I finally had a really great reading month! I got through more than four books this time, and several of them were excellent.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke: This was a fascinating and compelling read. It takes some time to get used to the story's world, but when it became clear that there was actually a kind of mystery at the heart of the book, I was all in.
Snapdragon by Kat Leyh: I know, I just read this graphic novel a couple months ago, but I reread it with my 8-year-old and loved it just as much the second time around!
The Mysterious Mr. Quin by Agatha Christie: I quite enjoyed this volume of stories somewhat outside of Christie's usual fare. In many of the stories, there is a tragedy that has happened in the past and just by asking questions, Mr. Quin is able to uncover the truth of what really happened.
Positive by Paige Rawl with Ali Benjamin: I first read this in 2015 and revisited it after nominating it for book club. It's still a 5-star read for me: a heartbreaking, inspiring, honest, and well written memoir about having HIV from birth.
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer: This is a beautiful essay collection that has earned its stellar reputation. Kimmerer, who is both a scientist and an indigenous woman, shows how traditional ways of knowing are not at odds with science; the two actually complement and reinforce one another.
The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater: This book is aimed at teenagers, which maybe explains why it reads as Gender Identity 101 / An Introduction to the Juvenile Justice System, but it's very good; Slater clearly did her research, and I felt like she really captured the complicated nuances of a crime like this.
Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli: I absolutely loved this new one from Becky Albertalli. Albertalli writes adorable romances, but also beautiful depictions of friendship, family, and identity exploration. This was a nuanced dive into elements of queerness I hadn't seen before.
Diary of a Misfit: A Memoir and a Mystery by Casey Parks: The memoir aspect definitely worked better than the mystery, and I think if Parks had focused more on that angle, it would have been less of a slog. It's not bad, but the structure and editing could have been a lot better, and ultimately I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it.
The Bad Guys in Mission Unpluckable by Aaron Blabey: The Bad Guys (who want to be Good Guys) are back in another silly adventure, this time in a Mission Impossible-style raid on a very heavily guarded chickenhouse. It made me chuckle and kept my 8-year-old engaged in reading.
Let It Bang: A Young Black Man's Reluctant Odyssey into Guns by R.J. Young: This was a relatively quick read about an important topic told through a personal lens. When Young, a Black man, marries a white woman with a gun-loving father, he resolves to learn everything he can about guns. The writing was a bit uneven, but it's a quick read (under 200 pages) and worth a read.
Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Felix Ever After, Solitaire, and Velma Still Cooks in Leeway
Five years ago I was reading: Feeling Good, Inspired, and Garlic and Sapphires
Ten years ago I was reading: The Red Tent, The Biology of Belief, and MWF Seeking BFF
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