My Week in Books (3/11/19)

(#partner #freebooks. Thank you, Scribner, Skyhorse Publishing, Get Red PR, Algonquin, and Red Lightning Books for the free books to review. All opinions are my own.)

We’re gearing up for a major blizzard around here, so thank goodness I had this post pretty much written already! The forecast is calling for 8-10″, but here’s the kicker: 60 MPH winds! If my family weren’t ranchers with cattle and mama cows having babies, I wouldn’t be nearly as concerned. In fact, I’d probably be rejoicing at the potential reading time…but, not so much in this case. I’m heading out to help my dad move his cattle into corrals and getting some grocery shopping done…checking on my 90-year-old grandparents and making sure they’re prepared with food and medicine. It’s gonna get interesting this week around here!

Last Week’s Reads:

• The Island of Sea Girls by: Lisa See (Scribner) – Pub Date: March 5, 2019
  • Sometimes it can seem like all the historical fiction novels are about the WWII time period. If you feel that way and would like to venture into a different area of the world, then give this book a try. It was so good! Read my full review here.
• The Wrong End of the Table: A Mostly Comic Memoir of a Muslim Arab Woman Just Trying to Fit In by: Ayser Salman (Skyhorse Publishing) – Pub Date: March 5, 2019
  • “Forty-something years is a long time for someone to feel like an outsider in a nation made up of immigrants.” This book was insightful and funny. I truly enjoyed this one! Read my full review here.
• A Woman is No Man by: Etaf Rum (Harper) – Pub Date: March 5, 2019
  • The #bookstagram hype surrounding this one is real. It’s a book that I know will stay with me for a long time. I loved Rum’s writing – specifically the character of Isra. Also, the ending absolutely blew me away! Read my full review here.
• A People’s History of Heaven by: Mathangi Subramanian (Algonquin) – Pub Date: March 19, 2019
  • I loved this story about Heaven – a literal slum in Bangladore, India. Not only is the title an interesting metaphor for the Heaven in the sky, but it’s also an indication of Subramanian’s lyrical and dreamy prose. There are many characters in this story, but it centers around five specific girls and I loved it! Hopefully, (weather permitting), I’ll have a full review up later this week!

Currently Reading/Listening:

• A Grip of Time by: Lauren Kessler (Red Lightning Books) Pub Date: May 1, 2019
  • I started reading this one before I realized the publishing date is a little ways out there! Haha! When I realized that, I tried to pause it to read closer to May, but it’s too good for me to stop! A non-fiction book about a woman who starts a writing group in a prison, it’s an interesting look into a few prisoners’ lives. It also gives some interesting background history of the prison systems.
• Daisy Jones and The Six by: Taylor Jenkins Reid (Random House) – Pub Date: March 5, 2019
  • I may have almost cried happy tears the day this book finally showed up on my doorstep! I read between basketball games yesterday and I’m hooked. Dang blizzard! I just wanna sit all day and finish this one! I also think the audiobook version of this one would be amazing! Stay tuned for a review as soon as possible!

Likely to Read Next:

• Queenie by: Candice Carty-Williams (Orion Publishing) – Pub Date: March 19, 2019
  • This one should be arriving in my mailbox today (Thank you, Book of the Month Club…here’s an affiliate link if you’d like to join and trust me – you do!) It’s been described as a mix between Americanah (hello, still haven’t read this one 🤦🏼‍♀️) and Bridgette Jones’ Diary. I’ve seen mostly positive reviews so far…it releases next Tuesday!
• The Things We Cannot Say by: Kelly Rimmer (Graydon House) – Pub Date: March 19, 2019
  • This one also releases next Tuesday. A WWII historical fiction novel about the Nazis moving into Russian territory. It promises secrets and love and loyalty and perseverance – all things I love in a novel!

Tell me, friends, what’s been your favorite reads lately?