Oh, hey there!! Let me apologize right off the bat, because the formatting in this post has me perplexed. I cannot fix, so bear with me.
It’s been a bit… I feel like I’ve been saying that a lot lately. Anyways, here we are, halfway through 2020. And let’s just all agree that this has been a rollercoaster of a year so far! I don’t think I need to go into specifics, as we are all in the same place. But one thing I know for sure, that the halfway point throughout the year always has me reflecting on my reading life. And this year I’ve read so many great books!!
Here’s why I think that’s been happening…
- It could be the fact that there are great books being published.
- I think I’ve gotten the science of picking books I really enjoy down.
- I don’t waste time on books that don’t grab my attention.
- Finding my book twins on IG, podcasts, and in real life. You know who you are, because I always tell you! So thank you for sharing great books with me 🙂
- Mood reading. Current events, mindsets, and seasons… all these things go into considering what I want to read. Just because a book is a great book, doesn’t mean it’s a great book for the time you are in your life.
What I’ve Been Reading Lately:
The Underground Railroad, by Colson Whitehead. (3.75 stars). There are two types of readers… one sees the Pulitzer Prize sticker on a book and picks up immediately, the other doesn’t even consider. This is definitely worth reading, and a very timely book at that. This novel follows Cora, a slave, who is trying to escape her master, and bounty hunter. Along this journey, Cora is helped by many people, and gets on a real Underground Railroad. Like there is literally tracks, stations, and what not all below the soil in which she is being hunted on. It really touches on the differences between States, and the experience of being a Black person in admist this horrifying time in history. There is a lot of abuse, and trauma, and it is a wonder that a human can persevere through it! And although this story was fantastic, Colson Whitehead’s writing is not my favourite style. But I know there are so many readers that sing his praises!
All Adults Here, by Emma Straub. (3.5 stars). If you are looking for a summer book that has some depth, I’d say this is a great, and quick read. You follow Astrid Strick, who is now a grandmother, mother, and widow. She witnesses a school bus accident, that results in the death of an acquaintance in her small town… this incident brings up a ton of old memories from when her children were growing up. From this event, the reader follows each member of the family and there individual lives problems. It’s a book that is all about family dynamics, and the drama that ensues within them. I really liked it, and found it to be a book that I could easily jump in and out of.
A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara. (5 Stars). Read this book. Holy smokes, I am still just so hungover from it. A Little Life follows four college classmates, Jude, Willem, Malcolm, and J.B., who have remained friends since they graduated. It follows their failures, their successes, addiction, and jealousies. The four men are all tied together by their loyalty to Jude, who had an awful childhood, but has always refused to speak about it. As they grow older, and their relationships change, as a reader, you feel some engrossed in their lives. This book had me weeping multiple times, and I know it will stay with me forever. It’s now one of my all-time favourites, and I will be recommending it for sure… to the right reader.
The Vanishing Half, by Brit Bennett. (4 stars). This is a very timely book right now, and also a much anticipated release after her last book The Mother’s. The Vanishing Half follows the Vignes twins who are light-skinned Black girls. They grew up in a small Black southern town, and at the age of 16 run away. After a couple years of trying to make it, the two are separated, and Desiree decides to go back to her hometown. Stella meets a White man, and decides to live a life as a White woman. The two grow up into women, and their different paths present different problems in their lives. They haven’t spoken, let alone even heard from each other in years… until their paths are forced to cross. I really enjoyed this book, Brit Bennett’s voice is being compared to Toni Morrison, and James Baldwin, and I just can’t wait until her next novel.
The Glass Hotel, by Emily St. John Mandel. (4.5 stars). Emily St. John Mandel also wrote the stunning novel, Station Eleven. So when I heard she was coming out with another one, I was excited. The premise of this novel is a Ponzi scheme gone wrong. It follows the lives of all the main players within this Ponzi scheme, and details the grey details, and the big repercussions that their lives had taken. The writing is absolutely magical. I was completely shocked that I cared so much about these characters, and was fascinated by the premise of just convinced humans can be of someone else’s good idea. I thought this book was fantastic, and it’s completely my kind of beach read… thought-provoking, thrilling, and a character study.
Nobody Will Tell You this But Me, by Bess Kalb. (5 stars). Okay, I can’t even write about this book without crying. First off, you must know just how special my Gramma Lisa is to me… so when I read this book it just brought up so many beautiful memories for me. I hope that you have a special grandmother in your life, and that this book brings up all the wonderful feelings it did for me. This is a memoir about the author’s relationship with her grandmother. She collected the stories, voicemails, and emails, and wrote a beautiful little book. I don’t even know where to begin with this one, but what I can say is it is truly a reflection on a beautiful life well-lived. There are sweet moments like putting on her grandmother’s lipstick and high heels, and then the next essay is about the things that were hard in her life. Buy it for your mother, your grandmother, but read it yourself first. My copy is marked up, dog-eared, and will be re-read for sure. I just LOVED it.
Saving Ruby King, by Catherine Adel West. (4 stars). This is a debut novel, and it was captivating! It reminded a lot of a similar style as Brit Bennett. Ruby King’s mother, Alice, was found murdered in their home in Chicago’s South side. The police has just closed the case as another act of violence in a Black community. Now, Ruby is left with her abusive father, and the only support Ruby has is her best friend Layla. As Layla tries to save her, she finds out some secrets that have bound their families, and could lead to the collapse of her own prominent family. It is a novel with big themes such as race, deception, and faith. It’s an important story, wrapped up in a thrilling ride.
Reading on the Run 