What A Week: April 9th-15th

Despite another busy week at work, I did a lot of reading–mostly thanks to a whole bunch of short audiobooks. While none of the books I read this week absolutely floored me, I did thoroughly enjoy Northanger Abbey (my first Austen since high school–don’t throw things at me! I’m working on it!), Old Man’s War, which I’ve been meaning to read forever, and The Jumbies, a surprisingly fun and beautiful middle grade novel steeped in Caribbean folklore, and Whiskey & Ribbons, a quiet debut novel about grief and family.

BOOKS I FINISHED
The books I finished reading this week. Links go to my full reviews.

The Jumbies by Tracy Baptiste (audio)
3/5: I highly recommend for kids and adults, and the audio was just fantastic.

Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman (audio)
3/5: If you’re looking for a hopeful modern fable, this is your book.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (audio)
4/5: I am not a hardcore Austen reader, but I can say that this book wholeheartedly delighted me.

Whatever Happened to Interracial Love? by Kathleen Collins (audio)
3/5: Have I mentioned that I’m super picky about short stories and generally don’t love them on audio? Still, I listened to this one. It was good, but not incredible.

Whiskey & Ribbons by Leesa Cross-Smith
3.5/5: I recommend this one. It did not bow me over, but there was a lot I loved about it.

The Black Unicorn by Audre Lorde
3.5/5: I highly recommend it, even if you just read a few of these poems.

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
3.5/5: I highly recommend it!

BOOKS I’M IN THE MIDST OF
The books I’m reading right at this very moment.

Sula by Toni Morrison

Wade In The Water: Poems by Tracy K. Smith

WHAT I’M READING NEXT
Next up in the never-ending cycle of too many books and too little time.

The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
Why I’m reading it: I actually wasn’t planning on picking this one up (I enjoyed, though did not love, the only other Wolitzer book I’ve read, The Interestings) but my local bookstore is hosting a book group and this is what they’re discussing, so I figured, why not?

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
Why I’m reading it: It’s been on my TBR for a while now and I’ve heard the audio is fantastic.

JUST OUT!
Books published this week that I cannot wait to get my hands on.

And Now We Have Everything: On Motherhood Before I Was Ready by Meaghan O’Connell

Why I’m excited about it: I can’t stand so much of “mainstream motherhood”, the idea that motherhood=womanhood, and that there’s a right way to do it. As someone who loves the kids in my life, but doesn’t necessarily want any of my own, I’m always looking for books that explore all the different ways that people are mothers, and the hard/dark/complicated parts of it, not just the good parts. This memoir sounds like it’s just that.

Sharp: The Women Who Made an Art of Having an Opinion by Michelle Dean

Why I’m excited about it: This book is a blend of biography, cultural history, and literary criticism that explores a bevy of 20th century women writers who made names for themselves by speaking up, despite sexism and misogyny etc etc. I’m reading more nonfiction than ever these days, and this book sounds fascinating.

OVER AT BOOK RIOT…

Nothing for me, but this past week was National Library Week, and my fellow Rioters wrote some fantastic posts about all things library. Check them all out here:

Let’s Celebrate National Library Week!

MEANWHILE, THE OCEAN:

That’s it for me this week. How was your week of reading?

2 thoughts on “What A Week: April 9th-15th”

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The Cue Card says:

April 18, 2018 at 7:19 pm

Great Ocean shots! I thought the novel Home Fire was terrific — both on audio and in print. Hope you enjoy it.

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1. lauraolivesackton says:
  
  April 18, 2018 at 7:36 pm
  
  I just started it! I’m really into it so far, although the audio isn’t good as I was hoping. Now I can’t remember who told me it was great on audio. It’s not bad or anything–just not incredible. But the story is good enough that it doesn’t matter.
  
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