Quick Lit February 2021 Archives

If You Come Softly

by Jacqueline Woodson

From the publisher: "A lyrical story of star-crossed love perfect for readers of The Hate U Give, by national ambassador for children's literature Jacqueline Woodson - now celebrating its 20th anniversary, and including a new preface by the author. Jeremiah feels good inside his own skin. That is, when he's in his own Brooklyn neighborhood. But now he's going to be attending a fancy prep school in Manhattan, and black teenage boys don't exactly fit in there. So it's a surprise when he meets Ellie the first week of school. In one frozen moment their eyes lock, and after that they know they fit together - even though she's Jewish and he's black. Their worlds are so different, but to them that's not what matters. Too bad the rest of the world has to get in their way. Jacqueline Woodson's work has been called "moving and resonant" (Wall Street Journal) and "gorgeous" (Vanity Fair). If You Come Softly is a powerful story of interracial love that leaves readers wondering 'why' and 'if only...'"

Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First.

by Laura Tremaine

Wise, warm, and relatable, this is the perfect read for anyone interested in exploring how to use their words to deepen their relationships. I read it SO FAST because I wanted to read the story of it, but the themes and questions have stuck with me for years now.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers Book 1)

by Becky Chambers

A rollicking, big-hearted, constantly surprising space opera set in a future that feels good. This friendly and soothing sci fi story features the patched-together ship Wayfarer and its motley crew, who take on a mission so lucrative they’ll be set for years, should they succeed, but so dangerous they might die trying. The mission drives the story, but is almost beside the point in a book widely beloved not for exciting intergalactic exploits but for its seamless worldbuilding and palpable feeling of love and community. Like so many great science fiction writers, Chambers builds her story on big themes—friendship and love, gender and politics, mortality and prejudice—making the story every bit as smart as it is kind. This book kicks off the Hugo Award-winning Wayfarers series; the whole series is inclusive, diverse, and barrels of fun.

Reasons to Stay Alive

by Matt Haig

Haig says in the opening pages that he's attempting to do two things in this memoir: to lessen the stigma of mental illness by talking about it openly, and to "try and actually convince people that the bottom of the valley never provides the clearest view." I found this to be fascinating in its content, surprising in its scope and design, packed with good words about books and reading, and life-affirming in its conclusions. I highlighted extensively, copying nearly a page worth of quotes into my journal.

The Ex Talk

by Rachel Lynn Solomon

From the publisher: "Public radio co-hosts navigate mixed signals in Rachel Lynn Solomon's sparkling romantic comedy debut. Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can't imagine working anywhere else. But lately it's been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who's fresh off a journalism master's program and convinced he knows everything about public radio. When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show that her boss green-lights with excitement. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live, on air. Their boss decides Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts, given how much they already despise each other. Neither loves the idea of lying to listeners, but it's this or unemployment. Their audience gets invested fast, and it's not long before The Ex Talk becomes a must-listen in Seattle and climbs podcast charts. As the show gets bigger, so does their deception, especially when Shay and Dominic start to fall for each other. In an industry that values truth, getting caught could mean the end of more than just their careers."

The Echo Wife

by Sarah Gailey

Entertainment Weekly calls this "a trippy domestic thriller which takes the extramarital affair trope in some intriguingly weird new directions." From the publisher: "I’m embarrassed, still, by how long it took me to notice. Everything was right there in the open, right there in front of me, but it still took me so long to see the person I had married. It took me so long to hate him. Martine is a genetically cloned replica made from Evelyn Caldwell’s award-winning research. She’s patient and gentle and obedient. She’s everything Evelyn swore she’d never be. And she’s having an affair with Evelyn’s husband. Now, the cheating bastard is dead, and both Caldwell wives have a mess to clean up. Good thing Evelyn Caldwell is used to getting her hands dirty."

What Kind of Woman: Poems

by Kate Baer

I usually like to go through a poetry collection slowly over time, but I had a difficult time not inhaling this collection all at once—I had to force myself to put it down! By turns witty, tender, snarky, and gutting, always relatable, and never boring. Highly recommended, whether this is your first poetry collection or your hundredth.

Quick Lit February 2021

If You Come Softly

Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers Book 1)

Reasons to Stay Alive

The Ex Talk

The Echo Wife

What Kind of Woman: Poems

Find your next read with:

100 Book recommendations
for every mood

Quick Lit February 2021

If You Come Softly

Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers Book 1)

Reasons to Stay Alive

The Ex Talk

The Echo Wife

What Kind of Woman: Poems

Find your next read with:

100 Book recommendations for every mood

100 Book recommendations
for every mood