nomadreader

Goodbye...from here (and where to find me now)

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 20:04:00 +0000

This blog is now an archive. I won't rule out posting again here in the future, but for now, you can find me on Goodreads, Instagram, Substack, LibraryThing, and Storygraph.

Sea State by Tabitha Lasley

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 17:39:00 +0000

The backstory: Sea State is the debut by Scottish journalist Tabitha Lasley

My thoughts: This gorgeous book, part memoir and part journalism, is difficult to describe. It is both deeply personal, raw, and honest about life, love, and the passion and reality of an affair. It's also a fascinating exploration of the work and home lives of the men who work on oil rigs off the coast of Northern Scotland. How do men, Lasley wonders, act when there are no women around? The writing is extraordinary.

Favorite passage: "I couldn't say what I wanted, because what I wanted resided deep down, in a place under language, a register that lost everything in translation."

Rating: 4.5/5

Length: 220 pages

Publication date: December 7, 2021

Source: my local public library

Want to read for yourself? Buy Sea State from an independent bookstore, Bookshop.org or Amazon (if you must), or find a copy at your local library.

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

My Favorite Reads of 2021

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Well, hello there! As we turn the corner of another new year in the midst of this pandemic, I find myself wanting to return to this space that felt like a chore in summer 2020. I still the community and conversations on bookstagram, but I also find myself longing to keep an easy to access record of my reading in one place. I have some ideas about how I can use both spaces in ways that bring me joy and don't feel like a burden, but part of that is not making public commitments about how I use this space or when.

As I was working on my favorite reads of 2021, I realized this space has them every year from 2009 through 2018. So what better time than to revisit this space with a wrap-up of a year's worth of reading? In 2021, I read 138 books. I try not to get too caught up in numbers. I read some short books and some long books, and I care more about enjoying reading than chasing an arbitrary goal.

Favorite Manifesto I Didn't Know How Badly I Needed:

The Body Is Not An Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor

Favorite Nonfiction:

The Barbizon by Paulina Bren

Favorite Memoirs:

Love and Trouble by Claire Dederer, The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy, So Sad Today by Melissa Broder, & You Got Anything Stronger? by Gabrielle Union

Favorite Nonfiction Comics:

Seek You by Kristen Radtke and Wake by Rebecca Hall

Favorite Poetry Collections:

What to Miss When by Leigh Stein and What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer

Favorite Short Story Collection:

So We Can Glow by Leesa Cross-Smith

Favorite Mystery:

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

Favorite Graphic Novels:

The One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg and Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

Favorite Romance Novels:

Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory (reread), Seven Days in June by Tia Williams, & Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Favorite Novel That Doesn't Come Out Until 2022:

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Favorite Novels of 2021: Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead, Good Company by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, Sea Wife by Amity Gaige, Self Care by Leigh Stein, U Up? by Catie Disabato, and No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood

My Overall Favorite Book of 2021 That I Can't Wait to Reread:

Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

Want to read for yourself? Buy any of these titles from my list on Booksthop.org, an independent bookstore or Amazon (if you must.) Several titles are also available from Book of the Month. Join now and get your first book for $10!

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

book thoughts: A Burning by Megha Majumdar

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 04:30:00 +0000

The backstory: A Burning is the debut novel of Mega Majumdar, who was born and raised in Kolkata, India. She moved to the United States to attend college at Harvard University, followed by graduate school in social anthropology at Johns Hopkins University. She works as an editor at Catapult, and lives in New York City.

The basics: "An electrifying debut novel about three unforgettable characters who seek to rise--to the middle class, to political power, to fame in the movies--and find their lives entangled in the wake of a catastrophe in contemporary India.

Jivan is a Muslim girl from the slums, determined to move up in life, who is accused of executing a terrorist attack on a train because of a careless comment on Facebook. PT Sir is an opportunistic gym teacher who hitches his aspirations to a right-wing political party, and finds that his own ascent becomes linked to Jivan's fall. Lovely--an irresistible outcast whose exuberant voice and dreams of glory fill the novel with warmth and hope and humor--has the alibi that can set Jivan free, but it will cost her everything she holds dear."--publisher

My thoughts: I picked up a copy of this all the way back in January at ALA Midwinter. It was already getting a lot of buzz. I think in the opening chapter alone, I wrote 'oh,' 'oh my,' and 'oh dear,' at least five times in my galley. This novel begins with one meaning of the titular burning: a terrorist attack on a train. The three narrators and the connections between them are shown early. I struggled with one of the narrators, PT Sir. I found his character to be less well-drawn than the other two, but he was also incredibly hard to relate to or like. There are also a few brief sections from other narrators that I quite enjoyed.

I like what this novel was trying to do. I really enjoyed two of the main characters: Jivan and Lovely. Still, I wanted to hear from more voices. In particular, I wanted more overlap or perspective on what each of the three narrators were experiencing. I think that would have given the novel more depth, but Majumdar is a gifted writer who chose her narrators and words carefully. The novel is relatively short and has a lot of short chapters. It's a novel I enjoyed reading but didn't love. I do hope it finds wide readership and opens important conversation about its themes. It would make a great book club pick, and I won't be surprised if it shows up on award lists, including the First Novel Prize.

Favorite passage: "If she had received a chance to tell her story, how might her life have been?"

Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: June 2, 2020
Source: publisher

Want to read for yourself? Buy A Burning from Book of the Month, from an independent bookstore or Amazon (if you must).

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

book thoughts: These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Wed, 27 May 2020 04:30:00 +0000

The backstory: Young adult paranormal is not usually by thing, but lesbian witches in contemporary Salem, Massachusetts most definitely are. I picked this as a Book of the Month add-on last year, but I finally got around to reading it this month.

The basics: The first in a duology (series of two--how refreshing to not have a trilogy!), this novel introduces Hannah, "Hannah's a witch, but not the kind you're thinking of. She's the real deal, an Elemental with the power to control fire, earth, water, and air. But even though she lives in Salem, Massachusetts, her magic is a secret she has to keep to herself. If she's ever caught using it in front of a Reg (read: non-witch), she could lose it. For good. So, Hannah spends most of her time avoiding her ex-girlfriend (and fellow Elemental Witch) Veronica, hanging out with her best friend, and working at the Fly by Night Cauldron selling candles and crystals to tourists, goths, and local Wiccans." (publisher)

My thoughts: You know how you feel like you might enjoy a book more than the average reader because of your predispositions? I think that might be the case with this novel. It has so many elements (pun intended!) that make me happy: it's a feminist, gender-inclusive, coming of age novel focused on a lesbian love story set in contemporary Salem. That description could be written exactly for me. It was an ideal pandemic read though, as it straddles the line of reality and fantasy beautifully. These witches are grounded deeply in reality, but I also found myself they really do keep themselves well enough hidden from Regs like me that I wouldn't know if they did exist. It also manages to deal with some serious issues without every feeling too serious itself, which was also a welcome distraction to the pandemic. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I'm looking forward to its sequel, This Coven Won't Break (out now!)

