November Wrap Up

Oh, wow! It’s December tomorrow! We’re going to get a Christmas tree this afternoon, so I think it will soon start to feel like December in our house, but as of right now, I can’t quite process it yet. My favorite reading season has drawn to a close, and I of course still had some books I didn’t get to, largely due to trying to wrap up 2023 reading challenges and goals. I have a few books I want to prioritize in December, based on their holiday vibes, but other than that I think I am going to steer clear of a Winter TBR. Let 2024 bring whatever it will. I want to start the year off reading whatever I feel like, and I think that will be great.

I did have some pretty excellent reading experiences in November, and some just okay ones. Here’s what I read:

Iron Flame, by Rebecca Yarros (Red Tower 2023): Yes, I, like the rest of the romantsy world, bought and read the second in the Empyrean series this month, and although I’ve been seeing mixed reviews, I loved it as much as the first. The violence and the steam is not for the faint of heart (maybe the most open door I’ve ever read?? while at my 4 year old’s gymnastics class??), but these characters and this twisty plot have captured my imagination that’s for sure. Full review to come.

The Unmaking of June Farrow, by Adrienne Young (Delacorte Press 2023): I lovvved my reading experience with this one, which I devoured in just a handful of days. It’s so fun to get lost in a story, and this one did that for me. I loved the twists and felt June’s desperation to figure out what was happening right along with her. Read my full review here.

Remember Us, by Jacqueline Woodson (Nancy Paulsen Books 2023): It’s no secret I’m a Jackie Woodson fangirl, and her newest middle grade novel is full of just what I’ve come to expect from her: a slim character-driven work full of heart, emotion, and gosh darn beautiful writing. It’s hard to parse out the intended audience for each of her novels because she doesn’t alter the quality in the least. Full review to come.

The Sentence, by Louise Erdrich; read by the author (HarperAudio 2021): So glad I snuck this audiobook in here this month during Native American Heritage Month. I’ve had this book on my shelf for over a year, and was excited the author reads the audio herself. It’s got great narrative voice and a weird little plot, and has a unique setting of a small bookstore in Minneapolis during 2020, the epicenter of so much of the racial reckoning that happened that year. Read my full review here.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones, by Seanan McGuire (Tor 2017): The second in the Wayward Children series is a prequel showing the backstory for one of my favorite characters from the first. It wasn’t quite as “fun” as the first one was, but still top notch writing and a very clever premise. Excited to continue making my way through this series. Full review to come.

Thanks, Obama: My Hopey Changey White House Years, by David Litt (HarperAudio 2017): This was not the Obama book I thought I was going to be listening to this month (after getting a rec for Grace from a booksta friend), but I found this one on Hoopla too, and it’s been on my bookshelf for years! This was fun and the author grew on me over the course of the book, although it kept to pretty surface-level behind-the-scenes White House shenanigans. Full review to come.

Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers 2023): Read this one to fill in a reading challenge, even though I normally wouldn’t be caught dead reading about summer camp during November (and which probably effected my rating, honestly). It definitely brought me back to my camper and counselor years, and gave very interesting perspective into that feeling of not being enough to fit in one group but too much to fit in the other. Full review to come.

My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix, by Kalynn Bayron; narrated by Clifford Samuel (Macmillan Audio 2023): I finished this at the beginning of the month, and while I thought it was a great concept and atmospheric, it didn’t quite do what I was hoping. Still looking forward to this author’s newest though. Read my full review here.

The Woman in Me, by Britney Spears; narrated by Michelle Williams (Simon & Schuster Audio 2023): This felt like an obligation as a millennial, and while it’s not one I’m regretting, I didn’t find it as compelling as a lot of readers have. I think Britney’s story needed to be told, and told by her, but I think it could have just as easily been done in a long form journalism piece than an entire book. Full review to come (probably, because I already took the pic with all my old mix CDs).

I also read the majority of Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, but rather than cram the remaining section into the last few days of November to have it done as planned (for Native American Heritage Month + Nonfiction November), I’m going to continue to savor it a little bit into December. It’s truly a gift and I am so grateful for my reading experience of this one.

