Rabbit Hole #64: In/Out January and February

Yeah. . . so about that regular schedule.

 

I'll keep trying to be better about that. 

Here's just a quick run-down of what I've been reading since I last popped in here: 

Black Chalk by Christopher Yates (3 stars): a psychological thriller that had a lot of promise, but fell a little flat for me. There were just some plot holes that needed to be fleshed out a little bit more. 

Alibis: Essays on Elsewhere by André Aciman (4 stars): I am a sucker for travel memoirs. The downside--I start looking for travel packages. 

Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang (4 stars for both): These two graphic novels are centered around the Boxer Rebellion in China. It does a good job of showing the two sides of the conflict, reminding us that there's always more than one story to be told. 

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (3.5 stars): I've been wanting to read more Wilde, and this was a quick, easy read. I think the satire comes across better in the viewing of the play rather than the reading of it, though. 

Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis by Anne Rice (4 stars): My comfort reads. Definitely not my favorite book of hers--it got a little bogged down trying to introduce an alien species and the lost city of Atlantis into the vampire world, but it was fun. 

The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood (3.5 stars): Live for six months in a prison and the other six in a gated community with your every need taken care of--for the people in this post-apocalyptic/post-economic crash society, it sounds like a pretty good deal. Maybe too good. Like the Rice book, this isn't my favorite of Atwood's, but it definitely is a good satire on our society. 

Glass Sword and King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard (3 stars for both): YA fantasy dystopia. Nothing fancy, just quick, easy, fun reads. 

The Crack-up by F. Scott Fitzgerald (3.5 stars): I FINALLY finished this. I have been dipping in and out of this book since 2015. This is an odd collection: it starts with Fitzgerald's memoir/essays "The Crack-up", then goes into about 150 pages from his writing notebooks, then finishes with letters to/from Fitzgerald, as well as obituaries. I enjoyed all of it, but the format just made it a slow read. 

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (4.5 stars): This is the best fiction book I've read so far this year, hands-down; the only reason it isn't a 5 star read is that I just wanted more. The story follows the descendants of two sisters, one sold into slavery, the other married to a slave trader, and the repercussions that reverberate through the centuries. 

Currently, I'm reading The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel and Bret Witter and Bright Lines by Tanwi Nadini Islam. Hopefully I will give you an update soon!

Rabbit Hole #60: In/Out Dec. 11-Jan. 1

Well, we made it to the end of another year. I hope your celebrations over the past few weeks have been joyous and you are ready for what 2017 had to bring. Here's just a bit of what I've been reading the past couple of weeks. (I'll also have a 2016 reading wrap-up/2017 goals post and a top books of 2016 post coming in the next few days.)

Recently Purchased

Not technically purchased, as I was given gift cards, but these are all on their way. I have very generous family members!

 

 

Yeah, the to-be-read pile just became substantially larger.

Recently Completed

The Witches: Salem 1692 by Stacy Schiff (4 stars)

I've always been interested in the psychology behind the Witch Trials: what could possibly have made so many people turn on their friends and loved ones? Unfortunately, because of the lack of historical record, we may never know that answer definitively. Since I've taught Arthur Miller's The Crucible several times, I knew most of the information presented in the book from my own research. But it was still intriguing to delve into the enormous scope of the, for lack of a better word, madness. It also solidified the fact that we haven't changed all that much: one of the radical notions that the "devil" was promising the "witches" was that all people are created equal, and that terrified people. As it still does today. 

Into the Forest by Jean Hegland (3.5 stars)

This is a dystopian/post-apocalyptic novel about two sisters who find themselves alone in their forest home after a mysterious illness has wiped out a large portion of the population and their father dies while trying to provide for them. Hegland doesn't waste a lot of time on the outside world, focusing instead on the realities of trying to survive when everything you take for granted is gone. I liked the sister dynamic, but it felt almost too easy for these two teenagers to survive. It was a fun, quick read, though. 

The Killing Moon by N. K. Jemison (4 stars)

I was thinking this was going to be more of a science fiction novel, but to me, it felt more fantasy. Not that fantasy's a bad thing--I like that much more than science fiction! This is the first in a duology and centers on a world where dreamblood is harvested and used to cure the sick. The Gatherers take "tithes" from those who are deemed unworthy by their order (they're really highly skilled religious assassins). But of course, in the wrong hands, dreamblood can be a weapon. Political intrigue, war, alternate realms are all beautifully crafted by Jemison, and I'll definitely be picking up the sequel. 

Currently Reading

What Moves at the Margins: Selected Nonfiction by Toni Morrison

To me, Toni Morrison is the queen goddess of contemporary literary fiction. Her work is insightful, raw, thought-provoking, challenging, and inspiring: everything I need right now as we head into an uncertain time. 

Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis by Anne Rice

Comfort food

I'm starting this one tonight. 

Rabbit Hole #57: October/November Update

I'm back!! These two months. . .there are not enough words to describe them. I have been reading because one needs an escape in these unreal times, but nowhere near my pace last year. (I knew that was going to be tough--last year was a definite anomaly!). I am reading substantially more than two years ago, though. Look for a new In/Out post later this week!

Bustle Women/POC Reading Challenge (Current Completion: 15/20)

Reread a favorite book from childhood: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle (4 stars)

Book about women in war: Girl at War by Sara Novic (4 stars)


PopSugar Reading Challenge 2016 (Current Completion: 36/41)

A book from Oprah's Book Club: Ruby by Cynthia Bond (4 stars)


Read Harder Challenge 2016 (Current Completion: 21/24)

A dystopian or post-apocalyptic novel: Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor (4.5 stars)

A book of historical fiction set before 1900: Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel (3 stars)

The first book in a series by a person of color: Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (4 stars)


Non-challenge reads: 

Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter (5 stars)

Lady Susan, The Watsons, and Sandition by Jane Austen (finished the trio of novellas) (3 stars)

Definitely me this year

Rabbit Hole #56: In/Out Oct. 2-15

I've discovered the cause of my reading slump: this election and the tornado surrounding it. I've been spending far too much time focusing on it and not nearly enough time reading. I wish I could say that's going to change, but I have a feeling that's won't happen until Nov. 9.

Be that as it may, I have finished a couple of books in the last couple of weeks!

Recently Purchased

BabyLit Board books

Ok, so I didn't actually buy these for me, but for our friend's adorable two year old. They are hands down my favorite books for the younger set, using the original classics for counting, colors, animals, opposites, ocean animals...well, you get the idea. Definitely check these out if you have wee ones around!

Recently Finished

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel (3 stars)

Yes! Finally finished. Nothing new was introduced about these historical characters, who are incredibly fascinating, and I still felt her characterization fell very flat, especially for Cromwell. It was interesting, but just not for me, and I won't be picking up the third installment whenever it comes out.

Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter (5 stars)

I loved this. Plain and simple. The insights into Miranda's thought process, his inspirations, the history, the backgrounds on the principal players: everything was on point and worth every moment. I'll be coming back to this one again and again.

Currently Reading

The Watsons by Jane Austen 

Starting in on the second novella in this collection. It's a bit better than Lady Jane so far; we shall see if it continues. 

Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

This is an incredible read so far. It's set in a dystopian futuristic Sudan that in some ways feels very current, but with the added elements of magic. Okorafor's writing is engaging and her characters leap off the page. 

I will break this slump. I will break this slump. I will...

Rabbit Hole #55: September Reading Update

Still battling a weird reading slump/rut, so only seven books this month, and wondering if it's because of the three challenges. I feel a bit locked in; there's not a lot of wiggle room for me to read things outside of the tasks. I am reading a lot of amazing books, don't get me wrong, but lesson learned for next year, I think.


Popsugar 2016 Reading Challenge (Current Completion: 35/41)

A National Book Award winner: Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward (4 stars)

A book 100 years older than you: Lady Susan by Jane Austen (3 stars)


Bustle Women/POC Challenge (Current Completion: 13/20)

YA book by an author of color: Listen, Slowly by Thanhhà Lai (3.5 stars)

Post-apocalyptic fiction written by a woman: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon (3.5 stars)


Read Harder Challenge 2016 (Current Completion: 18/24)

A food memoir: Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love and the Search for Meaning by Kim Sunée (4 stars)




Non-challenge books completed: 

March, Book 3 by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell (4.5 stars) 

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (4 stars)


Check my weekly In/Out posts for more information on the completed reads!

Rabbit Hole #52: In/Out Sep. 11-17

As I said, nothing finished one week, and then this week--four finished! One of these days I'll figure out my reading habits.

Recently Purchased

 A Wrinkle in Time quintet by Madeline L'Engle

I really thought I still had this series; it was one of my favorites growing up. With Ava Duvernay's new movie version of A Wrinkle in Time coming next year, I knew I had to reread this one. (And the cast! Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling?!?! I am SO here for that!)

Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

Another post-apocalyptic novel, this time set in a futuristic Sudan, with magical elements thrown in. I'm looking forward to this one, as it's a combination of so many different genres.

Recently Finished

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

Much like Jackson's classic short story "The Lottery," we're dropped into the middle of small-town America where ordinary people do horrific things to each other. The Blackwoods, or what's left of them anyway, are isolated in their ancestral home after an "incident" destroys everyone else in the household. It's wonderfully creepy and disturbing, everything Jackson is known for. 

