I honestly don’t know if there’s anything better than reading several fantastic books back to back. Books that hook you in with equal intensity, in very different ways. I lucked out with my Kindle picks this month, and finished four wonderful books that were all very, very bingeable. I’m thrilled to share them with you over the holidays.
Recently Read, Totally Binegable, Very Much Loved
Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center
This was my first novel from Katherine Center, and it definitely won’t be my last. I very much enjoyed reading this novel. It’s such a beautiful and hopeful story. The plot felt fresh, at least to me. I’ve never really read a story centering around firefighters, it was well done and thoughtful. The way the story unfolds makes it tough to put down and you’ll want to power through until the end. There’s so much going on, so many different threads, and by the end, it all ties up beautifully. So many emotions, and so many tears. I cried, and for that, 5-stars.
The Perfect Nanny by Leïla Slimani
What a page turner! I finished this book in 24 hours, it was really hard to put down. Every scene built up just the right amount of tension and ugliness. It will get under your skin. It was an absolutely horrifying novel and the worst part is that it’s based off a true story…. However, if you’re into true-crime and sheer suspense, it’s a must read. 4-stars from me!
The Boy in The Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
OK, so this isn’t the best story if you’re looking for a good historical fiction centering around WWII. In fact, it’s quite terrible. But it was impossible to put down and written entirely in the POV of Bruno, our nine year old protagonist. Bruno had a pretty great life in Berlin, until his father, a high ranking Nazi officer gets recruited by Hitler himself to run Auschwitz. The family gets uprooted and moves into a smaller, dinkier home, which happens to overlook the camp. Bruno isn’t happy about all these changes, he has no friends here! See? Life during WWII is hard for privileged, spoiled, ignorant German children too! Bruno goes exploring and befriends a boy behind the fence in striped pajamas….
The rest of the story will boil your blood in the same way. But it was hard to stop reading. I finished in about 36 hours, and the ending… oh my god the ending. You could see it coming, the signs were very obvious, but you’re like no… no way would that happen. But it does, and it left my jaw on the floor. And for that alone, I’m giving it 4-stars. And also, I love John Boyne.
A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum
Wow. Absolutely breathtaking. If the very last chapter doesn’t shake you to your core, I don’t know what will. I could not put this book down either, I devoured it cover to cover within 36 hours. I don’t know much about Arab culture and it was eye-opening. My heart… oh my heart. The inequality, the unfairness, the anguish. I felt so deeply for these characters. Literally all of them. Even the ones you’ll grow to hate, because Etaf Rum does an excellent job with her backstories and character development. Full body chills from me, and 5-stars. This book felt very important and I’m absolutely thrilled someone found their voice to share it.
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year! Cheers to a brand new year and a brand new reading challenge!