December is upon us, friends, with all the stress and coziness and tasty treats that implies! I hope you find some snuggly reading time among it all!

October Wrap Up

Happy Halloween, reader friends! October was a wild reading month for me, finishing a year-high 14 books, with several standouts. I also read waaay more audiobooks than normal, and I’m not sure how to explain that. I just was really into reading this month! Lol. Anyway, even though I blogged a lot this month, I’m nowhere near caught up on reviews, given the sheer number of books I’ve finished lately, so here’s a quick run down of what I read in October:

The Nature of the Beast (Chief Inspector Gamache #11), by Louise Penny (Minotaur 2015): My favorite book of the month (and of the series thus far!), this one felt like all my favorite things about Three Pines was wrapped up in one book — great central mystery with a larger, interesting historical context, set almost entirely in the village of Three Pines, superb continued character development, especially between Gamache and Beauvoir (I love them so). Chef’s kiss, Ms. Penny. Read my full review here.

Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver (Harper 2022): Just finished this big boy this morning and am still sitting with my thoughts. But know this: Kingsolver continues to be the *master* of narrative voice. Just, wow. Full review to come.

Get a Life, Chloe Brown, by Talia Hibbert (Avon 2019): I’m so glad I tried this one again on kindle (the audiobook did not work for me), because I adored it. Can’t wait to read the next in the Brown Sisters series. Full review to come.

The Okay Witch, by Emma Steinkellner (Aladdin 2019): I lovvved this witchy middle grade graphic novel about a girl discovering her powers and her family’s history in a small New England town. Read my full review here.

Magic For Liars, by Sarah Gailey (Tor 2019): I really liked this genre-bender a lot. The comparisons to Veronica Mars meets Harry Potter felt true, which is just about more than a girl could ask for. Read my full review here.

The Tea Dragon Society, by Kay O’Neill (Oni Press 2017): The coziest book of the month, no question, goes to this adorable graphic novel with a beautifully diverse cast and the cutest dragons you’ve ever seen. Read my full review here.

Ground Zero, by Alan Gratz, narrated by Bernardo De Paula and Ariana Delawari (Scholastic 2021): Another great middle grade read from Gratz, who reliably produces page-turning stories about important (and often devastating) historical events. Read my full review here.

How to Stay Married, by Harrison Scott Key (Avid Reader Press 2023): A surprisingly funny account of the almost-disintegration of a long marriage after his wife’s infidelity. I was caught off-guard by how much I appreciated this. Full review to come.

Reading Lolita in Tehran, by Azar Nafisi: My slow-but-steady for early fall was this twenty year old memoir of Nafisi’s time teaching Western literature to students in Iran. Full review to come.

A Very Large Expanse of Sea, by Tahereh Mafi, narrated by Priya Ayyar (HarperTeen 2018): This YA novel set in 2002 felt frustratingly relevant more than 20 years later, as a Persian breakdancer falls in love with a white basketball star. Full review to come.

They Both Die at the End, by Adam Silvera; narrated by Michael Crouch, Robbie Daymond, and Bahni Turpin (HarperAudio 2017): This YA alternate reality/scifi was very compelling. I especially loved the Bahni narrated sections interspersed between the main character chapters that kept the story moving forward. Read my full review here.

Witchlings, by Claribel A. Ortega, narrated by Cyrina Fiallo (Scholastic 2022): Listened to this fun one this week to satisfy my witchy cravings. A trio of young witchlings have to prove themselves in a dangerous challenge or risk being turned into toads. Full review to come.

In the Dream House, by Carmen Maria Machado (Graywolf Press 2019): Machado’s intricately-crafted memoir about an abusive same-sex relationship is one of kind. Read my full review here.

Afterlife, by Julia Alvarez: Another one I picked up for #LatinxHeritageMonth, this is a quiet little story of a recent widow who is struggling to figure out her next steps while also trying to help a young migrant couple and save her sister from going off the deep end. There was a lot going on here, but I’m not sure any piece was fully developed. Any of those things could have easily been their own story.

