March Wrap Up

Another reading month is in the books, my friends, and March was good to me! I had my first 5 star read of 2024, I read a bunch of great middle grade, and had a generally good time. We even went on vacation and I still read a ton! Love it! I had thought my March numbers would be down, as I started three books this month that I had no intention on finishing (1 – a new slow buddy read for #MalandEmBookClub, 2 – A Barbara Kingsolver yearlong reading project, and 3 – an 1000+ page Draco/Hermione fanfic which I’m honestly farther in that I expected to be because I’m mildly obsessed), but then middle grade of course comes in to solve that problem. I already gave mini reviews for all my middle grade titles just a couple days ago, so I’m not going to repeat those here, and today we’re just going to do a real quick rundown:

Simon Sort of Says, by Erin Bow (Disney Hyperion 2023): Loved it top to bottom, these are some of the best characters I’ve read in a while. This is the stuff good middle grade is made of. Read my full review here.

Hummingbird, by Natalie Lloyd, read by the author (Scholastic Audio 2022): Speaking of stuff good middle grade is made of… mini review here.

When Stars Are Scattered, by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed (Dial Books 2020): More middle grade goodness… mini review here.

An Impossible Thing to Say, by Arya Shahi (Allida 2023): I loved this YA novel in verse so much. Rap music meets Shakespeare meets coming of age meets first crush. Full review here.

This Time Tomorrow, by Emma Straub (Riverhead 2022): I think I’ve said before that I would read Emma Straub’s grocery lists, and I think that still holds true. This was a very interesting version of a time travel novel with immense heart and some truly lovable characters (a bit of a departure for Straub!). I have some thoughts on this one, so a full review is definitely to come.

The Violin Conspiracy, by Brendan Slocumb; narrated by JD Jackson (Random House Audio 2022): I really enjoyed this coming of age story about a young Black violinist who inherits a Stradivarius which is then stolen from him. Read my full review here.

Big Tree, by Brian Selznick (Scholastic 2023): Selznick is back with his chonky masterpieces… mini review here.

A Field Guide to Mermaids, by Emily B. Martin (Henry Holt 2022): A simply beautiful “nonfiction” guidebook to mermaids and their habitats. Very, very cool. Mini review here.

The Agathas, by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson (Listening Library 2022): This fun murder mystery kept me guessing till the end, and while I liked the characters a lot, one of the narrators didn’t work for me. Full review to come.

The Last Mapmaker, by Christina Soontornvat, read by Sura Siu (Orange Sky Audio 2022): A fun adventure that probably won’t stick with me. Mini review here.

That’s it, folks! I just started a new print book yesterday, but after that, I don’t have any books next on deck! My TBR bookshelf is my oyster! What fun! Can’t wait to see what April will bring me! Happy reading!

February Wrap Up

We have somehow already moved into March, reader friends, and like most of us, I feel like February just flew right on by. My January was such a great reading month, that it feels natural that February was a bit of a slower reading month for me, but I’m happy to say it ended very strongly! I finished the month with my two favorite books, The Sparrow and A Love Song. Here’s what I thought about all the rest:

The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell (Ballantine 1996): This sci-fi novel set in 2019 and 2060 was fascinating, both for its world-building, its focus on linguistics and spirituality, and its character dynamics. I thought it was excellently executed, and will be writing a full review soon.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde, by Tia Williams (Grand Central Publishing 2024): I devoured this magical love story set during a leap year February. Love her sweeping romances and fun, fabulous characters. Read my full review here.

This Could Be Us (Skyland #2), by Kennedy Ryan (Forever, expected March 5, 2024): Loved this second addition to the Skyland series, but mainly for the fabulous friend banter and less for the romantic leads. Read my full review here.

The Starless Sea, by Erin Morgenstern (Doubleday 2019): This book felt like a weird dream, and while I think Morgenstern’s writing is gorgeous and she has a fascinating world in her head, this novel felt a bit too ambitious. I switched between the audio (excellent production) and print, and I may have missed some things in the transfer. Full review to come on this one.

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, by Jesse Q. Sutanto; narrated by Eunice Wong (Penguin Audio 2023): This was a fun audio, though not quite what I expected. Less of a murder mystery and more of a found family story, which you know I prefer anyway. A lot of fun, but maybe not one I’ll remember.

