Hey, readers!
The last couple weeks I fell back into my reading groove. I’m certainly not reading nearly as much as I did before Louise was born, but I have consistently had a book going this entire month and that feels really good. I know enough now to realize this recent pattern doesn’t necessarily portend anything for the upcoming months, weeks, or even days, but it’s been wonderful to feel like a reader again.
This week in books.
This week I read…
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. I read this as the January selection for the FictionMatters Book Club and was completely blown away by this visceral and prescient story. It was a undoubtedly a difficult read, but a lot of book club members have expressed their surprise by how much they appreciated this book in spite of its brutality. Amazon | Bookshop
Red Rising by Pierce Brown. A few weeks ago, Bookstagram was abuzz with a 2022 reading challenge: choose 12 book recommendations from 12 reader friends and read one per month throughout the year. A former student of mine recommended Red Rising, and I eagerly added it to my list of 12. I was in the mood for something propulsive and engaging and I knew this was considered a classic of the dystopian genre. I absolutely loved the first third of this book. The world Brown builds and slowly reveals is an intriguing reflection of fragile contemporary capitalist democracies and is a great read for our present moment. But ironically, once the action started, I lost interest. I’d still consider this a very well done dystopia, but it also reminded me that I don’t love reading books that are all about the plot no matter how well-done they are. Amazon | Bookshop
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett. I picked this up as a recovery book after reading Parable of the Sower. It had been mentioned more than once on What Should I Read next and I thought it would be a charming little escape and an ode to books. It was definitely both of those things, but it also felt rather unfinished. It’s a tiny book—three hours on audio—but the length wasn’t so much the problem for me as the structure was. It’s organized into bite-sized segments that bounce across topics and times, which made it hard for me to get lost in the story in the way I would want to with an escapist read. Amazon | Bookshop
Now I’m reading…
Slippery Creatures by Kj Charles. This mystery/romance/historical fiction novel has been a pretty fun escape, but I’m not sure I’m loving it enough to continue with the series. I’ll have to see how Charles ends the first book! (P.S. this is very open door so don’t pick it up if that’s not your thing.) Amazon | Bookshop
Malice by Heather Walter. I’d seen Malice on a lot of readers’ best-of-the-year lists and decided to give it a try because I love a good fairytale retelling. So far this reimagining of Sleeping Beauty from the perspective of the evil fairy has completely captivated me. Amazon | Bookshop
*You can get two LIBRO.FM audiobooks for the price of one with my link or by using code FICTIONMATTERS.
Links I love.
Adding these forthcoming book-to-screen adaptations to my watch list.
In the wake of more school systems banning books, here are some books that celebrate a vast spectrum of American identities and a reading list for re-learning American history.
The best reviewed books of January 2022.
Learn more about two new feminist retellings of The Great Gatsby.
The Newberry Medal is 100, but do all of the books hold up?
This examination of “productive leisure” is fascinating.
A treasure trove of Jane Austen’s letters have been donated to the Jane Austen House Museum and the Bodleian Libraries.
End notes.
Watching: Nothing! But I’m gearing up to spend the next few weeks camped out on the couch watching the Winter Olympics.
Listening: Ezra Klein interviewed Ruth Ozeki on his podcast and its a must listen if you’ve read any of her books or are just curious about her as a writer, priest, and person.
Making: I forgot to link the chicken shawarma recipe in my last newsletter…whoops! We’ve also been making these Instant Pot beans fairly regularly. They’re great to have on hand for quick lunches.
Loving: Stitch Fix! I’d had some dud boxes recently—mostly because their maternity clothes aren’t great—but my last Fix was awesome. Not only did I keep everything, but I’ve already worn everything that was in it at least once. I’m not an affiliate for Stitch Fix, but you can use my link to try it and get $25 towards your first purchase.
Readers, I hope you’re feeling like a reader this month. For questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. I love hearing from you!
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Happy reading!
Sara
Goosebumps! Keep smiling and shining.🌸