Alllllll my library requests came in just in time for #24in48!

Come for the history of investigative journalism and the progressive movement, stay for the heart wrenching stories about presidential friendship! This was a fascinating story about a period of dynamic change in American history made all the more compelling by the remarkable relationships between Taft and Roosevelt. Any book which leaves me tearing up at a bus stop as I listen to the last chapter is worth the investment!

Man, I just love Elena Ferrante. This short novel focuses on the summer vacation of a middle aged woman, but quickly morphs to a powerful exploration of motherhood. Fans of the Neapolitan Novels will recognize the similar themes and equally fantastic writing. I had to keep reminding myself though not to try and make comparisons between those novels, this story, and what I can imagine her real life to be!

How could I have forgotten how much I absolutely love Roald Dahl?? I don't know how I missed this follow-up to Boy, but I'm so glad to have read it. This book follows Dahl in his adventures after school, working in Africa for the Shell Company and serving as an RAF pilot in WWII. His witty account is of course funny, but interspersed with thrilling tales of military exploits and heartbreaking remembrances of the war.

I finished this book ages ago but only just got around to putting it on Instagram (with that cover how can you not?) so I figured I'd share it on litsy S Well! This was a lovely book that made me want to be a fancy Victorian collector (clearly)! Perry describes the nature and changing seasons with beautiful precision and develops the characters beyond period stereotypes. I'll admit I wasn't quite as absorbed as I had hoped, but it was enchanting.

The most exciting part about moving is checking out your new local #library, right? I may have gone a bit overboard with my #bookhaul but I was so excited to finally have books again!

I was interested to learn more about LBJ and make my way through Doris Kearns Goodwin's books and this one (her first) was a good intro but not the most captivating read. She includes a lot of psychoanalytical and Freudian commentary which seems kind of overreaching for a biography
Honestly the most interesting part was the forward, which she wrote almost 40 years later, so if you're interested maybe just read that part.

I didn't have any expectations going into reading this, so I was intrigued as the story slowly unfolded and revealed itself. Part adventure, part social commentary while still capturing a universal human experience. I can see why #botm and #manbooker liked this one!

A lovely little book of vignettes which balance heart and hope. For fans of My Name is Lucy Barton this expands beautifully on the community presented in that book, but even if you haven't read it this book is worthwhile.

Eh. Not as entertaining as The Girl on the Train and not really terribly suspenseful/surprising either. The book picks up a bit by the second half, but really just enough to keep you entertained for the time being, not enough to really recommend to someone else.

I had to finish this book tonight to ensure I could go to sleep! Freaky, unsettling, and filled with satisfactory twists this was exactly what you want out of a thriller! I did find it sort of slow to get into, but it picks up momentum as you hurtle towards the finish. Now to read something light-hearted to make sure I can sleep!

Went a little overboard at the #library today--quite a #bookhaul considering I have 2 other library books to finish!

I had high hopes in this book, which is I think what frustrated me so much. Each deviation from the plot and overwritten addition disappointed me more than your average "bad book." If this didn't present itself as a PI-investigatory-suspense novel there would still be too much exposition, but at least it wouldn't be so uneven. Unfortunately it was and the plot payoff wasn't worth the suffering.

I want to like this book because the plot seems interesting but OMG this writing is getting to me! Clunky, uneven and with so much exposition that I had to double check it wasn't trying to catch me up on a missed prequel. Not a sentence goes by without a long winded explanation for why someone acts the way they do. I'm 1/3 of the way through, so I don't want to bail, but can anyone who's read this convince me it's worth the struggle?

What a beautiful story! A man leaves home one day to post a letter to a friend and keeps walking past the postbox. The premise is simple but the story is endearing. A bittersweet journey across the UK which tugs at your heartstrings and gives you the urge to hit the road yourself.

Apparently I had a color scheme in mind with my #library #bookhaul!

I was skeptical about how interesting someone's diaries could be but I was really enchanted by this book! It was fascinating to discover how Sedaris' style develops and deftly captures the world around him. You get a sense of how he engages in his surroundings and it makes you want to look at your own life more cleverly. Some of the entries are so unique it demonstrates that the truth really is stranger than fiction!

Kind of flipping out because Rachel Khong liked my #bookstagram! Social media is exciting.

I was pleasantly surprised with this touching novel about a daughter returning home to care for her father after his Alzheimers diagnosis. Poignant and bittersweet with a touch of wry humor. This reminded me of a My Name is Lucy Barton meets David Sedaris' diaries. A quick read, but a worthwhile one.

#Bookmail is the best mail! SO excited to read this!

I was expecting this to be a quick thriller pick, but it was so much more! The book expands beyond the basic suspenseful premise to encompass a whole town, becoming a portrait of a community in transition. Tragic and hauntingly beautiful with a set up that reminded me a bit of Broadchurch's first season.

Just as good as the previous two, this series is such fun! An indulgent guilty pleasure that you don't have to turn your brain off for, which I'm always looking for!

A full month later and my #botm finally arrived! #Bookmail really is the best mail!

I sped through this book in a day, carried away by a story that reminded me of a sort of fever dream. Short and lyrical, the writing alternates between reverie and concrete plot. Hard to describe, but enjoyable!

I picked this up at the library yesterday and tore through it! At first I was afraid it'd be one of those actor-not-writer written books, but was pleasantly surprised. Not a highbrow, thought-provoking memoir by any means, but if you like Gilmore Girls and Lauren Graham this is a fun, fast, enjoyable read.

I didn't know what to expect from this book but Sedaris' keen eye for odd details proves that truth really is stranger than fiction!

