Hello From the Other Side
An April 2024 Reading Roundup.
Hello. Hi. How are you? I hope this post finds you reclined somewhere, tasty beverage close at hand, on the hunt for some good books to read. But first, a bit about where I have been.
I know we’re all inundated with discussions about technology and our relationship to it, and I don’t want to compound or exacerbate a general sense of overwhelm or loss of control. So, please feel free to skip this mini-essay and scroll straight down to the book chat below.
I really wanted to send my April reading roundup into the world without any explanation as to my recent mini-absence from Substacking (is this a verb yet?). I wanted to breezily chalk my irregular posting schedule up to travel, a horrible cold, being busy at work (all things that have happened in the past month or so) and get straight into the book chat. But, unfortunately for me, that feels disingenuous. This April reading roundup is not ~23 days late because I have been busy but because I have been 🌀 spiraling 🌀 (again?) about whether I should be on this platform at all.
Specifically, I have been quietly overthinking a Substack Note about reading roundups. The inciting Note:
This Note may seem fairly innocuous to you (I’m so glad if that’s the case) but its impact on me… was outsized, to put it politely.1
I remember the day I decided I was going to quit my old job. I had just finished drafting a 30-page regulatory submission that took weeks of research and effort. It was a beautiful, spring Saturday, and I thought it would be the perfect moment to take my son to the park, sans devices. I left my phone at home for about an hour and I returned to 13 missed Teams calls and an absolute dumpster fire of comments to triage and requests to handle. While you might think the aforementioned situation was toxic or unnecessary (and maybe it was) it is also the reality of working in BigLaw (as I wrote more about here).
A little over a year later, I have taken a rather sizable pay cut but revel in my ability to turn off all of my devices at 7:30 pm on weekdays, if I so choose. I do not check my e-mail (work or personal) until the following morning, after my son is on the bus to school. I delight in this practice because it was an unthinkable privilege when I still worked in BigLaw.
I was to be available to clients at all hours and so I was tethered to my devices. As I was reliant on my devices to be considered effective at my job, all the interstitial moments of my life were swallowed whole by social media or media more generally. I would check my e-mail to see if I had received a draft I needed to review and if the draft had not yet landed in my inbox, I would find myself (without even truly realizing it) mindlessly scrolling Instagram for 15 minutes. Or, sometimes, and arguably worse, doom-scrolling the news. Unfortunately, all of this is fairly commonplace.
What is perhaps less commonplace is the gratitude I have for my new-found technological freedom and my absolute determination to take advantage of it. I grant its possible that this determination may sometimes veer into the territory of unhealthy obsession. Maybe I pressure myself into being offline because I took such drastic measures (downshifting my career in some senses) to have this very privilege.
Whatever the motivations, I no longer have Instagram or TikTok on my phone. I regularly take phone breaks and schedule device-free days. I’m extremely careful about who I follow and what I read. Therefore, I found the Note above jarring.2
I suppose it bothered me, in part, because it was written in that very specific Twitter/X-tone—crafted to garner attention, if not vitriol, but generally light on nuance.3 A tone that is not often found on Substack, a platform that is seemingly dedicated to long-form content. Perhaps the Note, therefore, increased my anxiety that Substack might be changing, as all platforms invariably do.
But, after a brief crisis, over whether I retain anything from what I read (the Note author suggests not, in the comments) and whether audiobooks should actually be considered reading (again, the Note author suggests not) I realized this Note was having an oversized impact on me because my reading life has saved me from an unhealthy relationship to my phone (and technology more broadly).
I am not an especially disciplined person and I don’t have super human bouts of will power. The reason I was able to quit social media (a part from Substack) so easily is not because I have divined some special remedy or reduced my susceptibility to the algorithms that control us all but rather because I read.4 A lot.
When other people reach for their phones, I reach for my kindle, or a physical book, or an audiobook (most often listened to from my Kindle Oasis so that I am not tempted to fall into some sort of rabbit hole on my phone, iPad, or computer). My consistent reading habit has always been a pillar of my (mental) self-care regimen but it is only now that I have escaped from BigLaw that I can immerse myself fully in a book, not worrying about what e-mails or Teams messages I am missing. The gratitude I have for this ritual keeps me grounded and happy (and off my phone).
