The social distancing period has not been kind to me in many ways, but the books on my bookshelf have been overjoyed by it. In March, I only read four books… it was a hard transition to online learning, and I was a bit obsessed with watching the news. The anxiety that followed kept me from being able to fully commit to a book.
But in April! I read 11 books, making it the highest number of books so far in 2020. And, since my goal is read more print books, I managed to read 8 in print, all of them being from my bookshelf. I guess the perk of the library being closed is that I had the opportunity to visit some of those books I’ve been putting off for… years.
I decided to change it up this month. Instead of putting reviews of every book I read, I decided to just put my favorites on here. Less scrolling for you, less promotion (or condemnation?) of books I didn’t really like. Of course, you can always find reviews for all of the books I read on Goodreads.
Books are listed in the order they were read. For more mini-reviews, check out my What I Read tag.
Monthly Stats
- Total Books Read in March and April: 15 Books
- Total Authors Read in March and April: 15 Authors
- Total Pages Read: 4,582 Pages
- Total Hours Listened: 29.5 Hours
- Total Books Quit: 1 Book
- Average Days Per Book: 4.07 Days per Book
- Average Pages Per Day: 75.6 Pages per Day
If you are worried about the impact social media has on our lives…
Followers by Megan Angelo
Premise: It’s 2016, and Orla is determined to help get her friend Floss famous. Ignoring that Floss has very few discernible talents, Orla uses her influence at a celebrity gossip magazine to make Floss into a larger-than-life persona. It’s 2051, and Marlow is itching under the weight of all of the expectations set upon her in Constellation, California. She doesn’t want to let her ten million followers down, right? So she goes along with the network’s plans until… she wakes up.
Rating: 5 Stars
Thoughts: So maybe now is not the best time to be reading a “end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it” book, but this one honestly blew me away. I’ve read so few books that center around social media and its impact on our lives, and this sci-fi novel is so relatable to our world today… even Marlow’s 2051 storyline feels like something that Netflix would totally produce. This book would actually make a great movie…
The best part about this story is that the main characters STRUGGLE. I mean, sure, they have love lives that are… there. But their main conflict is within themselves. What do they want out of life? What are they okay with showing the world? How do they find a balance of privacy in a world that overshares? How do they reinvent themselves when their lives explode? The story reads like a thrilling adventure story, tied with a coming-of-age story, mixed with a bit of friendship and the costs of those friendships. There was a little taste of everything in this one, and I could not stop reading it.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who is a fan of reality shows. Anyone looking for a book featuring friendships. Anyone interested in the way social media impacts us.
If you like thrillers and love art…
Still Lives by Maria Hummel
Premise: When artist Kim Lord doesn’t show up for the opening of her newest gallery of work, rumors fly and suspicions abound. Maggie doesn’t think that her ex-boyfriend (and Lord’s current boyfriend) killed the artist, but when she starts digging deeper, she doesn’t know who to believe.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Thoughts: I had pretty low expectations for this book, despite having picked it as my Book of the Month pick one month… or maybe I added it on later… it’s been so long, I can’t remember. Either way, this book has been sitting on my shelf taunting me, but I was determined to read it this year, so I finally picked it up. Maybe it was because I wasn’t expecting much from it, but it kind of blew me away.
I’ll admit that I didn’t really connect to Maggie much… she seemed to be more of a placeholder that allowed me to slip into the first person point of view easily. I thought the twists and turns of the story were well done, and the book really read like a mystery novel (less thriller, more whodunit). It was a short, quick read that kept me picking it up long after I should have gone to bed, mostly because the cast of characters were large and engaging. Maggie’s friends and coworkers all had me suspicious, and, for a while, I was thinking Maggie was an unreliable narrator. The ending was great, and the overarching theme of society’s fascinations with murdered women flowed well throughout the whole book. All in all, this one was a great one for me.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who likes mystery books. Anyone looking for a quick read. Anyone interested in the art world.
