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jayme

@readbyjayme

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It’s my opinion!!!!!!!! But it was hard to choose some over others. My internal panel of judges really had a lot to discuss to make these decisions. Ultimately, it came down to my level of excitement in re-reading the books that were being considered, and this is what made the cut!

Top Ten (really in no particular order - I couldn’t do further damage to myself):

Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Tin Man by Sarah Winman
Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
Just Kids by Patti Smith
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer
Pure Colour by Sheila Heti
Betty by Tiffany McDaniel

Runner Ups (I’m sorry I love you):

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
The Invention of Nature: Alexander Von Humboldt’s New World by Andrea Wolf

This was fun 🫶🏻 And it’s shown me the overwhelmingly long list of books written in this century (thus far) that I have yet to read…my TBR just gets longer and longer…

Thanks for the template, @ktlee.writes 🤍 by @readbyjayme

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2 years ago

the sun comes out for 2 seconds and suddenly i’m a changed woman! depression who??? everything is great!!! birthday flowers courtesy of my sister🌷 by @readbyjayme

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4 years ago

La la la la indeed 🙂‍↕️ taken in The Understudy Coffee and Books by @readbyjayme

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4 hours ago

Maggie O’Farrell is one of the authors that I wait for with eager anticipation and am never disappointed by. She has built that trust through the work itself - the author/reader relationship I board willingly, knowing that the journey I’m about to embark on has been meticulously researched and carefully planned, artfully designed with an intelligence and imagination that far surpasses my own. It’s a rare magic that few behold and O’Farrell wields it to her own incredible genius like it’s nothing.

I took my time with Land, as I tend to do when I know I’m in the presence of something that is well worth savoring and I’m not ready to let it pass without giving it the moment it deserves. This sweeping family saga about interconnectedness in all things human and otherwise, was a masterpiece. The distance it covers - seamless across time, generations and geography - deepened my appreciation for how our lived experiences shape not only us, but those around us, and the natural world that we’re so easily taught to exploit and dismiss. A pulsing reminder to the human race that it is the natural world that holds all the cards, and the stories we’ve long since forgotten.

I was sad to have reached the final page, but the experience of reading it has left me changed for the better. Only the most brilliant of books do that to you.

And now I find myself in the quiet glow of Land, once again awaiting the work that Maggie O’Farrell will grace us with next, whispering “thank you” into the void. by @readbyjayme

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24 days ago

I’m late…and I mean really late to the party. I watched Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir a couple of years ago, and it made me cry. Without ever having read any of Tan’s work before, the documentary unpacked just how significant her storytelling was, and how much impact The Joy Luck Club had on pop culture when it was published (it was turned into a movie shortly after).

This ripple effect specifically impacted people of Asian descent, many of whom, for the first time, saw someone who looked like them and experienced similar family values and dynamics they recognized—a representation of themselves on-screen.

Watching the documentary first and then reading the book gave me extra context and layers—how the story came to be, the historical influence that it went on to pioneer. I love when you get to peel back the layers like that and see the full picture; it was really inspiring. 🤍 by @readbyjayme

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2 months ago

Reading Ann Patchett’s work feels like floating on a fluffy cloud in dreamland, drifting in and out of intimate moments of thought and conversation, filled with memory, understanding, and resolve. I frequently forget her characters aren’t real (in the corporeal sense of the word). Whistler was no exception 🐎 by @readbyjayme

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3 months ago

🫨
🫳🏻
🎤 by @readbyjayme

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3 months ago

This was a wild ride that I didn’t want to get off. So much so that I would only allow myself nibbles of it every night to extend the amount of time I got to spend with it (which is hard to do with something you enjoy but jam pack your schedule and you’re in the clear fam). After a little over a month, I finished this sitting outside of a cabin off the coast of the PNW and felt a resounding hope for all the little freaks in the world. The birds were singing. The sun shined a little brighter through the trees. Someone reviewed this as “if Wes Anderson wrote Little Women” which I kinda fux with but also Madeline Cash imposed so much wit and clever delivery that I wouldn’t subject her writing intellect to that of a mousy male filmmaker. Put some respect on her name!!! I was sad to leave the Flynn family behind but I’m already anticipating Cash’s next novel xoxo by @readbyjayme

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4 months ago

55 books read this year and 7 stood out above the rest (in no particular order, I'm not organized enough for that):

◼ Heart the Lover by Lily King – Lily King never disappoints. I devoured this one in just a couple of days.

◼ Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead – My top favorite and one I would gladly read again (compelling enough to earn a spot on the bookstagram grid for a full review).

◼ Go As a River by Shelley Read – Unforgettable characters set in a forgotten Colorado town, reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird.

◼ The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis – The weirdo novel I couldn't put down.

◼ Felicity by Mary Oliver – Took my first real stab at poetry this year, and I nearly marked up every page with lines I wanted to remember.

◼ What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami – Made me feel seen and had me ready to sign up for another marathon by the end.

◼ Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë – My first Brontë novel, and it was every bit as revolutionary as I'd hoped.

I slacked on my book reviews this year, but sometimes life gets in the way...c'est la vie! I'll try again in the new year. Happy reading, y'all! 📖🫶🏻 by @readbyjayme

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9 months ago

I gravitated towards Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead while browsing my bookshelf, trying to decide what to bring on a road trip. Something about it drew me in—I had the feeling it would leave a lasting impression, so I promised myself I’d take my time with all 600+ pages of it. I carried this book with me throughout my summer adventures: to the Palisades of South Dakota, by fireside surrounded by the Grand Tetons, along the shores of Lake Huron in St. Ignace. In return, it graciously shepherded me around the world, pulling me into the lives of brave Miriam and sweet Jamie and all the people whose stories intertwined with theirs.

The novel swept me in and out of past and present, weaving itself together so pretty that by the time I turned the final page, I felt heartbroken to have finished it, while also being overwhelmingly grateful that I’d picked it up in the first place. One month later and I think I’m still mourning it a bit, in fact. It was one of those perfect “right book, right time” experiences, and I’m envious of everyone who gets to discover it for the first time. All that to say: put it at the top of your list or keep it nearby for the right moment in your life. Either way, you’ll thank yourself. by @readbyjayme

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a year ago

Took this pic during the summer while at the beach—do you also remember what it felt like to have sun on your skin???

I finished Madwoman last week and needed a minute to process my thoughts. While it took a while to find its footing (like I said, I picked this up in August and have just come back around to finishing it), the story grabbed me about halfway through and didn’t let go. The chaos was genuinely entertaining, but the last 50 pages felt like a sudden rush to wrap things up, an after-thought of sorts, with new information being thrown at us without the full development that was needed.

Despite my qualms with the ending, I enjoyed the ride - and this certainly didn’t dissuade me from checking out more of Chelsea Bieker’s work. I’m thinking of reading Bieker’s debut novel Godshot. Has anyone read it? I’d love to hear how it compares! taken in Eau Claire, Wisconsin by @readbyjayme

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2 years ago

I read 51 books in 2024, and here are my top favorites! All My Puny Sorrows stood out above the rest—I read it in January and it set such a high bar that no book quite measured up to it the rest of the year (although James was excellent and a close second). Excited to enter this cozy, quiet month—perfect for curling up with a good book! Happy reading, y’all! 📖🫶🏻 by @readbyjayme

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2 years ago