Hi, readers!!
Thank you SO much for subscribing my newsletter! This is something that I have wanted to do for a while. I just love and miss sitting down at my desk, with a cup of coffee, writing… and isn’t this just the perfect way to do it?
My hope for this monthly newsletter, is to give you a chance to get away from the constant “in your face” social media bombardment, sit back, and read about some books. Books that I liked, didn’t like.. books that you might want to add to your To Be Read list. Remember, just because a book didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it’s not good! I encourage you to read reviews with an open mind, and remember that each book out there, is for someone!
I mainly just want to be able to write down my thoughts coherently, which I feel that instagram doesn’t give me a chance to do.. so I truly hope that you will stick around, and hey! Maybe I’ll do a mid month check in for February!
January Reflections
January was odd.. and long.. right? Here in Ottawa, we entered a lockdown on December 26th, and with the short days, cold weather.. this lockdown was the roughest one yet. So, I chose to lean into my love for winter/snow and create a very hygge type experience in my home while I read. And honestly? It truly worked!!! I realize it’s not possible for everyone to turn off their minds, and forget about their worries and anxieties, so please keep in mind that we are ALL doing our best. If you read one book in January, none, 5, whatever the number is… remember we are all going through a traumatic experience, and we are all just trying to survive in any way we can.
I decided the perfect way to start off the new year, is to host another Spark Joy Readathon! If you’re new to my blog, the spark joy readathon began in May 2020.. I really wanted to try to focus on something positive when the pandemic started, and I had no idea it would resonate with SO many people. The idea of the readathon is to, quite simply - read. There are different prompts you can choose from, but ultimately, there are no set page goals, book number goals, or anything like that. The readathon is meant to give you a reminder that reading should be fun and stress free. So, for January 2021, I decided to host a winter version of the readathon, and it was SO much fun. Meeting new people, getting introduced to new books, and just reading a lot! It was great.
So without further ado - here are the books I read in January, and my thoughts to go along with them!
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
This is such a powerful, emotional story. This book follows Gifty, a fifth year neuroscience student studying reward-seeking behaviour in mice, depression, and addiction. Her older brother, died from a heroin overdose - after a knee injury got him addicted to oxycontin. Gifty’s mother, is battling depression, and suicidal thoughts. Gifty tries to seek scientific explantations for the suffering she always sees around her.
I truly enjoyed this story. If you didn’t know, along with my English lit major, I minored in religious studies. I find the topic incredibly fascinating - particularly how so many people, after years and years, are able to completely believe in something that there is no concrete evidence for. I’m not here to debate on the existence of God, but I just really find the power of religion so interesting! So, the religious themes within this book REALLY captured my attention, especially with the comparisons to science.
Gifty is such a curious character, and I loved reading her inner monologue about her complicated relationship with her mother and father, mourning the death of her brother, and how exactly are people able to move on after so much grief and suffering. It’s book that offers a lot of reflection for religion, culture, identity, and mental health. If you are a fan of literary fiction, and particularly a fan of darker themes being explored by the protagonists inner monologue, I highly recommend this one.
The Beauty of your Face by Sahar Mustafah
This book makes me very emotional to talk about. If you didn’t know this already, my full name is Ebtesam Ali. I am half Iraqi, half Moroccan, but was born in Canada. Both my parents are Muslim (more on the liberal side), and are both immigrants to Canada. My grandma is from Morocco, and lived with us during my entire childhood. She wears a hijab, prays five times a day, and doesn’t speak English. I remember living in Toronto when I was younger, and my Grandma would walk us to school everyday. We had many people look at us, say something racist towards my Grandma, or step away from us on the sidewalk. And then 9/11 happened when I was in the third grade. It seemed that things truly changed overnight. Racial slurs were almost constant towards me in class, at recess, and especially when my Grandma took us to and from school. I remember looking up at the apartment buildings beside my school wondering if a plane was going to it. And wondering if people would blame my family and I for a horrific act perpetrated by extremist people who don’t truly believe in the same religion as my family.
