I finished this at the beginning of July, and with the Paris Olympics coming up, it was the perfect time to listen to this memoir from a legitimate swimming superstar. There weren't a lot of salacious details, because Katie Ledecky seems to lead a pretty normal life...other than that whole "shattering world records" thing. While obviously no one is perfect, she seems like a genuinely good person...it makes it so easy to root for her!

As always, one of my favorite events of the month, as my July TBR awaits this month's #bookspin selections! Some of these books have been on my list for quite a while, others have just been added...I'm just excited to see what I end up actually reading!

@TheAromaofBooks

As far as my June #bookspinbingo card goes, I think I did pretty well: one bingo, close to several others, and both my #bookspin and #doublespin picks complete! Of course, plenty of books I still haven't gotten to, and several more waiting for me in July!

@thearomaofbooks

The last book I finished in June also happened to be one of my #roll100 picks for the month (which is great, since I haven't been doing so well with those!).

This was a low pick for me -- but mostly because it's a blend of two genres that aren't my faves (horror and historical fiction). That said, I think it was well-done, and being a short, quick read didn't hurt either!

@PuddleJumper

Since I DNF'ed my original choice for this prompt (too scary!!), this book worked just fine for #52bookclub24 #includesapersonalphobia. Skydiving. Enough said!

Overall, I enjoyed this one, though it did start out pretty slow for me. I definitely preferred “The Guncle“ to this, but it was still worth reading. And it was my #bookspin pick for June!

PLEASE take my DNF with a grain of salt!

This story centers around an elderly woman's relationship with a mouse. I am TERRIFIED of mice. But since I've heard such wonderful things about this book (it's been frequently described as a “warm hug“), I thought I would try it -- it would slot in perfectly for the #52bookclub24 #includesapersonalphobia prompt.

Except...the moment the mouse appeared, I started hyperventilating. Oops! 😂

My #bookspin list for June! I have more library books (and less from my shelves) than I should, but...oh well! Whatever makes my reading heart happy, right? 😁

@TheAromaofBooks

So close to #bookspinbingo, but not quite there! By the numbers, May wasn't a bad reading month, but everything kind of came to a halt the last week, as I was stuck working through a few more dense books. Still pretty good though!

@TheAromaofBooks

I picked this up from the library without reading the blurb...it was definitely a surprise! Despite the fact the cover says "A Love Story," I didn't realize it was a rom-com. Yes, that's my own sexism on display. ?

That said, it was a cute, light-hearted read. I'm not a huge romance reader, but every once in a while I enjoy them, and this hit the spot.

Oh, and it was my #doublespin pick, so yay!

@TheAromaofBooks

I'm ready with my #bookspin list for May!

My biggest goal this month is to stay away from the library -- as much as I love it, I have way too many books on my shelves that need some attention! Although there is a library book sale coming up this weekend, so...that could cause an issue. 😂

@thearomaofbooks

Even though I managed to finish 20 books this month (more than I have in quite a while!), I still didn't get a #bookspinbingo. I guess there were a couple books that could have qualified as DNFs, but for me, they were simply NRNs (Not Right Now).

Still it was a great reading month, including my first five-star (yes, I'm stingy with stars!) read of the year -- James.

@TheAromaofBooks

So, I have to thank @JenReadsAlot for bringing this one to my attention! I had listened to the podcast for awhile, but didn't realize there was an accompanying book/audiobook -- and I'm so glad I finally had the chance to listen.

My tween/teen years were in the '90s, so these songs definitely hit home for me (although, surprisingly, there were some I wasn't familiar with AT ALL). Still, it was a fun trip down memory lane.

My TBR/#bookspin list for April. There are so many more books I wanted to add, even though I know there's no way I'll get to them all! It'll be interesting to see which of these (and how many!) I'll get to this month.

@thearomaofbooks

Here's my #bookspinbingo card for March -- no bingos, as I read more books OFF my TBR than on it. That's okay though...sometimes mood reading is a necessity!

I'm hoping to catch up with some of these in April, but I've already got a new stack of library books to go through, so...we'll see! 😄

@thearomaofbooks

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, but here's my March #bookspin TBR list. There's a lot of stuff I've been looking forward to (and plenty more that aren't even on the list) -- we'll see how the month pans out!

