The Sunday Post #224

The Sunday Post is a chance to recap the past week, talk about next week, tell you what I’m reading, and share news. I’m linking up with The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, Readerbuzz, and Book Date. 

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The Sunday Post #224

On The Blog Last Week

• On Wednesday I showed you some interesting new book releases.
• On Friday I did the Stay At Home Tag.

On The Blog This Week

• On Tuesday we talk about why I (and Twitter) love historical fiction.
• On Thursday I recommend some books for Mental Health Awareness Month.

In My Reading Life

Last week, I finished 2 books. The first was The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. I liked it a lot, but I don’t think I’m as obsessed with it as other readers seem to be. It’s about an island that’s plagued by human-eating horses that crawl out of the ocean every October. The humans capture the horses and attempt to race them without getting eaten. I found the main characters bland because they’re obsessed with horses and winning money in the races, but that’s pretty much it. They don’t have a lot of personality. Since I’m not obsessed with horses or racing, it was hard for me to stay interested in their story. Aside from the characters, everything else is brilliant. The premise is unique and creepy. The ending is (mostly) unpredictable. I admire the way Maggie Stiefvater writes description. I feel like I understand the island’s culture and landscape, but the world-building never bogged down the plot. I’ll definitely read more of this author’s work.

Then I read Nomadland: Surviving America In The Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder. This is a nonfiction book about poor people who live in cars or RVs and travel around the US, working seasonal jobs at farms, parks, or warehouses. This book is a fascinating and terrifying peek into my future. I’ve always had low-paying jobs. It’s very possible that I’ll someday end up living in a van and sleeping in the parking lot of an Amazon warehouse. It’s scary to know that a divorce or medical emergency can take away everything you’ve built in life. The writing in the book isn’t brilliant, and I think the research could have gone farther, but the author interviews some fascinating nomadic Americans. I admire their creativity and tenacity.

Currently, I’m reading another nonfiction book. It’s Strangers In Their Own Land: Anger And Mourning On The American Right by Arlie Russell Hochschild. It’s basically a study of the Tea Party, but that makes it sound boring. It’s not! It’s about coastal Louisiana and the people who live there. I’m hoping to learn some stuff.

In The Rest Of My Life

Five things that made me happy last week:

1. I took an internet break for my sanity. That’s why I haven’t been commenting on blogs, but I’m back now!
2. Chinese food.
3. I had free Hulu for a week, so I watched all 3 seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale. It’s super depressing, but I love the music, and I now I want to know what happens next!
4. The gift I got my mom for Mother’s Day arrived. It was only a few days late. *Pats self on back for only slightly forgetting Mother’s Day.*
5. I got all the ingredients I need to make banana muffins. I can finally quarantine bake like everyone else on Twitter!

Let’s be Socially Distant Friends

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Take care of yourselves and be kind to each other! See you around the blogosphere!