The unread books on my bookshelf are disappointed in me. I chose a more conservative reading goal for this year instead of stressing myself out by pushing to read 50 books or something like that. I have a lot of respect for those of you out there who can marathon read multiple books in a day or listen to audiobooks while you work; I’m sure it makes those ambitious reading goals a bit easier to reach. Like a lot of other people, when the pandemic hit I had a hard time finding my groove with anything creative, and I also struggled to set aside time for things I love. I didn’t want to sit around a read a book because being physically stagnant became an agitator for my depression. Daily walks were often the only outdoor time I had and not seeing my friends to socialize in person really sucked.
I’m happy to say I’ve been able to pull myself out of a slump with some concerted effort on my part and the help of my therapist. Turns out there was a lot more contributing to my declining mental state than I originally thought, but I’m here and trying my best to thrive. Now, at almost the middle of August, I’m 3/4 of the way to my reading goal of 20 books this year. The library and I are once again on speaking terms and I see a lot of good books in my future. I took some time to reflect on the stories I’ve read so far this year and compiled a short list of my favorites. With a few months left in the year, I’m hoping to squeeze in at least one more 5 star read.
The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker
When a mysterious sleeping sickness appears in a small California town the community is thrown into fear and chaos. The only information infectious disease experts are able to work out is the sleepers are dreaming; their brain activity higher than ever recorded. Multiple threads tie this story together, told from the perspectives of a student locked down at a college, a young couple who just moved into town, two girls whose father has succumbed to the illness, and a few others.
This one has been my only 5 star read so far this year. I read this back in January, during what was still the height of the pandemic (though it’s still very much present today). I enjoyed how the personal stories overlapped with the larger issue of the sleeping sickness; it was eery thinking about how we were experiencing something similar in the real world at the time I was reading this. The Dreamers was anxiety inducing in the same way the unknown gives a lot of people anxiety. This story is a science fiction/mystery of sorts because throughout the story there really aren’t many answers. It’s technically speculative fiction, which I’ve been meaning to explore more.
It’s terrifying when you have to deal with a disease no one has experienced or heard of before, along with whatever personal struggles you’re carrying. Karen Thompson Walker bottled up all those anxieties, frustrations, and fears in The Dreamers, showing us the best and worst of humanity. The ending was a bit too abrupt for my taste, I wished I could have seen what happened to the characters after the conclusion of the story. The sickness simply comes and goes; I suppose that’s just the natural way of some things.
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
Feyre Archeron is a former human turned faerie stuck in the middle of a war between realms. After sacrificing herself to save the faerie world of Prythian she is reborn, destined to rule by the side of her lover Tamlin. With war threatening to rip the human and faerie worlds apart, Feyre finds herself caught between duty and family; who she used to be and who she is now. Friends become enemies and supposed enemies turn out to be unexpected allies.
Choosing to pick up this series was definitely a “bookstagram made me do it” moment. I wouldn’t normally call myself a fan of fantasy, but after seeing so many people praise this story I was intrigued. This is the second book in the series, my favorite so far, because Sarah J. Maas does a wonderful job expanding on the foundations she built in the first book. The rich, sensory details she uses to describe each faerie court makes it easy to picture them in your head. I liked being able to envision each scene in my mind as if they were scenes in a movie; it’s much easier to transport yourself into the story when the descriptions have so much detail.
Feyre is complicated and strong. She is very much determined to forge her own path and decide her own fate. Even when she feels stuck by her situation she doesn’t become a damsel in distress, Feyre uses her adaptability and cleverness to get out of trouble. The main cast of characters is fleshed out more in the second installment, shifting your perception of them and how they fit into the story. Fantasy finds its sweet spot to me when it isn’t so outrageous you get lost in the details and can still find elements of the real world you’re familiar with.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Le Cirques de Rêves is a mystery to everyone who enters; full of enchanting amusements and unique acts. Deep beyond the surface, a competition between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, plays out day after day, unbeknownst to those around them. Only one magician can remain standing for the competition to end, but neither competitor is aware of this crucial fact. As Marco and Celia tumble into a love affair, they search for a way to undermine their fate.
The Night Circus was a very atmospheric read for me. Erin Morgenstern’s writing is heady and enchanting, bringing the circus alive on the page in a unique way. Reading was a bit overwhelming at times, but it came across as an intentional decision, mimicking how it would feel to visit Le Cirques de Rêves in real life. The heart of this story was not Celia and Marco’s competition in my mind, instead it was the different observations and experiences of the characters tied to the circus, whether they were spectators or performers. We get the full picture of the circus by connecting those individual threads.
I don’t feel like the story earned the ending it was given, if that makes sense. The first 3/4 of the books builds up the competition between Celia and Marco only to provide a half-assed love story with an easy conclusion. The two spent much of their personal time working out a way to leave the circus and the loophole affording them freedom was very meh. I wanted to know more about the mechanics of what they had to do in order to separate themselves from the magic they poured into keeping the circus going. The last few chapters fizzled out.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Our heroine, Chloe Brown, vows to spice up her life after having a near death experience at the bands of a drunk driver. The last thing she wants is to live an unremarkable life never having done anything interesting. Chloe turns to her handyman/landlord, Red, to help her check off the items on her list and finally get a life. The only problem is Chloe despises Red for reasons unknown, and he also happens to be pretty hunky.
When is comes to representation, Talia Hibbert knocks it out of the park. Chloe has a chronic illness, which is something we’ve rarely seen in characters in the past, unless it has been fumbled and handled completely wrong. In this case, Chloe’s illness is simply a fact, it doesn’t define her or make her less desirable (because it fucking shouldn’t ever). Her banter with Red is hilarious and awkward; their interactions are something we can all relate to when dealing with someone we find attractive. Their chemistry wasn’t strong in my eyes unfortunately; it was hard to feel the connection when they didn’t spend much time together on the page. The love felt juvenile in the way you think your middle school boyfriend is “the one” at times.
I still very much enjoyed this story. Chloe is a badass woman with her own business and a level of determination I aspire to have one day. Her awkwardness made it easy to relate to the curveballs life likes to throw at you when you could really use a break, but can never seem to get one.
With 14 books already under my belt this year there have been a lot of middle of the road reads. Those books are ones I might recommend to a certain friend or someone who gravitates toward a particular genre; I wouldn’t read them again though. If you have a 5 star read you’ve been recommending to everyone I would love to hear your suggestions in the comments!
The Rummy Writer 