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It’s Time Travel Thursday! Hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog, this is where you get to take a look back at what you were reading this time last year (or the year before or the year before that…) and get to relive those bookish memories!
This time last year I was reading:
How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell
When the technologies we use every day collapse our experiences into 24/7 availability, platforms for personal branding, and products to be monetized, nothing can be quite so radical as… doing nothing. Here, Jenny Odell sends up a flare from the heart of Silicon Valley, delivering an action plan to resist capitalist narratives of productivity and techno-determinism, and to become more meaningfully connected in the process.
My thoughts: To be honest, I missed a lot of the details, but I get the gist, and it’s better to retain 10% than to never read it at all, so. My takeaways: I want to be more mindful, try to replace more social media activities with some real life activities,. Otherwise, just making time for doing nothing and scheduling “doing nothing” in my calendar and actually sticking to it.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Have you read this book? What did you think of it? What were you reading this time last year?
In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.
Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people…
In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash.
Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered.
And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.
This was nominated for my book club’s April BOTM but it didn’t win. I was still fascinated though, and since it was available as an audiobook from my library, I decided to read it anyway.
The Quotes
“But one thing I learned from the Saints, when the crossroads are open to you, you must decide a path. I will not stand still while the world makes my choices.”
“The body is a funny piece of meat. How it inflates and deflates in order to keep you alive. But how simple words can fill you up or pierce the air out of you.”
“The patron saint of the ocean is known for containing many parts of herself: she is a nurturer, but she is also a ferocious defender. & so I remember that to walk this world you must be kind but also fierce.”
“Dreams are like the pieces of fluff that get caught in your hair; they stand out for a moment, but eventually you wash them away, or long fingers reach in & pluck them out & you appear as what everyone expects.”
The Narrator(s)
Elizabeth Acevedo and Melania Luisa Marte. They were perfect. I have no complaints.
My Thoughts
I have never read anything by Elizabeth Acevedo, and I had no idea this story was told in verse. I was listening to it on audio so I couldn’t see the format, but there was something about the way it was read by the two narrators that made me think it could be in verse, and it was, and I loved it.
I made the mistake of listening to this when my husband was on a plane. Let me tell you the anxiety I felt. But after the initial plane crash, a lot of the story focused more on the two main characters; Camino and Yahaira, and we got so immersed in their lives that I was able to distract myself and enjoy the story for what it was. However, it’s painful to think about the inspiration behind this story, and I’ll be honest and say that right now, I don’t want to think about it too much because I’m still feeling a little anxious.
My Feels
I loved it. I love seeing into the lives of Camino and Yahaira. I love seeing them reconcile what they know about their father to what they are finding out about him, and about themselves. It was such a powerful story told with such powerful words.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars. I am so glad it was nominated for the book club’s BOTM and that it was brought to my attention.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Farley Jones is a loud, chaotic, and hilariously clever standup comedian on the way to stardom. The only thing she loves more than the rush of telling jokes in front of a revved-up audience is her hot older manager Meyer, though he doesn’t have a clue. Keeping her feelings hidden from him is agony (a tragedy, even―in lieu of flowers, please send cash…) but Meyer has been Farley’s closest and most treasured friend, not to mention vital to the trajectory of her career. She can’t risk ruining their relationship by telling him how she truly feels. After all, who else would have the patience to put up with a hot mess like her?
A former standup star himself, single father Meyer Harrigan left the stage years ago in order to focus on raising his deaf daughter Hazel. Farley has been everything to them since she came into their lives three years ago, and despite his grumpiness, his protectiveness over Hazel, and his disdain for public attention, Meyer will do anything to make her standup dreams come true.
When the biggest opportunity of Farley’s career comes along and forces the pair to fake-date in order to stir up publicity, it doesn’t take long for their act to bring all those other funny feelings out into the open. Like most matters of the heart, it quickly begins to feel like anything but a joke.
