Best of the Bunch (December 2023)

Today I'm sharing the best book I read in December.

I had a good reading month, reading 9 books total with many 4- and 4.5-star reads. There was one 5-star read, which is my Best of the Bunch!

Just to be clear — you should definitely read Cosmoknights, Vol. 1 (to which I gave 4.5 stars) first; there's a lot of world-building that makes it take a bit longer to get to the action, but it's worth it for the setup it provides for this volume. It's basically badass queer women in space, tearing down the patriarchy — do you need to know more? The art in this graphic novel is beautiful and cinematic, the characters are real and flawed, and the plot is fast-paced and compelling. I'm not sure if Templer is planning a third volume, but the ending of this one means I'd be happy either way. I highly recommend these books!

What is the best book you read this month? Let me know in comments, or write your own post and link up below!

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Gideon the Ninth, Giovanni's Room, McDonald's, and When Endermen Attack
Five years ago I was reading: Cutting for Stone, If You Come Softly, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and Pachinko
Ten years ago I was reading: David and Goliath and War and Peace

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Top Ten Nonfiction Reads of 2023

I'm linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for another Top Ten Tuesday.

Once again, I'm ignoring this week's actual Top Ten Tuesday topic in order to split my favorite reads of the year into nonfiction and fiction. For next week's "Favorite Books of 2023" I'll be sharing my favorite fiction of the year, but now that I've wrapped up my nonfiction reading for the year, I'll share my top nonfiction reads from the year this week. To read more about why I liked them, you can search for them on the blog or check out my Goodreads! (To see my favorite read every month, I encourage you to check out — and link up with — the Best of the Bunch linkup.)

1. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

2. Handsome by Holly Lorka

3. Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H.

4. How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith

5. I Won't Shut Up by Ally Henny

6. Nabokov's Favorite Word Is Mauve by Ben Blatt

7. Polysecure by Jessica Fern

8. Refusing Compulsive Sexuality by Sherronda J. Brown

9. Sorted by Jackson Bird

10. Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam

What great nonfiction books did you read this year?

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Gideon the Ninth, McDonald's, and When Endermen Attack
Five years ago I was reading: Cutting for Stone and Pachinko
Ten years ago I was reading: Code Name Verity and War and Peace

What I've Been Reading Lately

Today I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy's Quick Lit to bring you some short and sweet reviews of what I've read in the past month. For longer reviews, you can always find me on Goodreads.

It was a decent reading month, with nothing I'm jumping up and down about but several enjoyable and valuable reads.

The Bad Guys in Dawn of the Underlord by Aaron Blabey: After closing out the original story arc in the last book, this book starts a new story arc that involves a more stereotypical good vs. evil shooting-power-bolts-at-each-other kind of vibe. It had some funny moments, but it definitely feels like this far into the series it's gotten away from the original feel.

Loving Someone with Borderline Personality Disorder: How to Keep Out-of-Control Emotions from Destroying Your Relationship by Shari Y. Manning: This was recommended as a good book for those who have a loved one who has experienced trauma, and I found it surprisingly applicable. Her tone is compassionate and hopeful, her advice is practical, and her basic principles are sound and based in research and experience. I'm grateful this resource exists!

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy: This was a dark, compelling read that unfortunately got bogged down in too many unnecessary tropes. I loved the premise, and the mystery kept me engaged, but I was asked to suspend my disbelief far too many times. The nature writing and the complicated ethics woven into the story would make me inclined to recommend this if it hadn't turned into a soap opera in the process.

This Is Not a Book About Benedict Cumberbatch: The Joy of Loving Something—Anything—Like Your Life Depends on It by Tabitha Carvan: This was a delightful read. The author found herself completely obsessed with Benedict Cumberbatch after having children, and this is the hilarious and very relatable exploration of why she feels shame about enjoying something so much and what it has to do with gender expectations. What starts out as trying to explain her love for Benedict Cumberbatch ends in an exhortation for her readers to find something they love unabashedly.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson: Jackson is a master both at creating atmosphere and at depicting characters so that you get a sense of them with just a few lines of dialogue. I loved the first half of this book, as the main characters develop a sense of camaraderie and the house's haunted nature starts to become more apparent. As the main character's mental state becomes more affected by the house, though, I had a harder time following what was going on and thus had a harder time maintaining interest.

Green by Alex Gino: Gino's books are a gift to today's middle grade readers, both queer and not, in the clear, age-appropriate way they share information about identity exploration and the world more broadly. I love that this story of a nonbinary seventh grader moves beyond the traditional coming out narrative to grapple with things like crushes and hormone blockers, even if Gino tried to fit a bit too much in a short book and lost some of the impact on the central plot lines.

