Category: Read This Book

Read this book

Post author By Patricia Elzie
Post date April 12, 2021

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall

Content warnings for anti-Blackness, eating disorders, and domestic violence. There are definitely a number of heavy subjects in this book but that is part of the point: there are all kinds of difficult things we absolutely must talk about when we talk about feminism. Each chapter discusses the different ways in which “mainstream” feminism has failed and continues to fail so many women who are not white, cisgender, able bodied, affluent, and straight.

While some of the chapters focus on Black women and the author’s experience as a Black woman, they also expand to include a variety of the intersections of identity at which any one of us may exist. A few of the focuses include hunger & food insecurity, eating disorders in the Black community, education access, housing access, colorism, maternal mortality, gun violence, and more.

The chapter on gun violence is particularly powerful, as gun violence isn’t often immediately considered a feminist issue. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), 1 in 4 women have been victims of severe physical violence and The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%. Gun violence in certain areas is keeping girls from going to school. Not only are women victims of gun violence, but also the mothers, wives, and sisters of victims.

This book allows for such great opportunities for readers to step back and examine our own feminist views and learn where they can be expanded and where we each may have some work to do to better include all women. It is a must-read for anyone considering themself a feminist and/or an anti-racist.

That’s it for now, book-lovers!

Patricia

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Read This Book: Green Rider by Kristen Britain

Post author By Jessica Avery
Post date April 6, 2021

Sponsored by I’m Waiting for You by Kim Bo-Young.

Two worlds, four stories, infinite possibilities. One of South Korea’s most treasured writers explores the driving forces of humanity—love, hope, creation, destruction, and the very meaning of existence—in two pairs of thematically interconnected stories. Translated from Korean to English for the first time. “Kim Bo-Young has perfectly captured the longing and isolation of our contemporary moment… a timely reminder that longing and heartbreak can be as infinite as the universe, but also just as lovely.” — Micaiah Johnson, author of The Space Between Worlds

Welcome to Read This Book, the newsletter where I recommend one book for your TBR that I think you’re going to love! Genre fiction is my wheelhouse, and about 90% of my personal TBR, so if if you’re looking for recommendations in horror, fantasy, or romance, I’ve got you covered!

This last year has really impressed on me the need for comfort reads. So for my very first Read This Book I decided to call back to a fantasy series that I’ve been following since I was a kid, and which (despite its habit of causing me emotional pain) is a hands down, pre-ordering every book, languishing in the years between publications dates, favorite of mine that I think every high fantasy fan should add to their TBR.

Green Rider by Kristen Britain

To say that Karigan G’ladheon is having a bad day at the start of Green Rider is an understatement. Having been expelled from school after besting a bully with powerful parents, she’s doing the long walk of shame home to the coast and hoping she can beat the dean’s letter to her father’s house. Then she nearly gets run down in the lane by a rider in green, with arrows sticking out of his back. You know. Typical Tuesday.

The rider is one of the royal Green Riders, magically gifted legendary messengers to the king. The message the rider carries is life and death, and he makes Karigan swear that she will take his sword, his rider’s pin, and his horse and deliver the message to the King. What seems like a straightforward promise to a dying man throws Karigan’s whole world into chaos. Soon she’s riding hellbent for the capitol, pursued by assassins and an even deadlier man in grey whose purpose is far more sinister than she can guess and threatens the future of all of Sacoridia.

Like many fantasy series, Britain’s Green Rider series has been a long time in production. The titular novel originally came out in 1998, and the most recent novel, Winterlight, will be out this September. Each of the books clocks in at over 400 pages (the most recent installment was a whopping 800+ pages), so tackling the whole series can be a bit of a time commitment. But if you’ve been looking for a new fantasy series to tackle there are currently six books published, and if you are a fan of high fantasy series with detailed world building, an endearing cast of characters, plenty of action, and a splash of romance (so much pining – this series is defined by its romantic pining), there is no series I’d be happier to recommend!

Go forth and read!

Jessica

Read This Book

Read This Book…

Post author By Patricia Elzie
Post date April 5, 2021

Sponsored by The Vines by Shelley Nolden.

