Lots of goodness here this month: Spring has sprung! My bookshelf is full! The weather is finally starting to warm up! My novel is moving in the right direction!
I’ve taken most of the month off from writing here, since I’m working on my novel most evenings. I plan to get back in action here in April! Anyway, this is what I hope to be the final round of revision. It is challenging in the best way and I’m really enjoying the process. And the best part? I still love it. Again, can I count it as something I read (again) this month? I won’t officially just yet, but know that’s going to happen eventually. And hopefully you can add it to your stats soon enough, too. 😉
My stats this month: I read nine books. Eight of them came from the library!! Only ONE came from my physical stack. I might need to suspend my Libby holds because I brought home another, oh, seven or eight books this month between Book of the Month and a B&N sale. Oops. 🤭 Anyway, this puts me at 31 books for the year, so far. More than halfway to my end-of-the-year goal — I have a feeling I’ll slay it again this year!
I realized I have a “problem” with hitting that little “Notify Me” tag on Libby for newly published books. I want to know when they are added to my library so I can check them out ASAP… but that also pushes all the physical books on my shelf down on the list. I’m dying to read so many that I have sitting here, but I feel obligated to knock through my library list first. What a problem to have, I know. I probably need to touch some grass. Well, maybe I will! Maybe I will take my book outside and lie in the grass when the weather hits the mid-to-high 60s (which should hopefully be happening very soon). Try and stop me! JK, please don’t, you won’t be successful. Tee hee.
What are you reading right now? What book(s) have left you hungover lately? Please drop your recommendations in the comments, DM me, send a smoke signal, tell me on Goodreads — basically, whatever it takes to get the book on my TBR! I’m not scared to keep adding them!
Also, please refer to my Instagram post on what my star ratings mean.
FICTION
ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK, by Chris Whitaker
Who it’s for: Literature lovers
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stunning. I’m hungover. One of the most gorgeously written novels I’ve read in a long time. A genre-bending piece of literary fiction that is part mystery, part suspense, part historical had me turning pages so quickly — plus, the short chapters made me feel like I was flying through the otherwise long story. This book (which starts in the 1970s and spans into the 90s) follows two childhood friends, Patch (a boy who enjoys acting like and dressing as a pirate) and Saint (a girl who cares deeply for him). Patch disappears after saving a girl from being kidnapped, and is found a year later. Their individual journeys into adulthood is more than compelling — it’s dark, it’s bleak, and the chase is enthralling. You simply have to know what happens.
DEEP CUTS, by Holly Brickley
Who it’s for: Music and literature lovers alike
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Full of heart. This was really a 3.75 for me, so I rounded up to 4 stars. We follow Percy, who has big opinions about music. She meets Joe and Zoe in college and they form quite the trio. Percy helps Joe write some songs and this partnership kicks off the tumultuous decade of their twenties. Sometimes they’re good, sometimes they’re definitely not, but music remains the heartbeat of their story. Messy characters finding themselves, with and without each other, and music as the heartbeat of their on-and-off again relationship that spans nearly a decade kept me turning the pages. And, it was really well-written. Some lines really took my breath away and I considered some familiar songs in a new light. If you’re into that kind of stuff, you’ll dig this one.
BRAVE NEW WORLD, by Aldous Huxley
Who it’s for: Those who enjoy dystopian classics
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ahead of its time. I knew of this book — I was aware of the concept — but had never actually read it! This was shockingly not required reading for me in high school. I can see why it’s a classic. This is a dystopian piece of science fiction — well, it was science fiction at the time of publication (1932). Reading this book nearly a century after it had been published was kind of wild, especially seeing what has come to fruition. We follow a “civilized” society — anesthetized, drugged, happy society that works when you don’t question it, play your designated role, and take your daily pill allotment. Written during the inevitable rise of fascism in the 1930s, it’s a glimpse into what an authoritarian society, driven by technology, pharmaceuticals, and entertainment could be like. Its subject matter is relevant today — you should read it if you haven’t.