Favorite passage: "She even has books about fictional elementals, stories I've read and secretly loved even though the magic inside is nothing like the truth of my Clan."

Rating: 4 out of 5
Length: 332 pages
Publication date: May 28, 2019 (it's in paperback now)
Source: Book of the Month

Want to read for yourself? Buy These Witches Don't Burn from an independent bookstore, Book of the Month, or Amazon (Kindle edition.)

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

book thoughts: Fair Warning by Michael Connelly

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Tue, 26 May 2020 04:30:00 +0000

The backstory: Michael Connelly is my favorite mystery writer. I've read all thirty-six of his novels (so far), and I read through most of those in 2014 when I was pregnant with Hawthorne.

The basics: Fair Warning brings back journalist Jack McEvoy, whom we haven't seen in more than ten years (in The Scarecrow). He finds himself a suspect when a woman he had a one-night stand with is murdered. He takes on the story as a reporter.

My thoughts: Connelly started has a newspaper reporter, and he uses this opportunity to showcase how the profession has changed since we last saw Jack McEvoy: "I was proud of what we had accomplished and proud to call myself a journalist in a time when the profession was constantly under attack." Connelly has written most of his novels featuring LAPD detective Harry Bosch, but his two other series (The Lincoln Lawyer--Mickey Haller and this one, featuring McEvoy) have always featured mysteries that couldn't or wouldn't be solved by the police.

It was fun to spend time with Jack McEvoy and recurring character Rachel Walling again. The mystery leads to a bigger story, and it's a fun ride. Fair Warning is both a gripping mystery and a compelling reminder of the importance and power of good journalism.

Favorite passage: "I felt supported and protected. It was not a good time to be a journalist. It was the era of fake news and reporters being labeled by those in power as enemies of the people."

Rating: 5 out of 5
Length: 417 pages
Publication date: May 26, 2020
Source: publisher

Want to read for yourself? Buy Fair Warning from an independent bookstore or Amazon (Kindle edition.)

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

Wrapping Up My May Challenge Reading & Planning for June

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Mon, 25 May 2020 04:30:00 +0000

In late April, I shared my ideas and thoughts about what to read for the May prompts for the Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge. Now it's time to think about what to read in June:

23. A book featuring an LGBTQIA+ character or by an LGBTQIA+ author

This category has SO MANY choices, but the timing aligns perfectly for the fourth mystery in the Roxane Weary series. Weary is a bisexual private detective, and it releases July 7. Plenty of time to read the first three, if you haven't already! Start with The Last Place You Look. Another option I plan to read soon anyway: This Coven Won't Break, the sequel to These Witches Don't Burn, which I read earlier this month.

24. A book with an emotion in the title

I have quite a few options on my shelf that would work for this one, and I'll likely choose on of these titles with love in it:

I only have one Taylor Jenkins Reid book I haven't read, and I've been saving it: One True Loves. I've also had Merritt Tierce's debut novel Love Me Back on my shelf since it came out in 2014. Other possibilities from my Kindle: Love by Toni Morrison, Married Love and Other Stories by Tessa Hadley, First Comes Love Then Comes Malaria by Eve Brown-Waite, and The Opposite of Love by Julie Buxbaum.

25. A book related to the arts

This is another prompt with so many choices. Two books I've been meaning to read that fit the category are A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier and Visible Empire by Hannah Pittard. Both are authors whose books I love, but for some reason, I haven't made time for their most recent releases. A Single Thread is the story of women embroiderers and Visible Empire is based on the 1962 Paris plane crash that had many of Atlanta's art patrons on it. Like me, Pittard grew up in Atlanta, and I love the way she writes about the complicated city.

26. A book from the 2019 Goodreads Choice Awards

I started making a list of all the books I have on my shelves that were nominated for these awards, and I ran out of steam. I have A LOT of choices. Most likely: Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand, Normal People by Sally Rooney, or Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo.

Here's what I ended up reading in May:

19. a fantasy book: These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling

I really enjoyed this first in a duology about a coven of witches in contemporary Salem.

20. the 20th book: Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley

21. a book related to Maximilian Hell, the noted astronomer: The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

I stumbled onto this one, which I didn't realize was set at a technology company. One of the possibilities for Maximilian Hell was related to technology, so I counted this gem.

22. a book with a major theme of survival: Stray by Stephanie Danler

Now tell me: what other suggestions do you have for me for these prompts?

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

comics interludes: Stepping Stones, Killing and Dying, and Intro to Alien Invasion

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Thu, 21 May 2020 04:30:00 +0000

As I've been home for more than two months, I've found myself (finally) reading through my backlog of comics I've checked out from the library (thank you extended due dates!) It's fun to dip into a book I can read in a single sitting, and it helps keep my reading momentum going. Here are three I've read this month:

Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley

Y'all know I love Lucy Knisley's graphic memoirs and comics, so I was excited to read her debut middle-grade graphic novel, which is inspired by her childhood. When Jen's parents get divorced, she has to leave New York City and moves to an upstate farm with her mom and her mom's boyfriend. His two daughters only live with them every other weekend. All three help sell at the farmer's market. As always, Knisley's art is lovely. I struggled with this graphic novel because I found it to be very sad. Because we only see things from Jen's perspective, and she's so young, the wisdom and perspective of Knisley's memoirs isn't present in this book. And Jen's mom's boyfriend is kind of a jerk. Perhaps to children also navigating divorce and their parents dating, this would be a source of connection and help them know they're not alone, but it just made me sad, especially knowing it was based on true events. It's the first in a series, called Peapod Farm, and I liked it enough to keep reading the series (because if Lucy Knisley writes it, I will read it.)

Rating: 3 out of 5
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: May 5, 2020
Source: library

Killing and Dying by Adrian Tomine

This collection of six short stories has been on my shelf for years. Tomine is a veteran author and illustrator, but it was my first experience with him. Each of the six stories was incredibly different, both in tone and style. As a collection, there wasn't cohesion, but I quite liked the differences. Individually, I didn't necessarily love any of the stories, but I liked all six, and they all made me think.

