Monthly rundown vol. 20

Comfort reads, murder, art as resistance, and an epic retelling

(side note: umm…apparently I posted the latest author interview twice? Oops! I’m blaming the heat and humidity)

Hey, y’all! Happy end of August. My house has two weeks of school under our belt, as well as a relatively short round of back-to-school germs. I’m working my way through revisions for novel number three, but not as quickly as I’d like. So I keep reminding myself that it’s not a race, and doing a good job is better than doing a fast job, and also I do want to hit my personal, self-imposed deadline. If the clean laundry sits unfolded on a chair in my living room, then it’s a price I am more than willing to pay. (Although, let’s be real, I will always find an excuse for my laundry to sit unfolded on a chair in the living room). 

Now let’s talk about what we’re reading, shall we?

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware. There’s just something about a Ruth Ware book that sucks me in. Even when I can see the twist coming, I am still one hundred percent invested in the characters and their journey. This story was reality-tv-gone-wrong where some secrets are very deadly.

A Play for the End of the World by Jai Chakrabarti. In this novel, an Indian play is the thread that connects a Jewish doctor caring for orphans in Poland during World War II, two survivors from that orphanage who emigrate to New York after the war, and a village of reluctant political rebels in India fighting for the right to have a home. It's a slow, thoughtful, quiet story. That's typically right up my alley, but while I liked the book, I didn't love it. My guess is that it was more my mood and energy level at the time than the book itself.

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley. I really enjoyed this creepy, atmospheric thriller. There's rich kids behaving badly, vigilante justice, and a lot of points of view and flashbacks to keep the reader on their toes. 

Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery. The Anne series is one I have probably re-read the most, but I hadn't in years, and was on the hunt for an audiobook that I didn't have to think about too much. Enter: Anne of Green Gables. I started and just kept going. They have been delightful company the past couple of months. The series is old fashioned in some ways, but timeless as well, and sneakily subversive if you're paying attention. It celebrates beauty, truth, friendship, and wholeheartedness. As with any series, I like some books more than others, so let's do my personal ranking: 

1. Anne of Green Gables

2. Anne's House of Dreams

3. Rilla of Ingleside

4. Anne of the Island

5. Rainbow Valley

6. Anne of Avonlea

7. Anne of Ingleside

8. Anne of Windy Poplars

This order is kind of fluid depending on my mood, except the top three are pretty solidly top three. 

Bea Wolf by Zach Weinersmith

This is the surprise of the summer. On my first day back at work (in an elementary school library), my coworker pressed it into my hand. I never thought to wish for a kid friendly graphic novel retelling of Beowulf, but wow, is it amazing! Children living their best lives, where being a boring adult or teenager is the worst thing imaginable. Where heroes where sequins and carry “swords forged of plastic” and eat candy and play “video games of no educational value whatsover.” It's clever, funny, creative, and so charming. 

As always, thank you for reading! I'm curious: have you ever read the entire Anne of Green Gables series? And if so, what's your ranking? Do you have a comfort read? 

Until next time!