I am so thankful for books. This past month has felt hard for a variety of reasons, nothing serious, but just the stress of the pandemic and the uncertainty that comes with it. Books have been my solace, and taking breaks–even short ones–to read has been as necessary for me as breathing these days.
Here are a few books I read over the past month:
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo. After reading and loving Clap When You Land last month, when I saw that this one was available on audio from my library, I downloaded it. It was fantastic to listen to, and I loved the way Emoni’s love of food and cooking was the heartbeat of the story. My rating: 4/5 stars.
Lovely War by Julie Berry. The concept of a World War I love story narrated by Greek Gods was hard to imagine, yet so well done. I felt so immersed in the stories of James, Hazel, Aubrey, and Collette; while I don’t know that this book will stick with me the way some of my favorites do, it was such a wonderful reading experience. Also, similar to my feelings about food, I appreciate when music is woven so beautifully into a story. My rating: 4/5 stars.
Sea Wife by Amity Gaige. I was drawn to the premise of this book: a family leaves their home to embark on a year-long sailing adventure, until tragedy ensues. While the plot differs greatly, this book made me think of Do Not Become Alarmed, which was also about a travel-related disaster. In both of these books, the tragedy is a constant part of the story, but it is the smaller, day-to-day struggles of the characters that made it feel so real. I loved the raw, honest way the couple’s marriage is portrayed in Sea Wife. My rating: 4/5 stars.
Beach Read by Emily Henry. This was such a fun read, although it wasn’t as fluffy as the title and cover might have you believe. That’s part of why I liked it though; I enjoy a romance occasionally, but I’m usually drawn to books with darker themes, and this one managed to balance both (although it definitely skews more romance). I thoroughly enjoyed this one. My rating: 3.5/5 stars.
The Opposite of Everyone by Joshilyn Jackson. Joshilyn Jackson is a go-to author for me when I want a book that I know I’ll enjoy. I listened to this on audio, and between this one and With the Fire on High, I’m starting to enjoy listening to fiction. I thought I didn’t like fiction on audio, but it turns out I just need a good narrator! Jackson does complicated family relationships so well. My rating: 3.5/5 stars.
The End of October by Lawrence Wright. This book is about a mysterious highly contagious virus that scientists are trying to figure out before it devastates half the world… sound familiar? The virus in this book is much more deadly, but otherwise this story is eerily similar to the current pandemic. The plot kept the pages turning for me, despite the fact that I had issues with the main character. (When I hear the term “mansplaining,” a guy like the protagonist Parsons is totally who I picture.) My rating: 3.5/5 stars.
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles. I haven’t read many books set during the Civil War, but the story of a fiddler-turned-soldier piqued my interest. Simon travels and makes a living playing with a band, and he is driven by his music and by his desire to marry an Irishwoman he met early in his journey. Despite the interesting premise, I had a hard time getting into this for some reason. My rating: 3/5 stars.
I Am Ruth by Kira Cheree Hopkins. Written by an author local to Kansas City, I read this for a book club I joined recently for a newly discovered, also local, bookstore. In fact, the author joined our online book club discussion, which was an awesome experience. I Am Ruth is a retelling of the story of Ruth in the Bible, and I loved her modern take on it. I felt like the story moved a bit too quickly for my taste however, and I would have liked to get to know the characters a little more.
Have you read anything good lately?
Linking with Show Us Your Books.
