Krys’ Little Life

Krys’ Little Life BLM, Free Palestine, Queer AF, support education, human rights are not political

Genre: Fiction
Format: Paperback
Author: Garth Stein
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5I honestly did not expect to fly through The Art ...
08/30/2026

Genre: Fiction
Format: Paperback
Author: Garth Stein
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I honestly did not expect to fly through The Art of Racing in the Rain the way I did. This was such an emotional read, and I cried at least four separate times. 🥲🐾

But I also had a pretty unique reading experience with this one because I read a copy that was annotated by my friend Kallie’s Bookstagram . And y’all, some of her notes broke my heart just as much as the actual book did. 😭 There were several annotations about parenting and moments in her own life that correlated with events happening in the story, and having those thoughts alongside the book added an entirely different layer to the experience.

The amount of ANGER I felt while reading this book was honestly unreal. There were characters that I hated with every fiber of my being. Like, sooooo much. I wanted to climb directly into the pages on more than one occasion because some of these people had me absolutely heated.

There were also a few moments where a character was introduced and then seemed to conveniently move the plot forward or help bring about a happier ending. You know when something works out in a way that feels a little too neat and convenient? Yeah. There were a few moments like that for me, and they didn’t always feel completely natural.

My biggest reason for docking a star, though, is completely a me problem. 😂 I am simply not a sports girlie. Every time the book shifted into more detailed racing talk, I found myself being pulled out of the story a little. I know racing is obviously a HUGE part of this book, so that isn’t necessarily a criticism of the book itself. It just wasn’t the part of the story that connected with me.

But overall? This book had me feeling EVERYTHING. I cried. I was angry. I was heartbroken. I was hopeful. I read it incredibly quickly, and Enzo completely stole my heart. 🐾😭

Trigger Warnings: Death, grief, terminal illness, sexual assault allegations, animal illness

I’m creative, but not necessarily artistic. I don’t mean that in a negative way either. We all have our own talents. I h...
08/26/2026

I’m creative, but not necessarily artistic. I don’t mean that in a negative way either. We all have our own talents. I had to share this journal page I did, even though I wish I could’ve executed it more like I envisioned it.

Someone in a video, I wish I could remember who, said something along the lines of Dolly not having to work 9-5 any more, and the creative juices just flowed from there!

I came up with this doodle for my junk journal. It’s hard to see, but the clock is a glittery rose gold. Of course I had to add Dolly’s signature butterfly. The rhinestones also felt very her. The clock hands being a guitar handle though is my favorite touch.

Not many celebrities deaths upset me much, but this one? Oof, this one hurts. I’ve been watching videos and reading articles all day about what a giving person Dolly was. She was loving and accepting of all people. She never forgot her roots and gave back, abundantly. She accepted everyone for exactly who they were. She was the very definition of kindness, and the world is a little less glittery without her.

Plan the damn event.For years, I put off planning my birthday. I have a little bit of birthday trauma that I won’t get i...
08/23/2026

Plan the damn event.

For years, I put off planning my birthday. I have a little bit of birthday trauma that I won’t get into here, which was only solidified when my stepdad passed away three years ago, on my birthday. I always wanted someone else to plan it for me because, honestly, I thought that if no one showed up the way I hoped they would, at least it wouldn’t feel like *I* had been the one let down.

Then came 2024.

Things happened, and I learned the hard way that, even though I have people in my life who love me, I have to love myself first. I have to save myself. I cannot build my happiness around whether or not other people show up.

So in 2025, I planned my own birthday for the first time.

And the turnout absolutely blew my mind.

This year’s birthday party was just as special, but I think what made it even more meaningful is realizing how much my life has changed. I’ve taken the time to cultivate friendships that are deep, diverse, and strong. I may not talk to these people every single day, but for the most part, they show up for me in the good, the difficult, and everything in between.

Quality over quantity, every time.

I have never felt more celebrated by the people I love than I have this August. I’ve been reminded again and again that I am loved, that I matter, and that I don’t have to wait for someone else to make my life worth celebrating.

