Welcome to TBR Etc., a book recommendation blog.

Talking all things books and reading. Easily distracted by new releases.

Quick Lit | February 2017

Time for Quick Lit, where I link up with Modern Mrs Darcy (whose podcast I've been LOVING, by the way) to look back and what I've been reading over the past month. This is one of my favorite posts to do because it gives me the opportunity to review my recently read books and to link up with other bloggers!

The Wicked City | Beatriz Williams

Yay, a new Beatriz Williams book! I've only discovered this author last year, but she's quickly turned into one of my favorites. All of the books are told from the viewpoint of strong female leads that flash between the past and the present, and The Wicked City was no different. This book tells the story of Ginger, a flapper who finds herself caught up in the 1920's bootlegging business, and Ella, a modern day woman who is starting over after finding her husband in the act with a hooker.  I knew there was going to be a Schuyler connection, and I have to admit that this wasn't as strong as the books in the Schuyler Sister Series. That trilogy was largely written in the 1960s, and it felt like Williams was less connected to this decade. That said I still really enjoyed the book and I think it's going to be a trilogy, so I'm sure we'll get the chance to get any loose ends tied up.

Small Great Things | Jodi Picoult

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Jodi Picoult is one of the most impressive authors I've come across. She is so prolific. She's written something like 30 books, and they all deal with ethical issues that make you question what you thought you believed. Small Great Things is no different. It's about a black neonatal nurse who gets taken off of a patient's case because the patient's father is a White Supremacist. The patient codes while in her presence, and she's faced with an impossible choice: to intervene or not to intervene? This is one of my favorite Picoult books, right up there with Nineteen Minutes.

Big Magic: Creative Fear Beyond Living | Elizabeth Gilbert

This was definitely my surprise of the month. I bought this book sometime last year, because (if I'm being honest) I saw the gorgeous cover around Instagram and liked how it sounded. I only recently picked it up and I'm so glad I did. I realized what took me so long- because I don't think I'm creative enough to be worthy of thinking about creative living. Thats messed up, right? Big Magic is psychology, self-help, physics, and philosophy all rolled into one. Gilbert talks about ideas and how they are entities separate from humans. You need to have an open mind and be available when an idea comes looking for a host. Science folks might have trouble with some of the constructs, but I found that it was really an enjoyable read if I just went with it. It's inspiring, and now has a place on my workplace bookshelf. 

Born a Crime | Trevor Noah

Born a Crime is an autobiography written by South African comedian Trevor Noah. The subtitle is "Stories from a South African Childhood". Noah describes what it was like living life as literally, someone who was born a crime. It was illegal for blacks and whites to be together, so his very existence had to be hidden for much of his childhood. This was such a good book- probably my favorite autobiography I've read (ever?) Even if you don't know who he is, give it a go. It covers race, politics, crime, poverty, and family all with from Trevor Noah's pithy POV. I listed to this on Audible and would recommend, since you get the added bonus of listening to him speak different languages. Full review here

Siracusa | Delia Ephron

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This was probably my least favorite of the month, but I still called it a 4 star book! Siracusa is a twisted look at marriage, fidelity, and adulthood. Michael is married to Lizzie who used to date Finn who is married to Taylor. The couples go on vacation with Finn and Taylor's teenage daughter, Snow. The story is told from all of their points of view, and I was impressed with how well the story flipped from narrator to narrator. Not a one of the characters were likable, but the story still had enough surprises to make it work. A quick read! Full review here

Review: Behind Her Eyes | Sarah Pinborough

Born a Crime | Trevor Noah