booklistqueen's reviews
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Shame researcher Brene Brown (author of The Gifts of Imperfection and Daring Greatly) turns her focus to what it means to feel like you belong. Unlike fitting in, true belonging comes when we feel like we are fully embraced for who we are. In a world of disconnection, Brown uses anecdotes and research to teach how to embrace ourselves and learn to see past differences to find connection and belonging.

I don't know what it is about Brené Brown, but I struggle with all of her books. Oddly, I think her content is super important and has great insights into the human condition. Which always makes me like something is wrong with me when I don't love her books. Or even like them. I'm not sure if it's me, or her writing, or just that I don't really like philosophy, but I think I'm finally throwing in the towel and admitting I am never going to be a Brené Brown fan.

In 1984, Ron and Dan Lafferty walked into their younger brother's house and their sister-in-law Brenda and her 14-month-old daughter in cold blood. For their entire lives, neither expressed guilt for their crime because God had told them to do it. Jon Krakauer takes you into the world of Mormon fundamentalists, radical break-offs of the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In between showcasing various fundamentalist groups, Krakauer explains the early teachings of the church that such people take to the extreme to justify polygamy and violence in the name of God. 

I could not put down this fascinating look at the extremist offshoots of Mormonism. Being an agnostic, Krakauer's skepticism of religion is heavily on display. Yet, I found it fascinating to contemplate his views on the rationality of religion. Is a religious fanatic sane? And if not, can he be tried for his crimes? Any belief taken to an extreme can lead to violence. In Under the Banner of Heaven, Krakauer focuses on fundamentalism in Mormonism, but the same principle could be written about plenty of different beliefs. 

 From the First World War to the 1970s, a mass exodus ensued of Blacks leaving the South and settling in northern and western cities. Wilkerson's book highlights three stories from The Great Migration: Ida Mae Gladney who left sharecropping in 1937 for a blue-collar life in Chicago; George Starling, who left orange-picking in Florida in 1945 for Harlem; and Robert Foster, who moved from Louisiana in 1953 to become a personal physician in Los Angeles.

Isabel Wilkerson's history of the Great Migration is simply outstanding. Impeccably written, The Warmth of Other Suns brilliantly uses the three narratives to pull you into history while Wilkerson gives you a fuller understanding of the broader context. With great insights into the complex and complicated history of race in America in the 19th century, The Warmth of Other Suns shines a light on many of our current race issues today. 

After her husband died, Tova Sullivan began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Thirty years ago, Tova's son Erik disappeared on a boat in the Puget Sound, and cleaning the aquarium helps her cope. When she befriends Marcellus, the aquarium's giant octopus, Marcellus discovers what happened to Erik and must find a way to show Tova the truth before it's too late.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a cute story of finding connection and growing past our limited viewpoints of ourselves. Normally I hate animal narrators, but Marcellus's chapters shine. His unique narration and dry humor elevate the entire book. Sweet and heartwarming, Remarkably Bright Creatures would be a great book club book. 

 Fleeing her abusive husband Wen, Jasmine Yang arrives in New York from China with no money but a fierce determination to do anything to find her daughter he pretended had died and then secretly gave up for adoption because of China's one-child policy. Meanwhile, publishing executive Rebecca Whitney has a perfect job, marriage, and the most adorable adopted Chinese daughter, Fifi. When a scandal at work threatens to ruin her marriage, Rebecca and Jasmine find themselves on a shocking collision course.

I was intrigued by Kwok's look at motherhood and transracial adoption but felt like she missed the mark by styling her novel as a thriller rather than a straight drama. Especially since her biggest twist seemed extremely obvious. Although Jasmine's complexity shone, the rest of the characters felt overly one-dimensional, stilting the narrative and leaving me wanting more depth. 

 In a besieged and starving colonial settlement, a girl flees the fort after the death of her young charge. With hardly anything in her bag, she tries to survive in the vast wilderness. Using her wits, she journeys into the unknown while reexamining her own beliefs about nature, the natives, and God's plan.

To be frank, The Vaster Wilds is a plotless story about a girl slowly dying in the wilderness. Full of descriptions of nature, the tale mostly focuses on the unnamed narrator's cogitations on the nature of religion and appreciation for the wild, with some flashbacks to the history of violence she's witnessed sprinkled in. For such a short book, it was surprisingly hard to get through, plodding along in a fashion that some think is beautiful, but I find deathly boring. 

 When she marries a charming entrepreneur and moves to the North Carolina suburbs, Yara thinks she has finally escaped her ultra-conservative Palestinian upbringing. Yet even her dream job with her dream family doesn't seem to fulfill Yara. Yet as Yara's world begins to implode, she realizes that the upbringing that she thought she left behind has lasting consequences for her and her daughters.

Yet again, Etaf Rum stuns with a beautifully written novel about the struggles of a Palestinian-American woman. Yara's problems are relatable to many modern-day women: the pain of living in a patriarchal society, wanting more but having to do everything at home in her marriage. Yet, Yara's upbringing adds another layer; being the daughter of immigrants, Yara feels like she should never be ungrateful because she has it so much better than her parents. A complex and heartrending story, Evil Eye is a powerful book for any book club to read. 

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they began dating in college. Except they broke up five months ago and still haven't told their four best friends. At their group's annual Maine vacation, they find themselves faking a relationship so they don't want to ruin everyone's last time there. They'd been together for a decade, how hard can it be to fake another week?

I'm not usually a romance fan, but I loved Happy Place. The chemistry between Harriet and Wyn sparks from the beginning and their relationship had the perfect blend of miscommunication, mental health challenges, and the strain on a relationship as people naturally change. While the friend group wasn't given much development, Harriet and Wyn were shown in a nuanced relationship with flashbacks to their happy memories hinting at their individual struggles. 

Before the eighth and final book of the Green Rider series, Kristen Britain tells the backstory of fan-favorite character Laren Mapstone. Green Rider trainee Tavin Bankstone is not thrilled to travel with Lieutenant-Rider Laren Mapstone. Although acclaimed for her battles against the Darrow Raiders,  Laren is emotionally closed off and cold. When Laren is injured in an attack, they seek refuge in a waystation. But as Laren's emotional control comes down, Tavin must quickly learn to control his empathic abilities before it destroys them both.

Although I love the Green Rider series, Spirit of the Wood felt like an unnecessary side story only the most diehard Green Rider fans will enjoy. Since it was described as Laren Mapstone's backstory, I found Spirit of the Wood extremely disappointing. Instead, the novella was more about Tavin Bankside than Laren, only giving the barest details of Laren's past. With tempered expectations, you might enjoy this one but feel free to skip it and wait for the final installment of the Green Rider saga.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from DAW through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.