One more month of fall reading, friends! Let’s make it a good one!

September Wrap Up

It’s hard to believe we’re done with September, one of the best months of the year where I live, and it was a great one. We had very little rain, beautiful temperatures in the upper 70s, low 80s, and despite the ridiculous pollen levels, I found myself wanting to be outside as much as possible. I got some great reading done on the front porch, and am excited for that to continue into October!! No five stars for me this month, but a slew of 4.5s and only one below a 4 star. And thanks to #BookstaReviewWeek last week over on Bookstagram, most of my reads have been reviewed already! Here’s what I read during September:

Witch of Wild Things, by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland (Berkley 2023): My most delightful reading experience of September had to go to this one, with the swoony romance elevated by a deeply emotional sister story, commentary on our natural world, and early 2000s nostalgia. Loved it. Definitely put me in the fall mood. Read my full review here.

One Foot in Eden, by Ron Rash (Picador 2002): My second Ron Rash book was almost as good as my first, with his excellent pacing, superb writing, and deep character development. This is a painful read, but oh-so-worth it. Excited to hear him talk about his newest book at an event in a couple weeks. Read my full review here.

The Memory Thieves (Conjureverse #2), by Dhonielle Clayton (Henry Holt & Co 2023): I wish more people were talking about this excellent middle grade fantasy series with its superb world-building and lovable characters. Can’t wait to get back to it whenever she publishes the next one. Read my full review here.

Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, by Matthew Desmond; narrated by Dion Graham (Random House Audio 2016): Impeccably narrated and diligently researched, this profile of eight families living in Milwaukee tells the story of the housing crisis in America in a very personal way. Read my full review here.

Shark Heart: A Love Story, by Emily Habeck (Marysue Rucci Books 2023): The reading experience of this quick read is immersive and weird and one-of-a-kind. I suggest going in blind, so I don’t give away any spoilers in my full review, which you can read here.

Alebrijes, by Donna Barba Higuera (Levine Querido, expected pub Oct. 3, 2023): In her follow-up to her 2021 Newbery Winner, The Last Cuentista, Higuera paints a bleak dystopian picture of life on Earth hundreds of years after a catastrophic event that wiped out most of the human population. It’s haunting and fascinating and the payoff at the end is WELL worth the price of admission. Full review to come.

Parachute Kids, by Betty C. Tang (Graphix 2023): Picked this one up after the NBA longlist was announced and found it equally fascinating and horrifying that this is a reality for kids in our country. Full review to come.

The Scent of Burnt Flowers, by Blitz Bazawule; narrated by Dion Graham (Ballantine 2022): Downloaded solely because I wanted to hear more from Dion Graham and of course I’ll read anything set in Ghana. I was sucked in to this story of two African American fugitives hoping to gain sanctuary in Ghana, but had a few sticky problems with it. Full review to come.

Dark Corners (Rachel Krall #2), by Megan Goldin; narrated by Samantha Desz, January LaVoy, and Andre Santana (St Martin’s Press 2023): I binge-listened to this second book in the Rachel Krall series, and love the audio production of these. I could have listened for much longer than the three days it took me to consume. Read my full review here.

The Faraway World, by Patricia Engel (Avid Reader Press 2023): I truly was captivated by a few of the stories in this collection, and thought the others were just okay, significantly due to some content that I don’t personally like to read about. She’s an excellent writer, and I’m glad I read her collection. Read my full review here.

I also am realizing that I read 3 titles for Latinx Heritage Month already, and we still have 15 more days to celebrate! I just started Julia Alvarez’s Afterlife last night, so I have at least one more I’ll get to before the month is over. Here’s to a great October of reading!

Fall Maybe Stack

My favorite season of the year is upon us, and with it comes my favorite reading season of the year! Fall Reading is almost here, friends! This season lets us slow down a little, sink into stories a bit more, basking in the perfect temperatures outside or curling up as the world starts to snuggling in for the end of the year. Gosh, I love it so much. I have to say, as I was perusing my shelves to figure out my maybe TBR for the season, my mind was all over the place, and that’s reflected in this stack. Something for every mood found a place here! At first I thought it was a bit too chaotic even for me, but then I spent the time to read through the first page or two of every book here, and I have to say, I’m honestly very excited for each of them. Only December will tell what I’ll actually make it through, but here’s to a good honest try!