In the shadows of New York City lies the abandoned, forbidden North Brother Island, where the remains of a shuttered hospital hide the haunting memories of quarantines and human experiments. The ruins conceal the scarred and beautiful Cora, imprisoned there by contagions and the doctors who torment her. When Finn, a young urban explorer, arrives on the island and glimpses this enigmatic woman through the foliage, intrigue turns to obsession as he seeks to uncover her past–and his own family’s dark secrets.

Today’s pick is the one book I recommend to every adult any time I get a chance to recommend a book. It came out in 2019 and I quickly made it one of my annual rereads. I’ve bought multiple copies as gifts and own two physical copies myself so even if I loan one out, I always have access to a copy.

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D. and Amelia Nagoski, DMA

Though the focus of this book is women of all types, I stand by my recommendation for all adults regardless of gender. Burnout, that is, prolonged physical, mental, and/or emotional stress is something with which many of us are all too familiar. Maybe even more so since the current pandemic began.

This book is not going to tell you that the cure for burnout is to have a gratitude journal or color in an adult coloring book or even to do something that is likely not possible, like work less, change jobs, leave your family, etc. Instead, the book is filled with an exploration of why we suffer from burnout and research-based suggestions for what to do about the stress when we can’t necessarily get rid of the stressors. Even if we do get rid of the stressor, we still have to find ways to get rid of the stress itself otherwise it builds up and voila! Burnout.

While exercise is definitely at the top of the list of ways to alleviate stress (thanks, I hate it), they offer other ways to complete the stress cycle as well. That being said, their argument for exercise includes details on how moving our bodies can help reduce the stress cycle and it is so darn compelling that I ended up buying an exercise bike after reading this book. Much to my chagrin, the authors are right.

I don’t know about you, but I’m hyper-critical of books in the self-improvement genre so I’m still surprised at how much I love this book. The wealth of citations and robust bibliography are enough to make me swoon. It’s conversational and has relatable anecdotes that help readers feel optimistic about managing stress. Bonus, it’s also excellent on audiobook!

That’s it for now, book lovers!

Patricia

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Read This Book

[3/31] Read This Book: THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF BEES by Rachel Linden

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date March 30, 2021

Sponsored by Flatiron Books, publisher of Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia.

A sweeping, masterful debut about a daughter’s fateful choice, a mother motivated by her own past, and a family legacy that begins in Cuba before either of them were born. Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia is a powerful novel from an incredible new talent.

Welcome to Read This Book, the newsletter where I recommend a book you should add to your TBR, STAT! I stan variety in all things, and my book recommendations will be no exception. These must-read books will span genres and age groups. There will be new releases, oldie but goldies from the backlist, and the classics you may have missed in high school. Oh my! If you’re ready to diversify your books, then LEGGO!!

Sometimes we need an easy book to read whether it’s to recover from an emotionally demanding tome or to get out of a reading rut. Today’s reading recommendation is just that.

The Enlightenment of Bees by Rachel Linden

At 26, Mia West has her entire future planned until Mia’s boyfriend Ethan breaks up with her after six years of dating. Although devastated, Mia is determined to find new meaning in her life. Guided by a recurring dream of honeybees, Mia decides to join her roommate and best friend Rosie on an around-the-world humanitarian trip.

Honestly speaking, I shouldn’t have enjoyed The Enlightenment of Bees because I was totally bookfished by it! As you can see, the cover is absolutely gorgeous, so there is no way I could not be intrigued by a book with such an Instagram-worthy cover, right?! Unfortunately, I am promised a story where bees play a central role, but that is not this story, and that doesn’t meet my expectations. However, this did not keep me from enjoying this book. I actually really enjoyed The Enlightenment of Bees.

Despite being disappointed by the lack of bees, I liked that The Enlightenment of Bees reminded me of other books I’ve read in the past. The traumatic end to Mia’s relationship followed by a humanitarian trip across the globe gave me serious Eat Pray Love vibes. Surprisingly, Mia’s constant reference to Saint Mia reminded me of Anastasia Steele and her Inner Goddess. Most importantly, the overall story is on par with all the feel-good literary rom-coms I’ve experienced recently.

