#19 (Sep 17, no, no 22)

I love this book and this movie, and I'm so glad I got to share it with 2 of my favs.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"It is a rare man who is taken for what he truly is. There is much misjudgment in the world. We are not always what we seem, and ever what we dream."

#18 (Aug 18)

I've learned that I love a cozy mystery. This one has a Tiger Mom, a great ensemble, food and tea, lots & lots of tea.

"People always say that your wedding day is the happiest day of your life, but honestly, people should try solving murders more often."

#17 (Jul 17)

Ashley Poston can do no wrong. She writes real people in magical worlds, making this world better. This book is perfect; a song in my heart.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"You should cry as much as you want. It’s not a bad thing. It never is. Grief is just a love song in reverse."

#16 (Jun 19)

I really dislike Burroughs as a person and as a literary giant... The Beat writers aren't for me. Just no.

⭐️⭐️

"No one is ever really alone. You are part of everything alive.' The difficulty is to convince someone else he is really part of you, so what the hell?"

#14/15 (Apr 22/May 22)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The book club has rules so this one is a twofer. Great writing, slow burn...also, research Missouri a bit before writing about the mountains ::eye roll:: seriously.

"Memories lie in people, not places and things.”

#13 (Mar 22)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am gutted.

"Why do we romanticize the dead? Why can't we be honest about them?”

#12 (Feb 12)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An American foundation. I love my bourbon.

"The stories are just like the whiskey itself. They start as a vapor, condense, and then sit unseen in a barrel for years. Finally, they emerge, transformed into something entirely different and enchanting.”

#11 (Jan 8)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book sings. I'm still thinking about it. 🐙❤️

"It seems to be a hallmark of the human species: abysmal communication skills...Why can humans not use their millions of words to simply tell one another what they desire?"

#10 (Dec 18)

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Not enough holiday stuff, too focused on one couple, too many people to sort out, but had some wonderful moments.

"You can decide you only want people in your life who make you feel respected, cared for, listened to. Then you communicate that to them..."

#9 (Nov 20)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When a romance novel gets you better than most people & a ghost is just lovely.

"You don't ever lose the sadness, but you learn to love it because it becomes a part of you, and bit by bit, it fades. And eventually, you'll pick yourself back up and you'll find that you're okay."

#8 (Oct 9)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A delightful read for beautiful evenings in October. Snuff is the best boy. Makes me wish I was a kid again. I am sad it's over.

"All mirrors are doors, of a sort, if one uses them with the right key."

#7 (Sep 11)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Um...I can't pretend that I didn't like this book. It's a tightly written slim novel about how people define love and loss and growing up. Everything else is distraction.

"...But people can care about anything."

#6 (Aug 15)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Truly a rom-com, time-travel, spy-thriller! I love it. We love it! It's a delicious look at race, gender, how we consume history, and, of course, how we share love.

"Forgiveness and hope are miracles. They let you change your life. They are time-travel."

#5 (July 15)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

How did I miss this book when it first came out?! IT IS Ah-mazing! What a delicious roller-coaster. Listening to it was a BLAST!

"Nothing like a mask to reveal somebody's true nature."

#4 (June 4)

⭐️

I think this book works for a certain type of person...I am not this person. Too much violence, not serious enough for the topic, yet too serious and I only liked one character.

“Grief is one big, gaping hole, isn’t it? It’s everywhere and all consuming.”

#3 (May 14)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one had me floored...what an ending! Also...I picked it! I love EAP and I love a good mystery!

"'There are times,' I declared, 'when I believe the dead haunt us because we love them too little. We forget them, you see; we don’t mean to, but we do.'"

#2 (April 9)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I understand the importance of this book, but boy, was it a hard read on EVERY level.

I cried a lot.

"The world may be mean, but people don't have to be, not if they refuse."

#1 (March 12)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love this book! There's not enough Bi representation and especially enough exploration of what it means. This author does everything beautifully.

"But the truth is, also, simply this: love is indomitable."