After finishing two monumental reads like The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny and Gone with the Wind, I honestly don’t know where to turn next. Literarily speaking, of course. I’m learning to alternate intense reads with lighter stories that feel like a breath of fresh air. And I keep finding myself reaching for romance, both in audiobook and in print. The truth is, these books help me recover from dense descriptions and tough, heavy characters, the kind that stick with you for weeks.
If The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai isn’t exactly my favorite book of this never-ending summer, I can still say I genuinely enjoyed reading it. It’s a book packed with things to think about, one that manages to capture an India divided by caste and prejudice, and a young generation caught between a colonial past that hasn’t fully faded and an uncertain future. In between, there’s a present made of fear and impossibly high expectations, anxious parents and suffocating love. This is definitely an intense, demanding book, where every detail matters, one to read when you can really focus, so you can appreciate all its nuances.
Right now, though, what I need is a contemporary romance before picking up something intense again.
In print
- On my nightstand: Icebreaker by Hannah Grace.
- Scattered thoughts: I’ll say it again. Let’s not look down on romance. For me, these books have become a small form of escape, a way to switch off and enjoy stories that are a little spicy, a little funny. At the end of the day, there’s nothing wrong with smiling at the thought of a gorgeous hockey player or an elegant, sarcastic figure skater. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but my own college experience was nothing like Anastasia’s (what an old-fashioned name!) and Nathan’s, the two leads of Icebreaker. Once again, I’m reading a romance that touches on more than just romantic themes — this one deals with eating disorders, consent, and women’s freedom to live their sexuality on their own terms. And I appreciate that.
In audiobook
- For walks through the sweltering countryside: here we go again with the usual indecision.
- Scattered thoughts: I still have no idea what audiobook awaits me after how much I loved Gone with the Wind. On Storytel I put together two story collections, one for romance and one for classics. I’ve already got two classics waiting for me — Buddenbrooks by Mann and the third book of Proust’s In Search of Lost Time, The Guermantes Way. But there’s also Shantaram, which I read when I was very young and think deserves a second read. Which one would you pick for me?
Stories I’m curious about
📚 Once I finish Icebreaker, I think I’ll go back to one of the books waiting on my shelf. Return to Bug Hollow by Michelle Huneven is calling my name, but I’ve also put a hold on Fox by Joyce Carol Oates, in its original language, at the library. We’ll see if it ever shows up.
🎧 Let’s try an experiment. Today I’m going out for a walk and starting all three of the books I just told you about. After five minutes, I’ll pause each one. Whichever one I want to go straight back to will be the one I read.
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