Here are five or so things worth sharing this month:
1. Reading (A): I just finished Emily Henry’s latest rom com, Funny Story, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Henry has a way with characters and romantic tension and is one of the master’s (in my opinion) in her genre. I also really enjoyed her Book Lovers and Beach Read.
2. Reading (MG): When I heard Dan Gemeinhart had a followup book to his The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise, I knew I had to read it. And Coyote Lost and Found was splendid. We get the same quirky characters (with a few added in) on a different roadtrip quest.
3. Watching: A couple weekends ago I watched the Max documentary The Fastest Woman on Earth, about professional racer and TV personality Jessi Coombs and oh my goodness was it fantastic. It’s a fascinating story about Coombs’s quest to break the land speed record and how speed racing is still a field of men. It includes information about one of the first women racers and daredevils, Kitty O’Neil, who was a deaf woman who paved the way for people like Coombs to participate in racing events. I think I might be falling down a hole of research because I’m so fascinated by all this. Summer research project?
4. Reading (A): Well, it’s been a while since I’ve read a book where I got so invested in the characters I didn’t want the story to end—but that was the case with Hello Beautiful, by Ann Napolitano. What a magnificent story. It follows four sisters through decades and has the feel of Little Women, which I believe was kind of the goal. It was voted one of the best books of 2023, and I definitely see why. This is the first of Napolitano’s books I’ve read, but I’ll be looking to add more to my TBR!
5. Reading (MG): Varsha Bajaj’s book Thirst, was a lovely read about Minni, who lives in Mumbai, in one of the poorest sections where water is rationed and is only available during certain times of the day. And yet someone—a richer someone—is stealing the water, and Minni and friends have to uncover it. I found the tale sweet and sad and important, especially for young readers who often take for granted their access to water (like my sons). Highly recommended!
6. Reading (A): Have I mentioned that I am a sucker for based-on-true-life stories? Ariel Lawhon’s The Frozen River was one of my favorite recent reads. It tells the story of Martha Ballard, a real midwife in the 1780s. It was fascinating and thrilling and completely compelling—and, of course, had feminist overtones, since Martha was a fierce and independent woman when that wasn’t exactly “allowed.” I loved everything about this book. And now I might have to do a deep dive into Ariel Lawhon’s books, because that’s how I roll. 🙂 When you read it, make sure you also read the author’s note. It’s as fascinating as the book!
