Top 5 Tuesday: My Favorite Celebrity Memoirs

Posted on by AmandaKay

Happy Tuesday, book friends! It’s time for the first Top 5 Tuesday of February, and this week’s topic is a freebie. It took me a minute to think about what I wanted to do, but then I remembered how much I love celebrity memoirs and how many amazing ones I’ve read. So, favorite celebrity memoirs it is!

Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme created by Bionic Bookworm, now hosted by Meeghan Reads. If you’re interested in participating, check out their blog to get the details and the prompts for each week! Now for my top five favorite celebrity memoirs!

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

Kaling’s second essay collection, Why Not Me? has been an inspiration to me for years. She writes about chasing your dreams, channeling confidence in your abilities, and she plays a bit with form and genre as well. I adore this book and listen to it again every few years.

The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting by Evanna Lynch

Full confession: I’m in the midst of reading this one right now, so I haven’t actually read the entire thing. But even from the first 18% I’ve listened to so far, I can tell I’m going to adore this unflinching memoir by the actress who played Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy

Such a powerfully written book that tackles difficult topics with skill and doesn’t shy away from them. I adore this book and am still a bit in awe of McCurdy’s writing chops.

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

I didn’t know who Zauner was before reading this one, but as she’s relatively well known in the music world, I’m counting this powerful memoir of grief and love as a celebrity memoir. And it is excellent.

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay

Maybe this one is cheating, since Gay is primarily a literary figure. But I’d say she is a famous one, a celebrity of the literary world. This memoir is excellent, a powerful look at how our emobodied experience impacts our lives, particularly when our bodies do not fit society’s expectations of them.

I’m sure I’ve forgotten some truly amazing celebrity memoirs, but these are the 5 that come to mind when I think about great memoirs I’ve read in the past few years. Do you enjoy a good memoir? I’m always looking for some to add to my list.

Book Mail Monday 2/6/2023

Posted on by AmandaKay

Happy Monday, book friends! I’ve been doing pretty well with my goal of buying fewer books and prioritizing my owned TBR. But, when I left my day job in Student Affairs, my parting gift from my colleagues was a gift card to my favorite local bookstore, White Whale. Naturally, I had to order a couple of books!

They arrived, along with my first Book of the Month pick after skipping for several months due to my vow not to buy books unless I know I’ll read them right away. Let’s take a look at my fresh new book stack!

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn

I keep seeing this one on book blogs and bookstagram, so I couldn’t resist grabbing it when it popped up as a February Book of the Month pick.

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

This one is a highly anticipated read for me. It’s been getting good buzz, but I would’ve been drawn in by the cover and synopsis regardless. Messy buns and tear-smeared mascara are definitely a vibe I relate to from my own grad school days, and I love a good story about growth and self-discovery. I can’t wait to read this one.

Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll love or hate this one. But I just keep hearing about it and I’m curious enough that I have to give it a go. This book features a secret society of witches who work for, you guessed it, the queen.

This will be my last book mail, probably, before the move. Most of my books are tucked away in boxes and it feels very strange not to have my shelves full of books. I can’t wait to unpack and organize them in our new space soon.

Hope your week gets off to a good start! Let me know if you got any exciting new books this past week!