WELL. I read ALL the books this November thanks to a bit of time in furlough status at work, some cozy winter weather that absolutely called for DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) time, some time off for Thanksgiving and some incredibly compelling books I could not put down.
This month’s highlights include a moving immigration memoir, an absolutely MIND-BENDINGLY INSANE sci-fi thriller (we stan Blake Crouch in this household), a scathing sociopolitical commentary, and a few other recommended novels.
(As a reminder: I always track my reading on Goodreads.)
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Solito by Javier Zamora
Recommend
An immediate five-star read for me. “Solito” chronicles the harrowing immigration journey of 9-year-old Javier Zamora, from his hometown — a small fishing village in El Salvador — to the United States, where he plans to join his parents who immigrated so long ago, he has no memory of them. Javier’s two week journey stretched into nine weeks with unexpected harrowing encounters every other page. Javier is an incredibly gifted writer and this book will sit with me for a long, long time.
Recursion by Blake Crouch
Recommend
Another immediate five-star read. Three word review: WHAT THE FUCK. I read Crouch’s “Dark Matter” a few years ago (and made it my entire personality) and I finally got around to reading “Recursion” and… WHAT THE FUCK. This book is just as mind-bendingly insane (and just as good) as Dark Matter. I thought the writing in Recursion was a lot better than the writing in Dark Matter, and I loved having the narrative told from dual timelines/dual perspectives. I plan on reading more Blake Crouch in the future, as soon as my brain recovers from this one.
The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso
Recommend
This one was BEAUTIFUL… up until the end. Told in two timelines, “The Book of Lost Hours” weaves together the story of Lisavet, an 11-year-old German Jew on the night of Kristallnacht, and Amelia, a misguided teen reeling from the loss of her beloved uncle during Cold War America. Both women are connected via the time space, a realm where memories are stored, remembered and forgotten. This book sucked me in, and I loved the world-building centered around the time space. But for everything I loved — the sheer creativity of the book, complete characters, an absolutely epic love story, plot turns that made sense, a respectful pacing — I just did not enjoy the ending, which felt way too rushed and pieced together and forced.
Maame by Jessica George
Recommend
This is a beautiful coming-of-age story about 25-year-old Maddie, who bears the burden of serving as a caretaker for her ill father and an emotional punching bag for her overbearing and absent mother. It’s so easy to cheer for Maddie, who’s instantly lovable and relatable as she pursues her independence amid heartbreak and tragedy. I loved the subtle triumphs that Maddie experiences and the ending of this book made me tear up a bit.
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad
Recommend
This sociopolitical commentary, penned by an Egyptian-Canadian journalist, is a “heartsick breakup letter with the West.” It weaves together El Akkad’s personal narrative of what it’s like to grow up Brown in the west, his scathing criticism of the west’s failure to act on the ongoing Palestinian genocide, and his moral condemnation of modern liberal politics. It’s a bit all-over-the-place, but I found myself wanting to underline and/or highlight passage after passage (unfortunately, I borrowed a library copy) and you can feel El Akkad’s emotions bleeding into the pages.
Home of the American Circus by Allison Larkin
Recommend
This is a slow-burn, character-driven family drama. The first half of the book was very, very slow, but the second half picked up quite a bit. The book is set in Somers, New York, the birthplace of the American Circus. The character-focused story is mixed with a narrative about American Circus history, which I think felt a little disjointed, and while I loved parts of the ending, I do wish it included a bit more resolution. But overall, every character was flawed, believable and lovable, and I devoured this book.
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Recommend
This romance was definitely verging on cheesy at a few points, but it was still an enjoyable read. I typically don’t go for romance books because there are only so many formulaic plots that authors can follow (and I don’t particularly care for romance novels that are 80% smut) but I actually really liked this one despite the predictable plot! All the characters were likable, and it wasn’t too smut-heavy.
The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza
Recommend
While I didn’t love the present-day main character (or any of the characters, really), I adored the Sicilian setting of this murder mystery and the strong feminist undertones. I liked the historical facts about Sicily that were sprinkled throughout the book, but I didn’t really love how the solution to the murder mystery was revealed- it was definitely far-fetched and rushed.
The Next Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
Don’t recommend
This book is the sequel to “The Last Mrs. Parrish,” which really did not need a sequel. The plot is so far-fetched and requires a complete suspension of reality to believe anything that happens. With that said, at no point did I guess where the plot would go, so I did read this entire eye roll-inducing book in like, a day, cringing the entire way.
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