Hello! I’m here to talk about my August reads for the Buzzword Readathon! **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**
This is the eighth post in my “Buzzword-a-thon” series. In case you’re new here, Buzzword-a-thon is a read-a-thon originally created by Kayla at the YouTube channel booksandlala. It centers around readers choosing books that include specific words or ‘types’ of words. This year, all prompts were selected in advance and it’s been loosely hosted once a month. I’m making a yearly challenge for myself to at least read one book with the buzzword each month, and also include one recommendation and one anticipated read in my monthly post. The theme for August was “time of day” words in the title, and I realized I there are so many books with the word “night” in the title. I tried to switch up the words for my recommendations this time, so without further ado, let’s get into my August Buzzword-a-thon post.
Read in August – The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
*content warning for suicide attempt (overdose), mentioned on page but not described in detail*
-This book made its way around the book sphere when it was released last year (it even won the Goodreads choice award for Fiction in 2020), and there were varying thoughts around it so I picked it up to see for myself. The story follows Nora Seed, a woman who one day, after she believes that nothing in her life has gone right, decides she does not want to live any longer. After taking matters into her own hands, she wakes up in a library with shelves filled with infinite books – each book providing a chance to try another life she could have lived, if she made a different choice. When Nora has the chance to change her past, and find a life she would rather have lived, will she take it? I found myself wishing this book was both longer and shorter: I wish it was shorter because with every book Nora pursues, the setup started to feel a bit repetitive, and I wish it was longer because the discussions about regrets and life and morality, with Nora’s knowledge of philosophy and Mrs. Elm’s lessons from wisdom, were super interesting. I really loved how this book highlighted that no matter what path you choose in life, or decisions you make, there will always be something you regret. I got my thinking about what would be in my own book of regrets, and the ways my life could have gone if I made different choices – it isn’t the best to dwell on it for extended periods of time, but I find it interesting to imagine a world where instead of pursuing clinical lab science I never changed my major from biochemistry, or I decided to pursue theatre in college, or I went on another date in junior year. Sometimes thinking about what could have been [in moderation] can make you appreciate the choices you do make, even if they seem insignificant in the moment. I guess I got a lot more out of this book than I initially realized, now that I’m writing it all down, so I’d recommend it if you’re interested.
Recommendation – Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
-I first encountered Spin the Dawn when it was included in a monthly OwlCrate box. The pitch was “Mulan meets Project Runway,” and honestly I was intrigued. The story follows Maia Tamarin, a girl who dreams of being one of the greatest tailors to ever live, but unfortunately the profession is reserved for men only. When her father is summoned by a royal messenger, she poses as a boy and takes his place against eleven others competing for the grand title of imperial tailor. She must combate backstabbing liars and hope that her skill will be enough to achieve her dreams. But nothing has prepared her for the final task – sewing three gowns so dangerous and beautiful it will take a journey of a lifetime to complete. I picked this up at a time where I was beginning to dip my toes into YA fantasy, and Elizabeth Lim certainly made the story enjoyable and easy to understand. There are times of info-dumping, especially when Maia begins her quest away from the Summer Palace, but she is learning the dangers of the task itself, which then informs the readers of what’s at stake. I wish the competition lasted a bit longer, and that some of the circumstances around her success throughout it were different, but I was intrigued with how Maia’s journey to collect what she needed from the sun, the moon, and the stars. With the way this book left on, I picked up the sequel (Unravel the Dusk) and found it a little less enjoyable than the first, but still a satisfying conclusion. The Blood of Stars duology is perfect for any YA fantasy fans looking for a story steeped in Chinese culture, sprinkled with romance, and shimmering with all-encompassing magic.
Want to Read – And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
-Since I’ve been more connected to the bookish internet, I’ve heard some pretty glowing reviews of everything Fredrik Backman has written. The two that I’m most intrigued about (and that I would be able to handle, given the content discussed) would be his newest release, Anxious People, and the book [novella, actually] that works for this prompt, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer. Translated to English by Alice Menzies, the story is a multi-generational one about preparing for and dealing with the death of loved ones. In college, I lost a very close family friend to dementia, and this seems like a story I wish a would have had back then to help me through my feelings. I’ll be sure to have tissues on hand when I pick it up.
In conclusion, eight months of the year have already flown by. Let’s see how the remaining four hold up.
Where to find all these books:
Bookshop: The Midnight Library Spin the Dawn And Every Morning the Way Home…
Amazon: The Midnight Library Spin the Dawn And Every Morning the Way Home…
Goodreads: The Midnight Library Spin the Dawn And Every Morning the Way Home…
Author sites: Matt Haig Elizabeth Lim Fredrik Backman
Thoughts About Things 