(I wasn’t paying attention and some July books snuck onto this list.)
*book group selection | bolded means favorite
Picture Books
*Fireworks by Matthew Burgess and Catia Chien
*Mistaco: A Tale of Tragedy y Tortillas by Eliza Kinkz
*Hurricane by Jason Chin
*Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan
*Faith Takes the Train by Kesi Augustine and Mokshini
*Pilgrim Codex by Vivian Mansour and Emmanuel Valtierra
Middle Grade
*Halfway to Somewhere by José Pimienta
*Speak Up, Santiago! by Julio Anta and Gabi Mendez
Young Adult
*The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Ancrum
The Beautiful Maddening by Shea Ernshaw
Grownup Fiction
We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman
The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center
Us Against You by Fredrik Backman
Young Nonfiction
*Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa: Join the Quest with Peru’s Famed Scientist and Potato Expert by Sara Andrea Fajardo
Grownup Nonfiction
The Art of Dressing Curves: The Best-Kept Secrets of a Fashion Stylist by Susan Moses
Another book with too much talk of problem areas. It also covers a much fancier class of clothing than I wear. Apparently the art involves a lot of shapewear which, given that my qualifying clothing question is “Do the men have to do this?” is not something I am interested in.
That said, a lot of interesting information and resources. And if you are interested in shapewear, this is the book for you.
The Wardrobe Wakeup: Your Guide to Looking Fabulous at Any Age by Lois Joy Johnson
Whoo-boy did I hate this. It was incredibly prescriptive (I will continue to wear long skirts, thank you) and incredibly self-congratulatory, which is a thing that drives me crazy about baby boomers. There was some lip service to looking good no matter your weight, but every woman featured in this was tiny in that way that means endless salads and no pasta.
The Curated Closet: A Simple System for Discovering Your Personal Style and Building Your Dream Wardrobe by Anuschka Rees
I’m not so sure about this being a simple system, but it does seem to be a solid one for slowly building your style. No mention of problem areas.
The Ultimate Book of Outfit Formulas: A Stylish Solution to What Should I Wear? by Alison Lumbatis
Lumbatis is much more of a fan of wearing gray than I am, and the clothing was a little more informal than I would choose for work, but there was some good inspiration in the shoe department.
How to Get Dressed: A Costume Designer’s Secrets for Making Your Clothes Look, Fit, and Feel Amazing by Alison Freer
This is a book to buy and keep on your reference shelf. There is no mention of problem areas, Freer comes out hard against shapewear (and for granny panties), and she’s full of tips and tricks. I’m not on board with all her laundry instructions, but it’s good to know they are there should I ever have a change of heart. And it contains the most extensive list of stain removal methods that I’ve ever read.
Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green
Notes on a Silencing: A Memoir by Lacy Crawford
Ahead of the Curve: Learn to Fit and Sew Amazing Clothes for Your Curves by Jenny Rushmore
The Re:Fashion Wardrobe: Sew Your Own Stylish, Sustainable Clothes by Portia Lawrie
Radical Sewing: Pattern-Free, Sustainable Fashions for All Bodies by Kate B. Weiss
Postdiabetic: An Easy-to-Follow 9-Week Guide to Reversing Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes by Eric Edmeades and Rubén Ruiz