What I’ve Been Listening To

2021 Books

So I’ve become a very big fan of audiobooks! (Thank you to libro.fm and their very awesome ALC program.) I’ve been listening to a lot of them and it’s been a lot of fun.

I’ve enjoyed Rosemary’s Baby (read by Mia Farrow!), You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey (very funny; very infuriating and how Lacey has survived with an intact sense of humor is a real miracle), The Anatomy of Desire, On Juneteenth, Somebody’s Daughter, The Wreckage of My Presence, The Anthropocene Reviewed and Dear Miss Metropolitan.

I’ve enjoyed all of these books and I think the most valuable thing is that most of them I wasn’t really aware of. I’ve seen these books that weren’t on my radar and they’ve all just been absolutely amazing.

The two memoirs in particular (The Wreckage of My Presence by Casey Wilson and Somebody’s Daughter by Ashley Ford) were stunning and I loved both so much. I plan to listen to every memoir I can on audio, especially if they’re read by the author.

I’ve got a bunch of great audiobooks lined up, so I’ll keep you posted on what I’m listening to. If you want to try libro.fm, you can get two books your first month with the promo code WHATYOUSHOULDREAD.

June Most Anticipated

Uncategorized

On the podcast recently, I listed my five most anticipated reads for June. (You can listen here.)

I picked Dream Girl (Laura Lippman), Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year (Nina Hamza), The Other Black Girl (Zakiya Dalila Harris), Jay’s Gay Agenda (Jason June) and We Are Inevitable (Gayle Forman).

I’ve now read all five and all were wonderful. I couldn’t have made better choices. (And when you read The Other Black Girl, please discuss the ending with me!)

Latest binge

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I did end up starting Dirty John and it’s so hard to believe that that’s a real story! John Meehan was so scary and also just a real creep.

I finished the first season and am about to start the second. It’s an anthology series (like American Crime Story) and the second is about Betty Broderick. I don’t know that very well, but I’ve at least heard the names.

I’ve also started watching Lisey’s Story, and I’m enjoying it. I read the book when it first came out but I haven’t re-read it so it’s a lot of surprises.

I’m almost half done with the audio of Rosemary’s Baby and it’s really good. I love the movie and I know I’ve read it at least once and maybe twice, but not in a long time. The book is similar but there are some major differences so it’s a new experience. I would recommend it. I love the stunt casting of Mia Farrow reading it, but it would be fun either way.

Pop Culture Roundup

Uncategorized

I’m going to try and start blogging again regularly (for real this time). I’m hoping to talk about the books that don’t get mentioned on the podcast and the things I’m watching.

Like almost everyone I know, I was very into Mare of Easttown. It’s so smart and so good and everything about it was very unexpected. But it’s also more than a little bleak, so I also was very happy to watch Ted Lasso. It’s sweet and kind and just a very real delight. I’m not sure what my next binge will be (Dirty John, maybe?).

I’ve also started getting into audiobooks and for the first time, I think it’s sticking! I’ve been using libro.fm, which is a fantastic service. (If you don’t already have a membership, use promo code WHATYOUSHOULDREAD to get two books for the price of one for your first month.) So far I’ve listened to The Anthropocene Reviewed (John Green), On Juneteenth (Annette Gordon-Reed), The Anatomy of Desire (LR Dorn; it’s sort of an updated version of An American Tragedy) and The Hill We Climb (Amanda Gorman–just the poem from the inauguration; her full book of poetry is out in September).

I’m almost done with The Wreckage of My Presence (Casey Wilson) and it’s great. I’ve decided to start Rosemary’s Baby next. Mia Farrow reads it!

Malibu Rising

2021 Books, Books I Received From The Publisher, Fiction

Finished Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I received a copy for review.

Summary (from Goodreads):

“Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, their lives will change forever.

Malibu: August 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over–especially as the offspring of the legendary singer Mick Riva.

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud–because it is long past time for him to confess something to the brother from whom he’s been inseparable since birth.

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can’t stop thinking about promised she’ll be there.

And Kit has a couple secrets of her own–including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.

By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come bubbling to the surface.

Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them . . . and what they will leave behind.”

