Books I Read in November 2022

I'm entering into December wishing I could snap my fingers and be through the books that I'm currently reading because I have so many more I want to read. I can honestly report that my reading goal was blown out of the water this year as I'm sitting at 113 books read so far in 2022. Can't believe it. Don't know what else to say. I read 12 books again in November. Below are the reviews. This month felt meh overall in what I read, with a few books sticking out. I was bummed about the books I intentionally DNF because I think it was a book I would like to read when I'm in the right place for it.

As we enter into the holiday season, I hope everyone has a good one! Otherwise, I'll touch base with you guys next to discuss 2023 reading goals, and the books I read in December!

Redbone: The True Story of a Native American Rock Band by Christian Staebler, Sonia Paoloni, Thibault Balahy (Illustrator)

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: All-Time Favorites, Graphic Novels, History, Memoir-Biography, Nonfiction

Review: I didn't intend to read Redbone: The True Story of a Native American Rock Band in one sitting, but where we are. This book had been on my radar for maybe a year, but I always found an excuse to not buy it. For Native American Heritage Month, I decided I wanted to kick it off with this and I am honestly so glad I did. Redbone is not only a history of the all-Native American rock band behind that one catchy song off of the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack, but it also beautifully and honestly interweaves the issues that Native Americans were fighting for in the 20th century in civil rights movements and protests all over the country.

I learned so much from reading this, and it provided a jumping off point for further research into AIM (American Indian Movement), the protests at Wounded Knee in 1973, the Trail of Broken Treaties which turns 50 this week, among others. Not to mention, I'll now be exploring their albums with a newfound respect and interest.

I thought this was lovingly written and told. If you're a fan of classic rock and the history of music, this is a great one to pick up. But it's also a fascinating history about what it means (or what it meant) to be an Indigenous rock group in the U.S. during the 60s and 70s. As someone who has always been interested in Native American history and an advocate for the Indigenous nations overall, this was amazing. A new favorite, for sure. Cannot recommend enough.

My Last Innocent Year by Daisy Alpert Florin

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Shelves: ARCs, Favorites, Historical Fiction, Modern Literature

Review: My Last Innocent Year follows Isabel, a 21/22-year-old senior at a small liberal arts college in New Hampshire through her final semester as an English major with a talent and desire for writing. Isabel is from New York City, where she grew up in the Lower East Side. Her father owns a Jewish Appetizing store (they sell fish, bread, cream cheese, etc., but no meat!), and her mother was a painter who passed away from cancer when Isabel was a teenager. The book begins with Isabel having a nonconsensual, though not overly jarring or violent, sexual encounter with a college friend that gets mishandled, and the story continues from there. During her second and final semester, she gets involved in a sexual relationship with one of her professors. This leads her down a path of discovery not only about herself, but about the private lives of her teachers.

I thought this book was beautifully written and I enjoyed my experience with it. It was extremely slow-paced because the writing is heavy with detail and character-driven, but I thought it had a lot to say. It was set in 1997-1998, at the peak of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, and the story draws some great parallels between how men and women are viewed in those situations. I thought it captured the essence of my college experience, particularly during that last year--there is an uncertainty of what happens next, a seeking of approval and recognition, a fear of being thrown out into the world without knowing how to navigate it, and a general uneasiness at being expected to make adult decisions when you yourself still feel like a kid. All of that being said, the characters? They're not great people, but I still found myself drawn to them. I was disappointed with our main character once she enters into adulthood and the choices she makes, but real people are not constantly good and not constantly bad. These characters feel whole and real because of their choices.

I wouldn't say this book has a complete dark academia vibe, but it definitely has some sort of academia aesthetic if you're drawn to books like that. It's a quiet sort of book where things are understated and simple, but again, really well written. Thank you to Henry Holt & Co. and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This title publishes February 14, 2023.

