We’re now well into February on the second Monday of the shortest month. I got to spend a good chunk of time in the books this week with a couple of snowstorms rolling through my area. I love those days when I don’t need to be anywhere and I can simply dig in. This past week, I got to three books.

1. Night Tiger – Yangsze Choo

CW: Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, Death of Parent, Graphic Depictions of Injuries and Illness, Mutilation, Graphic Depictions of Medical Procedures, Colonization, Racism, Sex Work

I fell in love with Choo’s writing back in November when I read through her most recent novel, The Fox Wife. Her style of writing is magically vivid. It is remarkably easy to see her characters and the world that they inhabit. The reader becomes able to explore her chosen time and place in exquisite – but not exhaustive – detail. Narrative is never bogged down by excessive description, either. It’s perfectly interwoven. She also finds a hypnotic blend of visceral realism and magical folklore.

Her protagonists are so endearing and easy to root for, even when flawed. Even when you know they’re about to make a bad decision, it’s often difficult to fault them for it, and always impossible to look away. This is the kind of book where you never want to stop turning the page. The mystery keeps the reader asking more and more new questions for every one that gets answered up until the very end. I won’t give any spoilers about how, but I will say I found it extremely satisfying the way all the loose ends were tied up.

The author does have one more book that I haven’t yet read, titled The Ghost Bride. I’ve apparently been reading her works in the reverse order of their release, as it was her debut novel. For reference, The Fox Wife was released only last year. At this point, I think it’s safe to say that any book she releases in the future will also need to be added to my must-read list.

2. Horses Make a Landscape Look More Beautiful: Poems – Alice Walker

CW: SA, Racism, Colonization, Climate Change

I recently found this title during one of my bookstore adventures with my partner. While I didn’t already have a copy of it in my library at home, it was far from my first encounter with the poetry of Alice Walker. I originally fell in love with her work back when I was in college. At the time, I was deeply involved in the world of performance poetry and had done covers of her work on stage. One of those poems was even included in this collection.

Before I opened this one, it had been an extended length of time since I had sat down to appreciate poetry. Sure, I encountered it here and there. I might read through one and appreciate its beauty and message, but I hadn’t been seeking it out. Certainly, I hadn’t devoted any time to it. Sometimes difficult and complicated times call for simple truths. There are few better ways to express those than poetry, and Walker’s work has always been a stunning example of that.

This collection was deeply moving and yet accessible, and upliftingly motivating. It would be wonderful at any time, but is perfect for times when the world seems too dark. This is a very short read. There aren’t many pages, nor many words per page, but what is there will linger with you for a long, long time. Forever, if you’re lucky.

3. The Marrow Thieves – Cherie Dimaline

CW: SA, Mutilation, Child Abuse, Racism, Colonization, Genocide, Climate Change, Addiction (Possibly More to Come)

I expected to read through this one much faster than I have so far. It’s not exceptionally long, and it’s listed as a young adult novel. However, it is decidedly not an easy read. Any parent of a teen reading this one should be prepared for some deep and heavy discussions. They’ll likely have some unsettling questions about history and human nature. I realized what I was getting into when there was a quote from Cormac McCarthy’s The Road before the first page. I’ve had a couple flashbacks to Blood Meridian. This is an acutely unnerving horror story, with deep roots in reality.

Currently, I’m a little over halfway through. I don’t yet know how it culminates or how much hope it has or instills. I do know that the beautifully insightful metaphors alone are worth the darker moments, and I know there’s much more on offer here. More importantly, I know I don’t want to put it down. I’ll give my final thoughts on it in next week’s update.

We’re Into February For a Couple More Weeks

We’re now a little over a week into February, but because it’s such a short month, it feels like we’re halfway done. This year is rushing by too fast, and I’m struggling to keep up with it. The same is true for my ever-growing TBR pile. My partner and I have begun exploring independent bookstores around my home state of Massachusetts, and I acquire more titles every time we do. Keep an eye out on my YouTube channel or the main updates page here to follow along on all our bookish adventures. My reading recaps go out on Mondays and our bookstore adventures go out on Thursdays.

As always, I want to hear from you! What have you been reading lately? Are you having fun with it? Have you read any of these titles, and if so, what did you think of them? Tell me everything, and follow along for more!