Nevertheless, being confronted with this Note made me reconsider whether I should be on Substack at all. Does the world really need another reading roundup? I will concede the Note’s author *maybe* had a point, there is a *lot* of bookish content on Substack (especially at the beginning of each month). And if no one really needs more bookish content, why am I subjecting myself to being on a social media platform, at all?5
To be perfectly honest, even after three weeks of mulling, I don’t have a complete or satisfying answer. I do know that I have read many perspective-shifting essays on Substack in the past few years. And that
’s recipe for Mozzarella with Potent Italian Salsa Verde! has brought me a level of joy that I continue to struggle to put into words.I also know that, on a more personal level, creating and writing are helping me process the past few years of my life. Without agonizing over this post, I’m not sure I would have realized that in eschewing social media, I am careening towards the obsessive6 or that I wasn’t allowing myself to publish something about my reading life because of a Substack Note that probably took less time to craft than a single book summary below.
I draft these reading roundups because I think the world needs more bookish community, not less. I know I love connecting with people over books. I also write because there have been countless writers and creators, whose vulnerability on the internet has been helpful to me in navigating confusing or difficult times. Now that I’m in a better place, mentally, and possibly professionally, I want to pay that wisdom and vulnerability forward, so to speak.
To respond to the offending Note more directly—I read about 9 novels a month, I’m not lying about this. I have way too much gratitude for the autonomy I have over my own time for that.7 And I sleep 7-8 hours a night. I simply don’t scroll on Instagram or TikTok very often (anymore). And now, I will probably also limit my time reading Substack Notes and delete the Substack app off my phone.
Feelings processed, I am unabashedly publishing my April reading roundup today with exactly nine novels. I would love to hear your thoughts on my feelings above and the books below. Please do sound off 🔇 in the comments, if you can—I’m here for the bookish community after all. But, if you’re too busy reading a novel, even better.
If you would like to know more my approach to reading roundups, please start here.
📚 The Force of Such Beauty by Barbara Bourland. I believe I learned of this book from
and ’s A Thing or Two newsletter and finally picked it up when Meredith Monday-Schwartz of Currently Reading recommended it as a timely read, given the world was melting down over Kate Middleton’s edited Mother’s Day photo. The story follows a South African marathoner and Olympian who marries the Prince of a fictional nation (that is very much based on Monaco). I didn’t pick up the novel when it was originally recommended because I was afraid that it would be too dark for me. Truthfully, the themes explored in the book are pretty tough (trigger warnings abound)—this is not a Disney fairy-tale, this is a Grimms’ fairy tale—without a happy ending. Nevertheless, I loved it. The writing is somehow both cutting and lush and the story itself is well-plotted and paced. I alternated between my kindle and the audiobook when reading this. Both formats have their merits but there is so much prose that is worth underlining so, if that’s something you do, I would pick-up a copy of the physical book or read it on your kindle.Read this if you’re in the MOOD for: thinking deeply about what we expect from women in the public eye, or a story set in a fictitious, picturesque, and unsettling European Kingdom.
A quote to keep: “Men—rich men, handsome men, powerful men; poor men, hideous men, weak men—men do not want women they can simply have. Men are socialized to chase and dominate, to win, to esteem combativeness.”
📚 None of This is True by Lisa Jewell. The hold this book had over me! I already wrote about the tailspin the ending had me in but I will now add this was a throughly enjoyable reading experience. The book follows two women who connect at a restaurant on their birthday and then start a podcast titled “Birthday Twin.” Their lives become increasingly enmeshed but as the story unfolds Jewell provides commentary on class in England, abuse, what we expect of victims, what we expect of women with older men, true crime, and so much more. The audiobook is narrated by Nicola Walker (of Annika and The Split fame) and Louise Brearly. While the structure of the book is engrossing, the audio narration pluses it up further. I loved being able to listen to the podcast within the book and Nicola Walker is my forever Queen. I hope she narrates more audiobooks in the future. In researching this post, I realized this was not my first Jewell novel. I read Ralph’s Party when it came out—I was twelve (again, permissive parenting of the ‘90s) and I have no recollection of it, but based on None of This is True I might delve into Jewell’s thriller backlist.
Read this if you’re in the MOOD for: a true crime podcast, without any of the guilt of listening to a true crime podcast.
A quote to keep: “When she doesn’t like the reality of things, she finds a reality she prefers.”
📚 The Appeal by Janice Hallett. In February, I vowed to read all of Hallett’s novels before her next book is released in September and in April, I achieved this rather lofty goal. The Appeal follows an amateur theater group in England as they stage their next production and deal with various challenges, including the discovery of a dead body. I won’t say more because to give anything else away would be a shame. Like with Hallett’s other work, this novel is told through e-mails, text messages, and other forms of multimedia. Hallett’s real talent, though, lies in crafting a page-turning mystery chockfull of humorous observations about how humans relate to one another. This is my favorite book by this author and I can’t recommend it enough.
