What do you do when you are in a reading rut? (April 2022 reads)

I was in a reading rut until I came across the Graphic Novel Reading Challenge hosted by the Los Angeles City Public Library. The challenge was to read graphic novels through March and into early April. It was a fun way to get myself out of a reading rut.

I felt like most of the books I’ve read this year were intense and serious. According to my Storygraph, the majority of the books I read are informative, emotional, and reflective. 70% of my reading this year are non-fiction. I thought reading a light-hearted young adult book would lift things up and it did not do the trick. When I participated in the Graphic Novel Reading Challenge, I discovered how enjoyable graphic novels can be (even if the topics were not so fun and light-hearted). What I like about graphic novels is that it presents really hard and complicated topics into something that is easy to understand without infantilizing the message.

February 2022 reads

…or shall I say read. There were plenty of books I read, but I wanted to finish The Final Revival of Opal and Nev from beginning to end.

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton

“How did I not just let life run me over? I’m sorry, I don’t usually use this word, but it’s because f*(|< that. I believe in myself above all.”

Dawnie Walton, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev

This book has an unusual format through a series of interviews a la VH1 “Behind the Music.” Across four decades it goes back and forth with the interview format with the main characters and other music industry folk and family, the Editor’s notes, and “present day” with the main character, S. Sunny Shelton, who has a connection with the band. Opal and Nev is a fictional short-lived interracial rock-and-rock duo in the 1970s — don’t expect it to be a story about interracial romance because this is not it. The story focuses on Opal, the African-American half of the duo, who had to deal with racism throughout her musical career. As her fame and voice diminished into obscurity, Nev’s star rose. Then you have Sunny devoted to weaving the story of Opal and Nev. There’s more to it, but I don’t want to spoil any of it. I guess I was expecting a long epic musical career, but that may have been naive of me.

I’ve been on the waiting list for this book for many weeks in the library and I finally got it! It arrived in time for Black History Month! Though the theatre kid in me enjoyed acting out each character, I would re-read this book in audiobook format to hear their take on it. Plus there were some lyrics sprinkled in the book where I would like to catch the tune through the magic of audiobooks. When I read it, I really tried my best punk rock impression.

#whatsonyourbookshelfchallenge: Deb, Sue, Donna, and Jo. 

December #whatsonyourbookshelfchallenge

Here are some books I finished in November going into December. I can’t believe I’ve gone through an entire year reading at least 21 minutes per day! Even after this year is over, I can’t imagine a day when I am NOT reading something.