushdie is a complicated human. Quite a prolific author, but weirdly, this was my first time reading him. A fatwa was placed on him in 1989 for alleged “blasphemy” in his controversial novel The Satanic Verses. Imagine living this way; always looking over your shoulder. Decades later, as he was on stage to give a talk, he was stabbed multiple times. This is a memoir of surviving near death. Incredibly written; raw and introspective.
so-so⭐️⭐️⭐️ I‘m usually a big fan of narrative nonfiction, but my attention really waned here. Chronicling the months leading up to Fort Sumter, it‘s an integral part of US history, our successes and missteps. Such an interesting topic, but there‘s a point when mundane details become filler. Just get on with it! Not bad by any means, but Larson just isn‘t for me. I‘ve read his HH Holmes one and didn‘t love it either.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️ I always look forward to Waxman‘s books, and this was decent, though not my fave of hers. Am I wrong for saying this has Crocodile Hunter vibes with a spin? A famous animal enthusiast father thought dead turns up alive, and chaos pretty much ensues. I listened to this in one day while painting my kids‘ game room, so definitely entertaining, even if it‘s not her strongest effort, IMO.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Another solid one from Jimenez! A horrific first impression leads to an unlikely, intense friendship among two doctors, ignited by notes. Anxiety is a big topic; very relatable for many. Over all, this is a very sweet and selfless take on fake dating with a bit of workplace forced proximity. I‘m always impressed when overplayed tropes are done well. Perhaps a bit unrealistic at times, but I‘ll allow it. Very enjoyable!
Freida McFadden is perfect poolside reading. That‘s my hubs in the hat. 🩷 Our boys are swimming!
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Alexis is deep in dealing with the remnants of an emotionally abusive relationship, then meets Daniel accidentally. Of course he runs a B&B in a quaint town. Of course he builds furniture. Of course he‘s the mayor. But I was down for this opposites attract situation. Beyond the Hallmark-ish vibes were the very real issues of age, social, and economic gaps, and familial expectations. Super enjoyable! Jimenez has become a must-read for me.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Broder is a gloriously odd one to predict! Loved Milk Fed; very much did not The Pisces. So, this could‘ve gone either way. An unnamed writer seeks temporary solace at a Best Western in the California high desert. A fever dream of anticipatory grief
and subjective reality ensues. Delightfully weird, funny, and moving.
Translation: “I‘m not like a regular mom, I‘m a cool mom.” 😂
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️ I read Doescher‘s Shakespeare “Clueless” Elizabethan makeover a few years ago, and loved every moment. It‘s my fave movie of all time so zero prep needed. I did, however, need to rewatch “Mean Girls” before this, and I‘m so glad I did. Doescher is funny and incredibly clever. I really enjoyed this “retelling” whilst picturing the brilliant film cast in my mind. Fans must read! #coverlove
so-so⭐️⭐️⭐️ A dystopian future, or perhaps present, where young women are chattel. Not exactly earth-shattering. The “Grace Year” drops 16 year girls in the wilderness vs poachers, and one another, for a weird Handmaid‘s-Hunger-Games situation. Parts were thoughtful and clever, but overall, it just seemed like none of these people were the smartest. A solid #bookclub selection; I look forward to discussing!
so-so⭐️⭐️ Far-fetched, and at times, gruesome backstory on Lecter. Thank the gods it was shorter than Hannibal, but still not a great read. That the first two books were utterly brilliant and that the last two were so not is truly disappointing.
pan⭐️⭐️ This is no where near the level of Red Dragon nor Silence of the Lambs. Shockingly boring and waaay too long. Felt very forced, and a blatant attempt to capitalize on the success of the Lambs film.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ FBI trainee Clarice Starling is tasked with interviewing Dr. Hannibal Lecter in hopes that he can assist in catching an active serial murderer. Gratefully, I‘ve never seen the film, so I was able to create this in my head, and it was disturbingly brilliant.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Very cute, if predictable, follow up to The Guncle. A few years have passed with Grant and Maisie entering entirely new phases of adolescence. Their dad is on the verge of remarrying a woman of which they are not too keen. GUP is there for the kids just as he was when their mom was sick.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ After recently reading Mindhunter, I had to finally try this fictionalization of famous FBI profiler John Douglas. Book one in the Hannibal series, this follows the Tooth Fairy / Red Dragon murders. Imprisoned Dr. Lecter helps detectives catch the serial killer. Sort of. Backstory and development are disturbingly excellent. Lecter is an incredible side character. So creepy.