A few titles were holdovers from summer that I didn’t quite make it to, so hopefully the next few months will let me crack into An American Marriage, by Tayari Jones, Calling for a Blanket Dance, by Oscar Hokeah, and Hello Beautiful, by Ann Napolitano. Or maybe I’ll still squeeze one of these in during August!

One Foot in Eden, by Ron Rash: Ron is coming back to The Pendleton Bookshop this fall to celebrate his newest book, The Caretaker (releasing 9/26), and I decided I wanted to try to read his debut novel before then. Plus it’s a small town sheriff murder mystery story, which seems like the right vibes for fall.

Reading Lolita in Tehran, by Azar Nafisi: With hopes of checking off another category in my #19Nonfiction challenge, I’m pulling this backlist book off the shelf as a book about a culture other than mine.

The Reckoning, by John Grisham: I don’t remember the last time I read a Grisham novel (maybe early 2000s?) but this one was gifted to me by my cousin-in-law and starts in October. With similar vibes to Rash’s, I think it’ll be a perfect fit for fall reading.

Gallant, by V.E. Schwab: This book intrigued me so much as I was processing it for the shelves at work that I had to get a copy of my own. I don’t really know what it’s going to be like, but I’m ready for the wild ride Schwab is sure to send me on. This is my spoopy pick of the pile.

Magic for Liars, by Sarah Gailey: Little bit campus novel, little bit murdery, little bit fantasy school, I’m here for it. Let’s go.

Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer: I think this will be my next slow-but-steady and I am finding how much I love this book’s publisher (Milkweed Editions) who also published my current slow-but-steady (and another from earlier this year!). I just added one of their newest releases, The Quickening, to my tbr too!

Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver: I’m feeling a little intimidated by the length of this one, but fall seems like the right to sink into it. Kingsolver is one of my very favorite authors, so I trust her to carry me through, as long as I work up the courage.

Evvie Drake Starts Over, by Linda Holmes: Gotta keep things balanced by throwing in a romance every now and then, and this one at least starts in the fall!

Here’s to lots of front porch reading time this coming season! I’m so enjoying my little extra book time in the mornings now that my oldest is in preschool and these books are itching to join me there! Fingers crossed that my youngest keeps his morning naps for a little longer! Happy Fall Reading, friends!

November Wrap Up

One month left of 2022 and I feel like I’m starting to get back in my reading groove! I’m not anywhere close to pre-mother-of-two days, but I did find myself spending evenings after kid bedtime reading, as opposed to just collapsing into a heap on the couch. It helps that I also read some delightful books this month! Here’s what I got to in November:

You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey, by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar (read by the authors) (Grand Central Publishing 2021): I devoured this short audiobook as my only NonFiction November pick this month. It was laugh out loud (like, snorting level) funny and eye opening and I’m thrilled they released a second joint effort just last week. Read my full review here.

The Vanquishers, by Kalynn Bayron (Bloomsbury Children’s Books 2022): This middle grade “horror” novel was so much fun. From hilarious dialogue and deep friendships to creeptacular vibes and interesting vampire lore, this novel is a hoot. Check out my full review here.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, by Sangu Mandanna (Berkley 2022): I loved this delightful witchy tale, which is *perfect* for December reading, despite it being all over booksta in October. These characters are easy to love and the pages fly in this one. Read my full review here.

My Good Man, by Eric Gansworth (Levine Querido 2022): I found this new adult novel to be incredibly compelling, though a bit lengthy. This character-driven story requires a little patience, but pays off in huge ways, as Brian seeps his way into your heart. Read my full review here.

A Little Hope, by Ethan Joella (Scribner 2021): Another character-driven novel, but this one was much faster, as we dipped in and out of a whole slew of characters in a small New England town over the course of a year. Despite being a little heavy-handed with its grief and joys, this one feels like a warm hug. It could be read anytime, despite its very fall-like cover. Read my full review here.

