Cute and fun! Will read the next one in the series (esp. because I think it's gay) but no bachelor-inspired romance will ever beat The Charm OffensiveCute and fun! Will read the next one in the series (esp. because I think it's gay) but no bachelor-inspired romance will ever beat The Charm Offensive for me. Also, plausibility in this was questionable....more
A brutal and stunningly crafted memoir of loss. It’s always such a gift to read a poet write prose, specially on a topic such as this one. The murder A brutal and stunningly crafted memoir of loss. It’s always such a gift to read a poet write prose, specially on a topic such as this one. The murder of Natasha’s mother, Gwendolyn, was preventable and tragic. She was failed by a justice system that leaves victims of DV out in the cold at every turn....more
First of all, I listened to this on audiobook and it was my audio of choice to fall asleep to for a few weeks (love a British accent for sleeping hahaFirst of all, I listened to this on audiobook and it was my audio of choice to fall asleep to for a few weeks (love a British accent for sleeping hahaha), so anything I say probably can't be trusted, as I probably missed things and made up other things in my dreams. That said, this was a good, dream-like book to do that with! The Midnight Library is popular for a reason: like other beloved, feel-good classics (Tuesdays with Morrie comes to mind), it allows us to confront our mortality in a warm and fuzzy setting. For me, it read more as a fun thought experiment than a truly compelling novel, which is why I liked but didn't love it. ...more
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. This is an insane story, but it's also a predictable one in the era of catfish awareness that has dawned in the last ten y3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. This is an insane story, but it's also a predictable one in the era of catfish awareness that has dawned in the last ten years or so. I was as entertained and horrified reading this as I was the first time I watched the movie Catfish. However, I'm not sure about the actual merits of this as a book. Aside from documenting what happened, it doesn't do much. It feels like there was no way this wouldn't have been a fun read, but the writing itself didn't add anything. The truly crazy part of this is that Emily is still at large as a LITERAL DOCTOR who SEES PATIENTS. Imagine if you found out this was your OBGYN?? ...more
Many writers set out to write a book that will capture something fundamental about what it means to be a human. By writing about a girl who is actuallMany writers set out to write a book that will capture something fundamental about what it means to be a human. By writing about a girl who is actually an Alien, Marie-Helene Bertino has actually done so. This was a perfect book, IMO. For everyone who has ever felt like an alien. ...more
"I Cheerfully Refuse" joined the ranks of near-future dystopias I have read recently that felt oddly hopeful. For some reason, I was picturing somethi"I Cheerfully Refuse" joined the ranks of near-future dystopias I have read recently that felt oddly hopeful. For some reason, I was picturing something entirely different entering into this book, but what I found was an adventure that bordered on an Epic journey of ancient Greek proportion - all set around Lake Superior in a not-difficult-to-imagine near future. First person narration isn't typically my favorite, but Leif Enger has crafted a narrator whom I love here. Rainy reveals himself through his observations and love for others, and has a subtle sense of humor. Each side character is given depth and nuance through Rainy's eyes, which provides hope in an otherwise somewhat bleak setting. While the pacing was a bit slow for me, I really enjoyed this book. The relationship between Rainy and Sol was reminiscent of "The Last of Us" and title references a "book within the book" called I cheerfully refuse, which reminded me of Station Eleven. ...more
I loved Freida McFadden's "Housemaid" books, so I was excited for this. It certainly wasn't unreadable and I still wanted to finish it, but I could NOI loved Freida McFadden's "Housemaid" books, so I was excited for this. It certainly wasn't unreadable and I still wanted to finish it, but I could NOT suspend disbelief about a teacher who buys and wears Christian Louboutins and Louis Vuittons and wears them to work. Also, they don't just sell those shoes at a store in the mall. And the plot twist at the very end makes NO sense - how could you she not recognize a student at her school?? ...more
4.5 stars, rounded up. This novel surprised me in the most delightful way. The promises of the plot are tantalizing - college student gets pregnant af4.5 stars, rounded up. This novel surprised me in the most delightful way. The promises of the plot are tantalizing - college student gets pregnant after an affair with her married professor, decides to have the baby, moves in with her dad (a retired WWE wrestler and former addict), and starts an OnlyFans account. However, besides having an attention-grabbing plot, Margo's Got Money Troubles captured me with a distinct approach to narration (how can you use 1st/3rd person interchangeably to show the way someone moves closer to themselves?), warm and complex characters you want to cheer for, and an excellently nuanced look at sex work. As the book went on, I found myself cheering Margo on so hard as she took on the justice system and forged her own life. I keep recommending this to people, so maybe it actually is a five star read for me. ...more
Beautiful illustrations from one of the most iconic illustrators in America, who has used his own story as a Cuban immigrant to shape how he has proteBeautiful illustrations from one of the most iconic illustrators in America, who has used his own story as a Cuban immigrant to shape how he has protested the Trump administration. I had seen pictures from the Mariel Boatlift from Cuba to Miami in the past, but didn't really know the story. Worm suffers from a lack of pacing and rhythm in my opinion, but I'm still grateful to have read it and expanded my knowledge of Cuban and immigrant history. ...more
Unfortunately, I caught a bad case of girlbossitis, became hyper-fixated on personal finance for about a month, and read four books about money in quiUnfortunately, I caught a bad case of girlbossitis, became hyper-fixated on personal finance for about a month, and read four books about money in quick succession.
