July Reading Wrap-Up
and affirming yourself with stories
The summer before my freshman year of high school, my mom encouraged me to pick a fall sport or activity to join. She wasn’t normally a “pile on the extra-curriculars” kind of parent, but she was concerned about my transition from the small private school I’d attended since kindergarten to a huge public high school. I don’t know what possessed me to pick field hockey (a sport I had never even heard of), but that August, I earned shin-guard tan lines and a spot on the pre-JV team.
I didn’t know a single girl going out for the sport, nor did I have a clue about how to play the game. I just got a field hockey stick and showed up to summer training camp. The gumption! Our head coach was far from formidable, a grandmother named Q (as in Susie Q) who wore linen pants and sun hats to practice. Her signature phrase, “who put a bee in her bonnet?” referred to players who tore down the field with the ball or turned up the heat on defense.
We didn’t wear any protective headgear. We did wear high socks and short kilts and ran past the boys’ soccer fields with a little extra bounce. I quickly picked up the basic skills and loved being aggressive on the field. The following summer, I attended skill-building camps and skipped up to Varsity.
Last month, I read We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry, a comic novel about the Danvers field hockey team and their unusual journey to the state championship. It took me back to two-a-day practices, playing October games in snow pants, and the satisfaction of showing up and showing off.
As a chronic overachiever and recovering perfectionist, I often neglect to practice positive self-talk. Daily affirmations and sticky notes on the mirror don’t work for me, but I’m finding that reminding myself of past successes and triumphs does.
What are the stories you tell yourself, about yourself? I’m willing to bet you have a tale of bravery and gumption.
This week, I’m reminding myself of 14-year old Chelsey, an introvert who showed up on a hot August day to make friends and learn how to play a sport where girls basically PUMMEL each other with fiberglass STICKS. What a badass. I want to be her.
Book Reviews
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📚 hardcover or paperback
📖 ebook
🎧 audiobook
⭐ favorite
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry ⭐ 📚
Barry’s novel about a Massachusetts high school field hockey team who conjure their way to winning weirdly mirrored my experience. I didn’t conjure spirits with my field hockey team in order to win, but I did play Mary Warren in my high school’s production of The Crucible shortly after my field hockey season. I never would have thought to combine field hockey and the Salem Witch trials in a novel, but I loved reading it. Barry writes in third person plural but tells the stories of each senior team member, showcasing an interesting mix of individual and universal female experiences. Full of ‘80’s nostalgia, I only knew most of the references from my parents’ CD collection, but Barry’s wry humor really worked for me. This was unlike any book I’ve ever read, and that novelty kept me turning the pages.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston ⭐ 📚
Janie Crawford now tops my list of favorite literary heroines. I adored her, and Hurston is just a genius. Hear more of my gushing over Hurston’s writing, Janie’s romantic spirit, and favorite Black feminist texts in Episode 20 of Novel Pairings.
A Deeper Darkness by J.T. Ellison 📚
Anne Bogel recommended this one as a possible buddy read for Curtis and me in WSIRN Episode 164, but it took me a couple of years to pick it up. It was a great beach read: page-turning, quick, and satisfying. I was really annoyed at one character and never got over it, even though the protagonist did. The ending was pretty tidy. But I passed it to my mom, and she loved it. And I’m waiting to hear Curtis’ thoughts and perspective as this book deals with military secrets based on real events.
Be Not Afraid by Alyssa Cole 📖
Cole’s ability to craft historical novellas that are packed with detail, drama, and broad themes blows my mind every. dang. time. In this Revolutionary War novella, Elijah and Kate navigate their complicated paths to freedom. Elijah was offered land if he fights for the American cause. Kate backs the British who promise freedom to those enslaved in America if they join the Crown. When forced into proximity, their attraction clashes with their hopes for the future. Cole includes a fabulous author’s note with resources and extra historical background.
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin ⭐ 📚
One of my favorite books of summer, maybe the whole year! I’ll be discussing this one on He Read She Read at the end of the month, and may have mentioned it in a recent Novel Pairings recording, too. Here’s what I had to say about it on #bookstagram.
