I've recently read a ton of graphic novels and memoirs - some I loved and others not so much but were still a thrill to read. Guts by Raina Telgemeier I am always on the lookout for Raina Telgemeier's comics, so when I found Guts available at my library's Overdrive catalog last year, I had to request it right away. Her comics are always delightful, designed for the middle-grade audience, and written very well. Guts is a continuation of her Smile nonfiction graphic memoir series (see Smile and Sisters ) and recounts a period in her childhood when she experienced IBS for the first time. When Raina wakes up one night with an upset tummy, she just assumes it's a stomach bug as her mom is also showing the same symptoms. But when it doesn't go away soon but is instead influenced by the daily highs and lows of being a middle grader - good friends, not so good ones, and then the bullies, she realizes there's something else going on. If you have not read the previous
This past week, I tried really hard to actively be a readathoner. But until Thursday, it was just like any other work day - tiring, and spent in front of the TV. Both The Originials and The Vampire Diaries had their season finales this week, and TVD seriously killed me with what they did. It was a beautiful episode - after weeks of boring predictable ones, it was nice to be reminded of what I always liked about this show - the edge of the seat feeling. But I can't say I liked how they ended, and immediately after the show, this is what I tweeted, because it left me all broken inside.
Anyways, about that readathon - the Bout of Books - I barely read anything between Monday and Thursday, then read (and finished) We Need New Names (set in Zimbabwe) by NoViolet Bulawayo on Friday and Saturday. This book is seriously amazing. The writing in the first half took some serious getting used to, but in a good way, much like how you would feel when talking with someone from a country whose accent you have never heard before. While reading this book, I started writing a blog post on the importance of having more vernacular writing in books, so I'll be posting that sometime soon.
I have also been listening to The Joy Luck Club in the car, and I'm beginning to think that this is not a book to listen to - it is probably best read on paper. Unfortunately I'm halfway through already, and I can't see myself trying to get hold of the book and reading from scratch. That probably means, I'm not going to love this book as much as many of you do.
Last week, I had read a few chapters of Delusions of Gender, and so far it is intriguing. It's not a book to read at a stretch though, so I'll be reading a little of it each day for a couple of weeks, I guess. Today, I'm hoping to start with The People of Forever are not Afraid (set in Israel) by Shani Boianjiu, the title of which has me very intrigued.
The husband will be traveling to Dallas again this week for another training, but luckily this time, he'll be back on Thursday (last time, he was off for a whole week and I was bored as hell at home). We will be traveling this weekend to New York to pick up our parents from the airport so it's going to be busy then. But for now, I'm just planning to curl up with some books and read.
How is your Sunday going?
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