This was a good reading month so this is a longer post than usual.

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

This book took awhile. Each of the chapters are standalone essays and Kimmer has a very gentle lulling voice and style. While I read a couple of chapters of this book in print, I largely listened to it on audiobook. Kimmerer has a really nice voice but it took me ages to get through since it’s a bit too relaxing. I preferred the essays which had more stories of her family and herself. There are some lovely passages here.

4/5 stars. August 12, 2022 – February 4, 2023.

Crumbs by Danie Stirling

A cute, wholesome magical YA romance graphic novel.

4/5 stars. Read Feb 6, 2023.

Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod

This took me less than an hour because I speed read this book. It’s not written well and the author pads the whole premise of the book. It’s basically wake up early, meditate, write, affirm, visualize, and exercise. I also did not believe some of his views of the world including that his take that getting enough sleep is about believing you can get enough sleep.

2/5 stars. Read Feb 9, 2023.

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

Saw a trailer for the TV series on holiday and oddly intrigued by the premise of flatshare rom com in London. Been having a rough week and started it the evening I got it from the library. Read in two sittings. Nice characters, wholesome, and easy to read British romcom. Reminded me strongly of Me before You which I also really enjoyed as well. Also like Me before You, I won’t read sequels and unlikely to read more from the author soon. This book worked for me at the right time for me: wholesome, quick, and sweet.

3.5/5 stars. Read Feb 14-15, 2023.

A Ballet of Lepers: A Novel and Stories by Leonard Cohen

I’ve enjoyed Cohen’s music and read a bit of his poetry many years ago. I haven’t really explored his prose and decided to try this posthumously published volume of a novella and short stories. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy anything in this book. The stories feel overtly masculine (not in a toxic or bad way), sometimes juvenile, and dated. Some of the themes in these stories are in his music but they work much better. Then again, these weren’t published for a reason. Still like Cohen’s music but won’t be trying his prose again.

2/5 stars. Read Feb 11-18, 2023.

The Middle Ages: A Graphic Guide by Eleanor Janega

Interesting and fun graphic history book about a maligned time in European history.

3.5/5 stars. Read Feb 13-20, 2023

It had to be you by Cecily von Ziegasar

The prequel to the Gossip Girl series. I got this book from a little library and read it because I had it and because I have had a weird gossip girl phase where I read the first one for the same reason. Honestly the books are so silly and kinda funny in how vapid and vacuous all the characters were. I am not going to read anymore from this series though.

2.5/5 stars. Read Feb 23, 2023.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

I debated about reading this before the GG. I should have read this first. It was very depressing. Why did Miller have so many character with names starting with P: Proctor, Partis, Putnam, etc. Anyway, an interesting play still.

Read 3/5 stars. Feb 23 2023.