I’m so glad it’s September! Jona will (kind of) go back to school, the weather might cool down… it should be a good month. As usual, here is my round-up of recent books read.
The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi. I am a self-diagnosed personal growth junkie, so it’s no surprise that Kendra Adachi’s podcast, the Lazy Genius podcast–all about being a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don’t–would be a must-listen for me. When I learned about her book I knew I had to read it, and the way she laid out her underlying philosophy that’s behind everything she talks about on her podcast made perfect sense to me. I thought it was just the right blend of open-ended ideas and specific examples. I’m so glad I purchased my copy, so I can revisit chapters when I need inspiration or motivation. My rating: 4.5/5 stars.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. I read this for my book club with a local bookstore, but I had been planning to read it anyway. It has gotten a lot of hype, which I think is well-deserved. It is beautifully written and impossible to put down, and I loved it. My rating: 4/5 stars.
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo. I picked this up because Aaron’s colleague lent him a couple of copies and he wanted to read it with me. It’s interesting because I was in the middle of Me and White Supremacy, and I paused that to read this, but I think it provided helpful background information going into White Fragility. I connected with a lot of what DiAngelo said, and I liked the examples of her own vulnerabilities, which I believe is important for a book about racism written by a white person. My rating: 4/5 stars.
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson. I’m usually drawn to more serious reads, but if I’m going to read something light or humorous I prefer something that has a slightly weird or quirky component, and this one delivered. I knew about the children’s “special quality” going in, and I had no idea how Wilson could write this story yet not veer completely into the ridiculous, but he managed to make it both endearing and hilarious. I recommend this one if you need something to lighten your mood. My rating: 4/5 stars.
Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds. I listened to this on audio, narrated by a full cast, which I recommend. It tells the story of a bunch of different kids who are all walking home from the same school, and each chapter is one child’s (or group of children’s) walk home. It felt almost like short stories, but they were all connected to each other because of the school. The audiobook felt so immersive; I loved feeling like I was part of their neighborhood. My rating 4/5 stars.
Limelight by Amy Poeppel. This is about a family who decides to move to New York City, and the mom–completely by accident–lands a job as a troubled teen pop star’s personal assistant. It was a light, fun, enjoyable read, and by the end I felt very invested in that kid’s (and with it the mom’s) success. My rating: 3.5/5 stars.
SuperBetter by Jane McGonigal. This was an interesting personal development book all about how “living gamefully” can help you overcome challenges and improve your life. I listened to this on audio, but I think I would have preferred the print version in order to get more out of it. McGonigal provided many ideas for trying her theories (“quests” to try), but because I don’t retain information as well from audio, I didn’t apply much to my life. Regardless, it was an interesting read! My rating: 3.5/5 stars.
The Great Passage by Shion Miura, translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter. I read this for my “book in translation” category for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge. Set in Japan, it is about a team of people who create dictionaries. As someone who loves words, this concept intrigued me, and I loved the reverent way words were treated by the dictionary writers. I couldn’t always connect to the characters, which made it a somewhat slow read for me (despite it being pretty short), but overall I enjoyed it. My rating: 3.5/5 stars.
Have you read anything good lately?
Linking with Show Us Your Books.
