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January has come and gone and I have read 8 books in the new year. Last year I did not track my stats by month. I am interested in seeing how much reading I'll get done over summer break.
Genres:
Contemporary Fiction with a Romance Subplot
Dystopian/Horror
Poetry Collections - 2
Poetry Anthology
Science Fiction
Thriller
Weird Lit
Literature in Translation:
Out of those 8 books, 1 was translated from Spanish.
This will always be a space where I support authors and focus on the positives. It's unrealistic to expect every book I read to be a 10/10, however, I love that with most of my reads, I can find quotes I like. In the next section, I've highlighted quotes that stood out to me from each text.
The final section will expand on my favorite read of the month. Even though I may not focus further on a book after sharing quotes, that does not mean you won't like it or that I didn't either! Don't be afraid to try new reads. My process for this blog will involve narrowing down an honorable mention and favorite for each month.
Quotes:
One thing I love about e-readers? Favorite quotes are easy to go back and view. I can't always bring myself to highlight my physical copies.
Contemporary Fiction with a Romance Subplot:
I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue
"More lifeless eyes seem to pull toward me from each cubicle I pass. I curl my arms around myself, to limit how much I'm perceived. I catch my reflection in a glass door and jolt at my frizzy brown hair and puffy eyes. I may be entitled to compensation for that."
Dystopian/Horror:
Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazerrica, Translated from Spanish by Sarah Moses.
Note: It may seem redundant to call a dystopian novel horror, but the label fits here. The horror aspect was ultimately too much for me, but it was like a train wreck, and I could not look away. I felt sick and sad after, which I understand helped aid the message and purpose. Moral of my story: Check any trigger warnings before exploring this text.
"Time stifles in this place. The hours and seconds stick to the skin, pierce it. Better to ignore its passing, though that's not always possible."
Poetry Collections:
Poems from the Dark by Nightbirde (Links directly to the Nightbirde Foundation.)
"Somewhere deep, I know all of the chaos and questions will find their place / I know the answers are looking for me / One day, they’ll see me from afar and run to me / Like first graders off the school bus, braids bouncing in the sun"
What We Buried by Caitlyn Siehl
Note: I read the second edition of this book which came out in 2018. Fun Fact: I saw a quote from this book on Tumblr and then immediately got the e-book and read it. TBR be darned!
"I peel fruit and it is exactly like saying your name, so I don’t wash my hands and I touch you until we both smell like tangerines."
Poetry Anthology:
The Best American Poetry 2024 Edited by David Lehman, Guest Editor: Mary Jo Salter
This was my first time reading a collection of this sort, but don't get me wrong, you're going to find some of the best poetry you've ever read in indie literary magazines. Don't forget about the small but mighty presses!
Since this is an anthology, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the pieces that stood out to me among the 75 curated. (Though, I admired something about each piece.) Listed in order of appearance:
- Amenorrhea by Julia Alvarez
- Sithens in a net by April Bernard
- The Deer by Ama Codjoe
- The Monet Conundrum by Billy Collins
- A Message from Tony Hoagland by Jeffery Harrison
- Panda's Grove by W.J. Herbert
- Japan by Eve Jones
- In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa by Ada Limón
- What's Unsaid by Maya Popa
From Mary Jo Salter's Introduction: "Let's read the poems by other people that make us feel alive. Let's do it simply because we are human."
With my list above of admired work, it was hard to pick just one quote from this anthology, but I've landed on a line from April Bernard's Sithens in a net, "and sunset was sunset because you said / "Look at that!" to someone you loved."
Science Fiction:
Meet Me in Another Life by Catriona Silvey
Read this book and then contact me immediately. I'm still equal parts in awe of the story and fired up by the ending.
"She wonders when she consented to have a spear driven into her chest, on the understanding that the wound would stay open forever: that through the whole procedure, she would remain impossibly alive."
Thriller:
The Vacancy in Room 10 by Serephina Nova Glass
A variety of interesting characters with a unique setting.
"That life is so far away it’s like it never happened—like leftover wisps of a dream you try to hold on to and remember when you wake up, but they float through your fingers."
Weird Lit:
Night of the Mannequins by Steven Graham Jones
This book was different than what I expected it to be and it seems many other Goodreads reviewers agreed with me. Some horror aspects. This author has a unique voice and writing style.
"We had the story of what almost was, didn't we? That's worth nearly as much, if you tell it right."
Note: I read this on the library app Hoopla and have now learned that Hoopla does not save highlights after you return a book. I'll be reviewing library apps later this year. Always remember me as the woman who sacrificed a monthly checkout for this blog.
Honorable Mention:
Poems for the Dark by Nightbirde (This link takes you directly to the Nightbirde Foundation website.
For full transparency: I received a free copy of this e-book, but did send a donation to the Nighbirde Foundation.
Nightbirde became well known and loved by the public after her America's Got Talent audition.
Unfortunately, Nightbirde passed away in 2022 from cancer. Her poetry collection was published posthumously.
This is a collection of inspirational musings full of creativity and hope, despite life's valleys. Beautiful illustrations are featured as well. This is definitely a collection I will return to. Go buy yourself a copy via Nightbirde Foundation! "100% of the proceeds from this book go towards supporting the Nightbirde Foundation and helping bring Gifts of Hope to women walking through cancer."
Favorite Read of January:
I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue is a great debut. I'll be keeping my eye out for more from this author. An interesting and fresh concept; a woman accidently gains access to her colleagues' emails and direct messages. I admired the use of language in descriptions.
This book is marketed as a "wildly funny and heartwarming office comedy," which I disagree with. The situation our protagonist finds herself in is caused by a humorous coping method. The story does start out light-hearted, however, Jolene also deals with anxiety, rejection, loss, and guilt. Though her situation is unique, interesting, and probably makes you wonder about the emails your colleagues send, I did not find humor present within other complex emotions in the story. Don't worry, there are sweet moments as well, along with a romance subplot.
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