@thearomaofbooks

Maybe my best #bookspinbingo card ever! Two bingos in February, and I even managed to knock off my #bookspin and #doublespin picks. Apparently that's what happens when I focus on my TBR. 😄

Even better, I did so while reading all Black authors for the month!

@thearomaofbooks

This graphic novel was a quick, fun read that took a snapshot of the lives of four black women -- including their hair routines! I usually like a little more dialogue with my graphic novels, but the illustrations did a good job of celebrating the concept of “wash day.“

My February #bookspin list! I try to stick to Black authors for the month of February (although there are a couple holdovers from last month that don't fit), and there are so many books in this stack that I'm excited about!

@thearomaofbooks

I didn't finish all the books I was working on this month, but I DID get a #bookspinbingo. (Woohoo!) I also knocked off my #bookspin pick, and am just a chapter away from finishing my #doublespin. But there are so many books I'm ready for in February!!

@thearomaofbooks

From the marketing copy: “A lonely, lovable, queer mountain lion narrates this star-making fever dream of a novel.“ Indeed!

This was a really fast read -- even though I had to go back and re-read a few sections because I was so confused about what was going on! If you're looking for conventional storytelling, this is definitely not for you, but if you're open to something outside of the box, it's worth checking out.

This was an enjoyable listen. No startling revelations (like many celebrity memoirs have), but Henry Winkler seems like a genuinely good guy, and I liked getting to know more of his story.

#52bookclub24 - Prompt 21: #writtenbyaghostwriter

This was a YA book tackling the topic of racism and discrimination at a (fake) Ivy League institution. While I thought the story was good, the writing fell a little flat for me -- I prefer authors like Angie Thomas and Nic Stone. That said, it wasn't bad, just a little disappointing.

#52bookclub24 #morethan40chapters

I had mixed feelings about this. “Scattershot“ is definitely an appropriate title, because Taupin gets easily sidetracked in his storytelling, jumping from one anecdote to another without any clear transition. It's also very name-droppy, so if that bothers you, skip this.

On the other hand, it's obvious what a lyrical writer he is, and if you're a fan of his and Elton John (or music from that era in general), the stories are pretty interesting.

It was a quick listen, and a good choice for fans of the Colbert Report. Unfortunately, I like the real Stephen Colbert much more than his alter ego. 😆

Used this to fill the #PublishedbyHachette prompt for #52bookclub24.

This was a hilarious read, and great on audio. If you liked “Here for It,“ definitely check this out!

Using this to fill the #52bookclub24 prompt for a cover without people on it.

First #bookspin list of 2024 -- with a lot of holdovers from 2023. Excited to start a new year (including all the new reading challenges!!).

@thearomaofbooks

No bingos for the last #bookspinbingo of the year (I went off the list too much), but that just means more books to carry over into 2024!

@TheAromaofBooks

My December #bookspin was definitely one of the best books I've read this year. I tend to read a lot of nonfiction dealing with issues of race, but in this unique format, Sharpe offered some observations about being Black that I haven't encountered before. I appreciated the new perspective -- it definitely made me think!

@thearomaofbooks

My final #bookspin list of the year! It'll be a scramble to finish some of the challenges I've set for the year (and to be honest, challenges from previous years, too!) -- but I'm looking forward to a hopefully productive month of reading.

@thearomaofbooks

TWO whole bingos this month (and I was SOOO close to a third) for #bookspinbingo! If only I had been able to read on the long train ride to NYC -- I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open -- I might have finished even more. No complaints though!

@thearomaofbooks

I was a little worried about the Octavia Butler prompt for the #52bookclub challenge. I'd previously read Parable of the Sower, and was not a fan. But I'm so glad I chose this book! While it can obviously be difficult to read (it does address horrors of slavery, after all), it was incredibly well-written and engaging -- I didn't want to put it down. Definitely worth picking up!

When I picked this up at the library, I couldn't remember why it put it on hold (podcast rec, possibly?). The librarian mentioned that she had tried it and put it down after 20 pages, so I was worried. I didn't need to be.

