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Sunday Musings |
I remember complaining last week about how I never got anything done. And this week has been hectic. While I didn’t get much done on my to do list, I was blindsided (or was I?) with other works.
We have a series of Hindu festivities lined up this coming week and the preparation work has just left me exhausted. And it definitely crept into my blog and writing time, sadly. It also means less reading done!
On the other hand, I might have quite a bit to write about next week, so stay tuned.
What I read this week
My reading has been a little slow this week, owing to the messy week I was speaking about. But I am currently reading The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner, for the letter J on my 2020 A to Z reading challenge.
What I watched this week
I have been (re)watching Suits over the weeks slowly. And I am not a great fan of the final season, which was too slow and superficial for my liking.
On my blog
In case you missed the posts from my blog, last week.
A book review of Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
Another week flies past: Sunday Musings #95
I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.
From the Insta-world
Here is what I posted on Instagram during the week. Give me a follow, will you?
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Let us chat
What’s up with you all? How has your week been and what are the plans for the next week? How is your October going on? Let’s talk!
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Drama, review |
It has been a hot minute since I read Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson during our staycation last month. But I have been avoiding to pen down my review/thoughts for a while because I was not sure if I could ever do it some justice. Finally I braved to get on with it and here is my review of Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson!
About the book
Book Name: Red at the Bone
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Genre: Fiction – Drama, Young Adult
Characters: Iris, Aubrey, Melody, Sabe, Po’Boy
Setting: Brooklyn, New Jersey, The USA
Plot Summary
Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson begins with the sixteen year old Melody getting ready for her coming out party and fighting with her mother on the song that she chose.
Seeing her walk down the stairs in a dress her mother missed out on wearing stirs up emotions and memories for the whole family, which the reader gets to know from the number of alternating point of views.
Melody grew up largely as a motherless child with a doting father and supportive maternal grandparents. Her relationship with her mother Iris was turbulent at best.
Book review
Red at the Bone is an intergenerational family drama, that involves several intense themes like teenage pregnancy, motherhood, fatherhood, grief, ambition, classism, sexism, poverty and racism.
It walks us through the aftermaths of an unexpected teenage pregnancy in an African American family and the costs of the choices that each one of them makes.
And Woodson does a phenomenal job in keeping the readers on toes with her lyrical writing and acute observation of complex human emotions. Alternating between a number of point of views might seem overwhelming for a few but it worked so brilliantly for me.
I knew Red at the Bone had raving reviews but I wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming emotions that swept me off as I began connecting to each character and the choices they make. And the fact that I could feel all these in just 200 pages is just mind blowing.
Initially I was not sure why Melody was so cold to Iris and later, about how Iris could treat Aubrey the way she did. But just within a chapter or two, I found myself thinking “maybe, that’s what I would have done too”. And that is a win for the writer on my books.
Red at the Bone is a powerful book that talks about the invisible threads of misery, secrets and anger that holds the family together.
What worked for me
- To just say I loved the author’s writing style and her powerful words would be unjust. She is phenomenal.
- Each and every character is etched to perfection. Sabe and Po’Boy’ were my favorites.
What may have been better
- If you are not a fan of multiple POVs, watch out. Red at the Bone has five POVs (though very well done).
- This is definitely not a plot intensive drama.
Bottom line
While this poignant story may not be entirely new or memorable, it is the impact of the lyrical writing and the emotions that the author packed into her words that makes Red at the Bone so powerful and popular.
Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson is worth all the hype it gets and pick up this short book if you are into literary fiction.
Similar books
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Let’s chat
Have you read Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson? What other hyped books that have lived up to your expectations in the recent past? And which ones dropped the balls? Let us talk.
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Sunday Musings |
Well, this week wasn’t that great for me either. Okay I will be honest. It has less to do with the things I did, but more to do with what I didn’t do.
Somehow I feel my entire to do list is unfinished and I got nothing done. I hate it when time flies despite my best efforts. On Friday I suddenly realized how the week is almost done and what day it was, and since then I worked so hard to tick things off the list. But failing terribly.
I sincerely hope your week was better than mine. Let’s talk about it and forget this pathetic week of mine, shall we?
What I read this week
I did myself proud this week in terms of reading because I finished reading two books! Yes that means I am on the right track to hitting my reading goal for the year.
- I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver
- Kinship of Secrets, The by Eugenia Kim
These books also count towards my 2020 A to Z reading challenge for the letters I and K, obviously!
What I watched this week
I watched a little too much Netflix this week and I am not happy about it. But I have realized my folly before it actually kicked my ass. So nothing is lost yet.
I watched Sweet Magnolia and it took me a long time to get into it. But finally when it got interesting, season 1 ended with a cliffhanger (which I totally hate!)
I was looking for something mind numbing to watch on Amazon, and I stumbled upon Two and a Half Men. While it was for a bit of laughter here and there, man, that series didn’t age well at all.
I could not avoid loathing both the lead characters and can’t get over the misogynistic crap they did. Oh well!
On my blog
In case you missed the posts from my blog, last week.
A book review of The Extraordinaries by T J Klune
September’20 Updates: Sunday Musings #94 monthly wrap
I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.
Around the blogosphere
I went on blog hopping spree last week and these are the posts that I loved. I hope you enjoy them as well.
From the Insta-world
Here is what I posted on Instagram during the week. Give me a follow, will you?
Pin me!
