I have found that since I finished my library science degree, I a) check out books from libraries a great deal more (especially thanks to Libby), b) read faster than I used to, and c) read a great deal more than I used to. While you may think it’s because of my work, most of my day-to-day work is done with databases and teaching others how to use them. So it’s purely on my own that I’m reading these books.
There are many, many book bloggers, BookStagrammers, and other readers that note what they’ve been reading. (And if you want to see my full list, I continue to track everything on Goodreads.) But I feel like I’ve been reading a lot of great books lately. So here are my 5-star books from the last few months. (All cover images courtesy of Goodreads and, I suppose, Amazon. Corporate synergy and whatnot.)
Babel, by R. F. Kuang
I’ve studied colonialism and its effects on modern society, but nothing got me thinking about language, politics and the British Empire like this novel. I’d been avoiding it because of its magical elements, but in the end it was shiny wrapping paper for a thoughtful analysis of the ways colonialism has affected cultures around the globe. Highly recommended.
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul
Another thoughtful analysis wrapped in a shiny story, this time about racism, generational wealth and passing. The description made me think of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo but it was much more, reminding me of Zora Neale Hurston as well.
Hello Stranger, by Katherine Center
I found this one through the 2024 Lariat list, recommendations from the Texas Library Association for adult reading. While it could be classified as a romance novel (and there’s nothing wrong with that), it felt like so much more. An unusual plot set-up and intriguing characters added up to a book I couldn’t put down because I so wanted to know how the story would resolve even when I was pretty sure how it would end. An excellent, unputdownable book.
The Rose Code, by Kate Quinn
I have read a lot of historical fiction, especially about World War II. I mean, a LOT. So it takes an engaging story for me to read it in a day and a half. The fact that it was based on actual people made it even more intriguing. An absolutely fascinating story.
Wellness, by Nathan Hill
The heaviest tome and prose of these five but well worth the read. Thought provoking on such topics as social media and dangerous algorithms, the placebo effect and how confident we can be when looking for medical treatment, and even what love is, means and can be. I recommended it to every person that crossed my reading path in the month after I read it. Highly, highly recommended. (Note: I thought it was exceedingly funny that I noted the author’s stylistic similarities to David Foster Wallace in my Goodreads review in January, only to look back at my review of his book The Nix in 2018 and see the exact same comment.)