I don‘t think I‘ve ever read a book so achingly vulnerable before. The author is so honest about his personal failings, this dark period in his marriage, & the humility it took to stay together. When his wife asked for a divorce & reveals she‘s having an affair, he‘s beyond shocked. He shares this account not to shame her, but to reflect about how hard marriage is & how much work it takes. It sounds contradictory, but it‘s also so darkly funny.

A meditation on how the personal lives of artists impact our view of them as fans. Once we know horrible things about a person (Picasso, Cosby, etc.), how can we still enjoy their art? The author questioning both herself and others in the way to process the hardest contradictions. It‘s complicated and doesn‘t shy away from the conflicting things we feel. I was fascinated and left thinking about the debate for days.

What a delight! It‘s a Princess Bride story where Buttercup searches for Westley & instead of believing he‘s dead. What follows is a wild pirate adventure where Tress discovers her own strength & ingenuity as she travels on the seas of spores.

“Enjoy memories, yes, but don't be a slave to who you wish you once had been.”

“Even small actions have consequences. And while we can often choose our actions, we rarely get to choose our consequences.”

This was like watching a car crash. I couldn‘t look away. Almost every character involved was self-serving and driven by an absolute narcissistic desire for success, but the author was so good and you are so invested in what happens next. The whole plot is really digging at a deeper issue of cultural history and authorship. The ever present threat of social media‘s ire gave it and added weight. Lived up to the hype for me.

This was a favorite of mine when I was young, and I loved reading it with my daughter this month. As an adult, I was struck by how determined, resourceful, and brave Karana is. I also researched the true story behind the book a bit and was fascinated to learn more about the history. There are some dark moments, but it led to great discussions.

This loose retelling of David Copperfield explores life in Lee County through the eyes of a young boy nicknamed Demon. From his addict mother to the cruel injustices of the foster care system & drug addiction, the book will break your heart. But it's also so beautifully written & the voice feels so authentic, that you don't care. I wish I‘d read it sooner instead of dragging my feet.

“As a kid, you just accept different worlds w/different rules.”

One young woman in the Pacific Northwest is fascinated by old photos and vintage items. This little novella gives us a glimpse into the reasons behind her obsession. Her path crosses with a coworker and former soldier, and they have a sweet connection. Brief but beautiful. The scene where everyone at a party has to tell a personal story was particularly memorable.

A boy takes his Bubbe Rosa around Brooklyn and Manhattan as they shop for ingredients for dinner. She struggles with seeing new things in the place of old and her memories flood their conversation. It‘s a short read about a Jewish woman in the city, and I love the glimpses of her when she is young and her interactions with an old baker she‘s known for years.

I‘ve read and reread slim nonfiction book over the years. Each time I find new things that speak to me. Lindbergh compares different stages in a woman‘s life to various shells she finds on the beach. The shells aren‘t the point; it‘s what they represent that carries the weight of the work. She touches on maintaining your individuality as a woman despite marriage and motherhood, a difficult balance to find.

This graphic novel gives us a glimpse into someone who may look different from his classmates on the outside, but longs to just fit in. It‘s a painful place to be, especially as a kid. Anyone who has felt like they had to hide some part of themselves in order to avoid bullying, will find a kindred spirit here. It‘s a chance to step into someone else‘s shoes for a moment and hopefully gain some empathy for someone who might be different from you.

I read this one with my daughter, and it‘s much more about grief than any other children‘s book I‘ve read. A young girl is adopted by an extended family member after her parents die, and then loses her new surrogate mother. I‘d recommend the author‘s book Gooseberry Park over this one, but will continue to try some of her other work.

This entire book is about Chaol and Nesryn and I definitely missed the other characters. I wish she had woven some of their stories into this one to break up the exhausting chapters of Chaol struggling with his injuries and emotions. That being said, it was still interesting and I loved learning more about the history and deeper plot points. I'll be happy to return to the rest of the cast in the next book though!

This little piece of wood is one of my favorite things I found during the bookstore crawl last week. Slide your thumb in the middle, and it helps you hold your book open with one hand. I love it!

