More August Reading

 Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell 

“but this pestilence is too great, too strong, too vicious. It is an enemy too powerful for her. It has wreathed and tightened its tendrils about her son, and is refusing to surrender him.” I know some people have been reluctant to pick this one up because they’re not big Shakespeare fans. Yet, this is not a story of the Bard; it is a tale of a marriage, a family, a time period, the plague, and the death of a beloved child. (admittedly though, it is pretty cool to see a fictitious telling of the first time an audience saw Hamlet staged - the English Lit teacher in me might have gotten goose bumps!) I was surprised at how hard I fell in love with this one, as the beginning was challenging. O’Farrell is wordy, descriptive, using long paragraphs and little dialogue, not my most beloved writing style. Yet, as she wove her tale, she drew me in and made me feel a part of this family, an observer of their love, their anger, their loneliness, and yes, ultimately, their grief.  Be aware if you pick up this book, it is visceral and raw at times; it contains the most authentic scene of a mother’s grief that I have ever read. But if you’re ready for a masterpiece, this one is it.

The Lost Queen by Signe Pike

Epic. That is the only word that comes to mind when I think of this book, and my obsession with it. Technically historical fiction, this story goes back to 6th century Scotland, the time of high kings and priests, of invaders and protectors, of seers and healers, and of an ancient queen named Languoreth and her twin brother. It contains battles, clashes of religious groups, high court politics, passion, and family loyalties that never end. I have not found a master storyteller like this since I picked up George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones series; Signe Pike wrapped me up in her medieval world and her gorgeous writing, making it was impossible to escape, as I read a 500 page book in just three days. Yep, it is that good, trust me.

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

Wow. Just wow. If you want to jump out of the box that you're living in, and out of your comfort zone, and open your mind wide, this book is for you! What's my box? Old white woman, living in small town America, left-corner of the country, heterosexual, mom of two. Boring, right?! But it's my life. Gabby Rivera, the first Latina author of Marvel comics, introduces me to HER world, where her main character, Juliet is a first year college student, heading to Portland, Oregone to do an internship with a wildly white gay feminist writer. But...Juliet must first come out to her Puerto Rican family in the Bronx before getting on that plane. Then, once she gets to this hippie PNW city, she's confronted with the naked assistant, the Black primary partner, a girlfriend who keeps ghosting her back East, new vocabulary to learn about sexual and gender identity, and a librarian who's tantalizingly hot. This book is laugh out loud funny, but also shocking and outrageous and poignant and breathtakingly real. It pushed me hard outside my box, to the point of uncomfortableness...and that is the point of literature. So get out of your box and dive into the world of Juliet - you will be entertained:)

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

This book is haunting in its tragedy, unforgettable in its telling, and stunning in its written word. It is the story of a death of a son in Nigeria, and the people impacted by this death, the story of gender identity and the struggle to be one's authentic self, the story of a mother and the terrible grief in the unknowing not only of the death, but in who her son truly was, the story of a forbidden love and the family ties involved, the story of friends and neighbors and their role in Vivek's death. This book will haunt me for days, weeks, in its beauty. If you're trying to diversify your reading, and want an experience like no other, I highly recommend this gorgeous book.

The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones by Daven McQueen

It is 1955, and Ethan has been sent to live with his aunt and uncle for the summer. Now throw in the fact that Ethan is biracial, aunt and uncle are white, and oh, their home is in...Alabama. Yeah, complications ensue. As Ethan wallows in his self pity as he works in his uncle's malt shop, in walks Juniper Jones "She was, in equal parts, a gift and a natural disaster." As their goal to create an 'invincible summer' ensues, the friendship of these two is truly a beauty to behold. No romance is thrown in, no flirting, just a deep and abiding friendship, one that sees them through incredibly painful moments of racial hatred, family separation, and an attempt to try every milkshake flavor in the shop! This book touched my heart deeply, made me tear up far too many times, and gave me a glimpse into another time period. It is a beautiful YA novel that I want to shove into everyone's hands.

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Let's be real, this is not my normal genre. Sweet, implausible, rather silly at times, rom com? But I binge read this book in 24 hours. The premise? Alex, the son of the first female US President (yeah, remember those dreams??) falls for the hot, dreamy English prince (ahem, can you say Harry, but gay?) Their tight knit group of friends and sisters round out the supporting cast. I loved these millennials - they are smart, sassy, ambitious, and have HEART, as do Alex and Henry. In fact, that's why I loved this book. It gave me hope in young impossible love maybe not being so impossible, hope in our political system that good wins over evil, and hope in a world that accepts and celebrates LOVE. If you need a heart-happy book, this one will do it for you:)

