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:)