Mid Year Freak Out Tag

[@RememberedReads]

"Jumper in July" needs to be the name for either a small indie press, or a small indie band! 😆

[@LaurieInTexas]

I like Jesmyn Ward's fiction, but my favorite book by her is Men We Reaped. It is sad and infuriating to read about her male friends and family who died, but it is so good.

[@bookofdust]

You and I are completely on the same page on Wandering Souls, fingers crossed for big Booker impact for it. I read the collected letters of Gay poet James Merrill last year and they were fantastic, especially capturing the lives of openly Gay men prior to Stonewall, which I haven’t seen well documented across time the way it is laid out through the letters. It’s also interesting seeing how someone insanely wealthy lives when money is no obstacle to going off and living in Greece for half a year, or heading out to any place or person who captures your fancy without having to make a plan to do so or figure out how, how long and the safety net great wealth provides. And to be clear, he’s not obnoxious about it or devoid of understanding his privilege, it’s just there part of his life - fascinating!

[@GunpowderFictionPlot]

I can confirm it was just March yesterday. I've been waiting for somebody to review Joan for months now, thank you, I just wanted to make sure it was good before I read it.

[@joy_ofbooks]

I’m so glad your reading mojo seems to have returned. Long may it continue!

[@mradcaqbdb]

You’ve definitely made me want to read Joan now. Happy to hear it isn’t too heavy on the religious angle.

[@CharlieBrookReads]

Gem put Joan on her WP predictions vid I think, so pleased you loved it. I have it on my kindle waiting. So pleased your reading has picked up and you are finding little pieces of joy in it again 😊❤

[@GemofBooks]

Joan sounds do amazing!! I didn’t realise Jesmyn Ward was coming out with a new book! I read Salvage the Bones last year and really loved it.

[@Bront-ki2im]

Thank you for your reviews, enjoyed your commentary. ☺️☺️☺️

[@BookishAdventuresInWellbeing]

Just cackled at you saying you’re dead inside in response to the book crush question! 😂

[@JentheLibrarianreads]

It’s my excuse for never reading romance novels. Stone cold dead inside 😂

[@bookwhimsy]

I am very much reading Joan now and my library has it so that’s extra amazing!

[@RovingReader]

I don't even know what to pack when I come next week because it's rainy and cold apparently... I prefer standalones too! HAHA "I'm dead inside." Just requested Joan!

[@JentheLibrarianreads]

British summer means you need sun glasses, shorts, and a rain coat. 😂

[@jenniferlovesbooks]

The Chimes sounds amazing, I have immediately ordered from the library (even though my goal for the rest of the year is to read books from my shelves so that's a good start 🙈)

[@JentheLibrarianreads]

Oops, sorry to ruin the no library book plan. The Chimes is super weird, but that’s very much my thing so I loved it 😂

[@benreadsgood]

We love to see a mid-year freakout. SOLD on The Chimes. Never heard of it before but it sounds fantastic. Shame about In Memoriam. I really enjoyed it, and you are the first person I’ve heard say they didn’t 😅 But fair enough! I haven’t read much WW1 lit so that might play into it. Loved Wandering Souls but really doesn’t feel like a Booker book to me. But would be delighted if it did make an appearance.

[@JentheLibrarianreads]

I think I’m on an island by myself with In Memoriam. It definitely wasn’t written for me so I just need to be grumpy in the corner and be quiet everyone someone says it’s completely original and the best book about WW1 ever written 🤐🫣🤯 I really hope the Booker will surprise us all this year, with 13 books no one has ever heard of.

[@benreadsgood]

It could happen!!!

[@AnnNovella]

Joan is great!

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

My best book so far this year is Deluge by Stephen Markley Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton is a close second New books by Claire Keegan,Anne Enright, Louise Kennedy…. Awaiting their release Biggest surprise was Fellowship Point New favourite author is Mary Lawson ( Crow Lake) All the family in Crow Lake All Thats Left Behind made me cry All the Aussie crime books I read in April made me happy 🍀👋☘️💐📕📚☕️📖

[@JentheLibrarianreads]

I have a hold on Birnam Wood from the library. I’ve heard mixed things about it, so I’m looking forward to trying it for myself.

[@kitthereader]

Lol at you in your jumper, I’ve just been at work this evening and I was so cold and ended up in a big jumper. So glad you’ve got your mojo back! I’m intrigued by Joan but our fiction tastes are sometimes so different that I genuinely don’t know if I’ll like it or not. Happy to boycott the Booker with you if in Memoriam wins hahaha Also would love a rec for a great book of letters. Fiction told through letters is my absolute favourite thing so wouldn’t mind some interesting real life stuff too.

[@JentheLibrarianreads]

I think if you liked The Marriage Portrait you’d probably like Joan, I can see a lot of similarities. unless you really hate blood or violence, it does have a fair bit of that 😬 I really struggle with fiction told in letters, but I think it’s because I have to read so many real letters that fictional ones just never sound right to me and I can’t suspend my disbelief. I think you might like two books though: The Love That Dares (a collection of LGBTQ love and friendship letters throughout history) and the love letters of Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville West. Those are both great collections.

[@kitthereader]

@@JentheLibrarianreads I’ve added those two to my list thank you!

[@SupposedlyFun]

I'm glad you got your reading mojo back! Joan sounds very interesting. I also really did not like The Marriage Portrait but I haven't read In Memoriam yet. And I want to read Wandering Souls this month but we'll see how that goes.

[@JentheLibrarianreads]

I found the audiobook of Wandering Souls very well done, incredibly moving.

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@JentheLibrarianreads Audio might be the easiest way for me to get it in this month, so maybe I'll opt for that instead of the physical book I have. I'm debating if I want to do Howards End on audio as well. I haven't decided!

[@JentheLibrarianreads]

@@SupposedlyFun I tried starting Howard’s End in physical form but I think I’m going to switch to audio for some long drives I have to do next week

[@SupposedlyFun]

@@JentheLibrarianreads I read the physical book the first time around so I feel like audio would be a different experience this time. 🤔

[@spexi513]

Hype for the new Jesmyn Ward ! ( side note :I mostly hear ppl saying Sing Unburied Sing is their favorite, but Salvage The Bones is mine) . SOLD on Joan & ty for that, as I’ve not heard much about it 📖🪱💚