I watched Encanto while housesitting and ended up in a puddle on the floor.
This movie is INTENSE.
It absolutely deserved the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
If you haven’t yet, please watch it.
I found this book tag, created by Passport to Eden over on BookTube, on It’s Just a Coffee Addicted Bibliophile.
The Family Madrigal
name a book that explores multiple family generations
Family ties and multiple generations are big themes in Girl, Woman, Other.
Often, the perspective of one character is followed by the perspective of their mother or grandmother.
There’s a very moving and satisfying reunion at the end of the book that brings everything full circle. RECOMMEND.
Waiting on a Miracle
what is a book you enjoyed that took longer than expected to finish?
I wanted to speed read House of Sky and Breath.
I didn’t have the emotional bandwidth.
It took me a month and a half to read this.
As with the first book, I read the first half in several weeks and the second half in several hours.
Surface Pressure
name a character who has to do it all
A Deadly Education stressed me out because not only did El have to stay on top of homework and teach herself magic–she had to do this while dodging monsters and staying alive.
She RARELY got a good night’s sleep, which is honestly more horrifying to me than monsters.
I guess this book was supposed to be darkly humorous, but I couldn’t stop cringing.
We Don’t Talk About Bruno
talk about a book you haven’t talked about
I haven’t talked about My Broken Languages because I’m still not sure how.
Quiara Alegria Hudes’s writing is so personal, it’s at times hard to read.
She writes honestly about the more painful intersections of her identity and offers an accurate look at the assholery of music school.
I liked the parts about Santeria and the wishy-washiness of faith best.
I love that Hudes uses her art to honor her family. She’s done a lot.
What Else Can I Do?
name a book that you thought would be light and fluffy but hit emotionally
Who gave All the Feels permission to make me weep?
Spoiler Alert covered emotional abuse and fatphobia, so I wrongly assumed that the follow-up would GIVE ME A BREAK.
NOPE. DOMESTIC ABUSE, NEURODIVERGENCE, AND SHAME.
OH, ALSO A HEALTH CARE WORKER WHO THINKS TAKING CARE OF HERSELF IS SELFISH.
I AM SOBBING.
Dos Oruguitas
characters who make you believe in soulmates
Listen.
Lis-ten.
Aziraphale and Crowley from Good Omens are soulmates.
I don’t care what anyone says.
The part that gets me EVERY TIME is Crowley running into a burning building to save Aziraphale.
When he can’t find him, he drives off on a roaring rampage of revenge.
I’m obsessed.
All of You
name a book that features rebuilding relationships
Once Ghosted, Twice Shy is a second chance romance novella that made me cry.
It made me feel weirdly hopeful about both romance and ghosting.
I can’t tell if this is a bad thing or not.
Anyway, Alyssa Cole wrote a satisfying reunion in under 200 pages. I can’t stress enough how good this book is.
Colombia, Mi Encanto
name a book that left you immersed in the culture
The most positive thing I can say about State of Wonder is that I felt immersed in the culture of Brazil.
I was surprised to learn the Lakashi people aren’t real. Could’ve fooled me.
I didn’t hate this book. It definitely wasn’t what I expected, though.
I was told it was a love story, so I kept looking for love interests in every male character.
I…should not have done that.
That was the Encanto book tag!
If you’re looking for a well-made, meaningful movie about family trauma, go watch it!
If you’re looking for a terrible movie with all the depth of a cereal spoon, try Diana: The Musical on Netflix.
Narrative Paradise 