Interesting and informative although a bit dense at times (it read like a text book). Recommend for any history lovers.

A twisty and twisted novel that keeps you guessing. Told mostly in the POV of our main character, Ethan, we get glimpses into a few other side characters thought and actions that allow us a fuller picture of what happened to Callie 10 years ago and how it could possibly connect to the alleged serial killer who murdered Ethan‘s father. There were few times one needs to suspend disbelief, but I enjoyed the ride it took me on.

Wonderfully written novel that reads like a coming of age memoir.

#ReadtheWorld2025 #spain

This must be my year of reading books where everyone in it is batshit crazy. Everyone seems slightly unhinged and people just accepted it. This novel was fun, but I wish not every character so off kilter.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book 3: When a woman is found dead w/a connection to Van, she &Harry soon uncover past deaths that look to be linked. Van also begins looking into her own past, trying to put pieces together &causing her personal life to unravel. Between the eeriness of “the laughing dead” crimes &the raw &vivid “nightmares” Van has, I was tense the whole time. I did find the main mystery predictable, but it was the nuances &the atmosphere that kept me on my toes.

PRK is an amazing writer. So much I didn‘t know in this one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There is honestly nothing happy about this novel. It‘s a well-written novel steeped in sadness and depressing characters. I liked it overall but wish Frank would have been less of a doormat and that Beth would have showed more remorse for her actions.

#botm

I‘m not going to lie and say I understood everything this book was trying to say, but it‘s interesting how relevant this book still is. I could see how 1984 and other dystopian novels pulled from it.

I loved so much about this book! The writing was great, the characters diverse & relatable, the relationship a fun friends-to-lovers, and the friendships phenomenal. It‘s the perfect beach read (even the setting— Summer in Miami). It did exactly what a rom-com should do: I swooned at the romance and laughed at the comedy. I also enjoyed the parts that had more gravity. It added depth to the story and allowed for character growth.

When I was in high school, I happened to see part of a court case tried by Murphy. It struck me even then how passionate and invested he was as a prosecutor.

I enjoyed how Murphy primarily focused on the cases but also gave us snippets of his personal life as it made him more relatable.

I liked learning more about the prosecutorial process and found the writing engrossing. A great read for any true crime reader.

#arc

A mix of multiple genres, I found it entertaining and fun.

3.25⭐️

I found this such an interesting premise & the mystery surrounding why Jen‘s son commits murder at the beginning is quickly put on the back burner to the mystery around why Jen is going backwards in time. I think this could be considered more speculative sci-fi than mystery. It was fun figuring out why each day was chosen & while much of the unknown is guessable, it was still entertaining. I truly enjoy McAllister‘s writing.

So, why aren‘t we learning this stuff in school?? It‘s embarrassing how much I did not know, and for that I am glad I read this.

Unfortunately, while there were parts I enjoyed there was a lot that fell short for me. Abigail‘s personality grated on me & often felt like her character was trying too hard to be quirky instead of it being natural. I‘d have liked to see the relationship be longer as I didn‘t feel Abigail‘s & Luke‘s had good chemistry & that‘s largely the buy-in I need in order to ignore insta-love plots where they go to pieces after they break up a week in. ⭐️⭐️

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Jake, a disgraced lawyer, an alcoholic, & a man whose life is falling apart, is a suspect in his friend‘s murder. To clear his name, he must investigate &see how it‘s related to other recent events. I enjoyed figuring out the connections &finding the truth.

The side characters paired well w/Jake &each had distinct voices.

There are similarities The Lincoln Lawyer series which made it difficult not to compare the two.

Low pick. It was interesting and enjoyable but nothing ground breaking.

I wanted pizza
But got a salad instead
Should have had pizza

Sometimes I regret making the healthier decision.

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Overall I enjoyed the book, but I did struggle some with the characters. I think the alternating past and present chapters was right for this story, but I found it sometimes interrupted the flow too. The difficult topics were handled well and there was depth and emotion throughout that really carried the plot.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

#botm

There‘s not enough time
To learn all I want to know
And yet still I‘ll try

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True, I am part Byrd
And yet I struggle to fly
My wings often clipped

My maternal grandparents last name was Byrd.
My first tattoo was of a bird.
I often think of the tagged Maya Angelou‘s poem.

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Short book of essays focusing on Dangarembga‘s life experiences, race, and feminism in Zimbabwe and a little in England. I know little to nothing about Zimbabwe, so this was an interesting and enlightening first look.

#ReadtheWorld2025 #Zimbabwe

Overall I enjoyed this, but there was a lot going on and a lot of POVs that at times I got a little tripped up. Interested to see where the series goes.

