Featured

Jun 12, 2019

One of my favorite settings to read about is Paris and the French countryside, so today I’m giving you all a list of my favorite Francophile books, a few from my TBr, and two to skip!

Jun 12, 2019

May 30, 2019

10 Thrillers You Should *Actually* Read

May 30, 2019

Have you read your fair share of thrillers that disappointed? Well, so have I, so I am saving you from that terror. Here are 10 thrillers that are actually worth the read!

May 30, 2019

May 14, 2019

A Week in My Life: My 9-5 Career + Instagram & Blogging

May 14, 2019

Come join me as I answer the most asked question I get on the ‘gram: How do you balance your life, your 9-5 job, and your Instagram/ blog?

May 14, 2019

Apr 16, 2019

Quarter Year Goals Check-in: 2019

Apr 16, 2019

Do you still remember the goals you set for yourself in January? If not, here is the perfect opportunity to set new ones, and if you do, let’s do a check-in and see where we could improve! There are definitely some things I’ll be changing to accomplish my 2019 goals.

Apr 16, 2019

Mar 26, 2019

Book Cover Design Trends of 2019 (so far!)

Mar 26, 2019

Book cover deigns that have become trendy this year and that we will be seeing everywhere in the following months!

Mar 26, 2019

Mar 6, 2019

Most Anticipated Spring 2019 Book Releases

Mar 6, 2019

Featured

Jun 10, 2019

Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker

Jun 10, 2019

Bianca Bosker was a tech editor when she first stumbled into the world of wine. By the time she had come up for air from her internet rabbit hole, she was completely hooked

Jun 10, 2019

Featured

Jun 3, 2019

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

Jun 3, 2019

Queenie Jenkins is a Jamaican Londoner who is desperately trying to keep her life together.

Jun 3, 2019

Featured

May 29, 2019

The Farm by Joanne Ramos

May 29, 2019

Picture a glorious phone-free, kale-heavy retreat nestled into the beautiful countryside of New York State. You’re paid handsomely to be here … as long as you carry a healthy baby to term.

May 29, 2019

Featured

May 20, 2019

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware

May 20, 2019

Picking up this book made me realize how much I enjoy more classic thrillers— books that invite you to solve a mystery, look for clues, and guess until the very end. The Death of Mrs. Westaway is the most classic of Ware’s books.

May 20, 2019

Featured

May 14, 2019

Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

May 14, 2019

In an alternate reality, the United States votes differently in the 2016 election and chooses its first female president, Ellen Clarendon.

May 14, 2019

Featured

May 9, 2019

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

May 9, 2019

Sedaris talks about things we all do as we age: first jobs, family vacations, sibling’s weddings, handles pest control. Yet? Everything he says is hysterical.

May 9, 2019

Featured

Apr 25, 2019

Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs

Apr 25, 2019

Like many children with separated parents, Lisa Brennan-Jobs’ childhood was split between two houses.

Apr 25, 2019

Featured

Apr 24, 2019

Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl

Apr 24, 2019

For those of you who know my reading taste well, you’ll know that this book might as well say “Written for Megan Prokott” on the jacket.

Apr 24, 2019

Featured

Apr 17, 2019

Lie With Me by Philippe Besson

Apr 17, 2019

Philippe looks up from his coffee in a Bordeaux hotel and his gaze is drawn to a person he is certain is Thomas, his first love and a loop from his past left painfully unlinked all these years.

Apr 17, 2019

Hello! My name is Megan. 90% of life is books: face behind @the_spines, publishing professional, and all day reader. So glad you're here!

I love relaxing Sundays so much! 📖☕️✨Today I woke up early, lounged around with my book for a few hours, ate a giant breakfast with Murat, cleaned, and watched Frazier so far and i can’t imagine a better day. I’m also reading a thriller for book club on Thursday and it’s basically calling me back to it as we speak. 😉
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💭 What’re you reading this weekend? 💭👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

happy weeeeekend! 📖🌞 I hope you all had a good week and some fun plans for the next few days. I have a hot golfing date with bae and then a solo adventure today, a library book sale to check out tomorrow, and this big brick of a book for in between! I’m actually really liking that this book lends itself to longer breaks, which I’ve been taking full advantage of and will continue to next week, as book club is fast approaching. 😉
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💭 What was the best part about your week?💭 mine was celebrating two of my loved ones birthdays! 🎂 Tell me yours down here!👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

Another day, another work date. 🥰☕️📖 I had briefly put aside the brick of a book you can see here BUT, after finishing FINALE by Stephanie Garber, last night, I decided to pull it back out. We all know I can’t read two books at once so this trade-off was inevitable. 😂
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As for the last book in the Caraval series, i liked it! It wasn’t amazing (I still can’t get past the whimsical descriptions like “tastes like ink and stars” 👀) but it did wrap up a series i started last year, so I’m glad to have read it. It’s really strange to binge read all of a series and then wait a full year for the final book ... 🤔
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💭 Whats your favorite book series? 💭 Sometimes I like to dive into a big one, so leave your faves below! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

