Earlier this summer my parents, my brother, my mom‘s best friend, and I all filled out the PBS Great American Read checklist. Then we each drew one name out of a hat and challenged that person to read a book on the checklist they had not read, that we had, and thought they might like. My dad challenge me to read Dune. Yes I’m a science-fiction dork and I hadn’t actually read Dune. Shrug. I saw the movie. Even played the shitty computer game circa 1996. I really had to push myself to get through the first 50 pages, as the world being built was immense and very complex, thus a little confusing and a touch boring. After that I got pretty hooked. Anyway, I’ve now read Dune and can confidently say (a) the book is significantly better and more moving than the film, (b) I can understand why it’s a classic science fiction staple given its themes and social commentary, and (c) it was really sorta frustrating to return to an era in literature where the women, now matter how key their roles, are either the mother or the lover of the male main character. Those points aside my favorite “reading Dune” moment happened on one of my flights from DC. I’m still in work cloths, guy next to me is too - both obviously business travelers silently grateful to be seated next to someone else who didn’t want to chat. I pull out Dune, 90’s edition print cover. He sees. “WHAT? Are you reading Dune? I never saw that coming.” I’ll forever love this book for that in-air moment. #dune #pbsgreatamericanread #nowreading #spice

The set up and characters in this book immediately grabbed my attention but I found the pacing of the first half a little hard. I sort of had to force myself through but once it turned and got more action packed and exciting I couldn’t put it down! Lots of cultural nuance in here that was fun and interesting to learn about mixed with some good old-fashioned possessions, ghosts, and gods.

4 stars because I related so hard, but narratively the writing and essay order was flustering. You can tell she’s a comedy writer because it felt very quippy and written in personal/character voices. I bet the audio book edition is fantastic.

I wasn’t expecting greatness and I appreciate someone trying to set their romance in space setting but yeesh this was not great. The 0 to 100 soulmate style romances always turn me off. Guys, if you’ve only known each other for four days you should not get married. Did the person you love die and you lived a year in paralyzing grief? Bet this dude you met 24 hours ago will fix it. Even the sexy scenes didn’t help this - snard?! What in the actual hell was the author thinking, “let’s use literally the least appealing sound possible.”

Read aloud to Elly Bear book

This one was brutal but beautiful and surreal but gut wrenchingly honest. An excellent commentary on colonialism in the United States, and a scary, dark metamorphosis that was also strikingly … hopeful? Hopeful is definitely not the right word, but the ending felt empowered. Check your social norms at the door and go deep into this.

My first graders favorite book series that we read to her every night!

Some stories are stronger than others, but a fun collection. Yael Nathans illustration style is one of my favorites and this book is simply gorgeous.