2022 ONTD Reading Challenge discussion

Discuss the book(s) you read this month!

I read When We Left Cuba which I mostly liked but I hated the main love interest and I feel that while the author criticized American politics heavily, the end kind of refuted that a bit which made the whole thing feel a bit wishy washy. Still rated it 4 stars.

Will be reading Like Water for Chocolate hopefully so I'll comment again with those thoughts once I read it.

I've read: Afro-Cuban Tales, The Housekeeper and the Professor and Convenience Store Woman* so far.

Afro-Cuban Tales was interesting, because in the introduction they mention they're a little more like Aesop's fables than fairy tales. The good guy doesn't always get a happy ending.

The Housekeeper and the Professor was sweet. It's just a short, feel-good book with a love of math.

Convenience Store Woman* was a roller coaster ride. I enjoyed it at first, then was wary where it was going and didn't like what was happening, and then the ending happened and I was pleased but not happy.

edited: Finished reading My Sister, the Serial Killer* The book is exactly what it says on the tin, but it does have some dark humor and a messed up family who loves each other.
also been reading this series set in Quebec, Canada, which I've never been to Quebec, but still doesn't quite count. :)

*=ontd rec

I read The Shadow of the Wind, which I'd hear good things about, and ended up with a complicated opinion about it.

It gripped me from the start, and then it sort of plateaued for about 200 pages that took me forever to get through, where the main character is Stupid About Women with little exposition interspersed throughout to remind you that there's a mystery to solve. About halfway through it picks up again, only to end up in a massive exposition dump.

The mystery was very lukewarm and easily guessable.

I also wasn't really a fan of the way most women are portrayed very one dimensionally as opposed to even the most bit part men being complex and well described.

And yet I can't bring myself to hate the thing, because the atmosphere is so good, the worldbuilding, and the way the beautiful language just drew me into the story.

I FINISHED A Suitable Boy, and have mixed feelings. Seth's writing was very well done, and it was always an understandable and engaging book, but it was so bloated with side plots and characters that at points it dragged. Especially since so few of these side stories fed into the main story of Lata trying to find a husband that was suitable to both her and her mother. I felt that the book would have benefited from being pared down instead of trying to tell all the stories of post-Colonial India at once, but I think I would still recommend the book.

I read Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor.



When a massive object crashes into the ocean off the coast of Lagos, Nigeria’s most populous and legendary city, three people wandering along Bar Beach (Adaora, the marine biologist- Anthony, the rapper famous throughout Africa- Agu, the troubled soldier) find themselves running a race against time to save the country they love and the world itself… from itself.

I liked this book but didn't love it. Something felt off about the plot, I don't know if it was the pacing or if there was some sort of explanation/final impact that was missing. The characters were great though and the writing is fantastic. 3 stars.

I finished The Long Call, I really enjoyed it. Just a really nice mystery.

I started My Sister, the Serial Killer last night and it seems like it will be a quick read so i am sure i will finish it before the end of the month. It's great so far, i can't wait to see how it unfolds.

I read A Thousand Splendid Suns and I really enjoyed it. It was a perfect choice for this task because not only was it a great story but it did provide a (basic tbf) history of the past few decades in Afghanistan and I am happy I learned something new about the country I have never been to. Plus every time I read a book focused on women and their friendship to each other it is always a welcome treat.

Sasha wrote: "I've read: Afro-Cuban Tales, The Housekeeper and the Professor and Convenience Store Woman* so far.

Afro-Cuban Tales was interesting, because in the i..."

Sasha wrote: "also been reading this series set in Quebec, Canada, which I've never been to Quebec, but still doesn't quite count. :)"
Which series set in Quebec did you read? I live in Quebec and I always love to read books set here. :)

Read China Rich Girlfriend and the food descriptions just made me hungry.

Also picked up and flew through another re-read of Meg Cabot's "Every Boy's Got One" (which I consider the weakest of the "Boy" books but that's like saying I like it least of the Harry Potter books.) Even though I've been to Italy, I've never been to the Adriatic Coast or Le Marche, which is where most of the book takes place.

I finished The Lost City of Z and it was decent despite being a bit difficult to get through. I think non-fiction when I'm not 100% into the subject matter is just not my jam. However, the author's writing was good and I feel it was well-paced and very well researched. However, what really helped me was watching the movie because I got more of a sense of the main story so it ended up being easier to follow the book along.

I just finished Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster this morning and I really enjoyed it (as much as you enjoy a book about such tragic events.) I wrote a proper review on it so you can go peek at that if you're interested!

I'm a lil disappointed that I don't have time to go back to Milkman before the month is over; I started it before Into Thin Air but was feeling too dumb for something so dense, even though I was liking it, and now I just wanna go read something for the June challenge instead lol.

It took me a few extra days, but I read the Engelsfors trilogy (The Circle, Fire, The Key) by Sara Elfgren and Mats Strandberg, which is set in a fictional Swedish town, and I loved it. I learned that upon graduation, Swedish secondary school students wear caps they could use to become cruise captains, or Thurston Howell III cosplayers. Thanks to the people who recommended the series in book posts years ago! I'm glad I finally read it.

I read The Devourers by Indra Das, a queer werewolf horror/fantasy set in 17th century and present day India. It hit so many of my buttons (monsters, complex parent/child relationships, queer gender identity and sexualities), and the writing of the setting, present day and historical, was so vivid and gorgeous. Really made me want to visit Agra and New Delhi lol

I finally finished my March nonfiction Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right which was illuminating and my book for May One of Us: The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway which made it hard for me not to cry at work. It's the first book / reporting I've read that felt like a proper tribute to the victims. I learned a lot about them and through them (and the background of the perpetrator) a lot about Norway.

I read My Fair Concubine which is set in Ancient China. I enjoyed it!

I’m counting the two books from The Agency series (Body at the Tower and... I can’t remember the other. Spy in the House?) I read, since they’re set in London. They were meh. I might read the last one or two at some point but I’m not in a big hurry. But they are quick reads, and I like that a lot! Lol.

I looked through my shelf and realized I read more books set in other countries than I thought!


South Africa


Egypt


England


Also England


Nigeria


Iceland


the Congo