Happy December! The -ber months are my favorite. I hope that you're curled up next to a roaring fire whilst reading this list. Every November, I try to read mostly non-fiction. This year that included some narrative non-fiction and memoirs.
Happy Readng!
We Keep the Dead Close | Non-Fiction, 4
This was a beautifully written true crime work about an unsolved Harvard murder. And while this is a book about trying to solve this murder, what made this book stand out to me was the academic side. This reads more like a twisted, nonfiction, campus story than true crime. I do think this book could have been edited down some as it felt long.
Forrest of Noise | Poetry, 5
This is an absolutely heartbreaking and stunning collection of poems. I could not put it down.
Thank you to the publisher for my ARC.
Here One Moment | Fiction, 3
Moriarty is one of my favorite writers, her books are an auto buy for me. I don’t know if it was me, or this book, but I really struggled with this one. I wish the characters had been more interconnected and I wish there would have been fewer. It was such an interesting premise for a book.
The Small and the Mighty | Non-Fiction, 5
Reading this book during election week was one of the best book choices I’ve made. This book is such a hopeful reminder of the small and the mighty who have shaped America. I loved it.
Circle of Hope: A Reckoning with Love, Power, and Justice in an American Church | Non-Fiction, 4
Okay I went into this book blind and thought it would be a hopeful book about reconciliation, perfect for my post election sadness…well….I was wrong. The writing and research in this book is so well done. Perfect if you’re a fan of “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.” Not so perfect if you were looking for some hope in the American church.
Even After Everything | Memoir, 4
I was drawn to this book because of the way she tells her story within the Church’s liturgical calendar. The way she wove the two together was stunning. If you like raw and honest memoirs, I recommend this one.
I do want to add the content warning that this is a book about pregnancy loss.
The Message | Non-Fiction, 5
The writing in the book is thought-provoking and stunning. Coates grapples with race, equality, and racism in such a beautiful and honest way. And while this book talks about book banning and racial inequality in the US, it is also an examination of Israel and Palestine that I found to be artfully handled.
Dinner For Vampires | Memoir, 4
I find cult memoirs fascinating and as someone who grew up watching OTH, this one holds a special place for me. Lenz tells her story with such refreshing candor. So much of the language her cult used was familiar to me, which not only made this book an interesting memoir, but an important one as well. I wish I would have listened on audio.
Stay A Story of Family, Love, and Other Traumas | Memoir, 5
This book is stunning. Fingersh beautifully weaves together themes of grief, motherhood, and family, in a way that will stay with me for a long time.
The Age of Magical Overthinking | Non-Fiction, 4
It is not lost on me that I listened to this book while flipping a piece of furniture that has become my most prized possession.
I love Montell’s culture commentary. She frames things in a clear and conscience way with examples from pop culture and her own life. This book felt more like a memoir than Cultish. I really enjoyed this audiobook.
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