Happy Friday! Howâs your first week of June been going? Iâve enjoyed the process of simplifying my reading life this week. For me, this has meant keeping a list of books I want to read in front of me and then sampling about 3 different books via audio or kindle samples from that list to see which one âhitsâ me. Basically, once I finish a sample, which usually consists of 15-20 min on audio or 15-20 pages on my kindle, Iâll ask myself which story Iâm the most excited to continue and thereâs always one title that immediately stands out. Something else Iâve been doing this week is decreasing screen time in the evenings. I often spend time in the evenings on my laptop, either researching books or reading other peopleâs content about books. While I enjoy doing both, I realized itâs actually been contributing to me reading less. Since my reading priority this month is to read (and enjoy) as many books off my June tbr as I can, that means I need to keep that priority as my focus and significantly decrease the time I spend on screens looking at other âstuff.â
To complement my June reading goals, I decided to finally read Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport! This book has been on my tbr for years and I feel like nowâs the time since I know Iâm in need of a different relationship with my phone and social media. I started it yesterday on audio and plan on finishing it quickly because I also have the ebook. The structure of the book is simple and engaging and the information heâs providing in the beginning as to what heâll be talking about throughout the book is so compelling I was pulled in right away. As I read it, Iâm actively figuring out what a 30 day digital detox would look like for me. The one thing that stands out as something I could have less of in my life - Instagram. Stay tuned for my full thoughts/review of Digital Minimalism and whether or not Iâm embarking on a digital detox đ
Question TimeâŠ..The questions I ask in weekly threads are meant to be fun and help us connect, so please know you donât have to answer each question, if you only have the time/desire to answer one, great!
What did you read this week and/or are reading this weekend?
Whatâs a book thatâs been on your TBR for years?
- This week I finished You Are Here by David Nicholls, I'll be giving my full review in an upcoming post but I loved it! I ended up listening to the whole thing in a full day of cleaning and house projects. The sheer amount of dialogue lends itself to audio and the 2 narrators were fantastic
- One book that's been on my tbr for years is The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith. I feel like this book is right up my alley so who knows, maybe this will be the summer I read it:)
Iâd like to read the Talented Mr Ripley as well. We just finished Ripley on Netflix and really enjoyed it. It had the feeling of an old Hitchcock thriller
Renee! You need to read Ripley! But my advice would be to read it as the classic that launched a thousand books. You will see where itâs going and feel like youâve read it before but if you read it more for curiosity about where these tropes originated youâll like it more!
The talented Mr ripley is really good! I read it around the same time I read The Guest by Emma cline and they have similar vibes. Iâm always nervous to read older books because I think they wonât keep my attention but this one was great
I'm with you about older books, I have a long list of very old books including some classics and I tend to think they'll be too slow - I know this isn't correct haha
Iâm currently reading The Paradise Problem (and am loving it). Itâs my first experience with this author. I just got into reading - seriously reading - so I donât have any books that were on my TBR for years yet. I love recommendations however to add to my TBR. And for June, I want to read at least 2 weeks. It sounds trivial but Iâm a slower reader and busy mom of two. Reading feels like a gift at the end of the day, so getting through two books would make me so happy!
That's so awesome you're reading and enjoying it! It is absolutely a gift at the end of a busy day, especially when you have young kids. When my boys were young I loved having a book to look forward to at the end of the day. I still love having a story to look forward to getting back to at the end of a long day, that's the best
-I'm currently reading If Something Happens to Me and I plan on finishing it tomorrow!
-The book that's been in my TBR the longest is... Cop Town by Karin Slaughter!
-I'm planning on reading as much as I can on June and July and finish the Netgalley books because when my daughter is born... I won't have the time đ
Karin Slaughter is a fav of mine! Haven't read Cop Town yet.
Don't give up on reading after baby, if you're anything like me you'll have a lot of couch time with the little one :) they really teach you to slow down - I did some of my best reading in those early months. Congratulations!
She's also a fav of mine and I've removed many books from the TBR but never that one ahahaha
I hope so! I figured that during the first few months I'll have some time to read, but I'll also be adjusting to the new situation and probably having panic attacks đ So I'm not sure what I'll do hahaha Thanks â€ïžâ€ïžâ€ïž
Ani this made me laugh, I think I probably felt the same before my oldest son was born- remind me, do you listen to audiobooks? That could be a way to pass the time during night feedings, I wish they would've been around during the olden days of 1997 when I had my sonđ
I'm going to read The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo this weekend. I have so many on my TBR! Ninth House by Bardugo, Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead, Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff. I plan to get to more books on my shelves this year. I'd like to read more of the new releases on audio to get through them faster!
I'm excited for you to get to read Fates and Furies for the first time! That was one I'd had on my tbr for years and finally read in Feb and I loved it so much
Iâm almost done with One Star Romance by Laura Hankin and There is No Ethan by Anna Akbari. Iâm hoping to buddy read The Light Pirate with my sister this summer. Goals are tough for me in June but I should be pretty solid once we leave for the lake.
My goal is to keep clearing my NetGalley shelf. Iâve been doing really well so far. So many great books release this month, Iâm trying to get to as many of them as possible. Right now Iâm finishing up Sandwich. Itâs a more quiet book, but still pretty good.
You're doing so great keeping up with your Netgalley, way to go!! I'm waiting for the audio of Sandwich so I can alternate with the print I preordered, it feels like one that would be good on audio as long as the narrator is good
After you recommending it so much, I started The Book of Delights and Iâve been reading a little every day in between my regular reading. Itâs been brining me so much joy in an otherwise difficult season.
Oh I'm so glad to hear this. It's such a great book to dip into and out of and then revisit as needed. I'm happy it's brought you joy- if you listen to audio give it a try in that format too, he narrates and he just seems like such a wonderful guy
I finished reading Long Island by Colm Toibin and really liked it. The book that has been on my TBR the longest is The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas which my husband recommended. I read The Count of Monte Cristo and loved it (also his recommendation). I am just not that interested in this one. I have put it in my get rid of stack so many times and taken it out. My reading goal for June is to read for 20 minutes at night before I turn the TV on.
I was JUST talking about Digital Minimalism with my husband -- such a good book, one that could be revisited regularly. My June goal is to get through a lot of Netgalleys/summer releases, so this week I read Margo's Got Money Troubles and One of Our Kind. I also read Piranesi for book club which has been on my shelf FOREVER.
