Well, it took getting COVID for the first time in four and a half years to finally tick up my reading count and get me back on track toward my Goodreads goal! Plus before that, I was spending a good amount of time in the car and got through some shorter audiobooks in that time. Here's everything I've read in the past month.
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey: This quiet, lyrical book about the world of snails was a nice meditation on life, with the information on snails told alongside the author's own experiences with debilitating illness that led her to have occasion to observe a snail at close quarters over a long period of time. It wasn't exactly life-changing to read, but it was a nice chance to slow down and focus on one topic minutely, gaining a greater appreciation for this particular creature.
Crooked House by Agatha Christie: This one had an unexpected but satisfying ending. I can't say I liked the experience of reading it, only because Christie did such a good job of creating a tense, stifled atmosphere in the house where the story takes place that it was almost stressful to read. But well done on Christie's part, indeed!
Endless Night by Agatha Christie: While I will give Christie credit for writing something a bit different than her usual fare (kind of), there was a lot to put this low down on my list of Christie reads: The plot was predictable, there were clues shoehorned in that didn't make sense, the book relies heavily on the use of an ethnic slur, and the ending seemed out of character with the rest of the plot. Some people love this, but it wasn't for me.
The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar: This was about average as far as the romance, but I liked the side plots about cultural appropriation, coming out to family, and bullying at school, as well as the sister and friend relationships. Bonus points for being the first YA romance I've read set in Ireland between two queer girls of color. Come for the romance but stay for the bigger themes about belonging, identity, and culture.
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki: I found this engaging despite the elements of magical realism, which aren't usually my jam. There were a number of powerful themes throughout the book, like the way that someone's life narrative can influence other people's lives, even if that narrative isn't entirely accurate. While a little too philosophical and fantastical to be a favorite for me, I did enjoy this read.
Loving Someone with Borderline Personality Disorder: How to Keep Out-of-Control Emotions from Destroying Your Relationship by Shari Y. Manning: This was a reread, and this remains an incredibly helpful book. My caveats from my prior read still stand, but I'm glad to have this resource to return to.
They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie: Thrillers are definitely not Christie's strong suit, but this one was enjoyable nonetheless, especially with Emilia Fox's always excellent audiobook narration. Although it wasn't a puzzle mystery, Christie brings that same cleverness to inventing ingenuous ways for her characters to get out of seemingly impossible scrapes. Unfortunately, there were aspects of the plot that didn't hang together, but it wasn't the worst of Christie's thriller/spy books.
Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele: This is, actually, not a graphic history of anything. This is an introduction to queer theory where every section is a couple of paragraphs and an illustration. I think the goal was to make it fun and easy to read, but the end result is both dry and oversimplified. It's a shame, because I think a graphic format could have worked for an intro to queer theory.
Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: What the Fireflies Knew, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, The Bad Guys in Do-You-Think-He-Saurus?!, and McDonald's
Five years ago I was reading: Severance, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, and Guardians of the West
Ten years ago I was reading: The Cross in the Closet, Geek Love, and Someone Knows My Name
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