Rating: 4 out of 5
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: October 6, 2015
Source: library

Intro to Alien Invasion by Owen King, Mark Jude Poirier, and Nancy Ahn

This graphic novel is pretty bizarre, so it took me some time to get into it and get a feel for its tone. Once I did, I quite enjoyed the ride, but some readers may find it vulgar or abrasive. Admittedly, I am partial to campus novels, lesbian pop culture references, and dark humor, and this graphic novel featured all three in spades. It was a fun read that had flashes of brilliance and improved as it went on. It's good; it could have been great.

Rating: 4 out of 5
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: September 15, 2015
Source: library

Want to read for yourself? Buy from an independent bookstore or Amazon.

book thoughts: The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Wed, 20 May 2020 04:30:00 +0000

The backstory: The Boyfriend Project was one of the May Book of the Month picks. Before that, I'd never heard of it, but it sounded so fun, I added it to my box. Most of the books I pick from Book of the Month are titles I already wanted, but I love when it introduces me to new things.

The basics: "Samiah Brooks never thought she would be "that" girl. But a live tweet of a horrific date just revealed the painful truth: she's been catfished by a three-timing jerk of a boyfriend. Suddenly Samiah-along with his two other "girlfriends," London and Taylor-have gone viral online. Now the three new besties are making a pact to spend the next six months investing in themselves. No men and no dating."--publisher

My thoughts: This book is filled with fun, friendship, romance, and just the right amount of drama. It manages to be fun and made me feel good, but it also manages to feel real. It's the right combination of real and escapist. I loved the characters, especially Samiah, as we spend most of our time with her. Rochon skillfully takes on sexism and racism in ways that had me fist-bumping the characters. I'm excited this is the first in a series, and I'll be standing in line to read the next one and spend more time in the world of these characters.

Favorite passage: "I learned a long time ago that the key to being in control of your own destiny is to always be prepared, no matter how safe things may feel now."

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Length: 340 pages
Publication date: June 9, 2020
Source: Book of the Month

Want to read for yourself? Buy The Boyfriend Project from Book of the Month, an independent bookstore or Amazon (Kindle edition.)

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

book thoughts: Stray by Stephanie Danler

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Tue, 19 May 2020 05:30:00 +0000

The backstory: Stephanie Danler's debut novel, Sweetbitter, is one of my all-time favorites.

The basics: Stray is a memoir "of growing up in a family shattered by lies and addiction, and of one woman’s attempts to find a life beyond the limits of her past."

My thoughts: One of the reasons I loved Sweetbitter so much is that it's the rare trifecta of a novel that has a great plot/characters, great writing, and great wisdom. Stray is filled with great writing and great wisdom, but those looking for a traditional memoir may find the book's construction a bit confusing. It's broken into three thematic sections: Mother, Father, and The Monster (the married man with whom she has an affair), but the three characters overlap across all three sections. The vignettes also move across geography and time. Stray is a writer's memoir. I'm grateful I had the time and space to read it in twenty-four (non-consecutive) hours. Many of the vignettes or essays would work well as stand-alone pieces, and ultimately, that's what kept this book from getting an extra star or half-star. There are many moments of brilliance and wisdom in this memoir, but I finished wanting more. The whole memoir isn't greater than the sum of its brilliant parts.

Favorite passages: "Grieving the living feels like an infinite state, until you remember that it ends in regular grieving."

"Every meeting we're trying to reclaim that brief minute we believed love weighed more than timing, geography, or the limits of each other's character."

Rating: 4 out of 5
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: May 19, 2020
Source: publisher

Want to read for yourself? Buy Stray from an independent bookstore or Amazon (Kindle edition.)

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

book thoughts: Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Mon, 18 May 2020 11:00:00 +0000

The backstory: Curtis Sittenfeld is one of my favorite writers. I've read and loved all of her books. American Wife, a fictionalization of Laura Bush's life, is one of my all-time favorite novels (and the first one I loved so much I rated it 6 stars out of 5.) When she announced she was writing a novel imagining what might have happened if Hillary Clinton never married Bill Clinton (she famously said no twice in real life), it immediately became the most anticipated novel of the year.

My thoughts: This novel is best enjoyed the less you know about it. Of course, as I read, I kept wondering: will Hillary become president? That is a compelling plot point, for sure, but it's also a deceptively simple question in what is a brilliantly complex novel. This novel is both the story of the life of one woman and the ways in which her life would be similar or different if she didn't marry Bill Clinton. As the story of the life of a fascinating, if sometimes frustrating, person, it is immensely satisfying. But what makes this novel truly extraordinary is Sittenfeld's beautifully rendered alternate history of modern American politics. Those who are well acquainted with the real events will delight in the many realizations of what Sittenfeld chooses to change and what she keeps the same. I was perpetually shook as I read, and this novel will have people talking all year. I finished this novel a couple of months ago, and I can't quit thinking about it. On the surface, it's a simple concept for a novel: Hillary chooses option b, but in its execution, it is extraordinarily complex.

Favorite passage: "I wouldn't have thought the same person could cause and assuage my pain."

Rating: 5 out of 5

Length: 417 pages

Publication date: May 19, 2020

Source: publisher

Want to read for yourself? Buy Rodham from an independent bookstore or Amazon (Kindle edition.)

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

April 2020 reading recap

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Wed, 06 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

April may have been the month my reading came back to earth. I still managed eight books, which is about two a week. Interestingly, that's what I typically average for print/ebook reading in a month. What's missing? I didn't finish a single audiobook in April, when I have been finishing four a month. I've been listening to my current audiobook since mid-March. Since I spend most of my waking hours with my spouse and kid or working, I've lost most of my solo audiobook time. I have no problem reading a book when we're hanging out together, but somehow it seems odd to put on my headphones on when we're all in the same room together! Honestly, given how stressful work is during the week, I'm amazed I managed to read eight books. I read erratically during the week and then read most of the weekend. I think it's a testament to how important choosing the right book for the right time is for me now. All eight books were at least a four star read, but two were 4.5 star-read, and three were 5-star reads. That's fantastic quality reading! For the year, I'm still well ahead of last year. I finished April having read 43 books. I hit 43 last year in late July, so I'm happy with that progress.

