Difficult subject matter to read, obviously heartbreaking and infuriating, but also a book with clear and engaging writing. A great balance of historical research with clear source citations and Khalidi's own experiences and family history. 

Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone." 

Masterful is all I can say! This was a slow burn for me, but as every storyline came together and with every plot twist and gut-wrenching realization, it got harder and harder to put it down. Can’t wait to get my hands on more of this series, and everything else from Jemisin!

A gripping and true reflection on the start of the March For Our Lives from the students who lead it. I remember the day of the shooting, and I remember the start of their activism from a distance - following them on Twitter and Instagram and watching as they publicly grieved, planned, and organized. It was inspiring then, and it’s inspiring now. Hearing about the march in Washington DC especially made me tear up. It’s incredible what they’ve built, and was moving to hear more about the foundations and relationships behind the scenes.

Wow. Typically books with such heavy themes invite me to read slowly, but this one I couldn't put down. The pacing and balance of perspectives, real facts, and world-building was perfect. Seeing the fights from fan's minds was chilling and so impactful. After a couple POV changes, I was worried I would lose track of the characters and plot lines, but each was so unique and fully developed, it added to the book without becoming confusing.  
For anyone looking for an explanation of the ending, as I had to reread it a few times to understand:

Staxx had the momentum to kill Thurwar, but instead swung with the dull side of her weapon so that it bounced off Thurwar and left Thurwar Staxx on the ground.

Not sure I was in the right space for this collection. Some pieces I found really beautiful and moving, especially those related to Vuong's identity and grief over the loss of his mother. Others, especially those more graphically describing war, and the last poem, "Woodworking at the End of the World," felt like they were relishing in past trauma rather than expressing a new angle, something an earlier poem refuted. However, I am in a cynical mood, and probably should return to this when I'm more open-minded. 

Uzma Jalaluddin has done it again!!! I couldn't put this down. It dropped my jaw to the floor, made me tingle with every emotion, and kick my feet and scream into my pillow. The main characters were all so lovable and real, and I want spinoff books for all of Nada's friends.
As a Jane Austen inspired romance, this absolutely nailed the tension and longing that made the original second chance Persuasion so great!
At the same time, the issues of bullying and family obligations were handled with so much depth it was at times hard to read and very emotional. 
The pace of this book was perfect, slowly revealing her past with Baz kept me on the edge of my seat without losing momentum in the present storyline.
My only large gripe with the book is that I wanted to see more Nada and Baz interactions, which ~yes~ is a great sign that I love the couple. However, the ending left me feeling conflicted

that they hadn't finished a deep conversation about their goals in life, making sure they were on the same page about what being together again meant. Their breakup was horrible, but also Nada was not wrong, and Sister Rusul was right to caution her to question how Baz would support Nada's dreams when he was being so flippant about her degree and their families. Baz wasn't ready to stay in one place, and Nada had different goals six years ago. If they had been able to communicate better, they might have taken life slower, going back to long-distance, and bringing their families into their lives. While the split might have been the necessary motivation for them to arrive where they ended up in this present, I wanted to see them better resolve their miscommunications of the past. A single line about them seeking the same counseling that Haleema and Zayn received would have put me more at ease, but I'll just imagine they did this on my own.
The storyline with Firdous also felt unresolved - had Baz actually considered her as a potential romantic partner? Did she realize the error of her faith in Haneef?

The Ayesha At Last easter eggs in this book were so delightful, too. Maybe it's time to reread until Jalaluddin publishes again...

Continuing to try and work through my COVID grief by reading pandemic books. 
Just like The Lightest Object In The Universe by Kimi Eisele and Severance by Ling Ma, it was shocking how much this book got right about pandemic reactions pre-2020. Totally wild that the only response to the disease this book got wrong was that if an elected official lifted restrictions too early, grieving families whose loved ones died would get an apology.

Each chapter ends with a transition to the next POV - news articles, voicemail transcripts, blog posts, letters, emails, and more, that I really enjoyed. 

Though I liked the general concept, found the research into coronaviruses incredible, and liked the many of the artistic choices made, the book was a let down. I found it difficult to remember who was who with so many POVs/location/time jumps and most women having a short, basic names (Emma, Sarah, Rachel, Julia) and the guys having 3 letter nicknames (Stu, Ben, Jer, Ell) was frustrating. The social web map at the front of the book was impossible to read but would have been really helpful if it had been clear about who was related to who and when they met. I also would have liked a location at the start of each chapter as jumping between NYC, Landsdowne, remote cabins, out to sea, etc got hard to track. I spent the first part of the book thinking Landsdowne was in Canada. 

Every man in this book was a massive eye-roll. Could there be at least one who wasn't a cheating scumbag, cop, or otherwise selfish or indulgent ass? Shocking that with so many disloyal and sexist pigs, Emma still managed to be my least favorite character. Having a weird childhood and realizing your husband is a conservative prick doesn't excuse hosting the first superspreader event in another country only to return home with no remorse and refuse to wear a mask or social distance because she “isn’t afraid.” Her panic over Jericho was absurd. I guess it is a realistic portrayal of how people behave, but even after more of her grief was revealed, I couldn't stomach her selfish behavior that put more families at risk of her loss.

While the question of what do we owe to each other, especially in global turmoil, is obviously critical, I think this story could have made a clearer philosophical argument by cutting a lot of character chapters. I didn't need to hear from Keelan. I would have much rather heard from Dominica than from Emma, but I didn't really need to hear from either of them. This could have been a tighter and more compelling story if it chose just one family - Emma and Dominica and Stu or Elliot and Sarah and Owen. With so many people to keep track of, I was left wondering if I'd forgotten what happened to people, or if their storylines were just dropped. For example, Jericho was supposedly so entwined in Stuart's life, but where is he in the end? Why isn't he in Emma's life at all? The ending felt flat.

Disturbing, strange, unsettling, disquieting... I can't describe this book accurately, but I guess that's a start. I loved Severance and short stories aren't typically my favorite format, but Ling Ma has done it again, though some pieces were more enthralling than others. The last one, Tomorrow, actually made me gag with horror, which I normally avoid at all costs, so thanks for getting me out of my comfort zone.
I did have some trouble figuring out when each story ended and the next began, going to start begging audiobook producers to leave more of a pause between chapters and put more stress on chapter titles, but maybe that's just me.

A reflective and peaceful read. Some of the more science-y chapter lost me a bit, but it was very calming and interesting generally. Shocking how little I knew about mosses, and so interesting how much scientists don’t know about how they grow and thrive. 

“Are you content as you are?
Lonesome and blatantly unbroken?
Cracks and fractures
Are wisdom carved in us
By the hands of suffering. 
Glass was made to shatter
And you're the most beautiful thing
That was created to break."

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Greenleaf Audiobooks for providing this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. The book is out now!

This was a fast read with perfect pacing. As soon as it was over, I started it again. Segal has put together a book of varying styles, lengths, settings, and more. Even the most abstract pieces painted a vivid picture in my mind, while the darker titles (like Urge) provoked a physical reaction - gooseflesh and shuddering - from the visceral language.
I’m glad I read this as an audiobook, sometimes when I pick up a book of particularly raw or personal poems, my own fear turns my inner narration cynical and mocking. The narrator brought the appropriate gravity and mysticism necessary to these haunting poems. While some poems, like Interchange, didn’t resonate with me, I found most of the book to be touching. The reading kept me engaged with the visions and emotions, rather than reading from a distance.