Reading Wrap-Up: March 3-16, 2025

Forgot to post last week, but alas, it's Sunday once again.

Currently Reading:

• Disney High: The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of Disney Channel's Tween Empire by Ashley Spencer - I knew as soon as I heard about this book months ago that it was right up my alley, and my library hold finally came in! High School Musical came out my senior year of high school WHILE I was in the musical (stage managers represent!), and I was a faithful watcher of DCOMs every month. It is really interesting to see how my memories and nostalgia was a multi-million dollar business and completely calculated. If you're an elder to mid millennial like me and watched the Disney Channel back in the day, this one's for you.

• I Hope This Finds You Well by Kate Baer - I want to get back into writing poems, which means I need to get back into reading them. I wish I could remember where Kate's work was recommended (probably a podcast), and I've got to say, props to my local library for having collections to choose from.

Finished Reading:

• Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal - I still think the way Stradal played with format in this novel was really cool and interesting. However, I do agree with others who have said the further you get into the story, the further you get from Eva. I guess it makes sense - it's a ripple effect, after all, and to see how one woman's talents impact so many others was inspiring, but I also missed her. Overall very good and I'm glad I have another one of his novels on my literal TBR shelf in my house at the ready.

• I'm Waiting for You and Other Stories by Bo-Young Kim - Finally finished this! This book is actually two pairs of short stories. While I deeply enjoyed the first and fourth story, most of my time was spent reading the second (and third). The concept in those pieces was a bit of a mind meld for me, requiring far more concentration. I’m so glad seller at The Bookshop in Batavia, ILlinois suggested this when I was in the store last summer - I feel like I earned this one

• A Short Stay in Hell by Steven L. Peck - This is another one that I've had on hold for months on Libby and when it came in, I hit pause on my other reading to devour this novella. The premise is that a man has died and found out he will not be going to Heaven, at least not right now. First he must spend time in Hell, and the Hell he has been sent to is based on the The Library of Babel by Jorge Luis Borges. In that story, a library exists with every combination of letters and punctuation marks within its books. Therefore, the vast majority of the books in the library contain nonsense, but by the same logic it also contains every possible story that could ever be written. People only get out of this Hell when they find the book that accurately contains their life story. I'm realizing now this is at least the second if not third book I've read where Hell is a library, which just makes me think considering the quote Borges is most well known for, "I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library." I HIGHLY recommend this one.