It was a pretty good reading month, mostly due to Anita Kelly. Here's what I read this past month.
Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself by Melody Beattie: It was interesting to read this classic self-help book, and I think it could be a good starting point for folks to recognize patterns in their life, but Beattie unfortunately cites minimal research and is skeptical about therapy, centering instead her own personal experience and going all in on twelve-step programs.
The Bad Guys in Superbad by Aaron Blabey: This kept my 8-year-old very engaged and entertained. I liked the league of female superheroes in this one. The plot was silly but not terrible.
How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith: This is an incredibly important book that goes beyond sharing historical information about slavery in the United States to look at the ways we talk — or don't — about that history. I'm glad this book has gotten as much buzz as it has, and I'm glad I finally took the time to read it.
Our Favorite Songs by Anita Kelly: I love Anita Kelly's Moonlighters novellas and can't believe it took me so long to read their second one! I enjoyed this M/M romance set during a rare Portland snowstorm that had an enemies-to-lovers vibe without ever getting too deep into "enemies" territory.
The Sittaford Mystery by Agatha Christie: This was a pretty classic Christie, with all the usual misdirection and suspense. I liked the unique setup for this one and the mystery surrounding some of the characters. Not a favorite, but it was enjoyable to listen to.
Wherever Is Your Heart by Anita Kelly: I loved this. How often do you get to see two women in their 50s in a love story? I didn't want this to end, and also just getting a glimpse of this one momentous day in their lives was perfect.
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo: Inspired by a real-life plane crash in November 2001, Acevedo has written a story set in the present day about a plane traveling between New York City and the Dominican Republic whose crash upends the lives of two teenage girls, one in each place. I enjoyed it, but I think Acevedeo's novels-in-verse leave me wanting more when they privilege language/poetry over plot and character development.
The Bad Guys in The Big Bad Wolf by Aaron Blabey: This felt like a middle-of-the-series book, where the characters spend a lot of time planning something and we don't get to see it to fruition during this book. Through a highly convenient plot device, the characters get reset to where they were a couple books ago, and we get to go from there into the next book.
Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly: This was a very sweet queer romance, as all of Kelly's are. The main characters are contestants on a cooking reality show, so their budding relationship is complicated by the fact that they're in competition with each other, as well as that either of them could get sent home at any time. I'm not sure I buy their long-term compatibility, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Why Didn't They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie: This kept me entertained, but Christie's thrillers are never her best works. I enjoyed trying to puzzle out the mystery, and I found the last piece of the solution satisfying, but there was far too much reliance on disguises and mistaken identities and the like not to stretch credulity. Definitely a middle-of-the-pack Christie.
Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Burnout, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide, and Creepers Crashed My Party
Five years ago I was reading: Special Topics in Calamity Physics and The Bluest Eye
Ten years ago I was reading: Roots and The Big Sleep
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