YOU ARE FATALLY INVITED, by Ande Pilego
Who it’s for: People who enjoy suspenseful locked room thrillers
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Riveting. A handful of thriller writers are invited to join a famous, anonymous author for a retreat on a remote island off the coast of Maine. None have actually met the host in person, but all are eager to take part in the festivities… until they realize they will have to confess their darkest secrets in order to survive. Whew! This was a page turner. I couldn’t put it down and really enjoyed this take on the classic locked-room type of story. I won’t say more — trust me though, if you’re into a mystery/suspense/thriller book, you’ll definitely want to pick this one up.
KILLER POTENTIAL, by Hannah Deitch
Who it’s for:
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Enthralling. This was a 3.5, rounded up, only because it was just a little too long for me. Well-written, kept me turning pages quickly, because I just had to know how the story ended. We’re following Evie, an SAT tutor in LA, who shows up to her regular appointment to find the parents of her student murdered. She then goes on the run with a mute woman she found tied up in the house. Someone catches them at the scene — they find themselves suspects and take off. Their cross-country trek to evade authorities was a compelling story. Definitely a fun one, especially if you’d like to read a modern-day Thelma & Louise story with fresh twists.
NONFICTION
YOU DIDN’T HEAR THIS FROM ME, by Kelsey McKinney
Who it’s for: People who like cultural critiques on time-honored practices
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Insightful. I have never listened to Normal Gossip but really dig the premise of Kelsey McKinney’s show, because hello? Who doesn’t enjoy good gossip!! And it’s listener-fed, which is cool. Anyway, this review is about the book, which is a cultural exploration of a practice we’ve all taken a part of throughout our lives. If you’re fascinated with the fact we’ve been sharing stories with each other since the beginning of time, you’ll enjoy her perspective on the time-honored tradition of gossip and storytelling.
PURE INNOCENT FUN, by Ira Madison III
Who it’s for: Those who enjoy essays from dynamic voices
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fun! I really enjoy Ira’s work (writing, podcasting, etc.) and when I saw he was putting out an essay collection, I grabbed the audiobook as quickly as I could. Listening to him share his stories of growing up in Milwaukee, finding his way as an adult, and other big cultural moments from his POV was very enjoyable.
REVENGE OF THE TIPPING POINT, by Malcolm Gladwell
Who it’s for: Fans of Gladwell’s work will definitely enjoy this one
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Intriguing. Malcolm Gladwell is a fantastic writer and presents topics that are so well-researched in a way that captivates your attention and makes you enjoy the ride. This fresh volume that is considered a follow up to his first book, The Tipping Point, explores social engineering, superspreaders, and more. In that first book, Gladwell defines a tipping point as "the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point." (Wikipedia) In his latest volume of topics, Gladwell moves seamlessly through the things that have, in recent years, hit major tipping points. The audiobook made it feel like an informative, thoughtful conversation, too. The Goodreads description says he helps “make sense of the modern world” and I couldn’t agree with this statement more. Pick it up if you’re so inclined!
DARK WIRE, by Joseph Cox
Who it’s for: People who like an intersection of true crime and tech
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fascinating. Who would have thought the FBI could run an encrpyted phone app with a built-in backdoor, with the intent to take down international drug trafficking and murderous criminals? Not anyone using the this app, that’s for sure. This was a great rundown of the what has been dubbed as “the largest sting operation ever” to take down criminals across the world who had one thing in common: they used a specific app on their Android phones, Anom. The criminals were certain their communications were safe and sound, and yet… The story is well-reported and enthralling, and makes you wonder yet again how private your conversations are in a post-Snowden world of technology. Grab this audiobook to listen to the story unfold, you’ll enjoy it!
All the (non-affiliate) links for the books reviewed go to Bookshop.org, a wonderful site where you can purchase your books and support your local independent bookstore(s). 📚