February 2025 Book Reads
1.
Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh
a.
Format: Paperback & Audiobook
b.
Series: Nope
c.
Thoughts:
I got a bunch of books from the library revolving around religion and
mastery of self.. this has been one of them that I hadn’t finished reading
before needing to return it. It’s a
small book but a slow read, slow in that pursuit of being mindful as I
evaluated/self-evaluated/listened/re-listened/read/re-read to allow things to
marinate; it’s not a shallow read and was apt timing.
2.
Into the Uncut Grass by Trevor Noah
a.
Format: Hardcover
b.
Series: Noperz
c.
Thoughts:
Short cute read, I especially liked the two snails handling of things.
3.
Powerful by Lauren Roberts
a.
Format: Audiobook
b.
Series: Yes, Powerless series, novella is 1.5
c.
Thoughts:
As one reviewer put it, you have to be a masochist to go into reading
this book if you’ve read book 1 but you can also be a wishful, hopeful,
personality as well thinking that some twist will be offered up. If you are the former or the latter and if
you might have felt a wee bit of emotion toward the scene at the end of
the book 1, be warned, be prepared, have the Kleenex on deck and be
gutted. I very nearly rated this on GR
thinking how choked up I got because the author doubled down because I don’t think
I felt as nearly as much I originally did when reading Powerless. Though this series, especially the first
book, has been compared and held in the same breath as the ‘Red Queen’, this
story, following Adena and Mak, actually reminded me of another series (a
series that was also mentioned in the same breath when speaking of Book 1, ‘The
Hunger Games’); when I first read Mockingjay and when this particular character
is killed I thought ‘all of this had been for one thing…’. And though Paedyn had not nominated herself
as tribute or anything of the sort there was something in the nature of those
scene, in the middle of the arena, and to read it from Adena’s POV that made me
thinking of Mockingjay. That said, this
will likely not make sense unless you’ve read these books but to be sure, while
it took me some time to get to this book, considering it's a novella, it was
the ticking clock of the impending return to the library that made me sit my
fanny down and consume it. To which I
entered a crying fit, fixed my face, only to have cry again, fix my face, and
even after finishing, think about that scene again to feel the emotion swell
once more. Very effective. The last book in the series is set to be
released later this year.
4.
The Answer Is…: Reflections On My Life by Alex
Trebek
a.
Format: Audiobook
b.
Series: n/a
c.
Thoughts:
I found myself jotting down little notes while reading this, mostly in
the beginning and maybe a couple things later on that caught my attention or
resonated. Though this is not a full
autobiography of delving deep into things, more like skimming the surfaces and
hitting some spots, it felt nice to read.
A majority of the book is read by Ken Jennings and there was something
about the audio in places that made me think it might’ve been recorded by Alex
from home or some other place besides a studio.
It didn’t take away from the experience, in fact, it just cemented that
sadness. I feel we all have our Jeopardy
stories and when you have that type of person, that iconic voice being invited
into your home regularly, there is sure to be a note of connection. Reading this then following up with Black
Privilege felt synchronistic. Even
reading about Alex’s father just deciding at random to change course. I did enjoy this read and it’s one I want to
add to my shelf as an old friend to come back to. Also, tears were had with this read. This book came out short of Alex’s bday and
later on that year he passed.
5.
Black Privilege: Opportunity Comes to Those Who
Create It by Charlamagne Tha God
a.
Format: Audiobook
b.
Series: n/a
c.
Thoughts:
This book is broken down by eight principles while being an
autobiography of Charlamagne’s path from the streets to the authentic radio
personality he is today. His ‘tell as I
see it’ approach when being on-air is reflected throughout his trials and there
was a term he used when talking about the roundabout ways life can lead you in
a different direction but how it all is ultimately apart of your path
(misdirection). This too feels like
another book friend worth having on the shelf.
There’s humor and truth but other thoughts that strike you while
reading. The ‘no weapon formed against
me shall prosper’ mental, which is funny because part of the reason Alex Trebek
ultimately decided on doing a memoir was to tell it in his own words, from
sharing his diagnosis to the actual memoir.
In short, this book points out that infamous rap battle of Eminem in
8-mile, if you know you know, but it’s of the I’m about to rob you of the artillery
you think you’ve amassed and do one better…
Worth rereading for sure.
“The Body Keeps the Score” was one of the books I had
intended as a February read. I’m still reading
through this and grappling with some of thoughts I’ve had while reading in parallel
to observations I’ve made.
Books on deck for March include-
1.
The Rivaled Crown by Holly Renee
2.
Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents by Isabel
Wilkerson
My official March reads are Sunrise on the Reaping by
Suzanne Collins and Skin by Ibi Zoboi.
I’ve also been thinking about books I’d like to
revisit/reread, My Sister, The Serial Killer being one… Not sure when though.