Ooh both of those are on my tbr, what did you think of Margot and One of our kind? I havenât seen any reviews for the Nicola Yoon yet. I listened to Piranesi last year and LOVED it- not sure I understood a lot of it but I loved it, what did you think?
I absolutely LOVED Margot, it was fun and quirky and heartfelt. One of Our Kind is a hard one to talk about, but I think I didn't like it. Still figuring out how to succinctly share my thoughts lol.
I love these Friday conversations! I finished Charm City Rocks and You'd Look Better as a Ghost this week- VERY different books and really enjoyed both! Charm City was the elusive sweet spot for me- light but with substance and zero eye rolls. I'm starting Real Americans and Moby Dyke today and excited for both! I've had Moby Dyke on my TBR since you recommended it, Renee, and my Libby finally got it yesterday! Can't wait.
Looking at my actually Goodreads TBR, The Sweet Life in Paris has been on my list the longest, and I've never been able to find it at my library or Libby. Maybe I should bite the bullet and purchase, because...
My June goal is the same as most of the rest of the year so far- keep trying backlist because it's REALLY working for me, and try to avoid bookish FOMO, which almost never does!
Thanks LeAnne! I love these casual chats and hearing about everyone's books and thoughts on reading, it's so much fun. I loved Charm city Rocks, I feel like it was so underrated
I've never heard of The Sweet Life in Paris- another reason I love these Threads, I hear new to me titles:)
I can't wait to continue to compare notes on our backlist successes as the year goes on
I just finished You Are Here by David Nichols and am flying through Murder Book by Thomas Perry. It is so good. The book sitting in my Audible library the longest is Rebecca. Maybe this will be the year? I think i need 10 people telling me that i will love it. My goal is not to get caught up in reading what everyone else is reading. I have already taken steps to reduce screen time as well as my TBR by limiting myself to one book podcast and Itâs Book Talk and More. I only stray when i hit a book slump. But long story short i am planning my mood guide me.
Linda good to know. I am 71 biological years old lol. I still think i am late 40âs early 50âs. We will see where Murder Book leaves me before i say that i will read it next.
I'm so glad my Substack made the cut for your content consumption:) I hear you though, there's so many books being talked about in so many places that it's a lot of titles. I keep adding books to my tbr as an infinite tbr doesn't stress me out but I also know there's no way I'll get to all of them. I'm more afraid I'll hear about something, think it sounds really good for another time of the year and then I won't remember the title, so I just add everything to one gigantic tbr and then sort from there. Probably not the most organized method. By the way, I downloaded The Butcher Boy by Thomas Perry that you recommended
You are welcome. It was an easy decision to make since our reading chase seem to align more times than not. Hope you enjoy the Butcher boy by Thomas Perry. I love the series and I love the relationship between the bad guy and the good guy which in this case is a woman.
Jun 7·edited Jun 7Liked by Renee - Itsbooktalk & More
I've been reading all 'required' books for our podcast since April, and this morning I decided I'm taking the weekend to read Lucy Foley's new book 'The Midnight Feast.' I LOVED her thrillers 'The Hunting Party' (set in Scotland), and 'The Guest List' (set at a disastrous wedding on an Irish island). The new one takes place during the opening of a posh manor house-turned-hotel. Just what I need for an early summer day.
I've had 'The Secret History' by Donna Tartt on my TBR for what feels like forever. It should be just the kind of thing I like, but now I'm worried that I've read too much dark academia already, and it won't have the magic for me that it does for other people.
My reading goal during podcast production is always the same: Find 3 books I love set for each destination on my first try. May was a rough reading month for me because I read three books I didn't love â which means I had to keep looking for good titles for the show. Like you, I read samples before committing to reading, but even that isn't enough sometimes. *sigh* Send me good book vibes as I approach finding books for Norway and Panama :-) âMelissa
I hope you enjoy the new Lucy Foley, sometimes you just have to read a book for "fun" right? When I was on Book Talk, Etc I always wanted to bring books that I could recommend for the most part because we were a book recommendation podcast first and foremost and that was a lot of reading and sampling to land on 2-3 books I enjoyed. So I'm sending an abundance of bookish vibes for your Norway and Panama book choices:)
I've wanted to try The Secret History (and The Goldfinch) for years, mainly because I want to know where I land on that super popular book- maybe this fall we can all band together for a substack buddy read of it:)
IMPORTANT UPDATE: I read The Midnight Feast in one long day. Started it when I woke up Saturday, took a break for breakfast, read all afternoon, took a break for dinner, and finished right before bed. It's so much fun, and has a great ending. Literally, the last line is brilliant.
I feel you on podcast reading! We only recommend stuff we love â and you know that means you can read a whole book then nope it out the door. Thank you for the bookish vibes!
Um... I would be into a buddy read of The Secret History. âMel
thank you for the update on The Midnight Feast, that wasn't on my tbr but hearing what you said I'm adding it! After listening to several episodes of your show over these last few days, I think we could be reading cousins:) I'll have to keep listening to see if we're actually reading twins but we definitely have a lot of books we love in common- I loved your France and Paris episodes - and the top 10 of the last 5 seasons- Still Life is a favorite of mine too.
Yes to buddy reading The Secret History! Let's try to shoot for a September start time
This week I finished The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott and started Annie Bot by Sierra Greer. Iâm also in the midst of listening to The Storyteller by Dave Grohl.
My kids finish school this week so as we transition from routines and schedules to summer break, my June goal is to read more!
I love Cal Newport - has helped me so much in being productive with my business!
This week Iâm reading the latest Lucy Foley and loving it.
A book thatâs been at 30% for over 2 years in The Secret History by Donna Tartt - I think Iâm not into it because I really gel with books 1970s+ setting and this feels too old timey for me.
A goal this June is to continue on with my monthly series reading - I have quite a few series on the go and I like to read one from each, each month but that slips a little in May and didnât feel good! X
'the Secret History is one on a lot of our tbr's, I grew up in the 70s so I feel like I might like it. The only things that makes me hesitate when I think about reading it is that people say it's slow
Iâm struggling with A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Eagan. Itâs about the rise of the KKK in Indiana in the early 20th century. The subtitle indicates that there is one woman who stopped them but I havenât gotten far enough to find her. Iâm listening to the latest Joe Pickett novel by CJ Box, Three Inch Teeth. David Chandler narrates all of the series and heâs great.
