What a month for reading! I was beating myself up for not hitting my monthly goal of 7 books, BUT then I remembered February is the shortest month of the year. So it’s okay to have only gotten through 6 books!
There’s no point in berating yourself for not reaching a specific number.
Here’s what I read this month:
The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict—Oh my gosh, it feels like a lifetime ago that I read this book and I can’t believe it was only at the beginning of the month! I loved this read, until the last like 60 pages. I felt like it wrapped up too quickly and I missed a lot of details. However, definitely a great feminist read and WWII history if you’re into that!
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot–One of the most riveting and important reads of the (my) year! I still need to watch the moving (starring Oprah!) but if you have any interest in vaccines and medicine, this is a great book for you. But also as a human being, this book is sooooo important.
The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish—I think Tiffany Haddish is hilarious, but I’m really glad I read this because I had no idea she had such a hard childhood and even harder adulthood. Comedians use humor to cover up pain, but wow. I admire her even more!
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas—I LOVED The Hate U Give but I think I may have loved On the Come Up even more. The thing I loved about it was that there wasn’t a political tragedy like in The Hate U Give, although Bri, the main character, does reference Kahlil’s death frequently throughout. It’s not a sequel, but both books exist in the same universe. Instead, you are given the real life of a teenage girl growing up in Garden Heights and trying to help her family make ends meet while also following her dreams. I grew up in a very white suburban neighborhood, so I appreciate stories like these that help me check my privilege and also educate me on what minority kids are going through. I really loved this book and was so impressed with the raps…only to learn that Angie Thomas used to be a teen rap star! No wonder she’s such a good writer.
Parkland by Dave Cullen—you can read my full review here!
Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis—Okay so I know there is a lot of controversy surrounding this book since it is written from a place of SUCH privilege. I also don’t think there’s anything profound about this book; other than the Hollis’ blunt delivery, I think the idea that we are the ones with the power to change our own lives isn’t new. I liked points she had, like mere sentences, that resonated and I was like “oh yeah, totally” but overall, I kind of cringed throughout the whole book.
Currently it’s snowing outside my window and you all know how I feel about a fresh month. I’m tired of saying that “things happened, it was a weird month” because it wasn’t (other than that stomach virus, bleh). But I failed in my 28 day challenge to commit to myself and my health. I’m going to start again! Have a great weekend, friends!
Read and Wright 