My job allows me to have two weeks off around the holidays, and once my kids went to their dad's place after Christmas I got through a lot of reading!
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May: This was good, if not exactly what I was hoping for. May explores the concept of "wintering" from a number of different angles, and while I appreciated the thoroughness of her exploration, and there were many moments throughout that were interesting or insightful, in the end it felt a bit disjointed. I think she could have either cut the memoir-ish pieces altogether or fleshed them out to provide a better anchor for the book.
Self-Care for Autistic People: 100+ Ways to Recharge, De-Stress, and Unmask! by Megan Anna Neff: This book was quite validating, and it was fascinating to see how, having given myself the freedom to structure my life and my living environment in a way that suits me, I've naturally landed on many of the tips that Neff proposes in this book. I'm not sure I gained many new tips, but it was still well worth the read.
Who Deserves Your Love: How to Create Boundaries to Start, Strengthen, or End Any Relationship by KC Davis: This was my Best of the Bunch for December. Just about everything in this book can be applied to any relationship in one's life, not just a romantic partnership. Davis' ability to dispense clear, accessible, non-judgmental advice in ways that are both practical and widely applicable is an absolute gift, and I highly recommend this.
The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict: I was surprised by the low ratings on this; sure, the writing was stuffed with unnecessary similes, but it didn't distract me as much as it could have, and otherwise I didn't find any major issues with the writing, and it didn't require any more suspension of disbelief than your average cozy/puzzle mystery. This was exactly what I was looking for from a Christmas-themed cozy puzzle mystery, with bonus points for multiple happy queer relationships pictured.
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson: This one had a slow start, and I occasionally got distracted trying to figure out how the events of the original Mistborn trilogy had worked their way into this era's mythology, but it was an enjoyable ride on the whole. I'm glad to have decided to continue with this series.
Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Oluo: Oluo details several centuries' worth of United States history about how white men have made things worse for everyone — themselves included — through their death grip on white supremacist patriarchy. I'm not sure there was a lot here that was new or surprised me, but if you aren't already deeply familiar with the history of systemic racism and misogyny in this country, this collection is a pretty good starting place.
This Is Me Letting You Go by Heidi Priebe: The book's description makes it sound like it's about broadly being able to let people or things go, but unfortunately, it turns out that this is entirely about monogamous, romantic love. A few essays stood out to me and connected with my experiences, but on the whole I was not that surprised that this was written by someone in their 20s. If that's you, you might find this more relatable than I did.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson: I actually liked this better the second time around! The first time I was expecting a bigger twist, but this time I knew what to expect and could just sink into how deliciously creepy it all is. The audiobook narrator is fantastic, and I'm glad I got to experience it in this format a second time.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke: What Clarke has done here is, I think, a different version of "What if magic?" than I've seen done before. Magic is neither widespread nor hidden; it existed long ago, and only through careful study / experimentation have two English gentlemen in the early 1800s managed to start practicing it again. I love that Clarke has thought through how this scenario would likely play out in real life and written it like a history, complete with footnotes. Highly recommended on audio with the great Simon Prebble's narration.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat: I have no doubt this is an excellent book for those who enjoy cooking and want to get better at it. However, I should have caught that key word — "mastering" — in the subtitle. Nosrat assumes a foundational level of skill that is far above where I'm starting from. If someday I do have the time, energy, and resources to scale up my cooking skills, I have no doubt this would be an excellent reference book to have in the kitchen.
Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: The Penderwicks, I Contain Multitudes, and Big Jim Begins
Five years ago I was reading: The Bear and the Nightingale, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, and The Shell Seekers
Ten years ago I was reading: Lonesome Dove, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens, and Dancing with God
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