Iâve decided to curate a collection of books from my Kindle Graveyard for my summer tbr list. But I will read the new Greg Iles novel, the final in his Penn Cage series. Also will read the new John Grisham. And probably any new distraction that comes along. đ
I like the plan of curating from your Kindle graveyard! I continue to have many many books waiting patiently in my graveyard- who knows how many gems are hiding in there :)
Are you really going to read Southern Man? It is 45 hours in audio. Last year i read a couple of 30 + hour long audio books and not sure if I am up to the challenge. I also was not crazy with the last book in the trilogy. But i love Penn Cage so I am conflicted. I hope you read it and report on it.
Well, I tried to read it. Iles and his protagonist are way too liberal for me. I would have stayed till the end except for all the polarization. Thereâs too much of that IRL. I donât want to read more about it.
I will read it. Not sure when Iâll start but soon. As much as I want to shy away from bricks, most of them are some of my favorite books. And I feel compelled to complete the story. I read an interview with Greg Iles on CrimeReads and heâs been seriously ill for several years. He wrote the same disease (multiple myeloma) into Penn Cageâs life. I will report back.
I feel the same way about finishing the series. I enjoyed reading all the books in this series and need to know what happens in the end to pen cage. Who knows maybe I will get to it this year. Meanwhile, happy reading and please do report.
I am currently reading Annabel Monaghanâs latest Summer Romance. This book definitely has some substance to it and Iâm enjoying the thoughtfulness she placed into each character. I also finished Long Island by Colm Toibin on audio. I recommend reading Brooklyn prior to keep things fresh.
Every time I finish a book I go through a process of sampling as well and then I choose one that feels right and stick with it. I usually have an audio a NetGalley or Kindle and a hard copy going at the same time. Iâll choose what ever Iâm in the mood for during any given moment.
A book that has been on my TBR is Haven Point by Virginia Hume.
I've been dipping my toe into the "cozy horror" genre lately with mixed success. I'm by no means a horror girlie, but I've found that I really enjoy it as long as there's a good romantic subplot alongside. For instance, just finished The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo and it is easily one of my favorite books of the year. I was very hopeful for T. Kingfisher's What Moves the Dead, but it didn't quite do it for me (though I LOVE her non horror books).
A long term TBR for me is the final book of Meghan Whalen Turner's Thief series, but I only can't bring myself to read it because I'm not ready for the series to be over.
As far as June reading goals, I'm hoping to finally make a dent into some of the non-fiction books on my TBR. I have a pretty hefty list of books on queer history that I'm hoping are good candidates for a future post in the Sad Boys Book Club.
I would say I'm a lite horror reader, I've enjoyed some Stephen King in the past but I'm curious about cozy horror, that sounds a bit more my speed. Glad you finished a potential favorite of the year
Iâm currently listening to the Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz and finding it just as wonderful as the other books in the series. Iâm reading Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni on kindle and itâs fast paced enjoyable legal thriller. A book that has been on my TBR forever is 11/22/63. Iâm a huge Stephen King fan and have checked it out from the library a few times but never pick it up- I know I will love it but I guess itâs the length that puts me off?!! June reading goal: not to get sidetracked by the buzzy books (although there will be some!) and also to not stress when Libby holds are expiring and I havenât read them yet- just put them back on hold or let them go!!
I was just recommending 11/22/63 to a friend last night! She hasn't read Stephen King but loves historical fiction and doesn't want horror so I Immediately thought of it. Do you listen to audiobooks? If so you could always alternate print and audio which often makes long books seem faster. I feel like I'm constantly suspending my Libby holds...the curse of being a mood reader haha
Renee - I'm with you on the digital detox! I'm listening to Stolen Focus by Johann Hari now and it's so eye-opening on how apps/web are designed to get us addicted.
This week I finished In Memoriam by Alice Winn, such beautiful writing but challenging read for sure! I just started The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza and Leaving by Roxana Robinson, both are great so far. When I sit down to read I struggle deciding which one to pick up... not a bad problem to have!
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch has been on my TBR for a very long time, definitely want to pick it up soon since I also want to watch the show (book first of course).
As for June reading goals, I need to get through my many library holds so I can start getting to read my shelves, my TBR book cart is overflowing!
I've heard of Stolen Focus! Cal Newport also talks about how people called smartphones "slot machines" and what's really interesting is the fact that Steve Jobs never intended it to be what it is today, it was the creation of social media apps that has led to people's issues with focus and distraction.
I loved Dark Matter, I hope you enjoy it when you read it
I am currently reading Slewfoot and it is a new genre for me. I am enjoying it and should finish it today. My next book to read is Kill for Me Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh. Looking forward to reading this one. Have a great weekend!
I finished The Berry Pickers, Colton Gentryâs Third Act and Palm Beach on vacation this week and they were all good! I loved the The Berry Pickers and thought the writing was beautiful. I have had Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau on my TBR forever and I think this is the Summer.
My June goal is a lot of reading time in the evenings by the pool and to finish as many books as I can this month. Summer reading is my favorite!
OOh I need to know more about your thoughts, I'll pop over to your Sunday post and see if you reviewed it. I'm on the library hold list for that because I doubt I'll get it on netgalley
Currently reading These Impossible Things by Salma El Wardany - thanks to Tinaâs rec! And listening to Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter since I listen to her podcast.
Whatâs been on my TBR for awhile: Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility. I loved Table for Two and Lincoln Highway so I think I should give these a shot?
I loved Tina's review of that book, I immediately added it to my tbr
If you loved 2 of his books I bet you love at least Rules of Civility - I've only read the Lincoln highway but I loved it. I want to read his others though
I LOVE the idea of sampling a few books before you decide what to read. Iâve done that a few times but not always as intentionally as what youâre describing.
I finished The Last Twelve Miles by Erika Robuck and while historical fiction is a hit or miss for me, I really liked this one. It takes place in the Prohibition and is about Spanish Marie, a rum smuggler and a female codebreaker working with the Coast Guard to stop her. It was rich and exciting with really high stakes and a very atmospheric backdrop. I learned a lot. I didnât know anything about either woman before reading it.
A book on my TBR for years is Claire Pooleyâs The Authenticity Project. Iâm not sure why Iâve not read it. I still want to but I feel like the right mood is required. Iâm not sure thatâs true but I donât find myself pushed to check it out of the library or pick up a copy.
My June goal is to get caught up on some Audible books. Not sure exactly how to accomplish this because I feel so busy but I want to find more time to listen to an audiobook, even while running errands.
