April Book Review
Welcome to my Monthly Reading Wrap-Up, April 2023 edition!
(Catch up with last month’s reading wrap-up here first!)
These reviews are going to have a more organic structure and will include basically anything I am thinking or want to say about the book. Some will be lengthier, more opinion heavy, while others will be more concise.
But that is exactly why I wanted to start a book review blog in the first place! I love reading and wanted a place where I could freely talk about my thoughts and feelings and say exactly what I want about a book.
I read six books this month. They are listed in the order I read them. As always, there is a mix of fiction and non-fiction.
Patiently awaiting the day my love of memoirs and personal essays loosens its grip from my neck. Until then, I shall continue to read as many as possible.
And McInerny’s is now situated near the front of my favorites pile.
Through humorous and revealing personal essays, McInerny confronts our aggressively optimistic cultural obsession with self-improvement. Our need to constantly project the facade of ‘good vibes’, positivity, and a general sense of ‘having it all together’, particularly on social media, is actually just that: a facade.
McInerny writes for those who in fact do not have good vibes only and are tired of pretending to appear like they do. Behind all the perfectly curated mommy bloggers, fitness influencers, and girlbosses, are usually just people at various stages of slightly-unhinged. McInerny wants us to recognize that truth is not only acceptable, but probably the norm.
Confession: I sometimes struggle to identify with women 10+ish years older than me and their struggles with motherhood and marriage/relationships because I have zero children and zero relationship therefore, I simply do not relate. However, something about her experience felt so universal that I was able to see myself in bits and pieces of her story. And even when I couldn’t, I was still immensely engrossed in her hilarious writing.
I loved this book but that’s no surprise seeing as how, as stated, I love memoirs. 5 stars.
If you would have asked me a year ago my thoughts on America’s obesity epidemic, I would have stated that it is obviously a problem and a huge public health crisis.
And I would have been wrong.
I read this book as part of my ongoing series of Books that Dismantle Our Deeply Ingrained Shame About Our Body Size and Our Obsession with Diet to Try to Control and Alter Said Size.
I tried to think of a smoother way to say that sentence but that's the best I could come up with.
(I’m so interested in this topic that as soon as I’m finished with all the books in my series I’ll write a dedicated blog post about them, so stay tuned!)
Oliver details the cultural and political history behind the rise of America’s obesity epidemic. Or, more specifically the rise of the (false!) claim that America has an obesity epidemic. That’s right folks you heard it here first, despite what the media and, frankly, our own experience tells us (we have eyeballs! We can see the obese all around us!) there actually is no ‘epidemic’ to speak of.
A few decades ago, millions of Americans became overweight overnight. They didn’t gain an ounce but instead, a handful of government bureaucrats, health researchers, and doctors who had financial backing from the weight loss industry changed the parameters for what is considered ‘overweight’ and ‘obese’ in order to push a larger portion of the population under these labels and thus sell more weight loss drugs, surgeries, and diets.
What’s more, Oliver shows that there is little scientific evidence proving the ill effects being overweight has on our health and how weightloss itself does not lead to better heath. Instead, our concern for obesity isn’t actually about ‘heath’ at all but rather stems from social and political prejudice and industry profit.
Now if you’re like p lydi hold up. There’s no way that’s true. Everyone knows being fat is unhealthy! Its common sense! To that, I’d say honey you’ve got a big storm comin! Again, I encourage you to be on the lookout for my upcoming post about this topic and be prepared to have your mind blown! :)
I love allowing myself to be influenced by the algorithm. Yes Pinterest! You are so right! This book cover and title sure does seem right up my alley!
This book is a masterclass in the artful blend of personal narrative and historical facts. As a young psychiatrist-in-training, Fisher found himself in rehab battling his own addiction.
His knowledge about addiction stems from his personal experience, his work as a (now sober) addiction psychiatrist, and his years long research into the history of the way addiction has been defined, treated, and viewed by society.
While our modern day (failed) war on drugs and opioid crisis seems like the newest plague on society, Fisher shows that addiction has been around for centuries. From Roman emperors wine drunk day in and day out, to the advent of AA, society has always grappled with how to define and treat addictive behaviors.
Oliver’s view? Addiction is not an evil malady of society to be completely eradicated, but rather a normal consequence of human nature. Addiction will likely never go away. Since it is here to stay, our treatment and approach to people with addictive behaviors should reflect that permanence–with compassion, understanding and empathy. Never blame, shame, or the criminalization and demonization that is the current tone.
