Many thanks to my friends at @bookclubfavorites @scribnerbooks and @simon.audio

 

Wildly imaginative.  Bizarre.  Poignant. 

 

How Broder managed to pack such a punch in a short 240 pages, I don’t know.  It’s true talent for sure.  

 

In trying to escape the emotional weight of a sickly husband and dying father, our unnamed protagonist flees to the California desert where she finds a nonnative cactus and a fight for survival.  

Utterly bizarre but completely captivating.  Broder penned a hallucinatory journey through emotion that felt both unmoored and relevant.  This seemed personal, as though a journey of catharsis for the author.  It’s rare to find a storyline that exposes the rawness of grief as this one does.  

 

But this isn’t a bleak story.  Dark humor abounds.  Talking rocks, the love of the Best Western, apologies to bunnies…. these are just a few of the absurdities that kept me entertained.  

 

🎧 I’m not generally a fan of author’s narrating their own works (outside of memoirs).  But Broder proved me wrong with this one.  Her narration added a quirkiness and depth to the story that kept me engaged throughout the whole experience.  

 

Disturbing.  Captivating. Completely original.  

 

Cleverly written with a unique, genre-bending premise unlike anything I’ve read before.  

 

I went into this book knowing it was fiction. Yet I had to remind myself time and again that, while Chizmar is real, the meticulously plotted crimes are not.  

 

More than anything, I think this speaks to the creativity and skill of the author… able to write himself into the storyline, mixing memoir-like detail within the fictitious.  This added an eeriness to the plot that kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly questioning everything I read.  

 

The format.  The storyline.  The blurring of lines between fact and fiction.  This is a risky concept that could’ve gone all wrong.  Yet it was brilliantly executed creating a perfect narrative and an all-around immersive read.

 

➡️ Of note:  Don’t skip the author’s note at the end!

 

🎧 The audiobook, narrated by Audie Award winner, Michael Crouch, was well executed and kept me hanging on for “just a bit more” each time I listened.  

 

Many thanks to @librofm for the #gifted audiobook.

 

Longing and fear.  Fear and longing.  

 

Within the first pages, I found myself completely immersed.  The seamless blend of historical fiction with gothic horror alongside swoon worthy romance created an engaging story that I flew through (busting me out of one of the worst reading slumps).  

 

I loved following Nena & Nestor.  There was so much complexity to their relationship, and I felt the pining between the two deep in my own soul. 

 

I loved the vivid setting and the rich atmosphere.  Between the historic backdrop and the inclusion of Mexican folklore, I was easily immersed into the time, place and culture.   

 

But what I loved most?  Those vampires!  Monsters lurking in the dark creating a looming fear.  Vaqueros on high alert.  Prepared to protect their way of life.  Yet… the vampires weren’t the only lurking monsters.  

 

Canas delivers an incisive commentary on class, gender, and colonization.  With vampires compared to Anglos, it is a vivid portrayal of monsters sucking the lifeblood (heritage, land) out of the Mexican people.   

 

Beautifully written and compulsively readable, I was fully transported by Canas’ sophomore novel and can’t wait to see what she does next.  

 

🎧 The audiobook was exceptionally narrated by Jose Nateras and Krysta Gonzales and added extra depth to the culture and language.  I was particularly smitten with Nateras’ portrayal of Nestor.  🥰

 

 

 

 

Many thanks to my friends at @torbooks and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copies of this book.  

 

On a dark and dreary fall weekend… not in a forest… no, in a regular house in a regular neighborhood, I found myself easily immersed in the enchanting continuation of a childhood fairytale.  

 

The premise for After the Forest captivated me from the start.  Just what happened to Hansel and Gretel after they escaped the witch?  

 

According to this debut, Hans and Greta were forever changed, missing out on their happily ever after as the town held them at arm’s length, always wary and suspicious.  

 

Woods delivered a magical tale that lured me in.  With a bit of mystery, a dabble of romance, and a lush atmosphere, this was an impressive debut.  

