Very interesting story of the author’s life.
Whirlwind energy. ( )

Owens has produced an interesting book about her life and the various losses that have defined her life. I thought for the most part she was very candid however, there is a period of time where she never talks about her 1st husband Andrew Right. While she has every right to decide who and what she talks about in her book, a note saying I was married for 11 years it didn't work and I'm not going to write about our life together would have been nice.Her life is definitely unlike anyone I know which affords her the lifestyle she has, in some cases makes it hard to sympathize with some of her struggles. Overall though a good readable book. ( )

I continued my streak of reading moving memoirs with Zibby Owens' Bookends. Zibby is the host of the popular podcast Moms Don't Have Time To Read and she has become a big book influencer with a regular gig recommending books on Good Morning America. She talks about being painfully shy as a child, losing herself in reading and writing, her weight and self-esteem issues, things many women can relate to (even if most of us can't relate to her wealthy upbringing on the Upper East Side on New York City, a privilege she readily acknowledges.) Owens dealt with so much loss in life, losing her best friend in the North Tower on 9/11, her grandfather, her stepbrother, and a best friend from high school all in rapid succession. She also lost her mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law tragically at the beginning of COVID. What I most admire about Owens is her ability to pick herself up and move forward. She sees opportunity where many see obstacles, and has created a wonderful career uplifting authors and readers, and now herself. Her love affair with husband number two Kyle is a sweet surprise, and I liked how she protects the privacy of her children. Bookends is inspiring and honest, and her extensive Reading List at the end of the book is a treasure trove for readers like myself. ( )

This was an Amazon First Reads pick and it wasn't what I expected. Love, yes. Loss, yes. Literature? More a listing of books she read at various times in her life. I guess I was expecting a bit more about things she learned in those pieces of literature, not just a list.

The blurb says Zibby Owens is well known. I hadn't heard of her prior to this book.

The first couple chapters read quickly for me and then the last part of the book dragged. ( )