What I've Been Reading Lately (Quick Lit)

Today I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy's Quick Lit to bring you some short and sweet reviews of what I've read in the past month. For longer reviews, you can always find me on Goodreads.

It was a good reading month! While not every book was a home run, there was a great variety, and the audiobooks in particular kept me company through a very busy month.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss: There are multiple levels to this story: There's the suspense of what's happening in the present-day story, there's the sprawling tale of one man's life as he lives by the skin of his teeth from childhood through university, and there's the myth-making aspect, as you see how one man — who is, in fact, remarkably clever and talented — becomes a supernatural legend through the power of storytelling and rumor. I'm looking forward to the next installment of his story!

Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse: This was very much a middle-of-a-trilogy book, but that's not inherently a bad thing. The characters are trying to grapple with the fallout from the events of the first book, figuring out who their allies are and where their loyalties should lie, and traveling around the world as needed to advance the plot. Here's hoping she sticks the landing in the final book.

Opal by Maggie Stiefvater: I might have liked this interstitial novella more if I'd listened to it immediately after finishing the Raven Cycle series, when I wanted just a few more minutes with those characters. At the end of the day I'm not sure that it told us anything we didn't already know, though I didn't mind spending an hour and a half in this universe again with Will Patton's narration.

Queer Windows: Volume 2 Summer by Cay Fletcher: I liked this volume more than the previous one, though this too could use a thorough copyedit, which remains distracting for me. But the stories are very sweet, and the varieties of "queer" and "love" remain expansive.

Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper: This was a sweet coming-of-age story about a Black girl in North Carolina in 1932. Draper manages to show transparently the very real discrimination and danger faced by Black communities in 1932, but does it as part of the everyday experiences of an 11-year-old girl whose life also involves love and pride and joy and chores and schoolwork and friendship.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness: I had hopes for this going in after recently reading and loving Ness' A Monster Calls, but this just wasn't for me. I found the plot repetitive and the characters' decisions difficult to understand at times, and as usual, my nitpicks about world-building got in the way of my reading experience.

Out of My Heart by Sharon M. Draper: This book is much quieter than Out of My Mind, following Melody as she travels to a summer camp for kids with disabilities and other special needs. It's all very sweet and wholesome and interesting to see how different activities can be made accessible, but it also wasn't super engaging, especially if you're expecting something similar to the first book.

How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis: While Davis does offer what she calls "gentle skill building" — practical tips for specific care tasks — she spends much of the book breaking down assumptions and cultural messages that feed shame and make care tasks more difficult. She is relentlessly focused on function over aesthetics or appeasing some imaginary judge or taskmaster. I would highly, highly recommend this read!

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Jessica, Delusions of Gender, and I'll Have What He's Having
Five years ago I was reading: The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr., Rebecca, and Looking for Mr. Goodbar
Ten years ago I was reading: Jesus Calling, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Blankets, Caddie Woodlawn, and Uncle Tom's Cabin

Best of the Bunch (August 2025)

Today I'm sharing the best book I read in August.

Of the 10 books I read this month, I had two 5-star reads:

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar

This was a very hard decision because these books were both so good, and they're so different! I would honestly recommend both of them — and they're both pretty quick reads! — but if I had to push one into more readers' hands, I know which one I'd pick for my Best of the Bunch.

The book description says You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey "tackles modern-day racism with the perfect balance of levity and gravity," and that's exactly right. In sharing these stories of the off-the-wall racist nonsense Lacey (and occasionally Amber and others in their family) have to deal with on a regular basis, the sisters rarely stray from the tone of "This is so terrible you have to laugh about it." If you're the kind of person who immediately tries to find a "reasonable," non-racist explanation for situations that Black people tell you are racist, I dare you to come out of this book with that instinct intact. I'm very glad I was able to get both the audiobook and the ebook of this, as there are pictures throughout the book but lots of audio-only bonuses as well. (Amber singing to her dad had me laughing uncontrollably.) It's a quick read/listen but well worth it.