 

However, I did wish for more depth to the characters.  They came across a bit flat, lacking in substance and complexity.  This was especially apparent in the deeply flawed ones.  

 

Still, this fairytale continuation provided a magical escape that I thoroughly enjoyed and was perfect for the season.  

 

🎧 The narration by Esther Wane was full of magic and well executed.  BUT.  I was surprised that a story set in Germany didn’t have a German narrator.  It felt a bit odd to listen to a British accent while imagining the Black Forest.  

 

Brimming with tenderness.  A fully immersive story that filled my heart.  

 

I love getting lost in a person’s story.  Their experiences.  The emotion.  The lessons.  My heart touched.  My empathy stretched.   

 

Yet…. I often negate my own story.   

 

I imagine that our main character, Lara, felt much the same.  Or she did until her grown children insisted that she recount that summer long ago, almost a different lifetime, when she was an actress in the theater company at Tom Lake.   

 

There’s such an intimacy in unveiling yourself.   As Lara did so, revealing new facets of herself to her children, my momma heart swelled.  I found myself swept away in the emotion.  

 

The pace was perfect for reflection, Lara’s and my own.  It made me ponder the fullness of my life.  The wealth of experience and learning that happened in the “before.”  

 

Patchett delivers a true literary masterpiece. The writing so poignant and utterly enthralling.  The prose is poetic and the storytelling rich. 

 

This was the most beautiful journey brimming with nostalgia and comfort.  I savored the experience and was sad when it ended.  As I closed the last page, I was motivated by Ann to maybe, one day, tell my story too.  

 

👯‍♀️ This made for a fantastic conversation with my friend @antipodeanbookclub

 

➡️ Of note:  I rewatched Our Town prior to this read, and it amplified my experience immensely.  

 

🎧 Partnering the physical copy with the audiobook is THE way to go.  Your eyes are going to want to feast over the beautiful prose (while wildly annotating).  Oh but your ears… they deserve the perfection that is Merryll Streep.  Merryll embodied every nuance in Lara’s character and made her fully alive.  

Many thanks to my friends at @celadonbooks and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copies of this book.  

 

Aaaaayyyyyyy! 

 

I grew up watching reruns of Happy Days.  And while Richie might have been the main character, it was Arthur Fonzerelli that I tuned in to see.  That leather jacket.  That smile.  My first bad boy crush.  

 

His hair is gray now, but the mischievous grin remains.  And his ability to FULLY charm me continues. 

 

Charismatic, candid, and witty.  Winkler delivers an honest and intimate look at his life, from the early days-- where he dealt with domineering parents and an undiagnosed reading disorder-- to the years of fame and navigating a career in Hollywood.    

 

In opening himself up, I saw the full picture … beyond the Fonz… and what stood out wasn’t the Emmy win or his long-lasting, every changing career.  It was his genuineness and gratitude. 

 

There are a lot of people who appear nice on TV.  But Winkler seems like the absolute REAL deal.  As such, his memoir brims with warmth and humility.  

 

So much more than the character Winkler is forever associated with, I adored getting to know the man behind the leather jacket.  

 

🎧 I partnered my physical book with the audiobook, which created an exceptional all-around experience.  But if you must choose just one format:  go with the audio.  Listening to Henry (with occasional sidenotes from his wife, Stacey) tell his story in his own voice added to the experience.  

 

Many thanks to my friends at @aaknopf and @prhaudio for the #gifted copies of this book.  

 

Twisted and strange.  This narrative sucked me in (I mean, that first scene!) and kept me guessing!

 

I’m not sure what I expected, but this wasn’t it.  Who can expect such a thing as a people-eating phone, after all?   

 

The story is told in three, jaw dropping parts.  Just as I thought I knew what was going on, reveals and twists upended everything, leaving me both shook and shocked.  

 

Our main character was fully unlikeable.  Cruel.  Acerbic.  Yet that made the unfurling all the more… fun?  I didn’t feel the need to sympathize with him, allowing me to lean into whatever took place. 

