This book is basically the story of Daniel Mayrock, who quit his job as a teacher to open a bookstore that is well, far from thriving. Daniel isn't very truthful about his finances to his wife and basically tries to hide how badly their savings account is being drained by his ill-planned dream. Meanwhile his wife Jill wants to get pregnant which Daniel wants but also sort of not because of the aforementioned finances. He proceeds to write lists about everything: his finances, his store's books of the month, his employees' qualities (or lack thereof), why his brother is annoying etc.
I wanted to read this specifically for its insane format of being comprised entirely of lists. It sounded like such a brilliant, yet strange way to tell a story. Considering how quickly I should have been able to read it though, I think it is quite telling that it took me a week to finish.
Daniel is just not likable. He is very judgmental, doesn't seem to appreciate books quite as much as he should considering he owns an independent bookstore and is overall a bit of a dick. I mean, he hates everyone, yet has no friends himself. Through his lists, he continuously slags off his brother, his mother, his employees, his ex-colleagues, his wife's family etc. What bothered me most was how he treated his wife though. Jill seems like a caring wife, so all of his secrets and what he does that just generally puts her whole future at risk (without her knowledge) really rubbed me the wrong way.
The twist in this book is completely insane, which made me like it a lot better, but then it's just over so quickly and there are absolutely no repercussions at all. Daniel just gets away with it all and has a happier ending than he deserved and I was just left shaking my head at him. Maybe I'm too sensitive to his shenanigans or too much of a feminist or who knows what. But Daniel and I will never be friends. Now a book from Jill's POV. That I would read!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. I'm sure if you're into slightly unhinged, privileged narrators, this is the book for you. It wasn't for me.

I am not sure how Matthew Dicks pulled off this format, a book made of lists, but he did and he did it well. I found it very humorous and enjoyable, most surprising is it felt complete. I had been worried it would not seem like a complete story or too gimmicky to get into but it was compelling, interesting and easy to read.

If you've ever wondered if a book comprised completely of lists would work, Matthew Dicks has proven that it does. This book is a breath of fresh air. Easy to read--but packing plenty of heart--I found myself wanting to highlight every other line and laughing out loud. And I might have even been crying at the end.

What I loved. In lists, of course:

1. Dan is a complex narrator who is self-deprecating and emotional (i.e., human).
2. Dan quit his job to open a book store.
3. Dan cries.
4. Dan is not afraid to admit he loves his wife more than anything in the world. Repeatedly.
5. Dan is funny.
6. I might be in love with Dan.
7. Oh, and I love the Book of the Month lists! Books mentioned in books equals bonus points.

This is a perfect book to cleanse your pallet. One of those books to read after you've finished a beast of a book. (Like The Goldfinch, for instance.) I would most assuredly read more from this author, and even reread this one.

*Review to come on my blog closer to the publishing date!

So this is a romantic love story about Dan and Jill who are almost on the verge of going bankrupt. This entire story is written in the form of lists which are made by Dan. It’s a funny and a romantic kind of read. It says a lot about what love actually is than what all the fairy tales tell you. At the, you do get to know about the 21 truths about love from Dan opinion.

I really enjoyed the way the story is going told via lists. This is a cute storyline about life and it’s twists and turns

A unique and refreshing approach to a novel. Reading Dan’s lists and discovering his inner thoughts was a bit of a rollercoaster ride and at first, I wanted to shake him and say “enough already” but then I realized his thought process was indicative of most. We tend to internalize our fears and assume the worst. It was refreshing to see Dan rally in the end and become the man he had hoped to be.

Just the sweetest book in the sweetest format. Such a quick, snack of a read. I didn't want it to end. Will definitely be working on a LIST blog post of all the reasons I loved it.

Daniel Mayrock’s life is at a crossroads. He knows the following to be true:

1. He loves his wife Jill… more than anything.
2. He only regrets quitting his job and opening a bookshop a little (maybe more than a little)
3. Jill is ready to have a baby.
4. The bookshop isn’t doing well. Financial crisis is imminent. Dan doesn’t know how to fix it.
5. Dan hasn’t told Jill about their financial trouble.
6. Then Jill gets pregnant.