March, Book Three by John Lewis,  Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell

A beautiful conclusion to Lewis' story of the Civil Rights Movement, this book focuses on the bombing of the Birmingham church and the March to Selma. And the more we read, the more one realizes that the issues that Lewis and King and so many others were fighting for haven't gone away, they've just changed forms. There is still so much to do, and Lewis, with his sit-in of Congress this spring, is still leading the way. 

Listen, Slowly by Thanhhà Lai

This was a charming, if predictable, middle-grade story about a young girl discovering her roots in Vietnam. There were hints of the Vietnam War and the impact it had, and is still having, on those involved, but it was primarily about a tween learning that the world is bigger than her little corner of Laguna Beach. I would recommend it for younger readers, though. 

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

This was a fun read and interesting enough that I might pick up the sequel. I wouldn't say there was anything particularly ground-breaking about it, though. As I said last week, it's a mash-up of Beauty and the Beast, the Hunger Games, and 1984, which isn't a bad combination; it just doesn't lend itself to stand out among other dystopian fictions. At some point, you would think this genre would wear itself out; I don't know how many more ways you can create a world gone awry.

Currently Reading

Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love, and the Search for Home by Kim Sunée

A lot of the reviews of this criticize Sunée for being too shallow, too uncaring. But this is a memoir of her twenties, a time when most of us were shallow and uncaring toward those around us. Taken as such, this is an engaging read, coupled with recipes from New Orleans, Swedish and French cuisine. I'm enjoying it so far. 

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

This is the second in Mantel's series about Henry VIII's advisor Thomas Cromwell.  The story is interesting, but as with Wolf Hall, I'm just not finding her writing style very compelling. It's too much exposition and too many characters thrown into scenes. I'd like a little more dialogue--Twain's showing versus telling, if you will--without it, everything seems very detached. 

Rabbit Hole #51: In/Out Sep. 4-Sep. 10

I have gotten a lot of reading done this week, just haven't been able to finish anything. Next week will be much more interesting. I seem to go through phases--finish three books in one week, and then nothing, and then three the next. I can't figure it out.

Recently Purchased

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

This has been on my radar for a while, because who doesn't like good, creepy Gothic stories?!? It also happens to be my book club's pick for this month. I'm hoping I like it better than the last two.

Recently Finished

Currently Reading

March, Book Three by John Lewis,  Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell

With all the controversy (ridiculous, if you ask me) over NFL players not standing for the National Anthem, this is the perfect book to be reading right now. 

Listen, Slowly by Thanhhà Lai

I have to keep reminding myself that this is middle grade YA, so I shouldn't really be as critical of it as I'm being. It's good, but the repetition of how miserable the angsty tween is because she has to spend her summer with her grandmother in Vietnam is getting really old. I know the whininess is realistic, it's just not lending itself to much character development. Here's hoping the last 100 pages or so gets better. 

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Throw Beauty and the Beast, the Hunger Games, and 1984 together and you have The Bone Season. It's been a fun read so far, and a nice switch from the heavier literature I've been reading, but it's nothing spectacular. Probably won't continue with the series unless something truly unique happens in the last 150 pages.

Rabbit Hole #50: In/Out Aug. 28-Sep. 3

A lovely long weekend for reading=heaven. Hope you're enjoying your Labor Day weekend!

Recently Purchased

Zero. I'm really trying to curb my book buying this year and focusing on reading the stack I have. It's been pretty successful so far, but I do miss picking up new books on a regular basis. 

Recently Finished

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

I am apparently in the minority on this one. Critics loved it, my book club overall loved it, I'm just. . . meh. It reminded me a lot of Villa America which I read a few weeks ago--filled with flat, stereotypical characters that I just didn't care about. I really had a problem with the female characters; they were just there as show pieces for the men in the novel and just didn't have much agency, even though one of them was the primary focus.  I have much higher hopes for this month's pick. 

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Time of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

Yes, I've finally finished this. And it was amazing. And terrifying. And heartbreaking. And disturbing. Reading this you realize how little the general public knows about the Drug War and police policy and court cases that have put more people of color behind bars than were enslaved prior to the Civil War. We've allowed this to happen. Our courts have allowed the Fourth Amendment to become basically empty. And this is why we finally have Black Lives Matter. It's necessary. I have a lot more to say on this book, but I'll save it for another post. Just read it. Now. 

 Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

This book was a close-up of one Mississippi family in the days leading up to and the immediate aftermath of Katrina. It's filled with poverty and basketball and dog fighting and teen pregnancy and Greek mythology and hope and love and so many things rolled into one. Based loosely on Ward's own experiences during Katrina and her mother's during Hurricane Camille, it's a necessary perspective on what life was like for those most vulnerable. My only issue with the book was the dog fighting, but it was a part of Ward's life and those around her. She used what she knew, and it makes for a very successful read. 