Read this if you’re in the MOOD for: a well-constructed mystery with a side of wry observation and wit.
A quote to keep: “I would describe her as a survivor. We tend to consider survivors as strong and heroic. The reality is never as pretty or noble. Some survive because they deceive, some because they delude themselves. Others refuse to engage with reality.”
📖 The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett. A novella sequel to The Appeal this book reunites us with the zany cast of characters from the first book. I was surprised to find other goodreads reviewers were disappointed by this book. I thought it delivered on its promise—a fun, Christmas mystery. I would definitely pick this up, to race through, if you’re in a reading slump (though maybe not in April 🎄). Novellas are always great for reading slumps, imho.
Read this if you’re in the MOOD for: a holiday book that is not saccharine.
A quote to keep: Despite the multimedia bent to this book, I devoured it on audio. I therefore don’t have any quotes saved but I promise it includes some of the pithy observations we have come to love from Hallett.
📕 The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett. This book follows an ex-con as he tries to find a connection between his teacher’s disappearance decades earlier and a code in a children’s book from World War II. Unfortunately, this book was not for me. While Hallett’s other works include a mix of multimedia, The Twyford Code largely relies on transcripts of iPhone recordings. I don’t know if that’s why I couldn’t quite get into it or if I just found the story overly complicated. Either way, I remain committed to reading Hallett’s new work in September. Given how immersive I found The Appeal (and The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels) I’m willing to believe my ambivalence for the Twyford Code is a one-off.
Read this if you’re in the MOOD for: a complicated puzzle of a book.
A quote to keep: “. . . . . it’s emotional truth that matters. Little Smithy couldn't read, but he knew a good story when he heard one.”
📚 Alias Emma by Eva Glass. I was on Anne Bogel’s What Should I Read Next podcast earlier this spring—a veritable dreams-do-come-true moment and this was one of the books Anne recommended to me. I couldn’t have known at the time that I would go on to a mystery/thriller bender of epic proportions, but here we are! Alias Emma follows Emma Makepeace, the titular spy in this series as she tries to safely escort an asset across London. In addition to being a well-crafted spy thriller, this book had a will-they-or-won’t-they element, which I enjoyed. Having grown up in London, I also found the references to specific neighborhoods and stereotypes (expats in expensive cars, for example) delightful.
Read this if you’re in the MOOD for: a caper across the Big Smoke, or the next season of Slow Horses on Apple TV.
A quote to keep: “Half the trick of survival is knowing how to let go of each failure and start over.” [I wrote this on a notecard and added it to my physical pinboard—quite a poignant observation for a spy thriller.]
📚 The Traitor by Eva Glass. The sequel to Alias Emma and *almost* as enjoyable. Here, we follow Emma Makepeace as she goes undercover on a Russian super-yacht (basically to avenge the murder of an analyst for a different British spy agency). I loved all the scenes on the yacht. At several points my heart was beating out of my chest as I rapidly turned pages to learn whether Emma’s cover was blown. My one quibble with the book was that the twist at the end was predictable (which, honestly, fine) and it detracted from my overall belief in Emma’s uber competence. If your TBR pile is topping over, I might recommend reading only the first book in this series but I will be continuing on with The Trap, which releases late this summer.
Read this if you’re in the MOOD for: heart palpitations and a bookish jaunt to the South of France.
A quote to keep: “Once you’re close enough to someone you can take whatever you need from them. In fact, in many cases, they’ll just hand it to you. It’s that simple. Almost no one is immune to this dance of seduction and betrayal. No matter how thick the shell someone erects around themselves, if you know them well enough there is always a chink in their armor where you can plunge a sword.”
📖 The List by Mick Herron. As I mentioned previously, I had planned on re-reading the entire Slough House series before the next season of Slow Horses is released on Apple TV. Given all the excellent book recommendations Anne gave me, and the excessive amount of mystery/thriller reading I have been doing, I may have to abandon this project. Nevertheless, I have never read Herron’s series-adjacent novellas before and so I set out to do just that in April. [Two novellas in one month. Who am I?!] I have to say they do not disappoint—The List being the first among them. The List focuses on John Bachelor, an MI5 handler who must figure out why one of his deceased charges had a secret bank account but, really, the novella is a vehicle to provide additional color and backstory for the characters we know (and love). For a full reading order of the Slough House Series, including the novellas, I recommend this specific reddit thread.
Read this if you’re in the MOOD for: further immersing yourself in one of the best spy series ever—Jill Lepore agrees!
