While February isn’t my favorite month (so much cold, so many days off school), it did bring some great things. We took a trip to Colorado, Violet got to see where she’ll go to kindergarten next year, and throughout the month, Jona has become more and more of a reader, which might be my favorite thing ever.
Speaking of favorite things, I always love thinking about what I’m going to read next. If you love a reading list too, here are a few ideas for books to add to your TBR. Here’s my March reading list.
Nonfiction about the voice in our head
Chatter by Ethan Kross. This is my March nonfiction/personal growth pick. I heard about it on a podcast I listen to (Book Talk, Etc.) and while a book about “the voice in our heads” doesn’t sound all that riveting they convinced me to add it to my TBR immediately. A combination of research and real-world case studies, Chatter explores the conversations we have with ourselves and how to make them work in our favor.
Short stories about complex families
Night at the Fiestas by Kirstin Valdez Quade. I don’t normally pick up short stories, but I’d like to try them more often. What sold me is this description, “Always hopeful, these stories chart the passions and obligations of family life, exploring themes of race, class, and coming-of-age, as Quade’s characters protect, betray, wound, undermine, bolster, define, and, ultimately, save each other.” I love stories that are challenging, yet hopeful.
A beloved classic about the bond between sisters
The Color Purple by Alice Walker. This year I’ve been making an effort to read more books that have been on my TBR for a long time, and this is definitely one. Celie and Nettie are sisters who were separated from each other at a young age, yet who preserve their relationship through letters. I know this book has some difficult themes, but it is also a story of redemption, bravery, and friendship.
A killer’s story told through the women in his life
Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka. This 2022 release is one I wanted to read as soon as I heard the description. Centered around a man slated to be executed in less than a day, we learn his story through the women in his life: his mother, his wife’s twin sister, and a detective. I love stories about women and relationships, and I’m also very interested in the impacts of prison and the justice system on both those who are incarcerated and their families. This sounds like just the kind of dark, complex story that I love to read.
A story of race and friendship
We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza. This book has certainly received a lot of buzz this past year! I heard the authors interviewed on a podcast a while ago (Sarah’s Bookshelves Live) and although I had heard of this book before that, it was that interview that solidified its place on my TBR. About two close friends, Jen, a white woman, and Riley, a Black woman, and how their bond is affected when Jen’s husband, a police officer, is involved in the shooting of an unarmed Black teen. This was chosen for a book club I’m in, and I think it will lead to some good conversations.
What do you hope to read this month?