If you like love stories and experiencing new cultures and histories…
The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
Premise: When Daniel visits Spain with his family, his main goal is to take photos to complete his portfolio for a competition that would secure his spot at a top journalism school. What he finds when he starts pointing his lens, however, leads him down a rabbit hole into the underbelly of post-Civil War Spain.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Thoughts: I started 2019 with Sepetys’ Salt to the Sea, and when I saw this one was a Book of the Month Club pick last year, I grabbed it without considering the other options. However, this one sat on my bookshelf for a while. Spain is not a country I’m very interested in, or that I know much about, and, to be honest, the book is long and a little intimidating. But what better time to read a long book than when you’re stuck at your house? And, to my surprise, I finished this one in three days because, while the page count is high, it has short chapters that move quickly.
This story completely sucked me in. I fell in love with Daniel’s sensitivity and open eyes, and my heart ached for Ana and her secrets. All of the side characters were interesting and funny and added a new dimension to the plot, and, while the ending felt a tad rushed, turning that last page felt like coming home. I knew nothing about this time period in Spain, and my favorite historical fiction opens me up to new places in history. This one was great for so many reasons… the love story, the mystery, the historical aspects. I’ll be thinking of this book and its characters for a while.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who likes historical fiction set in unique time periods. Anyone looking for a love story. Anyone who wants a fast-paced read. Anyone who likes well-researched historical fiction.
If you like murder mysteries and don’t mind a bit of blood and guts…
The Alienist by Caleb Carr
Premise: John Moore is a reporter for the New York Times in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In 1897, he took a brief break from reporting to help his friends, Dr. Laszlo Kreizler and Theodore Roosevelt solve a series of murders involving child prostitutes. Through their hunt for the killer, however, they run into the old guard of New York City and people who are fervently against change and reform, and who would rather keep these murders buried and out of sight.
Rating: 5 Stars
Thoughts: This is a book that I started with trepidation. It’s a pretty long book (nearly 500 pages), and it’s set in the 1800s. I didn’t know what to expect going into it, except that so many people had loved it and Book of the Month had brought it back, despite the 1994 publication year. And at its core, this book is a murder mystery, a la Sherlock Holmes. There are detectives and murders and hunting for clues, and the killer is not some unexpected twist but someone who you don’t meet until he is captured.
But in all the ways this book is like a typical murder mystery, it also… isn’t. There’s such a distinct setting (1897 New York City was wild, y’all), and the factions and underworld of the city are as much of a character as anyone else in the book. There’s twists and turns involving people who would rather see these murders go unsolved, and there’s some name dropping (Teddy Roosevelt, for one). There’s a bit of gruesomeness, I’m not going to lie… there were times that I had to put the book away for a bit because the facts of the murder and the murderer’s history were just too much. But I couldn’t put it down for long; this book grabbed me and held onto me from start to finish. This book definitely isn’t for the faint of heart or for people who are looking for a quick and easy read (the language is a bit more formal that I’m used to), but it is worth it.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who likes murder mysteries. Anyone who enjoys detective stories. Anyone looking for a book with a great setting.
If you’ve ever wanted to write a letter to your younger self…
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore
Premise: On the eve of Oona’s 19th birthday, she’s at a New Year’s Eve party with friends and her boyfriend, oscillating between a decision to follow academic pursuits over the summer, or spend the summer touring with her (and her boyfriend’s) band. However, when the clock strikes midnight, Oona briefly passes out… and wakes up as herself, give or take 40 years.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Thoughts: This book piqued my curiosity from the moment I heard about it. A woman, living her life out of order? Jumping in time from her 50s to her 20s to her 40s to her 30s? Writing letters to her past self about her future self (and making it rich on investments)? I’m sold. So I used my precious Barnes and Noble gift card to buy this book on the third day of quarantine, and I’d say it was definitely a worthwhile purchase, since I already have seven people I want to recommend it to.
