October 2021 - What did you read?

[Beige]

Hey everyone! I hope you had a good month/Halloween. And if you're new to Do Better, welcome!

We wanna know, what did you read in October? What did you like, what didn't you like and which (if any) do you think might be suitable for our DB bookshelf-database?

Pop by anytime this month and share. Elena and I will research/validate all member's suggestions for the DB bookshelf-database at the end of the month.

Note: For any books you are recommending, if possible, let us know of any common content warnings that you noticed. Here is our current list on our bookshelf-database: (view spoiler)[

Animal abuse
Animal Death
Body Image
Bullying
Child Abuse
Child Death
Child Neglect
Emotional Abuse
Fat Shaming
Graphic Violence
Homophobia (that is acknowledged)
Low female rep
Mental Health
Memory Manipulation
Oppression
Racism (that is acknowledged)
Self harm
Sexism (that is acknowledged)
Slavery
Suicide
Transphobia (that is acknowledged)
Enbyphobia (that is acknowledged)
(hide spoiler)]



artist: julia bernhard

[Elena]

I haven't read much in October and have definitely nothing to offer to the DB cause, since both the books I did read are most definitely not-DB recommended.

The Houseguest and Other Stories by Amparo Dávila: excellent short story collection, especially if you enjoy sinister, eerie, upsetting tales about the horrors of everyday lives. The entire collection centers on female pain (physical, emotional, psychological) in a patriarchal, capitalistic society though, thus not recommended for our shelf.

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki: I loved this book to pieces and I can't wait to read more by Ozeki. CW for explicit (view spoiler)[racism, extreme bullying, torture, suicide, SV, war crimes & hazing in a military context, depression, child prostitution (hide spoiler)]

[Elena]

P.S. Love the illustration you shared, Beige!

[Sarah]

In the SFF realm I read Dune Messiah. It involves (view spoiler)[reproductive coercion due to secret administering of contraceptive to prevent a woman from conceiving (hide spoiler)]; I assume this comes under the umbrella of SV, so not DB-friendly. Great book, though.

Most likely the rest of the Dune series can be written off due to (view spoiler)[the existence of the political/religious group of women who orchestrate a selective breeding program. It's an interesting paradigm (kinda grey area): a group of highly empowered and respected women who have full control of their ability to conceive, but submit their bodily autonomy to the will of the program and a higher purpose (hide spoiler)].

[Beige]

Sarah wrote: "In the SFF realm I read Dune Messiah. It involves [spoilers removed]; I assume this comes under the umbrella of SV, so not DB-friendly. Great book, though. ..."

Thanks, Sarah. That's good to know! And you nailed it, we discussed (view spoiler)[ non-consent around reproduction in the past and agreed to exclude it. I need to update our group guidelines accordingly. (hide spoiler)]

I'm glad you found a series that is working for you. I heard they are possibly making a prequel tv series focusing on the Bene Gesserit.

[Beige]

Like Elena, I didn't read as much in October and I also read A Tale for the Time Being. I keep humming and hawwing between 4&5 stars for it. It's a weighty book, told in highly readable styles. It definitely falls into the "lit with a hint of SFF". It has some science?/magic? elements and the long CW Elena listed makes it way out of DB territory.

I read the social thriller The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris. I'm not a fan of thrillers, but I think fans will find a lot to appreciate here. CW for: (view spoiler)[racism, sexism (hide spoiler)]

I also really enjoyed two more literary novels:
Intimacies by Katie Kitamura CW (view spoiler)[Minor Violence, Brief mentions of SV and war crimes (hide spoiler)]
Milk Fed by Melissa Broder - CW (view spoiler)[ Major focus on disordered eating, also fatphobia and homophobia (both acknowledged) (hide spoiler)]

[Rebecca]

Hi all, so sorry I haven't updated in a while! Hope you all are doing well and staying healthy.

Here are a few books from October:
The Wolf and the Woodsman - threats of SV but I don't think there was any "on screen", some violence and oppression.
The Bone Shard Daughter - no SV but with bone magic you get some of the body horror TW, some animal abuse and a lot of memory manipulation
In the Quick - no SV
Neon Gods - mentions of SV occurring in the past (very steamy, almost erotica with a light dash of fantasy)
The Black Prism - no SV, but there is fat shaming, animal death, child neglect, and forced isolation/imprisonment

(some of these I finished in Nov but figured I'd share them in this post since I'm here already XD )

[Beige]

Rebecca wrote: "Hi all, so sorry I haven't updated in a while! Hope you all are doing well and staying healthy. ..."

Thanks, Rebecca! I'm well, hope you are too!

I'll be doing the bookshelf update in the next couple of days. I'm quite excited about In the Quick. I read a comment about it recently that made me think it might be my cup of tea - it was something about Hope Day writing unlikeable characters really well.