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monalyisha

monalyisha

Joined January 2017

Head in the clouds, book in my hand, coffee in an I.V. ☁️📖☕️ (R.I. 🌊)
review
monalyisha
Sleep | Honor Jones
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Pickpick

I loved Sleep as much as you can love a book about an impossibly hard topic—which is to say, a lot.

In her review in the NY Times, Fiona Maazel writes, “What surprised me was that out of its careful, orderly prose — every word neatly placed as if on a well-set table — grew an exceptionally moving novel.” Jones sets the table but she also performs the magician‘s trick of pulling the tablecloth out from underneath with all the words still set.👇🏻

monalyisha 1/2: Despite the dark subject matter, the book is filled with light — literal light (certain slants of sunlight, which are described in precise detail) and in the form of characters that actually *can* be trusted or looked to with shining hope. 13h
monalyisha 2/2: I‘m di(s)sappointed that this is Jones‘ debut novel. I immediately want more of her writing. I hope I don‘t have to wait too long. 13h
Deblovestoread Great review! Stacked 11h
48 likes4 stack adds3 comments
review
monalyisha
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Mehso-so

While I enjoyed this prequel enough to not be mad about it, it‘s got a different vibe from the rest of the series. Set in 1536 in the court of Anne Boleyn, it‘s obviously missing the Millennial pop culture references that are plentiful in the other books. As an elder Millennial, I‘m biased, of course…but those references are doing a lot of work. Without them, the tone felt oddly humorless. I need the levity of a Spice Girls quip, I guess. 🤷‍♀️

blurb
monalyisha
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I just preordered my friend Liz‘s book and you can, too!

25% off today (through a local indie) & you‘ll get an EXTRA fairytale — in the form of an exclusive zine!

Can you believe she got a deal with Norton?! What a freakin‘ rockstar!

https://heartleafbooks.com/book/9781324106333

TheBookHippie Oooooo 2d
AmyG This looks awesome! 2d
60 likes2 comments
review
monalyisha
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Pickpick

*Exactly* what I want from a cozy romantasy. I cried tenderly over the casual reveal of emotional truths more times than I care to count. This is a treasure of a found family story. 👇🏻

monalyisha 1/4: While I‘ve read better written sex scenes, they weren‘t completely lacking in spice. I also wish there‘d been slightly more attention paid to developing Sera & Francesca‘s friendship. 4d
monalyisha 2/4: And the mystery about how to adapt and personalize the spell to restore Sera‘s powers wasn‘t particularly mysterious; I guessed two out of the three ingredients pretty quickly (and the third — or the second, technically — couldn‘t have been guessed until the requisite context was provided). (edited) 4d
monalyisha 3/4: Still, Mandanna‘s writing shines so brightly in most places, and so many of the storylines wrap up in such a satisfying way, that I‘m inclined to overlook any minor quibbles I may have. A sweet and charming story, which manages to address culturally relevant subjects (e.g. pronoun usage, autism) in a completely organic way. 4d
monalyisha 4/4: Of the two novels I‘ve read by Mandanna, I prefer The Secret Society…but I think it‘s because I‘m a coastal girly. No shade to this follow-up whatsoever! I read it quickly and greedily, and I have no regrets. 4d
BookmarkTavern I can‘t wait to see what Mandanna does next! ❤️ 3d
65 likes1 stack add5 comments
blurb
monalyisha
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August felt weird, temporally.

Glad to be in a new month, though I hope there are still a few beach days left now that we‘ve entered the quieter off-season here in Rhode Island. 🌊

I had a few writing projects this past month, which diverted my focus away from reading. Now, it feels like a slump may be looming. But anything‘s possible! We‘ll see what September brings.

#AWreads2025
#personalreadingtracker

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monalyisha
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Clam Down was too singular to NOT win August.

The Wedding People also gets high honors…but not high enough to replace Eight Bears as the Wild Card.

…Bears, and clams, and Moomin. Oh my!

#ReadingBracket2025
#2025ReadingBracket

CSeydel Looking good! I always enjoy seeing your picks - you read such good books and often they are titles I haven‘t heard of elsewhere 6d
monalyisha Thanks, @CSeydel! Your comment made me smile. 😊 5d
46 likes2 comments
quote
monalyisha
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“It was, and there was no other word for it, scary to live under a ruler who wrote the rules as he went…It was unprecedented and unnerving. She understood why the king was so popular; the people saw his blatant disregard of the established order as an opportunity for their meagre, humdrum lives to magically improve. They were fools if they thought that. The king served only himself, always. The empire was an extension of his self.”

Ruthiella ✊✊✊ 1w
AnnCrystal ✊🏼🦅✊🏼💙. (edited) 1w
Sparklemn ✌️🤍🩶 1w
See All 8 Comments
dabbe ✊🏻💙✊🏻 1w
Amiable Amen, sister! 1w
TheBookHippie 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 1w
Deblovestoread 💙✊🏼💙 1w
emnels19 🙏❤️ 6d
72 likes8 comments
review
monalyisha
Love and Other Conspiracies | Mallory Marlowe
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Mehso-so

A fun premise with an average execution. I appreciate the sensitive topics that the story puts “out there” (emotional abuse, gaslighting, the loneliness the comes with being a caretaker — especially at a young age when caring for an ill or dying parent). The writing, however, is repetitive and lacks subtlety & finesse, e.g. “He pulls me into a kiss. It‘s slow and long-awaited…and tastes of tongue.” WHAT. No, thank you.👇🏻

monalyisha 1/1: And did you know that blue hair = quirky? How many times would you like to be reminded? Think of an appropriate amount…and then double it. I am unlikely to go hunting for another of Marlowe‘s books but I‘m glad she tried something thematically different. 1w
ChaoticMissAdventures This is too bad! She has a new one coming out centered on UFO hunting or something, it sounded fun but we I don't want to think about the taste of someone's tongue 😂 1w
monalyisha @ChaoticMissAdventures Yes! There was an excerpt at the end of this book, which I read because I‘m nothing if not a completionist. 😅 1w
AlaMich Hate repetition! I‘ve been reading Mistborn and Brandon Sanderson loooves to make his characters FROWN. Pick another verb!! (edited) 1w
monalyisha @AlaMich Me too. It‘s a definite pet peeve — and one that I have reason to complain about all too often! 1w
51 likes5 comments
blurb
monalyisha
Tenfold | Mark Hayden
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Celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary today! 🥳

Typically, we jointly forget which day we were even married. Us every year: “Was it the 28th? 29th?” But 10 years is a big one!