The Enlightenment of Bees was not a book I would have sought out on my own, but I’m glad it entered my orbit. This may not be the must-read book for bee enthusiasts, but it’s a great book to read if you are looking for a light read with a little romance and a dash of “finding your path in life” introspection.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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[3/29] Read This Book: THE JOY LUCK CLUB by Amy Tan

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date March 29, 2021

Sponsored by Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo with Fierce Reads.

The wolves are circling and a young king will face his greatest challenge in the explosive finale of the instant #1 New York Times–bestselling King of Scars Duology.

There is a definitely a reason why when you hear the name Amy Tan, you immediately think about The Joy Luck Club. If you don’t, then that is a problem. The novel has become a literary classic! While I can usually take or leave many of the classics written by dead white guys, The Joy Luck Club is a must-read book.

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Four women who recently immigrated to San Francisco meet weekly to play mahjong and share stories of their previous life in China. United by their past loss and new hope for their daughters’ futures, they call themselves the Joy Luck Club. Although they freely share stories with each other, their daughters have never heard these stories. In fact, the daughters find their mothers’ advice to be irrelevant until their own crises reveal just how much of their mothers’ past they have inherited.

What I really love about The Joy Luck Club is how grand it feels, like reading a classic novel, while still reading like contemporary fiction. The other part that makes it a favorite is the story’s focus on mother-daughter relationships. The novel doesn’t just focus on their current relationship. We get to read pivotal moments in the mothers’ pasts that heavily influenced how they interact with their daughters. These moments help us see the similarities between mother and daughter that take them nearly a lifetime to see in one another.

I enjoyed An-Mei and Lindo’s stories the most because I always love reading about women who have enough wit and smarts to get themselves out of a bad situation. After knowing the sacrifices made by the mothers, I have to admit the daughters’ problems seem so insignificant. However, I still did relate to An-Mei’s daughter Rose and her desire for perfection in everything as well as Lindo’s daughter Waverly who is intelligent, independent, and in constant fear of disappointing her mother.

Unlike the first pancake, Amy Tan’s first novel was a runaway success. Instead of six weeks on the bookshelf and a lifetime in the shredder, The Joy Luck Club has been enchanting readers for over 30 years. I am one of those people. After reading this epic tale about the joys and pains of the mother and daughter bond, you will hopefully not only become another enchanted reader, but you will also add more Amy Tan books to that never ending TBR pile.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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[3/24] Read This Book: THE HOUSE OF MIRTH by Edith Wharton

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date March 23, 2021

Sponsored by the Oni Lion Forge Publishing Group

Marjorie Glatt’s life hasn’t been the same ever since she discovered ghosts hiding in her family’s laundromat. Now in the eighth grade and finally fitting in at school, Marjorie begins to distance herself from her ghost friend Wendell. Wendell isn’t the only one pushed to the outside, though. Marjorie’s classmate, Eliza Duncan, is beginning to feel like a ghost herself. Is Marjorie’s newfound popularity worth excluding both Wendell and Eliza? Following the events of Brenna Thummler’s first graphic novel, Sheets, Delicates tells a powerful story about the importance of being seen and bringing light to those who need it most.

There is only a week left in Women’s History Month 2021. If you are looking for another book written by a woman to read, then you have come to the right place, friend. If you are looking for some classic American literature, then today’s newsletter is dedicated to you.

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

Lily Bart is a beautiful, witty, and sophisticated socialite. However, as she nears thirty and remains unmarried, Lily’s foothold within high New York society becomes precarious. She needs a husband to preserve her social standing and maintain her expensive tastes, but something seems to prevent Lily from making a “suitable” match.

Sometimes when I read classics, the story just feels old and dated. Reading The House of Mirth was the total opposite experience. It was interesting and enlightening to read a story that was published in the early 20th century that felt like it could have taken place nearly a century later. At the age of 29, Lily Bart is beautiful, but is also well beyond prime marrying age. Unfortunately for her and the times in which she lives, marrying for love, money, and status was nearly impossible. With all that, there is definitely no way for Lily to free herself from the rules and regulations of New York society.