The Jane Austen Project, by Kathleen A. Flynn (Harper Audio 2017): This book was an interesting take on the time travel genre, and one that Jane Austen fans would probably love. As I have only read P&P, I don’t think I was quite the audience for it, but still thought it was enjoyable. Read my full review here.

Anne of West Philly, by Ivy Noelle Weir and Myisha Haynes (Little Brown Books for Young Readers 2022): This modern graphic novel adaptation of Anne of Green Gables was delightful for what it was, but I think I mostly liked it for nostalgia’s sake, and because Anne is so strong a character, she thrives in any format.

And look at that — all but one book already had a full review posted! I’m back, baby! Here’s to some cozy December reading!

October Wrap Up

Here we are with just two months of the year left to go and I’m still struggling to say “2022.” October was another busy month for us, as the other half of the family came to visit our newest addition, so there wasn’t a whole lot of reading time, with the exception of middle of the night feedings (hence, my digital selections are in the majority here). I was pleased I was able to sneak in some spoopy books this month, as well as another book for Latinx Heritage Month. As is becoming my new norm, I’ve only had a chance to review two of these and honestly don’t know if I’ll get to full reviews of the others, so kindly please accept these mini reviews below!

We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story, by Simu Liu (read by the author) (Harper Audio 2022): My favorite book this month was Simu Liu’s charming and captivating memoir of how he went from a young Chinese immigrant to Marvel superhero and all that came between. I loved his narrative voice, and thought this memoir was the perfect combination of struggle, humor, and heartwarming tidbits. Read my full review here.

This is the Story of a Happy Marriage, by Ann Patchett (Harper 2013): This is a great example of a “not right now” book, because when I picked it up two years ago, I was not into it at all, and when I picked it up this month, I highlighted the heck out of it. In these compiled essays, Patchett covers writing, marriage, pets, grief, and friendship, and I just loved it. I’m very intrigued to see how I might like her fiction now.

Love on the Brain, by Ali Hazelwood (Berkley 2022): After loving Hazelwood’s debut last year, I knew I’d read her sophomore novel, and I loved this one for a lot of the same reasons I loved her first: witty banter, stem setting, grumpy v. sunshine. I thought the ending of this one was a little far fetched and felt like the main character’s utter denial of their feelings for each other a little dopey, but still had a great time reading it.

Seance Tea Party, by Reimena Yee (Random House Graphic 2020): Grabbed this from my library’s shelves the first time I made it back there post partum, and it was perfect for this season. Lonely tween befriends a lonely ghost and they both help each other grow and move on with their lives. While the beginning took me a minute to settle into, I found this heartwarming and surprisingly poignant.

Labyrinth Lost, by Zoraida Cordova (Sourcebooks 2016): Grabbed this one off my shelves as a perfect read for the beginning of October — Latina author with witchy vibes. It ended up taking me almost the entire month to read thanks to a busy house, and I think I would have enjoyed it more at a quicker pace. As it was, it felt like this hero’s journey was a bit too rambly. But I loved the characters (especially Rishi!), and found the concept entirely intriguing. Also — way spookier than I was expecting!

The Strange Inheritance of Leah Fern, by Rita Zoey Chin (Melville House 2022): The highlights of this novel for me were all the characters Leah Fern meets along what may be a wild goose chase around North America to learn about the disappearance of her mother. There were parts that confused me, but I loved the concept of this and, like I said, every person she meets is almost better than the last. Read my full review here.

There we have it, friends! Here’s to hoping November grants me a smidge more print book reading time, as there’s still a whole stack I want to get to before fall is over! Happy reading!

September Wrap Up

As might have been predicted, September was a low reading month for me, as we welcomed our new baby boy at the beginning of the month! One of these four books I barely remember, as I finished it pre-baby and things have been a whirlwind since. A couple of these I somewhat slogged through, because I just didn’t have reading or listening time when we had family in town helping us and a newborn who wanted to eat every other moment. One I absolutely loved, and it’s the one that I was able to read more predictably, seeing as it was on my Kindle which keeps me company during night feedings. I also had the first day in years that I got absolutely zero reading done, but I guess being in incredibly painful labor all day/night acts as a good excuse. 😉

I haven’t had the chance to review most of these, but here’s what I read in September! I am hoping October brings a little more reading time, along with South Carolina’s reliably gorgeous weather!

