865 words
7 minute read
11. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Genre: Fantasy
Disability Representation: Yes
Rating: 4 Wheels
Age Range: 14+
Excerpt of Goodreads Summary:
They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.
Now we rise.
What I Thought: Amazing, powerful story. I'm so excited that this is the first in a series! I'll definitely be checking out the rest.
Disability representation - the main character's father is disabled, I believe.
12. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Genre: Historical Fiction
Disability Representation: Not sure
Rating: 1 Wheel
Age Range: 18+
Excerpt of Goodreads Summary: Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. Life is hellish for all the slaves but especially bad for Cora; an outcast even among her fellow Africans, she is coming into womanhood - where even greater pain awaits.
What I Thought: Really difficult for me to follow. Probably would not reread this one again. Took a long time to get going on, and a longer time to finish.
13. Roots by Alex Haley
Genre: Historical Fiction
Disability Representation: Yes
Rating: 4 Wheels
Age Range: 18+
Excerpt of Goodreads Summary: When he was a boy in Henning, Tennessee, Alex Haley's grandmother used to tell him stories about their family—stories that went back to her grandparents, and their grandparents, down through the generations all the way to a man she called "the African." She said he had lived across the ocean near what he called the "Kamby Bolongo" and had been out in the forest one day chopping wood to make a drum when he was set upon by four men, beaten, chained and dragged aboard a slave ship bound for Colonial America.
What I Thought: I was 10 years old when I first saw the Roots miniseries from the 70's as it reaired for several nights in the early 90's. I watched scenes in history class in high school. But it was not until the incredible 2016 miniseries that Tara and I decided we had to read the book.
It took us nearly 2 years (with a long break) but we did finish it. The book depicts so much, drives home so much. It forced me to confront my white guilt and to sit with it for 900 pages.
I was intrigued by this early disability representation as Kunta Kinte (and countless other enslaved people) were maimed for attempting to escape. I noticed the author's use of the word "crutching," as a verb, because I'd never seen it before. (But am reading a more current book now, ironically, that uses the same term.
I'm going to quote Tara here when I say, "Do yourself a favor and pick this book up, and then read every page."
14. Second Glance by Jodi Picoult
Genre: Fiction
Disability Representation: Yes
Rating: 3 Wheels
Age Range: 18+
Excerpt of Goodreads Summary: When odd, supernatural events plague the town of Comtosook, a ghost hunter is hired by the developer to help convince the residents that there's nothing spiritual about the property. An intricate tale of love, haunting memories, and renewal.
What I Thought: This has long been my favorite Jodi Picoult novel and one I've returned to over and over through the years. This is the first year I reread it and actually liked it less.
A big part of that is realizing how the children in the book (one with XP, a genetic condition that makes his skin unable to repair itself after being exposed to UV light) are neglected.
I still really enjoyed the book, but I couldn't give it my customary 4 Wheels, this time.
15. Any Man by Amber Tamblyn
Genre: Fiction
Disability Representation: Yes
Rating: 4 Wheels
Age Range: 18+
Excerpt of Goodreads Summary: A violent serial rapist is on the loose, who goes by the name Maude. She hunts for men at bars, online, at home— the place doesn’t matter, neither does the man. Her victims then must live the aftermath of their assault in the form of doubt from the police, feelings of shame alienation from their friends and family and the haunting of a horrible woman who becomes the phantom on which society projects its greatest fears, fascinations and even misogyny. All the while the police are without leads and the media hound the victims, publicly dissecting the details of their attack.
What I Thought: This was amazing.
We read the audiobook for this one (having been fans of Amber Tamblyn, Russ Tamblyn and Jason Ritter when all three starred on the early 2000's drama, Joan of Arcadia together.) Knowing that they all lent their talents to the audiobook, Tara and I could not pass up the opportunity to listen to them read this.
A stunning, strong, creative debut novel, it deals with the aftermath of sexual assault - including trauma, anxiety, depression, eating disorders etc. Any Man will make you take a second look at the world we live in, and accomplishes the difficult task of telling a common story in an uncommon way, while still engrossing the reader. Highly recommend. Definitely a favorite new read this year.
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