Book Sabbatical: April

A lot of the reading time that I have taken has been deliberate. As evidenced by this post, better late than never, right? It is difficult for me right now to find time for a reading, though I am incorporating art and writing into my evenings. Audiobooks have been amazing and even including short synopsis of books that I have read has cushion to my writing and solidified things that I have learned from each story. One of the advantages of trying new things in art is that I learn to see things from a new perspective, and some of the books that I read enhance a different way of approaching the world. I hold on to the fact that reading a good book is just as important as writing a good book.

>>What are some of your favorite books that you have read during the month of April?

>>Is there anything that has stick out to you?

>>Is there a new author that you’ve discovered and can’t wait to read another book by that same person?

>>What is it that makes you stick with a certain genre?

3) The Art of Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess’s Stardust

Did you re-read any passages?

This has both illustrations and explanations, so I took time on each page to study the technique and the storytelling through color and form.

Would you want to read another book by this author?

Definitely! I’d love to eventually read everything by Neil Gaiman. I have never heard of Charles Vess, but I will look up more of his illustrations in the future!

Did reading the book impact your mood?

This forced me, in a good way, to be creative, and to realize that art is more about storytelling.

What surprised you most about the book?

I didn’t realize the entire thing was an explanation of the book that Neill Gaimen wrote. I thought it would give some backstory, but it really did just focusing on the art.

How did your opinion of the book change as you read it?

It just kept getting better!

What tips did you find for writing?

This is exactly what I needed as I’m working on my graphic novel. Using pictures instead of just words is a lot harder than I thought it would be. It takes a lot of concentration and effort to get it just right. This book helped immensely! There are layers upon layers of mood that needs to be conveyed in just the right way to tell a story.

Scale of 1-5: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

2) True Biz, by Sara Nović

Did you re-read any passages?

Yes, especially when I started trying to put sign to what I was reading.

Would you want to read another book by this author?

Absolutely! No doubt about it.

Did reading the book impact your mood?

This caught me by surprise several times because of the direction of the storyline. However, there were several different plot points that were put together very succinctly, and the fact that this was centered around a deaf community made it even better. There are very few books that I have read that touch deaf culture in this way, with a mixture of history and a novel approach.

What surprised you most about the book?

I will keep that to myself for now.

How did your opinion of the book change as you read it?

My opinion did not change, but I did find myself appreciating the work that went into this book, with the illustrations, sign language details, and varying points of view. The ending however…

What tips did you find for writing?

Combining facts with fiction is confirmed to be one of my favorite things!

Scale of 1-5: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

1) Eat and Run: My Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness, by Scott Jurek

Did you re-read any passages?

I wizzed through this book, so probably not.

Would you want to read another book by this author?

Yes I would! I read this specifically because I want to start eating more like a runner, but I also enjoyed his approach to explaining his personal experiences with racing, too. Another book would be very interesting, whether or not it mentions food, though I could talk about that for hours!

Did reading the book impact your mood?

This got me ready to run! Read it in a single weekend.

What surprised you most about the book?

No surprises

How did your opinion of the book change as you read it?

It confirmed that I chose well, and even though this title had sat on my TBR for a while, it was worth the wait!

What tips did you find for writing?

Even personal experiences can be funny. I won’t realize maybe until I exit a moment how impactful that moment can be for my future! The secret is to write it anyway!

Scale of 1-5: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Rest of my April Shelf:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Divergent (Roth)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

No One Goes Alone (Larson)

Allegiant (Roth)

Insurgent (Roth)

The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany (Spielman)