2023 Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: January

And just like that, January is over. But, I'll be honest, January felt like it went on forever (like it usually does for me). Seasonal depression coming in hot, less sunlight. Much like last January, I read a fair amount of books. I didn't quite diversify my books as much as I would have liked (two books, or 16% of my total were by BIPOC authors when I want that number to be closer to 30% on a monthly average), but I've stuck to the other goals I had. I can add more diverse reads for February, most definitely. I like the idea of including stats now that I'm using StoryGraph a bit more regularly, so I'll probably start including reading stats in these posts too just to make them a bit more fun for those of us who like to see the data. :)

Do you enjoy seeing the stats of the books I've read? Would you be interested in seeing them every month? If so, then I'll continue to include them for 2023! Now, onto the individual reviews. 12 books read, one book purposefully abandoned (DNF'd; or did not finish).

Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Favorites, History, Nonfiction

Review: **SUPPORT THE HARPERCOLLINS UNION STRIKE: sign their petition to receive fair wages, to represent more authors of color fairly, and to work in overall better conditions. You can do that here: https://linktr.ee/hcpunion** Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia reminded me again why I love history so much. Thompson does an excellent job at presenting detailed information in so many areas of study that this book could appeal to multiple audiences. I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator was fantastic. I enjoyed the way the book was organized chronologically, and moved through history discussing ancient travelers, European navigators and explorers, colonization, modernization and post-modernization, to present-day. One of the main conflicts I had in my head while listening to this book was how Euro-centric it was: the puzzle of Polynesia, only because Europeans didn't know how to explain the origins of these people spread out on spits of islands over 10 million square miles of ocean. And right at the end, in her conclusion, she addresses that very issue, which made this a five star read for me.

There are parts that I think will lose people due to the "falling down the rabbit hole" nature of them. We get in-depth information about language, genetics, navigation, carbon dating, cultural and oral histories, and so much more that it would be difficult for someone not passionate about this topic to find every bit of this work interesting.

This was beautifully and simply written, easy to follow, and very accessible for the average reader. I'm happy this is my first read of 2023. It was such a joy!

The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Favorites, Graphic Novels, LGBTQIA+, Young Adult

Review: This graphic novel is so special. The author's note at the end of this alone makes it worth a read, but the gorgeous art and the story within its pages are incredible on their own. This story is so valuable and important. It reminds readers of the little ways you can show love to those around you, particularly your loved ones. In this story, it's a mother reading fairy tales with her son as a way to communicate with him and understand him in a language he knows and she wants to learn. It opens the door for an important conversation at the end that brought me to tears.

At first, I didn't fully understand why so much of the story was taken up by fairy tales instead of telling more of Tien's story, but the parallels in the chosen fairy tales as well as the notes at the end of the story tied them together well. This is a powerful graphic novel not only of the immigrant experience--leaving one's home country, landing somewhere new and foreign, losing your mother language and the connections to your family, etc.--but also of an immigrant LGBTQIA+ experience. It reminds readers how important these stories are, how needed they are, and the benefits of knowing them as a society.

Beautiful, adorable. 100% recommend.

Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: All-Time Favorites, LGBTQIA+, Romance, Sci-Fi

Review: Did I anticipate one of my new all-time favorite reads would come in the form of a sci-fi romance space opera? As my second read of 2023? Not at all, but I am now *obsessed* with Prince Kiem and Count Jainan. If you've ever thought, "Man, I like Star Wars, but I wish it were gayer," this is the answer. I was absolutely swept up into the the world that Everina Maxwell created. Winter's Orbit is a political drama first with there being quite a lot of the plot on inter-planetary treaties and politics. And then secondly, it's a gay romance between minor royals from those planets. I loved this so much more than I anticipated.