Ruthiella Happy Anniversary! 🥂❤️ 1w
tpixie Congrats! 1w
dabbe L💜VE this pic! HA to both of you and 🖤🐾🖤 to the pup! 1w
See All 25 Comments
Chrissyreadit Happy Anniversary ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ 1w
JamieArc Ha! I forget too! Is it the 21 or 23 of September? To be fair, there‘s an Earth, Wind, and Fire song that messed it up for me 😂 Happy Anniversary! 1w
monalyisha @JamieArc I did a tap routine to that song that is forever burned into my brain! Super catchy. Definitely not your fault. 😉 1w
Cupcake12 Happy anniversary 🎉💕 1w
TheKidUpstairs Happy Anniversary! I got married on my sister's birthday. Often, I forget the date of both 🤦‍♀️ 1w
Amiable Happy Tin/Aluminum Anniversary! (Metals represent the strength, durability, and flexibility of your marriage. ✊🏼❤️ ) 1w
Prairiegirl_reading Happy anniversary!! 1w
Deblovestoread Lovely pic! Happy Anniversary 🥂 1w
wildwoodreads Happy Anniversary! 1w
Tamra Many more happy years to you both! 1w
Yenya1954 Happy Anniversary ❣️❣️ 1w
LeahBergen Happy Anniversary! 1w
CSeydel Congratulations! You guys look wonderful 🫶🏻 1w
CSeydel @JamieArc my anniversary is Sept 21 too! 1w
AnnCrystal 👏🏼🥳🥂 Happy Anniversary 🍾💕🐕🐾💝. 1w
kelli7990 Happy Anniversary! 1w
JenReadsAlot Great picture! 1w
AmyG Happy Anniversary! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ 1w
JessClark78 Happy Anniversary! 🎊❤️🥂 1w
quietlycuriouskate Happy anniversary! 1w
BookBr Congratulations!! 1w
CarolynM Congratulations 🥂🎉 6d
84 likes25 comments
blurb
monalyisha
The Book Barn | Niantic, CT (Bookstore)
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I went to a used bookstore with an enabler. 😅🙈

I‘ve read (and loved) everything under “Everything Under.” The rest were on my TBR…and if they weren‘t, they are now!

Lcsmcat A Children‘s Bible is excellent! 2w
Suet624 A great haul! 2w
wildwoodreads Awesome haul! 2w
See All 6 Comments
AnnCrystal 👏🏼🤩📚💝. 2w
LeahBergen I see a Persephone! 👏 2w
ReadingRainbolt Shopping with an enabler is the best!🤗🛍️💕 1w
78 likes6 comments
blurb
monalyisha
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What service do you use for audiobooks — and why?

I know about/use Audible, Libby, and Hoopla. And I‘m aware of Spotify, to some degree. I‘m sure there‘s a world out there I know nothing about. Meanwhile, I‘m paying a sucker fee to the enemy. BUT! I commute *and* I‘m a mood reader. So, having fast access to a wide array of titles exactly when I feel like reading them is important if I want to stay sane. Sane-ish.

TIA! 🙏🏻

Lcsmcat When I had a long commute I paid ($50) for a Brooklyn library card. They had a great collection and I was supporting a library. There are probably other libraries you can join even if you don‘t live there. I use Libby but it depends on the library I suppose. 2w
WildAlaskaBibliophile When you say you're spending a lot, I have to ask if you have a local library that subscribes to any of the services you listed. A lot of libraries have Libby, so you would be able to check out books through there for free with your library card. 2w
monalyisha @WildAlaskaBibliophile Oh, I‘m not spending *a lot!* I work for a library (in MA). And I live in a different state (RI) from the one in which I work. And I have Libby & Hoopla through them. I just also pay for Audible. I‘m wondering if there‘s something I‘m missing. (edited) 2w
See All 19 Comments
monalyisha @Lcsmcat I just don‘t know if I want to be dealing with waiting lists, which seems like a library-related inevitability. I don‘t mind paying money for my impulsivity but I‘d rather be forking it over to a less evil entity, if possible. I‘m afraid of limiting my access in the quest for the moral high ground. 2w
Lcsmcat @monalyisha Check out Brooklyn‘s collection and see what you think. I don‘t think I had to put anything on a waiting list. 2w
monalyisha @Lcsmcat That‘s promising! I‘ll look into it. Thank you for the tip! 2w
TheKidUpstairs I use Libby, and occasionally Hoopla (but only for short books that will be done in one car drive - I have terrible luck with stopping and coming back to books in hoopla, it always messes with my spot). I never pay for audiobooks, but friends who do love libro.fm. They say it's easy to use, and supports independent bookstores. 2w
monalyisha @TheKidUpstairs Yes! That‘s the one I think I meant to look into. Thanks! 2w
Ruthiella There is https://www.chirpbooks.com/ and if you are interested in a subscription service, try scribd.com. 2w
ChaoticMissAdventures I use Libby, I also keep going back to Ever& even though you can only do 3 a month now, I can usually balance it with Libby. Occasionally I use Spotify, but only for very short books I can read in a day, if not since I listened at 1.5 I don't want to struggle finding my place again if I pop over and listen to music. 2w
monalyisha @ChaoticMissAdventures Is the Ever& *any* 3 books per month? That one‘s new to me! 2w
ChaoticMissAdventures @monalyisha mostly? I have not really had trouble finding thigs they often have things I cannot find at my library or that have months wait. They claim there are a bunch for free, but I have never found any that I am interested in that would not count towards my 3 monthlies. It is $17 a month, and you can keep the books for as long as you keep paying them (I assume that means you can re-listen to ones you download) 2w
shortsarahrose Nothing really new to add - Libby, Hoopla, and Cloud Library through my local library. I used to subscribe to Scribd for ebooks and audiobooks (I let my subscription lapse when the credit card that was tied to it expired, but the selection was pretty good). 2w
monalyisha @ChaoticMissAdventures I‘m excited about this option! I‘ll let you know if I decide to pursue it. Thank you so much! 2w
GirlNamedJesse @monalyisha I came here to second Libro.fm! If you‘re a librarian you can request access to their ALC program for audio arcs essentially. Also, if you‘re a librarian you should look into the PRH (Penguin Random House) Audio app. It took a couple weeks to get verified as a librarian, but now I have free access to what feels like their entire catalog of audiobooks! My coworker says the player doesn‘t always keep her spot though. 2w
GirlNamedJesse (2/2) Re: PRH Audio app: You'll probably want to download the app and create an account first using your work email, then email support@audioapp.penguinrandomhouse.com and request an "industry verified account" so you have access to the audiobooks.

https://penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audio-app-faqs/
2w
monalyisha @GirlNamedJesse I think I actually went through the Penguin process over a year ago and then forgot about it. I need to dig. 🪏 Thanks for the reminder! 2w
quietjenn I was going to recommend the Libro.fm ALC program, but @GirlNamedJesse beat me to it. It's easy to get approved and there's pretty much no limit to how many you can get (or at least I've never run into it). 2w
monalyisha @GirlNamedJesse @quietjenn Apparently, I created PRH *and* Libro.fm accounts, was approved, and totally forgot about them. I must‘ve done it at work one day and then just wiped it from my brain entirely. 😅🙈 I‘m like a kid in a candy shop right now. Thank you! 2w
53 likes19 comments
review
monalyisha
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Pickpick

If it didn‘t feel like such an obvious and natural conclusion to this volume (despite the fact that I didn‘t guess the ending, even with all of my doubts & uncertainty in place), I‘d be really mad that this ends on a cliffhanger. I despise cliffhangers. But I love Juno Dawson‘s writing. She‘s smart, & soft, & tough in all the right ways. Her plots feel thoroughly storyboarded. I‘m eager to see where Book 3 takes us!