Don’t Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno 📚
A cute, quirky YA novel well-suited for summertime reading, but ultimately forgettable.
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel 📚
I read this Mexican classic for tomorrow’s episode of Novel Pairings and thoroughly enjoyed the drama, the food, and the romance. If you’re looking for a book in translation for a reading challenge, this is a great place to start. Plus, August is Women in Translation Month!
Daring and the Duke by Sarah Maclean 🎧
Maclean takes the series villain and turns him into this book’s hero, which takes some serious heavy-lifting in a romance novel. I never doubted that she’d pull it off (with plenty of groveling, sexual tension, and a complex backstory, of course). I enjoy listening to Maclean’s books on audio, in part because of their incredible narrator. Justine Eyre recently stopped by Sarah’s podcast, Fated Mates. If you’re an audiobook listener, you might enjoy the behind-the-scenes details in that episode.
It’s In His Kiss by Julia Quinn 📚
Several months ago, I announced a #readingbridgertons readalong. It’s been a super informal way to connect over Quinn’s classic historical romance series. I’m still eagerly awaiting news about the upcoming Netflix adaptation, but in the meantime, I have one book left to finish. It's in His Kiss might have been my favorite Bridgerton book, simply because I have a soft spot for Hyacinth and maaaaybe she reminded me just a tad bit of myself, and I suppose I've needed to feel like a heroine lately. Quinn's witty banter was spot-on as usual, but as is the way with this series, there were a few moments that gave me pause (it’s a bit dated, especially compared to a feminist historical like Daring and the Duke).
The Duke Effect by Sophie Jordan (out October 27, 2020) ⭐ 📖
Speaking of historical romance, I thought this one was just brilliant. Without spoiling anything, there’s one scene that was basically ripped from the headlines. The heroine is accosted, she talks back, the hero steps in but not aggressively, which leads to a VERY intense carriage ride. Please read this book so we can talk about it.
The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene 📚
Nancy Drew made me a reader, and I hold such fondness for those mysteries. When Alli invited Sara and me back to record another SSR episode, we wanted to pick something fun and slightly zany to discuss. Nancy delivered with her scuba diving in the river, running around in a disguise, and getting stuck in a submarine. The plot was bananas, the prose was terrible, and Nancy was too perfect, but it was fun to revisit a childhood favorite. Stay tuned for the episode to air this fall.
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien 📚
I’m saving all my thoughts on this one for Novel Pairings, but here’s a hint: I was definitely surprised.
5 Favorites
1. Free home workouts from Nourish Move Love on Youtube
2. Intuitive eating & Simi Botic’s guidance
3. The daily anti-racism newsletter
4. Watermelon flavored Lacroix
5. “Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone. Dawn and doom was in the branches.” - Their Eyes Were Watching God
Podcast News
After a brief hiatus, He Read She Read is back. Curtis and I discuss our reading goals, our favorite Revolutionary Reads, and recommendations inspired by listener requests. At the end of August, we’ll discuss our buddy read: The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin.
Sara and I are working on some exciting fall content for Novel Pairings. In the meantime, have you listened to our most recent episode with Jamise Harper of @spinesvines? We had so much fun chatting about books, wine, and our favorite authors.
Book Bossy
I would promise that this is the last time I push this book upon you, fellow readers, but I can’t. I want everyone to read Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke. Darren Matthews is a Black Texas Ranger who gets wrapped up in a small town mystery. His personal life is in turmoil, and he's supposed to turn his badge in, but he can't leave these murders unsolved. Decades-long racial tensions surface as he investigates, but it seems like everyone but Darren just wants to push the hatred down instead of rooting it out. I detected traces of Walter Mosely and Easy Rawlins in this noir-like novel, but Locke is creating something wholly unique and wonderful with Darren Matthews.
You can keep up with my book reviews, podcast news, and photos of my dog at @chelseyreads, @hereadsheread and @novelpairingspod on Instagram.
Have a great week, friends!
Chelsey