Goodreads Update August 2019
Oh dear. I just looked at my Goodreads list and I'm afraid this might be a long post. In my defense, a lot of the books are ones I found on my shelf when re-organizing. I had previously removed some books from my list that I thought I didn't want to read, but now that I look at them again, I think I'll put them back on the list.
For the Love of Books by Graham Tarrant - You know how I feel about a good book about books. I think I saw this at Tattered Cover in Denver and forgot it was on my list. Drat!
Girls on the Verge by Sharon Biggs Waller - I've heard this is a fantastic new YA book. It's about a girl going out of town to get an abortion, so we'll see. Not my favorite plot line.
The Wise and the Wicked by Rebecca Podos - This family of strong, powerful, Russian women is reduced to the small ability to see what their life will be like when they day. Ruby's mother tried to run from her vision, but it's hopeless. Until her aunt dies and her life is wildly different from her vision.
The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys - Sepetys is known as a fabulous historical YA fiction author. She's tackled WWII and 1950's New Orleans among others. Now she's taking on post-WWII Spain under Francisco Franco. Have you noticed the new trend in Historical Fiction where the covers all feature women looking away from the camera? It's a thing.
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee - And I promptly belie my statement in the above paragraph by posting a cover of a Historical Fiction novel where the girl is facing the camera. Oops! I'm not sure when this is set, but the main character is an Asian girl who works as a lady's maid for a wealthy Atlanta woman, but also pens the Dear Sweetie advice column for the paper. When she begins to challenge racism and sexism, it comes back to bite her.
The Place on Dalhousie by Melina Marchetta - Here is a literary fiction novel set in Australia. That in itself is interesting. It's about a girl, Rosie, who left home and then comes back two years later. She is fighting over the house with her step-mother. And I guess there is a love interest. Honestly, the description of this book is kind of confusing, but that's what I got out of it.
Suggested Reading by Dave Connis - Surprisingly, this is a YA novel about a girl who finds her principal's banned books list. She starts dealing books out of her locker to fight censorship. Then something bad happens, because this wouldn't be a YA novel if it didn't.
I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn - This is a cute little YA romance set mostly in Japan. The love interest is a med student who moonlights as a mochi mascot. I don't really expect much from it, but it looks cute.
Somewhere Only We Know by Maureen Goo - I've had this on my radar for months. Our girl is a Korean pop star who escapes from her hotel room one night to look for a cheeseburger. Who can blame her? She meets the main man who is a papparazzi photographer, but he doesn't realize who she is. But when he does, what will he do?
The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu - Here we have a fantasy novel about Mozart's sister. Read that again. Yes, please.
Call It What You Want by Brigid Kimmerer - Kimmerer is the author of the best book I've read so far this year. This appears to be a contemporary novel, whereas the other one is a fantasy story. Still, I'm excited to give it a shot.
Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden - Set in Washington D.C. in the 1880's, this is about a black girl wanting to raise her stakes in society. When she gets the chance, she has to decide how much she's willing to give up.
Murder City: Ciudad Juarez and the Global Economy's New Killing Fields by Charles Bowden - After I read Daughters of Juarez last month, I added this one to my list. It's slightly more recent, so I'm interested to see what his take is.
Woman 99 by Greer McAllister - Behold! Another Historical Fiction novel whose cover depicts a woman turned away. This one is about a woman trying to get her sister out of an insane asylum.
This Is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live by Melody Warnick - I don't think it's a huge secret that I don't love my current location. Honestly, it's the weather. I hate the heat and humidity. It makes me feel like a slug. I saw this book on Youtube, so I thought I'd check it out. You can't change what happens to you, but you can change how you react to it.
Happy Fat: Taking Up Space In a World That Wants to Shrink You by Sofie Hagen - More self-help. I don't really want to become comfortable in my current shape, but I should perhaps learn about it.
Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett - Is it Sci-Fi? Is it Fantasy? I have no idea! I just know that it has gotten rave reviews on Youtube, and you know that's my current end-all be-all of book recommendation.
There There by Tommy Orange - This book was nominated for every prize under the sun last year, so I added it to my list. It's about a group of Native Americans going to a big powwow in Oakland, California.
The Vexations by Caitlin Horrocks - All I needed to know about this book is that it is about Eric Satie. Yes, please, thank you.
Song of the Abyss by Makiia Lucier - I'm very confused. It's apparently the second book in a series, but the description calls it a standalong novel. I've heard good things about it from the ladies in my reading group, so for now, it stays on my list.
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel - From the author of Station Eleven comes this novel about- You know what? I don't even care what it's about. I'll read it.
American Hippo by Sarah Gailey - This is a bindup of the first two books in this series. The idea is that back in the day, the United States government had the bright idea to introduce wild hippos to the country as a source of meat. It didn't go well, and now the swamplands of the South are overrun with feral hippos.
The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary - This adult romance novel has a cute premise. This man and this woman share an apartment, but they've never met. It's a one-bedroom flat, and he sleeps there during the day, and she sleeps there at night. He works nights, so it works out. They communicate through Post-Its. I'm curious about how they handle days off or sick days. Anyway, I've heard it's good.
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert - I am not really a fan of Elizabeth Gilbert, but I heard Anne Bogel talk about this book and decided to give it a try. I love the trope of elderly lady reminiscing about her heyday (see also, Lilian Boxfish Takes a Walk, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and The Thirteenth Tale.)
The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo - This book, set in 1930's Malaysia, appears to have several plots weaving around each other. And they are not all reality-based. It looks interesting, so I bought it, and now here it sits at number 542 on my TBR. I need an intervention.
You know what? I'm exhausted. You're probably tired of scrolling. I'm going to pick this back up tomorrow and carry on. See you then.