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I'm going to read this today- between laundry, watching the Broncos, picking up groceries, and painting a #FallJamboreeDoodles doodle. Ahhh Sunday 🩷

September Reading Roundup

The Wedding People was my favorite of the month, I think it just hit me right at the right time. Murderbot is always a fun time, and Playing the Enemy was great I learned a lot from it.

Overall an okay month, I wish I had read more books I jived with. But on we go.

This one has been SO highly recommended I‘m almost scared to read it.

Audio. Though odd as audio. Phoebe went to the hotel to kill herself - husband cheated, cat died, work stinks - due to her depression and instead finds ways to live as she is dragged into a wedding party. Becomes “keeping up with the wedding people”. I like how each part of her depression she saw in somebody at the wedding people. Phoebe helping them helped her. There were some really funny moments, and others that just grab your attention.

🍁Loved the tagged book🧡
🍁I read a fair amount on my Kindle but I way prefer to hold a real book.
🍁I think it‘s a tie between thriller and contemporary fiction

🍁🍁🍁🍁Play along Littens! #wondrouswednesday 🍁🍁🍁🍁

1. Tagged book was a spur of the moment listen provided by LibroFM‘s program for librarians.
2. Audiobooks!
3. Middle grade and historical fiction

Thanks for the tag @Eggs
#wondrouswednesday

Mid-month check in! I took an audiobook break for 5 days, and it was very needed. Back at it strong today with the new Strout. Happy Fall Y‘all! 🍂🍁🎃👻

How I spent much of today.

I loved this. 5⭐️ loved this. The characters were so real. I got so attached. Sweet, touching but not saccharine or simple.

A suicidal divorcée checks into a costal hotel where all the other guests are attending the wedding. A sudden connection with the bride upends her plans and her life.

Read with Jenna‘s latest picks have been ??!

Phoebe Stone is at a breaking point. She bails on her life, leaves town, and checks into the seaside Cornwall Inn. At the hotel she is an outsider, the lone stranger in the midst of a huge wedding party. She finds herself pulled into the lives of these strangers, and discovers a freedom in her anonymity. Over the course of a week, she begins to see a new way of being. The book is introspective and surprising, with a darkly comic edge. Good audio.

Two enthusiastic thumbs up!! I really enjoyed this. TW for suicidal thoughts, miscarriages, failed IVF, cheating husbands, divorce and wedding drama. Phoebe is going to kill herself. She has flown all the way to her dream vacation hotel to do it. Only problem is Lila.. No one is going to ruin Lila's million dollar wedding. This book is darkly funny, sweet, and filled with reflection on life. You get pulled along with a mess of characters who all

'"Your husband is not going to take care of you the way you think,” Phoebe says. “Nobody can take care of you the way you need to take care of yourself. It's your job to take care of yourself like that'

Such hard truths, one I also learned after a divorce. You have to take care of you first and foremost. Maybe a little depressing but also in the end completely empowering.

Also look at this dog!!! Stuck at construction while listening.

I loved this so much more than I thought I would. It‘s been a while since a novel actually made me laugh and cry. I thought her first book was fine, but this one is just excellent; I felt Phoebe‘s struggles deeply. #botm

Thanks to #bookercat and #tulincat for helping with the photo 🐱🐱

August book bingo.

Between the title and the rom-commy sense I was getting from this one, I was planning to skip it, but I‘m so glad I didn‘t! Phoebe goes to a very fancy hotel for a particular reason after everything seems to be falling apart for her, and finds the whole hotel otherwise occupied by a wedding party. There‘s great humor here and excellent character development. I really enjoyed it and immediately told my mom to go read it.

This is currently my second favorite book of 2024. Extra points for the Rhode Island jokes. Seriously. Read this book.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

I enjoyed almost everything about this book. It was a great story that made me really think about the many aspects of life. Honestly, the end was a bit of a letdown. I was hoping it would go in another direction. It left me wanting more. I need to know what ends up happening to the protagonist. Does she end up finding love? Maybe there will be a sequel.

Pros: hopeful observations about people, growth and forgiveness

Cons: relies too much on witty banter as a device to depict whether characters are meant for each other or not. I fear that when these characters have an off day, they won‘t know how to handle each other anymore.

