Show Us Your Books, February 2022

Well, hello again. Feels like approximately 3 days since we last met but clearly, it’s been weeks. Time is not actually a thing.

It’s been quite an eventful month, with cheer season in full swing (and Disney on the horizon), work an absolute madhouse, and the fact that I now have another cat. The short story is that he appeared at my house in late October so of course I started feeding him. In early January, he was brought inside and became Basement Cat. Then I finally (after two weeks) was able to get him to the vet, moved him upstairs, and now he’s named Pete The Cat Davidson Alonso. He’s had a hell of a life and while I can’t heal his FIV, he will spend the rest of his life – however long that may be – indoors, taken care of, and stress-free (mostly).

With all of that, I managed to read 4 books and DNF one (The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. I had not a single fuck to give about anything that was happening). Two took forever, despite the fact that they were good. Sometimes I just read slower than other times. That’s OK. It’s not a race or a contest.

Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace. A little dystopian sci-fi, not my normal type of book. I really, really liked it, though. It read kind of like if The Hunger Games and Ready Player One (just the first one. Not the shit show that was the sequel) had a book baby and it took place in a world where Facebook and Amazon own the world and are at war, but Elon Musk is the evil mastermind behind it all. Sounds like a hot mess but it works.

The Secret History of Home Economics by Danielle Dreilinger. OK, so this book sounds super boring but I assure you it’s not (assuming you enjoy nonfiction). It was actually quite fascinating and had me thinking about a lot. Learning a lot, too. Like that Melvin Dewey was kind of a misogynistic pig and that the modern L-shaped kitchen design was created by a woman who wanted to take FEWER steps. However, the writing is weird and kind of uneven; at times it’s true nonfiction and then at other times, she tries to have personality and make it lighter. If you can work through that, you might enjoy it.

Punching Bag by Rex Ogle. This book is highly triggering for child abuse and domestic violence, so be warned if you read it. It’s actually his memoir about being a child abuse victim (similar to Free Lunch, where he talks about growing up poor), and it’s such an important book since it’s written for younger readers . Most authors write this stuff for adults, but to write it for kids sends a huge message. Adults should read it, too.

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker. Holy fuck, did I love this book. Everything about it was great, so much so that a) I got choked up at the end and I can count on one hand how many books have made me cry and b) I promptly bought every book he’s written that I couldn’t find in the library (it’s only two). Is this a perfect book? No. But will it likely be one of my favorites of the year? Yes.

Currently reading: Who is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews.

OK, now it’s time to show us your books! Bloggers, link up below and non-bloggers, leave a comment with what you’ve read recently. Don’t forget to visit my co-host Steph and some of the other bookworms joining us, and also don’t forget to mark March 8 for the next one (and Steph’s birthday month!).