Hey there, friends, and welcome to another segment of Rhiannon-updates-her-reading-list-way-too-late! In this edition, we’re going all the way back to August of 2019, before fall semester of junior year began, and will end sometime in December. This was back before I had my bullet journal to track what I read, so, frankly, I’ve forgotten some (which likely makes it sound like those books were bad, but I doubt they were; I just have nothing to jog my memory). I’m relying on my Instagram feed (which I now update reliably with new reads) and my flawed human brain to recall the pages that I beheld.
Also in this edition, we have a new addition: for every book I talk about here, I’m going to suggest a book written by a BIPOC author that you (and I) should also check out. I want to diversify my bookshelf much more than it is, and the research/suggestions help me as much as they may help you.
Here we go!
Queen of Air and Darkness (final book in The Dark Artifices trilogy) by Cassandra Clare
Rating: 5 out of 5
I’ve discussed this before on my blog, but the world of the Shadowhunters is my favorite fictional world, my Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. Its characters, settings, and relationships lie incredibly close to my heart. Cassandra Clare never disappoints; in fact, as this book and her latest one prove, she only gets better with each addition. This was a remarkable finale to the trilogy of Emma Carstairs, Julian Blackthorn, and their loved ones: I read it in a week while still working and preparing for a new school year, my eyes having difficulty leaving the page. The novel addresses polyamory, transphobia, racism, fascism, abuse, masculinity and femininity, loyalty, the importance of family, and the bond of love, all in a fantastical realm. That makes it land in reality all the harder, all the better. I loved every addictive, heart-wrenching, hysterical, loving second of it.
If You Like This, Check Out: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn or A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow
Rating: 4 out of 5
In case you didn’t know (hint hint, wink wink), discovering forgotten women of history and sharing their stories is one of my favorite things on this earth, something I feel passionate about. When I found this book, I knew it was right up my alley. I did enjoy it, especially the chapters covering silent film and the early years of the talkies. Women made an incredible impact on early Hollywood, so much so that modern film would not be what it is today without them; Malone makes it clear that film may not even have survived without its early feminine heroes. Her research was wonderful and delivered in an engaging way, never dry. My only complaints: too many missed grammatical errors (more on the editors than on Malone, I would guess), and lacking a balance between too little information and something that felt like a diatribe. I’d still highly recommend it, though! A great starter for women’s history! :)
If You Like This, Check Out: Reel to Real: Race, Sex and Class at the Movies by bell hooks
Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter
Rating: 3 out of 5
I wanted to love this book. My Janeite self wanted to love this book. My if-I-have-a-son-I’m-going-to-name-him-after-Fitzwilliam-Darcy self wanted to love this book. Truly. Unfortunately, I didn’t. It’s rather a mediocre piece, following the somewhat antiquated formula laid out for romance novels. That doesn’t make it inherently bad—I love a little dessert for the brain every once in a while—but it never engaged me. I forced my way through the book simply because I wanted to see it through. I felt as if the formulaic nature of it sold Alexandra Potter short: she wrote fantastic internal dialogue, and had a great initial concept, but it felt tired about halfway through. For that reason, I have to give it the median rating. Not bad, necessarily, but not memorable.
If You Like This, Check Out: The Hidden Blade by Sherry Thomas (it’s likely much better – just saying)
Witch by Lisa Lister
Rating: 5 out of 5
Lisa Lister sent me on a spiritual journey with this book. Part memoir, part non-fiction, part self-help, she discusses the teachings of witchcraft, specifically the kind centering around Celtic paganism (a somewhat controversial term, for the record). She talks of the original meanings of “witch” and “virgin,” about how the patriarchal structure of Western culture destroyed it, about the power that can be found within yourself. Even if witchcraft or paganism isn’t your thing, I highly recommend reading this book, simply for the sheer power of it. Lister makes you feel as if you can conquer any foe, be it physical or metaphorical. For me, she started me on a much more spiritual journey, one that I’m excited to continue (in far more disciplined depth) in the future.
If You Like This, Check Out: Witchery: Embrace the Witch Within by Juliet Diaz
Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Rating: 5 out of 5
There is a reason that this book was everywhere after it came out. On the surface, it looks like your classic, cheesy YA novel, surrounding teenagers in love. In reality, it is so much more than that. Discussing racial prejudice, homophobia, biphobia, interracial family dynamics, international politics, self-discovery, self-hatred, the pressures of the public eye, and the meaning of family, RW&RB is a powerful novel. McQuiston killed it. I ate it up on the Long Island Railroad—almost missing my stop once or twice—tamping down laughter, feeling tears prick at my eyes, my gaze failing to leave the page. The story of these two young men is poignant, witty, smart, and so very important in our contemporary society. No matter your age, you should read it. Seriously.