What is the best book you read this month? Let me know in comments, or write your own post and link up below!

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Jessica, Destination Unknown, You Don't Have a Shot, The Little Book of Living Small, and Nimona
Five years ago I was reading: Thank You for Voting and Dear Martin
Ten years ago I was reading: Jesus Calling, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Still Alice, Brain on Fire, and A General Theory of Love

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What I've Been Reading Lately (Quick Lit)

Today I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy's Quick Lit to bring you some short and sweet reviews of what I've read in the past month. For longer reviews, you can always find me on Goodreads.

I've had a busy reading month! A good variety of reads, long and short, on audio and ebook, plus wrapping up a hardcover book I've been working through all year.

The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood: This would be a good airplane read. It's sweet and sad and a little bit funny and includes Life Lessons and characters with complicated feelings. I don't have any major complaints, but I also don't think it will stick with me much.

Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz: Once again, Horowitz has written a compelling murder mystery inside a compelling murder mystery, and I was here for the ride. The audiobook narration, with the dual narrators for the two stories, was excellent yet again, and I'd definitely recommend the series in that format.

How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective ed. by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor: This was a valuable read for learning more about the Combahee River Collective and the particular moment in history when they existed. Unfortunately I couldn't separate my reading experience from the less-than-ideal audiobook format, which is not the format I'd recommend for this.

More Than Two, Second Edition: Cultivating Nonmonogamous Relationships with Kindness and Integrity by Eve Rickert and Andrea Zanin: This was my July Best of the Bunch. Although it's specifically focused on the needs and challenges of non-monogamous relationship configurations, I think much of the book could be applied to any kind of relationship or would even be valuable for single monogamous folks to read. I highly recommend it.

No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister: This was a great listen as a multi-narrator audiobook. I'm not sure I took away anything profound from the book — it's not news to me that one book affects multiple people, each in their own way! — but I thought she did an excellent job conveying how most lives are made up of small moments, and what seems like an insignificant detail can have a profound impact.

Catfish and Mandala: A Two-Wheeled Voyage Through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam by Andrew X. Pham: I'm glad to have finally read this memoir, which has beautiful writing and valuable reflections on identity and culture, though I was frustrated by missing details and inconsistent verb tenses, not to mention formatting issues with the ebook version.

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson: This was a little more self-help-y than I prefer, in that people are divided into a binary "emotionally immature" or "emotionally mature," but I do appreciate the detail with which the behaviors of each group were identified, though it took quite a long time to get to the "so what do you do about this" part of the book.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness: This is a beautiful book about grief and anger. It's about being afraid to look the truth in the face and how opposing truths can exist at the same time. You could write essays on the symbolism or hold book discussions on the complex, challenging characters who populate the book, but for all that it's a very fast read, told in a cinematic style interspersed with actual illustrations.

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi: This is a thoroughly researched and well written tome looking at the history of the United States through the lens of ideas about race. Although most of the historical figures and events Kendi discussed throughout the book were not new to me, this was an interesting lens through which to see all of them.

You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar: The book description says this book "tackles modern-day racism with the perfect balance of levity and gravity," and that's exactly right. If you're the kind of person who immediately tries to find a "reasonable," non-racist explanation for situations that Black people tell you are racist, I dare you to come out of this book with that instinct intact.

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Jessica, How You Get the Girl, We Are Okay, and Nimona
Five years ago I was reading: The Color of Law and Still Life
Ten years ago I was reading: Jesus Calling, Nervous Conditions, The Princess Bride, Madame Bovary, and Mr. Popper's Penguins

Best of the Bunch (July 2025)

Today I'm sharing the best book I read in July.

Of the nine books I read this month, I had two 5-star reads:

More Than Two, Second Edition: Cultivating Nonmonogamous Relationships with Kindness and Integrity by Eve Rickert and Andrea Zanin

Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz

Horowitz's whole Susan Ryeland series is excellent, but as this was the third book and contains major spoilers for the first one, I don't want to accidentally steer anyone to that one who should be starting with Magpie Murders. That makes the other my Best of the Bunch!

