Wow. If you love (intense) body horror with meaning and heart, I strongly believe this novel will stand up as commentary to the post-Roe world we‘re currently living in. Sad, very dark, intensely human. So much more than a gory monster cult story - and what a conclusion!

But like most good horror, it‘s not for everyone. Look into triggers - there‘s a lot here. But wow, what a story. 🥺🫣

I was leaning toward 4 out of 5 stars until the last quarter knocked it back to a 3. 🤷🏻‍♀️

This is basically akin to Divergent with sex scenes. I‘m down for Part 2 so long as it‘s more about Wren‘s inner conflict of interest and less about her dues ex machina boyfriend(s) — although I doubt I‘ll get what I‘m wanting. 😆

Spoilers hidden in the comments.

So I have less than a hundred pages left and a major “twist” has been revealed - and it‘s something I really didn‘t want to be true bc it felt very obvious. Sigh.

That being said, I‘m excited to discuss this with others who‘ve read it once I‘m done (probably tomorrow).

On the #Romantasy scale for me, so far it‘s this > ACOTAR #1 > ACOTAR #2 >>>>>>> Fourth Wing.

If you describe your book as “Alien meets Midsommar”, I‘m instantly intrigued. This was on my TBR already so getting approved for an ARC literally made my day. Let‘s get #Summerween up in here! 👽

If I could give this 6 stars out of 5, I would.

Brutally honest and achingly empathetic, this memoir details child stardom, predatory Hollywood practices, eating disorders & beauty standards, religious & sexuality phobias/discrimination, and sexual assault. It‘s unflinching and sometimes pretty painful to read. I give Alyson so much credit for being so vulnerable & honest.

I‘d recommend whether you‘re familiar with their work or not. 😭

🧐 Mr. Grey, I presume? 😜

I told myself if I could get through 100 pages, then I‘d continue with the whole book. While it follows a familiar formula (I mean like…rote familiar, so far anyway), I appreciate this has more of a sci-fi bend than magical creatures…I hope?

100+ pages/a quarter of this book complete so…I guess I‘m in it now. 🫣

Well. Here we go!

ACOTAR & Fourth Wing just didn‘t work for me. Telling myself to suspend my judgey-ness and just open myself up to the #romantasy of it. Let‘s hope this one hits. 🤞🏻

This author is totally new to me but boy, is she on my radar now!

Steady propulsion but things really get cooking in the back half, especially the final quarter moving at NASCAR level speeds. A solid thriller. I can definitely see it being a Netflix popcorn film.

#BOTM had it early, it‘s on shelves next week I think.

Any opinions on which of these to start in on next?

Trying to knock out my #BOTM reading challenge. 😂

I‘m only a third in to Alyson‘s memoir but am already so engrossed with how they describe navigating the entertainment business as a single digit age child star.

I know them best for dancing in music videos by Missy Elliot and being egregiously underutilized in the DCOM film series “Camp Rock” (above).

Well. 🫣

This is my 2nd “for adults” Judy & while I liked it more than the other, it did feel like chaos personified and not in a popcorn way. I look at this as a more accessible Stepford Wives or Valley of the Dolls…or at least sits at a table with them as subversive accounts of life for women during second wave feminism.

But holy moly, so much smut. 🫣 (And TW: some not great depictions of POC.)

#AuthorAMonth

Lucky find (I hope!) at my local #LFL

Gosh, I loved this. Heartfelt slice of life YA novel about handling grief after losing a parent. Unflinching and honest. Made me tear up a few different times.

I‘m also so grateful the elements of teenage love sprinkled throughout wasn‘t the main focus - how unique, to be honest.

#AuthorAMonth

What a tricky character that Sharon is! 🤣

Cute lil children‘s book on the principal of the grass is always greener. As a person with a lot of freckles, I‘d be ready for that magic remover, too. 😆 #AuthorAMonth

One of the most unique memoirs I‘ve ever read. There‘s glimmers of writing advice but mostly this is a retelling of a movie night amongst friends when Malerman pondered his career choices and fears after just getting his first book deal. His writing style is all eager jumpy excitement - anxiety on paper. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn‘t.

My thanks to Del Rey & NetGalley for this ARC read! It‘s out on shelves next month.

Turned on this Judy Blume documentary - Judy Blume Forever! - available on Prime. She‘s just so lovely. #AuthorAMonth

Wild how much has changed (and stayed the same) for elementary age kids since this was published. It made me cringe, chuckle, wince, and desperately wonder where were the adults. 🫣 #AuthorAMonth

Heavy. So many possible interpretations. Intense. Upsetting. It‘s all the things. 👁️

#WithTheBanned

Apologies in advance, bc I keep snapping photos of sections for myself. Not unlike Fahrenheit 451, Parable of the Sower, or The Handmaid‘s Tale, I‘m floored by how resonant this feels to right now. #WithTheBanned

Photo still is from the Broadway play production of 1984 - on the boards in New York for 125 performances and 38 previews from May to October 2017. For some reason I was thinking it was pre-Trump Part 1! Time feels like it‘s collapsing on me. I saw it around July, I believe. Olivia Wilde made her debut in it as Julia (second from the left).

#WithTheBanned

Would you believe I never formally read this cover to cover before? I saw a play interpretation on Broadway about 10-ish years ago (considering current affairs in the US, weren‘t we naive then?). It blows my mind the unexpected foresight Orwell seemed to have. Published in 1949 and yet…

#WithTheBanned

Camp NetGalley led me here but as a music nerd and dabbler in entertainment journalism, this was ridiculous.

I guess if you suspend disbelief, this can feel like a fun popcorn thriller but I couldn‘t get past how flimsy and undercooked the plot essentially was. FMC is a gossip mag journalist who makes wild assumptions based on essentially nothing…and she‘s right? Nah.

