Books I Read in April 2022

Holy Moly, I finished 10 books this month. 10! That's almost as many as I read in January - no wonder it felt like a sort-of long month. Although, anymore, I feel like time is an illusion. Anyway, I'm ready for beach days, warm weather, and everything else summer has to offer. Some of my favorite flowers are getting ready to bloom, and I'm so looking forward to what May has in store. Here are the reviews for the books I finished, and the one I didn't.

The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgertons #2) by Julia Quinn

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Shelves: Chick Lit, Historical Fiction, Romance

Review: I watched a TikTok recently where someone said, "A book doesn't have to be good for you to enjoy it" and that's sort of how I feel about this one. It was a book I needed at the time: somewhat light-hearted, romantic while not being overly smutty, fun, endearing. But it wasn't without its problems, and I have no desire to read any of the other books in this series (with the exception maybe being for Benedict's book after I watch his season).

Part of my issues with most romance books lie in the red flags given to male characters. Their masculinity is always overwritten, toxic, makes me nervous or fearful for the female character while I'm reading, or just makes me angry when authors pin the responsibility (and therefore lack of male self-control) for the male's arousal and/or uncontrollable desire on the female characters. I don't think there will ever be a scenario in a book where that works for me. So while Anthony is my favorite Bridgerton sibling (and I did like the book better than the second season of the Netflix series based on these books, but watching Jonathan Bailey is just some sort of magic), there were things about his character that made me roll my eyes or wonder why the author felt the need to write him in certain ways. Could he not just be lovely and heartwarming even though he was a rake?

But, if I have to read that one more character "ground out" their words, I'm going to rip my eyes out.

So, a nice light read while also somewhat dealing with important issues surrounding love. A book I needed and overall enjoyed, but ya know. Romance. It and I have some things we need to work through.

Florida by Lauren Groff

Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: Modern Literature, Short Stories

Review: This collection of short stories definitely wasn't what I was expecting. The first few stories threw me off with how dark and/or heavy they were, and then the stories after that just felt like the author was either trying too hard to write a story with a wow-factor, a depressing storyline, or an overpowering sense of doom that I just couldn't get into them. They all felt like they were trying too hard, and I didn't care about anything after those initial three stories.

I think the tying theme of Florida throughout is cool, and I think the concept of the collection is interesting. Groff's writing is well done - the descriptive writing and the attention to just the inherent way people are are both excellent. There were some stories I enjoyed, but overall was disappointed that I didn't enjoy Florida, the book, more. Definitely a case of: this book is done well, it just wasn't for me.

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Modern Literature, Literary Fiction

Review: This was a complex coming-of-age story of Kambili, a 15-year-old Nigerian girl living in a religiously conservative, wealthy household with an abusive father. While I would consider Purple Hibiscus a slower-paced novel, it does a good job of exploring its complicated family relationships and growing up amid the politically unstable climate in parts of Nigeria.

I thought about not finishing this book around 40% because of the obvious ways that heavy underlying effects of trauma showed up in relation to religious servitude and domestic violence. It was A LOT to take in at times, and if you've grown up with religious trauma and abusive relationships, take heed. The novel did finally change for me shortly afterward when Kambili and her brother went to spend time with their aunt and cousins, and that made it worth sticking this book out until the end. The purple hibiscus in the story became a symbol of freedom and love within the story.

It was a quick read for me, very impactful and beautifully told. It is worth mentioning that the author has personal views aligned with TERF. I was made aware of this after completing this book, and am still unsure whether or not I read any of her other books. If I do, I will make sure the ways in which I consume her work will benefit small businesses or libraries.

How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery, Rebecca Green (Illustrator)

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Memoir-Biography, Nonfiction, Short Stories, Travel

Review: Although the trigger warnings for this book are heavy, reading How to Be a Good Creature mostly didn't feel like it. Was it sad? Of course. But it was also very hopeful, adventurous, informative, interesting, and written with a lot of love that could be felt as you read. I didn't know anything about the author prior to reading this memoir, but I enjoyed her tales of travel interwoven with tales of her everyday life. The common thread being the animals who impacted her, and how.

This is a short read. Parts of it dealt with depression at the loss of family pets, intermixed with suicidal thoughts over feeling lost and empty afterward. This might seem extreme to some people who read it, but considering that the author didn't have children and therefore treated those animals with a care and attention that could rival a parent-child relationship, it made sense to me. I loved the lessons the author shares through the 13 animals she met and loved.

Not as light of a read as I anticipated, but it broke up the heaviness of the last two books I finished before this. Different kinds of heavy.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: Beach Reads, Chick Lit, Modern Lit, Literary Fiction

Review: **SPOILERS** A quick read because I just couldn't put this book down. It reminded me of Little Fires Everywhere in that regard, and in the ways the author wrote a) her characters - they were well-formed and so well written that I felt like I knew these people; and b) scenarios that landed in gray areas. Morals versus good intentions versus actions were all at play here, and, considering *this* book was written by a Black woman, it was important. It was like a mirror back to me in all the times I thought I was acting in a way that I felt was, I hate to say it, "woke" but that, inside, I felt weird about. I think Reid hit perfectly two of the different types of White people and how we approach race with Alix/Alex and Kelley: both of them were so wrong, but they both didn't see it because they thought they were doing something right or that they were allies. As another reviewer said, the novel ends with both Alix/Alex and Kelley being right about each other which is just *so good*.

I thought this book felt authentic, and real, and possible. The privilege of White people is very much shown from the woman in the supermarket to Alex calling the cops in high school without worrying about consequences to the whole savior complex that she carries toward Emira. I went into this book with little expectation and am so glad I read it. A good one I won't soon forget!

