I didn’t have much time to blog this month, and I kept my reading pretty light. I loved Less is Lost, which was a funny, moving and clever sequel to the excellent Less. In this book, Arthur takes a road trip as he tries to earn money to save his home for his beloved Freddy Pelu.
I continue to love Mhairi McFarlane’s books, and Mad About You was no exception. McFarlane’s books are romances that explore much deeper issues, where the romance almost in the background. I’d recommend her to people who aren’t romance readers, and I’d also recommend her to fans of Beth O’Leary (though McFarlane’s books are a little heavier).
Lone Women, which I’ll be reviewing soon, was excellent. It combines classic horror with historical fiction about women and people of color on the Montana frontier in the early 1900’s.
Witchy romances are kind of a thing right now, and if you’re looking for something lighter and feel-good (in the vein of TJ Klune and Travis Baldree), I recommend The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. I don’t love books that are cute, but I seem to be leaning more in that direction these days, and this one was clever and fun without being too sappy.
Here’s what I read this month:
- Less is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer (audio)
- Pod by Laline Paull
- South to America by Imani Perry (audio/ebook)
- Not Your Ex’s Hexes by April Asher (audio)
- Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane (audio)
- The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
- The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (audio)
- Lone Women by Victor LaValle
Disappointing reads:
I thought I’d love South to America, one of the most critically acclaimed nonfiction releases of last year. The book is an exploration of racism in the American South, and while I was fascinated by the history, I felt the author jumped around a lot from topic to topic and that didn’t resonate with me as much as something more focused, like Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste. I did like the way the author interspersed her own history and experiences with the broader historical context, but much of it felt disjointed. I would have preferred if the author had either focused more on the “road trip” aspect of the book or more on the history, rather than mixing a lot of things together. Still, it’s a very worthwhile topic and that’s just my opinion.
On the blog:
I reviewed Pod and What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez, and discussed the Women’s Prize longlist.
Books for challenges:
- TBR Pile/Backlist Reader: The Fountains of Silence
- Nonfiction: South to America
- Nature/Environment: Pod
- Reading Around the World: The Fountains of Silence
What I’m reading now:
Memphis by Tara Stringfellow (from the Women’s Prize longlist) and Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake.
What’s coming up:
I have two ARCs to read in April, Justice is Served by Leslie Karst, a memoir about law, cooking and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and In the Lives of Puppets, the latest by TJ Klune.
Added to my TBR:
I picked up a bunch of books from my library book sale, including The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce and Exposure by Helen Dunmore. I also added many of the books on the Women’s Prize longlist, including The Dog of the North by Elizabeth McKenzie (I loved The Portable Veblen).
April will be a busy, stressful month, but at least it’s gorgeous out and everything is blooming. I’m looking forward to getting into my garden and the return of farmer’s market.
Hope you’re reading something good!
