Wow. Guys, I know I’m late to the party on this one but damn. This was an intense ride.

I was pretty familiar with the Harvey Weinstein case when I started this book but I had no idea just how insane and predatory he was until I learned the lengths he went to kill the story.

Farrow is a phenomenal journalist and wordsmith. I was captivated from the first chapter.

Captivated and enraged.

As a female, I’ve always known that men will do just about anything to protect their status in the patriarchy. That’s an unavoidable truth. But hearing just how volatile their fragile egos are in such a detailed manner was eye opening.

Thank you to all the women who came forward and shared their stories despite the threats to their safety, careers, and families. Your voices and stories matter.

I don’t know that I’ve ever read a book where I loved every single character, flaws and all. But I did. I fell madly in love with the Strick family.

Astrid and Birdie. Porter, Elliot and Wendy, and Nicky. Cecilia. Each one of them perfectly imperfect and real.

I did not want this book to end but couldn’t put it down. Definitely a top book for 2020 for me.

Oh, motherhood. The feeling that you’re always screwing up and doing it wrong. The comparisons. The desperation. The no sleep and never-ending messes. The pure, unfiltered beauty of it all.

Happy & You Know It captured it all. And then some. This was the perfect book to escape reality for a bit and get completely lost in the ridiculous world of Instagram influencers, mommy groups, and rich NYC moms.

I adored the writing and the story. I also have to admit that I did NOT see that (you’ll know when you read it) coming.

I know I say this with every Jennifer Weiner book I read, but this was by far my favorite. I was worried she wouldn’t be able to top Mrs. Everything. She did. Big Summer blew me away.

Daphne was loveable, relatable, and real. Her relationship with Drue, though frustrating, is something that I think we can all sympathize/empathize with. I was rooting for both of them.

I will say, the second half of the book blew by. Once I hit part two, I couldn’t put it down. I was enthralled and had to finish it. I won’t give away the mid-point twist, but DAMN.

I came into Little Weirds with zero expectations and left with a massive girl crush on Jenny Slate. Before reading Little Weirds, Jenny Slate was a comedian, a voice that appears in movies my kids love, and a myriad of other things that we assign to actresses and celebrities. Now I know the truth. Jenny Slate is a vivid writer with endless imagination.

The prose within Little Weirds was rich and lively. I listened to the audiobook and am fairly certain I need to get the print version as well.

You know those books that just make you want to smile? That was The Sweeney Sisters.

Each sister had a complex, relatable story and journey that brought them to life. Even the characters not present much on page, Bill, Maeve, and Birdie felt real and alive.

This was the exact book I needed to pull me away from the insanity of 2020.

I had such high hopes for Valentine when I picked it for my April BOTM. I’d seen amazing reviews on Bookstagram and Jenna Bush Hager picked it for her April book club. But, it fell short for me.

I loved the writing and voice of the book but the story felt disconnected. Each character could have her own book, and I wanted more of them. But especially more of Glory. Her story was lost in the story of so many other women.

You know those deeply tortured, complicated, flawed characters that are so endearing you can’t help but love them?

That’s Taryn Sams. At times, I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her … like, girl, listen to your friend and family!

As always, Maria Ann Green’s writing is flawless, even if her characters aren’t. She knows how to tug your heart and suck you into a story.