May 2025 BookSnacks
Vol. 29—Is it worth it to read true stories?
Hi Hi HI! I wonder why I always have trouble believing that another month has passed?
In this month’s letter, you’ll find:
Our regular book reviews
From the Book-ish Market (emphasis on ‘ish’)
What I saved on Substack this month
Exciting, right?! Let’s get to it.
And if you enjoy yourself here today you can buy me a coffee or become a paid subscriber! This monthly letter is free but paid subscribers get access to The Reading Pantry, where I answer questions about all aspects of reading, and The Young Reader’s Bite, a specific book guide for kids of all ages!
Snacks you might have missed this month:
In The Reading Pantry I shared how I choose what to read and convinced you that it is a great method to use. In the Podcast, The Crumbs, I discussed many great and not great books and their adaptations. I also discussed my brief take on the new season of SLOMW (Secret Lives of Mormon Wives). And for the Young Reader’s bite I gave you some of my favorite recommendations for Nonfiction for young readers of all ages, some true gems in there!
The Reviews!
This month we’re reading Nonfiction! Nonfiction is a very very wide brimming umbrella that covers more sub-genres than, dare I say, any other genre. We have memoir, autobiography, biography, travel writing, creative nonfiction, personal essays, self-help, religious and spiritual writing, true crime, science, politics, health and wellness and literally the list could go on and on.
Some, not me, but some, may argue that the genre of nonfiction is prone to some of the worst writing ever committed to paper and ink. The genre is vulnerable to a lot of opinions and a lot of controversial topics so that does give it a certain flair for mediocrity that you don’t find in other genres. BUT, neverfear! There is great nonfiction out there, you just have to know where to look.
Currently Reading
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green 📖
Midread Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read if you like:
It’s hard to give comps for this book so instead I am giving you comps that I feel have similar writing in tone and feel.
There are just certain writers that write in a way that speaks more to your soul than to your mind. John is one of those writers. As are the writers listed in the comps. I knew literally nothing about the premise of this book and I kind of wanted it that way. I am pleasantly surprised by what it is so far. It is a collection of ‘reviews’ of different aspects of the world we live in. Events, locations, songs, etc. In classic John Green style he weaves storytelling, history, and philosophical life musings into moving prose.
Libro.FM $14 | Bookshop $19 | Barnes and Noble $19 | Amazon $16
Just Finished
The Small and The Mighty by Sharon McMahon 🎧
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read if you like:
If you lived through the great social media pile on feast that was 2020 then you probably came across Sharon at some point in your scroll. She was quickly dubbed America’s government teacher when the world was desperate to understand what was going on in American politics and even beyond. She is personable and has a kind voice and explains things with a clarity and neutrality that is so inviting and warm at the same time. I could not wait to read her book because I knew that if it had her voice infused into it, it would be amazing. I actually listened to her audiobook and let me tell you, that was a great choice! Because she reads it, it has all the nuances of her storytelling and wit and that made the experience incredible! Beyond that the stories of these amazing people in history were so remarkable and I learned so much! I highly recommend this book.
Libro.FM $15 | Bookshop $30 | Barnes and Noble $28 | Amazon $14
Vintage Read
We Were Dreamers by Simu Liu 🎧
Read if you like:
I know you love to hear a ‘how did we get here’ story so buckle up. Do you remember when Selling Sunset first aired? And now, remember when Crishell Stause joined the cast and she had an episode in which she said, “My friend Simu is looking for a house because he’s super rich now that he’s starred in a Marvel movie.” Okay, maybe she didn’t say exactly that in those words but same sentiment. And after that, my husband wanted to watch Shang Chi at some point so we did. And then, I somehow saw his book come across my social media feed when it was released and with all that background decided I should read it! Simu’s story is so much more than I thought it might be. It has so much depth and so many unexpected twists and turns to get to where he is today. I loved hearing him tell his story and learning more about his interesting life.
Libro.FM $19 | Bookshop $19 | Barnes and Noble $20 | Amazon $11
The Book-ish Market
My favorite workout shorts as of late, and they’re on sale for $10 right now!
I so badly want to be a dress person, so I’ve convinced myself that this will make it happen.
I bought these sunglasses many months ago and have loved them. But lately, with allergy season upon us, I have realized they kind of block my nose breathing. So I bought these and so far, no nose hole blockage!
Okay, I bought this tank because it’s been getting tossed around as the perfect cut and yah yah yah, but I have to say, it is not for me. I do like the cut of the neck but the torso felt so short. If you have a short torso, this might be for you!
If you follow me on Instagram you might have seen the gifts I got for my kid’s teachers this year. I got them a type of ‘summer kit.’ I got a belt bag from amazon. I was surprised at the quality and how pretty the colors were in person. I got the pale turquoise and the green asparagus colors because those are their teachers’ favorite colors(full disclosure: the green one didn’t come in time so we picked up this black one in town). Then I put this little bandaid box in there, a little stick sunscreen, a bag of this trail mix and a gift card to a favorite restaurant in town. 💁♀️
Last, something that might actually be useful. We used these glue dots to stick balloons to the ceiling for our boy’s 6th birthday. Worked great and also made me a cool mom.
Substack Saves
is teaching us how she’s having an American Girl Magazine summer and the flashbacks to my girlhood have no limit. I was obsessed with the magazine. I made the tiny cake and the tiny bookshelf! has released her Summer Reading Guide! It is truly a curated masterpiece and so fun to have at your side while making your summer reading choices! Thank you, Michelle!I loved this curated playlist from
and ! A delight.Last, making the steak sandwiches, the oat and wheat sandwich bread, the saltine cracker candy ice cream sandwiches and the homemade oreos from
’s latest letter.Snacks-To-Go
Happy People are Annoying by Josh Peck was a decent memoir. I really enjoyed hearing him read the book and talk about his life story. I tend to lean away from a memoir written by a 30-year old, but child stars may be the exception.
The Kingdom of Prep by Maggie Bullock is a very in-depth look at the rise and (almost) fall of J. Crew. This was interesting and thorough and may have benefited from some more editing. As the saying goes, nothing comes from nothing and this book has added a mark in the ‘true’ column of that statement.
Oscar Wars by Michael Schulman is another book that goes very deep into the history of you guessed it, The Oscars. I’m only a few chapters in and it’s interesting. However, the history is so in depth and there’s so much of it that my interest may start waning soon. So far I’ve learned that the awards were created to keep actors from being divas.
And that’s it!
Thank you for reading here today! I’m grateful for you.
If you found something to add to your TBR, or something to remove😉, become a paid subscriber, duh. Or buy me a drank!
Talk soon,
Adri
Thank you for sharing and for your kind words!
Oh my gosh, thank you for such a sweet feature. 🥰