Your Favorite Book

Scenes from a Bookish Vacation
As many of you know, my husband and I just came back from our (very delayed) honeymoon! We toured Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris, and promptly fell in love with each. We did a lot of sightseeing, cafe lounging, reading, and book buying! Here are a few of the libraries and bookstores we went to across each country. Tomorrow I'll be sure to show off what I bought!

Brb, enjoying my long weekend the best way I know how. Love checking out every time we're in Washington, MO. I picked up HOW HIGH WE GO IN THE DARK thanks to recommendation, and my husband picked up POVERTY, BY AMERICA.
What are you reading this weekend?

AUGUST WRAP-UP
In terms of reading, August was a little slow. I got really excited about the Booker longlist, read a few, and then quickly burned out and picked up other stuff. I'll return to the rest of the list in due time, but for now I'm going to enjoy other stuff, and that includes life!
In August, I spent a lot of time with family and friends. I hosted a writing retreat, went to my first NFL game, celebrated Onam, and set up my long awaited little free library. September will be even crazier as my husband and I will be going on our honeymoon!! Only 4 years delayed, lol.
What's the best book you read this month?
NEON GODS ⭐⭐⭐
BLUETS ⭐⭐⭐
MEANDER SPIRAL EXPLODE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
WESTERN LANE ⭐⭐⭐⭐
WEATHER ⭐⭐⭐✨
THIS OTHER EDEN ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'd been talking about getting a little free library even longer than I'd talked about getting an MFA, and my husband was sick of both conversations so he made this happen. If you're ever in the south suburbs of Chicago, stop on by!

Writing is often lonely, but sometimes you find a few friends to join you. Grateful to and for spending the weekend with me. Thanks to plenty of food, coffee, and support, I got to the end of the first draft of my weird little novella. Now...idk man I love first drafts and hate revising.
Echoing what I said in my stories, if anyone is looking to have a fun writing weekend in a new location (Chicago suburbs lol) I am happy to encourage you, cook some food, and write alongside you. Plus my cat loves new friends.

It's gonna be a little harder to hit these TBR goals after all...

Introducing the best reading, writing, and cuddling buddy a gal could ask for. Her name is Cookie and you'll be seeing a LOT of her in the future!

JULY READING WRAP-UP!
July proved a pretty fruitful reading month! I mostly mood read and caught up on stuff from my TBR, along with a few reads for my grad program. Not a bad book in the bunch! Now in August, it's Booker season! I'm so hype for Booker of the Month club, and all the amazing prize longlistees. I'll be reading as many of them as I can...at least before National Book Award season, that is!
LET'S GO LET'S GO LET'S GO ⭐⭐⭐⭐
MY YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION ⭐⭐⭐
🎧 HAPPENING ⭐⭐⭐⭐
MEET ME TONIGHT IN ATLANTIC CITY ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN ⭐⭐⭐
THE LAUGHTER ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
CHAIN GANG ALL STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🎧 HOW TO KEEP HOUSE WHILE DROWNING (No rating yet, I'm not done with this but I accidentally added another book to this pile)
WHEREABOUTS ⭐⭐⭐⭐
THE BANDIT QUEENS ⭐⭐⭐✨

Well, I changed my Instagram picture and name, so I figured it was time to premiere another with the trend. Swipe away, add up the given number of points for each thing we share, and let me know in the comments if we are kindred spirits!

JUNE READING WRAP-UP
Despite my ten day MFA residency, I managed to find a good amount of time to read this month! Thank the audiobook god as usual. My favorite was definitely THE THROWBACK SPECIAL, but LEGENDS AND LATTES was a close second!
What's the best book you read this month? What's on your July TBR?
THE BEST POSSIBLE EXPERIENCE ⭐⭐⭐⭐
CASE STUDY ⭐⭐✨
LEGENDS AND LATTES ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
ON WRITING AND FAILURE ⭐⭐⭐
SPEAK OKINAWA ⭐⭐⭐✨
THIS IS SALVAGED ⭐⭐⭐
THE THROWBACK SPECIAL ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
BLACK CARD ⭐⭐✨
POD ⭐⭐⭐⭐
FIRE RUSH ⭐⭐⭐
SHAKTI ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

1. The campus
2. Me reading something unfinished and nebulous
3. A group of bright, creative minds

Thank you for a wonderful, exhausting, fulfilling second residency. See you in December!