August 2.0

A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom by John Boyne

It was difficult to contain my excitement about a new John Boyne book; he has been a auto-buy author for me for awhile now. I have a lot of thoughts…First, I applaud Boyne’s boldness, his ambition, his creativity. He has created a unique story of a nameless man, who lives his live one time-chunk at a time, each in a different spot. He begins in Palestine, Year 1 AD, and each short chapter, his live continues in a different country, decades ahead in time.The main character is always artistic, his father always wants a warrior, some killing is always deemed necessary etc. Each static character has a role to play in the march through time. Thematically, we see how human emotions are universal as love and revenge drive the main character. However, for me, it just did not work. Each time I felt invested in a story line, it changed. My love for Boyne rests in his ability to deeply draw a dynamic character, to show how life changes them, both good and bad, to see how other people shape them. In Traveler, the characters felt flat to me, never changing, never growing, allowing circumstances to eternally dictate the same actions and reactions. I had hope for the ending, but the chapter on 2016 turned into a wild farce of Trumpeteers, which just seemed so off the rest of the book’s previous serious writing style. Perhaps it is my belief in the human ability to change and grow? Perhaps it is my hope that in another life, another universe, I make better choices? Perhaps my expectations were too high? Regardless, I am sure others will enjoy this creative novel, but it was not for me.

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

The author of Room is back with an exceedingly topical book - a story of three women working at a hospital in Dublin in 1918. Yeah, there's a flu pandemic. Nurse Julia is in charge of the fever/maternity ward, when Bridie comes in to be her volunteer and Dr. Lynn is on duty for the deliveries. Each woman has a rich and deep history that Donoghue explores in order to delver deeply into the societal issues of the day: war trauma, poverty, lack of proper nutrition, classism, the Irish rebellion, spousal abuse, etc. It is a masterful novel. This is not a book that that make you turn pages quickly; instead it is a rich character drawn story of three strong women, from three different circumstances, who are all put in one place in time, doing their best to stave off the Bone Man as he comes to collect the sick for his deathly mansion. And if you like a good audio narrator, the Irish accent is sublime.

My Vanishing Country by Bakari Sellers

I had seen Bakari Sellers on CNN as an analyst, but I did not know that he was the youngest person ever elected to the South Caroline state legislature, that he had been 'raised' and influenced by the lions of the Civil Rights movements, that his father stood and watched LBJ sign into law a pivotal law, that the Orangeburg Massacre scarred a community, and a state, forever. (Have you even heard of the Orangeburg Massacre? Yeah, me either - look it up. Generational anger is righteous) This is an intriguing, short, memoir of a young Black man's life growing up in rural South Caroline, and his own journey through personal and public tragedy, to offer a fairer, more equitable, safer, healthier life to Black folks in his state. I am curious to see where life takes Mr. Sellers in the future - he's got my vote.

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

Think Groundhog Day but in a sweet fluffy YA book. Three high school seniors are best friends: Jillian, class valedictorian; Francisco, star athlete and Jillian's boyfriend; and Jackie, best friends to both Jillian and Francisco, but secretly in love with Jillian for years. But what happens when Jack meets Kate at a college tour, and falls madly in love? But...Kate has an illness and dies. Yeah, no spoiler alert - it happens early. Jackie is pushed back through time, over and over, as he tries to save Kate but messes up so many other areas of his life. It is a cute story, a bit repetitious and a bit too long, but middle and high schoolers may love this:)

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

How did I miss this YA fantasy book when it came out last fall??? It has everything I love about this genre: beautifully crafted world with witches, soldiers, and priests,  a hot love relationship, loyal friends,  and mysteries galore. When Louise (witch in hiding) meets Reid (witch hunter) sparks fly, sassy comments abound, and transparency is hard to come by. But my oh my, this book is impossible to put down. If you're looking for adventure and humor bound up in a fantastical plot line, pick up this book. I was only halfway through before I already preordered the sequel, out next month. This book is amazing:)

The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya and Elizabeth Weil

 

Clemantine Wamariya was just six years old when she had to flee her grandmother's house outside of Kigali, Rwanda in 1994. This is the story of her years of wandering through Africa as a refugee, of her exploring her own psyche and its reaction to genocide, in her journey through American life as a displaced person, and in her varied emotions surrounding the people, her family, and organizations who aided or abandoned her. This memoir is the perfect companion book to Elie Wiesel's Night, and if I was still a high school teacher, I would use them in tandem. It shows how history does repeat itself, how the 'savers' can muck things up, how just one person can change a person's trajectory for both good and bad, how hope is in short supply sometimes, how anger can overwhelm, and how stories of survival can inspire. It will be a long time before I forget this memoir. 

The Cold Vanish: Seeking the Missing in North America's Wildlands by Jon Billman

I am not usually a True Crime reader (they kinda freak me out), but this one intrigued me from the beginning as much of it takes place in my backyard, the Pacific Northwest. Author Jon Billman explores the hidden phenomena of missing persons in our national parks, using Jacob Gray's disappearance here in WA state as the anchor of his book. Jacob went into Olympic National Park, and was never seen again, leaving behind his bike and little else. Billman strings together the search and rescue routines of many different parks and states, the use of tracker dogs (okay, their training is fascinating!), and the deep, unadulterated sorrow for the friends and family who have no answers. Some of the victims may have been lost, or injured, or murdered... some may have just wanted to leave the civilized world. This was an engrossing look at a world that is little seen, and should have more attention given to it. It will also make it so you question your decision to hike alone ever again!