I've got my eye on The Last Twelve Miles, I have the ebook and audio- you grabbed my attention even more by saying high stakes and atmospheric....great buzzwords!
Iâm going through past episodes of Perks of Being. A Book Lover podcast discovering gems of backlists. I just read When You Find My Body by D Daughinnee, the true story of a 66 yr old women lost on the Appalachian Trail in Maine. . Much was learned of her experience from her journal found with her remains. I was impressed by the efforts and hours in search , recovery .
Rose, I saw your comment last night and didn't get a chance but I immediately looked up the title of this book which I've never heard of and I got it on Libby- this sounds like something I'll like, I'm interested in reading about what happened that led to this very sad ending for her. I can't imagine. Thanks for sharing this rec
Amy Jo Burns is on my authors I still need to read list- so glad to hear you're enjoying Mercury, did you read Shiner?
Pillars of the earth is possibly the book that's been recommended to me the most and I've been so resistant to trying it because I keep telling myself I probably won't like a book about people building a cathedral- I know this is not the truth because there's a reason this book is so beloved and people keep recommending it. maybe someday we'll tackle it right?:)
I'm trying to finish a few books that I've started and only have less than a quarter of the book to finish. I have so many books on my TBR, I don't even want to find out. I use my TBR differently than many people, so it doesn't concern me how long a book has been on my TBR. I'm currently reading Say More by Jen Psaki. It wasn't what I thought it was going to be, but I'm enjoying it nonetheless.
I'm interested - how do you use your tbr, tell me more:) I have what I call an infinite tbr because I continuously add books knowing I'll never to get to all of them, but as a mood reader I want tons of choices
Oh wow, I've never been asked to explain my system, but I'll give it a try.
I use GR to track what I've read, every book/e-book/audio book I own, every book I give away, but I don't put any books I "want to read" on GR. I don't write reviews, but I do give a star rating to each book I read. I also set a reading goal for the year.
I have 10 libray cards through Libby and up until recently I used "holds" on Libby to manage what I wanted to read. The problem with this was I'd check the book out and then wouldn't have time to read it, so I'd renew the loan or find another library and check it out and the vicious cycle would start. Then I found out that e-book licenses for libraries could be based on either amount of time the library rents the title for, or for a specific number of checkouts. As soon as I learned this, I quit borrowing and checking out again when I didn't get it read because I was wasting one or more "checkouts" on licenses.
Once I really understood "tags" on Libby, I moved my TBR (such as it is) onto tags and I manage it through them. You can set up as many tags as you want, categorized however you want them, and you can have more than one tag on a book and you can move books from one tag to another whenever it suits you. Whenever I see a book that I want to potentially read, I tag it on Libby and then once I read my "required" books for the month (next paragraph for info on this), then I go to my tags and peruse to see what looks interesting to me to read.
I belong to several online and IRL book clubs and sometime the prior month, I go through my calendar (I use Artful Agenda and for me, it truly is the greatest thing ever invented) and list out the books that I need to read for the coming month book clubs and the date they need to be read by. I always know what those books are and approximately when I need to start them to finish in time and once I get them all read, then I go to Libby and peruse.
This year is the first year that I've really tried to be intentional with my reading and schedule it so that I make sure I read the books in time for a book club, and it really seems to be working. I only read book club books that I'm interested in so I don't ever feel like I'm forced to read something I don't want to read. And once I get those books read, everything else is a treat.
How people use and/or manage their TBR's might be a good topic for a future thread as there is as many ways to do this as there are people doing it. :)
Thank you for sharing your method! You gave me pause because I do the same thing you did on Libby- I check out a lot of books on my tbr and then renew them if I don't read them in time- so renewing counts against the license? I've used tags before, I need to start making sure I add a tag vs checking so many out .
And yes, tbr organization would make a great thread
Here is a reddit thread that has more information about how e-books are procured. It's a few years old and I'm sure some things have changed somewhat, but I think in theory it's probably still the same. The first link that is mentioned in the thread (smartbitchestrashybooks) gives the best information about how the process works and the comparison to physical book purchases. And yes, as I understand it, if they have a per use license, then each checkout counts as a "use" even if you don't open the e-book.
So far so good. I feel so clear-headed and productive. Caveat: I do have socials on my laptop. Instagram in particular is slow and clunky and I donât lurk for more than a few minutes. I do feelâŠfree? I brought a book to a Dr appt today. I felt a teeny bit smug.
I can totally see the clear headed and productive feeling. I've been noticing that just seeing a bunch of apps on Home Screen makes me feel like I have to check them. I did turn notifications off years ago and that's made a huge difference. I'll see what else I learn from Digital Minimalism :)
Oh, definitely read Remarkably Bright Creatures! Itâs such a heartwarming book! And totally out of my regular choices of thrillers and mysteries. đ
I think that's a great idea for the weekends. I moved the Instagram app off of my Home Screen this weekend and totally forgot about it today! Out of sight out of mind seems to be working:)
- This week I finished You Are Here by David Nicholls, I'll be giving my full review in an upcoming post but I loved it! I ended up listening to the whole thing in a full day of cleaning and house projects. The sheer amount of dialogue lends itself to audio and the 2 narrators were fantastic
- One book that's been on my tbr for years is The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith. I feel like this book is right up my alley so who knows, maybe this will be the summer I read it:)
Iâd like to read the Talented Mr Ripley as well. We just finished Ripley on Netflix and really enjoyed it. It had the feeling of an old Hitchcock thriller
I put the audio of You Are Here on hold this week. I didn't love One Day as much as you did but I'm intrigued by this one!
Renee! You need to read Ripley! But my advice would be to read it as the classic that launched a thousand books. You will see where itâs going and feel like youâve read it before but if you read it more for curiosity about where these tropes originated youâll like it more!
I downloaded it on Libby! I'm so glad you told me to approach it as a classic, that really helps with my expectations
The talented Mr ripley is really good! I read it around the same time I read The Guest by Emma cline and they have similar vibes. Iâm always nervous to read older books because I think they wonât keep my attention but this one was great
I'm with you about older books, I have a long list of very old books including some classics and I tend to think they'll be too slow - I know this isn't correct haha
Iâm currently reading The Paradise Problem (and am loving it). Itâs my first experience with this author. I just got into reading - seriously reading - so I donât have any books that were on my TBR for years yet. I love recommendations however to add to my TBR. And for June, I want to read at least 2 weeks. It sounds trivial but Iâm a slower reader and busy mom of two. Reading feels like a gift at the end of the day, so getting through two books would make me so happy!