So, to the people who have shown up for me, loved me loudly, loved me quietly, checked in, celebrated me, laughed with me, cried with me, and helped make this year what it has been: thank you. You have made me feel more loved than you probably realize.

Apparently, sometimes the lesson really is:

Plan the damn event.
Send the invitations.
Make the memories.
And let the people who love you show up.

Chapter 37 is off to the best possible start, and I cannot wait to see what this chapter brings.

Also, shout out to The Library Steakhouse. This is my second birthday celebration here and the service is top tier every time! I’ll see yall again next year!

#37

Girls Birthday Trip •Great music ✅•Laughter ✅•Relaxation ✅•Deep talks ✅•Good reads ✅•Amazing coffee ✅A bestie who makes ...
08/18/2026

Girls Birthday Trip

•Great music ✅
•Laughter ✅
•Relaxation ✅
•Deep talks ✅
•Good reads ✅
•Amazing coffee ✅

A bestie who makes time for you, who prioritizes you? It’s life changing, I highly recommend! Thank you Hannah Naber Ashley , for the best weekend. I love you!

Genre: Literary Fiction Format: AudiobookAuthor: R.F. KuangPublisher: William MorrowNarrator: Helen Laser⭐⭐⭐⭐.75I was **...
08/18/2026

Genre: Literary Fiction
Format: Audiobook
Author: R.F. Kuang
Publisher: William Morrow
Narrator: Helen Laser
⭐⭐⭐⭐.75

I was **HOOKED**.

I usually only listen to audiobooks while I’m driving because apparently my brain has decided that listening while doing anything else means I will immediately get distracted. Yellowface though? I listened to it every chance I got. Housework, errands, sitting around... if I could listen, I was listening.

I learned SO much about the publishing world, and I loved how R.F. Kuang pulled back the curtain on the industry, from publishing and editing to book marketing, social media, reviews, and the absolute chaos that can happen when all of those things collide.

And June Hayward? **I HATED HER.** But in the best possible way. I did not root for her. Not even a little. I wanted to watch this woman crash and burn so badly. And honestly, I think the author let her off a little too easily... although maybe that’s the point. Maybe it’s also painfully realistic.

There were a few minor inconsistencies that kept me from giving it the full 5 stars. One that I noticed was a timeline issue surrounding Athena’s death. At one point, Athena is still alive at a writers’ program in the summer of 2018, but later June’s memories place her visiting her mother in the spring of that same year, which doesn’t quite line up. It was minor enough that it didn’t take me out of the story, but I noticed it.

Honestly, some of the things that initially felt inconsistent could probably be attributed to June being an unreliable narrator, which makes me wonder if I was being played the entire time (I was, and I’m HERE for it!).

4.75 stars because I absolutely loved this. It was addictive, uncomfortable, infuriating, and wildly entertaining. I finished it wanting to scream at June, dissect the publishing industry, and immediately put this book on my shelf.

And yes, I NEED a physical copy of this one.** 📚

⚠️ Trigger Warnings: racism, cultural appropriation, plagiarism, online harassment, threats/stalking, mental health struggles, grief, suicide/self-harm.

Genre: Contemporary FictionFormat: AudiobookAuthor: Jeanine CumminsPublisher: Flatiron BooksNarrator: Yareli Arizmendi⭐⭐...
08/18/2026

Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Format: Audiobook
Author: Jeanine Cummins
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Narrator: Yareli Arizmendi
⭐⭐⭐⭐️

This one broke my heart.

I listened to *American Dirt* on audiobook, and Yareli Arizmendi was fantastic. Her narration brought so much emotion and humanity to Lydia and Luca’s story and honestly made an already heartbreaking story hit even harder.

This was one of those books where I learned far more than I expected to, especially considering it’s a work of fiction. It gave me a much deeper understanding of the fear, desperation, sacrifice, and uncertainty surrounding immigration and the journey so many people make in search of safety.

And what really struck me was how timely it felt. American Dirt was published in January 2020, but so much of what it explores still feels painfully relevant today.