Touching on the creative spirit and all that comes with sharing that gift, Tarah DeWitt’s Funny Feelings is a swoony story about friendship, love, and looking for the laugh in life.
I’ve had this on my TBR for a while. I’d also been reading a lot of heavy books all at once, and I really needed something lighthearted. It was also available on audio just as I felt I needed it most. So here we are!
The Quotes
“Well, how interesting. Men are afraid of women being funnier than them, and women are afraid of, oh, I don’t know, being oppressed, beaten, raped, or killed by men. But look out! Funny chick here might follow you down an alley and make you chuckle without consent!”
“This book is dedicated to all the women who’ve ever been told that they’re Too Much. Maybe you’re too loud, too crass, too open, too bawdy. You overshare too often, say too many bad words, you’re too weird, or too emotional. To the women who, in their quiet moments, still think back on their social interactions and wonder if they really are too much, if they should feel embarrassed, or ashamed. You are fucking incredible. You are my people. Don’t you dare dilute yourselves to make yourselves more palatable. You are all heart and fire.”
“There’s a Swiftie song for everyone.”
“As long as I remain true to myself, I know that my silly streams of words have the power to make someone’s day brighter.”
The Narrator(s)
Nelson Hobbs and Stephanie Bentley. They were pretty good. I did have some trouble hearing properly at some points, but they were few and far between.
My Thoughts
The beginning started off really strong. I love the premise and I’m always up for a fake dating trope. I also really love that there was a deaf character named Hazel, and deaf-specific jokes. I had an ear operation when I was 10 years old, and have had hearing problems and tinnitus ever since, and my name is Hazel! I’m not deaf, and I don’t think I’m even in the category of being hard of hearing, but I do struggle occasionally.
Unfortunately, I think that the later part of the book kind of slowed down and wasn’t as strong as it could be. It seemed like it lost momentum and the drama that popped up wasn’t really convincing at all. It wasn’t bad, and I still enjoyed the book, but it wasn’t as strong as it could’ve been.
My Feels
A lot of the book really resonated for me with the comedy, the sentiment, and many of the quotes. The romance itself didn’t do as much for me, but it was still the nice fun read that I needed.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is a Freebie so I’m going with Books with Cats in the Title. If you’re wondering how I came about this brilliant topic, what I did was reach out for the first object on my left, and it was my cats! (I might have cheated, but you’ll never know!)
Top Ten Books with Cats in the Title
Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood – I read this as a young adult and it made a significant impact on me. It showcases the dynamics between girl friendships in a time where girls were pitted against each other. I feel like we’re getting better but there’s still a lot of progress to be made. It’s been a while since I read it so maybe it’s time for a reread.
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody – I’ve been reading this book on and off because I find it fascinating, but there are spoilers for a lot of books I haven’t read so I skip parts and sometimes put it down until I read the books in question.
Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron – Nonfiction books about animals inevitably make me cry. I read this book a long time ago and I barely remember the details, but I definitely remember the sobbing.
White Cat by Holly Black – I read this so long ago I don’t even remember reading it, but I love Holly Black and apparently there are two more books in the series. This is a great excuse to reread and read the other books too!
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss – Can you believe I’ve never read this?
Grumpy Cat by Grumpy Cat – I haven’t read this one either, but I’ve seen the memes and love them!
The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa – I remember hearing a lot about this book a few years ago, and I was initially planning to do a buddy read, but I got busy at the time and then just never came back to the book. If you’ve read it, is it still worth reading?
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams – A classic I’ve heard about but haven’t been interested in. I’d love to hear what other people think about it.
Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut – Another classic, one that I am interested in reading. Hopefully soon.