On this day 8 years ago, I met the Ignatius J. Reilly statue in front of the former DH Holmes department store in New Orleans. Our first, and somehow only, trip to this very hot and humid, incredible city. I want to go back! 🎷📿
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you don‘t follow The Holderness Family on socials, you should! Their videos are so witty and smart. Penn, the dad, was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, and it was obvs life-changing to finally understand himself. Though they are not experts, this is informative in general, but especially in how it relates to their family; the daily challenges and the incredible positives. Narrated by Penn and Kim, I def recommend audio.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Funny and irreverent. I thoroughly enjoy Jacobs‘s lifestyle experiments. If you haven‘t read The Year of Living Biblically, or any of his others, you‘re missing out on some legit good points, but also general hilarity and embarrassment at his expense. Bless his patient family! PS. His quill-written letter to Majorie Taylor Greene regarding her constitutional originalism is hysterical.
Broke out my #Vonnegut pint glass. Best gift ever from @HeatherBookNerd 🩶 It‘s a beautiful evening in Tennessee, and the cicadas are calm (for now).
#dogsoflitsy
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An imaginative retelling of Huck Finn, told through Jim‘s eyes, in his voice. Everett did Twain justice with this creative homage to the classic adventure story. Clever, funny, and beautifully written. Not surprised it was a Pulitzer finalist! This was my first experience with this author. Very much looking forward to his backlist.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️ Heard about Daniel Lee Corwin on a podcast, so I found this quick listen, free with my Audible subscription. I‘ve already said this recently, but the number of serial murderers in this country‘s history is bonkers. The Texas prison system failed spectacularly by releasing him early after he was sentenced appropriately for rape and attempted murder. Of course, he killed again. Idiots.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️ One of the worst, and honestly creepiest, covers I‘ve ever seen. Been reading about this broad topic a lot lately, and never knew Aileen‘s story beyond the sex worker piece, so it was time. Her tumultuous upbringing was truly horrific, giving her zero chance at a stable adulthood. Still not an excuse for murdering 7 men. I could buy self defense once, maybe twice, but every time? Honey, please. Unsurprisingly, Wuornos had many diagnoses.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed this, my first Abby Jimenez! Loved the silly dating “curses” and the “Toilet King” detail. Funny and serious and cute. The unstable family part was a bit much, but felt kind of real, and was a necessary part of the background and story, so I get it. Looking forward to reading the other #PartofYourWorld books!
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ One more about Israel Keyes. It‘s a weird need to be a pseudo expert sometimes, not this would ever be a normal topic of conversation. I‘ve had enough now. This guy was the worst kind of monster. Thankful he was caught before inflicting even more suffering and death. That he had a daughter blows my mind. Even being a father couldn‘t save his disgusting deviant behavior.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ FBI Profiler John Douglas takes us inside the Bureau‘s elite serial crime unit. For years, he meticulously studied serial criminals with the intent to understand motive, MO, signature, and other dark behaviors. “To understand the ‘artist,‘ you must study his ‘art.‘” Perhaps a morbid way to state it, but yeah. Douglas goes into immense detail of several crimes and criminals. A brilliant dude. Maybe one day I‘ll watch the Netflix series.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️ Sociopathy doesn‘t just apply to criminals. Seems obvious now, but I‘d never given it much thought. Dr. Patric Gagne (pseudonym) sets out to destigmatize this diagnosis, explaining what it was like to discover her disorder, and to learn how to navigate the challenges. I‘ve seen people stating inconsistencies and questioning the authenticity, which honestly kind of tracks, but what do I know? Well-written and eye opening, regardless.
