What I Read | March 2020

March has been quite the month. It honestly feels like a year has passed since March began, since so much has changed in such a short space of time. This month has been a tough one, I think for most people around the world, however, with all the newfound time spent at home, I’ve had quite a bit of time to tackle some reading and dive into some books that have been on my to-read list for quite some time. I can honestly say that even though this month has been pretty awful overall, all of the books I read this month were books that I absolutely loved and would highly recommend.

Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips ~ I have seen this book on the main shelf in my local book store for so many months now and have been really interested in reading it for so long, but just never got around to picking it up. We have kind of an informal book club amongst 3-4 of my coworkers and some of them had been talking about how much they loved this book and one day my sweet sweet coworker picked up a copy for me from one of those little free libraries. The book is set in the far eastern part of Russia and is about two girls who go missing and the journey the local community goes through in grappling with their disappearance. The book is more about the intricate social and cultural dynamics within this region, more so than it is a who dunnit type book. The writing is absolutely beautiful and it is clear that Phillips took a lot of time and care when it came to researching this region in Russia. The one critique that I have is that there are a lot of characters and at times it can get confusing when different characters start weaving in and out of each other’s stories.

Circe by Madeline Miller ~ When I got my Kindle last summer, I immediately downloaded this book, because it had been on my to-read list for over a year at this point. This book is a modern re-telling of the Greek goddess Circe’s story. Circe is most well-known in Greek mythology for playing quite a pivotal role in the Odyssey. I really enjoyed this book! As someone who loves Greek mythology and who has read the Odyssey, it was so fun to read about so many of these critical moments in Greek mythology from Circe’s perspective. If you don’t know a lot of Greek mythology or haven’t read the Odyssey I wouldn’t be at all discouraged from reading this book, since it’s very easy to read and understand all the different characters. I will say that the first third or so of the book did feel a bit like a slow burn, but it did get more and more exciting as the book went on!

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Raden Keefe ~ After I read Circe, I was really in the mood to read a non-fiction book and I had wanted to read Say Nothing for so so long and figured it would be the perfect book to fit the bill. I’m not exaggerating in saying that this is probably is one of my favorite books I will read in 2020, if not my favorite overall. I am fascinated by Irish history, specifically the history of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, which I partly attribute to the fact that I have very strong Irish heritage from nearly ever side of my family. This book specifically focuses on the murder of Jean McConville, which was committed by the IRA, and how that murder can reveal so much about the social fabric of the Troubles how these conflicts affected “normal” Belfast citizens. Obviously the topic of the Troubles is incredibly complex and I’ve read several other books on the subject, none of which were as clear and concise as Keefe’s. I loved how much research and history was weaved into this book and it never took a side (whether that be pro-Loyalist or pro-IRA). Keefe managed to write an historical non-fiction that read more like a thriller at times.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman ~ After reading Say Nothing I was definitely in the mood for a happier, lighter read. I have a few chick-lit type books on my to-read list at all times just in case I’m in the mood for something lighter and this one had been on that list for awhile. This book is about a woman in her late twenties who lives on her own, is obsessed with books, works at a bookstore, and who was raised with a relatively absentee single mother and therefore doesn’t have much family. Nina finds out that her father, who she never knew, recently passed away and left quite a large family and fortune behind. She gets to know her newfound family and navigates the tricky waters of branching outside of her normal bubble being alone and being accepted by a family she never knew about. I enjoyed this book and it was very quick to read. Unlike a lot of other books in a similar vein, like Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine (a book that I found completely overhyped and at times annoying to read), the main character is flawed but not at all unlikeable. If you’re looking for a book that lifts your mood, this one would be great to read.

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What I Read This Summer | 2019

I feel like it’s been forever since my last book recap post, which is probably been down to the fact that I have been reading like a woman possessed over the summer. I don’t know what got into me, but I’ve been reading a book about every two weeks since the summer started, and I don’t see that letting up any time soon! One slight change in my reading habits this past season was investing in a Kindle. Now I have never thought I would be the type of person to buy an e-reader, because I will always prefer a real book to a screen. That being said, books are expensive especially when you’re reading upwards of twenty a year and they take up a lot of space (of which I don’t have a lot in our 750 sq ft apartment). One of the really great things about the Kindle is that if you live in San Francisco, you can rent e-books through the SF public library, which has been so nice when there’s been a book that I haven’t been completely up to spending $20 on, but still wanted to read. All of the Kindle talk aside, I’ve been so happy with all the books I’ve been reading this past summer and I’m always open to recommendations so please leave them below!