The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton

Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: Beach Reads, Chick Lit, Historical Fiction, Romance

Review: The Last Train to Key West, while a fast-paced, emotional read, missed the mark for me. It follows three women in varying circumstances who find themselves on Islamorada on Labor Day 1935, the place and time when one of the Keys' most devastating hurricanes in history makes landfall. While the chapters are short and the writing style is easy enough, there was something about the way the author writes relationships that I just didn't buy. I rolled my eyes a lot, especially when it came to the dynamic between Elizabeth, a former New York socialite, and Sam, an FBI agent at least 10 years her senior.

I understand the times were different. Arguments could be made that people were more mature at their ages, especially having lived through the Great Depression, and arranged marriages still weren't unheard of. But I found it incredibly unsettling that all three women whose stories were told were married or involved with much older men than themselves. It was weird, and a little creepy the way each of the men were written. I just didn't vibe with it.

While the hurricane as the impending villain was intriguing and kept the plot moving, and its historical and physical settings were nice being a lover of the Keys, this is one I'm glad I'm done with.

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: Memoir-Biography, Short Stories, Favorites

Review: I'm glad I did a little bit of research into this collection of short stories before I went into it, thanks to reading some reviews that said this was vague, his writing style seemed shallow/ingenuine, and he jumped around a lot.

What I didn't realize before reading this book and listening to his press interviews about it: he began writing short stories and posting them on Instagram during the pandemic when his schedule was all-of-a-sudden cleared up. HarperCollins approached him during this process and asked if he wanted to write a book, to which he handed his short stories to an editor and said: "pick what you want to put in this book." He then wrote other chapters/stories to supplement. This, to me, explains the focus he puts more on his emotions and feelings over the big and small things that happened in his life, as well as maybe his lack of sharing details about some of his most important relationships (I wouldn't want to publicly write about my spouse or past relationships with once-important people being in his spotlight). He said in multiple interviews that he personally needed to deal with the emotional aspect of losing Kurt Cobain and other major losses rather than focusing on the details, which, to be honest, we have so many documentaries and other resources on. It also explained his jumping around within stories, tying together themes from various times of his life.

As far as his tone throughout the book, I thought it was consistent with interviews, videos, and snippets of concert footage I've seen of him. I thought he was funny and personable. But, I understand why people could feel negatively or disappointed toward this collection of short stories. It won't be for everyone. I thought it was a fun, surprisingly well-organized, and feel-good read. I didn't expect descriptive writing, or even a lot of structure, especially after reading some of the other memoirs by rock stars and/or movie stars. This exceeded my expectations!

Call Us What We Carry: Poems by Amanda Gorman

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Favorites, Modern Lit, Poetry

Review: I was excited to read this for National Poetry Month, and I ended up really enjoying this collection of poetry. I purposely aimed to take my time with it, and suggest everyone to do the same. Some poems deserve to be ruminated on. There were a lot of poems for a first collection, some short and some that spanned quite a few pages. Gorman is inspired, and does well with all forms of poetry. Her alliteration is fantastic, and she has a beautiful way with words.

Her section of poetry called "Fury & Faith" was probably my favorite collectively, but there were so many individual favorites sprinkled throughout for me. She deals with topics ranging from COVID, colonization, racism, isolation, and so many other things. A well-rounded first collection that feels very different than the other poetry collections that have been released lately. I see her becoming an influential American poet, and I highly suggest checking her out if you're a fan of poetry.

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: LGBTQIA+, Modern Literature

Review: Ocean Vuong's talents as a poet are evident in the beautiful way he uses words to craft this story of a gay Vietnamese boy coming of age in Connecticut. The story was written as a letter to his mother, who is illiterate. It's sad and descriptive, reflective and memorable. I found I best enjoyed it when I was taking my time with it: reading a bit, and sitting it down and reflecting rather than reading large chunks in one sitting.

But, with that being said, I did find it a little hard to follow. Whether that was because of the poetic ways it was written (not in poetry form, but just heavy with description and personal reflection), or the loose timelines, or a mix of both, who knows. He jumps around in his timelines, and sometimes writes a little vaguely or doesn't outright name who he's speaking about, and that along with everything else was a challenge.

This was one of those touching, beautiful stories that was worth the read but that I probably won't ever read again because of its heaviness. You should definitely in the right mindset before diving in, but an important voice with an important story added to this genre.

Circe by Madeline Miller

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Re-read, Beach Reads, Favorites, Historical Fiction

Review: **This review is from when I first read this book back in 2019. I still agree with it, and so reposted it without editing.** Overall better than I expected and a book I really enjoyed reading. Circe is a strong female character, which is a refreshing take on Greek mythology. She isn't Athena or Hera, or any of the other bigger named gods. She's a goddess who disdains her immortality, but also realizes how powerful she is as her story unfolds.

My only critiques are a) the language made the characters feel a little bit flat, and b) it was a bit frustrating how parts the last half of the book felt copied because of how closely the author tied it with The Odyssey (not completely, not always, but I wanted it to focus more on Circe, not Odysseus as a secondary character or a name that's frequently mentioned).

In the end, I enjoyed this novel set within Greek mythology - reading about the characters in a modern retelling was fun, and getting to read from the perspective of a lesser known god was pretty cool too. Circe is a bad ass woman! Glad I purchased this book, as it's definitely one I see myself reading again!

DID NOT FINISH

The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You by Elaine N. Aron

Rating: N/A

Shelves: DNF, Psychology, Self-Help

Review: I just couldn't get into it. The author's note felt like I was reading about myself, which was nice. But after the first two chapters, I just didn't have the motivation to keep going. The author also used the "here's one concept, here's a hyper-specific example to match what I'm saying" style of writing, which I don't like. It didn't enhance the text anymore for me.