Hindsight this week —
I finished the third book in the March trilogy, the graphic novel of Representative John Lewis’s experiences fighting for civil rights of African Americans. I deliberately held this book to read on Monday since it was Juneteenth. It was a way for me to take time to honor the day and think both about how far we’ve come and how far we still have to do. I’m glad I waited to finish it.
In other media, I wrapped up binge-watching GirlBoss on Netflix. Not sure how I feel about it–Sophia is not a likeable character but she grows on you. She’s not as bad as say…the narrator of The Girl on the Train. I’ve got #GirlBoss on my Kindle and this may push it higher up the TBR pile before I forget how the show progressed and made me feel. Time will tell.
Library additions to the growing TBR pile this week include When Dimple Met Rishi, Six Stories, and Inside Out and Back Again.
I’m a little more than halfway into Voyager by Diana Gabaldon now. I’m just permanently hanging out in the middle of Gabaldon’s Outlander series. I read a few chapters a week when whatever I’m currently reading just isn’t the right tone or mood and I need something a little lighter or more mindless. I appreciate having Gabaldon as a standby for times when I just need a little junk food reading.
I stumbled upon this Washington Post article a little late but was pleased to see Exit West and the Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley on the list of best books of 2017 so far. I adored Exit West. It’s earned a place in my favorites of all time. I loved Samuel Hawley as well –the story, the characters, and the structure–and love that it’s getting more press. I’ve got Priestdaddy and Anything is Possible on hold already at the library. I’ve seen SO much good press for Hunger and I loved Bad Feminist, but I’m a little afraid of how dark Hunger is. I”m inching closer to putting it on the hold list. I may get a few more book ideas from the others on the list, but I don’t see anything convincing me to read a book on Richard Nixon any time soon.
I also finished Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham and Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann. Which brings me to ….
Foresight for the coming week–
Reviews for Dreamland Burning and Killers of the Flower Moon will be posted soon. The Modern Mrs. Darcy book club is talking with Jennifer Latham this week so I’m deliberately holding that review in case I want to add to it after talking with her. Since Dreamland Burning lead me to pick Killers of the Flower Moon as my next read, I don’t want to publish those out of order. You’ll just have to wait a little bit longer for my first review.
I will be finishing The Heart by Maylis de Kernagal tomorrow, if not tonight. I’ve got a pile of library reads with swiftly approaching deadlines but I also want to make sure I read all of my Book of the Month picks so I can decide if I’m going to stay subscribed past July. I’m leaning towards yes but I can’t exactly make an educated choice if I haven’t read the four books I’ve gotten. That puts The Sisters Chase by Sarah Healy up next. After that, Beartown, The Stars Are Fire, and The Versions of Us all have the same due date at the library so we’ll have to see which of those strikes my fancy. At my current rate, I should have to make that decision by the end of the week.
I should finish I Found You by Lisa Jewell on audio this week with The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas on deck.
Finally, I think I might start either The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu (I know. I’m behind) or Anne with an E on Netflix. I want to reread Anne of Green Gables later this year for a book challenge so I may hold off on that. I re-read The Handmaid’s Tale over Christmas last year and don’t want to wait too long to start it. I’ve heard good things about both.
What are you reading next? Have suggestions about which book I should read after The Sister’s Chase? I’d love to hear from you.