I may have waited until the very last week to finish all of my books but I DID IT. Like me, many people say they want to read but just don’t have the time. I’m gonna get tough love with you, just like I did with myself.

Yes you do. You’re just not making it a priority.

I would spend an hour or more awake staring at my phone before going to bed. Did I need that? No. So I replaced it with reading. Now I read at least 15 minutes every night before bed, sometimes more. It also helped to carry my book around with me so I had no excuse not to read when I found a minute. Reese would be happily playing in her crib and I would have half an hour before I needed to get ready or switch the laundry or Ryan coming home. If my book was downstairs I found myself scrolling Pinterest aimlessly, or watching a million YouTube makeup tutorials. Instead, I had brought my book upstairs so I cozied up in Reese’s rocking chair and read while she played. Also? Audiobooks. Heaven sent.

You don’t need hours a day to read. You just need to prioritize and make it easier on yourself. It’s so worth it!

Ok I should have done Illuminae first but I always write these in the order I finished them and I JUST finished Illuminae in the early hours of Wednesday morning so it’s last. BUT I AM OBSESSED WITH IT AND I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO READ IT AND THEN TEXT ME ABOUT IT IMMEDIATELY PLEASE. Go ahead and proceed to the book reviews.

Quiet

In this paradigm-shifting nonfiction study, Susan Cain lays out all of the nooks and crannies of introverts – the good, the bad, and the ugly. She spares no extrovert in the process, and exposes the incredibly extroverted nature of our society. Not only does she delve into the personality traits and quirks of introverts, but also the deep biological and psychological facts behind them. Packed with anecdotes, scientific studies, surveys, and exposition, this book changes the way you see introverts, extroverts, and the world.

I wasn’t particularly excited about this book, to be honest. I do like nonfiction, but as you guys might guess – I’m pretty extroverted. I figured this book would talk about people who didn’t like to go to parties or dress up for the big homecoming game or speak in church. I entered it cautiously, feeling like I knew what introversion was and that it was ok. I wasn’t sure an entire book defending their need to be alone to recharge was all that necessary. I was pleasantly surprised (for the most part) to find that this book goes much broader and deeper than that. I honestly think everyone who needs to work closely with people – teachers, business men and women, leaders, parents, basically everyone – needs to read this. Introverted or Extroverted, this book will completely change the way you look at personality traits, strengths vs. weaknesses, society values, and more.

Good

• It helped me understand on a truly deep level, once and for all, that there’s nothing WRONG with being introverted. I was never one to think an introvert wasn’t as good as an extrovert. I guess a big part of me just always thought an introvert was just a pre-extrovert. Like they’d figure it out one day. I’m glad to say I know now that most of them will always be introverted and it’s actually great!
• I always thought I was nearly as extroverted as it came. I’m probably the loudest person you’ve ever met (or never met); I never shut up; I love parties and events and making friends and don’t have social anxiety. But I have always wondered at the non-extroverted sides of my personality – After several days of events and parties and people I absolutely HAVE to have a day or two where I talk to basically no one. I strongly dislike group work – I prefer to work alone. I’ve always been a “nerd” who toted books around and often preferred their company to people. I often pretend I don’t see people I know so that I don’t have to talk to them in public. I love deep conversations and sometimes feel a little bored or irritated with “small talk.” Many of the things Susan Cain wrote about seemed to apply to me too! Sure enough when I took the survey it was a mixed bag. It seems I am a pretty solid “ambivert” who leans extroverted.
• This was important to me, especially when I read the chapter about free trait theory and finding your own personal “sweet spot.” I am primarily extroverted and I’m grateful for that. At the same time I was sometimes feeling bad or critical of myself when I needed to disengage from my extroverted personality and decline or leave parties. Free trait theory basically says that while it may seem two-faced to develop both introverted and extroverted traits (“fake it”) it’s actually hugely successful and rewarding. It’s ok for me to be both and use them when they are needed. It’s ok to be the loud one at Harry Potter Book Club and then avoid that lady from the ward at the grocery store (is it?). Introverts learning extroverted skills can help them be more successful in our extroverted world, and extroverts learning introverted skills can find more peace, more rest, and eliminate some of the careless errors to which we are prone.
• Someone once mentioned to me that when a child is born to very extroverted, strong personality parents that they often develop a shy, introverted personality because they feel they can’t compete or don’t have room to get in a word edgewise. I think I was in high school and someone was talking about a family we knew who mirrored that scenario. It has always stuck with me, and even more so after I (an extrovert with a strong personality) married The Beard (fairly extroverted with an even STRONGER personality). Would our children be shy little introverts? What would I even DO with that? The good news is that after reading this book I have realized just how much of this is biological and neurological. It wouldn’t be “my fault.” But it also wouldn’t be a fault at all! I feel so much better about possibly having an introverted child (Reese definitely isn’t, as far as you can tell at a year old). They are still strong and vibrant and incredible. It would be a challenge for me, but the anecdote about an extroverted mother changing her entire parenting style when she realized her daughter was an introvert was so sweet and inspiring to me.

