September 2020 – Lovely Bookshelf

September 2020 Reading Wrap-Up

September 30, 2020

September was a little slow for me reading-wise, but Hurricane Sally was a direct hit here, so there were a lot of other things…

cover image for the sacrifice of darkness

The Sacrifice of Darkness by Roxane Gay and Tracy Lynne Oliver

September 28, 2020

The world feels especially dark and heartless right now, which makes perfect timing for The Sacrifice of Darkness. This strangely hopeful, empowering graphic novel…

The Mindful Universe by Mark Westmoquette

September 24, 2020

The Mindful Universe is a mindfulness book like none other I’ve ever read. Written by astronomer Mark Westmoquette, this book communicates the depth of…

Odessa by Jonathan Hill

September 17, 2020

In Jonathan Hill’s Odessa, three siblings search for their mother in a post-apocalyptic United States, several years after a major earthquake has separated California…

Murder with Oolong Tea by Karen Rose Smith

September 15, 2020

I was in the mood for a cozy mystery, and Karen Rose Smith’s Murder with Oolong Tea delivered. I loved the tea shop setting…

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

September 4, 2020

“My body is not my own.” I’m speechless and my stomach is in knots. The social commentary in Sayaka Murata’s Earthlings (translated by Ginny…

Father Guards the Sheep by Sari Rosenblatt

September 4, 2020

The Iowa Short Fiction Award consistently gives us wonderful short story collections like Sari Rosenblatt’s Father Guards the Sheep. These are strong, character-driven stories…