Tamara is really good at reading. She reads every day. What a superstar!
Hilarious and weird in all the right ways. Batuman helped me feel compassion for my younger self that made questionable and arguably dumb decisions while trying to look intelligent and cool in front of my crush. This is the only book I've ever re-read and I want to read it over and over again. -Tamara
Miriam Toews is sneakily becoming one of my all-time favorite authors. Her ability to combine humor, pain, and emotion is so incredibly clever. Toews navigates suffering in such a gentle way, it feels like she’s holding my hand. AND she has me cracking up throughout the entire novel. Swiv and her grandma are hilarious! Fight Night is perfect for anyone who loves to laugh and for anyone who has a grandma, is a grandma, or has ever met a grandma. -Tamara
These stories left me feeling shaken and angry and seen and validated. I want to go out and read every single thing Carmen Maria Machado has written. Wow. Just wow.
This is the best fantasy book I have read in a while. I absolutely fell in love with the characters and the colorful Mesoamerican world Huerta creates for us. This book is truly a gift and I can’t wait for the sequel!!! -Tamara
There are certain books that, when you finish reading them, make you want to tell everyone in your life to stop doing what they’re doing and read that book. Homegoing is one of those books for me. -Tamara
This book has a very special place in my heart. bell hooks made me feel SEEN!! She not only validated my longing to give and receive love but she also challenged me to reflect on some of the ways I was subconsciously contributing to a patriarchal and ageist approach to love and body positivity. An important read for all, no matter the gender!
I pretended to work for two days straight because I could not put this book down! Octavia Butler does not disappoint! -Tamara
Lilith’s Brood Series:
- Dawn
- Adulthood Rites
- Imago
I will never stop talking about this series! Butler creates a world so vivid and colorful and weird; I gobbled it up! We meet the strange, tentacle wielding Oankali aliens as they attempt to save humans from themselves. Along with a brilliant world building that’s effortless and easy to follow, Butler explores humanity’s hierarchical and predatory nature. Are humans doomed to destruction? If given a fresh start, can we avoid destroying all our resources?
Sometimes I struggle to articulate how I feel about a book but I still want everyone to know that I absolutely loved this book and you will too.
My new favorite short story collection! It’s rare that I love every short story in a collection but I loved every single one in This is not Miami!