What I’m reading

As part of my 101 in 1,001 list, my goal is to read 50 books by October 2016. While I’m a self-proclaimed bookworm, finding time to read every day is something that I still occasionally struggle with. But give me a free afternoon paired with a frothy latte and I can tear through an entire best seller in an afternoon.

Though I’m not even 1/5 of the way there yet, here are a few of the books I’ve been enjoying lately:

The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
I first fell in love with Carlos Ruiz Zafón while I was living in Barcelona. Even translated into English, his prose are intoxicating and the love with which he describes Barcelona makes me ache to be back wandering its street. If that sounds interesting, try reading The Shadow of the Wind (La Sombra del Viento) first.

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
After reading a lot of positive reviews, I really wanted to love The Interestings. And I didn’t really. That’s not to say it’s a great book with well-developed characters and a grasp on time that truly captures what it’s like to grow older, but overall, I wasn’t wowed.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
I’ve always had a major soft spot for YA fiction. Maybe it’s because so much of it helped me through the tougher parts of growing up. But Eleanor & Park is one of those books that simultaneously hits you in the gut and pulls at your heartstrings, even if you’re not technically a “young adult” anymore.

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
As a lover of bookstores of all shapes and sizes, I was immediately excited for Robin Sloan’s novel. My excitement only grew when I realized it involved Googlers, 3D book store models and forbidden book scanning. I couldn’t get enough of Clay’s sardonic tone and his love for manic pixie dream girl Kat Potente.

Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk
The latest from social media guru Gary Vaynerchuk. A work-related reads but some great pointers for social media beginners.

Trial by Journal by Kate & Sarah Klise
Back to my love for YA fiction—Kate and Sarah Klise were one of my favorite literary duos growing up. I unearthed this dog-eared paperback the last time I visited my parents and spent a good part of my afternoon reading it on my bedroom floor.

The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan
The first time I read Marina Keegan’s essay “The Opposite of Loneliness” I bawled. Just flat out ugly cried for a good 15 minutes. I was headed into the summer before my senior year of college and had recently found my own version of “not quite love and not quite community.” I was even sadder to find out that just a week after her Yale graduation, Keegan died suddenly in a car accident. Her posthumous book of essays is one of the most beautiful things I’ve read in a long time, full of awkwardness and humor and the reality of what it’s like to be 23.