What I've been reading: March-April 2023
May. 1st, 2023 10:49 amI read and enjoyed some EXCELLENT books in March and April. Reading Louise Penny's newest detective novel, "A World of Curiosities," #18 in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series, was bittersweet, since I used to read and talk about the books with my mom, and she'll never read this one. Also! I led my first GoodReads group discussion, of "The School for Good Mothers" by Jessamine Chan for my "Literary Fiction by POC" group. I felt this had some flaws but still rated it 4/5. I can see why it got a lot of buzz. Similarly, I had some issues with "An American Marriage" by Tayari Jones but still rated it 4/5. I see why many book clubs would want to read and discuss it.
The novels I gave 5/5 stars to were "Patsy" by Nicole Dennis-Benn and "The Bird King" by G. Willow Wilson. I was really blown away by "Patsy" and the tricky balance Dennis-Benn pulled off in this book, attempting to make you feel sympathy/empathy for a woman who abandons her child to seek an old lover. I loved Wilson's previous novel "Alif the Unseen" so I knew I'd like "The Bird King." I think the experience was richer for the fact that Jeff and I had read "The Conference of the Birds" a few years ago.
The nonfiction book I rated 5/5 was "Mean Little Deaf Queer: A Memoir" by Terry Galloway. Funny, sexy, heart-breaking, this is the memoir of a woman who grew up deaf and queer in 1960s/70s Texas. She also, against all odds, ends up falling in love with theater, and today, many decades later, is co-founder of an inclusive theater group that goes out of its way to include actors with disabilities. LOVED THIS.
See my full reviews on my GoodReads page.
The novels I gave 5/5 stars to were "Patsy" by Nicole Dennis-Benn and "The Bird King" by G. Willow Wilson. I was really blown away by "Patsy" and the tricky balance Dennis-Benn pulled off in this book, attempting to make you feel sympathy/empathy for a woman who abandons her child to seek an old lover. I loved Wilson's previous novel "Alif the Unseen" so I knew I'd like "The Bird King." I think the experience was richer for the fact that Jeff and I had read "The Conference of the Birds" a few years ago.
The nonfiction book I rated 5/5 was "Mean Little Deaf Queer: A Memoir" by Terry Galloway. Funny, sexy, heart-breaking, this is the memoir of a woman who grew up deaf and queer in 1960s/70s Texas. She also, against all odds, ends up falling in love with theater, and today, many decades later, is co-founder of an inclusive theater group that goes out of its way to include actors with disabilities. LOVED THIS.
See my full reviews on my GoodReads page.