What really makes The House of Mirth such an excellent read is Lily Bart herself. Despite being sympathetic to Lily’s desire for independence from society’s expectations, I couldn’t believe all the precarious predicaments she allowed herself to fall into. There were so many times where I had to stop reading because of the second-hand embarrassment I felt for Lily. I just wanted to shake her and tell her to get it together, but no matter what anyone said, Lily Bart was going to make her way through New York society on her own terms. However, that’s also what made me go right back to the book as soon as possible. The House of Mirth is full of juicy drama that gives serious Gossip Girl vibes. XOXO

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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[3/22] Read This Book: RED ON A ROSE by Patricia Jones

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date March 22, 2021

Red on a Rose by Patricia Jones

Lila has come a long way. She is no longer under her stepmother’s controlling thumb, and she is happily married to cardiac surgeon Jack Calloway. When Lila is not visiting her elderly in-laws or running her online reading program for children, Lila is constantly thinking about motherhood. However, one split decision on a typical Saturday afternoon challenges Lila’s moral code and threatens the idyllic life Jack and Lila have built.

Despite my springtime connotations, Red on a Rose isn’t really an easy breezy read. In addition to the conflict that is bound to arise in marriage, this story has the added element of racism and colorism. Although those elements are essential aspects of the story, they play second fiddle to Lila and her self-righteous antics. For most of her life, Lila has been sheltered, and it’s not until the day when her rose-colored glasses are knocked off her face that she really begins to see life as it really is and not what she thinks it should be.

In some ways, Red on a Rose reminds me of An American Marriage. Both stories center on young Black newlyweds who experience a traumatic event that alters their relationship. Unlike Tayari Jones, Patricia Jones only really shares Lila’s perspective on the matter, which may be unsatisfying for some readers. However, if you’re a reader looking for growth and redemption from an unsympathetic character, then you look no further than Red on a Rose. Overall, I enjoyed Lila’s journey of discovering the grey lingering within her black and white moral code.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book: The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date March 18, 2021

Sponsored by Avid Reader Press, publisher of Infinite Country by Patricia Engel.

In Infinite Country, acclaimed author and daughter of Colombian immigrants Patricia Engel tells the story of a Colombian family fractured by immigration and deportation over the span of 20 years. The novel inhabits the voices of five family members, parents Elena and Mauro and their three children Karina, Nando, and Talia, who are each living a different aspect of the kaleidoscopic migratory existence. At its core, Infinite Country is story about how family bonds endure across space and time, and how love transcends borders and our darkest moments. The Reese Witherspoon book club pick for March, Infinite Country by Patricia Engel is available now in bookstore and online.

Welcome to Read This Book, a newsletter where I recommend one book that I think you absolutely must read. The books will vary across genre and age category to include new releases, backlist titles, and classics. If you’re ready to explode your TBR, buckle up!

Today’s pick is a thriller that had me going “WTF?!” in the best way possible, but just a heads up: There’s discussion of animal harm, child neglect, and drug use.

The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis

Seven years ago, Tress Montor’s parents disappeared, and she was dumped on the doorstep of her neglectful grandfather, who runs a not-entirely-legal “zoo” of dangerous creatures that have no business living in their small Midwestern town. Tress burns to know what happened that night, and knows that one person might be able to tell her: her former best friend, Felicity Turnado. Tress’s parents were driving Felicity home when they disappeared, but Felicity claims to not have any memory of what happened to them. Seven years have passed, and when Tress is finally pushed to her limit, she decides that she’ll make Felicity talk…by bricking her up in a coal chute of an abandoned house in the woods while a Halloween party rages on. Tress figures if she can’t scare Felicity into telling the truth, then at least she’ll have revenge.

For those astute readers, yes, this book is a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” and the Poe references abound in this book, which is the first in a planned duology. It’s rather remarkable how the plots, themes, and imagery of Poe’s most famous short stories translate so well to a YA thriller set in the rural Midwest, where poverty and class play a major role in the power dynamics. I was immediately drawn in by the mystery of where Tress’s parents could have gone, but I stayed for the fascinating dual POV and back and forth between Tress and Felicity, whose one-time friendship gave them a strong bond but is now broken, and who both remember and view different events throughout their lives in markedly different ways. We see that even though they’re very different, even though they both have turned to very different vices and survival tools, they’re both motivated by shame and fear, but an inability to voice that shame and fear has set them on a memorable collision course. This almost felt like a will-they-or-won’t-they friendship story where I wanted desperately for them to make up and repair their relationship, but McGinnis leaves you hanging…and I mean that most sincerely, because this book has a true cliffhanger ending.

