The books of May and June

 (May was exceptionally slow, so we're going to combine this.  June wasn't much better.)

May: 

1.  Juniper Wiles, Charles De Lint - A new De Lint book!  About Newford!  With JILLY!!!!  Yep, this was pretty darn awesome, and I read it as soon as it was released.  

2. Fugitive Telemetry, Martha Wells - Murderbot.  Always fun.  Not much more to say than I have in the past about these books.  Wells has done an amazing job of creating this series, and it's great popcorn-type reading!

3.  When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi (audio, reread) - Several very much beloved friends and family are dealing with serious health issues right now, and my heart tugged me back to this book.  This time around the thing that really struck me was the importance of living your values.  I'm working now to make sure I apply that thoroughly in my own life...and to help my loved ones apply it in theirs.  I just cannot recommend this book enough.  Yes, it's sad - but it's also beautiful, and hopeful, and important. 

June: 

1.  A Crown of Wishes, Roshani Chokshi - I'm not sure why it took me so long to read this as it's been in my queue since I first discovered Chokshi through The Star Touched Queen.  A Crown of Wishes is a standalone about Gauri, who's the sister of the protagonist in that first series I read.  Again, I adore fairy tales built on cultures that aren't my own, and Chokshi doesn't disappoint with her rich world-building, interesting characters, and well-plotted stories.  (Truth be told, though, these older books are better than her most recent.). It was just what I needed.  Also, Gauri is a badass fighter who's no shrinking violet.  Also, also, I love that in this book both Gauri and the Fox Prince she teams up with have to face their own inner demons to find healing before they can do what they want to do.  

2. Riot Baby, Tochi Onyebuchi - This was on many best-of lists in 2020.  I didn't enjoy it so much as I appreciated it.  Reality intersects with fantasy in a way that highlights the ugliness of the world we live in while also offering hope.  It's a short book, but it's not a quick read.  I would recommend it to anyone who's invested in anti-racism, and to anyone like me who feels it's important to populate your literary world with people who are not like you.  

3. The Body is Not An Apology, Sonya Renee Taylor - Full disclosure, I was diagnosed a year ago with an eating disorder that I've had since I was a teenager.  This is one of the books I picked up to help me along the way - recommended by my ED Dietician, who's a real gem.  Nothing in this book was new to me - but sometimes we just need a reminder about the reality of the world we live in.  It is a beautiful book, and I highly recommend it to anyone who's struggling or wants to walk away from diet culture, which is truly horrendous.  

4. D ( A Tale of Two Worlds), Michel Faber - I picked this up on the sale table, not knowing anything about it other than the fact that I truly loved Faber's The Book of Strange New Things and was charmed by the description.  Oh my, this was a lovely, lovely book.  It's a fairy tale with some very clear inspirational stories that is neither too derivative or overly precious.  Such a joy to read!  When D's going missing, a little girl goes on a strange adventure to right the wrong. Just read it.  

5. Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Toshikazu Kawaguchi - I walked into my favorite local bookshop,  Skylark Bookshop, and asked my friend Carrie for something hopeful because things have been so heavy lately.  This is the book she handed me.  It's a quiet and slow book that manages to pack a very big emotional punch into the end of each of the four sections...which almost catches you by surprise.  I read it slowly, savoring each section.  I hear there's another book coming out. I'll be buying that.  

6. The Golem and the Jinni, Helene Wecker (audio, reread) - At long last Wecker has released a new book! I cracked that open as soon as it arrived, and realized very quickly that I wanted to reread the first.  It's not 100% necessary - Wecker does a great job in the set up for The Hidden Palace of easily sending you back to that story - but I wanted to.  First of all, the reader of the audio version is AMAZING!  His narration was a real treat.  Secondly, I had almost forgotten what a beautiful book this is.  I loved revisiting it - and now must have a hardback copy. 

Unfinished:  

1. The Gilded Cage, Vic James - You know, the funny thing is that when I started it, I was immediately caught up in the story.  The longer I was away from it, though, the less I wanted to go back.  There are two more books in the series, and I'd just rather spend money on other books right now.  So into the unfinished file it goes.