Falling back in love with reading by utilizing free and accessible tools like the Libby app and physical media from my local library.
Here is a list of my recent reads, these are first time reads and not a comprehensive list of what I have read in the past 12 months but some that I have greatly enjoyed so far. Reoccurring themes seem to be Appalachia, Black Historical Fiction, Classic Gothic Fiction.
Recent Favorites:
Fiction
Inciting Joy by Ross Gay
Great storytelling, practical ways to infuse joy in the mundane.
Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson
Historical Fiction with the focus on a family heirloom and the stories that objects hold. I couldn't put it down. Great balance between alternating perspectives.
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
Historical Fiction, honest representation of disability (and institutionalization in the past), community memory and community trauma. Another book I couldn't put down. Really enjoyed McBride's writing style.
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
Witty, clever, satirical novel of "diversity" in the writing world.
Dracula by Bram Stoker
First time reading Dracula and I really enjoyed it. Letter writing style worked well in most areas. The interactions between Dracula and Harker right up front were some of my favorite scenes.
Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Again, first time reading Frankenstein and I really enjoyed it. Shelley writes internal dread and self-awareness in the monster so beautifully. A great juxtaposition between monster and creator and their symbiotic relationship as the novel evolves.
You Weren't Meant to be Human by Andrew Joseph White
Visceral, Uncomfortable. Lots of trigger warnings if you decide to read but a very important look into access to healthcare, Appalachian futurism, body gore/horror. A complexly written Trans and Disabled character. Not my usual read but really good.
Non-Fiction
Jefferson's Daughters: Three Sisters, White and Black, in a Young America by Catherine Kerrison
This was a thick read. Rooted in historical record and artifact. Jefferson was a terrible person and this book is an important look at how his control impacted the outcome of all three of his daughters. A frustrating look at white women's complicity in the oppressive systems that benefit them and how Black women bore the traumas of the time but didn't let them define them.
Pirate Women: The Princesses, Prostitutes, and Privateers Who Ruled the Seven Seas by Laura Sook Duncombe
A fun look at historical, fictional, and cinematic pirate women and depictions of the feminine.
Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger by Rebecca Traister
Set in the not so distant past. Parsing feminine rage through Hillary's campaign, 2nd wave feminism, and more. Get angry! It's the only way for progress.
Half Way Finished/Currently Reading:
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
So far this one is so clever. It is inspired by David Copperfield and follows similar themes of institutional poverty and childhood traumas. Kingsolver sets this story in Appalachia/rural America and it is such an honest read. Great audio presentation available on Libby. Its a big book but an easy read.
Homecoming by Yaa Gyasi
I am really excited to get more into this one. It follows 2 branches of a family tree, starting with sisters, one that is sold into slavery and one that it in a marriage with a slave owner. It is Gyasi's debut novel!
To-Read List 2026:
Fiction
Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marian Kamali
Non-Fiction
The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Nervous Systems: Art, Systems, and Politics since the 1960s edited by Johanna Gosse and Timothy Stott
Have you read any of these titles?
What should I read next?
I lean heavy in non-fiction, historical fiction, art, and diverse voices.
I want to read more from Arab voices and Indigenous voices in the next 12 months.