Happy Monday, Boozie Readers!

Just your weekly reminder that all lives can’t matter until black lives do.

Also, if you’re in the US, Election Day is TOMORROW. Please, for the love of the gods, vote. Find out more info about your state here.

Ginny’s Update

This week’s reading was almost completely done while waiting for food to finish cooking. Like, entirely. Luckily, with my weird semester, I’m done with three classes, and I’m only picking up two more. Which means I might finally have a semblance of free time (yes, I know that’s probably wishful thinking, but let me have this).

What Ginny Finished:

• Rules for an Unmarried Lady by Wilma Counts: We received this book as an ARC so there will be a review. Basic plot was; there’s a tragic accident which leaves a bunch of kids orphaned, the aunt takes care of them, even though the brother from the other side of the couple was given control over the kids. They meet and disagree with how the kids should be cared for, but totes end up falling in love. I enjoyed the various quirks of the characters, and the ways everything came together.
• Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop by Rebecca Raisin: This was another ARC, so expect to see a review (yes I know it’s weird that pretty much the only way I can get myself to read is by giving myself a non-self-imposed deadline. But Rosie gets broken up with and takes a drastic move to open a tea shop in a food truck. The book ends up being super cute and made me wonder if I should do that (the answer is very clearly NO, which I knew even as the thought crossed my mind, I am not meant to be nomadic).

What Ginny is Currently Reading:

• The Shadow Between Us by Tricia Levenseller: I borrowed this book from Sam and I’ve been holding onto it forever. When I started reading this I immediately read 100 pages, and then it’s just sat at my bedside table. But it’s a lot of fun to see a book where the female character feels so in control of her fate and a level of confidence that appears in this book. So much fun. Also, she wants to marry the king so she can take over after she kills him on their wedding night. Very Princess Bride.

Minda’s Update

As part of a group costume, me and the fam dressed up as Disney villains. I can promise you my son was a very adorable Iago (https://twitter.com/mindareads/status/1322999612320395266?s=21).

I also found out at the Clear Your Shit readathon for Nov and I’m in. The theme is reading the books already on your shelf!

What Minda is reading now: 

• If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio (audio) – After 10 years in jail for a murder he may or may not have committed, Oliver Marks is retelling the story he’s kept secret—what actually happened around the murder in question. I’m feeling bad this is taking so long because I’m really into it, but it’s hard for me to block out time for audio. It is seriously so good though!
• Bat 6 by Virginia Euwer Wolff – In small town post-WWII Oregon, twenty one 6th grade girls recount the story of an annual softball game, during which one girls bigotry surfaces. I remember reading (and loving) this when I was a kid. Counts as the shortest on my shelf for the Clear Your Shit readathon after I picked it up from a Little Free Library a few months ago.

What Minda finished:

• White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo – A deep look at the white psyche and structural white supremacy that pervades our society. I would recommend this read to any white person open to self-reflection on how we, unwittingly or not, uphold the structure of racism. Especially those of us navigating family relationships with Trump voters and attempting to explain why he is so problematic.
• The Mirror Man by Jane Gilmartin – What if could watch someone else live a year of your life for $1M and no one would know? Slow-burn thriller of what it would be like to watch a clone live your life. For me, this doesn’t quite go far enough or feature the right main character, but I would definitely still recommend. Came out last week—thank you to Harlequin for the advance copy!

Sam’s Update

Lawl I did like no reading this week.

What Sam is Currently Reading:

• Lightbringer by Claire Legrand: I CANT BELIEVE THIS EXISTSSSSS
• Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto: This is a YA story about a girl named Veronica, who has to pretend to be a boy so she can be a phoenix rider. I’m like 40% through and I’m still waiting for it to “start.”

What Sam Finished:

Nuthin…..

What Sam Put Down:

• Spindle by EK Johnston: I didn’t read this week because I just don’t want to read this right now haha. Setting it aside.

Until next time, we remain forever drunkenly yours,

— Sam, Ginny, and Minda