Happy Thursday, book friends! It’s been a busy couple of weeks and I’m not finding the usual time and energy to write blog posts in advance. Hence, this going up more like 7pm EST than 7am.
Nevertheless, here I am with our next selection from the Book of the Month shelf of shame on my TBR cart! This week’s pick is…
It is 1938 in China and, as a young wife, Meilin’s future is bright. But with the Japanese army approaching, Meilin and her four year old son, Renshu, are forced to flee their home. Relying on little but their wits and a beautifully illustrated hand scroll, filled with ancient fables that offer solace and wisdom, they must travel through a ravaged country, seeking refuge.
Years later, Renshu has settled in America as Henry Dao. Though his daughter is desperate to understand her heritage, he refuses to talk about his childhood. How can he keep his family safe in this new land when the weight of his history threatens to drag them down? Yet how can Lily learn who she is if she can never know her family’s story? Spanning continents and generations, Peach Blossom Spring is a bold and moving look at the history of modern China, told through the story of one family. It’s about the power of our past, the hope for a better future, and the haunting question: What would it mean to finally be home?
Bookshop.org synopsis
Why It’s On My TBR
I love a good multigenerational saga, particularly ones about families that are different from my own White-Midwestern-Appalchian roots. I haven’t read very many books that feature Chinese and/or Chinese-American protagonists, so this felt like an obvious Book of the Month selection!
So, what do you think of this week’s TBR title, book friends? Have you read it or put it on your TBR? Let me know!
Happy Wednesday, book friends! We’re a full week into our academic semester at the the university where I work, but because classes are virtual, it still feels a bit like limbo.
At home, wedding planning is ramping up because apparently April isn’t that far away. Thankfully, there’s not much else to do or anyplace to go since working in person these days means a lot of potential exposure to good old Omicron.
In short, I’ve still had plenty of time and energy to get some reading done, and I’m excited to announce that I’ve finished my first few reads of 2022! Let’s dig in to the good stuff, shall we?
(Full disclosure: Links to specific books are Bookshop.org affiliate links, which earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you, should you choose to purchase. Book of the Month links are referral codes.)
Recent Reads
Last week I finished two of my first reads of 2022, coincidentally on the same day!
I wrapped up the first book in my Book of the Month stack of shame, The People We Keep. In all, I really enjoyed this one, though I don’t know that it’ll go down as a top favorite read of the year (is it too early to say that?). You can check out my full review (and get a close-up on those spectacular donuts) here: “The People We Keep” Will Keep Hold of You
I struggled with whether or not I was interested in this book because, on the one hand, I do not comprehend our cultural obsession with Keanu Reeves. I don’t have a problem with Keanu, it’s just that I’m also not lining up waiting on instructions for how to marry him. On the other hand, though, it’s a friends to lovers romance which I can never resist, weird premise or not.
So far I am not loving it. It’s fine, but the pacing is a little weird for me and I think the Keanu thing is a bit too intense for a protagonist of any age, let alone one who is meant to be 40. We’ll see if my opinions change I wrap up reading this one in the next day or so.
Audiobook-wise, I’m working on Elissa Washuta’s White Magic. Washuta’s prior book, My Body is a Book of Rules, was on the bibliography for my MFA thesis, so suffice it so say I love her work.
I decided to do this one on audio for something different, and it’s incredibly well performed (though, sadly, not by the author). I’m taking it a bit slower than I often do with audio because 1) my favorite podcasts are back from holiday hiatus! and 2) the content i s heavy and I need to sit with it a while.
Next Up & On to You
I owe myself some NetGalley shelf time next, so I’ll be reading Rachel Krantz’ memoir,Open, which comes out January 25th.
Also hoping to tick off the next BOTM bookish bingo read, though I’m undecided on which one to tackle next. Leading contenders at the moment are Project Hail Mary and Beautiful World, Where Are You? Let me know if you’ve got thoughts on which one I should hit up next!
That’s my week in books and reading. Now it’s your turn. What’re you reading this week, book friends?
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