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Year of Reading 2021 A new year means a new reading challenge! We've come up with 25 new categories to help expand your reading. Find all of the details here. For each book reviewed, we've included a list of applicable Year of Reading 2021 categories.
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The Friend Zone
by Abby Jimenez
Carrie says: Kristen Petersen is a young woman who doesn’t mince words, is fiercely loyal, and has a secret she isn’t willing to share, even with her best friend. That best friend is getting married, and Kristen is the maid of honor. Sparks fly when Kristen meets Josh, the best man, but since Kristen has a boyfriend, she and Josh remain friends. Josh really gets Kristen: her sense of humor, her tendency to become hangry, and her penchant for telling people exactly what she thinks. Despite her brash nature, Josh can’t stay away, and as the story unfolds, Kristen is finding it hard to stay away from him, too. The tone is laugh-out-loud funny, as well as thoughtful and heartfelt. I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy books that makes them laugh and cry. This book reminds me of the author Talia Hibbert, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys her books.
Year of Reading categories: Set in the U.S.
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Ruins
by Peter Kuper
Jeff says: Alternating between following a monarch butterfly on its migration and a couple taking a year to live in Mexico, Ruins is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel featuring bugs, ruins, and the city of Oaxaca. George is an artist who just lost his job at a museum drawing bugs, and Samantha is a writer trying to finish a book. I really enjoyed the illustrations, especially of the butterfly’s travels and the landmarks in Mexico. The story of George and Sam is interesting, but secondary to the illustrations for me. The story gets a little more interesting when George meets Al, who is a photo journalist, and Sam meets a local artist and confronts her past.
Year of Reading categories: Title in all caps
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White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism
by Robin J. DiAngelo
Colleen says: DiAngelo (who is white) is an antiracism educator. The author pulls no punches while explaining how the actions and words of white people often reinforce white supremacy, and how white people can work to overcome their fear and guilt and enter into meaningful dialogue. I assumed I was semi-woke, but this book was an eye-opener for me. You have to be open to listening to what the author is saying on this touchy subject. If you thought you were not racist, think again.
Year of Reading categories: Title in all caps
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Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body
by Rebekah Taussig
Beth says: If you like memoirs, then you will definitely not want to miss Sitting Pretty! Rebekah describes her life from growing up as a paralyzed girl in the 1990s and 2000s to her current role as a disability activist. She delves into the complexities of having a disability and what that means when confronted with an ableist society. Your eyes will be opened to the ableism that is abundant in all forms of media, the tasks of daily life, and your own thoughts and attitudes. The author hopes to give us all "the fundamental understanding that we all have bodies, that those bodies are different from one another, and each is worthy of profound admiration, care, and respect."
Sound interesting? Our Diverse Voices group will be discussing this book on April 20. Register here.
Year of Reading categories: Title in all caps
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We Thought We Knew You: A Terrifying True Story of Secrets, Betrayal, Deception, and Murder
by M. William Phelps
Krista says: Mary and Bill Yoder have spent many happy years together and manage their own chiropractic business in New York. Their son's girlfriend, a pretty and reticent college student named Katie, maintains the business aspect so that the Yoders can pour all their energy into caring for their patients. One day, however, Mary doesn't feel right, and Bill rushes her to the ER. She dies within hours, and the family is left with questions. Was this some sort of deadly virus? Or did an unfaithful husband, a depressed son, or a manipulative friend want her out of the way? The author does a phenomenal job of detailing events and relaying people's emotions. I couldn't put this book down, even though the author makes it clear early on who the culprit is. The idea that these are real people, and this happened only a few years ago, is chilling, and will have you thinking twice about who you trust. My only complaint is that the timeline jumped around and was a little confusing. Don't let that keep you from reading this book, however; it's fantastic! Bizarre, twisted, and disturbing, this is a must-read for true crime fans.
Year of Reading categories: Nonfiction that reads like fiction; Title in all caps
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I Like to Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution
by Emily Nussbaum
Emily says: This collection of essays by Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Emily Nussbaum is the perfect quick read for any TV lover. The collection contains not just reviews, but in-depth profiles of various shows and what they represent and reflect in society. She interviews several show creators, giving insight into how TV gets made and how it changes over time. I have always enjoyed TV and have often been shamed about my enjoyment; Nussbaum investigates the long-held notion of TV being an inferior entertainment and how that has been turned upside down due to the "new golden age of television" in the last 20 years. You don't have to have seen all the shows referenced (I haven't), as Nussbaum does a great job of weaving in the important details of the shows for those who haven't watched, without dumbing things down for those who have.
Year of Reading categories: Essay collection; Title in all caps
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In Waves
by A. J Dungo
Simon says: In this immersive graphic memoir, artist and author Dungo alternates the history of surfing with personal history. The genesis of his relationship with, and the illness of, his longtime partner are rendered in stark vignettes. Using a dusty sepia brown for the historical chapters and a light aquamarine blue for the memoir portion, Dungo evokes a reverence for both surfing and his partner. The artwork is all flowing billows and folds, as if the ocean has subsumed reality and bedspreads, clothes, and landscapes all resemble stormy waves. This lends a dream-like quality to the strange reality of the dueling narratives. The emotional resonance Dungo conjures through minimal text and gorgeous imagery demonstrates how striking visual storytelling can be.
Year of Reading categories: Title in all caps
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In the Dream House: A Memoir
by Carmen Maria Machado
Rachel: Machado's memoir, written in an interesting vignette structure, tells the story of her abusive relationship with another woman. Machado details how she questioned the validity of her concerns because the reality of same-sex abuse, particularly between women, is rarely discussed or represented in media. Machado structures her tale in a way that makes the reader feel like they are in the plot of a horror novel or movie, and she manages to make it feel as if her experience is happening to you, the reader. This is an important addition to the world of memoir, and a great pick for fans of literary nonfiction.
TW for emotional abuse
Year of Reading categories: Latinx author; Nonfiction that reads like fiction; Title in all caps
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Itasca Community Library 500 W. Irving Park Rd. Itasca, Illinois 60143 630-773-1699itascalibrary.org |
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