Chernobyl 01:23:40: The Incredible True Story of the World's Worst Nuclear Disaster
Andrew Leatherbarrow
This book is precisely what the title would indicate. Unlike many of the stories I've glimpsed on the subject of nuclear disaster, however, this non-fiction work is very clearly an extended research paper. It shed a lot of light into something I might never have thought about otherwise, and I'm glad my ebooks library recommended it to me.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Shirley Jackson
Part of my Halloween reading challenge, I discovered this old classic. As far as horror genre books go, this one is not at all graphic or tense, but it is disturbing. I enjoyed the unique look into the mind of what must be insanity, but then also must not be. I'll be thinking of this book long after October.
Jaclyn Hyde
Annabeth Bondor-Stone
A surprisingly moving take on the classic Jekyll and Hide theme, this book was best appreciated after I read the old classic. Basically there were a lot of inside jokes that had made me glad to have read the classic. Going back to Bondor-Stone's rendition, however, I can't say it was terribly complicated, but it was certainly thought-provoking and had a few smiles along the way.
A Possibility of Whales
Karen Rivers
According to the author, this novel is meant to be a modern take on "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" by Judy Blume. While I can't say I enjoyed Blume's description of coming to age, Rivers takes a variety of complex themes and weaves them into something rather poetic. Although menstruation certainly comes up, it is treated with dignity and understanding, which is something that is unfortunately lacking in so many young adult novels.
Solving for M
Jennifer Swender
Middle school can be a puzzling time for young people. Mika faces a lot of stressful things in her life, not the least of which is math class. With care and cleverness, Jennifer Swender navigates through a sincerely engaging tale of family troubles, uncertain classroom situations and amusing teachers and manages to teach some quality math along the way.
Herding Cats
Sarah Andersen
Well, if you are a woman living in today's society, please read this book.
Refugee
Alan Gratz
Well, I never knew much about the refugee crises discussed in this book. While the novel itself is rather biased and is definitely a dramatization, it reflects often-ignored historical facts that I found fascinating to look up later.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Ken Kesey
Sure, this is an adult-themed book, in more ways than one. I can't help but stop to think about this one. How are the mentally ill treated today? We've all read horror stories of old insane asylums, and hopefully we've all been duly disgusted that people could be treated that way. But where is the value for human life? Regardless of how difficult a person is.
The Help
Kathryn Stockett
Well, I don't want my whole list to be full of books about social justice. But while it wouldn't be hard to put The Help into that category, there's so much more to this book than racial discrimination. The book itself is a deep appeal for someone to recognize that there was injustice that was never considered, and discrimination continues to be ignored. The perspective was certainly thought-provoking. It makes sense that this novel made a best-sellers list.
The Count of Monte Cristo
Alexandre Dumas
So, if you don't like long reads full of a variety of interwoven concepts that are hard to follow, find a shorter book. While this one doesn't even make the top 100 longest novels ever written, I feel pretty proud of myself for getting through to the end. Not only is this book full of history and culture, the fascinating characters and intricate plot continue to be lovable and relevant today. I hope this one never gets forgotten.
Sex or Ice Cream?: Secrets of an Asexual; Asexuality in a Sexed Up World--A Thorught-Provoking and Comically Quirky Memoir
Ana Navarro
Why, yes, the title of this one might be longer than the book itself. And, yes, there are spelling and grammar errors, but really, guys, this little novella has a lot of heart and adds a little more understanding into the world of sexual orientation. It's only a dollar on Amazon, and I'm satisfied with every penny I spent on it.
The Search for Delicious
Natalie Babbitt
I'm counting this one for 2019 even though I've definitely read it in other years. Honestly, there aren't that many classy, thoughtful, and lighthearted fairy tales in this world. Naturally, this one comes with a moral, but it is cheeky and fun to read. I love it as a bedtime story and a pleasant escape from all the deep thinking of more mature literature.
The Art of War
Sun Tzu
How to explain why I picked up this slim volume? Wow, it's just worth the read. Looking at Tzu's advice, I kind of want to smack my head, like, duh, but how easy it is to lose track of basic logic in the business of life. I'd read it again. And probably again because I fell asleep after the first paragraph :)
Summer Bird Blue
Akemi Dawn Bowman
Okay, I lied, I saved the best for last. If this one doesn't make it to the top of everyone's favorites list, you have no heart. Summer Bird Blue is unlike any book I've ever read. It reaches almost Tolstoy level of empathy. The main character, Rumi, goes through so much in this book, and you, the reader, go right along with her, trying to cry, learning to play the ukelele, lying on the floor staring at the ceiling fan, and screaming obscenities into the dark. I've read a lot of books this year, but this one is very much on the top of my list to purchase and read every year and foist upon others. So, yeah, if you don't read any other book on this list, please love this one.
Reading Challenges
I don't know if you're into reading challenges, but if you're the sort of person who likes this sort of thing, then this is the sort of thing you'll like. I don't do reading challenges every month, but I have a few that are dear to my heart, so I'll post them here in case you want to join me :) Many of them are set up as bingos, but you can also play for points in general, since many books fulfill more than one challenge, or you can just use the lists for inspiration.
Also, please appreciate the one that started it all: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/a-spec-readathon-reading-list/?fbclid=IwAR0EDjQ6mOCp2OMpZoi6RryabVjOuhm-2v-xeJGMLA0_Oh7L0hFkpkPPAM4
and if you'd like, you can follow my progress in 2020 on my Goodreads page 2020 Reading Challenge
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