Here's what I read this past month, including what I've been reading to my son!
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel: I knew this was a memoir, but I didn't realize it would be so focused on Bechdel's father, which was an interesting approach — we definitely got plenty of Bechdel's own coming of age and uncovering of her sexual orientation, but everything was in the shadow of her father, which is clearly intentional. I found it a compelling read that makes absolutely fantastic use of the graphic memoir format.
The Case of the Portrait Vandal by Steve Brezenoff: This one was awful; there weren't even any portraits vandalized (??) and the main plot involved a white adult spewing racism and Islamophobia at the kids and then learning his lesson very simplistically at the end. Not recommended.
The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers: Although not much happens until the last quarter of the book, I thought Chambers made the different characters come alive (expertly voiced by Rachel Dulude, who's done a fantastic job narrating this entire series). The epilogue wraps up all of the plot threads with warmth and hope, and I found it very sweet.
Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach Us about Wisdom, Persistence, and Strength by Kat Armas: Armas has done an excellent job of blending stories of her own and her grandmother's lives with stories of courageous women from the Hebrew Bible and activists throughout history, creating her own "abuelita theology" that lifts up the voices of marginalized women without idealizing them.
The Case of the Stolen Sculpture by Steve Brezenoff: The series thankfully got back on track with this one. I didn't think the solution was obvious, there weren't any weird microaggressions as far as I can remember, and the mystery was much easier for my son to understand than the vandal in the last one.
The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey: This worked best as a twisty thriller. What worked less well for me were the themes and symbolism; the characters ended up feeling more like props for the ideas Gailey wanted to explore. Overall it was a compelling read that unfortunately was a little too dark and unrealistic for my taste.
The Case of the Stolen Space Suit by Steve Brezenoff: This one was kind of silly, to be honest. It involves a bunch of people being mean to the kids for no reason (though thankfully not outright racist like in an earlier book) while they bumble around trying to come up with any clues or suspects, and then the solution makes little sense and there's no reason the thief would confess to them.
A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh: This was an engaging mystery that kept me guessing until the end but didn't have to stretch too far for a solution. The writing was atmospheric, and there were plenty of creepy moments without getting so gruesome or scary that it disturbed my sleep. It was a highly satisfying read, and the audiobook narrator was great!
On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed: Gordon-Reed seamlessly weaves together history, memoir, and personal musings to create a book that is both narrowly focused on Texas and also wide-ranging across history. As we approach this year's Juneteenth celebration, this is a great book to pick up.
Still Alice by Lisa Genova: On this reread, I again appreciated how Genova has crafted a perspective inside the head of someone with Alzheimer's. However, I wasn't thrilled with the audio format, in which the author narrates all conversations in a monotone. Still recommended in text!
Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Lost Children Archive and Women, Race & Class
Five years ago I was reading: Lies We Tell Ourselves, All the Bright Places, and The Return of the King
Ten years ago I was reading: The Hunger Games
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