My reading has been quite irregular and unusual over the last couple of months. I’ve been slowly reading my way through a doorstop of a Norwegian book (still not done!). Meanwhile, I’ve been listening to audiobooks on drives and walks, so all my finished books recently are audiobooks. Usually, there’s much more of an even split. There was also travel and illness, both of them potential opportunities for more reading, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. I was also busy planning a trip to South Korea which was time-consuming (and from which I’ve now returned). But when looking back at what I did complete, even though fewer than usual, they were generally very enjoyable and satisfying. On top of that, I added three countries –South Korea, Jordan, and Canada – to this year’s Read Around the World challenge, which felt especially productive (see my map).

What have you been reading lately?

Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim (2021)
Narrated by Sue Jean Kim and Raymond Lee

The setting — Korea during the 20th century, starting in 1917 during the Japanese occupation and continuing through Korea’s independence in 1945 — was exactly what I wanted as I looked forward to a trip to South Korea. The story followed Jade, a courtesan-in-training, and JungHo, an orphan-turned-revolutionary. Their lives intertwined with various characters from different walks of life and political sides both in Pyongyang and Seoul. Even though there were a lot of characters and relationships to keep track of and the development sometimes felt a little disjointed and uneven, I greatly appreciated the insight into Korean history and enjoyed following Jade’s coming of age during this turbulent time. ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️

Note regarding audiobook verses ebook: I mostly listened to the book. Though the narrators were great, I think I would have benefited from reading more of the book so I could have seen the characters’ names, especially the male names, and kept better track of them. If you’re more of a visual than auditory person, I recommend reading it rather than listening to it, unless you’re familiar with Korean names.

• Read Around the World: Central & East Asia (Korea)

The Confusion of Languages by Siobhan Fallon (2017)
Narrated by Jorjeana Marie and Lauren Fortgang

This book has been on my radar a long time. The setting and premise intrigued me: two American military wives in Jordan in May 2011 during the rise of the Arab Spring. Cassie is familiar with the customs and expectations; Margaret is newly arrived and naive. After a fender bender, Margaret leaves her son with Cassie while she goes to the police station to handle the situation. However, Margaret doesn’t return as expected and Cassie becomes increasingly concerned. The structure was engaging. The story alternated between Cassie’s first person narration of the current day and Margaret’s journal looking back into the past (which Cassie is reading). The setting was interesting, but unfortunately, I wasn’t a fan of either woman so that took away from my enjoyment of the whole story.  ⭐️⭐️⭐️

• Read Around the World: Middle East/North Africa (Jordan)

The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave (2024)
Narrated by Julia Whelan

The chance to join a group to discuss the book with the author bumped this book to the top of my TBR list. It’s a slow burn mystery about two estranged half siblings, Nora and Sam, who come together after the unexpected death of their father. Though ruled accidental, they suspect foul play. Together, they begin their own investigation into what happened that night. The timeline alternates between Nora’s narration of the present and the past as experienced by the father. The merging of the two timelines to illuminate what happened was satisfying. I really enjoyed the siblings’ relationship and was intrigued by Nora’s occupation as a neuro architect.  ⭐️⭐⭐️⭐️

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum (2022)
Translated from the Korean by Shanna Tan (2024)
Narrated by Rosa Escoda

With a trip to South Korea coming up, I couldn’t resist adding this to my TBR list. This was a quiet, cozy, and satisfying read. It’s about a woman who, after a personal crisis, returns to an old dream and opens a bookshop in a small residential area outside Seoul. Slowly but surely, it welcomes a regular group of customers and is transformed into a thriving neighborhood space. There are many characters that weave through the story; all of them have past or current issues that they’re dealing with. It was a heartwarming and hopeful book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

• Read Around the World: Central & East Asia (South Korea)
• Read my own shelf: purchase

Still Life (Three Pines, Book 1) by Louise Penny (2005)
Narrated by Ralph Cosham

This was recommended to me years ago, and I’ve been intrigued by the fascination so many people have with Louise Penny and her series for a long time. I don’t know why I waited this long. I really enjoyed it. I loved Inspector Gamache – so calm, observant, and thoughtful. I really enjoyed the setting and people of Three Pines, a little village in Quebec outside of Montreal, and how life in this small town was portrayed; and I was very satisfied with how the murder mystery was developed and resolved. I will definitely be reading more of this series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

• Read Around the World: North America (Canada)

What have you been reading lately?

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