Less than two months into the year and I’ve already read so many interesting things! Here’s the highlights.
The Bone Clocks
This is our February book club read, and boy was it a doozy. We’ve read one of David Mitchell’s other books, Cloud Atlas, and I’m pumped to discuss it in a few days. Mitchell’s writing style stays consistent throughout this book, which made it easier to read, and the concepts and themes are fantastic. The last section fell flat for me, but overall a fabulous read.
Sofia Khan is Not Obliged
I’ve had this on my TBR for a few months, and was lucky enough to get it for Christmas. The book follows Sofia, a Muslim woman asked by her publisher boss to write a book about Muslim dating. Although some readers have compared it unfavorably to Bridget Jones’ Diary, I thought it was great. Author Ayisha Malik busts stereotypes about Islam and portrays Muslim women as funny, thoughtful, flawed, and loving — in other words, like humans. In a happy coincidence, this book fulfills the January criteria for the Monthly Motif challenge.
The Magnolia Story
While I don’t like their decorating style (cool it with the shiplap, please!), I am a big fan of Chip and Joanna Gaines’ story. Chip in particular strikes me as this goofy dum-dum I wouldn’t trust with a nail gun, but turns out he’s an incredibly smart, hard-working entrepreneur. It was a fascinating read.
Incendiary
Author Michael Cannell’s incredible dive into the history of criminal profiling and how it was used to crack the case of “the Mad Bomber.” This book sits comfortably at the intersection of history, psychology, and true crime — my favorite place to spend my reading time. This one kept me up late. Highly recommended! Also meets the February criteria for the Monthly Motif challenge.