The Ones I Liked

Pretty Things by Janelle Brown (my review)
If feminist heist novels are your thing, Pretty Things is a fun read. I think it will be even better on the screen, and I'm excited for Nicole Kidman's adaptation! (4 stars)

Pollock Confidential by Onofrio Catacchio (my review)
This graphic novel has it all: history, art, drama, romance, politics, spies, and death. The visuals are stunning and capture the scale of Abstract Expressionism well. (4 stars)

A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler
I read this one for my online book club discussion tonight, and I am looking forward to discussing it! It's a book I read compulsively over twenty-four hours. It made me think. It made me angry. At times, I loved it. At times it tries WAY too hard. As a read, I couldn't put it down. It's worthwhile because it's entertaining, and it's likely to make people think or talk or act about racism. It's flawed and at times problematic, but it's a compelling read. (4 stars)

The Ones I Liked A Lot

Severance by Ling Ma
I had this on my shelves from Book of the Month since December 2018, but I'm so glad I saved it to read during a pandemic. A pandemic novel about a fictional flu-like illness originating in China may be the best or worst thing to read right now. For me, it was perfect. The Shen flu is both similar to and very different from Covid-19. The novel traces the time before and after through Candice Chen. This novel is an inspired, beautifully written, and thought-provoking debut novel. (4.5 stars)

I'll Eat When I'm Dead by Barbara Bourland
This novel is a delight. It's part murder mystery, part satire, and part social commentary, all against the backdrop of an elite NYC fashion magazine. It's filled with feminism, dark humor, and 90s pop culture references. Barbara Bourland has cemented herself as one of my favorite authors in 2020. I've read and loved both of her novels. They're incredibly different, which makes me even more excited about her next book. (see my February reading recap for my thoughts on Fake Like Me.) (4.5 stars)

The Ones I Loved

Perfect Tunes by Emily Gould
I've loved Emily Gould's work for years, since the days of Gawker. This novel should be her breakout work of fiction. It has it all: music, friendship, fame, youth, motherhood, and love. I'm fascinated by the interplay of motherhood and artistry, and this novel is a beautiful exploration of that. (5 stars)

Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore
This powerful novel, the April Read with Jenna pick, left me speechless. Told in the words of the women of Odessa, Texas in 1976, it offers gorgeous writing, memorable characters, and profound commentary on what it's like to be a woman. I recommend it to all. (5 stars)

Fair Warning by Michael Connelly
Connelly is my favorite mystery writer, and Fair Warning brings back reporter Jack McEvoy for the first time in ten years. Full review to come around its publication date (May 26th!), but Connelly delivered another phenomenal read. Pre-order it from an independent bookstore or Amazon now. (5 stars)

Want to read for yourself? Order from an independent bookstore, Book of the Month (for many of these titles!), or Amazon.

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

graphic novel thoughts: Pollock Confidential by Onofrio Catacchio

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Tue, 05 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

The basics: "This vivid graphic novel delves into his pioneering physical approach to making art, highlights the key characters surrounding the New York mid-century art scene, and reveals the intriguing relationship between Pollock's painting and the covert activities of the Cold War."--publisher

My thoughts: I majored in Art History in college (and Journalism and Women's Studies), and I have a particular fondness for Abstract Expressionism and Jackson Pollock. I will never forget the feeling of seeing my first Pollock in person. The scope and scale and texture took my breath away and made me understand art in new ways. I was curious to see how this graphic novel (it is fiction, albeit very closely tied--for the most part--to history) told his story. I read this fascinating graphic novel in a single sitting. It has it all: history, art, drama, romance, politics, spies, and death. The visuals are stunning and capture the scale of Abstract Expressionism well. It's accessible enough to those who aren't familiar with Abstract Expressionism while also being entertaining to those who are. The art, appropriately, is the real star here, but the story is a good one, too. I only wish it were longer.

Rating: 4 out of 5
Length: 112 pages
Publication date: May 5, 2020
Source: publisher

Want to read for yourself? Buy Pollock Confidential from an independent bookstore or Amazon.

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

Happy Book Birthday to All Adults Here!

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Mon, 04 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

The backstory: I've read and enjoyed all of Emma Straub's books. All Adults Here is one of the novels I was most excited for in 2020. I'm thrilled to see it's the May Read with Jenna pick.

The basics: "When Astrid Strick witnesses a school bus accident in the center of town, it jostles loose a repressed memory from her young parenting days decades earlier. Suddenly, Astrid realizes she was not quite the parent she thought she'd been to her three, now-grown children. But to what consequence?"--publisher

My thoughts: I have realized, particularly since I had a child, how much I appreciate the writing of women around my age who also have children around the age of my kid. The experience of parenthood changes so much day to day and week to week and month to month, that there is a particular kind of comfort for those who can articulate the experience that aligns with mine. Emma Straub and I were born the same year, and Hawthorne is half-way in between her two kids in age. Part of what I loved about this novel was that same shared experience of parenting, but this novel's scope is so much bigger, and Straub captures all of the complicated emotions of parenting from the perspectives of children, parents with young children, and parents of adult children. It's rare that I recommend a book to everyone, but my first thoughts when I finished were that everyone who has ever parented or been parented will find a piece of themselves in this novel. It's extraordinary, and I'm so glad it's out in the world today for everyone to enjoy.

Favorite passage: "Parents knew that the hardest part of parenthood was figuring out how to do the right thing twenty-four hours a day, forever, and surviving all the times you failed."

Rating: 5 out of 5
Length: 366 pages
Publication date: May 4, 2020
Source: publisher

Want to read for yourself? Buy All Adults Here from an independent bookstore or Amazon (Kindle edition.) It's also an add-on for Book of the Month. Join now!

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

Planning my May Challenge Reading

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

One of my favorite things has become the Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge. From June through December 2019, we nominated and voted on the prompts for this challenge, and each week (or so), we each read a book for that week's prompt. In 2019, I participated in the challenge, but I didn't read the prompts in order. I'm having more fun reading in order this year. In May, there are four prompts, and I welcome your suggestions for ideas of what to read. I'm limited by books on my own shelves or books I can get from the library digitally, as our public libraries and the academic library I work at are both closed until further notice.

19. A fantasy book

I don't read fantasy very often, but I do have a few Book of the Month options on my shelf: These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling and Ninth Houseby Leigh Bardugo.

Both are the first in a series and sound entertaining. Have you read either of them?

20. The 20th book (eg. on your TBR, in a series, by an author, on a list)

This is one of those prompts that could be anything. I've been working on reading from my own shelves, including my Book of the Month picks. I keep a unique TBR in Goodreads for my Book of the Month TBR, so I'll likely move the book I choose to the 20th spot and call it a day. I have too many to choose from. Which one is your favorite?

21. A book related to Maximilian Hell, the noted astronomer and Jesuit Priest who was born in 1719

This prompt is fun because it lets me get creative and learn more about Maximilian Hell. There are so many options: a book related to astronomy, a book featuring Catholicism, a book written in or set in the 1700s, a book set in Hungary (where he was born) or Austria (where he died.)

