Title: The Woman in the White Kimono Author: Johns, Ana Publisher: Park Row Pages: 352 Date Read: 07 July 2022 Bookshelves: read My Rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A well-written story about the consequences of forbidden love in the aftermath of war and a daughter’s attempt to reconcile her father’s past with the present. I enjoyed reading this book.
Title: Introduction to Recursive Programming Author: Rubio-Sanchez, Manuel Publisher: CRC Press Pages: 567 Date Read: 19 June 2022 Bookshelves: read My Rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A nice introductory text written in accessible language. An essential text for anyone daunted by the prospect of functions that call themselves
Title: Night Sky with Exit Wounds Author: Vuong, Ocean Publisher: Copper Canyon Press Pages: 89 Date Read: 04 June 2022 Bookshelves: read My Rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A beautiful collection of poems that explores war, love, death, and family. I loved a good number of these poems but not all of them. Perhaps when I revisit these pages, I’ll find understanding in those poems that, at the moment, escape me.
Title: What We Buried Author: Siehl, Caitlyn Publisher: Words Dance Publishing Pages: 64 Date Read: 03 June 2022 Bookshelves: read My Rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very well-written. I enjoyed most of the poems. Looking forward to reading more of the author’s works
Title: Behold the Dreamers Author: Mbue, Imbolo Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks Pages: 400 Date Read: 02 June 2022 Bookshelves: read, favorites My Rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A very well-written story that lasted this long on my shelf because I simply did not want the book to end. Please sign me up for the next thing this author publishes.
Title: Interpreter of Maladies Author: Lahiri, Jhumpa Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pages: 198 Date Read: 02 May 2022 Bookshelves: read My Rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐ I tried to combat my bias against short stories by reading this well-acclaimed Pulitzer winner. Upon finishing the book, my feelings are that of a familiar disappointment in the genre. Do not misunderstand: not all of the stories are bad; the third story was outstanding, and the last story was pretty decent. For most of the book, however, I just wanted to get the stories over with and what kept me going was the misplaced expectation that the next story would be better. Most, unfortunately, were not.
Title: Under the Udala Trees Author: Okparanta, Chinelo Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pages: 328 Date Read: 02 May 2022 Bookshelves: read My Rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐ This book was 170 pages longer than it needed to be.
Title: The Death of Vivek Oji Author: Emezi, Akwaeke Publisher: Riverhead Books Pages: 248 Date Read: 24 March 2022 Bookshelves: read, favorites My Rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was a moving story that was told with the finest of words and I write this review having come off the book with genuine satisfaction from my experience. This book is themed around death, grief, love, and identity in a manner I had yet to experience before encountering Akwaeke Emezi. ...
Title: The Art of Racing in the Rain Author: Stein, Garth Publisher: Harper Collins Pages: 336 Date Read: 16 March 2022 Bookshelves: read, favorites My Rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 solid stars! A refreshingly beautiful read. There is so much to love about the book right - from the trace of poetry in the title, down to the style through which the wisdom in its paragraphs was communicated. The reader is introduced to Enzo, a dog as cute as he is wise. We see the world through Enzo’s eyes as he lives through his master’s pain, loss, grief, and racing passions; while navigating his own bestial desires, superior emotions, age, and eventual mortality. ...
Title: Sisters’ Entrance Author: Mahmoud, Emtithal Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing Pages: 128 Date Read: 09 March 2022 Bookshelves: read My Rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐ In this collection, Emtithal renders the details of pain and loss, family and war so vividly. While i find her written poetry beautiful, i am way more partial to her spoken word versions because consuming poems in a collection as personal as this without the guidance of the author almost strips the words of meaning and flattens the emotions these words were designed to inspire. ...