monalyisha P.S. I think American readers were gifted with Nicola Coughlan‘s narration because we were so disappointed that we didn‘t get it for the 1st book (like UK readers did). I was one of the aforementioned disappointed consumers. But then I got what I wanted & missed Aiofe McMahon‘s reading. And it seems like I wasn‘t alone! Nicola did a fine job but Aiofe is back for the 3rd book! I don‘t think I‘ve ever had my whims met so exactly. Almost like magic? 2w
51 likes1 comment
review
monalyisha
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Pickpick

“Every wedding, even a successful wedding, is a waste…But…”

I‘ve been thinking about weddings a lot, as I write my sister‘s wedding ceremony, with my side hustle as an officiant & my husband‘s profession as a photographer, in the full swing of wedding season. It‘s also our 10th wedding anniversary next week! And let me tell you, the above quote is 100% true. But so is the “but.” At least, that‘s what I tell myself to justify the waste. 😅👇🏻

monalyisha 1/4: I read this for my IRL book club and forgot that it was going to be set in Newport. I live in RI, worked (briefly) in a fancy hotel in Newport (worst job of my life), and I recognized, with glee, many of the locations. We even have a gift certificate for a Water Journey (at the Bodhi Spa), which we‘ve inexplicably been sitting on for way too long! 2w
monalyisha 2/4: I found this compulsively readable. I appreciate Espach‘s voice. She deals with some big topics like, “Who determines what “waste” is — especially when examining the trite phrases we use after a death (self-inflicted or otherwise), like “What a waste”? 2w
monalyisha 3/4: She also has a talent for writing realistic & quick dialogue, which is rare, and which balances the weightiness of her subject matter. Furthermore, where else was I going to learn that Pawtucket, RI was the last place in America to make socks. Who knew?! 2w
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monalyisha 4/4: Not a perfect text. It‘s very white & very privileged but pretty self-aware. I managed to refrain from judging the characters too harshly, which is a feat for me & I‘m sure has something to do with the author‘s talent. She makes it clear that everyone is going through something, and oftentimes that “something” is huge (depression, grief). I‘ll admit I did judge the MC‘s suitability as a pet owner. 🙈 Ultimately, a book I‘m happy to have read. 2w
Sparklemn Great review! And I had the same thought about pet ownership. 😐 2w
monalyisha @Sparklemn I tried to be generous. I‘ve never been quite so low or crushed before, so who am I to say what I would or wouldn‘t do? And she clearly loved her “therapist.” But it was tough. 2w
AnnCrystal Happy 10th Anniversary in advance and Congrats to your sister 🥳🥂💝💝💝. 2w
59 likes7 comments
review
monalyisha
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Pickpick

I picked this up for the nun content and had no idea that the author was a comedian in her past life. Turns out, she regularly got up on stage with The Groundlings and told jokes alongside rockstars like Jennifer Coolidge, Cheri Oteri, and…Mo Willems?! She even had an anecdote about how Sarah Michelle Gellar couldn‘t be bothered to shake her hand at a party once. 😅

Anyway, this was a very wholesome, earnest, & straightforward read…

monalyisha 1/1:…which felt like a welcome rest after some of the more experimental books I‘ve been consuming. I wouldn‘t call it a “comfort read,” though, given the turbulence of her childhood and early life. She went from growing up dirt poor in the South in an abusive household with an addict father, to attending NYU and ultimately joining a convent. The range of her experiences is fascinating — desperately sad and heartening, by turns. 3w
monalyisha *Note: I wouldn‘t use the word “hilarious” to describe the author‘s voice or the tone of her memoir (tragic circumstances aside). It‘s colloquial and smooth, and not without humor…but I think she‘s much more suited to her spiritual calling than a comedic one with a microphone and rubber chicken in hand. But, oh, what an image! Habit + rubber chicken = pure gold. 3w
70 likes4 stack adds2 comments
blurb
monalyisha
Bad Hare Day | R. L. Stine, Scholastic Books
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Got my hair done today. Jett was very uninterested in staying still for a selfie. 😅

Aims42 Great picture!! 🤩 3w
AnnCrystal 👏🏼🤩 Nice 💕🐕💝. 3w
dabbe L😍VE it! #joyuusjett, too! 🖤🐾🖤 3w
Gabbymags123 Adorable 3w
Roary47 Super cute! 😍💛 3w
74 likes5 comments
review
monalyisha
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Pickpick

At first, my feelings about this book were as inconstant as the tides: did I hate it? Did I like it? My opinion came in, and went out. I landed on glittering, phosphorescent love.

Chen says she‘s interested in form and it shows. Her memoir (?), in which she transforms into a clam in the aftermath of a divorce when her mother tells her via typo to “clam down,” is wholly unique. She writes about herself (“the clam”) in third person,…👇🏻

monalyisha 1/6: …from the POV of 5 different invasive Asian clams (over the course of time to show the history of Chinese immigrants in the American West), and as each of her Taiwanese immigrant parents *in the first person* (which she constructs from interview transcripts). (edited) 3w
monalyisha 2/6: Writing from your parents‘ perspective feels so…presumptuous? Transgressive, even. Obviously, we want to understand our parents. Just as obviously, they are unknowable. And (!), they are inside of us and they are us. We tell and retell ourselves their stories to help us form our own…but to put it down on paper feels more brave (or foolish?) than I would dare to be. 3w
monalyisha 3/6: I wonder if her parents have read her book. I wonder how they *really* feel about it (as I‘m sure the author does). 3w
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monalyisha 4/6: Over the course of the story, she journeys to shell-centric destinations, researching her surroundings. Some of my favorite explorations include Georgia O‘Keeffe‘s Ghost Ranch, Arcosanti, Biosphere2, and the Camino de Santiago. (edited) 3w
monalyisha 5/6: A word of caution: if you find yourself feeling skeptical about the narrative voice, keep going. In the initial sections, when she “clams up” and closes herself off, I *felt* it — which is impressive and effective! — but it didn‘t make for an enjoyable reading experience. Once she began diving into her relationship with her parents, I became much more invested. (edited) 3w
monalyisha 6/6: This is a strange book. Although it sometimes lacks smooth transitions between sections, I loved it for its inventiveness and the way it sprawls while, simultaneously, being intensely contained. (edited) 3w
mcctrish It sounds so interesting and intriguing 3w
monalyisha @mcctrish I‘ve never read anything quite like it! 3w
wildwoodreads I‘ve never read this but it sounds intriguing. Even though the title broke my brain for some reason lol 3w
monalyisha @wildwoodreads It‘s not a book that *doesn‘t* promise to break your brain…but I enjoyed it! 😜 3w
67 likes1 stack add10 comments
blurb
monalyisha
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Such a pretty little stack. 📚

AmyG It is! 4w
TheKidUpstairs Love the colour theme. It feels like a beach house palette 🎨 4w
AnnCrystal 🤩📚💝. 4w
72 likes3 comments
blurb
monalyisha
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You are what you eat.

