Book #26 of 2025: “Habibi”

This is an anthology of short works by Muslimah authors from across the world, edited by Hadeel al-Massari and Nyala Ali. Most of the included works were in the usual written format, but a few were in graphic novel style. I can‘t possibly do justice to the exploration of different genres, themes, and topics but I‘ll say that my favorites were “Skin” by Priya Huq and “Not a Love Story” by Zainab bint Younus.

Book #25 of 2025: “poetry and pearls” by n.r. hart

I really liked this a decade ago but it no longer speaks to me.

Book #24 of 2025: “Whale” by Cheon Myeong-kwan

I bought this at Nooroongji in Vancouver. It‘s a complicated read, and I enjoyed it for that. It‘s political and historical, but also supernatural and unconfined by limitations of reality. It‘s funny and silly, but also heartbreaking and lonely. The writing style and imagery are exceptional—you can‘t help but be drawn into the story. Add this one to your wishlist if you want a worthwhile challenge.

Picked this up at Last Word Books. Scherer “It‘s The” Water strikes me as the kind of prickly curmudgeon that wouldn‘t hesitate to roll up his sleeves and help a neighbor out. There seem to be a lot of those in this town. They might tell you to pull your head out of your ass but they‘ll show up when they‘re needed. Or maybe I‘m just an optimist.

Anyway, it‘s a short, silly, and sometimes serious look into the city I‘ve come to love.

Book #22 of 2025: “How the Irish Saved Civilization” by Thomas Cahill

SO well-researched. This book focuses on how the rise of Christianity in Ireland ultimately saved Latin literature after the fall of Rome, and the significant cultural impact Irish missionaries had on Europe through the dark ages and into the Renaissance. Bonus: 1200 year old poem by an Irish monk about his cat, Pangur Ban. History buffs, it‘s definitely worth a read!

Book #21 of 2025: “West With Giraffes” by Lynda Rutledge

Incredibly well written. Based on a true story but told from a fictional character‘s perspective, Rutledge imagines the journey two giraffes made from New York City to San Diego in 1938. It‘s poignant and heartbreaking, but also full of loving warmth. If you‘re looking for a read that pulls you in for hours then this is the book for you.

If you enjoyed “Braiding Sweetgrass” you will love this. It‘s much shorter, only 100-ish pages, but it nourishes the soul like the fruit she writes about. “Braiding Sweetgrass” was soul food, “The Serviceberry” is spring sunshine with a cool breeze.

Kimmerer describes the world I‘ve dreamed of since I was 4 years old, one of community and compassion where those who have give, and those who need have their needs met. Please read this book.

Linda Hogan was one of the authors included in the “Spider Woman‘s Granddaughters” collection I read last month. When in Utah we stopped at a little bookstore and there was a collection of her poetry! How could I say no?

An absolutely beautiful book. Hogan is Chickasaw and pulls from her life and her peoples‘ history to examine what it means to be in connection with the earth and each other in a time of destruction, pain, and change.

Book #18 of 2025: “Clare Folk Tales” from Ruth Marshall

It‘s nice to have an easy, fun book every now and then! I liked this little collection of folk tales specifically about County Clare in Ireland. It‘s very well researched but without being academic.

Book #17 of 2025: “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou

This was one of those books I always meant to read but just finally got around to. It‘s beautiful, sad, rich, and full of wisdom. We are better for having had Maya Angelou in the world.

Book #16 of 2025: “Spider Woman‘s Granddaughters”, edited by Paula Gunn Allen

I loved this book. Even the preface—especially the preface. I picked it up at a record store, of all places. A beautifully put together collection of stories by and about Indigenous women across North America. Do recommend.

“White-on-white violence dates back to 1846 when Olympia had a white population of two.” ☠️🤣

TERFy through and through. Yes, women deserve better. So do trans people. Erasing us doesn‘t make anyone‘s life safer or better.

This was a difficult book because the ending is well known and tragic. Black Elk describes growing up as a Lakota while the US government was stealing more and more land. He shares the sacred vision given to him as a young man, his efforts to understand his vision and bring it to life, and how the massacre at Wounded Knee ended his fight. 300 murdered, many women and children.

An important read.

Book #13 of 2025: “The Measure” by Nikki Erlick

It presents an interesting question: if you could know when you‘d die, would you? And how would you live life differently? I enjoyed the premise and that Erlick didn‘t overlook the inevitable social problems that would come with a new way to discriminate. The writing wasn‘t my favorite. A bit too staccato with a few too many cliches.

