As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson: This book was very different than the first two of the trilogy in many ways, but I ended up enjoying it nearly as much. (Just allow for some suspension of disbelief, especially in the American version.)
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski: The Nagoski sisters balance individual, communal, and societal factors in exploring how stress affects us (particularly women) and what we can do about it. It includes solid research, practical suggestions, and helpful example stories.
The Heartstopper Yearbook by Alice Oseman: This was a cute addition to the world of Heartstopper, basically a tour through Oseman's years of creating the universe and the iterations of art that happened along the way. I would have liked a little more from it, but it was a fun snapshot of the different characters and how they came to be.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab: I liked but didn't love this. The premise is interesting, the writing is evocative, but I never bought the central love story, so it was hard to get fully invested in the emotional drama.
Greywaren by Maggie Stiefvater: The best elements of the series were present in this conclusion to the Dreamer trilogy, even if the world-building got a little too fuzzy around the edges for me. The ending tied everything up in a lovely way.
The Wright 3 by Blue Balliett: I liked this slightly better than the previous book — still a heavy dose of magical realism, but a tiny bit more deduction and decision-making on the children's part here. I liked the interpersonal dynamics between the characters the best.
Feeding Littles and Beyond: 100 Baby-Led-Weaning-Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Will Love by Ali Maffucci, Megan McNamee, and Judy Delaware: I think the author's general advice about feeding kids was helpful, but unfortunately none of the recipes come close to working for my family's needs. The authors assume, possibly correctly, that most kids like the same specific foods: pizza, burgers, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, etc. Thus, many of the recipes are designed to build on those taste palates while incorporating more vegetables or introducing some other variety. So if that's your kids, you may find this more helpful than I did.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson: This was good, but I expected more from it after how often I'd heard it recommended. It was a bit creepy, but I was expecting more of a twist that never came.
The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie: If you account for the fact that this was 1920s Christie and therefore incredibly racist, this was a nice change of pace from some of her detective-heavy books, still full of suspense and plot twists.
Creepers Crashed My Party by Cara J. Stevens: I had a hard time remembering the characters' motivations for the various plans and secrets happening, but my 7-year-old liked it and has wanted to continue with the series for now.
Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide by Patrice Banks: This is a super-accessible guide to car ownership (for everyone, not just women). It's valuable both as a book to read cover-to-cover and as a reference guide to keep in your car.
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker: This was an excellent guide to every aspect of designing a gathering, from determining its purpose to ending the actual event well. I feel like I now have a valuable framework to guide my own reflection and planning before I host my next gathering.
Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Wholehearted Faith and An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States
Five years ago I was reading: To Sir, With Love and The World According to Garp
Ten years ago I was reading: A Year of Biblical Womanhood
No comments:
Post a Comment