Book List For My Bestie

Preface

One time my best friend moved two states away and one time we went too long without talking. And then, one day we talked on the phone for two hours and then she said, "So, do you have any book recommendations."

And I gave her like three and then got kind of quiet and she was like, "I should go."

"No," I replied firmly, "I'm sorry I got quiet. I started a Word document of my recommendations for you and opened up Goodreads so I can remember what I read and you asked for book recommendations so you're in this conversation now you can't leave."

"Of course you did."

And if I spent an hour on a book list and I believe that sharing is caring, I should also share it with you. This is definitely a bestie-to-bestie list of books, not a "I am an expert on any of these topics" books, and I would LOVE to add books to these topic lists.

Bestie’s Book List

Feminist Books

·        How to Be a Woman, Caitlin Moran – funny “modern feminism” (listen to on audible because it’s amazing)

·        all about love: new visions, bell hooks – serious “feminist theory” but really delightful and feels like going to therapy

·        The Color Purple, Alice Walker – fiction, but really good and kinda queer

Anti-Racist? Books (aka books about black people that I think has helped me come to terms with some systemic issues in society)

·        Americanah, Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie – kind of a modern Jane Austen – comments on society, love story, funny, but really long and sometimes drags….

·        The UndergroundRailroad, Colson Whitehead – I looked at it like “ugh I know about the underground railroad” and then realized I’d never (at least since elementary school) read a book about the underground railroad. And it blew. My. Mind.

·        I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual, Luvvie Ajayi – full disclosure: I’m only like ¼ of the way through this book but I would say it’s kind of a mix of How to Be a Woman & like….more of a magazine/blogger feel? Definitely more about how to be better to women/people including black women which Caitlin Moran might not have included (I literally don’t remember, so probably not).

Romance-y Books

·        My Lady Jane, Cynthia Hand – kind of like The Princess Bride, funny, adventure, SO GOOD

·        A Court of Thorns and Roses, Sarah J. Maas – the first one is not great. And it starts really slowly. But then you realize it’s Beauty and the Beast and then it gets really really amazing like at the end and the second one is so good I read it three times

·        Matched – it’s not good. But it also is? YA Dystopian

·        Heartless, Marissa Meyer – Cinder author, I can’t believe you haven’t read it.

·        Caraval, Stephanie Garber – fantasy, I liked it. Kind of like Night Circus, but I liked it better.

·        I’ll Give You the Sun, Jandy Nelson – it’s beautiful and I love it. 

Do you love these books too? TELL ME

Do you disagree? TELL ME

Do you want to add on to my list? TELL ME
The only thing I love more than telling you about the books I love is finding more books to love. 

Things We Set On Fire (3) & The Color Purple (5 million stars)

TL;DR Don't even read this blog post, just go read The Color Purple.

I feel bad telling you guys about books I didn't like. Like, why am I wasting your time? And what if by reading this you don't read it but it actually would have been a book you really, really liked? I should just not tell you anything too special about it and say it's pretty good and then you can read it or not just like you were already planning on...

I got this for free from Amazon Prime, and at first I really liked it. But then I got distracted by something shiny and completely forgot I was reading it. And how much can you really say you liked a book if you literally forgot you were reading it? So here's why it's three stars. It's not a bad book, so it doesn't get 2 stars or a "I didn't even bother finishing it," it just felt a bit predictable after a certain point and so I didn't really feel the need to finish it.

I also, as previously mentioned, sometimes get really ADD and bored of a book that doesn't have a compelling love story, SO....I went off and re-read a love story I liked (or two) and then finished this book when I remembered it.

Anyway, the books about Vivvie and her estranged daughters. Estranged Daughter #1 (Kate) tries to commit suicide and her eldest daughter, Averlee, finds her unresponsive, slumped over the kitchen table and has to call the ambulance. So grandma gets the girls and Estranged Daughter #2 drives from Portland to Florida in about a day (um?) to help with the girls. And eventually we find out why Kate tried to kill herself and by then I'm bored. (Which is not to say suicide is boring but that this was not a compelling story about a person who is struggling with suicidal ideation)

Also the daughters acted about 3 years younger than their listed ages. I pictured them, based on their actions as the elder, Averlee, being between 7 & 10, but Quincy acted about 4 and at some point was mentioned turning 7. Averlee has to help Quincy buckle her seatbelt and tie her shoes and my 5-year-old cousin can do all of that no problem. Of course, my cousin is a genius and perfect in every way, but I might be biased.

I would love to hear from anyone who liked this book. I honestly didn't understand why the women all hated each other so freaking much. I mean, if Celie and Shug Avery can get along, why can't they?
You know what, actually, go read  The Color Purple if you're into fiction about women. If you have read that, then I guess you can read this book until you find something better. Get it from the library though. Don't pay $8 for it. Unless you're rich. In that case, go for it.

If you don't know about this book, you should. Don't let the first page scare you away. You should AT LEAST go watch the film, which was also amazing except I didn't watch it all in one sitting because it was way too depressing. You get to see Whoopi Goldberg do some outstanding acting, and Oprah wasn't bad either.

Did you know Oprah was in a movie?

 There is also a musical, that is also good. I have definitely belted out "African Homeland" in my car, by myself, so many times.

SPOILERS

HERE JUST WATCH IT - Wait, don't there's definitely a HUGE SPOILER unless you don't pay attention to any of the character's names. Out of context maybe its ok.