This heartfelt story is about the lengths one man will go to and the risks he will take to save his family. But Dan doesn’t just want to save his failing bookstore and his family’s finances:

1. Dan wants to do something special.
2. He’s a man who is tired of feeling ordinary.
3. He’s sick of feeling like a failure.
4. He doesn’t want to live in the shadow of his wife’s deceased first husband.

Dan is also an obsessive list maker; his story unfolds entirely in his lists, which are brimming with Dan’s hilarious sense of humor, unique world-view, and deeply personal thoughts. When read in full, his lists paint a picture of a man struggling to be a man, a man who has reached a point where he’s willing to do anything for the love (and soon-to-be new love) of his life.





My Thoughts: While I am also a list maker, I did not connect that well with this book of lists. The narrator’s lists were intriguing, but after reading just a few chapters, I was feeling overwhelmed and a little bored.

I recommend Twenty-One Truths About Love for those who might enjoy this format. Perhaps I would love it at another point in my life, but right now, my own life is about lists and appointments. Need I say more? 3 stars.

***I received my e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

What a unique way to write and tell a story!
When I first saw the description of this book, I was intrigued. I thought about how many times friends of mine and I would say, "we would read -insert author name here- grocery list". And then this shows up. It's not a grocery list per se, but it is a story told in lists.
The main character, Dan is someone who is obsessed with lists and those lists become a part of HIS story taking place over nearly a year in his life. Those lists make up who he is, his thoughts on love, jealousy, life, kids, money, etc. Dan is funny, neurotic and at times, completely clueless about his life.
I am impressed that Matthew Dicks was able to create a cohesive storyline by his lists and make it work. Dare I say I was not terribly excited initially at reading a whole book of lists, but ended up being pleasantly surprised at how the 'story' unfolded?
I would definitely take a chance on this story of lists. It is a quick read, but it also is a complete story of what goes through the mind of a man that made some drastic changes in his life and now thinks about all the ways he can't measure up.

I couldn't get into this book. I liked the premise but I didn't love the layout. I feel like it would've been better if there were essays intertwined within the lists. However, I've found myself turning back to the book again and again "referencing" the lists.

This book is incredibly unique and I would like to start by thanking @stmartinspress @netgalley and author Matthew Dicks for an ARC.

Let’s get to it...this book is told through lists. Now, as someone who is a list person I absolutely loved it! And even if I didn’t love and utilize lists I would still enjoy it!
I had no idea what to expect and this book is so different from anything else I’ve read. I was looking for a new author and something different, found it!
Alright, book lovers. Dan the protagonist quit his teaching job to open a bookstore. He loves books and his wife but life is giving him some pushback and he’s on the verge. The story is told completely through his lists over the course of several months.
Some of Dan’s thoughts crack me up (see pic 2 highlight).
This book is different and it works in the craziest possible way so I hope it’s a great success!

"Twenty-One Truths About Love" is not what I expected when I first saw that it was a book written in the format of lists...but I was pleasantly surprised! It is the story of Daniel Mayrock, whose therapist wanted him to journal, and he begins to in the form of lists. From the Daniel's lists, we discover that he is a man who is deeply in love with his wife, but is still somewhat jealous of the relationship she had with her fist husband, who is deceased. He is a former teacher who decided to follow his dream and open up a small bookshop in town, and is now worried that it is not going as well financially as he had hoped. This has led Dan to try to come up with ways in order to try to salvage his family's dire financial situation (which he has not told his wife about) by writing to some of the country's billionaires in hopes of a handout, to plotting ways to rob a senior citizens' bingo night. And then, Dan, who had been conflicted about having a child, finds out his wife is pregnant, and has fallen madly in love with his unborn child, and wants to do what's right to get his family out of their impending financial crisis, and to be a better man in general, someone that his wife and child can be proud of. Poor Dan is such a lovable character that you really feel for him throughout this book. It's a clever, unique book for sure, and a quick read, and was definitely enjoyable!

Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It seems like books with creative structures are getting more common - I've read several in the last few years that don't utilize a traditional narrative structure, but tell wonderful, compelling stories nevertheless. This is one such book. I thoroughly enjoyed the lists, and how the author managed to tell such a nuanced and interesting story with such a deceptively simple structure. The list format certainly gets the reader into the main character's head. I found myself routing for and commiserating with Dan and all his frustrations about himself, his money, his relationships and his future. This is a very true to life story with some silliness, some pathos, and a lot of humor. I very much enjoyed this story, and would Highly Recommend it!

This book is written entirely in lists, which was a very cool concept and did make for an interesting way to tell a story. The downside is you don’t get past surface-level character development when there are only lists from one character’s perspective.

“If the childhood version of yourself would hate the adulthood version of yourself, you suck at life”. I love this quote because everyone struggles with figuring out how to navigate and balance their adult life. However, if you stay true to what excited and inspired you as a child, then it may help you decide where to let life to take you. I thought the list format was clever and provided an interesting way to get into the mind of another person. The narrator says all the things we are thinking and wish we could say. This book is perfect when you want something funny and easy to read. I was pleasantly surprised at how much the book made me think about decisions we make.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

A novel composed entirely of lists. Such an interesting idea and I was wondering how the storytelling was going to be accomplished. Matthew Dicks was able to get his narrative across in this unconventional way though. In the end I am giving this book 3 stars because the story goes a little off the rails in the last 1/4 of the book.and some o the lists are a bit long and I ended up skimming some of them (the one about the rules of guns). Also his lists about parenting were very typical of someone who has yet to parent yet. I am interested in his opinions. 4-5 years in or when he has a tween/teen on his hands!

If you want to try something different I recommend this book. It can for sure be one of those one sitting reads!

I really, really wanted to like this book. Overall, the list format just did not work for me though. It took me out of the story and the experience of reading the book. I think the story could have been there, but this format is not for me.

I thought this was an interesting premise, and plenty likeable overall, but I'm pretty sure I'll also forget most of this book in short order. It just wasn't THAT memorable for me!
I did end up making a few highlights that seemed particularly insightful, mixed into the mostly... mundane.

Also, I don't know if it was the Galley copy, and it'll be different in the final book, but my last two chapters were not in order... I went from April to June to May and that... kind of spoiled the book.

My #REVIEW in list form:
⭐⭐⭐💫
- Writing a book completely in list form is a really cool idea
- Reading a book in list form is much more difficult than I thought
- Took a little bit of time to get into
- Was interesting to see the story take shape in this form - Turns out I'm very in tune with stream of consciousness writing style
- Was filled with hidden gems of insightful thoughts
- Truly enjoyed the creativity and humor
- I will be checking out matthew dicks other novels for sure
- "The single greatest thing you can do to guarantee your future success is to read a lot"
Agreed.

Dan Mayrock really likes to write lists. They started out as a compromise with his therapist who wanted him to journal and morphed into the way he makes sense of the world around him...or tries to, especially when he is caught in a web of lies.

Facts (that I can't help but list):
1. He quit his job teaching to follow his dream of opening a bookstore.
2. Bookstore is losing money.
3. He hasn't told his wife it is losing money.
4. His wife wants a baby.
5. He doesn't want a baby.
6. That is only the beginning!

Somehow, Dan gains our compassion, even when he is being a bonehead. He is both aggravating (TELL HER THE TRUTH) while also extremely relatable. I was particularly entertained by his take on B.J. Novak's THE BOOK WITH NO PICTURES. Also impressive was the way that the story plays out over a few months in Dan's life and how conflict and tension grow...all while being told through lists! The format made the book read quickly and I would suggest it to anyone taking something to read on a plane or road trip (or even just a quiet afternoon with some time to read! (Advanced copy read courtesy of St. Martins and NetGalley. Opinions are my own.)


Daniel Mayrock writes lists and you might think they wouldn't translate into a readable book...but you'd be wrong.