All of Her Things

These last few months have been kind of weird for me. I struggled with fatigue for multiple reasons and wanted to be a homebody. My fatigue issues are finally being addressed, but keeping up with my reading was helpful for my mood, even though I seem to read emotional and dark stories. Here’s what I read with ratings and quick reviews.

April

The Hunting Party

Lucy Foley

4/10

Mystery / Thriller

Quick Review: I wasn’t able to start a new book at the start of April. I started reading this closer to the end, thinking I’d finish it quickly by the start of May because I enjoy a good mystery and am a fan of Lucy Foley. This story, however, was hard to get into. It starts off too slow and is a bit predictable. This is definitely my least favorite Lucy Foley mystery. I recommend The Guest List and The Paris Apartment, but not this one.

Will I continue with the series/reading from this author? Yes. I still have to read The Midnight Feast!

Is this a reread? No

May

We Are Not Like Them

Jo Piazza and Christine Pride

8/10

Contemporary

Quick Review: I bought this book a few years ago, and for some reason, I didn’t read more than the first or second chapter. This was my second attempt, and I have no idea why I stopped. I liked this story because it shares two perspectives of two friends (a black woman and a white woman) after the killing of a young black boy in Philadelphia. It’s an emotional story and requires both characters to reflect on the society they live in.

Will I continue reading from these authors? Yes

Is this a reread? Maybe.

Homegoing

Yaa Gyasi

10/10

Historical Fiction

Quick Review: Honestly, this was my second time reading this, and I can confirm it is my favorite story. I have a deep connection to this story as a Black woman from the US whose family history was lost due to slavery (like most Black Americans). I love a good multigenerational story, and for me, this one has no flaws: great writing, a good pace, and characters that feel real.

Will I continue reading from this author? Yes

Is this a reread? Yes. This is my second time reading it, and I plan to read it again at some point.

June

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Suzanne Collins

7/10

Science Fiction / Dystopian Fiction

Quick Review: This is the first prequel story to the Hunger Games trilogy, following Coriolanus Snow, the future president of Panem in the trilogy. I think it’s a worthy expansion to the Hunger Games world. We jump into the mind of Snow and how he becomes the sadistic President Snow we know from the OG stories. The characters were well-written, although I strongly disliked one or two. The story touches on themes like morality, human nature, and social-class shifts. Good story; not a good ending though. I wish it gave a little more. The last couple of chapters went fast and gave nothing. It felt like the author took the easy way out of writing a solid ending.

Will I continue with the series? Yes. I will be reading Sunrise on the Reaping this summer.

Is this a reread? Maybe in the future, if I want a deep dive into all the Hunger Games stories.

Kindred

Octavia E. Butler

9/10

Science Fiction / Historical Fiction

Quick Review: This is kind of a hard one for me to review. In summary, a young black woman from the 1970s inexplicably time-travels to the 1800s, so yes, this was an uncomfortable read, but I also couldn’t put it down. The characters are complicated, and the themes include power, control, white supremacy, and surviving slavery. I found myself hoping for some good, and tiny spoiler, there is none. This story was a beautiful, heartbreaking, interesting, and emotional rollercoaster, but it’s so worth the read. I find myself appreciating this story more than I expected.

Will I continue to read from this author? Yes.

Is this a reread? Most likely.