I loved this, and wasn‘t expecting to as much as I did- just what I needed in this moment. Really enjoyed her last novel, and am so glad I picked this one up, too. Fantastic cover art played a part 🌊🍾 ✌️

I absolutely loved this story about a woman who thought she was ending her story, but really was just beginning a new chapter.

Witty banter, great characters, beautiful setting.

It all came together for a memorable story.

Loved it!

PS - I tried to pose with the book over my head and a peace sign, but looked absolutely ridiculous 🙃

Hilarious and heartbreaking! One of my favorite reads of the year! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I love stories with the weirdest people who make the best characters and when they come together to tell the weirdest story, which really is an entertaining story, well that just makes for an UNPUTDOWNABLE read! The writing reminded me a lot of Fredrik Backman.

Book 174 of the year.

I don‘t know if it‘s just me or if it‘s the quality books released this summer, but I‘m loving this season‘s choices. It‘s hard to pick a favorite but I‘ll go with the tagged!

5* = Loved It, want to shout out loud about this book! I do/will own/keep a physical copy. A+
4*= I liked it, would love to discuss. Solid B
3*=Meh, no need to discuss. Avg C
2*=Nope D
1*=DNF F

Starting this one today

I'm feeling very drawn to both of these. I might actually read some #BOTM books in the same year I purchase them! 🙀

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is a champagne toast to the absurd beauty of life, fizzing over with exquisite characters, brilliant wit, earnest connection, and genuine emotion. It‘s a life-giving, late-night conversation of shared confessions, wisdom, and giggles. Cheers to this showstopper of a read - it will have a permanent place in my heart! #BOTM

This book is probably the best book of the month, the year. It's everything. It's just so honest, raw, genuine observation of the human condition but mixed up with the plot of a romance novel where no marriage occurs at the end, but something better happens. One just learns to live.

My #BOTM selection came today. Plus they sent an extra short story. Wahoo!
💙📘💙📖📘

I saw the pre-publishing buzz about this one, and honestly it excites me to think a certain book might make people rediscover a love of reading. So of course, I had to jump in and I‘m so glad I did - I loved this story! I read a lot and learned to enjoy tropes but oh my goodness when a story is told without those crutches, it is such a pleasure to read!

#botm bookmail

My #BOTM pick for August.

This story detailed the human experience perfectly, in the raw and uncomfortable to the laugh out loud moments. I loved the protagonist, and even if the author gave Lila redeeming qualities and a somewhat explanatory back story, I still lost patience with her and found her utterly ridiculous.It kept me engrossed the entire time.

So hyped for my August #BOTM pick! 😍✌🏼🍾

My August #BOTM pick!

The Wedding People was my August #BOTM selection. What was yours?

❤️📖❤️

August #botm are up! I added three to my box.

Need a break from beach reads? Here‘s a relationship journey between two women who have no reason to become friends. Read my full review here: https://debbybrauer.org/#the-wedding-people

Publication is expected July 30.

#NetGalley #MacmillanAudio #TheWeddingPeople

This is a smart, witty, thought provoking novel, complete with wonderful dialogue. I loved the characters, especially Phoebe, Lila and Juice. While there were sad moments, the overall feel was a light-hearted look at the absurdity of life and our choices. It reminded me slightly of “A Man Called Ove“, but featuring a younger female in a wedding setting. I really enjoyed it. Thank you to Edelweiss+ for the digital advance reading copy. 4.5/5 !

A phenomenal book that reminds you there is always something beautiful to find in the world around you despite the hardships. It was beautiful watching the good two strangers in completely different life stages and tax brackets could bring out in each other. And plenty of humor, too.

Sitting here with my new little buddy the kingfisher. He crashed into the window and I thought he shouldn‘t die alone so I swaddled him in a dish towel. Now he‘s more alert but perhaps still stunned because he‘s not going anywhere but has been watching me read. I even had to go get a new book because I finished the last one. Fingers crossed he makes it!

Put this book on your list!
I absolutely loved it. It reminds you that life is hard, but yet full of beautiful moments and connections.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. Pub date: July 30, 2024.

The Wedding People it‘s going to be pouring rain all weekend won‘t bother me I‘ll be curled up with this wonderful novel📚