Currently Reading

March, Book Three by John Lewis,  Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell

I so wish I could afford (or my school district could afford) to buy copies of all of the books in this series for all of my students. It's such a powerful look at the Civil Rights Movement from the inside and shows readers there was a lot more to the Movement than Selma and I Have a Dream (even though those are powerful and necessary to remember as well). 

Listen, Slowly by Thanhhà Lai

I am only about 30 pages into this so far, but it's a fun read so far. I think the best part about this is having my Vietnamese students help me pronounce the words and phrases. They find it interesting, and I'm learning something new!

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Just started this last night, and from what I can tell, it's a dystopian future in London where people with special abilities such as telepathy are forced underground working for shadowy criminal elements. I don't know much more about it, other than it's supposedly the first in a planned seven book series. We'll see how this one goes before I decide to jump in further. 

In the Wings

Trail of Crumbs by Kim Sunée

I don't anticipate March taking that long, so I will probably get to this memoir this week as well. 

Rabbit Hole #49: August Reading Update

Six books this month (Well, seven really, but Abby Cadabby is kinda tiny!) Not as much as I had hoped, but given I'm back at work this month, and things are always a little hectic getting back into the school year, I'm ok with it for this month. I'm slowly ticking off the challenge reads--only 24 left!! (I think I can, I think I can. . . )

Popsugar 2016 Reading Challenge (Current Completion: 33/41)

A book from the library: Villa America by Liza Klausmann (3 stars)

A dystopian novel: The Chaos by Nalo Hopkinson (3 stars)


Bustle Women/POC Challenge (Current Completion: 11/20)

A book set in the Middle East: Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (4.5 stars)

Read a children's book aloud: Abby Cadabby's Rhyme Time by P. J. Shaw (no rating)


Read Harder Challenge 2016 (Current Completion: 17/24)

A book with a main character with mental illness: The Round House by Louise Erdrich (4.5 stars)

A book about politics, fiction or nonfiction: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander (5 stars)




Non-challenge books completed: Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (2 stars)



Check my weekly In/Out posts for more information on the completed reads!

The struggle is real, y'all!

Rabbit Hole #47: In/Out Aug. 14-20

Much better this week!

Recently Purchased

Starting a little vacation dreaming/planning with this one. I was actually born in the Azores, but since I was so young when we moved back to the States, I don't really remember anything about it. I figured it was finally time to do something about that, so sometime in the next two years, we'll be heading across the Atlantic!

Recently Finished

The Round House by Louise Erdrich (4.5 stars)

This follows an Ojibwe woman in North Dakota who has been attacked and her 13 year old son who tries to unravel what happened. This is a very compelling read, diving into PTSD and how trauma affects not only the victim, but everyone around them. It also take a look at the difficulties Native peoples have in prosecuting such crimes, especially if they are committed by a white person. 

I thought this was an incredible read. The characters and the emotional upheaval they go through is well-drawn, and the impact is raw and heart-
breaking. I would recommend this as a good starting point into Erdrich's writing. It followed a more linear narrative than a lot of her work, and while it was centered around the same reservation life as her other novels, it isn't necessary to have read anything else by her to fall into this world. 


The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (4.5 stars)

What I appreciate most about this graphic novel is that Strapi presents herself honestly: the good, the bad, and the ugly. As I've said, it's a insightful look into Iran before, during, and after the Islamic Revolution of the 1970s, how it affected people, and how they coped with their rights being stripped away. In a time when people have seem to have a narrow view of people from the Middle East and of Islam, it's always good to read something from those people's perspective. I also highly recommend the film version. 

Currently Reading

The Chaos by Nalo Hopkinson

A YA dystopian novel following 16 year old Scotch, a mixed race teen whose skin is being covered by an unremovable sticky black substance. Then her brother disappears in a bubble of light, and everyone in town starts changing. I'm not very far in, but I'm already loving Scotch's voice. Maybe it's because school has started again, but she seems a lot like my students. I'm looking forward to where this is going. 

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

I keep saying I'm going to finish this, and I will. It's just so full of crucial information that it's not something I want to rush through. 

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

Esch and her family are preparing for an upcoming possible hurricane. Her brother Skeetah is focused on his pit bull and her puppies, her father is single-minded about the storm, her two other brothers are just trying to be kids, and Esch realizes she's pregnant. This culminates in Hurricane Katrina, which makes me a little hesitant to read this right now, especially with the devastation in Baton Rouge and other areas here in Louisiana, but the characters already have me hooked three chapters in. 

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

Book club meets in 10 days, so I'd better start this one about an aging Hollywood actress, an almost love affair, and Italy. Doesn't really sound like me, but we'll see.