Normal People by Sally Rooney ~ If you haven’t heard about this book in the past year I will have assumed you have made your inhabitance under a rock. The story revolves around a boy and a girl who start casually dating at the end of their last year of high school and follows them through their trials and tribulations both as friends and lovers in their time at university. The plot is not anything earth-shattering or insanely innovative but Rooney’s writing is absolutely gorgeous and the characters she writes are not only deeply flawed and fallible, but also incredibly endearing and nuanced. I loved this book and it’s one I definitely see myself re-reading at a later date.

Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple ~ I had heard about this book a long time ago but didn’t get around to reading it till this summer. If you’re in the mood for a fast, easy summer read this one is definitely for you. Even though it definitely wasn’t my favorite book I’ve read this year, it was entertaining and fun!

The Friend by Sigrid Nuñez ~ If you like a bit of magical realism I would 100% recommend this book! The story is about a woman whose best friend/mentor passes away and leaves her with his beloved Great Dane. As the book goes on, she becomes more and more attached to the dog and it becomes almost a stand-in for her friend. This was a pretty quick read for me, but I absolutely loved how Nuñez gets across how messy and confusing loss can be.

Priestdaddy: A Memoir by Patricia Lockwood ~ My friend recommended me this book last year since it was one of her favorites and I finally found it in a book store this past spring and decided to get it. This memoir is about a young woman whose father is one of the only married Catholic priests in the US. Long story short, he used to be a Lutheran pastor, had a family, and decided to convert to Catholicism and become a priest. While a lot of this book deals with religion, albeit in a fun in light-hearted way, I would say it’s much more about family dynamics and how both families can simultaneously be hilarious and infuriating.

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane ~ I love books about family dynamics (if you couldn’t already tell by my other summer book picks)! This book follows the lives of Peter and Katie, whose fathers are partners on the NYPD. They grow up in the same suburb and while it might sound like their families should get along, they absolutely do not. The book follows both Peter and Katie through to middle age and explores the complications of family life and how major events in childhood can have lasting effects into adulthood. Even though this book about 400 pages, I blew through it in about three days because it was just that captivating and easy to read.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman ~ I tried reading this book a while ago and really had a hard time getting into it. However, I picked it back up when I was going on the trip and I knew I would have a lot of time to read on the plane. Honestly, this book is a cute story but I did not think it lived up to the amount of hype it had around it. I found the main character, Eleanor, to be pretty obnoxious and she really didn’t become likable until the very end of the book. It’s certainly an easy-to-read book, but there are other books I’ve read this year that certainly were better.

Educated by Tara Westover ~ Unlike Eleanor Oliphant, Tara Westover’s memoir, Educated, was a majorly hyped up book that I loved. Westover recounts her childhood growing up in a Mormon survivalist family, who did not believe in sending their children to school because of a deep distrust in government and the educational establishment. Despite growing up in a very isolationist family, Tara decides at the age of 16 that she is going to go to college despite having no GED or high school diploma and she eventually ends up with a PhD. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good non-fiction read!

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah ~ Brad and I were taking a trip to Alaska at the beginning of September and so I figured the few weeks before going on the trip was the perfect time to read this book! The book is about a family in the 1970s who decide to move to Alaska to forge their own path. The father is a Vietnam vet and struggles with paranoia and PTSD and is very erratic in his decision-making process, which has monumental effects on his wife and daughter. Not only is this book great if you love a family-based, adventure-type story, but it also is beautifully written and does such a great job capturing the beauty and destruction that exists within the Alaskan landscape and way of life.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn ~ I watched the TV show when it came out last year and was absolutely captivated (and horrified) by the story so I knew I had to read the book at some point. Luckily, my friend had a copy that she kindly gifted to me and I tore through it in the course of a day and a half (its only about 240 pages). It’s almost the exact same as the TV show so I won’t give out too many spoilers, but while it has almost the exact same plot, reading this story is almost scarier than watching it. I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a good thriller to read quick!

Less by Andrew Sean Greer ~ I didn’t think I wanted to read a book about a man going through a mid-life crisis, but this book was so much more than what the blurb on the back teased. This book follows Arthur Less, who is a middle-aged writer who finds out that his ex-boyfriend is getting married and so he decides to book a trip to travel the world. I loved that while this book is clearly about working through a mid-life crisis and finding oneself it wasn’t clichéd and full of tropes like so many other books about the same topics.