Entertaining, but pretty superficial when it came to character development. A young American Asian woman travels to Taipei to attend a camp after graduating from high school. She breaks out of her rigid, sheltered childhood and challenges herself to disregard the rules she was raised with. People fall in and out of love in a heartbeat and the relationship felt as ephemeral as the plot. It won't stick with me, but it was a fun quick read.

I will officially read anything this author writes. Unlike her other 2 novellas I‘ve read (Foster & Small Things Like These), this collection of 3 short stories is a bit darker. She touches on a broken engagement, a writer staying in a remote house, and a woman set on having her first affair while Christmas shopping for her family. Each story pulls you in quickly with its descriptions and atmosphere. I can‘t wait to read whatever she writes next.

This bookstore crawl was such an incredible event for Indianapolis! In four days I visited 19 of the participating 23 independent stores. It was an absolute delight! I met up with friends and took my kids to some throughout the crawl. We talked with other participants and owners of the stores, and everyone was blown away by the response from the community. Such an incredible weekend! It filled my heart to see how our city supported this event!

My city is hosting its first ever bookstore crawl! Four days, 23 participating independent bookstores, and so much fun! I‘ve made it to 10 so far and have more planned for this weekend. It‘s been delightful! I‘ve been crawling with friends and my kids and even found the best pair of book earrings! 📚 Such an incredible community event.

This nonfiction account of the worst plagues in history is shockingly funny. Wright shares the facts, but with a dark sense of humor that I loved. She is honest about her bias against certain leaders and doctors who made horrific choices. Who knew that reading about plagues could be so incredibly entertaining? Highly recommended!

“Pretending any historical age before proper indoor plumbing was a glorious epoch is a ludicrous delusion.”

A perfect book to read in anticipation of a trip to Greece. This memoir is set on the island of Patmos, where one man opened a restaurant in partnership with a local Greek. He learned so much about the culture, including their hospitality and clear lines between locals and foreigners. His naïveté and openness is blatantly American, but so is his enthusiasm for cooking and the island. I can‘t wait to visit the shores he describes.

In the timeless tradition of The Handmaid's Tale Ng tackles a dystopian future that is woven tightly with reality. The USA has made it through a crisis, but the legislation that resulted has increased suspicion of Asian Americans. She focuses on the families whose children are taken from them in order to "protect" them from sedition indoctrination. I enjoyed Ng in the past but never before have I felt rocked by the quiet emotion this book held.

For a twisty island murder mystery this one really dragged. I didn‘t love the style of a narrator that kept telling you that he was about to tell you something big. It was exhausting. He‘s a classic unreliable narrator, but there‘s too much telling & not enough showing in the story. The characters are such selfish, superficial people & they‘re constantly betraying each other. It was hard to find anyone to root for & the ending felt like a cop out.

I finished this just in time for the Oscars. It‘s the basis of the best picture winner “Oppenheimer” & I loved seeing the way the book was adapted to become a film. This is a long in-depth biography, but he was a complicated man. It was also a perfect nonfiction read for New Mexico. The authors did an excellent job diving into the history of the making of the atomic bomb and Oppenheimer‘s role in the saga. I wouldn‘t read it again but it was good.

This 2024 Newbery-award-winner tells the story of a dog who is friends with bison, a seagull, and other creatures in an island park. I‘ve recently read two others from the POV of an animal (Pax and Open Throat), but I loved how this one leaned heavy on a buddy comedy vibe, working in a heist and a deep, abiding friendship between the animals. I liked it much more than I thought I would and the audio, performed by Ethan Hawk) was such fun.

I‘m reading a nonfiction book in each state and this was for Rhode Island. It was an absolute gossipy delight! I did not know all the history of the rich & famous in Newport and every short chapter was full of trivia. I highly recommend this if you enjoy the show Gilded Age. It covers a wider time period, but starts with a focus on many of the show‘s main characters. Thanks to @BkClubCare for the wonderful book!

I loved the descriptions of bookstores, falling in love with reading, & sharing your favorite novel. Some things felt like they were lost in translation. I didn‘t feel much of an emotional connection to the main characters, but some of that might have been a cultural difference. It seemed like the book headed in a very different direction in the second half. Definitely still enjoyed it, but I was wishing for something I couldn‘t put my finger on.