Cat Daddy by Jackson Galaxy – My husband and I watched many episodes of My Cat From Hell before we ever decided to adopt our cats, and it has helped us so much in understanding how to care for them. The book was good too; it had a lot of touching and interesting stories about himself and his experience with cats.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
The Sparrow, an astonishing literary debut, takes you on a journey to a distant planet and to the center of the human soul. It is the story of a charismatic Jesuit priest and linguist, Emilio Sandoz, who leads a twenty-first-century scientific mission to a newly discovered extraterrestrial culture. Sandoz and his companions are prepared to endure isolation, hardship and death, but nothing can prepare them for the civilization they encounter, or for the tragic misunderstanding that brings the mission to a catastrophic end. Once considered a living saint, Sandoz returns alone to Earth physically and spiritually maimed, the mission’s sole survivor–only to be accused of heinous crimes and blamed for the mission’s failure.
In clean, effortless prose and with captivating flashes of wit, Russell creates memorable characters who navigate a world of exciting ideas and disturbing moral issues without ever losing their humanity or humor. Both heartbreaking and triumphant, and rich in literary pleasures great and small, The Sparrow is a powerful and haunting book. It is a magical novel, as literate as The Name of the Rose, as farsighted as The Handmaid’s Tale and as readable as The Thorn Birds.
It was the book chosen for my in-person book club for March. I don’t think I would have chosen to read it otherwise. At least not any time soon, but I’m glad it was chosen and I’m glad I read it, it gave me a lot of food for thought.
The Quotes
“I do what I do without hope of reward or fear of punishment. I do not require Heaven or Hell to bribe or scare me into acting decently.”
“…I begin with songs. They provide a sort of skeleton grammar for me to flesh out. Songs of longing for future tense, songs of regret for past tense, and songs of love for present tense.”
“I believe in God the way I believe in quarks. People whose business it is to know about quantum physics or religion tell me they have good reason to believe that quarks and God exist. And they tell me that if I wanted to devote my life to learning what they’ve learned, I’d find quarks and God just like they did.”
“See that’s where it falls apart for me!” Anne cried. “What sticks in my throat is that God gets the credit but never the blame. I just can’t swallow that kind of theological candy. Either God’s in charge or he’s not…”
My Thoughts
This was brilliantly written book, and so far ahead of its time. I had to remind myself constantly that it was written in 1996, because the story is set in 2019 to 2060, and a lot of the topics talked about seemed so relevant today. I love the deep dive into faith and belief, what it means to be human, and finding purpose and meaning in the things you do.
There were a lot of philosophical arguments that came into mind; the ethics of colonization, making contact with alien species, the food we eat and how we raise them, cultural practices that are different than ours, indoctrinated gender roles, our views on sex work, and so much more. My book club had a lot to discuss, and it was really interesting to see the different perspectives.
My Feels
We know from the beginning that Emilio is the sole survivor, so it’s not a spoiler, but then we start getting to know the other characters; we start to like them, to root for them, to fall in love with them, all the while knowing that they never make it back alive. There’s a pall of doom hanging over everything that happens, and even when you celebrate the triumphs, you know it’s going to end badly. And yet, it’s such a beautiful story and a beautiful journey. I have so many complex feelings about this book. It’s been a couple of weeks and I’m still processing. I think this story will stay with me for a while.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars. It’s incredibly beautiful and haunting.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Welcome to the Sunday Post, a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer to share weekly news and updates on what we’ve been up to on our blog, with our books, and book-related happenings.
Reading is Better than Cleaning
The “Spring Cleaning” has become more of a regular cleaning, which is fine. I’m good with it. I’m accepting it. Regular cleaning is good too.
Honestly, I’ve been spending a lot more time looking around the house, planning it in my head, and procrastinating, than actually cleaning. And consequentially, I haven’t had the peace of mind to read very much last week. Which I guess is good because I haven’t caught up with my book reviews either.
Why do I do this to myself?
I could’ve just read my books and let my house be a mess. Lesson learned. Next time whenever I think of cleaning, I’ll read instead. Remind me again if you ever hear me say I’m planning to clean.
(P.S. I’m not even going to mention that it snowed again.)
All the happy things:
My husband is back home from his trip! Yay, I’ve missed him!