Fisher’s historical factual knowledge is impressive, and I enjoyed learning about events and policies not taught in schools (apparently drugs is not a topic for children!) Exposing. Provocative. I enjoyed immensely.
Imagine Gossip Girl if the main character was Georgina Sparks and it was told from her POV. That’s the feel of this book and oh boy was I into it from page one!
A social climber who only cares about status, money, and power scams her way into the top prize–marrying into one of the wealthiest and most powerful families. But she is haunted by a past that threatens to unravel her years of careful planning and manipulation.
She is vindictive, cunning, ruthless, completely unlikable, and yet… I totally liked her and rooted for her the whole time. It was so fun as a reader to be inside her mind and hear her inner monologue and real time calculations of how exactly to place a well-timed, subtle jab to take down her foe.
And the foe in question? Her fiancé's best friend, or mother, or simply woman-who-made-the-wrong-comment-and-now-must-have-their-life-destroyed. So petty! So juicy! I loved it!
There were also layers of mystery and plot twists that kept the whole feel very exciting. I'm calling it right now. There is definitely going to be a sequel/spinoff. I can feel it in my bones. And I’ll 100% be getting it the moment it comes out.
You can’t see me right now but I’m open mouth, jaw on the floor in awe of this book.
I have been a stan since before I even knew there was a word for “forming a deep, parasocial relationship with a celebrity and then obsessively consuming online content from likeminded fans 24/7 as if it were my job and my life and wellbeing depended on it”.
While reading this book, I felt like Tiffany was speaking not only to me, but also about me as she’s describing the cultural history of the ‘fangirl’, specifically, the One Direction fandom.
Though the birth of the internet was viewed as a ‘male space’, girls, particularly stereotypical ‘hysterical fangirls’, have actually been the driving force behind the way we use the internet today.
The hyper-connected model of the social internet used to spread information, participate in niche inside jokes and shared memories, and collectively experience what it means to be ‘on the internet’ was created by fangirls through their digital innovation and community.
As a member of the One Direction fandom herself, Tiffany’s insider perspective paints a revealing portrait of the broader sociological implications of stan culture. And as a reader who has been deeply entrenched in internet stan culture for the better part of a decade, it felt personally illuminating. (At one point I swear I was having Larry Stylinson war flashbacks).
I can’t really describe it, but I felt this strange combination of nostalgia and pride for having actually lived through and experienced a large piece of cultural history. Usually, “history” happened to other people in a different time and place.
WWII? Pearl Harbor? Interesting, but I cant relate.
Larry Stylinson? Puke Sign? Babygate?! Yeah, I remember! I was THERE!
And if you have no idea what I’m talking about, just know there is a conspiracy that Louis Tomlinson’s son is fake and part of an elaborate media stunt to cover up his relationship with Harry Styles.
And that’s not even the craziest thing to happen in 2016.
We could get into it (and trust me, I want to because I loved this book), but even if you have negative interest in One Direction don’t let that dissuade you. 1D is really only used as an example to discuss larger points.
Not only was the subject matter interesting, but the writing was just plain good and genuinely smart and insightful. So good and smart, in fact, it makes me want to read anything and everything else Tiffany has published.
Needless to say, it is an easy 5 stars for me.
We are only 1/4th of the way through the year but I’m already calling it– this book will make it into my top favorite reads of the year. (It is the first in a trilogy and I just KNOW the other two are going to be fire as well!)
And the genre? (drumroll please… suspensefully music playing…)
Fantasy!!!
Yes, I know, I know. Me?! Enjoying and loving a fantasy?! Unexpected.
I don’t attempt fantasy very often and that is because it usually doesn’t work for me. There’s just… too much information. I’m sorry, but my brain simply does not have the capacity or bandwidth needed to fully digest and comprehend high fantasy. (When there are maps at the beginning, I cannot even look at them. Like, I can’t do it. Is that just me? Please tell me it’s not just me.)
Anyways, this book was totally the exception and completely changed my perception of the genre. Think mafia mob boss crime thriller drama! With magic!!
The magic system was straightforward enough to be easily comprehensible while still being interesting and original. And the plot progressed at such a fast pace and took unexpected turns. There are so many rich and deep layers to the plot that you can’t even try to guess what twists are around the corner.
I simultaneously feel like sooo much happened and yet we still have so far to go. There is so much to uncover it’s like we have barely scratched the surface and I cannot wait to continue the series!
It's getting the highest rating I could ever give. If you like fantasy this book is a must.
What was your favorite book this month? Also, please leave me suggestions in the comments below (I say as though I don’t already have the longest TBR pile known to mankind.) But still, I’m serious :)