A quote to keep: “Those young-man dreams of living each day as if it were your last, they wore off; showed up, in the cold light of after-fifty, for the magpie treasures they were. Live every day as if it were your last. So come nightfall, you’d have no job, no savings, and be bloody miles away. He wanted to stay where he was. He wanted his job to continue, his pension to remain secure. His life to continue unruffled.” [I, too, generally want my pension to remain secure and my life to continue unruffled.]
📚 Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter. I will confess I read this book in May (which is when I received an advanced reader copy on NetGalley) but I’m including it in this round-up because it will be releasing on June 4th and I have no idea if/when I will post my May reading roundup. I make no promises. I tell no lies. I also wanted to include it here because it fits in nicely with my overall thriller theme and it is in conversation with my introduction on social media consumption and our collective relationship to technology. [Yes, I’ve moved some other books around to hit the aforementioned total of nine books. What can I say, I love me some poetic justice.]
I will also confess I feel a little awkward drafting this review because Olivia graciously subscribed to highbrowlowbrow when I waxed poetic about her podcasting prowess as co-host of one of my favorite bookish podcasts, Bad on Paper. I can only hope she doesn’t actually read anything I write… or maybe we hope she does, because this is going to be pretty close to a rave. [I refuse to tag her here because tagging authors in your reviews, good or bad, is pretty poor internet etiquette, if you ask me.]
SABI, as its known to its myriad fans on NetGalley, follows Hazel as she tries to locate her missing, influencer sister, Evie. Hazel has proactively chosen a life away from the limelight. Her sister’s fame and fortune on the other hand is, at least in part, wrought by Hazel’s mother, as Evie became famous as a child. The book is therefore also about mother-managers (momagers?).
The novel is a very well-plotted, of-the-moment take on the thriller. I had a hard time putting it down and took a two-hour lunch break so that I could read it on my roof, ice coffee in hand. I was able to predict the twist but even so (unlike with The Traitor) I found the ending satisfying. I will say this book isn’t so much about social media consumption, or our relationship to technology as consumers, as it is about influencer culture.
Media Pairing: While I have always felt *chronically online* this book addresses a baleful corner of the internet I am largely unfamiliar with.8 To fully understand the themes and motifs of this book, I ended up Googling Emma Chamberlin—the only influencer I know of, that came of age after reaching stratospheric internet fame. Prior to that, the child influencer that was top of mind, for me, was Ryan Kaji. I’m glad I did this research and if you’re equally unfamiliar with children influencers and the like, I recommend doing the same (or, alternatively, read this disturbing New York Times article that was everywhere a few months ago).9
Read this if you’re in the MOOD for: an exciting, fresh-take on the thriller genre and a meditation on the influencer economy.
A quote to keep: “It was one of those parasocial relationships that I couldn’t trace the beginning of anymore. It seemed like as long as I had been on Instagram, Ashlyn Price had been in my feed, too, like that one U2 album that came magically preloaded on everyone’s iPods. Once she was there, she stuck.”
If you have stuck with me until the end of this post, phew, THANK YOU. As always, I appreciate your time and attention. I am currently working on my January and May reading roundups so if you (or a friend) have room in your life for more semi-amusing book chat, please hit subscribe.
highbrowlowbrow is a free newsletter and will remain so for the foreseeable future (read: years).
And a good reminder to make sure my Notes section has not yet again defaulted to “explore” mode.
I have long-hated Twitter. When I still worked in foreign policy, I was especially resentful that I had to engage with the platform for work. To me, there is nothing more demoralizing than trying to promote an event for policy wonks on the deafening echo chamber that is Twitter/X.
I realize this is all more complicated if you are a creator of social media rather than a consumer of it. I assume (but don’t really know) that likes and reposts etc. provide a form of validation that is much more addicting.
My ScreenTime report shows that last Tuesday, I only spent 23 minutes on my phone. The sense of satisfaction I felt when learning this fact was more than a little unhinged.
I recognize there is a whole slew of “how to read more” content in the wider world but if you’re looking for my personal favorite it is
’s Buzzfeed article on the topic. The sub-heading is: “[t]he key to reading 150 books in six months is to treat the literary world like an internet rabbit hole.” I also enjoyed ’s Substack post “But how do you read so much?”In the past six months, I have had to Google Ballerina Farm, and many other influencers In Pursuit of Clean Countertops covers, for example.
I will admit I wasn’t able to make it through the whole article.
Yes, Substack has a lot of bookish content... but it needs *your* bookish content because no one else has your perspective!
I just found your Substack through The Mindful Librarian, and I am really enjoying reading through your previous essays. With that said, I would selfishly be sad if there weren't any future essays, reading recaps, etc, BUT you do what fills you up. That's all we owe to ourselves and the world.