Book #12 of 2025: “All the Way to the Gallows” by David Drake.

Three tries and 68 pages in and I quit. I hate it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Book #11 of 2025: “All My Friends Are Dead” by Avery Monsen and Jory John

Sometimes you have to take a break from packing to read a book.

Book #10 of the year: “OMFG, BEES!” by Matt Kracht

I think I got this one in La Conner. Cute little read about all kinds of different bees, why they‘re important, and how to help them out.

Beeeees!

Book #9 of 2025: “The Scourge of God” by SM Stirling. I was reallly into this series when I was younger but got behind during/post college. I picked this up at a used bookstore in Florence over the winter and loved it. Time to get the rest of the series!

Book #8 of 2025: “Post” by Leo Herrera

Whatever your gender or sexuality, you should read this book. A compilation of social media posts from June 2020-November 2023, Herrera highlights COVID, grief, HIV and AIDS, queer history, the history of queerphobia, and more. I read this book slowly over several weeks and plan to reread it regularly.

Buy it from @herreraimages on IG

Book #7 of 2025: “I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki” by Baek Sehee

What a relatable title. If I had read this book 10-15 years ago it would have changed my life. If you‘re relatively new to your mental health journey, I highly recommend this book. It‘s relatable, reflective, and has solid advice on dealing with depression and anxiety.

“An interracial friendship in which race and class can‘t be honestly and uncomfortably discussed, is as shallow as a creek, with a class ceiling and a hidden time bomb.”

Book #6 of 2025: “The “Wonderful” Wizard of Futher-Mucking Oz” by Matt Youngmark

About as good and wholesome as the original, just with more swearing 😂 It‘s a cute and quick read. Bonus: the author is a Seattleite!

Book #5 of 2025: “Stardoc” by SL Viehl

This book is one of my oldest possessions. I‘ve had it since 1999 or 2000. The first in a series that saved my life. I haven‘t read it in over a decade but it stood the test of time. I love rereading an old favorite ❤️

Book #4 of 2025: “Scary Stories 3”

Natalie moved out a couple weeks ago and left behind some absolute treasures so I took a short trip down Scholastic memory lane ❤️ What classics.

Book #3 of 2025: “Bunnicula”

Natalie moved out a couple weeks ago and left behind some absolute treasures so I took a short trip down Scholastic memory lane ❤️ What classics.

Book #2 of 2025: “Hard Times” by Charles Dickens

Oh, Dickens. I liked this one less than “A Tale of Two Cities” and more than “Great Expectations”. After 15 hours of travel that‘s all the review you get 😅

Book #1 of 2025: “Bodega Dreams” by Ernesto Quiñonez

Set in Spanish Harlem, this novel centers on a fictional radical named Willy Bodega and his plans to improve the quality of life for his fellow Puerto Ricans. It‘s told from the perspective of a young man in the neighborhood who gets caught up in Bodega‘s work. It‘s a fast read and I enjoyed it.

Book #23 of 2024: “The Book of Bird Poems” by Ryuto Miyake & Ana Sampson

I bought this one at A Book For All Seasons, Leavenworth WA because an anthology dedicated to poems about birds? Obviously necessary in my life. The poetry is lovely and the art is incredible. Give it a read ❤️

Book #22 of 2024: “Flowers from the Moon” by L.J. Hughes

I picked this up from the Florence Regional Arts Alliance on a whim. I love reading the work of local poets and Hughes did not disappoint. She and I come from different generations and backgrounds but I found her poetry to be relatable, especially “Perspectives and Tack Shed Dreams” and “Dad and I”. I recommend checking her out!

Book #21 of 2024: “Psychlone” by Greg Bear

A decent atomic-era sci-fi novel from the 70s. It kept me engaged and wanting to see what would happen next. It‘s not light but it won‘t make you cry or ruin your mood.

One of those post 9/11 anti-Muslim books. The number of slurs this guy uses…yikes.

So boring. Don‘t bother.

Book #18 of 2024: “Nebula Awards Showcase: 2007”

Picked this one up at a bar in Mexico 😂 It‘s a collection of sci fi/fantasy poetry and short stories that were chosen as the year‘s best (17 years ago). It was interesting—a wide variety of styles and themes. Most were good. The last one I found unbearably boring.

