I know, I know. December 18 is almost January. And definitely not even close to the end of November. But this month has been crazy! I started a new job at a new school teaching a new grade level. So that’s my excuse, but I hope you enjoy my wrap-up nonetheless.
In terms of audience, I read 3 young adult books and 5 adult books. I read 3 of these books physically, 3 of these books as e-book, and 2 via audiobook. Finally, I read all of these as rentals from my library, except for one – the Golden Compass, which I purchased at a local book store.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
An occult fantasy set at Yale where we follow Alex who is in charge of policing the magic at the other secret societies.
This book is majorly hyped, which I get (major YA author transitions to adult and goes extra edgy), and I think it deserves some of the hype. It definitely isn’t perfect (some parts dragged, some issues were handled in a way that I didn’t love), but it was pretty great overall. That being said, this book has several elements that are “auto-buy” factors for me – secret societies, Ivy League setting, and occult magic. If you’re sort of “meh” about these plot factors, then the larger issues with this book might really bother you. Since I have affinity towards books that share many of these features, I was much more forgiving and just happy to be in this immersive atmosphere.
Girls on the Verge by Sarah Biggs Waller
A high school senior in Texas needs access to abortion, so she takes a roadtrip with her friends. The story of what it means to be a friend and the importance of a women’s right to choose.
This book knocked my socks off. If you told me that a story about a teen girl seeking abortion would be hard hit-hitting but also joyful, I wouldn’t believe you. I mean, how is it even possible to infuse joy into a story about a girl who does not have access to abortion? This book somehow pulls it off. While this book definitely has an agenda and absolutely intends to inform, it also entertains in a heartfelt way that I didn’t expect. I read this in almost one sitting and I am so glad I picked it up. This should be required reading for high schoolers. Seriously. If you have even a little bit of interest in YA about this topic, pick it up. You’ll be impressed and entertained.
The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
A middle grade/young adult/adult fantasy (determining an audience for this is nearly impossible) about Lyra’s journey to the magical north to escape from the “gobblers” who steal children and her determination to save the children who have been stolen.
I finally picked up the Golden Compass, and boy did it deliver on the things I was hoping it would. First, the writing style blew me away! It is so lyrical and prose-y and the kind of writing that you want to read out loud. Lyra is such an interesting protagonist (not necessarily likable but truly fascinating to follow). The plot is meandering, for better or for worse, but that’s the sort of thing I like. And finally, the themes and setting are incredible. This is a classic for a reason, and everyone (I mean everyone) should read this.
Bunny by Mona Awad
A genre-bending novel that follows an outcast in her MFA program filled with sugar sweet prepsters. When accepted into their clique, our protagonist finds that they’re doing some interesting things… with bunnies… and men…
It’s nearly impossible to describe this book without spoilers because it’s so bizarre. It’s literary fiction meets horror meets science fiction mets thriller. If you love thriller/horror and want to dip into literary fiction, give this a try. If you love literary fiction and want to dip into thriller/horror, then this would be a great pick.
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
A romance about two people who are sharing a flat to save money – one party works 9 to 5 at a publishing company and the other works 5 – 9 as a hospice nurse. They get to know each other through the notes they leave to each other, and things evolve as their lives begin to blend…
This is easily my favorite romance of the year. Not only is the premise adorable, but the writing is stunning and far beyond what I usually see in romance. Furthermore, the side characters are highly developed in this story and actually contribute to the plot in a meaningful way. Also, this is a dual perspective story, with distinct writing styles for each character. There is also a social justice bend, including diverse characters, which is also rare in romance.
Very Nice by Marcy Dermansky
A tale of privilege in the northeast, we follow a writing professor fresh off of a hot novel who hooks up with one of his students. When he unexpectedly moves in with her mother, things become tricky. A multi-perspective story that touches on many social issues
This is a hard book for me to rate. It’s a beachy literary fiction (if that’s even a thing), with about 6 different points of view that all intersect in fantastic finale. Everything about this book is incredibly subtle, so if you like a layered story that has only a slight element of family drama, salaciousness, social commentary, and relationship drama – then you might like this. For me, it mostly just fell flat.
Simon versus the Homosapien Agenda by Becky Albertalli
A YA contemporary about Simon and his email correspondence with a potential love interest when a peer intersects these emails and sees an opportunity for blackmail. Deals with the teen experience and coming out.
For the most part, YA contemporary just isn’t my thing. It’s rare that I read a YA contemporary that rises to the 4 star level to me. That being said, this book is so well written and if you like YA contemporary, there is no doubt that you’ll love this. Becky Albertalli does probably the best job of capturing a teen voice that I’ve ever read. I listened to this on audiobook, which I highly recommend, because much of the book is teens bantering back and forth or the internal thoughts about day to day teen life. Because Albertalli captures the voice of Simon so well, it was totally encapsulating to listen to on audio. I liked this one SO much more than Leah on the Offbeat, which I listened to early this year.
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
A romance about a woman with little to no experience with sex who hires an escort to help her learn.
The things I liked about this book – amazing own-voices autism representation and great side characters. The things I didn’t like about this book – everything else. But that isn’t the book’s fault! I just don’t love romance, particularly romance that is so focused on physical aspects of a couple’s relationship. The slow burn thing works way better for me in terms of reading experience, so this book just didn’t strike on all cylinders for me. Basically, this book worked as well as it could have for me, considering my limitations on the genre.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
A science fiction about a “murderbot” that prefers to watch space dramas than do its security duty. The story about the challenges of human interaction and the power of agency over one’s self
Ahhh! I am so torn between 4 and 4.5 stars on this book. It took a while for me to get into it because the beginning is very world-based jargon heavy, but once you get past that, it’s great. The narrator, Murderbot, is incredible. I totally related with the character, as an introvert, who would rather spend time watching television dramas (in my case, reading) than socializing. Because this is a novella, though, I missed some world building. I’ll probably pick up the next in the series soon, though!