Breinthewild

I’ve been burning through books lately (it’s a metaphor don’t worry) which is coincidentally one of my favorite things to do. I never would have started writing if not for my love of reading. Though I’m a sucker for fantasy and sci-fi, I’ll pick up any free-roaming literature that wanders too close. The following is a quick list of some of my favorites I’ve gotten to in the last couple of months or so.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, N.K. Jemisin (fantasy)

I’ve been meaning to pick up Jemisin for a while and let me tell you, this first venture is well worth the hype. Effortless, quick reading, and gorgeous fantasy worldbuilding that breaks all the right tropes. I’m invested and will be picking up the rest of the trilogy shortly, along with some of her other books.

The Reckoning, John Grisham (fiction)

Look, I figured it was about time for me to read a Grisham book, if only to see what this dude is all about. (I’m dutifully plodding through a Frazen novel right now for the same reasons). I don’t know if this is a good one to start on or not. *Shrugs* All I know is I enjoyed it, got frustrated by it, hated it, and then enjoyed it immensely, which honestly I think is a pretty good review for a book. The story follows a guy who murders someone (not a spoiler btw, it’s literally in the description) and the brutal fallout for him, his family, and the whole town. Normally, not a book I’d be drawn to based on the description (fantasy, sci-fi fan remember?) but I’m honestly glad I picked it up.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman (dark fantasy)

As with most Gaiman books, I’m uncertain what to say here. The read was heartwarming and unsettling, beautiful and ugly, painfully deep and disappointingly shallow. I enjoyed it? I think? No, I’m almost certain I enjoyed it. In my experience, the best part of most Gaiman stories happens after you’ve finished them and moved on with your life. Then, when you’re waiting in line at Taco Bell, a piece of the story slithers through whatever inter-dimensional crack you stuffed it in and whacks you on the back of the skull like a 2×4. (Anyone else? Or just me?) This story definitely had that effect. It sticks with you, for what it’s worth.

The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt (fiction)

Pulitzer-prize-winning text, terrible movie, yadda yadda. I picked this one up because a friend highly, highly recommended it. It is a dense book but in a lovely sort of way and though it meanders a lot, I didn’t spend a single moment thinking it dragged. This is the sort of book I can see people loving to bits. It is, simply put, lovable. You can tell the author pieced it together with the same care and precision as a work of art you would go see in a museum. That knowledge, in turn, plays to the story’s main themes. I would not recommend it to everyone, but to those who love the craft and art of writing, I would send it in a heartbeat. It’s also a delightful feeling to finish a book and know you’ve learned a great deal about a subject without the dreadful feeling of having been lectured to, so that’s nice as well.

Artemis, Andy Weir (Sci-fi)

(I should have started with The Martian, right? Should I have started with The Martian?) Well I didn’t. And here’s the deal. With first person books, you either love the main character’s voice or you hate ’em. This one’s probably not for everyone but it was 100% for me. Sassy, swearing, criminal mischief-makers are my jam. In space? Even more so. (Get it? Space jam? *if a cricket chirps in a void how long before its bodily fluids evaporate? Asking for a friend.*) It’s essentially a moon base heist paired with snort-into-your-tea funny moments. And fine I’ll read The Martian now. You happy?