I know that this might not be a book for everyone (especially for those readers who will want to wait until book two comes out next year and not endure months of waiting!), but I was utterly engrossed by the darkness of the story, the resilience of the characters, and the compelling writing.

Bonus: The audiobook is extra great!

Happy reading!
Tirzah

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Read This Book

[3/17] Read This Book: THE JANE AND BERTHA IN ME by Rita Maria Martinez

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date March 16, 2021

The Jane and Bertha in Me by Rita Maria Martinez

Through nearly two dozen poems, The Jane and Bertha in Me is a witty and haunting revisionist homage of Jane Eyre from Thornfield Hall to the world of tattoos.

What I enjoyed most about The Jane and Bertha in Me is how accessible it makes poetry. I didn’t feel like I needed a degree in poetry to truly understand the words on the page. After reading Martinez’s vivid interpretation and reimagination of not only the major players of Jane Eyre, but Charlotte Brontë herself, I feel like poetry is not the untouchable medium I presumed it to be.

I most appreciated the poems with a modern interpretation of Jane Eyre because it reminded me of the timeless nature of the story. I also loved how these poems center the experiences of women in a way that delves beyond the surface level of Bertha as the “wild madwoman,” and Jane as the “good girl.” Martinez shows there is more than one side to both women. There is righteous rage simmering within Jane through “Jane Addresses Edward” and “Letter to Edward” just like “Letter to Bertha” shows the delicate (and possibly forgotten) beauty within Bertha.

The Jane and Bertha in Me is the perfect book to read if Jane Eyre is one of your favorite books because these poems will provide a unique experience of the story. However, you don’t need to be a Brontëite to enjoy these poems.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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[3/15] Read This Book: THE GIVER by Lois Lowry

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date March 15, 2021

Sponsored by Satellite Love: A Novel by Genki Ferguson.

In 1999 Japan, sixteen-year-old Anna looks to the stars for solace. An outcast at school, and left to fend for herself and care for her increasingly erratic grandfather at home, Anna copes with her loneliness by searching the night sky for answers. But everything changes the evening she finds the Low-Earth Orbit satellite (LEO for short) arcing high above – returning her gaze and seeing her as no one else has before. Satellite Love is a spellbinding novel about a girl, a boy, and a satellite – and an unforgettable story about the yearning for meaning and connection, and the lengths we’ll go to find a place to belong.

The weekend feels like it’s in the distance, but there is plenty to look forward to because a literary giant is celebrating a birthday soon. Lois Lowry, born Lois Ann Hammersberg, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on March 20, 1937. There isn’t a book nerd among us who hasn’t been touched by Lois Lowry. I read both Number the Stars and The Giver in school, but I didn’t really realize how powerful of a book The Giver was until I read it again as an adult.

Without a doubt, Lois Lowry is the godmother of the YA dystopian novel. The Giver walked so The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, Divergent, and others could run. It’s passed the time for us to put respect on Lois Lowry’s name by revisiting the book that continues to be mandatory reading in school curricula despite being on the list of frequently challenged books.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Twelve-year-old Jonas lives in an ideal world of contentment and conformity. When he receives the life assignment of Receiver of Memory, Jonas begins to understand the dark and complex secrets lurking within his colorless and fragile community.

One of the startling standouts when I read The Giver as an adult is just how young 12 is within one’s life span. I could not imagine having the career I will have for the rest of my life decided at such a young age. In Jonas’ case, his life’s work is much too much for one person to handle. The Giver is smart, emotional, and thought-provoking. It is a book that expertly tells a story through the eyes of a young person (without talking down to its target audience) that is engaging to readers of all ages. It’s rare for a book I read in middle school to still capture my attention as an adult, but The Giver does just that.

If you haven’t read The Giver since it was assigned to you in school, then you should revisit it the next time you are in the mood for a dystopian novel. You are bound to see elements in the story that flew over your young mind. Plus, this time around, you can give it the true dystopian series treatment by reading the entire Giver Quartet. Just stay far away from the adaptation. It may be the worst adaptation of all time.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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