I read 22 books this month!! MADNESS! I read a lot of amazing romances and wonderful graphic novels this month, resulting in many five-star reads!!
Books I Generally Enjoyed (Solid 4 Stars)
On Writing by Stephen King
I sadly didn’t love this one as much as I had hoped, but overall this was a really great book. It was part memoir and part writing advice. I learned a lot about Stephen King (or at least early 2000’s Stephen King), and a lot of tips on writing.
Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
LET ME BE CLEAR: The Romance?? 5 Stars. However, I had a lot of issues with the characters. The main character, Pepper, was really overly competitive about grades to the point that it felt a little over the top and out of character. Also what goes on between Pepper and Jack’s parents…felt like a really odd news. Overall, it was a 3.5-4 star for me.
The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert
This was really cute and featured a cat, so how could I not love it? The romance was a little rushed, but you kind of half to suspend your belief for one-day stories I loved that both the characters had depth without making the entire book backstory.
Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper
This reminded me a lot of Austin Channing Brown’s book, I’m Still Here. Although I read it for class, it was still a really fun book to read. I really love the way that Cooper invites people into feminism and to examine the nuances of racism and misogyny in our society, and the impacts of all those things culminate to when it comes to the effect (and affect) on Black women.
How to be Fine: What We Learned from Living by the Rules of 50 Self-Help Books by Jolenta Greenberg and Kristen Meinzer
This was a great book that made me never want to pick up a self-help book ever again. I really liked that Jolenta & Kristen were unafraid to call out that most self-help authors have (A) a lot of privilege and (B) an assumption that everyone else wants their life to be exactly like the authors. They de-bunked some of those common, not-so-helpful advice, and brought forward their own tips. I really enjoyed hearing their commentary and opinions as intersectional feminists.
Running by Natalia Sylvester
4.5 Stars!! I’m usually not a huge fan of young-YA, but this was a really fun powerful story about finding your voice and explored family relationships, while also touching on racism, anti-immigration, and homophobia.
The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King
4.5 Stars!! This was a really interesting overview of the histories and realities of native people in the U.S. and Canada. I really enjoyed King’s attention to detail and the narrative that deconstructs common non-Native conceptions, one chapter at a time.
Books I don’t feel strongly about (3 Star Reads)
The Witches by Roald Dahl
This was so imaginative and fun! This was a really sweet story and I’m glad I read it before seeing the film.
Empowered: Popular Feminism and Popular Misogyny by Sarah Banet-Weiser
I read this for class, and it ended up being pretty interesting and engaging. It seemed a little white feminist for me (funny, because that’s also the subject of her critique), but I did enjoy that the material into themes of affect.
Ability Profiling and School Failure by Kathleen Collins
I read this for class, but it was sooo interesting, although a little difficult to get into at first. It was really interesting to thinking about the idea of ability profiling and the ways in which students are constructed as an outsider within the classroom.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that won’t stop talking by Susan Cain
This was a fun read, although a little too business-oriented for my taste. I feel I would have benefited me more had I read this a few years ago, but it was nonetheless an enjoyable and valuable book.
Books I Loved (5 Star Books!)
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
This was SO CUTE. The romance was equally wholesome and steamy, and I loved the disability representation. All-around adorable and swoon-worthy.
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
I ADORED this book. Although I enjoyed Chloe Brown, this book really takes the cake. I related to Dani so much. I reviewed this in it’s entirety, but in a nutshell: this romance is sweet, sexy, funny, and full of genuine kindness and care.
The Library of Legends by Janie Chang
I reviewed this in it’s entirety as well but wow, y’all. I really loved this book, like, an absurd amount. This was so magical and entrancing, and everything I needed to escape the scary post-election season climate the U.S. is currently in.
The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
AMAZING. Phenomenal writing. I think technically this is a short story? But I read it as an audiobook. This was a really well-crafted story, and has really piqued my interest in Stephen King.
Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook
Every graphic memior I’ve ever read has been phenomenal. This was a really compelling story about censorship in South Korea, a topic I really didn’t know much about before (thanks, US education system). It was really interesting how Hyon Sook brought a variety of true stories together into one narrative.
Bingo Love (Vol. 1): Jackpot Edition by Tee Franklin
BLACK. QUEER. GRANDMAS. This was everything I wanted in a book. So wholesome and cute and a great reminder that sometimes happy endings don’t happen until, well, the end. We have no choice but to STAN and I cannot wait for volume 2.
Cat’s Cafe by Matt Tarpley
One of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen. This set of comics was so cute and lovely. I loved the way mental health was framed and the way these adorable little animals supported each other.
We Used to Be Friends by Amy Spalding
I did a full review of this book, but wow. This book gave me all the feels. I loved the way the story was structured and how Spalding played with time to create a compelling, almost addictive novel about,,,teenagers living their lives and growing up. I really enjoyed how this book explored temporality and friendship. I can’t wait to see what Spalding writes next!
Heartstopper Vol. 1 – 3 by Alice Oseman
Technically, this is three different books, but I binged them all in one day. All I can say is: CUTENESS. Utter ADORABLENESS. I had so much fun reading these books, and the relationship between Nick and Charlie makes me so dang happy.
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Overall, it was a great reading month. Despite being incredibly busy with college and work, I was able to find time to escape and found some new favorite books. I can’t wait to get into my December TBR and finish out 2020 with some great reads!
All Booked Bailey 