I have a lot of personal stuff going on at the moment so I've been trending toward YA, novellas, and graphic novels rather than anything super heavy or literary, but I'm content with what I've been able to get to, even if it's been mostly middle-of-the-road reads.
We Are Not Free by Traci Chee: Through the stories of 14 teenagers, Chee tells the story of the forced removal and detention of those of Japanese ancestry on the West Coast during World War II. The shifting perspectives allows for a broader range of stories to be told but makes it harder to connect emotionally with any character (or to keep them all straight).
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger: I appreciated the way that indigenous elements were woven into an urban fantasy setup, and Little Badger can paint a picture with words very well, which made many of the scenes feel cinematic and the creepy moments even creepier. There were some unexplained elements of the way magic worked in this world and I thought the author botched the depiction of Ellie's asexuality (which I think was actually aromanticism), but if you're looking for a plotty fantasy book with an indigenous twist, this is a good one to try.
Dead in the Garden by Dahlia Donovan: It turns out this advertised "trilogy" is actually one mystery novel sold as three separate parts, so I essentially read the first third of a book. I think Donovan was most interested in depicting the ways wrongful imprisonment would affect someone with autism, and the mystery itself didn't quite hang together and left me uninterested in purchasing the other two parts.
Death Comes as the End by Agatha Christie: Christie's ancient Egyptian mystery was a chance of pace from her other works, albeit with an overly slow plot and characters that still felt a bit too British. I also figured out the culprit early on. That said, it wasn't badly plotted, and it was highly engaging on audio, so I enjoyed the listen, even if I wouldn't put this on my top Christie list.
The Breakup Lists by Adib Khorram: This was a cute queer romance from one of my favorite YA authors, even if a bit more predictable and trope-filled than his previous books. I especially enjoyed the well-researched deaf representation in this one. I am also a sucker for high school theater books, so that made it extra fun. Some aspects weren't 100% believable, but that's OK. I'd definitely recommend this one!
Dog Man: Fetch-22 by Dav Pilkey: My kiddo and I read the first book in this series and then they blew through the next six at school, so this was the next one we read together. At this point the books seem to have more of a coherent plot, and while this one was still ridiculous, it wasn't cringy so much as it was mindlessly entertaining, like watching a Looney Tunes cartoon. I'm not necessarily going out of my way to recommend these, but I don't mind them, especially not the fact that my kid wants to read the entire book themself.
Bingo Love by Tee Franklin, Jenn St-Onge, and Joy San: I really wanted to like this, and I love the representation of two Black women falling in love! The writing was just... not good. The dialogue doesn't sound like real people, the story beats are rushed, and there's no nuance to anyone's feelings or actions. I would love to see this same kind of story but more nuanced and fleshed out than this was.
Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast: This unflinching portrait of dealing with aging parents is softened somewhat by Chast's comedic style of cartoons, but her inclusion of photographs and hard financial figures mean you can't forget the reality of the situation she is describing. I appreciate Chast for sharing so openly about an incredibly challenging part of her life in a format that can be digested in just a few hours, and I recommend giving this a read.
Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: The Nobleman's Guide to Shipwrecks and Scandal, Carry On, and McDonald's
Five years ago I was reading: Storytelling with Data, We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families, and Harry Potter à l'école des sorciers
Ten years ago I was reading: Bring Up the Bodies, A Personal Matter, and War and Peace
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