February Book Review
The Selected Works of Audre Lorde by Audre Lorde (edited by Roxane Gay), nonfiction. I’ve seen a lot of quotes and work inspired by Audre Lorde, but hadn’t yet read any of her essays/speeches/poetry myself. I trust that this was a well-rounded overview, and I appreciated having the larger context for the quotes I had seen.
The Trials of Apollo series by Rick Riordan, fiction (five books). As punishment for events in the Heroes of Olympus series, Zeus makes Apollo fully mortal and then sets him a series of quests that would have been difficult enough had he still been a god. I like unreliable narrators, I appreciate social commentary (in moderation), and I love personal development, and this series has all of the above.
Terraform: Building a Better World by Propaganda, nonfiction. A thoughtful and lyrical appeal to build the better world we want. I listened to the audiobook, which is read by the author, and I feel like that improved my experience (plus there were a few songs and some commentary that are only on the audiobook).
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill, fiction. Chapters alternate between the draft chapters of a mystery novel, and the emailed responses of a beta reader, thus telling two parallel (and sometimes overlapping) stories. I read this last year, immediately handed it to my partner and made him read it so I’d have someone to talk about it with, and then reread it this month for a meeting. Bookclub read
Following Atticus by Tom Ryan, nonfiction. Memoir of a man and the dog who helped him find himself, while doing lots of winter hiking together. Bookclub read
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, fiction. One woman who is used to getting what she wants, and another who isn’t sure what she wants; and the way their lives intersect. I’m going to be honest, this book is hard to summarize because it felt like it lost its way part way through and would have benefitted from the direction of a good editor.
Poet Warrior by Joy Harjo, nonfiction. A lyrical memoir by poet laureate Joy Harjo, prose intermixed with an ongoing poem.
The Guest List by Lucy Foley, fiction. An Irish island wedding with bonus murder, through the lens of five members of the wedding party. The island location created a locked-room vibe, and the different perspectives allowed key details to be revealed slowly without the narrative dragging.
You Are Only Just Beginning by Morgan Harper Nichols, nonfiction. Poetic musings and lots of beautiful art.
The Stolen Book of Evelyn Aubrey by Serena Burdick, fiction. While attempting to find her purpose and also information about the father she never met, Abby discovers a possible connection to an unknown author who published a single volume of poetry 100 years earlier.
Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab, nonfiction. Absolutely phenomenal book on boundaries; what they are, why we need them, and how to set them.
2023 running total:
32 books read
Fiction: 22
Nonfiction: 10