Lucky Number Seven! 🍀

Even if the twists are predictable, I always tend to enjoy Jewell‘s thrillers — her writing is so fast-paced, it feels like pages fly in a race to the conclusion. This wasn‘t my fave I‘ve read by her, but it helped do the job to get me out of my reading slump for sure.

I‘ll be honest, I have no idea what I read - I just know Woolf‘s style isn‘t for me. So much double speak and description of minutiae for no real reason. Only one of the stories in this collection was enjoyable to me…but even then its point felt confused. #AuthorAMonth

I was planning on finishing off my current reads this weekend and heading into #Summerween territory…but this #CampNetGalley title intrigued me…

I‘m pretty bummed to say this fell flat for me. Overall, it‘s fine - but did it need to be 500+ pages? Especially given how repetitive it was? It was a slow march to the end and getting there felt not at all worth the effort. A+ for sexy sapphic vampires without a doubt, but I‘d argue there needs to be actual arc, too.

Soft pick.

I love Hoda‘s vibe. No matter what, she always appears positive and that shone through this motivational book. Nothing earthshattering, but lots of little reminders to take things one step at a time. 💖

Photo is when I met her at a concert taping at the Today Show over a decade ago. 😳

My thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC! It‘s out in September.

June has been so busy (and hot 🥵) - I‘ve lost control of my reading streak. Determined to get back on track over the holiday weekend.

Took about a hundred pages to warm up but this vampire story is truly crackling now. 🩸

Digging in to V.E. Schwab‘s latest - perfect for #Pride or so I‘m hoping!

Nail Set was for the Stray Kids concert last night! So much fun 🤩

Elements felt heavy-handed (even for YA) in an attempt to tie up so much that arguably didn‘t need any more tying. That being said, the gruesome thought behind this series doesn‘t get easier to stomach with time. Poor Haymitch.

Off to rewatch the film series to see the implied connections. 🥹

Sharing some book ideas from my local library for great queer books to read during this #Pride Month (or anytime, tbh!)

Brooklyn Public Library coming through with the cutest book challenges via free bookmarks 🔖

Food for thought considering today‘s events in the real world.

Also no real spoilers, but I‘m 100 pages in and there‘s already two significant deaths. Suzanne, you‘re trying for tears and will probably succeed.

I didn‘t plan to read this this month but my library hold came in after months. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Given the “birthday parade” happening this weekend, perhaps it was kismet. Suzanne, you never disappoint.

I loved this. Funny and sarcastic and the plot flew. I didn‘t want it to end. I can totally see this being a hilarious TV show. 🐈🐬 #AuthorAMonth

Real Talk: I chose this Scalzi for my #AuthorAMonth bc the cover made me giggle. So far, it‘s a solid choice.

This short story by this month‘s #AuthorAMonth is available for free on Amazon/Kindle. A quick read - not sure how much of a tone it sets regarding Scalzi‘s writing, he‘s totally new to me. Sci-fi and a bit dry for my taste. Expands on the concept of AI that feels believable & vaguely upsetting.

A satisfying conclusion, though probably too long considering the final battle. Some plot omissions bothered me - but not enough to not be touched by the final outcome.

I shall return to the Grishaverse soon - especially given the hints about the series ahead. 🏴‍☠️👑

🤣 Zoya is relatable. 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

Had to wait over a hundred pages for the best character in this series to appear in Book 3 🤣🤷🏻‍♀️😅

This was less “the story of ABBA” and more the story of their immense impact, in Sweden and around the world, the waves still being felt to this very day. The author essentially explains *everything* is ABBA and ABBA is everything. The chapters are a little disjointed & if you‘re looking for a career retrospective, this isn‘t it. But it‘s fascinating nonetheless.

Above is my fave ABBA album by far. No contest. 👯‍♀️

What a final line to open Book 3.

Scratching the itch by finishing this trilogy out then pausing my foray into the Grishaverse in favor of the rest of the books on my actual shelf staring at me. 😂

Dropping these off at my local #LFL 💌

May is pretty much wrapped - this year is flying!

The tagged was my fave read of the month. Home Is Where The Bodies Are was my least liked. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Overall a pretty solid month.

Still on course for 100 books by years end! 🤞🏻

A cute lil YA romance but I think liking it will hinge on your knowledge of the #kpop industry overall/Korean culture. This is a sequel/companion novel to Once Upon a K-Prom, I definitely think Moonster is more endearing if you read the other book first (but it‘s not a necessity for the plot of this book).

Photo is of my concert lightstick for Stray Kids, a group mentioned tangentially in the book. I‘m seeing them live in a few weeks. ❤️

A Lee Know from Stray Kids reference?!

Literally can‘t wait to see Skz perform for the second time in a few weeks - I‘m seeing signs of them everywhere. 😅🐰

Headed out for a coffee date with friends - bringing along my library read & this lil tote thanks to @Soubhiville 🥰

#JumpstartSummer

This book was fantastic - moving, funny, emotional, and heartbreaking. I‘d argue it should be taught alongside Huckleberry Finn - if not in high school than in college.

Photo is of this past Friday‘s Girls Night outing - my first whiskey sour and it was delicious. #JumpstartSummer, am I right?

#AuthorAMonth

My plans to #JumpstartSummer ☀️🤪

-Finishing James for #AuthorAMonth
-Starting in on my library read of my fave Kat Cho‘s latest & a NetGalley biography of one of the GOATs of pop - ABBA (new bio out on 6/17, looks like it‘s not on Litsy yet)
-Digging in to these series I‘ve wanted to watch forever 🤪