Less Good

• As an educator I took issue with basically everything she said about schools. Yes, group work is miserable for introverts; I get it. And excessive group work, excessive anything! is still a problem. But scientific pedagogical research has proven time and time again the effectiveness of collaborative learning. I feel like at least in this section she was picking and choosing data that fit her INTROVERT AGENDA. Ok that’s a bit overkill. But I still felt a little bit like I do when students or their parents would complain to me about not liking to work in groups. I get it. I do. Even more than you think, actually, because I was that girl doing 98% of the group’s work because I was a perfectionist and a control freak and surrounded by morons. Yes, some teachers and even the current trend in education may be erring on the side of too much group work. But it’s still proven to work and is critical for being able to function as an adult. Sorry, Susan Cain.
• Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt personally victimized by Extroverts!!!!! Of course I was slightly offended by the extrovert-hating. Very occasionally I felt that she appreciated extroverts and the need for them. But I have to say that more often when she spoke of extroverts it was with barely suppressed disdain. I can recognize the struggle of being an introvert in an extrovert’s world, but I feel like she wants to overthrow us all and take over to rule with deep thinking and analysis skills.
• I listened to it which maybe was also good? With that much science I think I would have gotten really bored and it wouldn’t have been that easy of a read. But it was hard to experience the surveys, tables, statistics, etc., over audiobook. The part where they’re doing the neuroscience statistics is interesting but I bet I wouldn’t have made it through if I was reading traditionally.

A Darker Shade of Magic

Kell is one of the last of the Antari, a particularly magical breed who can travel between worlds. As an adopted member of the royal family of Red London, he delivers messages between Red, White, and Gray London. One fateful night he encounters two things which are far more than what they seem: a mysterious black stone and a skinny little thief named Lila Bard. They set off to return the stone to the ruins of Black London, fighting off pirates, magicians, possessed guards, and evil twins in order to save everyone and everything.

I love magic and sci-fi, so I was very excited about a magic boy in England. I have a good track record with those. I’m sad to report that I didn’t like it NEARLY as much as Harry Potter. I’m sure you saw that coming. Unfortunately I really didn’t like too much in general. It was on a super long wait list at the library, but I didn’t mind buying a copy because I thought for sure I would love it. Meh.

Good

• I liked Kell a lot! I feel like he didn’t have enough time or opportunities for solid character development, but I loved anytime he was interacting with anyone. I also liked Rhys and wished there was more of him! Holland was also interesting as an antagonist/antihero.
• The descriptions of magic were beautiful. The whole time I was thinking about how amazing of a movie it would make. I would love to see the big magic duel in incredible Michael Bay destruction CGI. I’m not being sarcastic.

Less Good

• Even though it’s a solid book… it somehow feels like nothing happens? Kell doesn’t talk that much. Neither does Rhys. You barely meet the King & Queen of Red London. There’s very little dialogue. I think that made it hard to read.
• I didn’t like Lila. Am I crazy? I’m getting a little done with the sassy, rebellious punk teenage girl protagonist. I feel like it’s in every book. And if there was sexual tension I certainly didn’t feel it. Snooze.
• I had to force myself to finish.

Illuminae

When the illegal mining colony on Kerenza is attacked by BeiTech Industries, former lovebirds Kady and Ezra barely escape aboard the surviving spaceships. With the BeiTech death ship in hot pursuit to erase evidence of their crime, the Alexander, the Hypatia, and the Copernicus realize a terrifying truth: the PTSD/virus known as “Shakes” is actually an incredibly dangerous biohazard created by BeiTech – and it’s spreading rapidly. Not to mention AIDAN, the Alexander’s artificial intelligence, appears to have a mind of it’s own. What is happening? What does the leadership know? What aren’t they telling us?

I’ve never read anything like this, and not just because of the unique format. It’s written as a collection of files – emails, chats, memos, spaceship blueprints, transcripts of surveillance videos, and more. The format makes it fast and interesting to read, even if you have to change gears with each new “chapter.” It is so carefully balanced to be informative, funny, and shocking in turn. I literally stayed up until almost 2 am to finish it because it was SO INTENSE SO GOOD SO AWESOME. It’s equal parts Star Trek, Star Wars, Hunger Games, and Zombies.

Good

• It’s equal parts Star Trek, Star Wars, Hunger Games, and Zombies. ’nuff said. (If you don’t know why Star Trek and Star Wars are listed separately… let’s go to lunch. I have lots to say.)
• The personality of everyone – even AIDAN the computer – bleeds through the different formats so so well. You feel like you know everyone so closely. It makes it fun and hilarious and agonizing and amazing.
• It explores relationships, ethics and morality, the “greater good,” and our use/reliance on technology. If I were still a teacher I’d be recommending this book to teenagers up and down the block. And you. I’m also recommending it to you.
• It takes the zombie craze to a fresh new level – nobody gets eaten! Don’t get me wrong – there is PLENTY of gore and violence. Just enough for my liking. But nobody gets eaten. Which is nice.
• The ending is so satisfying. I’m a sucker for a satisfying ending. It’s predictable but then surprising… in the best possible way. It was everything I do to not wake up The Beard at 2 am and tell him the complete synopsis of the book when I finished.
• It’s clean! They literally black out all of the cussing. Great for teens, uptight Mormons, everyone.

Less Good

• Now I have to wait until FREAKING OCTOBER FOR THE NEXT ONE
• I said this before about Lila Bard but… can we just NOT with the punk princess rude sassy teenage girl thing? I am ALL about strong females. I am ALL about our girls reading about girls with opinions and ideas and attitudes. I’m all about girls telling boys what they actually think and not fitting into the princess mold. But do they always have to be so rude and defiant? I don’t love that. I still liked Kady though. She’s a good heroine and just a BADASS. Pardon my french but you guys she just deserves it. It would feel wrong to call her anything else.

My reads for next month are Attachments by Rainbow Rowell (Bon’s Book Club), Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (Delicious Reads), and Women and the Priesthood by Sheri Dew. I’m hoping to get ahead earlier and also make time for Eve and the Choice Made in Eden because it came so highly recommended by approximately 1,000,000 of my friends.

I am feeling so great about my reading goal and excited for my April books! Illuminae reignited a flame in me and made me feel like that little Danica who snuck a flashlight in her pillowcase so she could stay up reading even after her dad said to go to bed. But with a big hairy snoring man in my bed. That got weird. Anyway. Read Illuminae. End of post.