Okay, so this book is kind of annoying but also compulsively readable. Most annoying: Ella (and her mom!) is referred to as exotic because she is Chilean so has “caramel skin” and blue eyes. 🙄 (Exotic is used THREE TIMES in the book. I mean, seriously. So annoying.) Also, at one point, Ella’s dad tells her that her mom ignored the fact that she was also half-white and has white traditions, which, again MASSIVE EYEROLL 🙄🙄🙄. What is a white tradition? Come on, white people. You can do better than that. [All of these moments happened when I was far along in the book and see above re: compulsively readable for why I didn’t stop reading. However, these are the things that keep a book from getting four or five stars is all I’m saying.]
Here is what’s making me happy this week. (For more info, see here.)
There is so much delightful TV on right now. My heart is happy. It’s so fun to watch TV and actually use it as a form of escapism. I mean, sure there is light torture on The Good Place and a murderous crimelord on Jane the Virgin. BUT OVERALL.
So, yes, the three TV shows making me happy this week:
1. Kevin Probably Saves the World
As I said on Facebook, I was hesitant to try this one because Kevin is visited by a messenger from God, which okay. But she is also kind of a magical Negro who is also a sassy best friend to guide him???Â
Anyway, I liked it. It’s sweet and has heart, and it’s all about someone trying to figure out what the right thing is to do and how to do it and helping people. I also really liked the focus on family and that the main love story seems to be between Kevin and his sister (but not in a twincest-y way–oh, internet you have ruined me). So, that is also A+. And the sister is a professor! (Engineering, but we can’t all be perfect.)
2. The Good Place
Chidi continues to be everything good and perfect in this world.
3. Jane the Virgin (slight spoilers for the premiere)
Listen, I miss Michael with the very fabric of my soul, but I also think Adam and Jane are super adorable (he wrote her love cue!!!), and Jane rolling on the floor trying to zip her dress had me rolling. Also, I wasn’t prepared for the dueling narrators, but I enjoyed that Adam’s is a woman and that she is so over Petra’s shenanigans.
And, yes, I know two of these shows are an hour long, but that’s just where I am right now.
1. I missed posting last week because I was grading, grading, grading. Now I’m caught up! Except not really because I got a fresh batch of papers at the end of last week. 😅 Ah, professor life.
2. This past week held two (two!) bookish events: (1) Robin Benway in conversation with Brandy Colbert to promote Benway’s new, shortlisted for the National Book Award book Far from the Tree and (2) Gabrielle Zevin, promoting her new book Young Jane Young. I have read neither of these books, but they are both on my TBR.
I took no pictures, but Robin Benway’s dress was super cute and Gabrielle Zevin has so much hair. Also–because I am a wonderful mother–I FaceTimed my daughter in to speak to GZ. Elsewhere is one of her favorites of all time, so it seemed only right.
3. Why is is that every time Apple does a system upgrade, the UI gets worse? Less intuitive, less attractive. Just…a mess. Anyway, this article talks about it, so I’m glad I’m not the only person constantly frustrated by how dumb the updates tend to be. I am seriously considering getting an Android when it’s time for me to upgrade.
4. I volunteered to have my first five pages workshopped in my creative writing class this coming Saturday, so I should probably write them, huh?
Jules is a complete whackadoo and I am here for it. I counted not one but three (three!) whackadoo things she says that my daughter has also said, so she felt very realistic for me. High achievers, man. Anyway, this is cute and fun and a delight.
I really liked this! Garland presents the women’s stories without commentary, which is very effective because she neither passes judgment nor offers advice. There’s also a really good diversity of stories and situations presented, so it’s pretty comprehensive in that way. I also liked the afterword (which, again, doesn’t pass judgment, though it does offer up some commentary about why women sometimes find themselves in these situations). My only complaint is that it’s TOO SHORT. Apparently, I could stand to read more about unhappy women and wives. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Garland also talks a little bit about each woman in a series on her blog, so I guess there is more out there.
Both of those count for the Clear A Shelf Challenge, btw. #winning
6. I am still making my way through the audiobook of A Bollywood Affair.
I am digging it, but I also realize that I probably would have been done reading it with my eyeballs by now. So that’s my way of saying I’m ready to be finished reading it. I am at the point of secrets being revealed now, so I’m almost there. Whew.
7. Okay, it is beyond time for me to go to bed, so I don’t have time to really talk about TV. Let me just end by saying that I am more than ready for the Jane the Virgin season premiere this Friday.
Kidlit version hosted by Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers and Jen of Teach Mentor Texts; original version hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.
So, the delightful Jenny from Reading the End has started Something on a Sunday to celebrate wins (no matter how big or small) in an effort to help temper or at least relieve some of the intense anxiety, anger, and/or pain a lot of us have been feeling lately.
Rules, man. Here they are:
The only guidelines are that you write about something that kept you on your feet that week, whether that’s a person that inspired you, an action you took that you’re proud of, a book or movie or TV show that nourished your heart, a self-care strategy that worked for you, a goofy event or moment that brought you joy. Whatever it is, every Sunday, I want you to tell me something that matters to you. If you don’t have enough energy for a post, tweet it at me (you can use the hashtag #SomethingonSunday).
The Englishist 