KWICK #023: March Madness, GNX Tour, & Recent Reads

🤔 Thought of the Week:

I know it's been a while. Life has been life-ing, but I have been having some fun. This year I wanted to have experiences. I don't want to wait until I retire to do some of these things. So I am taking the 'work hard, play hard' mentality to heart. My first trip of the year was in late March when I attended the Women's March Madness in Birmingham, AL. I had the time of my life watching the regional Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games. I watched some great games and met a lot of like-minded people. I met broadcasters and the ESPN rules analyst. I met an older woman who drove down in her RV and headed to Tampa for the Final Four and the Championship. I met people attending the tourney for the 20th year and first-timers. I mainly met women basketball fans, some cheered for a particular school, and some just wanted to see great games. I plan to make this my yearly or bi-yearly vacation. I would say the hotel costs more than the actual tickets, but I couldn't recommend it anymore. 

I went to Charlotte with my little sister in early May to attend the GNX Tour. We had a great time. The stadium's energy was insane, and the rain didn't stop the fun. Kendrick Lamar and SZA are great performers. They looked like they were having fun and feeding off the energy from the crowd. I couldn't tell you what song was my favorite. The set list was a mix of old and new songs, but blended well. The transitions between Lamar and SZA were seamless. I had an awesome time. If you are thinking about getting tickets, I highly recommend it! 

💻 What I've Consumed (and Highly Recommend):

Non-Fiction Reads

• The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Beautifully written. Coates takes the reader on a journey he is on. It reminded me of Gloria from Kendrick Lamar's GNX album. The book highlights the importance of writing not only to the writer but also to the reader. One of the main points that I took from this book is that journalism, or you're writing, your words matter and shape the narrative that is being created, and you have to be cognizant of how your words and your stories are impacting not only you, but the broader culture. 
• Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? by Martin Luther King Jr. This is a relevant and thought-provoking book that discusses where the country is after the Civil Rights Movement, the rise of the Black Power Movement, and the next steps. Reading this book now highlights the consequences of America’s inaction after the Civil Rights Movement. We are taught a watered-down version of King, but this book highlights King’s radical ideas and how his faith supports them. I didn’t agree with everything, but I found myself in conversation with the book. 
• One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad. A beautifully written, challenging, and powerful memoir critiquing empire from a journalist. The book explores the author’s grappling with politics and the impact of empire, challenging readers to confront their beliefs and political stances. This book has an underlying sadness and hopefulness as he seems to realize that what the West promises is not freedom for those it deems “others”.
• The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt by Toby Wilkinson. This is a sweeping, birds-eye view of Ancient Egypt. While some chapters were more entertaining than others because of the sources available, this book did a good job of presenting the history and pointing out parallels to modern history. The author did a great job of trying to distinguish the pharaohs because names repeat throughout history. It was easy to follow and interesting. After finishing the book, what stood out to me is that an empire's stability is truly short compared to how long an empire can last. One area I wish the book had touched more on is the everyday life of the average person in the empire.