Chrissyreadit 😂🥸😂 4w
Laughterhp My favorite 🤤🤤 4w
66 likes2 comments
review
monalyisha
The Enchanted Greenhouse | Sarah Beth Durst
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Pickpick

Is Sara Beth Durst‘s writing sometimes a little saccharine? Picture me answering this with a Yarrow-like shrug that means, “yes.” But I‘m not mad about it. Her books are total wish fulfillment *and* they show characters working through emotional trauma to reach a healthy place. Who‘s going to complain if that place is one with tiny dragon pollinators…👇🏻

monalyisha 1/3:…endless honey cakes; a shanty-singing myrtle plant; a purring & winged cat for a scarf; a community with respect for all beings & their chosen pronouns; and a man with calloused hands, a sensitive heart, and deep sea green eyes? It certainly won‘t be me! 4w
monalyisha 2/3: I‘m not one to shy away from ambiguous endings but in this case, I love that SBD is such a pro at tying up loose ends and leaving no tiny detail unaddressed. Hopeful and satisfying, both. 4w
monalyisha 3/3: If I could change anything, I‘d open that closed-door romance…but I‘ll begrudgingly admit that it feels appropriate, vibe-wise, for it to be shut. It‘s more welcoming to all readers that way. Also, I *really* hate the cover. I suspect if we‘re granted a third installment of this series, it will be Marin & Ree‘s story. 🌊 4w
AnnCrystal 🤩📚💝. 4w
yourfavouritemixtape Ooooh I‘ve been waiting for this! 4w
70 likes4 stack adds5 comments
blurb
monalyisha
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I keep thinking, “I‘m going to have to figure out a way to explain myself!” because all of my most trusted Litsy friends told me I‘d love this and…I‘m finding it a bit of a slog. I don‘t know what the deal is, pals!

I need to return it because it‘s way overdue. Will put it on hold and try it anew when it returns to me. It‘s entirely possible that I‘m just burnt out with work and unable to lend it my quiet focus.

*Gorgeous* cover art.

monalyisha I made it through Winter & Spring. There are scant few copies in my system but I‘m determined to get to Summer while we‘re still experiencing the dog days. 🐶🌞 1mo
JamieArc Aw that‘s okay! I actually read it over a long period of time, so that may have helped me. 1mo
monalyisha @JamieArc It does seem suited to a slower pace. 🐌 1mo
Chelsea.Poole Maybe the expectation is too high…? Happens to me. Or maybe just doesn‘t fit for you and that‘s fine! 1mo
53 likes2 stack adds4 comments
review
monalyisha
The Payback: A Novel | Kashana Cauley
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Pickpick

ACAB narratives are challenging for me. My stepfather, who has always ensured that I‘ve felt loved and cared for, who *is* my primary father figure and who has filled the role with gentleness and humor, is a police officer (ditto his brothers, my uncles, as was his father). I was able to afford college (sort of…ha!) where I learned to heighten my critical thinking & question corrupt institutions, partially due to a scholarship from the police.👇🏻

monalyisha 1/5: The dark history from which their existence sprang and the rottenness at the core of modern-day departments are clear truths that are often denied by those working from within. I would never contest the author‘s right or desire to write about punching cops in the face, especially as a Black woman…but I almost have to acknowledge it *and* disassociate while reading at the same time. 1mo
monalyisha 2/5: My stepdad is proud of the work he‘s done and the ways in which he‘s genuinely helped. It hurts to want to support him while seeing the brokenness of the system, and not knowing how to reconcile the two. 1mo
monalyisha 3/5: The author‘s rage and the resulting tension doesn‘t make this book or others like it less deserving of my time or the effort it takes me to work through these things but it doesn‘t make for easy reading. 1mo
See All 9 Comments
monalyisha 4/5: I sought this title out because I‘ve been looking for “funny books” and it was recommended to me by myTBR bibliologist. It *was* funny, and it was well-suited to me as a Milennial struggling under the weight of college debt and unwilling to take on more debt to obtain the advanced degrees that would make my life easier. Rock, hard place; Scylla, Charybdis, drowning. 1mo
monalyisha 5/5: In many regards, The Payback is wildly relatable vigilante revenge porn. But it was a complicated reading experience for me, personally. The end, though, and the Acknowledgements, are celebratory and proud enough to make *any* reader cry. 1mo
Soubhiville Great review. Thanks for sharing your personal story. 1mo
AnnCrystal Thank you for this review. There is good and bad in every field. We can't allow ourselves to loath the entire Police Force because there are a few bad officers overshadowing the good. Your dad is a good officer and I Thank him, you, and your family for being positive goodness in our communities. 🙏🏼💙. 1mo
monalyisha @AnnCrystal It‘s all so complicated and layered. 1mo
monalyisha Thank you, @Soubhiville 💜 1mo
52 likes9 comments
blurb
monalyisha
Death Valley | Melissa Broder
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Looking at my selections for the bracket, I‘m feeling pretty decently about my reading year. Who wants to be my #AuldLangSpine partner? Too soon? 😜

Death Valley handily stole the show in July. 🌵

CSeydel Shaping up very nicely! 1mo
Christine I loved Death Valley! 1mo
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monalyisha @Christine I should‘ve known! 👯‍♀️ 1mo
Marti_mph Loving your idea!!! How does it work? 1mo
monalyisha @Marti_mph It‘s a template made by @CSeydel ! You pick your favorite read each month and plug it into the available spot. They face off against each other and at the end of the year, you have a winner! 1mo
58 likes1 stack add6 comments
blurb
monalyisha
Death Valley | Melissa Broder
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July was my slowest reading month yet, and that was absolutely because I downloaded the Scrabble app. Don‘t worry: I‘ve since deleted it and have taken back my life. 😅

Death Valley was my favorite July read followed by Blue Sisters. A strong fiction month, which has been rare this year!

#AWreads2025

ErikasMindfulShelf I loved Blue Sisters. Death Valley is on my shelf. Moving it up my tbr. 1mo
monalyisha @ErikasMindfulShelf It‘s very weird and certainly won‘t be for everyone but it hit all the right notes for me! All my book club friends complained, “I thought she would‘ve spend more time inside the cactus.” 😅 But I liked that it was ambiguous and ambitious, funny and flawed, cerebral and surreal. Good luck! 1mo
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monalyisha
The Payback: A Novel | Kashana Cauley
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“Who the fuck wants their hands to smell like blueberry pine-scented vanilla anyway? What kind of fucking smell is that? That‘s a fucked-up donut somebody left in the woods!”

This obvious dig at Bath & Body Works earned itself a gleeful snort. 😆

Karisa 😂😂😂 1mo
kspenmoll 😂😂 1mo
Aims42 🤣🤣🤣🤣 1mo
60 likes3 comments
review
monalyisha
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Pickpick

At the broken (and healing) heart of this story are family dynamics and, more specifically, the hidden, tremulous, and deep-seated feeling that you don‘t belong — that your family may love you but that they don‘t really like you. It‘s an awful anxiety, too tender to poke at, and maybe one that we‘ve all felt. I know I have. I know my husband has. I know we‘ve talked about it and fought about it. In the words of the poet Philip Larkin…👇🏻

monalyisha 1/3:…”They fuck you up, your mum and dad. / They may not mean to, but they do. / They fill you with the faults they had / And add some extra, just for you.” The parents in this short poem are looked at with tenderness as much as blame. And, in the final stanza, he writes that “[misery] deepens like a coastal shelf.” 1mo
monalyisha 2/3: It‘s almost like Henry used the poem as a template for her novel, given its island setting, and then came to an altogether different conclusion than the droll warning proffered by the poet. Maybe it‘s the difference in an American perspective versus a British one. We can‘t help our naive optimism despite the *preponderance* of evidence to the contrary. Fortunately, this is the correct stance for a literary romance novel to take. 1mo
monalyisha 3/3: I know reviews have been mixed for Henry‘s latest book but it punched me in the gut, quickened my pulse, and made my heart flutter. I suppose that *is* a mixed reaction but it‘s certainly not an apathetic one. 1mo
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monalyisha
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Our first ripe tomato of the season (discounting all the little heirloom cherry tomatoes). This one was a Jet Star, which we grew because of its name. The puppy insisted.

