i read about 60% and then just sort of tapered off. it was such an intriguing premise and i liked the writing, but i'm in a weird reader mood and i would need to re-start the whole thing (maybe someday).

Not feeling this at all despite epic bonker levels of shenanigans from what i saw discussed. Might try again some other time, but then again probably not.

As I did not read in full, I can only content note that there is orientalism & cultural tourism

reviewed as assigned for library journal

DNF'ed at scene where hero crashes heroine's boudoir photoshoot that she's modeling in to help a fellow photographer. he not only stops he show, he deletes all the photos and threatens the photographer before dragging her out in her undies. they aren't even dating, he's just "protecting her" for her brother.

Not for me!

Appreciated the author's content warnings, and thank you to Bloom books for the free print copy.

it wasn't you, it was definitely me and my surgery. i will def pick this up at a later time!

fine look at the history of county fairs in wisconsin. nothing truly remarkable, and read more like an encyclopedia of the fairs than a deeper analysis. very nostalgic, appears geared towards white wisconsinites.

i am entirely overwhelmed by the sheer force of this book. i see where the author is trying to go (very stream of conscious writing style, pov of the monk brother) but i am not really able to follow along very well without losing focus. thankfully short chapters, but i think this would be best read with a group // class, and slowly.

the mongolia setting is so lovely and wonderous, as is the questioning of buddhism that pervades the main character's thoughts. of which there are so many. no quieting of the mind here.

read partially for WLA Lit awards; it was compelling prose and story, but i ultimately DNF'ed. might come back to see if this mother make it thru homesteading all on her own after losing her husband to a lumbering accident. I would have grabbed my kids and ran to civilization so quick.

my audiobook loan ran out on Libby, and honestly the plot felt so similar to a Lynsay Sands I had recently read that I don't know if I'll go back. It wasn't bad! It was fun! I'll just move along with the series or pick it up in paperback if I can.

it is not you book, it is me