Am I bombarding you with book updates… and recommendations… and making up for lost time… and moderately manic in my writing as of late? Yes, all of the above.
There are hills and valleys in my reading. Weeks when I finish 10 books and months when I don’t finish one. It doesn’t make sense. But I have learned not to judge it. I’ve learned, over years of cultivating this solitary habit, that the right book will find me at the right time. There is invisible literary magic that ushers in an unexpected story at the exact moment you need it. There are books that may stay on my shelf for years… decades even, that for no apparent reason I suddenly choose, read, and devour.
Some reads so far, this year
What a weird array. I laughed out loud reading Knock Out feeling like Imogen leapt from the pages and having read all three in this series, this book is by far my favorite. It also sent me down a rabbit hole researching the real-life girl gang of vigilantes in London called the Forty Elephants who were a 19th to 20th century all-female London crime syndicate who specialized in shoplifting.
I felt awkward and uncomfortably seen in my hot-mess-express post-divorce-ness with Really Good, Actually. I didn’t love this book, but I thought it clearly and unapologetically shared the mindset of many in a breakup and painted the picture of bridging the gap between wanting to feel normal and not being able to.
I devoured a unique angle on WWII in The Secret Book of Flora Lea. And I read Wellness at the recommendation of my dear friend AA and am still waiting to discuss. But any book set in my beloved Chicago is guaranteed to pique my interest.
Please, please read these
I used to read far more YA novels, but Where You See Yourself came into my awareness and I immediately grabbed it on the cover alone. Representation matters. Had I ever read a book in my life where the heroine was a teenager battling ableism in a wheelchair? No, I hadn’t. Anyone who has ever experienced mobility challenges knows upon reading this that the author KNOWS. I found out that not only is the author a member of the disability community, but she had Ali Stoker (if you don’t who she is, google her!) do the audiobook narration. I couldn’t love this more. Please read it.
I found both Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting and Mrs. Nash’s Ashes from librarian recommendations. I laughed. I cried. I felt seen. I loved them both. After devouring both books, telling everyone I know to read them, returning my library versions… I bought them for my shelf to read again and lend. I find myself discovering books with leading ladies who are quirky, odd, unique, and celebrated for being so. I relate to feeling weird, loud, odd, and just a bit different. Anything that celebrates individuality should in fact be celebrated.
Honorable mentions
I love a time travel, time slip, time bending book. And I loved Ashley Poston’s first book The Dead Romantics, and was so excited to get my hands on her second book that came out last summer. The Seven Year Slip has thoughtful reflection and characters who I liked. I prefer her first book, but still enjoyed the second. Also, while reading a time-bending novel, how wonderful to also absorb a book that discusses the fluidity and flexibility of time. In an opening chapter the author expounds that a minute waiting for the bus is not the same as a minute enjoying ice cream. Or a year at work is not the same as a year traveling. Very interesting to think about the passage of time as well as our ability to pause from a frenetic and frantic pace. Do / Pause is short but I really liked how it made me think about my own life, how I pause, and the consequences when I don’t.
Also, I realized recently that I’ve amassed a lovely list of recent reads with neuro divergent main characters. I love seeing diversity highlighted in mainstream content. I would 100% recommend the audio or book version of Cassandra in Reverse.
My Chronic Library 