What I Read - July 2022

What I Read - July 2022
Photo by Aman Kumar / Unsplash

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner
This historical fiction story is set in San Francisco in 1906 on the eve of a major earthquake that devastates the city and upends the life of everyone in it including the main character, Sophie, who has recently realized that her unconventional home life is even more out of the ordinary than she knew. It has some really interesting twists and turns. The book is a quick, easy read. Recommend.

Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love by Jonathan Van Ness
I experienced this story via the audiobook which was read by the author (my favorite way to read a memoir or autobiography). This one did not disappoint. Jonathan has experienced a lot in his life and it was great to hear it from his perspective. This story is a hilarious journey from his childhood in a small midwestern town through branching out to explore himself and experience life along the way. He manages to write about his traumatic upbringing and chaotic early years with a wonderful sense of honesty and vulnerability while endearing himself to readers with his usual quirky sayings and humor. A great read even if you're not a fan of the "Queer Eye" show on Netflix.

Feminasty: The Complicated Woman's Guide to Surviving the Patriarchy Without Drinking Herself to Death by Erin Gibson
In this collection of essays, Erin Gibson covers so many women's issues from being shamed for period pain to abortion law and the hypocrisy of the makeup industry. It's infuriating and comforting at the same time.  I also read this one on audiobook, and I wouldn't actually recommend it that way. It's read by the author but she is basically yelling it the whole time. It was a bit much for me.