Happy Tuesday, Happy Show Us Your Books Day, Happy Six Year Anniversary to this linkup and all of us that participate in it.
We're giving away two prizes here to two winners: the first gets two books of their choice from Harriett's Bookshop out of Philly and the second gets a book from The Lit. Bar out of the Bronx (direct if they are shipping direct or via Bookshop.org). The choice of stores to benefit is intentional in support of Black, women-owned bookstores. Where the books come from is non-negotiable. Everyone can enter as long as you're down with that. Prize entry is below all the way at the bottom, hopefully you enter after you click through to see what everyone's been reading this month.
We are also giving away some used books over on Instagram to spread more book love, so hopefully you're following Jana and me there and can get in on that too.
E-reader people, Amazon prime day is today and tomorrow and I think the Kindle paperwhites are $50 off. Now's the time if you're going to buy one (affiliate link).
For those of you trying to expand your authors into Black or POC and not being aware of many outside of the nonfiction we're here to talk about race books, I'm going to note that in my origin of book going forward.
Reviving the Hawthorn Sisters by Emily Carpenter - Another great book from Emily Carpenter. I loved Burying the Honeysuckle Girls and Reviving the Hawthorn Sisters did not disappoint. Carpenter writes interesting female characters. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book comes out on October 20
A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight - This is all over the place for a reason. I know a lot of people are out there pooh poohing this like the expectation is that it is Shakespeare when it clearly is not, nor is it meant to be. What it is is quick and interesting. Quick and interesting are my gold standard this year. OCNJ library hard cover
Betty by Tiffany McDaniel - The first sentence of this is well out there so I have no issues sharing it here: A girl comes of age against the knife." I mean, can you even. But the entire first paragraph sold me. The writing is searing throughout - this is not shelf candy, nor is it a feel good book, and I am annoyed in advance of people going into it only wanting those things and declaring it meh because it's a hard read. All of life's hard things are in here. But hard does not mean ugly - on the contrary, it's quite beautiful. But don't go into this expecting light and whimsy. It's not that book. OCNJ hard cover
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley - I rated this a three on Goodreads, but if you know me you know my star ratings are pretty arbitrary - but it appears here because engrossing reads are not always four or five star reads in my world, especially this year. They are what keep me reading through and despite. Lucy Foley's books are problematic in many ways but they are absolutely readable for me even as the world burns around me. OCNJ hard cover
Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall - Now this is a five star and engrossing reads book. I initially got this from the library this summer, then immediately returned it, ordered it, and waiting for it to come in because I felt the need to highlight it and write in it. No regrets. If you consider yourself a feminist, you should read this. Especially if you are white. This is the book I've been looking for since 2016 when I realized most of my feminist follows were white and began to seek out perspectives different from my own. Hard cover, own, written by a Black woman and purchased from a Black, Woman-owned bookstore (Harriett's via Bookshop)
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi - Gyasi's Homegoing has sat in my stomach like a stone since I read it in 2017. Her writing is superb, and the complete difference in this book and that is a mark of that. Fans of Homegoing, do not expect another one of those. This is a good book in its own right, and the writing on addiction from a family member is spot on. Hard cover, own, written by a Black woman and pre-ordered from a Black, Woman-owned bookstore (Harriett's via Bookshop)
Passed the Time Just Fine
An Inconvenient Woman by Stephanie Buelens - I didn’t know what to believe through much of this, and that always keeps me moving quickly through a book. I liked the character of Sloane, I would've liked to see a deeper dig into her. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
The Day I Disappeared by Brandi Reeds - I could not put this down, which has not been the case through much of this global pandemic. This was interesting and quick moving. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Hollywood Park: A Memoir by Mikel Jollett - I was not in the mood for a memoir until I was in the mood for a memoir. The writing surprised me here - it was good. Very good. The author's origins in a cult did not hurt either, as I am always zoned in on cult books. OCNJ library hard cover
Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell - A slow burn book. The two characters I thought is like the least I ended up liking them most. It took me a week to read this, which is super slow for me. Half to blame is a packed week. Half to blame is a pretty okay book. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, releases today
Not Worth It
Regretting You by Colleen Hoover - I know she has a formula, but writing dramatic and isolating female characters with no friends can grate. It grated here. OCNJ library paperback even though I've had it on my kindle for an eternity
The Suicide House by Charlie Donlea - Maybe in another year, but the first two pages had me saying not this year. I knew straight off from the writing that I would lose steam and let it sit for too long. OCNJ library hard cover
Linkup Guidelines:
This link up is the second Tuesday of every month. The next linkup is Tuesday, November 10, 2020
1. Visit and comment with both of your hosts, Jana & me, and check in with as many in our reading circle as you can - give some love to the later linker uppers! 2. Link back to us in your blog post - if you want the button you can get it from that link
Enter Sixth Anniversary Giveaway
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