This month, I have read a few 5 star books so far and I’m excited to share them with you here. Since the month isn’t over, there’s a chance I will still read another 5 star before it ends. You can see the first half of my November reading here and I will share the rest of my November reads next week. The Amazon links to the books I’ve read are affiliate links and if you use them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission.
Title: Everyone Is Beautiful
Author: Katherine Center
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Ballentine Books, 5/4/21 (new edition)
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review.
My Rating: 5 Stars
I had read Everyone is Beautiful over 10 years ago and I knew I loved it, but I didn’t remember much about it. I loved it just as much as I did then, and it brought me back to the days that I too made a cross country move with young kids, like Lanie does in the book. I loved reading about her journey to become herself through going to the gym and taking up photography.
“Lanie Coates’s life is spinning out of control. She’s piled everything she owns into a U-Haul and driven with her husband, Peter, and their three little boys from their cozy Texas home to a multiflight walkup in Boston. She’s left behind family and friends—all so her husband can realize his dream of becoming a professional musician. But somewhere in the eye of her personal hurricane, it hits Lanie that she once had dreams too . . . if only she could remember what they were. These days, Lanie always seems to prioritize herself last—and when another mom accidentally assumes she’s pregnant, it’s the final straw. Fifteen years, three babies, and more pounds than she’s willing to count since the day she said ‘I do,’ Lanie longs desperately to feel like her old self again. It’s time to rise up, fish her moxie out of the diaper pail, and find the woman she was before motherhood consumed her entire existence. Lanie sets change in motion—joining a gym, signing up for photography classes, and finding a new best friend. But she also creates waves that come to threaten her whole life. Balancing motherhood and me-time, marriage and independence, and supporting loved ones while also realizing her own dreams, Lanie must figure out once and for all how to find herself without losing everything else in the process.”
All of Katherine Center’s characters are people I’d want as friends and it was fun to reunite with some of them in this book.
Title: Pup Culture
Author: Victoria Lily Shaffer
Genre: Non Fiction
Publisher: Tiller Press, 11/6/21
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review.
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pup Culture was a wonderful read which reminded me why I chose to foster dogs even when it is difficult. “Dogs warm us inside with their loyalty, kindness, and love.”
“Adopting a dog and making them the newest member of your family can sometimes feel like a daunting task. How do you know what dog is right for you? What do you need to know about the adoption process? And how do you make sure your new best friend has the best life possible while they’re settling into their new home? Pup Culture is here to help. Pup Culture is a well-deserved ode to man’s best friend. Fostering-extraordinaire Victoria Lily Shaffer presents a wide-ranging collection of dog adoption and fostering tales, tips, handy checklists, heartwarming stories, and Q&A’s from both celebs—like Dan Levy, Glenn Close, and David Letterman—as well as everyday dog lovers. These inspiring stories and lessons dig deep into the beloved relationships between dogs and humans, from exploring the harrowing journey of finding your perfect ‘fur-ever’ companion to spotlighting the selfless, dedicated community of rescuers that help save and change lives.”
This book features stories of fostering, adoption, and dog rescue including interviews with a vet and stories from celebrities including David Letterman and Dan Levy, among others. Victoria has her own three rescue dogs and fosters puppies to get them ready for adoption. She recently opened her own rescue as well. This book would make a great gift!
Title: Leave Only Footprints
Author: Conor Knighton
Genre: Non Fiction / Memoir
Publisher: Crown Publishing, 4/7/21
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review / Non Fiction November.
My Rating: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed following the writer’s journey through 59 National Parks in one year.
“When Conor Knighton set off to explore America’s ‘best idea,’ he worried the whole thing could end up being his worst idea. A broken engagement and a broken heart had left him longing for a change of scenery, but the plan he’d cooked up in response had gone a bit overboard in that department: Over the course of a single year, Knighton would visit every national park in the country, from Acadia to Zion. In Leave Only Footprints, Knighton shares informative and entertaining dispatches from what turned out to be the road trip of a lifetime. Whether he’s waking up early for a naked scrub in a historic bathhouse in Arkansas or staying up late to stargaze along our loneliest highway in Nevada, Knighton weaves together the type of stories you’re not likely to find in any guidebook. Through his unique lens, America the Beautiful becomes America the Captivating, the Hilarious, and the Inspiring. Along the way, he identifies the threads that tie these wildly different places together—and that tie us to nature—and reveals how his trip ended up changing his views on everything from God and love to politics and technology. Filled with fascinating tidbits about our parks’ past and reflections on their fragile future, this book is both a celebration of and a passionate case for the natural wonders that all Americans share.”
