My Recent Reads

Hi friends!

If you’ve been following me for a while, then you know I have written about my love for reading several times before. As I actually write for a living, I find reading imperative for honing my craft.

Most recently, I spoke about how it was one of my goals this year to keep up my reading streak. A few weeks ago, I also shared with you all some amazing bookstores I’ve visited throughout the years.

Now, let’s talk about some specific books I’ve read recently that have added to my devotion. Just a heads up, I tend to gravitate towards classic and fiction books!

• Cannery Row-John Steinbeck

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Cannery Row is one of Steinbeck’s lesser-known books and it was also my first time reading any of his work. I want to preface this by saying the plot of the book is nothing special; It’s the characters and descriptions that truly make it distinct.

Set in Monterey, California during the 1930s, I would describe Cannery Row as a love letter to the area and to the people Steinbeck knew when he lived there. The characters are all on the fringes of society yet, he makes sure the reader understands that this is the least important thing about them.

• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn-Betty Smith

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I can’t put into words how much I loved A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Written in 1943 but set in the 1910s, I was shocked to find how connected I felt to Francie Nolan, the main character.

When the book begins, Francie is 11 and the reader is instantly immersed into her poverty-stricken world. Through her love for reading, she finds beauty in her everyday life and hope that she might one day be able to better herself and her family.

• The Book Thief- Markus Zusak

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A few months ago, I tried listening to the audiobook of The Book Thief and found myself a little confused. It wasn’t until my friend Elle, explained that the narrator was death itself that I decided to purchase the book and give it a second chance.

The Book Thief centers on Liesel Meminger, a young girl living in Nazi Germany. Liesel is not Jewish. However, she still very much witnesses the horrors of war and ultimately suffers because of Nazism. I think history regrettably forgets that the Holocaust did not just affect Jewish peoples. This book provides a different perspective and will break your heart.

If any of you have any book recommendations for me, feel free to email me (link above) or to DM me on Instagram! Bye for now and make sure to read sometime in 2022 😉!