Reading Wrap-Up: Humankind, A Storm of Sisters, The Summer of Broken Rules
Okay. I discovered Kindle Unlimited recently, and I’m having too much fun with it.
One of my favorite things is browsing bookstores, making lists of what I want to read, and bringing home armloads of physical books to add to my ever-expanding library (yes, I officially have stacks of books on my office floor because I’m out of shelf space). But the truth is, finding some of the titles I’ve wanted to read for years on this platform has been a delight.
A couple of months ago I listened to Stephen King’s On Writing (holy cow, I just looked to see if I could link a wrap-up for it, and I don’t have one because I read that in November of last year! time is flying), and he essentially laid it out like this for aspiring writers:
Stop wasting your relaxation time on anything that’s not reading.
He specifically called out television and movies, which were two of my comfort blankets and things I consumed because I liked to use them for story study posts here on the blog.
I still do that because it’s definitely possible to learn great story theory and structure from film and television, but the truth is that we are aspiring novelists—not aspiring screenwriters—and they are two very different mediums.
I realized this when I took King’s advice and essentially stopped spending my free time with film and television. Instead, I pick up a book, and I have noticed a massive leveling up in my writing, especially on a prose level, since I’ve been doing this. Not only that, I’m on track to read at least 120 books this year (my average has been more like 75).
If you’re an aspiring writer and need the reminder, here it is: the two BEST ways to improve your writing is by WRITING and READING. That’s not to say you can’t ever relax in other ways (I’m currently re-watching both Friends and Stranger Things—two of my all-time favorites), but reading more will make the biggest difference.
Honestly, I meant for this to be more of a life update than a tirade, but here we are. Whoops. Now onto the books I’ve been reading!
Humankind by Rutger Bergman (Nonfiction: Psychology/History)
Talk about a 180 from my last read (Blood Over Bright Haven).
This book poses the theory that humanity is good at its core. In doing so, Bergman dives into our evolutionary history, covering everything from pre-historic times through today. He also takes a closer look at some of the stories, studies, and historical moments you think you know (the Stanford Prison Experiment, for one—enlightening).
I found it inspiring, hopeful, and educational, and am so glad I read it. It was a pick for my cousin book club, and I can’t wait to discuss it in person!
Update: By the time I’m getting around to posting this, we had our book club and everyone gave this title a decently high rating (between 4-5 stars). We also had excellent discussions. If you need a pick for your club, I highly recommend!
A Storm of Sisters by Michelle Harrison (Middle Grade Fantasy)
This book is the fourth installment in the middle grade fantasy series, A Pinch of Magic. I have enjoyed my time with these book so much. In fact, in 2023, the third book made its way into my favorites of the year!
While number four didn’t have quite the same effect for me, the story was still enjoyable and enchanting.
Following three sisters and set in a wintery wonderland with a mystery at its center (not to mention, a friendly ghost), I was pleased to finish this series and will probably visit at least some of the books again at some point in the future.
The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther (YA Romance)
I loved this book. YA contemporary romance is a pretty easy mark for me. Not that I find winners every time I pick one up, but I love the extra angst, innocence, sweetness, and often whimsy that tends to come along with young adult stories.
In this case, I adored Meredith’s gigantic quirky family, the Martha’s Vineyard summer setting (yes, yes, yes!), the fun of Assassin (the game) as a background conflict, and the easy way she and Wit fell for each other—no games or unnecessary drama, and even when a misunderstanding/secret comes along, they work through it pretty fast, leaning into the trust they’ve built.
I read this on Kindle Unlimited, and instantly went out and bought a physical copy, along with one of the author’s other titles because her writing is so breezy and fun. If you’re a sucker for a sweet YA romance, I highly recommend.