All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps, edited by Dave Isay (Penguin Books 2012): A fun little book to dip in and out of, although I found myself wishing for longer stories to get more development. Read my full review here.

None of This is True, by Lisa Jewell (Atria Books 2023): My attempt to read a thriller was an interesting experiment I don’t plan on repeating anytime soon. Perhaps when I’m in a less anxious stage of my life… Read my full review here.

White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How to Do Better, by Regina Jackson and Saira Rao (Penguin Books 2022): Glad I prioritized this one this month, even though it wasn’t easy reading. Read my full review here.

How was your February reading, friends? What was the best thing you read last month? Would love to hear about it in the comments!

January Wrap Up

Oh hey — it’s February! I’ll be honest, January was a bit of a blur for me (thanks, c*vid), but I got in some super excellent reads. I’m really leaning in to the “read whatever I want” mindset, and it showed up for me! I had five 4.5 star reads, a slew of 4 stars, and nothing less than 3.5 stars. A fabulous way to start off the year, in my book. Here’s what I read in January:

Scattered Showers: Stories, by Rainbow Rowell (Wednesday Books 2022): If we’re classifying books by which had me smiling from ear to ear the most, this one would win. I loved this romance story collection to pieces and loved my time spent reading them. Read my full review here.

Hello Beautiful, by Ann Napolitano (Dial Press 2023): If Oprah says it’s a winner, you can pretty much assume it’ll be great, right? Right. Loved this family drama set in Chicago and the way each of the characters overlapped. Beautiful, evocative storytelling. Read my full review here.

Mercury, by Amy Jo Burns (Celadon Books 2024): My second Book of the Month book this month was also a family drama that completely sucked me in with its characters. I loved getting to know each of them so intimately and loved the slight mystery that held the shape together. Full review to come.

I Think We’ve Been Here Before, by Suzy Krause (Lake Union Publishing, exp. Sept 24, 2024): YES, so this doesn’t come out until September, but it’s set in the months leading up to Christmas, so I already read it, okay?? I hope everyone is talking about this book next holiday season, because it’s what you get if you combine Fredrik Backman, holiday family drama, and apocalypse. Which, I mean, I don’t know how you could get anything better than that. Put it on your TBR now! Full review to come in several months!

The Ogress and the Orphans, by Kelly Barnhill (Algonquin Young Readers 2022): This middle grade cozy fantasy appears to be a thinly-veiled allegory for the dangers of certain political administrations, such as the one that was elected in 2016 and — heaven forbid — might be again by the end of this year. Now is the perfect time to read and to generate conversations with your kids about things going on in the news. There’s appearance-morphing dragons, a gaggle of alphabet-named children, and so much delicious baking. Full review to come tomorrow.

This is How You Lose the Time War, by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (Saga Press 2019): Half the time I had no idea what I was reading, but I also think it was genius?? This sci-fi world is so complex it took two authors to dream it up, but in just under 200 pages, they were able to get the reader to buy in and fully accept getting their heart broken into a million pieces. Full review to come.

Wholehearted Faith, by Rachel Held Evans with Jeff Chu (HarperOne 2022): This one is hot off the presses with this morning’s review, but in case you missed it, it was my latest #MalandEmBookClub pick, and we loved diving back into the words of RHE in this, her final book. Her voice was so important in the realm of progressive Christianity, and I’m so glad to have read this one. Full review here.  

A First Time for Everything, by Dan Santat (First Second 2023): Really enjoyed this middle grade graphic memoir that was the National Book Award Winner for Young People’s Literature last year. This one is all about the thrill and anxiety of first international travel, and I thought it was done beautifully. Read my full review here.

Jane, Unlimited, by Kristin Cashore, narrated by Rebecca Soler (Kathy Dawson Books 2017): I’ve never read anything quite like this backlist gem, and for those looking for a wild ride, look no further. Part choose-your-own-adventure, part genre mashup, this is incredibly original. Read my full review here.

Leslie F*cking Jones, by Leslie Jones (Grand Central Publishing 2023): This nearly 17 hour audiobook is a trip and a half, but also a must-listen for any fans of Jones’. She’s entirely herself as she tells you the stories of her life, and it’s laugh-out-loud funny and incredibly emotional. Read my full review here.

