One of my favorite things about the beginning of the year is updating my list of books I’d like to read. I’ve already added a bunch of the books friends with similar taste has listed as their favorites so my list keeps growing. It’s not a bad problem to have and makes me thankful for libraries. Below are my goals/intentions for the year in reading:
- Read 75 books – This is a little higher than my typical goal, but I think I can get there. I’m including the picture and middle grade books I read with the kids too.
- Complete the ReadLatineLit challenge hosted by LupitaReads
- Transition fully to The StoryGraph as my book tracker of choice. If you’re on there, add me as your friend (I’m cindylunares).
- Participate in my parish’s book club as many months as I can.
- Complete the A-Z challenge by author last name.
- Share my mini-reviews monthly and not get behind.
January Mini-Reviews
A Fire So Wild by Sarah Ruiz-Grossman
Set in Berkeley, this short novel follows three families/couples that all become linked as they experience a devastating wildfire in their neighborhood: a wealthy lesbian couple and their son; a teacher in affordable housing, his teen daughter, and his ex-wife; and a couple living in their van with their dog. Ruiz-Grossman’s journalist background and training shines through as she develops the characters so they’re more than caricatures (e.g., clueless rich liberal, activist teen). This is a quick read, which fits with the theme. If you read it, be prepared to be absolutely stressed.
I read this novel a few days before the Palisades and Eaton fires in LA and some of the novel came to mind as I read the news.
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
In Bradley’s debut novel, we follow an unnamed British civil servant who becomes part of a ministry experimenting with time travel. The British government brings back people who would’ve died in their time and the bridges live with them in an attempt to assimilate them to contemporary society. The narrator is assigned to Graham Gore, a naval officer who was part of the doomed Franklin expedition in the Arctic. The novel is a mix of sci-fi, mystery, humor, and romance. I felt some parts were stronger than others, like musings on how history and narrative are written, and exploring the link between being the child of Cambodian refugees and being an expat from a time where you should have died (battlefields, plagues, and doomed expedition in the Arctic). I didn’t care for the romance and the pacing felt uneven and rushed at the end. It was fine.
Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea
Urrea is one of those authors I know I can go to and will always provide a quality book in any genre. His stories are well written with compelling characters and strong women, Good Night, Irene was no different. He was inspired to write the book by his mother’s service and it shows in the care with which he writes Irene and Dorothy, the two protagonists. Both volunteer for the American Red Cross Clubmobile Service, an initiative during World War II where young women drove trucks equipped with small kitchens into the front lines. They brought donuts and coffee to GIs, played music, and tried to boost morale while also facing challenges of war. We follow Irene and Dorothy as they become close friends, develop relationships with servicemembers, see action in London and France following D-Day and are forever changed by their service. I alternated between the audio (great narration) and the book and would recommend either.
Random note: Urrea dedicated this book to Cinderella, his nickname for his wife who worked hard in researching the book. It made me feel like it was for me since sometimes my parents call me Cinderella.
Another Word for Love by Carvell Wallace
I mostly know Wallace through his contributions to Slate’s parenting podcast and didn’t know what to expect. Wallace writes poetically with raw intimacy on themes like a precarious childhood, family, relationships, his queer identity, the pandemic, wildfires in northern California, masculinity, being a Black man, and more. This was tough to read at times, especially the chapters where he faced abuse as poverty as a child.
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
I bumped this up after seeking a TikTok creator share the top three “crowd pleaser books” she consistently recommends and also gets great feedback on. A man dies in Vera Wong’s rundown SF Chinatown tea house. Vera quickly begins investigating even though police see the death as a mistake. She starts meddling in the lives of her main suspects who all have a mysterious tie to the person who died. I found myself laughing out loud several times as I worked on a puzzle and listened to the audio. I don’t usually love bossy characters, but Vera was so charming. It was the perfect book for a cold January weekend.
The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by The Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Abrams
Last year I started attending the book club my church hosts most months. The choices are typically literary fiction novels, but they also include poetry, a nonfiction book, and always a religious or spiritual book (not just Catholic teachings). The February book seemed especially timely given that I feel a ton of despair every time I look at the news or go to work in an field under attack. I’ve felt quite tender for the last few months with family deaths, a graduate student passing away, the fires in California, and the actions of 47. Reading this book was a nice reminder that there are ways through the difficult times. The book is layered like a birthday cake and includes teachings during the historic meeting between the two spiritual leaders, and exploration of those things that steal our joy as well as the pillars that helps us cultivate joy. Finally, they include a useful list of practices like prayers, meditations, and other habits/actions you can do to bring more joy. One of the pillars of joy is gratitude and a practice they share is one I’ve heard of many times: the gratitude journal. It’s never stuck, but I’m trying again.
Luz Makes a Splash by Claudia Davila
An inspiring middle grade graphic novel about Luz who is determined to make change when she and her friends discover that a local soda factory is using up all the water that’s desperately needed during a drought and heatwave.
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
This beautiful picture book introduces the cultural significance of fry bread to children. The illustrations are warm and inviting and filled with symbols and children that reflect the diversity of indigenous people in the U.S. (fry bread is color!). I especially loved Maillard’s author’s note which adds a context to each page for adults or older children who want to learn more about indigenous food, history, diversity, and more.
Esperanza Caramelo, the Star of Nochebuena by Karla Arenas Valenti, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri
A lovely Christmas story about a sugar cake figurine that comes to life in a bakery. The illustrations are stunning, and I love that there’s a mariachi singing the songs for Las Posadas. The author was inspired by her own grandmother’s talent as a baker and figurine maker.
Bookish Notes
I usually read randomly across topics and genres. As such, I’m amused when the books have some link. In January, almost half of the books touched on the impacts of climate change in one way or another: Luz Makes a Splash, The Ministry of Time, A Fire So Wild, and Another Word for Love. The last two were likely inspired by some of the same recent wild fires in Northern California in 2017 and 2020.
I picked up two books at the library on a whim simply because there titles drew me in. They both had protagonists who shared names of family (my mom) or my ahijada (goddaughter). I don’t think I would have seen this when I was a kid and love that there are children’s books that reflect my family and community. I shared Esperanza Caramelo with my comadre who then showed my four-year-old ahijada. She absolutely lit up to see her name on a book.
Lotería Chicana 