That's so awesome you're reading and enjoying it! It is absolutely a gift at the end of a busy day, especially when you have young kids. When my boys were young I loved having a book to look forward to at the end of the day. I still love having a story to look forward to getting back to at the end of a long day, that's the best
I LOVED The Paradise Problem! Another one I loved of theirs is The Unhoneymooners -- similar setting and just as swoony.
-I'm currently reading If Something Happens to Me and I plan on finishing it tomorrow!
-The book that's been in my TBR the longest is... Cop Town by Karin Slaughter!
-I'm planning on reading as much as I can on June and July and finish the Netgalley books because when my daughter is born... I won't have the time đ
I just met Alex Finlay last night! Heâs funny!
:O How come!
At an author event in Dallas.
Karin Slaughter is a fav of mine! Haven't read Cop Town yet.
Don't give up on reading after baby, if you're anything like me you'll have a lot of couch time with the little one :) they really teach you to slow down - I did some of my best reading in those early months. Congratulations!
She's also a fav of mine and I've removed many books from the TBR but never that one ahahaha
I hope so! I figured that during the first few months I'll have some time to read, but I'll also be adjusting to the new situation and probably having panic attacks đ So I'm not sure what I'll do hahaha Thanks â€ïžâ€ïžâ€ïž
Ani this made me laugh, I think I probably felt the same before my oldest son was born- remind me, do you listen to audiobooks? That could be a way to pass the time during night feedings, I wish they would've been around during the olden days of 1997 when I had my sonđ
I should listen to audiobooks!!!! I never do... Maybe I'll try them
I've read a few Karen Slaughters, I think my favorite it The Good Daughter, that one was so good
LOVE that one!
I'm going to read The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo this weekend. I have so many on my TBR! Ninth House by Bardugo, Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead, Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff. I plan to get to more books on my shelves this year. I'd like to read more of the new releases on audio to get through them faster!
I'm excited for you to get to read Fates and Furies for the first time! That was one I'd had on my tbr for years and finally read in Feb and I loved it so much
Ninth House is my favorite Leigh Bardugo (though I haven't picked up The Familiar yet)! I also had it on my tbr for ages before finally picking it up!
Sounds like a great plan. Iâm going to be reading The Familiar as well. So far I am enjoying it.
Iâm almost done with One Star Romance by Laura Hankin and There is No Ethan by Anna Akbari. Iâm hoping to buddy read The Light Pirate with my sister this summer. Goals are tough for me in June but I should be pretty solid once we leave for the lake.
The Light Pirate would be a fun summer read, I have a copy of that but of course haven't read it- the story of my Netgalley life đ
My goal is to keep clearing my NetGalley shelf. Iâve been doing really well so far. So many great books release this month, Iâm trying to get to as many of them as possible. Right now Iâm finishing up Sandwich. Itâs a more quiet book, but still pretty good.
You're doing so great keeping up with your Netgalley, way to go!! I'm waiting for the audio of Sandwich so I can alternate with the print I preordered, it feels like one that would be good on audio as long as the narrator is good
After you recommending it so much, I started The Book of Delights and Iâve been reading a little every day in between my regular reading. Itâs been brining me so much joy in an otherwise difficult season.
Oh I'm so glad to hear this. It's such a great book to dip into and out of and then revisit as needed. I'm happy it's brought you joy- if you listen to audio give it a try in that format too, he narrates and he just seems like such a wonderful guy
I finished reading Long Island by Colm Toibin and really liked it. The book that has been on my TBR the longest is The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas which my husband recommended. I read The Count of Monte Cristo and loved it (also his recommendation). I am just not that interested in this one. I have put it in my get rid of stack so many times and taken it out. My reading goal for June is to read for 20 minutes at night before I turn the TV on.
That's a great goal, and it's doable too. I often give myself a goal of getting certain household chores done and my reward is an hour of reading
I love this goal!
I was JUST talking about Digital Minimalism with my husband -- such a good book, one that could be revisited regularly. My June goal is to get through a lot of Netgalleys/summer releases, so this week I read Margo's Got Money Troubles and One of Our Kind. I also read Piranesi for book club which has been on my shelf FOREVER.
Ooh both of those are on my tbr, what did you think of Margot and One of our kind? I havenât seen any reviews for the Nicola Yoon yet. I listened to Piranesi last year and LOVED it- not sure I understood a lot of it but I loved it, what did you think?
I absolutely LOVED Margot, it was fun and quirky and heartfelt. One of Our Kind is a hard one to talk about, but I think I didn't like it. Still figuring out how to succinctly share my thoughts lol.
I just read the synopsis of Digital Minimalism and bought it. It looks really good.
Wonderful! I hope you find it informative.
Iâm excited for Margoâs Got Money Troubles.
It's fantastic!
I love these Friday conversations! I finished Charm City Rocks and You'd Look Better as a Ghost this week- VERY different books and really enjoyed both! Charm City was the elusive sweet spot for me- light but with substance and zero eye rolls. I'm starting Real Americans and Moby Dyke today and excited for both! I've had Moby Dyke on my TBR since you recommended it, Renee, and my Libby finally got it yesterday! Can't wait.
Looking at my actually Goodreads TBR, The Sweet Life in Paris has been on my list the longest, and I've never been able to find it at my library or Libby. Maybe I should bite the bullet and purchase, because...
My June goal is the same as most of the rest of the year so far- keep trying backlist because it's REALLY working for me, and try to avoid bookish FOMO, which almost never does!
Thanks LeAnne! I love these casual chats and hearing about everyone's books and thoughts on reading, it's so much fun. I loved Charm city Rocks, I feel like it was so underrated
I've never heard of The Sweet Life in Paris- another reason I love these Threads, I hear new to me titles:)
I can't wait to continue to compare notes on our backlist successes as the year goes on
I loved Charm City Rocks! Have you read Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau?? Itâs one of my summer favorites đżđ
Loved Mary Jane! One of my favorite backlist summer reads
I haven't but I've considered it several times! Sounds like I need to give it a try. : )
I just finished You Are Here by David Nichols and am flying through Murder Book by Thomas Perry. It is so good. The book sitting in my Audible library the longest is Rebecca. Maybe this will be the year? I think i need 10 people telling me that i will love it. My goal is not to get caught up in reading what everyone else is reading. I have already taken steps to reduce screen time as well as my TBR by limiting myself to one book podcast and Itâs Book Talk and More. I only stray when i hit a book slump. But long story short i am planning my mood guide me.
