I LOVED A Good Neighborhood!!! I was immediately drawn in by the characters and the setting and from there I couldn't put it down. It was told from the point of view of the neighborhood and was kind of a "Romeo and Juliet" story with some dark twists. I will say that the ending was NOT at all what I was expecting and wasn't at all the neat and tidy "happy ending" I thought it was going to be but I think that's what set it apart as well. It was thought-provoking and unsettling and I really enjoyed it.
I LOOOOVE a good family saga and The Dutch House is definitely that. It wasn't particularly page-turning but I definitely fell in love with the characters and really enjoyed how the book went back and forth from past to present and carried the stories from beginning to end. If you're looking for a big climactic ending this one may not be for you but if you enjoy following characters through the years and really delving into families add this to your list.
Human(Kind) was one of my favorite recent reads. The chapters are each an essay revolving around a story from Ashlee's past (reminded me of Everybody Always) growing up and feeling like the "token black girl" in some situations and "whitewashed" black girl in others. She is an incredible story teller and made me feel like I was right there with her even though my experiences growing up were much different from hers. Each story brought to light an experience she had in a really thoughtful way with radical kindness as the thread tying them all together. It made me smile, cry, get angry and really put kindness at the forefront of my thoughts. It was wonderful.
American Dirt had me hooked from the very first page. I started it late one night and couldn't put it down. It's a fictional story of a mother and son fleeing the cartel in Mexico and it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was gripping, emotional, eye opening and is a book I'll be thinking about for a long long time.
I'm currently reading The Guest List and really enjoying it...
... and have heart great things about Modern Parents Vintage Values and just ordered a hard copy on Amazon this week.
I'd love to know what you've been reading lately! Let me know in the comments :)
PS - this post contained affiliate links... thank you so much for reading and supporting my blog!
I recently read The Other Mrs by Mary Kubica and loved it! If you like suspense/thrillers you should add it to your list!
ReplyDeleteI've recently read "Giddy Up, Eunice" and "Stand All the Way Up" (both by Sophie Hudson) and I can't recommend them enough! So good!
ReplyDeleteI'm anxious to see if my library has some of the ones you've mentioned.
I loved THE LAST FLIGHT. A great thriller that has you guessing
ReplyDeleteOur reading lists look almost identical-ha! I recently also loved The Editor and am waiting on Dear Edward, American Dirt, and Majesty from the library.
ReplyDeleteThe first 26 pages or so of American Dirt are some of the most well written I have ever read. That "crime" scene made me feel like I was there. I can't quit thinking about what a fantastic job the author did there. Excited about The Guest List.
ReplyDeleteI loved American Dirt, also. I just finished The Precious One by Marisa de los Santos and oh my word, so beautiful! Her "Love Walked In" trilogy is also amazing.
ReplyDeleteHave you read, The Hate U Give? I'm reading it now. I know it has great reviews, but the language....it is classified as youth and young adult. Would you let Luke read it? I keep contemplating putting it down, but so far, I haven't.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you read lots of great books this month!
ReplyDeleteI loved American Dirt! I couldn't put it down. I think it would make a great movie. I tried Alaska Wild but couldn't get in to it so returned it early. I don't keep reading books that don't draw me in from the beginning. a dear librarian friend of mine told me once that its ok to not like every book you pick up and if it doesn't capture your interest then stop reading!
ReplyDeleteA historical fiction I’ve loved lately is Fountains of Silence. Takes place in Spain in 1950s under dictatorship rule. There is actually a TX connection - you may like! I also recently read The Gifted School, which was a good novel.
ReplyDeleteIn Five Years is one I have recommended a lot this year....not what you think. My sister immediately said, “is this like What Alice Forgot” - still one of my all-time favorites - but NO. At least for me, it wasn’t what I expected and I liked how true the characters seemed to be to who you would encounter in your friend group.
ReplyDeleteI’m currently reading Demi Moore’s Inside Out....it almost seems like fiction but it’s not, which is pretty eye-opening.
Because of this post and the comments I have now filled up my “holds” section on my library app!