Wannabe: Reckonings with the Pop Culture That Shapes Me, by Aisha Harris (HarperOne 2023): This one suffered from a clash of expectations vs reality for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s not great writing. Harris presents a collection of powerful essays here with significant focus on race and women’s roles, and how pop culture shaped those things for her. Read my full review here.

I’m so excited for what the rest of this reading year has in store if January was any indication of how it will be. There are so many good books to read!! Happy February, reader friends!

December Wrap Up

We’ve made it to the end of another month and another year! My reading this month heavily featured holiday reads, which is a bit of a departure for me from most Decembers, when I might read one or two. I think I was just really attempting to fully sink into the Christmas magic, as a magic-maker for two littles currently residing in my home. Although they weren’t all excellent books, I think they generally did what I hoped they would, and a couple of them were really fantastic. My favorite book of the month (and right up there for the year) was a hold-over from last month and featured incredibly poetic language and many thought-provoking moments. Here’s what I read:

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Milkweed 2013): This book is about so much more than plants and I loved my time spent in these pages. Kimmerer has so much to share about storytelling, climate, academia, motherhood, community, and, yes, plants. Full review still to come.

You, Again, by Kate Goldbeck (The Dial Press 2023): I loved this moderninzed reimagining of one of my fave rom-coms, When Harry Met Sally, and although it took me a while to warm to the main characters, they fully captured my heart by the end. Great New Year’s read! Read my full review here.

The Christmas Orphans Club, by Becca Freeman (Penguin 2023): My favorite Christmas book I read this month was a story of best-friendships and chosen family, some of my favorite tropes. I loved the structure, which flips between two POVs and multiples, non-consecutive timelines. Read my full review here.

Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan (Faber 2021): This Christmastime novella was not at all what I was expecting, but featured excellent storytelling and character development. Keegan shows how darkness can be brought into the light in such a short space. Read my full review here.

A Woman in the Polar Night, by Christiane Ritter, translated by Jane Degras (Dutton 1954; 1938): I wrapped up this one (and my #19Nonfiction reading challenge – translated nonfiction) yesterday. A perfect wintry read, this memoir first published in 1938 tells the wild tale of a woman who goes to join her husband for a year in the arctic where he is a hunter/trapper. Nuts, I tell you. Full review to come.

The Insiders, by Mark Oshiro; narrated by Avi Roque (HarperCollins 2021): A fun, middle grade novel that uses a magical room to tell a story of identity, self esteem, family, and friendship for three (and many more) middle schoolers. The narration by Roque is excellent.

Have I Told You This Already? Stories I Don’t Want to Forget to Remember, by Lauren Graham (Ballantine 2022): I needed an easy-breezy audio to get me through the hecticness of traveling with two little kids, and this short memoir-in-essays was up to the job. Graham’s narration is extremely likeable and a couple of her essays are incredibly poignant (most notably for me: “Mochi”). Probably won’t remember much of this in a year, but I enjoyed my time with it a lot.

Once Upon a December, by Amy E. Reichert; narrated by Sharon Freeman (Berkeley 2022): This Christmas romance had impeccable vibes and not much else. It was fine for wrapping/baking/packing purposes. Read my full review here.

A Christmas Legacy, by Anne Perry (Ballantine Books 2021): This cozy mystery (I guess it’s a mystery?) was an enjoyable way to spend a few evenings in front of the Christmas tree, and my experience was boosted due to the fact that it was a gift from a loved one. Read my full review here.

Familia, by Lauren E. Rico (Kensington 2023): This new release just had way to much happening to ever really settle into the story Rico wanted to tell. I wished for a more focused purpose and took issue with a couple plot choices. Read my full review here.

I am ready for a brand new reading year and all the great stories it will hold! Do you have any books you are particularly looking forward to? I’m hoping to make a bigger dent in my TBR bookcase this year (don’t we say that every year?), but there are also some new books from beloved authors coming out in 2024, so we shall see. Happy 2024 Reading, book friends!

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!

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!

June Wrap Up

Happy July, reader friends! We are officially halfway through the year and I’ve had perhaps my best reading month yet. I added two books to the coveted 5-star stack, and more than half of my ten were 4.5 stars or better! What a fun month of reading I had! I do have quite a lot of reviewing to catch up on, but here are some quick words on each!

