Review: The Block Party

The Block Party
The Block Party by Jamie Day
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love reading these neighborhood mystery stories. This is the story of a group of families who live in the same block and how their lives intersect and crescendo into a murder during the annual block party. You know there’s been a murder right at the beginning but you don’t know who or why.

And then the book rewinds and tells you the story of the families and how they overlap with each other and piece by piece you start seeing all the secrets and it keeps you guessing until the very end.

Nothing is really what it seems and everyone has multiple secrets.

I really enjoyed my time with this one.

with gratitude to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Everything’s Fine

Everything's Fine
Everything’s Fine by Cecilia Rabess
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I know this book has garnered a lot of controversy for the blurb. The blurb is unacceptable and also not representative of the book. I don’t know if this author wrote their own blurb or even had a say in it. If so, this egregious mistake should have been caught and corrected. If not, I want to make sure we don’t punish the author for something they had no say over.

This is the story of Jess and Josh. It’s mostly the story of Jess navigating spaces where as a black woman she’s consistently in the minority and undermined. She’s incredibly smart and very hard working and yet consistently experiences racism, misogamy, and some micro and some macro-agressions.

Josh stands up for her sometimes but then lets her down spectacularly other times. His political and personal beliefs are wildly opposed to Jess’ and yet he is also kind and loving to her and truly seems to think he loves her.

The book explores Jess’ journey as she navigates corporate finance and New York and her relationship and her friendships and her hometown and dad. It also explores the political climate.

Even though the blurb would like to convince you otherwise, this is not a romcom, it’s not a cutesy book. It does not tie up in a nice bow. It’s complicated, real and messy. Both of the characters are imperfect (in fact deeply flawed in some ways) and the book doesn’t shy away from making the reader uncomfortable.

I think it was a worthwhile read.

with gratitude to edelweiss and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Nightcrawling

Nightcrawling
Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I put off reading this book because I knew it was going to be really, really sad. And it was. It was so incredibly sad. It was beautifully written and living close to Oakland and visiting Oakland at least 5-6 times a month, it felt like I should read this story that’s based on some horrific true events. I am glad I read it but it also was really sad.

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Staying Open – January 27

Staying Open – 27

 

January is almost over. Even though I’d usually wish this long month away, this year I’m not wishing any of the days away. In August, my oldest will be leaving for college and I want to make sure we live all the days between now and then slowly, fully and together.

Here’s to living the width and the breadth of our lives.

#open #olw #stayingopen

Staying Open – January 26

Staying Open – 26

 

I’ve been paying attention to the moments where I feel like I am closing up to understand what lies underneath it. It’s a strong signal towards an area where I still have an opportunity for growth.

#open #olw #stayingopen

Staying Open – January 25

Staying Open – 25

 

Open to taking it one step at a time. Open to seeing the good and taking a moment to be grateful for it. Open to being here now with what is.

Open.

#open #olw #stayingopen

Staying Open – January 24

Staying Open – 24

 

I was talking to a colleague today and he was saying how he starts every year with a huge goals list that he tracks daily and makes sure to work on.

I told.him that’s exactly what I used to do too until this year when I decided to throw it all out the window and it’s been so liberating.

And I also told him that if I hadn’t done that I wouldn’t have had the space to learn Korean now. I would be having to work on my todos.

I would have had room to be open.

#open #olw #stayingopen

Staying Open – January 23

Staying open – 23

 

Some moments we live feel so acute that it’s almost impossible to imagine not being in that moment ever again. Like when you’re really really sick. The pain and discomfort are so all encompassing that even though you intellectually know you will not be sick forever it’s hard to feel that possibility.

But the cruel and joyous truth of life is that everything is ephemeral. The truth of this moment will not be the truth of your life.

It’s easy to forget this. It’s easy to take the beautiful moments for granted. Being open to this very moment helps me stay grounded and thankful for what is here now.

#open #olw #stayingopen

Staying Open – January 22

Staying Open – 22

 

Last night when I was lying in bed, I found myself stressing about today. I wanted to finish my books, paint, spend lots of time doing Korean and then read more books and I found myself wishing the day was really multiple days.

I used to wake up during the weekend mornings and immediately feel a sense of scarcity as if the day was already over and there was no way I was getting through my list.

But I gave that up a few months ago. Now I take my time. I don’t have anything I have to get done and so I am never behind. It’s all bonus.

So I told myself last night that I got to pick one thing that I really wanted to do this morning and if I did that then the rest was bonus.

My plan was to finish the book I was reading. I got up, finished the novel and then proceeded to paint, read another book, hosted the little one’s friends, worked on my olw book, and now I’m doing Korean.

It all worked out. It always does.

#open #olw #stayingopen

Staying Open – January 21

Staying Open – 21

 

A little under two weeks ago, I was at book club and jokingly said that I should learn Korean so I can watch the Korean dramas on Netflix without having to read the subtitles so I can multitask (paint) while I watch.

Fast forward ten days and I’ve obsessively been studying for hours every day. I can’t get enough.

Who knew?

It will likely take me ten years to speak or understand at the first grade level. But it’s so so much fun right now that I don’t even care.

#open #olw #stayingopen

Staying Open – January 20

 

 

Staying Open – 20

 

Tough tough tough day at work today. Feeling grateful and also sad for my colleagues.

Doing what I can to support others and taking what I need today.

Done with work finally, off to do things that fill my soul.

Not much else to say today.

#open #olw #stayingopen

Staying Open – January 19

Staying Open – 19

 

In the last few months, I’ve discovered this “new to me” form of therapy called “internal family systems” and it’s fascinating and a really compassionate way to help yourself heal.

I’m grateful to get to keep growing and healing every day.

#open #olw #stayingopen