I thought the tropes did a marvelous job of exploring PTSD and trauma from a toxic relationship (so check triggers), as one of the main characters deals with how to navigate a new relationship. It's grumpy sunshine, but more of PTSD sunshine. And then, there's a miscommunication trope and I normally hate those. However, I felt like the miscommunication in both characters came from places of caring and thoughtfulness, so I didn't mind it nearly as much. This could also be due to the heavy plot happening outside of the miscommunication. Minor other tropes also include one bed, and "who did this to you?" which *chef's kiss* were done so well.

My only critiques, if I have to give them, would include: some less engaging writing at times (especially in the beginning when the world building is heavy), sometimes a lack of side character development, and (separately for the audiobook) a lack of volume consistency in the audiobook narration. Otherwise, I thought the audiobook brought such humanity to each of the characters and made them jump off the page.

This wasn't a perfect book, but it was absolutely a perfect book for me right now and it was an easy five stars. WHO KNEW.

Spare by Prince Harry

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: Favorites, History, Memoir-Biography, Nonfiction

Review: I'm not sure what I went into Spare expecting, but it exceeded my expectations. From my understanding, Prince Harry had a ghostwriter that helped him achieve this, but it was obvious to me that he had a lot to do with the creation and writing of this memoir. It was beautifully and lyrically written, dripping with gorgeous detail, while also feeling like it was coming from a place of genuine love for his family and even the institution that he was raised in. This memoir didn't feel like a tell-all, but rather a poignant picture of a life left wanting for love and acceptance, peace and freedom.

Harry thoughtfully discusses grief, mental health, PTSD, family dynamics, and daily struggles that--although growing up royal--the average reader could probably relate to on some level. The title of this memoir, heartbreakingly coined Spare, is meant in the way that it was perceived by me and is a recurring theme for better or for worse. He navigates the way this word, this title, has permeated his life and the things he has and has not been allowed to accomplish. How it has made him both freer to make some choices while also burdening him with a heavier load, particularly when it comes to the press, which is a recurring topic he discusses. I think, at his core, this is a plea for the British press (and press in general) to stop approaching people's lives like a warfront. The astonishing parallel he makes to the dehumanizing of him and his family to the ways he was trained to operate in the military was chilling and eye-opening.

If I had any critiques, I initially thought it was going to rest in his giving details about his past relationships (really, one of the only parts that made it feel like a "tell-all"), but a friend made the point that this was likely done to highlight how much different his partnership with Meghan has been. And, I definitely think that's the case. Yes, he discusses frostbite on . . . an appendage . . . and while that is certainly more detail than I think anyone needed to know or read about, it's minor in the scheme of what he says within the bigger picture of this memoir. His discussion on war, in particular, was interesting to me as someone who has had a lot of family in the military. He recognizes the purpose it gave his life when he was in need of direction while also pointing out its damaging aftermath and how it has negatively affected so many people.

Harry clearly needed to do this. It seemed cathartic and necessary for him to clear up his story and side of things, and to protect his family from the vitriol they've received in the last few years. I commend him, and I still stand by being proud of the brave choice he made of leaving the crown behind to make the decisions that were best for him and his family. A beautifully written memoir that was engrossing, moving, and illuminating from start to finish.

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: Modern Literature, Sci-Fi

Review: Sea of Tranquility follows four seemingly unconnected individuals over the span of several centuries, and brings them all together in a quiet, beautiful way. I had not read any other books by St. John Mandel, and this story stood wonderfully on its own but I have heard that there are nuggets of details for those who have read her other books, Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel. Sea of Tranquility was a short little sci-fi story that was easy to read and follow, and overall enjoyable. The little details the author included in this book were nice touches that I found interesting.

I can't really say why this didn't stand out more for me because so many reviewers seem to have really liked it. Not that I didn't like it, but the overall consensus is I didn't like it AS MUCH as everyone else seems to. I don't know if it was because portions of the book have characters living through a pandemic, and that was not enjoyable to read about. I don't know if the familiarity of the Time Institute to the TVA in the TV show Loki made the concept seem a little less original. It was probably a healthy mix of both of those things. It was just one of those books that, as I read, I kept thinking, "This story is fine. It's good. I like it, but it's just average for me."