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: Favorites, Memoir-Biography, Nonfiction

Review: This was a beautifully written memoir about the relationship between the author, Michelle Zauner, and her mother, who died of cancer when Zauner was 25 (an important year, she was always told growing up). Her mother was Korean, and her father is Jewish-American, which brought about conversations on identity, memory, loss, tradition, comfort, and grief and how these things are handled by her and her family. She describes the ways her mother's food and heritage played (and still plays) important roles in her upbringing and adult life, which felt intimate to read about.

I've read a few books in the last couple of years dealing with loss due to cancer, but this one hit differently. I don't know if it was because it touched on the losses that immigrants face when leaving their home countries to come to the US (or other places), or the acknowledgement of choosing to live a full life in spite of a terminal diagnosis. But the ways in which the feelings of comfort at going back home were described were done so well.

While the text did tend to meander, I thought it was absolutely lovely to read and listen to. It was a wonderful tribute to a woman who clearly meant the world to Zauner, and getting to read how that relationship was explored over time--the good parts and bad--felt special. An emotional read; I went into this with high expectations and they were met for me.

Tiny Love Stories: True Tales of Love in 100 Words or Less by Daniel Jones and Miya Lee (Editors)

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Nonfiction, Romance, Short Stories

Review: A nice little collection of love stories in 100 words or less. This did the job of providing a great little pick-me-up and a break from some of the heavier reads I've finished recently. Nothing groundbreaking or exceptionally mind-blowing, but a gentle reminder of all the ways love shows up for people.

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Shelves: Memoir-Biography, Modern Literature, Nonfiction

Review: I've come to accept that dysfunctional family memoirs will cause visceral reactions in me almost every time because, even though I deeply appreciated that Jeannette Walls presented her life and childhood to the reader in ways that were almost neutral but also magical in a sense, I will always get angry over parents who don't take care of their children. For the most part, I did not enjoy reading this even though I think it was masterfully written. I believe Walls touches on mental illness, addiction, and poverty when it came to her parents and how all three of these things go hand-in-hand to create the scenarios in which she was raised. Right, wrong, or otherwise. This memoir spoke on prejudices, acceptance, and coming of age. Familial relationships and survival. I can see its appeal and why it spent so long on the New York Times' bestseller list.

The writing style of The Glass Castle was beautifully done, and why it's considered to be a piece of creative nonfiction. The descriptions were enchanting and worked well to provide the reader with the childlike wonder the author had growing up. As an adult, of course, it was easy to see the ways in which Walls and her siblings were being neglected and abused, but I could also see why she thought aspects of her upbringing were wonderful. And then we grew with her as she came to realize her situation was not normal, and should not have been the way that it was. It was empowering to read about her and her siblings leaving the burdensome environment they were used to in order to forge new paths forward for themselves.

It is not an easy read, and I wasn't the biggest fan of the audiobook narration (which was done by the author). I think, particularly if you've grown up with toxic, narcissistic parents, you should be in a good mental headspace before picking this one up. While the ending is hopeful and positive, it is quite the journey to get there.

Meet Me in Paradise by Libby Hubscher

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Shelves: Beach Reads, Chick Lit, Romance

Review: I annotated this for a friend, which I think helped bump up my rating. I thought the descriptive writing was done really well, but this is definitely not a typical romcom. While the first half of Meet Me in Paradise is light-hearted and more romcom-esque, the last half is much heavier and leaning more toward women's literature with its exploration of family and sibling relationships, and its exploration of grief. Another thing this novel does well is painting a setting with its focus on art, tradition, and the human condition.

This was interesting to annotate because I didn't quite jive with the characters for most of the book, and our male main character could have been developed a bit more in my opinion. I appreciated that he was Taiwanese though, and that a lot of the secondary characters were people of color. Some of the plot felt a little underdeveloped in general compared to other aspects of the story, but overall, I thought this was a very heartfelt, sibling-relationship-heavy read. It is emotional, and not in a romance kind of way. I cannot emphasize that enough.

It might make a good beach read, and possibly a good book club read as there are some things that could be beneficial to unpack in a group setting. Thankfully, I wasn't too deceived by the cover, and am glad I gave this a more in-depth read.

