A Girl Is a Body of Water

My 11th Aspen Words Literary Prize 2021 longlist read! I actually have had an earlier novel by Makumbi, Kintu, on my TBR for years. Having read this one first, due to my personal longlist challenge, I have to say that I am blown away by Makumbi’s work and am now planning to pick that one…

My Book Blogging Journey: Year Four

Four years. Four! This is my fourth year of sharing my book reviews. And I still love it. Though I've also learned quite a bit as well, like, despite the fact that reviews get less interaction and interest than anything other posts, I still am here for that. I'll post a couple challenges and my…

Furia

This book is a YA situation that appealed to me on a very deep level. I grew up playing soccer because my father played. And my brothers too, though they were younger than me, they started before me and I decided to try because, I don’t know, sibling FOMO maybe? Anyways, it turned out to…

The Office of Historical Corrections

My 10th Aspen Words Literary Prize 2021 longlist read! I’m two thirds of the way there – maybe I will actually make it! Anyways, this one was amaze-balls. As per usual, here's a quick note with reactions for each story, and the closing novella of course, with some final thoughts to wrap it up. The…

Minor Feelings

I've had this one on my TBR since it came out last year, so I'm excited to finally have gotten to it. I don't really have a lot else to say in this little intro. I had both the audiobook and physical book from the library, which I am realizing more and more that I really…

The Vanishing Half

I read The Mothers a few years ago and generally enjoyed and was impressed by the debut. Bennett did a wonderful job writing real, flawed, “regular people” characters in a genuine and interesting way. So, I definitely knew that I’d look into whatever she wrote next. And then The Vanishing Half came out this past…

Against the Loveless World

This is the 8th book from the Aspen Words Literary Prize 2021 longlist that I have read (halfway through the list!)…and I am pretty sure it’s going to make it onto my shortlist prediction. Because holy *deep breath* this is a powerhouse of a novel. Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa “I indulge an…

A Children’s Bible

My 7th book on the Aspen Words Literary Prize 2021 Longlist and this is one that was neither on my radar at all prior to this list nor one that I read anything about before picking it up (or, to be fair, starting the audio...the narrator for which has a particularly grating voice, in my…

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

I’ve seen literally nothing but rave reviews for this collection. Some major bookstagrammers who always have the inside track on great new releases, as well as some smaller ones whose recommendations I’ve come to just really trust will line up with my own appreciations. So naturally I added myself to the library waitlist for this…

The Night Watchman

My 6th Aspen Words 2021 longlist read! I feel like it’s gonna be cutting it close to get this whole longlist read, but I am doing my best. This is my third novel by Erdrich. I read The Round House before joining starting this blog, years ago now, so I don’t have an official review…