The Crane Wife, by C.J. Hauser (Doubleday Books 2022): My favorite read of the month, and the only one I managed to post a review on was this new essay collection that felt incredibly relatable and down to earth. I loved too many of the essays to claim a favorite and plan to dive back into Hauser’s backlist to see if I like her fiction as much as her non-fiction.

What’s Mine and Yours, by Naima Coster (Grand Central Publishing 2021): Finished this one pre-baby, so my thoughts are a bit foggy on it. However, I do remember it had an excellent first chapter that really drew me in and a twist near the end that caught me by surprise. If you’re into family character studies, give this one a try.

Furia, by Yamile Saied Mendez; narrated by Sol Madariaga (Algonquin Young Readers 2020): Downloaded this audiobook to check off a couple of reading challenges and thought it compelling, but not gripping enough to keep me making excuses to listen. It took a good five weeks to finish, which probably didn’t help the pacing of it for me. Really loved how determined our main character was though, even in the face of a swoony romantic lead.

The Other’s Gold, by Elizabeth Ames (Viking 2019): I can understand why this character driven drama has a low score on Goodreads (3.21), as it’s a bit of a slog to get through. I kept reading, as I wanted to figure out the big “mistakes” made by each of the 4 main characters, but I wished for a little less exposition and a little more dialogue and action. She has some interesting things to say about friendship, particularly those developed in the microcosm of a college environment, but I had a hard time rooting for any of these characters.

Happy October Reading friends!

Fall Maybes

I’m a little earlier than normal with my seasonal TBR stack, but that’s because I honestly don’t know what the next couple weeks are going to bring… hopefully a baby! I’m 12 days out from my due date for my second kiddo, and as long as he waits till Tuesday when my mom arrives to care for kiddo numero uno, I’ll be happy to have him exit the premises whenever he likes. I reminded myself yesterday that in the weeks leading up to the birth of my first kid, I literally laid around all day, reading or binging television. These days, with a 3 year old, that is not in my daily game plan, and I’m exhausted! That’s also the reason for the change in my title from “Fall Hopefuls” to “Fall Maybes” because, honestly, who knows what I’ll have the capacity to read in the coming months! I just went to my shelves to see what fall-ish books grabbed me, and this is what I came up with! I also would really like to dig into my BOTM backlist, because it’s out of control, but I don’t know that hardcovers with an infant are going to work out well. I have a feeling the majority of my reading will be done on kindle or audio, so we’ll see what the season actually brings!

The Beautiful Mystery, by Louise Penny: Keeping my seasonal Three Pines tradition alive with this next installment, which I grabbed (along with the following one) when going through a used book donation at work the other week! I don’t actually know if this one’s set in the fall, but the next is very clearly set in the winter, so fall it is!

The Mothers, by Brit Bennett: This has been sitting on my bedside table since March, so I kept it in this stack too. Maybe the fact that I’ll be a mother to two will motivate me to finally open it up! I promise, I really want to read it!

Internment, by Samira Ahmed: I was scanning my YA shelf to see what grabbed me, thinking YA might be more my speed this season, and Ahmed’s powerful cover drew me in. A near-future dystopia might be just the ticket to hold my interest this fall (if my hormones can handle it lol).

People Like Us, by Dana Mele: And now for the school settings! Just because I’m entering my 4th fall without going back to school doesn’t mean I don’t still strongly associate the two! Gotta get a couple campus novels in the list, starting with this private school YA murder mystery!

Plain Bad Heroines, by Emily M. Danforth: This one perhaps seems the most unlikely to be read just due to the sheer heftiness of it, but I don’t think one can read this in any season but the fall, so here it sits. Nothing like a dual-timeline spoopy (maybe spooky??) unsolved boarding school mystery to spice up the fall reading lineup.