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Shelves: Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, Modern Literature, Sci-Fi?

Review: This was a good read for me, full of cool concepts and ideas set in a dark academia world that required me to think outside of the box while reading. The Atlas Six has touches of what feels like Charlie's Angels and Inception at times, which felt a bit unoriginal and annoying when I picked up on it. It's character-driven, which can sometimes be boring, but I think that is done masterfully because I was never bored being inside the minds of these characters. Everyone was pretentious and unfulfilled and searching for something, with each person's motivations being different. So, that alone kept me invested because I like learning about people (even if they're fictional, lol).

I went into this expecting it to be pretentious and it was. It wasn't quite as academic as I was expecting and the reason for the society that they form was a bit of a surprise and almost a letdown. And then it's barely alluded to again. So, the plot part of the book was a bit "meh" for me, but the characters and their complexities (to me, they were more unlikeable than likeable, but I was in it) kept me around.

I'm assuming this book was more for the groundwork of the characters because the ending took this story in a totally different direction that where it started. I have already picked up The Atlas Paradox because I want to know what happens next! Overall, a new dark academia favorite.

Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Classic Literature

Review: Since finishing this, I've lowered my rating from 4 to 3 stars.

I loved yet also disengaged with Steinbeck's writing style in Tortilla Flat. There are portions of this book that are so beautifully written that I had to stop and read them again, marveling at the attention to detail and the pictures his words instantly painted in my mind. And then there were other times where I wondered why he wrote characters like these, characters that were inherently disagreeable, sneaky, unlikeable, and deeply troubled. I see the merit in writing flawed characters, but there were times when I had to strain to search for their redeemable qualities.

On the flip side of that, though, I thought this was a really interesting exploration of friendship in all of its positives and negatives. We follow a group of men, all marginalized people living around Monterrey, CA in the mid-20th century, and how they stick together for better or for worse. How their collective freedom is threatened by domesticity and the conformity to the newly emerging patterns of society. When observing it like that, Tortilla Flat feels overly, traditionally masculine in an outdated way. It's laughable that these men see buying a woman a vacuum and staying with her for two weeks as threatening to take away what feels like a barely there set of friendships at times, and they'll beat up a friend for taking money that he was planning to return anyway.

There are similarities here to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. There are also similarities to Robin Hood and his band of thieves. And I'm sure Steinbeck's commentary on modernity and its move toward home life, settling down post-War, and giving up one's freedoms packed a bigger punch when it was published in the mid-1930s. Now though? It took me a month to read a book less than 180 pages. This was fine, but not quite as good as I had hoped.

There There by Tommy Orange

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Modern Literature

Review: There There is an impressive novel in the way that the author is able to have so many different characters and have all of them be incredibly well-rounded and written with their own distinct voices. While it was difficult at times to remember the connections while listening to the audiobook, I thought it was still really well done. While I would probably recommend the physical copy just to better keep track of the relationships and connections of each of the characters, the audiobook had good narration.

The fact that this novel presents so many perspectives of Native American life and not one of them falls into stereotypical "Rez Life" is needed. I liked that this was mostly set in the urban location of Oakland, California. It was nice to read a book that discussed how Native Americans see themselves, live their lives, and the struggles they go through in modern life in modernized spaces.

I think this book is highly accessible to most audiences, but be aware of the triggers and approach with a good mental headspace. There were a couple tiny things that I wasn't a big fan of: the main climax leads to a violent act that isn't really justified (and I get the point that like what violent act is justified?), but there was no explanation or solid motive that was ever really alluded to in detail and made everything just feel pointless. And, lastly, the ending was pretty confusing in the audiobook because it jumps perspectives so much. Otherwise, I thought this was a great book and I'm glad I read it.

Crumbs by Danie Stirling

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: Fantasy, Graphic Novels, LGBTQIA+, Romance, Young Adult

Review: I thought Crumbs was a really cute graphic novel, although it didn't have much to do with witches or with baking. It had a great message of pursuing your true self, and then having the bravery to be that person even if you're scared or worried of how that will affect other people.