The parks are described in chapters that are sorted by something that they have in common, whether that is their similar land features or “threads that tie them together,” such as ones that brought out stories about love, diversity, food, and more. Climate and environmental issues are brought to light. This is not a typical travel guide and I learned a lot about the parks and what makes them each special.
Title: Read This To Get Smarter
Author: Blair Imani
Genre: Non Fiction
Publisher: Ten Speed Press, 10/26/21
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review / Non Fiction November.
My Rating: 5 Stars
Read This To Get Smarter by Blair Imani provides a concise overview to topics including identity, relationships, class, disability, race, and sex and gender, with an overall theme of respecting the humanity of everyone.
“We live in a time where it has never been more important to be knowledgeable about a host of social issues, and to be confident and appropriate in how to talk about them. What’s the best way to ask someone what their pronouns are? How do you talk about racism with someone who doesn’t seem to get it? What is intersectionality, and why do you need to understand it? While it can seem intimidating or overwhelming to learn and talk about such issues, it’s never been easier thanks to educator and historian Blair Imani, creator of the viral sensation Smarter in Seconds videos. Accessible to learners of all levels—from those just getting started on the journey to those already versed in social justice—Read This to Get Smarter covers a range of topics, including race, gender, class, disability, relationships, family, power dynamics, oppression, and beyond. This essential guide is a radical but warm and non-judgmental call to arms, structured in such a way that you can read it cover to cover or start with any topic you want to learn more about. With Blair Imani as your teacher, you’ll ‘get smarter’ in no time, and be equipped to intelligently and empathetically process, discuss, and educate others on the crucial issues we must tackle to achieve a liberated, equitable world.”
I highly recommend Blair’s social media accounts as well and I greatly appreciate her as an ally to Jewish people.
Title: After/Math
Author: Emily Barth Isler
Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Lerner Audio Books, 9/7/21
Source: Author
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review.
My Rating: 5 Stars
In After/Math, Lucy’s family moves after her brother dies from a congenital heart defect. But at her new school she finds that she has joined a class full of survivors of a school shooting, where her grief over the loss of her brother seems different and separate from the shared trauma her classmates suffered.
“After her brother’s death from a congenital heart defect, twelve-year-old Lucy is not prepared to be the new kid at school―especially in a grade full of survivors of a shooting that happened four years ago. Without the shared past that both unites and divides her classmates, Lucy feels isolated and unable to share her family’s own loss, which is profoundly different from the trauma of her peers. Lucy clings to her love of math, which provides the absolute answers she craves. But through budding friendships and an after-school mime class, Lucy discovers that while grief can take many shapes and sadness may feel infinite, love is just as powerful.”
This was a touching book that addressed the aftermath of a school shooting as a community mourned as well as the aftermath of personal losses for families. I enjoyed the math jokes and puzzles included and the Jewish representation. I also loved Mr Jackson, who was a wonderful teacher. As it is about a difficult topic, I would recommend it for the older middle grade reader and their trusted adults. The author narrates the audio book herself and did a great job!
Title: Little Pieces of Hope
Author: Todd Doughty
Genre: Non Fiction, lists and essays
Publisher: Penguin Life, 10/12/21
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review.
My Rating: 5 Stars
This was such a unique book. I didn’t expect it to be the type of book I could read cover to cover, because it is full of lists of things that gives the author hope in the every day, but I ended up reading it and loving it!
“On March 11, 2020, the day the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a global pandemic and all of our lives began to change in unprecedented ways, Todd Doughty knew he needed to do something to help him stay connected to the everyday joys of daily life. So he wrote down a list of things that make him happy: The musical intro to ‘All Things Considered.’ Someone forgiving you. Someone believing in you. Your foot sticking out from under a blanket in order to find the cool spot. Freshly cut yellow tulips. A really good burger. Many, many lists later, Little Pieces of Hope pulls together the best of Doughty’s lists along with never-before-seen entries, essays, musings, prompts, quotes, and playlists that offer solace, connection, and a daily touchstone of joy in a difficult world.”
This book is full of pop culture, art, TV, songs, and more. There are included play lists and lists of things to do, as well as essays on each season, and more. I had to read this with Google because I kept wanting to look things up, although when I knew the reference without checking I felt so happy! This book reminds us of all the hope we can find in the every day.
Come back next week for the rest of my November reads – and possibly more favorites!
Do you have a favorite book you’ve read this month?
