Hello!

ITS TOME TOPPLE!!!!!!

Reminder:Our Will Read For Booze twitter account (formerly Sam’s personal account) is going to be dedicated to the whole blog! So go check us out kthxxxx. While that’s amazing, Sam has to start from scratch on a new account, let’s show her some love huh? Check out her new account TheBooktender_  She’ll love you forever and ever.

Ginny’s Updates:

Hello everyone! Sorry for missing last week. My opinions on those books have been sent to the deep never to return. But I’m back this week with the news that I’ve read over 180 books this year (there were plenty of novellas and graphic novels) but I still have no idea how that happened.

Currently Reading:

• Scrum by Jeff Sutherland: This is the book that will never end. I read maybe another chapter.
• The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith: This book is a freaking delight. The main character is so much fun (35 year old woman who decides to open a detective agency and help people), she’s crazy self-sufficient and has such interesting interactions. This book, set in Botswana, also is full of quiet moments of culture and… I’m sure I’ll end up writing a review (and also I haven’t finished yet) but boy is this fun.

What Ginny Finished (I am only including books from this week, if I had to add last week’s books I would never be able to finish writing this):

• The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon: I will not be writing a review of this book but I have so many good things to say. I read this for Tome Topple, and even though it’s a little over 800 pages long, I breezed through it. All of the characters are well thought out, the twists all made sense, and honestly I can’t get over the ending. 5/5
• My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante: Read this for a book club. I’ve heard so much about this book that I think I went in with the wrong perspective. This is one of those books that grows on you. Probably going to do a review. Holding the rest of my thoughts for after book club and the possible review.
• Best of Luck by Kate Clayborn: This is the third book in a series, and it was a cute and satisfying end to the series. Greer, the main character, had been really quiet in the previous two books so I was really glad to finally get in her head and see the way she processed things. Alex (the older brother of one of the previous heroine’s) also had a fun perspective. This book ultimately was focused on how traumatic events affect different people in different ways and how to come together after the fact. 4.5/5
• Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor: This book is wild. I had some trouble reading it, if only because a number of the characters spoke in Pidgin English which is just different enough that I had to pause to translate what was being said, but the ending definitely pushed this into review territory so I’m sure you’ll be hearing more

Sam’s Updates

I AM SO TIRED

What Sam read this week:

 

• TOME: Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin: This is a new book about witches in the Victorian era (probably). When Lou, a witch, accidentally marries one of the witchfinders, she ends up in the belly of the beast. Someone’s out to get her. How can you have hate to love AND fake marriage and I still hated it? UGH drunk reviews are coming (probably right after this because SAM DRUNK)

What Sam’s currently reading:

 

• TOME: The Burning White by Brent Weeks: This is the finale to the Lightbringer series and it’s the best. Not only did we get a series recap in the beginning I was immediately sucked back into this world. As a reminder: Kip is my child. Gavin is the best. Andross is the worst. Teia>Tisis. I made a mistake trying to read this for Tome Topple because I really want to savor it… Anyway, I’ve been live texting Parker about it because he’s already done and idk anyone else who’s finished it.

Linz’s Updates

Baby showers and birthdays and bachelorette planning and Tome Topple oh my. I did not get a ton of reading accomplished.

What Linz read:

• The Mister by E.L. James – YIKES. I mean it was better written than 50 Shades, but that’s a low bar. It’s just, like, I don’t know why she creates these SUPER problematic romantic entanglements.
• Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid – alright this is gonna sound stupid, because I enjoyed reading this forthcoming book we got at ALA, but I don’t know how I feel about it? It’s about a young black woman and the white family who hires her to watch one of their daughters, and an incident that happens to the black woman. Look I’m hungover I’m describing it poorly, and I think a lot of important points are made without beating people over the head, but I’m not sure if I really liked this book?

What Linz DNF

• Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones – this is actually pretty well-written, but I didn’t realize Jim Henson was kind of a jerk to his loved ones, so I stopped reading before I ruined the Muppets for myself.

What Linz is currently reading:

• The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger – Lots of chatter over this novel about kids trying to get into a “special” school and their insane parents. I’m a few chapters in and really enjoying it.

Minda’s Updates

What Minda is reading now:

• TOME: The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett – Tome Topple! Let’s just say I’m a little behind, but I am enjoying it. Appreciating the world-building aspects.

Until next time, we main forever drunkenly yours,

Sam, Ginny, Linz, and Minda