Okay…so monthly updates on books I’ve read seems a little much. As in, too much pressure.

So, I’m going to wrap up February and March, then switch to quarterly summaries. And let me just say, February and March have been odd months; I don’t know how non-readers survive. More to come on that but thank goodness I keep a stack of unread books.

February started with a bang: The Testaments, by Margaret Atwood. Phenomenal sequel set 15 years after Handmaid’s Tale but published almost 35 years later. While Handmaid’s Tale seemed prescient and dystopian, The Testaments is all too real in 2020, as women’s rights are routinely being challenged by fundamental fanatics. This was a sequel we needed, for the story to play out and to regain some hope.

I love the implied action in Love Does, by Bob Goff: that love doesn’t just exist; it does and manifests in many ways. The book is more a series of essays, or reflections on different ways we receive and give love. Some really resonated with me, others not so much. Favorite line: “The words people say to us not only have shelf life but have the ability to shape life.”

Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is a complex novel about a Nigerian immigrant’s experience in coming to the United States, leaving behind her teenage love, and adapting to American culture. The story line weaves past and present, different perspectives, and the ties that bind.

I was intrigued by the concept and philosophy of The World in Six Songs, by Daniel Levitin, but the book itself was too academic – in terms of music theory -- for me. Music speaks to me, but I don’t follow its written form and found this too dense.

I bought Once in a Blue Moon, by Eileen Goudge, at a “friends of the library” sale, hoping the plot would be worth the .50 I paid. Not so much. Abandonment, adoption, community, home, and family are significant themes, which are typically favorites for me, but the characters didn’t pull me in.

March was a great reading month,

...starting with the bestseller Nickel Boys, by Colson Whitehead. Fair warning – this is a harsh read, with racism and violence, in a fictionalized version of a Florida school for troubled boys. The main character is sympathetic, but the abuses are painful to read.

The Most Fun We Ever Had, by Claire Lombardo, is an epic family drama of things unsaid and the repercussions and missed opportunities the ensue. While the novel spans a year in the family’s life, many flashbacks provide context and bittersweet insights to the choices made.

Untamed, by Glennon Doyle, was released in March, and I had pre-ordered a signed copy as a birthday gift for Amy. When it arrived and I flipped through it, I knew I needed my own copy. Plus, knowing I would have plenty of time due to coronavirus, I rationalized the purchase. (Yes, Rebecca, I am a book-buying enabler.) I’m all about empowered women and consider myself to be somewhat untamed, so the book was right up my alley. Plus, I admire Glennon’s vulnerability in sharing so much of her story. While this is a memoir, it's about finding your personal truth, owning your emotions, and living the life you want vs. what others want for or from you. It is both intimate and exuberant.

I’ve enjoyed several of Thrity Umrigar’s novels and recently picked up Everybody’s Son. What a compelling story! I had a hard time putting this one down. And it’s not an easy read – themes include white privilege, abuses of power and authority, racism, secrets and lies. The son involved is likable, and the story line broke my heart more than once. This one begs for a sequel….please.

You may have surmised that I am drawn to emotional, relationship-based novels, and you wouldn’t be wrong. On to 2nd quarter 2020, safe at home due to COVID 19.