True Biz by Sara Nović: This is one of those books that I'm very glad exist even if the story itself wasn't super compelling to me personally. Through the story of one Deaf institution, Nović educates the reader on the importance of language access for Deaf children, along with other lessons on ASL and Deaf culture.

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Radio Silence, McDonald's, and When Endermen Attack
Five years ago I was reading: Gaudy Night and The Future of the Mind
Ten years ago I was reading: Red Azalea and War and Peace

Top Ten Books on My Winter TBR

I'm linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for another Top Ten Tuesday.

It's that time again! I finished all the books on my Fall TBR except for Demon Copperhead and Hazeldine, which will likely take me some time to get through. Here are ten books I plan to read this winter!

1. Cosmoknights, Book One by Hannah Templer
My friend lent me her copy of this graphic novel in exchange for my lending her Snapdragon. I'm excited to read it!

2. Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
This book was recently mentioned on What Should I Read Next? and it reminded me that it's been on my list for a while. I think that was the nudge I needed to read it!

3. Front Desk by Kelly Yang
Winter is a good time to read middle grade, and this is a middle grade book that's been on my list for far too long. Now is the time!

4. Heartstopper: Volume Five by Alice Oseman
I have been eagerly awaiting this fifth volume of the Heartstopper series that comes out this month. Thankfully I got my library hold in early!

5. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
This YA queer romance keeps popping up in recommendations, and my partner just started reading it, so it seems like a good time to finally pick it up!

6. Polywise by Jessica Fern with David Cooley
I loved Polysecure and was excited to see Fern had a follow-up book, and then I heard Fern and Cooley on the Multiamory podcast and that confirmed for me that I need to read this book.

7. Refusing Compulsory Sexuality by Sherronda J. Brown
I don't know where I ran across this book (probably in one of my ace Facebook groups), but I'm excited to read a Black asexual perspective because the ace community and media representation can tend to be overwhelmingly white.

8. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
This is one of the popular bestsellers that I keep seeing recommended over and over this year. It's been described as heartwarming, which is always a vibe I appreciate in the depths of winter!

9. The Secret Keepers by Trenton Lee Stewart
I keep forgetting that the author of my favorite middle grade series, The Mysterious Benedict Society, has other books. I was very disappointed to see that the show of The Mysterious Benedict Society was pulled from Disney+ (it was so good!!) but I am looking forward to reading this other Stewart book.

10. You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino
After picking up Gino's latest, Green, I remembered that I have a copy of one of their earlier books that I still haven't read! This is going to be a season of middle grade, and I am here for it.

What do you plan to read this winter?

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Murder Is Easy, McDonald's, and When Endermen Attack
Five years ago I was reading: Gaudy Night and The Future of the Mind
Ten years ago I was reading: Red Azalea

Best of the Bunch (November 2023)

Today I'm sharing the best book I read in November.

It was a very busy month for me, which translated to a light reading month. I finished five books total and didn't have any 5-star or 4.5-star reads. I did have three 4-star reads, which interestingly were all nonfiction:

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

Loving Someone with Borderline Personality Disorder: How to Keep Out-of-Control Emotions from Destroying Your Relationship by Shari Y. Manning

This Is Not a Book About Benedict Cumberbatch: The Joy of Loving Something--Anything--Like Your Life Depends On It by Tabitha Carvan

One of these could have arguably been 4.5 stars if I'd been feeling more generous, so I'm going to make that my Best of the Bunch!

Cultish was an interesting read, ably narrated on audio by Ann Marie Gideon. Montell first looks at groups that are universally described as "cults" to determine what factors make them such, and especially what different forms of language are used to draw people in and keep them there. Then she looks into other parts of culture that have been described as "cults," from MLMs to fitness studios to social media influencers, and shows the ways in which their use of language and its ultimate impact do or do not mimic those of "real" cults. I especially appreciated how she looked into the research on who is most susceptible to joining a cult (or cult-ish group of any kind) and dispelled some of the mythology there. I think the book could have benefited from a central thesis outside of "Here are some patterns about cults and here's where else they show up," but it was engaging, and I feel like I learned quite a bit!

What is the best book you read this month? Let me know in comments, or write your own post and link up below!

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Swallows and Amazons, The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, The Bean Trees, and Dragons Never Die
Five years ago I was reading: Born a Crime
Ten years ago I was reading: Roots and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

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Ten Great Books Set in England

I'm linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for another Top Ten Tuesday.

This week we're sharing books that all have the same setting in common. Looking over the books I've enjoyed in the past decade, they have quite a wide variety of settings! I finally settled on England as an area of the world where a multitude of books I love have been set, and I stuck with only one book per author to provide more of a variety. Here's my list!

1. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
Herriot (the pen name of James Alfred Wight) shares a fictionalized account of his experiences as a veterinarian in the dales of Yorkshire. Between the memorable stories, colorful characters, and beautiful descriptions, this is literary comfort food as its best.

2. Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie
I had to pick from a long list of Christie titles, though my favorite of hers (Death on the Nile) doesn't take place in England, so I went with another favorite instead, one that's delightfully unpredictable and twisty.

3. Loveless by Alice Oseman
I love almost all of Oseman's books, which are set in several different parts of England, but this one has a special place in my heart for its stellar aroace representation.

4. The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
I think you need to experience this middle grade novel (and its sequels) on audio to get the full effect of the narrator's accent, which lends a Mary Poppins air to this story of an English governess caring for three children raised by wolves.

5. A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
This is a recent favorite, the story of three children evacuated from wartime London into the English countryside, trying to find a forever family. It's also excellent on audio.

6. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
This gothic classic is set at a fictional manor in Cornwall, in the southwest corner of England. It's one of my favorite classic novels, which I've loved since middle school.

7. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Through the book's first-person narrator reflecting back on his career as an English butler, you get to see how things have changed over the decades. This is one of my favorite examples of an unreliable narrator, as Stevens is lying to himself about certain aspects of his past as much as he's unintentionally lying to the reader. (Another one that's excellent on audio!)

8. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
The mystery at the heart of this engaging story takes the reader back and forth in time and between London and the Sussex countryside as a woman seeks answers in her mother's past about a crime she witnessed as a child.

9. The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
It's worth saving this one for when you have the patience to savor the descriptions of Cornwall that provide the backdrop for this beautiful story of three generations of women.

10. The Switch by Beth O'Leary
Leena moves out to her grandmother's house in Yorkshire for a two-month sabbatical while her grandmother, Eileen, tired of the limited romantic prospects in her small village, takes Leena's spot in her London flat. It's silly and sweet and just predictable enough to be a heartwarming read.

What great books have you read set in England?

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Swallows and Amazons, The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, The Bean Trees, and Dragons Never Die
Five years ago I was reading: Born a Crime
Ten years ago I was reading: Roots and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

What I've Been Reading Lately (Quick Lit)

Today I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy's Quick Lit to bring you some short and sweet reviews of what I've read in the past month. For longer reviews, you can always find me on Goodreads.

I didn't read a ton this month, but there were several good ones!

A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus: This was my Best of the Bunch for October. It's a hopeful and heartwarming middle grade story that I'd recommend to kids and adults alike.

The Bad Guys in the Baddest Day Ever by Aaron Blabey: I enjoyed this more than the previous few books in the series. It provides an ending of sorts to the story arc of the series thus far, though the series continues with additional twists and turns.

Polysecure: Attachment, Trauma and Consensual Nonmonogamy by Jessica Fern: I honestly think that this book could be helpful for anyone in any relationship structure who wants to build a more secure attachment with their partner(s) or themselves, but it's especially valuable for those practicing non-monogamy to have specific, research-backed suggestions for building stronger relationships and healing attachment wounds.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir: This was a super fun sci-fi story! You have to accept a huge helping of suspension of disbelief to go along with certain plot points, but if you don't mind that then it's an engaging plot.

The Residue Years by Mitchell S. Jackson: I appreciated getting a different look at Portland than is often seen in media; unfortunately, I found the pacing of the book challenging and had a hard time empathizing was some of the characters' choices, which made it hard for me to stay invested in the read.

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell: After looking at the language and practices of groups that are universally described as "cults," Montell looks into other parts of culture that have been described as "cults," from MLMs to fitness studios to social media influencers, and shows the ways in which their use of language and its ultimate impact do or do not mimic those of "real" cults. It was engaging, and I feel like I learned quite a bit!

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Swallows and Amazons, The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, The Bean Trees, and Dragons Never Die
Five years ago I was reading: Born a Crime
Ten years ago I was reading: Roots and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Ten Book Titles that Would Make Good Newspaper Headlines

I'm linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for another Top Ten Tuesday.

This week's theme was tough! There are a lot of book titles that could be article headlines in a feature or special interest section, but I wanted ones that could theoretically be a front-page headline. Here's what I came up with!

1. The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

2. The Celery Stalks at Midnight by James Howe

3. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

4. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

5. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

6. Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie

7. Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews

8. The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill

9. Wayside School Is Falling Down by Louis Sachar

10. When Endermen Attack by Cara J. Stevens

What other titles fit this category?

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Swallows and Amazons, The Art of Gathering, Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide, and Creepers Crashed My Party
Five years ago I was reading: Stride Toward Freedom and March: Book Three
Ten years ago I was reading: Roots and Behind the Beautiful Forevers