I told friends I'm dabbling in Seattle Book Bingo, but the truth is, I've been gunning for blackout! I've been an absolute nut -- zipping through audiobooks and flying through pages. Although this was my first year to participate, I've essentially been playing my own Book Bingo with my self-assigned monthly reading categories. I enjoy matching books to various prompts, and this summer I found ways to read books that have been on my TBR for a while. Similar to a book club, it also led me to pick up several titles I wouldn't have normally selected. Of the 23 books I read, here were my all-stars (half of which were re-reads!):
I love the diversity in this collection -- length, genre, content, style, authors, publishing year, and also my enjoyment...haha! I'm sharing quick thoughts and a letter grade (taken from podcaster Erica Ladd's book review system) to make it easy to scan.
A = Amazing! Awesome! Above and Beyond!
B = Buzz-worthy! Book I'd recommend
C = Could have been better...could have been worse
D = Disappointing
F = F*** this book
Glad I finally read this (albeit too quickly)! It was more lyrical and poetic than I was expecting and he meanders a bit, but his main themes and ideas are striking and important!
I picked this up on the recommendation of Mr. Fleece's cousin and really enjoyed it! Beautifully written and interesting plot and themes. Would love to pick up more climate-related novels and explore more of McConaghy's backlist.
I saw this book everywhere and wanted to know what it was about. Glad I did it on audio -- my favorite chapters were voiced by Marcellus. I liked the characters more than the plot, and wasn't blown away by the writing.
As one of the most banned books of all time, I thought this prompt was a great excuse to pick up this classic I had never read. Too cynical, negative, and stream-of-consciousness for my taste and didn't like being in his head or following his nighttime escapades. My two favorite parts were when you understand the title and the bittersweet carousel scene/paragraph with his sister.
By today's standards, there are lots of reasons why this story isn't great for children -- guns! starvation! Some of the language...But gosh, NLW and I really love this one! The audiobook narrator Chris O'Dowd (same voiceover as Puffin Rock) completely makes the experience!
I listen to From the Front Porch podcast on occasion, so was intrigued enough to read her book. The reflections on daily life, community, and faith were pleasant, but nothing really stuck with me two months later. Probably would have liked it better on audio...
I just love the way the story unfolds and how real it feels. Camila Dunne's love for her husband is just wonderful! I read on the page this time, but would recommend on audio. The TV show is great too <3
I had heard about this title from a few different places and thought the premise sounded interesting: a housekeeper who cares for a professor whose memory resets every 80 minutes. It was a little bit too slow, quiet, and sweet for my taste, but glad to have included a book in translation on my list!
(2011; 129 pages) // Nonfiction
We often rotate library books that we can display on our coffee table and this one was a delight! I originally discovered Blackall through the world of picture books but in this collection she illustrates online confessions from strangers that range from silly and quirky to endearing and sweet.
I really wanted to finish Station Eleven by Emily St. James, but I just wasn't engaged with the story. So instead, I went with a tried and true page-turner -- I love the balance of familiar scenes and it's-been-so-long-that-I've-forgotten combo that comes through on a re-read.
I picked this up on recommendation from Annie B. Jones (author of Ordinary Time...see above!) and loved my reading experience. It's similar in a lot of ways to The Housekeeper and the Professor (see above!) in that they are both quiet books with unusual premises that are ultimately about connection, but I enjoyed the writing and storytelling of this one a lot more, probably because it explored the topics of faith and finding yourself.
Another book I read too quickly -- and would honestly pair well with Between the World and Me. Nevertheless, I appreciated his main argument and thought audio was a great first-time exposure as he narrates it himself. This would be a good one to read again, and ideally with someone to discuss!
I almost never reach for the "humor" section and wasn't sure what to pick up for this category. I originally planned on reading Whitehead for the BIPOC historical fiction, but instead stumbled upon this niche portion of his life in which he enters a World Series of Poker competition. Parts were funny and I enjoyed the Texas Hold ’em nostalgia, but overall this was a little too sarcastic/obscure for my taste.
What a wild true story! Their personalities, unique decisions and circumstances, and immediate fame that resulted were all so intense. Still not sure what I think about this one.
I stumbled across this book when putting books on hold for NLW. I liked the idea and themes, but wasn't crazy about the artwork itself. Read it quickly at a park while my kids were on the playground.
I needed something short as I was nearing the end of the challenge, and am so glad I picked this up! It's unusually told from a first-person plural "we" group of women. The sentence structure was often repetitive, but ultimately really effective. I absolutely loved considering this time in history from the perspective of these women -- following Japanese "picture brides" all the way to their forced internment after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Otsuka's final chapter is so smart in that it flips the voice and we hear from the white American neighbors in the community. I think this would be a great book club selection!
This is an epic novel with such vivid characters. I love the dialogue, the descriptive writing, and the foils between Rhett, Ashley, Melanie, and Scarlett. So good!
I finally picked this up while on vacation because I wanted to know what all the hype was. It's not what I'd normally pick up, but overall I still liked it and thought it was a perfect fit for the "Hope" square. Glad I read it so close to the movie coming out and will be fun to compare.
I appreciated the chance to consider the trans experience through the perspective of a parent. The reflections are heartfelt, though the book sometimes wandered into tangents. Overall it deepened my empathy toward families navigating similar journeys as the author.
Read this with my West Seattle Book Club and found it slow, with most of the conflict taking place in the main character's head -- not my favorite. I'd recommend watching the documentary Sally instead.