Calling all Francophiles, this is for you! 📚 🇫🇷👏🏼 Personally, being dropped into a romantic Parisian setting or the slow-paced countryside of France is my literary dream, both in fiction and non-fiction format, and i know lots of you are with me on this one! So the booklist I just posted ✨on the blog✨ has the pictured tried and true bookstack of reads I’ve loved that are set in France (hi L’APPART by David Leibovitz and A MOVEABLE FEAST by Hemingway!), a couple from my TBR, and ... two popular titles that appear on lots of Francophile reading lists that i think you can skip. 😉 head over to the blog to read!
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💭 any books to recommend in this genre? Or any other specific places you like to read about? 💭 leave them here! 👇🏼👇🏼

Hi friends! Today’s #thespineswalks brings us to a gorgeous street I recently discovered in Uptown AND the book comes from the archives of one of my favorite genres: food lit! 🍷 👀 •
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CORK DORK by Bianca Bosker is a nonfiction, immersive journalism exploration of all things wine. Those of you who are really looking to learn will enjoy this one. If you’re looking for more personal essay, you might find it a bit too *ahem* dry... 😉 My full review is ✨on the blog,✨ as always!
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💭 have you read this one? Any other immersive journalism books to recommend?💭 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

Hi Monday— Back to productivity with a side of fun reading! ⚡️☕️ I’ve been very hot and cold on my language learning adventure this year (Turkish, for those of you who are new) but last week I finally embraced that writing everything down really helps me remember specifics and makes me feel a bit more confident in what I’ve already learned. Holding everything in my brain only is a *bit* too abstract for me! I’ve been using a giant Google doc for rules and vocabulary as I go through lessons in my app (Duolingo) and this notebook + dictionary for Harry Potter vocab words. Yay for small breakthroughs!
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I’m also currently reading a library book, hence the blinding reflection on that cover (😉), and I’m having the best time. More on this book later this week!
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💭 what’re you working on this week?💭 let’s chat! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

What was i doing with my life BEFORE i started working summer Friday hours?! Working a bit longer is so worth starting my weekend at noon. 🙌🏻 You can catch me here for the foreseeable future... 📖👀
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In other news, I’m slowly getting through THE INTERESTINGS by Meg Wolitzer! I was just thinking how ballsy it is to name a book this, since it leads for a lot of easy jokes if the book is in fact ... not interesting. 😂 luckily, I’m enjoying it!
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💭 What’re you reading today? 💭 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

so here’s the thing. I picked up this book on indie bookstore day because I really enjoyed Emma Straub’s MODERN LOVERS, which I read a few months ago. 📖 Last weekend, I cracked open THE VACATIONERS... and immediately felt like i already knew Franny and Sylvia, the main characters. 👀 I read the whole book in about one day, propelled by the feeling of deja vu and trying to guess what would happen next. I can’t find any evidence that this was a reread, but I’m about 65% sure I read this Straub book 3+ years ago. •
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Either way, this book is an entertaining study of growing up, getting older, existing in a family unit, and forgiving friends and lovers and it all happens under the hot Mallorcan sun. 🍹🌞🌴 It’s nothing groundbreaking and I think Modern Lovers shows how much this author has developed her talent for writing character studies, but a fun read nonetheless! ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (But the cover design is a full 5 stars for me, so good!!)
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💭 Have you ever accidentally reread a book??💭 tell me here! I still find this funny and would love to cackle about our bad memories together. 😂

Hiii! Just dropping by to give you a current reading update. 👀📖 Over the weekend, I finished a book really quickly and just could NOT land on one to read next. At some point yesterday, I was so over it that I just asked my husband, Murat, to pick one for me. He picked the largest book on the shelf, naturally, so here we are. 😂😍 I actually highly recommend this unorthodox practice because THE INTERESTINGS by Meg Wolitzer has been on my TBR shelf for roughly a year and a half, even though I’ve always been very interested in reading it, and now I’m happily back in a reading mood! I also haven’t read anything with 500+ pages in a minute, so I’ll keep you updated. 🤪
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💭Have you ever had someone else choose your next read for you? Would you? 💭 tell me below! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

[gifted 📖] Today on #thespineswalks we are talking about a book I really loved last month, QUEENIE by Candice Carty-Williams. My book club read this together and, somewhat unusually, we all really liked it. 👀 We had such a good chat about all the really complex themes and the genre bending characteristics of the book and I highly recommend for any of your book clubs! •
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Head over ✨to the blog✨ for my full review! Here’s the mini: I thought QUEENIE was a really special book that represents the importance of reading outside my own personal experiences, inherent biases, and culture. The main character was funny, messy, realistic, and is just overall a character that will resonate with and help heal so many readers. •
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💭 Have you read this one? Are you interested in it now?💭 let’s chat!