It’s heartbreaking, terrifying, and at times incredibly difficult to read, but it also carries so much humanity, resilience, and hope. I walked away from this one thinking about it long after I finished.

Four stars because, while I found the story incredibly powerful and learned so much from it, something kept it from crossing that 5-star line for me. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I know I’m glad I read it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️This book WRECKED me.It was part of my birthday reading challenge, and apparently August 15th is Romqnce Booksto...
08/18/2026

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book WRECKED me.

It was part of my birthday reading challenge, and apparently August 15th is Romqnce Bookstore Day. Obviously that means romance was one of prompts for our birthday reading challenge, and once again, Hannah Naber Ashley picked the perfect book for me.

I don’t typically gravitate toward romance, but maybe I’m just damaged because I LOVE when a book emotionally destroys me. And this one? Yeah. It understood the assignment.

I cried. A lot, but especially toward the end. **That mountain scene. IYKYK.** 🥺

I don’t want to say too much because going into this book without knowing what’s coming is part of the experience, but anything involving sick children or the possibility of losing a child is going to absolutely rip my heart out, and Rebecca Yarros did not hold back.

That being said, I’m giving it 4 stars because there were definitely moments where it felt longer than it needed to be, and the pacing dragged a little at times. But even with that, the emotional impact was undeniable.

Another Hannah pick that somehow managed to get me completely out of my usual reading comfort zone and straight into the emotional trenches. 💔

**Trigger warnings:** child illness, child death, grief/loss, death of a parent/sibling, serious illness, military death/trauma.

Genre: Horror ComedyFormat: PaperbackAuthor: Rachel HarrisonPublisher: Penguin Random House⭐⭐⭐.5This was definitely not ...
08/16/2026

Genre: Horror Comedy
Format: Paperback
Author: Rachel Harrison
Publisher: Penguin Random House
⭐⭐⭐.5

This was definitely not what I expected, and honestly, I mean that in the best way.
My bestie Hannah Naber Ashley picked this one for my birthday challenge, with the prompt “a book outside your comfort zone,” and she definitely understood the assignment. The religion aspect in this book went in a direction I absolutely did not see coming, and I loved that it surprised me.
That said, it took a while to get to the point. I was intrigued enough to keep going, but I kept waiting for things to really kick into gear., then suddenly the ending happened so fast that I got literary whiplash. 🤣

Overall, it wasn’t a bad book by any means. It was interesting, unexpected, and definitely got me out of my comfort zone. I just finished it feeling a little more “huh, okay” than “OMG I need everyone to read this.”

Chapter 37. Still laughing at the plot twists, still turning the chapter.
08/15/2026

Chapter 37. Still laughing at the plot twists, still turning the chapter.

I got a bit behind on my reviews, so here’s some repaid fire ones for the books I missed in July. Yesteryear-I found it ...
08/03/2026

I got a bit behind on my reviews, so here’s some repaid fire ones for the books I missed in July.

Yesteryear-I found it pretty ehh. It wasn’t a bad book by any means, don’t get me wrong! The last 1/4 was fascinating…it just happened so quickly. I love what the author is trying to do and with the rise of tradwife influencers, it’s timely for sure. The first 2/3 though were just so slow for me and really dragged. I kept thinking “what’s the point? Where is this going?” I even had to pause and rewind the audiobook a few times. A solid 3/5 read.

My Friends- OMG, I LOVED this book! I couldn’t put it down, read it SO fast! I cried more than once, and underlined so many passages. It’s a slice of life story and just…so heartwarming and at times heartbreaking.

Everything is Tuberculosis- I’m not going to lie, I was expecting to be bored with this one and MAN was I wrong! I learned SO much and am still thinking about it weeks later. The fact that such a curable disease is still killing so many unnecessarily is incredibly infuriating!

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Raleigh, NC
27511, 27518, 27529, 27545, 27560, 27587, 27591, 27601, 27603, 27604, 27605, 276

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 6pm
Tuesday 7am - 6pm
Wednesday 7am - 6pm
Friday 7am - 6pm

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