#arc #sweden

Way to My Heart, pt 2

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Esme is a dancer, a HS sophomore, & a girl who desperately wishes she looked differently. I like how even though Esme‘s large chest is the focal point more than once, Esme‘s life was still fully fleshed out & things such as friendships, first love, &family are also highlighted. I found myself tearing up as she dealt w/ being 15, w/ learning to accept her body even as others try to define it, &learning to gain confidence in herself & her talent.

I thought this was a unique way to tell a story — chronologically in reverse — but I was a little underwhelmed by it as a whole. The ending, which I imagine is supposed to be a shock or reveal, wasn‘t surprising to me. The characters are unlikable, and I do love a good unlikable character, but I wish they would have been fleshed out and not so two-dimensional.

⭐️⭐️💫

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Loved returning to Thula Thula and catching up with all the animals there!

I got lost again
Directionally challenged
Story of my life

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I bought this book because of the cover &after reading this am so glad I did. Tatel covers his time as a civil rights lawyer &then as a judge on the US Court of Appeals in DC. It was enlightening &honest &didn‘t shy away from calling out some of the poorer decisions made by the courts. His respect for the law &drive for justice &equality shows through in all he did. Through it all he was honest about his battle w/the truth of his blindness.

I left Oslo on Sunday and already want to go back!

Pic from their Constitution Day on Saturday.

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Honestly I was confused most of this book. But in a good, this is twisted, I‘m not sure where it‘s going type way. Jane is in love with her ex &believes they are destined to be together. She befriends his current girlfriend &from there her obsession only grows. Only, other things are not what they seem & she must decide is staying the course to get back with her one true love is worth it.

It‘s a roller coaster of crazy and I enjoyed every minute.

Death mask of Boris Pasternak (author) at the Nobel Prize Museum.

Tagged book has a great section about death masks and one of their sculptors.

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Part of the plot is that soulmates are a thing where their name is on your wrist. It‘s not explained beyond that &it felt like an easy way to say this is why Juliette &Luca have such a strong connection. If taken out the story largely would have remained the same. I also felt that at times Juliette &Luca‘s personalities were the same.

But, I loved this being set in the world of tennis &seeing women being competitive yet still friends.

Not quite my cup of tea, but still a good historical mystery.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Anxiety making an appearance these past few days.

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Insomnia

If I could just have
A moment of silence please
For my sleepless nights

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Raw, powerful, and at times emotional. Knox‘s story is one that most of us know, and I am in awe of how she has been able to find freedom and peace in the aftermath. It‘s truly inspirational.

#arc

I can have two sides
One who seeks the great unknown
And one who craves home

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The way to my heart
Books, food, coffee, and blankets
Not asking for much

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As with all short story compilations, I enjoyed some more than others, but each one was unique. Each took place 100 years after the US and British invasion and it was eye-opening and thought-provoking to see how each author processed this and chose to represent the future — some shining light on the after effects of the war through speculative fiction while others leaned heavily into science fiction.

3⭐️

#Iraq #ReadtheWorld2025

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Compact and chock full of fascinating European history, Rady writes in a way that‘s easily understandable and engaging even for non-history buffs. As I read, lessons from school came back to me while other information was new to me. There is so much information pact into less than 500 pages that I wish I would have taken notes or done better at absorbing some of it. A great read for both the armchair historian and a curious mind.

#arc

5.14.25

I walked up the hill
The view and the meal divine
I take a deep breath

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5.13.25 Haiku

Reflection

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I‘ve read a few of Martin‘s books now and each one is just delightful. I love that they mix romance, comedy, strong female friendship, and a dose of real life problems to create a balance that has you craving more. I found How to Sell a Romance to have all those things and an interesting premise set around exposing an MLM skincare company which created some great scenes. A great novel to take on vacation or sit with on a Friday night.

#arc

5.12.25‘s Haiku

In ode to my recent return to working out.

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5.11.25‘s haiku

I try to visit a few bookstores wherever I go.

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I‘ve had this for years on my Kindle, bought during a sale, but don‘t remember why as it‘s not the type of book I‘d typically go for (novella, stream of conscious, literary fiction). However, I was swept away into the musings and confession of Father Sebastian Urrutia Lacroix and found this to be a fevered yet calculated novella that while I in no way fully understood, did fully enjoy.

#ReadtheWorld2025 #Chile

I really enjoyed the mystery and suspense of this novel — did the man (Anders) stalking Shaw really kill her sister, Thea — but I struggled with liking the characters. The main reason for this was the dialogue and internal monologue of Shaw. There were so many clichéd sayings and idioms, sometimes she read like a caricature. I could never take her seriously.

⭐️⭐️?

#arc