Let us chat
Please tell me that your week was great and all went ahead as planned. What did you get done and what are the things that went pending on your weekly duties? Let’s talk.
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review, Romance, YA |
Who among us would not love reading about superheroes? Well, that was rhetorical! I love superheroes and so does our protagonist Nick Bell. Let’s talk more about The Extraordinaries by T J Klune in my review below.
About the book
Book Name: The Extraordinaries
Author: T J Klune
Genre: Fiction – Romance, Young Adult
Characters: Nicholas (Nick) and Aaron Bell, Seth Gray, Lola (Gabby) Gibson, Jasmine (Jazz), Oliver Burke, Shadow Star, Pyro Storm.
Setting: Nova City
Plot Summary
Nicholas Bell has the biggest crush on Shadowstar and his long running fanfiction is a proof of that. Shadowstar is one of The Extraordinaries from Nova City who keeps the city safe from his arch nemesis Pyro Storm.
Nick is just an ordinary high school student living with his father who is a cop. In order to gain the attention and respect from his crush, Nick decides that he should become an extraordinary himself, with the help of his reluctant but supportive friends.
Does this doomed plan ever take off? How long would it take for Nick to see the truth forms the rest of the story in The Extraordinaries by T J Klune.
Book review
I can’t think of a book that made me chuckle, roll my eyes and laugh as many times as The Extraordinaries by T J Klune did, in the recent past. Nick being “extra” was so endearing and I just wanted him to be an Extraordinary just for his sake (even though I am sure it would be a terrible terrible idea).
I am glad we have moved on forward from making it all his queerness just the main theme of the book. I strongly believe that books need not be written solely to educate people about LGBTQAI+ and The Extraordinaries passes this test colorfully.
Yet, I learned quite a bit about ADHD and Nick’s issues with dealing them. Disclaimer: All I know about it is from the mainstream – I am not the correct person to say if the portrayal was real.
It might be an awful timing like the author explained here, but Nick’s father (who is a cop) punching a guy and still being on the force didn’t sit well with me. We learn that he was just demoted because his buddies “from the force” stood by him and it is so not fair.
And the whole attitude of “good people sometimes do bad things, and that doesn’t make them bad” was off-putting to say the least, given what the police force has been doing in the USA and even India, (and now Chile).
I wish the author and the publishing team had paid a bit more attention to what is happening in the real world. #BlackLivesMatter
What worked for me
- I loved how well written and colorful the younger characters were. Undoubtedly, Nick is one of the most entertaining protagonists I have read in a while.
- The writing is witty and engaging. And a special mention to the author’s sense of humor. I would definitely be reading more of Klune’s books.
- I loved the portrayal of Nick’s ADHD and it helped me appreciate understanding it better. Additionally. Nick’s queerness is not the main focus of the book, which I loved!
What may have been better
- I sincerely wish the team should have handled the “cops punching people” situation better.
- While I love the way the younger characters were written, I felt all the adults sounded and behaved the same (Nick’s dad, the captain, his wife, the nurses and even Seth’s guardians). After a minute, I couldn’t stop seeing the pattern between these characters.
Bottom line
The Extraordinaries by T J Klune is one of the most entertaining books that I read recently. I loved reading it and loved the portrayal of characters with ADHD.
Despite all the positives, Klune’s choice to take the police’s side makes it harder for me to recommend the book to everyone. If you are okay with that, please read The Extraordinaries by T J Klune.
Similar books
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Let’s chat
Have you read The Extraordinaries by T J Klune? What was the book that you recently read that blew your mind? Do you have any other book that has a protagonist with ADHD? Let us talk.
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Sunday Musings |
Okay I will say it for all of us! None of us can believe me September’20 is already done and we are in October already. And I can’t wait to see what the tenth month of 2020 is gonna throw at us. Actually just kidding, I wish there was not any more surprises.
And this week has been a little weird for me. I have not been able to focus on anything, especially on my blog. I hope things will be better this week.
Quick September’20 updates
Let us a quick update on what September’20 was like.
- I worked on
a few a lot of changes in my website and I am loving the entire theme. There are a few more kinks I have to focus on. - The weather is finally getting better these days and we hit the beach more than once during September and I am considering this a win.
- This was a great reading month for me. More on that in a bit.
What I read this month
As I mentioned already, for me September was the month I actually got out of the slight slacking I was doing in terms of books.
I read about 6 books which is a big deal, considering what I have been doing in the past few months. I am so glad I got back into the groove.
- Good Omens by Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin ⭐⭐⭐
- Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Guest List, The by Lucy Foley ⭐⭐⭐
- Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Extraordinaries, The by Klune T.J. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2020 A to Z Reading challenge – update
On other news my attempt at A to Z reading Challenge is going on really well and I have only a few more letters to catch up.
So if you have any books starting with the other letters, send me your suggestions.
What I watched this month:
I have not been spending much time on watching the television. But this is what I watched through the month.
- Umbrella Academy Season 1 and 2
- The Boys
- Tenet
- Suits (Rewatching)
On my blog
In case you missed the posts from my blog, last week.
Book Reviews from September’20
Sunday personal posts from the month
Other posts from the month
I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.
From the Insta-world
Here is what I posted on Instagram during the month. Give me a follow, will you?
Pin me!
Let us chat
How has your September’20 been? How many books did you read during the month? What did you enjoy watching on Netflix and TV? Let’s talk.