What I've Read This Spring | 2019

Another season has come and gone and boy have I been reading a lot the past couple of months! Luckily, I’ve had some time off during the spring, which gave me a lot more time to read than I usually have when I’m in my usual work routine. I’ve read quite a variety of books over the past few months, some great some not so great, but overall I’m happy to keep my 2019 reading goal chugging along as planned!

Betwixt-and-Between: Essays on the Writing Life by Jenny Boully ~ I was at a point earlier this year where I was facing an intense bought of writer’s block and just generally feeling uninspired and not creative. Not only are these bouts of writer’s block annoying from the perspective of being productive, but they also coincide with me feeling like I’m not completely myself. Jenny Boully a writer and professor and while this book is about the writing process, it’s not a how to on being a writer. She explores so many different aspects of being a creative throughout the essays in this book, that I found incredibly inspiring, however, unlike a lot of self-help books, this collection of essays felt down-to-Earth and relatable.

China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan ~ While I was on vacation in Tahoe in March, I brought along the second book in the Crazy Rich Asians series, China Rich Girlfriend, for a fun, easy holiday read. I loved the first book in the series, however the second book left quite a bit to be desired. It included all of the opulence and humor that I loved in the first book, however the plot of this book was far less put together than the first book. I really liked most of the characters in the first book, but the second book, with its convoluted plot, made me really dislike certain characters. Despite the negative review of the second, I will definitely read the third book in the series, because I hear it’s much better than the second!

The Push by Tommy Caldwell ~ After reading China Rich Girlfriend I craved reading something with a bit more substance. Deciding to read The Push also coincided with my getting into rock climbing. Tommy Caldwell is by far one of the best and most accomplished rock climbers of all time. In the book, Tommy Caldwell writes about his childhood and his entire rock climbing career, throughout which he has experienced some major setbacks (including being held hostage while on an expedition and losing an index finger). The story culminates in Tommy’s landmark first free ascent of the Dawn Wall on El Cap in Yosemite, which was one of the most impressive feats in big wall climbing ever. I absolutely loved this book not only because of the inspiring nature of his story but also, because as an amateur climber, there’s a lot to be learned from Tommy Caldwell’s career.

Alone on the Wall by Alex Honnold ~ I obviously liked the climbing books this spring! After finishing The Push, my boyfriend recommended I read Alex Honnold’s book, Alone on the Wall. I was super excited to read this book because I had just watched Free Solo, which if you haven’t watched already, you must! I definitely preferred Tommy Caldwell’s book to Alex Honnold’s mainly because of the writing. Alex had a collaborator, David Roberts, who wrote part of the book. I understand the need to have another voice in this book, mainly because Alex is very cavalier about a lot of the things he’s climbed and you need another person’s perspective to portray the scope of his accomplishments. On the flip side, it wouldn’t have worked to have someone write about Alex’s climbing because free soloing is such an intensely personal experience that you need to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. I did like how clear they make it when it is Alex or David writing, however because it is two very different voices jumping back and forth, the book doesn’t read as smoothly as it would if it were just coming from a singular author.

Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney ~ After hearing loads about Sally Rooney’s books, I finally found her first book in my local bookshop and promptly scooped it up. I really loved this book for a multitude of reasons. For one, there’s something about Sally Rooney’s writing that is both incredibly beautiful yet easy to understand. The book is about two friends with a somewhat tumultuous and complicated relationship. One of the girls, Frances becomes involved with a married man and conflict amongst the two friends arises. I absolutely loved how Rooney portrays female friendships with complexity and depth that is so often left out of novels with strong female characters.

Sex & Rage by Eve Babitz ~ I read this book while I was on a work trip to LA, and it was the perfect place to read it! This book is about a woman named Jacaranda, who grew up in LA and begins to run in a very artsy, influential group of friends. She gets tired of the vapidness of her friends, who are more interested in using each other for their own personal gain than anything else, and moves to New York to pursue a career in writing. While she tries to escape all of the toxic people in LA, she comes to find that they follow her wherever she goes. Overall I liked this book quite a bit, more for the writing than the plot though. The plot wasn’t bad but the book is written in a very dream-like stream-of-consciousness style, which isn’t always everyone’s cup of tea.