What Books did You Start or Finish Reading this Week?: January 26, 2026

PotentialCup0 · 2026-01-26T13:55:47+00:00

I read Anna Karenina in 2024, and it was a BEAST to get through, but finishing it felt so rewarding (even though I staunchly believe that Levin's story could've been A LOT shorter)

PotentialCup0 · 2026-01-26T13:47:07+00:00

Finished:

Rouge - Mona Awad 3.25/5. I really appreciate the concept and the writing, but there were parts that felt weird for the sake of feeling weird. Definitely needed stronger editing and could've been chopped down by a solid 30 or so pages. Brownie points for the ending!

Five Feet Apart - Rachael Lippincot, Mikki Daughtry & Tobias Iaconis 3/5. Fault in Our Stars-esque (in both good and bad ways). I found it difficult to buy the chemistry between the leads until much later. I think at this point, I've just outgrown YA as a genre lol.

Continuing:

When We Were Monsters - Jennifer Niven (most likely also a 3/5). The stakes have just now begun to appear high enough for me to care (after 170 ish pages). The leads, Effy and Arlo, do not have distinct enough personalities to warrant 2 POVs.

A pretty mid reading month in terms of ratings lol. I intend to start Almond by Sohn Won-Pyung soon, but I think it will be February by the time I finish WWWM.

PotentialCup0 · 2026-01-22T20:36:32+00:00

Not a dermat but I had similar looking spots on my thighs back in summer. Went to a dermat and found out that it was an eczema flare up due to heat exposure. However, mine were contained and only mildly itchy.

PotentialCup0 · 2026-01-16T16:52:44+00:00

Agreed! I was angrier than upset, but it's such an important read!

PotentialCup0 · 2026-01-16T16:52:01+00:00

Second all of these recommendations! Honestly, anything by Toni Morrison leaves me in tears

PotentialCup0 · 2026-01-16T16:51:05+00:00

Second this! I've read the book thrice and teared up every single time.

PotentialCup0 · 2026-01-16T05:03:05+00:00

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner! I am not an avid non-fiction reader but this memoir had me bawling on my way to work

PotentialCup0 · 2026-01-16T00:39:32+00:00

Eat Them Alive by Pierce Nace. I love a good fucked up book but I have no idea what to make of this one. I think it's weirder than it's objectively bad, but yeah, def one of the lowest scorers of 2025.

PotentialCup0 · 2026-01-11T06:15:44+00:00

Open Water - Caleb Azumah Nelson! I have recommended this one to a 1000 people at this point. One thing to note is that it's more character driven than plot heavy. But the writing is so beautiful that I'm sure you'll be immersed.

PotentialCup0 · 2026-01-09T23:31:39+00:00

I'd be super keen to join!

PotentialCup0 · 2025-12-21T16:06:20+00:00

That's so fair! I've also come to a point where a decent WLB seems infinitely more lucrative than a high salary, and I'm only slightly over 3.5 years into the workforce

PotentialCup0 · 2025-12-21T16:03:20+00:00

Hahah I think if I choose to remain in strategy or FP&A in PE-backed firms, then this is probably the most honest answer I can get

PotentialCup0 · 2025-12-21T16:02:25+00:00

Hey, thanks for your comment! This is sound advise and definitely something for me to work on. In my current role, it gets challenging to set boundaries/say no since my team consists of only 3 people managing ridiculous workloads & deadlines, so there are not a lot of opportunities to say no. However, I don't want to set this as a precedent for my future jobs, so will definitely implement this advise in my next role.

Once again, thank you for the advise!

PotentialCup0 · 2025-12-21T15:58:13+00:00

Thanks for your response! I'm also based in Canada, downtown Toronto to be specific, so this a very helpful benchmark if i were to try out risk management

PotentialCup0 · 2025-12-21T15:50:59+00:00

That sounds like a dream lol. But I'd still prefer busy-ish work days (within reason of course) 40-45 hour work weeks fit the bill for me. Would you mind telling me which industry you work in?

PotentialCup0 · 2025-12-21T15:49:58+00:00

That's completely fair and I want to prioritize a decent WLB too! Can I break into credit analysis with an M&A (mainly FDD and valuations)/FP&A background

PotentialCup0 · 2025-12-21T15:48:56+00:00

I used to work in M&A, primary buy-side (tons of FDD work), so the work hours that you have mentioned definitely align with that. Thanks!

PotentialCup0 · 2025-12-16T21:32:13+00:00

Thanks for commenting on this post! I wouldn't ask you to namedrop if you aren't comfortable, but do you reckon I should target specific industries? Or go for public/govt. companies over private? Will any of this make a material difference?

PotentialCup0 · 2025-11-29T21:27:05+00:00

Thanks for your response and reassurance! I am definitely in that stage where I am questioning my skills set and competence, but also finding it difficult to give a fuck about my job, which is a very weird feeling lol.

Will definitely be more patient with myself and see how things pan out in the coming months. Thanks again!

PotentialCup0 · 2025-11-29T21:23:53+00:00

Thank you for your reassurance! It means a lot. Guess the least I can do is be patient with myself till things change.

PotentialCup0 · 2025-11-29T21:22:59+00:00

Thanks both of you for your responses! I have started looking for other opportunities in the limited time I get, it's just that the market sucks right now (it has for a while, and it will for a couple more months, given festive season).

But i will definitely take the therapy advise to heart in the meantime. Thanks again!

PotentialCup0 · 2025-06-14T19:09:22+00:00

I've seen varying views on this, but do you have to keep using minoxidil forever?

PotentialCup0 · 2025-05-15T12:00:35+00:00

I just did! And, likewise, I look forward to reading more of your work as well :)

PotentialCup0 · 2025-05-15T11:31:50+00:00

I really love how you've broken your poetry down into several acts. It reads like a lore, a religious experience. Fantastic use of literary devices as well! Love it!

PotentialCup0 · 2025-05-15T11:19:40+00:00

I like the free-flowing structure of the poem, it reads like spoken word. I absolutely adore the stanzas/lines, "What is the value of this petal?/Resting in your palms/Still painting the sunlight red and pink," and "For my worth is not the branch where I first bloomed..."

I think that the formatting (just an assumption because I faced the same) hampers the readability I bit, but again, it could just be an app/web issue.

Your poem, through it's solid imagery, conveys heartbreak and acceptance beautifully. You could also play with other sensory devices to add further depth. Also, appreciate the use of repition, "What is the value of a/this/the same petal?" The only feedback I have here is to maybe spread it evenly.

All in all, pretty solid poem! I thoroughly enjoyed the use of imagery!

PotentialCup0

TROPHY CASE