I can relate- Iâm trying to not get sidetracked with what everyone else is reading!
Same! It's an ongoing process because I'm easily swayed by other people's great reviews
Rebecca is one of my top 3 books of all time. I am an avid reader and in my 60s. I loved it and still do.
Linda good to know. I am 71 biological years old lol. I still think i am late 40âs early 50âs. We will see where Murder Book leaves me before i say that i will read it next.
I'm so glad my Substack made the cut for your content consumption:) I hear you though, there's so many books being talked about in so many places that it's a lot of titles. I keep adding books to my tbr as an infinite tbr doesn't stress me out but I also know there's no way I'll get to all of them. I'm more afraid I'll hear about something, think it sounds really good for another time of the year and then I won't remember the title, so I just add everything to one gigantic tbr and then sort from there. Probably not the most organized method. By the way, I downloaded The Butcher Boy by Thomas Perry that you recommended
You are welcome. It was an easy decision to make since our reading chase seem to align more times than not. Hope you enjoy the Butcher boy by Thomas Perry. I love the series and I love the relationship between the bad guy and the good guy which in this case is a woman.
I loved Rebecca! Hopefully you get to it and enjoy it also.
I loved Rebecca!
Thanks! Nine more to go. Lol
I loved Rebecca!
Thanks for the encouragement. I think I hit 10 likes from people who said they liked Rebecca. Starting it now.
I've been reading all 'required' books for our podcast since April, and this morning I decided I'm taking the weekend to read Lucy Foley's new book 'The Midnight Feast.' I LOVED her thrillers 'The Hunting Party' (set in Scotland), and 'The Guest List' (set at a disastrous wedding on an Irish island). The new one takes place during the opening of a posh manor house-turned-hotel. Just what I need for an early summer day.
I've had 'The Secret History' by Donna Tartt on my TBR for what feels like forever. It should be just the kind of thing I like, but now I'm worried that I've read too much dark academia already, and it won't have the magic for me that it does for other people.
My reading goal during podcast production is always the same: Find 3 books I love set for each destination on my first try. May was a rough reading month for me because I read three books I didn't love â which means I had to keep looking for good titles for the show. Like you, I read samples before committing to reading, but even that isn't enough sometimes. *sigh* Send me good book vibes as I approach finding books for Norway and Panama :-) âMelissa
I hope you enjoy the new Lucy Foley, sometimes you just have to read a book for "fun" right? When I was on Book Talk, Etc I always wanted to bring books that I could recommend for the most part because we were a book recommendation podcast first and foremost and that was a lot of reading and sampling to land on 2-3 books I enjoyed. So I'm sending an abundance of bookish vibes for your Norway and Panama book choices:)
I've wanted to try The Secret History (and The Goldfinch) for years, mainly because I want to know where I land on that super popular book- maybe this fall we can all band together for a substack buddy read of it:)
IMPORTANT UPDATE: I read The Midnight Feast in one long day. Started it when I woke up Saturday, took a break for breakfast, read all afternoon, took a break for dinner, and finished right before bed. It's so much fun, and has a great ending. Literally, the last line is brilliant.
I feel you on podcast reading! We only recommend stuff we love â and you know that means you can read a whole book then nope it out the door. Thank you for the bookish vibes!
Um... I would be into a buddy read of The Secret History. âMel
thank you for the update on The Midnight Feast, that wasn't on my tbr but hearing what you said I'm adding it! After listening to several episodes of your show over these last few days, I think we could be reading cousins:) I'll have to keep listening to see if we're actually reading twins but we definitely have a lot of books we love in common- I loved your France and Paris episodes - and the top 10 of the last 5 seasons- Still Life is a favorite of mine too.
Yes to buddy reading The Secret History! Let's try to shoot for a September start time
YAY, reading cousins/twins! (Reading Found Family? Is that a thing?)
So glad you enjoyed those podcast episodes! Oh, Still Life. All the heart-eye emojis.
Secret History Septemberâą
Iâve had The Secret History on my list forever also!!! Maybe one dayâŠ..
It feels like a fall/winter book to me, so maybe this will be the year! Fall 2024. We can do it!
Yes I agree, definitely sounds good for Fall.
Put it on your September calendar! Substack buddy read of The Secret History:)
This week I finished The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott and started Annie Bot by Sierra Greer. Iâm also in the midst of listening to The Storyteller by Dave Grohl.
My kids finish school this week so as we transition from routines and schedules to summer break, my June goal is to read more!
Yet for summer vacation, Good luck on your goal! I've heard great things about Annie Bot
I love Cal Newport - has helped me so much in being productive with my business!
This week Iâm reading the latest Lucy Foley and loving it.
A book thatâs been at 30% for over 2 years in The Secret History by Donna Tartt - I think Iâm not into it because I really gel with books 1970s+ setting and this feels too old timey for me.
A goal this June is to continue on with my monthly series reading - I have quite a few series on the go and I like to read one from each, each month but that slips a little in May and didnât feel good! X
'the Secret History is one on a lot of our tbr's, I grew up in the 70s so I feel like I might like it. The only things that makes me hesitate when I think about reading it is that people say it's slow
I can attest itâs slow - but hey, no cell phones!! X
Iâm struggling with A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Eagan. Itâs about the rise of the KKK in Indiana in the early 20th century. The subtitle indicates that there is one woman who stopped them but I havenât gotten far enough to find her. Iâm listening to the latest Joe Pickett novel by CJ Box, Three Inch Teeth. David Chandler narrates all of the series and heâs great.
Iâve decided to curate a collection of books from my Kindle Graveyard for my summer tbr list. But I will read the new Greg Iles novel, the final in his Penn Cage series. Also will read the new John Grisham. And probably any new distraction that comes along. đ
I like the plan of curating from your Kindle graveyard! I continue to have many many books waiting patiently in my graveyard- who knows how many gems are hiding in there :)
Exactly. I purged all the samples I had in there because there are so many books unread. đ
Are you really going to read Southern Man? It is 45 hours in audio. Last year i read a couple of 30 + hour long audio books and not sure if I am up to the challenge. I also was not crazy with the last book in the trilogy. But i love Penn Cage so I am conflicted. I hope you read it and report on it.
