In the Pacific Northwest, Spring means tulips and cherry blossoms, in colors so bright they look unreal.
It’s the perfect time for some hopeful, refreshing books, so of course I’m instead reading intense sci-fi crime thrillers, non-fiction about the world’s deadliest disease and the inequities of global healthcare, and horror fantasy.
It’s been a big two months! I moved to a new city, started a new job, and still have quite a few half-unpacked boxes. Thus, a little less reading than usual in April, and two months lumped together. But give it up for quality over quantity, because I read some truly incredible things.
Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka by Osamu Tezuka, Naoki Urasawa, and Takashi Nagasaki
Even for someone who has never read/watched Astro Boy, it took me longer than it should have to realize this was an adaptation of the classic manga. (In fact, it took until Astro Boy/Atom showed up at the end of the first volume.) What a great way to do a retelling, paying homage to the cultural importance of the original while adding emotional depth and handling some questionable aspects of the original story with more grace.
This is also an excellent example of a sci-fi mystery/noir, and showcases how well those genres slot together, especially with a creator who knows how to handle intense psychological elements and character complexity as well as Naoki Urasawa.
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green
I would never have expected John Green to become one of my favorite nonfiction authors, but here we are. This is not an easy book to read (in terms of subject matter, the writing is great), but it is an important one. While of course about TB, it also highlights the myriad ways that both the stigmatization of illness and the romanticizing of its sufferers have horrible costs.
The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson
A classic of medical history, so I was obviously fascinated. I love it when a book pairs a wealth of well-researched information with humanizing details about what people of the past actually experienced. This book also demonstrates just how many lives can be saved by a readiness to accept and act on scientific data, even when it goes against how you view the world.
Sketchy by Makihirochi
More on this one later! For now, just know that it’s reflective, heartfelt, and designed to hit a woman in her thirties right in the emotions.
Book Event!
See, it’s not all infectious diseases and murder robots! While I’m not usually a romance reader, Abby Jimenez is a great speaker and has had a wild life. I’m excited to give her book a try.
Every book finished in April & May (in reading order):
✨ Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka by Osamu Tezuka, Naoki Urasawa, Takashi Nagasaki ✨
Firefly Wedding, Vol. 1 (Hotaru no Yomeiri #1) by Oreco Tachibana — Working my way through shoujo recommendations! We’re fans of an active protagonist around here. Will definitely be continuing this series.
✨ Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green✨
Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio — I love that fungus horror is now a thing. The ending felt a little abrupt, but that can be novellas for you.
Library Wars: Love & War by Kiiro Yumi — A great shoujo about fighting censorship that unfortunately feels like it could actually happen any day now.
Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell — This book was bizarre in the best possible way, and had a fantastic character voice.
The Children of Gods and Fighting Men (Gael Song #1) by Shauna Lawless — Will absolutely be reading the next one, and not just because it’s my next book club book. This is morally grey characters done right.
Blue Book Volume 2: 1947 by James Tynion IV — I have now added fun facts about the UFO mania of the 40s and 50s to my random information arsenal.
Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying — Beautiful art and a heartbreaking yet hopeful story.
✨ The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson ✨
✨ Sketchy by Makihirochi ✨
Ask the Brindled: Poems by No‘u Revilla — Now this is a poet who is powerful with a pen.
Ajin: Demi-Human by Gamon Sakurai — I want to study the main character under a microscope. What a fascinating person, and so different from other manga MCs.
The Medieval World (The Great Courses) by Dorsey Armstrong — Dorsey Armstrong does it again with entertaining and informative history.