Hi, readers! How are you all doing?
Honestly, I am so ready to say goodbye to February. It’s a short month, but also felt like it was longer than January? Cold, gloomy weather, ongoing pandemic… I am just so ready for a new month, and SO ready for Spring to get here! Bring on sunshine and beautiful flowers!!! Am I right???
My reading life this month was definitely up and down! If you read my previous newsletter that I sent out two weeks ago, I was struggling a bit with staying focused on a good story. But I managed to read 3 books up until that point! And since then, I’ve read 4 more, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts with you on them!
The Perfect Family by Robyn Harding
Before I begin talking about this book, let me just preface this by saying that Robyn Harding is absolutely one of my favourite domestic thriller writers. Her plots and characters are always so original and unique, that it reminds me why I love the thriller genre! Harding is a Canadian author, who I have been in contact with since her first domestic thriller, The Party, came out in 2017! That book has major Big Little Lies vibes, so if that’s your thing, you should absolutely read that book!
I’ve interviewed Harding for my blog a few years ago, and had the pleasure of doing a Live Q&A on my instagram last June to promote her book, The Swap, and it was so much fun talking to her about her writing process and inspirations! You can check it out on my instagram!
Now, her newest book, The Perfect Family, comes out this upcoming August, and it is a domestic thriller that you will NEED to add to your summer TBR! I am very grateful for receiving an early copy from Simon & Schuster Canada, because now I can rave about this book to everyone from now until August!!!!
This book follows the story of the Adler family. They are the ideal, “perfect” family - great house, kids, jobs, looks, money… you name it. They are basically the envy of everyone around them. But, one morning, they wake up and find that their front porch was pelted by eggs. They think it’s a prank, and forget about it, but every weekend, the pranks continue, and start to get a bit more dangerous. Along with that, each member of the Adler family have their own dark secrets, that they think somebody out in the world knows about, and is using the pranks to get to them.
Isn’t that such a fun synopsis?! And trust me, the execution of said synopsis is GREAT. I started this book one evening, at about 5pm, and finished at 10:30… I just could not put it down! The plot is so intriguing, the characters are full of secrets, and inner thoughts… and sometimes, I think my problem with some thrillers out there, is that it gets a bit too… cheesy? Far fetched? And that is not the case with this one. It’s completely binge worthy, which is how all of Robyn Harding’s books are. I think this one got me out of my mini reading slump!
So, this book comes out August 10th 2021 - and I highly encourage you to pick it up and support Robyn Harding! Let me know your thoughts if you read it!
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
I am loving short story collections as audiobooks right now. I have been using Scribd since 2017, and I love that it’s a monthly fee, which gives you access to all kinds of audiobooks and ebooks. If you’d like to try Scribd for free for 30 days, just click here!
This short story collection is daring and thought provoking. It explores the raw and tender places where black women and girls dare to follow despite being in a Church community, where they have to be “good”. What is good anyway? And why is society so judgemental towards girls and women wanting to explore themselves and their sexuality? There is so much shame when it comes to a girl wanting to explore that part of themselves, and this short story collection does such a great job exploring that theme, and how it affects the women in the black community. I truly enjoyed the audiobook for this one, but definitely would love to read a physical copy too!
Milk Blood Heat by Daniel W. Moniz
Another short story collection that I listened to via audiobook on Scribd, and truly enjoyed!! This short story collection is set in the cities and suburbs of Florida, that follows young girls, women and men who are confronted by moments of their own personal reckoning. These stories paint the portrait of people and relationships that have themes of nature, family, faith and forgiveness.
You guys, I really enjoyed this collection of stories. Each story left me with so much self reflection and curiosity, and that is exactly why I love short stories so much. If you also love short stories that explore the human condition, I recommend picking this one up.
Want to know my all time favourite short story? It is, A Perfect Day for Bananafish by J.D Salinger. I studied this short story in high school with one of my favourite English teachers ever, and it has stuck with me since. A good short story is able to pack a punch in a short amount of time, and leave you knowing the characters inside out, but also wanting to know more about them. Salinger fans, and even Sally Rooney fans, read this one!
Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
I finished off the month with this read, and I am so glad I did. This book was the winner of the National Book Award for Fiction in 2020, and I 100% see why.
This book is not just a typical book. It is written in screenplay format for a majority of the novel, with tidbits here and there from the character. It explores the stereotypes and racism that people of Asian descendent experience in the media, but also just in life in general. This book is full of so many metaphors, that gave the reader much needed reflection about internalized racism. Not only does it explore racism, but it explores self identity, parenthood, family, nationality, immigration.. I also loved that at one point, it went through a timeline of American history in how Asians were treated in the United States since the 1800’s.
If you enjoy unique formats of story telling, that deal with racism and the themes mentioned above - pick this one up! I really enjoyed this one. I borrowed it from my library, and now I need a physical copy.
So,
That is my reading wrap up for February! As I said, I am truly looking forward to a new month. I love that March begins on a Monday - time for a fresh start, and we are one step closer to Spring, summer and constant sunshine!
Notable Mentions
I binge watched Firefly Lane last weekend and loved it. I am a Kristin Hannah fan, but I haven’t read Firefly Lane, but I definitely want to because I miss the characters already. The first episode was a bit tough to get into, and Katherine Heigel bugged me just a wee bit, but I’m glad I continued because it was just so good! I'm looking forward to season 2!
I started watching Ginny and Georgia on Netflix and… omg. I am loving this show as well. Imagine Gilmore Girls, but way more drama/thriller vibes. I think I am almost done the season which I am sad about, but I really hope it gets picked up for another season!
Read with Sam Bookclub
I mentioned in my last newsletter that I am bringing back my bookclub, and I am SO excited! For March, we are reading Far From The Tree by Robin Benway and I can’t wait! I’ve heard such great things about this book, and I am super excited to discuss with you all via Zoom on March 31st!
This bookclub is free, and focuses on backlist titles. The reason being because 1) we get so caught up on the latest and greatest, that we forget there are so many beautiful stories waiting to be read and 2) they are more affordable and accessible for everyone!
If you’d like to join, the bookclub is mainly on the Bookclubz app, which is free to download on your phone, or you can visit their website on your desktop/laptop! Click here to join on Bookclubz! You’ll have to create a profile first in order to join!
I also have a group on Goodreads if you'd prefer, click here to request to join!
If you are showing your reading progress throughout the month of March for the bookclub, be sure to use the hashtag #rwsbookclub on Instagram!
I hope you’ll join along with us, I think it will be so much fun, and I am looking forward to get to know you all a bit better. :)
That’s all from me! I hope the rest of your Sunday is relaxing! Make a cup of tea, grab a blanket, a book (or your tv remote) and escape into a fictional world. See you next time!
Yours bookishly,
Sam