Aims42 Omg, enjoy!!! NOTHING beats the taste of a homegrown tomato 🤤😍 I‘m impatiently waiting for our “sandwich” tomatoes to ripen. In the meantime, been snacking on our cherry tomatoes 1mo
Tamra Nothing better!!! 1mo
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monalyisha @Aims42 And these are a longtime fave. We need to grow both next year so I can compare! https://www.rareseeds.com/tomato-green-doctors?srsltid=AfmBOoqjRnl7TK0qOaTSbfOvH... 1mo
Aims42 Thank you for sharing the links to these! That green doctor variety sounds amazing. And the white currant variety look especially tasty! Yum!!! 1mo
AnnCrystal
🤩🍅👏🏼🥳👍🏼😋💝💝💝.
1mo
Cupcake12 This looks so yummy! Enjoy x 1mo
monalyisha @Aims42 You‘re welcome! One of our friends throws an annual Tomato Party where he buys a bunch of seeds, grows dozens and dozens of seedlings, and then gives them away to his pals for free. He tries different varietals every season and this was his 20th year running! Happy to share the bounty, even if it‘s only in the form of knowledge. 😉 1mo
Chelsea.Poole Lovely! I‘m going to checkout these varieties. Our tomatoes are on now too! We have Cherokee purples and ox hearts that I harvested yesterday. The taste of summer! 🍅 also, I would love to attend a Tomato Party! 1mo
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monalyisha
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Yes, Emily! It IS tricky! Why did she deny us the family tree she so *clearly* knew we needed?

Brat. 🙈😅

AnnCrystal 💕🐕💝. 1mo
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 1mo
56 likes2 comments
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monalyisha
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Pickpick

Because I don‘t have a particular interest in stand-up comedy or Hollywood history, parts of this dragged for me (especially chapters about The Silver Circle clubs in Nevada). It was, however, an excellent homage to Charlie Hill, “the first Native American stand-up comedian,” whom I knew nothing about & who seemed like the real deal (funny, cool, political, generous, etc). I was also fascinated by the bits of American indigenous history…👇🏻

monalyisha 1/1:…about which I never learned, which will (sadly) probably shock no one. The section on the Occupation of Alcatraz (1969–1971) for instance, was utterly captivating. Learning about John Trudell, a native poet and activist, was a highlight. I can imagine nothing more bad-ass than his note in the FBI‘s file on him: “He is extremely eloquent. Therefore, extremely dangerous.” What a legacy to leave behind! 2mo
Jane121 Hello 👋 can i ask some questions about your book 📚? 1mo
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monalyisha
Death Valley | Melissa Broder
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Pickpick

I never read The Pisces, which had a lot of hype, & I was worried that I was starting with the wrong Broder when my book club selected this as July‘s title. I shouldn‘t have wasted my time with anticipatory disappointment because I was FAR from disappointed! I might just be basking in the glow of finishing a book I truly loved but this could be my favorite novel of the year. Funny, bizarre, & whip-smart. It tells grief (& love) but tells it slant.

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monalyisha
Rabbityness | Jo Empson
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We‘re memorializing our beloved bun today, gone a whole year. I‘ll share here what I wrote otherwhere, as some of you knew Moxie (through my posts), as well.

Modern sound machines offer a vast array of sounds to dream to. Ours, which softly glows to rouse us from sleep, in shades that mimic the sun‘s gentle rise in the morning sky, also offers the reverse, a “sunset simulation for a relaxing bedtime.” 👇🏻

monalyisha Accompanying sounds may include: waves crashing against a distant shore, rain pattering rhythmically on the roof, and forest birds calling down the day; I imagine them high in the trees, hidden amongst rustling leaves, safe in nests lined with downy feathers. Not a single one of these modern marvels offers the sound of a small, gray rabbit munching hay. 2mo
monalyisha There are lots of reasons it‘s harder to dream these days but chief among them is the absence of Moxie from our aural landscape. Today marks the one year anniversary of the day she left us. 2mo
monalyisha When thinking of rabbits, the last thing on anyone‘s mind is sound. And that‘s by design! They‘re nearly silent animals, evolved to go unnoticed by foxes, hawks, and other woodland predators. But Moxie trusted us enough to let us notice her: the sound of her soft snores; her tiny, Thumbelina-sized sneezes; her four little paws zooming back and forth, sinking into the lush carpets we bought just for her. 2mo
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monalyisha Every Care Guide in existence recommends feeding your rabbit an “unlimited supply” of hay. This had the pleasing effect of making our home smell like a sunlit meadow. It also provided the backing soundtrack to our days, as well as our nights. 2mo
monalyisha If only I‘d known how much I‘d miss the sound, I would have recorded it. Instead, I‘m left with the ache of memory and an unnatural silence. It‘s a comfort to know that, somewhere, Moxie is sleeping easy. 2mo
monalyisha Across the globe, our mythic literature is filled with stories where a sentient being dreams the world into existence, from Maha-Vishnu in Hindu Cosmology to Aboriginal Dreamtime. Until the world feels hopeful enough to dream again, I‘ll leave it to Moxie to dream up something better for us. She has her work cut out for her. 2mo
monalyisha If I listen closely, somewhere beyond the Rainbow Bridge, there‘s a limitless field of golden hay and she‘s got her tiny nose to the ground, softly munching. 2mo
monalyisha In the meantime, while my weak human ears fail me (much too small, much too short), I‘m so grateful for Jett. He doesn‘t make our home smell like a meadow and he doesn‘t snore softly. But he does snore, his big head on my foot, doing the best he can, easing our grief and bringing us his particular brand of goofy, doggy joy. 2mo
monalyisha Thank you to Moxie, and to all our animals, for giving our lives a joyful noise. 🖤 2mo
Leftcoastzen 😢 2mo
RaeLovesToRead Such a beautiful tribute ❤️ 2mo
DGRachel 🫂🫂 2mo
Eggbeater Moxie sounds like she was a wonderful bun. I'm glad you have those memories. I am sorry for your loss. 2mo
Deblovestoread Lovely remembrance ❤️ 2mo
Librarybelle ❤️❤️❤️ 2mo
Texreader Amén. And so sweet. ??? 2mo
AnnCrystal 🥲🫂💝...A lovely, sweet post about your Beautiful Moxie 🐇💝 She was a gift to your life who will always be near you 💝💝💝. Doggy's are good at comforting 😘🐕💝💝💝. 2mo
JessClark78 ❤️❤️ 2mo
sarahbarnes ♥️♥️♥️ 2mo
dabbe 🖤🐰🩶 2mo
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monalyisha
Death Valley | Melissa Broder
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A prayer (halfway into Death Valley), inspired by what I suspect will be my Holy Trinity of the year: Samantha Allen, Melissa Broder, & Krystelle Bamford.