While the namesake of the comic doesn't really come in until the end, it was still meaningful in the overall themes of the book. The only thing about this is I felt like sometimes the reader was just thrown into the story without any further context or explanation. Like were were supposed to know how this world worked? Or personal details about the characters that weren't explained? So it felt disjointed at times because of that.

But, a big fan of any message that encourages young people to put themselves before a relationship. And it was a diverse cast of characters, which I loved.

This Place: 150 Years Retold by Various Authors and Illustrators

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, History, Modern Literature, Young Adult

Review: This Place is an anthology of ten stories (both nonfiction and fiction) by Indigenous creators highlighting important cultural moments, stories, and legends from the last 150 years of their history. These creators are mostly (if not all) from Canadian tribes, and I thought these stories were beautifully illustrated and told. It was sad and infuriating reading the terrible things First Nations people have gone through and fought for, especially just in the last 70 years.

Some stories and illustration styles I liked better than others. And some stories I understood better than others. The more cerebral or abstract stories dealing with more abstract concepts tended to be the ones I felt more confused about. However, I do think this would make an excellent resources for teachers as it covers a lot of more recent history and politics on Native American issues that I had never known about before reading this. I'm a big fan of making this available particularly to young adults, teens, and maybe even late middle-schoolers.

A really cool idea, and a perfect graphic novel for Native American Heritage Month where at least one story could appeal to the reader both in its overall likeability and its illustration style.

What's Eating Us: Women, Food, and the Epidemic of Body Anxiety by Cole Kazdin

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: ARCs, Favorites, Health, Nonfiction

Review: What's Eating Us by Cole Kazdin is a mix of journalistic-style writing and memoir as we follow the author through her years of battling an eating disorder and then during her recovery. As a disclaimer: I imagine that this would be very triggering if you're a) someone who has or had an eating disorder; b) are recovering from an eating disorder; c) are BIPOC; or d) a person who lives in a bigger body. Certainly, her chapters discussing the discrimination bigger bodied people face, and even some of the times where she discusses her thinness, was triggering for me.

I thought Kazdin does a really great job at presenting information (even the information we know inherently as being women in bodies that are scrutinized constantly) in such a way that feels like she's fighting in our corner and giving the weight loss and diet industry a giant middle finger. There is a lot of talk, again, about eating disorders as she navigates her own and her recovery process. But there is also inclusive language on how the BIPOC community struggles with body anxiety, eating disorders at a much higher rate than white women, general access to medical care and mental health care, and everyday stressors such as racism and sexism. There is inclusive language for those of us living in bigger bodies as well, and how acceptance of every body type starts with loving those that are not thin and white.

I so appreciated that she included resources at the end of this book for people looking for voices not tied to the diet and weight loss industry. Although the information here may not always feel fresh or ground-breaking, it is presented in a way that made me pay attention again. And for that alone, I am truly grateful that this book will be out in the world. It's one I want to buy for every woman in my life who I've ever had a conversation with about our bodies, whether that was my mom, my best friends, co-workers, or a stranger on the metro. There should be a little bit of comfort (and maybe some tears) for any woman who has ever felt anything negative about her body within these pages.

This was an advanced reader copy, so thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Essentials, an imprint of St. Martin's Press. This title publishes March 7, 2023.

Did Not Finish

Land: How the Hunger for Ownership Shaped the Modern World by Simon Winchester

Review: DNF at 21%.

This is one I think I need to come back to when I'm in the right mindset for it. I attempted the audiobook, and while I appreciate the author's reading of it, I could not pay attention to the narration or soak up anything he was saying.

So, I probably need to sit down with a physical copy. But it won't be any time soon.

I think the topics are fascinating and would work well in pieces for like a World Civ class as he talks heavily about settlers on the land, how it was measured and how borders were set into place. He moves through history discussing all the ways countries were formed, fought over, and obtained. But, unfortunately, I didn't grasp much else.