I absolutely adored this book. Like everything she’s written, it can be boiled down to one sentence but it also absolutely defies that easy categorization. Her books are both intelligent and fun, the kind of stories that make you sit down to read a chapter or two and end up stopping only when you turn the last page and you realize the house has gotten dark or that you’re really, REALLY hungry.

I love the Riva children (and their mom; their dad is another story). Seeing their story playing out, juxtaposed with their parents June and Mick, was one of the most interesting things about the book. If you’ve ever wondered how much of your personality is due to the parents you have, this is a book for you, because that’s one of the central themes.

But it’s also just an absolute joy to read. This is one of the most fun books I’ve read in ages, and that’s not at all surprising. Highly recommended.

Sunshine and the Full Moon (an interview)

2021 Books

I’m so excited for this post! In a couple weeks, Sunshine and the Full Moon by Jon Robinson will be out. (Learn more about it and preorder here.) It sounds like something I love…because it has werewolves. I am very into werewolves!

But fun fact: Sunshine is based on the author’s daughter. It’s not a perfect parallel but there’s definitely some basis in reality. And here’s the funniest interview with Jon and his daughter.

Jon: So, how does it feel to have the main character in my book based on you? Did I do you justice?

Sunshine: I guess now I know why you were following me around with a notebook and writing things down every time I made you laugh. It’s pretty crazy to think that when people are talking about how funny the character is in the book, they’re actually talking about me.

Jon: Can you give us a few examples of ways in which you’re different from Sunshine?

Sunshine: In the original manuscript, I swear a lot more, so if the book becomes popular, maybe people will want to read the Sunshine-cut of the book. I also stopped playing softball at 10 and switched to playing baseball against the boys, so that also jumped out to me as you have me still playing softball.

Jon: Is there anything you want me to keep in mind as I write this character for my second book in the series?

Sunshine: Sunshine fought a werewolf in the first book, so no way some bully at school or anyone else should step to her. Haha. I’m curious where you’re going with this, especially since I know you’ve already started working on the sequel. I just hope people like the character and that people can relate to the realness behind the things Sunshine says and does, even in the unreal world of werewolves, if you know what I mean.

Sunshine: How’s it feel to have such a badass daughter to inspire your Sunshine character?

Jon: You’re a girl who won her first martial arts tournament, made her high school boys baseball team as the only girl, and cracks me up on a daily basis. Badass is an understatement.

Sunshine: Do you really think I’m sassy? …or more like cheeky?

Jon: You are the definition of sassy, no doubt.

Sunshine: When the book sells like crazy, how much is my cut from the profits?

Jon: See, that’s just the kind of sass I’m talking about … and love.

Sunshine: No, seriously, how much are you going to give me?

Jon: How about we start with a new bat and glove and go from there?

Sunshine: I’ll make that deal as long as you tell me the title to the sequel.

Jon: Sunshine and Eternal Darkness . Sorry, babe, you’re about to step into the world of vampires.

Sunshine: I’m so down!

I absolutely cannot wait for this book! It’s going to be a favorite.

Pumpkin

2020 Books, Books I Received From The Publisher, Series, YA Fiction

Finished Pumpkin by Julie Murphy. I received a copy for review.

Summary (from Goodreads):

“Waylon Russell Brewer is a fat, openly gay boy stuck in the small West Texas town of Clover City. His plan is to bide his time until he can graduate, move to Austin with his twin sister, Clementine, and finally go Full Waylon, so that he can live his Julie-the-hills-are-alive-with-the-sound-of-music-Andrews truth.

So when Clementine deviates from their master plan right after Waylon gets dumped, he throws caution to the wind and creates an audition tape for his favorite TV drag show, Fiercest of Them All. What he doesn’t count on is the tape accidentally getting shared with the entire school. . . . As a result, Waylon is nominated for prom queen as a joke. Clem’s girlfriend, Hannah Perez, also receives a joke nomination for prom king.

Waylon and Hannah decide there’s only one thing to do: run—and leave high school with a bang. A very glittery bang. Along the way, Waylon discovers that there is a lot more to running for prom court than campaign posters and plastic crowns, especially when he has to spend so much time with the very cute and infuriating prom king nominee Tucker Watson.

Waylon will need to learn that the best plan for tomorrow is living for today . . . especially with the help of some fellow queens. . . . “

I’ve been a huge fan of Julie Murphy’s since I read Dumplin’, and every book I’ve read since has only cemented it.