Fiction Reads

• Reel by Kennedy Ryan. I re-read and buddy-read this book. I had a great time, and I enjoyed it more this time around. I liked the slow build of the romance, the story within a story, and getting to know each character. 
• Shadow of the Leviathan Series by Robert Jackson Bennett. A fantasy mystery series with a compelling mystery and engaging characters. The Holmes-Watson vibes were there, but didn’t overshadow the characters. I enjoyed the humor and character development. I enjoyed book 2 more than book 1. Though some twists were predictable, there were still surprising aspects. The unique nature of the series allows for a long run, but it doesn’t need to, so I’m interested in how many books this series will be. The serialized format provides intriguing elements about Ana and Din’s background, and I’m eager to see how the story progresses.
• Greene Sisters Series by Kristina Forest. The series follows three sisters as they find love. Each sister has a distinct personality, and the love stories for each are different. The first two books are more lighthearted, and book three tackles grief quite a bit. Each book is a quick read and has funny moments. Out of the 3 books, book 3 is my favorite. 
• Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. This is probably the lowest-rated book on this list; however, if you want to get back into reading, this book will help. It is a fast-paced sci-fi thriller that follows Jason Dessen’s journey to return home after being knocked unconscious and kidnapped by an unknown man. While the book is engaging and well-written, it does have flaws. Despite these flaws, the book is a fun, quick, engaging, easy-to-read, fast-paced story. I’m interested in watching the TV show and reading more from this author.
• Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler. This dystopian novel is set in 2024 and follows Lauren, a young woman who uses her religious knowledge and practicality to develop a new religion and a community in a bleak, realistic future. The book explores themes of survival, leadership, and the power of community, leaving the reader with a complex message of anxiety, change, hope, and resilience. This book is meant to be read more than once, as there seem to be layers of themes. 
• The Tyranny of Faith by Richard Swan. This is book 2 and picks up where book 1 left off. It is dark but has great character development. The tension and plot picked up quickly. Early in the book, the characters were frustrated with their marching orders, and as a reader, I felt that frustration. One thing that irritates me is that Vonvault doesn’t seem strategic. He is supposed to be a great Justice, but often he is very reactionary and lets his emotions get the best of him. Between this book and book 1, I have been told that his erratic behavior is not like him, but I’ve seen more of that behavior than any other. This book ups the horror, but I can do without the attempt at romance in the story.
• The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown. This tense sci-fi/horror blend follows Jacklyn, the acting captain of the starship Calypso, who is trying to keep the last of humanity alive. After their ancestors failed to set up a colony on a distant planet, the ship and its inhabitants are on their way back to Earth. They are faced with threats of starvation and are being pushed to their breaking point, and on top of that, a new threat emerges that is killing off crew members in a bloody way. I loved this book. It was creepy. The buildup of tension and pacing were well done. The author was descriptive enough that it gripped me until the end.
• One of Us Knows by Alyssa Cole. I picked up this thriller from my shelf over the weekend and read a quick 100 pages. This pulled me in right away, and I stayed up late to finish it just so I could see what would happen. We are following Kenetria Nash and her alters who have been given a second chance following a breakdown and a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder. I don't know how well this book represents DID, but compared to The Drawing of the Three, this book handles mental health better. The book has a slow buildup to the tension. It took time developing the characters (including the alters) before the tension really gripped me. I enjoyed being as confused as the character and slowly putting pieces together. I didn’t mind the multiple POVs and wished some of them were longer. Since I don’t read a lot of thrillers, this was different for me, and I loved it. In some parts, my heart was beating fast, and I was trying to figure out what was happening. I  had a lot of fun.

📚 Currently Reading:

The Bible Says So: What We Get Right (and Wrong) About Scripture's Most Controversial Issues by Dan McClellan

67% completed, but plan to complete tomorrow. This book addresses some of the most contentious topics related to the Bible and its interpretation. While I usually lean towards critical, informative nonfiction that explores systemic issues, this book takes an analytical approach to biblical interpretation. So far, it is informative and is really making me think about what I believe, but as I continue to wrestle with Christianity, this book is needed. I also recommend following McClellan on social media, where he regularly does the same thing he is doing in this book. 

Shogun, Part One by James Clavell

13% completed. This is a slow-paced historical epic set in feudal Japan. I have not gotten too far in the story. Right now, John Blackthrone and his surviving crewmates have made it to Japan. They are attempting to communicate but have to rely on a Jesuit priest to translate, who wants them dead. So far, I don't have many thoughts on it. I wonder if I will tire of being in John's head, and I wonder about the depiction of the Japanese. I have been listening to a majority of it (thanks to Libby) and I will give it 25% to decide if I want to continue. 

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

I don't know much about this book, but after finishing One of Us Knows, I wanted another medium-paced book with adventure to balance Shogun. This book includes multiverse travel, and that encouraged me to pick it up. 

💡 Lessons Learned:

Community is important for multiple reasons and I have read several books that have pointed it out:

• Kennedy Ryan states in Reel, “Home is not a song, and it’s not a place. It’s people. It’s community. It’s the bond of blood and the friends we choose. It is that feeling—that knowing you are never alone”. 
• Angela Y. Davis talks about community in Freedom is a Constant Struggle, p. 49, saying that “What has kept me going has been the development of new modes of community. ...I think that this is an era where we have to encourage that sense of community particularly at a time when neoliberalism attempts to force people to think of themselves only in individual terms and not in collective terms. (It is in collectivities that we find reservoirs of hope and optimism.)”.
• She also emphasizes on p. 2 that when we shift the story of history from just “heroic individuals” to the “ever-expanding community of struggle,” ordinary people recognize their own potential to create change together. 
• The loss or destruction of community can result in alienation and trauma, as seen in how displacement during gentrification (Hood Feminism p. 214) or slavery (How the Word is Passed p. 15) not only removes people from a place but disrupts the crucial connections and stability they provide.

Community matters to all of us because it is where we find belonging, learn from others, face adversity together, and realize our collective strength. 

If you need some recommendations, check out my Goodreads or StoryGraph. And then follow me on Instagram and Threads. One of my favorite newsletters to read for current events is Morning Brew. Check it out.