Week 3: February 13th - Reading

Hopefully the 13th is not an unlucky day (or an unluckier-than-usual day) for you all! I've gotten a little more reading done compared to last week:

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M Johnson: We need more books like this and we need to protect books like this at all costs.

Should you read this? Absolutely, 1000% - in world that is increasingly hostile to young queer Black boys, having a memoir from this perspective aimed directly at the young adult audience is so very important. Johnson has a powerful authorial voice, and his reading of the audiobook is striking and emotional. While I definitely think this would hit harder if I was still considered a young adult, this is a must-read for the demographic.

We Can Never Leave by H.E. Edgemon: Fuck man.

Should you read this? Yes - this is the perfect book to pick up when it releases this summer. This is my first dip into reading an ARC before publication (hence the detour from Black History Month - the review is due by March!), and what a book to have first. If you love dark, atmospheric YA stories about reconciling trauma with your own trail of anger and grief, then this is the book for you. I cannot wait to dig into more of Edgmon's work, truly.

Bless The Blood: A Cancer Memoir by Walela Nehanda: This is going to go down as one of the best memoirs of the 21st century, just you watch.

Should you read this? I am begging you to - this is absolutely one of my favorite memoirs and will go down as one of the best of the decade if not the century. Nehanda has such a strong grasp of language and rhythm that the audiobook is a necessary experience. This is a raw, visceral look at the ugly sides of cancer as well as the ableism and racism of the medical industry. It's powerful, it's heartbreaking, and it's so deeply real. Definitely going to be one of my favorites of the year - top 10 if not top 5 at least.

Thankfully this weekend I have nothing else planned, so I am going to just catch up on some reading and knock out some smaller books on my pile. Stay tuned!