And you guys. YOU GUYS. Pumpkin is a complete delight. I love Waylon so much and I love this world so much and I am in denial that it’s the last book. I mean, we thought it would be a duology, right? So there’s no reason this couldn’t eventually become a quadrilogy or even a full-fledged series.

This book is just so charming and sweet and fun. Everything about it made me smile. And now if you need me, I’ll be over here, starting the whole series over.

Highly recommended.

Award season update

2021 Movies, AFI/Oscar/Hitchcock/Independent Spirit Award Project

We’ve only got three weeks to go in this award season. It’s definitely been different (the SAG awards were Sunday and they were pretaped; the ceremony was an hour).

We still have four left* (two of them this week), but the Oscars are starting to look a lot more set.

BEST PICTURE:

The Father (nominated for Directors Guild First Time Feature and BAFTA [also for BAFTA’s Best British Film])

Judas and the Black Messiah (won African-American Film Critics’ Association)

Mank (nominated for Directors Guild)

Minari (nominated for Directors Guild and Independent Spirit)

Nomadland (nominated for Directors Guild, Independent Spirit and BAFTA; won Best Picture from Critics Choice, Producers Guild and Golden Globes)

Promising Young Woman (nominated for Directors Guild and BAFTA [also for BAFTA’s Best British Film])

The Sound of Metal (nominated for Directors Guild First Time Feature and Independent Spirit’s Best First Feature)

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (nominated for Directors Guild and BAFTA; won Best Acting Ensemble for Critics Choice and SAG)

BEST DIRECTOR:

Thomas Vinterburg, Another Round (also nominated for a BAFTA)

David Fincher, Mank

Lee Isaac Chung, Minari (also nominated for a BAFTA and Independent Spirit)

Chloe Zhao (Nomadland; won Critics Choice, Golden Globe; nominated for a BAFTA and Independent Spirit)

Emerald Fannell (Promising Young Woman; nominated for Independent Spirit)

BEST ACTOR:

Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal; nominated for a BAFTA and Independent Spirit)

Chadwick Bozeman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; won Critics Choice, Golden Globe, SAG, African-American Film Critics Association; nominated for a BAFTA and Independent Spirit)

Anthony Hopkins (The Father; nominated for a BAFTA)

Gary Oldman (Mank)

Steven Yeun (Minari; nominated for a BAFTA)

BEST ACTRESS:

Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; won SAG; nominated for an Independent Spirit)

Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday; won Golden Globe and African-American Film Critics)

Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman; nominated for a BAFTA)

Frances McDormand (Nomadland; nominated for a BAFTA and Independent Spirit)

Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman; won Critics Choice; nominated for an Independent Spirit)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Sacha Baron Cohen (The Trial of the Chicago 7)

Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah; won Critics Choice, Golden Globe, SAG, African-American FIlm Critics Association; nominated for a BAFTA)

Leslie Odom, Jr. (One Night in Miami; nominated for a BAFTA)

Paul Raci (The Sound of Metal; nominated for a BAFTA and Independent Spirit)

LaKeith Stanfield (Judas and the Black Messiah)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm; won Critics Choice; nominated for a BAFTA)

Glenn Close (Hillbilly Elegy)

Olivia Colman (The Father)

Amanda Seyfried (Mank)

Yuh-jung Yoon (Minari; won SAG; nominated for a BAFTA and an Independent Spirit)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:

Judas and the Black Messiah

Minari (nominated for Independent Spirit)

Promising Young Woman (won Critics Choice; won Writers Guild; nominated for a BAFTA and Independent Spirit)

Sound of Metal

Trial of the Chicago 7 (won Golden Globe; nominated for a BAFTA)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (won Writers Guild)

The Father (nominated for a BAFTA)

Nomadland (won Critics Choice; nominated for a BAFTA)

One Night in Miami (won African-American Film Critics Association)

The White Tiger (nominated for a BAFTA)

* = The Directors Guild will be released on Saturday, BAFTAs on Sunday, Independent Spirit Awards on April 22 and the Oscars on April 25.

Where the Road Leads Us

Books I Received From The Publisher, YA Fiction

Finished Where the Road Leads Us by Robin Reul. I received a copy for review.