If You Like This, Check Out: Cemetery Boys by Aidan Thomas
The Mabinogion, compiled by Lady Charlotte Guest
Rating: 4 out of 5
I had been wanting to read a copy of the ever-evasive Mabinogion--the definitive collection of Welsh mythology--since I first learned who Rhiannon was (so, like, for about a decade). Finally, this past year, Jay managed to spot a published copy in The Strand; I snapped it up, and read it as soon as I could. It did not disappoint. My fascination with that ancient culture fed into how much I enjoyed it, I'm sure, but the stories are beautiful. There are parts of them that are rather nonsensical (what mythology isn't?); there are parts of them that are rather convoluted. Regardless, I loved reading the origin stories of the Welsh, and seeing where my name came from and what it meant to the Celts. The only reason I'm bringing the rating down is due to the fault of history: these stories are told through an English lens, as the Germanic tribes and the French invaders essentially killed off the original Celtic culture. The stories that survived have been filtered; on occasion, they even contain references to Arthurian tales. We don't know how reliable some of it is. So, for that, it is a 4 out of 5. Screw you, colonization.
If You Like This, Check Out: Legendary Ladies by Ann Shen
American Duchess by Karen Harper
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
I’ve been fascinated by the story of Consuelo Vanderbilt since I first read about her at the age of 6 or 7. An American heiress forced to marry an English noble, bringing her family a title and her new husband a financial safety net; a depressed, struggling woman who became a suffragette, something of a war hero, and one of the first in public to dare to get a divorce, all the while remaining a loving mother and devoted wife to her second husband. Consuelo had an incredible life. That’s why I was looking forward to reading this novel: I so wish I had liked it more than I did. The research and writing melded together quite well; at times, though, it felt a bit cliché. Don’t get me wrong, I’m fine with a bit of cliché; they’re there for a reason. This time, unfortunately, it just made me detach. It happened often enough that I have to give this novel a lower rating. I still love Consuelo, though. Always will.
If You Like This, Check Out: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie
Rating: 4 out of 5
Another one about forgotten women of history! My favorites! I did very much enjoy this book: I discovered a lot of women that I knew next to nothing or nothing about; I’d love to cover them in another “Badass Women of History” on here, as, let me tell you, they had lives that should be written into cinematic masterpieces. The time and effort put into having a diverse range of women from across the globe, across centuries, is something I loved. It’s clear that this was a passion project of Rodriguez’s, and her information is delivered in such a way as to both mythologize these stories and keep them grounded in reality, a paradox that somehow works. I read this book before bed every night, and on every subway commute. I did, truly, love it. The only reason I lowered its rating a tad is because of its memorability. Otherwise, I recommend.
If You Like This, Check Out: From the Ruins of Empire: The Revolt Against the West and the Remaking of Asia by Pankaj Mishra
Great Goddesses: Life Lessons from Myths and Monsters by Nikita Gill
Rating: 5 out of 5
A stunning collection of contemporary poetry, Nikita Gill explores the mythology of ancient Greece and Rome, rediscovering and retelling stories that we’ve heard over and over again. We hear these myths from inside the heads of the characters themselves. She asks the question: what makes these people monsters, and what makes a hero? After all, don’t the monsters have souls? Aren’t the heroes a bit monstrous themselves? Gill plays in the gray area quite a bit, and she made me think, in the best of ways, while reading this anthology. It ended up inspiring the play I’m working on right now. I recommend it so much that I leant it to a friend of mine (whom I probably won’t be able to get it back from until spring, because COVID); it truly is a stunning piece, to reiterate the word. If any of you have read it, I’d love to discuss it.
If You Like This, Check Out: Empire of Dreams by Giannina Braschi or American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin by Terrance Hayes
And, if you’re curious, a bullet-pointed list of the academic reading I was doing simultaneously:
· Re-reads of Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
· The librettos of Rent, Come from Away, and Doctor Zhivago
· Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
· The Firm by John Grisham
· Let Your Life Speak by Parker Palmer
· A myriad of environmental science reading
And there you have it for now! I realize a lot of these were high ratings; what can I say, I rarely choose bad books. ;) I hope you enjoyed reading through these short paragraphs; if you want to talk about any of them, feel free to drop a line below. I love chatting about literature! And please, please check out the books by BIPOC authors I included, as well. I haven’t read the majority of them (only the Hayes poetry, the Ishiguro novel, and the Shen book), so I have my own list compiled now, as well.
I'll have a couple more segments to catch us up to now, so stay tuned for that.
Thank you for reading! I love you all!
~Rhiannon~
Side note: all of the links are Amazon, as that's the easiest way to find the books. However, I urge you to go to your local bookstore and either find them there or order it from them. Shop small! :)
Cover Photo Courtesy of Pinterest