BOOK REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Greetings from a surprisingly well stocked airport bookstore! I took recommendation seriously and oh boy, this one paid off!
LEGENDS AND LATTES is a cozy fantasy novel starting a warrior orc who wants to hang up her sword and start a coffee shop. Problem is, no one in town has ever heard of coffee, and she's constantly tempted by reminders of her old life. This is a warm, comforting read with enough conflict to keep you engaged, but also lovely descriptions of baked goods and a charming cast of characters. Highly recommend the audio, it was exactly the kind of book hug I needed. It did what it set out to do, and more, and for that, 5 stars.
What are your go-to cozy reads? How do you feel about airport bookstores? Props to this one at O'Hare, it had A LOT.

READ BOOKS MATCH LOOKS: WOMEN'S PRIZE WINNER!
Ok, I did plan on reading the full shortlist and matching looks to all of them, but time got away from me. Thankfully, this years winner was one of the ones I read, and also one of my favorites of the year thus far. Did I mention it also won the Pulitzer?? What???
DEMON COPPERHEAD is a masterclass in narrative voice and in adapting a classic to fit a new context. I HATE Charles Dickens! I thought I'd hate this book! But Demon himself proved such an engaging narrator that I was drawn into the entirety of this giant book. The picture of Appalachia is nuanced and stunning, and really has you thinking deeply about the people we choose to ignore when thinking about America. Couldn't be happier with this women's prize win.
Have you read Demon Copperhead? What was your favorite book from the shortlist?

✨ Vacation Vibes✨

✨ Pushing away the crippling fear of everything I didn't get done and everything I have to catch up on ✨

Are you constantly amassing books faster than you can read them? Are you in perpetual envy of people like who get their TBRs down to single digits? Do you struggle with which books to pick up and when? Then try this new strategy I just made up!
I call it THREE LEVELS. Level 1 books are the ones in your wheelhouse, the ones that you know you'll really sink your teeth into and can't wait to read. I chose MY YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION for this one. Y'all know I love my sad girl reads. Level 2 books aren't necessarily harder, just ones a little more out of your comfort zone. I chose THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE here because I don't read enough fantasy and this one had been hyped so much I was reluctant. Finally, Level 3 is for those dense boys. Maybe a tough nonfiction, or a classic, something you bought to feel smart but haven't gotten to yet. I love Faulkner but had been putting off LIGHT IN AUGUST for a while, now's the time!
I plan to do this every month, so follow my new hashtag if you want to see my progress or if you want to try it out for yourself!

MAY READING WRAP-UP
Wow this was quite the month! 12 books total, and a lot of winners in this bunch. My favorite was easily DEMON COPPERHEAD, absolutely fabulous on audiobook (although my print copy is en route). June is going to be absolutely crazy with my husband's birthday, our wedding anniversary, and my upcoming second MFA residency, but I'll make sure there's plenty of time for reading!
I want to get in the habit of reviewing more regularly, so let me know which of these books you'd like more thoughts on!
ELSEWHERE ⭐⭐⭐
THE YELLOW HOUSE ⭐⭐⭐
BIG MAGIC ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ALMOST BROWN ⭐⭐⭐
THE BURIED GIANT ⭐⭐⭐
AFTER SAPPHO ⭐⭐⭐
ALL MY RAGE ⭐⭐⭐
THE ARM ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
HELL OF A BOOK ⭐⭐⭐⭐
WE WERE ONCE A FAMILY ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
DEMON COPPERHEAD ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's been a busy time for me, reading-wise. My first semester of my MFA is coming to a close, I've involved myself in a bunch of book clubs and prize shortlist reading challenges, and of course there are books that just catch my eye along the way. So many, so little time! Here are a few of my library holds that just came in, and here's my reading scarf so far! .taylor.reading popularized the crochet blanket to categorize books read by genre, and I'm working on my own spin. Knitting instead of crochet, scarf instead of blanket. I'm pretty proud of how varied my reading has been, even though the black stripes (literary fiction) are still the vast majority.

