List of the most popular hashtags for theme #CHICAGOREADER

Sundays are for sunflowers and stories. . . . #bookstagram #bookofthemonth #bookofthemonthclub #miraclecreek #angiekim #readersofig #readersofinstagram #books #bookshark #booksparks #meetthebookstagrammer #BOTM #bibliophile #sunday #chicago #chicagoreader #chicagobookstagram #novel

I absolutely, fully, completely LOVED this book. . It has all of the things I adore in a book: family drama, character development, relationship musings, a subtle plot where life happens in the small moments. Somehow, Mary Beth Keane took it all to a new level in Ask Again, Yes.Thanks to @netgalley @scribnerbooks and @marybethkeane for this advanced reader's copy. I'll be picking up my hard copy when it goes on sale May 28. . Ask Again, Yes is the story of two neighboring families and the events that shape their lives. Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope are NYPD officers who buy houses next door to each other in a nearby suburb. Spanning forty years, the book shows how marriages, children, and one violent act intertwine the family members from each house -- their lives and their fates either starting, continuing, or ending cycles. . Book notes: ‍♂️ I was skeptical to start this one because it centers around police officers. I appreciate how much research Keane did into policing in America from the 1970s to present day to make this book possible. I also appreciate that this book was not heavy on policing, but used it to inform the plot and create a through line from one generation to the next. . I've seen some criticism about how this book handles mental health. Early chapters paint Anne as a brutal, menacing, shut-in but later chapters reveal her thoughts, feelings, and actions. I can see why this would be frustrating and triggering for readers to start with a reductive view of mental health (by today's standards), but I thought the book shared mental health through the lens of the 1970/80s and the eyes of the kids interacting with Anne. I enjoyed that structure and the way the book's portrayal and understanding grew with the characters. . ⌛ This book jumps around the timeline a little bit, jumping back to memories within a present day scene and sometimes reveals a big life event that's not relevant to the plot in a single sentence. I think this structure worked perfectly, but be warned if that's not your favorite style. . My favorite themes: empathy, inherited traits/personal nature, home, sources of strength.

I love stories told by a unique narrator. I saw the movie version of Room before reading the book, so being able to experience what I saw through the lens of five-year-old Jack was a powerful experience. This is one of the rare cases where I like the book and movie equally! What are some of your favorite movie adaptions of books?

"Within our society there is an underlying belief that fatherhood is a role Black males struggle to fill. But every day I see Black men engaging in acts of care. Most are not making a political statement but fulfilling their basic human instinct. According to a 2013 study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black men are more involved with their children than other demographics." * Ahead of this Father's Day weekend, we're featuring @w.dfloyd moving photography, showing the fathers he has covered while photographing with his film camera on the south and west sides. Link to Floyd’s full project in bio. * @w.dfloyd * #filmphotography #chicagoreader #dads #blackfatherhood #fatherhood #chicagoreaderphotography #community #woodlawn #southshore #peopleofchicago #family

#chicagoculinarykitchen with the win last night peoples choice and Best burger!!thank you to all the chefs and everyone making it a special night! @certifiedangusbeef #steakholders #certifiedangusbeefbrandambassador #buttercrumbsbakery #bikerdude #syscochicago #pollyannabeer #bestburgers #foodtruck #foodtruckfood #chicagosbesttv #chicagothrillist #chicagoreader #foodcritics #chicagofood #chicagofoodscene #cookingchannel #foodnetwork #burgershow #georgemotz

“Vinyl.” Very honored to have made it into American Illustration 38 Annual book. Thanks very much to this year’s jury and @american_illustration_winners . Shout out to @sue_kwong and @chicago_reader for collaborating with me on this for Flash Fiction series. . . . . . . . #illustration #editorialillustration #editorial #flashfiction #art #artistsoninstagram #americanillustration #AI38 #procreate #drawing #chicagoreader #lydiafu

Extra, Extra❗️Read all about @goodmantheatre’s all-female production, #TwilightBowl, featured by me in the current issue of @chicagoreader — on newsstands now! The play was written by #RebeccaGilman, directed by @ericamakesplays, stars 6 enigmatic young women and features an all-female artistic and backstage production team, as well. Such a great show & a really fun debut for me in local print (link in bio for digital version!) #chicagoreader #chicagotheater #chicagowriter #altweekly #ChiWinterStyle

Full Length project out now via Soundcloud, link in bio! Cover art by @o1mode Special thanks to @aemmphiphop it has been a fun semester. Hope to link with yall in the future.

✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨ I finished this one up early yesterday morning (I was too scared to read it at night or by myself ), and if I had one word to describe this book it would be SPELLBINDING! . . . Present day Ruthie lives in an old farmhouse in small town West Hall, Vermont with her mom and younger sister. On New Year’s Day Ruthie’s mom vanished without a trace. As Ruthie looks around the house for clues for her mother’s disappearance, she stumbled upon a diary from 1908 written by Sara Harrison Shea. Sara is famously known in West Hall as her death had a lot of mystery surrounding it, and she died just two months after the tragic death of her daughter. . . . I sped through this book, but didn’t want it to end at the same time! It was my first ghost story, but definitely won’t be my last...especially not from Jennifer McMahon! I give this one !