Reading Wrap Up: What I read in January 2017

This month was very hectic—I celebrated a birthday, spent a week in New York City for my studies, I was published in Teen Vogue, I finished a chapter of my manuscript and I read six books. According to my Goodreads challenge, that means I'm three books ahead of my reading schedule. But, as my abuelo says, it's not about the number—it's about the contents of the books and what we can learn from them.

For those following along, I also added a component to my 2017 reading challenge. Each month, I plan to read at least one Stephen King book, for reasons I'll explain in a future blog post. The one I read this month quickly became one of my favourite books, so it's going to be tough to beat.

Let's jump right into what books I read in January 2017.

The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittall

In The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittall, an affluent high school teacher is accused of sexual impropriety by some of his students. Following the lives of his daughter, wife and son after the accusations become public, the novel explores what happens when a family member is accused of the seemingly unthinkable.

I loved this book for its exquisite writing (the prologue is just...I have no words), its timeliness and its much needed place in CanLit. I'll be honest and say it didn't illuminate anything (at least for me) that I didn't already know about sexual violence, however, examining rape culture from a perspective other than an attacker's is always needed. What stuck with me most was that I was genuinely shocked by the ending—I actually gasped—which lead me to having deep thoughts about why I was so shocked.

 Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard

This book made me cry. Twice.

As Pen comes into her gender identity and sexuality, her relationships with her parents, her older brother Johnny and her (horrible horrible HORRIBLE) best friend Colby each transform in different ways. While she struggles for acceptance at home and at school, Pen comes into her own by learning the true meaning of "respect" and "loyalty."

While I don't have a right to say whether or not this book was great on the representation front, I absolutely loved Girl Mans Up, particularly for its dynamic between Pen and her older brother. The characters are memorable and will stick with me for a long time. [Spoilers ahead!]

Admittedly, I wish the author was clearer about whether or not Colby assaults Pen. It's strongly suggested, but I felt as though it was never explicitly stated. I thought maybe I was reading into it too much, but when I read other reviews on Goodreads, quite a few people mentioned how disgusted they were by Colby's actions (and how they wish Girard was less ambiguous about addressing what he did to Pen.)

You Can't Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson
In this refreshing and witty book of essays, stand-up comedian and co-star of the podcast "2 Dope Queens" Phoebe Robinson writes about her experiences with racism and sexism as a Black woman in the U.S. The book of essays reads like a personal journey, from Robinson's experiences navigating the entertainment industry, to being an avid pop culture fan, and, as per the title, anecdotes about her relationship with her hair.

While I found there were one too many jokes and pop culture references sprinkled throughout the narrative (to be fair, Robinson is a comedian), the book ends on a powerful note, neatly tying together the essays' through-line that will resonate with readers. Robinson's insight about gender, race, music and television are a treasure.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
When his mother's terminal illness takes a turn, Conor calls upon a monster to help him through the grieving process. The monster—a giant, menacing tree—guides Conor through the most difficult time of his life as he gradually accepts the truth.

I didn't expect to cry when reading this book, but I had to stop reading because I was literally choking back tears toward the end. Yes, it's obvious what happens in the book, but the story is much more than what's on the surface. Ness plays on classic fairytale tropes—the number three is of importance—while also implementing smart magic realism.

Carrie by Stephen King
When Carrie White gets her period in the girl's bathroom one day after gym class, her classmates torture her in the worst possible way. At home, Carrie lives in fear of her abusive mother. What they all don't realize is that Carrie has an incredible gift of telekinesis—and their cruelty will soon come back to haunt them...  

As I mentioned earlier, Carrie has quickly become one of my favourite books. In his debut published novel, King is already a master of the "show don't tell" rule. Using various mediums to convey Carrie's story—from eye witness testimonies, autobiographies, news bulletins, letters and textbooks—King masterfully weaves together a horrifying, dread-inducing story of revenge. This is the first book to literally give me nightmares, so it won a place in my heart for that alone.

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire 
I had mixed opinions about this novella. While I love how diverse the characters are, I wish the author developed this story into a full-length book. You can read my full review here.