Either way, the "twist" at the end was pretty cool, and I was overall entertained while I read it. I bet most people will enjoy this more than I did just based on the majority of feedback I've seen :)

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Mental Health, Modern Literature, Sci-Fi

Review: A Psalm for the Wild Built feels like it falls into the same category as Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi in that there are very clear, purposeful messages that are being conveyed that deal with finding one's purpose and reflecting on the important things in life. The story itself is low stakes: a tea monk sets out to find their purpose, and along the way, they encounter a robot who is seeking to answer the question of what people need. In the course of their journey, trying to find the answers to these questions, philosophical conversations ensue.

I feel like the overall message of the story isn't original, but the ways that the book gets to the heart of some of these questions were reassuring. If you've ever questioned your purpose in life, or looked around and wondered why you feel like something is lacking even though you have everything you could possibly want, then this book is a comfort. It's also short and quick. I will more than likely read the second book, A Prayer for the Crown Shy.

English Pastoral: An Inheritance by James Rebanks

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Environmental, Favorites, Memoir-Biography, Nature, Nonfiction, Short Stories

Review: English Pastoral is a nature memoir that explores the relationships at the center of the author's farm in northern England. Those relationships vary from the ones he had with his grandparents and parents, to the relationships he has within his community and to the land that raised him. He weaves personal stories in with the ways that farming has changed the physical landscape of England, the practices it has adopted, and the effects those practices have had on the economy, its communities, and the wildlife.

While I found this to be a cozy, beautifully descriptive, mostly well-written read, Rebanks tends to meander in his narrative which left me wanting. So, some of the things he writes tend to come off more as rants or passionate rambles rather than a well-structured argument to support the points he's trying to make for varied, more natural farming practices.

I think the audience for this book will be those who are either interested in sustainable, local farming that caters to the regions you live in, those who appreciate nature overall and are looking for something new to learn within the farming realm, or those who are curious how the landscapes have been impacted by unsustainable farming practices overall. I don't think anyone looking to read just any memoir will enjoy this. I found it to be insightful with good nuggets of knowledge and information.

Beartown by Frederik Backman

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: Favorites, Modern Literature, Sports

Review: I definitely understand the hype surrounding this book and Backman as an author now. He has a unique writing style that I didn't fully jive with the whole time--his tendency to drop bombs in one-liner sentences lost its appeal after a while--but I understood how it and the story being told complemented each other. The way he writes characters is masterful, and the overall story was moving. Even though this takes place in Sweden, I could find people I knew in these characters.

I thought the way feminine rage was written was done so well. I had never felt more seen as a woman living in a man's world, which surprised me considering the author is a cis white dude. It was tough to read at times because of the content, but it was also incredibly gratifying to see my feelings written so accurately on the page. I felt the anger of Maya, Kira, Ana, and Ramona and was right there with them.

The story really has the most heart in its characters, which I was fully invested in long before the end of the book. I think there is an extra bit tenderness because I used to teach high school kids and could see some of my previous students in these kids. I'd go to war for Benji, Maya, Ana, and Amat. But also, the relationships within the community were written in such a relatable way. There is one conversation between a parent and her son's best friend that ripped my heart in half.

I'm not quite sure that I'll pick up book two immediately but I do plan on finishing the series. FOR SURE.

A Lot Like Adios by Alexis Daria

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Shelves: Beach Reads, Chick Lit, LBGTQIA+, Romance

Review: **SUPPORT THE HARPERCOLLINS UNION STRIKE: sign their petition to receive fair wages, to represent more authors of color fairly, and to work in overall better conditions. You can do that here: https://linktr.ee/hcpunion** Friends-to-lovers will always be a superior trope for me. Tie in second-chance romance, a hot former baseball-playing MMC, and nerdy sci-fi fanfic? I'm in it! This was a buddy read with a friend on TikTok, and this book was much spicier than I anticipated (I'm a no-spice-preferred reader), but it was a good time all around.

