"I'd been upstaged, demoted from protagonist in my own drama to comic relief in my parents' tragedy."

I found this fairly uneven. It's divided into 4 parts, and each part is the story of one of the siblings. I LOVED the first part, but then it kind of went downhill from there. The last part redeemed itself somewhat and overall the resolution was pretty good (though there is some rather upsetting animal-related stuff in the last part, so a warning if you're sensitive to that). I listened to the audio book and I liked the narrator.

I finished this a couple weeks ago, but didn't post about it. I loved this book. It was beautifully written and McNamara's meticulous research was so fascinating. I appreciated it even more after listening to Patton Oswalt and the two researchers talk about it via the MFM podcast. 💜

Loved this. Funny, sad, incisive, gut wrenching. Definitely recommend the audio book.

This was beautifullly written, a cross between a memoir and a true crime/courtroom drama. A quick read, too.

Really liked this one. Definitely took some turns I didn't see coming.

Book #1 of 2018. Shooting for 50! This was really beautifully written and moving. Many trigger warnings, though (especially of sexual abuse).

I really loved this book. I wish I could have read it when I was 16.

"Some girls are dancing in the corners, moving their bodies with the freedom that comes when no boy is watching you. It feels buzzy and dizzy and sweaty and so, so, so joyful."

"For I think belief in God is not a matter of reason at all; I think it finally is a matter of love: of accepting the possibility that God could ever love us.”

This is an important story, well told, and I really liked Rowan. 4 stars.

A very readable mystery, just complex enough to keep you guessing through most of it. 4 stars.

This was a quick, compelling read. Lippman's plots sometimes get a little convoluted, and some of the detail about supporting characters can be a little distracting. Reading more of her books might help on that front, since even minor characters reappear. I'd recommend this if you're looking for a well-written, quick mystery.

Really enjoying this book so far, which was on sale at B&N last night. I like Lippman's style.

This was beautifully written and intriguing. Despite a couple difficult-to-believe moments, I enjoyed it. Definitely dark, though you can tell that much just from the description.

I didn't quite finish this audio book, but only because it was due back to the library. I heard enough to find it interesting and to confirm that Scientology is indeed nutso. Remini is funny and honest, and willing to own up to her own flaws. 3.5 stars.

About two-thirds of the way through this, I had to return it and wait to check it out again, so I kind of lost momentum. Even without that, though, it was just okay. Fairly quick and entertaining mystery, but nothing to rave about.

It had been several years since I re-read this. Just so, so fantastic. 💜🦉⚡️

Some comfort reading.

This had a story that could've been really good, but it seemed like the author just got way too many strands going and couldn't figure out what to do with them. The ending was pretty unsatisfying.

Oh, I loved this book so much. It so perfectly captures what it's like to fall in love when you're sixteen. Plus the 80s music references are 👍👍. I loved the narrators, too.

I read this in one day, a couple sittings, so clearly it was a page turner, but I was a little disappointed in the ending. Overall it was a quick, entertaining mystery.

I had mixed feelings about this. The memoir portion is poignant and well done. The history of mental illness and its treatment in the US and Europe, while important, was a slog for me. I admit that I eventually started skimming those sections--partly because they are so unbelievably sad.

Sick day reading buddy. ❤️

This was just okay for me. Reminded me of Girls on Fire, which I was also kind of iffy on. Buntin does have some passages of lovely writing, though. 3.5 stars.

Ended up finishing this, but barely. It just really didn't pull me in.

This was a fun, intriguing mystery with some great characters. Looking forward to reading more of the series. Thanks for the rec, @segeorgeff !

I'm about two-thirds of the way through this book, and I don't know if I'm going to finish. It's just kind of...dull. The characters are not very well developed and I don't really care about any of them.

Is there some amazing twist coming that I should keep reading for?? Or should I call it a day?

This is more of a memoir than a true crime account, but as a memoir, it's very well done.

New audio book! My first Shirley Jackson book. 😊

This is actually somewhere between so-so and a pick. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, but the story kept me interested and I like Healy's writing. #botm

Beautifully written, with deeply developed characters. It manages to be both a page-turner, and at the same time, thoughtful and unhurried.

Although the many points of view and characters took some getting used to, this was an enjoyable mystery. Hawkins is especially good at creating a setting with a distinct(ly creepy) mood.

So. This was my first Ann Rule book, and overall, it was really well done. Gary Ridgway's crimes would be a huge and daunting subject to write about. I was surprised how quickly it read, given that it's about 750 pages. But there were times I wished for a good editor--things were repeated more than once, sometimes even whole sentences word for word. Rule fans, what else would you recommend of hers??

The writing in this book was gorgeous, but the plot seemed a little thin. The author seemed to hint at deeper, darker things than what actually happened. I liked the characters, although Celine and her husband communicate almost telepathically, too the point where the reader feels a bit left in the dark. A relatively quick, interesting read overall. 3.5 stars.

"A road trip frees the mind, revitalizes the spirit, and infuses the body with Dr Pepper and teriyaki jerky." ???️?

Part of this book takes place in my home state of Colorado, and it's making me nostalgic for Denver. 😏🌲🌄

I ended up enjoying this, but I almost didn't make it past the first third. I felt like it was about 100 pages too long. But the second half pulled me in more, and I'm glad I read it. Cameron's journey is ultimately moving and poignant.

Up next...

I loved this book. I imagine it would be moving and powerful even if you've never known an alcoholic (or been one). It's even more so if you have, but the lessons that Hepola learns can apply to all of us.

Up next...
I really like this dedication.

Not exactly sure how I feel about this book. At times it was insightful and sadly beautiful; at others, Wasserman seemed to be going for the shock factor and it felt inauthentic. I have a little trouble with books where I don't really like or empathize with ANY of the characters, and this was one of those. Overall, though, it kept me interested and felt very original. 3.5 stars.

This was a little uneven, but had some really beautiful writing. Overall, not my favorite though.

"To be careful with people and with words was a rare and beautiful thing." ❤️

One quote of many that I loved, that I managed to jot down while listening to the audio book.

It was also kind of cool to read this in Arizona. I don't always love the desert, but I loved Dante's desert.

So, I bailed on this a little over halfway through. It wasn't bad, and some of it was very interesting and insightful, but ultimately I just didn't love it and life seems too short (and busy) to read books you don't love. I may pick it back up one day, but for now...moving on.

I really liked this. I listened to the audio book, which was so well done, although it was a little slow in places. His writing style doesn't always lend itself to being read aloud. A downside I've discovered to audio books: I can't highlight or write down lines that I love, and there were a lot in this book. Really beautiful writing. Four stars.

'"How did I get to be the woman I am today?” It started in that library, in the reading club. That‘s where I started to be my own person.'

Same here. ❤️

Should be required reading in this country. This one's going to have me thinking about it for a long while.

"America understands itself as God‘s handiwork, but the black body is the clearest evidence that America is the work of men."
I'm only about 1/5 of the way through but I've marked so many passages already. It's beautifully, brutally written.

I'm loving this so far. Can LMM just narrate everything from now on? This also provides some nice balance with Between the World and Me, which is also so good but pretty heavy.

So, I had to return this book to the library and wait for it to be available again, before I could finish the last 40 pages. So I kind of lost momentum. Overall, this was funny and original and very imaginative, though I did sometimes get bogged down in the epidemiology and the political intrigue. Don't know that I'll read the next two books, but I enjoyed this one. Four stars, or just slightly less.