Book #17 of 2024: “Plotting Women” by Jean Franco

This was a challenge. I lack a lot of the background needed to understand many of the references made to other texts and authors, but the topic (women who, in their own ways, subverted gender norms/expectations in Mexican culture) was engrossing. I wouldn‘t recommend this book unless this has been a field of study for you already. It‘s dense.

Book #16 of 2024: “The Celtic Twilight” by WB Yeats

This had a few poems but was mostly stories about the Sidhe collected from Irish people across the country. I‘ll come back to it again later when I have time to do some more research into the people, places, and legends referenced. And, maybe, take a trip to all the places Yeats identifies as doors to the dim world.

Book #15 of 2024: “Death is a Lonely Business” by Ray Bradbury

I enjoyed this one. It‘s got a strong sense of melancholy with a whisper of hope. A good mystery that kept me engaged.

Book #14 of 2024: “Snow in April” by Rosamunde Pilcher

I fell in love with Pilcher‘s writing in high school and this short little fiction was a reminder of why. Wholesome and old-fashioned, full of evocative imagery and sweet sentiments, I recommend this author to everyone ❤️

Book #14 of 2024: “Snow in April” by Rosamunde Pilcher

I fell in love with Pilcher‘s writing in high school and this short little fiction was a reminder of why. Wholesome and old-fashioned, full of evocative imagery and sweet sentiments, I recommend this author to everyone ❤️

Book #13 of 2024: “Good Bones” by Maggie Smith

You‘ve probably read the poem “Good Bones”. This is its eponymous book. It wasn‘t my favorite collection of poetry but I enjoyed the imagery of a remote life in the mountains.

Book #12 of 2024: “Prisons Make Us Safer and 20 Other Myths About Mass Incarceration” by Victoria Law

If you‘re at all curious about abolition, read this book. Law presents and then counters each argument with impeccable research. She includes interviews with incarcerated people, studies from across the world, and case examples to show how prisons and other forms of mass incarceration fail to keep us safe while perpetuating systems of oppression.

Book #11 of 2024: “All the Right Pieces” by Nakeia Homer

Also gifted to me by @valerie.valerie20 ❤️ A collection of inspirational thoughts and messages focused on self love, self acceptance, and embracing the entirety of life.

Book #10 of 2024: “Ceremony” by Brianna West

A wedding gift from a friend, this book is a collection of loving, positive, encouraging reflections by the author. Thanks for seeing the best in me always, Valerie ❤️

Book #9 of 2024: “Unseen Companion” by Denise Gosliner Orenstein

This is a YA novel but it‘s not an easy one. Set in a rural Alaska town, the book follows several youth in 1969. It focuses heavily on anti-Indigenous racism, from murder to residential schools to foster homes, particularly against Yup‘ik people. As is too often the case in real life, there was no happy ending here.

Book #8 of 2024: “Palestine +100: Stories from a Century After the Nakba” edited by Basma Ghalayini

Anthology of science fiction stories by Palestinian authors imagining what their world will look like in 2048. Common themes of being trapped by the dream of returning “home” as it‘s passed from generation to generation, further oppression and erasure by Israel, families forced apart by new bordered, and the trauma of losing loved ones to genocide.

Book #7 of 2024: Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler

This review deserves more energy than I‘ve got right now, but it‘s a really good book. It was emotionally harder to read than the first, though that could just be me. The ending was bittersweet and captured the price of the sacrifices Olamina made.

A very good, eerily prophetic duology.

Book #6 of 2024: “The Strawberry Statement: Notes of a College Revolutionary” by James Simon Kunen

Eh. It‘s Kunen‘s diary from a couple of years at Columbia. I didn‘t find it relatable but there were a couple good quotes.

Book #5 of the year: “The Earth Moved” by Amy Stewart

Absolutely amazing book about earthworms, mostly in the US but with a few looks around the world. If you‘re interested in worms, composting, or agriculture, definitely a book for you. I loved every page.

Book #4 of 2024: “Black Lives in Alaska” by Ian C. Hartman and David Reamer

I had never considered that the whaling industry and Alaska in general were (relatively) safe havens for people escaping slavery. Thousands of enslaved people found freedom from slave hunters in Russia-occupied land or on the ocean.

An interesting book, worth reading if you‘re a history buff!

So good. So hard. The book starts in 2024 and looks at a world ravaged by climate change, poverty, and corruption. It‘s a tale of survival and adaptation, change and consistency. This is the kind of book that stays with you. It‘s a gentle but persistent haunting.