Bus Reads for June and July: Quarantine Edition

I’ve been trying to stick with physical books while working from home, mostly from my bookshelves or from our local bookshop here in Tacoma. I did manage to snag an ebook with my library card from Overdrive that was a very quick read. Quarantine reading has been pretty slow going compared to my commute reading days when I could do a book a week, but I’ll take what I can get! Here’s what I read at home in June and July:

A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen

I know now probably isn’t the best time to read a pandemic novel, but I’ve always been a fan of the dystopian side of things. While I have tried to stay away from them they still keep calling to me. This read was recommended by a co-worker and I was lucky enough to get it from Overdrive. It was a very quick read with some similiar moments to our time now, but also a completely different story. It focuses around three main characters whose lives intersect: a father and daughter still coming to turns with losing their wife and mother, a wedding and event planner trying to get by, and a bride-to-be with a hidden past. Their lives will connect in beautiful and unexpected ways.

Weather by Jenny Offill

It’s not surprising for someone who works at a library to own a book about a librarian! This book also called to me personally because of that innate need to be a “shrink” for my loved ones. It has gotten better with age, but between close friends and family and the customer service side of my job there comes a level of emotional labor involved…and that can be incredibly exhausting. As the main character Lizzie tries to balance family, work, and home she learns to come to terms with her limits while still using all her strengths – and the city becomes the soundtrack.

Vultures: Miriam Black #6 by Chuck Wendig

If you haven’t read the Miriam Black series now would be a perfect time to start. She’s a mess, she swears in unique and hilarious ways, and she can see how people die. After six books she almost feels like family – highly dysfunctional family, but family nonetheless. This is the final book and really brought everything together. I had a very emotional time with the 5th book so I was thankful to have closure from that emotional read. A book series you won’t regret reading!

What are you reading during quarantine? Tag your reads on social media #splbusreads