What I read in January:Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS by Joby Warrick: I don’t pay as much atte
What I read in January:Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS by Joby Warrick: I don’t pay as much attention to global affairs as I’d like, so I picked up this book on ISIS that made a host of top books of 2015 lists. I’m so glad I did. The writing was really engaging, especially for subject matter that could be dry. Highly recommended for anyone looking to understand ISIS, how the Syrian refugee crisis became so dire, the US’s presence in Iraq, and more.Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling: Oh, Mindy Kaling, I love you. A fun, quick read. The Cartel by Don Winslow: In December I read the prequel to this book, The Power of the Dog. These books are truly amazing – fictionalizing Mexico’s relationship with drug cartels and the narcos. In The Cartel, the El Chapo-esque head narco escapes from jail and once again reshuffles the deck of power among the different cartels in Mexico. The story is told through alternating viewpoints, including the DEA, journalists, activists, children sucked into the trade, and more.Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier: This seems to fall on the all-time favorite lists of many writers I admire. Now I know why. Our unnamed heroine is swept out of her dull life as the companion to an older woman, marrying the wealthy widower in possession of Manderley, a sprawling historic estate. Her good fortune is immediately called into question when she realizes Rebecca, his deceased wife, is very much alive in the hallways of Manderley.Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy: Such a fun and well-written YA novel. Willowdean does her best to be comfortable in her own skin as a self-proclaimed fat girl, made more difficult by her former pageant queen mother. Dumplin’, as her mother calls her, is a narrator you root for as she deals with first crushes, high school bullies, and finding her own way. Loved. -- source link
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