This year my reading (prior to the month of August) had been exceptionally stellar. I tend to be generous with my five-star reviews. My rating system is most similar to Goodreads’s: 1 = did not like, 2 = it was ok, 3 = liked it, 4 = really liked it, 5 = loved it. Of all the books I’ve read this year, 24% have been five star (which is about 30 books). Somehow, looking at this statistic threw me into a ‘if I’m not loving it, why am I reading it?’ mindset, which has completely thrown off my reading game. I am putting down books left and right, abandoning them like there’s no tomorrow. Anne at Modern Mrs. Darcy says ‘Life’s too short to read bad books’ and I have been taking that to heart. This has unfortunately led to me reading 50% of 3 or 4 books this month that I have had to leave behind. They either weren’t holding my attention or it didn’t feel like the book was really going anywhere.
I don’t really keep track of my abandoned books. If I get more than 50% into a book and abandon it, then I will track it as a true ‘DNF’, but most of the time I don’t get far enough for it to be worth it for me to pay attention to the book after a few days. If you want more information on the books that haven’t jived with me in August, feel free to email me!
I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown (digital)
A really powerful book that examines and dismantles white fragility. Full of interesting perspectives on racism/anti-racism in the Christian church. It made me take a hard look at the institutions that I am surrounded by and have taken part in. I have been challenging myself with more anti-racist and Black non-fiction reads. This was a quick one that opened my eyes in the best way. I wished it were longer and dove deeper into her work with Christians. 4.25 stars.
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas (digital)
A re-read as part of a book club I am in that is tackling all of Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series. Celaena comes into her own in this book, accepting more of her destiny and revealing more about her past. The world building is slower, and this book is focused more on the history of the world of ToG. The second half FLEW by and had me gasping and cheering in equal measure. I can’t wait to pick up Heir of Fire. 4.5 stars.
My Brother’s Husband by Gengoroh Tagame (digital)
This is a graphic novel set in Japan that tells a wonderful LGBTQ+ story about a non-traditional family. Yaichi’s brother, Ryoji, passes away (not a spoiler!) and his husband, Mike, comes to visit Yaichi and his daughter Kana in Japan. What ensues is a fun adventure of Kana learning more about the world and Yaichi coming to terms with his own shortcomings. Yaichi learns to be more accepting of who his brother was and who Mike is. A+ characters and art. 4 stars.
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (hardback)
This was my first novel in verse and initially I was worried I wouldn’t be able to get the real meaning behind all the poetry. Instead I found this to be extremely accessible. Camino and Yahaira are two young women grappling with their own identities outside of their now dead father. I loved seeing them both grow and fight for what they wanted and needed. I especially loved the glimpses into the culture of the Dominican Republic and the DR community in New York. The two girls’ growth into more mature women is inspiring, as is their ability to relate to the women around them and to their father, who kept many secrets. 5 stars.
How to Stop Time by Matt Haig (audio)
A quirky concept executed well; a man who ages extremely slowly to the point where he has to move every 8 years to avoid suspicion. Tom is an exceptional narrator of his own life, taking us through his early childhood / teenage years in Shakespearean England, and through to modern day London. He ruminates on what it means to love, and how much of a role love plays in each and every life. I did feel this book dragged in the middle of the story, but it picks up again near the end. Read this if you like time traveling novels and stories told in multiple timelines. 4 stars.
What You Wish For by Katherine Center (digital)
Katherine did not disappoint with this new novel. It was another fun and fresh romance, set in Texas (which I LOVE). This one centers around a librarian and the new principal, who knew each other in a past life. They both went through some intense trauma in recent years, and together are able to work past it and come together. I’ve seen some criticism online regarding the behavior of the principal around security measures, but it didn’t bother me. 4 stars.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (hardback)
Excellent world building in this fantasy world: magic, but only at the hands of maji, and a race against time to bring magic back to the world after it disappeared at the hands of a tyrant king. Told in an interesting dual perspective format. A tad predictable, but overall a great novel for magic/fantasy lovers. A lot of people say this is a ‘page turner’ that they ‘couldn’t put down’ — didn’t feel that way to me for some reason. Potentially the slump talking! 4 stars.
SJP Books 