Happy Sunday!
Thank you so much for all the retroactive love on my posts about the eel pit.
Turns out all I had to do was heckle you? You sick freaks!
If you want me to be your dominatrix, who am I to deny you???
Anyway, we’re back to talking about books….
The theme of my June reading was “girls being scary.”
I read about:
The Kardashian’s world domination
Teenage betrayals on a microscopic level
Teenage betrayals on a mass murder level
Modern dating mishaps from a regular dude’s perspective
Let’s go, girls!
🤳 Dekonstructing the Kardashians, M.J. Corey ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A ‘new media manifesto’ chronicling the evolution of media through the lens of the Kardashians.
I did expect to give this media theory book five stars, but any text that weaves together Kim Kardashian, Marshall McLuhan, Theranos, Mickey Mouse, WWE, Bimbofication, and the Panoptican deserves it. Truly, I’m astounded. Communications nerds, this is for you!
🐷 Carrie, Stephen King ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A religious girl with telekinesis is bullied so hard that she kills everyone at prom.
What do you want me to say? This is Carrie… It’s a modern horror classic. Of course I loved it!
It’s worth noting that there’s a school shooting parallel to the plot, in 1974, Stephen King couldn’t have predicted. In some ways, it’s scarier now than it was back then, and that’s an incredible feat. However! There are two reasons why I couldn’t give this book a full-5 stars:
I think the movie is better. I know, I know, I know! A book nerd is never supposed to admit that! Unfortunately, the image of Carrie covered in pig’s blood is more visceral than anything in the actual novel. Overall, the pacing was so fast that I think the book was born to be a screenplay.
Stephen cannot help himself from describing bodily functions and urges in a way that is distinctly male. Lest we forget all the poop in 11/22/63…
iconic 👯♀️ Girl’s Girl, Sonia Feldman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A teen girl trio of besties is absolutely rocked by a secret kiss.
A 2026 debut you should read! Are you nostalgic for girlhood? Have you ever been left behind by your friends at a local fair? Do you love reading about intricate relationship drama? Did you ever get FOMO while grocery shopping with your mom in a summer outfit that was way too cold for the refrigerated section? Are you interested in queer coming-of-age stories and/or torturing Sims? Pick this up right now!
⛳️Walking Red Flag, Jared Freid ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Real-life dating advice from your favorite guy friend
I am not dating, but it’s important to keep ‘em guessing…
Mark! If you’re reading this, this is your reminder to stay vigilant! Have you taken the trash out?? Did you give me a sweet little kiss on the forehead when you woke up this morning??? Do you know what you’re getting me for our anniversary in two months?????
Jokes aside, I’ve followed Jared Freid as a podcaster since my university days, so I had to pick up his book. If you are dating, you should read this! It’s the most relatable, funny, non-self-helpy self-help book I’ve read about relationships, and — even as an old married hag — I’ve found lots of sage advice in its pages!
Last Thought:
I have been laughing over this reel for 5 days.
This is how I show up to every networking function. This is how I approach this newsletter. These are the questions that keep me up at night.
Please, ma’am, can I try on your shoes?
Just slip your feet out, and I’ll slip mine right in after! No biggie.
Epilogue
What did you read this month?
Anything I should add to my TBR?