Written by Mina

Reading Roundup for August 2022

Welcome to August’s Reading Roundup!

In August 2022, I read three novels, one short story, four nonfiction books, one graphic novel, one comic collection, one comic book, and one magazine. I got these titles from three library systems, three independent book stores, one comic book shop, and Patreon.

Enjoy!

“Killswitch Volume 1”

“The Clairvoyant’s Daughter”

  • Author: Theresa J. McGarry
  • Author URL: https://twitter.com/TheresaJMcGarry
  • Acquisition Type: Purchased
  • Acquired From: Eagle Harbor Book Co.
  • Acquisition URLs: https://www.eagleharborbooks.com/ and https://twitter.com/EagleHarborBook
  • Format: Trade Paperback
  • Related Works: N/A
  • Notes: This book is both a police thriller and a romance. If you liked “Practical Magic,” then you may like this (we’ve got a psychic instead of a witch and a Texas lawman instead of an Arizona one). Agendas are moving against our heroes; driven by a primary antagonist who I found both creepy and scary, and a secondary antagonist who is morally ambivalent and Machiavellian. There’s also the romance between our primaries, which is both sweet and steamy. (Content Warning: There’s mention of abuse of children, including sexual abuse.)

“WatchTime Magazine: August 2022“

  • Publisher: Ebner Publishing Group
  • Magazine URLs: https://www.watchtime.com/ and https://twitter.com/WatchTime
  • Acquisition Type: Subscription
  • Acquired From: Subscribed from publisher.
  • Acquisition URL: https://www.watchtime.com/magazine/
  • Format: Paper Magazine.
  • Related Works: “WatchTime has sister magazines in Germany, Poland, Korea, Japan, China and India.”
  • Notes: Yep, I have a subscription to a paper magazine about wrist watches (& other timekeeping devices). They fascinate me, for a couple of reasons. First, time pieces are a blending of art & engineering. Second, I love how the technology in watchmaking has built consistently over centuries. In the modern tech industry, something that’s three years old may seem ancient; however in the watch world, there are ideas that were pioneered by Abraham-Louis Breguet (10 January 1747 – 17 September 1823) that are still in-use.

“Upon Your Honor”

“By the Book”

  • Author: Jasmine Guillory
  • Author URLs: https://www.jasmineguillory.com/ and https://twitter.com/thebestjasmine
  • Acquisition Type: Borrowed from Library
  • Acquired From: Pierce County Library System
  • Acquisition URLs: https://www.piercecountylibrary.org/ and https://twitter.com/PierceCoLibrary
  • Format: Ebook
  • Related Works: This is part of Disney’s “Meant to Be” novel series, which also includes “If the Shoe Fits” by Julie Murphy.
  • Notes: This is a modern-day retelling of (Disney’s) “Beauty & the Beast,” set in the publishing industry. If you get how perfect this setup is for me to fall in love with, then you get a lot about me. It’s a tale as old as time; you’re going to come to it for the familiar comfort of two people falling in love while they argue with each other, right? And as icing on this cake of a book, the main characters are BIPOC.

“Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians”

“Choosing a Jewish Life: A Handbook for People Converting to Judaism and for Their Family and Friends”

  • Author: Anita Diamant
  • Author URLs: https://anitadiamant.com/ and https://twitter.com/AnitaDiamant
  • Acquisition Type: Purchased
  • Acquired From: Powell’s
  • Acquisition URLs: https://www.powells.com/ and https://twitter.com/Powells
  • Format: Trade Paperback
  • Related Works: The author also wrote “Living a Jewish Life.”
  • Notes: The author was born Jewish, and her husband is a Jew-by-Choice. If you have any curiosity about what the journey to becoming Jewish may be like, then this is a good book to read. AD groups chapters into themed sections, which can guide you through the experience. I recommend this book for both those considering the pilgrimage home to being a member of the Jewish community, and to those who love someone considering this personal and important path. (I bought two copies of the book; one for myself, and one for Beloved.)

“Becoming Eve: My Journey from Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi to Transgender Woman”

  • Author: Abby Chava Stein
  • Author URLs: http://www.abbychavastein.com/ and https://twitter.com/AbbyChavaStein
  • Acquisition Type: Purchased
  • Acquired From: Eagle Harbor Book Co.
  • Acquisition URLs: https://www.eagleharborbooks.com/ and https://twitter.com/EagleHarborBook
  • Format: Trade Paperback
  • Related Works: N/A
  • Notes: Rabbi Stein has an engaging writing style; I read this book much faster than I normally read. It’s an honest reflection on her life; at times crushing, and at times beautiful. While much in her life was different from mine, there were precious moments of resonance; if you’re trans and grew-up in a strict religious environment, you may find comfort in this book (&/or you may want to share it with others, to help them understand an experience like this).

If you’re curious to hear Rabbi Stein speak about her life (& other things), here’s a pair of recent YouTube videos for you:

  • “Moving Beyond Tolerance: Uncovering the Holiness Within Each of Us, Rabbi Stein, 8/12/22” https://youtu.be/oWrJHr8bDzw (22 minutes)
  • “From Hasidic Rabbi to Transgender Rabbi/Educator, Rabbi Abby Stein, 8/13/22” https://youtu.be/0rpfsI1KTG8 (1 hour, 49 minutes) (It’s not you; there’s nothing happening for the first eleven minutes of this video.)

“Since Sinai: A Convert’s Path to Judaism”

  • Author: Shannon Gonyou
  • Author URL: https://twitter.com/GonyouShannon
  • Acquisition Type: Purchased
  • Acquired From: Eagle Harbor Book Co.
  • Acquisition URLs: https://www.eagleharborbooks.com/ and https://twitter.com/EagleHarborBook
  • Format: Trade Paperback
  • Related Works: N/A
  • Notes: “It was just like Judaism to be there at the right times, offering itself to me patiently…” – page 94 of “Since Sinai.” Throughout the book, SG expresses the joyful tug of Judaism; like your soul is being invited Home. In this memoir of her journey from Catholic girl to Jewish woman, she shares a story filled with warmth, humor, and insight; and touches of pain. Like me, you may be considering a similar journey; or you may be curious about why someone may be drawn to this path; whatever your reasons, I hope this thoughtful and heartfelt tale engages you like it did me; my copy is now adorned with post-it notes, for passages I want to return to. At the top of page 177 (in Chapter 11), she shares her personal creed; it’s a beautiful statement of belief, and it arises naturally out of a conversation with a girl preparing for her Bat Mitzvah; SG says, “I believe in a different God than I used to…But more than that, I believe in the Jewish community…” (I’m just teasing the paragraph here, to help you locate it when you buy the book.) If my path leads me from Catholic girl to Jewish woman, I pray that when people ask me questions, I have the joy and eloquence that SG shares with us in her story.

“Fun home: a family tragicomic”

“The Variants #3”

“Valour and Vanity”

And that wraps-up my Reading Roundup for August 2022. I’ll see you again for September’s!

Love,
Library Girl (aka Mina)

https://library-girl.com and https://twitter.com/librarygirl/

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