Mid-Year Book Freak Out 2023

2023 has been about escape. Fantasy worlds and alternate realities feel so safe, outside of the terribleness of life in general.

I’m excited to share 4 books that have helped me through a lonely time. Another 4 reviews are coming soon. I have big feelings that must be shared!

#1 – Book that made me happy

The Hereafter Bytes – By Vincent Scott

This story is about Romeo, a man who no longer has a bio body. His life is surprisingly normal: work, friends, financial woes. This comedy sci-fi was everything I wanted! Romeo’s dominatrix bestie Abigail is in a life-or-death predicament, prompting a literal and digital highspeed chase. Will loyalty to his chosen family lead to Romeo to saving the world?

Digital-life is layered over real-life in this futuristic society. Digital grafitti decorates the city – a positive, artistic effect of techno-media! The negative side of technological advancement exists, too. “Ghosts” like Romeo require real-world infrastructure to enjoy digital utopia, which costs money. Prejudice is evident in the inability of drones to identify ghosts like Romeo as people. He is used to being entirely ignored in public.

In circumstances where Romeo is misjudged, we realize how non-human he seems to the outside eye. But, most of the time, we experience him as an average human with friends, a routine, natural emotions, and wicked wit. It’s a juxtaposition of community and otherness in a minority citizen.

#2 – Biggest surprise

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret – By Judy Blume

Margaret Simon is experiencing a very normal childhood in which her parents move house, from Brooklyn to suburban New Jersey. She’s a well-mannered girl. Clean, polite, thoughtful.

We are privy to Margaret’s prayers as she looks for God in various places, questions her identity, and fears being an outsider. Her new social circle will teach her to choose carefully who is deserving of trust. And, after all, can she trust God?

I, a very spiritual and curious book lover, have finally read ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret‘. I relate to Margaret’s yearning for a relationship with The Creator. As a child, I often found it was easier to “find God” alone rather than in a church. Although Margaret’s parents want her to choose for herself, their own issues with religion complicate her search.

I am familiar with Blume by way of ‘The Tales Of The Fourth Grade Nothing‘ and ‘Blubber‘. I learned what a crush feels like through Peter’s POV. I witnessed the devastation of bullying with Jill. Blume precisely captures the pre-teen experience. Revisit a time when your body seemed an entire, unknowable world and society seemed a mass of contradictions.

#3 – Best audiobook

Highly Suspicious And Unfairly Cute – By Talia Hibbert

This is a tale of Awkwardness, Sass, and Revenge. Two over-achieving students compete for a scholarship, realizing their antagonism has many layers.

I loved being in Celine’s head. She is biting, protective, confident, inspired! Celine excels at unraveling conspiracy theories for her popular channel, but she often fails to understand people. And Brad brings out the absolute worst in her! He’s maddeningly cheerful, calm, popular…

In Brad’s head, we feel Celine’s distain. Surely he can tolerate her presence long enough to win a scholarship, despite the competition involving teamwork, leadership skills and (ew) camping outdoors. (Cue disaster!)

I’m not an audiobook expert, but I think the directing was great and the performances were special! Mental health is an important theme with Brad’s ever-present OCD and the pressures on Celine to support her single-parent family. This fast-paced drama has indeed lived up to its title ‘unfairly cute‘.

#4 – Best Book Of 2023 so far

Now That You Mention It – By Kristan Higgins

Trigger Warnings: Assault, Sexual Assault, Reference to bullying, mental illness, substance abuse, disordered eating.

Do you love a messy main character? Uncovering painful secrets? Multiple generations of family reconnecting? I don’t think I’ve forgotten a single detail since reading this in February. It’s that all-consuming. To tell you would ruin the book, so I will set the scene instead.

This story opens on the main character’s (almost) death. Death by exterminator van. Or, really, death by agreeableness. Because isn’t agreeableness the reason she’s running out for pizza when her hospital shift is over? Isn’t she so perfect, so kind, so competent? A fabulous, lustrous, energetic main character, truly!

A tiny step into the street shakes Nora Stuart out of stagnance. She realizes it’s time to look deeper at how she’s living this life, starting by repairing family connections. As we follow Nora to her island hometown, we learn about the strength and trauma beneath the unflappably cheerful exterior.

Changing it up

Things are good – so firmly good that I feel empowered to choose the direction my life is taking. Reading is once again fueling my passion! I’m no longer only using books for escape.

In the second half of 2023, I aim to blog about more books that I loved. And then what? Let’s find out!

A regular day selfie without makeup, just me.

Thank you for reading. 💙