I’m happy to say I had a good week of reading! Two audiobooks and three physical books total, and the majority of these were all winners. And, I had another win this week. Despite being overwhelmingly busy at work and feeling like crap one day, I got back into jogging and restarted my Couch to 5K running program.

Anyway, here’s what I read this week.

• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel – When the world is crushed by a flu pandemic, individuals discover their strength and what means most to them. This book, published in 2014, hits so hard after COVID-19, but it goes well beyond the pandemic to explore themes of humanity and survival while using multiple timelines and points of view to tell a beautiful story.
• The Celebrants by Steven Rowley – This was one of my most anticipated books for 2023. I adore Steven Rowley’s works and loved this book just as much as I thought I would. Five friend form a pact to join together and leave nothing unsaid. , holding living funerals for each other when they’re facing personal crises. I loved all of this book.
• Honor by Thrity Umrigar – I knew nothing about this book when I started listening, but I loved it. Honor is the story of two women whose lives are profoundly changed by social and cultural pressures in India. It is not just beautifully written, but also it is a heartbreakingly poignant look at women’s rights.
• ‘You Just Need to Lose Weight’: And 19 Other Myths About Fat People by Aubrey Gordon – I learned about Aubrey Gordon through her podcast with Michael Hobbes, Maintenance Phase, and loved her first book, What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat. I fully recommend her new book as well. It can be dense in portions, but that is because her arguments are so fully researched. ‘You Just Need to Lose Weight’ is a powerful read that challenges conceptions about weight, anti-fatness, and society.
• What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall – Starting my list with the one book that I didn’t enjoy. I listened to this thriller early in the week and don’t remember much about it now.

I’ve started new books already and am ready to finish July strong. Happy reading!