Finally, the caboose to this best-of train are books written for adults. A treat and indulgence for a high school librarian like myself. It’s evident that I lean heavily into nonfiction but have been known to get sucked into a vivid fiction too. Oh, and comics.
On November 24, 2023, I posted Over this next year that explained a challenge I was embarking on to read forty books that had affected me since I was turning forty. Challenge complete.
Pacing myself throughout the year, I listened to some of the books and read others but I did purchase a few of the titles that I hadn’t previously owned. As I read each one, I flipped it to show my progress over the year.
Ultimately, a few of them will not remain on my shelf because that’s the thing about rereading books, it’s not always the same the second time around. But I’m glad for it because it shows I’m not the same person. Tastes and interest shift in books the same that it does with food or decorating or clothing. That’s to be celebrated and one of the reasons I wanted to undertake the reflective practice of rereading because I rarely reread and prefer to remember the feelings about the books rather than the content. What I learned:
Mood as a literary device is important to me a reader. The books that remain impactful are a direct result of the book’s atmosphere such as The Virgin Suicides, The Girl From the Other Side, and Mudbound.
Nonfiction, especially food memoir, literally takes the cake. Read: Crying in H Mart and Dessert Can Save the World. But books about food are right next to them like Chicken Every Sunday, First Bite, and Lessons in Chemistry.
The classics on my list didn’t hold their own unfortunately. Sorry Brave New World, The Catcher in the Rye, and Jane Eyre. But neither did the epic first book in the Mayfair Chronicles The Witching Hour, though I heart Anne Rice forever and always.
Strong, whip smart, sassy, or otherwise memorable characters are hard to forget. Benny from Circle of Friends, Naomi from Out of Darkness, Maddie from A Northern Light, Lena from Between Shades of Gray, Anne from Anne of Green Gables, Melinda from Speak, Carey from If You Find Me, Charlotte from The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, and Hazel from Anatomy: A Love Story.
Significant relationships tug at my heartstrings which is why I carry a torch for all of the creatures in The House In the Cerulean Sea and Saga; the dystopian community in The Giver, Werther opining in The Sorrows of Young Werther, the ultimate friendship trio in The Serpent King, and the whole crux of what Turkle stands for in Reclaiming Conversation. And as long as there will be star-crossed lovers, there will be Edward and Bella from Twilight.
Innovative formatting or a unique approach to storytelling keep me thinking about a book long after I’ve finished it. Think The Lovely Bones‘ from beyond the grave, mental illness in Challenger Deep, Long Way Down‘s mystery elevator, Crank‘s verse, The Vagina Monologues‘ well, monologues, Milk and Honey‘s Instagrammable poetry and illustrations, the library in The Midnight Library, and Calvin and Hobbes‘ daily and Sunday strips.
Picture books say so much without having to say much at all. This is where pictures speak a thousand words and the author creates the write words to allow the pictures to shine which is why Farmhouse and My First Day by Quang and Lien were on my list. Both I’ve gifted several times over.
And let’s just say I ripped a page right out of The Power of Moments to create this personal challenge, which is why I’ve relished this project over this last year; celebrating book love by reading Book Love, which was a gift from a friend. I couldn’t have asked for a more fulfilling opportunity and urge others to find a moment to reflect on your own reading journey– whether it’s been a few months or years or a lifetime.
What would October 31st be without a few book recs to get us all in the Halloween spirit?
Today I saw a publisher post on Instagram highlighting Sy Montgomery’s new book What the Chicken Knows: A New Appreciation of the World’s Most Familiar Bird due out in November. Without thinking, I opened my Goodreads app and added it to my TBR. It got me thinking about those authors that automatically get added to my TBR without a second thought. They are, in no particular order:
It’s been a few weeks since I finished the last issue of Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t been thinking about it almost daily. I had been reading an article about the Eisner nominations for 2024 where it was given the best new series nomination. And the second piece fell into place: Hoopla had the series.
Believe me, I tried to pace myself. I borrowed the first and second issue. Then waited a day before borrowing the third through sixth. I did spread out reading them over several days though I had to resist the urge to ignore work and household duties to sit and read them all in one sitting. It’s the age-old bookworm problem– the compulsion to sit and read it through because it’s THAT good but the knowledge that once you’ve read it, you can’t read it again for the first time, so you have to slow down.
So, I did have them at my fingertips with Hoopla, though I do also now have it on my list to own. When they’re this good, it must be owned. The combination of storytelling and stark visuals (even as evidenced in the cover art) create an air of disturbing questions that must be answered by reading them. And when you meet Samantha Strong, a brown bear living in an idyllic small town operating a business who confesses that she doesn’t murder the locals, well, you know it’s something you need to know more about. Science meets mystery. Intrigue meets turmoil. Curiosity meets wit.
Each issue moves the needle a little closer to a resolution. And when (in this case because it was a digital read) I swiped to the last page, read it, and paused. The complete picture, set up from the very first pages of the first issue was all wrapped up and I was not the same. Who could be?
The series is smart in the same way I was taken completely by W. Maxwell Prince’s Swan Songs. I feel smarter for having read them. I value the creativity that the creators put into their work. I marvel at the work that goes into capturing a piece of the human experience that can reach out from the pages of a comic to shift perspective and make me think deeply.
Romance is in the air. I’m feeling extra lovey today on my wedding anniversary and having finished Jason Reynolds’ new book that will be out in October called Twenty Four Seconds from Now last night, I thought I’d post some favorite romances.
First, let’s spend a few minutes bowing down to the genius of Jason Reynolds. This story of Neon and Aria has a timeline that sparkles in addition to the community including family and friends that support their two year romance. It’s heartwarming and natural and is exactly the kind of story that teens deserve.
The others that I’ve adored that range from tragic and sad to all-encompassing and sweet.
What are your favorite romance stories?
I already shared a post about witches so it’s appropriate that I share one about vampires- whether they’re making a comeback or they never really die (see that?!!) there are some oldies and some new for your reading pleasure.
When done well it pulls me in because science fiction isn’t my go-to category to read from. However, these were all fantastic and of course, of course, of course, I have to highlight Saga. If you ever want to talk about Saga with me, I’m always available. I own them all AND I have reread them several times over.
Now that summer is in full swing, bees are a-buzzing. Last year, we put up a honeybee home by our flowers and plants and are hoping that the bees find their way soon enough. It got me thinking about a few stories that feature bees, both fiction and nonfiction.
Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day are often confused and it’s frustrating that it perpetuates even with the gentle reminders. Inspired by today’s honoring the fallen I wanted to highlight several military stories that feature the death of soldiers both fictional and true.
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