My mother bought me some brand new clothes!
I got some of my old favorite books out of storage and I can’t wait to revisit them again.
I made cookies!
Our next check-in for The Count of Monte Cristo readalong is tomorrow morning (Sunday morning, I’m writing this on Saturday), I’m so excited for the discussion!
The Books
Books I read last week:
Funny Feelings by Tarah Dewitt – I loved that it was about comedy and comedians, and of course, that it had a fake dating trope. I also love that it featured a deaf character and deaf-specific jokes. I listened on audio and it was just a fun read.
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo – This book was one of the nominees for my in-person book club’s April BOTM. It didn’t win, but I was intrigued and it was available on audiobook so I decided to read it anyway. I’m glad I did, it was really good!
The Way Forward by Yung Pueblo – I’ve been reading this on and off a few pages at a time because it makes me stop and think and reflect. I love the sentiments and it really resonates for me. I originally borrowed a library copy but now I feel like I want to buy my own copy so I can write in it and/or make notes.
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal – (DNF) I was really excited for this because I’d heard so many good things about the author and her books, and it was supposed to be a buddy read, but I only got 22% in and I couldn’t keep going because it annoyed me so much. I felt there was a lot of telling instead of showing and the characters just didn’t connect for me. I’m pretty disappointed because I was looking forward to reading the author’s other books as well, but I don’t think I will now.
Books I’m (still) reading:
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas – I finished reading up to the assigned chapters for the discussion tomorrow. And then it’s all the way to the end after that. The next check-in is supposed to be the last. I’ve read this book many times already, but I’m loving it all over again with this readalong experience!
Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett – Finally getting back to Emily Wilde! I just started and I’m only on Chapter 2, but I’m hoping to spend the whole weekend binging if I can!
It’s Time Travel Thursday! Hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog, this is where you get to take a look back at what you were reading this time last year (or the year before or the year before that…) and get to relive those bookish memories!
This time last year I was reading:
Sooley by John Grisham
New York Times bestselling author John Grisham takes you to a different kind of court in his first basketball novel. Samuel “Sooley” Sooleymon is a raw, young talent with big hoop dreams…and even bigger challenges off the court.
In the summer of his seventeenth year, Samuel Sooleymon gets the chance of a lifetime: a trip to the United States with his South Sudanese teammates to play in a showcase basketball tournament. He has never been away from home, nor has he ever been on an airplane. The opportunity to be scouted by dozens of college coaches is a dream come true.
Samuel is an amazing athlete, with speed, quickness, and an astonishing vertical leap. The rest of his game, though, needs work, and the American coaches are less than impressed.
During the tournament, Samuel receives devastating news from home: A civil war is raging across South Sudan, and rebel troops have ransacked his village. His father is dead, his sister is missing, and his mother and two younger brothers are in a refugee camp.
Samuel desperately wants to go home, but it’s just not possible. Partly out of sympathy, the coach of North Carolina Central offers him a scholarship. Samuel moves to Durham, enrolls in classes, joins the team, and prepares to sit out his freshman season. There is plenty of more mature talent and he isn’t immediately needed.
But Samuel has something no other player has: a fierce determination to succeed so he can bring his family to America. He works tirelessly on his game, shooting baskets every morning at dawn by himself in the gym, and soon he’s dominating everyone in practice. With the Central team losing and suffering injury after injury, Sooley, as he is nicknamed, is called off the bench. And the legend begins.
But how far can Sooley take his team? And will success allow him to save his family?
Gripping and moving, Sooley showcases John Grisham’s unparalleled storytelling powers in a whole new light. This is Grisham at the top of his game.
My thoughts: I’m a huge fan of Grisham’s legal thrillers, not really a big sports fan but I am a fan of sports stories. I came across this book while browsing for audiobooks from my library. I wasn’t initially interested in reading it because I was in a thriller mood, not a sports story mood, but saw all the great reviews here and was intrigued.