It was hard to grow up as a Muslim Arab in a very white city, when we moved a bit north from Toronto. Nobody could pronounce my full name, I was called a terrorist, was asked why was my skin dark, why my eyebrows were bushy, why my nose was big. Why my Grandma wore a towel over her head. Why she didn’t go back to her own country to live with “those people”. Now, imagine hearing this every single day. When you are a child. It makes you become ashamed of who you are and where you come from… which is just SO wrong.
Trust me, there’s a point to this! This book follows a Palestinian American family and their struggles with living in America. The story begins with Afaf, being older, and is a principal of an all girls Muslim school in Chicago. A shooter comes in because he believes Muslims and Arabs are there to destroy America. Afaf comes face to face with the shooter and then reflects back on her childhood. It is very similar to a book I just read recently, but i’ll talk about that later. This book accurately depicted my childhood. It gave me chills, and made me cry. It is hard being a grown up and reflecting back on wrong it was to feel ashamed of who I am. But can I really blame myself? I don’t think so.
The topic of race has been prevalent for a long time, and this book handles it so well. I highly recommend if you want to read a bit about my culture, religion (although I don’t believe in anything.. but my parents do), and read a story that has so much character growth, resilience, and reflection to offer to the reader. Truly an incredible book.
Ten Arguments for Deleting your Social Media Accounts Right Now by Jason Lanier
Jason Lanier is a Silicon Valley pioneer, who first alerted the dangers of social media. I think it’s interesting that a lot of the people who are talking about the dangers of it, are ex-employees of those large social media apps.. but at least they are bringing attention to it. Did they know that there would be dangers to these app upon their inception? We will never really know, but I think it’s important to have that conversation.
This book is by no means life changing. It’s a short read, but I think it offered some very interesting points on how we use specific apps and our phones during this time. Whether we realize it or not, we are all obsessed with our phones. I have seen many people try to shift that habit which is great! But there is SO much work to be done. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this one as a must read.. I think Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport was far more interesting, but this was a fun read from the library, and still gave me a lot to think about regarding my habits!
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
If you are looking for a perfect, but short type of escape - this Persian folklore inspired fantasy may be for you! I truly enjoyed this one - it wasn’t too long, and didn’t focus SO much on epic world building - which to me, can be a bit *yawn* depending on the story. This book follows Soraya, a princess with a curse that makes her poisonous to anyone she touches…
Her twin brother’s (also the King) wedding is approaching, and Soraya tries to make the decision of whether or not to leave her room and explore life outside the castle. Below the castle, in a dungeon tucked away.. a demon is imprisoned, but has the knowledge answers Soraya craves to have this curse lifted.
It has adventure, romance, LGBTQ+ representation, and middle eastern representation! Love to see it! I especially liked the author’s note at the end, where she tells the reader which Persian stories she took inspiration from!
Ok readers… if you know me at all, you’ll know that I am a sucker for generational family dramas… and this one by Canadian author Michael Christie did not disappoint, and has become one of my favourite books I’ve ever read.
This story begins in 2034, and Jake Greenwood is a tour guide for some very rich people in one of the world’s last remaining forests. We then go back to 2008, where Liam Greenwood is a talented carpenter, but broke his back and his life begins to spiral down due to heartbreak and loss. Then we go to 1974, where Willow Greenwood’s passion for trees and the environment begin to cloud her judgement towards motherhood. She tries to right the sins of her father’s large, environment destroying empire. Then back to 1934, where Everett Greenwood works alone in a maple syrup camp and comes across an abandoned baby.
This book is long - keep that in mind, but if you love generational family stories, this one was SO good. I admit, despite my ultimate love for this book, the middle did drag on a little bit, but overall, the emotion that Christie evokes through his writing is unparalleled. Not only is it a story about family.. but I just love the metaphors embedded in the writing, characters and plot, that show the importance of trees, forests, and our planet.
