It’s been a while since I wrote one of these posts! The last one was November 21st. So I’m going to include the books I’ve finished since then, partly because I haven’t finished any in the past week anyway!
Just Shelved
This has been a great start to my 2023 reading year. I mean, I’ve stalled out since and have been watching BritBox comedies (Here We Go [or Pandemonium] and Hold the Sunset), Netflix mysteries (Pieces of Her, Stay Close and Young Wallander) and movies (The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, The Adam Project, Those Who Wish Me Dead and Operation Mincemeat). But I blame that mostly on starting and abandoning about twelve books in quick succession and hurting my back and having no ability to focus through pain. Hopefully I’ll get back on track soon. I loved both of these though – Son of Elsewhere is a beautiful reflection on what it means to be an immigrant, particularly in Canada, how your relationship with your home country, your new country, your culture, your family and yourself change, what you gain, and what you lose. I connected strongly with some of his experiences from my own life and also from what I saw in other immigrants throughout my childhood, and it brought back so many memories. I have been meaning to read Felicia Day’s book since before it was released, but didn’t. I have no idea why. It’s excellent. I loved her voice, her wit, her humour, her honesty and her strength.
Shelved at the End of 2022
I read Intimations because I’m looking for reflective writing about people’s experiences of COVID lockdown as a way to start processing myself. I liked this well enough, but didn’t connect with all of it. I have been reading the Harry Potter books with my kid, and we finished the first one just after Christmas (followed by watching the first film…. at least nine times so far, and counting). I have been waiting to share these for years, and it’s been a great experience. We are on to book two now. I had a harder time with Everything Is OK than I did with Debbie Tung’s other books, but I think it’s more that it’s a bit darker, focuses a bit more in depth on what it is to live in depression, and that’s a hard one for me right now. I finally got around to Tomorrow x3 right before the end of the year, and it ended up being a really entertaining and emotional read. Not as good as A.J. Fikry, but then that’s not really a surprise!
This Telling was one I had in my Audible list and it was a short book and seemed like a good one to read given current events. It’s about abortion, how that decision affected a young woman’s life, and how much harder it was to make without access to safe abortion or support from family. It’s short but impactful. And finally My Brother’s Husband is a great graphic novel about a Japanese single Dad who opens the door one day to find a large Canadian man standing on his step. Turns out to be his twin brother’s husband – his brother having recently passed away. This meeting creates a ripple affect that spreads out through the community and shares how each person reacts to the new arrival.
Currently Reading
I’m re-reading Travels With My Aunt because it’s an old favourite and I’m trying to do a few re-readings each year. Not far into it yet, but already had some good laughs. Kind of Coping is a graphic novel about living with anxiety, and it’s another in my reading to explore other people’s experiences with mental health issues so I’ll feel less alone. Enjoying it so far. And I’m continuing reading the second Harry Potter to my kid – we’re nearly finished, so this should be done by next week. Thinking this will be the last one for this year as they get a bit scarier after this one, but so far we’re really enjoying ourselves!
Up Next
I’ve started Eliza, but put it aside for now until I have a bit more energy. I’ve joined a couple of online book clubs, and one of them is currently reading Miss Benson’s Beetle, a book my mother enjoyed a year or more ago, so I am curious to give it a try. The other two are options carried on from last year that I’ve got in my audiobook queue and am curious about.
That’s it for my few weeks of reading! How about you guys? Have you read any of these? What have you read recently? How is your 2023 reading going so far?
A weekly post that encourages bloggers to share what they have read in the past week, what they’re currently reading and books they’ve recently added to their TBRs. Originally started by Sheila at Book Journey, it is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.
Travels With My Aunt looks interesting. I hope you enjoy your books!
My It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? post.
Ah yes, it’s hilarious! Thank you – you as well!
I keep thinking that I should re-read the Harry Potter series. I’m just afraid that they won’t have the magical effect on me that I remember from reading them the first time. I enjoyed Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow when I read it. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
I have re-read them many times, and while the reading experience is a little different each time, they do always keep that magic for me (or at least, they have so far)! Yes, Tomorrow x3 was a good nearly-ending to my 2022 reading year!