I’m both glad and sad that I read it. I’m glad because it’s a really great story. I love the characters, and it was such a privilege to go on this journey with Sooley and see him grow (both literally and figuratively). He’s one of the most compelling characters I’ve ever read about. There were so many ups and downs, and not just ordinary ups and downs, but extreme ones! He went through both the worst things and the best things that could happen to anyone. And through it all, he was still just an ordinary person who happened to have extraordinary skills and determination. I really felt for him and all the people who loved him.
A lot of the book is really sad too, but they are part of what makes this book great. They are really sticking to me and my heart is still breaking. A tiny part of me wishes that I didn’t pick up this book because I didn’t need this heartbreak, but a bigger part of me is glad I did.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Have you read this book? What did you think of it? What were you reading this time last year?
Welcome to the Monthly Wrap Up hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction to share our monthly wrap-up posts that summarizes our month in books, our favorite books of the month, what we did on our blogs, and anything noteworthy we want to share.
March 2024 Wrap Up
I only read eight books this month, which isn’t bad at all, but last month I read a whole bunch so I had expected better for this month. I also had a couple of reading slumps, and I was reading a few really dense and thick books. I felt like I was slogging through molasses. Hopefully April will be better!
My March 2024 TBR Intentions
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Fairy Tale by Stephen King
A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross
A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross
The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherworlds by Heather Fawcett
The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo. The Sparrow was really amazing too and I’d say technically, it’s a better book than The Fox Wife, but it was a much more difficult read emotionally and so for that reason I enjoyed The Fox Wife more.
I still want to read the books I didn’t get to in March, so I’m bringing them forward. I don’t think I’ll be able to finish all of these in April, but who knows. I should also probably add some nonfiction and classics in there for my reading challenges, but I figure since there are more diverse authors on this list, I could potentially knock out a few for my Diversity reading challenge, and then catch up to the other challenges later.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal
Fairy Tale by Stephen King
A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera
I’m looking forward to all of these!
How was your month in March? What were your most memorable moments? I hope you have a wonderful April with lots of great books!
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is April Showers
These are all just random books that I found when I looked for books that have anything to do with the rain. Some I’ve read or heard of, some I want to read, others I have no interest in but just like the covers. Or to be more accurate, I do have some interest in all of these books, but if I added every book I came across to my TBR… well, you know the perils, my fellow book lovers.
Top Ten Rainy Books
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein – I read this book years ago and loved it, and I also watched the movie adaptation recently and loved it. I have no idea if it stayed true to the story because there was so much time in between, but enjoying both experiences is a win, I think!
The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard – I haven’t read this one but it sounds really interesting and I’m struggling to not add it to the TBR.
The Rainmaker by John Grisham – I don’t love all of John Grisham’s books, but his books are really great for fast-paced, bite-sized reading, and I really enjoyed this one.
The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger – I’ve read this and watched the movie, but I don’t remember a single thing! I remember liking them both though.
All The Little Raindrops by Mia Sheridan – I’m sorry but despite my resistance, this one is going into my TBR. It sounds too interesting to just forget about.
Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie – This is another one I’m trying not to add to the TBR, but it just sounds so good!
The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan – This one is already on my TBR. It’s a story set in Malaya (Malaysia) by a Malaysian author, and I must read it!
If It Rains by Jennifer L. Wright – I have a slight fascination with the Dust Bowl so I really want to read this, and it sounds so good but I’m trying to talk myself out of it.
History of the Rain by Niall Williams – I think by now, we’ve established that I don’t have much self-control when it comes to not adding books to my TBR, but luckily, I have no desire to read this one. If you’ve read this book and loved it, please don’t tell me! I don’t need to know!
Wisdom from a Rainforest by Stuart A. Schlegel – This one sounds interesting too, but it’s a really old book and I can’t find it in my library and it’s probably going to be hard to find anywhere, so too bad.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