When I think of Catholicism, I often think of patron saints. One book that's on my TBR for years is Ann Patchett's debut novel, The Patron Saint of Liars. One of the 2020 titles that intrigues me most is Ursula Hegi's new novel, The Patron Saint of Pregnant Girls, but it's publication date has been pushed to August.

22. A book with a major theme of survival

I read and loved Stephanie Danler's debut novel, Sweetbitter, in 2016 (my review). Her next book, a memoir, published May 19 and focuses on growing up in a family riddled with addiction.

Now tell me: what other ideas for these May reading prompts do you have for me?

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

March 2020 reading recap

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

March continued my fantastic reading of 2020. As I did in February, I read twelve books, which brought my yearly total to 35. In 2019, I didn't hit 35 books until July.

Comics

Everything Is Teeth by Evie Wyld
I've read one of Evie Wyld's novels before, and I've had this graphic memoir checked out from the the library for years (art by Joe Sumner.) I finally read it, and like All the Birds, Singing (my review), it left me wanting more. The prose is sparse and focused on Wyld's fascination with sharks. It's an interesting, quick read. (3 stars)

The Encyclopedia of Early Earth by Isabel Greenberg
I didn't know what to expect from this graphic novel, and after reading it, it's both hard to describe and better if you go in with no expectations, so I'll simply say: it's a delightful, fascinating fictional history and mythology. (4 stars)

Mysteries & Thrillers

Blessed are the Peacemakers and Blessed are the Merciful by Kristi Belcamino
Blessed are the Peacemakers, the fifth in the Gabriella Giovanni, a San Francisco crime reporter, mystery series is a wild ride that could be read as a standalone if you haven't read the first four. It's a departure for the series and its sets up the final book, Blessed are the Merciful, beautifully. I really enjoyed this series and its characters. (Peacemakers 4.5 stars, Merciful 4 stars)

The Silent Patient
This was the March pick for my in person book club, which I hope can one day meet to discuss it! I listened to the audio, which features two great British narrators. Overall, it was a compelling, quick (about 8 hours) listen. I listened to it all in three days, so it was an entertaining read, but I didn't find the book, as a whole, as clever as the author did, but it would be a good pandemic read or listen. (4 stars)

First Cut by Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell
Five years ago I listened to Melinek's memoir (also co-written with her husband Mitchell) about being a medical examiner in New York City beginning the summer of 2001. Now they're back with this first in a mystery series featuring a new San Francsico medical examiner. It's a solid debut. There were a few too many coincidences for my taste, but they were also quite a few twists. Dr. Jessie Teska is a dynamic, flawed heroine, and I look forward to her next adventure with an intriguing cast of characters. (4.5 stars)

Nonfiction

Untamed by Glennon Doyle
I liked Glennon Doyle's last memoir, Love Warrior, so I was glad to get first in the library holds line for the audiobook of her new memoir, which she again narrates herself. I wouldn't call Untamed a memoir. It's more a collection of essays. On audio, some felt quite abrupt. I loved some, but others underwhelmed. All in all, it was a good lesson, but I was partly disappointed. I think I would have preferred it in print. (4 stars)

Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb
Early on in our adventures staying home and self-isolating as a family of three, I struggled with my reading. I was an even moodier reader than usual. I went to my Midwinter stack of galleys and decided to grab this one. It was the perfect pandemic read. Sometimes the best reads are the ones I pick up on a whim and have no expectations for. This is a matrilineal memoir written in the voice of Kalb's grandmother after her death. It's a touching family history filled with stories that me laugh and cry. Kalb's grandmother is a strong, fascinating voice. Kalb is the only daughter of an only daughter of an only daughter of an only daughter, hence the nesting dolls on the cover. Kalb's great-grandmother escaped the pogroms of Belarus, which really put my initial struggles with staying home in perspective. There are elements of sadness in this memoir, but it's mostly joy and heart and the ties that bind generations. I loved it. (5 stars)

Fiction

How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee
This novel, longlisted for the 2020 Women's Prize, is a brutal, devastating piece of historical fiction about World War II comfort women and the impact of the Japanese occupation of Singapore. There are two timelines and narrators, which help give the story momentum. (4 stars)

Girl by Edna O'Brien
Also longlisted for the 2020 Women's Prize, Girl is the story of the young women abducted by Boko Haram. It's a powerful, tragic, and devastating novel. O'Brien's writing is beautiful, and Sheila Atim's narration is stunning. (4.5 stars)

Dominicana by Angie Cruz
This novel, inspired by Cruz's mother's life, tells the story of a fifteen-year-old girl who moves from the Dominican Republic to New York City with her much older husband in the 1960's. The characters shine in this novel, but Cruz also masterfully uses place and setting to tell a story that is both of the time in which it is set and timeless. Also on the 2020 Women's Prize longlist. (4.5 stars)

Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld
Curtis Sittenfeld is one of my all-time favorite authors, and this novel, that imagines what would happen if Hillary Rodham didn't marry Bill Clinton. (She famously said no the first two times he asked in real life.) It was the novel I was most looking forward to in 2020, and it exceeded by expectations. I'm still thinking about it (and talking to anyone who has also read it.) It comes out May 19, so look for my full review around then, but pre-order it now from Amazon or an independent bookstore (or get in those library queues!) We'll all be talking about this one all summer. (5 stars)

Want to read for yourself? Order from an independent bookstore, Book of the Month (for many of these titles!), or Amazon.

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

February 2020 reading recap

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

February, despite being the shortest month of the year, was an even better reading month than January. I read twelve books in February, including four 5-star reads.

The Ones I Didn't Love

The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister
I admit: this book did not appeal to me at all, but I picked it up when Reese Witherspoon picked it as the February book club pick. I have a very poor sense of smell, so it's not terribly surprising that a book all about smells might not be for me. I also found the story problematic in many ways. I enjoyed the second half more, but I'm not the right reader for this book. (2 stars)

Island of the Lost by Joan Druett
This exploration of a crew shipwrecked on the Auckland Islands had all the makings of gripping nonfiction. While the story is fascinating, the execution was underwhelming. I listened to the audio, so it's hard to know if it was the writing or narration (or maybe both) that made it hard to engage with this book. It was interesting enough to finish, but I did speed it up to 1.35x. (3 stars)

The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger
This novel about a new charter school in a town that sounds a lot like Boulder, Colorado is filled with drama, but I didn't buy any of the characters as real people. I love problematic, rich white people novels, but this one didn't fully work for me. (3 stars)

