What have you been up to in quarantine? Well, it's been a difficult time for all of us. Some more than others. When it came to needing a break - from family, home-schooling, isolation, friends only seen on video, the 6-foot socially distant air hugs, the worrying about toilet paper and sanitizer and how on earth am I going to find them?? - the breaks I needed came in the form of paper. Hundreds and hundreds of pages filled with stories. Each one took me on a journey, and I was never in the same place twice.
So while my body was stuck at home, with my imaginary passport in hand, my mind traveled far and wide, discovering the most beautiful places and meeting the most wonderful people. There's no isolation to be found when you're lost in a good book.
They're calling it the Quarantine Fifteen... but books are far better than pounds, so let me share with you my Quarantine Reading Fifteen: the Good, the Not So Good, the bad, and the Great!
I'll start with my faves and then work my way down the list. Just in case you quit reading halfway through - I'd like you to get the best stuff first. And if you get to the bottom, well I applaud you... and hey, you learned that much more!!
Nic's Quarantine Reading Fifteen... The Great:
Let's start this off on a high... a 5 Star review!
A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum
4.5/5 Stars (Goodreads), 5/5 Stars (Me)
Cultural Fiction, Contemporary, Feminism
This book is trending right now, and for good reason. I love the Read With Jenna club reads. This is a powerful story, full of voice; it's a story with real substance. I love reading about women in cultures other than my own, expanding my understanding of femininity and exploring what truly lies within us - a universal spirit full of love, strength, and fortitude. This book is written from two perspectives, a young Palestinian mother who immigrates to NYC with her husband from an arranged marriage, and later that of her oldest daughter, on the brink of an arranged marriage. And while she (the daughter) is Palestinian, she is also an American, which can sometimes make all the difference in even a single life. This story explores the dynamic relationships between husband and wife, mother and daughter, woman and woman, and while heartbreaking and violent at times, it is also filled with heart and a rejuvenating hope.
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
4/5 Stars (Goodreads), 4/5 Stars (Me)
Fiction, Contemporary, African-American lit
I read this book before the most recent implosion in our country over Black Lives Matter, but its relevance has not gone amiss for me. This story is altogether a simple one, but what lies beneath the surface is where the true magic of this novel happens. Little Roy, a middle-class black man in Atlanta, is accused and convicted of a crime, sending him into the heart of the American prison system. And while those closest to him know his innocence, the circumstances surrounding his incarceration creates a strain on his relationships, including the very tenuous one with his new wife. It explores the depths of marriage, friendship, and family, while highlighting injustice in our modern justice system for a man who already has the cards stacked against him. When his conviction is overturned, Little Roy, even as an innocent man, must navigate the waters of his new life, his new reality. Prison didn't just change him, it altered his whole world, begging the question, can damage of that magnitude ever be rectified? He may be exonerated, but can things go back to what they were? Is it possible to pick up the pieces of a broken dream and build something new... something beautiful?
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
4.5/5 Stars (Goodreads), 4/5 Stars (Me)
YA Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
This book was cute and sweet and should be packaged up with a ribbon on top. It's a coming of age story for Maddie, who is restricted to a life indoors due to a rare disorder. The outside world is the most dangerous place for her. But like we all do, she craves interaction, connection, and when Olly moves in next-door, something special blooms between them through the messages they write and share through their windows, then later through late-night texts. As Maddie discovers herself, she finds bravery that lives deep inside her, and tests the boundaries of life, trying to find a balance between what must be and what could be. In the end, our first love changes us, teaching us lessons and helping us grow. And we never forget it.
Follow Me Back by A.V. Geiger
3.75/5 Stars (Goodreads), 4/5 Stars (Me)
YA Fiction, Thriller
This was a book I picked up at the local D.I. I bought it blindly simply because the title caught my eye, it was still brand new, and it got decent reviews on Goodreads. I was so pleasantly surprised to enjoy it so much. Is it a deep thinker kind of story? No. Is it fun, upbeat, and fast-paced? Yes. It kept me turning the pages so quickly... a quick read that can easily be done in less than 24 hours. The characters, Tessa and Eric were fun, likable, and the story made me laugh, as well as created some mystery. It was a great light read. Tessa, suffering from agoraphobia from a recent trauma, lives behind the screen of her phone, Twitter being her only connection to the outside world. Eric lives in the spotlight, a pop music sensation and heartthrob, but craves something private, something that is his and his alone. A secret Twitter account might be exactly what he's looking for. What neither of them expects is to stumble across each other. But their secrets run deep and there might be more than one thing capable of destroying what they've created.
Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao
3.75/5 Stars (Goodreads), 4/5 Stars (Me)
Adult Fiction, Cultural
I'll say it straight-up, this book is heavy and not recommended for the faint of heart. Exploring the topics of many atrocities facing women today, such as domestic violence, trafficking, and femininity, it is a raw and deep, devastating and beautiful novel. While this book is tragic and absolutely heartbreaking, the title says it best... girls really do burn brighter. And there is hope that can be found in even the smallest spark. It is about the formidable and determined spirits, the unquenchable thirst, of two girls, driven apart by the forces of a single horrific event, who set out on a mission to find their way back to each other again. It is about the power of friendship, and the redeeming strength of love.
Tell Me No Lies by A.V. Geiger
3.75/5 Stars (Goodreads), 3.5/5 Stars (Me)
YA Fiction, Thriller
This book is the follow-up sequel to Follow Me Back. While I enjoyed it, I will admit I liked the first book better. Although it is a necessary read in the series to finish it out. Like the first, it's a quick read, another less-than-24-hours kind of read, and kept me turning the pages. I had to see if my predictions turned out! The bomb at the end of book one was enough to make me order this book as soon as I finished it, and like I had with Follow Me Back, I loved the characters and what they brought to the story. I'll give nothing away about this plot. The bomb in book one is enough to make you pick this one up.
The Good:
Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
4/5 Stars (Goodreads), 3.5/5 Stars (Me)
Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
This book was a lesson on world history for me, specifically Cuban history. This story is written with so much heart and love for a country and culture lost among revolution and oppression. My limited knowledge of Cuban history had me researching historical and political references and events made in the book, along with cultural anecdotes, cities, landmarks, and geography. With that said, I very much enjoyed discovering this country, both the present and the past. There are two human love stories weaved into this novel, but the true love story is that which the characters share for Cuba - both pre and post-Fidel. It is a story that explores revolution and the longterm consequences that come with gaining something through the use of force. It is also a testament to the people of Cuba, both those who stayed and those who fled when Fidel took control, as well as the country and culture buried beneath corruption and the passage of time. With Cuba and the U.S. divided by a mere 90 miles, it is the story of a Cuban-American discovering her roots, and a Cuban debutant discovering herself.
The One by John Marrs
4/5 Stars (Goodreads), 3/5 Stars (Me)
Science Fiction, Thriller, Contemporary, Romance
The tagline says it best... how far would you go to find the one? The underlying themes of this book run deep, weaving together ethics, choice, and destiny. If it were possible to simply undergo a DNA test to find the one you are genetically matched with, would you do it? And what is the price of doing so? This story follows the lives of five very diverse people who discover how far the impact of our choices go. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. It's a story that is fun and unique, mysterious, and provokes real thought... you won't help but be able to wonder, what would my choice be?
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
4/5 Stars (Goodreads), 3/5 Stars (Me)
Fiction, Contemporary
I wanted to love this book, to eat it up. Everyone else seemed to. But it didn't quite hit that mark for me. While it's a great story, with great characterization and dynamic relationships, it left me wanting a little bit more. But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. It took a bit to take off, there are so many characters to meet and discover, but once it did, it was difficult to put down. I enjoyed the element of mystery behind the story, as well as its ability to spotlight the capacity of people and the secrets they hold. We are made with good and bad in us, and this story reveals the depth of the consequences of the choices we make. It's a story about motherhood, about childhood, about friendships. It's a coming of age, exploring the moral and ethical choices we make, and why we make them. Both the good and the bad.
The Stormchasers by Jenna Blum
3.5/5 Stars (Goodreads), 3/5 Stars (Me)
Fiction, Contemporary, Mental Health
A Minnesota woman with a bipolar twin brother, a passion for storm chasing and tornadoes, and a deep secret... sign me up! I felt such a kinship for this novel, mostly because I'm a bipolar, small-town, storm-loving Minnesota girl. There were so many references, places, events, and themes that I could connect with and it made me so thoroughly enjoy this book. Can you enjoy it without those connections? Absolutely. The author paints beautiful pictures of mother nature, both the kind that occurs naturally within us, and that which occurs in the environment, in our weather. This story is a testament to family, and how far we might be willing to go to protect those we love most. It's exciting and thrilling, allowing the reader a rare and up-close opportunity - to chase storms.
