March Reading Wrap-Up

This is the 4th book in the Inspector Gamache series and the one that many people claim is when the series really begins to get good. I love the setting of the Manoir, the incorporation of new characters as well as beloved ones, and the mystery element that kept me guessing until the last second. These books are well-loved and I can really understand why. I look forward to seeing the development of the recurring characters.

4.0☆

This is a story about families, children, and the difficult and oftentimes impossible task of deciding whether to give up your child to be raised by someone else. This debut novel explores the multiple perspectives of the adoption journey – the joy, the heartbreak, and the fact that someone always loses. I am astounded that the author, a man, was able to portray the feelings of the women so poignantly in this book. This book evokes so many nuanced and tender emotions that are seldom talked about when the topic of adoption is broached. The story was well-paced and had a very satisfying ending. 

5.0☆

Fredrik Backman’s writing style is so unique, charming, and whimsical. But he also manages to relate to the human experience in a nuanced and evocative way. This is a story about a hostage situation gone wrong. But at its crux, this book is about human relationships and how everyone is just trying their best. For lovers of A Man Called Ove, this book will similarly tug at your heartstrings for each and every one of the characters.

4.5☆

We learn of the two separate love stories that Emma is lucky enough to have found. When her first love, Jesse, reappears three years after his disappearance, Emma is engaged to another man, putting her in an impossible position. The author is able to convey the overwhelming emotion, conflicting feelings, and boundless love that Emma, Sam, and Jesse experience throughout the course of this difficult process. I fell in love with all of the characters and had a blast on this emotional roller coaster of a ride.

5.0☆

For anyone who works in the biology field, you will have heard of HeLa cells – the only human cell line that scientists have been able to reproduce indefinitely. This book details the life and death of Henrietta Lacks, the woman behind the cells. We learn how her cells were taken, distributed, and the impact that has had on her family and the entire scientific community. It’s a story of race, ethics, consent, and the lengths scientists will go to all in the name of research. The book is riveting, informative, and very necessary.

4.0☆

This is a book written for and about book lovers and writers alike. If you are an avid reader or writer, you will be able to find yourself within these pages. The art style is simple but expressive, and the author captures the nuances of literary life brilliantly, inserting in inspiring anecdotes and ironic puns. This would be a great coffee table addition for anyone who loves to read or write.

5.0☆

Leslie Stein has such a unique artistic style. I really love the color scheme and the way she is able to manipulate negative space. This book is charming, relatable, simplistic, and minimal. There were moments where I had trouble with the non-linear format, the lack of panels, and what dialogue belonged to what character. But the story she tells is inspiring and thoughtful, and she portrays the female experience in a very nuanced way.

4.0☆

In this book, the author talks extensively about her own Mormon upbringing and how she came to study gender in college and to decide to raise her child, Zoomer, in a gender-creative way. She offers an alternative to the typical gendered upbringing, but presents her story in a nonjudgmental way, not casting shame or blame on parents who may choose a more typical route. I really enjoyed reading about the way they are raising Zoomer and raising awareness about the negative effects gender stereotyping can have on young children. It was enlightening and is helping me adjust the way I talk to my own son about gender.

4.0☆