This book truly deepened my already lasting love for trees and the planet, and has made me so much more conscious of the environment.
You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria
I just love reading a good, well written romantic comedy! This was it! My real life bookclub chose this book at the February pick in honour of Valentine’s Day, and my hold from the library came in earlier than expected so I decided to read it! I read this in one sitting, with a glass of wine in hand, and it was great!
This book follows an actress and an actor who are very different from each other, and end up working on a new romantic comedy together. They both come from the tele nova business, but it’s a different ball game this time because Jasmine finds her co-star Ashton VERY attractive!
I think what I loved most about this book, is that the dialogue between Jasmine and Ashton was SO natural. I didn’t cringe or roll my eyes (because sometimes love stories make me feel that way) but this wasn’t cheesy at all. I would love to see this book turn into an actual rom-com movie!!!
WOAH!!!! That is the word that comes to my mind when I think about my reading journey with this book. The book started off a bit slow for me but then… I. could. not. stop.
This book is about 14 year old Lacey May who lives in Peaches, California with her mother. They are a part of a church led by Pastor Vern who is telling his followers that the drought they are facing can be solved, if they complete their “assignments” to God. These assignments are never explicitly revealed, but they are assignments that are exploitive to the women completing them. In other words, Pastor Vern runs a cult, and he believes that if women give their bodies to the men in the church, God will reward them with rain.
Lacey May’s mother ends up “sinning” and is banished from the church, and ends up running away with her new boyfriend, leaving Lacey May behind. Lacey May ends up staying with her grandmother, who lives in an incredibly filthy house, and believes intensely that they will be saved, thanks to Pastor Vern.
Lacey goes through some very traumatic events at the hands of her blood relatives, and battles her inner monologue throughout the novel. She misses her mother, and wishes she had someone to teach her right from wrong, teach her what sex actually is, what it is to be a mother… but remember that Lacey is only 14 years old.
I am a big crier. I am very emotional and yup, you guessed it, I cried at the end of this book. This book has TREMENDOUS character growth in regards to Lacey, and I can’t even begin to think how someone can live through what she did. Especially since I know, that many girls around the world are unfortunately fooled into joining dangerous cults, and are treated as objects.
If you are interested in cult stories, and coming of age stories.. I highly recommend this one. I can’t believe this book isn’t more widely talked about, but I can understand that it’s not for everyone!
The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
If you follow me on instagram.. you’ll know that I did not enjoy this book. But some might like it!
This book is a Jane Eyre retelling. Set in Alabama, rather than England, this story follows Jane, a dog-walker with a hidden past, who falls in love with Eddie Rochester - a rich man, with a big house. Lots of secrets are kept in that house, along with a secret past in Eddie’s life, and it all starts to unravel when Jane and Eddie fall in love.
Look, I love a good retelling. I love when classic stories are set in new places and given a different spin - but this just didn’t work for me! Jane Eyre is my favourite book of all time, so I found that the classic quotes were butchered, all of the characters were unlikeable, and the “twists” at the end were unbelievable.
But remember, I read this as Jane Eyre lover and English major. I came at it with a different lens than others might have! If you enjoy domestic thrillers, this might be for you! It definitely was binge worthy (I read it in a day), so I recommend it if those are the kinds of books you are looking for!
The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
Another fun romantic comedy read!!! This was recommended to me by a couple of my friends in my bookclub, and it did not disappoint!! The last part of the book is definitely a bit more emotional than I expected, which left me a mess. But I truly loved the story and the characters. This is another book where I just loved the natural dialogue between characters. They really did seem like real people.
This story follows Kirsten Petersen who is her best friend’s maid of honour, and helping her plan her wedding. She has her future planned out, with her military boyfriend who is about to move in after his last assignment. But then she meets the best man, Josh Copeland, and her plans just get thrown out the window. They start to like each other, but there is just one problem - Josh comes from a big family, with dreams of having his own day, but Kirsten… is not able to have kids.
Quirky, fun, cute, but also serious - this book was perfect for me to read after some literary fiction and thrillers!