The Ones I Liked

Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
I chose to listen to this one because it has a full cast, and I'm glad I did. The different narrators really made me feel like I was on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint X. The story centers around the disappearance and murder of Allison, a college student, on the last night of her family vacation on Saint X. Initially, two island men who work at the resort are suspects, but when they're cleared of the crime, it remains an unsolved mystery and part of pop culture/true crime lore. Many years later, Allison's sister, who was seven when she disappeared but is now an adult living in New York City, gets into a cab driven by one of the suspects. Alternating between the week of the crime and present day, told from the perspectives of many characters, Saint X was an audiobook I listened to compulsively. Its explores many important issues of privilege, crime, and hypocrisy, and it's a mystery of sorts too. As I listened, I loved it. I found the ending a bit of a let down, but it made me a fan of Schaitkin. (4 stars)

His Favorites by Kate Walbert
#MeToo novels are having a moment, and this slim (160 pages) novel is a good one. Reflecting back on her time at a boarding school, this novel explores her high school relationship with a male teacher from the present day. Walbert's writing is lovely, and I read this book quickly. I kept waiting for a wow moment that never came, but if you want a quiet, contemplative, #MeToo novel, this is a good one. (4 stars)

The Ones I Liked A Lot

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn by Kristi Belcamino
The fourth (of six) in the fantastic Gabriella Giovanni, a San Francisco crime reporter, mystery series is the best yet. The first in the series is Blessed are the Dead, and they should be read in order (in my opinion.) (4.5 stars)

The Pisces by Melissa Broder
This novel is delightfully weird. It's raunchy and feminist and there is a lot of sex, much of it with a merman (yes, really). It is not one I recommend to many people, but it made me a fan of Melissa Broder, and I will read everything else she writes. (4.5 stars)

American Royals by Katharine McGee
This alternate history imagines that George Washington was the first king of the United States rather than our first president. His descendants still rule today. The laws have recently changed to allow the oldest child, even if she's a girl, be the next leader. This novel, the first of a trilogy, is sexy, smart, and fun. I listened to the audio and thought the narrator, Brittany Pressley, was superb. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book, Majesty, which will be published in September. (4.5 stars)

The Ones I Loved

Go to Sleep (I Miss You): Cartoons from the Fog of New Parenthood by Lucy Knisley
I've adored Lucy Knisley's work from the beginning of her graphic memoir career. This a collection of cartoons organized thematically rather than a full memoir, but Knisley perfectly captures the full and complicated physical and emotional experience of new parenthood. (5 stars)

Fake Like Me by Barbara Bourland
I picked up Fake Like Me on audio because Xe Sands, one of my favorite narrators, reads it, and it was nominated for the Edgar Award for Best (Mystery) Novel this year. And y'all: it's one of my favorite books of the year. It left me SHOOK. It has so many things I love in it: modern and contemporary art, feminism, a setting near the upstate New York towns Mr. Nomadreader grew up in, smart twists, and 90's pop culture references. I loved it so much, I immediately bought a print copy for my collection (and her first novel, I'll Eat When I'm Dead. (5 stars)

All Adults Here by Emma Straub
I've enjoyed each of Emma Straub's books, and I was thrilled to get a galley of All Adults Here at Midwinter. I started it before I left Philadelphia and loved every word. Since then, I've been recommending it to everyone who has ever parented or been parented, which is everyone. I pre-ordered a hardback copy from Books Are Magic, the independent bookstore in Brooklyn Straub co-owns with her husband. Not only are pre-orders signed by Straub, they're also shipping with bonus goodies (stickers!) Since the publication date got moved from Tuesday, May 5 to Monday, May 4, I also suspect it will be the May Read with Jenna pick and thus a Book of the Month choice too. (5 stars)

Friends and Strangers by J. Courtney Sullivan
J. Courtney Sullivan is one of my favorite authors, and this new novel is another 5-star read. It's not out until June 30, but pre-order it now if you like brilliant novels about parenting, friendship, money, privilege, family, politics, love and life.

Want to read for yourself? Order from an independent bookstore, Book of the Month (for many of these titles!), or Amazon.

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

January 2020 reading recap

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

January was a great way to start my reading year. I read eleven books, and five of them were 5-star reads. Here are my quick thoughts on each of the eleven reads.

Nonfiction

Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger by Rebecca Traister
I adored All the Single Ladies, which Traister also narrated herself. I highly recommend both. Good and Mad is brilliant, cathartic, and necessary reading. (5 stars)

Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
I liked Jennifer Garner's narration. She reads with compassion and care. The issues are well-researched and combined with compelling human interest stories, so readers get both the big picture and the personal impact. I wish the geographic scope were broader. It's mostly set in Kristof's hometown, but it's told in first-person plural (Kristof and WuDunn are married), so at times the audio was confusing with a single female narrator. Overall, recommended, but I would opt for it in print. (4 stars)

Mysteries

The Lies We Told by Camila Way
This British thriller is delightfully twisted and full of twists. I devoured it in a single day and only regret waiting so long to read it after Liberty recommended it. Get it from Book of the Month for only $5! (5 stars)

Alone in the Wild by Kelley Armstrong
This is the fifth mystery set in the fictional town of Rockton, and it's the best yet. (My thoughts on the first two.) This series definitely should be read in order, so if you haven't had the pleasure of spending time in Rockton, start with City of the Lost.

Fiction

Recipe for a Perfect Wife by Karma Brown
Mozhan Marno is my favorite audiobook narrator, and I will listen to anything she narrates. This novel has an interesting premise: two new wives in the same house, one today and one in the 1950's. Both narrators were excellent, and I loved the historic storyline, but the contemporary characters struck me bizarre. Overall, an enjoyable listen, if only for the historic storyline. (3 stars)

Winter in Paradise and What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
The first two books in Elin Hilderbrand's Paradise trilogy were both fun listens. Winter in Paradise introduced a strong cast of characters and a lot of drama. It was fun to have the book set in Iowa (Hilderbrand is an Iowa Writer's Workshop alumna) and the Virgin Islands. What Happens in Paradise is much more compelling. Hilderbrand uncovered a lot of secrets and raised a ton of questions, which left me impatiently awaiting Trouble in Paradise (out October 6.) (3.5 stars and 4 stars)

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
I loved the writing and commentary in this novel more than the characters and story. I'm glad I read it, and I enjoyed it, but I did not love it as much as everyone else seemed to. (4 stars)

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
I adore Elizabeth Gilbert and her books, and I don't know why it took me so long to read this book. It's a delightful piece of feminist historical fiction. Vivian is a character for ages, and her wife life was a fun, wild ride. (4.5 stars)

Topics of Conversation by Miranda Popkey
The publisher's description of this novel is better than I could write: "Miranda Popkey's first novel is about desire, disgust, motherhood, loneliness, art, pain, feminism, anger, envy, guilt--written in language that sizzles with intelligence and eroticism. The novel is composed almost exclusively of conversations between women--the stories they tell each other, and the stories they tell themselves, about shame and love, infidelity and self-sabotage--and careens through twenty years in the life of an unnamed narrator hungry for experience and bent on upending her life. Edgy, wry, shot through with rage and despair, Topics of Conversation introduces an audacious and immensely gifted new novelist." When I first read about this novel, I felt as though it were written for me. It's fucking brilliant, and I universally recommend it to everyone, but especially to women under fifty. (5 stars)

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
One of my reading goals this year was to read more from my shelves, and I picked this Book of the Month pick as my first read of 2020. I read it in a single day and loved spending time with the beautifully raw and flawed Queenie, a young British woman from a Jamaican family. It's a confident, wise, and brilliant debut. (5 stars)

Want to read for yourself? Order from an independent bookstore, Book of the Month (for many of these titles!), or Amazon.

