One of the things I’m most grateful for right now (well, other than having a healthy immune system and a job I can easily do from home) is reading. Reading is something that can easily fall by the wayside when I’m stressed or anxious, and I am both of those things right now, but reading continues to bring me comfort. I’m much more inclined to reach for my book than turn on Netflix. (I am woefully behind on what everyone else is talking about when it comes to Netflix and TV.) I’m grateful for e-books and the Libby app and a bookshelf filled with books I have yet to read. There is plenty of reading material at my fingertips and it’s exactly what I need to get through this scary, unpredictable time.
Books Finished
> Castle of Water by Dane Hucklebridge (★★☆☆☆) – This is perhaps a case of reading a book at the wrong time, but this novel was such a slog for me. It’s about two strangers who are stranded on a desert island after their plane crashes near French Polynesia. While the writing was stunning, the story just seemed to drag for me. I think my issue with the novel was that the author basically spoiled the book’s major plot points—in between the chapters of the characters on the island were chapters happening in present day, following one of the characters. It was easy to figure out what the ending was going to be based on these chapters. All that said, many friends have read this book and raved about it, so I wonder if my experience with the novel would be different if I had read it at a different time. YMMV.
> Wrong to Need You by Alisha Rai (★★★☆☆) – Sadia and Jackson were childhood best friends, but when Sadia started dating his brother, things changed between them. Jackson hasn’t been back home—or seen Sadia—in over a decade now, and when he finally does, he realizes his feelings for Sadia have never changed. Sadia is struggling in her own right. She’s working two jobs, juggling single parenthood, and grieving the loss of her husband (Jackson’s brother) who died a year ago. When Jackson shows back up, she realizes how much she misses her best friend and that her feelings for him may run deeper than she ever imagined. I liked this book; it wasn’t a standout in any way, but it kept my attention. One of the things I most loved about this romance was that the author made the male hero shy, and as a shy person myself, I could intimately relate to and understand him. Shy heroes are not the norm for this genre, so it was a great deviation!
> Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson (★★★★★) – Oh, how I loved this book! It’s under 200 pages and has beautiful, lyrical prose that leads to a quick reading cadence. It follows the story of Melody who is 16, born to teenage parents. Each chapter is a vignette of a different person in Melody’s life: her mom, her dad, her grandma, her grandpa. We learn about her parents’ childhoods, the pregnancy, Melody’s early childhood years, and who Melody is today. It’s a beautiful ode to family and the writing is just so, so gorgeous. Highly recommend!
What I’m Reading Now
I’m currently 100 pages into Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane and loooooving it. The writing is great and so are the characters. This is a book that comes highly recommended from so many people so I already have high expectations, but I think this is one of the rare books that may meet those high expectations.
I’m also dipping in and out of The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare. I’m not loving this historical romance as much as her other novels, but it’s still keeping my attention and I do love the protagonist and the ragtag group of animals she has (which includes a dog with lame hind legs, a river otter, a steer, and a litter of kittens).
What are you reading?
I’m so glad you are loving “Ask Again, Yes” – that was one of my favorite books of 2019! It’s so good and so well written. I think she has written other books so I need to check out her back list.
I’ve been struggling on the reading front. I just don’t have the attention span that I usually do for reading. But I am plugging along and abandoning books that aren’t right for me. I had to give up on an owned voices book about immigrating to the US. The author is a poet and while it wasn’t told in verse, I can tell he has a writing style that just isn’t a fit for me – at least not at this time. So now I am reading “American Spy” which I feel meh about. But I’m sticking with it because it’s a book club selection and I try not to abandon book club books. It’s told in first person which is sort of awkward at times? Next I am going to read “Three Women” which is my April book club book. After that I might take a break from heavier stuff and read something like “Crazy Rich Asians” or something like that!
Ahh, I am so excited you are loving Ask Again, Yes! It’s one of my fave books from last year, and an all time fave!
That’s lame that Castle of Water gave away what happened. I like some mystery in a book (but not completely thrown of out left field stuff like we get in thrillers).
I am so grateful for reading right now, too. I’d much rather read than turn on Netflix (which I know I have told you before! 🙂 ). It’s so much more of an escape for me!
I just started the third Harry Potter book! I finished Oona Out of Order this weekend then read In Five Years in a day. I was gonna read this long hard science fiction book but I don’t have it in me right now. I need quicker lighter reads.
I just finished Joe Ide’s fourth IQ book (which is a detective series, not anything to do with IQ), and it was super disappointing. But I have now started Long Bright River by Liz Moore and have high hopes that it will be much better.