[some gifted 📖] Happy Sunday, friends! Doing a quick May wrap-up today because I read quite a lot last month. Some stand-outs from this stack are definitely QUEENIE, which my whole book club really enjoyed, and DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY, which wasn’t perfect but had a really fun, spooky tone. All reviews are either already on the blog or will be there shortly!
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THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY // Ruth Ware: read if you love more classic thrillers
CORK DORK // Bianca Bosker: only read if you are *really* interested in wine. I liked it!
DRESS YOUR FAMILY IN CORDUROY AND DENIM // David Sedaris: funny but not my favorite of his
RED, WHITE, & ROYAL BLUE // Casey McQuiston: very cute, be prepared for a kind of ridiculous liberal unicorn land 😂
QUEENIE // Candic Carty-Williams: between YA and Adult, really powerful yet fun story
THE FARM // Joanne Ramos: really intriguing concept, less amazing in execution. Great for book club though!
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💭what’s the best book you read this month?💭 let’s chat about these books and the books you liked in May! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

Friday details ✨ Just started a new book this morning for the weekend so it’s already starting out strong AND I’m currently working outside. Win win. •
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PS tune into my stories to come along on my day today. 🌞
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💭 reading anything good right now? 💭👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

Let’s 👏🏼 talk 👏🏼 thrillers.👏🏼 So, here’s where I’m at with this genre: I love to read thrillers but my success rate is probably like 60% and when i hate one, i really hate it. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I just have to wade through a lot of average plots, predictable “twists,” and despicable characters to get to the amazing ones. HOWEVER, I have now done a LOT of wading over the last three years, so I’ve cleared the way for you. On the blog now is a list of ✨10 thrillers you should *actually* go read✨. Head over to the blog ASAP for the full list! •
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💭 I want to hear from you, too! What is your favorite thriller? Any that are 100% worth a read? 💭 tell us all here! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

[gifted 📖] Is this the nicest work view or what? It is my greatest joy to have whipped cream in my coffee and a little stack of books to think about. ☕️☺️ Per your requests, we are talking about THE FARM by Joanne Ramos today! 👀
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In many ways, this book reminds me of THE POWER // Naomi Alderman (a dystopian book about female bodies and agency that came out last year.) A very strong and ethically challenging concept, but ultimately under-delivers on the story front. Two of the main characters just couldn’t back up their purpose in the story to me and it wasn’t dystopian or outrageous *enough* for me to fully buy in. I’d say read it if you're interested enough in the themes OR if you have a book club, because it really does bring up endless discussion and debate. As always, head over ✨to the blog✨ for my full review!
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💭 Any thoughts on this book? Or on dystopian themes in general?💭 I’d love to hear them! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

Giving all my favorite books a bookshelf home also meant stamping all the books I love with my most beautiful ex Libris. 😍✨ It makes me feel so free to lend them out to friends because I know they’ll make their way back to me! AND it’s honestly just really fun. Highly recommend this experience. •
💭 any thoughts on ex libris’s? Do you have one? Is it extra to claim books like this? 😂💭 let’s chat! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

[gifted 📖] Book club is in t-minus 8 hours on this month’s book, QUEENIE by Candace Carty-Williams! ✨ Always my favorite day of the month because what’s better than wine and full-fledged lit discussions with besties?? 👭👭 Tragically, my week got WAY busier than expected so I still have 100+ pages to go in this one. *le sigh* Will let you know if I manage to binge read it before tonight. 😉
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Thoughts so far? There’s a LOT being said but unsaid. One could write a full research paper on culture with this book and it takes the reader into a really powerful first person perspective of being black in America. Also, denial. So much denial. I love Queenie, I hope she gets it together by the end. Oh and I want to start a friend group message I call “the Corgis.”
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💭 are you in a book club? (Online or IRL!) 💭Comment what you’re reading this month for it below! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

happy Sunday! 🤗☕️ I picked up a new book at the library *right* before they closed yesterday and I’m so excited to be reading it for #thespinesreads today. FINALE by Stephanie Garber is the last book in the Caraval series, which I read around this time last year. It’s definitely outside my usual genre, which I love doing from time to time! -
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Oh and how glorious is this giant bean bag?! I can’t believe I’ve never shown it to you all before. Murat got this for me for my birthday years ago and when it’s not tamed it can seriously take up half of a room. 😂 AKA perfect reading spot!
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💭 can you describe the book you’re reading currently in emojis? 💭 let’s see if I can guess any of them 👀 mine is: ✨👸🏼👸🏻💔🎭🔮

holiday weekend = uninterrupted reading time and, naturally, another #thespinesreads video for you! 🤗📖✨ about to finish a book so leave me a comment with suggestions for what I should pick up next! •
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💭What’re you reading this holiday weekend?💭

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the spines I megan r. prokott

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wow what a rollercoaster of a thread 👀 https://t.co/X6Q2dMuxBw
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hello, here are some thrillers you should actually read! They’ve been vetted and approved for gasps and betrayals.… https://t.co/AvGzWOVHCT
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