Cool, but also kind of gross. The cicadas are becoming more prevalent each day in Middle Tennessee. #audiowalk
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The title and premise are clever and full circle without being too cheesy. It‘s gotta be hard to pull off romance tropes in a unique way, but Henry absolutely delivers: a fun story, likable characters, and trademark humor. Fake dating, forced proximity, whatever. Yes. Do it all. It works so well. This hit me at the perfect time (a departure from my true crime binge). Her best yet, IMO.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It‘s disturbing how many serial killers have existed in this country. Anchorage-based Israel Keyes was a real piece of shit, obviously: bank robber, rapist, murderer. I‘m not upset to speak of him in the past tense. Interesting tidbit is that he was born Fundamentalist LDS then his folks joined a white supremacy cult, so there‘s a bit of unpacking to be done in the nature/nurture conversation.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Alana struggles. The war rages on. Hazel‘s narration is incredible as always and the artwork draws you wholly into the story. So timely, so vibrant.
so-so⭐️⭐️⭐️ “The world changes for men, Francis. For women, it stays pretty much the same.” Grandma dropping knowledge. Army Nurse 2LT Frankie and her boys (patients) demanded my attention. These portions were gut-wrenching and genuine. Remembrance matters. Liked the friendships, too. The rest of the devastation and heartache were too much, too predictable. Conclusion: Romantic/romanticized war stories are super corny. Kristin Hannah is not for me.
so-so⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Bodies are weird things to live in.” Indeed they are. This slim novel about teen female boxing was a bit less developed than I‘d hoped, but stylistically, the snippets ended up working well. The incessant firstname lastname repetition started driving me mad by the halfway mark, though.
#coverlove
so-so⭐️⭐️ Oof. I appreciate Rule‘s attention to detail, and the recreated dialogue, but this book was so much longer than necessary. Took me forever to complete. And the subject matter - Pat Taylor (plus her various other monickers) - was not even that interesting. Too much true crime lately has me oddly desensitized in my reading, I guess.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ In her third book, linguist Amanda Montell dives into the irrational human mind: cognitive biases, magical thinking, anxiety, imposter syndrome, and more. Informative, smart, and witty, this is precisely how I like to expand my mind and learn about human behaviors. Not only a must-read author for me, but a must-buy as well. If you haven‘t listened to her pod, Sounds Like a Cult, you 100% should!
pan⭐️⭐️ Body horror romance? I‘m not sure what provoked me to choose this as my BOTM. The pretty cover? Idk, but I have major regrets. Vigilantes who hunt and kill serial killers, but who themselves are also serial killers. So dumb. That said, I liked the characters well enough, but maggots should never be present in the opening scene. I repeat: Don‘t set the tone with maggots. Barf. Why did I read this?!
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An artistic attempt to reconcile the shift in society during the pandemic through current day. During Covid, Naomi Klein was often confused with Naomi Wolf, who devolved into quite a conspiracy theorist. Klein, obvs was not thrilled by this. Interesting, but an odd choice to lean so hard on the “Naomi Mirroring” when it was but a small piece. Props to marketing genius, I guess.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️ Was not previously familiar with this lunatic, but his journalist daughter recently interviewed Gypsy Rose Blanchard prior to her release. I read the transcript, and the serial killer father was mentioned in passing. Anyway, I started researching and found this short bio. Long-haul trucker Keith Hunter Jespersen got cocky and got caught, thankfully.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️ A nonfiction companion to Before We Were Yours. Due to the awareness Wingate‘s novel brought upon the Tennessee Children‘s Home Society, many people realized their family secrets and truths, deciding to further dig. Christie follows 15 stories documenting various instances of reuniting, both positive and negative. A very emotional, but ultimately uplifting read.
