March was filled with conferences, prepping to move across an ocean, edits on my own book (AHHH), and allergies, which meant not a ton of reading. But here is my reading roundup from March!
The Other Black Girl 3.5/5
I was so excited to read this book and devoured the first half. Honestly, it felt too long and drug and needed tighter pacing. The ending left a lot of loose ends that could have brought more closure. I did really enjoying the writing style and character development.
Black Cake 5/5
This book is stunning. I loved the writing style, and the short chapters made it impossible to put down. It felt similar to “This Is Where I Leave You,” and the writing style reminds me of “Malibu Rising.” Highly recommend this book!
This book should be required reading. It is honestly a stunning novel that weaves together U.S. and family history beautifully. This book moved me to tears multiple times. I will be thinking about it for a long time. I am so thankful books like this exist. (But be warned, it is very long). I really enjoyed on audio.
If you liked “Homegoing,” I think you would enjoy this book as well.
I loved this book. The more divided our world becomes, the more important I believe it is to question our opinions and viewpoints. This book gives practical ways on how to do so. I highly recommend it. I loved it on audio!
This book is beautifully written. I loved how the stories weaved together, although it did take me a while to get into. Even though it is a long read, it sped by. If you love books about books, read this book!
Of Women and Salt 4.5/5
I devoured this book. My biggest gripe is that it was not longer. I would have loved to get to know the characters more and learn more about their stories. The structure of this book reminded me of “Homegoing” mixed with “Infinite Country.”
I Miss You When I Blink 4.5/5
As an oldest child//perfectionist, this was one of the most relatable books I’ve read. The essays are beautiful, funny, and profound. I highly recommend this book. I especially loved it on audio.
How Beautiful We Were 3.5/5
This book, at the core, is really profound. I was interested by the premise of this book, but I got lost trying to follow the lives of the various characters. The writing was beautiful.
I love Nick Offerman; I love national parks; I love outside. I figured this book would be a home run. And though I loved the first two parts of this book, I had a hard time seeing past the hypocrisy of the third part. He goes on a road trip around the states mid-pandemic, and while he himself is not staying home, he seems to criticize everyone else who is also outside. I wish he would have led with the assumption that, just like him, everyone was doing the best they could.
I had a hard time rating this book. It doesn’t feel just to give a rating under 4 stars simply because the writing is so beautiful, but I was really underwhelmed by the plot. I have read many WWII historical fiction books, and this book seemed to mash together many overused tropes. Overall, this book did not live up to the hype.
(Also, as a personal gripe from someone who speaks French, the language his characters used to understand the war is not at all how people speak…)
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