Well, I tried to read it. Iles and his protagonist are way too liberal for me. I would have stayed till the end except for all the polarization. Thereâs too much of that IRL. I donât want to read more about it.
From the sounds of it, I donât think Iâd like it very much either.
I will read it. Not sure when Iâll start but soon. As much as I want to shy away from bricks, most of them are some of my favorite books. And I feel compelled to complete the story. I read an interview with Greg Iles on CrimeReads and heâs been seriously ill for several years. He wrote the same disease (multiple myeloma) into Penn Cageâs life. I will report back.
I feel the same way about finishing the series. I enjoyed reading all the books in this series and need to know what happens in the end to pen cage. Who knows maybe I will get to it this year. Meanwhile, happy reading and please do report.
I am currently reading Annabel Monaghanâs latest Summer Romance. This book definitely has some substance to it and Iâm enjoying the thoughtfulness she placed into each character. I also finished Long Island by Colm Toibin on audio. I recommend reading Brooklyn prior to keep things fresh.
Every time I finish a book I go through a process of sampling as well and then I choose one that feels right and stick with it. I usually have an audio a NetGalley or Kindle and a hard copy going at the same time. Iâll choose what ever Iâm in the mood for during any given moment.
A book that has been on my TBR is Haven Point by Virginia Hume.
I'm hearing great things about Summer Romance, let me know what you think when you finish
I've been dipping my toe into the "cozy horror" genre lately with mixed success. I'm by no means a horror girlie, but I've found that I really enjoy it as long as there's a good romantic subplot alongside. For instance, just finished The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo and it is easily one of my favorite books of the year. I was very hopeful for T. Kingfisher's What Moves the Dead, but it didn't quite do it for me (though I LOVE her non horror books).
A long term TBR for me is the final book of Meghan Whalen Turner's Thief series, but I only can't bring myself to read it because I'm not ready for the series to be over.
As far as June reading goals, I'm hoping to finally make a dent into some of the non-fiction books on my TBR. I have a pretty hefty list of books on queer history that I'm hoping are good candidates for a future post in the Sad Boys Book Club.
I would say I'm a lite horror reader, I've enjoyed some Stephen King in the past but I'm curious about cozy horror, that sounds a bit more my speed. Glad you finished a potential favorite of the year
Iâm currently listening to the Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz and finding it just as wonderful as the other books in the series. Iâm reading Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni on kindle and itâs fast paced enjoyable legal thriller. A book that has been on my TBR forever is 11/22/63. Iâm a huge Stephen King fan and have checked it out from the library a few times but never pick it up- I know I will love it but I guess itâs the length that puts me off?!! June reading goal: not to get sidetracked by the buzzy books (although there will be some!) and also to not stress when Libby holds are expiring and I havenât read them yet- just put them back on hold or let them go!!
I was just recommending 11/22/63 to a friend last night! She hasn't read Stephen King but loves historical fiction and doesn't want horror so I Immediately thought of it. Do you listen to audiobooks? If so you could always alternate print and audio which often makes long books seem faster. I feel like I'm constantly suspending my Libby holds...the curse of being a mood reader haha
I do listen to audiobooks but what a great way to take in that oneâŠmaybe this summer!
I love Anthony Horowitzâs series. That and Thursday Murder Club are my fav series.
Renee - I'm with you on the digital detox! I'm listening to Stolen Focus by Johann Hari now and it's so eye-opening on how apps/web are designed to get us addicted.
This week I finished In Memoriam by Alice Winn, such beautiful writing but challenging read for sure! I just started The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza and Leaving by Roxana Robinson, both are great so far. When I sit down to read I struggle deciding which one to pick up... not a bad problem to have!
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch has been on my TBR for a very long time, definitely want to pick it up soon since I also want to watch the show (book first of course).
As for June reading goals, I need to get through my many library holds so I can start getting to read my shelves, my TBR book cart is overflowing!
I've heard of Stolen Focus! Cal Newport also talks about how people called smartphones "slot machines" and what's really interesting is the fact that Steve Jobs never intended it to be what it is today, it was the creation of social media apps that has led to people's issues with focus and distraction.
I loved Dark Matter, I hope you enjoy it when you read it
I am currently reading Slewfoot and it is a new genre for me. I am enjoying it and should finish it today. My next book to read is Kill for Me Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh. Looking forward to reading this one. Have a great weekend!
Kill for Me Kill for you was so good, I could not put that book down. Enjoy!!
I finished The Berry Pickers, Colton Gentryâs Third Act and Palm Beach on vacation this week and they were all good! I loved the The Berry Pickers and thought the writing was beautiful. I have had Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau on my TBR forever and I think this is the Summer.
My June goal is a lot of reading time in the evenings by the pool and to finish as many books as I can this month. Summer reading is my favorite!
Great vacation reading! I hope you had fun. Mary Jane by the pool would make the perfect summer read!
This week I read Long Island Compromise and had lots of complicated thoughts about it!
OOh I need to know more about your thoughts, I'll pop over to your Sunday post and see if you reviewed it. I'm on the library hold list for that because I doubt I'll get it on netgalley
Currently reading These Impossible Things by Salma El Wardany - thanks to Tinaâs rec! And listening to Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter since I listen to her podcast.
Whatâs been on my TBR for awhile: Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility. I loved Table for Two and Lincoln Highway so I think I should give these a shot?
I loved Tina's review of that book, I immediately added it to my tbr
If you loved 2 of his books I bet you love at least Rules of Civility - I've only read the Lincoln highway but I loved it. I want to read his others though
I LOVE the idea of sampling a few books before you decide what to read. Iâve done that a few times but not always as intentionally as what youâre describing.
I finished The Last Twelve Miles by Erika Robuck and while historical fiction is a hit or miss for me, I really liked this one. It takes place in the Prohibition and is about Spanish Marie, a rum smuggler and a female codebreaker working with the Coast Guard to stop her. It was rich and exciting with really high stakes and a very atmospheric backdrop. I learned a lot. I didnât know anything about either woman before reading it.
A book on my TBR for years is Claire Pooleyâs The Authenticity Project. Iâm not sure why Iâve not read it. I still want to but I feel like the right mood is required. Iâm not sure thatâs true but I donât find myself pushed to check it out of the library or pick up a copy.
My June goal is to get caught up on some Audible books. Not sure exactly how to accomplish this because I feel so busy but I want to find more time to listen to an audiobook, even while running errands.