A Little Hope, by Ethan Joella: This was the only backlist BOTM I purposefully pulled out for the stack, because its cover suggests that it too can only be read in the fall. Those gorgeous fall leaves have me pining for cooler weather, and its slim size makes me think it will be doable!

The Other’s Gold, by Elizabeth Ames: My final campus novel on the stack! I’ve had this on my list since it came out in 2019, and despite its pretty low Goodreads rating (3.21??), several of my trusted recommendation sources loved it!

Evvie Drake Starts Over, by Linda Holmes: I pulled this off the shelf this summer, thinking romances are always good summer reads, but then noticed it starts in the fall, so I saved it till now! Having something light in the lineup will be good for me too.

So there it is! My possibility pile for fall that may or may not get a single book read off of it by winter! Que sera!

Happy fall reading, bookish friends! What’s your fall reading plan?

November Wrap Up

December, is that you?? Holy moly, we’re at the end of 2021 and yet I could swear we just wrapped up 2020. What a blur! This last month has been particularly busy, hence my much smaller stack of books than October, but I’ve read several stand-outs! I don’t have time to write much more, so here’s the run down:

How the Word Is Passed, by Clint Smith (Hachette Audio 2021): Wow, wow, wow, this book is so excellent. One of my very favorites I’ve read about history / racial injustice. Still processing this truly remarkable audiobook, keep your eyes out for a full review in the coming days.

Once There Were Wolves, by Charlotte McConaghy (Flatiron 2021): I found the writing in this short cli-fi novel to be extraordinary, however dark the content was. I want to read more and more about wolves, now, that’s for sure. Read my full review here.

Let the Circle Be Unbroken, by Mildred D. Taylor (Puffin 1981, 1991): My second trip into the Logan Family Saga brought me another beautiful peek into life for a Black family in the historical American South. I love these characters so dearly. Read my full review here.

The Marrow Thieves, by Cherie Dimaline (Dancing Cat Books 2017): How I wish more people knew about this YA dystopian novel. So much depth of storytelling here. Full review to come.

To Night Owl From Dogfish, by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer (Dial Books for Young Readers 2019): Super cute middle grade epistolary novel that gives us all the modern Parent Trap vibes you could want. Read my full review here.

The Charm Offensive, by Alison Cochrun (Atria 2021): I thought this queer romance was a beautiful discussion of mental health, particularly in relationships, balanced with a lot of ridiculous reality TV fun. Read my full review here.

The Ex Hex, by Erin Sterling (Avon 2021): This #bookstagrammademedoit was a bit of a disappointment, but was entertaining enough to keep me reading. Read my full review here.

Zara Hossain is Here, by Savina Khan; narrated by Richa Moorjani (Scholastic Audio 2021): I thought this YA contemporary had a lot of potential, but took on too much to really give me depth on any one thing. All tell and no show for this one. Read my full review here.

Here’s to the end of 2021! What books are you looking forward to this month??

October Wrap Up

Woooowww what a month of fun reading. I read so much this month, you guys! There were many days where I got to sink in and read for hours, which is not a typical reality for life with a toddler. It was delicious and renewing, and I just love October so very much. I didn’t add any books to my (very small) 5-Star Stack this month, but still read a lot of great stuff (including one I LOVED that I finished in the wee sleepless hours of this morning!) and just had an enjoyable time overall. READING’S THE BEST!

Here’s what I read during the month of October:

Sabrina & Corina: Stories, by Kali Fajardo-Anstine (One World 2019): My favorite book of the month was a short story collection set in and around Denver featuring Latinx/Indigenous women of every age and circumstance. Fajardo-Anstine is a master of “show don’t tell” and I felt a deep connection to each of her characters. See my full review here.

The Love Hypothesis, by Ali Hazelwood (Berkley 2021): The aforementioned book I finished early this morning, that kept me awake for much longer stretches than my body would have liked, was this delightful rom-com set in a Stanford University biology lab. Great STEM content, great steam content, I loved every second. Full review to come.

