Books I Read in April

I can't tell you the last time I read five books in one month (maybe during a middle school summer when I was geeking out on Harry Potter, or Hunger Games, or something), but this April I read five books, and rekindled my love with daily reading. It likely has a lot to do with setting MASSIVE boundaries with social media (particularly instagram) this month as well, but that's not the focus of this post. I'm sure I'll share my thoughts on all of that soon.

Below is a brief review of each book. Perhaps someone is looking for a recommendation and will take one, but more likely this will just become a way for me to remember what I read.

1. After Aquarius Dawned - Judy Kutulas

This is a non-fiction book about, "How the revolutions of the sixties become the popular culture of the seventies," and I personally really enjoyed it. It does read a bit like a textbook, or perhaps even a dissertation, but it's super interesting stuff, particularly if you're interested in the history of media, the progression of identity politics, or the growth of consumerism. For me, as someone who never really paid attention to history in school, but is beginning to care now, it was super cool to learn about the social changes and societal progression during this time. A time that is truthfully not so removed from where we are now: when my parents were children, and grandparents were young adults. This book really opened my eyes to aspects of "Boomers" that I wasn't seeing before, and I truthfully made me realize how similar the world is now to how it was then. Sure there has been progression, and in some ways, a lot of it! But I feel like I learned that even if it seems like a lot has changed in 50-60 years, a lot is still really the same.

2. Lovely - Margaret Atwood

This is the most recent book of poetry from my all-time favorite author, Margaret Atwood, and I LOVED it. I will admit I am biased to (at least attempting) to love everything this woman has even written, but I'm not usually a huge poetry person, so I didn't expect a lot. But I was wrong. I sobbed, laughed, and sat in quiet reflection after many of the poems, wondering how evolved Atwood's soul must be to create work after work of greatness. That sounds dramatic, but I'm not even kidding, this work really evoked an emotional response from me, and I ended up journaling a lot of thoughts, and my own poems while reading. To me, reading something that makes you inspired to write, is some of the best work out there. These poems cover ideas around nature, the passing of time, loss, love, and illusions. They're incredible, and I highly recommend.

3. Fake Accounts - Lauren Oyler

Here we have another HIGHLY RECOMMEND. This book is realistic, modern, fiction, and I picked it out on a whim at barnes in noble one day when I was bored. The back cover drew me in when I read it was about a woman who, one night, when looking for a reason to break up with her long-time boyfriend, looked through his phone and found he had been secretly running a famous (like hundreds of thousands of followers) conspiracy theory instagram account. From there the story takes some turns, but I can't explain much without giving a lot away. I will say what I loved about this book was how well written it is, and relatable it feels to (I'm guessing) most millennials. It is, in some ways, a "think-piece" on technology and it's role in modern relationships, and life in general. I saw it as showing how technology can enhance already problematic patterns of toxicity, narcissism, or abuse, and how the idea of "portraying" ourselves as something instead of just "being" who we actually are, is a really easy trap to fall into. I'm making it sound pretty serious, but truthfully I laughed so much while reading this. The balance of humor and "sad truth" is really well done.

4. Becoming Supernatural - Dr. Joe Dispenza

This is an ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE non-fiction, scientific, personal-growth book. Holy crap I can't even begin to discuss it without just saying I really think everyone on the planet should read this. Dr. Joe Dispenza is, in general, amazing, and this book shows scientific proof, with measured results, of how meditation, breathing, and "manifesting" change lives. He discusses how we can literally change our DNA, heal our illnesses, have mystical experiences, and design our dream life, through the power of the mind. If you want step-by-step suggestions on how to expand and heal, in tandem with case-study stories, and the science behind how and why it works, then this book is a must for you. If you're at all into "spirituality" then this is great book to help you learn how to scientifically back up what is mystically happening to our energy levels when we connect to higher sources, or practice meditation. Really, really great book. I will say, it is simply written, but a little dense at some points, so I assume it's something I will read a few times, as I know there is more to gain that what I took in during my first reading.

5. Beloved - Toni Morrison

This is a fiction book, often referred to as "the best" work of LEGEND Toni Morrison, and it really is so, so good. I got this book after my I asked my "Literary Witches" oracle deck, "Who should I read next," and I drew Toni Morrison, I went to the bookstore that same day and got Beloved. More than anything, this book is stunningly written. It's about a freed slave, Sethe, who lives in a home haunted by her own dead daughter, who's tombstone reads, "Beloved." The physical haunting of the house juxtaposes the hauntings of memory from times at "Sweet Home" the ranch where Sethe was a slave. The story is heartbreaking, and also enlightening. It's poetic, and also gritty (something I think is expected from any Morrison work). I highly recommend to anyone who likes real, good, literature, and not just an easy to read, simple story.