Fortunately for you, I am going to review them all here and tell you which ones are worth reading as a (1) queer (2) capitalist skeptic (3) woman (4) who has spent her entire life saying she hates money but really just didn't know enough and felt embarrassed and therefore made a lot of dumb financial mistakes in her twenties.
Books I read: 1. The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing by Taylor Larimore 2. I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi 3. The Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap 4. Finance For The People by Paco De Leon
Finance For The People by Paco De Leon Pros: I loved the tone of this book - it seemed the most closely aligned with my own views of all the books I read. De Leon provides both a clear-headed critique of the various inequalities within American capitalism, while also empathetically guiding folks towards making the system as it stands work for them. I can also see this book being the least depressing for someone who is really struggling paycheck to paycheck or drowning in debt. Cons: There are definitely moments were the advice could be more specific - a lot of people read a book like this looking for VERY clear steps (though I didn't need this, especially considering that I had read both Ramit Sethi's book and the Boglehead's investment guide alongside). Additionally, I was holding out the entire book for a section at the end on mutual aid and giving, which seems like it would have aligned really well with the author's pyramid of personal finance and the values of the rest of the book. Was disappointed not to find it, as that would have really set this book apart. Worth reading: Yes, definitely Read if: You are really disillusioned by the injustice of money & capitalism, but know you need to keep yourself and your money safe ...more
Unfortunately, I caught a bad case of girlbossitis, became hyper-fixated on personal finance for about a month, and read four books about money in quiUnfortunately, I caught a bad case of girlbossitis, became hyper-fixated on personal finance for about a month, and read four books about money in quick succession.
Fortunately for you, I am going to review them all here and tell you which ones are worth reading as a (1) queer (2) capitalist skeptic (3) woman (4) who has spent her entire life saying she hates money but really just didn't know enough and felt embarrassed and therefore made a lot of dumb financial mistakes in her twenties.
Books I read: 1. The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing by Taylor Larimore 2. I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi 3. The Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap 4. Finance For The People by Paco De Leon
I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi Pros: I probably enjoyed reading this book the most of any of the above because of its simplicity, smart structure, and sense of humor. The examples, visuals and scripts provided are always applicable and helpful. While I didn't use the "six week" structure suggested, I could see it being very useful for many. Cons: This is definitely more geared to twenty-somethings who are just starting to earn money (and I wish I had read it at that time!). For me, though Sethi reassures us that it's never too late to start these processes, I proceeded through the book with a lot of "damn, I'm so stupid for not doing this earlier" feelings. Worth reading: Yes Read if: You are in your early twenties in your first job OR are truly starting from ground zero in terms of personal finance. ...more
Unfortunately, I caught a bad case of girlbossitis, became hyper-fixated on personal finance for about a month, and read four books about money in quiUnfortunately, I caught a bad case of girlbossitis, became hyper-fixated on personal finance for about a month, and read four books about money in quick succession.
Fortunately for you, I am going to review them all here and tell you which ones are worth reading as a (1) queer (2) capitalist skeptic (3) woman (4) who has spent her entire life saying she hates money but really just didn't know enough and felt embarrassed and therefore made a lot of dumb financial mistakes in her twenties.
