I'll be honest, the second half of April my brain needed a break and I mostly spent my usual reading time binge-listening to the Normal Gossip podcast. So three books is an all-time low since I started doing Quick Lit linkups years ago. But that's OK! Here are the three books I read this past month.
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser: This was a cute, heartwarming middle grade novel, though to be honest the majority of the book is pretty bleak as the kids try valiantly to convince their reclusive, curmudgeonly landlord to renew their lease and end up continually making things worse. I liked the characters a lot and thought the author did a great job pulling the plot together, but it was a bit challenging to get through.
All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks: I'm genuinely confused by how often I've seen this recommended because I thought it was full of sweeping, unwarranted overgeneralizations, including that all men think and talk about love differently than all women, everyone in our culture has given up on finding love, and drug addiction is caused by rampant materialization and consumerism. Her cental thesis about how to find love is muddied but seems to be heavily dependent on spirituality, with the entire last chapter focused on angels. It was... not what I expected.
Unfit Parent: A Disabled Mother Challenges an Inaccessible World by Jessica Slice: This is one of those rare books that I wish I could compel every person to read. In telling the story of her own and others' disabled parenting experiences, she is not only showcasing the way that our society and our structures are biased against those with disabilities, but she's also making it clear how modern parenting is impossible for everyone without support. Be aware that there are some quite upsetting stories about the way disabled folks have been treated by the medical and child welfare systems. But those realities are important for anyone not yet aware to understand. Highly recommended!
Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Self-Made Boys and Love by Design
Five years ago I was reading: Team of Rivals and Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Ten years ago I was reading: Jesus Calling, Gilead, Baby-Led Weaning, and Summer of My German Soldier
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