If you like a darkly humorous fairy tale retelling set in modern times (and don't have too many triggers), this one might be for you too.

Plus it was my #bookspin pick this month!

@TheAromaofBooks

My #bookspin list for November!

I can't believe there are only two months left in the year, and I have so many reading goals left to finish. I know I won't get to them all, but hopefully I finish the year off strong!

@TheAromaofBooks

I've become very good at ALMOST getting a #bookspinbingo -- but not quite! Still, it was a pretty productive reading month with 17 books finished (two that aren't shown here).

@TheAromaofBooks

I had to do some serious winnowing down of my TBR for October (even though there's no way I'll get through them all!), but here's the list I came up. We'll see how much I stick to these -- or go off script!

#bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

Yay for getting a #BookSpinBingo in September! It was a fairly productive reading month, but still have a lot I want to finish before the end of the year.

@TheAromaofBooks

It's been a LONG time since I've posted one of my #the52bookclub23 prompts, but I'm trying to do better!

This book was well-written and well-researched; I'd definitely recommend this to history buffs or anyone interested in learning about the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, my interest was marginal -- since my grandfather was born there, I feel like I should know more about “where I came from“ -- so it started to drag near the end.

So I enjoyed this for the most part -- I didn't predict the twist, but it was definitely in the set up (if you're paying close attention). However, after having my home broken into last weekend, there was one scene in particular that made me uncomfortable. Perhaps I need to take a break from thrillers!

I heard about this on one of my favorite podcasts, and I was so excited to read it. A story about a temp whose jobs include Chairman of the Board, a murderer's assistant, and a pirate! Sounds fun!

I thought it was funny at times, and definitely a little quirky -- perhaps a little too quirky (and a little too fantastical) for me? It definitely had Piranesi vibes -- which I didn't like. If you DID, then maybe you'll enjoy this one too!

I thought this was a fun and enjoyable listen. I probably would have liked it even more if I was actually a parent!

New month, new #bookspin list! Lots of the same names, a few new ones to tackle, so we'll see what I manage in September.

On an unrelated note, using Litsy has become so much more challenging now that it's unavailable in the Google Play Store. 🙁 Still, I'm hoping to do better posting about my books throughout the month, and not just at the end!

@TheAromaofBooks

My completed #bookspinbingo board for August. No bingos, but still an okay reading month, so no complaints! Bring on September!

@TheAromaofBooks

No bingos in July, but I can't complain too much considering how much time I was spending packing and moving (now I'm just UN-packing!). Half of my books (all of the Free spots, in fact) were on audio, which is not my preferred way to read. But sometimes that's what you have to do!

#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

I meant to post my August #bookspin list last night, but I fell asleep before I could. Moving is exhausting! 🤣

I'm interested to see what I manage to finish this month...I'm hoping to have more time for reading, but who knows??

@TheAromaofBooks

I had issues posting yesterday, so I'm a little late, but here's my July #bookspin list! Looking forward to seeing what I can do in the middle of a move!!

@TheAromaofBooks

I was glad this came up as my #doublespin this month, because I was super excited to listen! I know Samantha Irby is not everyone's cup of tea (she is the queen of TMI), but I always find her hilarious (and often relatable).

@TheAromaofBooks

This month's #bookspin list! I'll be spending the next couple of months purging and packing for an upcoming move, but hopefully I'll still have some time to do some reading (and maybe get a few books off my shelves??).

@TheAromaofBooks

I'm excited to say that I got a #bookspinbingo this month (yay for generously placed Free spots!)...AND I even finished my #doublespin. Most books were pretty short, but a win is a win! 😁

In other news, I'm kind of irritated that I've been unable to log on to Litsy from the web (my preferred way to post), so I skipped some of my intended posts. Maybe I'll catch up later?

@TheAromaofBooks

Here's my May #bookspin list!

Confession: I haven't finished a #bookspin or #doublespin since February, so I'm hoping to end the drought this month! Hope I can maintain my sanity enough to do so!

@TheAromaofBooks

Definitely no #BookspinBingo this month! I actually finished 13 books, but too many were not on my TBR. Still, my reading felt a little better, maybe because I let myself go with my mood.

@TheAromaofBooks