#cynthia WAS there but dawn was so out of it that she didnt really process it/talk about it to her

[dawnedon]

also i rly want someone to see dawn’s Big scar but it takes such specific scenarios for it to be like, Out There 😔

[ladyofshallot]

its about a third or so through the year now so i thought i’d do a little reading check in! the covers above are all the books i’ve so far this year (for fun! i’ve read 8 or so books for school this semester, mostly poetry collections and some young adult novels for an education course, but i dont really care enough about them to talk about lol!)  

here’s a little run down, not really in any order:

her body and other parties by carmen maria machado — read probably two thirds of this last fall, but took a break from reading when the semester got too crazy. finishing this was so great!!! i think machado’s writing is phenomenal and her stories are so moving. it makes me want to read more short story collections, because i dont really seek them out! 

persuasion by jane austen — reread! i listened to the cynthia erivo audiobook from spotify over the weekend before valentines day and it was very lovely 🥰

my name will grow wide like a tree by yi lei — i’m so glad yi lei’s work has been translated so that i got an opportunity to experience her brilliant poetry. i read and reread the lines like 🤯🤯🤯! tracy k. smith has also done something really cool with the translation here. she talks in depth about her process in the introduction, which was excerpted in lithub if youre curious! 

deerskin by robin mckinley — one of my new favorite books! strange, propulsive, essential!! 

phantom of the opera by gaston leroux — this was fine lol the musical is definitely more fun

pachinko by min jin lee — didnt have this on my list of books to read this spring but i got so excited by trailer for the tv show adaptation and the opening title sequence (!!!!!) that i just had to :) it was amazing! if you’re intimidated by the length, honestly dont be! i flew through it 

trouble the saints by alaya dawn johnson — another one i picked up again after dropping it last fall. this was so lush and atmospheric, but i found it hard to follow all the threads of this one, partly because of the way it’s plotted, partly because the fantasy elements are so nebulous

the moonstone by wilkie collins — randomly a new favorite! i love detective novels, so it shouldnt be a surprise, but i guess i wasnt expecting The Literal First One to be so compelling and fun! it felt like sinking into a hot bath every time i opened the book 

the low low woods by carmen maria machado — i must be a machado completist!!! this rocked! as a PA native, i was especially tickled by the fact that she’s writing what she calls “pennsylvania horror” here :) centralia is such juicy inspo for a creepy graphic novel like this one.

2022 has been a good year for books so far! it doesn't really feel like it, because i haven’t been reading super regularly. but looking back, i found some new favorites and havent really disliked anything!