I LOVED Tom Lake and I really didn't think I would. It was so different from most things I read and I would read it again. State of Wonder is my favourite Ann Patchett book. I made a friend read it after me and she also loved it and we were texting about who we'd cast in the movie for weeks afterward.
State of Wonder is soooooo good. My mind was absolutely blown the first time I read it. Also have you heard Liz Gilbert talk about how she had almost the exact same idea for a book but didn't write it and then years later Ann Patchett wrote the book?? It's such a good story.
LOL hello fellow “real” book snob! although I’m not sure I belong to the club anymore bc I caved and bought a pre-loved kindle to use when I travel. It’s not the same. I’m also a bedtime reader — it’s the best.
I loved “Tom Lake” and I’m sooo excited to read “Good Material.” Have you read “Wedding People,”? I think you would enjoy it!
Unrelated, but I really enjoyed reading your “About Me” page. I relate to your sentiment about struggling to define yourself at the moment. I’m right there with you. Grateful to have found your Substack tonight! oh and we share a name! xo
Hi fellow Alexa! So glad that you found me ☺️ It sounds like we share quite a bit in common (isn’t it funny how that happens?). I haven’t read "Wedding People" yet but have had so many people recommend it, it’s now top of my 2025 list!
PS I’ve long thought about writing a piece about being named "Alexa" and the complications that come with it… I’d love to get some other perspectives as well so stay tuned!
I loved so many of the ones you have pictured! And, I’m happy to see that you read Come and Get It! I haven’t seen it on many lists, and I thought it was really great! Some more recs: God of the Woods (which did live up to the hype for me), The Push, These Impossible Things, Maame, and Bye, Baby :)
Ooh thank you for this! I have God of the Woods on order (glad to hear it lives up to the hype) but can't wait to check out the other ones. Sounds like we have similar reading taste :)
Tom Lake, Good Material, Come & Get It, and Margo's Got Money Troubles were all great! And Tom Lake stands out for having a really good audiobook, read by no less than Meryl Streep.
Love the list and just shared the link with my book group. Did I ever tell you that our name is the RBG (Rough Book Group). Story for another time. I’ll see them all tomorrow and will take a poll of favorites from the year. To be continued (hope I remember 😂).
In goodreads.com are three with the title of The Guest List, one by Lucy Foley, one by Melissa Hill, and the other by Fern Michaels. Which one did your group read?
Our reading tastes are very aligned :-) Carrie Soto was such a great one. I didn't read The Guest List but I did read The Paris Apartment and that was one I cruised through faster than I thought. My TBR list grows literally every day and I'm just trying to keep up!
Tom Lake was my first ever Ann Patchett book and it was so good - the audio book is narrated by Meryl Streep which didn't hurt. Dolly Alderton and Taylor Jenkins Reid are also big favorites and I devoured Carrie Soto!
A surprising favorite of mine this year was I'm Mostly Here To Enjoy Myself by Glynis MacNicol. It reads like a fiction but is actually more of a memoir. I recommend it.
Two that I have recently read were The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by O'Farrell, Maggie - amazing book unlike anything I had ever read before, or even imagined - and In the Eye of the Wild by Nastassja Martin - non-fiction account of author's woman-meets-bear story that is staggering.
And I’m really happy to have discovered your Substack! Can’t wait to dive more into your posts!
I'm so honored to hear that! I'm really happy to have you as a reader.
☺️
Grateful for your nudge to read Carrie Soto! Not my typical choice and her strong spirit has stayed with me.
I LOVED Tom Lake and I really didn't think I would. It was so different from most things I read and I would read it again. State of Wonder is my favourite Ann Patchett book. I made a friend read it after me and she also loved it and we were texting about who we'd cast in the movie for weeks afterward.
State of Wonder is soooooo good. My mind was absolutely blown the first time I read it. Also have you heard Liz Gilbert talk about how she had almost the exact same idea for a book but didn't write it and then years later Ann Patchett wrote the book?? It's such a good story.
Okay adding State of Wonder to my list!
LOL hello fellow “real” book snob! although I’m not sure I belong to the club anymore bc I caved and bought a pre-loved kindle to use when I travel. It’s not the same. I’m also a bedtime reader — it’s the best.
