March Round-Up

Murder Bimbo by Rebecca Novack. This one had SO much potential! The buzz due to the release pushed back. The cover, the title, the tagline, the concept! But whomp whomp, it fell so flat that I don’t even know where to start with my thoughts. I thought the idea of telling the same story in different ways could work - I liked contrasting the initial podcast story with what I thought was the “real” story to the ex, but then when the third act was just the same story again, but possibly the truth this time? I was not only tired of hearing the story (which was VERY lackluster and boring considering it was about an assassination) but finding out that she did it all to get an ex back? BORING. There’s so much potential for this storyline and it was just the worst possible outcome for the book. Proof that hype can do a lot of the work, and since my library didn’t have a copy, the author made money on me wasting hours of my life reading this, so at least there’s one “good” thing to come of this?

The Most Common Symptom is Pain by Rhiannon Conley. Poetry book of the month. I bought this years ago during SMOL Fair and read it but apparently never reviewed it! I like it a lot - the moodiness is so relatable, especially with the state of things now, and I love how so many poems take small moments or fleeting thoughts and turn them into something bigger and more beautiful, even if that beauty does include pain.

Judy Blume: A Life by Mark Oppenheimer. I think this is the best biography I could expect on an icon like Judy Blume. A friend once said, about Celine Dion, “she’s so famous she might as well be dead,” and I feel that about Blume. I know she’s alive and active and outspoken still, but she is SO epic that the idea of reaching her, or really knowing her, seems impossible. But I think Oppenheimer has shown us as much of her as possible, and it was honest and not always flattering, and that made me love it. Also, here's an article about a fallout between Blume and her biographer, which seems just as juicy as the book itself (aka not).

Going Short by Nancy Stohlman. My writing book for the month. This is probably my favorite flash fiction guide because it’s so spot-on and so matter-of-fact. I’m extremely biased because I also love Nancy’s workshops, but still - you can’t go wrong with this one. I’ve referred back to specific sections many times over the years, but this was only my second full re-read - and now I’m going to ensure I do that at least every year, because the info is so valuable and such important reminders for my writing.

Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson. Jackson has been one of my favorite writers since gods in Alabama first came out, and though she’s shifted more toward thrillers, she still has incredibly strong, literary writing in these that makes them stand out compared to so many writers that seem to churn out suspense for the hell of it. This one had some great twists but above all I love her writing style and the realistic characters she creates.

You with the Sad Eyes: A Memoir by Christina Applegate. I love Dead to Me and celebrity memoirs so despite not knowing much beyond pop culture surface-level stuff about Christina Applegate, I was really excited to read this one. She’s brutally honest and I think it’s refreshing. I also like how she didn’t name exes to protect herself from legal issues but you can look up her dating history and figure it out. (I feel so justified at one of them, who had been pinging my radar for a bit recently.)

Aphmau: Searching for Home by Aphmau. My kid loves Aphmau’s channel and really enjoyed this book, so he recommended it to me. It’s really cute and I love books that escape into games/imagination. This one ended on a great cliffhanger and he’s eager to read more… I am, too.

Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhhà Lại. My son read this for school and it’s been a long time since I read a verse novel, so I wanted to read it too. I really enjoyed it. I especially loved the author’s note about how much was true, and her writing tips for descriptive writing!

Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar. I can’t count how many times I’ve read this book. It was just a fun read when nothing else was grabbing my attention. I love how silly it is.

The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy. I don’t know what to say about this book - intended as a compliment, because wow. I went in thinking it would be one of those epic tales of friendships across the span of a life, but it quickly became so much more than that, and the ending… oof. I’ll be thinking of this one for a long time, re-reading it and finding new details that will suddenly hold so much weight.

February Round-Up

It felt like I was back on track with reading this month, but it's almost on par with January! With the exception of the manuscripts I read for Split/Lip Press, phew! I read 33 this month and there are more coming in right before the deadline! I can't wait to see what's chosen.

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing. I forgot how this book got on my radar but I’m so glad it did. I absolutely love Lottie and the chapter cliffhangers were just intriguing enough without giving me an anxiety attack like some thrillers try to do. That also means the resolution to this book felt right and realistic, instead of being a letdown like a lot of current thrillers end up. Definitely reading more by Downing ASAP.

Green by Melissa Fite Johnson. My poetry book for the month. I’m biased because I’ve gotten to know Melissa as a friend, but this collection is so emotional and powerful. The little moments give way to deeper thoughts and feelings that have me thinking about my daily life and interactions in more poetic ways, wishing I could put them into words as beautifully as Melissa has done in this collection.

Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh. I liked this one - the twists were ones I didn’t really see coming, mostly because the writing was so strong that I was propelled along, page after page, without feeling the need to stop and dissect what was happening to try and figure out what comes next. I like how it all wrapped up and will read more by this author.

Mystery in the Mansion by Lauren Magaziner. I read this aloud with my son because we love mysteries and choose your own adventures. I previously read this on my own.

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing. This book was interesting but I’m glad it wasn’t the first of Downing’s I read, because it didn’t make me want to read more. (Too Old for This was the first I read and I HIGHLY recommend it.) This one felt stale to me because the trope of the educated man who is level-headed and doesn’t use contractions secretly being a psychopath feels overdone. I feel like I’ve heard this voice too many times before. I also hated all of the characters so I didn’t care if it all went up in flames. Characters don’t have to be likeable but if I don’t care at all, I’m not going to enjoy the book.

A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing. I like Downing’s writing style a lot but this story just wasn’t it for me. It’s the third book I’ve read of hers, and the second where I really didn’t like any of the characters. The storyline wasn’t that compelling either - I wanted more, to have it really ramped up, but it almost read like a season of a CW show to me.

Delicious Strangeness by Stephanie Barbé Hammer. My writing book for the month. Just reading this really helped me understand what I love about magical realism and how I can pull it into my own writing more. The prompts kickstarted my imagination and I’m going to re-read this immediately, slowly, giving myself time for each prompt to see what I can create.

For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing. This one gave me twisted Tom Perrotta vibes, which I liked! I thought it was interesting without being overly suspenseful. It’s the fourth Downing book I’ve read, and the second one I really liked. I still recommend Too Old For This first, but this one is also worth a read.

Carver Country: The World of Raymond Carver by Raymond Carver. Beautiful coffee-table type book of Carver’s writings and letters with photographs of him, his desk/office, and the land where he lived and set many stories. The selections of his stories and poems went well with the photographs, but the letters and introduction by Tess Gallagher were my favorite parts because they were so eye-opening.

Out There by Kate Folk. I loved Sky Daddy but I am IN LOVE with these short stories. And Folk’s brain. These stories were fascinating and weird and many had wonderful twists at the end. “The Turkey Rumble” was especially a favorite that I didn’t think I’d like much at all when I started it, but the ending made it all worth it. I love that she’s not afraid to have narrators die in the end.

Stolen from the Studio by Lauren Magaziner. The second book in the Case Closed choose your own adventure mystery series. A re-read for me, but I’m reading it aloud with my kid this time. We take turns both reading aloud and making the choices.

He Started It by Samantha Downing. Downing’s books are so hit or miss for me. I’ve read 5 now and loved one, liked one, and trudged through the others. I love road trip books and this one had a lot of potential for suspense but it felt so lacking to me. Reading it was like wading through mud. I only finished thinking that the ending had to be worth it but… womp womp. Just a big no for me.