Like everyone else, I read The Woman in Me, by Britney Spears (and possibly Sam Lansky). I listened to the audiobook, beautifully narrated by Michelle Williams. It was an incredibly difficult listen; ten minutes in we’d already had a graveside suicide. It is comparable to I’m Glad my Mom Died by Jeannette McCurdy, in that … Continue reading Autumn 2023 Reading
Books of my Thirties
I turn 40 tomorrow. To be honest, I feel pretty good about it. My thirties were absolutely bonkers (marriage, baby, moving to a new country), so I’m taking the time to reflect on the decade. I looked back at my trusty Goodreads, and picked a memorable book from each of the last ten years. 2013 … Continue reading Books of my Thirties
Review: We Have Always Been Who We Are, by Sofia T. Romero (Blackstone)
Sofia T. Romero’s debut collection, We Have Always Been Who We Are, contains a fantastic mix of stories. Here are my favorites: My First Confession - A weird sorority initiation ceremony including a book of secrets. It all goes wrong when an “outsider” tries to join. Ashes to Ashes - Oh my word, this was … Continue reading Review: We Have Always Been Who We Are, by Sofia T. Romero (Blackstone)
Review: Peach Pit, edited by Molly Llewellyn and Kristel Buckley (Dzanc Books)
In this collection of stories of “unsavory women”, beautifully edited by Molly Llewellyn and Kristel Buckley, there is a wide range of subjects and writers, encapsulating just how tired women are of all this nonsense. These were my favorite stories: Fuckboy Museum, by Deesha Philyaw - A great opener. A woman grows tired of the … Continue reading Review: Peach Pit, edited by Molly Llewellyn and Kristel Buckley (Dzanc Books)
Review: Into the Uncanny, by Danny Robins (Penguin Audio)
I will never forget the first time I heard Danny Robins utter the immortal words, “Bloody hell, Ken!” I’d been a fan of Robins’ work since his short-lived podcast, Haunted, crept into my feed in 2017. The podcast featured exceptionally scary stories, but with one foot firmly in reality. Plus, Robins’ sense of humor and … Continue reading Review: Into the Uncanny, by Danny Robins (Penguin Audio)
My Month in Reading, August 2023
The books I read in August can be divided into three categories; great, amazing, and bonkers. Great Moonlit Path of Madness, by Catherine McCarthy (Nosetouch Press) My full review is here, but this is a gorgeous gothic novel. Accidental Death of An Anarchist, by Dario Fo, Franca Rame, and Tom Basden (Nick Hern Books) Basden's … Continue reading My Month in Reading, August 2023
My Week in Reading – August 14th, 2023
For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been almost completely consumed by anxiety, as my daughter started first grade, in a new public school. But she’s doing great, so my brain can now focus on exciting new avenues of panic! On that note, have you seen The Bear?! Sheesh, what a show. I’m currently reading … Continue reading My Week in Reading – August 14th, 2023
My Month in Reading, July 2023
Here's the list: The Warlock Effect, by Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson (Hodder and Stoughton) Imported from the UK via Blackwell's Books. Not sure if it's getting a US release. I'm a huge Dyson/Nyman megafan, and I was sadly disappointed by this one. Poor Deer, by Claire Oshetsky (Ecco) ARC, will be published in January … Continue reading My Month in Reading, July 2023
Review: January, by Sara Gallardo, translated by Frances Riddle and Maureen Shaughnessy (Archipelago)
You don’t need me to tell you that women are still fighting for their right to bodily autonomy. And reading Sara Gallardo’s 1956 novel, January, made me so angry at the lack of progress we’ve made in almost 70 years. Translated into English for the first time by Frances Riddle and Maureen Shaughnessy, January is … Continue reading Review: January, by Sara Gallardo, translated by Frances Riddle and Maureen Shaughnessy (Archipelago)
Review: Silver Nitrate, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Del Rey)
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is so prolific, I can’t keep up! Her latest novel, Silver Nitrate, is a love-letter to old movies, and an exploration of the dark magic of cinema. Our central character, the brilliantly named Montserrat, is a sound editor in 90s Mexico City. Although she loves her job, she is frustrated by the misogyny … Continue reading Review: Silver Nitrate, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Del Rey)
California Reading 