I loved “Tom Lake” and I’m sooo excited to read “Good Material.” Have you read “Wedding People,”? I think you would enjoy it!
Unrelated, but I really enjoyed reading your “About Me” page. I relate to your sentiment about struggling to define yourself at the moment. I’m right there with you. Grateful to have found your Substack tonight! oh and we share a name! xo
Hi fellow Alexa! So glad that you found me ☺️ It sounds like we share quite a bit in common (isn’t it funny how that happens?). I haven’t read "Wedding People" yet but have had so many people recommend it, it’s now top of my 2025 list!
PS I’ve long thought about writing a piece about being named "Alexa" and the complications that come with it… I’d love to get some other perspectives as well so stay tuned!
brilliant idea!!! I could talk about that forever lol. 🫠 I’d be happy to contribute my experience. 🩷
I loved so many of the ones you have pictured! And, I’m happy to see that you read Come and Get It! I haven’t seen it on many lists, and I thought it was really great! Some more recs: God of the Woods (which did live up to the hype for me), The Push, These Impossible Things, Maame, and Bye, Baby :)
Ooh thank you for this! I have God of the Woods on order (glad to hear it lives up to the hype) but can't wait to check out the other ones. Sounds like we have similar reading taste :)
Have tried twice to read Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. I think this will be the book I need someday but that day has not come yet?
That must be me too! Sometimes the book is right but the timing just isn’t right… until that day comes it shall sit in the TBR pile 🤷🏻♀️
Tom Lake, Good Material, Come & Get It, and Margo's Got Money Troubles were all great! And Tom Lake stands out for having a really good audiobook, read by no less than Meryl Streep.
Okay that’s two recommendations for Tom Lake audio book, I’m going to have to give it a listen!
I also loved Bride. I read it 2x... physical copy then again on audio!
Ooooh I’m very intrigued by the audio book version! Might have to give it a listen.
Love the list and just shared the link with my book group. Did I ever tell you that our name is the RBG (Rough Book Group). Story for another time. I’ll see them all tomorrow and will take a poll of favorites from the year. To be continued (hope I remember 😂).
I loved Circe, The Women and The Guest List! Haven’t heard of Looking for Jane so will check that one out. Love the recommendations ❤️
Curious to hear the story 😂 thanks for sharing!
A bit belated, but here’s the ‘take’ from the 12 books the ‘RBG’ read this year…
Several were not unanimously liked. The only ones everyone agreed on were:
Circe by Madeline Miller
The Women
The Guest List
Looking for Jane
Not a very robust list.
For 2025 I’ve already nixed January’s book, ‘13 Women’. It’s the stories of 13 women all serving time in prison.
I’ve moved on to February, and just started ‘The Briar’s Club’. I’ll let you know.
Some good suggestions here.
In goodreads.com are three with the title of The Guest List, one by Lucy Foley, one by Melissa Hill, and the other by Fern Michaels. Which one did your group read?
Love this idea of a what I read list!
I’m always so curious to see what other people are reading!
Our reading tastes are very aligned :-) Carrie Soto was such a great one. I didn't read The Guest List but I did read The Paris Apartment and that was one I cruised through faster than I thought. My TBR list grows literally every day and I'm just trying to keep up!
Love that we have similar tastes :)
Ooh I haven’t read The Paris Apartment, will check that one out. I was in such a reading rut and thrillers really helped to get me out of it!
Tom Lake was my first ever Ann Patchett book and it was so good - the audio book is narrated by Meryl Streep which didn't hurt. Dolly Alderton and Taylor Jenkins Reid are also big favorites and I devoured Carrie Soto!
A surprising favorite of mine this year was I'm Mostly Here To Enjoy Myself by Glynis MacNicol. It reads like a fiction but is actually more of a memoir. I recommend it.
Ooh I’ll check that one out, love the rec!!
Two that I have recently read were The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by O'Farrell, Maggie - amazing book unlike anything I had ever read before, or even imagined - and In the Eye of the Wild by Nastassja Martin - non-fiction account of author's woman-meets-bear story that is staggering.