More Than Two, Second Edition (and do make sure you get the second edition) is a powerhouse of a book. The book is grounded in knowing and articulating one's own values and needs, valuing people as unique individuals and never putting relationships above the people in them, and acting with integrity and care within relationships. I'm not sure I could adequately attempt a summary of the best takeaways from this book, as it's a gold mine front to back. I read through this 2-3 chapters at a time with a book group, which was a great way to tackle it, and at every meeting, people brought more pieces from the chapters than we even had time to discuss. Even if you are not a person who engages in romantic relationships, the insights about communication, values, control, advocacy, needs... so much of it is relevant to anyone who has connections of any kind with other human beings. I highly recommend it.

What is the best book you read this month? Let me know in comments, or write your own post and link up below!

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Jessica, Loving Someone with Borderline Personality Disorder, The Henna Wars, A Tale for the Time Being, and Nimona
Five years ago I was reading: Everyday Antiracism and Lovely War
Ten years ago I was reading: Jesus Calling, Nervous Conditions, The Princess Bride, Okay for Now, and Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret Pitch

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What I've Been Reading Lately (Quick Lit)

Today I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy's Quick Lit to bring you some short and sweet reviews of what I've read in the past month. For longer reviews, you can always find me on Goodreads.

This was a decent reading month! Not many 5-star reads, but a nice mix of genres and topics and nothing too terrible.

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse: Despite the abrupt cliffhanger, I liked this book that defies an easy good/bad binary among its characters. Roanhorse doesn't give the reader an easy place to perch, which makes the story challenging and engaging, not to mention the beauty of rooting it in a world based on diverse indigenous cultures.

Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli: I love everything Albertalli writes, and I especially enjoyed being back in the world of Imogen, Obviously with a well-crafted commentary on parasocial relationships. Although I saw the major plot developments coming from a mile away, I still greatly enjoyed the journey getting there.

The Resilience Myth: New Thinking on Grit, Strength, and Growth After Trauma by Soraya Chemaly: I appreciated what I think is Chemaly's main point in this book, that what actually helps people survive and thrive in difficult times is not individual toughness but tangible support, and I think a better-organized, better-edited version of this book could have been something I recommended widely. Unfortunately, I found this to be scattered and hard to follow much of the time.

The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry by Jon Ronson: I kept waiting for this to coalesce into something that would bring all the different pieces together, but it never really did, but that doesn't mean that the pieces themselves weren't worth reading. I'd recommend this if you're interested specifically in the topic of what the subtitle calls "the madness industry" — essentially, how money is made on categorizing and diagnosing and treating individuals — but it's not one I'd go out of my way to recommend otherwise.

Jamie by L.D. Lapinski: This was exactly what I was looking for, a sweet middle grade read about kids making a difference. It can be a bit heavily didactic at times, but if the book itself is aimed at raising awareness about non-binary identities (much as Jamie and their friends try to do within the story), then I can forgive a bit of monologuing.

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater: Maggie Stiefvater is very good at atmosphere, and she's very good at sentence-level writing, and yet she puts so much energy into immersing the reader in this West Virginia hotel in 1942 that the story is ultimately secondary to the atmosphere. No matter how well constructed the story is and how believable the characters are and how clever the little plot twists are, it lacked a driving force to propel me through the story.

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Jessica, Loving Someone with Borderline Personality Disorder, The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, and Crooked House
Five years ago I was reading: The New Jim Crow and Killers of the Flower Moon
Ten years ago I was reading: Jesus Calling, Clockwork Angel, The Woman in White, and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Best of the Bunch (June 2025)

Today I'm sharing the best book I read in June.

Of the six books I read this month, I had three 5-star reads:

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

Come As You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski

Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli

It was an amazing reading month, and it's so hard to choose between these! I think Amelia, If Only is great but especially top-tier for those who have read Imogen, Obviously, and while I loved Come As You Are and would recommend it for everyone, my thoughts are so deeply personal I didn't even write a comprehensive review like I typically would. So that leaves one crowdpleaser to be my Best of the Bunch for the month!