I've got my eye on The Last Twelve Miles, I have the ebook and audio- you grabbed my attention even more by saying high stakes and atmospheric....great buzzwords!
I think it helps that I love books set in the 1920s and books on or about or in the water. I think you will like it!
Iâm going through past episodes of Perks of Being. A Book Lover podcast discovering gems of backlists. I just read When You Find My Body by D Daughinnee, the true story of a 66 yr old women lost on the Appalachian Trail in Maine. . Much was learned of her experience from her journal found with her remains. I was impressed by the efforts and hours in search , recovery .
Rose, I saw your comment last night and didn't get a chance but I immediately looked up the title of this book which I've never heard of and I got it on Libby- this sounds like something I'll like, I'm interested in reading about what happened that led to this very sad ending for her. I can't imagine. Thanks for sharing this rec
-I am currently reading Mercury by Amy Jo Burns. I should be finished tomorrow and absolutely love it.
-a book on my TBR thatâs been waiting for the right moment is Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. I feel intimidated to start this one.
-Iâm not sure what I will pick up after Mercury, I am totally in mood reading so I will sample a few books and see where it takes me.
Amy Jo Burns is on my authors I still need to read list- so glad to hear you're enjoying Mercury, did you read Shiner?
Pillars of the earth is possibly the book that's been recommended to me the most and I've been so resistant to trying it because I keep telling myself I probably won't like a book about people building a cathedral- I know this is not the truth because there's a reason this book is so beloved and people keep recommending it. maybe someday we'll tackle it right?:)
- Currently reading The Lion Women of Tehran, an inspiring story of two young girls who are growing up during turbulent times in Iran. Fascinating!!
- Reading goal is keeping up with my (overly) ambitious list of Net Galley reads! Is it just me or is June â24 an embarrassment of new book riches?
The Lion Women is on my July tbr, I have a copy and can't wait. I loved The Stationary Shop so much - and June is insane with new book possibilities
I'm trying to finish a few books that I've started and only have less than a quarter of the book to finish. I have so many books on my TBR, I don't even want to find out. I use my TBR differently than many people, so it doesn't concern me how long a book has been on my TBR. I'm currently reading Say More by Jen Psaki. It wasn't what I thought it was going to be, but I'm enjoying it nonetheless.
I'm interested - how do you use your tbr, tell me more:) I have what I call an infinite tbr because I continuously add books knowing I'll never to get to all of them, but as a mood reader I want tons of choices
Oh wow, I've never been asked to explain my system, but I'll give it a try.
I use GR to track what I've read, every book/e-book/audio book I own, every book I give away, but I don't put any books I "want to read" on GR. I don't write reviews, but I do give a star rating to each book I read. I also set a reading goal for the year.
I have 10 libray cards through Libby and up until recently I used "holds" on Libby to manage what I wanted to read. The problem with this was I'd check the book out and then wouldn't have time to read it, so I'd renew the loan or find another library and check it out and the vicious cycle would start. Then I found out that e-book licenses for libraries could be based on either amount of time the library rents the title for, or for a specific number of checkouts. As soon as I learned this, I quit borrowing and checking out again when I didn't get it read because I was wasting one or more "checkouts" on licenses.
Once I really understood "tags" on Libby, I moved my TBR (such as it is) onto tags and I manage it through them. You can set up as many tags as you want, categorized however you want them, and you can have more than one tag on a book and you can move books from one tag to another whenever it suits you. Whenever I see a book that I want to potentially read, I tag it on Libby and then once I read my "required" books for the month (next paragraph for info on this), then I go to my tags and peruse to see what looks interesting to me to read.
I belong to several online and IRL book clubs and sometime the prior month, I go through my calendar (I use Artful Agenda and for me, it truly is the greatest thing ever invented) and list out the books that I need to read for the coming month book clubs and the date they need to be read by. I always know what those books are and approximately when I need to start them to finish in time and once I get them all read, then I go to Libby and peruse.
This year is the first year that I've really tried to be intentional with my reading and schedule it so that I make sure I read the books in time for a book club, and it really seems to be working. I only read book club books that I'm interested in so I don't ever feel like I'm forced to read something I don't want to read. And once I get those books read, everything else is a treat.
How people use and/or manage their TBR's might be a good topic for a future thread as there is as many ways to do this as there are people doing it. :)
Thank you for sharing your method! You gave me pause because I do the same thing you did on Libby- I check out a lot of books on my tbr and then renew them if I don't read them in time- so renewing counts against the license? I've used tags before, I need to start making sure I add a tag vs checking so many out .
And yes, tbr organization would make a great thread
Here is a reddit thread that has more information about how e-books are procured. It's a few years old and I'm sure some things have changed somewhat, but I think in theory it's probably still the same. The first link that is mentioned in the thread (smartbitchestrashybooks) gives the best information about how the process works and the comparison to physical book purchases. And yes, as I understand it, if they have a per use license, then each checkout counts as a "use" even if you don't open the e-book.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Libraries/comments/pxje3d/how_do_libraries_pay_for_overdrivelibby_books/
1. I read the much-hyped "Ministry of Time"--and it was fine. And "Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth, also fine.
2. Remarkably Bright Creatures has been on my TBR for a long time.
3. I am reading as fast as I can. I deleted all socials from my phone so I carry a book around with me now.
How's it going with no social's on your phone? What motivated you to do that- I think it has to be pretty freeing!
So far so good. I feel so clear-headed and productive. Caveat: I do have socials on my laptop. Instagram in particular is slow and clunky and I donât lurk for more than a few minutes. I do feelâŠfree? I brought a book to a Dr appt today. I felt a teeny bit smug.
I can totally see the clear headed and productive feeling. I've been noticing that just seeing a bunch of apps on Home Screen makes me feel like I have to check them. I did turn notifications off years ago and that's made a huge difference. I'll see what else I learn from Digital Minimalism :)
Oh that Cal Newport is the best. Genius.
Oh, definitely read Remarkably Bright Creatures! Itâs such a heartwarming book! And totally out of my regular choices of thrillers and mysteries. đ
I will read it this summer! I promise.
I think that's a great idea for the weekends. I moved the Instagram app off of my Home Screen this weekend and totally forgot about it today! Out of sight out of mind seems to be working:)
Every little step helps!
I love that you know your tbr for June- that makes for seamless reading! I loved Addie Larue, I would love to hear your thoughts on it when you finish