This was another bookclub read for me, and I listened to this on audio on Scribd (click here to try it for 30 days free! And WOW. It was an incredibly powerful read, written in verse.
This book is about Amal Shahid, who loves poetry and art, but one night, he finds himself in an altercation in his neighbourhood that led to a tragedy. He ends up being convicted of a crime he did not commit and sent to prison - he is only 16. Meanwhile, the other boys involved in the altercation don’t face any consequences - because boys will always be boys (but only if they’re white).
As I mentioned, this was so, so powerful. I definitely want to read the book this time and take my time with it. I found that listening to it on audio had me distracted a little bit because it bounced around in timelines, which at times left my confused. I also do wish it was a *bit* longer. But all in all, this is such a powerful story, with powerful writing, and I really think it’s a book that a lot of people need to read.
The Art of Showing Up by Rachcel Wilkerson Miller
This was a book I borrowed from my library, and will NEED to purchase my own copy soon! This book is about showing up for yourself, and for your friends. By understanding your own values and needs, respecting them, and using those same habits to be a good friend.
I really loved part one which was all about showing up for yourself. There were some journal entry ideas, and reflection paragraphs that I really enjoyed and ended up doing myself! It was great to sit down and think about what my values were, and how I can live each day respecting those values, and making them known to the people around me. I truly want to be a better for myself, and enjoy my life as stress free as possible.
I am a people pleaser. I always say yes, and very rarely do I say no in fear of hurting someone else’s feelings. But..that’s not okay! It’s okay to say no sometimes! Before the pandemic, there were times where I made plans but I just did not want to go anymore. I wanted to stay in and be alone - and that is okay! Approaching those scenarios with your friends builds a healthy relationship with yourself and others. I even used some of the affirmations this weekend, and felt so good doing so!
I will also be doing an instagram live with the author herself in February! Stay tuned!!
A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza
Of course I had to end the month with another generational family drama…right? Right?!
This story was incredible. It follows an Indian-American Muslim family, living in California, and depicts their lives as parents and siblings. Hadia is the oldest, being the daughter that her parents are constantly proud of. But Amar is the youngest, and has a strained relationship with his father, and others, that leads him down a different path than his family wanted.
Amar ends up running away, and shows up 3 years later at his sister Hadia’s wedding. Then it goes back to when his parents first got married to present day. This story truly tugged at my heart strings and yup, you guessed it, I cried. Is anybody surprised, truly?
We go through the first three parts of the book getting the perspective of Hadia, the eldest daughter, Amar, the youngest son, and Layla, their mother. And i’m telling you, it is heartbreaking to read Amar’s perspective, where he thinks his father doesn’t love him as much as he loves his sisters. Because at the end of the day.. it’s all about perspective. Sometimes, we may think there is favouritism, but really, people have different ways of communicating. And this story is the example of that.
This book is a bit slower than your average generational family drama, but still so worth the read. I love when I finish a book and hug it, and tell myself I will keep those characters in my heart for forever. This book goes hand in hand with The Beauty of Your Face which I mentioned earlier! Kind of similar stories, same religion, but different cultures!!
Well,
There you have it! A round up of the 12 books I read this month! If you stuck until the end… thank you! I know this was a long newsletter (or maybe it’s just long because I wrote it?) But either way, thank you for reading!
I would love to know if you read any of these, how your January reading has gone, and if you have any suggestions for future newsletters? I may end up doing a mid-month newsletter to make these not so long! So let me know!
Yours bookishly,
Sam
Looooooved A Place for Us! It was such a unique reading experience! I feel like the heartbreaking was in slow motion so that you could comprehend and appreciate each tiny, nuanced piece of it. Oof, just a truly beautiful book!
Great reviews! Excited to add some/bump some up on my list!
Hi Sam! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your newsletter, especially reading longer-form reviews outside social media. Plus I added a bunch of books to my list! Thank you for this, I’ll look forward to the next one! :)