Congratulations, the Best is Over! by R. Eric Thomas (Ballantine Books, expected Aug 8, 2023): How I love R. Eric Thomas. I adored his first memoir-in-essays Here for It, and I loved this one even more. His humor continues to be pitch perfect and the added poignancy of facing grief during the pandemic put this one at the very top of my very good reading month. Full review to come!

Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be, by Dr. Becky Kennedy (Harper Wave 2022): Essential reading for parents of toddlers, and beyond I’d say. If you know you aren’t comfortable with more “traditional” forms of parenting and discipline, but you feel stuck on how to move forward, this is a must read! Read my full review here.

Warrior Girl Unearthed, by Angeline Boulley (Henry Holt and Co 2023): Boulley’s debut, Firekeeper’s Daughter was one of my favorite books the year it came out, so I knew I’d pick up her sophomore installment. This one is set about a decade following the first in the same community, but with a new main character. Perry irritated me at first, but I came to absolutely adore her and her pals on Team Misfit Toys. Will read whatever Boulley writes. Full review to come.

Lovely War, by Julie Berry; narrated by a full cast (Listening Library 2019): Such a breath of fresh air in the world war fiction canon. I loved the story-within-a-story here, narrated by the Greek gods, about 4 young people amidst the Great War. Read my full review here.

Happy Place, by Emily Henry (Berkley 2023): Oh, how I love me an Emily Henry in the summer. Went down easy, enjoyed every minute. Read my full review here.

Fourth Wing, by Rebecca Yarros (Red Tower Books 2023): I jumped on the dragon bandwagon and had a fabulous time doing so. I understand why everyone devoured this book, as it’s the perfect summer candy reading. I’ll likely preorder the second to get those sprayed edges too. Full review to come.

Song for a Whale, by Lynne Kelly (Listening Library 2019): Came for the beautiful cover and the window experience of reading about a Deaf middle grader, stayed for the Alaskan cruise and whale goodness. Kelly matched these stories of these two characters (Iris and B55) beautifully. Full review to come.

Kill Joy, by Holly Jackson (Listening Library 2021): I very much enjoyed Jackson’s Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, so when I saw she had released a prequel novella, it was a no brainer download for me. This murder-mystery-dinner story was very nostalgic for me and my teenage years, and I thought it did a beautiful job setting up the series. Full review to come.

Finding Freedom: A Cook’s Story, Erin French, narrated by the author (MacMillan Audio 2021): I liked this memoir a lot, but felt like I’d read something very similar that I loved more. Read my full review here.

The Light Through the Leaves, by Glendy Vanderah (Lake Union Publishing 2021): My third Vanderah book, and my least favorite so far. While the action had me turning pages, the trauma never stopped coming, until the very end that is, that wrapped up with a tidy bow. Read my full review here.

Have a fabulous July, my friends!

May Wrap Up

We have had such a delightful May weather-wise here in South Carolina, I’m actually feeling ready for the summer heat! And despite my low expectations for my reading this month with our big 15 hour roadtrip to visit family, I actually was able to squeeze in some great books! On the other hand, despite participating in #BookstaReviewWeek last week and catching up on a ton of reviews (you may have noticed more posts than usual!), I have in fact only reviewed just over half of May’s reads. Alas! Will get to them eventually! Here’s what I read this month:

Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs, by Beth Ann Fennelly (W. W. Norton & Co. 2017): What a delightful way to wrap up my May reading with a single-sitter read like this one. As the subtitle suggests, these short essays take up to 3 small pages at most (many are only a paragraph or two), are sometimes hilarious, sometimes touching, sometimes heartbreaking, and always poignant. I loved them. Read my full review here.

Why Fathers Cry at Night: A Memoir in Love Poems, Letters, Recipes, and Remembrances, by Kwame Alexander (Little, Brown and Co 2023): The newest from powerhouse author Kwame Alexander, this time for an adult audience as he processes the love he’s experienced with his daughters, lovers, parents, and teachers. He’s an extraordinary talent. Full review here.