Summary (from Goodreads):

“From Robin Reul, the author of My Kind of Crazy, comes an uplifting YA contemporary about two teens on an unexpected journey to forge their own paths.

Jack has always known what he wanted: to follow in his father’s footsteps to Columbia University and become a doctor. But when his father unexpectedly dies, Jack’s careful plans start to unravel. Then, on the eve of leaving for college, he discovers a letter his father wrote to his estranged brother, Alex, stamped and unsent. Jack sees an opportunity: if he goes to San Francisco and finds his brother, he might be able to heal the past and truly move forward.

Hallie is sitting on huge news that she isn’t ready to share with anyone. And she doesn’t want to think about it, either; she’s just learned that her closest friend from her online cancer support group has taken a turn for the worst. There’s a small window to travel to Oregon to see him and say goodbye, but she knows her protective parents would never let her go. Hallie’s life suddenly feels like it’s spinning out of control, so she does the only thing she can think of: she buys a bus ticket to Oregon, and tells her parents she’s going to a friend’s for the weekend.

Jack and Hallie had a class together years ago, but haven’t seen each other since. But fate puts them into the same rideshare to the bus terminal, setting off a whirlwind road trip that may lead them to their own true selves…and maybe to each other.”

The synopsis is a little bit misleading. Yes, it’s all accurate but it may lead you to believe that this is a heavy book; it’s really not. It’s actually such a fun book and just a real delight to read.

It’s been a hard year for everyone (I read the book and wrote this in 2020), and I really needed this story. I can’t even tell you how many times I laughed out loud and how many times I smiled and how many times I hugged my Kindle. (No judgment–hard year.)

Everything about this story is completely perfect and exactly what I needed to read. It’s a very fun book but, at the same time, there are really quietly profound parts. There are thoughts about grief and how to change your life’s path, basically how to break inertia and to start trying to actively choose how you want your life to go. (I think a lot of us can remember the time before college, and how it can sometimes feel like it’s an expected choice and not a deliberate one.)

This is exactly what I needed and I hope you read it soon. This is even better than her debut, which is the highest bar.

Highly recommended.

Happy Oscar Nominations Day!

2021 Movies, AFI/Oscar/Hitchcock/Independent Spirit Award Project

This is one of the biggest days of my year and this year, I am VERY BEHIND.

Over the past few years, I’ve been trying to watch all the nominations for Picture, Director and the acting categories. This is really unfortunate because that means that this year, I’ll have to watch Borat 2 and Hillbilly Elegy, two movies I really didn’t want to see. (But I’m a completist, so we’ll see what happens.)

So here we go:

BEST PICTURE:

The Father (available to rent on streaming starting March 26)

Judas and the Black Messiah (just left HBO Max and should be available to rent soon)

Mank (Netflix)

Minari (available to rent on streaming)

Nomadland (Hulu)

Promising Young Woman (available to rent on streaming now)

Sound of Metal (free on Prime)

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)

BEST DIRECTOR:

Thomas Vinterberg (Another Round; Hulu)

David Fincher (Mank; Netflix)

Lee Isaac Chung (Minari; available to rent on streaming)

Chloe Zhao (Nomadland; Hulu)

Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman; available to rent on streaming now)

BEST ACTOR:

Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal; Amazon)

Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; Netflix)

Anthony Hopkins (The Father; available to rent on streaming starting March 26)

Gary Oldman (Mank; Netflix)

Steven Yeun (Minari; available to rent on streaming now)

BEST ACTRESS:

Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; Netflix)

Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday; Hulu)

Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman; Netflix)

Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman; available to rent via streaming)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Sacha Baron Cohen (Trial of the Chicago 7; Netflix)

Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah; just left HBO Max and should be available to rent soon)

Leslie Odom, Jr. (One Night in Miami; free on Prime)

Paul Raci (Sound of Metal; free on Prime)

Lakeith Stanfield (Judas and the Black Messiah; just left HBO Max and should be available to rent soon)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Maria Bakalova (Borat 2; free on Prime)

Glenn Close (Hillbilly Elegy; Netflix)

Olivia Colman (The Father; available to rent on streaming starting March 26)

Amanda Seyfried (Mank; Netflix)

Yuh-jung Youn (Minari; available to rent on streaming now)