Go With the Flow, by Lily Williams and Karen Scheemann (First Second 2020): This younger YA graphic novel was so fun, full of authentic characters and excellent representations of friendship, and scrappy, next-generation feminism. I loved it so much. Read my full review here.

Other Words for Home, by Jasmine Warga (Balzar & Bray 2019): Beautifully written middle grade novel-in-verse about a Syrian girl and her mother coming to American to escape the political unrest at home. Read my full review here.

Good Girl, Bad Blood (Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #2), by Holly Jackson; narrated by Bailey Carr and full cast (Penguin Random House Audio 2020): I very very much enjoy this YA murder mystery series, especially on audio, for its excellent narration production, its thoughtful portrayal of trauma, and its twisty mysteries. Can’t wait to read book 3. Read my full review here.

The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the South, by Michael W. Twitty (Amistad 2017): My slow-but-steady for the last few months, this culinary history/memoir is massive in its scope and incredibly personal at the same time. It’s a challenging read, but well worth it. Read my full review here.

The Project, by Courtney Summers (Wednesday Books 2021): YA thrillers are just about the perfect speed of thriller for me, and this one kept me on the edge of my seat, especially in the second half. I still have some questions that I never expect to get answers for, but I thoroughly enjoyed my immersive reading experience with this one. Read my full review here.

My Plain Jane, by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton (Harper Teen 2018): I had so much fun flying through this paranormal reimaging of Jane Eyre from the same team who brought us shapeshifting Tudors in My Lady Jane. Full review to come.

Stepping Stones, by Lucy Knisley (RH Graphic 2020): Cute and emotional middle grade semi-autobiographical graphic novel about a girl who has recently left the big city and her dad to live with Mom and stepdad Walter on a farm. This wasn’t my favorite Knisley work, but I’ll definitely read the sequel, due out this coming spring. Read my full review here.

Tahira in Bloom, by Farah Heron (Skyscape 2021): A fun, escapist summery read with a diverse cast and a sweet enemies-to-lovers romance and a main character who I grew to appreciate despite her irritating beginning. Read my full review here.

Jackaby, by William Ritter, narrated by Nicola Barber (Highbridge Audio 2014): This YA historical paranormal mystery had a lot of elements I like, and gave me a lot of Sherlock Holmes vibes. I didn’t quite love it as much as I hoped, which I think may have been largely due to the audio narration. Full review to come.

Next Year in Havana, by Chanel Cleeton; narrated by Kyla Garcia and Frankie Maria Corzo (Blackstone Audio 2018): This book was perfectly fine and held my interest well, although I found the romance in the modern timeline to be pretty unbelievable (although sweet) and the romance in the past to be more believable (although a little cringy). But I was fascinated by both the modern and historical Cuban setting and want to read more set there. Read my full review here.

Anxious People, by Fredrik Backman (Atria Books 2020): My third (and least favorite) Backman book so far, was still very much in the unique Backman style I love so much, but rubbed me the wrong way in tone. There’s a lot going on under the surface of this hostage-situation-gone-wrong novel, and I felt very affectionate toward each of the characters by the end, despite them having been quite grating for the first half. Read my full review here.

Queenie, by Candice Carty-Williams; narrated by Shvorne Marks (Simon & Schuster Audio 2019): I appreciated a lot of things about this contemporary novel about a Jamaican British woman in her twenties, although it dragged for me in the middle and had me groaning frequently abut Queenie’s bad decisions. Read my full review here.

The Kiss Quotient, by Helen Hoang (Berkley 2018): This romance had a lot going for it at first, but I really felt cringy about the possessiveness that this relationship grew into, and a certain moment near the middle that made me angry. Read more about it in my full review here.

I can’t wait to see what the next two months of reading have in store! I am fairly confident October will go down as my most productive reading month of 2021 (given family visits/holidays/traveling coming up in Nov & Dec), but I am hoping to finish checking off reading tasks from all the Reading Challenges I found myself completing this year (correction: Reading Challenges I found myself starting this year. We’ll see if I complete any of them!)

What was your favorite October Read? Let me know in comments!