WWW Wednesday – August 5, 2020

Since I’m really enjoying checking in here weekly, I’m going to continue doing the WWW Wednesday tag hosted by Taking on a World of Words. I like having a chance mid-week to share what I’m reading and see what you guys are up to, as well.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

I am currently reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I haven’t read too much but I am really enjoying the format most of all. I like having the sort of news clippings between chapters. I really like that Reid incorporates interesting elements to the format of her narratives. That was one of the reasons I love Daisy Jones & the Six so much.

Like last week, I finished three books since last Wednesday and DNFd an audiobook. First, I finished Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I think this book was SUPER creepy and I really appreciated the commentary on imperialism. I *almost* wish I was still in school and had an opportunity to write an entire paper on this novel. Having horror intersect with imperialism is so fascinating to me.

I also finished The Existence of Amy by Lana Grace Riva. This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for a review that I plan to post Monday so I’ll keep my discussion here brief. This book follows Amy in what appears to be a normal life but readers get insight into the ways OCD and depression can make normal things such as an office job and public transit so much more difficult. I think the first half reads a bit like a character study but the plot really picks up in the second half and has some important conversations about mental health that might also be applied to other “invisible illnesses.”

I know I said this month that I didn’t think I’d have any library holds coming through but just before Hurricane Isaias hit, I was blessed with Hunger by Roxane Gay. Since we lost power and my tablet was charged, I was able to read this through the night. Hunger is a powerful memoir about trauma, food, weight, and so many other topics – not just literal hunger, but hunger for affection, attention, and being able to indulge in femininity. I highly recommend this powerful read. I would check trigger warnings since this book deals with rape and disordered eating among other difficult topics.

Lastly, I DNFd the audiobook for Lost by Gregory Maguire. I thought the Wicked series was decent but everything else I’ve picked up by Maguire just hasn’t done it for me. I found myself bored and confused around 20% through the audiobook and just decided to call it a wash. I have a ton of other things to read on my shelves.

I think next I will pick up The Complete Stories by Zora Neale Hurston. I want to be able to finish all of my longer books on my TBR before I go back to work on the 20th. As long as no other library holds come in *knock on wood*, I think this will be manageable.

Have you read any of these books? What are you reading? If you participate in WWW Wednesday, link me your posts!