Fall is here y’all and I am stoked. I have started turning my fireplace on and cuddling up with a blanket and hot cup of tea while I get drawn into a new book has been a real highlight of the last month.
There has been a lot of 5 star read this month and a lot of great books overall. I have had to really start planning ahead on my reading as between three different libraries, and my ARCs I needed to keep track so I have started planning ahead on Sunday what books I need to read before they are due.
Do you ever have to plan your reading? Let me know!
Here are the best books that I have read this month.
Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson
A story loosely based on R. Kelly, this book broke me. Starring Enchanted, a 17-year old aspiring singer who catches the eye of famous artist Korey Fields who brings her into his exciting life. But things aren’t as great as they seem on the outset as Korey’s dark side starts to come out and life begins to spin out of control. This book was powerful and told a story that sadly matches many others out there.
In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
In a much lighter note, this Romance combines holiday magic, with a bit of actual magic as well as Maelyn gets caught in a time loop until she can get her Christmas Holiday at the family cabin right. This book made me feel warm and fuzzy inside and I loved the love story that it contained.
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Known as Emily Doe when she came out against Brock Turner, this book is a powerful testament to telling your story, to surviving, to reclaiming your identity, and fighting against a system that is working against you. This is not an easy book to read, but I think it is one that should be read.
Native: Identity, Belonging, and Rediscovering God by Kaitlin B. Curtice
Connecting a Christian God with her Potawatomi Creator has not always been easy for Kaitlin, but through this book the author shares how the two connect, how they challenge each other, and how they build on each other. I have heard and read this author in a variety of spaces, but it was a joy to read this book and to see a discussion of faith laid out in the ways that she does. I especially loved the poetry at the beginning of each chapter and how it tied in to the rest of the book.
We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
Fourteen young Nisei, second-generation Japanese Americans who have grown up together and are now being moved together to internment camps. These are their stories as they live, sign up to fight, fight for themselves, grow together, and grow apart. This book was poignant in how it was understated, but also powerful at the same time and shared the experiences in being a teenager in an internment camp.
The Love Study by Kris Ripper
I love a good romance book and I think this is the first romance book that I have read that features a nonbinary character which was really great to see and I think the author did a great job at creating a realistic relationship that many people can connect to. This book stars Drew, someone who has commitment issues (in both work and relationships) and Sidney, who hosts a YouTube dating show. When Drew goes on Sidney’s show to go on a variety of dates he realizes that Sidney is who he actually wants to be with…
The Switch by Jerry Spinelli
This is such a sweet book about a woman in her 20’s who is overwhelmed and stuck and her grandma who wants a change of pace, and how they switch lives for a bit. This book is full of so many lovely characters and it was light, but in a way that wasn’t fluffy.
Menno Moto by Cameron Dueck
As a Mennonite I know a decent amount about my own family’s history and how they ended up in Canada, but I know very little about Mennonites who travelled throughout all of the America’s. This book is Cameron’s story as he takes his motorcycle on an adventure down through South America visiting groups of Mennonites along the way. This book made me feel connected to people from around the world, but it also doesn’t shy away from some of the horrible things that has happened because of Mennonites around the world.
Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others by Barbara Brown Taylor
I have heard a lot about Barbara Brown Taylor, but hadn’t read any of her works and I enjoyed this one quite a bit. A former member of the clergy the author was now teaching a University religion course where they explored a variety of faith traditions and saw how they encounter the spiritual world. She then shows it within her own spiritual journey and how we can learn from each other.
Well Played (Well Met, #2) by Jen DeLuca
A cute romp back to the Renaissance fair world this book was cute, fun, and light. This book is about Stacey, a woman who has spent the past few years volunteering at the local Renaissance Fair, working, having fun, and having a VERY casual fling with one of the musicians. When a drunken text one night leads to text and email relationship very different than their previous encounters. He is suddenly funny, sweet, and seems to care about her in ways he never did before. Then the summer and the Renaissance Fair roles around again, and maybe it wasn’t Dex after all, but who is the one she has been falling in love with all year, and do they have a relationship that can last?
What have you been reading and loving lately?
2020 Recap:
Numbers are for the full year, topics are for the challenges I completed this month.
Total 2020 Books: 228
Goodreads Choice Awards: 20/20
Book Riot Read Harder Challenge: 17/24
- Read a picture book with a human main character from a marginalized community – Parker Looks Up
- Read a sci-fi/fantasy novella (under 120 pages) – Binti
ARC’s Read: 47
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