Give me surrealist snark & the earnest, plumbed depths of depression. Give me something remarkably feminine & simultaneously subversive. Give me something beastly & something tender. Give me deserts & woods (be they Pacific Northwest or New England). And thank you for your gifts. 🙏🏻

uncommonlycozies this is my current read! i keep having to pause a reflect (which i love) 👌
if you resonate this deeply i encourage you to put Pizza Girl on your list. it's raw, feral, numb, & tender all at once.
it's a little quirky & obsessive & i for some reason haven't stopped thinking about it.
it deals with different life themes, but that snarky tone is there!
1mo
monalyisha @uncommonlycozies Oh, I read that one — back in 2021! I liked it…but not nearly as much. It‘s got a great cover! 1mo
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monalyisha
Death Valley | Melissa Broder
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“Love floods into me: oxytocin, dopamine, sticky souls, the cleave of spirits, norepinephrine, bone and light, a covenant behind the ribs — whatever love is made of.”

🎨: Georgia O‘Keeffe

AnnCrystal 💝💝💝. 2mo
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monalyisha
Uprooted | Naomi Novik
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I found the ideal tree hollow to nestle my book in. I had to pull over to the side of the road, put my hazards on, & cross the street for this shot. It was just a rambly little back road leading to the beach. So, not a high traffic area. But still! That‘s commitment!

I want you to know that it would‘ve been the perfect photo…if only I were 3 feet taller! 😅

BarbaraJean I love the photo and your commitment to it!! 😁 2mo
Amiable Great shot! 2mo
Aims42 Love the dedication! The pic is awesome 🤩 2mo
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wildwoodreads That is commitment. And it‘s a gorgeous shot! 2mo
BkClubCare Commitment to the shot! 📸 Applause 👏 2mo
LeahBergen 😆😆 Awesome! 2mo
AnnCrystal Perfectly, beautiful book staging 🤩🌳📚💝💝💝. 2mo
lil1inblue Great photo! 🤩🤩🤩 2mo
79 likes8 comments
review
monalyisha
Uprooted | Naomi Novik
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Pickpick

Many of us are looking for ways to feel more rooted to our homes: to our communities, our landscapes, and to nature. This yearning is what makes Novik‘s homespun magic feel so sweet (though her characters battle great darkness); it‘s what we wish for ourselves, and what we might even believe (on our best days) is possible, if we keep fighting. Novik doesn‘t shy away from describing how exhausting the fight is, either.

Speaking of fighting…👇🏻

monalyisha 1/2: the battle scenes aren‘t for me. Unfortunately, they are part & parcel of the author‘s storytelling, too. I‘m a close reader and I‘m rarely tempted to skim but wow, nothing makes me consider changing my stance quite like an epic battle. I picture that classic LARP‘ing meme every time: “LIGHTNING BOLT! LIGHTNING BOLT! LIGHTNING BOLT!” Could anything be more boring? 🙈 2mo
monalyisha 2/2: A timely story for days like these, when we fear we might be entirely overrun by corruption. If only our villain(s) could be similarly transformed. 2mo
JuniperWilde Absolutely loved this. 2mo
AnnCrystal Beautiful Book Staging 🤩👍🏼🌊📚💝. 2mo
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monalyisha
Uprooted | Naomi Novik
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Novik keeps using “mustaches” to refer to one man‘s mustache, e.g. “his mustaches.” It‘s such a small detail but I finally caved and looked it up. This is why I‘ll never be a fast reader. 😅

https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/is-it-mustache-or-moustache-mustaches-d...

Leftcoastzen One great mustache! 2mo
Amiable And can we give a cheer to the mellifluous brilliance of the word “mustachioed” as well? 🧔🏻👨🏻‍🦰🧔🏽 2mo
monalyisha @Amiable Far be it for me to deny you! 😅 2mo
Scochrane26 I‘ve always wondered why Christie referred to Poirot‘s moustaches. Thought it was the term used in her time. 2mo
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monalyisha
Uprooted | Naomi Novik
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I had today off in exchange for marching with the library in the town‘s tricentennial parade this past Saturday. So, I took myself to the beach. It was the right choice.

Capped it off with a pistachio ice cream with rainbow sprinkles in a waffle cone, which was also the right choice.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Great pic ❤️ 2mo
BennettBookworm A perfect day!! 2mo
CBee You are adorable. And, I loved Uprooted!! 2mo
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AnnCrystal 🏖️📚💝🍦😋👍🏼💝. 2mo
JuniperWilde Loved that book. I wish she would write more like it. 2mo
mariaku21 That's such a great read! Loved that you went to the beach and enjoyed the day! 2mo
monalyisha @BennettBookworm It was! I almost didn‘t go. It was super hot at my house and I had to leave my husband and puppy at home…but I finally decided around 4pm that I needed the breath of fresh air. I‘m always happier afterwards. That particular beach is perfect, too; it‘s often frequented by windsurfers for the strong breeze that comes in off the waves. So, even when it‘s sweltering, it‘s much cooler there. And you can swim, of course! 🌊 Magic. 2mo
BennettBookworm The dreamiest…and a great reminder to all of us that when the impulse hits for a self care day, we should listen to that voice! 2mo
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monalyisha
Uprooted | Naomi Novik
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I‘m liking this book just fine so far…but I wish I loved it. If that were the case, I‘d be tempted to have this letter “A” (the first letter of my name) tattooed in scarlet over my heart.

Such flourishes!

TheBookHippie I liked this one better 2mo
monalyisha @TheBookHippie Thanks for the rec! I enjoyed The Scholomance books. I think her writing is enjoyable — dramatic & magical — just not something I feel the need to clutch to my heart. (edited) 2mo
Clare-Dragonfly Now when I reread this I‘ll have to look out for an illuminated K! 2mo
monalyisha @Clare-Dragonfly It‘s not impossible (especially given the characters‘ names). I‘ll keep an eye out! 2mo
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monalyisha
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Pickpick

What an ode to the book community, to grief, and to the love that precedes and (if you‘re lucky) follows it.

And, to sweeten the pot, you know it‘s a Josie Silver novel because there‘s a tiny seaside cottage in which the characters find solace, comfort, and purpose.