Boy Erased by Garrard Conley
3.5/5 Stars (Goodreads), 3/5 Stars (Me)
Non-fiction, Memoir, LGBT
Though still a good book, this one fell a little short of the mark for me. Not the actual story itself, but more the way it was outlined and written. It jumped around a lot, Conley's summer between freshman and sophomore years of college, juxtaposed with his senior year of high school. But also in those times, he jumps further back as he relives memories of his youth. All the jumping around was distracting, diluting the real story - a young man's journey of conversion therapy and self-discovery. The story itself is heartbreaking... that one's sexual orientation can be hated so much and that the Bible can be perverted so greatly, manipulated to instill such shame upon someone. It's clear that the imprint of Conley's experience will forever be stamped into his heart, his soul, his faith, highlighting the traumatizing effects of conversion therapy. This young man's struggle with identity and self-acceptance is a moving one, and it certainly left an impression on me.
The Bad:
Joyride by Anna Banks
3.5/5 Stars (Goodreads), 2/5 Stars (Me)
YA Fiction, Romance
I enjoy a good YA read... check my past book recommendations, but this one, while I did finish it, was a bust. The characters were annoyingly immature, with few redeeming qualities. I found it predictable and boring and was thankful it was a short read. I probably would've given up on it had it been anything longer than it was. I like characters with substance, ones who are diverse in thought, emotion, and action, those with potential for growth and self-awareness. Carley and Arden lack all of the above.
Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan
3.5/5 Stars (Goodreads), 2/5 Stars (Me)
Historical Fiction, Mystery
I love McEwan's Atonement, so I thought I'd give this one a shot. And while the writing was beautiful, as I had expected it would be, I wasn't particularly fond of the characters or their arc of development, and I found it difficult to follow - it references British history during the Cold War, of which I have no knowledge. For that reason, I spent most of the novel simply confused. It just wasn't for me, and it was not the masterpiece of Atonement.
The Really Bad:
Me Without You by Kelly Rimmer
4/5 Stars (Goodreads), 1/5 Stars (Me)
Fiction, Chick-lit, Romance
This is another book I had high hopes for because I enjoyed previously published works by the author. And while it gets good reviews on Goodreads, quite frankly, I thought it was awful. It's really a slap in the face for the comp-titles it references (One Day, Me Before You, The Notebook). Yes, I sound harsh, I know. I read the first third with great strain and effort and then skimmed the rest of the book - reading every few pages, every few paragraphs, and every few sentences. The ending was exactly as I predicted, and considering the amount of it I skimmed over, not at all confusing. It was full of words for the sake of filling a page. Fluff with terrible characters. Main character Callum is a whiny, and kind of pathetic. I like a man with a deep ability to love. But I also like a strong man, not so co-dependent on someone else (that goes for women, too). And Lilah, well, she is straight-up manipulative, controlling, and selfish. I didn't find anything romantic or redeeming about their love story. Disappointing all around.
Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner
3.5/5 Stars (Goodreads), 1/5 Stars (Me)
Fiction, Chick-lit, Romance
I canned this book quickly. Here's my personal plea to the main character: Cannie, oh Cannie... you are so annoying... so boring. I mean, how long can you listen to one go on and on and on about her weight? On and on and on about her douche ex-boyfriend who publishes details of their former sex-life and her weight in a high circulation newspaper? Get. Over. Him. Have a freaking backbone. And if you're not happy with your weight, there are things you can do about it. But most importantly, find a way to love yourself. Curves and all. There is not enough validation one can find from a man. Love yourself first.
*Now, of course, these reviews are all a matter of opinion. And I encourage anyone to read any of them. And I would love it if you have a different experience with any of them. I love to dialogue about books. But I also have the expectation of respect in anyone else's opinion. It's okay to like different things. Have you read any of these? Comment if you'd like! Just keep in mind this blog's Terms and Conditions. Be kind and respectful to others.
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