Books I read: 1. The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing by Taylor Larimore 2. I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi 3. The Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap 4. Finance For The People by Paco De Leon
The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing by Taylor Larimore Pros: Of all the above, this book gets into the most detail about investing, index funds, retirement accounts, taxes, stocks and bonds. It does so with extremely simplified language that never made me feel dumb or talked down to. The section on insurance was particularly informative for me. I felt empowered by the way the author talk about the need for professional financial help. Cons: The structure of the chapters felt a bit random and inconsistent on the level of depth for each topic. For example, we go wayyyyy into depth about bonds very early on in the book, and then move back to more general topics. This book also lacks the critical analysis of financial inequality and privilege that most of the others at least touch on. Worth reading: Yes Read if: You have a pretty strong grasp on your personal finance systems, but want to know more about investing. Maybe you're a person who has previously used a roboadvisor to make your investment decisions and you want to switch to a DIY approach. ...more
This was GREAT! I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of genre with this one, and thought I might have been picking up a true mystery/thriller. It wasThis was GREAT! I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of genre with this one, and thought I might have been picking up a true mystery/thriller. It was so much more than that. A perfect summer book is one you want to stay up all night to devour, and this certainly had me do just that. The summer camp setting was eerie, and Liz Moore handled multiple time periods and points-of-view deftly. I did not expect the ending once the entire time. ...more
DNF at about 30%. Wanted to keep getting through it because some of the individual observations were well-formulated (and because I liked Cultish and DNF at about 30%. Wanted to keep getting through it because some of the individual observations were well-formulated (and because I liked Cultish and love Amanda Montell's podcast) but it lacked enough coherence to keep my attention. You're better off reading Doppelganger by Naomi Klein for similar investigation into how and why people believe the craziest shit. ...more
Whoever keeps letting Claire Keegan get a whole book to publish very, very short amounts of content... is absolutely correct, because her work is so tWhoever keeps letting Claire Keegan get a whole book to publish very, very short amounts of content... is absolutely correct, because her work is so tightly and perfectly written that it doesn't need to be much to be worth it!
Seriously, I'm such a Claire Keegan stan at this point. These three short stories felt a little different from her novellas (is that what you'd call her other books?) as they seemed a little less pastoral and more contemporary. While all the Keegan stories I've read are dark, the last of these three ("Antartica") almost verged into thriller territory which was interesting. In "The Long and Painful Death" Keegan plays with the authors ability to kill with their words. The titular story, "So Late in the Day" held some very nice tension. All in all, this simply isn't five stars for me because I wanted moreeeeee. Keegan will continue to be an immediate purchase for me (plus her publisher has made all of her books go so nicely together!)...more
I finished a Minor Chorus and immediately felt like I needed to read it again. Billy-Ray Belcourt is writing in the school of Alexander Chee and OceanI finished a Minor Chorus and immediately felt like I needed to read it again. Billy-Ray Belcourt is writing in the school of Alexander Chee and Ocean Vuong (both of whom he cites), spinning up a narrative that is (possibly) fiction and (almost certainly) 100% real at the same time. Every single sentence is beautiful. In fact, I almost defaced my copy by underlining multiple times before I remembered I was reading a library book. I don't know what this book is about, except I do, because the narrator tells us, many times and many ways. What I do know is that it brings to life a place and its people and the ways that those people grieve what has already been decided for them by a settler-colonialist state. This is definitely a very intellectual novel, which could be alienating to some readers- and at times, I doubted my own ability to grasp what I was supposed to. But on the other hand, the stories the characters tell about themselves are straightforward, and heartbreaking, and beautiful. I don't know! Go read it if you want to know what the hell I'm trying to say! ...more
I love seeing other people say this was their least favorite Akwaeke Emezi thus far; I think it was my favorite! Granted, I have yet to read two of thI love seeing other people say this was their least favorite Akwaeke Emezi thus far; I think it was my favorite! Granted, I have yet to read two of their most popular (You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty and Freshwater). "Little Rot" stands out amongst my other reads this year for having such a clear sense of setting. It brings alive the elite subculture of Lagos, Nigeria in a way from which I couldn't look away. Honestly, I was gripped almost as if I was watching an action thriller, but I don't even like action thrillers. The way Emezi depicts queer longing and its complexity in this was brilliant. Definitely a dark, dark read. Don't come here for the warm and fuzzies - Little Rot takes place entirely in the span of one of the worst weekends you could imagine....more
Real Americans captured me full force in the first third, lost me a bit in the last third, and regained my love with its ending. What Rachel Khong hasReal Americans captured me full force in the first third, lost me a bit in the last third, and regained my love with its ending. What Rachel Khong has successfully done here is deliver complex characters and explain their interactions within a multi-generational family drama. The story also ambitiously takes on what it means to be a "real American", using eugenics and the science of DNA to explore that topic alongside a tale of immigration. Oh yes, and it also the explores the general concept of time. As others have pointed out, these are ambitious goals. Khong cannot be blamed for not quite delivering on them at all points, but this is a great book. ...more
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