One Night on the Island is still my favorite of the author‘s books. But this one has a brief appearance by an Irish Wolfhound AND the line…👇🏻

monalyisha 1/2: …“Kate sagged against her chair, tear-stained and overwhelmed with affection for [name redacted]: the wo/man, the T-Rex, the romance writer.” So, I‘d say it lived up to my expectations! (edited) 2mo
monalyisha 2/2: I do wish the sexy bits had been a little spicier. They‘re not prudish but they could…push a little deeper? Go a little harder? There‘s no good (or bad?) way to finish that sentence. 😂 2mo
monalyisha *Note: I will say that I almost stopped reading after the first chapter when the MC got baby vomit on her clothes before an interview and THREW HER JACKET IN THE TRASH. I‘m glad I kept going but I‘d be lying if I didn‘t admit that I found such a demonstration of privilege & waste distasteful. If I‘d just been deciding which book to read and Josie Silver‘s name hadn‘t been attached, I would have set it aside & moved on to the next book in my stack. 2mo
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Amiable Great review! 2mo
Laughterhp I might give this one a try. I put down her last one, a Winter in NY, because the MC went to a bookstore for her favorite series and apparently it only had 1 copy and the male MC got it instead. It annoyed me that it was her favorite book and she was anticipating it and didn‘t preorder it lol. 2mo
monalyisha @Laughterhp I‘m here to tell you that there are those among us who work in a library every day and STILL don‘t remember to put books on hold until way too late — and yes, we are annoyed with ourselves, too. 🙈 2mo
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monalyisha
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Mehso-so

I found the essays written when Rothfeld loves a thing (pasta, Melville, David Cronenberg‘s horror films, the comedies of remarriage from the 1930‘s & 40‘s, erotic sex with her partner) way more pleasurable than those when she writes about her hatred for a thing (minimalism, fragment novels, mindfulness). This is funny because Rothfeld herself draws attention to “the pleasure of hating,” a term coined by 19th century essayist William Hazlitt.👇🏻

monalyisha 1/10: Part of my personal joy over excess, though, is the way in which it gives us license to embrace. I‘m not hunting for things to cast away from me; I‘m searching for ways to add to myself & to my world. Therefore, the essays in which Rothfeld takes pleasure in her hatred — joyfully squishing ideas, art, & ethos with her shoe — are not what I was looking for from this collection. 2mo
monalyisha 2/10: There are, of course, plenty of ideas that are dangerous to embrace. I‘m not advocating for a judgment-free existence. I see the value in “extolling virtues” AND in “condemning inadequacies.” However, I‘m currently in a place where I‘m desperately craving celebration, as it‘s been profoundly lacking IRL. This is what I expected “essays in PRAISE of excess” to do. 2mo
monalyisha 3/10: The subtitle feels akin to false advertising. As the world burns, there are enough people around me taking “pleasure in hating.” I don‘t need it in my reading life, too. 2mo
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monalyisha 4/10: Part of my issue may be format & tone. As a thought experiment, I asked myself, “What if Rothfeld‘s essay, “Wherever You Go, You Could Leave” were reformatted into a handful of jokes in a standup act?” I think I‘d laugh riotously! 2mo
monalyisha 5/10: In essay form, her serious smackdown grates & has a tendency to come across as wildly arrogant. She says she‘s always associated herself with “spikiness,” & that‘s exactly right. It‘s hard to embrace something prickly. 2mo
monalyisha 6/10: My frustration with tone kept me from fully embracing this collection, which is a disappointment because I thought, at first blush, that I‘d love it! Rothfeld‘s writing can be strong (when it‘s not embarrassingly overwrought); there are some knockout sentences & ideas here. 2mo
monalyisha 7/10: I guess what I‘m saying is that if she ever undergoes a midlife crisis, has a change of heart and a change of career, & takes her standup show on the road, consider my ticket purchased! Given that jokes require the boiling down of material, however (Norm MacDonald‘s brilliant moth joke notwithstanding), I don‘t think it‘s in the cards. 😅 2mo
monalyisha 8/10: Rothfeld writes, “To live at all is to yearn to be somewhere besides where we are, and to make every effort to get there.” Despite my occasional yearning to be somewhere other than reading her book, I found that making every effort to fulfill *my* desire was to keep reading. The bitter end was the “there” in question. The only way out was through — & the only place to be was where I was (between the pages). 2mo
monalyisha 9/10: Along these same lines, Rothfeld also agrees with a character in one of her favorite films, that “the prospect of quiet happiness stretching indefinitely before me depresses me.” This is where our dispositions diverge most drastically. 2mo
monalyisha 10/10: I didn‘t always agree with Rothfeld, which was dispiriting because I thought we‘d be kindred spirits. In particular, I firmly believe that sometimes (certainly not always), “living” IS resting & luxuriating — in *exactly* the place we find ourselves. But disagreeing doesn‘t amount to disliking, & I‘ve judged the reading & writing of Rothfeld‘s essays to be a worthy effort…most of the time. Okay, some of the time. At least 50% of the time! 2mo
monalyisha Tbh, I think her true calling is as a film critic. 2mo
PurpleyPumpkin Excellent, thoughtful review!👍🏽 2mo
monalyisha Thanks, @PurpleyPumpkin! There was certainly *plenty* of content to respond to! 2mo
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monalyisha
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“But why does Nehamas think we can‘t enumerate beauty‘s reasons? Is it because beauty‘s basis is metaphorically indeterminate? Or just epistemically elusive?”

I will never finish this essay collection and I regret everything.

ChaoticMissAdventures Oh, nooooo 2mo
monalyisha Listen, @ChaoticMissAdventures …”It isn‘t that antipodes change into something intermediary but that the moratorium on contradiction gives way. Not only does plenitude become compatible with paucity, but abundance requires absence.” I just can‘t say it any more clearly. 2mo
ChaoticMissAdventures @monalyisha 😂🤣😂 it is one of those time that I know all those words but are we sure we want to use them all in one breath? 2mo
monalyisha @ChaoticMissAdventures Right?! Too much! “Excess,” indeed. 2mo
monalyisha @ChaoticMissAdventures And I did have to look a couple up. 😉 2mo
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monalyisha
Blue Sisters | Coco Mellors
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Pickpick

Loved this! Blue Sisters isn‘t an easy-breezy summer read — it‘s about 3 sisters wading through their grief over losing the 4th — but it‘s certainly fast & (dare I say it?) addictive!

Such a tender & layered character study of imperfect people dealing with their pain, always with love at the center. If this sounds like it might be too much, please know that there are xylophone-playing chickens waiting near the end. It‘s not ALL tears & sobriety.

AmyG I thought this was a wonderful book. 2mo
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monalyisha
Blue Sisters | Coco Mellors
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I‘m reading while my husband gardens. Here‘s a blurry photo of his butt for your viewing pleasure.

The dog is behind me trying to eat bugs.

We‘ve all got our hobbies. 😜

TheBookHippie 🤣 2mo
kspenmoll 😂😂 2mo
dabbe 🤣💙🤣 2mo
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Aims42 “We‘ve all got our hobbies” I literally laughed at loud at that 🤣🤣🤣 Sounds like everyone is having a nice Sunday night in your neck of the woods 2mo
Amiable Nice! 😄 2mo
Cupcake12 Love this 😂 (edited) 2mo
Sparklemn 😂 2mo
BarbaraJean 😂😂 2mo
76 likes8 comments
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monalyisha
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On a (short-ish) road trip & decided to stop at a brewery instead of just grabbing fast food. The puppy is pleased.

It‘s a shopping plaza, so of course the sunset is bonkers gorgeous: vivid pink & neon peach. Parking lot sunsets are the best and the worst of us.

…America is a parking lot sunset.

