Hey reader fam!
Lately, I’ve been setting books down and abandoning them as frequently as I have been devouring them during my evening reading sessions. I’ve been in a particular reading mood and haven’t figured out exactly what I need.
Let’s start off this week’s newsletter by talking about what I read recently.
Recent Reads
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal: A comfort read through and through, this was just such a wonderful book. I loved that this story shared the life of one individual, through the lenses of many people who have crossed her path. In the end, all of these character’s lives and stories weave together and connect, and as a reader this was the most delightful experience. This book will make you hungry for apple orchards, fishing for your dinner, and a really fresh batch of corn succotash. Buy yourself a copy on Bookshop.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi: I feel very accomplished having finally read this popular 2020 book release from a very beloved author. This story was heartbreaking, and is told with unique writing structure. Despite everything that this book accomplished in its themes of finding meaning in life, assimilation, familial trauma, and wrestling with grief, I still found something missing in my reading experience. It’s a fairly short novel, and although the main protagonist, Gifty, was a fully formed character, I wish the narrative had offered us more time with her experiences. Buy yourself a copy on Bookshop.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah: I started reading this one as an e-ARC (ARC = Advanced Readers Copy), and then halfway through started tandem listening to the e-book with the audio. There were so many edits made to the galley I was reading! So, I feel like my rating isn’t balanced. The first half felt really rough (and I think it was!), and then when I started listening to the final copy, I enjoyed it a lot more. Kristin Hannah has never been my favorite writer. She’s fairly commercial. But, her stories are so propulsive and compelling. This was probably the most depressing of her books (that I have read), as it follows a family throuh the Dust Bowl era and the migration crisis in California during the Great Depression. Although this wasn’t a 5 star book, I will continue to read Hannah’s books becuase of the way they stir up my emotions. I can’t help it! Buy yourself a copy on Bookshop.
What I’m reading now
Honestly, great question.
I’ve picked up and put down so many titles over the last week, and am feeling a bit lost!
I tried picking up Hamnet earlier in the week, and had to set it down for now. It was very demanding, and I am in a mental and emotional space where I need something less needy of my full attention.
I think I’ve settled on a couple of books within the last couple of days, but have been reading them slowly.
Girl A by Abigail Dean: My current audiobook! So far it’s setting up a mysterious and suspenseful story, and is managing to hold my attention while I’m listening. Girl A is a psychologically immersive novel about a young girl who escapes captivity - but not the secrets that shadow the rest of her life. It has been pitched as a great book for lovers of Sharp Objects and Room, and I did enjoy both of those novels. We will see if I agree with those comparisons! Buy yourself a copy on Bookshop.
We Run the Tides by Vendela Vida: This book was sent to me as an ARC, but is now a new release from Ecco (an imprint of Harper Collins). I’m getting to it now! It’s a beautifully written story about female friendship and the mysterious disappearace of a young girl, set in the changing landscape of 1980’s San Francisco. I hope I continue to enjoy it! Buy yourself a copy on Bookshop.
Thoughts on star ratings
Lately I’ve been having a hard time star rating my books based off the Goodreads 5 star rating system. I used to give my husband a hard time about his own rating system, which is essentially a 3 star system: Really Enjoyed, It Was Fine, and Didn’t Like. Recently, I’ve decided this is the simplicity that I need with my reading life.
Becuase this isn’t a well known rating system, and I’m not in the business of creating my own systems, I just haven’t been rating my books! But I might start incporporating those simpler ratings into my newsletter reading updates. Who knows, maybe I’ll talk about this on my Instagram page soon, too. People have strong opinions about the 5 star rating system, so we will see when I want to tackle that subject more publicly.
Have a great weekend everyone!
I hope you all enjoy a cuppa of something warm and comforting this lovely Spring weekend, and read a good book or two!
Xx
-H