Words by Allyson

A very good reading month, definitely boosted by going on vacation.

1. A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko - This was really readable in interesting, but I found myself incredibly frustrated with the author and his....foolishness? I couldn't get past how irresponsible they were on this adventure and it was really grating. But the writing was propulsive, and it did make me want to visit the Grand Canyon.

2. The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self by Michael Easter - a little simplistic, but I do think of it now honestly most days. When I get the urge to pull out my phone while I'm waiting in line or when I get the itch to order Doordash instead of going to grocery shop. It made me think which has been helpful.

3. Landline by Rainbow Rowell - This is my favorite romance book and I decided to kick off summer reading with this one. It does take place around Christmas...but Christmas is not the plot so I think it's fine. Some people really do not like this book but I just love it, and it holds up years after I read it for the first time.

4. The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson - This is our book club pick for July and I really enjoyed this. It took a while to get going, but I was fascinated by the crime, by salmon-fly tying, and ultimately by the impact of obsession on the thief and the author. Also I learned more about birds than I could have imagined.

5. Katabasis by RF Kuang - Kuang has been hit & miss for me in the past so I was hesitant but man I really liked this one. Warnings that it has some very difficult content, but I liked the adventure, the discussion of the mind and the body, and the critiques of academia. Really though provoking fantasy.

6. No Matter What by Cara Bastone - My second romance novel of the summer - I would NOT call it a romcom. The story is about a married couple who have survived an accident. One year later, both of them are still deeply traumatized and their marriage very distant because of it. I liked that it wasn't miscommunication out of idiocy, but miscommunication for real legitimate reasons and something they are actively working through. I cried a fair amount and I liked it a lot.

1. The Widow by John Grisham - I've read a lot of Grisham and this was far and away the most disappointing one I've ever read. Stick to his older stuff and don't waste your time on this one.

2. The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke - I went to see the authors on tour for this book when they came to town, and I was very excited to pick it up! I definitely enjoyed it, but read the reviews before picking it up. Some people were very disappointed, but I was not one of them. Part publishing critique, part murder mystery. Lots more death than I was expecting, but I had a good time.

1. East of Eden by John Steinbeck - I think I mentioned here that one of my goals this year is to read more big books since I typically avoid them. I purchased East of Eden years ago in a thrift store and it's been collecting dust on my shelf for years until this month. I was on the fence at the beginning, but by the end I really loved it. There were so many things that made me stop and think, lines that I'll remember. I think this one will stick with me.

2. Vengeful by VE Schwab - This was a reread, and most of it on an airplane from London to DC. I own the UK edition of the first book in the series, Vicious, and grabbed the second book as. souvenir for my trip. It's been several years since I read it and figured a reread would be nice since the final book in the series comes out later this year. Loved it just as much the second time, but fair warning that this one is rather brutal. In fact, I'm surprised I like it given how dark & violent the story is. But Schwab gets me every time - I love basically everything she writes. Eagerly waiting for Victorious.