April Reads and Favorites: 2024
It's April and you know what means? No, really. What does it mean? I am so old and out of touch of what you youngsters think is cool these days.
April Reads:
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Sold by Patricia McCormick
The Line That Held Us by David Joy
When These Mountains Burn by David Joy
Impulse by Ellen Hopkins
Fever House by Keith Rosson
When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era by Donovan X. Ramsey
The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova
Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo
Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Julie Smith
Here. Have My Opinions:
Several books this month worth adding to my favorites list. Most notable were Sold, The Line That Held Us, and I’m Glad My Mom Died. I have now read three books by David Joy and plan on doing a podcast episode just for him. His writing is just that good, with such a beautiful rhythm to it. I don’t think you can go wrong with picking up any book written by David Joy. I will read anything the guy writes from now on.
Sold was dark, powerful, sad, depressing, disgusting, and one that I believe is important to read. I found the story of a young girl sold into a brothel nearly incomprehensible. This one has made several of the “banned books” list and while I can see why, that makes it even more important to read.
I listened to the audiobook version of I’m Glad My Mom Died, a book that appeared on my radar after watching Quiet on the Set. I feel like we are at a point in society where we understand that child actors and stars are under more pressure than they are capable of handling. Still, you don’t expect that to come at the hands of one’s own mother. This memoir was sad, yet, it does have a happy ending knowing Jennette retired from acting and can now be labeled a survivor.
Honorable Mentions
The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry deserves to be talked about. I am biased because I am a huge fan of everything I have read by her. This story centers around a young girl who was victim of terrible abuse and adopted by a married couple (doctor and nurse) working in the hospital treating her. Things do not go as planned. At first, I was getting Baby Teeth vibes, but Berry took this in a different direction. Berry is great for weighty and dark books with twists and The Perfect Child was no different.
I am still trying to come to grips with my feelings about Monstrilio. While the book was certainly unique and had a storyline I have never heard of to date, it was also very dark and oftentimes very uncomfortable. A mother cuts the lung out of her dead son, feeds it, and it grows. Nothing about this book was what I was expecting.