Our Missing Hearts, by Celeste Ng, narrated by Lucy Liu (Penguin Audio 2022): Ng is a very gifted writer, and her skills are on full display in her newest novel, a story of a son and mother in a near future dystopia, where Chinese Americans are treated as enemies of the state. Read my full review here.

Babel: An Arcane History, by R. F. Kuang (Harper Voyager 2022): I spent several weeks digging into this monster of a book, an alternate history look at the British empire. The pacing was tough for me with this one, but the characters buried themselves into my heart. Read my full review here.

Romantic Comedy, by Curtis Sittenfeld (Random House 2023): Though not my favorite of one of my favorite author’s works, I still greatly enjoyed Sittenfeld’s take on the world of SNL and the rom-com genre. I flew through the second two parts of this one, and enjoyed my time quite a lot. Full review soon.

How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water, by Angie Cruz (Flatiron 2022): This is a short novel with an interesting format, two things I love. Cara Romero has lost her factory job of 25 years and is telling her life story to a job counselor. Cara’s voice is so strong that I found myself reading much of this one aloud to myself and can see how the audiobook would be fantastic. Full review to come.

This Place: 150 Years Retold, by many authors (Highwater Press 2019): This one wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but I learned a ton about the various indigenous groups in Canada and their tumultuous history with the Canadian government. Full review to come.

Uncle of the Year: And Other Debatable Triumphs, by Andrew Rannells (Crown 2023): This celebrity memoir was an enjoyable read, albeit one that won’t likely stick with me. Full review here.

Happy Summer Reading, friends!

March Wrap Up

What a fun reading month March was for me! I’ve got to say, I think 2023 is shaping up to be a better reading year than 2022 was by far. Yes, I’ve only had two 5-star reads so far, but I’ve had lots of 4-4.5 star reads, and the experience of reading has been much more consistently enjoyable and engrossing than I’ve had in recent years. What a joy. I did get to add to my 5-star stack this month with a very gripping mystery-adjacent story, and read such a great variety of other things to keep me balanced. I still have a lot of reviews to write, so here’s a quick look at my March reads:

I Have Some Questions for You, by Rebecca Makkai (Viking 2023): There was so much to love about this literary mystery, from the unique and fresh narration style, the hard examination of toxic sexism, assault, and cancel culture, the intoxicating boarding school setting, and the blending of timelines. I loved it. Full review to come.

Every Heart a Doorway, by Seanan McGuire (Tor 2016): What a bizarre and fascinating little book this is!! I’ve had this on my tbr forever, and I’m so glad I finally picked it up! It was waaaay darker than I expected, and full of the most complex and tantalizing magical systems that you just barely get hints of than I’ve read in a very long time. I’m so glad there are so many more books in this novella series to sink into. I will definitely be doing so. Full review to come.

How the Light Gets In (Chief Inspector Gamache #9), by Louise Penny (Sphere 2013): I can’t get enough of this series, and I’m so glad they continue to be so gosh darn good. I feel so engrossed as I’m reading, and this one kept my heart rate pumping for the last 250 pages or so. Sheesh. Catch my full review here.

Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy, by Angie Thomas (Balzer + Bray, expected April 4, 2023): This middle grade fantasy opener debuts next week and I’m excited for the world to get their hands on it! While it took me a minute to get invested, I really enjoyed it. Read my full review here.

Tumble, by Celia C. Pérez; narrated by Victoria Villarreal (Listening Library 2022): What a fun concept for a contemporary middle grade story! This one is full of heart and I’m so glad it exists in the world. And what a gorgeous cover! Read my full review here.

The Story of More, by Hope Jahren (Vintage 2020): This is a great primer for all things climate change and gives the reader a chance to take stock of all that we are facing and figure out where their personal passions lie. It was an uneasy read, for sure, but Jahren’s writing is approachable and encouraging, even so. Read my full review here.

Crumbs, by Danie Stirling (Etch 2022): Total impulse grab at the library, but a great little refreshing read after Makkai’s heavier work. I loved the fantastical world Stirling created here, but wish I understood it better. I wanted more! Full review to come.

The Fire Never Goes Out, by N. D. Stevenson (Harper 2020): I have loved Stevenson’s work in the past, and was surprised by a lot of what I found in this, their memoir, including how young they were when they published the graphic novels I know and love! This memoir was very unique in its structure, which was both a pleasant surprise and left me wanting more. It offers an intimate, and often haunting, look into the life behind the creator of some of the most joy-filled comics I’ve read in recent years.