DinoMom What a cutie❤️😍🐾 2mo
AnnCrystal 🤩💕🐕‍🦺🐾💝. 2mo
Sace Puppy is precious. 2mo
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Amiable SO CUTE 😍 2mo
AmyG He or she….is very cute! 2mo
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 2mo
monalyisha Thanks, pals! @DinoMom @AnnCrystal @Sace @Amiable @AmyG @dabbe Jetty appreciates your appreciation of his (undeniable) cuteness! 2mo
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monalyisha
Moominland Midwinter | Tove Jansson
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I didn‘t count these in my midyear ratings because they feel incomparable. But I‘m deeply in love and so glad I finally checked them out! They‘ll be in the upper echelon of my 2025 favorites, for sure.

CBee What order did you read them in? I found an article that actually says reading them out of order is best. I can‘t seem to find The Great Flood though 🤷‍♀️😔 2mo
monalyisha @CBee I haven‘t read them all but I started with Midwinter! 2mo
monalyisha @CBee If, in my reading, I come to feel as though I‘ve made a grave misstep, I‘ll let you know. 😅 2mo
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CBee @monalyisha sounds good! I started with Moominsummer Madness. Here‘s the article I mentioned: https://www.fatherly.com/entertainment/moomin-books-reading-order 2mo
willaful @CBee I've never seen that one either.

IIRC, the chronology is kind of odd. I started with Midwinter too and it was a great choice for me as a child
2mo
shanaqui I think I remember just reading Moominland Midwinter when I was a kid, you tempt me to get all of them and read them all! 2mo
CBee @willaful it‘s much harder to find than the others! 🤷‍♀️ 2mo
quietlycuriouskate I have so much love for these books! 🥰 2mo
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monalyisha
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Halfway through 2025 round-up!

I‘ve had a super strong non-fic year. I‘ve read so much that I‘ve loved. 36% of my books have been NF. Here are my favorites:

1. Giving Up the Ghost by Hilary Mantel
2. Eight Bears by Gloria Dickie
3. Bite by Bite by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
4. The Witching Year by Diana Helmuth
5. The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green (audio)

Titles tagged below!

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Amiable Thank you for the NF recommendations! These are all new to me. 2mo
Scochrane26 I loved the John Green book, will have to look into the others. I tend to listen to NF in my commute. 2mo
monalyisha @Scochrane26 I usually do the same! It used to be the only way I consumed nonfic, really. I surprised myself by reading so many of these in print! 2mo
monalyisha @Amiable You‘re welcome! I know you‘re always on the hunt. 😉 2mo
monalyisha @Scochrane26 Bite by Bite has gorgeous illustrations, so I‘d recommend trying to see if you can snag a print copy to flip through, too! And the Hilary Mantel would be challenging for me, personally, as an audiobook, I think, just because so much of its beauty is in the prose. When I need to focus on the words, on a sentence by sentence level, it helps me to be able to see and to hold it. 2mo
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monalyisha
Idle Grounds | Krystelle Bamford
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It‘s officially the mid-point of the year!

I‘ve read 59 books thus far. 64% have been fiction titles. Here are my Top 5, which I‘ll tag below.

1. Idle Grounds by Krystelle Bamford
2. Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen
3. Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley
4. Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher (audio)
5. Her Majesty‘s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson (audio)

I should make it a point to read more fantasy. It seems to be working for me — but I‘m so picky!

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ChaoticMissAdventures I loved Patricia too!! It has such a low score on GoodReads which is criminal! 2mo
monalyisha @ChaoticMissAdventures Staying under the radar…makes sense, thematically. 😅🌲 2mo
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monalyisha
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“Only someone who longs to be no one could savor the deprivations of a decluttered mind, a room bereft of furniture or ornament.”

I keep thinking about my study of Buddhism (and Hinduism) in college, as part of my Religious Studies major. Admittedly, these were survey courses and I feel like I only grazed the surface. But I keep remembering my initial, wholesale rejection of Buddhism — and my professor‘s response. 👇🏻

monalyisha 1/4: I hated that god was thought of as nothing; that the goal was to be no one. I much preferred Hinduism‘s conception of god(s) as The All. My professor explained to me that god was nothing and practicioners endeavored to be nothing in the sense that god is no(t one) thing because god is everything. We are no(t) one because we are everyone. Everything flows into everything else. 2mo
monalyisha 2/4: In this sense, mindfulness doesn‘t strive for “deprivation,” as Rothfeld argues, but fluid, extreme connection. It *is* excess.

Anyway, I don‘t regularly practice mindfulness. And I‘m not Buddhist. I‘m not everyone, I‘m not everything, at least not all of the time. I like having my own preferences, too, and I agree with the author that it‘s not a state I want to strive for all the time.
2mo
monalyisha 3/4: But it‘s a gorgeous perspective to let filter into your consciousness occasionally (and to allow that it might filter in at any moment, in every aspect). In this essay, Rothfeld strikes me as being too dismissive and sure of herself when there‘s maybe more at play here than she understands. For me, my knee-jerk dismissal was a matter of language. I disliked the wording — not the whole of the nuanced idea. 2mo
monalyisha 4/4: Rothfeld says she‘s criticizing modern mindfulness as divorced from its religious and communal context, but, if that‘s true, her assurance seems paltry and not oft-repeated enough for the length and breadth of her critique. This essay feels jabby and personal, and maybe a little immature. 2mo
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monalyisha
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Stanmore couldn‘t have stood less of chance.

However, much as I loved Idle Grounds, Moominland knocked it out of the running on the left side of the board. AND, much as I loved Moominland, I expect my Wild Card to sideswipe it in the end.

The drama!!!

#2025ReadingBracket
#ReadingBracket2025

monalyisha *Technically,* Anne of Green Gables should‘ve won the spot this month. But it‘s a long-time favorite. If I include it, I know it‘ll cease being a competition. So, let‘s agree to ignore technicalities. I almost always do, anyway! 😜 2mo
peanutnine I don't count rereads for my brackets, it feels like cheating and I want to see what new favorites I acquire! So I totally get you on that 2mo
monalyisha @peanutnine @CSeydel Glad we‘re in agreement about how to rebel! 😎 2mo
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June ended up being more about quantity than quality. I‘m still surpassing my reading goals but I didn‘t LOVE anything this month (other than Anne, of course, which was a reread). Cunning Folk seemed like it was going to really do it for me, for a while, but it fell short stylistically.

Better luck next month, me!

#AWreads2025

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monalyisha
Comfort Me With Apples | Catherynne M. Valente
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Hi. 👋🏻

This is my new favorite song (“Tickle Me Pink” by Johnny Flynn).

He sings, “When nothing goes right and the future‘s dark as night, what you need is a sunny, sunny day.”

AMEN.

https://open.spotify.com/track/6CbFgDtwqPPGyHMS5ItdV5?si=GBnuT-u6Tt-NbJ9MCzLrjw

It‘s even (tangentially) book-related! I came to the music by way of writer, Robert MacFarlane.

Check it out if you like folksy stuff!

AnnCrystal 🤩🍎🎶🍏💝. 2mo
EvyBea I love fruit trees! My mom is growing a lemon tree in our backyard, and we should have homegrown lemons by next summer! (edited) 2mo
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