 

It’s rare you hear me say this, but this book worked well as a short read.  It’s packed with unsettling action and a disorienting pace.  This amplified both the experience and atmosphere.  

 

One important note:  I felt uncomfortable with the use of mental health as a story device, perpetuating a stereotype of a particular disorder.  

 
🎧 Michael Crouch brilliantly narrated this story. He embodied the emotion and nuance of the plot adding a depth to the eeriness to the storytelling. 

 

Many thanks to my friends at @getredbooks for the #gifted copy of this book.  

 

Nostalgic and heartwarming.

 

How many times have I sang, “Hey There Delilah” on repeat since this book arrived in my mailbox? If you guessed “ad nauseum,” you’d be correct. 

 

There is something about that song.  The connection.  The longing.  The hope. 

 

In Weinstein’s newest, that song becomes a platform for her to explore young love and the power found in music.  

 

I was fully enamored with this premise.  Music and mystery make exceptional partners.  Add to that long-lost love, and I’m sold.  

 

However, the execution left me wanting.  I wanted more complexity: of the writing, of the characterization, and of the themes.  Rather than depth, I found the slow-paced storyline teeming with drama.  

 

The deep dive into music- from song writing to Rolling Stones style reporting- is where the novel shines.   

 

Chapter titles reflect popular songs, and there’s no shortage of famous musician name dropping.  I felt immersed in the music, no doubt.   

 

Like many, I can always find solace in song.  There are certain ones that stop me in my tracks, transporting me to another place and time.  Weinstein tapped into that as she explored the (fictional) roots of this Plain White T’s hit song.  

 

If you’ve ever hoped this song was much more than a tune and lyrics, you’ll find this premise interesting.  

 

 

Many thanks to my friends at @hachetteaudio and @tandemcollectiveglobal for this #gifted audiobook and including me in this #tandemlistenalong .  

 

The very best way to ingest a memoir:  listening to the author tell the story in their own voice.  

 

And Kerry Washington’s narration, full of flare and emotion and nuance, truly made her story come alive.  

From the family feel around table reads at Scandal to the community swimming pool where she dominated the water, Washington’s story brimmed with authenticity and kept me fully entertained.  

 

It’s an intimate look at the deeply personal struggles she had to overcome while navigating a career and public presence.  

 

💧Part behind the scenes with just the right amount of details and name dropping. 

💧Part raw honesty in discovering who she is at her core.  

 

I came away from Washington’s memoir with a deeper respect for the way she cultivated her career and a fresh reminder of why I loved Scandal so much!  It’s time for a rewatch! 🍿🍷

Many thanks to my friends at @bookclubfriends @marysuerucci and @simon.audio for the #gifted copies of this book.  

 

Weirdly brilliant?  Brilliantly weird?  

 

Apparently, I can be totally confused by what I’m reading and yet also fully captivated.  

 

This was a fever dream of a tale.  An utterly strange and chaotic journey.  And yet, I couldn’t look away.

 

The mix of reality and illusion, horror and speculation are adeptly executed.  I constantly questioned what was happening and what to believe.  Yet it all worked together in an inexplicable way, even in utilized some of the most bizarre plot points (Tom Cruise, mannequins, jellyfish).

 

Dark humor is expertly mixed with bold commentary on the beauty industry. It’s incisive and thought-provoking.

 

There’s also an exploration of the complexities of mother/daughter relationships and the power of grief to overwhelm.  

 

Awad is known for her unique and quirky style, and that is evident in Rouge.  This is the first I’ve read by her, and I’m utterly intrigued.  

 

🎧 The audiobook, well narrated by Sophie Amoss, immediately drew me in.  BUT.  The flashbacks to Mirabelle’s childhood are not noted.  This added to my overall confusion.  As such, I found it necessary to partner the audio with the physical book. 

 

*Many thanks to my buddy, @thats.one.for.the.books, for keeping me on track and answering all  my questions.