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

Happy Book Birthday, Pretty Things!

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

The basics: "Two wildly different women—one a grifter, the other an heiress—are brought together by the scam of a lifetime in a page-turner from the New York Times bestselling author of Watch Me Disappear."--publisher

My thoughts: Two (of many) things I enjoy more than the average person: heist novels and feminist novels. So a feminist heist novel is a delight. I had the pleasure of seeing Janelle Brown speak at ALA Midwinter in January (that feels like a lifetime ago), and I was thrilled to pick up an ARC at the event too. Since then, Nicole Kidman optioned the novel and will produce and star in it for Amazon (I am quite curious which part she will play, as she is older than both of the main characters). Often with novels like one (thrillers, buzzy, about to be adapted), I like to wait until just before the publication date to read it, so that I can share the excitement with more people. Sure, it's fun to read a novel months before everyone, but it's often more fun to read it just before.

This weekend, I finally curled up with Pretty Things, and plowed through its 476 pages in two days. It's a fun ride, and it is absolutely a great book to escape in. The plot kept me turning pages, and there were quite a few satisfying twists, but this novel is more than just a heist thriller. Brown is a gifted writer, and this novel will also appease fans of more literary novels. Pretty Things is also a compelling exploration of memory, privilege, friendship, family, and love. While I liked it, I do have a few quibbles with the novel: some of the twists were easily guessed (by me) and I think it could have been edited down. I am the rare reader who does like big books, and 476 pages is big. Still, I would recommend this novel to most readers, and I think it might find its way on my short list of adaptations that are better than the novel.

Rating: 4 out of 5
Length: 476 pages
Publication date: April 21, 2020
Source: publisher

Want to read for yourself? Buy Pretty Things from your favorite independent bookstore or from Amazon (Kindle edition.)

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

A new look (and the start of a new plan)

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Why, hello there! I've been thinking more and more about how and when to use this space. I don't post, but I do think about posting. A lot. I also realized it's been years (many years) since I redesigned this space. As I've been home for over a month now, we've had (some) fun refreshing spaces in our house, so I took the time to rethink and modernize the design. I hope you like it!

I've been reading a ton this year too. I post all of my mini-reviews on Instagram and have a highlight on my profile of all 39(!) of my 2020 reads. The bookstagram community continues to be so fun and engaging, in many ways like the book blogosphere used to be. I love the in-the-moment conversations about books there, but I do want to maintain this space in some ways, as I want to write more and document my reading for myself. Even if no one is here to read my reviews, I like to look back on them. Here's what I'm thinking:

monthly recaps of all the books read in a month
full reviews of books I have a lot to say about
features or reviews of books I read as ARCs
brainstorming for Around the Year in 52 books picks each month
groups of mini-reviews grouped by theme, topic, or time
occasional posts on other topics I want to write about

First, I plan to write monthly recaps for the first three months of reading. I've been reading more from my own shelves this year, and it's made me realize I'm both reading more and liking the books I read more (for the most part.)

Now tell me: what do you think of the new look? What kinds of posts do you most want to see here? Is anyone even still here?

2020 Reading Resolutions & Goals

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 16:28:00 +0000

Last year I made ridiculously lofty goals and resolutions. And I failed. But who cares? I read more than I did the year before. Sometimes setting hard goals you may or may not meet is still a good thing. For this year, however, I want to keep it simpler.

Here are my reading goals and resolutions for 2020:

1. Read 104 books. 104 isn't a magic number. That's two books a week, which should be doable. It's a realistic goal that shouldn't challenge me, but it's also a goal I haven't hit for a few years.

2. Complete the Around the Year in 52 Books challenge (and try to stay in order.) Of all the reading challenges I attempted last year, Around the Year was the only one I stuck with until the end. I also love that we suggest and vote on prompts, so I had a hand in helping pick many of them. For me, it's the right amount of challenge. A lot of books I would normally read satisfy its parameters, but it also pushes me somewhat. And the social community on Litsy and Goodreads is fantastic.

3. Post some sort of review/quick thought about every book I read on Instagram, Litsy, Goodreads, and this space. This space might be the hardest. As I've moved my more immediate bookish content (pictures of what I'm reading) onto Litsy and Instagram, I've often abandoned this space. I'm not sure what it will look like in 2020, but I do want a better, more consistent record of my reading here.

Other than that, I want to read what I want to read. I continue to enjoy my Book of the Month subscription, Reese Witherspoon's book club picks, the Read with Jenna picks, and my prize list reading, but if those selections don't sound good to me? I have plenty of other books to read.

What are your reading goals, resolutions or priorities in 2020?

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

My Favorite Reads of 2019

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 05:00:00 +0000

In 2019, I read 93 books. These are my favorites, in the order I read them:

Nonfiction

Fiction

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

Welcome to the Hall of Fame, Jami Attenberg!

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Mon, 23 Dec 2019 11:00:00 +0000

Two of my favorite things about having a blog, even one I don't post to nearly often enough lately, are:

1. Having a record of my thoughts on books for the last (almost) 13 years.

2. Making all the rules

These two favorite things converge in My Hall of Fame. There are two ways to get into My Hall of Fame. First, write a book I love so much that it defies my rating scale and earns 6 stars out of 5. Second, write (at least) two books I rate 5 stars. (Because I make the rules, authors can be in the Hall of Fame for both reasons.)