The Final Empire was just fantastic. I don't read a lot of fantasy, so when I do pick it up it's generally because it's been highly recommended by multiple people, and this definitely lived up to its reputation. The heist-like plot was compelling, the world-building was stellar (always a tough bar to clear in my eyes), and the plot twists were satisfying. The story's tragic moments had a purpose, and the climax felt earned. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get through the 25-hour audiobook in the three weeks I had it checked out from the library, but in actuality I blazed through it in just over a week. I have the next book on hold (another 5 months' wait), but I appreciate that this one had a satisfying conclusion rather than a cliffhanger, with just enough elements unresolved to make me interested in the next installment. I'm really happy I gave this one a shot.

What is the best book you read this month? Let me know in comments, or write your own post and link up below!

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Jessica, Influencers, and To Night Owl from Dogfish
Five years ago I was reading: For the Love of Men and You're Not Listening
Ten years ago I was reading: Jesus Calling, Clockwork Angel, The Crossover, and Pippi Longstocking

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Top Ten Books on My Summer TBR

I'm linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for another Top Ten Tuesday.

It's time for another seasonal check-in! I finished all the books on my Spring TBR, and now it's time to think about summer. Here are ten books I'm planning to read this summer.

1. Catfish and Mandala by Andrew X. Pham
I started reading this memoir a few months ago, but I wasn't in the right head space to dig into the story, and it went back to the library before I got very far. I'm hoping to give it another go this summer.

2. Jamie by L.D. Lapinski
I'm trying to learn from last year and not load up on queer romances, but I do want to read something queer in honor of pride, so this middle grade novel about a nonbinary kid and their friends fighting for inclusion at school sounds like a great option.

3. The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater
After devouring the Raven Cycle series and subsequent Dreamer trilogy, I'm looking forward to picking up Stiefvater's latest, which is her first book for adult readers. I subscribe to her newsletter and have enjoyed hearing her reflections about the writing process and writing for a different audience.

4. Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz
I was spellbound by the first two books in this mystery series, and I'm very excited for this third book that was just released.

5. Master Your Attachment Style by Scott A. Young
I feel like I got the basics of attachment theory from Polysecure (and just, like, the corners of the Internet I frequent), but this is one that my partner has read and said was a good basic overview and a quick read, so I figured it would be good to read this and be able to have the same vocabulary.

6. No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister
I was perusing my "books-about-books" tag on my might-want-to-read list, and this one jumped out at me because I've enjoyed some of Bauermeister's previous work. I'm interested to see what this one is about!

7. The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood
The hype on this 2016 book has now died down, but it still has good ratings and reviews, so it seems worth finally picking it up!

8. The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson
I'm hoping to mix in some engaging nonfiction this summer, and this one continues to sound interesting to me!

9. The Resilience Myth by Soraya Chemaly
This was recommended by someone at work, and it looks like a really valuable read. I had some issues with the book Grit, and I wonder if this will address some of those concerns.

10. We Have Never Been Woke by Musa al-Gharbi
This book was featured in an article recommended by a friend of mine whose perspectives I greatly value. As I've been trying to get news in as unbiased a way as possible (primarily through listening to Left, Right, and Center and reading the daily Tangle newsletter), it has helped me better distinguish between what is substantive and actually creating change and what is performative and even counterproductive in the progressive movements I care about. I'm looking forward to seeing how this book tackles hard truths about societal inequities actually being reinforced by social justice movements.

What do you plan to read this summer?

Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: Jessica, Tiny Beautiful Things, The Scarlet Shredder, and To Night Owl from Dogfish
Five years ago I was reading: The Color of Compromise and Women, Race, & Class
Ten years ago I was reading: Jesus Calling, Angle of Repose, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, The Tale of Despereaux, The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, and Little House on the Prairie