A well written and engaging story which explores the reality of the American Dream against the backdrop of the Great Recession. If you were a fan of Americanah you'd probably enjoy this as well!

With an Oral History I think the editor/author/compiler's role becomes a little more apparent than usual, so there were some inserts/asides that irked me. If you're a fan of The Daily Show though these little issues are forgettable and you'll get great insight into the 16 years of this fantastic show.

Just a nice book. If you're in need of a happy little diversion look no further--this book is I think the definition of "feel good," without sacrificing plot or emotion. Ideal for fans of classic BBC/British tv, too (it reminded me a lot of a perfect episode of Midsomer Murders, just without the murder)!

I expected this book to be a little overhyped, but I really enjoyed it! A unique story with a format that was fun to read. I finished it super quickly because I just wanted to keep reading!

I picked up this book because I read some article where Emma Watson mentioned being a big fan, and I definitely see it, but I'm not quite buy-the-movie-rights obsessed with it like she seemed to be. It was a very fast read, entertaining, and I'm keen to read the next 2 in the series but the general premise annoyed me. Without spoilers, the "realm" or "universe" of the book bothered me more than it should. But generally I'd recommend it!

So excited to have a #tbr pile that doesn't have to fit any categories!

Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles: I've finished the Popsugar Reading Challenge! Last year I finished on New Years Eve and the year before I only got about 15 books on to the list so I'm SO pleased to be done! Now to read whatever I want--what a novelty!

I thought this book might be a little too Victorian for my tastes, but it wasn't bad! Pretty short with a good amount of intrigue, all in all a happy little story that left me feeling content.

I don't know why I'm always so hesitant to read older books because I really enjoyed this one! Very readable with a good dash of humor thrown in amidst an expected amount of tragedy. My one complaint against this book wasn't against Thomas Hardy but Barnes & Noble Classics--if there's a plot point that doesn't happen until the last 30 pages, don't put it in the blurb on the back! Just because it's a "classic" doesn't mean I know how it ends!

It took me a while to finally get around to reading this one but I glad I did as it lives up to the hype. Engaging, poignant and tragic this novel beautifully reminds you of our national horrors. I was expecting the read to be powerful but didn't anticipate that I would get swept up in the adventure as well.

My first Agatha Christie! Methodical yet rewarding with an ending I didn't predict (even having seen countless episodes of Poirot!) Now I see why my grandmother was such an Agatha Christie fan!

I had only vague, Downton Abbey-like expectations in this book so I was a little surprised by how much a like it! Much more than just a period drama (though if that's what you're into it doesn't disappoint!) I was engaged and just couldn't get myself to put it down.

It had taken me a LONG time to finish this book, but that's honestly due to how remarkable it was. The premise in a nutshell is an African American farmer in LA reintroduces segregation. Pretty daring, to say the least, and the writing more than stands up to the challenge! The satire was so incredibly thick, and each word was so precisely chosen that you can't skim a single sentence. Every page has a remarkably clever phrase--worth the struggle!

I started this book a LONG time ago but had to put it away because it was just such a challenge. I'm glad I picked it back up. This book was not an easy read, but it was incredibly powerful and heart wrenching. Well worth the struggle.

A remarkable, thought provoking book of letters from a father to his son regarding what it means to be a Muslim in the modern world. Rather than dictating lessons, he encourages his son to consider the questions which he's posed himself. Some sentiments are applicable to any religious/spiritual person navigating the 21st century, but more are specific to the Muslim experience. A very powerful read for people of any/no faith at all!

"There is no knowledge that is wrong. Only knowledge that is difficult, troubling, enlightening, liberating, and intoxicating. [...] Just as you read fiction in order to discover the names for emotions and experiences that we all have had, you read the philosophy and theology of others in order to enrich your own perceptions."

I feel like I didn't quite give this book the attention it deserved --I listened to it but not really attentively enough so there were some connections I missed and some plot points I couldn't quite understand. With that being said though, it was a solid classic spy novel which kept me entertained through the end!

I've wanted to read this ever since watching the miniseries in high school, so I may have been predisposed to like this book, but I loved it! This gave me the same sort of, anglophile warmth as I Capture the Castle, but with an added dose of Wharton tragedy. It's a shame Wharton died before the novel could be completed but even the sort of 2/3 she finished stand on their own.

Just picked this up from the library! I was anticipating something sort of like "Between the World and Me" but from the first few pages I've read I think I need to readjust my expectations. Excited to read it though!

I read this fairly quickly and I guess I was pretty entertained, but the engaging intro fades into a fairly forgettable middle and rather disappointing ending. I just found out there's a sequel in the works, so that redeems it a bit because on its own it's really not quite worth the 500+ page effort

I've been reading this one for AGES because I never gave it the benefit of just committing to it 100%, but I enjoyed it as I read it. Surprisingly engaging with distinct characters--which really just goes to show me i shouldn't be so hesitant to read "old" books

Super fun, entertaining and escapist. If you're as obsessed by the British royal family as I am then the (incredibly) thinly veiled references to the real Windsors will make you feel like you got a peek behind the scenes--but maybe with a bit more drama!

Ok so I liked this book and I thought it was well written and engaging, but I kinda feel like my lack of familiarity with "nerd culture"/Spanish/the Dominican Republic kept me from really connecting/appreciating this book. Did anyone else feel this way?

Thanks to the #popsugarreadingchallenge for getting me to pick this one up! Fascinating to learn how one month in 1914 shaped the actions of the next 4 years and completely shifted the course of history!