March was a busy reading month for me, I got through ten reads! This brings my total to 28 for the year, so I’m about 3 reads ahead of where I need to be to complete my 100 books in a year challenge. Here’s my two sentence reviews so you know what’s worth adding to your shelf!
Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour - A perfect blend between the films Wolf of Wall Street and Sorry To Bother You, this read takes you into the over-the-top world of a New York start-up. Full of satire that actually hits reality right on the head, this fast-paced read is a top recommendation for me.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah - This novel takes you to 1930s Texas, where the dustbowl ruins many American farmers’ way of life and forces them to relocate to California. The land of milk and honey proves to be a true test of survival for single-mother Elsa, who is a true testament of what it means to be a warrior.
Good Apple: Tales of a Southern Evangelical in New York by Elizabeth Passarella - This memoir is basically like having happy hour with your best friend. It’s honest, relatable, funny, smart, and covered so many aspects of life that I haven’t experienced so I was happy to dive in.
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd - Sheesh, I was nervous to read this one but am glad I did - this fictional novel tells the story of Ana, a woman who becomes the wife of Jesus. The book is less about religion and more about bravery, honesty, and the sacrifices we make for love and truly humanizes who Jesus could have been.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett - Twin sisters who grow up to lead wildly differently lives take center stage in this novel, which spans 40 years of their family history from the Deep South to California. While parts were a bit slow, once I ‘met’ the twins and saw their stories, I was hooked.
Buy Yourself the F*cking Lillies by Tara Schuster - This self-help / memoir blend is a good read that has some really practical ways you can pull yourself out of a slump and start implementing self care. While I typically roll my eyes at self help authors for being hard to relate to, I did enjoy this read and found Schuster honest and refreshing.
The Lies that Bind by Emily Giffin - Cecily falls in love fast and hard with a practical stranger who suddenly disappears after the September 11th terrorist attacks and when she sees his missing poster in the city, she realizes she barely knew him at all. I really did enjoy the concept of this book, but it’s also kind of illogical and leaves some pretty big plot gaps.
That Time I Loved You by Carianne Leung - This book is a collection of stories about what really goes on behind closed doors in one 1970s neighborhood. The stories range from heartwarming to sad and are all connected through the common threads and tie neighbors together. Trigger warning: suicide, self harm
The Fixed Stars by Molly Wizenberg - Molly flipped her entire marriage (and life!) upside down after one woman changed her whole perspective on her sexuality. It’s a good memoir, I just wish it felt more tied together, but overall a good read about a worthwhile topic.
Conjure Women by Afia Atakora - This novel takes you to a post-Civil War plantation where freed slaves still live, taking the reader back and forth between present day and pre-Emancipation. Rue takes after her mother, May Belle, as a healing woman and midwife, but life is anything but easy for her in following her mother’s footsteps.
My April goal is another ten reads, so let's get to it!