After listening to a spate of audiobooks with heavier subject matter, I was SO PUMPED to finally get the new book by Lindy West from Libro.fm. I think she was also glad to get around to writing some lighter fare after taking on harassment (Shrill) and the patriarchy (The Witches are Coming). To be sure, those books still made me laugh, but with a large amount of righteous anger.
Sh*t, Actually is just straight up cackling over her spot on movie critiques. I love how she can totally rip apart a plot, but still have love for a film. She still finds comfort in Harry Potter audiobooks, but can still laugh about Dumbledore needing a put-outer when there are wands, or that there are ZERO grandparents in the wizarding world.
It’s totally in line with the way my husband and I watch movies, with a lot of fun and skepticism. (We agree heartily on her Twilight hot takes, especially the plot holes specific to the PNW, and yet we rewatch the series every year with glee.)
When she details her first time viewing of Terminator 2 without having seen the original, I had to pull my car over because I was cry laughing. Why would we put a limit on how fast a liquid metal man can run???
OK, I’ll stop giving away my favorite parts. If you have ever seen a movie in your life, this book is for you! Even if you’ve not seen the films she covers. I have never seen The Santa Clause and that chapter was just as entertaining as the ones about movies I’ve seen and loved, or seen and hated!
For more reviews and bookish musings, visit http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/

Even though I think ACOWAR could have been half as long, and I got a little lost amongst all of the politics and trying to remember characters from the previous books, this was still a delightfully fast read. Who doesn’t love a good Hero’s Journey tale? Maas writes such vibrant characters and world building. I definitely plan to breeze through A Court of Frost and Starlight this holiday!
For more reviews and bookish musings, visit http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/

This book seemed to come out of nowhere to win the Goodreads Choice award for fiction, and I’m glad I finally read it! It’s a lovely, albeit melancholy, novel about a character who gets the opportunity to explore the parallel lives she could have lived, while in a sort of purgatory after attempting suicide. So, fair warning on that front.
I found the idea of fixing past regrets and trying on different lives so compelling, and flew through this relatively short book, curious to see where Nora’s choices would take her. But somewhere along the way, I realized that I wanted more depth than breadth from the story. I mean, the existential themes of the book are DEEP, but my connection to the main character and her relationships were not. Although, one of the things I think Nora has to learn is that she needs to live for herself and not others, so delving into her relationships was not the focus. For me as a reader, a novel focused mostly on plot and messaging makes for a REALLY GOOD read, but not a GREAT one - a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For more reviews and bookish musings, visit http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/

“She’d never lived in such a place before; the freedom dizzied her. It was strange, she thought, how you could live all your life in a home defined by people who loved you and took care of you and shared ancestors with you and yet did not entirely see you, people whom you protected by hiding yourself.”

This novel about a queer group of women who establish a home together, literally and figuratively, during the dictatorship in 1970s Uruguay was just beautiful and heartbreaking.
I am really glad that I waited until after our elections here in the US to start reading it, because it is quite terrifying how Uruguay went from a modern democratic society to a fascist rule (and back again). Definitely an eye opening read on that front, but mostly this was an epic character driven story about friendships and how they grow and change. I wanted to reach out and embrace each of these women, they felt so authentic. If a novel that follows beloved characters through decades of heartbreak and triumph appeals, definitely pick up Cantoras.
For more reviews and bookish musings, visit http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/

Adding my Holidaze post to the pile that has been all over the ‘gram! If you saw my book stack thoughts last week wherein I was hesitating on this one, I obviously went ahead and let curiosity get the better of me. The reviews seem to be all over the place, and it also seems that people are are all over the place on their CLo favorites! I have only read two of their books, one I loved (Love and Other Words) and one that I felt was meh (Josh and Hazel) if that helps give context for my thoughts on Holidaze.
I guess I have a soft spot for the childhood friend turned romantic interest, because I actually ended up enjoying this one! A lot of folks had issues with the time loop theme, but I thought it served the story, and the impetus for Maelyn’s decisions, very well. It reminded me of Groundhog Day of course, but also of the very excellent Netflix show Russian Doll, and Before I Fall: a fantastic YA novel by Lauren Oliver. Though, that book is NOT light in tone. Holidaze was a perfectly fun and light holiday romance, and I’m glad I dove in.
For more reviews and bookish musings, visit http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/

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