A beautiful, lyrical book about the color blue in Nelson's life, but about so many other personal subjects as well. Hard to describe, but wonderful to take in. It's made me note all the blue in my daily life; the color has taken on a life of its own through reading this.

This book can be a very uncomfortable read; it's a story about two women, a nurse and the pregnant woman she is helping through labor. There's a lot going on in each of these women's minds, and they don't share with each other but it informs their actions. It's a really well-crafted novel, I've not read much like it and I am eager to seek out more Pamela Erens novels. They were something lyrical about the book by its closing, and it made me cry and that might be because eight months ago I, too, was in the labor & delivery ward in a hospital.

A note: I would not recommend if you are squeamish at all about birth or you plan on giving birth in the near future. Seriously, I was shielding my eyes at some points because it's like I could see it, the descriptions were so clear. And I was shocked by how it suddenly felt like a horror story at one point, my mouth agape as I read. It's a wonderful piece of writing, though. Just might stir a lot of anxiety with its visceral depiction of labor and common fears surrounding it.

A funny book at first, a puzzling one in the interim, and brilliant by the end. I really had no idea what I was about to read when I started this book. It reminded me a bit of Maggie Nelson in terms of the criticism and theory involved from a personal POV (though of course, I Love Dick came first). That reminder was also strong during some of the more intellectual criticisms where I felt a bit lost. Overall, a strong and unique book...one in which is both fiction and non-fiction. Truly fascinating and though I don't have much in common with Kraus, I feel a kinship with her.

Kepnes has certainly created a memorable character; similar to Patrick Bateman but funny and less hollow. Joe Goldberg, as voiced by Santino Fontana, is entertaining to listen to. There's a lot of fun to be had with Joe transplanting to Los Angeles, the slide from disdain to comfort in LA is great. The location and brand and name dropping is used once again very effectively.

I didn't enjoy this as much as the first...it almost seemed to be trying harder to make Joe more likable? Because every single other character is annoying. There is nobody that Joe likes other than she who he is obsessed with, and there's not a lot of reason for the reader to like anybody. Not even the person he loves...which at one point takes a real weird turn that didn't feel quite right.

Overall: highly entertaining, I listened to the audiobook in three days at every chance I could get. 3 stars for the book, 4 stars for the audiobook because Santino Fontana is remarkably good at inhabiting Joe.

A memoir about navigating grief after the loss of an ex-boyfriend; an ex who was abusive. Stein captivated me from the start of her story about her and Jason, and she writes about her inner emotions so well. The part that made me the most emotional, however, was the end. The epilogue links back to how I found out about this novel and though I don't know Stein, I feel pride in her accomplishments and this novel's publication. She shares so much of herself that I felt like I was reading a diary of a close friend by the end.

I started this thinking that I may not end up liking this slim book; it didn't seem to be going anywhere of depth. I thought it might just end up being a whodunnit. But as I continued, it became much more than a tale of a tragic death. The slow reveal of the inner workings and turmoil of the Lee family at times made my heart hurt. The author has so much empathy for these characters; they are sometimes doing terrible things, but they think it's for the best. The parents, especially, want what's best for their children, so they might not have to deal with the same hardships they had to. I cried as the book ended, and I want to remember to say those things to my loved ones I might not always remember to.

I'll also say as the daughter of a white man and a Panamanian woman, there was a lot I understood about this family. And a lot I remembered about growing up in the U.S. that I hadn't thought about in some time.

I liked this frightening novel, and especially enjoyed Jackson's writing and the way she writes Eleanor. She was able to create a story that was full of tension but by the end you're still wondering what truly happened.

A moving novel told in letters. So much heartache within, though I was so happy by the end and I'll admit I cried. There's many layers about what it means to be black, and specifically a black woman, in America...and though it is set in the past, a lot of it still rings true today. I loved that it painted a portrait of not just one kind of woman. Celie, Nettie, Shug are all three dimensional characters I feel like I know.

A depressing but thoughtful read; a sad meditation on race in America today and the last few decades. Powerful and necessary.

A wonderfully told tale; at times made me laugh, roll my eyes (men sometimes, amirite?), and also feel sad. There were moments that felt relevant in even today's society, that was one of the sad things. I loved Janie and reading her evolution as she aged.