This book had so many elements that I love — character trying to find herself, hidden secrets, a cast of supporting characters that are intriguing and diverse, a cute cover. I read this book so quickly, because I wanted to see everything I could about Oona’s life. Every new jump was a new adventure, and while I don’t know if I would have made the same decisions Oona did, I really enjoyed watching her ride. I took off half a star because the ending seemed a bit rushed, but that could be because I never wanted it to end. I wish I could have seen all of Oona’s jumps, the way her life unfolded (although the book did tidy everything up — no frustrating loose ends). Plus, despite the jumping around in time, the book was very clear about years and ages, so the weird timelines were not confusing at all.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who likes unique plots. Anyone looking for a quick and easy read. Anyone looking for a captivating book.
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to have a different family…
The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan
Premise: William Sweeney was a prolific author… and maybe a not-so-great father. When he dies, his three daughters are left behind with disarray in his estate, including a half-sister that they didn’t know existed.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Thoughts: I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, and I was super pumped about it because I’ve had my eye on this one since all of the most anticipated lists came out at the beginning of the year. Thanks to quarantine, I was able to read it ahead of the publication date (a rare miracle, when it comes to Goodreads giveaway books), and, dear lord, I devoured it.
There is something so instantly connectable about this book. Maybe it’s the personalities of the three sisters.. you are guaranteed to find at least one of the sisters you see yourself in. The writing in this book was easy to read, and the plot felt hopeful and uplifting, if not always easy. I love the relationship between the sisters; it felt real and complicated, but also that they were there for each other no matter what. I also loved finding out about Bill Sweeney’s complicated past, and I loved watching the characters fall in and out of love. This was one of those books that just hit me at the right moment, and I think I’ll be thinking about these characters for a while.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who likes interesting family dynamics. Anyone looking for fun characters and an easier read.
If you love feminist retellings…
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White
Premise: Elizabeth Frankenstein is a side character in Mary Shelley’s famous novel Frankenstein, but she is brought to life in this retelling. Purchased as a child to befriend Victor Frankenstein, Elizabeth grew up in the household but apart from it. As she grows older though, she knows her position is precarious, and she’s willing to go to great lengths to secure her future.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Thoughts: Oh I really enjoyed this book. Like… really really. Like, read it in two sittings (only stopping between because the sun went down). I read Frankenstein last year with my senior English class, and, because we studied it so closely, I actually remember the plot from a whole year ago (miracles!). I think part of the reason I enjoyed this one so much was because I could see how closely the author followed the plot of the original novel, while making enough changes to keep it interesting.
All that’s to say that I think you could still enjoy it, even without knowing the plot of Frankenstein. Elizabeth is such a dynamic and nuanced character, as are the characters around her, and her story is harrowing and thrilling and altogether nuts. There’s so much to dig into with this book, from Elizabeth and Victor’s relationship, to Elizabeth’s friendships with the people around her, to the growth we see in Elizabeth throughout the book. The title says it’s a tale of her “dark descent” but it’s truly an uprising and I am here. for. it.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who liked Frankenstein. Anyone who enjoys reading about strong female characters. Anyone wanting a gripping thriller.
If you like Chopped and Top Chef and Great British Bake Off…
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Premise: If Emoni knows anything, she knows food. Sure, she had a kid her freshman year of high school, and her grades aren’t great, but when life gets her down, she knows she can turn to food.
Rating: 5 Stars
Thoughts: This book was Great British Bake Off in a book. I’m serious. All of the warm and fuzzy feelings I get when I watch (and rewatch) GBBO, I got from this book. I don’t even like food! (Seriously, if I could get all of my nutrients and protein and carbs from a pill, I’d do that in a heartbeat.) But I love watching cooking competitions, and this book just felt like a mix between a lovely coming-of-age story and the nicest episode of GBBO.
I really thought this book would be a heavier book. It’s about a teenage mom who lives with her grandmother and is growing up on the wrong side of the tracks in Philly. She’s facing graduation with very little money, and she doesn’t outwardly have much going for her. But, whew. Emoni is tough. And every time she faced a problem, she found a solution that would open her up to the world and all it had to offer her. Y’all. I seriously stopped in the middle of this book because I didn’t want to keep reading and it be over. Even though the ending was great, I’m still sad it ended because it was just so LOVELY.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who needs an uplifting book. Anyone who likes Great British Bake Off. Anyone looking for a character with heart.