I couldn't put this down. It's a nonfiction account of NASA's first 6 female astronauts. They went through so much to break the glass ceiling all the way into space. There were moments when their story was infuriating because of what they had to put up with but I am so grateful for their fearless determination. These brilliant women were doctors & scientists long before joining NASA. Their dedication to the space prorgam paved the way for so many.

My goodness this one was hilarious. Ned travels to the Victorian era from the future to help with the restoration of the Conventry Cathedral. Soon he finds himself boating down the Thames, navigating Victorian etiquette, & saving a kitten. The supporting characters: his partner in crime Verity, Baine the butler, flighty Tossie, and Lady Schrapnell are what really made the book. I'm glad I read Three Men in a Boat 1st to get the added references.

A tightly-packed novel about one woman's time as a juror on a controversial case and its aftermath. I couldn't put it down. The trial is really only a back drop to the human interactions that make up the story. I loved some of the author's choices, like only referring to characters by the jury number in the first half of the book. This was an Ann Patchett recommendation and it didn't disappoint.

Zinnia Gray is terminally ill and just turned 21 when she finds herself in the castle of a real Sleeping Beauty. The story is one part The Fault in our Stars and one part Gaiman's The Sleeper and the Spindle. I loved the author's other books, but by its very nature this slip of a novel doesn‘t give the reader enough time to feel too attached.

Silly and so much fun, this world with dragons and brooding villains comes to life through the eyes of Evie. She brash and funny and doesn't seem to mind the evil deeds her boss does each day. Don't overthink the plot and it's completely entertaining and similar in tone to Legends & Lattes. The supporting characters are a treat. There's a sequel in the works and I can't wait to read it.

If Bill Bryson used cuss words and wrote a book about the British monarchy, this would be it. Funny, irreverent, and I afraid of finding the hilarity in a whole system that claims a gold hat makes you a ruler. The book flits between the facts of each monarch but doesn‘t go too deep with any of them. Come for the history, stay for the humor.

I read “In the Footsteps of St. Paul” by this author in anticipation of an upcoming trip to Greece, including Ephesus (pictured). I loved the message and hearing more about Paul and his travels, though I will say if you‘re hoping for something that describes some of the areas you‘ll be visiting, this isn‘t the book.

Serious P.G. Wodehouse vibes & left me laughing. There were also surprisingly poignant lines. Read before To Say Nothing of the Dog, which references it.

“Let your boat of life be light, packed w/only what you need-a homely home & simple pleasures 1 or 2 friends, worth the name, someone to love & someone to love you, a cat, dog, & a pipe or 2, enough to eat & enough to wear, & a little more than enough to drink; for thirst is a dangerous thing.”

I love this author‘s work so much that I was just happy to read another book by her. While it was interesting, it‘s definitely not her best. Read it if you are a completist for her work, but otherwise start with Station Eleven.

“The point was that Gavin had opened a door, cracked it slightly, & he could see through to the disgrace & shadows on the other side. If you tell a lie it‘s easier to tell another. And abyss yawns suddenly at your feet.”

I loved returning to these characters. Peter is broken from the heartbreak of the last book and Pax has established his own family. Seeing how those two can help each other with healing and growth was beautiful.

“Memories were so treacherous. Always lurking under the surface, ready to bushwhack you with a blade to the heat when you weren‘t careful.”

I think the cover & title are awful, but I actually loved learning more about the enneagram in this book. It's full of humor & hard truths & helped me understand some of my own challenges & others' choices better. The structure worked well introducing each type & explaining how their childhood, work, relationship, etc. can be affected by their type. It wraps up each one w/ a list of ways they can work on spiritual growth & healthy decision making.

If you love Greek mythology, sarcasm, and studying the classics from a feminist POV, this one is for you. I loved every second of this dive into the stories of the goddesses. Haynes doesn't shy away from painful stories, but she manages to bring humor to the book as well. The section on Persephone‘s kidnapping (pictured) is heartbreaking. I'm off to read the rest of her books now and I can't believe I‘ve missed her work so far!

