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…

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…

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…

Disability Visibility

I cut it really close, but this is the final book I needed to finish out the Reading Women Challenge 2020 (this is for prompt #8 “An Anthology by Multiple Authors”). Of note, I’ll post a full compilation of all the books I read for the Challenge, and likely list some favorites of the bunch…

Transcendent Kingdom

Like many other people, I absolutely loved Homegoing. I read it a few years ago and was truly blown away. It’s actually one of the very first books I ever reviewed on my blog. (Also, looking back at the post to link it here, I had totally forgotten that I included recommendations for similar books…

Delicious!

The August (I know, I know, but I somehow overlooked it, so it's getting a very last review post) book theme for my long-distance book club was food. I have no idea where we came up with that, but it was a fun theme that prompted a lot of super awesome book suggestions! Plus, convenient,…

Hamnet

This book was not really on my TBR, to be honest. I had it on my radar, but just didn't think I was going to be feeling it...really ever. But a few things happened in conjunction that basically made me feel like I was going to have to give it a try. First, and mostly the…

Emma

Although I was one of those awesome nerds in high school that loved Jane Austen and truly read all the books by her we were assigned, I am not sure that I have actually picked up an original from her since then. I have both read and watched many adaptations and retellings (some repeatedly…2005 Pride…

The Blazing World

This is a backlist title that I had picked up at a used book sale or store awhile ago and it’s just been sitting on my TBR shelf since then. I always try to sprinkle in backlist reads with new releases (which is always harder towards the end of the year), and this one was…

Earthlings

Last year, I read and loved Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, it’s quirky questioning of societal expectations and small celebrations about being different. In fact, it was one of my Top Ten Books of 2019. So, when I saw this most recent translation of one of her works available on NetGalley, I requested it…