A very delayed APRIL WRAP UP
Ok guys, I know it's halfway through May, and I thought of doing both months together at this point, but a bunch of these had to go back to the library. In any case, in terms of quality, April is unsurpassed. THREE five star reads, which is rare for me, and a wide variety of different genres to boot. Picking a favorite is hard but I think I've gotta go with THE MEMORY POLICE.
What was your favorite read in April?
THE SLEEPING CAR PORTER ⭐⭐⭐
WHAT WE FED TO THE MANTICORE ⭐⭐⭐⭐
MY EDUCATION ⭐⭐⭐
THE COLONY ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
THE THICK AND THE LEAN ⭐⭐⭐
THE MEMORY POLICE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
THE SECRET HISTORY ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
THE COVENANT OF WATER ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I don't share a lot of reviews here. Mostly because I find IG a limiting space to share long form thoughts, but also because I flex my review skills once a month thanks to . Today's review, on Abraham Verghese's THE COVENANT OF WATER, is undoubtedly my best, and most personal, to date. And as this book receives attention and accolades, often well deserved, I must ask this. Who is a book ultimately for, the ingroup or the outgroup?
You can read my thoughts at length on the Chicago Review of Books website, or by clicking the link in my bio. Or just drop a like for the late night kapi and parle G's, the ultimate writing and reading snack.

So my husband and I were just minding our own business when we drove by a library book sale. Then we were told that we could fill a bag for $5! Naturally, we took advantage. Swipe for the haul!

READ BOOKS MATCH LOOKS: CAROL SHIELDS PRIZE
What, you didn't think I'd stop at one book prize, did you? Tomorrow the winner of the inaugural will be announced, so I read the shortlist and found some fun, vaguely springy looks for each one! Some of these color combos required a lot of creativity, but overall, these were fun! For my ranking, swipe to the last picture. I liked all these books and would be happy to see any of them take the prize.
What's your favorite book from the shortlist? What's your favorite LOOK?

Happy indie bookstore day! I'm in Cleveland visiting my sister, and thankfully we made a little time to visit Mac's Backs! Swipe to see the family's haul. I picked out a couple favorites, and my mom got a few (with my suggestions of course). What did y'all get for indie bookstore day?

READ BOOKS MATCH LOOKS: Aspen Words Shortlist Edition!
This has been in the works for a bit, but in honor of the winner being announced tomorrow, I matched some outfits to each of the shortlisted picks. I enjoyed all these books and appreciate just how diverse and engaging these picks were. If you want my personal ranking, swipe to the last picture!
What was your favorite book from the shortlist? What's your favorite LOOK?

Greetings! Here's a quick for y'all. I haven't been posting much about books lately l, I've been doing a LOT of writing and drinking a LOT of lattes and eating a LOT of bagels and watching a LOTTT of baseball. But in the middle of that there have been books too. This one is part of my MFA reading list and honestly, I like it a lot more than the author's most famous book (Trust Exercise)
I've also read only 2 five star reads so far this year, so please drop some recs in the comments!

MARCH READING WRAP-UP
Honestly it was a pretty solid month for reading. Most of this was for my MFA, but there were prize shortlist picks and a book club read in there too. My favorite, though, was the book that isn't pictured here, LUCY BY THE SEA. I have some highly anticipated reads on the docket for April (my favorite month) and so expect to hear more about those!
What was your favorite book this month?