This novel from the point of view of a mountain lion in the Hollywood Hills, surprised me with its tenderness. The lion is based on the real P-22, but we see people and dangers through his eyes. He wants to be a part of the world as much as he's confused by it. Pax, a novel from the POV of a fox, hit me more deeply, but that's probably because I read it first.

This one has serious Big Little Lies vibes, while still feeling completely original. I couldn‘t put it down! Mean girls in horse barns with lots of buried secrets. I loved that the POV switches quickly and we keep learning more of the story. The tension remained taut throughout and it stuck the landing. A definite slump buster if you need one.

Martha Ballard is a midwife in the late 18th century who's called to testify in a rape case. I couldn't put this one down. Martha might be one of my favorite characters I‘ve read in recent years and knowing she's based on a real woman makes me love her even more. She's strong, smart, and opinionated without ever sacrificing her love for her children and husband. Just an excellent novel across the board. I couldn't wait to see what happened next.

After watching the 1st season of Reacher I was curious about this well-known series. The first book is a great thriller & the show did a very good job with the material. Good plot, interesting characters, clues and twists all made sense. Really that‘s all I‘d ask from a book like this. A great read to curl up with on a frigid day. I don‘t think I‘ll read the next book in the series, but I‘ll watch the new season of the show.

We celebrated my daughter‘s birthday with the best cake ever! She‘s a big reader and she wanted a book cake. The woman who made this did an incredible job! I love my daughter‘s head tilt as she read the spines with so many of her favorite novels. 📚

What a beautiful conclusion to the story! I loved the first book and it picks up right after Divine Rivals ends. The gods, Dacre and Enva, are a much bigger part of this one and I loved getting to. know their characters. It‘s war and there are gutting losses, but the story unfolds beautifully and did not disappoint. I loved the way the author connected Roman and Iris through the distance. Each one showed such strength and courage.

A perfect book to start the new year. Rubin works through one of her senses at a time, trying to enjoy each one to the fullest. She visits the Met in NYC each day. She tries a meal at a restaurant where you are blindfolded. She takes a class on developing your sense of smell. She discovers the taste & visual cues that bring her joy. I know I‘ll be putting some of these tips into practice as I try to deepen my appreciation of the world around me.

Keegan is so gifted at capturing an emotionally fraught story with her quiet condense prose. It‘s 1985 & Bill Furlong is a coal man in Ireland preparing to celebrate Christmas with his wife & daughters. His path crosses with the nuns at the Magdalene Laundry & his conscience is in turmoil. It was a brief but beautiful story. If you‘re curious to learn more about the laundries, I‘d recommend the movie Magdalene Sisters, which I watched years ago.

Part 3 of 3: My favorites from the 144 books I read (in no particular order). I don‘t include rereads. I‘d love to hear your favorites!

11) Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
12) Women Talking by Miriam Toews
13) The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
14) The Book of Delights by Ross Gay
15) Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry

Part 2 of 3: My favorites from the 144 books I read (in no particular order). I don‘t include rereads. I‘d love to hear your favorites!

6) A Book of Bees by Sue Hubbell
7) Throne of Glass series
8) The Once and Future King by T.H. White
9) A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan
10) Go As a River by Shelley Read

Part 1 of 3: My favorites from the 144 books I read (in no particular order). I don‘t include rereads. I‘d love to hear your favorites!

1) Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
2) Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
3) Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
4) Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
5) Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

I‘ve always admired Ernie Pyle, a WWII war correspondent and journalist. He had such a gift for telling soldiers‘ stories and the reality of war. This exhibit at the Indiana State Museum included his typewriter, Uniform, army bag, and some incredible photos of him. I just loved learning more about him. If you haven‘t read Brave Men, I‘d highly recommend it.

What a treat to read a Christmas story that's not a Hallmark romance. Yes the ending is predictable, but it doesn't lessen the joy of the novel. Oswald Campbell moves from Chicago to Lost River, Alabama because of his health. The community he finds there, including a little girl named Patsy, Jack the cardinal, & Frances, the local busy body, all create the home & family he wasn't expecting. Just the feel-good Christmas read I was hoping for.