Today, I'm thrilled to induct Jami Attenberg into My Hall of Fame! Yesterday, I had the pleasure of reading her latest novel, All This Could Be Yours, in a single day. The novel itself takes place in a single day, so it was fitting to spend a day with this dysfunctional family and Jami's gorgeous writing. All This Could Be Yours is the second Jami Attenberg book I've rated 5 stars. The first was All Grown Up, which was one of my favorite reads of 2017. I already considered Attenberg one of my favorite authors, and one whose next book I always eagerly anticipate. I'd been waiting to read All This Could Be Yours so I could savor it in a single day, near the holidays. But it's also to know there's a book by an author you love that you have yet to read. I do, I realize, still have her first three books to read, as I started with The Middlesteins. One of my 2020 reading resolutions is to read more of the backlists (and in some cases frontlists) of my list of favorite authors and Hall of Fame authors.

Welcome to the Hall of Fame, Jami Attenberg! I'm already eagerly awaiting your next book, but I'll try to patiently wait a few years while you write it.

Want to read Jami Attenberg? Buy her books from Amazon:

Even better: buy her books from an independent bookstore.

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

Audio Interludes: British & Irish narrators

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Often I find myself listening to audiobooks that fit together, either by narrator, genre, theme or setting. As I find myself staring at a long list of them to review, I decided to start writing Litsy-length reviews and grouping them together in a new recurring series I'll call Audio Interludes. Today's installment features a trio of contemporary novels narrated in British and Irish accents.

When All Is Said by Anne Griffin
narrated by Niall Buggy

If an old maudlin Irishman narrator is your thing: do I have a book for you! Maurice Hannigan, over the course of one night, orders five different drinks a hotel bar and toasts each one to a different person who impacted his life. Through these five (very long) toasts that are more like stories, we learn about his life in interesting, and non-linear ways. For a debut novel, this book is bravely told, but for such an emotional book, it also felt like it was trying to be a little too clever. Is a lovely goal, but it didn't fully work for. I'm certainly glad I listened, as a man telling his life's stories is the ideal format, and Buggy's Irishisms were pitch perfect. For an audiobook that was only eight hours, it also felt like it could have shorter and achieved the same goals. I listened to this for book club, and there will be lots to discuss.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Length: 8 hours 5 minutes (324 pages)
Publication date: March 5, 2019
Source: library
Treat yourself! Buy it from Amazon or an independent bookstore.

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
narrated by Carrie Hope Fletcher and Kwaku Fortune

If you're looking for a somewhat predictable but also endearing and charming romantic comedy: do I have a book for you! I listened to this while driving across Nebraska and Colorado, and it kept me entertained. The premise is modern and relatable: Leon is palliative care nurse who works nights and spends weekends and at his girlfriend's apartment. He's looking for extra income to pay for a lawyer to exonerate his brother, who is in jail for a crime he didn't commit. He comes up with the idea to sublet his flat to someone who works days, so they'll never see each other. Tiffy needs a cheap place to live quickly after a breakup. The two start communicating via notes at the flat. There aren't a ton of surprising twists in this book, but it's a good story and it's well-told. Tiffy and Leon are great characters, and both narrators shine. I was proud of myself that I correctly guessed Tiffy was from Essex based on her accent sounding exactly like Georgia Harrison's. Bonus: there's an interview with Carrie Hope Fletcher and Beth O'Leary at the end that made me wish audiobook narrators always chatted with the author about the book at the end. This is O'Leary's debut, and I liked it enough to give her next one a lesson.

Rating: 4 out of 5
Length: 9 hours 39 minutes (321 pages)
Publication date: May 28, 2019
Source: library
Treat yourself! Buy it from Amazon or an independent bookstore

The Cactus by Sarah Haywood
narrated by Katherine Manners

I listened to this after Reese Witherspoon picked it for her book club in June, and I loved every minute I spent with it. Katherine Manners is a superb narrator and Susan Green is a delightful character. Susan is on the autism spectrum, over 40, and pregnant. Pregnancy can be a baffling thing, and to see it through Susan's mind was fascinating and what I liked best about the book. There were a lot of other storylines, all centered around Susan and this time in her life, but the pregnancy and preparation for single parenthood felt like the book's heart and trajectory for me. Susan made me laugh and cry, but she also made me think about neurodiversity in a different way.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Length: 10 hours 24 minutes (368 pages)
Publication date: May 1, 2018
Source: library
Treat yourself! Buy it from Amazon or an independent bookstore

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

A love letter to Ruth Emmie Lang, author of Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance

noreply@blogger.com (nomadreader) — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Dear Ruth Emmie Lang,

I'm sorry it took me so long to read Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, but I'm so glad I finally did so I can tell the world how much I loved it. I've had it on my shelf since October 2017, when Steph Opitz picked it for Book of the Month. It wasn't a book I would picked without Steph's recommendation. It didn't sound like something I would like. I don't usually like magical realism. I don't really animals or nature very much (I know, I know.) But Steph introduced me to Taylor Jenkins Reid with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, so I vowed to always choose her picks when she was a Book of the Month judge. But on my shelf it sat, unread. Then I signed up for the sixth Litsy Markup Postal Book Club, and I thought, why not use one of the (many) Book of the Month books sitting on my shelf unread? So I picked six and had my group pick, and they all picked Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance.

The choice was made for me: I had to read it in July. So I put it in my bag to read at my favorite happy hour. From the first page, I was in love. It's a magical feeling to be immediately under a book's spell. It's even better when you get that feeling from a book you didn't think was your thing. I sat and read over 100 pages and sipped my sparkling rose and laughed and underlined and smiled. When the bartender asked me what I was reading, I said, "I don't even know how to describe it. Here: read the jacket copy." Also during that happy hour, I texted one of my best friends this picture and asked if she'd read it. She hadn't and asked if she should. I said, "I'm only on page 38, but yes. I don't think a book has ever made me think of someone as much as this one makes me think of you." And I still feel that way after finishing. If I, who does not really like magical realism, nature, or animals, can love this book, then she, who loves all three will love it (I hope. I trust.)

For all those things I don't love that this book has, it also has a lot of things I love: multiple locations, time jumps, characters who feel like real people, an interesting narrative structure, and books, both real and imagined. This book made me marvel, but it also made me smile. While I impatiently wait for you to finish writing The Wilderwomen, I'll keep telling everyone I can to read this gem of a novel and delight not only in its wonder but also that it's your first novel. I don't even need to hear a description of it, or any novel you write, to know I'll read it. And before it collects dust on my shelf for over a year. But first, I'm mailing it to LitLogophile, umbrellagirl, and BookishBelle. I can't wait to get it back in November and see all of their notes and underlines and re-read it.

Love,
Your Newest Fan

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Length: 346 pages
Publication date: November 14, 2017
Source: Book of the Month (Try a free month!)

Want to read for yourself? Buy Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance from an independent bookstore or Amazon (Kindle edition.)

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!