The Screwtape Letters, by C. S. Lewis (Touchstone 1942): This was the latest Mal-and-Em-Book-Club pick which took us waaaay too long to read and discuss (moms of toddlers, etc., over here), which may have made this one a little harder to sink into than it could have been. I’m pretty sure I read this when I was in middle school, but there is no way I understood it, because I still feel like I’m not smart enough to really grasp a lot of what is happening in this very unique epistolary novella. I’m not really sure if I’m a C. S. Lewis fan, but he certainly had an interesting brain on his shoulders. I don’t know what to rate this, but I’m glad I re-read it as an adult.

Here’s to another great reading month ahead! We’re a quarter of the way through 2023, and I can’t wait to see what the reading gods have in store for me next!

February Wrap Up

What a fun reading month February was for me! I was leaning heavily into mood reading this month, and it showed! I was all over the place, and it scratched all my itches. I also had my first 5-star read of the year, from a book that was totally unexpected. Add to that 5 memoirs (what??), 6 books by Black authors, 2 graphic novels, and a book over 600 pages and you have a whirlwind of a reading month! Here’s what I read:

Skye Falling, by Mia McKenzie (Random House 2021): I had zero expectations for this book, which made it even more of a delightful experience than it might have been. I loved Skye and her narrative voice and found myself cracking up on multiple occasions. Read my full review here.

Now Is Not the Time to Panic, by Kevin Wilson; narrated by Ginnifer Goodwin (Ecco, Harper Audio 2022): I loved this short audiobook, largely due to Ginnifer Goodwin’s impeccable narration, but also because Kevin Wilson is the expert at making the bizarre totally relatable. Read my full review here.

The Winners, by Fredrik Backman (Atria Books 2022): I was glad to finally sink into the final book in the Beartown series, and it was just as good as I’d hoped and as emotionally straining as I feared. Did I like the ending? Not at all. Did I think it was well done? Absolutely. Full review still to come.

Finding Me: A Memoir, by Viola Davis, read by the author (HarperAudio 2022): I just finished this this evening, so am still processing my thoughts on it, but I can safely say, it’s fantastic. Davis hooked me in the very first sentence and provided a raw and gripping account of her life thus far. I can’t believe how little I knew about her. Full review to come.

Gender Queer, by Maia Kobabe (Oni Press 2019): What a vulnerable and informative work this memoir is. I learned so much about a life that is different from my own, and am grateful Maia had the courage to share this story. Full review to come.

The Black Kids, by Christina Hammonds Reed (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 2020): I’m still not sure if 4 stars is my correct rating here, because there were moments when I was reading brilliance. Other times it was standard YA fare. What I do know, is that this book offers a lot of complexity and nuance to some heavy issues faced by teenagers — and all of us — still today, despite being set over 30 years ago.

Spare, by Prince Harry (Random House Audio 2022): Like everyone else in the world, I read Spare this month, which further endeared Harry and Meghan to my heart. A very interesting, and often horrifying, look into a life that none of us will ever know. Read my full review here.

The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature, by J. Drew Lanham (Milkweed 2016): My first slow-but-steady of 2023 felt intimate, lyrical, and thought-provoking. Read my full review here.

I Was Their American Dream, by Malaka Gharib (Clarkson Potter 2019): I liked this graphic memoir a lot, and it served as a great palate cleanser after a much heavier read (see Mr. Backman above). Read my full review here.

The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks, by Shauna Robinson (Sourcebooks Landmark 2022): This book was a fun, if forgettable, bookish romp, with great characters, clever moments, and an occasional eye-rolly villain. Perfectly satisfactory. Read my full review here.

The Gold Cadillac, by Mildred D. Taylor (Dial Books for Young Readers 1987): Continuing my read-through of the Logan Family Saga brought me to my first book where I didn’t know any of the characters… I’m still not sure how or where this book fits into the saga and didn’t feel like it was developed enough to stand on its own. Not sure if I’ll do a full review of this one, but maybe, just because I have so many questions.

I have a few books from the library on the docket, and then the world is my oyster! Who knows where my March reading will take me! I’m excited to find out!