SWEATING SARIS ⭐⭐⭐⭐
LUCY BY THE SEA ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE ⭐⭐⭐
MAPS OF OUR SPECTACULAR BODIES ⭐⭐⭐⭐
THE CONSEQUENCES ⭐⭐⭐
CALLING FOR A BLANKET DANCE ⭐⭐⭐
CAT'S EYE ⭐⭐⭐⭐
SWING TIME ⭐⭐⭐⭐

READ BOOKS MATCH LOOKS
No shoes in this one, because I'm just hanging around the house in velvet. You know, like everyone else. Loved that CAT'S EYE called for this color combination!
The book: Margaret Atwood is most known for her speculative fiction, but this intense character study and skewering of American girlhood proved just as powerful. While it ran on a touch long for my sake, with a bit of a sagging middle, the prose is exquisite and the characterization spot on for anyone who's ever been in a toxic friendship. Definitely recommend!
The look: literally a thrifted gold sweater over a beautiful velvet green dress. I have no idea how people layer sweaters over dresses with such ease. I've tried the bra hack, the belt hack, everything! Send help, lol.

FEBRUARY WRAP UP!

February started off quick and the petered out for me towards the end. You can say I'm in a bit of a reading slump now, I've started a bunch of things but none are really calling out to me at the moment. Maybe I need more time with my other hobbies, like this half finished paint by number.

Overall, the highlight of my month was definitely DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD, which was a friend's recommendation. I gobbled it up in one day!

What were your favorite reads this month?
BINTI ⭐⭐⭐
DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD ⭐⭐⭐⭐
THE LAST TALE OF THE FLOWER BRIDE ⭐⭐⭐✨
YOUR DRIVER IS WAITING ⭐⭐⭐✨
THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE ⭐⭐✨
🎧OH WILLIAM! ⭐⭐⭐
🎧STIFF ⭐⭐⭐⭐

READ BOOKS MATCH LOOKS
Ok, did I already pick out this outfit and grab books I haven't read yet to match? Yes. Do I intend to read these books to make it honest? Also yes. So it counts!
The books: I had SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE on my TBR for a while, and Valentine's day felt like a good time for a love story. The other two were random picks, a set of fantasy short stories by Seanan McGuire, and a blind date with a book! Can't wait to unwrap that one and see what it holds.
The look: again, Valentine's inspired. Honestly I've spent most of my adult life afraid of wearing skirts because I feared they didn't look good on my thicker legs, but I'm conquering that fear one step at a time! Also shout-out to those TikTok tights that look sheer but are fleece lined, I seriously love them.

JANUARY READING ROUNDUP!
The year of January is behind us, and honestly, it was a good time for reading. I read 8 books, including half nonfiction! Standouts for me were THE SEVEN MOONS OF MAALI ALMEIDA and my audiobook listen of WHERE THE DEVIL DON'T STAY, although there were no bad books in the bunch. January was also the beginning of my MFA, including an absolutely fantastic residency in Lynchburg, VA. I'm finalizing my first packet to turn into my mentor, and I'm equal parts nervous and excited. Here's to what February brings!
HOW TO BREAK UP WITH YOUR PHONE ⭐⭐✨
MURDER AT THE DEBUTANTE BALL ⭐⭐⭐⭐
WHERE THE DEVIL DON'T STAY ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ORDINARY GIRLS ⭐⭐⭐
THE SEVEN MOONS OF MAALI ALMEIDA ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE ⭐⭐⭐⭐
KOH-I-NOOR ⭐⭐⭐✨
TRUST EXERCISE ⭐⭐⭐

Oh hi, it's been a minute, hasn't it? My post-podcast life has still been busy, starting with my amazing first residency at . And now I'm hitting the ground running in this first semester, plowing through my reading list and working on my manuscript. I've read 4 books so far in 2023 and I'm in the middle of at least 3 more, lol. I set a more modest reading goal this year to allow for rest and grace periods, but right now January has been productive! How has your 2023 been so far?