Whew! Does anyone else feel like February went by at the speed of light?! Fortunately, despite the time warp, I managed to read ten books (three of which were science fiction, which might have something to do with these space-y metaphors). All covers are linked to Goodreads.
Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir
★★★★.5
Genre: Science Fiction
Release Year: 2021
The only thing that held this book back from a 5-star rating for me was that all the science and math slowed me down. But I don't think it would have been as immersive and real without all the science and math, so I'm not complaining (too much).
Andy Weir is brilliant. To have Ryland discovering things and remembering things about his own situation and past along with the reader was genius. I also loved his character arc. I love that he said "gosh darned" and "heck" and "holy moly" instead of actual swear words. I really got attached to both Ryland and Rocky, and at one point things got so tense and I was so anxious about both of them that I kept having to put the book down and do other things (like change the wet laundry over to the dryer, or put a plate in the dishwasher) before coming back to the story. So, it was very well written! I enjoyed this a lot.
Love in Tandem, by Becca Kinzer
★★★★
Genre: Christian Romance
Release Year: 2024
This was a reread for my church's book club. We had a really great discussion about how much Christianity should be included in a Christian romance book!
Company: Stories, by Shannon Sanders
★★★★.5
Genre: Short Stories
Release Year: 2023
I heard Shannon Sanders speak on a debut authors panel at the 2024 (?) Washington Writers Conference, and I'm so glad I finally read her book! I don't usually go for short stories, as I prefer long-form works that have plot and character development spread throughout the whole thing, rather than being disrupted every few pages and having to get into a whole new story. However, because (most of) these short stories revolved around one family, I was hooked. I loved how people and events constantly evolved as we learned more about them through different family members' perspectives. I also love Shannon Sanders's crisp and evocative writing. I checked her website and it doesn't look like she's written any more books yet, but when she does I'd love to read them!
Nice Racism: How Progressive White People Perpetuate Racial Harm, by Robin DiAngelo
★★★★
Genre: Nonfiction
Release Year: 2021
I would not call myself a progressive, but I got a lot out of this book. Every chapter had me frowning, nodding, and engaging with the content in a way I don't normally. I will say that the beginning was hard to get into. I'm not sure if this was due to Robin DiAngelo's writing style (which I found confusing and convoluted at times) or just the transition into a meaty, thought-provoking topic. However, after the first couple of chapters I found that I was more in tune with the book. I really appreciated how Robin DiAngelo held herself up as an example of how white people sometimes perpetuate racial harm without the intention of doing so, simply because we are so steeped in systemic racism. She was also careful to clarify what she did not mean throughout the book, and this was helpful at several points. Perhaps she goes over this in one of her other books, but I really would have loved an example of how to respond to criticism well; she spent some time talking about how white people normally respond to being told that what they just did/said was racist (i.e. white fragility and all the ways that can manifest). She did have some tips, but I would really like to hear her opinion on a good in-the-moment response.
A Tale of Time City, by Diana Wynne Jones
★★★★
Genre: Middle Grade Science Fiction
Release Year: 1987
I didn't think I was going to like this when I started it, but I should have had more faith in Diana Wynne Jones; although this was more science fiction-y than her other works that I've read, it still had the same D.W.J. flavor that I love. Vivian was such a spunky, fun main character; the ending, surprisingly, made some sense; and I really want to try a Forty-two Century butter-pie now. My only critique is that there seemed to be a lot of misplaced commas.
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, by Anna Johnston
★★★★.5
Genre: Fiction
Release Year: 2024
This book made me cry not once, but TWICE. While there was definitely some heavy subject matter (dementia, addiction, grief, abandonment, miscarriage, etc.), Anna Johnston approached everything with a gentle humor that made this book an absolute delight. Her love for her grandfather, the original Fred, shone through every page and truly brought Fictional Fred to life. I was going to rate this a 4.5 until I read the author's note, which bumped the whole thing up to a five for me.
Brother, I'm Dying, by Edwidge Danticat
★★★★
Genre: Memoir
Release Year: 2007
I didn't know a lot about Haitian history before reading this deeply moving and profoundly sad memoir–and I realize that I still don't know a lot, but I know more than I did before, and I'm grateful for the opportunity this book gave me to learn. Edwidge Danticat wove her own story together with her father's and uncle's masterfully. While I didn't always love her writing style, this book as a whole is a work of art and a beautiful cry for recognition and remembrance.
Everything's Coming Up Rosie, by Courtney Walsh
★★.75
Genre: Romance
Release Year: 2025
I had high hopes for this, but alas, it was not for me. I'll be posting a full review next week.
The Compound, by Aisling Rawle
★★★★.5
Genre: Thriller
Release Year: 2025
Not only was this an excellent social commentary on capitalism and consumerism, I also feel like Aisling Rawle created the perfect character to tell this story–and she definitely nailed Lily's narrative voice. This book was as addictive as ... well, as reality TV. I didn't expect any of the twists and turns, and I truly felt like I was living in the world Rawle had created, where no outcomes were guaranteed. I would sum up the theme as "money can't buy happiness."
Detour, by Jeff Rake & Rob Hart
★★★★
Genre: Science Fiction
Release Year: 2026
This was a well-written page-turner, although I do feel that the blurb is a bit misleading (and I didn't realize it was a series when I picked it up). First of all, the blurb focuses exclusively on Ryan, and while he is one of the main characters, there are five other astronauts who all get plenty of POV sections. (That was well done, by the way; all of the characters felt very different, and I never got confused about whose section I was reading.) Plus, the hook from the inside cover of my library book ("A space shuttle flight crew discovers that the Earth they've returned to is not the home they left behind") doesn't happen until over halfway through the book. So I'm just a bit baffled about that, but overall I really enjoyed this (and I definitely will be reading the sequel when it comes out!).
Reading Goals/Challenges
Goodreads Challenge: 20 / 75
Paper TBR: 4 / 12
Nonfiction: 5 / 12
National Month Challenge: 2 / 12
Cover Lovers Reading Challenge: 12 / 50
New Release Challenge: 1 / 12
Rereads: 2 / 5
Comments
Post a Comment