I really enjoyed both of our main characters. Their stories and motivations were easy to relate to and get caught up in. The discussions on mental health, family relationships, sexuality, and pursuing "dream" careers were poignant and added some depth to the book. There were a few things that came out of left field and the kind of story arc you can expect from most romcoms. It was a quick read too! A perfectly good romance!

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: LGBTQIA+, Mental Health, Modern Literature, Sci-Fi

Review: A Prayer for the Crown-Shy was a cozy little follow-up to A Psalm for the Wild-Built, easy to read and follow, and a not-so-heavy traveler's tale. I didn't engage with this portion of the story as much as the first book, and I don't know if that's because there weren't as many existential questions? If, because the book waited until the last few pages to really discuss the themes of the book? I appreciated seeing this world in its greater sense, and meeting the other characters within, but I'm thinking the allure and magic that the first book gave me just sort of faded by the time I got to this one.

If you need another story that discusses some of life's bigger questions--purpose, fulfillment, community--in a tiny charming package, then I would suggest this!

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Shelves: Beach Reads, Chick Lit, LGBTQIA+, Romance

Review: This is another Tiktok/BookTok-viral book that I don't really feel I need to add my commentary on. I thought this was a perfectly fine, fun romance. I liked the wit and humor in the beginning, but somewhere after the first hook-up, it sort of notched down for me. Most of the "spice" is fade-to-black and not overly detailed, but I was just a little surprised at how often sexual content happened. I understand this is a romance, but sometimes, in other cartoon cover romances that I've read (as someone who is not very well versed in romances to begin with), there are usually one or two pivotal scenes. That was not the case here, and that's fine, but I do think that kind of took away from the story a bit for me.

There are great discussions in this. I liked the overall family dynamics and how they were explored. I liked the side characters. I liked how politics and community were talked about. I enjoyed even the Star Wars references (but, if you're someone who doesn't like pop culture references, there are quite a few in this book). I can see especially why so many people gravitated toward this after the dark political years of 2016-2020.

It felt a bit long and like there were two books that could have been written from the material in this, BUT I think this is a great "beachy" read. Alex and Henry are adorable. A good, happy-ending romance.

Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Favorites, LGBTQIA+, Sci-Fi

Review: Will I be able to recall the details of this story tomorrow? Lol, probably not. A month from now? Very unlikely. The storyline and world of this book is much more complex than the first book, Winter's Orbit, but I still loved these characters. I loved this world. And I will still probably read anything else Everina Maxwell publishes that involves it. She managed to make me a sci-fi girly when I didn't think it was a genre I liked that much, and I will always appreciate authors who can do that.

Ocean's Echo is certainly more of a sci-fi political story than the first, but there is an undercurrent/secondary storyline of romance. However, if you go into this thinking it's a sci-fi romance, I think you'll be disappointed. There is light making out and brief moments of pining, but not really much more. I appreciated the mind-link and military-in-space aspects. It was like fake dating, but fake mind-syncing. It was fun while also being emotional and engrossing, but it did require me to pay attention in order to follow what was happening due to its intricacy. I was also listening to the audiobook, which I probably shouldn't have done for this one (I still liked the narrator, but due to all the detail in this, reading a physical version would have probably been best). So, I wasn't as invested in this one as much as the first, but again, I still liked it a lot.

DID NOT FINISH

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Shelves: Did Not Finish, Fantasy, LGBTQIA+

Review: DNF at 68%. There are so many pacing and plot issues, on top of characters I really don't care about. I was not invested in this world at all so I wasn't going to be spending any more precious reading time on something I could watch burn to the ground and have no visceral reaction over. Thank you to Beartown, honestly, for making me realize how little I cared about this book.